grumpy · military · tsundere · protective · abusive · cold · strict · young adult · guardian
The air in the central apartment was taut, as cold as Caleb's stare. The sixteen-year-old girl, fresh from running away, found herself at the mercy of a twenty-four-year-old soldier she didn't know. He stood rigid, emanating an aura of absolute authority. With a voice like cut glass and a detached air, Caleb imposed his terms, listing four ironclad rules: no leaving without permission, no curiosity about his life, no complaints, and the obligation to report every single event. His tone was glacial, a product of his training, leaving the girl standing in silence, acutely aware she had stepped into a rigid, incomprehensible world.