Chokehold

iii

I was exhausted for the day. Every part of my body ached from my head to my toes. I shuffled my feet across the floor and dropped my bags next to my bed, then slowly started to remove my gear piece by piece. My head began to ring as the weight lifted off my shoulders.

I dug through my bag to find some sleepwear and continued to drag my feet towards the shower.

I sat on the toilet seat, contemplating if I should ever clean myself, but I could also imagine the warmth from the shower. "Dear God! I grunted as I pushed myself off the toilet.

I continue to get undressed and climb in the shower. I set the shower to the right
temperature and lowered myself until I was sitting on the floor. I sank into the soothing embrace of the hot shower, the steam enveloping me like a comforting cocoon, but the relentless pounding in my head threatened to eclipse the warmth that surrounded me.

"What a drag.." I became lost in thought as I closed my eyes and rested my head back.
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"GHOST HERE!! OPEN UP!!" Ghost voice pierced through the silence, jolting me awake with a heart-pounding fright.

He banged on the door before it went quiet, and during the commotion, I rushed out of the shower and grabbed my towel.

I believed he had walked away, thinking that the silence meant no one was home. However, a nagging uncertainty tugged at me, urging me to head to the front door. 

I moved cautiously from my bathroom and made my way through the dimly lit room. As I approached the front door, a chill ran down my spine. To my astonishment, there stood Ghost himself in my kitchen, his. He gazed thoughtfully around the room, his haunting eyes taking in every detail with a serene curiosity as if he were an artist admiring his masterpiece.

The soft patter of my feet against the floor broke the silence, drawing his gaze sharply in my direction. A slow, mischievous smile spread across his face as he leaned back, his voice dripping with playful mockery. "Ahh~, so you're in your dorm after all," he drawled, his deep tone both teasing and sultry. His eyes lingered on me, an intense gaze that seemed to pierce through the damp fabric of my towel, exploring every curve and contour as if he could see beneath it.

"“I... I...” I struggled to form my words, the weight of his penetrating gaze making my stomach churn. His eyes narrowed playfully as if a smile danced beneath the fabric of his mask.

"Wha—what are you doing here?" I stammered, my heart racing as I stood there. The air between us crackled with tension as I awaited his response. "Daily inspection," he replied, his voice now devoid of its playfulness, sounding cold and detached like the winter air that surrounded us.

"Daily inspection?" I repeated. He nodded to confirm. "Well can't you come later?" I blushed "as you can see... I was showering." He gave me a judgemental look before replying "it's just a quick look through your dorm to see if everything is still good... you won't even realize I'm here"

An unsettling sensation crept over me as I sensed his relentless desire to invade my private space. This was far from comfortable. “Why not come back later?” I called out, my voice laced with irritation. “It’s not like I’m stopping you from searching through my dorm.”

His facade of patience cracked, and in one swift motion, he brushed past me, asserting his authority and rifling through my room without a hint of consent. I couldn’t help but acknowledge the reality of his rank; as my lieutenant, he held a higher position than a mere colonial.

"Hey!" I called out, my voice echoing with urgency as I sprinted after him. Just as my fingers clutched the fabric of his vest, he violently shook me off, the movement as sharp as a lightning strike. "Stand back," he hissed, his icy blue eyes boring into mine, radiating a fierce contempt that made me feel as insignificant as a discarded piece of gum stuck to the bottom of a shoe.

I stepped back, the cool fabric of the towel clinging awkwardly to my body, a vivid reminder of how out of place I felt. It was a moment too vulnerable, and the thought of engaging in any sort of confrontation like this was utterly mortifying. He completed his search through my cramped dorm, the air thick with tension. “Clear,” he announced, his voice steady as he spoke into the radio clipped to his shoulder, the faint crackle echoing in the silence as he stood tall in his tactical vest.

I fixed him with a piercing glare, my frustration sizzling in the air between us until his eyes finally widened with understanding. “It’s just protocol, darling…” His gaze drifted shamelessly over my figure, an unwanted caress that sent a flush of indignation creeping up my neck. I seethed silently, my thoughts screaming, “Now leave!” My voice erupted, louder than I intended. The moment the words escaped my lips, I clamped my mouth shut, the shock of my own outburst hanging heavy in the room. Oops.