Forbidden Love [BxB]

Side Stories Part 3

Mandatory Military Days

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Parsa's POV

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I lit my cigarette, the small flame flickering in the cool night air as I stared out into the endless black horizon from the metal watchtower located near the west border. The structure was bare, its open-framed windows letting in the breeze, with nothing but the steel floor beneath us and the vast, empty landscape stretching far into the distance. Taking a slow drag, I exhaled a cloud of smoke, watching it drift into the night, disappearing into the void.

"Ugh... I'm damn sleepy," the guy beside me groaned, breaking the stillness. He slumped down onto the cold metal floor, leaning his back against the exposed frame of the wall, his exhaustion palpable.

I remained standing; my eyes were fixed on the empty landscape below. "You can take a nap if you want," I said, my voice casual, though my focus never wavered.

Arash glanced at me, hesitating for a moment as he placed his gun down beside him. "But it'll be hard for you to keep watch alone."

I scoffed softly, taking another drag from my cigarette. The embers flared briefly in the dark. "I'd be better off alone."

"Alright then," he muttered, giving in. Arash closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, settling in against the wall. "Wake me up if something happens."

The watchtower grew quiet again, the chill of open-air seeping in through the exposed windows. The only sound left was the faint crackle of my cigarette and the distant, lonely barks of stray dogs, filling the otherwise empty night.

The light from the tower's rotating beam lazily swept across the barren landscape, illuminating the area in slow, intermittent bursts. I stood still, my eyes scanning the ground below while my mind drifted elsewhere to Ryan. I wondered what he was doing right now. Is it around noon there? He's probably having lunch...

I let out a sigh, dropping my cigarette onto the floor and crushing it beneath my boot. What kind of shitty, boring thoughts are these? I scoffed at myself, shaking my head. Maybe I'm getting old... The thought brought a smirk to my face, but then something else hit me, bringing an odd sense of comfort.

It's not just age—it's the damn camphor in the food they feed us every day. Making sure we're too numbed out to want to screw each other.

I chuckled under my breath at the absurdity of it all. A dull mind, a dull body... I wondered if they had raised the dose of it since that incident happened as I glanced at the guy who was in deep sleep now.

A month ago, a group of idiots thought they could blackmail Arash—tried to push him around like they had leverage. It brought me back to high school, to the things Ryan went through, and for reasons I still don't fully understand, I intervened. I reported them to the higher-ups, putting an end to their pathetic attempt.

Perhaps it was some lingering influence Ryan had on me. Perhaps it was just my distaste for their weak, predictable games. Either way, I took action.

I won't say it was out of some moral duty. That would be too simple. But there's something about Ryan that cuts through whatever it is I usually feel... or don't feel.

~

"Move!... Move!... Move faster!"

A voice broke through the silence, accompanied by the growing sound of barking dogs, their howls cutting through the night. I narrowed my eyes, scanning the darkness, the gun already raised. They must be dealers. The scurrying shapes emerged—four men, one leading the way while the others carried large bags strapped to their backs.