Ghost X Reader - Tumblr Posts - Page 2

Ghost x GN! Reader SMUT

Breaking & Entering

This scenario was previously discussed and agreed to between you and Ghost. Everything that happens in this scenario has been carefully planned and talked about.

CW: (I tried to keep anything that might seem like dubcon to a minimum- reader does enjoy what is happening to them throughout the entire scenario!) mean! Ghost, teasing, pet names (doll, dolly, angel, angelface), talks of free use, creampie, mentions of multiple creampies, overstim, multiple orgasms, ghost plays the role as a stranger/burglar

“Are you sure, doll?” Your husband asked, caressing your cheek gently as he looked down at you. You held his hand into your own, leaning into his warm touch. “Of course hun, this was my idea.” You smirked, blushing slightly as scenario after scenario played in your head. The previous day, you brought up an idea to your husband to try and spice up your bedroom life.

You two had always discussed the idea of role playing, even watching films together to try and get inspiration. However, all that really came up was pizza delivery men, plumbers, etc. all too cheesy for you both. Then, you remembered what your husband did for a living. He’s probably broken into many homes, kicking in countless doors, all that. So, why not do something similar?

You two were making dinner together when you brought up the idea. Your words taking Ghost by surprise, though, as always it didn’t show on his face. “You want to, what?” Ghost put the knife down on the cutting board, giving you his full attention. “Act like a burglar love! But, instead of taking the money, you take me instead. Yeah?” You gave him a mischievous look, taking a step towards him and placed a hand on his chest. A low groan escaped Ghost, wrapping his arms around your waist and lifting you so he could kiss you properly. That night you two discussed what would take place, not completely as you wanted to keep an element as surprise for fun. Ghost assured you that if he was being too rough, you were completely free to use the safe word at anytime.

Today was the day, Ghost had left the house for personal reasons, but one of the surprises was that you’d never know what time he’d come home to act out this scenario, if he wanted to, he could come into the house not making a single noise, which is exactly what he’s planning.

———

You were folding laundry on your bed, your favorite playlist playing in the background. It was a pretty relaxing day, you got a lot done. You cleaned all the dishes, vacuumed, even mopped. Once you were done with your laundry, you’d be able to relax for the day, aside from making dinner. It was around late November, so the sun was already beginning to set by the time you were folding laundry. What you didn’t know, is that someone was coming to intrude on your plans for that day. A tall and dark silhouette began to grow over your half closed door as the figure got ever closer to you, the music playing masking what little noise the figure made as he opened your door.

You were too preoccupied with folding laundry to notice the heavy breathing behind you, until you felt the warm breathes on the top of your head. You quickly turned around, but as soon as your eyes locked on the tall figure, a skull mask meeting your eyes, both his hands came and grabbed you.

The tall man pulled you into him, your back meeting his chest, he sat you down between his legs as he sat at the edge of your bed, one arm wrapped around your throat, his other hand on your forehead to keep you completely planted on his chest.

Your hands came up and clawed at his arms, kicking your feet and even trying to bite him, all fighting in vain of course, not like you wanted this to stop.

The first sound that came from the mysterious intruder was quiet shushing, the hand on your forehead trying to bring some faux comfort as his thumb gentle rubbed up and down.

“Wh..What do you want?” You finally asked, still clawing at the arm around your neck, more like a vise to keep you in place than to add pressure to your airway. “Money? I..I have money!” The man shushed you again, this time more assertively. You stopped talking, your breath extremely shaky, but you couldn’t help but notice the slight tingly feeling in your gut and between your thighs.

“I don’t want money, angelface.” His voice was very deep, and raspy, you noticed the British accent that rang through the room, not helping with the situation between your legs.

“I want you.” Quickly, the intruder manhandled you, moving your body on his lap the way he wanted to. The hand on your forehead came off, now that entire arm wrapped around your waist as he moved you slightly to the left, the other arm that was around your neck now off, the hand on that arm coming to your face, squishing your cheeks together and leaned your face up to look at him better, or rather, his mask.

It was an all black balaclava, a skull stitched onto it, but you could see two beautiful dark eyes surrounded by black makeup underneath. You could see the lust that glazed over the man’s eyes as you finally looked at him completely, you looked like a deer in headlights to him; big glassy eyes and a slightly open mouth.

“Me?” You asked in confusion, though your voice slightly muffled from the grip he had on your face.

The man leaned down closer to you, and you finally noticed just how much bigger this man was compared to you, his arms almost like a cocoon around your body.

“Yes you, dolly, I’ve been watching you.” He moved your face from left to right, examining you as if he’s never seen your face so close before. Mumbling a, “s’pretty” before he spoke up again, “watching you s’much, wanted to rob you, but you just looked so cute, wanted you instead.”

The look you gave him as he spoke confirmed that you were as into this as he was, making him chuckle and smile under his mask, he wanted to tease you. “You like this, dolly? You like a dangerous man like me, breaking in like I own the place, n’ telling you how pretty you are? Hm?” You couldn’t deny that this was all definitely turning you on, how could you? That deep voice, those big hands and veiny arms, those sweet and sinful words.

You nodded shyly, looking anywhere but at the burglar, not wanting to face him.

The man gently tapped your cheek, muttering a, “look at me.”

Your heart rate started to pick up, you were way too embarrassed to look at him.

The hand on your face now letting go and now latching onto your neck, the arm around your waist letting go slightly, a hand now coming up and resting on your chest.

“Look. At. Me.” You couldn’t ignore the way your thighs clenched at his demand, his voice going down an octave. He couldn’t ignore it either. You swallowed thickly and finally looked at the man again as he demanded, looking even more pathetic to him from your embarrassment.

He knew in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to see if you sound just as pathetic too, taking the opportunity and quickly pinched your nipple, causing you to let out a surprised gasp and slight, quiet groan.

“Oh dolly,” he sighed, your noise going right to his dick, “you have no idea how dumb I’m going to make you tonight.”

Without a second thought, the man stood up and threw you onto the bed, taking his shirt off and looked down at you, chuckling again as he saw your eyes rake up and down. “Like what you see?” He teased, grabbing your ankles and lifting them onto his chest, wanting easier access to you. The tall man leaned down, one arm snaking underneath you, the other planted next to your head.

Without a second thought, the man lifted his mask to the bridge of his nose, and dove in to kiss you on your neck.

Sure he thought your little whimpers were cute, but he wanted to absolutely ruin you.

Soon those little kisses turning into nibbles, and those nibbles full on hickeys and playful bites.

You tried your best to hold in your noises, and he did think your efforts to withhold them were admirable, but he was just too eager. The hand that was on the side of your head slowly traveled down your body, finding your underwear and made quick work to rub your most sensitive spot.

Finally an actual moan escaped you, a satisfied sigh leaving the man, “finally,” he whispered into your neck, “you sound so sweet dolly, bet you taste s’ sweet too.”

Both his arms retracted back to him, looking down at his work, pride swelling into his chest as he saw his bites all over your neck, already red and purple.

Then, he gripped the underneath of your knee, pushing your legs closer to your stomach as they spread for him. You felt his bulge press against you in his pants, a very noticeable blush rising on your face as he felt it.

The man saw your embarrassment and chuckled again, “not yet pet, fragile thing like you needs prep.” You then felt the man’s large gloved hands rub you over your underwear, somehow knowing all the right places to touch and rub you, choking on your moans and wiggling your hips from the way he played with you.

His other hand slapped your thigh, not enough to make you wince, but enough for you to get he message that he wanted you yo stay still.

“Oh fuck, m’ trying promise..” you whimper, gripping the bedsheets underneath you as he rubbed a particularly good spot. “Oh please, more?” You asked, stomach shaking from your jittery breathes.

“More? More what?” The man asked, wanting you to beg and use your words.

“In me? Need you, please?” You really tried to use your words, but the magic fingers this man had was molding your mind into useless puddy. The man then looked down at the wetness between your legs in consideration, but decided to indulge you since he knew you were already going dumb. He scooted back to give himself room, pulling your underwear down your legs and threw them on the floor, now having full view and access to the complete mess he caused.

Now his full attention was on your sensitive bits and his goal was to make your mind completely melt at his touch. Eagerly both his hands delved between your legs, one of his hands paid attention to your most sensitive bundle of nerves, the other teasing the outside of your hole, stopping completely when you squirmed too much for his liking. This went on got what felt like hours, when really in was about twenty minutes of nonstop pleasure and teasing, only to completely stop when you were mindlessly begging for him to get inside you.

“Need more,” you whined, lifting your head and looked at him with tears threatening to spill down your flushed, pink cheeks. The most depraved part though? Twenty minutes of his teasing and he never let you cum, not once, not yet.

Ghost gently tapped your bundle of nerves, making you jolt and gasp, your breathing beginning to shake again.

“You know you need use your words, dolly.” He grumbled, hands leaving you as he stood back up, taking his belt off.

The sound of metal clinking caused you to lift your head to watch as the man began to take his pants off, seeing them fall to the floor as he was now only dressed in grey boxers.

The imprint of how snugly his cock was pushing against the fabric made you feel like you were drooling, you could already tell it would be enough to make you lose your mind.

He noticed how mesmerized you were with him, he also noticed how you slowly started to get up on the bed. The tall man crossed his thick and veiny arms over his chest, his eyes following you as you placed your hands on his hips.

He knew what you wanted to do, but you were getting too cocky for his taste, you felt confident enough to get up off the bed without him telling you to, coming up and touching him as you wanted. Nuh uh.

