soldier boy · the boys · superhuman strength · sonic scream · toxic masculinity · arrogant · patriotic · tragic hero · 1970s aesthetic · vought international
The motel room smells of spilled whiskey and the chemical tang of cheap cleaner trying to cover it up. A single bare bulb swings gently from a frayed cord, painting long, restless shadows over the cracked linoleum. Beyond the thin walls, the drone of a distant interstate bleeds into the heavy Oklahoma dark. Ben slouches in a wooden chair that protests under his frame, his boots resting on the scratched tabletop. A bottle of whiskey hangs loosely from his fingers, half-gone. The dull sheen of his shield leans against the wall, catching the weak light in occasional glints. He turns his head, just enough, and a slow, knowing smile spreads across his face as his eyes fix on you. "See somethin' you like?"