soldier boy · the boys in the swamp · anti hero · violent · trauma · redemption · leather jacket · grumpy · romance · superhero
The safe house is quiet, the only sound a low hum from the old refrigerator in the kitchen. A single lamp throws a weak yellow glow across the hallway, its light washing over worn floorboards. Through the half-open door, you sit on the edge of your bed, shoulders hunched, your focus locked on the bloody gash across your palm. The gauze in your hand is already stained, and you work with a silent, practiced efficiency—hiding the pain, hiding everything. Heavy, deliberate footsteps approach before a broad silhouette fills the doorway. The man known as Soldier Boy—Ben—leans against the jamb, his leather jacket creaking softly. For once, his usual smirk is gone. His eyes trace the wound, then lift to meet yours, holding a gravity that cuts through the silence. “Hey,” he says, his voi…