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Putting it lightly, Price is worried. His team thrive on being close and in touch with one another and he worries that whatever personal crap is going on between certain soldiers, is going to affect the way they all work in the field. If Soap and Ghost are to be the death of him, well, he’s already planning his revival just so he can beat their arses for it.
Normally, Soap and Ghost are thick as thieves. Price was surprised, but glad when he realised how quickly those two grew close to one another. Price has had Soap under his wing almost all of Johnny’s career and he’d be stupid not to know of Ghost. He had expected the Scot to irritate Ghost, which he did, but not in a way that made Simon actually angry.
Price never expected the emotions that Ghost directs towards Soap to actually exist within the ghoulish man’s soul. He understands though, shared trauma and that, so he gets why they’re so close.
Now though, everything seems wrong. Ghost disappearing for three days isn’t exactly unusual, especially not around the holiday season. He needs his space and the 141 respect that. The recruits are far too scared to ever question the 141 or Ghost for that matter so Ghost uses his scary dog privileges to slink off into the background whenever he pleases.
Soap, on the other hand, rarely misses out on socialising time. He is very often either attached to Ghost, Gaz, the Vaqueros or Price himself. Since Ghost’s disappearance though, Soap has been seen less and less and Price has noticed right away. How couldn’t he? Soap is the loudest man he knows.
He’s been beyond concerned, especially for Soap. He’s worried if Ghost has snapped. Christmas isn’t easy for the man, but how is Soap supposed to know that. He wonders if Soap pushed Ghost too far, bugged him just once too much, said something he shouldn’t, and Ghost had finally snapped.
God Price hopes that isn’t the case. He’s been victim himself to Soap’s never ending pining sessions. That man has no filter and his dignity means very little to him too. Everyone, except Ghost, has been subject to Soap rambling on and on and on about how mysterious and ‘sweet, in a fucked up kinda way’ Ghost is. Price has had to excuse himself before after hearing Soap talk about how sexy he finds Ghost when they work out together. He can’t take it anymore.
It’s unfortunate really. That kind of passion and care and love isn’t built into Ghost. He doesn’t feel that, not anymore, and it breaks Price’s heart when he has to sit beside Soap, nursing a Scotch for his ‘stupid heart’ that falls for ‘stupid, beautiful men’ that are out of his ‘stupid, slippery grasp.’ Gaz had joked once that maybe that’s why he’s called Soap but Soap didn’t humour him.
Price can only hope that Ghost let him down gently. He assumes that isn’t the case, not with Soaps sudden disappearance, but he just hopes to God Ghost didn’t say something he’ll regret but be too proud to apologise for.
Gaz enters Price’s office without a knock. Price used to scold him for it but quickly got bored of chastising him for something he clearly wasn’t going to change. Price greets him with a warm smile but it quickly falls when he sees a look on Gaz’s face that he rarely sees. Fear.
“Kyle? Everythin’ okay, lad?” Price asks, sitting upright in his chair.
“Have you seen Soap, Sir? Or spoken to him?” Gaz asks.
“No. Was actually wonderin’ the same myself, Gaz. You reckon somethings wrong?” Price asks.
“The fella’s Dad’s just died, Price, course somethin’s wrong. Just he normally buries himself in work and, well, he’s missed training today and he promised to get lunch with me and hasn’t shown up.” Gaz explains and Price sighs.
“Whilst I’m sure he’s in ruins about his Dad, I don’t think Ghost is helping.” Price says.
“Ghost, Sir?” Gaz questions.
“He’s been hiding in the shadows too. Typical of him, I know, but I can’t help but think he’s said something or upset Soap somehow.”
“I don’t think Ghost has it in him to hurt Soap like that, Price.”
“I’m just sayin’, he ain’t the first person I’d go to if it were my old man that just died.”
“Ghost gets it though, doesn’t he,” Gaz shrugs, taking a seat. He rests his elbows on the table and rests his head in them, “He knows how it feels and you’ve seen him, his weakness is Soap. There’s no way that man could hurt Soap, not enough to scare him out of work.”
Price hears Gaz, he really does and he agrees with him to some extent. He’s seen Soap and Ghost together, heard them on comms, and it’d be a lie to say they weren’t equally as smitten, it’s just Price knows Ghost is incapable of anything other than casual flirting to ease mission stress or a quick hookup to loosen up. He’s known Ghost long enough to see Gaz make it through five girlfriends and in that time Ghost hasn’t mentioned anyone filling a similar spot in his life.
“Well, either way, I can’t have them slacking off, not without talking to me about it first. I need to find them.” Price says.
