Work Text:
It's a warm summer day
The sky is clear of clouds and the birds are chirping low in the background
Simon sees his little brother playing with a football, pouting the whole time seeing as Simon refused to play with him earlier
He takes one good look around again and spots his mother
She's sitting beside him on the balcony steps, also watching his brother
Her long strawberry-blond hair is flowing in the tiny wind blowing past them and she's wearing a plain white shirt with some jeans on
It's nice here
There's no ache in his heart that won't shrink even as the years go by and no harsh voices trying to whisper in his ears
Simon's mother shifts her focus from his brother to Simon
Her face is almost.. blurry? Like a distant memory
He can't even remember the face of his mother
She starts speaking
" The weather is nice, you should go play with Tommy while it's sunny out "
Her voice fills his body with warmth, like no other burning feeling the sun could replace
" I don't want to "
Simon states
He hears his voice and realizes how high it sounds
" Why? "
She questions
" I don't know, I just don't want to "
" It would make Tommy happy if you did. It would make me happy "
Simon may not see it but he knows his mother is smiling
" Do I have to? "
Simon whines
" No, you don't. But it would be nice, wouldn't it? To see your brother happy "
Simon moves his gaze back to Tommy who's still kicking the ball harshly on the fence, his face twisted with annoyance
" Fine… I'll play with him "
He stands up from the steps and starts walking down before his mother interrupts him
" Simon… "
Simon turns back to look at his mother, her face still unrecognizable
" Yeah? "
" I love you "
—
Ghost's eyes shoot up.
He hyperventilates for a few moments before finally calming down. Cold sweat flowed down his forehead and was sticky on his shoulders.
It was that dream again
The one that haunts his dreams in a comforting way. It's scary but calming.
He feels the warm body next to him shift around, getting a tighter grip on Ghost in his too-small bed.
Johnny
His stupid mohawk is messed up, hair strands all over the place. He's surely drooled enough on Ghost's pillow for it to need a wash in the morning but Johnny still looks as handsome as he always does. A weird charm but something Simon fell for immediately.
He's snoring so loudly that Ghost is impressed it wasn't the first thing he noticed. After sleeping beside Johnny so many times he's managed to tune it out completely.
He can see his legs are intertwined with Soaps. The covers on the other hand are nowhere in sight, only Johnny's body beside him to give warmth, and it doesn't bother Ghost even a little.
Ghost would choose him over any blanket or cover in the world, nothing felt the same as Soap's body heat on a cold night.
It's almost worrying how warm he is sometimes. Ghost had said it once when they were cuddling and Soap had just shrugged it off by saying:
" Not all of us are cold blooded Simon "
He noted while pulling Simon even closer. A snarky remark on how Ghost is always cold.
It reminded him of this moment
Ghost, probably ice cold, and Johnny, warm as a star trying to get closer despite all that.
Now that he's thinking about it, he only dreams when Soap is beside him. In all other terms, it's either nothing or nightmares from his past.
Soaps' alarming ability to take away all his worries in real life must have affected his dreams too, but that's something Ghost could live with.
It hurts to not remember the face of his mother. Her eyes, mouth, nose and smile, it takes a toll on his mind. Makes his guts anxious every time he tries.
However, if it meant to feel her presence, hear her voice, know that he still remembers her enough to understand that it is her.
The ache in his heart probably wouldn't mind