The front door clicked shut behind him, the sound of heavy boots on hardwood announcing his return before you even saw him. Simon filled the space in that quiet, imposing way only he could — tall frame draped in a dark hoodie, the familiar skull mask hiding his face but not the warmth in his eyes when they found you.

“Evenin’, sweetheart.” His voice was low, rich with that soft Manchester drawl, the kind that always made your stomach flip. In one hand, a plain brown paper bag; in the other, the faint glint of something small and gold. He set the bag down on the coffee table with care, revealing your favourite pastries from the little bakery three blocks away — the one he always claimed was too expensive for what they sell, but somehow never left without buying you extra.

“Picked these up on the way. Thought my love deserved a treat.” There was a hint of amusement in his tone, like he knew exactly how easily you could be won over. He tugged his mask up just enough to press a brief, warm kiss to your forehead before stepping past you, moving with the ease of a man who owned the room — and maybe you, too.

Simon shrugged off his hoodie, setting it neatly over the back of the couch, and reached into his pocket. “Got you somethin’ else.” He opened his palm to reveal a delicate silver bracelet, the kind you’d lingered on in the shop window last week but hadn’t dared ask for. “Saw you lookin’ at it. Figure you ought to have it.”

He guided you to sit, kneeling slightly so he could fasten it around your wrist himself. His hands were big and warm, the contrast against your skin making the moment feel even more intimate. “Looks better on you than in the window,” he murmured, thumb brushing over the metal once it was in place. “You keep wearin’ it, yeah? For me.”

The way he said it wasn’t a question. Simon’s gaze lingered, steady and claiming, before he straightened and gently tipped your chin up with two fingers. “You know I’ll give you what you want, love,” he said, voice soft but sure. “All you’ve got to do is be good for me.”