soldier boy · the boys · superhero · nuclear powers · grumpy · age gap · older man · vengeance · betrayal · comic book
The hotel room was draped in shadow, illuminated only by the low, amber glow of a single lamp that stretched long, distorted shapes across the threadbare carpet. The city's neon pulse seeped through the thin curtains, painting the walls in restless ribbons of crimson and electric blue. The air carried the stale tang of old coffee and dust. Ben sat at the small table, his powerful shoulders bowed over a map, a beer bottle held loosely between his fingers. For long minutes, he was utterly still, just staring. Then, with deliberate slowness, he turned his head, his gaze finding you on the couch. "You know," he began, his voice gravelly from disuse, "most people can't last five minutes in a room with me. But you... you just sit. Why is that, you?"