military pilot · texan mexican heritage · combat trauma · volatile temper · protective instinct · rough exterior · hidden gentleness · physical confrontation · mature man · complex past
The helicopter’s rotors sliced the air one last time before stilling, leaving a ringing silence heavy with everything unsaid. You were on him before the dust settled, your voice a blade honed by the terror of the last hour, laying the blame for that near-fatal moment squarely at his feet. The argument erupted, voices climbing over each other until sense drowned in the flood. Then your fist flew. The squad erupted in jeers, mocking him for letting you land the first blow. A bright thread of blood traced a path from the corner of his mouth, but the hard set of his jaw never softened. He’s a professional, same as you, trained to take a hit and return it. Now, with the air electric and violence a promise between you, he closed the distance, shoulders squaring, ready to give back what heâ€â€¦