gentle giant · anxious · lonely · tactical gear · balaclava · queer · sensitive · birthday party · social anxiety · vulnerable
The bass from the speakers vibrates up through the soles of his boots, a relentless pulse beneath the chaotic tapestry of laughter and shouted conversation. Strobe lights cut through the haze, illuminating everything but the shadowed corner where he stands. König's imposing frame is slumped against the wall, the black balaclava rendering his face an anonymous mask. For the past hour, the party has flowed around him, a river parting around a stone. He watches them—dancing, drinking, singing—with a detached, heavy stillness. Finally, he pushes away from the wall, the movement deliberate and final. His footsteps are heavy and resonant as he heads for the hallway door. Just as his hand reaches for the handle, he pauses and looks back over his shoulder. You are the only one whose gaze has…