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It has now been a week since soap and ghost had last slept together in a bed. Not sexually, just sleeping next to each other, cuddling and sharing sweet kisses. The sergeant had been occupied with training the new recruits all day long and ghost was stuck with filling out reports. A failed mission had left him five stacks of paperwork and there was no time left for the couple. Every time either soap or ghost had some time to eat, sleep or shower the other was not available. This really started to bother ghost, he missed the loving touches from his boyfriend, the soft kisses on his forehead and the quick glances they sometimes shared during meetings.
He missed him.
He would never tell anybody, oh no no no. Not even soap himself.
It has been another stressful day, without a word from johnny, when price invited them to a night out at a bar. At first, ghost wasn’t too keen on going but with a lot of convincing, that it would help him get his mind of his paperwork and that the rest of 141 would also be there, he reluctantly agreed.
Walking into the bar with price, he made a quick scan for possible enemies lounging in a corner or any other threats. Price looked at him sadly but understandingly and just shook his head. Realizing that there were was no danger, he made his way to the booth gaz and soap were already sitting in. At the sight of soap, his heart started to beat a little faster.
As he reached the booth he took a seat next to soap who scooted a bit a way to make space for the larger man. A bourbon was already waiting for him on the table, probably ordered by johnny. He rolled his masked over the bridge of his nose and took a sip. Normally, ghost would stick with one bourbon but being constantly stressed out about not sleeping right without his boyfriend next to him, he let himself go.
One bourbon quickly became two, then three…
Two hours had passed and there were seven empty glasses scattered before Ghost. He was getting tired and started to sway lightly in his seat. Unconsciously, he slid closer and closer to johnny until their sides were pressed together. Johnny was warm and smelled like wildflowers and vanilla.
‘God, how he had missed that smell’
Simons head was getting heavier and heavier and keeping it up was becoming more difficult by the second. Oh so slowly, his head started to drop, centimeter by centimeter until it was nested on johnny shoulder.
His eyes were still open but his blinks were getting slower and slower, each time it was getting harder to lift his eyelids again.
He closed his eyes again and just before he drifted off to sleep, he felt a kiss being pressed to the top of his mask and a head lightly resting on his own.
-
When ghost entered the bar, Johnny’s heart skipped a beat. Soap was surprised that the man even showed up, nights out weren’t his thing. He was happy to see him, it has now been a whole week since he had seen the man. He sometimes saw him walk by the training-grounds, his shoulder hanging low and body tense. Johnny could see the dark eye bags from a mile, the nightmares must have gotten worse.
Since they started to sleep in the same bed, johnny learned that Simon was regularly plagued by nightmares. Either from his family dying, 141 betraying him or about johnny dying in his arms. Johnny dying was a new one. When ghost had that dream for the first time, he woke up screaming Johnny’s name over and over again, not believing soap when he told him that he was alive and save. That night, Simon slept on top of johnny, with his ear pressed to his chest right over his heart and with his fingers steadily feeling the pulls point on Johnny’s wrist.
It broke Johnny’s heart to see the man he loved lose sleep because of him.
Johnny too didn’t miss the quick scan of the room that ghost did when he entered the bar. It was sad to see that the man could never give up his guard and was always on edge.
Soap made room for him to sit down, leaving a little space between them. He didn’t want to make ghost uncomfortable by touching him when he was clearly nervous about being around so many unknown people.
He was relieved when ghost silently excepted the drink johnny had ordered for him. It meant that he was at least comfortable enough to drink a little. With that, johnny turned his attention back to the conversation he was having with gaz and price.
As the hours passed by, johnny felt Simon steadily creeping closer to him until their sides were flush together. He didn’t mind because he knew Simon could get pretty clingy when he was getting drunk.
He was a little surprised when he felt a head lean on his shoulder, unconsciously grounding him. When he looked to his left, he saw ghost with his eyes closed and fast asleep on his shoulder. He smiled fondly to himself and gave him a quick kiss on the top of his head. He heard ghost sigh and he went completely limp.
-
Another hour had passed and during that hour johnny didn’t move /an inch/. He wanted ghost to get as much rest as he could, knowing that the man really needed it. Johnny felt honored that Simon felt comfortable enough to let his guard down. He trusted johnny to keep him safe.
Every time some approached the table or came even near the booth, johnny growled lowly, a warning to everybody who dares to come near the sleeping lieutenant.
-
Half an hour later, ghost began to stir on soaps shoulder, nuzzling into his neck. He started to slur.
“Johnnnnnnyyyyy?”
“Yes simon?”
Ghost lifted his head a little, looking confused for a second and obviously searching for something. Locking eyes with johnny he clearly found what he was looking for and a bright smile spread over his face.
“Johnnnyyy!” He nearly yelled with excitement. The smile still on full display because of the mask being rolled up on the bright of his nose. “I missed you.” He said while cuddling up to Johnny’s side, nippling at his neck and jaw.
“I know, love, I missed you too” hummed johnny, not bothered by the fleeting glances they were getting.
“D-do… do you love meeeee?”
“Yes of course, si. I love you very much.” He smiled at Simon, his eyes filled with love.
“Really?!” He was overjoyed.
“Yes,” he huffed a laugh, “really”
“You /love/ me?”
