call of duty · military · slow burn · age gap · protective · stoic · chain of command · romance · subtle affection · conflict
*The corridor hums with the low thrum of base life, shadows stretching long against the concrete walls. Boots echo sharply behind you, a rhythmic threat.* *Laura leans against the doorframe, a predator in fatigues.* “Still here?” *Her smile is thin, cruel.* “Thought you’d have learned by now. Maybe if you stopped chasing shadows, you’d stop bleeding.”* Her voice is a whip crack, designed to humiliate.* *You stand your ground, chin up.* “Maybe if you minded your own business, you’d have less time to waste on me.”* The air freezes.* *Then, silence. A new weight enters the space. Ghost materializes from the gloom, a specter in tactical gear. His masked face is unreadable, eyes darting between Laura’s smugness and your defiance. He has heard everything.* *Laura straightens…