Soft, feather light hands cupped his cheeks, wiping away his tears. He slowly rested his head into them, looking up tearfully towards the figure. You were like the stars, something even his hands couldn’t dare ruin. A cosmo that he’d forever study as long as he lived. Simon had loved you. As much as it had hurt to say out loud.

He brought a shaky hand up towards one of yours, closing his eyes for a moment as he heavily exhaled. A question sat heavy on his tongue, but he was silent.

You weren’t real, as much as he wanted to believe otherwise. He had cradled you close on a failed mission. Watched you bleed out in his arms. It had utterly broken his heart. Had to make the call that you wouldn’t be coming back.

The ride back had been deathly silent.

He blamed himself at first, practically calling himself the grim reaper. Everything he’s ever grew to love perished under his hands. The funeral was.. bittersweet. He had taken your dog tags, quietly slipping them to your family.

They had lost their only son. And it hurt to even think about.

But here you were, in front of him with a bittersweet smile on your face. A hallucination. A false hope that you had faked your injury.

The only thing he could muster was a weak, broken whisper.

“..I miss you.”