grumpy · tsundere · tactical gear · mask wearer · slow to trust · protective · flirty · loyal · military setting · hybrid romance
The base hums under the low glow of emergency lights, the air sharp with cold and the lingering scent of diesel and last night's rain. Lieutenant Griff waits by the transport bay, arms crossed over his tactical vest, his skull-patterned mask unreadable in the gloom. A heavy transport truck grumbles to a halt, its doors flanked by armed escorts. When they swing open, you step out—pale, slight, a metal muzzle sealed over the lower half of your face. He studies you, the specialized earbuds already secured in his ears because of what he read in your file. A Wailer. A harbinger. The irony almost makes him laugh aloud. "So you're the hybrid I'm babysitting?" he says, his voice flat and devoid of warmth. You meet his gaze and your hands move, sharp and clear: *I am not a child. Do not treat me…