Red Rooms I Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader

69. Happy New Year

✨️ A little Ghost POV ✨️

"I’m leaving now. You stay for as long as you want, you have the keys—”

Ghost’s whispers were interrupted by her swinging her arms around his neck, placing some soft kisses all over his face as he woke her up in the early morning hours just to say goodbye.

“Listen,” the lieutenant fixated her wrists softly.

Of course he enjoyed her pecks, but there was not much time left before he had to leave. He did already stay longer in bed just to hold her soft body close for as long as possible, knowing that this mission will be different now after all that had happened. Not only is he responsible for his crew, his men, the mission. He also has some responsibility at home now.

Someone waiting for him, someone important.

Not just a quick shag or some soul to kill time with.

“…, you have the keys…You remember which one’s which?”

“Come back to bed...”

Her sweet, dreamy voice stung right into his heart. There’s nothing he’d rather do than that.

“This is important, y/n. You know how to lock the door?”

“Yesh…And the blue button means open…Blue and green means closed. Then... For elevator…I use your card……” She repeated the instructions he’s given her before about how his door works with such ease that she earned a certain nod from him.

“Good girl. You take care…Don’t do anything stupid.” he continues to whisper before placing a long, intimate kiss on her lips, getting a moan out of her. Fuckin’ hell.

Ghost reacted quick as her hand snaked down to his tactical pants looking for his fly. Grabbing her wrist once again.

“ ‘m sorry love.”

“Just a bit longer, Simon…You won’t even be here on New years…I deserve this…” she frowns, stretching back upwards to wrap herself around his neck again.

“I’m going now…,” the Brit thinks for a split second, but he just can’t bring himself to say those damned words. It would feel wrong, it’s been too long that he’s used them. So he settles for something easier.

“…you take care…I’ll be thinking of you.”

***

“…basically, you wouldn’t know her if it weren’t cos of me, L.T.” Soap exclaims, clinking his beer with Ghost’s glass as he takes a celebratory sip.

Ghost nods, staring at his bourbon. Lost in thoughts. The team were having drinks at base, the force’s own way of celebrating the beginning of the new year. The room they were staying in as grey and bland as all the other ones, some sad excuses of garlands trying their best to make it look celebratory but failing miserably.

“So you’re gettin’ it on with a dancer then, eh…Flexible, I 'spose…”

“Don’t push your luck, Sergeant.” The Brit threatens, making Soap raise his hands in surrender.

“So what’s she doing tonight?” the Scot side-eyes his superior as he took a swig.

Ghost already regretted telling Soap about you two. It felt like a good timing, being the end of the year and all. The soldiers would gather, reminisce and recap on the year. The lieutenant would never actually join in, considering that there wasn’t much for him to talk about. None of their business, anyways. He wanted to change that, thought it would help him accept the warm feeling he got whenever he thought of you. Would make it easier for him to show affection, talking about his feelings.

Shit sure was anything but easy.

“Working, I ‘spose…” he said as he took his glass, letting the liquor burn down his throat.

“Ah, she’ll sure be making a lot of money tonight…Must be the event.”

“Guess so…” Ghost looked straight forward.

Bollocks, he thought. There’s no way he’s gonna get used to this. He couldn’t get it into his head how people go on about their day talking about their partners, their relationships, how do they do it? What does he fuckin’ know?

Soap stopped trying to make conversation after that, checking his watch to see that there’s 7 more minutes left of the year.

7 more minutes of awkward silence with his lieutenant.

The room was filled with a few more soldiers, all spread out in their own little packs at different tables. The rest of the 141 shitfaced in the room next door, dancing to some trash tunes and celebrating loudly through the walls. Soap would much rather be there, but he felt like he’s too far in sitting with Ghost now to leave, knowing that he would not join them there.

“5 more minutes chief,” the Scot said with a heavy sigh, positioning the next bottle of beer in front of him and sitting back down.

“She’s too pure, ya know…” Ghost suddenly exclaimed in a bitter tone, making Soap raise his brows in sheer surprise.

“…After all that’s happened to her, she’s kind. Hell, woman was absolutely freaking out when she told me about her feelings. Crying into my arms and all, Johnny. Afraid. The fuck was she afraid of? Things were obvious between us…”

“Ayee, L.T…. Don’t mean to step too close but-“

“Rhetorical question.”

Soap lets out a tsk-sound as he takes another swig in peace.

Ghost stares at his glass.

“...,She’s walking around telling me all these loony things…Woman pays 100 pounds for a set of nails, and is excited about it! Should see that mad pearl gigglin’ when she’s just gotten them done…Smiling bright like a thousand suns and all…” he tries to make sense of you with his sentences.

“..., gets them with…Rhinestones on ‘em…Gems…Some metal…orbs on top…Little pieces of art on those hands, I tell you that much…” at this point the L.T. can’t stop himself from blabbering about you, he does not even notice that he does.

“..., I mean...How do you live with those...claws? Don’t they get in the way of everyday things? And still, all you see her doing is…Graceful, even…Like a cat, this woman…” his gaze was fixated on the window, facing his own reflection as there was nothing but the nightsky behind it. A smiling Soap clinking the beer with Ghost’s glass is what got him out of his preoccupied mind.

“Happy new year, L.T.”

Ghost checked his own watch swiftly, not having noticed that he just spent 5 minutes dreaming about you out loud. A warm flush rose up his spine as he cleared his throat and took his glass, feeling slightly exposed.

“Good Health & Joy, Mactavish…Let’s make the best out of it…” 

They stayed in that room for a bit longer, listening to the others shout and clap next door as the new year began.