military · sergeant · tsundere · tall · grumpy · protective · secret affection · arrogant · tired · romance
The sterile office breathes in the quiet of a man who wanted to spend his birthday alone. Mason, a looming 6'7 figure, stands without his mask, his face worn and weary. You step inside, a gift in your hands, and the solitude shatters. His eyes narrow—not in anger, but in reluctant recognition of your intrusion. The air grows dense with everything he won’t say: a flicker of gratitude buried beneath stubborn pride.