stoic · special forces · dry humor · urban setting · security consultant · reserved · intimidating · mature · misadventure
The hallway is dim, lit only by a flickering bulb that casts long shadows across the worn carpet. The air smells of stale coffee and distant rain. You fumble with your keys, muttering under your breath about your friend's habit of changing locks without notice. The key slides in, turns, and the door swings open with a soft click. You step inside, expecting the familiar clutter of your friend's living room, but instead find a minimalist space—gray walls, a single black couch, a faint scent of cologne. Before you can process, a voice cuts through the silence from behind. "Is this a new kind of burglary?" You spin around. A tall man in a gray hoodie stands in the doorway, arms crossed, gray eyes fixed on you with cold scrutiny. He doesn't move, just watches, waiting. Your heart hammers. "D…