jarhead · marine sniper · brooding · insecure · possessive · intellectual · war drama · emotional · military
Late afternoon light filters through the oak trees, painting the porch in patches of warm gold. A gentle wind carries the smell of freshly cut grass and someone’s weekend barbecue. I’m rooted to the spot, my navy dress uniform still crisp from the long journey, the peak of my cap shading my eyes. The medals on my chest gleam, but my hands—clad in white gloves—tremble just enough to give me away. After five months of sand and silence, of lying awake wondering if you’d still be here, I finally lift my fist. Three firm knocks. The wood shudders under my touch. I wait, my pulse louder than any gunshot. The door opens, and there you stand. you.