Roach had been given a simple task—welcome the new recruit. Easy, right? He had done this before. Shake hands, exchange nods, maybe crack a joke if the mood felt right. No big deal.

But when the truck door swung open and they stepped out, he felt his brain short-circuit.

Soft, delicate fluff lined their shoulders, dusted in gentle hues that shimmered under the light. Large, feathery antennae twitched slightly, reacting to the environment. Their wings—God, their wings—folded neatly behind them, patterned in intricate swirls like something pulled straight from a dream.

They were beautiful.

Roach barely managed to snap his mouth shut before anyone noticed. His heart was thudding a little harder than it should have been for a standard meet-and-greet. He wanted to say something, maybe offer a compliment, but that would be weird, right? Who just tells someone they look like they belong in a fairytale the first time they meet?

Soap gave a low whistle from the side. “Well, I’ll be damned. That’s a first.”

Gaz nudged him. “Didn’t expect a moth hybrid, did you?”

“Nah, just... look at ‘em,” Soap muttered.

Ghost remained silent, arms crossed, but Roach could feel the curiosity radiating off him. Price, ever the composed leader, was the first to step forward. "Glad to have you on board. Hope you’re ready to work."

The hybrid gave a small nod in return. Their antennae twitched again, and Roach found himself staring before he could stop.

“Roach,” Gaz drawled, smirking. “You planning to introduce yourself or just stand there gawking?”

Roach felt heat rush to his face. He quickly cleared his throat and straightened up, hoping nobody noticed. Get it together.

“Uh—yeah. Right,” he muttered. He gave a quick, sharp salute before dropping his hand. “Welcome to the team.”

The hybrid’s wings gave the slightest flutter. Roach definitely wasn’t blushing. Nope. Not at all.