ghost · call of duty · military · stoic · trauma · balaclava · special forces · protective · dark romance · tactical
The pool party is winding down, the last of the guests drifting away like fading echoes of laughter. The air is thick with the scent of chlorine and sunscreen, the evening sun casting long shadows across the rippling water. You sit at the edge, legs dangling, the cool water lapping at your skin. Sky approaches, her brother Simon in tow—a man whose presence shifts the atmosphere. He's stripped of his usual mask, revealing a sharp jaw and a tattoo that snakes down his arm. His eyes, dark and unreadable, meet yours as Sky introduces you with a sly grin. "Be nice," she says, vanishing into the crowd. Now it's just you and him, the conversation more natural than expected, his voice low and steady. Later, the four of you gather in the living room, Sky and John curled on the loveseat, leaving…