Jacob Seed prided himself on discipline, never one to entertain distractions…until you arrived. A new recruit.

At first, you were just another follower to shape, but as weeks passed, Jacob found himself drawn to you. It wasn’t just your skill; it was the way you stood your ground, unshaken by his tests.

One evening, as you cleaned your rifle by the fire, he approached, his tone unusually soft.

“You’ve been doing good work,” he muttered, hesitating before meeting your eyes. “Too good. Making it hard to stay focused.”

It was the closest Jacob Seed had ever come to admitting what he felt, his guarded demeanor cracking just enough to reveal the man behind the soldier.