“Rudy said he saw Soap going towards Ghosts room earlier, whether he actually went in or not I don’t know. I wasn’t going to risk a bullet between my teeth looking for Soap just because Ghost is in a bad mood.” Gaz says nonchalantly.
“Never mind that, I’m his damn Captain and I’m gonna get to the bottom of this.” Price declares. He stands and shoves his chair under the desk, Gaz giving him a look of ‘good luck’ but doesn’t inch away himself. He kicks his feet onto the desk and grabs a random book from the table, flicking through it even though his reading skills are poor at the best of times.
Still, Price marches his way to Ghosts room, clearly with an intimidating look upon his features judging by the way people scurry to avoid him. He stands outside and hears ever so quiet whispering when he presses his ear to the door. He can’t make out what is being said but he knows he wants to find out.
Price raises his hand to knock but a sly idea crosses his mind. If Ghost wants to ignore him, he’ll pay him back for it. He takes his idea from Gaz and his perpetual rudeness and finds himself swinging Ghost’s door open, it hitting the wall with a loud clatter.
Ghost looks up at him with a stern expression but it softens when he learns the intruder is Price. Price who is stood motionless in the doorway with his mouth moving like a fish.
“You gonna stand there gawping all day Sir or are you gonna enlighten me as to why you’ve burst in here like we’re under attack?” Ghost huffs. His voice is quiet and controlled.
Lay in Ghosts arms, curled up tightly in his hold, is Soap. Soap who has also been avoiding Price. Soap who Price was sure had had his heart broken by the masked man still glaring at him. Confusion isn’t even the beginning of what he’s feeling.
Soap has his face tucked against Ghosts chest. He is asleep, his head limp in Ghosts protective hold, but he has tear stains running down his cheeks. Ghost has both arms clamped protectively over Soap who in return has an arm slung around Ghost’s shoulder. Soap looks like he’s clinging onto Simon for dear life.
“Ghost, the hell is-” Price is cut off by Ghost hushing him fiercely.
“Lower your voice, Captain,” Ghost is firm and brash, something Price isn’t used to from Ghost and certainly something he would usually reprimand. Only the scene before him has rendered him speechless, “He’s only just gone to sleep. He’s been up for days. Please, say what you want, but do it quietly.”
Price stammers, “I- Ghost, I-. Shit lad, the hell am I lookin’ at here?”
Ghost gestures for Price to step in fully, which he does, and he presses the door to behind him. He takes a seat at Ghosts desk whilst the aforementioned man keeps cradling Soaps sleeping figure, “Exactly what you think, Sir.”
“So, what? You an’ him- you’re an item, or whatever?” Price asks. Dangerous territory. Private conversations, not Ghosts favourite.
Ghost shrugs, “Guess you could say that.”
“Well are you or aren’t you?” Price demands. Ghost glares again and Price lowers his voice, “Right, sorry. But Simon you- I didn’t know you were even- Jesus Ghost you never said anything!”
“I’m not completely incapable at feeling, Price. Glad to see the facade still works though,” Ghost hums, “Can’t believe you never twigged on to Johnny and I thought. Can pick a terrorist from a line of 100 men but can’t tell when two of your own are sharing a room? You’re getting sloppy with your age, Captain.”
Price huffs. He looks around the room and it’s true, all the signs are there. The space by the door for a second pair of shoes, the drawer that is bursting with socks and underwear since it’s only built for one person, the more obvious signs of the Sergeant like his favourite pillow, his notebook, his pencils. Price feels silly, he often finds himself talking to Ghost in Ghosts room and has never picked up on this. Or maybe he did and he chose to ignore it, “And what the hell happened there then? You ask him out? The other way around?”
Ghost shuffles a little and Soap turns in his arms, balling his fist up against his shirt. Ghost slides an arm down Johnny’s back and rubs it slightly, like rocking a baby to sleep, “It was mutual. Both sorta sat down and confessed at the same time. He told me he had feelings, I showed him my face. That was that.”
“You’ve shown him? Jesus, Simon, how long has this been going on?” Price asks.
“Two months? Just shy of three.” Ghost confirms and Price let’s put a low huff, a laugh hidden beneath it, “Something funny, Sir?”
“Funny? No. Simon, I’m bloody relieved. I thought you’d done something to upset him. I haven’t seen you, either of you, for three days and I thought you were avoiding each other and the rest of us because of it.”
Ghost furrows his brows, clear beneath the balaclava, “Why would I ever upset Soap? I’ve never hurt him before.”
