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Ghost stretched for what had to be the first time since he had woken over twelve hours ago. He had been sitting at his desk approving requests for the summer. People want to see family and take trips. He usually didn’t handle things like this but Price had asked for help and Ghost had provided. It was rare they denied requests like this. They all believed that everyone deserved time to rest and reset if they needed to. He moved the papers into a neat stack on his desk and stood to make himself another cup of tea and grab something to eat.
There was a soft knock at his door as soon as he finished making his tea and sat back down. He was letting it cool off, eating a protein bar when he called for whoever was there to walk in. It was a rookie that Simon had trained, his name was Owen Stevens, he believed but he couldn’t be sure.
“Lieutenant.” He saluted before coming to stand in front of Ghost’s desk, leaving Ghost’s door open. Ghost had a rule that if it was a long meeting they wanted with him, close the door if it was short, leave it open so he knew if he needed to block off time or the request was simple. Stevens didn’t flinch at the sight of Ghost’s mouth being visible and Ghost couldn’t care to pull the mask down, continuing to eat and look up at the young man in his office. His face was swollen and red, as if he had been crying.
“I would like to take back my request for time off, sir.” His voice shaky and Simon could see that he was holding back tears. He popped the last bit of the protein bar into his mouth, cleaned his hands and pulled down his mask before he started searching for the man’s request after double checking his name. The young man either didn’t care that Ghost didn’t know his name or was too upset with whatever else was going on. He found it, reading over it. It was a simple request to see his family for a week. Ghost had approved it, knowing the kid hadn’t seen his family since he had enlisted.
“It’s been approved, Stevens. If that’s what you’re worried about.” Ghost said, meeting his eyes once more and he shook his head, taking a shaky breath.
“That’s not my issue, sir.” His voice was thick with tears and Ghost sighed, standing up and walking to close the door, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.
“You want to tell me what’s going on? It’s not my business but you seemed extremely excited a few days ago when I told you I would approve this.” He said, sitting back down and waiting. The young man was wringing his hands and looking anywhere but directly at Ghost. He opened his mouth a few times, swallowing back tears that Simon could see brewing. He opened his desk side drawer and set a pack of tissues in front of him.
During his years of service he had found that for some reason kids like him, kids that came from troubled homes or used the service to get away, flocked to him. They stuck by his side, came to him for advice or just to talk. Ghost never minded, he enjoyed being there for them in a way that someone was never there for him. If it would help them to not end up like him, he was happy to help. He had listened to many sob stories, offered tea, cakes and tissues without blinking. The base had a therapist but some of their rookies found him easier to be around, easier to be honest with. He assumed that the mask had something to do with it. The only thing they could see were his eyes, they didn’t have to watch his whole face react and for the most part Ghost tried to not give any reaction at all to what they told him. He was empathic, sure. But he didn’t overexaggerate his reactions.
“I can’t go home.” Stevens whispered, grabbing for a tissue and hiding his face behind it. Ghost stared at him for a long time, not understanding what he meant. Stevens had always talked to Ghost about his family back home, his wonderful parents and loving older brother. How his grandfather had been so proud of him for following in the family footsteps of joining the service. That he had joined partly to make them proud and partly to try and change the world. The kid was optimistic, Ghost would give him that. He never had a single negative thing to say about them but that didn’t mean the negative things weren’t there. Ghost knew that better than anyone.
“What do you mean you can’t go home?” Ghost asked, sitting up straighter and crossing his arms on his desk to rest on his elbows. Stevens took a long moment, wiping away silent tears and once again opening his mouth to speak before closing it, over and over again. As if the sentence was too hard for him to say. Ghost stood, making a cup of tea for him, pouring the other half of the tea he had made for the young man. Placing it in front of him with everything he had for adding into tea. He didn’t judge anyone for how they took their tea. Though sometimes he really should have but they didn’t come to his office to get judged.
He also made sure to grab a prepackaged cake and set it there as well. Giving people something to focus on besides what they were going through usually helped them open up more. At least that was something Ghost had learned during his time of doing this. If they could focus on making the tea to their liking or opening and eating the cake, it helped them say it.
They sat there in silence as Stevens made his tea and opened the cake, taking one bite and setting it back down, thanking Ghost for each of them. Ghost just nodded, grabbing his own tea to take a sip, pulling the mask up and down again. They went back to silence and Ghost didn’t mind. He would sit here all night if he had to. He had done it before for other soldiers and he would do it now.
