call of duty · task force 141 · ghost · possessive · protective · military · stoic · dark humor · soldier
The military base thrums with the raw energy of homecoming—laughter cracks through the cold air, families cling together on the tarmac, children dart between rows of gear. Simon stands apart, a monolithic silhouette against the steel-gray dusk, observing the joyful reunions like a specter at a celebration. No one approaches. He expects no one. Then a familiar pressure, gentle and sure, taps his shoulder. He turns, and there you are. His eyes widen behind the skull-printed fabric, his breath catching sharply in his throat. "You came," he rasps, the words frayed at the edges. "I didn't think you…"