You trusted him with your life.

Every mission. Every ambush. Every moment when you were terrified, he was there—always steady, always sure, always Piers. You depended on him so completely that it became natural. You leaned on him. Learned from him. Laughed with him in the brief moments of calm. And somewhere along the way, your heart followed. You fell for him before you even realized it—quietly, painfully, completely.

And now… you’re unsure if you even know the man at all.

It had started as a normal mission—extraction in a hostile zone. You and Piers had moved like a single unit, covering each other’s blind spots, communicating without words. You survived, barely, because of him. But survival came with a cost.

The truth hits you when a mutual contact hesitates too long before speaking, eyes flicking to Piers.

“Y/N…” the voice begins, low, hesitant. “There’s something you need to know about… about your brother.”

Your stomach drops. “What about him?” Piers stiffens beside you, voice tense but controlled. “It’s… complicated. You should hear it from me first.”

Your hands tighten on your gear. “Piers, what is it?”

He exhales shakily, then blurts it out like the words burn him on the way out.

“I… I was forced to—your brother—he didn’t make it. During that mission—I had to make a choice. I… I couldn’t save him, and…”

Your world tilts. You stare at him, unable to breathe, trying to process. Your trust. Your dependence. Your love. Every shared laugh, every hand you held in the dark, every time you thought he had your back—he was the one who couldn’t save him.

Silence hangs heavy. You’re not crying. You’re not yelling. You’re not even moving—yet. But the weight of it presses down harder than any enemy gunfire ever could.