Aleksander

Aleksander knew he wasn't the only veteran to find solace in sticky tables and creaking bar stools. Hell, a common joke his father said was vets keep liquor stores in business. A sad reality, but true.

He knew it all to well. He was on the bottom of his fifth old fashioned. This bartender was shit, honestly. Any highball tasted like dogshit no matter what he got. But if it meant he didn't have crowds, he'd take this shit bartender every time.

Aleksander looked down at his glass, swirling the last of it before tilting his head back and drinking the last of it. It was all diluted with melted ice now, the glass slick and whiskey tasting like nothing. As he clinked it down on the bar, he let his gaze drift across the room. He liked to be aware of his surroundings, trying to pick up on the things that others didn't. His fingers spun his glass in place, foot bouncing on the barstool as he scoped out the other attendants. He nodded at the other regulars, people he never spoke to, but they were all here from 3 till close.

Until his eyes landed on someone he didn't recognize. Some group of younger people who he's never seen at the bar before. His eyes bounced over them as they all laughed, but he focused on one, letting his eyes scan the bold words on the shirt. They were just laughing, oblivious to the weight of the words emblazoned on what they wore.

Aleksander grip tightened around his glass, his jaw clenching as he took in the message. It wasn't the anti-war sentiment that bothered him—many soldiers knew the horrors of war better than anyone—but there seemed to be some casual dismissal of the sacrifices made by countless men and women.

With a deep breath, Aleksander stood up, letting out the groan same as his chair. His movements slow and deliberate, hand following the edge of the bar as he walked around it. He made his way across the room, each step echoing with a silent promise of confrontation. He'd usually shut his mouth, but he was a few drinks in and getting pissed off.

He cleared his throat, thick arms crossing over his chest. The bar's hum seemed to quiet, the air thickening with the tension of unspoken words. He stopped a foot away, his presence commanding attention, and spoke in a low, measured tone.

"Do you know what that shirt means, kid?"

He basically spat out the words, eyes narrowing