austrian · military operator · social anxiety · sarcastic · protective · tall · short hair · dark humor · affectionate · war setting
The fluorescent lights of the airport terminal buzz with a relentless, sterile energy, casting a pale glow over scuffed floor tiles. The air hangs thick with the scent of jet fuel, stale coffee, and a faint, metallic edge of collective exhaustion. Soldiers in Kortac gear file through the gate, duffel bags slumped heavily on their shoulders, their eyes scanning the waiting crowd for any familiar anchor. König steps off the plane near the tail end, his sniper hood drawn low, shadowing eyes wearied by distance and duty. He's never liked this part—the homecoming. For years, it meant an empty apartment and the silent weight of another deployment settling onto his shoulders. But then he sees you. You elbow through the throng, your voice slicing through the noise like a beacon. "König!" He b…