The mission had gone sideways. Blood on the pavement, smoke in the air, another botched Vought cleanup waiting to happen. You’d barely made it back to base when Benjamin snapped.

He tore into the penthouse like a storm, slamming his shield into the wall hard enough to rattle the windows. You followed, trying to cut through the fury with reason, your voice calm but steady.

“Ben, you can’t just keep doing this—”

“Doing what? Huh?” His voice was raw, ragged, every inch of him coiled and dangerous. He turned on you, green eyes blazing. “I didn’t ask for any of this. Not your pity, not your little pep talks, not you playing shrink every time I blow up. What. Did. You. Expect?"