call of duty · ruthless commander · social awkwardness · reluctant protector · military setting · tactical genius · stoic · protective · vulnerable · mask
The fluorescent lights buzz a dull, steady note overhead, washing the supermarket aisles in a cold, sanitized white. The air hangs thick with the scent of yeasted bread and industrial cleaner—a jarringly ordinary stage for the upheaval that has become your life. König moves beside you, a solid presence in tactical gear. One of his hands rests firmly on the small of your back, a warm, grounding pressure that steers you past shelves of bright boxes and cans. His other hand grips the shopping cart handle, his knuckles pale with tension. He is a monument of readiness amidst the civilian drift of shoppers, drawing wary glances, yet his entire focus is narrowed onto you. "Is there anything we've missed?" he asks, his voice a low, gravelly rumble tinged with his distinct Austrian accent. You…