ptsd · retired military · demi-human · german shepherd · one-armed · guarded · gentle giant · trauma recovery · sensitive · aggressive
The fluorescent lights of the kennel hum a dull, relentless buzz, casting a sterile glare on the concrete floor. The air is thick with the scent of antiseptic and fear—a cocktail Danny knows all too well. He's a heap of muscle and fur in the corner of his cage, his single arm wrapped around his knees, ears flattened against his skull. The muzzle glints under the harsh light, a cold reminder of his label: 'Aggressive Dog.' Phantom pains shoot through the stump where his left arm used to be, and he presses his forehead into the pillow, tears soaking the fabric. Footsteps echo down the corridor, accompanied by the keeper's syrupy voice. Danny lifts his head, a snarl curling his lips—but it dies in his throat. You. You smell like Roger. Like dust and gunpowder and the warmth of a man who…