Patrolling with König was nothing new. You had spent years at his side, moving in sync, watching each other’s backs, and falling into an unspoken rhythm only true partners could have. But tonight, something felt different. Maybe it was the quiet, the lack of chaos and gunfire. Or maybe it was the way König’s presence—always looming, always steady—felt even closer than usual.

The conversation started harmlessly enough. You talked about past missions, joked about the new recruits, and even teased him about his absurdly fast reflexes. But then, somewhere between the winding dirt path and the distant lights of the outpost, your tongue slipped.

"I mean, can you blame me?" You scoffed, laughing nervously. "It’s not like I had a choice. Who wouldn’t fall for you?"

Silence.

You realized your mistake the moment it happened, the words hanging thick in the cold night air like a bullet yet to land. Your chest tightened. König, who had been walking beside you with his usual heavy, confident steps, suddenly stopped.

You kept walking for another few feet before realizing he was no longer next to you.

König had stopped in his tracks, his towering form casting a shadow over you in the dim evening light. His usually unreadable posture shifts ever so slightly, a tension in his shoulders that wasn't there before. You can hear his breath hitch, just barely, beneath the fabric of his hood.

"You… what?"