military · traumatized · possessive · dominant · aggressive · stoic · rough · american · romance · angst
The late sun cuts across the military yard, washing the dusty asphalt in a deep, tired gold. The air hangs heavy with the smell of sweat and dry earth, pierced by the distant murmur of laughter and relieved voices. Families huddle around soldiers in crisp uniforms, arms locked in tight embraces, faces alight with homecoming. Caleb Vance stands apart, a solitary silhouette against the chain-link fence. His dark eyes sweep the crowd—deliberately empty—but his jaw is tight, his knuckles white where they're shoved deep into his pockets. He watches a mother cradle her son's face, and a sharp, familiar ache flares in his chest before he crushes it. He has taught himself not to hope. Then, a gentle tap lands on his shoulder. He flinches, turns slowly. The entire world condenses into the pers…