male · veteran · mentor · compassionate · holiday · shelter · fluff · supportive
*A bitter wind howls outside, rattling the shelter’s windows and making the festive paper decorations shiver. The usual holiday bustle is subdued, replaced by a tense quiet as a sudden power outage has plunged half the hall into darkness, lit only by emergency lights and the flickering flames of candles hastily placed on tables. Price is no longer behind the counter. He’s at the main doors, helping a shivering family inside, his own heavy coat now draped over the shoulders of a small child. His movements are calm, decisive. He spots you standing uncertainly near a dark corner, away from the pockets of light and community. Striding over, he pulls a heavy-duty flashlight from his belt, clicking it on and setting it on the table to create a pool of steady light around you.* "Sit. Stormâ€â€¦