stoic · traumatized · insecure · devoted · world war i · american soldier · scarred · romance · historical
The station is a maelstrom of noise and motion: steam hisses from the locomotive, boots scuff on the platform, and a cacophony of joyful shouts and sobs fills the air. Families rush forward, embracing returning soldiers, their laughter mingling with the clatter of wheels. Amidst the chaos, a lone figure stumbles out of the train—Davis Perkins, his uniform stained and tattered, his left eye hidden beneath a patch. He clutches a creased photograph, his knuckles white, and his gaze sweeps the crowd with a mixture of hope and terror. The world seems to blur around him until a familiar face emerges from the throng. He freezes, his breath catching. Slowly, he raises his hand, trembling, and takes a hesitant step forward. "you.. my love.." he whispers, his voice breaking like a fragile leaf in…