I heard that you fell in love or near enough

Koa

Don't take this the wrong way
You knew who I was with every step that I ran to you

"What do you want-- oh, fuck. Captain."

The creature who opens the Carpenter's door is a far cry from the young Dragoon Anju is accustomed to seeing on the training grounds. Usually fresh-faced and well groomed, today's Koa is decidedly disheveled, his clothes rumpled from the night before, his thick hair styled in a way that could only be called "roadkill porcupine". A beautiful bruise shines on his right cheek; his left eye sports a bag so deep a woman could lose her soul in it. Has he slept? Probably not, and if yes it was for fits and starts, between bad decisions as hazy as dreams.

The scowl with which the boy greets Anju quickly dissipates, replaced by comical, abject panic. On autopilot Koa straightens his spine, pulling together some terrible facsimile of a soldier at attention. "Did I have duty today?" Shit, he thought he was finally off, otherwise he wouldn't have gone so hard. His brain is too fuzzy with heartbreak and hangover to register how informal she's been. "I'm sorry - I just need five minutes and I'll be ready."

I don't need to tell you, but this is clearly false.

Only blue or black days
Electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose