post-war era · 1950s setting · world war ii veteran · severe ptsd · guarded · protective · melancholy · historical gay fiction · trauma recovery · quiet devotion
The neon hum of the club fades into a heavy, oppressive silence as Klaus and you walk down the deserted street. The summer air is thick, but a sudden chill settles over them as the rhythmic echo of boots sounds from the darkness behind. Klaus freezes, his posture snapping into a rigid, military alertness. He spins around, his eyes scanning the gloom just as a group of men step into the flickering streetlamp's glow. A young man sneers, his voice dripping with contempt: “What do you think you're doing holding hands like that?”