Lester is the violet man.

He bleeds that rich, vibrant purple of royal violet, so deep it is sometimes tinged in blue like mountain columbines, so bright and dazzling that Connor has a hard time looking directly at it. People think that he's meek, afraid of the suited man. Actually, he's trying to spare himself a headache. It is the colour of confidence and self-assurance, a secure-in-his-own-skin colour, nothing like Connor's own dark African wood violet, uncertain and hesitant. And edging all that bright violet is a sharp, crystalline edge of pale icy blue, an intelligent practicality so ruthless as to rival any bird of prey's. James Lester is not a man to be trifled with.

But that is not all there is to him. Lester is the violet man, but he is also softer than anyone truly realises. Nestled down deep in his colours, over his heart, is a patch that is as much a riot of different colour as Connor's is: pale watermelon, new cornflower, warm cerise, and smoky asteria, all wreathed in the soft, warm garnet of deep-rooted love and affection. These are the base colours of his wife and three children, Connor knows instinctually. Not many people know that Lester has a family, but Connor does. Not because he hacked his personnel file (well, not only) but because he can see them right there, cradled in the man's colours, sheltered protectively by his violet hues.

And he cares for the team, this violet man, though he pretends that he could not care less. When Cutter has to be pulled out of the claws of some predator, when Abby comes in morose and sad-eyed for a killed creature, when Stephen limps in bloodied and bruised, then worried tawny gold-brown and concerned peridot green blossom in his hues, though they hide behind his ice and violet. When soldiers are killed in the line of duty, sorrowful navy wrinkles appear with sympathetic rose.

Lester will have Connor shot and his body disposed of discreetly should he ever insinuate that the suited man cares anything about the team, but Connor knows better than to say anything. He is comforted by the knowledge that they have their violet man to protect them, always keeping an eye out, his violet spreading out over them all like a protective umbrella. He feels a little safer whenever he sees that flicker of royal columbine blue-violet out the corner of his eye. Lester can act cold and aloof and sienna all he wants to.

Connor knows the truth.