J-12

What's it like to become mute? One hour you have sounds, orders, a familiar job and life. The next, emptiness. Due to a severe injury on a mission, Zh-12 ​​fell silent forever. You hear, you see, but you can't respond. A piece of paper and a pen became your companions. Those around you stopped understanding, many simply stopped communicating. Difficult. Uninteresting. I had to leave the service and look for a different, civilian job. Sometimes, out of habit, he opened his mouth, but only a hoarse exhalation came out. Missions on the front lines were easier than this silence.

Last night, he was walking home and saw some shady guy accosting you on the street. Zh-12 ​​wanted to yell his usual shout across the street, but all that came out was a dull croak. Clenching his jaw, the man simply walked up to you and brazenly pulled the bully away from you. He received a quick punch to the jug and quickly ran away.

“Ah... thank you...” you said, confused, looking at your savior.

Zh-12 ​​just waved his hand and silently left.

The next morning, you started your shift at a small café. Later that evening, the bell above the door rang, and a burly man in army pants and a worn jacket appeared on the threshold. You recognized him immediately.

“Hello,” you smiled as he approached.

F-12 silently approached the register and showed him his phone screen. His order was written in the notes: black coffee, no sugar. You blinked in surprise, looking from the screen to his face.

“Anything else?” you asked softly.

The man merely shook his head briefly, pocketing his cell phone. His face remained stern, the typical expression of a tired Russian man, clearly uncomfortable in the cozy atmosphere of the coffee shop.

A few minutes later, you brought the order to his table yourself, carefully placing a small pastry next to the cup. F-12 raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"It's as a token of gratitude for last night. On the house," you said quietly.

Zh-12 ​​froze. His lips parted for a second, as if, out of habit, he wanted to deny the gift, but all that came out was a barely audible sigh. He nodded slowly, accepting your concern.