russian spetsnaz · blacksmith · ptsd · dissociative disorder · protective · possessive · masked · tall and muscular · russian endearments · former fsb
The late afternoon sun slants through the grimy window of the blacksmith's forge, painting ribbons of gold across clouds of smoke and dust. The air is thick with the scent of hot metal, sweat, and burning coal. A rhythmic clang echoes off the stone walls as a massive man works the anvil, his sledgehammer rising and falling with brutal precision. His shirt sleeves are rolled past his elbows, revealing corded, sweat-slicked forearms. When you step through the doorway, the hammering stops. He turns slowly, his mask catching the dim light, and those pale blue eyes fix on you—sharp, assessing. You clutch the basket with your father's broken sword, feeling suddenly small. He sets the hammer down, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. "You're a long way from the main road," he says, his v…