Chapter Text
As it goes, the captain of a knight company is given the right to choose their own vice-captain. Their right hand, their second in command, someone that you could trust with your life and the lives of others. So why in the world did you choose Lohen of all people for the position.
The infamous problem child of the knights of Favonius. People whispered in the halls for weeks after you appointed him:
“She must truly be insane.”
“That kid is gonna run the company into the ground.”
“He doesn’t deserve that title or the honor that comes with it.”
Naturally, you would disagree with all these baseless rumors. People only saw what they wanted to see. Wholly consumed by his sharp edges and manic need for a good fight that they ignored everything else.
Not that you knew him particularly well either, he practically just came out of training when Varka tossed him your way for the winds sake.
Still, you trusted his skill. You knew he was worthy of being your vice-captain even if by the time he got promoted he had just barley stopped trying to poison your morning tea.
“Excuse me captain.” A firm knock resounded on your office door, ripping you from thought, as a knight stepped in with a weary expression, if you didn’t know any better you would have thought him terrified.
You tilted your head slightly, “Yes Apfel?”
He shuffled his feet awkwardly and met your gaze just as you rested your quill on the desk, “I-It’s the vice-captain ma’am…” he trailed off nervously and you simply sighed, already pushing yourself up from your desk.
Tall boots clicked against the tile floor as you walked closer to the commotion in the hall, easily spotting Lohen who had pinned one of his fellow knights to the wall with a dagger.
The crowd slowly quieted until it was just Lohen’s low threats of violence which you where quick to cut off with a simple clearing of your throat.
To which he turned to face you, his intimidating countenance melting into a smirk, “Oh Captain, perfect timing this day has been so dreadfully bori-“
“Lohen.” You cut him off with a pointed tone.
You didn’t have to say anything else as you walked back into your office, Lohen following obediently with a scoff as he pulled his dagger from the wall.
Your hand came up to gently rub your temples as the door clicked shut, leaving the two of you in silence with nothing but the smell of ink and parchment as company.
“This is your third offense this week and its only Tuesday.” You start simply, “Please tell me you have a good reason for causing so much trouble.”
“I’m not allowed to have a little fun every now and then?” he quipped back easily.
Leaning back against the desk with a sigh you speak again, “I have a hard time believing that’s all this is.”
He seemed to consider your words carefully, placing a finger on his chin and tilting his head like he was trying to solve the world’s problems, “Maybe if they kept their thoughts to themselves, they would find themselves living more peaceful lives,” he shrugs.
Ah, so that’s what it was.
“Is the gossip truly getting to you that much?” you can’t help the small smile that forms, “All of Mondstadt loves gossip, just leave it be its harmless drivel for the most part,” you wave your hand flippantly as you speak.
Lohen stared at you, really stared.
His dull eyes felt like they were dissecting you alive, but you wouldn’t have gotten this far if that was enough to crack your composure. Even with the small prickle that ran down your spine screaming DANGER, you remained steadfast.
“So, what’s my punishment Captain?” Lohen asked, tone bordering on excited.
You can’t help but shake your head, “I never said I was giving you one.”
“Boring.” He mumbles simply.
“Never happy are you?”
He simply shrugs in response and watches you walk around your desk to sit back down.
Outside the office, the world moves on as usual. Boots scuffing against tile, the clanking of armor and people yelling about all sorts of work that still had to be done.
Inside however, Lohen was strangely still in a way you don’t see often. Usually he was jumpy, fidgety, eager to not sit in one spot for too long. On any other day he’d be pacing the room and asking you to spar, or give him the most difficult assignment you could think up.
Your hand hovered above your quill but you didn’t pick it up; dropping your hand against the smooth, polished wood of your desk instead.
“What did they say?”
His eyes flickered towards you, sharp as daggers.
“The knights in the hall,” you continued, “What did they say?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Lohen.”
“I dunno Captain,” he folded his hands behind his head casually and you bored your gaze into him. He stared back before sighing dramatically and leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling.
