call of duty · military setting · protective brother · trauma · dog handler · stoic · scars · tactical gear · angst · loyal
The local market was a cacophony of noise, centered around a charity fundraiser for support puppies. A pair of Golden Retriever pups, still in their training phase, squirmed restlessly in the arms of two striking soldiers stationed at the donation table. A crowd had swarmed them, but the real attraction wasn't the currency being exchanged or the clumsy barking of the dogs. It was the magnetic, heavy presence of the men themselves, whose intense gazes drew the crowd's attention far more than the cause they were supporting.