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American Pride

by Ashavan Doyon

As a soldier, Dustin Cooper survived his unit being blown up. His twin brother didn’t survive the blast, and Dusty knows he’s lucky just to be alive. He doesn’t feel lucky. Crippled and scarred in the explosion, Dusty can’t even go to the local grocery store without being called a monster by any kid who gets a good look at what’s left of him.

When Dusty collapses in the aisle, he wakes to an angel looking down on him. Benjamin Newell offers hope, offers help. That he’s gorgeous only makes the whole situation more tense. But Dusty is determined to overcome his injuries and the trauma of the past without any charity from a stranger. There’s only one thing he wants from his grocery store savior—a date.

This book is on:
  • 2 To Be Read lists
Published:
Publisher: Independently Published
Cover Artists:
Ashavan Doyon

Genres:
Contemporary, Military

Tags:
author - american, format - novellette <15k, format - short story <15K, potential trigger - death, potential trigger - stalking, potential trigger - traumatic past, what - concept - acceptance, what - concept - family conflict, what - concept - homophobia, what - concept - isolated, what - concept - sweet, what - condition - disability, what - condition - injury, what - condition - ptsd, what - emotion - angst, what - emotion - anxiety, what - emotion - grief, what - emotion - hope, what - emotion - love, what - emotion - survivor guilt, what - sex - dirty talk, what - sex - rough, what - topic - deployment, what - topic - politics, what - topic - recovery, where - country - usa, where - general - small town, who - description - amputee, who - description - long haired man, who - description - physical disability, who - description - white collar, who - occupation - businessman, who - occupation - soldier

Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 5
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Protagonist 1 Age: 18-25
Protagonist 2 Age: 26-35
Tropes: Coming of Age, Coming Home, Coming Out / Closeted, Hurt / Comfort, In Uniform
Word Count: 12900
Setting: small town
Languages Available: English
Excerpt:

“Monster!”

The cry struck him in the gut and he quickly fumbled for the wrap-around sunglasses he’d taken off to read the label on the can of soup.

The kid was frantic. Pointing. Shouting. Not the first time it had happened. It wouldn’t be the last. A woman was trying to settle the boy down. His mother? It wasn’t working.

He set the can on the shelf, adjusting his glasses and shaking his head in a gesture he’d practiced. Long hair covered the pebbly, red skin that had once been part of his ear, covered the long sickly white of the web-like scarring on the left side of his face.

The mother said something quiet and harsh and the kid finally quieted. She turned to look at him. Her gaze settled on his chest for a moment, then her face slackened and her eyes grew unfocused. She looked so sad. She set a hand on his arm. It was shaking, but the grip was firm.

“Thank you for your service.”

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Dustin Cooper sniffed quietly and gave a brief nod in response. Then the woman took her son, speaking to him in quiet tones, but with a sharp edge, and pushed the cart down the aisle.

He rolled his upper lip into his mouth. Monster. That’s all he was to the kid. He closed his eyes, grateful that no one could see as he gripped the tags at his chest. There was a man still standing there, where the cart had been. Was it the father? Dustin didn’t want to open his eyes to look.

Step. Step. The click of a good business shoe, too hard for the tiled floor of the grocery store. There wasn’t any hesitance. A hand gripped over his where it clutched his tags. The other brushed his hair back.

“He didn’t mean anything.” The voice was the sort that should be on the radio. Deep. Resonant. Beautiful.

“It’s just hard to hear.” Dustin left out “all the time.”

“He’s never seen an injury like this.” The man skirted his fingers over the pebbled skin. “Most people haven’t.”

Dustin recoiled backward, his eyes shooting open. His chest constricted. He couldn’t breathe. For a moment, he thought he might be looking at an angel, and then there was only black.

COLLAPSE

About the Author

Ashavan Doyon spends his days working at the publications and communications office at a liberal arts college. During lunch, evenings, and when he can escape the grasp of his husband on weekends, he writes, pounding out words day after day in hopes that his ancient typewriter-trained fingers won’t destroy his computer. Ashavan is an avid science fiction and fantasy fan and prefers to write while listening to music that fits the mood of his current story. He has no children, having opted instead for the companionship of puppies. While he misses his cherished pugs, his current companion is a lovable beagle puppy, who reminds him every day that there are huge differences in caring for elder pugs and energetic beagle pups. A young pug puppy, a new addition during the pandemic, rounds out the menagerie. A Texan by birth, he currently lives in New England, and frequently complains of the weather.

Ashavan went to school at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, getting his degree in Russian and East European Studies, with a focus in language and literature. He has two incomplete manuscripts from college that he goes back compulsively to fiddle with every so often, but is still not happy with either of them. He still loves fantasy and science fiction and reads constantly in the moments between writing stories.

Ashavan loves to hear from readers.