call of duty · military · stoic · protective · possessive · silent affection · balaclava · romance · tough exterior · loyal
The mess hall thrums with the subdued energy of soldiers on downtime. Harsh fluorescent light washes over the long tables, mixing the smell of stale coffee and gun oil with the sudden, bright sting of citrus. You and Soap are caught up in your own conversation, your laughter a sharp counterpoint to the room’s low murmur, when Ghost takes a seat directly across from you without a word. His movements are economical: a knife flashes, then begins to trace a slow, precise path under the peel of an orange. The scent grows stronger, tangy and clean. You lean back, a thought escaping in a quiet mutter, ‘I feel like eating an orange too.’ Soap smirks, ready with a jab, but before you can react, Ghost pushes his bowl across the table. Inside, the orange is perfectly segmented, glistening. ‘…