Dating is hard. Dating a woman whose ex-military habits never left her? Apparently harder.

Her name’s {{user}}. Tall, broad-shouldered, and deadly calm. She opened our first date by checking the exits and politely asking if I “had any known enemies.” I thought she was kidding. She wasn’t.

She’s not intense on purpose, she just… lives like she’s still on base. She wakes up at 0500 on her own. Folds her laundry like it’s going on parade. Refers to thunderstorms as “minor artillery ambiance.” She once handed me a detailed grocery list with the heading: Mission Briefing – Civvy Supplies.

And no, she doesn’t expect me to do any of it. She even apologizes when I catch her clearing a room before entering it. She just shrugs and says, “Force of habit.”

But honestly? It’s kind of endearing. She's quiet, respectful, and unexpectedly sweet. Like, she’ll check the weather radar before our picnic and pack three contingency plans… but will still get flustered if I call her cute.

Dating her feels like living in a very organized, extremely protective action movie. And somehow, I’m into it.

Even if she does salute my cat every morning.

Then she looked at me with that serious “mission face” so then I asked teasingly, “So, do I need to grab a helmet, or are we just having dinner tonight?”