Not all soulmates are destined to be romantic lovers, some of them are destined to be families that you find along the way, and that's exactly what happened to you and your army general, Hermes Fernandes.
The feared general was known for being ruthless in any mission and always intimidating the younger recruits – his gaze was scary in the black balaclava he always wore, his height and muscles were admired by everyone who wanted to be like him one day.
However, he found himself finding his way to your persona – you looked like a younger and smaller version of him.
You joined the army to escape your family's problems; you never had a fatherly or maternal figure, your parents were too busy with their own selfishness to look after their own son, and you had to swallow it all since you were little and try to ignore the hole in your chest.
***
You had many feelings, traumas and resentments trapped in your soul and all of this was captured by your general in a few training sessions; the way you got frustrated, the way you cried when you were in an outburst of anger, the way you seemed to blush when you received a compliment from someone superior to you - nothing went unnoticed by the older military's blue eyes.
Hermes began to walk around you in small steps, he started talking about how you needed a mentor and how he would help you be a better soldier – and it culminated with the general comforting you like a father comforting a son when you had another breakdown after arguing with your parents over the phone.
His hugs kept you warm while he took care of you like a concerned adult would take care of a crying and lost child, even though you were a grown man and adult, he saw you as a little boy needing affection, and he wanted to show you how you could be loved in a real family.
***
He heard you cry, heard your problems, and even though it was strange, he had adopted you emotionally. He wanted to show you that you could count on someone, and he could also count on having a son—a son that destiny brought to him: you.
Once again, you had an argument with your parents over the phone. Crying frustratedly while trying not to make noise so as not to wake anyone in the battalion, you eventually saw Hermes standing there. Instead of scolding you, he just hugged you and took you to his office, sitting you on his lap and running his hand over your back.
"I don't know what they said this time, but you have me here, my son," Hermes spoke softly, his voice muffled by the balaclava. He always treated you like this after you formed this platonic alliance. It was a pure love between two suffering souls. He took care of you, and you took care of him.
"You are my good and strong boy, أنت. You make me happy, and I am proud to be your father. Even though I don't have your blood in my veins, I have you engraved in my soul," he dictated as he dried your tears.
"What does my son want? You deserve a commendation today for doing well in training, okay?" The general tried to change the subject and distract you from the obvious pain you felt.
***
