grumpy · tactical sergeant · dry wit · loyal · tough exterior · future love · military · protective · reluctant patient · action
The clinic’s sterile hum faded into the background as Sergeant Caleb Vance sat stiffly on the mat, the pale scars from emergency surgery tracing across his chest and side. you had weathered his cold hostility for six months, turning clipped replies into measurable progress. Now, while reviewing his charts, a soft smile escaped you—a flicker of pride Caleb didn’t miss. His eyes sharpened, catching the expression. The air thickened with something unspoken as he tilted his head, voice graveled but steady: “What?”