#future simon riley x oc

[sleepyconfusedpotato]

Wildflower

What should Ghost give during Valentine's Day to Jade when she's an actual florist who sees flowers literally every day?

Pairing : Simon “Ghost” Riley x Charlotte “Jade” Le Jardin (OC) Word Count : ~ 6.4k words Warning : Full on fluff-fest, a slight angst, and the good o'l cursings.

Title and story inspired by the song 'Wildflower' by Clay Finnesand and 'La Vie en Rose' by Louis Armstrong.

February 14th. 

Fucking Valentine’s day - a day full of love, they said. 

He never really celebrated or cared about any of those kinds of days where people commemorate shit like love. For him, it's just like any other day. He woke up today and did his workout before he went on jogging.

However, that day is different as he saw countless red and pink decorations in every store in his apartment neighbourhood, offering Valentine's day discount for couples. He swore he saw more couples walking down the street than usual, that he even saw a man propose to his girlfriend when he was jogging. 

Looking at them, Ghost remembered,

He already confessed to Jade during the New Years. 

Yep. He did.

Across the London Eye, when the fireworks painted the infinite black, the chimes of Big Ben rang throughout the Thames River, he said it to her, 

‘I think I’m falling in love with you.’

Only to disappoint her again by saying, ‘But I don’t think I’m ready yet.’

Had he been a coward for not being ready to commit yet? Jade was a shining light in his life. She knew of his struggles, and she treated him with kindness and fondness no woman ever did to him. All his life he never thought to fall in love with someone, yet here he was. 

He wanted to be in a relationship with her. Fuck, he wanted to. But she deserved the world. She deserved certainty and stability while his job was nothing but that. He could get deployed out of the blue anytime – die anytime. He had a lot of things to sort out first.

He saw tears in her green eyes despite the smile. She only hugged him in response, saying, 

‘I love you, so I’ll stay right here.’ Jade muttered shakily while pressing her body to his in a tight hug, her fingers grasping the back of Ghost’s jacket. 

‘When you’re ready, I’ll be here.’

‘Let’s be friends, yeah?’ She had added, to which he answered with a smile. “Yeah. We'll always be friends.”

That was New Years. 

It'd been two months since then. Ghost and Jade had been texting each other regularly all the while continuing their lives. They met occasionally for a food tour as Ghost was a food enthusiast. Their chat was full of ‘Let’s try the new Korean BBQ around the street’, ‘You ever tried a fried ice cream?’, ‘There’s a new movie about a lady becoming a superhero across multiple universes’, and more casual stuff like those. Meanwhile Jade would take him to physical activities such as take him to a zoo, hiking, and even go to arcades. 

Johnny had been such a tease on it. He’d been bothering Ghost the whole time in the base as the Lieutenant looked at his phone and typing away on it more frequently than ever. ‘Yer’ lookin’ very happy these days, Sir.’ , ‘How’s Jade doin’?’, ‘Another ‘meet-up’ with Jade?’, 

‘Yer’ so full of rubbish. That’s called a date.’ Soap had said. 

'Shut your gob. We’re just friends, Johnny.’

‘Friends who go on dates together.’

Soap ran away before Ghost could smack the shit out of him. 

But was it really? Ghost and Jade frequently walk together, as friends, Eating at places together, as friends. Watch movies together, as friends. 

But seeing that one guy propose to his girlfriend lit up a spark in him.

That's when Ghost texted her for a meet-up somewhere, Jade replied back with,

‘I would LOVE to if it's not the busiest time of the year T_T and every Valentines we'd open from early morning to midnight, so I'm really sorry. We have all our employees working, but it doesn't seem to make any difference.’

He forgot that Valentine’s day is literally the most important day for a florist. Fucking idiot.

Ghost sighed as he looked up from his phone, right in front of the Le Jardin floristry. He wore a black hoodie and a face mask, the black face paint absent from around his eyes as he was on leave, a rare occurrence from his line of work. Inside the garden was an organised chaos, to say the least. Ghost saw at least 6 customers inside the garden, around 4 employees going around the shop to accompany them. Even as one person went out after buying a flower, two people would enter the shop to replace them. The place was positively crowded.

He looked far and wide for Jade inside among the sea of people, until a woman with ginger hair came out of a room with a big rose bouquet, giving it to a man in an expensive suit that was tailored to perfection for his figure. The man paid for the humongous flowers and left the shop with a nervous face, meanwhile Jade instantly attended to another customer. He could tell that she's a leader based on how she commanded her employees with such confidence and authority, yet still had that kindness and gentleness in her way of talking. Her legs brought her around the shop with utmost speed and precision, not a single step was wasted on her feet.

He could only smile proudly beneath the mask. 

For about 15 minutes he observed the shop, until a truck pulled up in front of an alleyway right beside the floristry. Didn't have to wait long to understand that the vehicle was meant to pick up flower decorations for a wedding as an old man came out from the alleyway (presumably connected to the backdoor of the shop) brought out a very big, white bouquet in his arms, which size was so big it concealed his head - surely he couldn't see where he was stepping. Ghost noticed that he was struggling to lift the giant decoration onto the truck, his knees looked like it was about to tumble, until his prediction turned into reality.

The old man's knees failed him, and the big white flower decoration would turn into a mess on the ground, if not for Ghost, who quickly leaped in and held the flowers from falling. Ghost huffed in relief that he jumped just in time. 

The man leaned to the side of the decoration to see who had just saved him, and saw a big, tall man dressed in a black hoodie and jeans, whose face was concealed by another black face mask.

Regardless, the elder smiled wide, "Oh good heavens! Thank you so much for the assist! My knees aren't as strong as they used to." The old man said as they both put the white decorations into the truck box. "Ah~ being young is so much easier innit?"

Ghost only nodded, avoiding eye contact to hide his identity. Why'd he help him? probably just from reflex, but then again, how could he just leave an old man stumbling to his fall?

"I'm really sorry for the trouble. I wish I could repay you." The old man's expression was so kind it's almost blinding. He wasn't that short or frail for a man with entirely white hair, probably a 5'9". Judging by his quite muscular arms from his rolled sleeves, he could tell that he's not weak, his knees just betrayed him at a bad time. 

Ghost didn't say anything to the man as he was about to walk away to avoid more interaction, before a familiar feminine voice called.

"Papa! Are you okay!? I saw you trip!"

Both men turned their attention to the shop, where a woman with braided red hair and dark blue apron was talking from the main doorway. 

"Don't worry, Lottie Dear. I got it, but only thanks to this young lad right here." He gestured to Ghost, where he stood right on the elder's left. "If not for him, we'd have to replace all the flowers." 

Fuck.

The old man is her father. 

It's Mister Le Jardin. 

Her green eyes caught the sight of a man whose built and sense of fashion she would recognize from a mile away. "Wait... Ghost??" Jade exclaimed, her face filled with surprise, "What are you doin' here??" 

The SAS lieutenant looked up to her with a tinge of panic on his concealed face, while Mr. Le Jardin observed him up and down. "Oh? You know him?" 

Jade nodded slowly, still shocked, "Yes... he's uh… he's a friend from work." 

He never intended to be noticed by Jade, afraid of disturbing her work, let alone meet her father out of all people. 

The father noticed that word. 'From work'. 

"Really now? What's your name, young man?" Mr. Le Jardin asked, his voice went higher in delight. 

He lowered his head to bow a little, before answering, "Simon... Sir."

"Ah. Nice to meet you, Simon! I'm Eli, owner of Le Jardin along with my wife Gracie – she's inside dealing with the clients." He introduced himself with a handshake, which Ghost reluctantly accepted. 

"Sir! Where're the rest of the flowers?!" The truck driver shouted as he got off his vehicle, prompting Eli to walk to the back door through the alleyway, leaving Ghost and Jade at the front of the shop, her face still painted with shock. A lady walked in front of Jade to enter the shop, so she made some way for her and approached Ghost. 

"Hey Ghost." The red-head started, happiness filling her voice. 

"Hey." 

"So… What brings you here?" She surely knew that he wasn't there just because he 'happened to be in the area', so he deleted that reply in his mind. 

"I wanted to see you."

Jade's eyes widened, surprised at his straight-forward answer. "Oh." 

"Your old man lost his balance loading this decoration into the truck, so I helped him." 

"Oh." Still with the same answer, Jade couldn't tell him how fast her heartbeat was, as her father just came in contact with Ghost, the man she fell in love with.

He looked inside the shop, observing the clients and employees walking around. "Busy day innit?"

"Yeah, it is. To be honest we've been busy since the last 3 days. Had to pick up tons of fresh flowers from our fields back in Norfolk, then arrange them for this day. Today's the busiest day, so it's an all-hands-on-deck situation. Also a big wedding is coming up tonight, and we have to transport these humongous flowers to a hotel ballroom for decorations. Biiig money. This is the third truck." Jade explained as her father and the truck driver walked out with two exact copies of the same white flower decor, lifting them up into the truck before immediately running back in. Third truck? The client must've had too much money on their wallets.

Seeing the scene that's happening in front of him, Ghost took a deep breath and blew it out. 

"Seems like your Da can use an extra pair of arms and younger knees." His deep voice suggested, making Jade's eyebrow rise. 

"Oh? Are you willing to help us out?" 

A nod was all she needed as a confirmation. "Got nothin' else to do or to be."

A wide grin fell on her lips as she grabbed Ghost's right hand and pulled him into the alleyway and to the back door of the shop, where a vast storage room was packed full of flower decorations similar to the ones that were being lifted to the truck. There were only flowers where the eye could see, save for the door that led to the front shop. There were huge boxes and boxes of flowers that had big 'Ian & Gia 14/02's written on them.

Ghost turned to the woman beside her. "Big money, eh?"

"Suuuuper big. Businessman and a big shot pianist. Wanted all the jasmines of blue white and red, and we gotta lift them all to the truck." She explained smiling to him, "Think you're up for this?"

"Won't even break a sweat." Ghost began stepping into the storage room, lifting three big boxes at once in his arms. Jade was left impressed by his show of strength as he ran to the truck at an impressive speed, before coming back and picking up more boxes like a machine, his hoodie still up and his mask still on. 

Jade scoffed at his feat, as her father came to pat her shoulder from behind, "A soldier huh?"

"...Yeah."

"It's basically written on his whole figure and posture. Is he any special in his regiment?"

The daughter could only let out a light laugh, "Very, very much so."

"Get out of here." His father looked at her in disbelief, "SAS?" 

"Yep. One of the strongest, and I'm not even exaggerating." 

His loud laugh filled the alleyway as Ghost ran back and forth lifting the flower boxes without a second wasted and tiredness showing. Jade smiled before heading into the shop to aid her mother and her co-workers with the regular customers. 

------

“Chacha, the pink wrapping paper and white 2.5 is out! We need more from the storage, please!” shouted Fiona, her co-worker and best friend of southeast asian descent, who mainly works in the front counter, preparing the flowers right in front of the visitors (which worked as an added value to attract more people). Her wrapping skills were second to none in the shop, even to Gracie, Jade’s mother, who sat right beside her counting the incoming revenues and accepting orders by call. 

“One minute!” Jade shouted back from the studio room, which was right behind the wall of the main display room while her hands also swiftly moved to arrange roses inside a heart-shaped box. The order had come in pretty fast; she had to make three of them at a time, and now she had to go up to the second floor to get the items Fiona requested. 

