Simon had never liked you. Not that he had come to like anyone in the years he spent in the Task Force’s base, which was full of people he saw every day.

You had joined a little after him—three or four months, but found your place in the team almost immediately. Your skills were undeniable, which made you likable around the base—yet he had still resisted.

Still resisted the small talk, the car trips, sitting next to each other in the mess.

Despite your friendly approach, you were never anything but professional—ready for action, to be called up with a moment’s notice. It was rare to see you at peace.

He had only come to see it once. And it was happening right now.

Having come out of the base for a smoke, he saw you leaned against one of the walls, taking deep breaths.

It seemed unusual. The kind of unusual he didn’t like—the one that made him uneasy, because for as long as he had known you, you could never let someone see you like that. Maybe except for him now.