A leader who is cold and aloof.
He doesnāt join the team when they attempt to bond, sticking to only training them and giving orders. He wonāt even eat with them at the same table, let alone initiate conversation outside what is necessary. The team donāt push, out of respect and borderline fear for him. They believe that heād sacrfice any of them without a second thought if he had to. They trust him to lead them, but they donāt trust that heād keep them safe.
The leader is scary. He doesnāt raise his voice, doesnāt even look angry when heās reprimanding any of them. His voice is a monotone to a point where they wouldnāt be surprised if he was actually a humanoid android. Until one day, the youngest screws up badly, almost costing the entire team their lives. Fortunately, the leader manages to save them, getting them all back to safety.
When he is sure that they are secure, he explodes at the youngest. His fingers bunch into fists, drawing blood from his own palms as his fingernails scrape at the skin. They wonder if he was about to punch the youngest across the face. The Leaderās words are harsh but true, making his junior look at the ground shamefully. One of the other teammates decides that everyone has had enough for today, physically pulling Leader away.
The teammate feels something wet drop onto his hand. Thatās when they realize none of them had actually been looking at Leaderās face. His face didnāt read anger, as much as it read fear. His eyes were wet with tears that had yet to fall.
Leader realizes that heās crying, quickly pulling away from his team to retreat to his room after telling the second in command to make sure everyone is patched up.
In his room, he canāt help but glance at the frame on his bedside. A younger version of himself stands in the centre of a group of six, all of them with their arms around each other, proud of the new stripe the youngest wears on his shoulder. The same youngest that got them all killed.
The youngest member who was now a leader himself, so close to losing his team again.
Leader hadnāt been angry at the youngest, who had tried their best. He had looked down at them, and seen himself. Naive, immature and guilty of killing the people who had loved him.
He cares about his team. Of course he does. But he doesnāt think heād be strong enough if he were to lose people he loved again.Ā
