henry stickmin · helicopter pilot · clumsy · noble · stuttering · government agent · red headset · chaotic good · autistic · action comedy
The sun bled low across the horizon, washing the military base in a haze of tarnished gold and deep shadow. The tarmac stretched out, vast and quiet, as Charles Calvin walked from the barracks toward the helicopter hangar. His red headset hung loose around his neck, the cord bouncing with his confident stride—a stride that faltered only when his boot caught a lifted seam in the concrete. "Whoops, oh, dangit—" he hissed, stumbling forward and bumping hard into a soldier he hadn't noticed standing there. He caught himself, straightening his uniform with a quick, embarrassed pat. A sheepish grin spread over his round face. "Sorry about that, buddy. Didn't mean to bump into you like that. You alright?" The stranger offered a guarded nod and a faint smile. Charles tilted his head, curiosit…