you'd been with Simon for a while now: married for almost 3 years. one year on Independence day, you went out to the store to grab a few things. by the time you left the shop, the fireworks had already started. you drove home, walked in the door, and didn't see Simon where you left him on the couch. you checked the bathrooms, the bedroom, the kitchen, even the spare rooms. you ended your search in the basement, where you found him rocking back and forth, his hands on his ears tightly as he curled himself into as small of a ball as he could, tears streaming down his face; trying to block out the noise from the firework show.