His eyes narrowed, his eyebrows furrowing as a hand quickly grabbed your neck, squeezing tightly for your jaw to start feeling fuzzy; only letting go when you began to claw at his arm, throwing you back onto the bed once more.

Ghost hastily took his boxers off, grabbing your legs and lifting them both onto his shoulders, a hand shaking down behind your head and gripped your hair at the roots, tugging down to present your neck to him.

You could feel his large cock rub against your hole teasingly, his hips rocking against you deliciously. “You think you can get whatever you want? Think you can touch me when you want?” He asked, shaking your head ‘no’ for you with your hair, his tone mockingly sweet as he said, “no, no you can’t, poor thing.”

You winced and whined from the white hot pain from your scalp, growing ever wetter from the pain. You felt like you were going to cum if he just put the tip in, your mind was foggy, barely any thoughts running through your head, all you wanted was to cum, you’d do anything for it.

Fuck me,” you whispered, another moan leaving you as the man began to bite at your neck again, the rocking of his hips and his cock rubbing against you getting a bit faster. “Fuck me, please, do anything t’ cum,” you begged, you were so desperate for it you were willing to throw your dignity out the window.

Your hands came up and gripped his shoulders, then wrapping around his neck before you finished by saying, “use me, fuck me, please I’ll do anything just..just let me cum.”

Ghost was very pleased, he hasn’t even fucked you yet and you’re already begging for him to use you, and he was going to show you just how easy it is for him to use you exactly how he wants, to move you like the little doll you are for him.

Grabbing you again by the neck, he turned you so your stomach was on the bed, then grabbing your hips and lifting them in the air, placing his legs in between yours to keep your spread open for him, and he finished by grabbing your arms, both his hands grabbing your upper arms in a vise.

Leaning over, his breath was back on your neck, “want me to use you? Yeah?” He ever so gently and slowly put his tip at your entrance, putting the tip in like he had all the time in the world. “Could use a new toy like you, ruin you over and over all I want.”

Ghost took one last deep breath before he plunged the rest of his cock inside of you, bottoming out without a care left in the world, but, he didn’t start thrusting yet. He needed one more thing from you before he could.

“Just say yes, and you’ll be a little toy for me, one I can fuck and ruin whenever I want. My own personal cum dump, a toy I can unload time and time again till my heart’s content. Say yes and you won’t have another thought in that pretty head again.”

You were crying at this point, your legs already shaking, you could taste your orgasm on your tongue, you felt like screaming you were so desperate. Frantically you nodded, saying “yes” and “please” over and over again.

Ghost shushed you again, and then finally after all that waiting, began to thrust into you. There was no time for him to be gentle with you, he knew you needed to cum, and he knew he wanted you to be absolutely dumb and fucked out.

His pace was both hard and fast, if anyone was to walk in they’d think Ghost hated you the way he battered your hole. Big gloved hands dug and squeezed your arms, dwarfing them compared to him. Your head hung low as you didn’t have the strength to keep it up, pathetic moans leaving your mouth as the burglar in your house used you how he wanted. Quickly and suddenly your orgasm finally came, a silent scream escaping you as your body became ridged, legs shaking and threatening to give out as the man was so kind as to fuck you through it.

He could feel your legs shaking, clicking his tongue in pity as he knew you couldn’t stay up. Letting go of your arms, he let your upper body drop onto the bed, your hips still up in the air. Ragged and shaking breathes leaving your mouth, body occasionally twitching. After a minute, you tried to get up off the bed, only to be shoved back down by a hand on the back of your neck, knowing what you were feeling was the tip of his cock back at your entrance.

You whined and tried to crawl away from him, only to feel the man grab your thigh and pull you back to him, growling a, “not going anywhere. Having properly used you yet.” Ghost then got into position, sitting up and leaning over your weak body, one hand wrapping around the back of your throat to keep you in place, the other resting on the bed next to you.

He resumed his brutal pace on your fucked out body, keeping you in place as he used you for his own pleasure. He could feel that his own orgasm was coming around, looking down and fully indulging in how wonderful you felt around him.

“Want me to come back, dolly? I know you’re, oh fuck, you’re home all day. Come back whenever I want, s’ tight- use you how I want, where I want. Y’like that?” His thrusts were getting a lot quicker, but with a lot less rhythm, not like you really cared or noticed, being too lost and dumbed out on his cock to really think. “Y’want the big bad burglar to have his way with you again? Come back to use n’ ruin you load after load?”

Your only response to his pleasure induced ranting was just loud moans, the occasional curse being the only words you can form.

Finally, you felt his hips stutter, finally pounding into you a lot more slowly, but hard and with purpose. You felt the man spill his cum inside of you, fucking it into you and keeping you plugged with his cock for a moment.

And when you thought it was over, he just began thrusting again. You cried out, another orgasm reaching you as you felt this had lasted forever. “Mercy!” You cried, gripping and pawing at the bedsheet beneath you.

Ghost let out a low laugh, lifting your head by your neck and placed a loving kiss on your cheek before shoving you back down on the bed. “My dumb dolly wants mercy? I think you just want another load.”

Above the Ruins | one

Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

masterlist

In a world devastated by chaos and the threat of the undead, two destinies intertwine in an unexpected way. Ghost, a hardened ex-military man haunted by the horrors of war, encounters [reader], a lost and desolate young woman. With his experience and determination, Ghost decides to help her, and together they embark on a dangerous journey in search of a refugee center.

notes: English is not my first language, and I initially wrote this fanfic in Portuguese. With the help of online resources, I rewrote it in English. Two

Five days... Five damn days I've been hiding in an old abandoned building for a long time. Two days ago, my food ran out, and yesterday, my water. The desperation of starving to death or being hunted by those damn creatures haunted me. Stay here and die or risk going outside and also die. Trust was not something I had in abundance.

Looking through the window on the second floor, I observed people - or what was left of them - slowly walking, making strange sounds as if they were suffering. Maybe they truly were, but who isn't in these dark times? Look at all the chaos that has been happening in the past years.

Three or four years ago, a virus took over a small town in the south of the country. It started small, people with high fever one day, and the next day, they were eating their dogs and their children. And then even the dogs rose, along with the newborn babies, and sought food. Or rather, people. It was an outbreak, within less than a month, the city was overrun, then the country, and soon after, the world. At first, people were studying cures, but now? I have no idea. I lost contact with other survivors a long time ago.

Feeling my stomach growl for the tenth time just today, I decided to go out and try to find something to eat. The emergency stairs were safer since I only had a nail-studded bat to protect myself. I descended carefully, trying not to make too much noise. The city was hot, it seemed peaceful, as if nothing bad was happening.

Reaching the ground floor, I quickly looked around and decided to follow the main street. I couldn't go too far; the lack of food and poor nutrition in recent years hadn't helped me maintain my weight. I feel almost like one of them.

I walked slowly to a nearby grocery store, entered, and closed the door behind me. They were clever, but they still couldn't open doors. The store was a mess and almost empty. Luckily, I found a match, a canned corn, and a city map. Someone had surely passed through here.

Several months passed, and with them, my food was gone. I ended up going into the forest when I heard gunshots and those zombies running, like a herd. It was safer here, but also more scarce in resources. I felt myself growing weaker every day, colder than normal, and my clothes became looser. Maybe I'm starving to death.

I took the map I had and looked for the nearest river. Damn, it was about a four-day walk. I grabbed my backpack, which luckily or unluckily was light, and started my long journey. I tried to ignore the strong stomach pain, my trembling and aching legs, and the dizziness caused by lack of food.

The days seemed the same, during the day I walked as much as I could, and at night I tried to sleep as much as possible. Exhaustion consumed me. After some time wandering through the dense forest, I began to feel dizzy, my legs trembled and ached. I leaned against a bush, seeking shelter in case a zombie found me. It was hard, cold, and uncomfortable, but exhaustion overcame me, and I ended up falling asleep or maybe passing out.

...

Ghost walked cautiously and suspiciously through the dense forest. The only sounds that could be heard were the hoots of owls and the crackling of dry branches under his feet. He liked to search for supplies at night, as he could move through the dark corners of the forest and catch unsuspecting animals. When he heard a faint noise, resembling a moan, coming from a nearby bush.

With caution, he approached, holding his weapon ready to shoot if necessary. To his surprise, he found [       ], a young woman with a frail and malnourished appearance, huddled among the leaves of the bush. Her eyes conveyed fear, and her appearance showed the sufferings the young woman had witnessed in recent years.

Ghost quickly let his instincts guide his actions. He lowered his weapon and extended his hand.

"It's alright, you don't need to be afraid," he said, trying to sound gentle and reassuring.

[       ] looked at him with suspicion, but her need and exhaustion spoke louder. She quickly grabbed the hand of the older man, and he helped her to stand, revealing even more the precarious situation in which the young woman found herself. Her clothes were loose and dirty, her wrists thin, cheeks sunken, and her hair disheveled.

Realizing her situation, Ghost handed his water canteen to the young woman and quickly searched for food, finding a protein bar.

"I'm trying to find a refugee center. You can come with me if you want."

The young woman devoured the small bar of food as if her life depended on it.

"Refugee center?"

"Yes, some time ago, I received a message from one of my former coworkers. A refuge center has been established, and some survivors managed to reach it. I've been trying to find it for a few months."

The young woman looked at him. Ghost was tall, had broad shoulders and strong arms. A black mask covered half of his face, and his eyes were stained with some black paint. She didn't know if she could trust that man, but her options were scarce, and she knew she wouldn't survive much longer if she continued to live like that.

