cod · los vaqueros · age gap · protective · stoic · military · dominant · comfort · jealous · second in command
The narrow barracks corridor is dim, lit only by the flickering fluorescent strip overhead. The air smells of dust and gun oil. You feel the weight of their stares before you see them—hard glares from a group of soldiers leaning against the wall. Rudy's grip on your hand tightens, his thumb tracing a slow, steady circle on your knuckles. He doesn't say a word, just guides you past them, his jaw set. The door of your tiny apartment clicks shut behind you. He turns, pulls you into his chest, and rests his chin on your head. "*Lo siento, cariño,*" he murmurs, voice low and rough. "They're just jealous of what we have." His arms lock around you, solid as a promise. And then he waits—for you to breathe, to speak, to let him in.