“I-” He begins taking a deep breath. “I came out to them today. I’ve known I was gay since a young age and I came out to them today, before I go home so that isn’t weighing on me.” Ghost’s stomach twisted. He knew where this was going but he was begging anyone that was listening that he wasn’t going to hear it. For this kid’s sake not his own. He had heard his fair share of homophobic family stuff, had even experienced some of it in his own lifetime. Johnny’s father hadn’t been all too pleased to find out about them and even now that they were married he still held some hatred for Simon “turning” his son. It was logic that made no sense but Simon didn’t argue. They didn’t see him very often anyway. His own father had been an issue that Simon didn't like touching on for many reasons, but his reaction to his oldest son being gay was not a bright memory for the Riley household.
“They told me not to worry about coming home. That I had no home with them. That I could say here getting a cock shoved up my ass for the summer. Since I seemed to love that more than them and despite me telling them I was on missions or training they have now decided that me being gay is the reason I hadn’t come home.” He said and Ghost winced a little. It was brutal, a horrible thing to be said to you especially coming from the people you love the most. It was always going to hurt so much worse hearing it from those you valued, whose opinions you valued more than any money in the world.
“So because of that I would like to end my request.” He said, tears were flowing now, he was sobbing and Ghost grabbed the request and sighed.
“I’m not denying your request.” The kid’s head shot up, a look of betrayal in his eyes. Ghost held up a hand, gesturing for him to wait a minute.
“I want you to take this week and do something for yourself. Go on a trip you’ve always wanted to go on. Do something, anything but laying around this base.” He said and Stevens chuckled, though there was no humor, no inkling of warmth in it.
“I don’t have any money, Lt.. They took it.” He explained and Ghost stood, walking to the closet in his office and reaching into the safe, pulling out a thick stack of money. Ghost wasn’t rich by any means but he rarely left base for almost twenty years, now he and Johnny lived in a family home that had been paid for years ago. They had no kids so his money had done nothing but climb, especially in his younger years. He set the stack in front of the kid and gestured to it.
“There’s your money, Stevens.”
“Absolutely not, Lieutenant Riley. I can’t take that.” He tried to hand it back, standing up and straining over the desk but Ghost pushed his rolling chair away from his desk so the kid couldn’t reach him.
“Yes, you can and you will because I promise my paycheck is bigger than yours and I’ve been alive a lot longer, saving my money for a lot longer. My husband won’t mind. Don’t stress about it.” He said, adding in the husband comment to help the young man relax a little. Stevens’ eyes widened as he sat back down, holding the money in his hand.
“Husband?” Stevens whispered and Ghost nodded, pulling off his glove and flashing the black silicone band he wore underneath. He and Johnny never brought their real wedding bands onto the base, it was too big of a hazard and they had been expensive. So silicone bands were the way to go. Stevens’ eyes tracked the ring and watched until Ghost put his glove back on and clasped his hands together, pulling himself back to sit at his desk rather than a foot away from it.
“Go on a trip for yourself, have as much fun as you want, wear protection and be back in a week. We good?” He asked and Stevens smiled at him, wiping at his eyes.
“I was a little worried to come and talk to you about this. I wasn’t sure how you were going to react.” He admitted and Ghost smiled at him behind his mask.
“Even if I wasn't gay myself, I have a bisexual nephew, Stevens.” He told him and Stevens’ eyes blew open wide.
“So you were the perfect person to come to.” Ghost shrugged and leaned back in his chair.
“I don’t know about perfect but I know what it feels like to be in your shoes.” He smiled and Stevens looked down at hands and back up at Ghost.
“When he told you, was there even a single moment where you loved him any less?” He asked, it was a stupid question, especially after Ghost had told him he was gay but he knew that Stevens needed to know. He needed to hear the answer, like all of the queer kids that came before and would come after seeking Ghost’s help with shitty family.
“No.” Ghost answered, “I never loved him any less.” He smiled and Stevens nodded, standing up, grabbing his unfinished cake, the money and turning to leave. He grabbed the door knob and Simon stood up to watch him go and to grab another cake, but Stevens didn’t have to know that. He stood with his hand on the knob and turned around.
“Can I ask an inappropriate question, Lieutenant?” He asked and Ghost chuckled, nodding his head.
“You can definitely ask it, whether I answer it.” He moved his hands as if weighing something and shrugged. “We’ll see.” Stevens laughed and sighed, turning back around to face Ghost completely.
“Can I have a hug?” He asked and Ghost was taken aback for a moment at the question. He had never been a hugger. That was all Johnny. But Ghost smiled and walked around his desk. He never offered hugs but if the kids who came into his office asked for one, he wouldn't deny them one. It was a rule he had placed for himself when it came to Joseph and anyone who needed his help. Especially for moments like this.
