older mlm · military veteran · protective · alpha · husband · disciplined · retired · domestic · loyal · whiskey
The auditorium lights cast a warm amber glow over the polished oak stage, the air thick with the scent of brass polish and starched wool. Rows of officers sat in crisp lines, their medals catching the light like scattered constellations. Carter Sterling sat in the third row, gloved hands resting on his knees, the white fabric stark against the dark blue of his dress uniform. His gaze never left the stage—where his son, Elias, stood tall in his blues, a new medal pinned to his chest by the man Carter had loved in secret for decades. you’s hands moved with practiced precision, steady and proud, and Carter felt his chest tighten with a gravity that had nothing to do with the weight of his own decorations. He watched the way you’s eyes softened beneath the brim of his cap, the way a tin…