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Soap has been panicking since his nan got out of hospital.
Not because there were any residual effects from her time after the fall, nor the surgery, which went off without a hitch.
No. Soap was panicking because his family returned home to see a well fed cat, far less stress marring his face than they expected, and a fully weeded front garden to the family home.
They wanted to meet Ghost, and Soap was panicking hard over it.
The fact that the man that Soap had spoken about so often had met the CAT before anyone who could speak to him had appalled his mother. His Lt had saved Soap’s life times and times over, and the only family member present when he came to visit was the ONE who can’t speak . It was frankly unacceptable, with Soap’s nan going as far as to say that Soap should’ve dragged Ghost up north to visit her in the hospital.
The only thing that had appeased them was how Soap recalled the week Ghost had spent in Scotland, making sure to bring out the picture of Ghost and The Beast napping on the couch that he had saved on his phone permanently.
Soap’s arm still smarted, bruised from the hit he took after Ghost had found out about that picture. He would’ve gotten away with it, but Price had ratted him out, asking Ghost whose cat was in the picture Soap had sent him while they were on leave together.
Not only had Ghost had to beg Price not to add the picture to his framed collection of task force photos on his desk, but he also had to hunt down Soap across base to ensure sufficient punishment was delivered.
Price still might get it framed anyway.
Soap’s mum in particular is very interested in meeting Ghost. Not only had he kept her baby safe out in god knows where, but he had taken the time to weed her garden . A job that she would put off until it becomes an unavoidable issue, but Ghost had visited and taken care of it before it got to that point instead.
She’d already marked him down as perfect husband material for Soap long before that but it had certainly solidified it for her.
Soap had always been big on storytelling and sharing stories of his deployment, going beyond the rules and giving classified details to make sure his family would be fully caught up on everything that he’d been through. A problem shared is a problem halved after all and Soap’s family had always been the type to offer a shoulder to cry on.
The retelling of Las Almas was watered down massively so his family wasn’t scarred beyond belief, but even listening to Soap tell them about it with a bandage wrapped around his arm, his mum had picked up on how Soap would mention ‘his Lt’ and the name ‘Simon’ almost reverently.
She was infinitely grateful for Ghost’s work and all he had done not just for Soap, but for their family. Making sure her son returned in one piece was no easy job after all.
Soap’s nan was also big on meeting Ghost.
He’d taken care of her cat with Soap and she’d always said that taking care of a living thing created a bond between people. Soap was always under the impression that that was a bit old-fashioned but he was not going to argue with a woman that had survived a brain haemorrhage.
She’d already lined up a couple of skeins of yarn in her basket by the fireplace for a scarf for Ghost. And if it happened to match very well with the scarf she’d gifted Soap that one Christmas, well that was no one else’s business.
Soap’s sister wants to vet him (“EY! Yer off yer heid, a’ fuckin’ swear to God.” “JOHN MCTAVISH will ye watch yer damn language!”).
She’d been the only one to say it out loud mind, everyone in the family was going to be making sure this ‘Ghost’ was good enough for the baby of the family, but Soap’s sister had been the one to expose the plan.
Soap argued passionately for the fact that Ghost would need no vetting considering he’d saved Soap’s life a few times by this point- which earned him the most long-suffering sigh from his sister and a good-natured smile from his mum. That and it was unlikely anything would come of it, knowing Ghost’s tendency to follow rules to the letter.
He finally agrees to bring Ghost around sometime in the future.
It was his dad that convinced him.
He wasn’t one to pry into his son’s life, unlike the rest of the family who seems to take it as a personal responsibility to do so, so when he asked to meet Ghost in order to thank him for keeping Soap safe, there was no other option than for Soap to agree to bring Ghost over someday.
He didn’t leave without some choice threats to not have them go overboard when Ghost does come around though - he does like his job thank you Ma.
