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Ghost had only recently learned of Soaps feelings towards him, it happened on a night out drinking and it seemed Johnny just couldn't help himself. And while Ghost knew they shouldn't, especially in this line of work; he in turn confessed his feelings for the cheeky scot.
It was not a normal relationship, they had stolen kisses and secret touches, glances. Whispered declarations, and treasured moments. It was exciting, exhilarating. It was more than either of them had hoped for and it was nice. It was nice.
It was so relieving to be able to have each other, to be able to comfort the other should they need to - it was liberating. Even the most boring or distressing mission could be made better by the other. And it was so... great.
Their next mission came quicker than either of them had wanted, three days after their last, and neither party was particularly excited for it. Despite their doubts, the mission was going well, good even. Ghost and Soap were undetected slipping in through the cracks in the security of this isolated facility that looked somewhat abandoned. The outside looked like a construction zone, despite there being no visible signs of actual construction being done. The two operators kept their eyes sharp, ears perked and listening for any sign of life. Their breaths were slow and even, barely a noise between the both of them. Ghost went in through the west side and Soap went in through the east, both sure in their abilities as they slowly searched for the room that held rows and row of information. All they needed was one drive and they'd be golden.
"Soap, how copy?" Just loud enough for Soap to be able to hear in through comms. Ghost weaved in and out of hallways, scanning the peeling cream walls for some sort of indication for the room with the intel. It was eerily empty. Hardly any guards. Just as Ghost was going to ask again there was a crackle through his earpiece.
"Solid, L.t.." He fell silent. "Place seems like a ghost town." Ghost had to agree with him on that, there was truly a strange lack of noise of any type. Nothing falling, or being disturbed, no one yelling or even just talking. It left Ghost uneasy. A feeling similar to nausea settled in his gut. Ghost went to speak up again but was quickly interrupted. "This way's a bust. Intel musta been sour. Rendezvous point, sir?" Ghost tensed, his grip on his rifle tightening, looking around him to assess the distance between him and the fountain. Deciding that was indeed the best course of action, Ghost instructed Soap clearly.
"And watch your six, Johnny."
"Aye, sir."
Then comms went silent. Ghost hoped he hadn't let his tension seep into his words. Last thing he needed was Johnny getting worked up and accidentally putting himself in more danger then necessary. Ghost began his cautious trek back through empty interweaving hallways, the silence was deafening to him as he slowly made his way back to the fountain on the edge of the facility, exits being just close enough for a quick getaway should they need it. Hopefully it wouldn't be necessary. As he approached the rendezvous point, he felt another wave of uneasiness surge through him, he couldn't quite place it. Something just seemed off...
Ghost waited until he saw Soap round the corner, sticking to the shadows methodically with years of practice behind him. A metallic clatter rang out above Ghost, a curse of something he couldn't quite interpret as he whipped his head upwards, gun drawn. As he aimed his weapon, flood lights blinded him from the floor above him the sound of buzzing overtook him, his comms going to static. Before he could properly process what was happening yelling echoed throughout the cavernous facility.
Ghost didn't try to listen to what they were saying, bullets whipping by him and ricocheting. His eyes adjusted just in time to see Soap fall to the ground, his mouth open, grunting in pain.
He had been shot.
"Johnny-!" Ghost sprang into action, taking out the small group that had been waiting to ambush them. Pained groans erupted before they died down along with the gunfire, an alarm suddenly blaring throughout the facility. Harsh red clashing with white as Ghost scrambled to where Soap had fallen. Soap was gritting his teeth, his eyes squeezed shut while he took in the pain, breathing heavily. "It's alright, Sargeant. Stay with me, yeah?" He sounded calmer than he felt; He tensed when he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps, rushing towards their location.
"I'm solid, L.t." Soap grunted out, not allowing Ghost to get a good look of him. He used the fountain to pull himself up, Ghost helping him immediately. Soap shrugged Ghost off of him. "We need te move, L.t." Soap pushed out, and Ghost distantly thought he should back off, but paid the thought no mind. Focusing on getting Soap out of here. Ghost cursed when he noticed the radios were jammed.
Ghost held Soap with one arm, a pistol in the other as he carried Soap out as fast as he could. Soap kept looking back, watching their six as Ghost carried them forward.
"Gh-ghos-"
"-Save your breath, Johnny-"
"-gre-grenade!"
"FRAG OUT!"
"Shit." Ghost heard a faint clatter behind him, he had maybe five seconds give or take, if he was lucky. With a surge of adrenaline, he gripped Soap tightly and shoved the both of them through the exit. Ghost pushed Soap in front of him shoving him as far away from the impending blast as he could. As if on cue the grenade exploded the force of the blast throwing Ghost forward through oil drums filled with water, his head hit first the sound engulfing him completely as he braced himself, slowing down his momentum.
Soap took minimal damage, being sent only a short distance and landing on the ground without hitting any stray objects by some miracle. He hurt like a motherfucker, and while he wouldn't admit it at the moment, his heart was racing, worry coiling around his heart as he found his bearings. The glass had been forced out of their windows, broken pieces flying everywhere, Soap briefly noted the new cuts that the glass had provided him, but quickly pushed them away.
"Hostiles down." One of the men called, getting closer to the exit.
Soap reacted fairly quickly, grabbing his own grenade tossing it through the broken window when he knew it would be difficult to escape the blast radius from their position. He waited until the blast had gone off before making a move to where he thought Ghost went.
Ghost groaned the second blast assaulting his ears, he grabbed his gun from where it lay on the ground after it was ripped from his grasp, moving to find Johnny staring back at him, and Ghost could almost swear that he was two shades too pale.
