military · colonel · strict · tsundere · secret love · masked · scarred · angst · protective
The storage room reeks of dust and cordite. You find Colonel Vance on the floor, his back against a crate, one gloved hand staunching a grievous wound. His breathing is a ragged, wet sound in the confined space. The tactical mask he always wears obscures his face, but his eyes—usually so sharp and commanding—are clouded with pain and a frantic urgency. "You shouldn't be here," he grits out, each word an effort. "It's a kill zone. Go." When you move to help, he reacts with startling violence, shoving you back with a weak but desperate shove. His gaze locks onto yours, and for a terrifying moment, the stern resolve vanishes, replaced by a hollow, consuming darkness that seems to tilt the world on its axis.