The McTavish parents were holding a family get together a few months after Soap had returned to base. He’d had a call from his mother that morning saying how his sister was coming up to visit for it as well, so he was absolutely required to be there. There’d been some good natured grumbling as always, but Soap was secretly very excited to see his sister again, rarely getting to considering she’d moved down to England with her husband to raise their daughter.
His mother had ended the call with a not-so-subtle request to extend the invitation to his lieutenant, much to Soap’s disdain.
Never one to deny his mother much, Soap found himself making his way over to wherever on base Ghost had tucked himself away to lurk. The image of him looming ominously in the shadows made Soap smirk to himself, as he walked the halls.
Spotting Ghost in the small kitchen the 141 were allowed to populate while on base, however, made his smile fade as he recalled the last time he’d attempted to straight up ask Ghost to come home with him. Hell, it had taken his nan getting hospitalised for Ghost to even consider it, and he wasn’t even here to see how Price had convinced him to go.
Oh well. Fuck it.
“Hey Lt!” Soap called out as he walked into the kitchen and rec area, forcing himself to look as casual as possible and (from the look Ghost gave him) failing miserably.
“Soap. You just got back from a family call? Everything alright there?” Why did it sound like Ghost was concerned about his family? Was this their new normal after Ghost had taken leave to keep him company?
“Ah, nah everything’s fine back home. Nan’s recovered and she’s started knitting again. Ma says she’s driving her mad with the needles clicking mind,” Soap replied, leaning himself against the kitchen counter as Ghost stood with a mug of tea in his hand.
Soap took a breath, suddenly a little nervous. “Yea, Ma also mentioned a family thing. A get together of sorts in a few weeks. Mm, yea, she, ah, she,” he stuttered out, Ghost sipping tea with his balaclava half rolled up. Fucking hell, grow some balls McTavish.
“She asked me to extend the invitation to you. See if you wanted to come with.”
Ghost paused and blinked, considering the request silently.
The quiet unnerved Soap and so nervously he continued. “Ah mean, it would only be a weekend thing y’know? Just an evening and then coming back to base the next day so it’s cool if you’re not up for it or taking leave in general-”
“Sure. Sounds good. Let me know the details.”
Soap paused in his ramble, realising Ghost’s answer had been a yes . He manages to school his face into an expression that doesn’t betray just how shocked he is; instead managing to look mildly uncomfortable if the way Ghost is eyeing him warily says anything.
“Ah yeah. No problem.” As if that didn’t make everything so much worse, the awkwardness of the statement just adding to how uncomfortable Soap seemed.
His best plan for escape was a tactical retreat and so when Ghost finally moved to take another sip from his mug, Soap gave him a nod, and left the room, as stealthily as possible. Absolutely not waddling off stiffly, no.
The weeks pass, and before he knows it, Soap is sticking his house keys into the lock of his little flat, his lieutenant following behind him.
He knows it’s unreasonable how nervous he feels. Ghost has seen his flat before. Ghost has lived in his flat before, they literally spent a week cohabiting the place and taking care of The Beast.
There’s no reason for his heart to be racing and his palms to feel so sweaty as he watches Ghost put his duffel bag on the floor of the living room, next to where Soap has dumped his. And yet, as Ghost surveys the living room, the familiarity of the place coming back to him, Soap finds himself wiping his hands on his jeans subtly.
Not subtle enough mind as Ghost catches Soap’s apparent nervousness.
“So, tell me about your family then. Who will be there tonight?” Ghost asks casually, and a topic Soap usually can’t shut up about suddenly becomes something he wouldn’t think about right now.
“Ah, my ma for a start. She’s nice, we’ve been told we’re very similar in personality,” Soap begins. “She was the one to encourage me to get into the army. Unusual for a mother I know, but she knew it was what I wanted.”
“She sounds like a good mum,” Ghost added, smiling as Soap relaxes.
“My da is the complete opposite of us. Quiet for one. I imagine you’d get along with him, ye both have the tendency to lurk on the edge of rooms,” Soap says with a grin directed at Ghost, who rolls his eyes. “Last ones are my older sister, her husband, and their little one.”
