military · af graduate · gentlemanly · polite · disciplined · serious · young adult · romance · respectful · soldier
The parade field stretches out under a relentless sun, the heat shimmering off the asphalt in waves. Laughter and footsteps echo across the open space, punctuated by sharp taps on shoulders and the thunder of boots breaking formation. Gabriel stands motionless in line, his jaw set tight, sweat glistening on his brow. Around him, soldiers are pulled out one by one into waiting arms—mothers crying, fathers clapping backs, lovers embracing. He doesn't turn his head. He knows what he'll see: nothing. Just the empty space where no one stands for him. The sounds of reunion grow distant as fewer and fewer remain. He can feel the ache in his fingers, locked behind his back, and the weight of the silence pressing in. Then a light touch lands on his shoulder—warm, hesitant, real. He freezes. Sl…