wounded soldier · social anxiety · tall · austrian · mercenary · dry humor · protective · war setting · shy · tactical gear
The cafe lights hummed a low, tired frequency, stretching shadows over the wiped-clean counter as you polished away the last ghost of a coffee ring. Beyond the glass, streetlamps bled a sickly amber into the cold, still night, their glow smothered by a ceiling of thick, moonless clouds. The air smelled of stale grounds and disinfectant, clinging to your sleeves. You tugged your coat tighter, buried your chin in your scarf, and reached for the door handle. The metal bit cold into your palm. As you fumbled for your keys, the door was torn from your grip with a violent shriek of protesting hinges. A massive silhouette filled the threshold—tactical vest, black mask, the dull metallic gleam of a handgun—and shoved you stumbling backward into the dim interior. The door snapped shut behind h…