"I'll go with you."

"Alright. My name is Ghost."

"[       ]."

"I have a hideout not far from here. Let's go."

The young woman nodded and followed the tall man.

The cabin was old, and smoke rose from the chimney. Upon entering, she saw the crackling fire in the fireplace and a torn sofa with a messy blanket on top.

"Here," the man tossed a military jacket over her shoulders, and she quickly put it on.

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome. It's just my job. Or it was."

"You were in the military?" Ghost nodded.

"How have you been managing in these past times?" he asked with curiosity.

"Not very well," she replied, her head bowed.

"Better than most, believe me. I'll get something better for you to eat."

"Please."

Ghost gathered a few more protein bars, canned soups, and more water. He handed everything to her and felt a tug at his heart seeing her eat so quickly.

Once satisfied, Ghost allowed the young woman to sleep on the sofa, as she seemed more in need, while he settled on the dusty floor.

"How old were you when all of this started?" he asked.

"16."

"How old are you now?"

The young woman thought, a long time ago she had lost track of time. She didn't know how old she was at that moment.

"I don't know," she whispered.

"19 years old," he replied, looking at her. The young woman looked at him with a confused expression.

"Three years have passed, and I barely noticed," [       ]'s eyes filled with tears, but she held back, not wanting to show vulnerability.

"Don't worry. There's still time to enjoy life. There are still many things waiting for you. This isn't the end," he tried to sound hopeful.

"And you? How old are you?" Ghost laughed.

"I'm 43 years old. I was a lieutenant in a task force. I retired some

time ago. A few months ago, I managed to get a signal and contacted my old comrade, who told me about the refuge. He and other survivors from the armed forces organized everything and are taking care of the survivors. I just don't know exactly where it is, but I have leads."

"That explains a lot. Thank you for helping me, Ghost. I hope one day I can repay you."

"You're welcome. I'm just doing my job as a human being," he squinted his eyes, giving the young woman the impression that he was smiling.

She slept well that night. She deeply believed in that man, seeing him as her protector, and Ghost felt the need to protect that young woman. These three years without seeing anyone had changed him. And he didn't hate it.

notes: This is my first fanfic posted on Tumblr. It's a bit short, I apologize. The story was also posted on AO3 and Wattpad. Please let me know if there are any spelling errors. I hope you like it!

Acima das Ruínas | Quatro

Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader masterlist In a world devastated by chaos and the threat of the undead, two destinies intertwine in an unexpected way. Ghost, a hardened ex-military man haunted by the horrors of war, encounters [reader], a lost and desolate young woman. With his experience and determination, Ghost decides to help her, and together they embark on a dangerous journey in search of a refugee center. notes: English is not my first language, and I initially wrote this fanfic in Portuguese. With the help of online resources, I rewrote it in English.

Three - Five

"Okay. I'll find another one!" [_] said with teary eyes, grabbed her knife, and headed towards the entrance door. She knew she had made a mistake, but she didn't think Ghost would get so angry about it. It's not like she was to blame – that zombie caught her off guard, and the same could have happened to Ghost, right? She wanted to believe that, but she knew it wasn't true. Ghost was too careful and skilled to make such a silly mistake. She was angry at everything and just wanted to quickly find another communicator.

The girl walked for a few minutes, sneaking between cars and buildings. Going in and out of stores in search of a working communicator, not some toy that barely functioned two meters away. Now she understood why Ghost had gotten so angry – finding a radio that could communicate on different channels wasn't easy. She also didn't consider that she probably wouldn't find a military communicator casually for sale in some random corner store.

The zombies didn't seem to have great eyesight; they relied more on noise and smell, except for the one at the house. That one was different. Its sense of smell was undoubtedly better than the others', and it was ridiculously fast.

After a few more steps, she decided to rest and find something to eat. There was a small market with only two zombies around. She sneaked up behind one of them, who was near a car, caught him off guard, and slit his throat. The other one, a bit further away, seemed to notice and turned towards the girl.

She walked slowly towards the market's entrance while the other zombie moved towards its now-dead companion. She felt bad for a moment; it was difficult to kill them, knowing that they were once people with their whole lives ahead of them. What had their lives been like before all of this? Did they have spouses, partners, children? Their pets safe inside their homes, still waiting for them to return?

This world was being cruel to all of them. In the end, everyone just wanted to survive – the zombies, the uninfected people. With her thoughts in chaos, [_] reached the entrance of the little market and entered with a loud thud of the door.

Like any other food-selling store, this one was completely destroyed. People went crazy at the beginning of the virus outbreak. They stormed into places in search of food, intending to return home, thinking all their family members were safe, only to find their spouse devouring their children.

The girl walked slowly amidst the mess, trying to find something edible when she heard a noise. She walked slowly towards the sound, already holding her knife and ready to put all of Ghost's teachings into practice.

Hearing the noise again, [_] turned around quickly, coming face to face with a tall man – not as tall as Ghost, but still tall – pointing a gun at her. He had a mohawk and wore military clothes.

"Lower the knife," he commanded.

"Lower the gun first. I don't want trouble, I'm just looking for supplies," she tried to sound confident.

"What's your name?" the man asked, lowering the gun after seemingly pondering for a few minutes.

"[__], and yours?"

"Soap." Soap? What a strange name. Wait…

"Soap? Like Soap from the military?" she asked, surprised. It couldn't be the Soap that Ghost had talked about, could it?

"I'm famous, and I didn't even know it?" he asked, laughing.

"I met one of your teammates." Ghost would be surprised by this. The girl was now excited. Still upset about how Ghost had reacted to her mistake, but if that hadn't happened, they wouldn't have encountered Soap.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Ghost, you know, the guy with the mask."

"What. This must be a dream. Where is he?" he said, now completely excited and relieved.

"He's in a house not far from here."

"And why aren't you with him now?" he seemed suspicious.

"We had a fight. I lost his communication radio, and he got really mad. Now I need to find it, but I haven't found any, and I don't think I will." She said, defeated.

"It's not easy to find a military radio in regular stores. Luckily…" he raised an identical radio to Ghost's.

"Oh my God. Ghost won't kill me anymore. I mean… you'll lend it to us, right?"

"Of course. Take me to where he is. He must be looking for Price to find the sanctuary."

"Yes. That's why."

"Ghost can be tough sometimes, but he's a good man. So, did he talk a lot about me?" Soap chuckled.

"He said you were a good friend," she said, laughing.

"Really? Well, it seems that all of this situation has softened the heart of the enigmatic Ghost," Soap said, smiling.

"Ghost," [_] shouted as soon as she entered the house.

"I hope you found another radio," he said, coming out of the kitchen with his weapon still hanging, looking angry.

"Better than that," the girl said, laughing, making Ghost raise an eyebrow.

"Hey, Ghost. Long time no see!" Soap entered cheerfully.

"No way. You're alive?" Ghost seemed to be laughing judging by the position of his eyes.

"Of course I am. This beautiful lady recognized me." Ghost looked somewhat indifferent. Her heart stung a little; he was still mad. "I hope you spoke well of me to such a pretty lady," he said, winking at her.

"Don't start, Soap."

"What? It's not every day we see such a beautiful lady, especially in the situation we're in. Or… oh my God, you two are a thing."

"It's not…" [_] tried to speak.

"Yes, we are. Now stop showering her with your charms." She might faint now. So, they were a thing? Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest.

"Okay, okay. Only a pretty face like that could win over our Ghost," Soap teased, provoking.

"Ghost, he has a communication radio that we can use. Sorry for destroying the other one."

"It's okay. I should apologize to you for getting so angry when it wasn't even your fault. I know you did your best back there. I'm proud of you," he seemed to laugh.

"Thank you, but I also had the best teacher, and without that, I wouldn't have found Soap."

Night fell, and a small fire was set up in the middle of the room while a can of soup heated up.

The girl leaned against Ghost, whose arm was around her smaller body. Soap stirred the soup and cracked lame uncle jokes, but it lightened the mood. He also didn't hide mischievous glances at Ghost and [_], receiving disapproving looks from the latter. It was good to have another person around, and Soap was quite entertaining.

"So… how did you two meet?" Soap asked curiously.

"I found her almost dead in a forest," Ghost replied nonchalantly.

"Hey! I wasn't almost dead," she said, giving a dirty look to the older man.

"No? You could barely walk."

"It's not easy to survive alone without any weapons, you know."

"I know. I'm just teasing you. You did a great job for someone who didn't even

know how to stab someone."

"So, Ghost was your savior?"

"In a way, yes. I can't deny that if it wasn't for him, I probably would have died or turned into a zombie."

"We decided to come here to try to talk to Price, but we couldn't, and then the radio accident happened," Ghost said.

"I get it. I managed to talk to him about two weeks ago."

"Where are they? Are they all okay?" Ghost asked, trying not to show his anxiety.

"Yes, they are. They're on a mountain, but I don't know the exact location. The conversation got cut off when Price was about to give more information."

"Damn."

After the soup was warm, they ate, then went to the second floor of the house.

"There are two bedrooms. I'll stay with [_] in one; you can take the other, Soap."

While [_] wasn't there, Ghost cleaned the rooms as much as possible for them to settle in. They were initially going to clean just one, but he thought she wouldn't want to sleep with him because of the fight, so he ended up cleaning both. Luckily.

"Alright, folks. See you tomorrow. Don't make too much noise." Soap said, making both their cheeks burn.

"Shut up, Soap," Ghost said, pulling the girl to the other room and locking the door.

"Don't mind him."

