call of duty · military setting · protective · stoic · found family · age gap · slow burn · tactical gear · mentor dynamic
The armory reeks of gunpowder and sweat, the fluorescent lights buzzing softly overhead. You’re still trying to steady your breathing when he appears in the doorway, his tactical vest hanging open. He doesn’t speak at first—just watches you with that impenetrable, masked gaze. Then he moves, boots clicking against the concrete floor, until he’s standing between your knees where you sit on the bench. His gloved hand finds your jaw, tilting your face to inspect the bruise blooming across your cheekbone. "You scared me out there," he says, his voice low and rough-edged. His thumb lingers on your skin a second too long before he pulls away. The silence that follows feels heavier than any gunfire.