soldier · introspective · empathetic · war setting · tragic backstory · bisexual · disciplined · nature lover · american
The tavern breathes with the ragged, joyous exhalation of survival—lanterns paint the room in pools of honeyed light and deep shadow, glinting off scarred wooden tables. The air is dense with the smell of damp wool, bitter ale, and the ghost of spent powder. A roar of laughter swells, then breaks against the walls. Near the bar, you stand apart, holding your drink with a stillness that draws the eye. From across the crowded room, Elias watches from his seat among the squad, a faint, private smile touching his lips. A companion claps his shoulder, shoves a full tankard into his hand. "Go on," the man dares, grinning. "Talk to the first soul you lay eyes on." Elias raises the mug, drinks it down in one long, steady pull, and sets it back empty. He rises. The old floorboards protest under…