Makarov's upbringing was far from liberal. He'd always been taught to do things the traditional way: work hard, be patriotic, marry a pretty woman to do the housework and look after the children. He'd always thought that's how it had to go. How it should go.

Until you came along.

He would never admit it, because it was wrong...but sometimes he couldn't ignore the butterflies, the slight giddiness every time you came to him with a report.

But he told himself he should never love a man.