Simon "Ghost" Riley oneshots

Invisible Love

The first day you arrived at the Task Force 141 base, you felt like a fish out of water. As a hacker recruited for your skills, you expected to spend most of your time behind a computer, far away from the more intense side of the job. You were used to code, not combat, and though you were proficient at what you did, you weren't the typical soldier. The moment you stepped into the base, with your delicate features and quiet demeanor, you stood out, fragile like a flower among hardened warriors.

You were also painfully shy.

From the moment you arrived, your eyes were drawn to Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley. The masked, silent soldier moved with a sense of authority and danger that made him nearly impossible to ignore. He was tall, imposing, and always seemed locked in his own world, never giving you so much as a glance. And that was probably for the best. Ghost intimidated you more than anyone else on the base. Every time you saw him, your heart raced, and you found yourself shrinking into the nearest corner or hiding behind a door, hoping to avoid his intense presence.

But despite the intimidation, you couldn't help stealing glances at him. When you were at your desk or passing through the corridors, your eyes would linger on his towering frame just a second too long before you quickly looked away. You felt silly for it, crushing on someone so distant and untouchable, but it was like an involuntary reaction. His mystery only fueled your curiosity.

One afternoon, things took a turn.

You were in the cafeteria, sitting alone with your laptop, working through some code while eating. The base was busy, people coming and going, but you kept to yourself, as usual. That's when you heard them, two female sergeants walking toward you, their conversation shifting into hushed tones as they approached.

"Look at her," one of them sneered, her voice dripping with disdain. "Sitting there like she's some kind of princess."

The other one laughed, loud enough for others nearby to hear. "I bet she thinks she's gonna catch the eye of Ghost or something."

Your stomach tightened. You kept your gaze focused on your screen, hoping they'd move along, but they didn't. They stopped right beside your table, looking down at you with mocking smiles.

"Hey, pretty girl," one of them said, her tone condescending. "You really think someone like Ghost is gonna notice you? Please. He doesn't have time for delicate little flowers."

You felt your cheeks heat up with embarrassment. The entire cafeteria seemed to still as the women continued to taunt you. Their words cut deeper than you'd like to admit, especially since they struck at a fear you didn't even want to acknowledge-that you were out of place here. That maybe they were right, and someone like Ghost would never even see you.

"I-I don't-" you stammered, trying to defend yourself, but your voice faltered.

Before you could say anything else, a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension.

"That's enough."

You froze, your heart leaping into your throat. Slowly, you turned to see Ghost standing a few feet behind the two women, his eyes fixed on them with a cold intensity. His towering presence was enough to silence the entire room.

The sergeants looked at each other, clearly unsettled by his sudden appearance.

"Lieutenant, we were just-"

"I said, that's enough," Ghost repeated, his voice steady but with an edge that left no room for argument.

The women immediately backed off, muttering under their breath as they hurried out of the cafeteria, avoiding his gaze. You sat there, stunned, your heart still racing from the confrontation. Ghost didn't say a word to you, but his presence lingered as he stood there for a moment longer, ensuring that the sergeants were gone before he turned and left without so much as a glance in your direction.