"Okay. I liked him… Ghost, sorry again for what happened earlier. I know I wasn't careful enough…"

"You don't need to apologize. I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have let my anger control me, and I should have gone after you. I was irresponsible," he said, holding her face in his hands, lightly running his thumb over her cheeks and looking into her eyes [eye color].

[_]'s heart raced; Ghost's deep green eyes seemed to be peering into her soul. She had to tilt her face due to his greater height. His fingers were rough with slight calluses, but they were perfect nonetheless. As his hands met hers on her face, Ghost leaned in, kissing her fiercely. Their tongues danced, and the need grew stronger. Ghost's hands left her face and moved to her waist, gently squeezing it, causing the younger woman to gasp and deepen the kiss even more. The room seemed to get warmer, her whole body craving Ghost. She ran her fingers through his overgrown hair, causing him to lightly grip her waist and butt. Both of them were drowning deeper into desire.

"We should stop. This isn't the right place or time," he said, still giving small kisses to her parted lips.

"I need you so much," [_] said, seeking the older man's mouth with desire.

"I know, beautiful girl. But we can't. I promise I'll make it up to you once we're safe," he said, ending it with a kiss and guiding her to the bed. They embraced and kissed the entire night. They couldn't imagine going through all of this without each other. They were each other's safe haven.

Acima das Ruínas | Cinco​

Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

masterlist

In a world devastated by chaos and the threat of the undead, two destinies intertwine in an unexpected way. Ghost, a hardened ex-military man haunted by the horrors of war, encounters [reader], a lost and desolate young woman. With his experience and determination, Ghost decides to help her, and together they embark on a dangerous journey in search of a refugee center.

notes: English is not my first language, and I initially wrote this fanfic in Portuguese. With the help of online resources, I rewrote it in English.

Four - Six

In the morning, the sun rose with its warm light, painting the day with a pleasant atmosphere, although they couldn't escape the tension surrounding them.

Upon waking up, I noticed Ghost was absent from the bed. I went downstairs and found him and Soap engrossed in a conversation while examining a map.

"Good morning! Any news?" I spoke, trying to maintain optimism.

"We have an idea of where Price is and where the safe haven might be located," Soap said seriously.

"Really?" My curiosity was piqued.

"Yes. They call it Aurora Peak, where there's a military base," explained Soap.

"It seems like the safest place for them," I commented, assessing the information.

"And what about the distance?" I asked.

"It's a bit far… About an 8-hour drive. On foot? Well, only God knows," Ghost admitted.

"It looks like we have a long journey ahead," I murmured, already feeling exhausted just thinking about it.

"And we're not even sure if Price is there. We could risk going further from our true destination," Ghost expressed his concern.

"You're right… The most sensible thing would be to try to contact Price," Soap agreed, closing the map. "Well, I'm hungry."

"I am too," I said, realizing my stomach was complaining.

"I'll try to set up an improvised stove. Soap has some canned soups," Ghost grabbed old pots and grills, and the result was surprising. The food was warm and felt like a complete feast given the circumstances.

✧˖°₊

We decided to turn the house into our shelter for the time being. It was risky to go out without being sure the safe haven was there.

We did our best to secure the house, boarding up windows and reinforcing the keyless doors.

After having a meal that resembled breakfast, we realized we were running out of canned food for the coming days.

"We need to get more," Soap said, looking at the four canned soups we had left.

"We could go now since we have nothing else to do."

"I and Soap will…"

"What? Why?" I was surprised.

"It's not necessary for everyone to go."

"Everyone? There are only three of us. There's no reason for just the two of you to go."

"Why do you want to go? Stay here and rest."

"I don't want to rest, Ghost."

"Well, do whatever you want then."

"I'm going with you."

"No, you're not!" Ghost started to get annoyed.

"Yes, I am!" I approached him, shouting.

"You're not going, and that's final," he said with the same intensity.

"Why not?" I shouted.

"Because I don't want to lose you," he shouted. "Do you know what I felt when I saw that zombie on top of you? I thought he had hurt you, that I would have to kill you because he bit you…"

"Ghost…" I said more softly.

"Please listen to me. I'm begging you. Stay here…" he calmed down a bit.

"I… I understand. I worry about you too."

"I know, but I'm stronger than you, and I can take better care of myself. I'm not saying you're weak, quite the opposite. But I worry a lot about you, [name]."

"Ghost… I just want to help."

"I know, but I can't help but worry. I'm afraid a zombie could get you again. I'll feel more at ease if you stay here…"

"Alright, but just this time. You need to trust me."

"I do trust you. I just don't trust those disgusting Freaks."

"I'll stay here then."

"Thank you!" Then he hugged me.

✧˖°₊

Ghost

"She's got you wrapped around her finger, Lieutenant."

"Shut up, Soap."

We were heading toward a market that Soap had found before we met.

"So, how did you two meet?" Soap asked.

"I found her in the woods."

"You really like her…" Soap said.

"I just… worry. I can't help it."

"Well, don't try to, but you need to give her a chance. I bet you taught her some moves. She'll know how to fend for herself."

"I did teach her, and she's good, but before we fought, and I told her to leave, a zombie attacked her. That's how the communication radio got destroyed. I got mad, and when I realized she had really left, I went crazy…"

"The good thing is she found me."

"That worries me too. What if it wasn't you? After I started worrying about her, I realized I can't just worry about zombies, but also about another survivor… you know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I get it. You're right, but still."

"There are a lot of zombies here. I doubt there are many survivors. She'll be safer at home."

"You know what? She won't accept that every time, right?"

"I know. I need to learn to control myself, but… the fear I feel just thinking about losing her is too much."

"Look at that, Ghost in love. I can die in peace now," Soap teased, laughing.

✧˖°₊

[name]

After Ghost and Soap left, I practiced my aim. I wanted to get stronger so that he wouldn't worry as much. I believe he has some trauma about this, but I'm not sure. I read once that soldiers acquire many traumas throughout their careers.

I also went upstairs and checked. Miraculously, the shower still had water. It wasn't hot, but it was enough to get clean.

After a few hours, I heard knocking on the door. I approached it slowly with my knife ready to attack, if necessary.

"[name]? Are you okay?" I heard Ghost's voice, filled with concern.

"I'm fine," I said, smiling as I opened the door. "I was afraid it wasn't you."

"We brought plenty of food. We won't need to go out for a while," Ghost came in and put his arm around my shoulders as he led me back to the living room.

"There were many of them there?"

"Many. I doubt there are many survivors here," Soap said.

"I brought some clothes for you and things you might need," he handed me a black bag.

"Thank you, Ghost. While you were gone, I checked upstairs, and the shower still works."

"This house must have its own well. I'll check if the water is clean," Soap said, heading outside.

"You take a shower first," Ghost suggested.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am. If we're lucky, we might even get a full shower. I brought soap and stuff for you to wash your hair…" he rummaged in the bag, showing me. "I also brought sanitary pads and other things you might need."

"Thank you, Ghost. Now that you mentioned sanitary pads, I realized it hasn't been that time of the month for months…"

"It could be due to malnutrition. Now that you're getting healthy again, it should return to normal."

"Yeah, you're right."

I put everything back in the bag.

"All set! The water is safe, and it won't run out anytime soon. This family definitely had money," Soap said excitedly.

"Thank you, Soap. I'll go first, okay?"

"Of course, miss. Go ahead!"

So I went upstairs and had the best shower I could imagine. I washed my hair and every inch of my body. I let the cold water envelop me, closed my eyes, and pretended that everything was fine. Our world was still the same. There were no undead in the streets.

Coming back to reality, I started to dry myself and looked at the clothes Ghost had brought. There were shorts, shirts, and a thicker jacket. There were also jeans and a hoodie, which was wrapped with… panties. I felt my cheeks warm up as I realized he had thought to bring panties for me.

I can't deny that it will be useful. I don't want to get an infection.

I put on some warm clothes and went to the room where Ghost and I slept because it was late in the afternoon. I put my things in the wardrobe and went downstairs.

"That was the best shower of my life…"

"We're at Alcântara Base…"

Ouvi uma voz vinda do rádio de comunicação que Soap havia trazido consigo, junto com os dois homens que pareciam crianças que tinham acabado de receber o melhor presente de suas vidas…

Above the Ruins | Six

Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

masterlist

In a world devastated by chaos and the threat of the undead, two destinies intertwine in an unexpected way. Ghost, a hardened ex-military man haunted by the horrors of war, encounters [reader], a lost and desolate young woman. With his experience and determination, Ghost decides to help her, and together they embark on a dangerous journey in search of a refugee center.

notes: English is not my first language, and I initially wrote this fanfic in Portuguese. With the help of online resources, I rewrote it in English.

Five - Seven

"We're at Alcântara Base…"

I heard a voice coming from the communication radio Soap had brought along with him, accompanied by the two men who seemed like kids who had just received the best gift of their lives…

"Is it just you two?"

"No. Ghost has a girl" Soap says, smiling as he looks at Ghost.

"That's great, guys! If possible, I'd like to speak with her…"

Descending the rest of the stairs, I approach the radio.

"Sir?"

"Please, no formalities… What's your name?"

"[name]"

"Alright. [name], you're with two of my best soldiers. I want you to trust them and yourself. The way here is compromised… lots of undead roaming around, but we're managing to keep the survivors safe."

"Are there many survivors?" Soap asks.

"About 2,000 here, but more keep coming. We're getting a higher number than expected. We're also in contact with other shelters and the numbers are looking good. I'm hopeful."

"That's great, Captain" Ghost compliments.

