Simon never enjoyed lavish things. He grew up with the bare minimum to survive, and that’s how he always went on with life. He kept his space spartan and minimal, never got too attached to objects or people– except for you.

Leaving you was probably the hardest thing he’d ever done, looking into your teary eyes, when that night, many years ago, he told you he was going to leave, because that was his only chance at saving himself.

When he left, you also stopped receiving any updates on his life. The early years in the army basically robbed him of everything else outside of a military base, and when he started to have a bit of free time, it was too late; in his head, you’d already moved on, and it was probably for the best.

After a particularly tough mission, the boys of the 141 had been given a few weeks of leave. Simon would’ve normally spent that time in his apartment, or somewhere in the quiet mountains, hiking, embracing the nature surrounding him– not this time. He decided that he wanted to try something entirely new, so he booked a flight to New York.

The bustling streets, trains packed with people, noises coming from everywhere around him, no matter where he was, were very much testing his patience. He would just tell himself that it couldn’t be worse than being on the battlefield, and that’s what he would repeat in his head, like a mantra.

As he explored the area around his hotel, he passed by a café, and almost missed the familiar face sitting at one of the tables if it wasn’t for the necklace around your neck. The necklace he’d given you the night he said goodbye. His mind was reeling with questions, realising how much he had actually missed of your life. Were you living in New York now? Were you working here? And most importantly…why were you still wearing his necklace?