You began to realize how weird your teammates were. First, John walked into the community room and suddenly became an awkward, rambling mess as he talked to your civilian friends. Then there was Johnny— who looked like he was in on a dare; walked in with the ugliest pink suit because he thought your birthday party meant everyone was dressing up. And there was Kyle. He walked into the window that looked into the community room, thinking it was the door.
You swore up and down to your civilian friends that your teammates were normal. Even though they were in their prime (old), they weren’t weird. Now you’re regretting saying a thing.
In hopes to salvage this awkward encounter, you prayed that Simon would act normal. Which… says a lot. Because that man would probably walk in and just glare at everyone.
In the midst of talking to your friends, you had received a text from Simon that he had arrived. You could’ve sworn you left the front lobby door ajar so your guests can pop in and out whenever. “I’ll be back…” you mumbled to your friend, staring at the message from Simon as you made your way to the front door.
There, Simon stood by the front door and who would’ve guess! The door was ajar; a small rock wedged in between the door and doorway. “The doors unlocked, Lieutenant. Why didn’t you just come in?” you asked with a small chuckle, opening the door wider for him.
Simon steps off to the side to prevent himself from getting smacked in the face and shrugged. “Wasn’t sure if I could,” he simply stated.
You glanced down at the poorly wrapped gift in his hand and the back up at him. There was a moment where the two of you just awkwardly stood there— you waiting for him to squeeze pass through you and him just staring down at you.
“Can I come in?” Simon finally asks, raising a brow under his balaclava.
Now… Some may say you’re crazy and to some degree, you agree. But you’ve just watched a movie about vampires with the hottest actor alive playing as two brothers and right now, Simon is giving off vampire energy.
He was always one to just barge in and ask questions later.
So what in the world has gotten into him?
“Why’re you asking?” you asked slowly, still propping the door open. He hasn’t moved.
Instead, Simon shifts his feet a bit and gives you another shrug. “Figured I asked. Bit impolite to walk in without an answer, innit?” he questions with the faintest of head tilt.
Your eyes narrow a bit. “Well— doors wide open, so,” you say with a hum after, still waiting for him to step inside.
Yet— Simon doesn’t. Fucking idiot is unaware that you believe he’s gone full blow vampire.
Now, as he’s standing in front of you, everything is starting to make sense. Why he’s always wearing a balaclava; to hide from the sun (definitely not because of his job, duh), and why he’s always glaring at your silver necklace (it’s definitely not because he’s a proper son of a bitch and wonders if it’s cubic zirconia or sterling silver). “You a vampire or some?” you blurted out, eyes narrow.
“Fuckin’ hell, what?” Simon gasps out, his eyes blown out in confusion. “Is that why you’re asking me these questions? You bloody psycho,” Simon grunts out, taking a step back as if he was disgusted you’d even think that. “You’re proper mad,” he adds.
That’s the most you’ve heard Simon talk in the few years you’ve worked with him.
“Outta my way, I’m not a bloody vampire.” Simon had to stop himself from rolling his eyes as he slides in between you and the door, letting out a quiet scoff and shaking his head.
You pursed your lips, turning to look at him, “hey, it’s not my fault! You usually just barge in!” you defended yourself, noticing how he was biting back a smile behind his mask.
Simon gently shoves the gift in your chest and continued shaking his head, “not when it comes to you,” he says under his breath.
You held onto the gift, unmoving as you continued to stare up at him. Would you say that there was some underlining romance between you two? Fuck no. Well— you’d like to not think so but everyone else around the two of you says otherwise. “That was really cringy,” you say with a snort, gently dropping the gift to your side.
Simon glances off to the side and shrugs a bit. He’s fully aware that everyone notices the “I’m flirting with you but it’s coming off as a joke so no one can ask me about my feelings” between you two. “Can’t I be honest?” he asks, rocking on his heels a bit. He nods to the gift, “open it.”
“Don’t want anyone else to see what I got you.”
You raised a brow, slowly looking down at the gift in your hand before your fingers flicked the loosen edges. “And why’s that?”
You could’ve sworn you seen a smile behind Simon’s balaclava. “Can’t let everyone know I tolerate you enough to gift something meaningful,” he says lowly.
Biting back a smile, you slowly opened the gift and stuffed the wrapper under your armpit. “I’m still suspicious of you being a vampire,” you say while opening up the box.
As soon as your eyes landed on the gift, you stopped breathing and blinking all together. A gift card— no, two gift cards. One for your favorite restaurant out of the base and another one for a shop online you’ve mentioned once about it “being your favorite.” The other gift? Simon’s dog tag.
“If I was a vampire, I’d turn y’into one,” Simon said, sticking his hand under his balaclava and pulled his dog tag from under his hoodie. “Mean it when I say I tolerate you.” He lifts his dog tag with the back of his thumb and nods down at the other one in the gift box.
By tolerate, Simon meant: “I’m deeply in love and can’t express my feelings so here’s my dog tag with my entire information on it.”
You looked up at him, jaw ajar and eyes wide. Yeah, you’re sure he’s grinning behind the mask now, there was no way he wasn’t. “You psycho!” you whispered, hitting his chest. “What if I stole your information with this?!” you hissed, grinning as you watch him snort and roll his eyes.
“I’d let you,” Simon said, taking a step to the side. He paused for a second before turning around to head into the community room, “let’s go. Don’t need people thinking I have feelings for you.”
With that, Simon began walking away as you strutted behind. “Took you long enough,” you whispered, nudging his arm.
Simon gave you a side eye and huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Should’ve taken the gift back after you falsely accused me of being a vampire.”