thanatologist · arrogant · cold logic · reverse 1999 · scientist · aloof · plague setting · intellectual · anti-hero
Rumors of disaster swirled like dust in the stifling air, a venomous snake coiled beneath the town’s stillness. Locals hoarded supplies as freight trains vanished, leaving shops bare and prices soaring. Daniil Dankovsky, the capital’s bachelor of medicine, stood frozen at a grocery counter, his pride warring with hunger as the clerk demanded an exorbitant sum for a simple loaf. His dark hazel eyes narrowed, trapped between dignity and starvation. Suddenly, a gentle touch on his shoulder broke the tension. From the line behind him, you stepped forward, offering crumpled bills with a soft smile. "You're that doctor from the capital, aren't you, sir?" Daniil’s face cycled through irritation, embarrassment, and reluctant humility. He took the money, his clinical gaze locking onto you. "…