“Let me get it.” A deep voice came from behind her, making Jade flinch and look back to the source of the voice, where Ghost stood. 

“A-Are you done with the loading?” Jade asked him with a start, as it was not even 20 minutes since he started to help her father lift all the flowers inside the truck. 

“Just finished. Truck left just now with your dad to arrange the decorations in the ballroom.” 

“Oh.” Jade leaned back to take a glimpse of the back storage room, and true to his words, it was empty. “Wow.”

“Where are these… pink wrappings and the ‘white 2.5’s’?” Asked Ghost with a tone of confusion in his words. Jade could only giggle as she never thought she’d hear the word ‘pink’ out of his mouth. 

“Okay, so go to the second floor. On your 3, duck down and the pink wrapping is on the 3rd shelf from the bottom - take 4 rolls of ‘em. ‘White 2.5’s’ means the white-coloured satin ribbon with a 2.5 centimetres width. Don’t mistake them for the rest as there are the .5, 1.2, 4, and 5 centimetres as well. From the shelf go to your left and there should be a high rack and you can find the thingy there. Take two rolls. Don’t forget to close the door before you go down.” 

Ghost stood in silence as he processed the information.

Before Jade could ask him if he remembered all that, he answered: “Affirmative.” 

The man walked to the side stairs and stepped over 2 stairs, disappearing from her sight to the upper floor. Jade scoffed at the sight before going back to her handiwork. When else can you command an SAS officer like this?

----------

“Chachaaa~ Where're the pink wrappings and white 2.5s?! I need ‘em no–” Fiona noticed the new pink wrappings and white ribbons on the table as she worked. That was fast. 

She then looked up, expecting to find her red-headed best friend who was shorter than her, only to find a big, tall man dressed in a black hoodie and a face mask instead, who exudes danger in the way he stands. Fiona, Gracie, and the clients looked him up and down with mouths agape, as they never saw this giant man around, ever. The scene looked too damn comical for his liking.

“...Is this correct?” Ghost started with a voice lower than the depths of hell, which surprised the whole room. Fuck. Being looked at by people was the one thing he wanted to avoid, but here he was.

“Lottie dear, Who’s this?” the old lady beside Fiona asked Jade with a quite high volume, who was still inside the studio arranging the heart-shaped roses.

Judging by the nickname and those braids in her gray hair similar to Jade's, this lady could only be Gracie, her mother. 

Mrs. Le Jardin. 

“H-He’s a friend from work! I called him up here to lend a hand!” Jade shouted back from the studio. Even with the answer, all the people were still staring at him, especially Jade’s mum, and it felt like having ten laser sights aiming at him.

He swore he saw a smirk from Gracie.

So before he attracted more attention, Ghost repeated, “Is this correct?” 

“Y—yeah.” Fiona answered nervously, meanwhile her mother was still eyeballing him like she found a leprechaun. Upon hearing that confirmation, Ghost left the items in the counters and fast-walked back to the studio where Jade was, disappearing from sight. 

-----------

“Chacha, are you serious? ‘A friend from work’?” Fiona asked her best friend as she threw a piece of french fries into her mouth. The Le Jardin floristry was currently having a lunch break, and most of the employees went out to get their own meals, while the two stayed inside to talk about the man who was currently sweeping the floor of the studio alone, silently.

Fiona stared at his back from where they were eating at a counter, chewing at her fries. “Are you saying that you have a friend built like that with a voice like that working as a volunteer in the orphanage dealing with kids???”

“Nooo no no, that’s not it–!” That was where Jade messed up. She forgot that neither her best friend, nor any one of their employees know that the Le Jardins used to be MI6 black agents, except the fact that Jade was adopted. They both started to become friends when Fiona applied for the job 3 years ago, right when Jade just retired from MI6. All that she knew was the fact that Jade only had two jobs: Floristry on weekdays and in the orphanage for weekends. She never mentioned the other work that she did for the last two decades of her life. “I didn’t mean from work, I mean I met him when I was at work.” 

“Oh really?”

“Yeah.” 

“When and how did you meet him? Heck what is his name?” Shit. She needed to make up stories about him at this point. But what?! Jade hated lying. Sure it’s super easy to manipulate people by changing reality, but she didn’t want to lie to her best friend! Fiona’s the one who’s been helping her adjust to the life of being a florist and a normal life for the last three years (after saying that she’d been living abroad). 

However, how can Jade just say, ‘oh so actually I was an MI6 agent. Both of your bosses were too, actually. Not only agents – we were black agents who were trained since we were not old enough to make our own decisions to do the illegal stuff! I retired three years ago and that's when I met you, but they called me back again, and that’s when I met that guy who happened to be an officer of one the most elite task forces in the world!' 

That’s just absurd!

How did she meet him? How did she meet him?! 

"Ja– I mean Midg– I mean Lottie, where do I put these–"

The two women turned their heads to Ghost, who came out of the studio with the broom and dustpan in his hands. Looking at the two women's expression, he knew he fucked up. He didn't know what to call her outside of work. Her call sign 'Jade' was directly tied to her work as an MI6 and he couldn't know for sure if Fiona knew about that name. 'Midget' was the name he called her regularly, but he thought it was too harsh in front of her best friend, while 'Lottie' was…

"Why did you call her that?" Fiona asked him while chewing her fries, suspicion painting het face, while Jade sucked her lips and widened her eyes in shock.

Fuck. He thought right. It's a pet name used exclusively by her parents. 

"Wait. No way." She turned to Jade and Ghost back and forth before standing up abruptly, startling Jade, meanwhile Ghost stood calmly, still holding the cleaning tools in his hands.

"Chacha… is he your secret boyfriend?!?" 

That sentence shocked both of them as Jade quickly denied in panic, "No! No, he's not!! Just– sit down will you?" 

"That name is exclusively used by the bosses, ya know." She started walking towards Ghost slowly. 

Jade followed her from behind, trying to hold her friend back. "Fiona, he isn't! I swear!"

"No, seriously. How did you meet her? When?" She started closing in on Ghost excitedly, looking up at him. "What’s your name, by the way?"

“Simon.” Ghost answered deadpanly, as the last question was literally the only question he can answer casually. As long as he didn’t give out his last name, it’d be fine. “Name’s Simon.” 

"Ooooooh so he's the reason why you've been going out a lot after closin' up! You've been on dates!!" 

"NO!! We haven't–" 

"Yes."

Ghost's deep voice interrupted the two girls' argument, making them look at the man. 

"We've been on dates." 

Jade's face turned as red as her hair, and her heart beat so fast and so hard she swore Fiona and Ghost could hear it. Why was he suddenly doing this??? All the while, Fiona's jaw dropped to the floor, eyes glaring at her best friend in shock. 

Jade glanced at Ghost, but that damned hoodie and face mask did not help her at all. "I KNEW IT!!! I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU'VE BEEN DATING BEHIND MY BACK??? I mean– I am happy for you, Chacha, but WHY ARE YOU HIDING IT FROM ME???" Fiona excitingly chimed to her best friend, grabbing Jade's shoulders before shaking them like she's a ragdoll. 

"Wait– Fiona I can explain–"

"Okay! Explain then! Tell me everything! And don't you dare try to hide anything from me." That's right. She deserved to know. Fiona had been with her for the past three years. She's her first best friend ever. Jade knew she could trust her.

Jade relented with a big sigh and glanced at Ghost with a questioning look. He caught her cue before he himself took a deep breath. "As long as she can keep her mouth shut."

Fiona turned to Ghost, "Wh-what? What is this about?"

"Fiona. My dear best friend. My very beautiful friend that I trust. I love you, so, so much, so I will tell you the truth." Jade started before Ghost cut her again. 

"Jade where do I put the broom and the dustpan."

"Owh just put it on the side there yeah. Thanks."

"Who's Jade?"

—------------

"Okay. So let me get this straight." Fiona clapped her hands together in front of Ghost and Jade, who were sitting on the chairs behind the counter together while Fiona was standing up. Jade sat like she was being interrogated, while Ghost folded his arms in front of his chest.

"You, Chacha, had been working as an MI6 black agent for the last twenty years, since you were a wee kid, and then retired three years ago." Jade nodded.

"But two years ago, they called you back to this city called… Verdansk, and that's where you meet… Simon." She gestured to Ghost, who nodded.

"You only met briefly, until last October, you got called back from retirement again, and that's when you met him for the second time. But this one was special, as you guys started to develop feelings for each other, am I right?" Both of them nodded. 

"GOD this sounds like a Wattpad type of shite!!" Fiona grasped her hair from frustration, "And you're an MI6 BLACK AGENT??? REALLY???"

"Was. Papa and Mama were, too, actually." 

"Oh my Dear Lord in Heavens. THE BOSSES WERE BLACK AGENTS TOO?????" Jade nodded again. Clearly she didn't have any single clue of the burden that came with the words 'MI6', 'agent', especially with the added word 'black' in front of it.

"And you, Simon. So you're a soldier. Which one are you from? Navy? Is it the Royal Artillery? Or is it Life Guards like James Blunt?" Fiona asked with her very limited military knowledge. 

"You promised to keep your mouth shut so keep your promise." That voice came out harsher than he intended it to be, prompting Fiona to be taken aback.

"SAS."

The black-haired woman gasped so hard, covering her mouth in shock. "...like Bear Grylls?"

Jade couldn't help the giggle, as Ghost was utterly flabbergasted at her reaction as that was the first thing that came to her mind from the revelation. "...Yeah. Like Bear Grylls. And no I don't know him."

"Wow. Okay. So why the face mask? Does this have anything to do with secrecy and stuff?" Fiona asked him again as Ghost still had the hoodie up and face mask. She hadn't seen his face at all. "Am I not allowed to see his face? Wait Chacha you have seen his face right?"

"Of course I have! What do you mean by that!?" Jade countered, clearly overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. "Ghost. it's up to you."

Ghost huffed, lifting up one hand to the upper hem of his face mask. Fiona observed as Ghost pulled down the mask for a good 3 seconds, catching a glimpse of his strong jaw, his light brown stubble, the faint scars on his face, before putting the face mask back into place again. "Happy now?"

"Oh. Wow. Okay. I am happy." Fiona confirmed with start, turning to look at Jade again, "Chacha you hit a jackpot on this one – so you guys are a couple, right?"

The man and woman looked at each other for a long time, Jade bit her lower lip as her expression fell. Ghost could only close his eyes in regret. 

"Wait, no way you guys aren't a thing already. Whaaaatttt?" Fiona expressed her confusion because, for the last two months, Jade had started to buy more makeup and clothes, and the sudden interest in her looks had made Fiona suspicious. She really thought her best friend was dating a man secretly, but now that he's right here, both of them could not say that they're in a relationship?

"Look, Fiona… it's complicated, okay? We're just taking things slow right now. Our… jobs have their own risks, and we're just trying to enjoy things as they are now." Jade tried to explain with a bit of a sad tone to her voice. 

"So… you guys are friends, who happen to go on dates occasionally?" Fuckin' hell. Ghost thought. How could she say the exact same thing as Soap? Was it really weird? For two friends to just go together doing whatever they liked? 

After both of them nodded for the hundredth time that day, Fiona sighed in acceptance. "Chacha, Luv, I might not understand what you guys are going through right now, but Simon," she turned to Ghost, who lifted his head to see her clearly. "You better not make her cry." 

The man glanced to his side, where Jade silently sat on the chair. He knew she'd already hurt her feelings by saying he wasn't ready for a relationship yet, but if he wanted to be honest with himself, was ‘scared’ and ‘afraid’ the right word for it? As Soap and Fiona said, they’re literally doing what couples do. 

