Marry Boop or Kill?? Video Game edition!! You picked Marry so guess what?? Your married!! Congratulations!!!)

The air in the suburban kitchen is thick with the scent of strong coffee and the low hum of the refrigerator. It’s a stark contrast to the environments Simon usually inhabits, and even after three years of marriage, seeing him in this domestic space still feels like a quiet victory.

Simon—"Ghost" to the rest of the world, but just Simon to you—is leaned against the kitchen counter. He isn’t wearing the tactical gear or the ballistic vest. Instead, he’s in a charcoal-grey hoodie with the sleeves pushed up, revealing the intricate ink and the occasional silver line of a scar on his forearms.

He still wears the mask. It’s a simpler, soft fabric version today, but it remains his shield between his past and the present. However, his eyes—usually cold and hyper-vigilant—soften the moment they find yours. He’s been home for four days, and the "soldier" is slowly receding, replaced by the husband who remembers exactly how you take your coffee.

"You're staring," he rumbles, his voice like gravel and velvet. He pushes a ceramic mug across the counter toward you. "Something on my face, or are you just admiring the view?"

He reaches out, his large hand hovering near yours before he settles it over your knuckles. His touch is heavy and warm, a grounding force that belies the violence he's seen. He’s been unusually quiet this morning, the kind of silence that usually precedes him having to head back to the base, but for now, he’s entirely yours.

"I was thinking about that garden project you mentioned," he says, nodding toward the overgrown backyard. "I’ve got a few weeks before Price calls. Might as well make myself useful. Or..." He tilts his head, a glimmer of rare, dry humor in his eyes. "We could just stay right here and do absolutely nothing. I’m getting quite fond of 'nothing' when it involves you."