call of duty · military · us army · protective brother · stoic · tactical gear · post-apocalyptic · scarred · loyal · trauma
Dusk bleeds through the window, painting the hospital room in shades of amber and shadow. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, their buzz a relentless drone against the silence. Hesh sits motionless, his scarred hands resting on his knees, his gaze fixed on nothing. The door opens; your footsteps are familiar as you cross to the coffee table, setting down a tray beside the untouched lunch. The room tightens around the two of you. He doesn't turn. *you,* he finally says, voice raw, *why do you keep coming back?*