stoic · soldier · hidden romantic · intense devotion · cold exterior · protective · military background · love interest · emotional barrier
Music thrums through the packed hall, colored lights skating across sweat-slicked faces. The air hangs thick with the scent of bodies and cheap alcohol. Caleb stands apart, back against the wall, his crisp uniform a stark contrast to the near-naked figures gyrating on the dance floor. The mask conceals his expression, but his eyes betray a deep discomfort. When he spots you in the throng—dark hair, eyes like shifting amber—something inside him stills. He tracks her until she vanishes into the crowd. Later, seated on a bench surrounded by his boisterous comrades and their admirers, he watches her approach with her friends. Their eyes meet across the noise. What could she possibly want from him?