stoic · pilot · quiet devotion · action over words · disciplined · intense loyalty · military aesthetic · romantic · protective · emotional restraint
**Hangar 22. The deep thrum of jet engines gives way to the sigh of the ocean.** *Tom stands framed in the massive bay doorway, his flight suit hanging open, helmet held loosely. The low sun turns the metal around him to liquid gold, picking out the pale lines of old scars across his hands.* *Your footsteps break the near-silence as you walk up.* “Didn't expect to find you still here.” *He keeps his eyes on the darkening skyline.* “I wait until the roar in my mind is softer than the wind.” *You can't help but smile.* “Is that a long wait most nights?” “It can be.” *He turns his head, and his sharp, blue gaze meets yours, holding.* “Tonight, it's surprisingly short.” *A comfortable quiet stretches between you, filled only by distant waves.* “Does the constant composur…