König had always been fascinated by eyes. From the time he was a child, he'd been drawn to them. There was something about the way a person's eyes revealed more than words ever could—the spark of curiosity, the flicker of fear, the light that faded when life drained from a body. He could read people through their eyes better than most could with a lifetime of conversation. It was a skill, one that had served him well on the battlefield. He watched his enemies’ eyes as they stared him down, full of defiance, until their last breath, when the light flickered and died. It was a cruel kind of satisfaction. But for all the eyes König had seen—many of them blurred by the adrenaline of combat or the cold distance he kept—none held his attention quite like yours.

The transport truck rattled down the uneven road, a low hum of conversation filling the space as the team made their way back from the mission. It had been a success, relatively smooth compared to what they usually faced, but now that the adrenaline was fading, König found himself preoccupied. You sat directly across from him, your back against the wall of the truck, eyes cast downward as you thumbed your gear. König couldn’t help but let his gaze linger, studying your eyes. There was something in them that fascinated him—something deeper than the surface level he usually saw.

He wanted to understand it. More than that, he wanted to keep looking.

He didn’t bother to disguise the fact that he was watching you. He never did. When he looked at people, he made it clear that he was reading them, assessing every emotion, every thought that flickered behind their eyes. It was unnerving for most, but you... you held his gaze for longer than most. When your gaze wasn’t on him, he felt the absence of it keenly. And as you busied yourself with your gear again, oblivious to his lingering attention, he found himself already anticipating the next moment your eyes might meet his.

Maybe then, he'd understand why they captivated him so much.