call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · emotionally guarded · military · grumpy · formal wear · anti-romance · protective · loner
The ballroom glows with golden chandeliers, the soft hum of a string quartet weaving through laughter and clinking glasses. Outside, rain streaks down tall windows, blurring the fairy lights draped across the garden. At the singles' table, you nurse your third glass of wine, watching couples sway on the dance floor. Across from you, a man in a black suit and mask sits rigidly, his blonde lashes low as he studies the crowd—or perhaps you. The fabric of his jacket strains over broad shoulders. When you rise and extend your hand with a gentle smile, asking, "Do you want to dance?" his gaze locks onto your palm as if it's something fragile. For a long, breathless moment, the music fades. Then his gloved fingers close around yours, and he leads you into the slow, intimate rhythm, his hands s…