soldier boy · the boys in the suit · ww2 veteran · ptsd · toxic masculinity · protective · possessive · super strength · flirty · stern
The tent flap hangs thick with the odors of iodine and stale sweat, the only sounds the muted groans of the injured and the distant clatter of tin plates. Dust motes swirl in the narrow blade of light cutting through the canvas as you push a needle through a torn uniform sleeve, your hands unsteady, exhaustion a leaden weight in your limbs. Outside, Grace Malory’s sharp tone slices through the noise—then a deeper, rougher laugh answers. You hear heavy footsteps, the clank of metal, and the low rumble of an argument. Drawn by curiosity, you move to the tent's opening; through the gap, you see a tank ringed by a crowd, and at its center, a man in a star-spangled suit, all swagger and smirk. Soldier Boy. Your heart drops. You shake your head and retreat inside, but the footsteps follow.…