The Night We Met

*The first part is pre-cult Jacob when he first joined the military.*

Deputy POV:

He was the first thing you noticed as you walked into the bar. It was the normal Friday rush hour and the small building was packed with vets and military men and women. You had to weave through the crowd to find a seat at the bar. Thankfully it was one tucked into the corner so you could keep to yourself most of the night.

Settling in your seat with some whiskey in hand, you scan the room. In the far left corner was a pool game with some drunk marines. They began arguing over something, but it made you laugh as they tried to fight and show up one another. But they were too drunk and they just kept bumping into each other, causing you to laugh to yourself. Over in the right corner was a group of some men and women, which you assumed were friends by the way they pushed three tables together and gathered around. They were laughing and smiling all around.

That's when you noticed him again. His laugh wasn't as convincing. He was a very tall, broad man. Red hair, cut short and neat. A full red beard and piercing blue eyes. He stood in the corner, leaning against the wall, a beer in hand. As you observed him, he looked over and caught your eye. He gave a half hearted smile to you. You looked away quickly, feeling the heat rise in your cheeks. You slowly try to peek your head up again to see if he was still looking, but he was gone. You slowly scan around the room hoping to see him, but you didn't know why you bothered. He was a stranger to you.

"Looking for something? Or someone?" You hear a low, rugged voice behind you. You open your mouth to comment, but could only smile knowing who it came from. You swivel around in your chair to see the man. He was even more attractive up close. His skin a smooth, pale complexion that matched the color of his facial hair. He was taller up close too. You would guess six feet. But his eyes. A deep blue, like the ocean, but in this lighting it was like looking at the sun just underneath the surface of the water.

You smile again at him and offer your hand out to him. "Y/N." You press your lips together. "And sorry about that, you just looked famil–"

"Handsome? Well sweetheart. How about dinner first before we get there." You close your eyes to smirk at his comment. But maybe it was true? He was very handsome and seemed very sweet. "I'm Jacob by the way. But what brings a pretty little thing like you to a place like this?" You raise your glass of whiskey to him and he just laughs. "Mind of I join you then?"

"Won't your friends miss you?" You look over to see some of them looking at you and Jacob. He follows your gaze, and turns back to you and smiles.

"Nah. We come here every Friday. What's one night? Besides, you're better company." You blushed at his comment, but couldn't help but be excited for the turn of events.

You both talked for hours. Most of the bar was empty by the time you called it quits. You learned a lot about Jacob, some stuff he does in the Army, that he has two younger brothers that he was separated from before he went into the military. He talked about his future. He wanted to be a trainer to help people learn self defense. You had a feeling this had to do with something else, but you didn't want to be rude and pry it from him.

You told him a little bit of where you grew up, which coincidentally was right next to the town he grew up in, in Georgia. Why didn't you meet him sooner? You told him you were in the police academy. Something you both shared, the absolute need to help and protect others.

As more people left the bar, he offered to walk you to your car. You both stood there in a moment of silence when he turned to look down at you. Those blue eyes sparkling like they held every star in the sky. He gently grabbed your hands and held them in his. They were warm and had callouses, but still held some softness to them.