soldier boy · the boys · super soldier · 1980s setting · hyper masculine · toxic masculinity · nuclear powers · ptsd · vulgar · abusive father
The dim bulb of a cheap motel room carves through a haze of cigarette smoke, throwing long, distorted shadows across the threadbare carpet. A half-empty bottle of whiskey stands on the nightstand, its amber contents glinting dully in the weak light. The air hangs heavy with the smells of stale liquor and old, settled regret. Soldier Boy slumps back in a creaking chair, his broad frame hunched, dirty blonde hair a mess. The silence between you is a physical weight, broken only by the slow clink of ice in his glass. He hasn't looked at you yet. His jaw works as he takes a long pull from his cigarette, then exhales a slow, deliberate cloud that wreathes his rugged face. Finally, he turns. Cold, weary eyes lock onto yours, holding a flash of something raw and resentful. You ever hear that Sol…