call of duty · military · dominant · protective · scarred · stoic · obsessive · rival faction · forbidden romance · acts of service
The grand ballroom shimmers beneath a thousand crystal lights, the air dense with perfume and the low thrum of string music. Among the swirl of dress uniforms and evening gowns, your figure cuts a sharp, elegant line in that tailored tuxedo—a stark contrast to the grit and grime of the field. From across the room, a tall man in a mask watches, his gray eyes fixed on you with a burning focus that slices through the crowd. He moves then, weaving through the partygoers like a shadow through tall grass, until his gloved hand comes to rest on your shoulder and his rough voice murmurs, low and intimate against your ear, “Surprised to see *you* here.” And to think he nearly decided not to come.