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Ghost was a mystery himself, many have known not to mess with him, once he senses your fear or sees you it is all over for you. He lurks in the shadows, observing new recruits and the odd ones who wander by themselves in the night. It’s what makes him so valuable as a mercenary, his ability to sense the potential danger in those around him even when they are miles away from him and his victims unaware.
Tonight however, an old recruit has rejoined the Shadow Company, and Ghost finds himself wondering who the man was, he knew his name but not his story, he knew his ability and skills, and he knows that, even himself, will not attempt to taunt this man to go against him. This man is one of the best in the company, he would not risk it. Nobody would, and if no one knew his tale, they better pray that they will get out of the battlefield alive.
"Velikan Megalith." Ghost mumbles and he looks at the file, empty, just one page of emptiness but a name and a quote. Ghost scoffs as he closes the folder, there was nothing there at all, somehow it pisses him off that another mercenary can be more secretive than him. The man is good at keeping secrets and none have even caught him anywhere where he would take off his helmet, stealthy as hell that even Ghost can't hear him or even a heartbeat from the mercenary. Velikan was one of a kind, and not like all the other mercenaries, he was a different breed. Ghost didn't know how but he felt something was about to change. His gut told him it, it's a warning and now he's starting to feel it too.
Ghost climbs up to the rooftop and steps into the cold night air, lights illuminate the darkness, down below the building there are only two guards patrolling on the alley right now, the rest of them were either at training camp or out drinking in the near pub outside the base. Ghost sighs as he sits down on the edge of the rooftop.
He fetches out a cigarette and a lighter and puts both of them together as he lights up his cigarette, the smoke goes up slowly. He rolls his balaclava up to his nose and puts the cigarette on his lip. He inhales slowly before exhaling the nicotine into the night air. A couple of minutes later Ghost heard someone coming up behind him, he didn't move as the person took a seat beside him, Ghost didn't speak as he waited patiently for their arrival. "Velikan." It was a surprise, Velikan was one not to make his steps be heard.
Velikan only lets out a rough rumble, Ghost can take it as a response. They sit there in silence as the wind blows gently, Ghost looks at Velikan who sat beside him, his arms crossed over his chest. Velikan wasn't one to speak, not even responding in comms and the only thing you can hear from the man was his maniacal laughter. Ghost believed that Velikan could be an old face that everyone knows which is why he refuses to let his voice be known.
Not everyone laughs in the battlefield, hearing a maniacal laugh is a nightmare when it is your last breath. Ghost doesn't know if he respects the man for being a mute, let his whole identity be hidden until he is shot dead. It's hard to think of him as just anybody but he knows he should try, if not for his reputation, then for his own sanity. Ghost wants to know more about him, to see more of him and find the truth about that damned laugh and who the man is behind the helmet.
"Do you need a cig?" Ghost asks as he offers one to Velikan. Again Velikan only gives Ghost a grunt, Ghost smiles as he takes back his offered cigarette. "Alright then." Silence envelopes the rooftop once again as Ghost smokes his cigarette. Ghost, surprisingly, finds his company comfortable. It almost reminds him of when he used to finally have a healthy bond with his own brother, after the abuse and even the trauma he caused. That was long ago and now he was alone. Ghost shakes his head before taking another puff of his cigarette. Ghost notices that this time he isn't smoking as much as he had done the first time but he doesn't say anything, knowing that if he did the guy would likely leave. For now he is content with his company.
Eventually, Velikan asked for that cig with a simple hand sign, it made Ghost's skin jump but he hid it well, or he thinks he did. He gives the extra cigarette to Velikan and shows the lighter if he needs to light it up, but Velikan shakes his head as he just faces what was ahead, rolling the cigarette with his gloved hand. Ghost lets out another huff of his cigarette before putting it out and grabbing his canteen. Ghost pops off the lid and chugs down the water.
"You're not afraid of me."
The hoarse voice startled Ghost, he chokes on his water and coughs, trying to compose himself. After a moment Ghost managed to calm down and turn to the side to look at the figure beside him. "What the fuck? Didn't think you'd fucking talk." He scoffs, putting his canteen away. He hears that stupid raspy chuckle from the man, amused by him. "No, I'm not afraid of you."
Afraid or not, Ghost doesn't know the truth. He doesn't know if he fears Velikan or not, he hates to admit it, but the man is a skilled fighter and a dangerous one at that, Ghost could never know until it was too late. Maybe Ghost wouldn't survive the fight if they were ever to go against each other.
After that, the silence embraced their bubble again. It wasn't comforting, but it didn't feel awkward either. Ghost might have still been processing that Velikan spoke to him in his head. It was sudden, Ghost hadn't expected that. He rolls his balaclava down and glances at Velikan, who is putting the unlit cigarette in one of his pockets.
