Unseen | Ghost x Soap

Chapter 47: Relief

Ghost's POV:

The room was cloaked in shadows, the only light coming from a single, flickering bulb above. I stood with my back to the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I could hear Soap's footsteps approaching, slow and deliberate, each step echoing in the silence. I hadn't been able to face him all day, not after my impulsive confession. My mind had been a chaotic mess of regret and fear, and the thought of seeing him again made my stomach churn.

The door creaked open, and I felt the air shift as he entered the room. I took a deep breath, steeling myself, and finally turned around to face him. Soap stood there, his expression a mixture of confusion and determination. He closed the door behind him with a soft click, the sound somehow final.

"Ghost," he began, his voice steady but edged with an underlying tension, "you can't just ignore me forever after saying something like that."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Johnny, I..."

He shook his head, cutting me off. "No, listen. You ran out and left me standing there, and now you've been avoiding me all day. You owe me an explanation."

Guilt twisted in my gut. He was right. I had run away like a coward. "I'm sorry," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know what else to do."

Soap took a step closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "You can't just drop a bomb like that and expect everything to be fine if you run away."

"I know," I stammered, feeling the panic rise in my chest. "I just... I didn't know how you'd react. I was scared."

"Scared of what?" he asked, another step bringing him closer. "Scared of me? Or scared of what you feel?"

"Both," I admitted, my voice cracking. "I've never.. I didn't know how to handle it."

Soap sighed, his gaze softening. "You think I do? I'm just as confused as you are, but running away isn't the answer."

I could feel my hands trembling, the words spilling out in a rush. "I know, Johnny. I know. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I should've kept it to myself. I just... I couldn't anymore. I had to tell you. But then, when I saw your face, I panicked. I thought I'd ruined everything, and I couldn't bear it. I couldn't bear losing you, so I ran. I know it was wrong, and I—"

His lips crashed against mine, silencing my rambling apology. The kiss was sudden, intense, and it took my breath away. For a moment, I was too stunned to react, my mind struggling to catch up with what was happening. But then instinct took over, and I kissed him back, my hands reaching up to cup his face.

The kiss deepened, and I could feel the desperation, the raw emotion behind it. It was a kiss that spoke of all the things we had been too afraid to say, a kiss that held years of suppressed feelings and unspoken words. I pulled him closer, our bodies pressed together, the heat between us igniting a fire that had been smoldering for far too long.

When we finally broke apart, gasping for air, I rested my forehead against his, my heart racing. "Johnny..."

He looked at me, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "You don't have to apologize. Just.. don't run away again."

I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. "I won't. I promise."

We stood there in the quiet, our breaths mingling, the weight of our emotions settling between us. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a sense of peace, a sense of rightness. I had been running for so long, but now, in this moment, I realized I didn't have to run anymore. I had found my home. I had found my heart. And it was standing right in front of me.