Work Text:
Simon woke up in a cold sweat, heart about ready to jump out of his chest. He brought his hand to his chest as he tried to calm down. He frantically looked around his room as his chest tightened.
The blankets, they’re too hot. Ghost rips the blankets from off the bed to escape as he tries to get up. To no avail, he crumbles to his knees the moment he tried to walk. A gasp escaped his breath as his eyes lost focus.
He just needs to power through this… Get over it already!
Ghost is heaved over on the ground when someone knocks on the door.
“Not a good time!” Ghost croaks as he tries to get up.
“Si?”
Shit, that’s Johnny.
“You don’t sound so go-“
“I’m fine!” Ghost hissed.
There was a prolonged silence before Ghost heard the jingle of keys. Ghost curses that he gave him a pair of his keys. It gave Ghost enough panic to get up and hobble over to keep the door closed.
He was too late; Soap already opened the door when he rounded the corner. He wasn’t supposed to see him like this; panicked, shaky, afraid. He was supposed to be the strong one in their relationship. This… wasn’t supposed to happen.
Soap calmly closed the door and started walking over. No sense acting scared shitless (even though he was). Besides, it’d probably scare him even more.
“Hey Si, what’s… What’s going on?” Johnny raised his hands to show no aggression.
Ghost stood petrified in place.
“Hey, earth to Simon here.” He cautiously as he cupped his right hand around his lover’s cheek.
The two stood there for about 5 minutes as Simon calmed down. Johnny rubbed his thumb across his cheek until Simon’s eyes finally focused on him. His mouth began to wobble as tears welled up in his eyes.
Simon gave out a warbled, “I'm sorry…” before he started crying.
The two knelt down as Johnny soothed, “You have nothing to apologize for, was it another nightmare?” He scratched his head as Simon leaned into the touch and nodded. “Oh, you poor thing” He continued to scratch Simon’s hair for a couple more minutes.
Simon sniffled and looked up at Johnny, “Thank you… for coming… Why did you come over originally?”
Johnny looked down and smiled, “I was going to ask you if you wanted to take a shower with me?”
Simon’s shoulders sagged and he let out a content sigh, “I’d love that… Can you do the swirlies with my hair again like last time?”
Johnny chuckled as he started to get up, “Yes… Yes I can.” He helped Simon up and planted a kiss on his chest. And Simon kissed Johnny on the forehead.
Simon’s eyes started getting watery again and Soap worried that he was overthinking again until he spoke, “I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you in my life.” He rested his head on top of Johnny’s and hugged him.
Johnny joked, “Damn right you’re lucky!” and hugged back.
The two made their way over to the bathroom and started taking off their clothes one by one. Nothing rushed a comfortable pace set by the two of them as they conversed about their day. Ups and downs.
“That little shit Private Anderson is going to be the death of me I swear Si.” Johnny sighed, “He can’t shoot straight to save his life!”
Simon started to chuckle, which turned into a whole-hearted belly laugh as he tried to make a joke out of what he just said, “Well… You could say we can’t shoot straight too.” And continued to snicker at his own joke.
Johnny gave Simon a stare, “You are the corniest man I know I swear.” And chuckled with him.
Simon went into the shower first and gave a sigh of relief when the hot water reached his back. He stood there for a minute or two to wait for John to come. Showers always made Simon feel some sort of comfort. The warm water pelting his skin soothed him so he could let his worries slip away for at least a little bit. But John, he’s his rock. His only constant in his life. Ever since the “Let’s get ourselves a win yeah, Lt? I’ll save ya a seat, sir.” Ghost couldn’t stop not thinking about that stupid Scottish man. When John confessed his feelings to him, he shut it down quicker than he shot Hassan. But after years and years of coaxing and encouragement, the Ghost finally cracked and let Johnny in.
“You alright there Si?” Soap looked concerned. He forgot towels and got some so when he finally got in the shower, he could see that Simon was spaced out.
Simon looked up at him, “Never better darling.” Johnny blushed and rolled his eyes as he scooted over and cracked the shampoo cap open and squeezed some into his hand. Simon had a dumb smile on his face because he loves when Johnny does the swirlies.
Johnny lathered his hands with the shampoo and started rubbing it into his hair. Simon gave a sigh of relief as he sat down on the shower seat. Johnny spoke softly, “You poor thing, I can see sweat lines all over you. How long was your nightmare?”
He mumbled, “I think I slept for 4 hours so bout 3 I suppose”
Johnny started rubbing tiny circles in his hair and made his way down to the back of his neck and started massaging there. Simon groaned and let his neck go limp as Johnny rubbed his thumbs into his shoulders. “I wish I could help you make them stop…”
Simon relaxed his shoulders as Johnny massage them, “They’re uhh… less frequent when you’re around.”
Johnny cocked an eyebrow and joked, “Oh really? Or can you just not admit that you actually like me?”
Johnny’s hands were massaging his midsection when all of a sudden, he felt Simon flinch. Simon silently cursed at himself when he did. “Sorry… new wound down there. I shoulda told you about tha-“
“What?!” Johnny sounded alarmed, “When did you get that?”
“On my last mission, I didn’t tell you?”
“No!” Johnny huffed, “What got you? It looks like a piece of shrapnel!”
“That’s because it was,” Simon sounded unbothered by that. Johnny on the other hand proceeded to ask him every question under the sun to figure out the who’s what’s, where’s, and how's pertaining to his wound. Until he massaged every part of him in the shower.
“Please next time tell me. I worry about you ya know!” Johnny taunted Simon.
“Okok I will!” Ghost promised, “Stamp it?” He held out his hand in a pinky promise.
“Stamp it.” Johnny pinky swore with him and stamped their thumbs together.
After the shower, the two got into their sleeping clothes and got ready for bed. Simon gave his love some backrubs that he knew would turn his muscles into jelly. Knowing every muscle to press and avoiding sensitive areas like the scar underneath his left armpit. He felt a big knot in Johnny’s shoulder.
“Whoa there Johnny, what’s going on there?”
“That’s usually where-“Johnny paused.
Simon looked down at Johnny, “Where what love?” he knew calling him that would get anything out of that man.
Johnny sighed and conceded, “That knot forms usually when I'm stressed out.”
“Oh” Simon said aloud, “Oh” he said in his mind. “I’m sorry for causing that.”
“Don’t be. It’s worth it if I know that I can make you feel better.” Johnny hummed as he turned to Simon and cuddled into his chest. A muffled, “I love you vibrated beneath him.
“Likewise, more than you’ll ever know,” Simon whispered as he planted a kiss on top of his head and dozed off. This time his dreams consisted of a certain Scotsman that made them all better.