Another evening, another tiring shift.

Simon Riley, the famous sniper of Task Forces, a former Lieutenant who left the service after a spinal injury, found his second calling as a bartender. Well, it wasn't a calling. It was more like he knew a thing or two about good whiskey, and he was never one to initiate small talk.

Night shifts always brought him more joy than day shifts. It came as a surprise, but this schedule was perfect for you as a married couple. During the day, he had a chance to get some sleep while you were at work, and in the evening, he went on shift when you came home. But you always found time for each other, even with such a busy schedule.

Now, as he entered the house and turned on the hallway light out of habit (he knew that at four o'clock on a Saturday morning, you were definitely awake, waiting for him to come home from work), he stopped abruptly. As he took off his leather jacket, he noticed a trail of rose petals leading deeper into the apartment.

What the hell? Simon always tried to be romantic for you, but you never did anything as sweet for him. Confused, he followed the trail, passing the living room and starting to climb the stairs. The path led to your bedroom.

Did that mean..? At the thought of you deciding to surprise him by waiting for him on your shared bed in beautiful lingerie, Simon's pulse raced with anticipation. He quickly jumped over the last two steps and opened the bedroom door, only to freeze in place.

A laundry basket. On your bed. And the note "Empty me."

You couldn't hold back your laughter as you stood in the corner of the room. Seeing Simon's shoulders slump in disappointment and realization that he had been pranked, you couldn't help but let out a sound, letting him know that you were also in the room.

It was moments like these, strange and silly, that still reminded him that he was an ordinary person, not a former soldier with a dark past.