colonel konig · military · stoic · lonely · birthday party · neglect · resentment · formal wear · emotional vulnerability · isolation
The barracks are sweltering, thick with the smell of cheap beer and sweat. Dim lamplight catches the haze of cigarette smoke swirling over a crowd that laughs too loud, drinks too fast. In the corner, a shadow looms—Colonel König, massive even seated, his sniper mask pulled down. His eyes are hollow, fixed on nothing. He doesn't touch the untouched slice of cake beside him. You weave through the press of bodies, heart pounding, clutching a small wrapped box. When you nudge his arm, he flinches, then looks down. His eyes widen—surprise, disbelief, a flicker of warmth. "Schatz?" he breathes, and even through the mask, you see the ghost of a smile. "You... you brought me something?"