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Ghost likes to think he’s a good Lieutenant. He knows his team well, he takes time to listen to their concerns and despite his eerie appearance, people always trust him.
He likes the control he gets from knowing everything about his team. It makes it easy for him to converse with them when necessary and it means, very often, that no one can take him by surprise.
Trust Soap to be the one to do just that.
It’s just after Christmas and with everyone back on base, the 141 are working at packing away all the Christmas decorations that were put out to celebrate the holidays. Ghost was originally frustrated to not being thrown straight back into the deep end of work but he’s actually enjoying his time bonding with his teammates.
The 141 has been good for him, his once mean and unapproachable demeanour no longer exists and he knows he’s become a better man and soldier because of this team. He’d like to thank them all equally from bringing him out of his shell but nobody has helped him quite like Johnny has.
Speak of the devil, Johnny is stood beside him now with a box in his arms. Ghost is using his height to get the baubles from the top of the large tree and is chucking them into the box in Soaps arms. When Soap tells stupid jokes or calls Gaz names, Ghost takes a lighter bauble and throws it at Soaps head, them bouncing into the box off of his mohawk.
“Damn kids,” Price sighs, coughing lightly as he pulls some tinsel off a shelf, “Ain’t they ever heard of dusting?”
Soap and Ghost look over to the cloud of dust that falls to the floor like snow and both huff a response to Price. Gaz looks to Soap with narrowed eyes, a gesture Ghost catches, but Soap seems to be ignoring Kyle.
Ghost starts to separate the tree, breaking the plastic plant up into the thirds it arrived in and he looks around before frowning, “Anyone know where the fuck the box for this has gone?”
“No doubt the recruits used it in their sledding competition,” Gaz sighs, “I found footage of it on the cameras, one of them used the inserts of wrapping paper as skis.”
“The army takes on any ol’ tools these days,” Price comments, “I’m stuck with you lot, for example.”
Soap scoffs, “You’d be lost without us, old man.”
“Stop arguing and help me find the damn box for this thing.” Ghost huffs, holding the tree tightly under his arms.
As if on cue, a younger soldier in uniform comes dashing into the room with a box in his arms. He still finds it in him to stand to attentions.
“That for the tree, soldier?” Ghost asks
The man nods before exclaiming, “Yes, sir!”
“Put it down and piss off then.” Ghost says and the soldier does so. Seemingly intimidated by the large, impressive task-force before him, the young recruit throws the box to the floor, disturbing the layers of dust around it and making Soap wince.
He scurries off, leaving the 141 alone, and Ghost notes how Soap glares in the wake of the recruit, “Open the box please, Johnny.”
Soap looks up at Ghost and finds him with the tree bundled under his large arms. He nods, silent for an ungodly length of time, before he drops to his knees and opens the battered box.
The bastard thing only kicks more dust around and Soap hacks out an ugly cough as the filth goes straight into his lungs. He sits back on his heels and presses the crook of his elbow to his mouth, coughing loudly into the crease.
“Easy Sergeant,” Ghost teases, “Don’t go dying on me.”
Soap glares at Ghost and manages to spit, “Wasn’t planning on it.” before he is reduced to a fit of spluttering once more. Tears touch his eyes from the ferocity and Ghost is a little unnerved.
“Alright, Johnny?” Ghost asks, seeing how Soap puts a hand to his chest when he can’t catch his breath properly. Soap just nods. Ghost huffs, “Take a deep breath, Soap.”
Soap glares at him, a look that reads ‘what the fuck does it look like I’m trying to do’ but Ghost takes no note of him. His coughing eases but he looks flushed and in pain. He climbs to his feet and clears his throat lightly. He goes to say something but is interrupted by the scratch in his throat. His breath is whistling as he forces it out of his lungs and, without a word, he shoots off down the hall.
Ghost and Price look at each other with equal confusion but what really adds to it is how Gaz flies right behind Soap, desperate to catch up to him.
Price squeezes his eyes shut and pinches the bridge of his nose, “See what the hell they’re doing, Simon.”
