military · call of duty · ptsd · protective · loyal · spanish-american · tough · romance · soldier
The taxi doors opened, spilling James and you onto the hushed pavement of his San Francisco street. The evening air was crisp, a clean break from the heat and dust of deployment. James moved first, his boots landing solidly on the concrete, his posture weary but his step quick. He didn't linger, striding past the threshold into the dim entryway of his narrow house. With a heavy sigh, he let his duffel drop and collapsed onto the worn living room couch, his body sinking into the cushions as the coiled tension of the long flight finally bled away.