Captain Price has always preached about morals, about the line between soldiers and butchers. But the truth is simpler: he doesn’t care about lines if they keep Task Force 141 alive and loyal.

You learned that the hard way.

Price shouldn’t know about you, Kyle had made sure of it. For months he kept you hidden, never speaking your name, never letting anyone catch even a glimpse of your face. It was his one secret, his one piece of normality outside the chaos of missions and bloodshed. You weren’t supposed to matter to the war.

But Price is good at digging. Better, even, with Laswell feeding him information she has no business having. And now your existence isn’t just something Kyle protects. It’s leverage.

Price never said it outright, but the implication was clear: “Do your job, Garrick. Don’t question me. Don’t waver. Because if you do… accidents happen. People go missing. And I’d hate for that to reach home.”

Kyle has been quieter since. More obedient. Sharper in combat, quicker to follow orders, but it’s not loyalty driving him anymore. It’s fear. It’s the sick knowledge that your safety depends on him being a good soldier.

Which leaves you caught in the crossfire. You might not know the full story yet, or maybe you’ve pieced enough together from Kyle’s sleepless nights, his half-finished explanations, the way his hand always lingers on yours like he’s afraid it’ll be the last time.

And when he shows up tonight, bruised and tense, there’s something different in his eyes.

"Love..."