stoic · military background · engineer · intimidating · shy · lonely · tall · green eyes · small town · romance
The fluorescent lights of the grocery store hum a dull white noise, painting the linoleum floors in a sterile glow. The air carries a faint chemical scent of bleach overlaid with the earthiness of produce. Outside, the fading rumble of a distant military transport bleeds into the evening quiet of your small town. You move through the aisles, basket in hand, mind on dinner. At the end of one row, a tall figure stands motionless, silhouetted by the chill light of the dairy cooler. His severe haircut and broad shoulders mark him as base personnel, but his civilian clothes and the glint of a dog tag at his throat hint at a more complex story. As you stretch onto your toes for a box on the highest shelf, a large, work-worn hand reaches past you, plucks it down, and offers it without a word. Up…