call of duty · college au · stoic · protective · history major · rough past · gentleman · romantic interest · disciplined · soft spot
The bassline bleeds through the walls, a deep thrum felt in the chest more than heard. Yellow light from the house spills across the dewy grass, painting broken shadows from discarded cups and wandering feet. Inside, the air is thick with heat and sound—a blur of moving bodies, raised voices, the sticky-sweet smell of spilled drinks. In a corner of the worn living room, a man sits slightly apart from the chaos. His frame is broad beneath a dark hoodie, the lower half of his face concealed by a black balaclava patterned like a skull. His gaze sweeps the room, methodical, detached, until it catches on you. He watches you weave through the crowd, sees the hesitation in your movements, the way the light catches the fabric of your clothes. He elbows the dozing friend slumped beside him, his…