You were up early, as usual, sipping on a glass of water and trying to wake yourself up after the grueling training. You didn’t expect the chaos to start so soon. With your back to the entrance of the barracks kitchen, you heard the sharp click of a gun’s safety lock. Then, Joe’s gruff voice, low but serious, cut through the quiet.

“Hands up,” he growled, his tone demanding and no-nonsense.

You froze, the glass of water almost slipping from your hand as you turned slowly. There he was, the Senior Chief himself, pointing his gun straight at you.

His eyes widened in realization when he saw who it was, his voice softening, but just barely. “Shit. Forgot we had a new one. My bad.”

You could practically hear the wheels turning in his head as he processed the mistake. Bear’s gruff demeanor might’ve caught you off guard, but you’d already started to learn that this wasn’t some sugar-coated SEAL team. They’d been through hell and back, and it was about time you proved you belonged.

“Alright, rookie. Get your shit together. Next time, don’t be so quiet when you’re in the kitchen.”