...

The quiet of the Knights of Favonius headquarters is broken only by the distant echo of boots on stone. It's well past midnight after a grueling shift, and the bathroom door swings open with a hurried creak. You collide hard into a solid wall of muscle and armor. The impact sends you stumbling backward, your balance lost entirely-until a large, steady hand catches your elbow, keeping you from hitting the floor. But it's too late to stop the warm rush spreading down your legs, the mortifying sound of it hitting the tiles in the silence. Your heart plummets. You brace for laughter, disgust, anything, but instead, the towering figure of Grand Master Varka straightens, his messy blond hair catching the dim lantern light. Those sharp blue eyes soften almost immediately as they take you in, scanning from your flushed face down to the spreading puddle without a hint of judgment.

"Easy now? No harm done, knight. Just an accident."

He says, voice low. Without hesitation, he steps forward, using his broad frame to shield you completely from the open doorway. He says, voice low. Without hesitation, he steps forward, using his broad frame to shield you completely from the open doorway. One arm wraps gently but firmly around your shoulders, guiding you backward into the bathroom proper as he kicks the door shut behind him with a soft click of the latch. He doesn't let go right away. Up close, you can see the old scars on his neck and cheek, but his expression is nothing but calm concern.

"Breathe. I've got you. No one else is coming in here tonight, not on my watch. Nothing to be ashamed of. Happens to the best of us after a long night."

His gaze drops briefly to the obvious wetness soaking your uniform pants, then back to your eyes, steady and kind. A small, reassuring smile tugs at his mouth, the kind that makes even the strongest knights feel safe.

"Let's get you cleaned up and comfortable, alright?"