(You relished the small victory)
“They were talking about you.”
Oh.
You had to blink away the shock, quickly trying to scrub it from your face.
“the usual nonsense from this week.”
“You’re crazy for picking me as your VC. You’re too young, too soft. Varka only promoted you cause you’re pretty. Y’know.” His fingers tapped against his arm. He spoke casually but his jaw flexed ever so subtly.
None of what you heard surprised you. It was the same as always, people have been saying stuff like that since you took over as 5th company captain. It was definitely not something worth making a scene over.
You let out a slow exhale and relax against your chair, “and this was worth pinning one of our knights to the wall for?”
“He laughed.”
You blinked, “What?”
“He laughed and agreed with whoever started the conversation.”
A little chuckle escapes you, “That doesn’t justify threatening him.”
He rolled his eyes slightly and looked away, “It wasn’t a threat.”
“You had a dagger to his throat.” You stated incredulously
“That’s not a threat, that’s a warning.”
You closed your eyes and rested your head in your hands. Sometimes you couldn’t help but wonder if Varka threw him your way as some sort of sick test of your abilities.
When you opened your eyes, a crimson pair stared back at you.
Watching.
Waiting.
“You know those comments don’t bother me, right?”
His expression darkened dangerously, “Well they should,” he paused, “Not that the people saying them are worth anything.”
You opened your mouth to speak but decided against giving him another lecture on fostering good relationships with the rest of the company. “Lohen, you are not allowed to threaten your coworkers.”
His shoulders slumped as he repeatedly tossed a dagger into the air and caught the handle as it came back down, “You’re no fun.”
You both paused for a moment and he took a seat across from you and you watched the plan form in his head before he even spoke, “Hypothetically.”
“No.” you shot down instantly.
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“you don’t need too. The answer is no.”
He groaned loudly and spun around in the chair, once, twice, “Fine.”
“Fine?” you questioned suspiciously.
“Fine.”
“There are plenty of other ways to ruin peoples’ lives.” He smirked wickedly
“Lohen.”
“Im joking.”
“No, you are not.”
“Yeah, I’m not.”
At least he was honest you thought as you pushed a small stack of unfinished documents across the desk, “If you’re bored enough to terrorize the headquarters all week why don’t you help me with these reports hm?” You smiled at him, saccharine sweet.
He simply looked at you with disgust.
“Come on, you said you were bored.” You nudged the documents a smidge closer to him.
“I would rather be executed.”
Your smile got sweeter somehow, “Get to work Vice-Captain.”
The rest of the day drags on, ink moving over paper as the two of you work in peaceful silence and before you know it the sun is rising in the morning and holy shit you where supposed to be at headquarters an hour ago but you slept in and now you have to get ready before your even more late and you have to remember to bring all your documents and oh archons you are so fired.
In a flurry of movement, you go through the familiar motions of your daily routine like the battle you’ve fought millions of times before.
Clothes, food, hair, shoes, paperwork, and out the door you go.
As soon as your boots hit the pavement you break into a slight jog, trusting your feet to take you where you need to go until you are standing in front of your office door just ever so slightly out of breath.
You take a quick glance at the clock on the wall, okay an hour and forty-five minutes late, if you skipped lunch, you could still get all your work done.
You took in another breath before entering your office, your expression quickly falling to something unimpressed as you were met face to face with Lohen sitting in your chair.
“My, my, its not like you to be late Captain.”
“Get out of my chair, Lohen.”
He props his legs up on the desk and gets comfortable as you drop a bag of paperwork right next to his feet, “As much as I would love to,” he says sarcastically, a knife flipping between his fingers, “Jean was asking for you earlier so you have bigger problems to deal with.”
With a sigh you spin around on your heel, “make yourself useful and at least start on the paperwork.”
“uh huh, sure.” He waves a hand noncommittally
You were definitely getting stuck doing both his paperwork and yours tonight.
