Ghost Shorts | Fem!Reader

YOU

"— and then I said, I don't know but the flag is a big plus!"

You lightly touched his arm whilst you wiped tears from your cheeks. Gaz's awful jokes always made you laugh the hardest. The two sets of feet were walking back to the meeting room together for a debrief having been out for a run.

Usually, you went alone, but today Gaz asked you if he could tag along. You could never say no to him, and it proved one of the best runs you'd ever had, having beat your personal best by two minutes. You figured being forced to keep pace with someone else helped, and it had put you in a fantastic mood. In fact the best mood you'd been in, in weeks.

"We should do that again, if you'd like?"

You asked gingerly, not sure how he would respond.

"You know what? I'd actual— Shit. Morning, Captain."

Gaz walked in front of you in to the room, nodding to Price as he held the door open for you both, and you followed, taking a seat at the large table next to him. Almost immediately, Price began and you listened intently, a refreshed state of mind making it so much easier to focus. And halfway through the meeting, Ghost swanned in, remaining stood at the back of the room, silent. It put you on edge, but you tried to shake it off. He didn't have the privilege to have such control over your emotions anymore.

As it came to a close, Gaz turned himself round slightly to finish his answer.

"Yeah, I'd like to. It was good, the change of pace, even if I had to slow down for you."

He grinned as you playfully shoved him. Then Ghosts voice came bellowing out at a volume which felt inappropriate for such a small room.

"Captain, I have a few words to add."

Price gave him a nod and held his hand out to open the floor for his Lieutenant. You felt your stomach drop, and Gaz gave you a gentle squeeze, noticing you turn pale.

"Just to say, Sergeant—"

His hands came down on the back of your chair, heart immediately beginning to hammer itself out your chest, palms clamming up. His voice lowered as he spoke to you.

"— you better improve your skills with that rifle, or you will let this team down. That's all."

The chair recoiled as he let go, but you remained cemented in place, mortified. Your face, even your ears, a deep shade of red from the embarrassment. You looked down at your lap. The silence in the room that followed made it worse.

You knew everyone respected you and thought you were up to par, not a single complaint to be heard from anyone else, but no one wanted on Ghosts bad side. He had been running himself into hot water lately, acting more angry, more reckless, more defiant, even of Price's orders.

It had been addressed several times, but everyone knew what was really going on. It was because of you.

After what felt like an eternity passed, Price dismissed everyone, wanting to disperse the tension, get people moving away from the situation at hand. He came over and put a hand on your shoulder.

"Don't listen to him, you're doing fine. We all know what he's like."

You nodded. The humiliation was quickly turning to anger, your mood from earlier completely soured. Gaz stood up, gently brushing your arm once more.

"I'll, um... I'll see you in a bit, yeah?"

You were the last to get up, but as you rounded your chair, there was Ghost, leaning nonchalantly against the wall, arms crossed. He was watching you, analysing you. The stony stare you returned told him all he needed to know; he had gotten under your skin.