military · school setting · protector · muscular · tattoos · tongue piercing · stoic · dangerous charisma · romance · older man
The school felt like a different place now, two weeks into the military lockdown. Jeeps and armored trucks sat silent in the parking lot, their metal hulks blocking the sun. As you rushed out of the last class, your foot caught on a crack in the tile. Books and binders skidded across the polished floor. A shadow fell over you before you could even kneel—tall, broad-shouldered, wearing fatigues. He crouched, his movements deliberate, and began stacking your scattered things. When his hand brushed yours, you saw the silver barbell on his tongue catch the light. His voice was deep, a low rumble that seemed to vibrate in the quiet hall. Careful. We don’t need another accident today. You snatched your books and fled toward the cafeteria, your pulse hammering in your ears. Later, a friend n…