Ghost nods, haphazardly dumping the tree in the box and calmly walking after the two Sergeants under his command. He exits the common room and finds an empty corridor ahead of him. With a sigh, he moves down the corridor like a predator after prey and only picks up the pace when his eyes meet the unmistakable silhouettes of the Sergeants at the end of the next hall.
On the floor, on his hands and knees, is Soap who is heaving and coughing wildly whilst Gaz has a hand on his back, eyes darting around with wild panic before he locks gazes with the Lieutenant, “Ghost!”
Ghost runs up to them and slides beside Johnny. Soap shakes his head and pulls away from him, tears rolling down his cheeks as he hiccups around them, short whistles sounding from the back of his throat as he aches for breath.
“Soap, calm down,” Gaz says, stepping away from him as Ghost holds Johnny upright, “I’ll get your inhaler.”
Ghosts eyes snap to Gaz, “Inhaler?” but Gaz just takes off running.
Ghost turns to Soap who is clenching and unclenching his fists, fighting dutifully for breath but he isn’t getting any. Ghost doesn’t know what to do. He takes a hold of Soaps hand, fingers cold and tipped in blue and he looks into Johnnys eyes as Soap huffs for breath.
“Hurts.” Johnny manages to say before coughing gravelly again, “S- tight.”
His own hand massages against his chest, leaning his head against the wall as he tries his hardest to get control of his breathing. Ghost is tentative when he touches Soaps arm, “What’s wrong? Is- Do you have asthma, Johnny?”
Soap just nods, his head falling onto Ghosts shoulder as he heaves again, choking on the pain in his chest. He mutters something, his head spinning, and Ghost doesn’t quite hear him.
“Johnny? Johnny!” Ghost nudges him and sees how Soap has fainted. His breath still whistles in his chest but he is no longer complaining about it and Ghost wastes no more time.
“Goddamnit Johnny, you fucking idiot.” Ghost scoops him into his arms and rushes towards their on base infirmary. Fuck the inhaler, Johnny needs help now, “You’re a bloody moron.”
Even when Johnny is lay in a bed, an oxygen mask slapped over his features and a doctor monitoring his vitals closely, Ghost doesn’t stop muttering under his breath about how much of a ‘goddamn idiot’ the Sergeant is.
Before long, Gaz joins Ghost in the infirmary and stops dead when he sees Ghost stood beside Soaps bed, watching him intently with the firmest of stares, “Ghost, Sir?”
Ghost flicks his gaze to Gaz. Bad idea. He yanks Gaz into the room by his collar and slams the door shut, pushing him against the wall, “Why the hell didn’t I know about this? Hm? How come he only told you?”
Gaz gulps a little but shows no fear. He calmly responds, “He was worried, Sir. Military don’t take people with asthma. He got around it, proved his lungs were strong enough and all that but he still has bad days. The dust from all those decorations set him off. He tore up his medical record before joining the 141, didn’t want anyone to know, he just told me to be on the safe side. He doesn’t want to get kicked out, Ghost.”
Ghost tightens his grip on Gaz’s collar and turns to Soap in the bed. His breathing has evened out, the attack having come to a freeze, but he has yet to come around from his passing out, “The military has ruled for a reason, Garrick. To prevent this sort of shit from happening! Do you have any idea what I would’ve done if something worse happened to Johnny- to any of you?”
Gaz looks uncomfortable and shakes his head, “I’m sorry, Ghost. Soap swore me to secrecy and I’m no rat. Besides, you’ve seen him at work, he’s the fastest on the team and runs the longest, he can do it. He’s a fucking demolitions expert, he deals with smoke all the time!”
Ghost drops Gaz and looks down at his hand where there’s the inhaler Gaz had run to get. Ghost swipes it from him, “How does he get these?”
“From a pharmacy. He’s signed onto about 30 chemists at this point. He will join whatever is closest to the base we’re on when he’s running low and will stock up on them.” Gaz explains.
“He’s a fucking idiot. You’re both fucking idiots, you know that? Does Price know?” Ghost asks.
Gaz tentatively nods, “Though I think he often forgets with some of the shit he gets Soap doing. He authorised Soap destroying his medical records.”
“Why the fuck did nobody tell me? Johnny and I go on missions together all the time, what if something happened and I had no bloody clue?”
