"Tell Me" - one character confessing something to another [be it a love confession, a secret, etc.]

We hunkered down for the night in the Risea Estate. Taking first watch, I let my squad rest for once. I was mostly grateful for the alone time. Thirty days ago my life had flipped and gone into an uncontrollable tailspin. I'd been running ever since, not giving myself time to think.

Now, surrounded by the lifestyle of the rich and famous of Seahorse Hills, I was reminded of everything I lost. It was in the white, crumbling marble pillars, the languid fountains, the paintings strewn in the rubble. I kicked aside a depiction of Kashkur's mountains. I fucking hated it. The same picture used to hang in the west wing of my family's estate.

My family was gone. My house. My inheritance. Every bit of normalcy was falling away bit by bit, and no one was closer to stopping these damned Locust.

Thirty days and already I was exhausted. I was a rich kid; I didn't have the guts or talent to fight a war. There was no room for me in the new world. What was I doing here? Why wasn't someone else in charge?

Stones slid behind me and I jumped, sighted down my Lancer. Sofia's red hair caught in the blue glow of indicator lights on her armor. Lowering my gun, I released the breath I didn't remember catching in my throat.

"Something wrong, cadet?" I asked.

"Time to switch," she replied, joining me. "You need to get some rest, sir."

"I'm fine. You stay here—I thought I heard something."

She caught my arm before I could take off. "Lieutenant, I know it's only been two weeks since we've served together, but you've run yourself ragged. Whatever you're trying to prove, exhausting yourself isn't the way to do it."

Maybe it was the late hour, maybe it was the exhaustion talking. Maybe I was just done bullshitting myself, but I answered her truthfully.

"I'm not trying to exhaust myself over this damn war—I couldn't give a shit. I'm trying to do something good in my life for once and if I die doing it, at least I tried, damn it."

"You're making amends."

"I was asked to be put on a suicide squad. I wanted to go through grub territory and not come out on the other side," I spat. "And when I saw they put you on my squad, I nearly contested Command. An Onyx Guard—a woman—would only drag me down."

There was no emotion. She blinked slowly and said quietly, "A suicide squad. That makes sense."

"What?"

"When I was assigned to Kilo, I thought it was to watch Paduk, to see if he could be rehabilitated as a real COG citizen or better off dead. But now I understand. A disgraced magistrate's son, a prisoner of war, a female soldier, and the man who actually stood a chance." She released me and crossed her arms over her chest. "No one expects us to come back, do they?"

"In body bags, maybe. But I'm getting you and Cole out even if it kills me."