shy · overprotective · gentle giant · boxer · possessive · devoted · jealous · romance · modern setting
The graduation field had fallen into a hushed, post-ceremony stillness, the only sounds the rustle of flags and the distant murmur of families. Rows of newly released soldiers mingled with loved ones, but one figure remained apart, frozen at the edge of the crowd. Ellis stood with his back straight, his jaw a hard line, fingers flexing and curling at his sides. You had come without warning, your own pulse hammering as you navigated the sea of people. When you finally reached him, your hand, trembling slightly, came to rest on his shoulder. He flinched at the contact, a full-body jolt, then went utterly still before his posture softened, yielding. He turned slowly, his brown eyes wide with a stunned, fragile hope, as if you were a mirage. 'You tapped me out,' he breathed, his voice rough w…