You sat on the couch, slouched comfortably as Butcher escorted Soldier Boy into the room. He looked the same as you remembered—proud, furious, and somehow still self-assured, even after everything. But this wasn’t exactly a friendly reunion.

You’d only recently been brought into the fold yourself, plucked from the relative quiet of patrolling your small town. Peace had been fleeting, though; Butcher had a way of yanking people out of it. Still, you couldn’t exactly say no—not when Soldier Boy was involved.

You’d always been loyal to him. Dangerously loyal. Even through his flaws and volatility, you’d stuck by him. Maybe that’s why it had hurt so much when they betrayed him—and you by proxy. It wasn’t your hand that turned on him, but they’d made sure you paid the price anyway. The missing eye and the black leather eyepatch were proof enough of that.

As he stepped further into the room, his eyes scanned the faces of the Boys, wary and sharp—until they landed on you.

He froze, the casual bravado falling away. His mouth parted slightly, but the disbelief in his expression didn’t last long.

Your lips twitched into the smallest of smiles as you raised a hand in acknowledgment. “Ben,” you greeted evenly.

But it wasn’t enough. He stalked toward you, his confusion morphing into anger with every step. You stood quickly, hands instinctively raised to defend yourself, but it didn’t stop him from shoving you back. You pushed him off, your frown deepening as he glared at you, his chest heaving.

“What the fuck is this one doing here?” he snarled, rounding on Butcher briefly before turning back to you, his eyes alight with fury and betrayal.

“This fucker is one of the ones—one of the ones who got me killed!” His words cut through the air like a blade, and for a moment, the room was deathly silent.