I Feel It In My Bones (Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader)

That's The Spirit

The next morning, you woke up with a smile. You rolled over, the sheets twisting around your ankles, expecting to meet the face of your Lieutenant.

Except he wasn't there.

You were met with an empty bed.

Your smile faded as confusion set in. You sat up, rubbing your eyes, and glanced around your quarters.

You swung your legs over the edge of the bed and reached for your hoodie, slipping it on as you stood. A glance at the clock showed that it was early, even for a military schedule. The base was quiet, and there was no sign of your Lieutenant.

Huh.

You ran a hand through your disheveled hair, trying to shake off the grogginess as you wondered where Simon had disappeared to. You padded softly across the room in your bare feet, deciding to check the bathroom. Perhaps he had needed to get up early and didn't want to disturb you.

But the bathroom was empty too. You bit your lower lip, disappointment sinking into your bones.

That was not something you had anticipated.

You padded back to your bed and picked up your phone, planning on listening to some music to soothe your nerves - but instead, came across notifications from a certain someone and your team's group chat. With a dry mouth, you opened the one from your Lieutenant first.

Ghost: Left early so nobody would see.

Ghost: See you at the meeting later.

Waking up alone stung, but his reasoning was fair enough. In retrospect, you supposed it was better that way - he was there as a friend, there to comfort you, there to keep you safe.

He wasn't there to give you a soft kiss on the forehead as your eyelids fluttered open, or to lie with your legs intertwined as the morning sun trickled into the room, or to laugh at the sleep in your eyes and the squeak you let out as your stretched for the first time that day.

He wasn't there as your lover.

But with the events of the day before, that thought didn't sit right with you, either.

You: All good. See you later.

With that message sent, you opened up the group chat to find messages from your Captain, and Soap typing his reply.

What's the 141

Price: Meeting at 1000 in the second conference room, first floor.

Price: We're relieved of all duties for the day - uniform not required.

Soap: Is there food?

Gaz: Always thinking with your stomach, Soap.

Soap: Hey, it's one of life's greatest pleasures.

Price: Food is covered, don't worry. Just bring yourselves and some festive spirit.

Ghost: Any specific dress code?

Price: For you? Anything that isn't black.

You: That's one order Ghost isn't going to follow.

You: ...but from everyone else, I want to see some ugly Christmas sweaters.

Soap: Challenge accepted.

Ghost: I don't own anything remotely festive. Or anything that isn't black or grey.

Gaz: I found a Santa hat, Ghost can wear that.