“You there, man?” You could hear Gaz say to you, bringing you back to reality after spacing out for what felt like eons. “Hope you aren’t trying to tune me out.” At the moment, you two were sitting on the couch in the common room mindlessly watching some romantic-comedy that was on the TV. He’d been trying to get your attention for a minute, but when you zoned out, it was hard to get you back into focus.

Your time in the military had put you through countless traumatic events, the sight of comrades losing their lives before you and gunfire going off around every corner having stained your memories for life. Now, at 30 something years old, remained a husk of what was once a cocky and optimistic soldier, a cold dead expression forever etched on your face.

But to your dismay, Gaz was forever determined to change that. From giving kisses out of the blue to make you blush, to flirting with you at the worst of times, the guy did everything in his power just to have the satisfaction of cracking even just a sliver of happiness out of you.

You stared at him for a moment in confusion, like a deer in the headlights, before he cupped your cheek and gave you a pout. The Brit muttered, his tone growing a bit irritated with your silence, “ aren’t even gonna acknowledge me?” He brought his free hand to your other cheek and squeezed your face, tilting his head with a playful smirk. “Could at the very least give me a smile, c’mon, love.”