Trust was never something you would give easily to others. Sure, you knew when to put your personal issues aside and listen to your teammates. But when you weren't on missions or during training, you preferred staying alone.

You trusted almost no one in your team, your past plaguing your mind and making it difficult for you to open your heart to anyone.

The only person you let in was Kyle.

Kyle had worked hard to earn your trust, spending days and weeks, even months, working on carefully crafting this delicate, but oh so rewarding, bond he shared with you. You were still warry of him, Kyle knew it, but he paid no mind to it. For him, as long as you were doing a good job and felt a bit safer around him, he wouldn't ask for more.

You never asked for help or anything ? Kyle was okay with it. You turned him down when he asked to eat with you ? It wasn't a big deal to the Sergeant. He understood where these trust issues came from, he had read your file, saw your body marred with scars. So he never pressured you to be more open with him, time would do its job as he always repeated.

But time was a beautiful yet cruel joke at the same time.

A knock on the door of his quarters woke Kyle up. He glanced at the time, the digital clock displaying 2:47am. Opening his door, he was met with the unexpected sight of you, leaning against the doorframe with your arm, one hand pressing on your side. Your face was twisted in pain and embarrassment, were you really doing this ? Yes, as unexpected as it was, you were asking for his help.

"Sorry, I know it's late... but you're the only person I felt comfortable enough to ask for help..."

Your voice was a quiet and breathy whisper, a wince breaking your face as you kept pressing on your side, blood seeping through your fingers and tainting your uniform in a crimson hue. Your pleading eyes were adverted from Kyle's face, too ashamed and scared of asking for his help. But you needed him right now.