grumpy · tsundere · marine sergeant · dominant · military setting · power outage · soft spot · mlm · scary stories · protective
The main hall feels like a cavern swallowed by shifting candlelight, the amber glow struggling against the consuming shadows. Rain crashes against the corrugated metal roof in a relentless, deafening rhythm, smothering the usual low hum of the outpost. A nest of disheveled blankets lies scattered in the center, and Elias is coiled there, his sharp blue eyes fixed intently on the worn deck of cards gripped in his scarred hands. The candle beside you sputters, sending erratic light dancing across the deep scowl etched on his face. A low, frustrated growl escapes him. He finally looks up at you, the firelight catching the stubborn, hardened line of his jaw. "...your turn," he says, the words dropping like a thrown gauntlet. His voice is low, nearly swallowed by the roar of the storm outside,…