He’s just afraid to put a name on it. 

“I’ll try.” 

—------------

Jade had texted him earlier that during Valentine’s, Le Jardin’s floristry would open until midnight. Ghost wondered why as it had been a while since the employees had gone home, including Fiona (who told her that they were going to have a long chat on the phone) who had to go home and have dinner with her family. The sun had long drowned, replaced by the moon that accompanied the cold winter of London. Warm lights from the shops and a few street lights were the only thing lighting up the streets - one of them coming from the floristry. 

The sales peaked around 6 PM to 9 PM when people finished their work to be with their loved ones. Ghost had absolutely no skills in flower arranging or wrapping, so he did all he could to help the other employees to pick tools or items from high shelves, and even change the lightbulb when one of them died. Ghost didn’t mind it one bit as he found simple domestic things like this relaxing compared to what he did in the military - full of pressure, stress, and blood. 

Meanwhile, the utmost form of stress in Le Jardin’s (at least what he saw today), was a customer who kept changing the flowers that he wanted, and then lashing out at Fiona when his bouquet wasn’t tied the way he wanted to. Ghost almost wanted to step in, drag him out of the store, and throw him out to the streets, but Jade stepped in and calmly asked the customer for references, dealing with the situation one at a time, and finally, the man stomped out. Ghost knew that there were more variety of problems in retail, but at least he got to experience one today. To be honest that was probably the least angry person in London. 

That was 3 hours ago. Now, there’s only the Le Jardins and Ghost; the father had come home at around 4 PM after finishing the decorations. He took a photo of the ballroom and showed it to his family and Ghost, who was quite amazed at the old man’s sense of composition and aesthetic. 

The four of them were all in the front room, Gracie counting the revenues, Jade tidying up the display flowers, Eli wiping the windows, and Ghost sweeping the floors (again). The clock showed 00.23, the shop was empty, and even the cafe opposite them was already closed. As Ghost finished his chore, he put the cleaning tools to the side before approaching Jade.

“Are you not closin’? It’s past midnight.” He muttered to her, who was tidying up the edelweiss display. 

Jade smiled, “We usually extend about an hour.” 

“Why?” 

“You’ll see.”

Just as he was about to question it, the phone rang besides Gracie, who picked up the call immediately,

“Le Jardin Floristry. Yes, we are still open. You might be our last client, Sir. We do have tulips available. What colour? Red and pink, got it. The bouquet will be here when you arrive. Yes. We’ll be here, Sir, don’t worry. Thank you!” After confirming the order, Gracie smiled towards Ghost as she put the phone back. “That’s why, Simon Dear.”

About twenty minutes later, a man entered the shop in a hurry, dressed in a dirty fire brigade jacket. He clearly just finished his work and then drove to the floristry immediately after he extinguished whatever fire broke out somewhere. The moustached man approached the counter, where Jade had his order ready. “I’m here for my tulips?” He muttered, clearly tired from the way he panted. 

“Here it is, Sir. That’ll be 18 pounds.” 

“Thank you so much. You guys were the only shop open at this time. I’m forever grateful. I already told my wife and children that I’ll be late, but I truly felt bad.” He pulled out his wallet before putting a 20-pound note on the counter. 

“A pleasure for us, Sir. Have a good night!” Gracie chimed as he took the tulips in his hands, exited the shop and finally drove off. With that, Eli flipped the ‘Open’ tag to the ‘Closed’ tag.

“Delightful! Now.” Mr. Le Jardin put his hands on his hips, “Let’s have dinner.” Once Ghost heard that, he immediately planned his escape from the floristry like he needed to escape an enemy’s vicinity. 

“Simon Dear, you’re joining us, aren’t you?” But after hearing the gentle yet commanding tone coming out of Gracie, he decided against it, as what he heard in his ear was, ‘We’re going to have a conversation about you and my daughter’. 

—-------

“So, Simon Dear.” Gracie's voice startled Ghost as he was cutting the carrots for the chicken soup they're making, all the while Gracie was stirring the ladle on the pot. His hood was still up on his head, but he's taken off his mask to smell the chicken broth in front of him. He figured that if there's a civilian he'd let see his face, it's an ex-MI6 whose daughter he loved.

It was only the two of them in the kitchen on the third floor as Eli and his daughter were still tidying up the first floor. “Are you Lottie’s boyfriend?” 

Fuck. There’s the question. “No, Ma’am." He replied slowly, "Not yet."

Ghost expected a questioning look followed by a 'why', but instead she gave him a light nod. “She’s very fond of you, I think you should know."  That one caught Ghost's attention, briefly slowing down his slices. Did Jade talk to her mother about him?

"The way she talks about you, I know how deeply she really cared for you. She saw her future with no man, at all, until she met you. Had to do with 'understanding one another' she said." Gracie put in more black pepper into the pot.

“May I know, what stopped you from committing to her?”

More questions to answer, but this one, he didn't know how to answer. 

“...I don’t know, Ma'am."

Not long, Gracie muttered with a tone he almost forgot. Motherly. “...Are you afraid?”

And that's when he found himself so vulnerable, so open. And the weird thing was, he only felt like this when he's with Jade. He thought Gracie's her adoptive mother, but this magical familial trait where people could instantly open up to them was almost scary. 

Was it a yes? No, he's not afraid. He just thought that if they started dating, she might be wasting her time with him. Well, he's afraid that all this love that he's feeling and all these moments with be for naught if he's just dead after a deployment gone wrong. He can't promise anything to her. Ghost knew how serious Jade was about a relationship. She wanted a long-lasting one.

Ghost didn't mutter a word out of his mouth. Only continuing his work. He could feel her gaze on him, but he still chose to stay silent.

He expected judgement, but what came was a light smile. “You remind me of Eli and me, back when we were still with MI6."

"He was afraid of the life we’ll lead. Constantly running, followed by death everywhere we go. Stability and domesticity was a dream impossible to achieve.” As Ghost listened and wondered how the fuck did she read his mind, he lifted the cutting board and poured the cube-cut carrot into the pot. 

“However, I can tell him anything, he can tell me anything.” Gracie continued, looking up at him. Her gaze was as soft as Jade's, grey eyes softly gazing into his soul. “Eli had his own problems, I had my own, but what mattered was the fact that we both tried to be better, for my own sake, and for his sake.”

“He was my best friend, and I was his. It was a leap of faith to be together.” She said as her palm tapped his shoulder firmly.

“I’m saying this as her mother. If you love her, then go all in. She deserves all of you.”

---

Dinner was eventful, to say the least. The Le Jardins, plus Ghost, ate their dinner together in their house on the third floor. Chicken and vegetable soup accompanied by warm cups of tea was enough to fill their stomachs. Ghost, of course, had to take his hood down and took off his face mask to eat with the three of them.

It felt odd. 

When was the last time he had a family dinner like this? Eating a delicious meal without having to find a place where there's no other people? A place where he could freely show his face to others, the warmth of a family? 

It didn't take long for Eli to finish his meal, as he stood up and put on 'La Vie en Rose' by Louis Armstrong on the classic gramophone. Gracie scoffed loudly, stood up, and took Eli's hand in hers. 

"Heeeere we go." Jade rolled her eyes, seeming like she had to watch this for the thousandth time.

As Louis Armstrong started to sing, the two old couple put out an amazing slow dancing show in front of Ghost and Jade. Seeing them so unashamedly happy, and the fact that both of their eyes only stared at each other with so much love, Ghost unconsciously smiled.

And when he turned to look at Jade, there was she, two hands holding her phone horizontally, taking a video of her parents, grinning ear to ear while her eyes gleamed with joy.

It's such a warm scene to witness. 

He only hoped it was him and her in place of Eli and Gracie.

—------------

The time showed 02.13. Ghost and Jade were standing in front of the shop, a long scarf wrapped around Ghost's neck as the cold was harsh that time of the day. Jade insisted that he wore them, or she said he would catch a cold. 

"Thank you, Ghost. For today. My dad had been having regular trouble with his knee, so thank you so so much." Jade started, cheeks blushing that was certainly not because of the February winter. 

"Well, I doubt that, considering how well he danced with your mum." Ghost replied, making Jade laugh. Her smile was a sight he'd never get tired of seeing. “Are you going anywhere tomorrow?” 

That question quite surprised her. “Well… Tomorrow my shift starts at 3 PM. So I'm free in the morning. Why?"

“I want to make do for today. We haven’t had a proper… date. Yet. I honestly had wanted to bring you flowers, but I remembered you're a florist. So I felt like a prat.”

Her face turned as red as tulips at that. “Honestly, you helping out in the shop was more romantic than anything you could ever give."

"Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah! So… what are you thinkin’ for tomorrow? What do you wanna do, Ghost?”

“What do you wanna do?” He asked back.

“Oh? W-well… Hmmm." Jade contemplated, pouting her lips, glancing at the moon high in the sky. "Ice skating. And then Korean barbecue after.”

“I-Ice skating?” Ghost stuttered, not expecting that answer. 

“Yeah. What, you afraid you’re gonna fall?”

“I have no clue what you’re talkin’ about.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll hold you if you do.” 

He wanted to say something along the lines of 'fuck-off' or 'sod you'. But he deleted that reply before it came out of his mouth, instead saying, "Please do."

Jade grinned ear-to-ear at that response. She was anticipating a clap back from him, but it was such an unusually warm reply that she couldn't help the blush in her cheeks.

No matter how much she wanted him to stay close to her, he had to go, and Jade said her goodbye. "Thank you for today. See you tomorrow, Simon."

Still standing still, Ghost muttered, "It was fun."

She thought he was going to start walking away towards his apartment, but instead, a glimmer of light reflected on his brown irises, still gazing at hers with such hopeful and wistful eyes.

And before she knew it, Ghost leaned in closer to her face, and placed a soft peck on her cheek.

As he stood back, Jade saw that his face burnt red, seeming like what he just did took great courage and resolution. His face still so close to hers, Ghost left her speechless.

And before she could say anything, he said his last words to her that night,

"See you tomorrow, Lottie."

----------------------

Hope you like it! (❁´◡`❁)

[makethatelevenrings]

why have we as a society not considered the idea of Ghost’s girl getting tortured by someone wearing a mask like his so when he comes to rescue her, she flinches when he goes towards her

maybe doesn’t even believe it’s really him and thinks they’re just using an AI to copy his voice

he has to kneel before her and remove his mask before she calms down

just a thought

[gomzdrawfr]

[oc ethereal au doodle]

from this

that saying of "draw it, draw it bad who cares!! DRAW. IT." so yeah- can't get the imagery of Ghost putting stars on Raven's hair outta my mind so I gotto at least draw it for....for purposes

the idea

the attempt

idk what im doing but uh fun!!!!!! i guess!!!!!!!!

[vixenemesis]

💀☄️ Decided to draw Ghost with my future OC Sage ☄️💀

[sparky-draws]

Moon 4 - Greenleaf

the next couple moons are also relatively short, don't know when i'll get them done tho as I'm still v sick 🤒

[yourlocalqreator]

AU 😇💕ANGEL ROSE💕😇X 😈☠️GRIM REAPER GHOST☠️😈

[aethelwyneleigh27]

Lia's Cod Masterlist

Hi lovelies! This is my official CoD Masterlist to those of you who wish to have an overview of my content so far and future content. This is a short navigation of my works and I hope you guys enjoy it.

