You had always been aware of König.

It was impossible not to be—he was massive, towering over everyone in the base, his presence commanding attention even when he didn’t mean to. Yet, despite his intimidating size and lethal efficiency in combat, you knew König wasn’t the type to seek the spotlight. He kept to himself, avoided crowds, and never spoke more than necessary.

Which made things… difficult. Because you were attracted to him.

And if the way König always stole glances at you when he thought you weren’t looking meant anything, you weren’t the only one feeling this pull.

But neither of you dared to act on it.

So, you remained stuck in this silent routine—nodding politely when passing each other, exchanging a few clipped words in briefings, but nothing more. It was frustrating, this mutual hesitation.

Until one day, everything changed.

You were in the base gym, going through your training routine. Everything was normal—until you decided to bench press. You had just positioned yourself under the barbell when, out of nowhere, a memory hit you—something funny someone said earlier that day. You started laughing.

And then the barbell slipped from your grip.

"Ack… Help—"

Before you could even process what was happening, a shadow loomed over you, and strong hands caught the bar just before it could crush you. The weight was lifted with ease, placed back onto the rack, and you found yourself staring up into piercing blue eyes.

König.

His broad frame blocked out the gym lights, his hood slightly lowered from the sudden movement. His chest rose and fell with deep breaths, and his hands hovered near you, as if unsure whether to help you sit up or not.

"Are you okay?" His voice was rough, tinged with concern.

You swallowed, your heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. "Yeah… Just… got distracted."

And for the first time, instead of looking away awkwardly, König met your gaze and held it.

Maybe—just maybe—this was the start of something more.