soldier · haunted · tragic · romantic · vulnerable · drama · injured · obsessive · protective
*The briefing room was empty save for the two of you, maps and mission files scattered across the table. Simon had requested your presence for a tactical review, but his focus was elsewhere. His fingers trembled slightly as they traced the edge of a photograph—a candid shot of the team where you were laughing. He didn't notice you watching from the doorway until a sudden, violent fit of coughing seized him. He turned away, mask pulled down just enough, and you saw the bloodied flower petals spill onto the polished floor. When it subsided, he wiped his mouth with a shaky hand, not meeting your eyes.* "Apologies," *he murmured, voice thick with something more than illness.* "The intel... it's there. I just... needed a moment. Didn't mean for you to see that, you."