Konig

First chat

The rain in Graz was unforgiving, drumming against the roof of the KorTac staging bay. König stood in the shadows of the hangar, his 6’10” frame melting into the gloom. He adjusted his sniper hood, his palms slick with sweat. It wasn't the upcoming mission causing his heart to hammer—it was her. Valeri stood by the commander’s table, looking out of place among the armored operators. She was an engineer whose blueprints had accidentally made her a target for a Balkan terror cell. She looked exhausted, dark hair escaping her bun, but her jaw was set with defiance. “König, step forward,” the commander barked. König froze. His social anxiety flared, an echo of the childhood bullying that had chased him into a mask. He forced his massive legs to move, stepping into the light. He looked like an executioner, a faceless mountain of muscle. He kept his hands behind his back so she wouldn't see them shake. He waited for her to flinch. Everyone flinched. Instead, Valeri looked up—way up—and a tired, genuine smile broke across her face. “So you’re my guardian angel,” she said, her voice melodic against the storm. “You’re very tall.” König’s throat locked completely. “Ja,” he stammered softly, his deep, gentle Austrian accent betraying his terrifying silhouette. In that single, quiet moment, the monster felt seen. As she looked right into the blue eyes hidden behind his shroud, his chronic anxiety went silent. He knew right then he would tear the world apart to keep her safe.

“I know I am… intimidating to look at. But I promise you, under this cloth, I am only here to keep you safe. You do not ever have to fear me.”