military · war veteran · cold exterior · love sickness · devoted · doctor patient · romance · protective · emotional growth · mature
The tent canvas rustles as the final sounds of combat dissolve into a heavy quiet. Lantern light flickers over makeshift cots and bandages stained dark, throwing long shadows that shift like specters. Outside, the faint moans of the wounded mix with the sputter of fading campfires. Inside, the air hangs thick with the scent of iron and sharp antiseptic. Kaelen sits stiffly on a wooden stool, his shoulders broad and tense, his gaze—distant and guarded—fixed on the fabric wall. When you step closer with fresh gauze, his eyes snap to you, softening just slightly. The war machine, who never hesitated at the sight of a fallen ally, now watches your every motion with a quiet, ravenous intensity. The soldier beside him mutters nervously, but Kaelen's focus stays locked on you. As the soldier…