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Ghosts feels frozen where he lays on a dusty floor a few meters away from the majority of the rest of the team. He’s alone in this room and he knows that no one can see it, no one could actually ever see him anyways because of the mask but it’s an extra added comfort that it’s there anyways. His face is red, he can feel the heat of it radiating through the mask. Like he’s on fire, and he has to exhale harshly, thanking whatever god that could be listening that none of them can hear him breathing.
It started out simple. The mission itself was even simple compared to others that they’ve done. Only a few of them were needed for it. Him, Alejandro, Soap, Gaz, and a few others that would be on standby farther back. They were here to grab documents and take down someone who’d gotten their fingers in something that he didn’t care to know about. They got their orders and now they were here doing their job to get it done and get the fuck out of here.
Everything was going smoothly, communication in the comms was clear and everyone knew where everyone else was. He had eyes on the building and his sniper was ready to shoot at their request. He was their eyes on the outside and he intended to let that be put to use.
“Careful Gaz, to your left, in the window. Focus on not being seen and I’ll take him out.”
“Affirmative lieutenant.” Gaz replied swiftly and he shot, the man going down as quietly as he could from this distance and moved his scope to look more after Gaz signaled he was good to move. Everything was great, smooth and he felt focused. Breathing easily with eyes on the building. It went like that for a while, taking shots and moving on. He couldn’t risk too many from here or someone might notice men disappearing from their posts but if it made his team's lives easier he’d do it.
Then it was quiet, not through the comms but outside as he listened to Soap and Alejandro get to the man they were looking for. Gaz got the documents so it was all almost over. Ghost could see Alejandro through the window of one of the rooms and he focused his scope on the area so he could see while hearing what they were saying through the comms.
“Oh shut the fuck up!” Soaps voice called out and Ghost had to hide a grin, now isn’t the time to feel all giddy hearing Soap take some initiative. It was hot, who could blame him. He was still focused, so focused that he saw someone coming into the room after Soap knocked the man they were taking with them with the edge of his pistol. Alejandro’s weapon was rising but he still spoke, “ Hermano .”
Ghost knew he was talking to him and took the shot without hesitation, watching the man go down in a heap before he could properly raise his own weapon at Soap and Alejandro. It was quick, fast and had his blood pumping from the energy he felt from one last shot of the night. Perfect, right between the eyes.
“Perfect shot babygirl.” Soap stated, sounding breathless in the receiver of his mic and everything went quiet. Not a fucking sound was coming through the comms. Someone cleared their throat and Ghost observed quietly while Soap and Alejandro picked up the guy and everyone was moving out. Ghost packed up his sniper, slowly, slower than he ever normally would, coming out of his frozen state of what the fuck and getting up. Pistol in hand, sniper in its case as he quietly, swiftly left the building.
His entire face was on fire, that’s where everything on this mission went to shit in his opinion. The mission itself went great. Perfect even, they were all on a plane back to to base and the guys were talking, seemingly moving on from Soaps words that everyone here knows were directed at Ghost.
But no one was saying anything to him. They’d glance every so often where he leaned in the doorway of the pilots. Looking out of the front of the aircraft, he could feel their eyes glancing.
If anyone said a word about it to him, he was going to stab them.
On the outside he looked fine, he always looked the same on the outside. But inside was a different story. He’s still blushing and Soap is looking at him and it only makes the blush worse.
Ghost is the first one off the plane when they get back to base. Two of their team staying behind including Alejandro to deal with the captive, but everyone else got off after him. He only looked back to Alejandro to catch him mouthing the word “ babygirl” to him and Ghost raises a knife out of his pocket, pointing it at him and then turning around when Alejandro lifts his hands in defeat, stupid fucking look on his face as he does. Price is going to know about this before Ghost walks in the building.
It’s Gaz’s turn to debrief so Ghost stomps off, which isn’t out of the ordinary anyways, but the following of footsteps behind him isn’t either. Those footsteps usually wait and go change before they follow but apparently that isn’t happening today.
It takes a lot to not slam the door in Soap's face. He’s pretty damn proud of the fact that he doesn’t. But he doesn’t say a word to him either, wordlessly leaving the door open as he walks in his room. Hearing it close behind the two of them. He doesn’t stop his actions, following what he does after every mission when he gets back.
His tactical gear comes off. Unhooking it all from his body and letting it hit the ground, shoes next, leaving them where he takes them off. He’s only interrupted from taking his shirt off when Soap decides this is when he’s going to speak.
“You’re not going to say anything to me?” He sounds upset and it makes Ghost's heart squeeze but he exhales harshly just thinking about how embarrassed he feels right now, almost the same way he felt when it happened.
“No.” He huffs, moving again to take off his shirt, stretching in relief when almost all of the weight from his uniform is off his body. Feeling lighter than he has in days.
“It was an accident, I didn’t mean to say it!” Soap basically pleas and Ghost turns around and stomps over to him, looking down at him and furiously speaking, tone low and angry.
“You called me fucking babygirl, over comms Johnny. Everyone heard that.” He takes a deep breath and goes to sit on the bed before Johnny can reply. He doesn’t want to yell, he doesn’t want to argue. He hates doing either of those things with Johnny. Hates it in general and he won’t scream at Johnny, he cares about him too much.
Johnny comes over and sits down on the bed next to him. “I know, I know, and a’m sorry. I jusit wanted tae praise you. It was such a good shot Simon. Saved us.”
Ghost can feel his face heating again and he squeezes his hands against his legs in response to that and Johnny leans over and tilts his head to make him look at him. It’s a careful movement that he knew if he resisted it, Johnny would take off his hand, but he doesn’t. He just goes until they’re looking at once another.
“Didn’t mean to embarrass ya princess, I promise.” Johnny continues, but this time he’s got a little smile on his face as he says it. And Ghost groans softly at the words he’s using, trying to move his head but Johnny just laughs lightly. He hates that Johnny knows him so well now. After finally getting their shit mostly together, they’d been doing good. Exploring things together, and finding out that Ghost liked it.
Being called baby boy or babygirl. There was no difference in what he wanted. And Soap had slipped up during a mission. Of course he was embarrassed and now he feels fingers on the tip of his mask and he nods mutely and not even a second later it disappears, gone and tossed to wherever Johnnys thrown.
“Oh honey.” Johnny speaks and Simon covers his face with his hands, probably smearing the black from his makeup over his hands but he doesn’t care. “That’s why you didn’t reply innit? Too embarrassed, poor baby .”
Simon stands and Johnny laughs, following his movement. “You can’t do that again.”
“I won’t, I promise I really didn’t mean too baby.” Johnny comes and brings his arms around him, pulling him into a hug and Simon exhales, feeling the anger finally start to leave him. Feeling too flustered now to actually be properly angry anymore about this. He still hopes Price doesn’t say anything tomorrow.
“Come shower with me.” Simon doesn’t leave the hug as he speaks, and those words roughly translate to I forgive you.
“Wouldn’t miss water running over you for the world.” Johnny replies, pulling him out of the room and down the hall where the showers are and sighing in relief when no one else is there and locks the door. His own words, Simon reads in between the lines, I love you , you’re so pretty.
Knowing he’ll actually hear them later. Johnny always so easily praises him, and he melts for it, he knows he does. But he still wishes that he didn’t call him babygirl in front of everyone. Johnny will have to make up for it, or Ghost is going to be getting his revenge. He expects to not be able to walk tomorrow or someone’s getting called daddy. He’ll get over his hatred for the word to be petty. So he hopes Johnny pulls through. Or in, whichever.