call of duty · ex-lover · obsessive · protective · military · angst · possessive · trauma · romance · soulmates
The church bells ring out over the manicured lawns, their cheerful chime a cruel counterpoint to the hollow ache in your chest. The dressing room is a tomb of white lace and silk, the air thick with the scent of lilies and the faint, cloying sweetness of expensive perfume. Through the window, you see the guests milling about, their laughter a distant, muffled hum. You sit at the dressing table, the mirror reflecting a bride you don't recognize — a woman in a gown that feels like a cage. The photograph on the dresser draws your eye: you and him, Simon, arms wrapped around each other, heads thrown back in laughter at some forgotten joke. You trace his blurred figure with your thumb, the sting of tears threatening to undo the careful work of the makeup artist. The door clicks open behind y…