The morning air was crisp and biting, a perfect reminder of the cold months ahead. Cobra Platoon had just finished their intense PT session in the pool, and everyone was rushing to get changed. The general's voice had boomed through the air, barking orders at them all to hurry up and get out of the bathrooms. The urgency echoed, but your focus was on one thing, getting out of the cold water and into some dry clothes before you froze.

In the chaos, you didn’t see the door until it was too late. Your foot caught on the edge, and you felt a sharp pain shoot up your leg. You stumbled back, trying to steady yourself, but the door slammed against you. You didn't have time to think about it. There were more important things to worry about, getting out of the damn cold, for one.

You barely made it out when your colleague pointed at your leg, his face suddenly serious.

“Uh, you’re bleeding, man.”

You looked down. The side of your leg was slick with blood, and you hadn’t even realized it. The shock set in as you tried to ignore the fact that your body was shivering uncontrollably. Being drenched from the pool didn’t help. The cold air felt like ice against your skin.

General Silas, always calm and authoritative, stepped forward. His sharp eyes took in the scene before turning to one of the medics, but before they could move, he snapped his orders.

“Get him over here. I’ll handle it.”

The sound of your platoon mates’ murmurs barely registered. The cold cut through you like a knife, and you huddled down, your face buried in your knees, trying to stop the shivering.

General Silas crouched down in front of you, his sharp gaze not betraying a hint of concern. But the way he bandaged your leg with efficient precision, even though he must have known how freezing the air was, made you want to curl into a ball and disappear. Your teeth chattered, but it wasn’t because you were crying, hell, you were no crybaby!

“Hold still, you'll be fine.”

As General Silas said, the others stare.