For the first time in years, I felt hopeful. Just a bit more and we'd be closer to some semblance of the life we had before.

I looked at Ghost, smiling in relief, and he seemed to reciprocate through his eyes.

✧˖°₊

"According to Price, the best route is through here," Ghost points to a spot on the map.

"Do we have enough ammunition?" Soap asks.

"I hope so… we don't have much choice. We have food, weapons, and water. We'll leave in two days. Rest as much as you can!" he orders.

I sat on a couch farther away, feeling useless at these times.

"What are you thinking?" Ghost approaches, asking as Soap heads upstairs to shower.

"To be honest, I'm scared and hopeful. It's hard to explain."

"I understand. It's been years of loneliness and confusion, hasn't it? And now it seems like everything is falling into place and that everything will be resolved," he says as I nestle into his chest, listening to his heartbeat and smelling his scent.

"I'm afraid of not making it to the shelter, of not being useful on the way, and putting us in danger."

"[name], don't worry so much. You were trained by the best, remember?" I feel his chest move with what sounds like a laugh.

"Smartass."

"But I'm serious. We'll make it, you'll see. Soap is a great soldier too, we'll protect you and help you if we think it's too much for you. But you were really good in training, you'll be a great help, you'll see."

"I hope so…" I sigh, snuggling even closer to his warmth.

After a while, we returned to the room, and Ghost went to shower. He returned without his mask and with wet hair.

He was arranging some things in the closet while I sat on the bed, admiring him. Ghost had a very masculine appearance. Sharp jawline, straight nose, and mouth with some scars. Not to romanticize what he went through, but they made him even more handsome.

"Why are you staring at me?"

"You're handsome."

"Do you think so?" he asked, laughing and lying down on top of me.

"Yes, I do," I laugh, kissing him.

"We'll get through this. You'll see," he said, giving me one last kiss and then pulling me into his embrace.

✧˖°₊

[Ghost]

I wake up and go downstairs to find Soap.

"Good morning, LT!"

"Good morning, Sergeant!"

"Is the girl still asleep?"

"Yes. She's worried, and to be honest, so am I."

Ghost rubs his hand on his covered face and sits down.

"I don't know what to do, Jhonny."

"Did you teach her how to shoot?" Soap asks, sitting next to the lieutenant while offering him soup.

"No. I didn't have many bullets."

"Look, I have an airsoft gun. I think I can teach her with it if you allow me. Of course," he chuckles sarcastically.

"Sure, Jhonny. You have my permission," Ghost says, laughing.

"I'll respect you and your girl, LT. Don't worry."

"I never expected anything less from you, Sergeant," Ghost said, joining in the banter. "Why do you have a toy gun?"

"I thought it might come in handy at some point. I was right," he said, laughing and grabbing the gun.

✧˖°₊

"It's not hard, miss. Just aim a bit higher than what you want…"

Then [name] shoots with the toy gun.

"Why isn't it hitting the target? I don't understand," I hear [name] say, and I laugh at her impatience.

"You're not keeping your hand steady. When you shoot, your hand moves out of position and misses the target. Keep your hand steadier."

"I see…" then she shoots again, closer to the target this time.

"Good job, miss!" Soap praises her as they high-five. "Now try shooting farther. This gun is a toy, but it simulates a real one quite well. Don't worry, it won't be much different."

Then she shoots and hits one of the cups farther away on the table, letting out an excited squeal.

"Did you see that, Ghost?" she asks, looking at me.

"You're doing great, pretty girl," I compliment, making her smile even bigger.

After a few shots, her aim was even better.

"I think you're ready, miss."

"Thank you for helping me, Soap. It means a lot to me," she says, giving Soap a friendly hug.

"No need to thank me, [name]," he says, returning the hug.

"Now, both of you need to rest. We'll leave the day after tomorrow, don't forget!" I interrupt, handing them the soup I heated while they were busy.

"Thank you, Ghost," Madison thanks, and Soap gives a thumbs-up, already devouring his food.

"I'll leave one of my guns with you, [name]. Only use it as a last resort. Let's try to use knives first," I say, making both of them nod.

"So, is the shelter far?" [name] asks, taking a generous spoonful of soup.

"About 5 days on foot, but it might take us longer. We'll find out…"

"Wouldn't it be better by car?" she asks.

"No doubt, but it's too risky to find a car around here."

"Yeah. You're right."

"Let's try not to dwell on the problems, guys," Jhonny interrupts. "Let's try to be… positive? Yeah, I think that's the word," he says thoughtfully, running his hand through his tousled hair. "I have a story to tell you, miss."

"Go ahead," she says, smiling.

"Well. Before all this craziness started, when we were still living our fucked-up lives, but not as fucked up as now," he says, making us laugh, "we liked to go to a bar after difficult missions. It was good for distraction. Our big guy here would attract the attention of pretty girls."

Jhonny spoke, laughing, and [nome] narrowed her eyes at me, making me laugh.

"Once, a tall brunette came over to try to get a piece of our LT, and he just stared at her. It was scary, and the poor girl was getting more embarrassed by the minute," he laughed loudly. "She looked around, scratched her neck, and Ghost looked at her as if he were seeing all her sins."

"It wasn't like that," I tried to defend myself.

"Of course it was, LT. I bet the girl never approached anyone after that," he continued laughing.

I looked at [nome], and she was laughing uncontrollably, twisting in a strange way. It was good to see them more at ease and with less worry.

"I just didn't want anything with her…"

"That's why you looked into that woman's soul?" Jhonny asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Then I'm special, Lieutenant," [nome] calling me by that name did things to me.

"You are. Believe me, miss. Who would've thought we'd need a damn zombie apocalypse for our old Ghost to find someone. Destiny is indeed strange."

"Shut up, Jhonny," I said, making them laugh.

"And you, miss? Tell us something about your life."

"Let me think… I was studying nursing when this happened. I was going into my second year."

"Wow. So you were very young when this happened, how old are you now?"

"I'm 23. I was 19 when it all started. Unfortunately, college didn't help me survive here, since I hadn't learned procedures yet."

"Do you plan to return to nursing when things get back to normal? Or at least close to normal?"

"Yes. Now, more than ever. All of this taught me that anything can happen, and we need to be prepared for everything."

✧˖°₊

[One day until the journey to the shelter]

We would leave tomorrow. Things were already packed. Spare clothes in [nome]'s backpack; extra weapons and ammunition with Jhonny; food, water, blankets, and first aid items with me. Each of us also had a silenced gun and ammunition.

It was already night, and we were all ready. We rested on the couches while going over the plans.

"We'll go this way," I pointed on the map. "Price said it's the best. We'll go in a line, me first, [nome] next, and Soap following."

"Okay," they nodded.

"We'll walk as far as possible and then take turns to stand guard while the others sleep. I'll take my turn and [nome]'s."

"What?" she exclaimed.

"It's safer this way."

"Ghost, I want to help too. I don't want to sleep while you two keep watch."

"Jhonny and I will take turns. We're used to getting by with little sleep. It'll be better this way."

"I want to be useful and help too, but it seems like you're taking everything away from me. When a damn zombie shows up, will you shoot for me too?"

"Ghost, the girl can take care of herself. Give her a chance," Soap interrupted me before I could retort what [nome] said, making me shoot him a glare.

"Alright, but I don't like this idea."

"I understand, Lieutenant. But the bird won't learn to fly if you don't give it freedom. Nothing will happen to her. As the captain said, she's not only with two of the best soldiers, but she's also trained by them," Soap said arrogantly, making us exchange fist bumps.

"Sure," I said sarcastically, watching [nome] thank them and both of them fist-bumping.

Above the Ruins | Seven

Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

masterlist

In a world devastated by chaos and the threat of the undead, two destinies intertwine in an unexpected way. Ghost, a hardened ex-military man haunted by the horrors of war, encounters [reader], a lost and desolate young woman. With his experience and determination, Ghost decides to help her, and together they embark on a dangerous journey in search of a refugee center.

notes: English is not my first language, and I initially wrote this fanfic in Portuguese. With the help of online resources, I rewrote it in English.

Six - Eight

[Travel Day to the Refuge]

We were already with our backpacks and ready to go. We would have to pass through the city to get to the forest, the only problem is the amount of freaking zombies roaming the streets.

The plan was to try to pass by them without attracting attention and hope that none of them see us. Another strategy was to go in a line: me, [name], and Soap.

I was good at reconnaissance and the biggest of the group. So, I would choose the least dangerous path since I could see farther. Soap was very attentive, so he would know if something was following us. [Name] stayed in the middle since she hadn't experienced the same things as us, so her senses weren't as sharp as ours and also because I worry. I can't stop looking back to make sure she's okay.

A few minutes later, we were near the city center, where we would head to a preserved forest area. It was a bit longer route, but also safer, as people crowded in cities.

Leading the group, I made a turn to reach the core of the city center when I saw a group of about 5 zombies walking irregularly down the street.

I step back, making [name] bump into my back.

"What happened?", She asks.

"Zombies. Get down!", I speak softly as I crouch and walk towards the rear of a car, followed by the other two.

"Shall we shoot?", Soap asks.

"No. Too risky. We'll have to kill them one by one. Soap takes two on the left, I take two on the right, and [name] deals with one in the middle.", I say, seeing her about to protest. "Show me you're ready for bigger tasks, and then I'll give you a bigger task. For now, no discussion."

So we walk slowly with our knives. I quickly take one down, hitting its skull with my knife, and see another one coming towards me. I quickly retrieve my knife from the first one and throw it at the second.

