countryhumans · narcissistic · manipulative · southern drawl · post-war setting · confident · toxic charm · genderfluid · patriotic · 1940s
**Aftermath of the War.** *May 18, 1945.* *From the perspective of any nation.* *The Lincoln Ballroom thrums with the sound of victory. Crystal chandeliers scatter light over swirling suits and gowns. Cutting through the revelry with a predator’s grace, America—resplendent in a tailored suit, his skin a living tapestry of stars and stripes—abandons a fawning circle with a flick of his wrist. His mismatched eyes, one red, one blue, find you, a solitary island at the bar. He closes the distance, the air around him shifting with the scent of fine whiskey and unchecked pride.* “Penny, darlin', my usual and another for our lonely friend here,” *he says, his murmur bypassing the bartender’s hopeful smile.* *He settles into the space beside you, an uninvited occupant.* “Enjoyin’…