“You have a nephew?” Ghost looks surprised at this, eyes wide as he looks over to Soap.
Soap smiles softly. “Nah, a niece. She’s six, little spitfire that one. Josie’s her name. Well, Josephine technically but she’s learnt to aim for the gut if you call her that.”
And isn’t that a punch to Ghost’s stomach. Schooling his face so Soap won't be able to tell how his niece’s name had sent a stab of grief through him, he continues to listen to how Soap speaks about his family with such love and affection in every word spoken about them. And more importantly, how they’ve been wanting to meet Ghost.
Soap would be tempted to call the look in Ghost’s eyes intimidated, if he thought that Ghost would at all find the prospect of meeting his family even a little worrying. Why would he? There was no reason for Ghost to be worried in this situation. If anything Soap should be more worried. God only knows what his family have been cooking up to torture him with in front of Ghost.
The two of them spend a little time settling into Soap’s flat, making sure everything is in order before heading out to Soap’s parents’ house for the evening.
Pulling up in front of his parents’ house, Soap feels all the nerves he’s been trying to suppress all day build up to an overwhelming point. Taking a deep breath as they exit the car, he turns to Ghost.
“Lt, d’ya mind waiting out here a quick second? I’m just gonna make sure things are…okay in there.”
Sensing Soap’s panic, Ghost tries to diffuse the tension in the air. “Scared they’ve got the scrapbooks lay out Johnny?”
It works and Soap huffs out a laugh, shoulders relaxing as he cracks back, “Ah I was a cute baby I’ve got nothing to hide!” He makes for the door, but Ghost still hangs back without him asking.
In all honesty, Ghost is fine with hanging back, still debating with himself if he wants to endure a family setting after so long. More importantly, did he really want to get himself entangled in Soap’s family? God only knows Ghost isn’t one for family, his own lying in the ground off in Manchester and even when they were alive, their family wasn’t exactly the shining star example of a good family unit.
He does decide that if he’s going to do this, he’s going to do it right. Ghost had been wearing a simple black balaclava since leaving base, and upon pulling it off, he felt the cool Scottish air hit his cheeks.
“Ey Ghost, come on in-” Soap popped his head out of the front door, making eye contact with where Simon stood, brushing stray strands of hair out of his eyes now that they’ve been freed from under the mask.
Soap feels a flush creep up his neck, resolutely ignoring how seeing Ghost’s face never fails to make him feel like he’s suddenly privy to some well guarded secret, which he supposes isn’t that far off the truth.
Upon entering the living room, Ghost is first and foremost met with an older woman much shorter than himself.
“Aye for all the places they send ye off to, ye’d think ye’d be a little less pale.”
Ghost is left blinking, visibly computing in his head just how he’s supposed to respond to that. Soap sighs deeply behind him, letting a quiet “Nan please,” behind him.
Shuffling further into the room, Soap comes up to stand by his side, a reassuring and familiar presence on a new and unexplored battlefield.
Soap’s mother is the next to greet them, reaching over to give Soap a hug before turning to Ghost.
“Ye awrite love? I’ll admit, was expecting the mask John’s told us about, not that you aren’t a pretty thing but whatever makes you comfortable is best here.” Ghost isn't afraid to admit he felt some of the stress from the situation leak from his body at her comment accompanied by a motherly smile. The sentiment was not shared by Soap mind, not considering how he squeaked out a mortified “Ma!”.
“Thank you, but I won’t be needing the mask here I don't think.” Soap’s family may have been prepared to not see under the mask tonight, but Ghost was one step ahead of them, and he wanted to make a good first impression, after all, it was Soap’s family.
Soap was standing off to the side, watching Ghost interact with his family members, and trying his best to suppress the hearts he was sure were beaming out of his eyes as Ghost admitted to being comfortable enough to keep the mask off. From the smirk on his sister’s face across the room, he was failing miserably.
The party disperses a little as everyone goes about their own business. His mum escaped off into the kitchen where the oven was filled with little treats for later. Soap finds himself pulled into a conversation with his dad and his sister, greeting them both.