When I'm done, I see Soap finishing off his second one, and [name] finishing off one with her knife.

"Good job, guys!", Soap says.

Returning to our lineup, we continue down the street, trying to avoid the zombies as much as possible.

After a long walk, going through alleys, choosing longer streets, and crawling under cars and trucks, we finally reach the entrance to the forest area.

"I think we can stand side by side here, but stay alert."

✧˖°₊

We've been walking for hours. Luckily, we hadn't encountered any zombies, which was actually expected.

"I'm hungry. Can't we stop for a bit?", the youngest one asks.

"Just for a few minutes. We can't afford to waste time now."

We choose a tree with a larger shade and quickly eat. We couldn't waste time here.

I take out my map and try to locate us.

"We should reach the next river by nightfall if we keep up the pace. The sound of the water will keep us hidden."

They nod, and we return to the long walk.

It was all long and boring. We didn't talk much to avoid attracting attention and we were always alert.

When night fell, we were already near the river.

"I'll take guard duty first.", [name] says quickly.

"Alright", I say seriously. I still didn't like this idea, but I know I can't make decisions for her. "Any strange movement or trouble, call me."

She nods. We didn't have sleeping bags or tents, but the ground seemed like a 5-star hotel after hours of walking. We light the fire and eat again.

"I'd like to chat, but I'm tired. So good night!", Soap says, already lying down, using his coat as a pillow.

"I'm also going to rest a bit, but if there's any problem, call me, [name]. I'm serious!"

"Don't worry, Ghost. Good rest!"

Then I kiss her forehead and lay down.

✧˖°₊

[name]

The forest was dark, and only owls and crickets could be heard. It was starting to get windy, making me a little colder, so I moved closer to the fire.

Looking around, I try to pay attention to any movement or strange sound. Observing the surroundings again, I noticed Soap sleeping and ended up laughing. The man seemed exhausted. His mouth was slightly open, and he breathed heavily. Now I understood why Ghost wanted us near the river. I laughed at the thought.

He was still asleep, but he was completely quiet. Which wasn't strange to me since it wasn't the first time I saw him sleeping. He still wore the mask, but I imagined what his bare face was like under the balaclava.

He was one of the main reasons I kept going. He was becoming everything to me, and that scared and delighted me at the same time. I had never had anyone like him before.

Talking about family wasn't my forte since I didn't know mine. I bounced from orphanage to orphanage as time passed until I reached adulthood. I never told Ghost about this; he didn't ask, and I didn't think it was necessary to talk about.

Snapping out of my reverie, I noticed movement in a bush nearby. I quickly got up, grabbing my gun and cautiously approaching the noise with small steps. Until the culprit of the movement emerged from where it was, startling me.

It was a rabbit and it didn't seem infected. It hopped around and sniffed the tall grass before munching on it. Its fur was white with small brown spots on its ears.

These were one of those moments when we pretended everything was fine, even when it wasn't. But this little creature gave me hope that everything would be okay soon. After a few minutes, I watched it leave and returned to my position near the fire.

Its warmth comforted me along with the gentle sound of the river. I didn't realize the hours passing until I heard Jhonny calling me to switch shifts.

"Good rest, miss."

"Thank you, Jhonny."

I lay down near Ghost, resting my head on his shoulder and enjoying his warmth. He noticed my presence and pulled me into his arms. Then I ended up falling asleep with both of us facing each other, embraced.

✧˖°₊

I wake up in the morning with the sun starting to rise and some birds beginning to chirp. I look to the side and see Jhonny sleeping while Ghost is heating soup cans on the improvised fire.

"Good morning!", I say stretching.

"Good morning! Are you hungry?"

"Very", I say getting up and sitting next to him near the fire.

"Here. It's hot, be careful."

"Thank you!", I take the can of soup and start eating.

"Good morning!", we hear a sleepy voice behind us.

"Good morning, sergeant!", Ghost says, handing another soup to Jhonny.

"I'm starving", Soap says and then devours the soup.

I took advantage of my shift to find the best route to the refuge. Maybe there's just one problem…

"What?", I ask.

"Do you know how to swim?", I didn't know. I mean, I could manage in pools, but I wasn't the world's best swimmer.", I joke, making Soap laugh.

"That'll have to do", Ghost says, looking at the river.

"Please don't tell me the best route you found is through the river."

"Then I won't tell you", he says, laughing as he stands up and looks at the river not far from us.

"Don't worry, miss. We'll help you if you need it."

"Thanks, Jhonny."

"Alright. The river doesn't seem too deep, and the waters seem calmer than yesterday. Let's get ready!", Ghost says, putting his backpack on. Quickly, Soap and I follow suit.

Ghost goes first, entering the water, with Soap following soon after. I descend slowly, testing the depth, and Ghost notices my discomfort, holding my hands.

Reaching the bottom, I let go of his hands and feel the cold water hitting my shoulders. I was trying to ignore the fact that I couldn't see the riverbed because of its dark color.

"Do you think there are any creatures here?"

"Let's find out!", Soap smiles and starts walking.

"Can you manage on your own?", Ghost asks.

"Yes. Everything's fine!", then we follow Soap.

The river wasn't very wide, and on both sides, there were trees upon trees. The morning sunlight gave us a privileged view of it all. If it weren't for the muddy ground making our walk more difficult, everything would be almost perfect.

✧˖°₊

After half an hour of walking, we noticed the river changing. The water that had previously reached my shoulders was now close to my mouth, making it impossible to look forward without tasting that muddy water. Our bodies, which had previously walked at our own pace, were now forced to walk more due to the increasing force.

"Damn. This is getting dangerous.", Soap spoke loudly, as we felt a strong current passing by us.

The water pulled us with force, making it impossible to walk. Desperation took over me when the ground disappeared from under my feet. I tried to swim or at least not sink, but the water was too strong.

In a moment of panic, I let desperation take over as I felt myself sinking completely and water entering my nose and mouth. I thrash around and manage to resurface, trying to catch my breath, but I'm pulled back down again.

I couldn't think rationally anymore. My brain was screaming danger and my lungs begging for air. While my feet kicked trying to reach the ground and my hands reaching for any salvation out of the water. It felt like the water had swallowed me whole and that it would keep me there forever.

I was about to give up fighting for my life and surrender to the coldness around me when I feel strong arms pulling me and then a strong chest behind me.

Ghost had pulled me and was holding my waist, trying to keep my head above water. I gasp for air quickly, seeking comfort. My thoughts started to clear, and my brain clung to the safety Ghost transmitted.

"[name]!", my eyes opened, and I realized we were still in that shitty situation.

"Shit!", I look ahead seeing Soap swimming along with the current.

"LT, it's a damn waterfall!", Soap shouted, making us widen our eyes.

And there was the reason for all this current…

Above the Ruins | masterlist

Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

In a world devastated by chaos and the threat of the undead, two destinies intertwine in an unexpected way. Ghost, a hardened ex-military man haunted by the horrors of war, encounters [reader], a lost and desolate young woman. With his experience and determination, Ghost decides to help her, and together they embark on a dangerous journey in search of a refugee center.

notes: English is not my first language, and I initially wrote this fanfic in Portuguese. With the help of online resources, I rewrote it in English.

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Above the Ruins | Eight

Simon Ghost Riley x fem!reader

masterlist

In a world devastated by chaos and the threat of the undead, two destinies intertwine in an unexpected way. Ghost, a hardened ex-military man haunted by the horrors of war, encounters [reader], a lost and desolate young woman. With his experience and determination, Ghost decides to help her, and together they embark on a dangerous journey in search of a refugee center.

notes: English is not my first language, and I initially wrote this fanfic in Portuguese. With the help of online resources, I rewrote it in English.

Seven - Nine

"Damn it. Swim, Sergeant!" Ghost shouted, starting to swim against the current.

I let go of his arm and also began to try swimming. The river was wide, and the shore seemed far away. The current pulled us more and more. The thoughts of giving up and letting the water take me were overwhelming. My arms ached along with my legs, my lungs burned from lack of air, and my skin trembled, craving warmth.

It felt like an endless battle we weren’t going to win. We were just meters from the waterfall, and not knowing its height terrified me. The sound of rushing water was loud, and I wondered how we hadn’t heard it sooner.

Ghost and Soap were fighting just as hard as I was. Soap was farther ahead, with a look of total panic when his body disappeared, being sucked by the water that fell into God knows where. With a scream, I was pulled under shortly after.

The fall felt infinite, and my heart was on fire. My body didn’t hurt, but my mind did. It was a constant thought of ‘I don’t want to die.’

The thoughts stopped when my body hit the water, the fall snapping me out of the trance. Startled, I saw a larger body falling beside me, and I quickly swam upwards, realizing it was Ghost next to me, while Soap was farther ahead, with a pained expression.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked, breathing heavily.

"My ankle hurts, I think I hit a rock when I fell," Soap said.

I swam towards him, helping him to the surface and guiding him to rest on the riverbank where we had fallen. Ghost emerged shortly after, throwing his backpack on the ground and approaching us.

"Let me see," he said, kneeling beside us and removing Soap’s boot. "It's swelling. Probably a sprain, we’ll need to immobilize it."

"I think we have bandages in the backpack," I said, opening Ghost's pack, where we’d stored the first aid supplies. "They’re wet, but they'll work."

"Help me here…" I held Soap’s leg as he groaned in pain. The larger man firmly wrapped the bandage around Soap's ankle, tying a tight knot.

"Damn it. This is going to be a problem," Soap said, trying to stand and groaning in pain.

