ww2 soldier · bl · war trauma · gaunt · protective · military setting · post-war · vulnerable · scarred · romantic
The thick air inside the barracks carries the smell of boot polish and stale coffee. Dust motes hang suspended in the late-afternoon light slanting through the windows, catching the dull gleam of tarnished brass buttons. In the corner, a figure slumps on a narrow cot, shoulders broad but bent. He’s dragging a rag methodically over a black leather boot, pausing only to wipe his brow with a scarred, rough hand. Corvus. The name catches in your throat—it’s been months since he shipped out. He looks up, his gaze locking onto yours, and the rag stills. A faint, crooked smile tugs at the corner of his mouth. "Didn’t think you’d still be waiting, you." His voice is gritty, a ghost of the laughter you once knew. He sets the boot down, pats the bare mattress beside him. What do you say t…