“Ghost, man, talk to Price or Soap about this, I’m just a messenger. I think maybe the reaction you’re having right now might explain why they never told you.”
Ghost narrows his gaze, “Tread carefully with your next sentence, Sergeant.”
Gaz holds his hands in surrender, “I’m just sayin’, Sir, you ain’t exactly subtle. We all know full well that you care for us, care for Soap, and I think John was scared you’d pull him from the force to try and protect him or something.”
“You think, or you know, Garrick?”
He sighs, “I know. He told me. Said he hated keeping secrets from you but he loves the job too much.”
Ghost just sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he points to the door, “You’re dismissed, Gaz. Go and tell Price what’s happened or something, will ya’?”
Gaz nods and hurries away. Ghost will admit that he was harsh with the Sergeant but Johnny comes first. He and Soap have been experimenting, so to speak. They haven’t done anything but Soap came out to Ghost no more than a week ago and told him that he had feelings. Ghost, in turn, took his mask off and said that he’s trying to get a grasp of his emotions. He said he’s not leading Johnny on, he truly likes him, but it will take time for him to understand that. Soap was immediately accepting of that.
Ghost turns back to Soap and sees that he’s starting to stir a little. His eyes blink rapidly and he looks confused until his eyes meet Ghosts and panic sets deep into his bones. Ghost walks closer to Soap and forces himself to look softer, “Johnny. Are you okay?”
Soap nods. He reaches up and grabs the oxygen mask from around his face and yanks it away, “F’ck’n ‘ate those things.” He grumbles, voice hoarse and scathed.
“Well, if you were honest with me, maybe you wouldn’t be in here, Soap.” Ghost says. He knows it’s cruel but Johnny scared him. He’s never seen anything like that before and on someone he loves? It’s awful.
Someone he loves. Fuck. That’s an awfully large emotion that Simon has no concept of.
“I’m sorry, Lt,” Soap huffs a little and a wheezy cough leaves his lips, “Didn’t wanna get kicked out. Not by you. Not ‘cause of thi’.”
“I’d have kept your secret, Sergeant. I will keep it now. Just fuckin’ tell me the truth in future, Johnny. Don’t hide shit like this from me because- Jesus I watched you. You- you couldn’t breathe. You were hardly breathing and I couldn’t do anything to help you because I had no idea what the fuck was wrong!” Ghost snaps. His voice, however, is decorated with care and Soap just nods.
”I know. I’m so sorry you had to see that Simon. You did help me though, you brought me here.” Soap says.
Ghost perches on the edge of Soaps bed and tentatively reaches out for his hand. His fingers are pink again, oxygenated blood finally travelling his body once more and he doesn’t feel as cold. Soap jacks another cough out and takes a moment to breathe from the mask again before taking it off. He squeezes Ghosts hand.
“When you’re better, you are telling me every single thing I need to know to help you. Everything, you hear me?” Ghost demands.
“Yes sir.”
Ghost looks at their locked hands and sighs, “Don’t make me worry like that again, Johnny. I don’t want to lose you, I can’t lose you.”
Johnny looks up at Simon but he isn’t looking back. He smiles sadly. That’s a promise he can’t make, not in the 141, but he says, “I’ll be here, Simon. For you. Always here.”
“C-can I kiss you, Johnny?” He asks, almost apprehensively.
Johnny just hums a reply, smiling and nodding when Ghost looks up and soon, the mask is discarded and Ghosts lips meet Johnnys. Johnnys are dry, horribly cracked from his breathing, but they’re so undeniably Johnnys that Ghost can’t find it in him to care. He kisses light, hardly any passion, but a chokehold of love is hidden behind the kiss.
When Ghost pulls back, Johnny grins and takes a shaky breath. He stutters out, “Way to make me breathless again, Lt.”
He takes another breath from the mask and Ghost just laughs, leaning down and kissing Soaps forehead, the Sergeant dropping his oxygen to press another kiss to Ghost.
“I love you, Simon.” Johnny admits.
“I’m trying,” Ghost confesses, “I swear.”
And that’s all Johnny needs to hear.