These are all arranged in chronological order :3

Sidenote: I JUST REALIZE HOW MUCH CONTENT I HAVE, IT'S FAR MORE THAN WHAT I EXPECTED THAT I'VE MADE.

Edit: I published it by accident 😭

Edit as of January 7, 2024: I will be editing my rules soon and though I have 18+ (only to indicate my age) in my bio, that doesn't mean that any minors cannot interact, you can because all my works are sfw (as far as I'm aware there are a few suggestive works). Even if they were nsfw, your internet consumption is not my responsibility and I'm not uncomfortable if you do decide to consume that content under the impression that you know what you are getting into once reading it.

This is all my replies to asks that are not content:))

This is the tag link to all my content that is my wroks

The dividers are brought to you by @anitalenia, who happened to so kindly and graciously accept my request and the amount of edits it took, I'm so sorry for the amount of work it took you love. Thank you so much for these amazing dividers and for being so patient with me even though you have work 😭🩷

Dating Headcanons Part 1

Characters Included: John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra

Dating Headcanons Part 2

Characters Included: Valeria Garza, Farah Karim, Kate Laswell, Alex Keller, Gary "Roach" Sanderson, Nikolai Belinski

Dating Headcanons Part 3

Characters Included: König, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Keegan P. Russ, Philip Graves (+ some headcanons including the Shadows), Makarov???

Kyle "Gaz" Garrick

Synopsis: More headcanons and scenarios of Kyle "Gaz" Garrick as your partner.

Engagement Headcanons and Scenarios

Synopsis: Headcanons and Scenarios of Simon "Ghost" Riley before, during and after proposing to you.

Husband!Character/Wife!Character Series:

Simon "Ghost" Riley Version

John Price Version

John "Soap" MacTavish Version

Husband! and Dad!Simon "Ghost" Riley Series:

These are can be seen to be related to my Ghostie series.

Husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley

Synopsis: Simon as your husband.

Dad!Simon "Ghost" Riley Drabble

Synopsis: Short imagines.

Dad!Simon "Ghost" Riley Imagines List

Synopsis: A bunch of scenarios with Dad!Simon.

Dad!Simon "Ghost" Riley w/ a sick baby Headcanons and Imagines list

Synopsis: You and your husband take care of your sick baby. (Mainly your husband)

Husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley with a Pregnant!Wife!Reader

Synopsis: How Simon was during the pregnancy and delivery of your baby girl.

Baby fever Scenarios and Headcanons with Husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley

Little Ghost (Ghostie) Series:

Synopsis: Simon having baby fever because of his little one.

Husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley Date Night Things

My AU of Simon Riley with finally a family of his own, this is a self-insert with the reader being Simon's wife and my OC as their daughter.

Little Ghost

Synopsis: Your husband Simon came home to a surprise from you and Ghostie (Fluff).

TF141 Interacting with Little Ghost Hcs

Synopsis: Headcanons of TF141 interacting with Reader and Ghost's daughter.

More Dad!Simon "Ghost" Riley and Taskforce Moments With Little Ghost

Synopsis: Halloween and other moments and headcanons for Ghostie.

Realizations (Simon "Ghost " Riley x fem!Reader)

Synopsis: How you and Simon, the parents of Ghostie met.

Baby fever Scenarios and Headcanons with Husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley (Ghostie)

Synopsis: Synopsis: Simon having baby fever because of his little one (gn! Ghostie).

Little Ghost Holiday Drabble

Synopsis: Baking during the winters with your kids and husband during the holidays.

Ex-husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley

Ex-husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley Drabble

Synopsis: After a lengthy divorce, you and your now ex-husband have gone your separate ways, though your daughter keeps you tied to him. What happens when something brings you back to what you've been avoiding?

Ex-husband!Simon "Ghost" Riley Part 2

FWB!Simon "Ghost" Riley

"Your girl?" "My girl.."

Synopsis: Your ex finds himself at your doorstep ready to beg you to take him back after he cheated on you, unfortunate for him, your "best friend" Simon was there on the look out for you..

"Your girl?" "My girl.." (Part two) (NSFW)

- Part two written by @blingblong55

Cowboy!Outlaw!141 (My version)

Cowboy!141 x Noble's Daughter!Reader (My Version of the AU)

Synopsis: Being the daughter of a noble is a jarring task as you must be always able to keep up appearances, so what exactly happens when your family hires 4 men? Men who seem dangerous yet you know nothing about, all happening to be part of the same group of people. What happens if they take an interest in you? Someone unattainable, forbidden yet also undoubtedly tempting..

Villain!Ghost AU

Teaser..

Villain!Ghost x Pregnant!Wife!Reader

Synopsis: Your husband wishes for your company..

(This will have it's own Masterlist)

Bringing your boyfriend/girlfriend to Sephora or a cosmetics store

Characters Included: John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra, Valeria Garza, Farah Karim, Kate Laswell, Alex Keller, König, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Keegan P. Russ, Gary "Roach" Sanderson, Nikolai Belinski, Philip Graves.

Dad!CoD Character Scenario (Imagine?)

Characters in mind: Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra, Alex Keller, König, Keegan P. Russ, Gary "Roach" Sanderson.

What Type of BF/GF CoD Characters would be

Characters Included: John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra, Valeria Garza, Farah Karim, Kate Laswell, Alex Keller, König, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Keegan P. Russ, Gary "Roach" Sanderson, Nikolai Belinski, Philip Graves.

Their Reaction To You letting go of their hand while you're out in public

Characters Included: John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra, Valeria Garza, Farah Karim, Kate Laswell, Alex Keller, König, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Keegan P. Russ, Gary "Roach" Sanderson, Nikolai Belinski, Philip Graves.

How CoD characters would react to someone making fun of their s/o's trauma (Requested)

Characters Included: Simon Ghost Riley, Kyle Gaz Garrick, König.

Dad!Cod Scenarios

Synopsis: Them as dads, what type of dad they'd be

Characters Included: John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra, König, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Gary "Roach" Sanderson.

Comfort Headcanons And Scenarios Of Cod Men With Your Kid

Synopsis: He has a romantic relationship/connection with you (Singleparent!Reader) and he comforts your little one, making you further realize how much he loves and cares about you and your little one.

Characters Included: John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra.

Orange Peel Theory With Cod Characters

Synopsis: Would they peel an orange for you? (Scenario based on the test from TikTok)

Characters Included: John Price, Simon "Ghost" Riley, John "Soap" MacTavish, Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, Alejandro Vargas, Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra, Valeria Garza, Farah Karim, Kate Laswell, Alex Keller, König, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Keegan P. Russ, Gary "Roach" Sanderson, Nikolai Belinski, Philip Graves, Vladimir Makarov.

A little something of Simon Riley x Bookworm!Reader

Realizations

Synopsis: How you and Simon, the parents of Ghostie met.

Daisies and Talks

Synopsis: Your boyfriend Simon Riley finds you secretly visiting his mother's grave.

Crinkled Polaroids

Synopsis: Simon find you again after a few years, however things weren't in his favor.

Toothache

Synopsis: How does one go "You're Too Sweet For Me" to "My Baby's Sweet As Can Be"? Simon Riley finds himself stuck in a situation, growing feelings for his roommate who's so annoyingly caring, domestic, sweet and too good for him. What happens when he let's himself indulge in the sweetness rather than cage himself in the bitter life he's been told is the only one he's deserving of and the only life he's known?

Disclaimer: Details on sexual intercourse (NSFW???)

Ex-Boyfriend John Price MiniFic

Synopsis: John sees you again for the first time after 3 years.

Masked Men Drabble

Characters in mind: Simon "Ghost" Riley, König, Kim "Horangi" Hong-jin, Keegan P. Russ, Gary "Roach" Sanderson.

Price Quokka Drabble

Spiderman loving bf (Gaz) x hello kitty loving gf (you) drabble

Nothing's new...

Synopsis: "You were a wonderful experience" "And you were... everything.." (Simon "Ghost" Riley) (Angst)

Simon "Ghost" Riley x Civilian!Reader Drabble

Husband!Simon x Pregnant!Wife!Reader Drabble

Boyfriend! Kyle "Gaz" Garrick Drabble

Synopsis: Simon after his nervousness about your pregnancy fades.

Comfort with Price (Requested)

Synopsis: Your husband comforts you after a bad day.

Price makes his daughters cry (Drabble)

Farah Karim x Reader Drabble (Angst)

Cuteness Aggression Drabble (CoD men x reader)

Domestic Drabble (Babies, Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader and John "Soap" MacTavish x Reader)

Pregnancy (Chunky Babies) Drabble (Simon Ghost Riley x Pregnant!Reader)

Mornings with Simon Riley

Lia's Writers and Blog Recommendations

[silaslich]

Choices have consequences

Simon “Ghost” Riley x gn!captain!reader

Wc - 2.8k

Summary - you’re tasked with taking your team to Germany to assist tf141, all goes well until Ghost takes a bullet.

No CWs

AN - this was wholly written for my own entertainment just so I could interject my ocs somewhere with no context but hey why not post it for the fun of it :)

Stories did little to compare to the haunting image of the man in the mask.

The Ghost.

A strong soldier with a good head on his shoulders. Perfectly curated for his field; no strings attached, no loose ends. No one waiting for him, no one that would seek him out if he were to disappear. Not one single person who would be notified of his death when that dark day came.

Ghost had cut himself away from any semblance of a normal life he had left. He took the choice out of Simon’s hands and forced it regardless, hiding his truth and burying it away. Files upon redacted files lay piled up. His name. His face. His home. His family. All buried deep down in the archives, tucked away in a dark corner where no one would see them. Where no one would know to look.

He was an anomaly. A complete stranger to these men. He couldn’t relate to them, couldn’t join in with idle conversations between deployment or while on transports. Talking about future plans; wives, kids, holidays spent around a stained oak table with chairs pulled up to each corner - filled to the brim with family and friends and pets.

He would just keep his eyes low. Listening carefully but mind somewhere else completely - disassociated. Displaced from his surroundings.

You met him years ago in Germany. Barely two words spoken between you before you were split, sent your opposite ways to divide and conquer.

Task force 141 wasn’t foreign to you, John Price had been an acquaintance of yours for some time now, conversations had in passing like ships across seas, opposing squadrons touching down onto the tarmac of the same holding barracks or tight-knit rendezvous at the higher up facilities. It came with the territory of being a Captain, Price had is men and you had yours. He’d remarked that you were young considering your rank, “I’m older then I look, Captain” you’d said. You weren’t about to tell him how old you really were, that you were perhaps closer to his age then he thought, you’d let that conversation happen another time.

Germany had been a chance encounter. A tipping point in an otherwise routine mission; a drug ring shipping through exports across Europe, a rat had let slip of armour deals happening too, heavy duty artillery that was more then just black market trade. Warfare grade shit. By some chance, yourself and your force had been available to assist, already running through that particular area of Europe for another lead you had been following. It had come up short. After just a short phone call you were dropped by helicopter onto the outskirts of Görlitz, a rural town that would provide a great meeting point that would be more than inconspicuous. An old hay barn had been the check point. It’s decaying wood panels all chipped and splintered and rotten from the damp. The roof was half con-caved and the landscape was dull and horse sick. Grazed down right to the clay.

