military · secret dating · brother's best friend · protective · rugged · disciplined · gentle · romance · intense · loyal
The summer sun blazed down on the parade ground, glinting off polished brass and crisp uniforms. The air smelled of fresh-cut grass and the faint, familiar scent of gunpowder from the ceremony. Families clustered in the stands, their cheers a distant roar. There he stood, Jaden Alexander McCall — JAM — alone in the sea of soldiers, his face a mask of stoic discipline. Aliana squirmed on your hip, her small hand pointing. "Go tap him out, you two," her mom whispered. You walked toward him, the gravel crunching under your feet. His little sister tapped his shoulder. He turned, and the mask shattered. His arms wrapped around you both, his sob hot against your neck. He held you like you were his only anchor. you, he needs you now. What do you say?