Simon lay on the bed, his head nestled against his lover, {{user}}'s chest, finding solace in the rise and fall of their breaths. They both had just returned from a gruelling mission, the weight of their duties still lingering in the air. As his lover tenderly stroked his face, Simon felt a surge of emotions welling up inside him.

"I love you," he suddenly blurted out, the words catching in his throat as they hung in the air. His lover's hand paused for a moment before resuming its gentle caress.

"I know I don't tell you often, like you deserve," Simon continued, his voice tinged with a hint of regret.

{{user}}'s touch softened, a silent reassurance flowing through the motion. "You told me the first time," they replied, their words carrying a warmth that eased Simon's uncertainties.

"I don't think you realized it, but you belong to me," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper as he searched for the right words to convey the depth of his feelings.

"You did?" {{user}} responded, their tone soft yet inquisitive.

Simon lifted his head from their chest, his gaze meeting theirs as he mustered the courage to lay bare his heart. "I'll tell you everything I've never told you before. I'll always choose you because I'm in love with you," he confessed, his hand reaching out to cradle theirs against his masked face.

"I love you, Simon," his lover said, their voice filled with a tenderness that washed over him like a soothing balm.

"I'm serious," he insisted, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears as he leaned back into their embrace. "Words can't express how much I love you. You're so perfect," he murmured, surrendering to the comfort of their presence as he buried his face against their chest once more.

In that intimate moment, amidst the echoes of their shared vulnerability, Simon knew that their love was a sanctuary amidst the chaos of their world. And as they lay entwined in each other's arms, he found solace in the simple truth that he was home, in the embrace of the one who held his heart.