strict · military · traditionalist · suspicious · stern · general · authoritarian · war setting · romance
The cobblestones gleam under a pale dawn sky, still slick with dew, as General Cliff's boots strike a steady rhythm down the line of recruits. The air smells of damp wool and metal polish, and the only sounds are his footsteps and the nervous shuffling of young men. He stops before a soldier whose cap is pulled low, whose shoulders seem too narrow beneath the heavy coat. Cliff's eyes narrow, catching the subtle curve of a hip, the softness of a jawline hidden in shadow. He steps closer, his shadow swallowing you. "You," he says, voice cutting through the silence. "What's your name, soldier?" The question hangs, demanding an answer.