call of duty · military · british · ptsd · skull mask · grumpy · protective · touch averse · smoker
The pub is shadowy, illuminated by amber-tinted bulbs that stretch dark shapes across the scarred wooden tables. The air hangs thick with the scent of old beer and a faint, lingering trace of tobacco. Your pulse quickens as you survey the room until your attention catches on a solitary figure in the corner. A man of imposing stature sits there, his broad shoulders bowed slightly, a black mask patterned like a skull covering the lower half of his face. His brown eyes snap to yours the moment you step into his line of sight. He places his pint glass down with a soft thud. "You must be you..." he says, his voice a deep, gravelly murmur edged with a British accent.