“If you need it.” He said, opening his arms and Stevens flew into his chest, hugging him tightly and Ghost hugged him back, rubbing his back and letting him cry into his chest, letting him get it all out. He knew what this pain felt like, it was a pain that was so unique to every person that had it and yet so utterly the same. They stayed like for a few minutes and Stevens eventually backed up, wiping his eyes and nodded.
“Sorry, I kinda got my tears and snot…” But Ghost waved him off, telling him it wasn’t a big deal and in truth it wasn’t. Not to him. Not when Stevens seemed better for it.
“Thank you for everything, Lieutenant Riley. Your nephew is lucky to have you.”
“Enjoy your break, kid.” He smiled and Stevens left and Ghost sat back down at his desk, taking his jacket off and hanging it on his chair. He started working on answering emails and doing more paperwork.
When he got back to Johnny that night he told him. Johnny listened the entire time they were getting ready for bed. They talked about it, what it had been like for them when they had been in Stevens’ shoes. Johnny had gotten it worse between the two of them, Simon’s mother had loved him. Though she had been a little confused at first, she had never treated him like some parents treated their children. HIs father had been a nightmare when he had found out but he was a nightmare before that so Ghost wasn’t too worried about his opinions. That didn’t mean the rejection didn’t sting because it truly did. Ghost went to sleep that night with his arms wrapped around his husband and utterly grateful for him.
When the summer months were fully upon them Ghost was in his office once again, doing more paperwork. He really needed to learn when to say no when Price asked for help but he knew if he did Price would pull the Captain card and Ghost would have to do it anyway. He was sipping his tea, Johnny sitting on his desk and talking to him about something that had happened during the run he had done today. It was peaceful and Ghost was enjoying listening as he did the mindless work, the paperwork was second nature and didn’t require much thought so he paid more attention to Johnny rather than it.
A knock came at the door and Simon called for them to come in, pulling his mask down over his face. Johnny turned around to see who it was and Simon was surprised to find Stevens in his doorway, far more tanned than he had been before.
“Welcome back.” Simon said and Stevens laughed, nodding.
“Hello, Sgt. MacTavish.” He greeted, before turning to face Simon. “I did what you said and I met a guy.” He smiled and Ghost laughed, clapping his hands together.
“Well don’t keep us waiting.” Ghost smiled and Stevens told them about the guy he had met, how they had met at some bar, made out in the back alley and now they’ve been talking consistently for the entire week and even now he was still talking to him. The guy had been okay going long distance and Stevens was thrilled.
“Happy to hear that, kid.” Simon smiled and Johnny congratulated him as well.
“I just wanted to stop by and say that and drop this off for you and your husband as a thank you.” He placed a bottle of bourbon down on the desk and Simon smiled at him, thanking him for it. Not looking at Johnny because he would burst into laughter if he did and didn’t want it to seem like he was laughing in the young man’s face.
“You didn’t have to do that, kid. But we appreciate it.” He smiled and Stevens shrugged, telling Simon it was the least he could do after how Simon had been there for him when he really needed someone.
“I should go.” He said and Johnny stood, cracking his back.
“I should too, I still need a shower.” Ghost hummed, waving both of them goodbye and turning back to his paperwork, already missing Johnny by his side.
Stevens walked into the hallway with Sgt. MacTavish smiled at him and nodded his head.
“Sgt. MacTavish.” He said and Johnny laughed, shaking his head.
“Sgt. Riley, kid.” He said, flashing his matching black silicone ring and Stevens’ face went bright red and he didn’t know what to do. For a moment he just stood there before laughing so hard he had to clutch the wall. Because of course it was Soap. There had been rumors about the two of them but he had assumed they were nothing but good friends, how wrong he had been indeed.
Even though Ghost rarely saw Stevens in his office again, he would get updated every once in a while about the guy Stevens was seeing. It wasn’t until a couple years later that a request for a month off crossed his desk and Stevens was standing in front of him smiling.
“A month?” Simon asked and Stevens nodded.
“For the wedding.” He answered and Simon wondered if this was what proud parents felt like, this joy for the man standing before him who had come to him broken and exiled from his family and now is getting married to the man he loved. Ghost didn’t have to think twice about it before approving the time off and sending Stevens on his way.
“Our wedding day was the best day of my life.” Ghost told Johnny that night as they undressed to get in the shower.
“I know that, dove. You tell me so all the time.” Johnny smiled at him, stepping into the shower, Ghost followed closely behind, wrapping his arms around Johnny, resting his chin on his shoulder and his hands on Johnny’s lower stomach.
“I just want to make sure you never forget.” He said and Johnny turned around in his arms, wrapping his arms around Simon’s shoulders and kissing him deeply.
“I’ll never forget.” He replied and Simon smiled at him, hoping wherever Stevens was he was just as happy with the man he loved. Shitty family be damned.