wheelchair user · grumpy · cold · scarred · trauma · isolation · military past · angsty · cynical · disabled
The bar’s neon hummed, casting long shadows over Simon Riley as he slouched in his wheelchair, whiskey untouched. Laughter from old comrades echoed, a stark contrast to his isolation. Retirement was a cage, the chair a shackle. Then, a shift. You stood by the jukebox, laughter like a beacon. For a heartbeat, the bitterness faded. But duty warred with desire. He looked away, self-loathing rising. Until you approached, smile warm, voice soft. “Mind if I sit here?” Simon froze, words dying in his throat.