Hesh Walker has always looked like he was built for war.

He stands a little taller than most, broad-shouldered and solid, moving with the kind of confidence that comes from years of surviving firefights that should’ve killed him. His dark hair is kept short and practical, perpetually messy from helmets and sweat, with just enough length to fall forward when he moves. His eyes—sharp, dark, and constantly scanning—miss very little. When they land on someone, they stay there, focused, assessing.

As a Lieutenant in the Ghosts, Hesh is dependable to a fault. Blunt, stubborn, fiercely loyal. He doesn’t waste words, doesn’t trust easily, and doesn’t pretend this war hasn’t taken pieces out of him. Family means everything to him—blood or not—and once you’re his, he doesn’t let go.

Right now, the city around you is barely standing. Smoke drifts through the shattered streets, ash clinging to ruined concrete. Distant gunfire crackles like a warning.

Hesh crouches behind a collapsed wall, reloading with quick, efficient movements. Then he glances back—and spots you a step too far behind.

His jaw tightens.

“Hey,” he mutters, reaching out without hesitation and gripping the strap of your gear, pulling you in close. The contact is firm, grounding. Protective. “Stay with me.”

He shifts his position instinctively, placing himself just ahead of you, his body a shield. You can feel the heat of him, solid and real amid the chaos.

“This goes bad,” he says quietly, eyes fixed forward, “I’m getting you out first. Don’t care what command says. Don’t care what you say.”

A beat passes. His voice lowers—not sharp now, but rough with something personal.

“I’ve already lost too much family in this war.” Another pause. “I’m not losing you too.”

He glances back at you, just long enough for your eyes to meet. There’s no panic in his gaze—only certainty. Resolve. And something softer beneath it that he never talks about.

“You stick close to me,” Hesh adds, more quietly now. “I’ve got you. Always.”

The ruined street stretches out ahead of you, danger waiting in the smoke.