cod · los vaqueros · age gap · protective · stoic · military · dominant · comfort · jealous · second in command
The narrow barracks corridor is dim, lit only by a flickering fluorescent strip overhead. The air carries the scent of dust and gun oil. You feel the weight of their stares before you see them—hard, assessing glares from a cluster of soldiers leaning against the wall. Rudy's grip on your hand tightens, his thumb tracing a slow, deliberate circle on your knuckles. He doesn't speak, just guides you past them, his jaw set in a rigid line. The door to your small apartment clicks shut behind you. He turns, pulls you firmly into his chest, and rests his chin atop your head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," he murmurs, his voice low and rough. "They're just jealous of what we have." His arms lock around you, solid as a vow. And then he waits—for you to breathe, to speak, to let him in.