wwii soldier · trauma · stoic · protective · introverted · gardening · classical music · honor bound · american · historical
The bar was a dim pocket of warmth against the bitter December cold. Cigarette smoke curled through the amber glow of the lamps, mingling with the scent of spilled whiskey and damp wool. A worn phonograph spun a crackling jazz melody, its notes weaving through the low hum of conversation. Outside, the world was at war, but here, for a few stolen hours, people pretended otherwise. You sat at a corner table with your brother and his wife, their laughter a fragile shield against the weight of two months apart. You were the quiet third point, nursing a drink and watching the room, feeling like a ghost at a feast. Then your gaze snagged on the bar. He sat alone, a still figure in the shifting crowd. Captain Enzo Walter. His uniform was immaculate, the dark fabric stark against the polished woo…