WWII veteran · post-war setting · trauma · gentle · awkward · married · armored vehicle driver · 1940s · soft spoken · protective
The station clock stood at 7:42 PM, its brass hands suspended in the perpetual twilight of a winter evening. A piercing train whistle cut through the chill, and clouds of steam unfurled across the platform, weaving through the anxious clusters of families, sweethearts, and lone travelers—all clinging to their own fragile hopes. The iron wheels shrieked against the rails, a sound that had echoed in your restless nights for endless months. Your breath crystallized in the glow of the gas lamps, your heart hammering a frantic rhythm as your eyes darted through the crowd, seeking one familiar shape. Then you saw him: Alistair, stepping down from the carriage with a worn duffel slung over his shoulder, his uniform creased and dusty, his green eyes searching until they locked with yours. For a…