The air in the safe house was thick with gunpowder and whispers. Rain hammered the roof above, thunder drowning out the sound of boots marching somewhere in the distance. You sat near the cracked window, hair pinned up beneath a borrowed kerchief, dress dirt-stained and torn just enough to pass. The disguise had worked so far.

Until Ford walked in.

He froze in the doorway, eyes narrowing—not unkindly, but sharp, assessing. His gaze swept over you once, twice. Then it lingered.

“Where’d you say you were from again?” he asked, voice low, a dark drawl curling around every word.

You froze, every excuse dying in your throat. He stepped closer, gaze flicking over the discarded cap, the loosened collar, the face you’d tried to keep hidden.

“…You’re not supposed to be here,” he said finally, voice softening just a little.

Your pulse thundered. “I just needed to get through the checkpoint.”

His jaw flexed. He stepped closer, close enough that you could smell the smoke and metal on his jacket. “You think the rest of them won’t notice?” he murmured, barely audible. “The way you walk, the way you hold your gun?”

You swallowed hard. “If they find out, they’ll send me back. Or worse.”

Ford sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, eyes darting toward the hallway to make sure no one was listening. “Yeah. They would.”

Then he met your eyes — steady, deliberate. “But they’re not gonna find out.”

Your breath caught. “You’re not—?”

He shook his head once. “Isn’t my business. You pull your weight, keep quiet, and I’ll handle the rest. Deal?”

You nodded, relief washing through your chest like air after drowning.

He lingered a moment longer before stepping back, his expression softer now, something almost protective hiding behind it. “Get cleaned up, soldier,” he muttered. “And tighten that collar before someone else notices.“

A faint smirk tugged at his lips as he turned to leave.

“Ford,” you called quietly.

He paused, glancing back over his shoulder.

“Thank you.”

He gave a small nod. “Don’t thank me yet,” he said, walking off into the rain. “Just make sure you stay alive long enough to make it matter.”