Simon"Ghost"RileyXReader 🍋

🦊

You found yourself awake in the middle of the night, secretly writing your letters home. Apologizing over and over, explaining this was a good way to provide, feed and home your family. You had already cried your tears, leaving a burning sensation behind your eyes. Writing two, or three pages, you decided to just end the letter. Looking it over, it obviously had run on sentences and spelling mistakes. You didn't care, you spilt your thoughts and feelings, you guessed that's how you really felt. Messy, unorganized.. full of thoughts that were unreadable. You sighed softly, shaking your head in disappointment.. folding the papers and tucking them under the thin military provided pillow. Rolling over and tucking yourself in.. thankfully they let you and multiple other people bring things from home for comfort.. your blanket still smelled like home. Still a few hours left for sleep.

"𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥.. 𝐈'𝐦 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨?" The final thought came and went as you drifted off to the sound of others snores and whispers.

Soon enough, the alarm blares and a Drill Sergeant comes and checks beds and routine checks everything. Standing at attention, you felt weak as you were forced to wake up like the others. Seeing the drill sergeant, pace up and down. As if he was a robot, that never needed sleep, or food.. your mind goes blank, eyes forward. Glaring almost looking through the other cadete in-front of you. Seeing that person get uncomfortable, you snap back and you give the other person a soft look. You were not meant to do harm.. you honestly wouldn't hurt a fl- I lied.

Life was never good. Was never fair. You wanted-NEEDED to be on top. This type of career wouldn't be nice if you weren't. Nice as "full benefits". The food, home.. and support you mentioned in the letters. The drill sergeant walks by, targeting you. You switch gazes and look past him. Gaze so deep, your vision blurred that you couldn't see him anymore. After what felt like hours, he finally walked away. The day goes by, full of training and tests. You did your best, only reminding yourself that you needed to do this to the best of your ability. So much so, you got carried away. Defeating and crushing each test with ease. It probably wasn't a good thing, each test was hard. Most would say "soul crushing". To you it felt thrilling, to get purposefully dirty, sweaty and even accidentally drawing blood. You find yourself fighting back from smiling during the training. Heart racing and breath heavy. Your body loosened, letting you move swiftly almost effortlessly through courses.

The drill sergeants caught on, and nicknamed you "𝐅𝐨𝐱".

This case, you were smart, intelligent and serious. But you really were silly.. and timid. You didn't let that show.. not that side. Finishing the day, you showered; feeling weak and exhausted. Catching a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, looking over your body. You started to weight, and see your muscles bulge more. Not upset about it, you kind of liked it. You shrugged it off, and headed to bed, grabbing the letter and putting it in the bin where others were needing to be mailed.

You sighed to yourself.

"𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐲.." you thought as you headed to your bunk. The night was early, there was still time to mingle.. you quietly stayed in bed and listened to other conversations.

6 Months passed. A typical Marine Basic Training standard length. You graduate.

Top of class.

E-3 Honor. "𝐅𝐨𝐱".

"𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐲" you thought fighting back a smile. You just scoffed when your name was called. Falling back and marching to the front. You received your little badge and pin.

Soon enough, everyone was let go and given time to mingle, even go out for drinks and such before returning.

You stayed. Hung back out at the camp. Strolled and caught up with yourself.