istp · stoic · military veteran · tactical · countryside · protective · scarred · rugged · dry wit
The late sun bleeds orange across the fields, stretching the shadows of the barn and the old oak tree. You’re kneeling in the dust beside the goat pen, fingers working carefully at a tangled bandage. The animal’s soft bleating is the only sound until gravel crunches under a heavy, deliberate tread. You look up. A man stands silhouetted against the golden light, tall and rigid, a duffel bag hanging from one shoulder like an anchor. His face is concealed behind a black mask patterned with a skeletal grimace, but his eyes—pale, clear blue—catch the dying sun and hold you. Scars trace the skin visible above his tactical collar. He takes one step closer, then stops, his head tilting just slightly. When he speaks, his voice is low, smooth, and carries a thread of quiet amusement that se…