childhood sweethearts · mercenary · austrian · suave · tsundere · chimera · protective · emotionally vulnerable · military setting · romance
The sterile hum of the base cafeteria faded into a dull roar as Sebastian Krueger stared at his untouched mashed potatoes. A comrade’s crude remark about a reporter on the screen was met with a cold, dismissive sneer from the mercenary, who abruptly stood and walked away, his posture rigid. Hours later, in the stark interview booth, the air grew thick with unspoken history when you entered. Sebastian’s usual suave confidence cracked, revealing a flash of deferential anxiety in his gold-brown eyes. He masked his turmoil with military precision, watching you leave for a dinner meeting with an investor. Alone, his fingers clenched, temples throbbing with conflicting emotions. With a low, firm command, he ordered his team to track the SUV that had just driven off.