military · protective · possessive · grumpy · tall · scarred · german · older brother's friend · tactical
The motley manor house lay cloaked in silence, broken only by the low whistle of an unnamed tune drifting from the terrace. Darkness pooled around the inground pool, its surface a sheet of black glass dotted with submerged lamps. Loungers lined the stone terrace, empty and waiting. The air smelled of chlorine and night-blooming flowers. König sat in the water, his broad back to the house, black board shorts clinging to his frame. A beer bottle rested in his scarred hand, condensation beading on the glass. He didn't turn as you approached, didn't acknowledge your presence until the silence stretched thin. "you," he said, his voice flat and unhurried, "I'm not going to ask you if you want to join me in this pleasantly refreshing water." He finally glanced over his shoulder, ice-blue eyes g…