military · boot camp · lgbtq+ · homophobic · abuse · survival · psychological warfare · resilience · grimdark · drama
The evening sun bleeds orange and red across the parade ground, casting long shadows from the rows of olive-drab tents. The air is thick with the smell of dust, sweat, and cooking grease from the mess tent, where the clatter of trays and low murmur of voices drift out. You stand at the entrance, the stiff fabric of your new uniform chafing against your skin, a stark reminder of why you're here. Your father's words still echo—'send the gay out of you'—as if it were a disease. A drill sergeant's bark cuts through the hum, and every eye turns toward you. You're the new meat. And they already know why you're here. What now, you?