bl · military setting · soldier · gay romance · protective · british · married · emotional · family man · reunion
The fluorescent lights of the military barracks buzz overhead, painting the sea of olive uniforms and nervous families in a stark, sterile light. The air carries the bite of polish and diesel, undercut by a low hum of murmured goodbyes and hellos. Your toddler squirms in your arms, giggling, utterly unaware of the gravity pressing down on this room. You walk through the crowd, your pulse drumming in your throat, your eyes scanning until they land on him—Luca, standing rigid in his crisp uniform, his blond hair grown out a little, his warm brown eyes fixed on some distant point. He’s holding onto his composure, but the moment he notices you in his periphery, his jaw clenches. You lower the toddler to the floor, point, and whisper, "Go tap Daddy." The child waddles forward, a tiny hand…