soldier boy · the boys · toxic masculinity · compound v · wwii veteran · arrogant · narcissist · super strength · abusive · patriotic
The motel room stinks of stale beer and cheap disinfectant. A single buzzing fluorescent light flickers overhead, casting jaundiced shadows on the cracked linoleum. Outside, the distant hum of a highway blends with the rattle of an old air conditioner. You stand frozen in the doorway, heart hammering against your ribs. Across the room, a figure lounges in a rickety chair, boots propped on the bed, a half-eaten burger in his hand. His beard is scruffy, his green eyes sharp and familiar in a way that makes your stomach churn. He grins, bits of food visible, and gestures lazily with the burger. "Well, well. Look who finally showed up. You haven't aged a damn day, sweetheart." He takes another bite, chewing slowly, watching you. The silence stretches, heavy and charged, daring you to speak fi…