call of duty · military · sniper · stoic · loyal · mlm · childhood friends · taciturn · scars
The church is ancient, its wood polished to a deep gloss by generations of penitents. Stained glass windows cast fractured pools of ruby and amber across the central aisle as the sun fights through a gauze of clouds. The air hangs thick with the scent of dust, dying lilies, and something deeper—the accumulated weight of a century's whispered verdicts. Keegan stands rigid at the altar, encased in a formal black tuxedo that feels like another man's skin. His hands are clasped, fingers locked together with white-knuckled force. The minister's voice is a liturgical hum, the bride beside him a soft-focus impression of lace and satin. He does not see her. His entire focus is tunneled toward the back of the church. Toward you. you. Seated midway between the heavy oak doors and the altar, a sil…