You and your team kept a low profile, walking along the tree lines with weapons drawn, rifles held to your chests as you scanned your surroundings. Old habits died hard. It would take some drilling out of you for you to change your ways, always on the look out, always watching and waiting for the jump.

The select few men you had brought with you were some of your finest; the big Austrian lieutenant König, Toni (Norvin) Espin the scouser sergeant, Craig (Jank) Conners the Londoner and Felix (Trap) Valenski the basket-case Canadian.

It was a team you’d hand picked yourself, comparable to TF141 in the sense that each of you came from somewhere else, some other unit or faculty, bought together by pure chance or pure luck. Freedom fighters for the greater good. Dirty job. Clean world. Clean slate for the rest of humanity to crack on with. Your hands filthy and stained, not washing off in the sink, stained deep down to the bone, bleached into your skin.

Your fist rapped against the wooden door, barely holding on at the hinges. You kept your eyes to the door, only glancing over to your men to gesture to your own eyes with two fingers, then pointing them out into the landscape, signalling for them to keep a look out. Price met you at the door, peeking through a splintering crack. He ushered you all in with a “good to see you made it lads”.

There was a small woodworking table propped in the middle of the barn with a small flash light placed atop. A make shift desk. Littered with maps and coordinate sheets, messy scribbles dashed across and certain areas circled. It looked like they’d been here for hours. Stewing away. Plotting.

The five of you filed in, spreading out across the back portion of the barn, staying aback, not treading on the toes of the 141. You were here to assist, not to overtake.

You took a step toward Price, “So tell me Captain” you began, shifting your rifle to lay across your chest as it sat propped by its strap, “what do you need of us?” your eyes scanned the room, finally taking in the the rest of his force. That’s when you saw him, the Ghost, a burly masked lad with a hulking stature and dangerous air, he didn’t unsettle you in the slightest but you could see why someone on the receiving end of his barrel might think otherwise. He was set off away in the darkness, arms folded and one foot propped across his other leg as he leaned against a wooden bannister frame. To his left was a shorter man, dark hair shaved into a tasteless mohawk, a prominent scar across his chin and a slanting smile painted across his face, he had a kind eye about him, you learnt his name was Soap. Hovering close to Price was the last to be introduced, his name was Gaz, a handsome young chap with slight facial hair and shades pushed up to sit atop his head.

“He’s a big lad ain’t he” Soap chuckled, nodding his head toward your lieutenant. König said nothing in retort. You raised a brow and looked across at the Austrian, his mask covering any emotion he could possibly be showing, you turned back towards the Scotsman. “Glad to see your eyes work well sergeant” you smiled, nodding your head, he only laughed in return. Gaz laughed too.

Price cleared his throat. “I’ll get straight to it Cap” he said, beckoning you with a finger to step even closer to his makeshift table, you rounded the wooden desk, eyes scanning quickly over the scribbled plans and route markers, committing them to memory.

“I’d like you to form our defence, cover our arses as we infiltrate” you went over the logistics quickly in your head. You kissed your teeth in thought, “swap a soldier for König” you said, eyeing up Prices’ boys to see who’d best fit. Price looked at you and raised a brow. “König would be better utilised as a battering ram of sorts, better close up on the offence rather then at long distance. He can get you in and better still he can cover you from there on out” you traced your gloved finger down over the map, following the route in which Price planned to take. He grunted in the back of his throat, acknowledging the information you’d gifted. “Right. I’ll swap your big fella for Ghost, he can stick with you lot at long range and cover our backs incase it goes south” he sounded pleased with his plan and you nodded in response, you glanced over at Ghost, seeing he hadn’t moved even an inch since you and your team had arrived. It’s like he really was just that - a Ghost.

You jumped the drug ring that night. Just as planned; Price took König as his defence, followed by Soap and Gaz. They powered their way through the rings holding facility that was hunkered up on a canal channel, up stream and out of sight. They worked quick and they got the job done, with the assistance of yourself and your boys securing the perimeter and having Ghost as your extra.

Ghost hadn’t said more than a few words; despite the odd movement suggestion or offer of instruction to your men, he kept his mouth shut. You’d worked with hundreds of soldiers in your time, helped train some of the best of them, you’d seen personality types like his before - more brain and brawn then most, with that added third element of reservation. He thought of each word carefully, only gave away what he needed to, and in return you didn’t pry.

By the time Price was heading back with the rest of his crew, yourself and the others started to shift too, readying yourselves to meet them half way. They aren’t too far, just down a ravine heading towards the channels that would have carried the drug rings cargo.

Norvin pipes up. “Where after this Cap? Somewhere sunny?” He smirks when he speaks and you brush him off with a roll of your eyes, “wishful thinkin’ Norv” you retort, falling into step beside Ghost who happens to be the closest. Trap is the next to start, “put in for somewhere properly cold, this soggy shit doesn’t count” the lanky Canadian gestures around with both hands dramatically, the motion forces you to follow his eyes - it certainly is just a soggy and bogged up blanket of rain and sleet out here this time of year, the smell of the earthy soil and kicked up leaves fresh in your nostrils.

As you all trudged further down the brow of the steep hill you saw the rest of the boys come into view, more specifically, you saw König first. That big bastard was hard to miss, a racing thought sprung to mind, it wouldn’t be hard for the enemy to hit him.

It was slippery and muddy. Caked to your boots and splashing up to your calves, it took some time to progress and cover the land, mainly because Jank took a nasty spill and instead of helping everybody just laughed - even Ghost cracked. You supposed it was funny, there’s nothing that can bring a group of soldiers closer then laughing at the expense of one of their own men. Jank didn’t find it particularly funny, smothered in mud right up to his eyeballs, you eventually caught yourself and offered him a hand up. Much to your surprise, he didn’t pull you down into the dirt with him, given his track record - you wouldn’t have put it passed him.

As yourself and your team head down the hill, you see as Price and his boys are coming up, honourable members of each being Ghost and König of course. The captain gets closer and closer, raises his hand to wave you down when you hear and feel the air whip around you.

It’s like lightening striking. One second you’re standing up right walking beside Ghost, and the next you’re crushed beneath the entirety of his weight.

It’s hard to tell if the razor sharp pain in your chest is from the impact or from Ghost crushing your ribcage, your voice dies in your chest when you cry out in pain, but it falls to complete silence when you manage to pin your eyes between your chest and Ghosts.

Because there’s nothing but blood.

-

It’s a hard place to be. On the wrong side of the door, from the outside looking in.

Guilt is a weight you carry well. It’s something you’ve had to come to terms with, make a friend out of, because she’s a headstrong mistress - one that doesn’t allow her victims much room to breath.

You’ve watched countless men and women die, both by your hand and the enemies. It’s a way of life unfortunately, another thing you had to prepare for when ranking up. Those deaths are on your shoulders, carried on your back till the day you kick the bucket yourself. It’s your job to oversee your team, to carry them with you, deliver them back home to their friends and families at the end of it all - hopefully not all of them in caskets.

Watching on now; this man, near enough a stranger to you- listening to his chest rattle and watching as his ribcage rises and falls in shallow succession. It’s a new found sensation that cuts deeper than anything has before. The ache of the healing wound in your chest strives to remind you that you should be the one in his place.

Someway - somehow, Ghost had seen the glint of a sniper in the distance, so far away it could have been anything, a stray of light catching the stream or a trick of the eye. Yet, he shielded you, screamed for everyone else to drop to the ground, he had bellowed so loud you hadn’t even heard it over the sound of the blood rushing in your ears.

Not only had he saved you, but the rest of the team as well, Ghost had walked away as the only critical injury. Even your wound was surface deep, his body had slowed down the bullet almost indefinitely, all you had now was a gnarled scabbed up entry wound.

And Ghost still hadn’t woken up yet.

The days stretch into what feels like eternity. You don’t eat and can barely sleep, you can’t even rip yourself away from the ward.

You carry your guilt well, so you can’t justify what makes you stay, what keeps you rooted to the sticky-clean vinyl floor.

Price stays too. Eaten up by his protective instinct, much like you are with your own team, they’re more than just that - a fucked up sense of family hiding between the bloodshed and the bullets. It’s why he had allowed you to stay, given you permission on Ghost’s behalf to see his face, to watch the way his features slope gently in sleep.

On the ninth day, Ghost wakes up.

It’s an awful ordeal. You’re getting yourself and Price a coffee when you hear it - when you hear him.

Something smashes and the machines keeping him breathing must clatter to the floor, Price pulls the assistance alarm just as you make it to the door.

For the briefest of seconds, Ghost stills when he sees you, eyes wild and frantic - but they’re glazed over, he’s clearly having an episode of some sorts. You make it to the bedside just as he’s pulling the wires off his chest, grabbing hands aiming for the oxygen mask next, Price’s voice is there attempting to soothe him the entire time. “Calm down, Simon” he breathes, lowering his face close to Simon as he braces his palms gently on his chest, ushering him to relax, “it’s okay Si” Price looks from his lieutenant and then up at you.

His eyes contradict his tone. For the first time since you’ve known him, Price looks worried, if you didn’t know any better maybe he even looked scared. Fearful for his friend. You’ve deduced plenty in the last week or so, the captain hadn’t overshared on Ghost’s behalf, but he’d let enough go unsaid that you put two and two together - Ghost hadn’t always been a Ghost.

He was once a man; with a life and a family, despite being broken down and beaten by his father he rose above it, he sought out a life that would give him the control back. But even that was short lived, betrayed and brought to his knees and buried alive - left to rot away in that casket six feet under.

Ghost wasn’t created to replace Simon, he was created to protect him. Not just his identity and his past, but to protect that little boy that never got a chance to be just that. Simon had to grow up too fast; everything innocent and sweet ripped away too young, instead he was carved out by harsh words and glass bottles - moulded to be a shell of his former self.

The nurses are quick when they arrive; they sedate him through his IV and replace everything he’d managed to rip out, he’s in and out of it. Drifting as Price said.

You sit there for the rest of the afternoon. Silent by his side as he rests. Again- you don’t know what keeps you there. Maybe it’s an obligatory sense of responsibility for this man’s life now, he’d saved yours, now you owed him the same. It makes the wound in your chest ache, the dull throb of it palpable under your palm when you rest it there.

Then you realise as your eyes scan him, hovering over the bandages that wrap around his entire torso -

You’ll both have matching scars now.

[going-to-ikea-for-the-fries]

Bonded Pair. - OCxGhost Backstory.

|| [Part Two ->] ||

pairing: COD OC!Victoria "Whiskey" Callahan x Simon "Ghost" Riley bonus: Moot!OC (Meabh "Pirate" O'Malley) x Johnny "Soap" MacTavish words: 2K~ cw: injury (nothing major or too explicit)

May 2020

“How long until the American comes?” Soap asks to Ghost’s right as the lieutenant is halfway through assembling their camp/nest for the foreseeable future.

“Laswell said he’d come before sundown.” Ghost muttered. 

“What do you think he’s going to be like?” Soap asked.

“I think you should start heading to your spot and setting up camp, instead of yapping. It’s gonna get dark soon. You don’t want to spend the night lying on a pile of sticks, do you?”

“Jeez, L.T., calm down.” The Scot quipped with a chuckle. “I have plenty of time!”

“You really don’t. Sun’s setting soon.” A voice called out from behind them, causing them both to turn sharply, already pawing at their guns. The southern american accent was the only reason they didn’t draw them or shoot at the source.

