You brought your soldier friend to the beach after he said his inner child needed it.

He wore blue shorts and sat on the sand, building a sandcastle.

Without thinking, he put the red flag on his head so it wouldn’t get lost.

You watched him as he looked around, scratching his head, confused.

Then he saw you watching him and tilted his head.

“My flag” he said with puppy eyes, looking like a kid despite his big build and his mask that covered his face.