Ghost, on the other hand, finds himself trying not to trip as a familiar brown cat loops around his ankles. He bends down, reaching a hand out for a little damp nose to sniff and acknowledge him as a friend before running a hand over his soft fur.
“Hey you. And how have you been hmm?”
Talking softly to a cat admittedly isn’t one of the things that add to Ghost’s reputation as a stone cold killer, but the small smile visible on his face, not blocked off by the mask as it usually is, is one of the things that add to Simon’s reputation as one of Soap’s nan’s go to cat-sitters.
Soap, still half listening to his sister talk about how Josie has been doing in school recently, finds himself staring at Ghost and The Beast and that soft smile, wondering just how he’s going to be able to handle the next few hours. It’s been just under an hour and already he’s felt too many shocks to his system courtesy of one Simon Riley. God knows how he’s going to survive the night.
The evening wears on, Ghost has been pulled left, right and centre, dragged along by Soap to make sure he’s been introduced to every member of the McTavish family and it’s safe to say Ghost is overwhelmed.
Soap’s family are very sweet and caring and the love they share with each other is so very evident in every smile and hug and laugh.
Ghost, faced with a safe family, flounders.
His comfort comes in the knowledge that the childhood he was given was not forced upon Soap, and that instead, he grew up with a family that cares. To know Soap and his family get a happy ending brings him great satisfaction.
Ghost’s eyes drift over to where Nana McTavish sits on her armchair, talking to Soap’s mum who sits on a seat nearby. He finds himself looking at the lines on her face, around her eyes, and the callouses on her hands from handling plastic knitting needles. Simon wonders if his mother would’ve looked like this one day, full of the evidence of a life well lived, if it hadn’t been cut short before she could grow a full strand of grey in her hair.
He muses if the way Soap’s parents stand by each other, his father stoic but with eyes full of love, and his mother so vocal and warm towards others, if that would’ve been how Tommy and Beth would’ve turned out.
And little Josie running around. How ironic that Soap’s niece shared a name so similar to his nephew. He watches Josie play with her toys and thinks back on how he used to watch Joesph play in his brother’s house. He wonders if Joesph has been given the time to grow if he would’ve turned into a spitfire like her.
But instead, he’s pulled from his thoughts of a family long gone, by the Scottish accents of the family before him, and in particular, the voice of Soap as he sidles up next to him.
There's a light blush on Soap’s cheeks from the exertion of dealing with his family’s attention and ribbing, but there’s a grin on his face so Ghost has no reason to be worried.
Soap’s face turns into a sheepish expression, somehow sensing that Ghost might be feeling a tad overwhelmed with his family. He’s right of course, Ghost is definitely overwhelmed, but he’s feeling warmed despite it all - being around Soap’s family is less of a burden than he may have thought it would be.
Josie comes wandering over to Soap. Her little legs have her standing only up to his mid thighs and so to get his attention, she pulls on the edge of his shirt.
Soap huffs good naturedly and leans down to pick her up. The six year old still so easy to pick up and handle, always looking for her uncle to lift her up to see the world from high up. That and it’s easier for her to talk to the adults in the room when on their level.
Across the room, Soap’s sister clocks the soft smile on Ghost’s face watching Soap pick up his niece and interact with her as she chats about all the stuff she’s learning in school and with her friends.
Josie finishes her retelling of all the books she’s had to read for school, with all the dramatics and hand gestures she’s clearly learned from her uncle, which has Ghost smirking to himself as he makes the connection, and turns towards Ghost, noticing him for the first time.
“Who’s this?”
Soap feels a brief bolt of nerves run down his spine, but they’re thoroughly doused when the softest smile graces Ghost’s lips.
“I’m Simon, your uncle works with me in the military,” he says, sticking the hand not holding onto a drink out for Josie’s little hand to grab onto and shake, just like she’s seen the adults do.
Her responding smile is bright and betrays the same mischievous nature that Soap has. “Is he actually good at it, cos my mum says he was always breaking things when they were younger?”