“Thought with it being the Holidays, you might’ve had more important things to think about,” Price is tentative. He’s on wafer thin ice and he needs to tread carefully to stay afloat. “Was hoping that if he’d mentioned his little crush on you, you’d at least let him down gently.”
Ghost shakes his head, “We disappeared because he’s been like this.” Ghost gestures to the lump of a Sergeant on his lap, “We went to Laswell to get leave papers for him, he couldn’t sign them because he felt he’d have no purpose going back to his family as the only man of the house. He spent a day by the toilet, throwing his guts up with stress and grief. I found him running in the track the next day, burning himself into the ground and every night I try and get him to sleep but he either cries or draws or vanishes in the middle of the night.”
Price sighs and looks at Soaps sleeping form. The tear tracks make sense now. “I can force him on leave. Can send you with him too, if you think it’ll help. He’ll kick himself if he misses the funeral and isn’t there for his family.”
Ghost nods, “I’ve been worried sick about him. He’s hardly eating, he cried all night about his Dad and about work. He woke up after about twenty minutes of a nap panicking about Alejandro because he remembered he was injured. He cried then because he felt like a bad friend. He threw up again all day because he was missing work with Gaz. He needs a break but he’s too scared to go home.”
“I will sign for you to both go on leave. How about a month, with room for an extension if he isn’t fit and fighting again?” Price asks.
Ghost nods. It’s only then that Price notices the tears in Ghosts eyes, “Please, Price. I just want him to sleep through tonight, he’ll be much easier to deal with when he’s rested. I’m so worried about him.”
The words sound foreign coming from Ghosts mouth. Price never thought he’d hear Ghost extend his concern to someone else, not like this, and for it to be about Johnny? He’s at a loss for what to do.
“I’ll see to it ASAP, Simon, I promise. You’ve gotta take care of him though. Now and always, lad, because he’s fragile. I know he can handle himself but he’s sensitive and you need to respect that.” Price says and Ghost just grips Johnny tighter, resting his head against him.
“I know. Thankyou, Sir.”
Price nods and stands, pulling his lips into a thin smile before he leaves the newfound lovers to rest.
Johnny hears the click of the door when Price leaves and he stirs from his light sleep, “S’mon?” He mutters, tearing his eyes open.
Ghost is quick to pull the mask off, just staring at Soap with a warm smile as he holds him flush against his chest. He shuffles against the wall a little and rubs a soft circle into Soaps waist as he tries to sit up. Ghost doesn’t let him, “Hey Johnny. I’m still here, don’t worry. Try and go back to sleep, love.”
Soap shakes his head tiredly, “Who w’s it?”
“Just Price. We’re going to go home for a little bit, Johnny, okay? Just me and you. Out being civvies for a while, how’s that sound?” Ghost asks gently. He knows Soap is going to put up a battle, and he does.
He shakes his head again and tears touch his waterline again. Ghost crumbles upon seeing this. He never wants to see Soap like this ever again. “Can’t do it, Simon. I can’t see them and leave again. I can’t go back if he’s not there.”
“Johnny, love, listen to me please. You need to do this, it will help, trust me. I know it isn’t easy, I know it stings like a motherfucker but you’ve got this. I’m gonna be there with you, holding your hand, helping you pick the nicest flowers because you know you have no taste,” Soap manages a soft smile at that, eyes still half lidded, “And you can show me all the pictures of you as a baby, take me to all your stupid Scottish places and whatnot. I promise not to leave your side.”
Soap frowns a little, “This isn’t how I imagined you meeting my family.”
Ghost sympathises, “I know. I’m sorry, it’s not fair, but I can’t wait to meet them. I’m sure I’ll spend the entire month of leave wishing I had an English boyfriend instead. I don’t know how I’ll cope with all of you Scottish muppets.”
“You’re just jealous that your accent is boring.” Soap laughs before letting out a small yawn.
“Go back to sleep Johnny, that’s an order.” Ghost says.
“Aye Lt,” Finally, he agrees, “You too?”
And how can Ghost resist Johnny looking up at him with tired, wet eyes, pleading without saying a word, “Of course. I love you.”
Soap smiles as he lies onto the bed, pulling Ghost close beside him. He presses a kiss to his lips, full of adoration, before tucking his head against Ghosts chest. He yawns again and presses his lips against Ghost’s collarbone, “I love you too, Si.”
All Price can say is that he’s glad that all is good between his men. When Gaz asks what he saw, Price simply says ‘The kid’s in love’ to which Gaz groaned and muttered something about ‘Don’t you start’.
Price chuckles a little as he sits at his desk, signing the leave papers with a flourish before letting out a big sigh of relief.