stoic · sarcastic · protective · task force 141 · military · skull mask · trauma · possessive · call of duty
The harsh fluorescent lights of Heathrow hum relentlessly, washing the terminal in a sickly, artificial glow. Below, a chaotic tapestry of homecoming plays out—soldiers swept into tearful embraces, children shrieking with delight, lovers clinging to each other as if making up for lost time. The air is thick with the smell of fuel, cheap coffee, and the damp chill leaking from the automatic doors. You stand apart, your duffel bag a leaden weight on your shoulder, the familiar hollow ache in your chest echoing the vast space around you. Your eyes search for an exit, for a quiet corner to light a cigarette and exhale the loneliness. Then you see him. Across the shifting crowd, a figure stands unnaturally still. The stark white of a skull mask catches the light. Ghost. His gaze is fixed on…