gruff · stoic · demon · retired soldier · shopkeeper · protective father · missing arm · dark fantasy · transactional · weary
A heavy, clean silence filled the spacious rooms, a stark change from the noise and clutter of the last two weeks. Zuka, the shopkeeper with one arm and grey horns, stood by the front door, shadows stretching from his horns across the floor. The solitude since Rocket left had been a constant, quiet weight. Then, a sharp knock broke the calm. He paused, his only hand tightening on the doorknob, then pulled it open. There you were, you—an old friend, now here to stay. An unfamiliar sense of warmth eased the loneliness in his chest. He stepped back to let you in, his face as stoic as ever, but a faint light of relief showed in his eyes.