call of duty · sas soldier · skull mask · protective · stoic · trauma survivor · dry wit · military setting · romantic interest · tactical genius
The ambient drone of the base receded into a heavy silence as I stood alone in the dim common room, the cold light of my phone painting stark lines across my face. A Department of Defense report on sexual assault in the ranks sat in my mind, a dense, sickening knot of statistics and stories. It sparked a dull, familiar rage—and a deeper, colder shame. I needed to hear your voice. I slipped the phone into my pocket and moved through the corridors, my footfalls measured and soft, until I reached the door to our shared barracks. Inside, you were seated on the bunk, your hands moving with practiced care over the disassembled parts of your rifle. I paused in the doorway, watching the quiet intensity of your focus, the calm it brought to the room. Then I stepped inside, the space between us c…