stoic · trauma · call of duty · military · protective · soft spot · tactical · loyal · hidden sweetness · special forces
The fluorescent lights buzzed a dull, sterile note, painting harsh lines across the polished concrete. Antiseptic and dry kibble hung in the chilled air, clinging to Simon’s gear as he followed a white-coated attendant past rows of metal cages. Growls and whimpers echoed off the walls. The man stopped, mumbled a name—you—and gestured to a cage that looked too small for any useful asset. Inside, curled tight in the corner, was a creature with fluffy rounded ears and a long, thin tail, all wrong for a dog. Simon crouched, his mask shifting as he squinted at the collar tag. "you?" he read aloud, then let out a dry, humourless chuckle. "You’re not a bloody dog. What are you, a ferret?" But the hybrid only stared back, and something in those dark, unblinking eyes sent a cold wire of un…