"You're nothing to be afraid of when you're like this. Your maniacal laugh is enough to get everyone running the fuck away from you, even the new recruits are disturbed not just by your presence." Ghost gets up and looks down at the man. "I'm going to sleep." He adds as he moves down, giving the man space as he heads towards the ladder and begins the descent down the roof.
Ghost didn't look back, Velikan wished he kinda did.
The following nights, Ghost and Velikan continue to hang out at the rooftop with Ghost offering Velikan a cigarette and Velikan never actually smoking them. Ghost guessed that Velikan uses them when he leaves the rooftop first, or somewhere where no one will see him or even know that it was him. They never said a word to each other, nothing new, mostly just Ghost announcing that he's done and will be going to sleep, leaving Velikan behind without sparing a glance.
There is some sort of routine between the two men, something Velikan does every night without fail. Ghost never questioned it, Velikan always responds with a nod and a grunt whenever Ghost leaves and goes to bed. Just the quiet company that the two got used to.
Tonight, Ghost didn't feel like going to the rooftop, he felt too tired while also he felt restless, it was so exhausting that he fell flat on his bed. He closes his eyes and hopes that sleep will be able to just shut down everything like it should do. But as soon as he feels sleep creeping close, a familiar feeling creeps on him; something dark that has a hold of his attention and draws him deeper and deeper into sleep. Ghost opens his eyes and stares blankly at the ceiling above. His body is covered with sweat and his hair sticks to his forehead and cheek as he lays still.
He notices a figure at the corner of the room and immediately grabs his gun under the bed. When they step into the light, coming from a half opened window, Ghost slowly puts his gun down and throws himself back on the bed. "What are you doing here?"
Velikan just shrugs and walks towards Ghost, standing at the head of the bed. Ghost frowns as he watches his companion approach the bed, then he sees him lean down towards the extra pillow and starts patting it around. "What are you-" Ghost stops talking abruptly and turns his head to look at the man that lays down on the bed with him.
"Ah- you- aren't you uncomfortable laying down wearing that helmet?"
He can hear him huff and the realization of his position on bed. Velikan turns to look at Ghost and sits up properly, unbuckling the belt under his jaw and removes his helmet, and places it neatly aside. When he looks back up, he sees Ghost already turned to face the wall. "Give a man some warning." Ghost complains as he puts another extra pillow between, avoiding looking at Velikan's face. He can see him wearing the balaclava at the corner of his eyes but didn't go further to look up. "You could've just said that you miss me." He teases.
Velikan lets out a noise that sounds like he's complaining about getting caught, Ghost could only let out a dry chuckle as he closes his eyes again. "Whatever you say, you fucking maniac." He smiles. Silence consumes the two, Ghost hasn't fallen asleep yet and he's not quite sure if the man laying beside even plans to fall asleep. Ghost knows what it's like to fall asleep and trying to keep your identity hidden, the trust that he has to put on people that they won't just rip out his mask while he's taking a nap. Ghost remembers breaking someone's wrist once when he felt a hand rolling up his balaclava.
He sighs at the memory, Ghost never knew what happened to them, he doesn't even remember their face or the name.
"We're fixing each other's problems." Velikan starts.
"What? What's my problem?" This confused Ghost.
"Well," Velikan hums, "you're not a very happy person, and neither am I, so we're both pretty fucked up." Ghost snorts a little at the statement and shakes his head.
"So what exactly do you mean we're fixing each other?" Ghost asks, getting interested where this is going but also expecting the unexpected. "You're comforting, you've finally eased up when I'm around, you still have your guard up but I can tell that it is not that you think I will kill you in a second, you're just a cautious person and ready for action." Ghost wanted to look at his face but resisted the urge to do so, Velikan never said a word to look at his face, even when wearing a balaclava to double hide his identity.
"And your problem is?"
"Me." Velikan says simply. A beat passes as Ghost realizes what Velikan meant by that. He sighs and shakes his head. "You took off your helmet, next step would be a mask and then you're fine." He joked. He heard shuffling from the mattress and assumed that Velikan moved around. But then he hears a sigh, a deep one.
"That's my problem."
"Hiding your identity ain't a problem, Velikan. You're fine. I was just kidding about the mask."
Velikan only stares at Ghost's head before staring back at the ceiling. After a while, he checks on Ghost if he has finally fallen asleep. He had indeed fallen asleep, so he carefully got up and put his helmet back on, pulling the blanket over Ghost to prevent him from freezing to death. "Goodnight, Simon…"