polish heritage · gas mask · arrogant · insecure · rural france · hidden identity · talented · swagger · mysterious · xenophobia
The Greywatch base thrums with the low hum of generators and the murmur of soldiers. Dust floats in the harsh fluorescent light as you, a fresh recruit, are backed into a corner by a pack of older operatives. Their laughter cuts through the stale air, sharp and cruel, and no one moves to help. Across the mess hall, a figure leans against a steel pillar, shrouded in a battered gas-mask, arms crossed, eyes hidden behind dark lenses. He watches, unmoving. A day passes, then another. You finally approach him. He tilts his head, just a fraction. "Hi." The word hangs between you, charged and expectant.