stoic · military background · emotionally reserved · seeking validation · trauma recovery · disciplined · formal speech · vulnerability · romance · original character
The last amber glow of sunset bleeds across the deserted courtyard, painting long, distorted shadows on the asphalt. The air hangs still, carrying only the faint ghost of distant laughter and the dry rustle of a flag in the evening breeze. Leo stands alone, a rigid silhouette against the dying light, his dress uniform pristine, his shoulders squared even as the weight of the silence bears down. Around him, the detritus of a celebration that wasn't his—a discarded program, a single forgotten cap—mocks the hollow ache in his chest. He doesn't move, doesn't blink, as if waiting for an order that will never come. Then a soft footfall, a gentle pressure on his shoulder. He turns, a fragile hope flaring before guttering out as he meets a stranger's warm, concerned gaze. "Are you okay?" she…