Whiskey stepped out from behind the treeline, setting her hands on her hips after slinging her rifle onto her shoulder. She was on the tall side for a woman, standing at 5ft8, and had broad shoulders and strong arms.  Her dark brown hair was tied back into the usual military-standard low bun, though a few loose strands of damp hair were glued to her forehead, and the lower half of her face was concealed by an Army green neck gaiter that was pulled up to her nose. 

Ghost wasn’t particularly keen on working with her. But at least she looked more capable than some of what he’d seen come from the US.

She wore the standard combat uniform he had grown used to seeing on the Americans: camouflage cargos trousers, jacket, and Kevlar with the American flag. To keep her warm from the unforgivingly rainy and cold weather, she wore a brown fleece jacket under her camo, which was zipped up all the way, covering her neck and the bottom of her gaiter. She had on tan fingerless gloves, tan combat boots, and a camo backpack over her shoulders, from which hung her helmet. 

“You’re the Navy SEAL?” Ghost asked in greeting as he approached her.

“That’d be me.” Whiskey replied evenly as she reached forward to shake hands with Ghost. 

“I’m Ghost, this is Soap.” He explained as they shook hands, eyes locked into a strong, unyielding eye contact. 

“Whiskey.” She replied as she let go of his hand and turned to shake Soap’s. Only for her eyebrows to knit together and then set dangerously low, darkening her hazel-brown eyes. “You.” She said as she pulled her hand back before he could shake it.

“Me?” Soap asked, his own eyebrows rising up to his hairline.

“You’re screwing my best friend!” Whiskey said bluntly as she pointed at him.

“Am no! I have a girlfriend!” Soap said while shaking his head, entirely convinced of 

“Yeah, my best friend!” Whiskey replied with a nod.

“No? My girlfriend’s name is Meabh and her best friend is Victoria.”

“Right. Victoria, who’s American and part of the SEALs?” 

“Oh shit!” Soap said in surprise as he looked at her. “You’re her?”

“Yeah I am. And you’re the piece of crap that-” Whiskey stopped herself, biting her tongue and pointing a finger at him.

“Woah, you’re nothing like Meabh said you would be.” Soap said with a dropped jaw. “What’s with the aggression? I dinnae do nothing to ye-”

“You did enough.” Whiskey hissed at him through gritted teeth, her hand shaking as she wagged her finger in his face. She seemed so pissed off at Soap, Ghost couldn’t help but wonder what the sergeant did.

Ghost was watching the whole scene go down, the entire situation sending some alarm bells ringing in his head, not because of the animosity… But because Whiskey was loud and feisty. And he already had Soap to deal with, and now there was another one?

He didn’t even want to imagine what comms would look like between them, how they’d talk his ear off.

Whiskey turned away with a huff, shaking her head. “I’m gonna go set up shop. I suggest you do the same.” She told the lads.

“Wait!” Soap said as he stepped forward toward her. “What’d I do? Why do you hate me so much?”

Whiskey looked back over her shoulder, eyes locking onto Soap’s. Then, she looked up at Ghost and, for a moment, Simon swore he was seeing right into her soul and her right into his. Whatever reason she was pissed at Soap, it was bad, and he could tell.

“Just get to work and don’t piss me off. Gonna have to deal with you for three weeks…” Whiskey grumbled about Soap as she turned and walked off, heading downrange to her own overwatch coordinates.

Soap exchanged a glance with Ghost as she walked off, before softly murmuring. “What was that about?”

Ghost shook his head. “Fuck if I know. Just do as she said and get to your campsite.”

“Yeah…” Soap trailed off and waved a goodbye at Ghost before he headed out to his camp, following after Whiskey’s trail.

-

Night 1: 2000 hours

“I was thinking we take turns sleeping. 24 hours in a day, we could trade and do 4 hour straight of sleep.” Ghost suggested over the radio as he snacked on a protein bar.

“Copy that, L.T.” Soap replied, his voice chewed up, a clear sign that he was also eating.

“Sounds good to me.” Whiskey replied from her camp, her voice clipped and curt, even through the radio. “You can take first shift, Ghost.”

“I’d rather take last.” Ghost replied.

“Alright. Soap. Take first shift.” She demanded.

“Nae? I wanna stay up and speak to you about something.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Victoria, c’mon, I don’t even know what I did.”

“It’s ‘Whiskey’, Soap. I still outrank you and we’re still at work. Haven’t given you permission to call me by my name.” Her voice was so blunt and strong, Ghost found himself almost impressed.

“I’m sorry.” Soap ended up saying with a sigh. 

“Save your sorries. Go to sleep.” She demanded. 

“Aye, ma’am.”

It took a good half an hour or so, but soon, Johnny’s PTT was turned off, so, Ghost spoke up.

“Switch to 3, Whiskey.”

“Copy that.”

After switching frequencies, he finally spoke. “What’d he do?”

“Something he shouldn’t.”

“Cheated on your friend?”

“No. He’s stupidly devoted to her. At least from what she says.”

“Sounds about right. He talks about her a lot. Tires me.”

“Bet it does.”

“Then what?”

“Can’t talk about it.”

“Hm…” Ghost murmured. “Okay.”

-

Ghost was supposed to be sleeping. He really was. But with a new team member alongside them, he knew he wouldn’t be able to. 

Besides, he wouldn’t risk missing the shitshow of the other two bickering.

“So, how long have you and Meabh known each other?” 

“Longer than she’s known you.”

-

“How’d you meet?”

“On a ship.”

“Her ship?”

“No.”

-

“So how is it, being a Navy SEAL?”

“Fine.”

-

“So, how old are you?”

“Old enough.”

-

“Where are you from?”

“America.”

“Yeah, but which state? You’re obviously from the south.”

“None of your business.”

-

“You and Meabh ever work together?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Classified.”

-

At one point, Ghost couldn’t help but start to smirk at the way the conversation was going. All throughout Days 1, 2 and 3 of their watch mission, she answered Johnny’s incessant questions with nothing but nonchalant dryness.

He could almost guess what answer she’d give and what tone she’d use whenever Johnny asked another question. 

While she had been sleeping, the Scot had confessed he had wracked his brain thinking of reasons why she didn’t like him and had come up short… And that he wanted to make friends with her, for his bird’s sake.

But he wasn't succeeding. She was cold and stubborn and curt with her answers, not giving him more than a few words at a time.

Even as the questions got more probe-y and personal… She gave him nothing. In a way, Ghost saw himself in her answers.

“What do you and Meabh usually do when you’re together?”

“Hang out.”

“Yeah, but what do you do? Go out for drinks? Go on holiday?”

“We hang out.”

-

“So what does Meabh tell you about me?”

“The usual.”

“Elaborate?”

“No.”

-

“How come Meabh has never shown me a picture of you?”

“I don't do pictures.”

-

“Why the mask?”

“To hide my face.”

-

It’s as the sun sets on Day 4 that she finally gets tired of playing nice:

“You know, Meabh described you as really cheerful and funny… But I don't see it.”

“Meabh sees the best in people. Don’t take it personal. She lies about you a lot too.”

“I’m not that bad, you know? I don’t know what your problem is with me but… I’m just trying to befriend ye.” Ghost can pick up on Soap’s annoyance in his tone of voice.

“I wish you wouldn’t.” Whiskey replied.

There’s a long, long moment of silence before Johnny tries again.

“How often do you and Meabh talk?”

“Often enough.”

“I miss her a lot when I’m on missions… Can’t talk to her steadily…” Soap admits, this time a lot more sincere. “Do you miss her too?

“No.” She replies. 

“No? Do you not like her the same as she does you?’

“I do.” Whiskey tells him. “But I’ve got ways of communicating with her.” She announces. 

“How’s that? Sending a letter and waiting weeks for a reply? I’m not satisfied with just that. Need to hear her voice… and she doesn’t have signal out there in the ocean…”

There’s a sound from the radio, which Ghost can swear is a snort from Whiskey laughing. Then, she speaks again.

“Can you see my camp from where you are?”

“Yeah?”

“Alright well, take a look at this.” 

Out of curiosity, Ghost decides to turn his binoculars toward Whiskey’s nest too, and adjust the focus until she comes into view.

“It’s a real shame that you can’t talk with your girlfriend.” Whiskey said while waving a black radiotelephone in the air for them to see. “I wouldn’t know anything about that.”

Ghost smirks at the sound of her sarcasm, shaking his head, already anticipating the dramatics that Soap would engage in.

“Wait, you’ve got a phone to talk to Meabh WITH?!” Soap’s voice is so loud and high-pitched one would think he just suffered the greatest betrayal.

“Oh yeah, I’ve been speaking pretty consistently with her the past 4 days.”

“No?!”

“Oh yes.”

“That’s it! I’m going down there, I want to talk to Meabh!”

“No you’re not, don’t you desert your post!”

“I’m not deserting! I’m going to you!”

Ghost has to turn off his PTT so he can laugh without them noticing. Soap had been talking about Meabh for forever, talking the ear off anyone who’d listen, raving about the girl and how much he loves her. At this point Simon feels he himself is dating her with how much he knows about her… 

And now, here was her best friend, showing him just how much higher she ‘ranks’ in the girl’s consideration.

Turning his binoculars toward Soap’s nest, he watched the younger sergeant slip out and, under the shadows of the rapidly approaching night, rush out behind the treeline, dashing toward Whiskey’s nest about 2 kilometers out.

“He’s really going over.” Ghost murmured into the PTT.

“I know he is. Meabh is laughing over it.”

“YOU’RE TALKING WITH HER RIGHT NOW?!” Soap shrieked into his own PTT. “Tell her to hold on!!! I want to hear her voice!!!!”

Ridiculous, Ghost thought as he heard Soap’s desperation. How ridiculous it was to be so obsessed with a woman. Girlfriend or not.

By the time he reached Whiskey’s station, after a few minutes, Ghost got to watch a flurry of limbs happening.

And, after a moment, Whiskey came back onto the PTT. “Ghost contact Laswell, Soap needs to be sent on medical.”

“What happened?”

“He tried to get the radiophone off me, so I broke a couple of his fingers… And his wrist. And kicked him in the balls.”

Ghost pressed his lips together to stifle a smile. He shouldn’t be as amused as he is… But God, is the situation hilarious.

“Rog.”

[ltash]

Venom

Part 3 "Anastasia Romanov"

Ghost x female OC

Warnings: Very Dark themed, mentions of murder and blood, dark sadist Ghost.

You are taking me to Makarov, Anastasia.

No. I am going to hell Simon Riley and I am taking you with me.

"Don't underestimate her. She may be small, but she's a feisty little thing."

Moscow, Russia

Anastasia sat in her small Moscow apartment, the patter of heavy rain against the window providing a rhythmic backdrop to her thoughts.

At just 21 years old, she had become Vladimir Makarov's right hand, a trusted lieutenant in his shadowy world. Despite Makarov's elusive nature and unknown whereabouts, he maintained contact with Anastasia, serving as a surrogate father figure in her life after she had tragically lost her parents at the tender age of 15.

Makarov had guided her into the Russian Ultranationalist party, where she underwent rigorous training and emerged as one of their top agents.

As she sat in her small apartment, Anastasia couldn't shake the image of Makarov's face, lit by the cold glow of the tunnel's lights, his expression a mix of triumph and menace. He had relayed the news to her with a chilling calmness that sent a shiver down her spine.

"I killed Soap," Makarov had said, his voice resonating with a deadly pride. "One of their finest. A young lad with a bright future, now extinguished."

