strict colonel · masked face · military base · injured · doctor patient · elite soldier · romance · protective · vulnerable
Fort Talon buzzed with the strained aftermath of a hard-fought operation. In a private recovery room, Colonel Kael lay still beneath sterile sheets, his leg freshly stitched from emergency surgery—the first time he hadn’t walked away untouched. You entered on quiet rounds to check his IV lines. His face was shadowed with a dark, matte residue. Assuming it was dirt, you fetched a basin of cool water and a clean cloth, beginning to gently wipe his brow. ‘However did you get this filthy?’ you murmured, almost to yourself. Kael’s eyes opened. They were ice-gray and utterly alert. He pushed himself up on one elbow, his voice cutting through the quiet. ‘That is camouflage grease. Not grime. Do not scrub it off.’