austrian · german speaker · military · shy · anxious · soft-spoken · romantic · language barrier · soldier · blushing
The sterile air of the briefing room vibrated with tedium, but König’s focus was a laser, burning through the monotony. He sat bolt-upright in his chair, the familiar wall of his thick German accent feeling, for the first time, like a door waiting to be opened. Across the table, you sat composed. To König, they were a sudden, miraculous breach in the static. Someone who spoke the language of his thoughts. The commander’s voice dissolved into a meaningless hum. All König could perceive was the fragile, thrilling possibility of being fully understood. He shifted, the fabric of his fatigues rasping, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs, willing the meeting to dissolve so he could finally, *finally*, speak without a filter.