The new guy in the 141, Soap, doesn't have a filter when it comes to flirting. Ghost has no idea how to cope with that. He can't afford to lose face in front of his peers, so he decides to just... play along. The problem is, they keep getting closer, so Soap decides they must be dating. In fact, it is so obvious, everyone agrees- everyone but oblivious Ghost. He is just happy to make a friend, to finally be able to share his past with someone, until he slowly realizes his feelings are growing into much more than friendship. Crossposted on Ao3, Username Hochseeperle

"You think vampires are hot because you want to be craved so badly that your presence sustains another person." Simon Riley had his life stolen more than once, and somehow he chose to keep standing, walking, fighting. He hadn't lost that desire to put things right in the world. It seemed other humans did sustain him, in a way. In a way he despised and railed against. But still, he clung to the fringes of their lives, driven by the idea that if he couldn't have a life of his own, the next best thing is making sure they didn't suffer the same. Eventually, someone saw him, gave him some routine, some purpose, and he clung to that like a life line. He would never have a normal life. He supposed he had never really wanted one. But every once in a beautiful blue moon, something showed up that filled him with earth-shattering, grave-digging sadness at the knowledge that it wasn't an option. CW: Check tags. There will be some blood, and talk of Simon's past trauma including SA.

Simon was an unstoppable force, but Fate was an immovable object. Stationary. When you ignore it, and put up walls to secure yourself, it only delays the inevitable. Unavailing. It doesn't stop it. Moments in time slowly drill their way through, picking an open scab until it turns to scar tissue. It will break your skin until it drains you. You will deteriorate into ashes, scattered by the wind. And if you force yourself against Fate, shielded with a lifetime of trauma that you use to protect yourself- you're forced to recognize why you put the walls up in the first place. Every moment full of agony, abuse, anguish. Your walls will crumble, because Fate never fails. And as Fate tore the first wall apart, Simon was pushed.