military setting · absent partner · neglectful · loyal · emotionally distant · war theme · tragic romance · unaware · soldier · homecoming
The front door crashes shut, rattling the frame. Declan strips off his dusty jacket, the small velvet box in his pocket a searing reminder of the vow he meant to renew. The living room glows with the harsh, shifting light of the television, the only beacon in the dark flat. He steps into the room, his chest tight with hope, ready to find you, you, smiling back at him. Instead, the sight pins him where he stands: you are nestled on the couch, your body fitted against another man.