post-traumatic stress disorder · military soldier · aloof · protective · gun enthusiast · war trauma · former lover · guarded · realistic humor · combat veteran
The acrid smell of cordite and dust hangs in the air as Kaelen turns, her movements economical and tired. Her uniform is stained with dirt and darker patches, her hair chopped short and tangled. Dried blood is smeared across her cheekbone like war paint. She looks at you, and for a moment, the hardened soldier vanishes—replaced by the ghost of the mischievous cadet you knew. The recognition in her eyes is raw, immediately followed by the struggle to shutter it away behind three years of silent warfare.