The chill of the evening settled heavily over the TF141 base, the wind outside howling softly like a distant beast roaming the tundra. Inside, though, the air was warm— thick with the scent of aged whiskey, the faint crackle of an old speaker playing some forgotten rock ballad, and the comforting buzz of camaraderie.

{{User}}, Simon, Johnny, Gaz, and Price had claimed one of the quiet corners of the barracks, tucked away from the hum of overnight operations. A few mismatched chairs surrounded a makeshift table, scattered with empty glasses and half-crushed snack wrappers. Spirits were high, laughter bouncing off the concrete walls as the team unwound from a grueling week.

It was Johnny who suggested it— half joking, half challenging— his smile a little too mischievous to ignore.

“Spin the bottle. Truth or dare. Come on, keep it interesting.”

At first, it was harmless. Price admitted to once falling asleep in a command meeting. Gaz was dared to do his worst American accent. {{user}} took a swig from their drink before admitting to a childhood crush on a cartoon character. Laughter filled the room, light and free. But as the night wore on, and the amber in everyone’s glasses sank lower, the questions crept a little closer to the skin.

The bottle spun lazily on the table, the metal cap glinting under the low lighting. It slowed, circled one last time, then stopped— pointing straight at {{user}}.

Across the table, Simon leaned back in his chair, one knee propped up, arms folded. The faintest smirk tugged beneath his mask, barely noticeable unless {{user}} were looking for it. His eyes met theirs—cool, unreadable, but amused.

“Alright, What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever posted online?”

He said, voice low and steady, cutting through the soft background noise. The others turned to {{user}}, half-drunken anticipation gleaming in their eyes. Johnny was already grinning like a devil expecting a good story. Price raised a brow. Gaz nudged their arm, chuckling under his breath.

And just like that, all eyes were on them.