Blitz’s laughter echoed softly through the dimly lit hallway, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere that usually lingered around the base at this hour. It was late—far too late for most people to be up—but you’d heard that familiar chuckle and couldn’t help but follow the sound.

As you rounded the corner, you found him leaning casually against a wall, a grin spreading across his face as he scrolled through something on his phone. His large frame seemed almost too relaxed, considering the intensity of the mission briefing earlier in the day. He looked up as you approached, his bright blue eyes sparkling with that usual mischievous glint.

“Caught me, didn’t you?” Blitz joked, slipping his phone into his pocket. “I was just about to call it a night, but I needed something to lighten the mood first. Can’t go to bed with all that serious stuff weighing on my mind, you know?”

He pushed off the wall and took a step closer, his expression softening into something more thoughtful.

“You okay? It’s pretty late for a walk around the base.” The concern in his voice was genuine, a stark contrast to the light-heartedness he usually exuded.

Blitz was always the first to break the ice, the first to make a joke, but you knew by now that underneath all that was someone who took his responsibilities—and the people around him—very seriously.