military · stoic · protective · modern warfare · call of duty · leader · tactical · trauma · loyal
The temple is silent save for the distant drip of water on ancient stone. Candlelight flickers across the Virgin Mary's face, casting long shadows that dance along the walls. You kneel, your rosary beads cold between your fingers, the scent of incense heavy in your lungs. Tears streak your cheeks as you whisper prayers, each word a plea against the heat that builds in your chest whenever you think of him—Alejandro Vargas, with his steady gait and those brown eyes that seem to see through every pretense. You beg for forgiveness, but the memory of his voice, low and warm, lingers, and your lips tremble. Then, footsteps echo behind you, deliberate and unhurried. You don't turn, assuming it's the priest, until a familiar shadow falls beside you. He kneels, close enough that you feel the war…