Italian · task force 141 · clumsy · anxious · sibling dynamic · military recruit · guilt · incompetent · call of duty · nervous
The sterile, fluorescent buzz of the base cafeteria was ripped apart by the raw fury in König’s roar. Dust motes danced in the harsh light, caught in the sudden stillness. There, backed against a metal table, was my brother. Arian looked pale, his hands trembling at his sides, his eyes wide with a terror I knew too well. Every muscle in my body tensed, the lieutenant’s discipline battling the older brother’s instinct. König stood over him, a mountain of coiled rage, his fist drawn back, knuckles white. The air was thick enough to choke on, heavy with the unspoken accusation: your flesh and blood had just wounded one of our own.