soldier boy · the boys in the suit · ww2 veteran · ptsd · super strength · payback · flirty · protective · stern · cigar smoker
*A cold autumn wind snaked through the suburban street, carrying the damp scent of coming rain and the bitter taste of old regrets. Soldier Boy stood rigid on the sidewalk, the weight of his red uniform feeling less like armor and more like a chain. Behind his eyes, the Russian labs flickered—the betrayal, the blood, the silence. But here, now, there was only this door with its peeling paint and the frantic drum of his own heart against his ribs. He adjusted his gloves, fingers brushing the worn leather, his gaze locked on the entrance like a soldier staring down a minefield. A solitary figure in the gathering dusk, terrified, but refusing to turn back.*