Anastasia had known of Soap McTavish, a sergeant among the Task Force members, revered for his skills and leadership. His death was not just a tactical victory for Makarov but a symbolic blow to their enemies—a demonstration of power and ruthlessness that defined their brutal conflict.

As she stared out into the rain-soaked streets of Moscow, Anastasia wrestled with conflicting emotions. The thrill of victory mingled with the weight of guilt and remorse. She knew that in their world, there was little room for sentimentality or second-guessing. Survival and success demanded unwavering commitment, even in the face of moral ambiguity.

The rain continued to fall, a relentless drumbeat against the windowpane. In the silence of her apartment, Anastasia prepared herself for the next mission, the next test of her loyalty to Makarov and the Ultranationalist cause.

The buzzing and ringing of her phone jolted Anastasia out of her trance. Her heart raced as she glanced at the screen, recognizing the number immediately. Her hands trembled as she answered the call, bringing the phone to her ear.

"Hello, my dear," Makarov's voice came through, speaking in Russian with that familiar mix of authority and charm.

"Hello, Makarov," Anastasia replied, her voice steadying as she took a deep breath. "It's been a while."

"Yes, it has," he said, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "I hope you're ready for what comes next. We have important work to do."

"Always," she responded, her loyalty clear in her voice. "What do you need?"

Makarov's tone shifted, becoming more serious. "There's a target I need you to eliminate. He's been a thorn in our side for too long."

"Who is it?" Anastasia asked, already mentally preparing herself for the mission.

"Ghost," Makarov said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Simon Riley. He's working as a mercenary now, a ruthless killer. He used to be a soldier, but that part of him is long gone. We can't afford to let him interfere any longer. I want you to find him and finish the job."

Anastasia's heart skipped a beat. She had heard stories of Simon "Ghost" Riley, the infamous operative who had once been a member of Task Force 141. His reputation for ruthlessness preceded him, a far cry from the disciplined soldier he had once been.

"There are no pictures of him," Makarov continued. "But you will recognize him by his skull mask. He's extremely deadly, Anastasia. He could kill you without a second thought, so you must be extremely careful."

"Understood," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. "I'll take care of it."

"We've arranged an apartment for you in the same building he lives in," Makarov added. "Get close to him, gain his trust, and then execute him swiftly."

"Consider it done," Anastasia replied.

The call ended, leaving Anastasia staring at her phone, her mind racing. She had a mission, a directive from the man who had been her guiding force for years. But now, the lines between loyalty and morality were blurred.

The next day, Anastasia found herself on a flight to Manchester. The dossier Makarov had provided included everything she needed to know about Simon Riley’s current whereabouts. As she arrived at the nondescript apartment building, she noted how perfectly it blended into its surroundings—a fitting place for a man trying to live under the radar.

The apartment she had been provided was modest but functional, directly across the hall from Simon Riley's. She moved in quickly, arranging her belongings and preparing herself for the task ahead. The plan was simple: get close, earn his trust, and then strike when he least expected it.

Anastasia entered the apartment building with her suitcases, taking in her new surroundings. Manchester wasn't cold like Russia, but the air carried a damp chill that clung to her skin. She walked through the lobby, noting the modern decor and the warmth that radiated from the newly built structure. The building was cozy, a stark contrast to the harsh environments she was accustomed to.

She made her way to the hallway where her apartment was located, her steps echoing softly on the polished floor. The air was tinged with the faint smell of fresh paint and new carpets. She reached her door, her mind racing with the details Makarov had provided. She didn’t know exactly which apartment belonged to Simon Riley, but based on her intel, it was adjacent to hers.

Unlocking her door, she stepped inside and took a moment to survey the space. It was modest but comfortable, furnished with all the necessities she would need to blend in and execute her mission. She set her suitcases down and began unpacking, methodically arranging her belongings while her mind stayed focused on the task ahead.

Later that evening, as she finished settling in, she decided to take a walk around the building to familiarize herself with the layout. She left her apartment and turned right, walking past several doors until she reached the one next to hers. She paused for a moment, her heart beating a little faster. This could be it—the apartment of the infamous Ghost, Simon Riley.

She continued down the hallway, noting the emergency exits and the location of the stairs and elevators. The more she knew about her surroundings, the better prepared she would be.

After unpacking and settling in, Anastasia decided to get a view of the city. She needed to clear her head and assess her surroundings further. Manchester was different from the sprawling, frigid expanse of Russia. It was a smaller city, yet bustling with activity. People moved briskly through the streets, a mix of locals and tourists contributing to the vibrant atmosphere.

Stepping out of the building, she felt the wind tug at her long red hair, causing it to wave behind her. She took a deep breath, the damp air filling her lungs as she glanced around, searching for a place to get a drink. While she wasn't an avid drinker, she found herself occasionally enjoying a drink to unwind, especially when she had much on her mind.

Walking down the street, she noticed a quaint pub tucked away on a quieter side street. The warm light spilling out from its windows and the faint sound of laughter and conversation drew her in. She approached the door, pushing it open and stepping inside. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, a stark contrast to the tension she had been feeling.

She made her way to the bar, slipping onto a stool and catching the bartender's eye. "What can I get you?" he asked, his voice friendly.

"A glass of wine, please," she replied, offering a small smile.

As she waited for her drink, she let her gaze wander around the pub. People were gathered in small groups, chatting and laughing. It was a scene of normalcy that felt almost foreign to her after the years of intense training and missions. When the bartender returned with her wine, she took a sip, savoring the moment of tranquility.

Her thoughts drifted back to Simon Riley.

As she sat there, contemplating her next move, she felt a presence beside her. She turned to see a man, perhaps in his late thirties, with a kind smile. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked, gesturing to the empty stool next to her.

"Go ahead," she replied, curious about the stranger.

▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎

Ghost checked out of his hotel room and made his way back to his apartment after finishing his mission. The execution of the mafia boss had been swift and clean, just as he preferred. His movements were practiced and deliberate, the guitar-shaped sniper case slung over his strong shoulder blending in with the urban landscape.

When he reached his apartment building, he turned the key in the lock but something caught his eye. The light in the apartment across from his was on. It had been empty for quite a while, and he hadn't expected anyone to move in while he was away.

His eyes narrowed, and he cursed under his breath. "Fucking hell." The thought of having a new neighbor, an unexpected visitor, every now and then was unwelcome. He thrived on solitude and the ability to come and go without scrutiny.

Setting his things inside his apartment, he tried to relax. But the familiar tension wouldn't leave him. He felt the need for a drink, something strong to take the edge off. "Hell, I could murder for a whiskey now," he muttered to himself.

Without wasting time, he swapped his skull mask for a more discreet balaclava and threw on his usual attire—hoodie and sweatpants. It was a look that allowed him to blend into the background, just another faceless figure in the night.

He exited the building and headed to the nearest pub. It was a small, unassuming place where he could disappear into the crowd. He entered the dimly lit space, scanning the room out of habit before approaching the bar.

"Kentucky, straight," he ordered, his voice low and gravelly.

The bartender nodded and poured him a generous measure of bourbon. Ghost took the glass, finding a secluded corner where he could sit with his back to the wall, a clear view of the entrance. He took a sip, the fiery liquid burning a path down his throat, grounding him in the moment.

As he drank, his thoughts drifted back to the mission, replaying every detail to ensure there were no loose ends. He was meticulous by nature, every action calculated and deliberate. His mind then wandered to the new neighbor. He hadn't seen who it was yet, but he would soon enough. He needed to be aware of his surroundings, and anyone new was a potential threat until proven otherwise.

His eyes scanned the room absently, noting the faces and the exits. It was a habit ingrained in him from years of living on the edge. He saw a few regulars, but no one paid him any mind, just the way he liked it.

As he nursed his drink, a flash of red hair caught his attention. A woman sat at the bar, talking to a man. She seemed relaxed, her laugh genuine, a stark contrast to his own guarded demeanor. He dismissed her as just another patron until she turned slightly, and he got a better look at her face.

The red-haired girl was beautiful, to say the least. Her big blue eyes shone in the dim light of the dingy pub, and small freckles adorned her face, adding a touch of innocence. She looked very young, possibly in her early twenties. As Ghost observed her, he couldn't help but notice the way her presence lit up the otherwise gloomy room.

The boy who was talking to her was just another bloke, trying to charm her. Ghost recognized the type instantly. "Huh! Fucker," he cursed under his breath, knowing exactly what the guy was after. He had seen it countless times before—guys trying to sweet-talk their way into a woman's bed.

But then, Ghost wasn't much different. One-night stands had always been his go-to, a way to use women and throw them away like tissue paper. He was fond of it, the detachment and simplicity it offered. Emotions were messy and complicated, and he preferred to keep things straightforward.

As he watched the interaction between the red-haired girl and the boy, he felt a strange sense of irritation. He wasn't used to caring about such things, but something about the girl intrigued him. Maybe it was the way she held herself, confident yet approachable, or perhaps it was the hint of mystery she exuded.

▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎

"I'm Jack," he introduced himself, extending a hand.

"Anastasia," she responded, shaking his hand.

They struck up a conversation, and Anastasia found herself relaxing a bit more. Jack was a local, and he shared stories about the city and its history, providing her with useful information about her new environment. As they talked, she kept an eye on the time, aware that she needed to stay focused on her mission.

After finishing her drink, she thanked Jack for the company and stood to leave. "It was nice meeting you," she said, offering him a genuine smile.

"Likewise," Jack replied. "If you ever need a tour guide, you know where to find me."

As Anastasia stood to leave the pub, she moved towards the door just as it swung open, revealing two imposing figures. They were rough-looking men, their faces hardened by years of disregard for civility.

"Excuse me," Anastasia said calmly, trying to pass between them.

"What's the rush, sweetheart?" one of them leered, reaching out to grab her wrist with a meaty hand.

"Come sit with us," the other sneered, his breath reeking of alcohol and stale cigarettes.

Anastasia felt the grip tighten around her wrist, her heart racing with a mix of anger and caution. These were the kind of men she had dealt with countless times before—brutes who thought they could exert their will on anyone they pleased. In her line of work, she had learned to make people like them taste their own medicine, but creating a scene here could attract unwanted attention and jeopardize her mission.

"Let me go, please," she pleaded, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

The man holding her wrist only laughed, a cruel sound that echoed in the dimly lit pub. His companion grinned maliciously, clearly enjoying the situation.

Anastasia's mind raced. She assessed her options quickly, weighing the risks. Fighting back now could escalate things, drawing unwanted scrutiny. She needed a way out without compromising her cover or exposing herself.

With a calm demeanor, she tried reasoning one last time. "I don't want any trouble. Just let me go," she said firmly, locking eyes with the man holding her.

The tension in the air was palpable. Other patrons glanced over curiously, sensing the brewing conflict. Anastasia kept her composure, her mind racing through scenarios and escape routes.

"Leave her the fuck alone. You motherfucker," the voice growled, slicing through the air with a husky, raspy British accent. It was a voice that commanded attention, filled with a raw intensity that made even the rowdiest patrons at the bar pause and turn to see what was happening.

The two men who had accosted Anastasia froze , their eyes widening as they turned to face the figure behind her. Slowly, she pivoted on her heel to see him for herself.

He towered over her, almost a foot and a half taller, his presence imposing and commanding. Piercing brown eyes stared out from behind a skull-printed balaclava, giving him an air of mystery and danger. He was dressed in dark, nondescript clothing that hinted at a life lived on the edge.

