Work Text:
It was a bad day. A bad emotion day, as the 141 fondly called it. There were small disagreements that turned to full on arguments simply because Ghost metaphorically woke up on the wrong side of the bed. As far as the rest of them could see, he just needed to destress, they couldn’t see the darker eye bags underneath the eyeblack and mask. He needed what he refused to ask for; gentle love, care and rest. But mostly less stress. Johnny was right there, waiting for him to slip so he could catch him with open arms.
All day was spent mostly walking on eggshells until Simon crashed.
Crashed. Not slipped.
The man crashed in bed. Curled up into as tight of a ball as he could manage, and he slept. The nightmares clawed his brain till he tossed and turned loud enough to alert others. It was Soap who rushed in the second he was aware of the worrying sounds of the beds movement and the shuffling from behind the closed door.
Upon entering, it was clear just how distressed Ghost was in his sleep. His mask damp at the neck and forehead with sweat. Small whimpers fell from his lips, grumbles low in his chest added to the trembling of his shoulders. His eyeblack smudging away after each movement of his head that pulled his mask with it. A pillow was held tightly to his chest.
In an instant, as if he sensed Johnny’s presence, Simon jolted off of the pillows. Tears welled in his eyes, his eyes jumping from spots around the room until he saw Soap near the door. The sobs then fully came out, reaching out and grasping at air.
“Buu-uh-bba!!” He cried, the tears mixing with sweat and eyeblack that eventually soaked the eye of his mask. Simon grabbed at the air near Soap, cries only growing louder.
Johnny looked frazzled at the sudden cry and change in position, then again, he knew just how bad Simon’s dreams could mess with him. He could only imagine the hell that was happening in his head. He stepped forward and quickly scooped Simon into his arms. Even as tall and heavy as Ghost was, Soap couldn’t ever say no. He even went to the lengths to buff himself up enough to hold the little one and still be comfortable.
“Bubba’s here, Bubba’s got ye.” Soap softly settled Simon in his arms, all gentle love. Kisses were placed on Simon’s masked face as Johnny rocked him slowly.
Inconsolable for minutes at a time, Johnny barely managed to get his mask off and a pacifier in his mouth before he rushed to grab the rest of Simon’s regressing gear. A diaper was a must. Especially after a nap with nightmares. Holding Simon was certainly a task while the little one cried and cried.
Laying him down was even more of a nightmare.
Simon practically screeched as he was laid down, nonsense babbles of jumbled words came from him the second he was placed down. Lots of ‘up’s, and ‘bubba’s.
The little one didn’t quite see that he needed to be padded up in times like this. But Johnny worked fast, even with Simon kicking his weak, tired, legs. He was padded up in just a few minutes then Simon was back in his arms. Just a hoodie on to cover him, his hoodies being on the baggy side helped with that. Soap rocked with Simon in his arms, slow and stable movement.
“I know.. Bubba’s got ye now. It’s all okay..” Soap placed soft kisses along Simon’s face, wiping away the tears though it smudged the eyeblack.
Simon’s cheek mushed against Soap’s palm the moment he was close enough to get that contact. His cries became a bit more muted as the contact persisted. Johnny’s hand stroked away each tear that fell down his cheek.
“Yeah.. Bubba’s here.” Johnny whispered softly. “You’re so brave, M'eudail.. So brave facin’ those nightmares all on yer own, hm?” He praised as he kissed his nose.
A weak giggle was given to the kiss, teary and glassy eyes peering up at Johnny. The darkness in the corners of his eyes began to fade, brushing away all those monsters from his perception.
“Yeah! Bubba’s so proud of ye, ‘m so so proud.” The carer grinned down at Simon. “My wee lad.” He cooed.
Simon tearily looked up at him, tears steadily dripped down his cheeks till a stop. He babbled quietly up at Soap, putting his fingers in his mouth to chew on. The tears stained his cheeks with smudged eyeblack. He blinked up at him.
“Ah,” Johnny tsked as he chuckled, “No chewin’ on yer fingers, Si.” He removed the little one’s hand from his mouth, leaning over to the side table of the bed to grab Simon one of his pacifiers from the drawer. Seeing Simon calm down so quick just from being rocked by him warmed his heart.
The pacifier was gently popped into his mouth, and Johnny slowly began to sit down with him on the side of the bed. It only took a second for Simon to start fussing at that. The pacifier bobbed in his mouth as he began to wiggle in his lap.
“Ye just wanna be rocked, is tha’ it, cutie?” Johnny fondly shook his head. He grunted as he stood up with Simon, rocking him slowly once again.
It worked quickly, Ghost quieted down and rested his head down on Soap’s chest. Just over his heart like always, listening to the steady beat like it was a lullaby.
“Yeah… ye just wanna rock with me, hm?” He kissed his head gently. He could clean Simon’s face later, he just needed the boy to be comfortable before he added any tasks to their day.
“Bubba…” Simon babbled behind his pacifier, blinking up at him. One of his hands rested gently on Soap’s chest as he played with the fabric by rolling it between his fingers.
“What’s up, lad?” Johnny softly bounced him to get him in a more comfortable position for the both of them. He smiled down at Simon, giving a gentle hum of encouragement.
Simon didn’t quite respond, huffing a little and nuzzling up to him instead. He grabbed a fistful of Johnny’s shirt to hold tightly.
“I’m not goin’ anywhere, Mo ghraidh.” Soap kissed his head. He never stopped rocking him, swaying happily with Simon in his arms as he occasionally took a few steps to keep up with movement.
“Bubba p’omise..?” Simon murmured, hardly intelligible behind the pacifier.
“Bubba promises.” Johnny assured him. A sweet grin spread across his face as he watched Simon melt against him at that. “I’ve got ye, love, rest those eyes.” He rubbed his back in slow motions.
He couldn’t quite say no to that. Simon closed his eyes, despite fighting it the whole time. He kept his head firmly pressed against Johnny’s chest, listening for both the rumble of his voice and his heartbeat.
When his eyes shut, there wasn’t anything scary waiting to grasp him from the safety of his carer’s arms. Instead, he found warmth and safety in the void of nothingness. No hands dared to pull him under the water, nothing shouted to him, nothing clawed at him. It was all safe instead. Soap’s soft murmuring of sweet words and assurances kept him afloat, he even got a few kisses.
Sleep was far away. That wasn’t the intention. He removed the stressful excess stimuli that kept his head running a mile a minute and simply trusted that Johnny would keep him safe. To watch out for him. And he always did, always had his six.
“I love you, Si.” He heard Soap whisper to him while gently pressing their foreheads together.
Simon felt his gentle breaths against his face, relaxing further at the close proximity. Rather than forcing the words out, he babbled happy, but sleepy, nonsense in response. Of course with a goofy little smile as well, he couldn’t help it.
“There’s a smile..” Johnny purred, pulling back a little before planting a kiss to his nose.
The little one babbled quietly before he simply hummed. He comfortably settled, deep breaths filling his lungs again.
As always, Soap caught him when he fell. Picked him up when he broke. Ran to him when he was distressed and fixed him right up. Made the world right again.