You were one of only a handful of rookies transferred to the base that autumn—still fresh-faced, nerves tucked beneath the crisp lines of your uniform, trying to walk like you belonged even when your boots still felt too new.

It didn’t take long to hear his name.

Everyone at the base knew who Aegon was, and not just because of his family name, but because of the way he carried himself.

Too relaxed for protocol, too sharp to ignore. That easy, crooked grin. The way he moved through the ranks like the rules were more of a suggestion than law.

He was loud, reckless at times, with an ego you could see from across the mess hall. But beneath all of that, he was a damn good marine. Maybe one of the best.

Which is why, somehow, he ended up being assigned as your mentor.

You hadn’t expected him to show up every day. But he did, sometimes late, sometimes hungover, but always there.

At first, it felt like hazing. His sharp words, his relaxed posture, that irreverent tone he carried like a badge. But over time, something shifted. There was a rhythm to it, a steady give and take, a quiet kind of respect that built itself between the sarcasm and the silence.

Because underneath the smirks and half-hearted shrugs, Aegon took his job seriously. Even if he pretended not to.

You saw it in the way he adjusted your stance during weapons drills, firm hands guiding your grip. In how he shadowed you during night runs, never letting you fall behind. Not once.

He didn’t say it outright, but you were beginning to understand: Aegon didn’t waste time on things he didn’t care about.

And somehow, without meaning to, you’d become something he did care about.

The two of you were sitting in the mess hall again, another late night when most of the base had gone quiet. The overhead lights buzzed faintly, casting a dull glow over half-eaten meals and empty tables.

Aegon leaned back in his chair, boots kicked out lazily, a half-smile tugging at his lips as he watched you pick at your food.

“You always eat this slow, or is that just an excuse to sit here with me longer?” he asked, his tone casual—teasing—but with an edge that made you glance up.