"C'mon, Johnny." Ghost grunted out, sliding his arm around Soap again to help carry him. Soap was silent, fueling the deep pit of fear that pooled in his stomach. Which only made Ghost push himself harder, refusing to acknowledge anything that wasn't Soap. As they made it close to the evac point their signals finally cleared just enough to radio Captain Price for a medevac.
Ghost wasn't scared of death, he knew he would die, and he was fine with that. But, today, death had scared him. He was scared - scared of death taking Johnny away from him. Scared that the most important thing in his life would be ripped from him without his say. It was the scariest thing he had experienced since...since he can remember.
The debrief went by as quickly as Ghost could manage, desperate to see Johnny as soon as he possibly could. Ghost probably looked distant as he answered Prices questions and told what had happened and how the intel had been sour, and that meant one more of their sources was now unreliable. Ghost didn't really care, at least not in that moment. He was out of the door before Price could finish dismissing him. It was definitely a punishable action, one he refused to care about.
Ghost made long determined strides to the med bay, ignoring anyone who looked at him or tried to grab his attention. He found Soap rather quickly, as Soap was discharging himself at the front desk. Ghost barely waited until Soap exited med bay before he was next to him.
"My room Sargeant." He didn't leave any room for debate and Soap didn't fight it. Soap didn't know how Ghost was going to react, this was the first time that he had to have a medevac since they confessed to each other. Anxiety settled in Soaps gut; he was... scared.
What Soap wasn't expecting, was to immediately be brought into a tight embrace. Ghost clinging to him like his life depended on it.
"Fuckin' hell, Johnny." his voice cracked. "I coulda lost ya." Simon pulled back, and he was looking conflicted as he looked over Johnny, checking for any missed injuries wanting to make sure that he was okay, that he would be fine. He should have seen this coming, should have stopped it. But he didn't.
Johnny smiled softly, the initial shock fading quickly as his hands reached up to grab Simon's face. "It's alright, bonnie lad," Johnnys voice was rough and smooth when he spoke, eyes searching Simons hoping to push away any negative thoughts that were lurking there. "I'm right here." He whispered softly. Johnny could see how distraught Simon was and he wanted nothing more than to make him feel at ease. "Let's lay down, and then talk, yeah?" He suggested quietly, and Simon thought for a long moment before nodding.
Simon discarded his balaclava, and he walked over to the trunk that held his clothes, changing into something more comfortable and Johnny followed suit. No words were spoken by either of them as they changed. Johnny made it to Simon's bed first and he settled into it quickly, breath hitching as he tried to ignore the sting from his wound.
Simon paused and just watched Johnny for a moment, taking him in and committing him to memory. When Johnny noticed Simons distant stare and waved him over. Wordlessly he crawled into the bed with Soap, falling beside him and holding the other in a tight embrace.
"I don't want to lose ya, Johnny." Came Simons quiet confession. "I can't lose you." He corrected himself, sighing as he did so. He wanted to say so much but he couldn't find the right way to say it.
Johnny held Simon tighter when he spoke, his heart lurching in his chest at the thought of Simon hearing that debrief, hearing of Johnnys death. Johnny rubbed soothing circles into his back. "You won't lose me, Si. When have I ever not been okay-"
"Don't do that. Don't say that, Johnny." Simon rushed out, a sharp painful edge in his voice. "Don't-" Simon struggled to find the words. "I can't lose you, I just can't. How can you be so okay with the thought of you-" Simon bit his tongue, tears welling up in his eyes and he stared at the wall behind Johnny. Refusing to say anything else because he didn't know how.
Johnny was quiet, unable to speak at first, Simons words echoing in his mind. "Simon..." He looked down at him, and Simon was looking anywhere else but him. "Simon look at me." He whispered, grabbing Simon's chin and gently guiding him to look up. Soaps heart nearly shattered at the look in his eyes. "I won't go anywhere... Nothing will take me from you, I promise." It wasn't a promise he could really make, but he would never let anything take him from Simon. Especially if he had it his way. Johnny leaned down resting his forehead on Simons. "Everything will be okay, I promise." Soap wasn't sure how to convey how he felt either, but he really tried to, he needed to comfort him so badly. "Simon, feel." He whispered, grabbing his hand and pressing it against his chest. "Thats my heart beating for ya, Si. And it willnae stop beatin for ye."
Simon closed his eyes, just feeling the rhythmic heartbeat underneath the pads of his fingers. He was here, he was breathing, he was safe.
"I need to tell you everything I'm feeling, Johnny but I... I just can't." His voice sounded wet, and he was genuinely upset that he couldn't put into words his thoughts.
Johnny shushed him and pulled him closer. "It's alright, Si, i ken." He whispered.
"I... I don't want you to leave me." He whispered out, it was a broken sound. Simon buried himself in their embrace breathing him in.
"I won't." Johnny didn't know what else to say but 'I won't'. Cause what else do you say? How else can he comfort him? "I'll never leave your side," He stated. "I'm yours, now and forever, Simon, you're not gonna rid yourself of me that easily."
Simon chuckled; it came out breathy as he smiled against Soap. "God, I hope not." They fell into a comfortable silence, they held each other quietly, hands sometimes moving to make sure the other person was still there and that this wasn't some weird, cruel joke. "I love you, Johnny." Simon whispered into his skin.
"I love ye too, Simon." Johnny breathed into his hair.
All they knew was each other in that moment, and that's all they needed.
They would both be hurt by the other, it was unavoidable, in their line of work and out of it. A known pitfall of any relationship. But, that didn't matter, because they would always have each other at the end of the day...
When the night closed and the morning opened, they have each other, and when time stops and their hearts slow, they know they were one of the lucky ones; and the last thing that falls from their lips will be love. A tragic vice.