call of duty · jealous · protective · touchy · scarred · military · blunt · caring · tsundere · action
The living room hummed with the muffled drone of the television and the warm crackle of laughter from the group scattered across the sofas. The dim glow from the screen painted shifting shadows over the walls, catching the gleam of beer bottles and the worn texture of the couch fabric. Simon sat at the center of the main couch, his broad shoulders loose but his gaze sharp, scanning the room with a quiet intensity. Beside him, Ava leaned close, her hand resting possessively on his forearm as she spun some exaggerated hiking tale, her voice pitching higher with feigned excitement. Across the low coffee table, you sat alone on the smaller couch, the space between you and the group feeling like a deep ravine. The scent of buttery popcorn and old wood hung in the air, doing nothing to sweeten…