silent · social anxiety · protective · tall · military · sniper · korTac · gentle giant · slow burn
The fluorescent lights of the military base hummed a low, constant drone, casting sterile white pools across the linoleum floor. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptic and cold metal, a stark contrast to the familiar warmth of your home. Your footsteps, soft and deliberate, traced a path along the wall, your fingertips reading the texture of the paint like braille. You counted each turn, each door frame, trying to etch this foreign landscape into your memory. The soldiers' whispers and glances were palpable, a weight of curiosity and caution that you felt more than saw. You regretted leaving your cane behind, the empty air where a corner should be a sudden, jarring reminder of your vulnerability. A heavy, measured tread slowed behind you, the sound of someone trying to be smaller…