Jean’s office was perfectly opposite to your own which means you had plenty of time to overthink the many reasons she may have requested your presence. Surely it wasn’t because you were late to work. People were always coming and going, headquarters could certainly function without you for an hour or two.
When you reached the door, you knocked on it twice, “Fifth company captain, reporting.” You stated and only entered the door when you heard Jean give you permission from the other side.
She didn’t look up from her paperwork immediately, which was almost worse than if she stared you right into the eyes and scolded you.
You stood stiffly at attention in front of her desk.
When she looked up a gentle smile graced her features, blue eyes creasing in a way you always found maternal, “you know there is no need to be so formal with me.”
You bowed slightly and relaxed, “Yes ma’am. what can I do for you?”
Jean set down her pen, “Starting today a new Knight will be joining 5th company. Please guide him well, Captain.” She gently pushed a sheet of paper forward and you took it into your hands to review.
“of course, ma’am.” despite yourself you smiled. It was always nice to have a little reminder of the fact other people trust you
Since becoming Captain, you quickly got used to the feeling of people turning to you for answers and guidance. It didn’t make the weight any lighter, but moments like this made it feel more worthwhile.
You skimmed over the file quickly;
Name: Klive Bosch
Age:24
Evaluation scores
All the basic information one needed but something at the bottom caught your eye, “He requested to be placed in 5th company?”
Its not like newly graduated trainees never requested to work in specific fields but not many people were gunning for a chance to work long hours on grueling missions while dealing with complex weapons and running out of ammunition.
“Yes, he did. His ranged weapon scores were good enough that I had no reason to deny the request. I’m sure you will find him a capable knight.”
“Capable.” You repeat and Jean nods.
“He should be waiting for you just outside.” She picks up her pen and turns back to the paperwork on her desk.
With a deep breath you exit the room and come face to face with the new recruit, you can only tell it’s him by the distinct lack of exhaustion in his face. That, and he seemed to stand up straighter when he saw you.
He’s tall and clearly strong. Still starry eyed but not so much that he doesn’t know what he is getting himself into.
“Bosch I presume?”
“Yes ma’am.”
His sharp jaw snapped open and closed quickly
You click your tongue, “Captain.” you correct him.
“Yes Captain.”
You study him slightly longer than necessary. He doesn’t fidget under your scrutiny which is good. Most of the time new recruits could barley hold themselves together or they wound themselves too tightly.
Tilting your head to the corridor you speak, “Walk with me.”
His steps fall once pace behind you, a formality that no one followed anymore it was almost strange to know it had been drilled into him.
“Why 5th company?”
“It’s real the real work, Captain.”
“Real work?” you question gently, tone dipping into something slightly icer, “Are you saying the other companies don’t do real work, Rookie?”
He stiffens instantly, “N-No Captain. I meant field work. 5th company handles more dangerous missions.”
You don’t bother slowing your walk, not yet.
“Its not covered in a blanket of safety. I- I can be useful.”
You sigh softly, voice falling into something more gentle, “Everyone wants to be useful. And everyone is useful. It just depends on what you consider ‘useful’ to be.”
The corridor stretches ahead of you, filled with the morning light of the peaceful city spilling through tall windows. Boots echo on the tile floor, yours in a steady, comfortable rhythm, his just slightly too controlled, nervous.
He stumbles over one of his steps, “I just don’t want to waste my time behind a desk when I could be saving lives.”
“Careful, that almost sounds like ambition.”
You stop walking and turn to face him, “Listen, Bosch,” you start, voice calm and steady, “5th company doesn’t exist to get ‘real work’ done. It exists because freedom and safety are expensive things and someone has to pay for them.”
You push open the door to the fifth company hall and nod to those around, “good morning.” You smile full of kindness.
Maps cover the walls pinned at odd angles and the large map spread over the table has so many marks on it you can’t even tell what’s going on anymore.
