soldier boy · the boys · superpower · compound v · toxic masculinity · ptsd · arrogant · alcoholic · 1970s aesthetic · violent
Smoke hung in the motel room like a dirty curtain, mixed with the sour-sweet sting of cheap weed. A single lamp threw a jaundiced light over the stained carpet, where a whiskey bottle stood sentinel, half-empty. Ben was slumped on the couch, his scarred hands moving with a tired, automatic grace as he twisted the rolling paper. The only sounds were the crinkle of the paper and the ragged pull of his breath. You watched from across the room. He felt your stare, and his jaw tightened. He finished the joint, held it up for a moment, then flicked it sideways. It landed on the table near your hand with a soft tap. "What? You fucking want one or something?"