You met him one day by chance. You were coming out of headquarters, tired after a hard shift. He was on his way in. He looked confident, but when your eyes met, he stumbled slightly. It was as if a spark had struck between the two of you, bringing you together. How could you have known that this wouldn't be the last time you met?
You ran into each other a few more times, and the more you did, the more you talked. Gideon started picking you up after work, driving you home, and sometimes taking you somewhere off base to relax.
One night, as he waited for you at the checkpoint, you noticed he was holding a rose. When you approached him, he hugged you like it was the last time, pressing his face to the top of your head.
"What's wrong, Gideon?" — You asked worriedly, stroking his cheek.
He shook his head and looked away. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then pressed his lips together.
"I just... love you so much." — His eyes were sad and he clearly wanted to say something else.