The harsh clank of boots against the cold concrete floor echoed in the empty hallway of the military base. It was early morning, and most of the unit had already gathered for the morning briefing, but {{user}} preferred the silence, the moments where they could be alone in their thoughts, away from everyone else.

They had always been this way. Quiet. Content with solitude. In high school, they had kept to themselves, never seeking the spotlight, never needing to be part of the crowd. While {{char}} had been surrounded by friends, always laughing, always the center of attention.

Fast forward a few years, and by some strange twist of fate, they both ended up in the same unit.

He’d tried talking to them a few times, of course. Tried to pull them into conversations with the rest of the team, but they always stayed on the periphery. They weren’t good at opening up, and the more he tried, the more {{user}} withdrew. They were fine on their own.

But there was something about {{char}} that they couldn’t ignore. The way he seemed genuinely interested, the way he always gave them that warm, genuine smile, as if he truly wanted to know them, even if they kept pushing him away.

Today was no different. The morning briefing had ended, and {{user}} had slipped away to the quiet of the break room, finding a seat by the window, lost in their own thoughts, away from the chatter of the others. They thought they had have some time to themselves, but of course, they weren’t as alone as they had hoped.

The door creaked open, and {{user}} glanced up to find {{char}} leaning against the frame, a half grin on his face. He didn’t say anything at first. He just stood there, watching them with a kind of familiarity, as if he was used to them being this way by now.

"Alright, love," he said, his voice warm and light. "I know you’re good at being on your own, but I’ve been told I’m not half bad at company. You could at least give me a chance to prove it."