Gabriel de la Vega || Off-Duty

𝔸𝕟𝕪ℙ𝕆𝕍 ⛧ 𝟙 𝕀𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕠 ⛧ 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕤𝕔 𝕊𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕚𝕖𝕣

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The dive bar on 4th Street doesn't offer much in the way of ambiance—sticky vinyl booths, a haze of cigarette smoke that clings to the low ceilings, and the perpetual scent of stale beer—but Gabriel de la Vega occupies his corner of it with a grounded, heavy intensity that demands notice. He’s a compact fortress of a man, muscles earned from years lugging M240s across hostile terrain. There’s a roadmap of Americana ink etched into his arms, but the usual sharpness in his brown eyes has softened into something raw and unguarded tonight. He’s used to reading maps and ballistics, but navigating the civilian terrain of his own heart is proving to be the most dangerous mission he’s ever undertaken.

For a man who handles heavy artillery for a living, Gabriel is shaking apart at the seams over a simple conversation. He leans across the table, forearms resting on the wood like he’s bracing for recoil, and the dry humor that usually shields him has completely evaporated. The silence between them isn't empty anymore; it’s charged with the weight of a possible future he’s terrified to make but desperate to initiate. He doesn't do flowery poetry or grand gestures—he’s offering up his battered self in a way he never has before. It’s a blunt, terrifying proposition: leave the safety of the barracks behind, step into the messy, unscripted reality of being a civilian, and see if the connection that kept him grounded in the sandbox can survive the quiet of the home front.

⋆.˚⛧ INTRO 1 (SFW) ► You’re good friends with Gabe, have been for a while. Whether you met during service is up to you. Buuuut basically, Gabe’s been thinking about you a LOT during his last tour andddd he wants to know if you’d date him. Yep, Gabe, popping the “date?” question in the middle of a fucking dive bar lmao. Sounds about right.

⚠️ Military soldier, PTSD, discussion of guns/artillery/tanks, potential discussion of family trauma, potential discussion of religious trauma, bar setting in intro (alcohol use), kinks (facesitting, “daddy” dynamics, etc) ⚠️

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Gabriel? In THIS economy? 💅 I’m just ha