“Yes i do”
“Hmm”, Simon hummed happily,”you love me”
Suddenly, ghost jolted up, panic clear in his eyes.
“But do you *hicks*… do you know?”
“Do i know what, si?”
“That-that I love you too?”
“Of course I know that you love me too. You show me every day.” There was light concussion in his voice, not sure why Simon was asking such a question.
“But are you surrrrrrrre? Are you sure you knowwwwww?” There was clear sadness in ghosts voice.
“Yes i’m sure, why are you asking.”
Be-because…. Because,” the smile had abruptly dropped and there were now tears flowing down Simons cheeks.
‘Well that was a quick change of emotion’
“I never tell you how much i love youuuuu. You’re so important to me and I never tell you that you mean the world to me.”
Ghost was now full on crying and clinging to his side. Johnnys heart was melting inside but he still had to suppress a chuckle. He couldn’t, however, hold back the wide grin that spread over his face, seeing his completely wasted boyfriend having the hardest mode swings he has ever seen.
“Oh simon, don’t cry, please. You don’t have to tell me how much i mean to you” he chuckled.
“YeEeEeeEeeeEeEEesssss i doooo” ghost sobbed in his neck.
“Honey, please look at me. You don’t have to tell me because you /show/ me. You show me every day by bringing me coffee in the morning, helping me with my reports even though you have paperwork of your own. You remind me to drink enough water and bring me food when i’m to tired to get it from the cafeteria myself. I know that you love me by your actions” he was now cupping ghost checks, whipping away his tears with his thump.
“Real-*hicks*-really?”
“Yes, love, really.”
He had to laugh a little by the look he got from ghost after the confession. His eyes grew wide and the bright smile came back with full force.
“Okay…………. I love you, i love you, i love you, i love you, i love you…” He was papering johnny with kisses all over his face, repeating “i love you” at least a 100 times.
After Simon had stopped kissing johnny all over his face and settled with ,again, nibbling lazily at his neck and jaw, johnny ordered a bottle of water for him. When the bottle was brought by the waiter he pried ghost off of himself, getting a needy whine from the wasted man, and pushing the bottle into his hand. He ordered him to drink and ghost made a joke about ‘who is giving orders now, huh?!’
Simon nearly /imploded/ the bottle with how tight he was holding it and how fast he was drinking.
‘Damn, he must’ve been /thirsty/!’
When the bottle was empty and crushed into a tiny ball (even wasted he was strong like a bear), he turned to johnny expectingly, awaiting another order.
Johnny realized that it may be the best if they would end the night early so he can get Simon home and into bed.
“Okay, lets go!” He clapped his hands together, signalizing that they are leaving. This turned out to be anything but a great idea because ghost gave a curt nod and /swung/ himself out of the booth, on his feet and dropped straight to he floor…
Johnny slapped his face and sight, peeking through his fingers and just looked at his boyfriend, laying face down on the floor, not bothering to get up. He groaned and got up to help Simon stand up. He took his hand and shook it.
“Common Simon, get up, we’re going home.”
“Whyyyyyy?” He whined.
“Because you can’t even stand up straight and you need to sleep off the alcohol, thats why.”
Without another word, ghost hauled himself up and was now standing on wobbly legs. Johnny took one of his arms and dragged it over his shoulders, caring most of ghosts weight. He said a quick goodbye to price and gaz and left the bar.
Unfortunately, they were here without a car so they had to walk. On the way back to base they had to stop multiple times, once ghost had to trow up in a bush, another time he suddenly started to laugh hysterical about some jock he had told soap (he slurred so heavy that he didn’t understand a word) and one time he just stop walking, not caring that johnny nearly fell to the floor because of it.
Why he stopped? Johnny didn’t know but also didn’t care.
They finally reached ghost quarters. Johnny opened the door and lead ghost to his cot, letting him fall into bed without even taking off his shoes. Simon was still mumbling and slurring, talking about him eating the last popsicle and that he felt bad for not telling gaz.
It was true, gaz had made a fuss about someone eating the last popsicle when he had specifically reserved it for himself. ‘God, he could be a drama queen sometimes’
Soap took off ghost boots and helped him sit up and get out of his clothes. Simon was now laying in bed, only in his boxers and was already drifting off to sleep. Johnny just looked at the sleeping form of his boyfriend with loving eyes. He gave him a soft kiss to his forehead and made his way to the door.
“Don’t go” it was just a whisper and soap nearly missed it.
“What?”
“Don’t leave…please. I don’t wanna be alone again.”
“Simon, you’re drunk and you really need to sleep an-“
“Please johnny, I can’t go another night without you.” He sounded so desperate and how could he deny his boyfriend.
He made his way back to the cot, took off his clothes until he was just in his boxers and got into bed next to ghost. Simon immediately dragged himself over johnny and let himself fall on top of him, forcing a huff out of johnny. He tucked his head under Johnny’s chin, kissing his collarbone lovingly.
“Thank you”
Johnny just kissed him on the head and told him to go to sleep.
There was silence for around 15 minutes and johnny thought that Simon was already asleep when he heard him quietly saying: “I hope you really know how much you mean to me. I love you, Johnny.”
“I love you too, Simon, with all my heart.”