Soap made a noise of indignation, reaching up with one hand to tickle her side while Ghost huffs out a laugh. “Oi! I don't break things yer ma is lying to ye Joes!”
“He does still break things, but he breaks the things I tell him to, so I guess he’s alright at it.” Ghost’s answer was spoken softly, with him leaning down slightly to where she sat in Soap’s arms, as if what he was telling the kid was a big secret only for her ears.
Soap was trying his best not to gape at Ghost smiling and joking with his six year old niece, but the sight of his cold hearted lieutenant interacting with a child so sweetly had him doe eyed and smiling softly.
Soap’s nan sits on her armchair knitting away, wondering just how their task force gets anything done when these two are so busy pining after each other.
Josie wiggles in Soap’s arms, clearly done with being held and runs off to play with her toys upon being put down.
Soap gets called over by his mum in the kitchen and Ghost is once again left alone, lurking at the edges of the room and observing the other occupants as he usually does at social functions.
Soap’s dad has been waiting for a moment to approach him and seeing Ghost alone after being abandoned by Soap, he makes his move towards him.
Ghost has never been one to disrespect a man of a family, he still remembers what he used to get for it, so when Soap’s dad walks over to him and stands by, drink in hand, Ghost stands to attention. His stance shifts from the relaxed one he had before - leant slightly on the wall, shoulders lax - to a position more familiar of him to the generals and superiors he receives orders from.
Seeing him tense Soap’s dad huffs out a soft laugh cracking out a joking, “At ease soldier.”
Ghost exhaled a sharp breath and made an effort to look less like he was being sent out for battle. A silence settled over the pair, and Ghost was beginning to feel unnerved before Soap’s dad spoke, his accent weaker than the others of the family.
“Y’know, when John said he wanted to join the army at 15, I might’ve been the only one in this household tempted to stop him. His ma knew he’d never get in if he tried at that age but I knew the rejection would only push him further towards it.”
Ghost gave him his full attention, listening carefully to his words. Soap’s dad smiled.
“I was right. He didn’t stop trying till they let him in. Sending him off every time he leaves never gets any easier, worse when he’s only here to heal up after something’s gone wrong.”
Ghost can't hide the way his eye twitches at the mention of Soap wounded, knowing it wasn’t too long ago when they’d been fighting their way through Las Almas, Johnny bleeding out and Ghost nowhere close to help, only able to send tips through the coms line.
“Gotta say though, having met ye son, might be easier sending him off knowing you’ll be taking care of him.”
Soap’s dad has this proud look in his eye, and Simon for a moment thinks that it's directed at the image of Soap going back out to base after visiting, but his eyes meet Soap’s dad’s and he realises, no. That proud look is for him.
“Ye do good work Simon, thank you for keeping him safe and bringing him back here in one piece.”
Simon’s throat is dry and there's a pressure lurking behind his eyes he refuses to acknowledge when he responds, trying to brush off the compliment. “Just doing my job sir.”
“Ah, none of that, god knows with how much John’s told us about ye you’ve already earned yourself a spot in the family.”
Soap’s dad’s hand lands on his shoulder and Ghost huffs out another laugh and breaks eye contact, snapping the tension building and letting himself breathe.
If he lets himself think any further about how the offer of a spot in Soap’s family makes him feel, he’d be falling into dangerous territory in the middle of this pleasant evening.
Luckily, he’s prevented from sinking into his thoughts by Soap’s voice, calling out from the kitchen and announcing that food and more drinks are ready. His mum starts bringing out a platter of picky bits for the guests to nibble on after that and Ghost moves away from the wall and towards the coffee table where the food was.
The evening passes by quickly, thankfully without Ghost getting accosted by any more of Soap’s family members and leaving him emotionally vulnerable after it.
Before they know it, the sun has set well beyond the horizon, Josie is asleep on the couch, blanket thrown over her, and Soap is getting ready to head back to his place.
