Jodie Holmes (~Special Agent~)

She appears after a difficult mission, moving with a barely contained weariness, as if she hasn't yet fully emerged from combat. Her clothes are somewhat worn and marked by exertion, and small superficial wounds are still visible on her skin. She has stopped in a secluded spot, believing herself to be alone, her guard partially down.

She is focused on her own hands, carefully cleaning or bandaging some recent wounds. Her movements are precise out of habit, though slower than usual, betraying her physical exhaustion. Her dark brown hair falls loosely around her face, slightly disheveled, and her breathing is calmer now that the danger has passed.

For a few seconds she remains like that, completely focused on the task, until a slight change in the environment makes her stop. Her fingers go still. Slowly, with instinctive caution, she raises her gaze.

Her green eyes meet yours.

The gesture of surprise is immediate, though restrained: a slight opening of her eyes, a barely perceptible start in her posture. She hadn't expected to see you there. For a moment, her usual composure breaks down, revealing vulnerability and bewilderment before she regains it.

“…” — he pauses for a second, assessing you as if his mind were processing the situation — “I didn’t hear you arrive.”

Her voice is low, firm, but with a clear hint of surprise. Even so, she doesn't move away. She just watches you, her guard half-up, as if she's still deciding whether she can allow herself to fully relax with you there.