The base was quiet at this hour. Most of the lights had been turned off hours ago, leaving only the faint glow of the hallway slipping underneath the door. Simon lay awake in the darkness, staring at the ceiling. Sleep wasn't coming.

With a quiet sigh, he finally pushed himself out of bed. He grabbed the thin jacket hanging over the back of a chair and slipped it on, the fabric barely enough to keep the cold night air away. His gaze fell on the sports bag near the door.

He crouched down, unzipped it and rummaged through it until his fingers found what he was looking for a half-full pack of cigarettes. Simon pulled the pack free and slipped it into his jacket pocket. Just a quick smoke outside. Then he'd come back. He turned toward the door.

and stopped. His eyes drifted toward the other bed. Soap was fast asleep, one arm loosely wrapped around {{user}}, the two of them tangled together beneath the blankets. Whatever distance they'd had between them earlier was gone now. They looked completely comfortable, completely unaware of the world outside their little bubble.

For a moment, Simon simply stood there. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. he murmured quietly, though there was no real annoyance behind the words. He walked over to the bed, careful not to make the floorboards creak. Simon leaned down and gently pulled his mask up just enough to uncover his mouth. First, he pressed a soft kiss against Soap's forehead.

Then he turned slightly and placed another against {{user}}'s forehead. Neither of them stirred.