Flew Too Close To The Sun

Chapter Seven

Words: 1359

Icarus woke up to light knocking on his door, a yawn immediately escaping him, "Mhm, yea coming." He said, throwing his legs over the bed. He reached over for his pants, pulling them up but not buttoning them. He didn't really care right now. Still shirtless, Icarus opened the door to see Ghost, "Ah, morning. What's up?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Ghost looked at Icarus' tired face, his eyes trailing down his torso and lingering on the stitches. His eyes fell down once more to look at the unbuttoned top of his pants, but quickly found their way back up to Icarus' eyes, "Doctor says your stitches should be ready to come out."

Flipping his hair from his face, Icarus looked down to his stitches, "Hm." He shrugged, "I believe it." He opened the door all the way, sitting on the edge of his bed. Ghost lingered in the doorway, leaning against it as he watched the other man get dressed. After getting ready, Icarus put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it, pointing to a hair tie on the table next to the door, "Pass it here, big guy."

Ghost tossed the hair tie to Icarus, who tied his hair up into a messy bun. He flicked his cigarette into the ashtray next to him before grabbing his shirt and motioning for Ghost to move. The two walked through the halls, Icarus being shirtless earning a few stares, to which Ghost and him returned. Eventually, Ghost slipped up next to Icarus, casting a glance to the shorter man, "You have no shame."

"Actually," Icarus looked up with a grin, the one Ghost had grown to know as the one he makes when he's uncomfortable, "I do. But it doesn't even match my annoyance for having to clean blood from my shirts. So therefore," He cackled, taking the cigarette from his mouth and flicking it, the ashes falling slowly to the ground, "Shirtless it is." Ghost made a huffing noise, earning a look from Icarus, "What, do I make you uncomfy?"

"..." Ghost looked ahead, his eyes betraying nothing for once, "You're annoying."

"Shocker."

The two stopped at the entrance to the hospital, only walking in after Icarus let out a heavy sigh. Immediately, the doctor looked up and glared, "Put that out, we have oxygen tanks here."

Icarus stubbed the cigarette on the bottom of his boot, a very happy grin on his face, "Shush. You're no fun Amanda." He walked up to her and she stood, a smile on her face, "It's good to see ya." He gave her a side hug, looking back at Ghost, "This is my sister."

Ghost stared at Amanda, saying nothing. Amanda shuddered, pulling Icarus down so she could whisper in his ear, "Does he always do that?"

"Yea."

"Oh." Amanda shook her head and slapped her cheeks lightly, "Alright, okay. Get on the bed, Toby." Icarus gave her a look, but obliged, setting his shirt to his side, "I'm sure you already know how much this sucks?"

"Yea. Ghost?" Icarus looked for the tall man, kind of shocked to see that he was already standing by the bed, "Jesus Christ. How the hell do you always move so silently?" Ghost looked at Icarus, still saying nothing but his eyes scrunched up as he smiled.

"Are you ready?" Amanda asked, looking at the stitches with confused eyes, "What the hell? There's no way a doctor did this, what happened?"

Finally, Ghost spoke, his voice rumbling through the room, "He tore the stitches during a mission. I had to sew him back up." Amanda gave him a long look before shaking her head.

"You did a shit job." She gently cut the first stitch, looking at Icarus, "I'm gonna get this done quickly, no countdowns."

Icarus nodded, looking up at Ghost, who stared down at him with confused eyes. Icarus chuckled, "Yea, yea. I know it doesn't hurt, it just feels weird. Like worms getting pulled from your skin." He shuddered as the first stitch was undone, "It's awful. You'd think I'd be used to it by now..." he commented quietly.

Ghost stared at Icarus with amused eyes, a chuckle escaping his mouth, "You'd think so. I know I have." He stared at Icarus, who tilted his head.

"S- Er Ghost?" Icarus shuddered again. Half way done. "You think you have more scars than me, or less?" He asked, seriously wondering.

"Hm." Ghost thought for a while, crossing his arms, "Well, I'd say maybe the same."

"Cool. Maybe we can compare our worst ones."

"No."

"Aww, why not?" Amanda tapped on Icarus' stomach, signaling to him that she was done. He sat up and finally put his shirt on, "Don't tell me it's on your face." With Ghost's chuckle, Icarus stood up to stare at Ghost's eyes easier, "Where is it Ghost?"

The masked man continued to chuckle, leaning down slightly, "It's on my ass, Sergeant." Icarus' jaw fell, at both the revelation about the scar placement, and at the fact Ghost called him by his rank.

"Wow. I mean, wow Ghost." Icarus looked away, confusing and slightly concerning Ghost. He looked to Amanda and Amanda shook her head, pointing at Icarus while doing so. Getting the message that Icarus was faking, Ghost reached his arm out to lay a hand on the other's shoulder. Icarus turned to look at Ghost, wanting to gloat that he made him feel bad. But instead, he was met with Ghost flipping him off and laughter from Amanda, "Betrayed! I've been betrayed!"

Ghost shook his head, adjusting his mask afterwards. He stared into Icarus' eyes, not blinking. But when Icarus caught Ghost's eyes, his heart skipped a beat. Quickly looking away, Icarus waved goodbye to his sister and left the room, Ghost on his tail.

The two made their way to the cafeteria, getting their breakfast and sitting at one of the tables. Icarus stared at Ghost with a brow raised, "How are you gonna eat with that thing on?" Ghost simply locked eyes with him, raising a forkful of pancakes to his face. He lifted the base of his balaclava, slipping the fork beneath it and bringing it to his mouth. Icarus watched, his heart pounding at the prolonged eye contact. It never did that before, but yesterday made everything..... Weird. He knew damn well that he was gay, but was Ghost just uncomfortable or..........

Ghost watched the shorter male adjust himself on the chair, crossing his legs and looking down at his plate of food. Icarus picked at it with his fork, and Ghost didn't really understand what had Icarus acting this way. But it's not like he'd ask.

Icarus finally put his food in his mouth, lost in thought until a sharp slap on his back alerted him to more people. Gaz sat down next to him, grinning, "I see you got Ghost to eat in the cafeteria. He usually eats in his room."

Ghost was about to defend himself when Icarus responded cooly, "Well, he was told by Cap that he was to, and I quote, 'stay with Icarus from here on out.'" Icarus spoke in a silly British accent, grinning at Price as he entered the cafeteria. Inwardly, Ghost was grateful for the defense. But outwardly, he glared at Icarus.

Gaz laughed as Icarus continued loudly, grinning, "Glad he doesn't have to sleep in the same bed as me. Then I'd have no privacy." Ghost felt his anger rising, "I mean, he follows me like a fucking puppy." That's it.

"Icarus."

The man looked at him directly in the eyes and Ghost froze. The grin he had only gotten a small glance at because Icarus had turned to talk with Gaz was the one Ghost knew all too well. The one he showed when he was uncomfortable, "Hm?" Icarus leaned onto the table, his grin fading to a small smile as he kept staring at Ghost. The British man found it hard to be mean right now.

"You're annoying." Ghost's voice was soft, quieter than how he normally speaks, causing Icarus to grin for real this time.

"Yea."