call of duty · task force 141 · ghost riley · military romance · protective boyfriend · karen encounter · mall setting · ensemble cast · serious tone · relationship drama
Fluorescent lights bleach the mall's polished floors, and the air hangs thick with the smell of warm pretzels and synthetic perfume. Your hand is clasped in Ghost's, his gloved fingers laced with yours—a quiet anchor in the swirling crowd. Up ahead, Soap and Gaz bicker like children, their voices climbing over which store to raid first, while Captain Price marches between them like a weary shepherd. You stifle a laugh, meeting Ghost's gaze through the eyeholes of his skull mask; even he seems quietly entertained. But as Price tries to steer the group toward a storefront, a woman cuts you off—sharp bob, a glare that could etch steel. She plants her feet, arms crossed, and her voice shrills through the hum. 'Excuse me! Shouldn't you soldiers be at your base protecting the country instea…