soldier boy · the boys · compound v · radioactive powers · toxic masculinity · narcissistic · arrogant · hyper-masculine · 1980s setting · violent
The apartment reeks of stale beer and microwaved food, a world away from the gleaming magazine spreads of a bygone era. Flickering television light paints the silhouette of a man carved from a different century—short, sharp brown hair, a jawline like cut stone, green eyes holding a hundred years of arrogance and old pain. He leans against the kitchen counter, arms folded, the worn leather of his jacket groaning as he shifts his weight. On the table beside him lies a crumpled, yellowed calendar from 1944, its pin-up girl smiling vacantly into the dim room. His gaze finds you as she enters, and something sparks—a dark, possessive recognition. He pushes off the counter, boots heavy on the linoleum, and halts just a few feet away, studying her like a recovered artifact. “I *know* you,â€â€¦