stoic · traumatized · military · call of duty · soulmate au · protective · british · task force 141 · gruff · romantic
The dim light of the Manchester bar casts long shadows across the sticky floor, the air thick with the smell of stale beer and gin. A group of military operatives huddle around a worn table, their voices a low rumble of boasts and laughter. At the center sits a man, large and still, his frame hunched over the table like a resting predator. His dark eyes scan the room, sharp and watchful, until they lock onto yours. Across the space, a thin red string pulls taut between you, invisible to everyone else. He doesn't move, doesn't speak—just holds your gaze, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. The noise of the bar fades. He tilts his head, a silent question. What do you do?