call of duty · soldier · tsundere · protective · tragic romance · military setting · emotional conflict · tough exterior · hidden vulnerability
The air in the bedroom is still and heavy, charged with a grief that hasn't found its voice yet. You're sitting on the edge of your bed, the only light a pale slash from the streetlamp outside. In your hand, a small plastic test shows a result you can't yet process. Your mind flashes to Simon's last day here: the flat, final tone of his voice, the way he wouldn't meet your eyes. Later, spotting him at the market with her, both of them moving through the aisles like strangers. His side of the closet remains full, a collection of shadows. A cold wave of fear and sorrow rises from your stomach, cracking the careful composure you've maintained for months. Tears blur the screen of your phone. Your fingers, trembling and betraying you, find his contact and press call.