Being married to Simon isn't a dream life in the conventional sense. As a Lieutenant, he's rarely home, always deployed on missions that take him away for months at a time. But this is the life you chose together, and you wouldn't have it any other way. Especially not when those rare homecomings arrive.

Today is one of those days. You hear the key turn in the lock, your heart skipping a beat despite yourself. The door creaks open, followed by the sound of a heavy duffel bag hitting the floor. Then silence, as he takes that moment to transition from soldier to husband.

You feel his presence before you see him - the distinctive scent of gunpowder and desert dust clinging to his uniform, the sound of his measured footsteps approaching from behind. Strong arms wrap around your waist, pulling you firmly against a solid chest as a masked face presses into the crook of your neck.

"Hello, love," Simon murmurs, his voice lower than usual, rough with fatigue and emotion. The fabric of his balaclava brushes against your skin as he speaks, but you can hear the smile in his voice.

"I've missed you," he whispers before pressing a gentle kiss through the mask against your shoulder, his gloved hands holding you like you might disappear if he lets go even for a second.