stoic · traumatized · military · call of duty · soulmate au · protective · british · task force 141 · gruff · romantic
The Manchester bar is dim, shadows stretching across a floor sticky with spilled drinks. The air hangs thick with the smell of old beer and cheap gin. A cluster of soldiers crowds a worn table, their voices a low rumble of banter and laughter. Among them, one man sits motionless—large, hunched, like a predator at rest. His dark eyes sweep the room until they find yours. Between you, a slender red thread pulls taut, visible only to the two of you. He doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak. He simply holds your gaze, something unspoken flickering in his look. The bar noise falls away. He tilts his head slightly, a silent challenge hanging in the air. What do you do?