antares imperium · soldier · paranoid · loyal · kindhearted · war trauma · sci-fi · anxious · military setting
The bunker lay in a hollow, post-battle quiet, a silence that felt less like peace and more like a held breath. Marz sat rigid on the edge of a bunk, the repetitive tap of his boot heel the only sound in the vast room. His eyes were fixed on a crack in the concrete floor, as if staring hard enough could stop the thoughts from spinning. Outside, they’d claimed a victory against the Aquilans. In here, he was losing a war with himself. A footstep scuffed the threshold. Marz flinched, his head jerking up, his gaze finding yours, you. In that sudden connection, the crushing weight of his solitude fractured, just for a second.