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After a particularly long and hard day of training new recruits, Soap slowly trudges to Ghost's room after taking a hot, much needed shower. Heaven knows he wanted one after a long day in the sun.
He softly knocks against Ghost's door, it's not so late in the day. Ghost is probably just reading or mulling over paperwork. And besides, he said to come and knock on his door if Soap ever needed him. Whether it was to relax, talk, or something else.
Soap can hear shuffling around inside of Ghost's room, a pause, and then the door opens.
"Johnny?" Surprisingly, Ghost's face is unobstructed by his mask, but his face is contorted with confusion. Not fully expecting Soap to be at his door.
Soap—not fully expecting himself to be at Ghost's door either— drinks in the sight of Simon's askew blond hair, the scars that adorn his face beautifully, and his brown eyes Soap could get lost in for days.
"Aye. Who else do ye think could pull off this mullet, ye cunt?"
Simon tries his best not to crack a small smile at that— but fails terribly. Simon wordlessly moves aside and opens the door for Johnny to come into his room.
Only after Johnny comes in and Simon closes the door does he wrap Soap in a bone crushing hug, nearly squeezing all the air out of Johnny's lungs.
If you asked Simon if he felt Johnny completely melt into the hug, he would deny it at all costs, and Soap would do the same. But it just wouldn’t be true.
Simon slowly releases Johnny from the hug, realizing that Johnny does need air despite however long Johnny may be able to hold his breath.
Still standing in the middle of the room, Johnny doesn't fully realize he's been let go from the hug in a daze, but he still lets his cheek rest on Simon's chest, only to then turn his face to try to smother himself in Simon's pecs.
Simon tries to push Johnny's head off, but to no avail. Only goes to softly embrace him again, refraining from squeezing the air out of Johnny's lungs.
"Long day?" Simon takes his harsh sigh against his chest as a "yes."
Simon tries to push Johnny off of him again, but he still won't budge. "C'mon, Soap. Go lay down on my bed." Simon gets a response at that one. A grumble, but Simon will take it.
Simon somehow manages to manhandle Johnny onto the bed, but Johnny still doesn't let go of Simon.
"Soap— I got mission reports to write—"
"Fuck yer reports. Read tae me like one o' yer french girls." This time, it's Simon's turn to grumble in response. But once he looks into Johnny's tired blue eyes, he crumbles wholly and completely. He always does. Every time.
Johnny only lets Simon go so he can get a book to read. "Pride and Prejudice, or Sherlock Holmes?" Johnny's eyes widen in laughter when he hears his first choice.
"Ye read Jane Austen?" Soap tries not to laugh while he says this.
Simon gives Johnny the bitchiest bitch face to ever bitch face. "Yes. Why's that so hard to comprehend, Sergeant?"
Only then does Johnny burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" Hands on his hips now, books forgotten on his desk.
"Nae—" a wheeze, "it's jus ye reminded me o' Mr. Darcy." Another small giggle.
"I am not. Now stop laughing at my book choices or i'm not going to read to you." That stops Johnny's laughing near instantly, though he gives Simon the puppy eyes to make sure that Simon will still read to him. Johnny knows full well Simon folds so easily at his puppy eyes he doesn't even need to try.
Simon does a full body eye roll, but grabs his Pride and Prejudice book. Simon makes sure Johnny is securely tucked under his blankets before climbing in bed beside him.
Johnny shifts so his head is laying on Simon's lap instead of the pillow, and Johnny very quickly realizes that Simon tries to do different voices for each of the characters.
Smiling and content, Johnny slowly drifts off to sleep, feeling Simon card his fingers through his hair in between turning pages.
Johnny thinks in between that half asleep, half awake daze, that this is his new favorite way to unwind after a hard day.