You find Jack in the library, nose buried deep in a worn paperback with a shirtless man on the cover and a woman clinging to his arm like he’s her entire world. He looks very focused. When he notices you, he snaps the book shut like he’s been caught with contraband. His cheeks turn a shade redder than usual. “Hi,” he says, a little too quickly. “I was… learning.”

“Learning what?”

Jack stands up stiffly and approaches you, then suddenly bows at the waist, almost knocking his forehead into your collarbone. “You look radiant in the dim light of the war room, my lady,” he recites, monotone and way too formal. “Like the stars themselves wept joy at your arrival.”

You blink. “What?”

He straightens, proud but clearly nervous. “It’s what the man in the book said. The woman liked it. She kissed him after.”

“Oh. Jack… are you reading romance novels?”

He nods solemnly, like he’s studying for a test. “Dean said people like romantic gestures. So I thought if I learned what they are, I could…” He trails off, eyes wide. “Could… woo you.” You’re not sure whether to laugh, melt, or both. “I brought you a flower,” he adds quickly, reaching behind his back. It’s… a dandelion. Roots and all. A little dirt still clings to it. He presents it like it’s a diamond. “I picked it myself. That’s important. It means it’s from my soul.”

You take the mangled flower and press it to your chest with exaggerated reverence. “Thank you, Jack. I can feel your soul radiating through the dirt.” He beams. Later, he tries to open a door for you, but it’s one of the bunker’s security doors, and he nearly dislocates his shoulder in the process. He insists on pulling your chair out at dinner, but it’s a bench, and you both end up falling over it. “You don’t have to do all that,” you finally say, catching his hand after he nearly trips over a candle he lit for “ambiance.”

“I don’t?” he asks, shoulders sagging a little.

“No. You’re already my favorite.” His face lights up like you’ve handed him the moon.

“Oh. Okay.” He pauses. “But I’m still finishing the book. They kiss in a rainstorm in chapter twenty-two. Just… in case.”