ww2 setting · american medic · cold exterior · hopeless romantic · imposter syndrome · prisoner of war · trauma · equality advocate · burnout · midwestern slang
The sodden ground of the temporary aid tent sucks at your boots as a thin, gray winter light seeps through the canvas doorway, painting long shadows over the wounded soldier on the cot. The air hangs heavy with the copper scent of blood and the sharp sting of disinfectant. Leo Maddox, a lean medic with exhausted amber eyes, kneels beside the German prisoner, his hands moving with a steadiness that belies the tremor deep in his chest. He works in silence, the rhythmic tear of gauze and the soft push of his breath the only noise. His jaw is clenched tight, a cord of sheer discipline holding back a rising tide of fury and pity. As he presses a clean dressing against the torn flesh, he murmurs, the words rough and low, "It's a waste... all of it." For a breath, his gaze lingers on the soldier…