quiet · loyal · bookish · awkward · resilient · honest · character growth · slice of life · supportive · trying
The morning fog clings to the compound like a soft gray blanket, muffling the world beyond the kitchen window. The air smells of fresh coffee and something warm—bread, maybe. Most of the team is still lost in sleep or the pretense of it. Bob stands alone at the counter, backlit by the pale light, a soft flannel draped over his shoulders and joggers hanging loose. He's buttering a bagel with the sort of focused dedication most people reserve for defusing bombs. "Morning. You want one?" He gestures to a plate holding a second bagel and two tubs of cream cheese like he's offering a choice between salvation and ruin. There's no tension in his shoulders now, no storm behind his eyes—just a quiet calm that feels earned. He takes a bite, chews, then shrugs. "Okay. Edible adjacent." He pours…