The hall greets you back with sleepy hellos and half-salutes.
People buzz around the room in disorganization that somehow moves like a well-oiled machine. Fifth company had never been particularly strict, especially not under your supervision. After all, the people willing to risk their lives deserved to work how they wanted too. As long as the work was done at the end of the day it didn’t bother you much how it got done.
Klive hesitates behind you, clearly 5th company didn’t quite live up to what his imagination had supplied. His gaze shifts from one end of the room to the other like he’s trying to find the structure hiding behind the chaos. There isn’t any, not in the way he’s probably been taught to expect. And yet everything is moving; messages passed, maps updated, orders already halfway executed without anyone needing to be told twice.
“Welcome to Fifth Company Klive Bosch.”
“AYE!! CAPTAIN’S IN,” a harsh, deep voice cut through the room before the new recruit had the chance to reply.
You watch fondly as everyone scrambles to sit a little bit straighter, stack their papers in a more orderly manner, and generally look busier than three seconds ago.
With a slight chuckle you step forward, “Relax everyone.” You wait for everyone attention to be on you, “Fifth Company, from this day onward we have a new knight in our ranks, please give him a warm welcome. I trust you all to take care of him.”
Some people clap, others crack jokes, “Any bets on how long he’ll last?” one person shouts from the back of the room.
You simply laugh and shake your head, “Come Borsch, ill let you get to know everyone after you meet your superior.”
“Are you not my superior, Captain?” he asks as you two walk to your office.
“Oh I am,” you say with a glance over your shoulder, “But you’ll probably deal more with my vice-captain than me.”
You swing open the door to your office and effortlessly dodge the dagger thrown your way which embeds itself into the adjacent wall.
Next to you Klive goes stock still and you have to nod your head toward the open door to get him to move again.
“Bosch, this is my Vice-Captain, Lohen.”
Lohen doesn’t even bother glancing up from his position, legs still propped up on your desk. Instead, he grabs another knife from somewhere (seriously where do they all come from?) twirls it around once and catches it by the blade, “Aw man, I missed.”
You pull the dagger from the wall and toss it to him, “A Shame. You’ll get me one day.”
Meanwhile, Bosch watches from the open doorway trying to figure out what’s real and what’s a twisted dream.
Lohen inspects the blade before turning his eyes to the newcomer with a sickening grin. Teal that melted into crimson carefully assessed what was in front of him as if he was checking the weapons rack and not a living person.
“The newest victim huh?” he briefly glanced at you before walking over to the recruit.
“Lohen.”
“Relax Captain. We both know they rarely last longer than a month.”
“That’s enough.” You said a bit more firmly.
He held up both his hands in mock surrender until he was face to face with the newbie. The contrast between them was almost amusing, while Bosch stood tall and proud, Lohen was practically still eye level with even with his relaxed confidence.
Lohen put a hand to his chest and bowed before sticking out a hand in greeting, “Vice-Captain Lohen.”
Bosch took his hand in a firm shake, “It’s good to meeEe-“
His words were cut off when Lohen twisted his wrist to bring him stumbling forward, just enough to throw him off balance but not enough to hurt.
Your deep sigh was enough to silence the room.
“What?” he asked all too sweetly, “I was checking his footing.”
Bosch rubbed his wrist gently, confusion written plainly on his face.
Lohen leaned back against your desk, and you took the opportunity to hand him Bosch’s file before turning back to the recruit in question, “Before you are assigned to a squad, I need to know what you can actually do.”
“The evaluation should-“
You have a hand dismissively, “The evaluations tell me what the instructors think of your performance. Unfortunately, that doesn’t translate all that well to field missions.”
“So ill have to test you myself.” You finish.
Bosch nodded, although his mouth twitched uncomfortably, “Yes, Captain.”
“Lohen.” You nod towards him, “I’m leaving fifth company in your hands for now.”
“Of course, Captain.” He gave a slight bow, a disastrous smirk already forming on his face.