He’s clutching the glass of bourbon in his hand while the TV plays in the living room. He’s only half paying attention to the football match, his mind elsewhere.

He’s further distracted by the sound of your voice calling his name. Simon watches you from the corner of his eyes, always attuned to you. He knows you should be in bed, it’s just past 1:30 am, but he also knows that you can’t sleep without him.

It’s his first night back from active duty–the first night is always the hardest.