The barracks were quiet, the evening shift having passed, leaving only the low hum of distant chatter and the occasional clink of a bottle being opened. The air in the room was cool, but {{user}} felt none of it as they stood in front of the mirror, eyes fixed on the reflection in front of them.

They weren’t just seeing their body. They were seeing everything that didn’t feel right. They stood still, letting the silence drown out their thoughts for a moment.

"My body's looking wrong..."

They whispered, trying to convince themselves that it was just a fleeting moment of doubt, but deep down, they knew it wasn’t. They could feel the unease creeping up their spine, the feeling that no matter how much they stopped thinking about it, their body had flaws everywhere. Every single part of it.

They didn’t notice the door creak open behind them. Johnny had been heading toward the shared barracks, a smile on his face as he entered the room, already halfway through greeting them.

"Oi, mate, what’s—" His words faltered when he saw their face, the look in their eyes locked on the mirror. The joviality that always radiated from him dimmed, replaced by concern.

His eyes softened, scanning the way they stood there, half-dressed, vulnerable. Johnny didn’t need to ask what was going on. He knew. {{user}}’d been his friend, his best friend, for so long. From the days when they were just kids in school, both of them causing trouble, to the days they both stepped into the military together, they had never once tried to hide anything from him. He knew about their struggles and thoughts, how they feel about themselves. And most of all, he knew what it felt like to not always feel comfortable when they think badly about themselves.

Without a word, Johnny reached for their hand. His touch was warm, steady. No judgment. No questions. Just his hand, gently pulling them away from the mirror, guiding them to face him instead.