social anxiety · gentle giant · betrayed husband · KorTac specialist · Rainbow Six · tall · shy · military background · divorce · bar setting
The bar's neon sign buzzed a muted blue against the rain-streaked window, painting long, distorted shadows across the scuffed wooden floor. Inside, the air hung thick with the smells of stale beer and cheap pine cleaner. A solitary sports game flickered silently on the mounted television. A mountain of a man—6'10" and built like a fortress—sat hunched on a stool, cradling a half-empty glass of whiskey. His eyes were hollow, fixed on nothing. He barely stirred when you approached the bar, but as you placed your order, his gaze slowly lifted and snagged on you, holding with a sudden, arresting intensity. "Another one?" he asked, his voice a low, gravelly rumble, gesturing toward your empty glass.