"Nothing we haven’t handled before. [Name], I hate to say this, but you’ll have to lead the way. Take point, Sergeant."

This was my chance.

"Sure, Lieutenant."

I headed into the forest, with Ghost helping Soap to walk behind me. We moved in silence, listening carefully to every little sound. The tension was high, and the desire to prove myself even higher.

"We'll keep going in this direction until we find a good spot to camp. We're not far from the city, but Soap needs to rest," Ghost said quietly, and I nodded.

After a while of walking, I spotted a slightly flatter area, with few roots on the ground and some leaves.

"Good spot!" Ghost praised, helping Soap sit near a tree.

"What a shitty situation," Soap said, frustrated with himself.

"Relax, Soap. Try to rest as much as you can, Ghost and I will handle the rest."

"Sure, ma’am," he said, laughing as he leaned against the tree.

Ghost and I started setting up the camp and preparing our lunch.

Unfortunately, the river wasn’t what we’d hoped, and Soap's situation slowed us down since the plan was to reach the next city before nightfall. But I knew there was no point in being pessimistic about the situation; things happen as they need to happen. Maybe this happened for a reason? Maybe if we had arrived earlier in the city, things would have been worse. I tried to see the bright side of it all. There was no use being pessimistic in these circumstances, and in the reality we lived in, we were constantly doomed to danger, and sooner or later, this was bound to happen.

While Ghost opened the soup cans, I started hanging up our wet belongings.

"Soap, give me your jacket, please. I’ll hang our clothes to dry."

"Thanks, [Name]," he said, handing me his jacket.

Seeing what I was doing, Ghost quickly removed his jacket and handed it to me. I smiled at him, noticing his eyes narrowing under the mask.

The sun was still warm, but it didn’t seem like nightfall would take long. I hung our jackets and the things that got wet in the backpack on a nearby tree, with the sun shining directly on them.

"[Name], your food," Ghost handed it to me, and I saw that Soap was already eating.

We ate in silence, with only the sounds of birds and the warmth of the sun, which was perfect after a river 'bath.'

"We need to be careful. It’s going to be hard crossing the city with Soap like this, and waiting for his ankle to heal is risky. Our food won’t last."

"So, what are we going to do?" I asked, looking at him. Soap was also looking at him.

"The same thing we did to get here. You’ll go ahead. Very carefully, understood?" he said, emphasizing the "very carefully."

"Sure, Lieutenant," I said, laughing, finding his concern endearing.

"[Name]! I’m serious!" he said sternly. "There will be many more of them in the city. Soap and I will be compromised. You’re good, but you’re still inexperienced. They could catch us off guard…"

"They won’t, Ghost. I’ll be careful."

"Good."

✧˖°₊

We rested until nightfall, Soap half-asleep against the tree, and I leaned against Ghost as he fiddled with my hand, noticing every detail. We stayed mostly quiet, just enjoying the peace.

After everything dried, we packed everything back into our backpacks, and at night we took turns sleeping.

The next day, I woke up feeling the sun on my face. I opened my eyes, noticing Ghost was already up.

"Good morning!" I said, getting up.

"Good morning!" he replied, walking towards me, hugging me, and kissing my forehead over the mask. I smiled at his gesture.

"I don’t think I ever asked about your family," I said to Ghost as I started helping him break down the camp.

"It was a… difficult family. A lot happened. I had a younger brother, we lived with my mom and dad. My dad was a drunk who beat the three of us," he said with empty eyes, and I instantly regretted asking. "When I turned 17, he passed away, and when I became an adult, I joined the army. My brother got married and now has a kid," it seemed like a sensitive topic for him.

"Where were they when this happened?"

"His wife and kid were at home, he was at work. I haven’t heard from them since. As for my mom, she became one of them."

"My God… I’m so sorry," I said, getting closer to him.

"It’s hard. I just wanted her to have a good life. After I started earning my own money, I tried to give her everything she never had: love, a comfortable life, a little house just the way she wanted and deserved… I hope it was enough to make up for the hell she went through with my dad."

"I’m sure it was, Ghost. She must have been so proud of you."

"I hope so… Anyway, what about you? Do you know where yours was?"

"No. In fact, I never knew."

"What do you mean?"

"I was left by my mother for adoption as soon as I was born. I never met her."

"So, you lived in an orphanage?"

"Yes. I lived there my whole life until I became of age. After that, I was practically kicked out. Luckily, I passed the university entrance exam and got a 100% scholarship. I stayed in the dorms until all this happened."

"That must have been hard."

"It was very lonely. I couldn’t make many friends."

"You didn’t feel like you belonged there, did you?" he said as if reading me.

"Exactly. It was weird. It seemed like everyone had plans for the end of the year, for the holidays, for the weekend, except me," I said as we packed the last of the camp, with only Soap's things left, as he still slept with his mouth slightly open.

"I know a bit of what that feels like," he said, seeming not to want to continue the subject.

✧˖°₊

After waking Soap up, Ghost adjusted his bandages and helped him stand.

"Here’s the map," he said, handing it to me and helping me put on my backpack. "We need to move faster today. We must reach the city before nightfall to have time to find shelter."

"Alright."

Ghost helped Soap with his backpack and supported him as they started walking."

Time Off

TF 1-4-1 X POC Reader John Price, Kyle Garrick, John MacTavish, Simon Riley x Reader A break, they needed a break. Laswell knows they need the time off instead of worrying about Makarov and Shepard so that's what she gives them. Only, they don't have anyone to go home to that is, before one of their teammates invites them over.

"Time off? So suddenly?" Seargent Soap voiced everyone's thoughts to Laswell. She had just updated them on the whereabouts of General Shepard and briefed them on what actions to take when the topic of Makarov came up when she brought up them taking some time off. It stunned them to silence when hearing her bring up the cold season and going home to whoever may be waiting and if not take some time to take care of themselves properly.

"Yes Seargent and that's not a request it's an order I like you all but I'm getting sick of seeing your faces so take the time off and enjoy yourselves. Dismissed." With that, she shooed them out of her office and they all stood outside the door wondering what the hell they'd do with this time off. Standing more off to the side than the others, Ghost looked over at you seeing you were the only one not in distress at the order.

"You don't seem to be in peril Seargent, you got plans when you head home?" It was a surprise hearing ghost ask you such a personal question. Although he has gotten comfortable with his team, it is rather odd of him to ask. The others got over their initial shock and looked over at you now suddenly curious as well. You let out a sigh before speaking.

"No, I don't, I'm heading home to an empty home just like the rest of you. If you guys are so struck by what to do then why not come with me for the break? It gives me a reason to use all the groceries that get replaced in my home every two months." In all honesty, you asked them not only to stop them from being lonely during their break but to also stop yourself from being lonely as well. Like them, there was no one waiting in your two-story home for you so why not spend the lonely days to come with people you've learned to call family?

You trust these four men with your life should that day come and they do as well. It would be a way to strengthen that already tight bond you all have together and it would give you a chance to boast about your impeccable cooking skills.

"Are you sure? This is your home we're talking about, you sure you want us to intrude like that?" Soap was a bit reluctant to the offer because while he was internally excited at it, the last thing he wanted to do was intrude. How cute.

With a nod of your head and some light reassurance, they all agreed to go and split up to get packed and meet up at 1400 (2:00 pm) to leave for the airport. Soon, you five were all set and on a plane to the state you lived in and on the road to your home.

Your home was two stories and quite modern, away from most of the town but close enough to get supplies when needed, and surprisingly once the owners who originally rented it to you passed, your rent was dropped by a lot and eventually sold to you completely.

Walking inside you took your shoes off and looked around the entrance hallway feeling so much nostalgia. The men behind you followed suit removing their shoes and following you inside your home staying suspiciously quiet. In reality, they were nervous being in your home, you had told them it had enough rooms and a pull-out bed for them all to sleep over but they were nervous nonetheless. You set your bag on the dining table before walking into the kitchen looking through the cabinets to see fresh groceries with a note from the carrier that they were recently restocked. You made a note to increase their pay at the start of the next year.

"You guys can get yourself settled in while I pull some things out for dinner. There's one room downstairs and three upstairs. I'll set up the pull-out bed for whoever claims that one but you can put your things in the two other rooms. " You were already pulling some things out of the fridge after washing your hands, while you were talking to them and when you finished you heard shuffling and small grunts of acknowledgment to your words as the four men did as told.

Gaz and Price chose the two rooms upstairs while Soap chose the couch bed leaving Ghost with the room downstairs. As they were settling in, they all took the time to look around but not pry too much. They saw that your home wasn't really what they expected. No pictures of friends or family, no personalization even when Price stepped into your room accidentally thinking it was the guest room. The only way he knew it was yours was the neatly folded underwear on your bed that seemed like it was gonna get packed but never made it. When he turned to leave he caught glimpse of a pocket-sized picture of you holding a newborn baby laying on the floor by the end of the bed. It's not something he would ever guess he would see especially if it was you. He closed the door and said nothing as he found the correct room and got himself settled in.

While you began cooking you took a break while things were heating up to put your things away in your own room.

"You guys should go shower while you're at it, it'll be a minute before I'm done cooking anyway so might as well, right?" And so the night went on.

You eventually finished your cooking and you along with the four ate. It was quiet and awkward but eventually, Soap popped a question and you soon fell into lively chatter, Ghost and soap falling into petty banter while Price entertained it and Gaz chuckled quietly to himself. You eventually pulled out some whiskey much to Ghost's dismay. "I drink Bourbon" He defensively said, though, you could see the amusement in his eyes. He had his Balaclava on but the black makeup was removed when he showered and he felt comfortable enough to show us that much. Not like you all hadn't seen his face before but the point is made.

