Chalice of Revenge (Ghost X Ruby Laswell)

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It's been three days.

I woke up to being man handled by nurses and hooked to a blood transfusion.

Kate wouldn't stop worrying until she saw me up and walking. Even though she had to return to HQ to file a report on Graves and Shepherd, she stayed an extra day to make sure I was okay.

It was just a stab, it wasn't much. I already felt better- it was the circumstances and the environment that made it near impossible to operate in.

Everyone has been relaxing the last few days, unsure of what to do. We were all on edge, knowing the next and, hopefully, final target would be Hassan. Then I could finally go home and relax- a part of me would miss being in 141. Surely after this, the system would start cracking down on terms of engagement.

I sit at the end of the bed, sitting in my camo pants and white tank top. I look down to my exposed skin, seeing purple and yellow skin along with black stitches.

"Hey, Ruby." Soap walks in as he knocks on the open door.

"You don't have to knock," I stand up, adjusting my hair around my neck.

"Well, it's the right thing to do I suppose. You ready?" He gives me a wide smirk, and I feel as though a light switches on in my head.

"Like.. mission, go?" I widen my eyes, feeling my mood change instantly.

"Yes mam," he holds out a uniform shirt, as I walk over and snatch it.

"We are now called Ghost Team." Ghost appears behind Soap, his elbow rested against the wall. He was wearing his Baklava, yet again his eyes smudged with black.

I feel my stomach turn every time I looked at him now. I felt my heart beat a little bit faster every time I remember his grip on me, being within inches of him. Now that I knew what he looked like under the mask, my attraction fell deeper. His reddish brown hair, mesmerizing blue eyes smudged with black paint, full lips, sharp chin.. he was like a model on a magazine for the Brits.

I shake my head, trying to snap back to reality. I promised him I wouldn't say a word- me being in a daze just screamed suspicious. "Ghost Team?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

"Yep," Soap says as he tosses me a Baklava. "We all wear these. Smudge your eyes."

"For why?" I feel the fabric in between my hands.

"Because thanks to Ghost, our asses weren't shredded." Alejandro appears next to Soap.

I nod, looking to Ghost. "Where at, LT?"

He looks me up and down, bringing his watch to his face. "Tunnels of Las Almas. We are going to catch up to Graves.. eliminate him."

"Sounds fucking great to me," I walk to the bathroom, tying up my hair as I slip on the Baklava.

My eyes were bloodshot, and my face was pretty banged up. But at least it was covered partially. I put on the black camo uniform, adjusting my cargo pants with a belt.

A pound sounds at the door. "You almost ready, LT?" Soap asks.

"Yep," I look at my face, seeing the brown streak in my blue eyes look more obvious. I wonder if anyone thought I was some sort of freak. I open the door, adjusting the uncomfortably tight baklava.

"Liking what I see, Red!" Soap lifts his hand up in a high five motion, teasing me in a way where he knew I couldn't reach. Or even come remotely close to it.

"Really?" I look up at his hand.

"You feeling good to go?"

"Brand new, and... thrifted." I joke as I give him a playful salute.

We both head out into the main room, Ghost, Rodolfo, and Alejandro loading cargo and guns into the truck.

I walk over to Ghost, leaning against the truck. "Can you breathe in this thing well?" I ask jokingly.

"Had to conform to it," he says as he loads a gun. "You get used to it." His eyes look me up and down again, something I found him doing in occasion. His eyes were the only thing I could read- it was as if I could somewhat picture a face behind the mask but at the same time I couldn't. Ever since he showed me who he was underneath, he's been weird.

"Are we just.. not gonna talk now?" I ask biting the skin off of my lip.

He stops cold in his movements, not even looking at me but instead mid air. "We keep it professional, Laswell."

I lean in, looking around us as I hiss my words. "So you can just grab me like that and expect me to think nothing of it? Bullshit."

He looks to me, his stare cold. "Laswell. Get in the truck, we are loading up on a time limit."

"Whatever." I walk off, getting into the opposite side of the truck as he finishes loading the right side. What was so bad about showing someone any other emotion besides militaristic? I just didn't get it. I don't get him, that was my problem.

"Yo, what's up with that?" Soap slides into the seat next to me, motioning to Ghost who was adjusting his scopes.

"Nothing. It was absolutely nothing," I say sarcastically.

"Alright, Team Ghost! Ready to head out?" Alejandro slides into the drivers seat, Rodolfo sliding in next to him.

"Ready as ever, Vargas." Rodolfo says.

Ghost slides in to the right of me, his eyes still diverted away. I must have pissed him off to even ask. It was like base zero, day one with him all over again. The coldness and the emotionless response and body motions.

I look out the window as the yellow and pale green scenery turns to a blur. The sun was about to set, and the sky was cloudy- or smoky, I should say. The outcomes of any war ever. Pollution. I put my hand to my abdomen, tracing the stitching. Truth is, it didn't hurt at all. But the trauma of the instance did.

Even though I despised Philip Graves in every aspect, I never would have thought betrayal from someone you hate could hurt this bad. I couldn't pin point whether it was because he almost killed- and tried to kill my friends? Or if it was because I was a human with emotions like everyone else. No one saw betrayal in the task force- rarely.

I feel a slight pressure on my leg, looking over to see Ghost's legs spread as he rests his elbow on the window looking out of it. I feel as though I should move my leg away- but a part of me just didn't want to.

And that was the other confusing shit I was dealing with.