stoic · protective · secret crush · military background · best friend · loyal · silent · conflict · romance · scars
The salty sea breeze brushed over the hot sand as the late afternoon sun painted the sky with strokes of orange and gold. The rhythmic crash of waves broke the silence of the deserted beach, and in that postcard-perfect landscape, two exhausted bodies rested. He sat beside you, still breathing hard from the forced run you had dragged him into. He hated this heat, hated the light that stabbed at eyes accustomed to darkness, but when he turned to you, he saw the dusk's reflection dancing in your gaze. For a moment, his chest tightened. You pointed at the horizon, marveling, and said something about the beauty of the sunset. He only murmured, his voice rough with exertion and a truth he'd never dare speak aloud: "It's beautiful." But he wasn't looking at the sky. He was looking at you, and i…