Pablo's name came to Sébastien almost instinctively, not long after Xander agreed to join. Their team needed someone who could do more than just fight—they needed someone with experience, someone who could help mold the others into something greater. Someone who understood what it meant to lead, to teach, and to stay grounded in the heat of battle. And that person was Pablo.

Pablo was a veteran. The kind of person whose presence alone settled a group. A natural teacher, but also a monster in the field when it counted.

Choosing Pablo wasn't a rash decision. Sébastien had known him since he started training. While others had seen him as just another misfit, Pablo had always been different. Where most instructors looked at Sébastien with doubt, Pablo had looked at him with something rare—belief. It hadn't been loud or overbearing, but it had been there, quietly persistent, even during the times where Sébastien had doubted himself.

Pablo was the only person who believe in him where no one else would. And Sébastien trusted him.

Sébastien had learned more from Pablo than he ever had from anyone else. Not just in terms of skills or techniques, but in understanding what it meant to be reliable, to carry the weight of responsibility, and to lead by example—those were the things that made him the perfect fit for Sébastien's vision.

Now, he just needed to convince him to join the team. But it wouldn't be easy. Pablo had his own life, his own purpose, and Sébastien knew that asking him to leave the classroom and return to the field was no small request. Still, he believed in what they could build together. And with Pablo by his side, he felt they could go further than he had ever dreamed.

***

It took Sébastien weeks to finally ask Pablo.

Not because he was afraid—Sébastien wasn't really the type—but because he respected the man too much to toss it out casually. He didn't want Pablo to think this was just another rash decision, a passing whim. Sébastien was serious about this, and he needed Pablo to see that. This wasn't some impulsive idea—it was a commitment, and he wanted to make sure Pablo understood how much it meant.

They were in the training yard after hours, just the two of them. Pablo had just finished running drills with some of the newer recruits and was wiping sweat from his brow with a towel. Sébastien waited until Pablo was finished before he stepped in.

"Pablo," he said, without even greeting him. "I need to talk to you."

Pablo looked up, still wiping his face, giving him a curious look. "About what?"

Sébastien took a deep breath. This was it. No backing out now. He wasn't going to waste time with pleasantries. "I want you in my team."

Simple, direct, clear.

Pablo raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.  Silence hung in the air between them for a moment. Pablo didn't immediately respond, just standing there with his arms crossed, as if weighing the request. Sébastien could feel his heart rate quicken, but he kept his composure, keeping his eyes locked on Pablo's.

"That so?" Pablo finally responded, but his face was unreadable. He leaned against the nearby wall, arms still crossed, his expression a mixture of curiosity and careful calculation. His eyes locked onto Sébastien, as if trying to measure him, to figure out if this was just another passing idea or something more serious.

Sébastien held his ground, his voice steady but firm. "You're the kind of person any team would kill to have. You're experienced, you've got the skills, and more than that, you know how to nurture. I'm building something real, something that'll last. I need someone like you—someone who can guide others."

"Durant," Pablo said, his voice low and steady.

Sébastien froze. He knew that tone. Knew the weight behind it. Pablo only used Sébastien's family name when he was being serious—when what he was about to say mattered.

"I already got a job," Pablo continued, his gaze unwavering. "Here. Teaching. Training the next generation, remember? I'm not looking for another one."

Sébastien nodded slowly. He didn't argue right away. He let the words settle between them like dust.

"I know," he said finally. "And you're damn good at it. But that's not all you are."

Pablo's expression didn't change, but his silence spoke louder than a dozen interruptions.

"You've always told us to fight where we're needed most," Sébastien went on. "And I think—no, I know—you're needed out there. Not forever. But for this. For what I'm building. Just this once, I want you to fight beside me."

Pablo folded his arms, eyeing him. "You think flattery's gonna change my mind?"

Sébastien shook his head. "No. But I think the truth might. I know your heart's been aching to get back out there."

He took a step closer, more serious now.

"I've seen how you were during a raid, only once, but I saw how your eyes sharpened, how you moved. You belong out there. And I know I'm still new, still building myself up. But I'm not going to stay small forever. And I want to grow with people I trust at my back."

Pablo stared at him for a long moment. Finally, Pablo spoke, his voice steady and low. "You're asking a lot, Séba. I've been out of the field for a while now. And I'm comfortable teaching the next generation. You know that."

Sébastien didn't look away. "I know. But comfort isn't the same as fulfillment."

Pablo seemed to weigh the offer in silence. His eyes narrowed slightly, studying Sébastien as if searching for hesitation, for any sign of doubt. But all he found was the steady, unflinching determination in Sébastien's gaze.

It was enough to make him pause. He let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned away, looking out toward the horizon. For a moment, the world seemed to slow around them, and the only sound was the quiet rustle of the wind through the trees.

"You've got guts. I'll give you that," Pablo finally said, almost to himself. "You remind me of myself. Except I didn't have the guts to ask my instructor to join my team."

"So that's a yes?"

Pablo didn't turn around. "I'm not joining because of your speech," he said. "I'm joining because I'm curious."

"Curious?"

"I want to see how far you'll go, Séba. I've seen a lot of promising kids. Most burn out. But you..." He finally looked back, a glint in his eye. "You just might be different."

Sébastien didn't say anything, but the quiet grin on his face said it all. One more piece of the puzzle—locked in place.