They’re headed out to the door, his family members trailing behind them to say their goodbyes, everyone yawning with eyes tired, but still so warm and full of love.
Soap’s mum hugs Simon close and tells him not to be a stranger, telling Soap to make sure he comes back. Soap shot Ghost a grin at that, too tired to even pretend he hadn’t enjoyed having Ghost around his family all evening.
Soap's dad gives Simon a handshake and a pat on the shoulder with a knowing smile and a sincere goodbye, offering his son the same.
Soap swears his dad’s eyes look less haunted this time as he says his farewell than he usually does.
Soap’s nan had been clicking her needles away through most of the night, working on a project that had already been half finished when she started on it. Before they leave, she walks right up to Simon and forces him to lean down to her level. She places a kiss on his forehead and wraps a scarf around Simon’s neck.
Soap blushes red and his sister chuckles from where she stands near him, saying her goodbyes, as they realise Simon’s new scarf matches the one Soap had been gifted last Christmas.
The drive back to Soap’s place is quiet but not awkward, both of them exhausted from the socialising and musing in their own heads about the night.
They get back in good time and are settling down for the night, Soap bringing out blankets and extra pillows for Ghost who’s on the couch for the night.
Ghost still hasn’t put the mask back on and is making no moves to do so as Soap dumps the blankets haphazardly on the couch, most of the spilling over onto the floor, he cracks out, “So you don't sleep with it on then?”
Soap’s comment earn him a huffed out laugh for that and a smile, which he can see now without the mask to block Ghost’s expressions.
“Going back on your comments about me Johnny?”
“Aye, I'm man enough to take back remarks when they’re proved wrong” Soap answers back, fluffing up the pillows on the couch.
Another huff and the smile stays on Ghost’s face as Soap plays into their banter.
Soap feels far too brave for the moment, something about hanging around his family all evening has made him bold.
“Quite the opposite indeed,” said with not near enough of a joking tone into an atmosphere far too soft to have it not come out genuine.
Ghost takes a steady breath in, looking towards Johnny and the flush creeping up his neck. The tension in the room rises as Simon debates internally between giving in to this or maintaining the dynamic they're supposed to have, as a sergeant and his lieutenant.
Soap is not so inclined to debate, his eyes betraying the underlying panic from pushing this, but his mind is set.
“Simon…I’m not reading this wrong, am I? There’s something here, yeah?”
Simon’s response is almost a whisper, spoken into a room where it feels like all the sound aside from their voices and the breaths let out between sentences has been sucked out. “There shouldn't be.” For the harshness of the words spoken, Simon’s voice was too full of longing and sadness, yearning for what is technically a breach of their contracts. The war between responsibility and want.
Johnny hears all the words unsaid and takes a risk, moving to face Simon where he stands before the couch.
“There could be. I doubt Price would rat us out,” said breathlessly, like Johnny hadn’t taken enough air into his lungs before he spoke the words.
Johnny moved closer, eyes defiant and locked on Simon’s. There was barely any space between them now, but still enough to turn back, as if they were ever going to.
Simon was still wary, but not stepping back and away from where Johnny crept into his personal space. The air was charged with tension, the feeling you get right before a big decision you aren’t sure is going to be a good idea.
“...Is that a risk you'd be willing to take?” Simon asked quietly, hesitantly, with the knowledge already of the answer he wanted and the one Johnny was ready to give.
Johnny was already leaning in and spoke his response almost against Simon’s lips - a whispered, “ Always. ”
Their kiss wasn’t overly passionate nor desperate, but sweet and smooth. More about the moment, in which they could finally allow themselves this, rather than the kiss itself.
There was time yet, sometime in the future when they could explore more about each other. For now though, they were content just standing in Johnny’s living room, blankets pooled at their feet, Simon’s hand gently cupping Johnny’s jaw, thumb stroking his cheek softly.
As they broke apart, eyes fluttering open, small smiles graced their faces and both of them revelled at the broken tension in the atmosphere. There was the issue of fraternisation to address and discuss, but for now, they were happy.