When you all were done, Gaz being the sweetheart he was offered, no, told you he was going to clean up while you relaxed. "You've been on your feet since we came so I got it, go relax." You could feel your heart clench at his words.

Ever since you got recruited for 1-4-1, Gaz had been nothing but a sweetheart through and through, not to mention a heartthrob when he threw in his small compliments with a shy tone. Price wasn't as bad, but the captain wasn't shy when complimenting or downright flirting with you. It wasn't the overly obvious flirts nor did say it in front of people but, he was quite the charmer when he wanted to be.

Soap on the other hand didn't care who was around, if you did an amazing job on a particular mission or any mission at all, he would praise you till you told him to stop. He loves seeing the twinkle in your eyes or the pep in your step when you got praised for doing a good job. It made him feel good knowing you were happy from his words. Ghost wasn't one to be vocal, everyone in and out of the task force knew that. He wasn't one to just compliment and praise for any small thing but, when it came to you, he would find himself biting back the overwhelming feeling of pride he felt. Whenever you did something right even when you second-guessed yourself when you take out more than one person at a time. He finds himself grinning under his mask and petting your head lightly, chuckling to himself at the happy look you sprung onto your face at the act.

They all slowly began to love your reactions and you as a whole. They became protective even borderline possessive when Shepard ordered you to stay out of a mission while the others were told to go. "They are a part of this team, where we go, they go no questions asked about it, so if you want us to do this I suggest you make your changes from now." Stunned was General Shepard hearing Ghost speak up like that. You had only been on the team for a couple months so he didn't think they were gonna get attached so quickly, boy was he wrong.

Now here you all are, spread on the couches tipsy and happy, chuckling at Soap's slurred speaking not even understanding the lad as his accent gets heavier. Relaxed is a word none of you would associate yourselves with, especially in your line of work, but tonight? Warm, comfortable, and happy in each other's presence? I would say this is the most relaxed they've ever been.

With your head on Price's lap and your legs on Soap's, Ghost sitting on the floor near the couch, and Gaz on the single couch, they all stared at your resting face, dark skin glowing under the light of the fireplace lit rid the chill that came with the upcoming season. They watched in a comforting silence as you succumbed to sleep, pressing your cheek into the captain's thigh and mumbling a drunken goodnight. A fluttering feeling filled their chest, they didn't know what it was but all they knew was that if anything happened to you, it would be over for them.

A break. They all needed a break, even you.

💀𝐵𝑜𝑟𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑒.💀

𝓒𝔀: 𝓕𝓵𝓾𝓯𝓯 𝔀/ 𝓪 𝓵𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓫𝓲𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓐𝓷𝓰𝓼𝓽, 𝓕𝓮𝓶! 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻, 𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓨/𝓷, 𝓮𝔁𝓱𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷, 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓫𝓮𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓮𝓷𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱

𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽: 1,384

𝓔𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮: 5 𝓶𝓲𝓷 24 𝓼𝓮𝓬

💀𝐵𝑜𝑟𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑒.💀

Ghost was sitting quietly in the makeshift barracks, his thoughts a whirlwind of adrenaline and exhaustion from their recent mission. His gaze drifted around the room, taking in the faces of his fellow teammates—Soap, Gaz, and Price—all of whom were showing signs of fatigue after the intense operation.

His eyes eventually landed on Y/n, who was sitting quietly on a cot not too far from him. She looked just as exhausted as the rest of them. Still, there was something different about her expression - a hint of vulnerability beneath the stern mask she wore.

Ghost couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for her. Y/n was a tough soldier, every bit as skilled as any of his male teammates. But despite her strength and independence, he knew that the mission had taken a toll on her just as it had on all of them.

He watched as Y/n sat on the edge of her makeshift bed; her shoulders slumped slightly as she stared off into space. Ghost couldn't help but admire her strength and resilience, but he also couldn't ignore the weary look in her eyes.

As the minutes ticked by, Ghost's gaze remained fixed on Y/n, watching as she seemed to retreat further into her thoughts. It was clear that the stress of the mission had left her drained, and she was struggling to process everything that had happened.

Despite the fact that they were both wearing face masks, Ghost could tell that Y/n was close to her breaking point. He could see it in the tight set of her shoulders, in the way her eyes had a distant, unfocused look.

Ghost could feel the pull of a strange, protective instinct within him. He had never been one to show much emotion, but something about Y/n's vulnerability at that moment tugged at his heartstrings.

Without saying a word, he stood up from his seat and walked slowly over to where Y/n was sitting. She looked up as he approached, surprise flickering across her weary face.

"You okay?" Ghost asked gruffly, his normally stoic expression softened with a hint of concern. He dropped down to sit on the edge of her cot, his eyes never leaving her face.

Y/n gave him a small, tired smile. "Yeah," she said, her voice raspy with exhaustion. "Just...just tired, I guess."

Ghost studied her for a moment, his gaze sharp and perceptive. He could tell that there was more to it than just exhaustion, but he didn't press. Instead, he just nodded, his eyes never leaving hers.

"We all are," he said quietly, his voice gruff but gentle. "That mission was a hell of a ride."

Y/n nodded in silent agreement, her weary eyes meeting his. They sat there in silence for a few moments, the sounds of the base around them faded to background noise as they both took comfort in each other's presence.

"You did good out there," Ghost said suddenly, his voice almost a whisper. "You were in the thick of it, and you held your own."

"Never thought I would get a compliment from you Ghost," Y/n replied tiredly.

Ghost let out a soft huff of a laugh. "Don't get used to it," he muttered, his eyes still trained on her face. "But you deserve credit where credit is due."

Y/n chuckled softly, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "You, giving out compliments? Something must be seriously wrong," she teased, her voice laced with exhaustion and humor.

Ghost rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of a smirk on his lips. "Don't push your luck," he warned, but there was no real heat behind his words.

They fell into silence again, but it was less tense now. There was a sort of comfort in the quiet. After several moments, Y/n spoke up, her voice soft. "Hey, Ghost?"

Ghost turned his head to look at her, his gaze focused. "Yeah?" he asked, his voice gruff but attentive.

Y/n took a shuddering breath, her eyes fixed on his. "Can I ask you something?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ghost raised an eyebrow slightly but nodded, his expression curious. "Sure," he said. "What is it?"

Y/n fidgeted for a moment, her fingers picking at a loose thread on the cot. "It's just..." she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me, alright?"

Ghost felt a twinge of concern at the vulnerability in her voice, but he nodded again, silently signaling for her to continue.

Y/n sucked in a deep breath, her body tense with nerves. "Do you...do you think I'm weak because I'm a woman?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Ghost's eyes widened in surprise at the question, his expression hardening. He stared at her for a long moment, incredulous.  "What the hell kind of question is that?" he asked gruffly, shaking his head in disbelief.

Y/n looked away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. "I don't know," she mumbled. "It's just...I feel like I always have something to prove, you know? Like I have to work twice as hard to be taken seriously because I'm a woman."

Ghost's expression softened slightly at her words. He understood the feeling all too well, having experienced it himself as a soldier. "You're not weak," he said firmly. "Being a woman doesn't make you weak. You're a damn good soldier, Y/n, you know that, right?"

Y/n nodded, her eyes still fixed on the ground. "Yeah," she muttered. "But sometimes I feel like it doesn't matter how good I am. It's like people look at me and just see my gender, not my skills."

Ghost was quiet for a moment, mulling over her words. "You want my honest opinion?" he asked, his voice gruff but gentle.

"Obviously"

Ghost took a deep breath, his gaze meeting hers. "The people who only see your gender, the ones who don't see how skilled you are...they're blind," he stated bluntly. "You're a damn good soldier, Y/n, gender be damned. You've proved that time and time again. And anyone who can't see that...well, they're idiots."

Y/n looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise at his harsh yet honest words. "That...that means a lot coming from you, Ghost," she murmured, a ghost of a smile playing on her lips.

Ghost nodded, his expression softening even further. "You've earned my respect, Y/n," he said gruffly. "You've earned it a hundred times over. You don't need to prove anything to me or anyone else."

As the conversation ended, a comfortable silence settled over the room. Ghost and Y/n sat side by side on the cot, the exhaustion from the mission still heavy in the air, but the tension between them had dissipated.

Ghost spoke up after a few moments, his voice low and gentle. "You should get some rest," he said, his eyes flickering to her tired form.

Y/n huffed a soft, tired laugh. "Yeah, you're probably right," she agreed, sagging further back against the cot. "But I doubt I'll be able to sleep just yet."

Ghost nodded, his gaze studying her for a moment. "I know the feeling," he said quietly. "But you need to try. You won't do yourself any favors by running on empty."

Ghost gave a small shrug. "I'm used to it," he said matter-of-factly. "I've gone days on end without sleep before. But you, you need your rest. You're human, after all."

Y/n rolled her eyes, a hint of a smile on her weary face. "Gee, thanks for reminding me," she drawled, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Ghost chuckled softly, the sound a rare display of his amusement. "Anytime," he said dryly. "Now, try and get some rest, yeah?"

Y/n sighed, her exhaustion finally overpowering her resistance. "Yeah, I guess I should give it a shot," she admitted reluctantly. "But wake me up if anything happens, okay?"

Ghost didn't respond immediately, his gaze drifting over her tired features. Finally, he nodded slightly. "I will," he said quietly, his voice gruff but sincere.