"And who the fuck you think you are?" one of the men snarled, his grip tightening painfully around Anastasia's wrist. She winced, feeling the pressure of his fingers digging into her skin.

"Your worst nightmare," the figure replied, his voice low and cold, each word laced with a promise of retribution.

"You know who I am?" the man barked, his bravado faltering slightly in the face of the stranger's imposing demeanor.

Without hesitation, he moved with lightning speed. In one swift motion, he seized the man's head and slammed it down onto the bar with bone-crushing force.

A sickening crack echoed through the pub as his teeth shattered and blood sprayed across the counter. Before the man could react, Ghost struck again, this time driving the man's nose into the hard surface. The counter splattered with blood.

The bar erupted into chaos as screams and shouts filled the air.

Anastasia recoiled in shock, her heart pounding in her chest. She had seen violence before, but the sheer brutality of Ghost's response left her breathless. She watched in a mix of horror and awe as Ghost stood over the subdued man, his chest heaving with controlled rage.

The second man, sensing the danger, released his grip on Anastasia and stumbled back, his hands raised in surrender. He exchanged a fearful glance with his companion before hastily retreating from the scene, disappearing into the crowd of panicked patrons.

Ghost remained unmoved, his gaze sweeping over the bar as silence settled over the chaos he had unleashed. His balaclava obscured his face, masking any emotion that might lie beneath. Slowly, he turned to look at Anastasia, who stood trembling before him.

"Are you alright?" His voice, still raspy but softer now, held a hint of concern.

Anastasia nodded slowly, unable to tear her eyes away from him.

Her gaze locked with Ghost's intense brown eyes, and for a fleeting moment, everything around them seemed to freeze. There was an undeniable pull between them, a magnetic force that drew her in despite the chaos and danger that had just unfolded.

But fear surged through her veins, overpowering any curiosity or attraction she felt. Without a second thought, she turned and ran. Her heart pounded in her chest as she sprinted through the deserted streets, every step echoing the urgency of her escape.

"Was he the one she came after?" Her mind raced.

[xmalereader]

Simon Riley X Male Reader

-

|| Masterlist ||

-

Authors note: Guess who’s back?! I’ve been gone for a month and have come back with a lot of inspiration and new ideas! So, I’ll be starting off with another baker reader because so far this idea has become a very popular and favorite amongst a lot of readers!

Summary: Reader is a single father who owns a bakery with their son. Simon has recently gotten himself a job there after helping Alex in the past with opening, the relationship between them grows and a new discoveries are made.

Warnings: Fluff, baker reader, single father, OC Alex, Simon is a hunk, baking skills, mentions of past abuse, past memories, simons past life, mentions of work, reader is a good parent, dating.

Word count: 2.1K

—

—

Simon had made himself a new routine that involved the bakery. He’d grown used to waking up at such early hours that he decided to put them to a good use by using that extra time and arriving to the bakery where he would usually help Alex with opening and getting the ovens turns on and place cleaned up before they open. He’d told himself that he’d only help the small family for a few days after the delivery incident, but after that he continued to come to the point where Y/n officially hired him.

He didn’t need a job, the money he earned while working with the military was enough. But, he was given a chance to spend more time with both Alex and Y/n, accepting the position and only working for a few hours. Most days he’d stay around until closing and help the two with cleaning. Even though he wasn’t a great baker himself he still tried when it came towards baking small pastries or perhaps some simple cookies for customers to enjoy. Simons regular duty was to mainly clean the place up and remove the chairs from the tables, setting them out properly.

While Alex checked the back room and double checking that all ingredients are available and in good condition. The teen was only seventeen and yet, he acted responsible towards his fathers bakery, keeping it clean and stocked. Simon is always impressed by the kid, finding out that he plays the violin, works with his father, and has graduated early from school. He didn’t attend university since his future was to continue on with the family business and keep the bakery open and going. Simon knew very little about Alex’s past but knew what the kid had gone though.

Y/n had told him a thing or two about Alex’s real parents, causing his blood to boil at the thought of an innocent child being abused. It brought him terrible memories that not even he wishes to remember. So, Simon grew protective over the kid, keeping a close eye on him whenever he dealt with customers on his own. The kid had gone through a tough life but he knew how to take care of himself when it comes towards his family business.

The day had grown cloudy and cold, raining pouring down hard. Simon made it to the bakery on time but had gotten drenched with rain on his way over, covering the floors in water as he locks the door behind him.

“Rain got you, huh?”

Simon looks up to see Alex by the register, grinning mischievously at Simon. He hums to himself as he goes back to counting the money to place inside the register while Simon made his way around the counter. “It’s pouring hard.” He mumbled, removing the hood on his head, frowning when the wet cloth touched his skin.

“Dad said that it’s going to be raining this whole week and we usually get the most customers during this weather. They all come in to get a warm drink.” Alex closed the register and glanced over to Simon, taking notice of his wet clothes. “My dads upstairs getting ready. I can check if we have any dry clothes in your size?” He offers.

Simon shakes his head. “I’ve dealt with worse weather conditions.” He grunts, removing the hoodie and revealing a simple white shirt as he hangs the jacket. His balaclava all wet that he grows irritated and rips it off his head, revealing his face as the warmth hit his face.

“Well, if you need anything just let me—“ Alex had turned around with a towel in hand, freezing in place as his eyes widen. His silence gets Simons attention and looks down at the teen who continued to stare. It occurred to Simon that this was the first time that Alex was seeing his full face, actually seeing him inside of hiding behind a mask. He too freezes, not knowing how to react or what to say during this type of situation.

It wasn’t until Alex finally speaks up. “Your blonde?” He points out to Simon’s messy hair which was slight damp. “I know I’ve seen your eyes but they look even darker—like the ocean water when the sun first rises!” He exclaims with a soft smile on his face.

Alex’s sudden reaction is enough to give Simon some comfort. He’s used to hiding behind a mask that Alex’s statement is the first that he’s ever heard in a while. He lets a small laugh slip past his lips while Alex continued to examine his face. “You look like any normal guy, although…” he groans. “Yep, your definitely my dads type.” The teen rolls his eyes, already knowing how his father is going to react when he comes downstairs.

He throws the towel at Simons face before the sound of tapping shoes is heard. Y/n was dressed warm for the cold weather, stepping downstairs into the empty bakery as he first turns to Alex. “Are the ovens turned on yet?”

“Not yet, Simon just got here.” He points over to Simon who was drying his face.

When Y/n looks over his smile falls open, eyes wide as he stares at Simon. “W—what—“

He clears his throat. “What happened? Did the rain get you?” He questions, obviously. He was taking in simons looks, head tilting slightly as he takes in the slight stubble that he had showing along his jawline. His hair was damp and a dirty blonde which gets Y/n staring all mesmerized.

He doesn’t know how long he was staring until Alex claps his hands in front of his face, pulling him out of trance and getting startled. “Yes?” He mumbled out, turning to face Alex who frowned. “I get that he’s attractive but I need the stoves turned on.”

“What? Attractive, what are you talking about?” Y/n nervously chuckles, side stepping Alex as he goes around the counter, taking his apron as he continued to ramble. “I don’t know what your talking about, I’d rather turn on the stoves then look at—“ He turns to glance at Simon who was staring back at him with a small smile on his face, causing Y/n’s breath to hitch. “I—stoves!” He squeaks out, stumbling into the back room to get the stoves started while Simon chuckles.

He sets the towel aside and turns to Alex who grins. “See? Dad has a crush on you.” He tells him, focusing back on putting the clean cups away and setting a few out for quick drink orders. While Simon grabs his own apron to put on. He was having second thoughts on putting the balaclava back on but seeing Y/n’s reaction stopped him from doing so. Instead he gets to cleaning without his mask, focusing on his task as he draws the blinds and sets out the chairs.

—

Throughout the day, Simon is able to keep his face exposed for about two hours before he grew uncomfortable and anxious. His balaclava is still wet and hasn’t dried yet, Alex had taken notice of his discomfort and offered him a black face mask that is used whenever someone was baking and couldn’t deal with specific ingredients. Simon had accepted the fake mask, even though it didn’t cover his entire face his anxiety had gone away once he’s able to hide half of his face.

With the bakery now open and students pouring inside to avoid the horrible weather he’s able to step back into routine. “Behind!” The two hears Y/n call out as they moved forward, avoiding the hot tray of cookies that was placed in front of them. Y/n smiles widely.

“Oh! Mr. Y/n these smell amazing are they new?” One of the college students ask as they pay for their drink while Y/n nods. “Correct! I was working on these for a few days, trying to get the right taste and texture. Would you like you?” He offers.

The student nods their head. “How much will it cost?”

“On the house! I’ve only made a few so I can’t sell them yet but I’ll appreciate some honest feedback.” Y/n looks around for some napkins to hand the cookies out with but doesn’t find any until Simon holds out a small pile to him which he accepts with a small ‘thank you’ and began to hand the cookies out to the nearest students who asked for one. A few gave him honest criticism, letting him know what was missing and what he could possibly add. He takes in all the information with a smile on his face.

“Very well, I’ll be in the back working on this new recipe again.” Y/n sighs deeply, picking up the empty tray. “Don’t work yourself to hard.” Simon says. Y/n looks up to him and nodded. “I won’t, I just want to make sure that I get these right.” He’s determined to make the best cookies ever!

“You said you made a few, have anymore in the back?”

“Oh! I do, would you like to try one?”

Simon gives him a nod before he’s being guided to the back where Y/n had left a mess all over the baking table, flour and a mixture of other ingredients were all over the table. He hums happily to himself, ignoring the mess as he pulls out a tin can and pulling the lid open to reveal the same cookies he finished baking. “I kept a few in order to die some taste testing and to keep track of ingredients I added.” He offers one to Simon who takes it, giving it a hard stare and lowering his face mask to take a bite of the cookie.

Y/n watched him in silence, always getting caught off guard whenever he showed his face. He felt warm inside and his face always grew warm and avoids to stare at Simon longer, instead he focused on cleaning his mess and using a rag to throw the mess away. “So…did you like it?” He questions, glancing at Simon.

“I like everything you bake.”

Y/n blushed deeply, chuckling a little. “Don’t lie, there has to be something I bake that isn’t too your liking.”

“I would say the coffee but Alex is the one who makes it, not you.” Simon eats the last part of the cookie, smirking at him as he swallows.

“That doesn’t count, that’s Alex’s doing.” Y/n rolls his eyes.

“You’re right but, like I said. Your baking is good and I can’t find a single one to complain about.”

“There’s always something to ask about.” Y/n picks up some of the bowls he was using and walks over to the sink where he placed the bowls inside and turns on the water. Simon followed his every move, pulling the mask back up and suddenly asking.

“Alex says you have a crush on me.”

Y/n’s hands grow slippery as the dish slips from his hands, falling back into the sink and splashing water all over his apron. “What—?” He gasped out in shock and disbelief, taking one of the clean towels to dry himself with even though it wasn’t much help.

“I don’t—well, maybe, No! I don’t I—“ He groans in frustration as he tries to dry his clothes faster but nothing works. Simon steps forward, taking the towel from his hand and setting it aside. His hands sneak around Y/n’s waist and turns him around, his back facing him while Y/n gasped and grows stiff.

“You do or you don’t?” Simon asks again while he worked on the aprons knot and getting it untied. “I do…” Y/n responded back. “But, I understand if you don’t feel the same don’t force yourself to say anything.” He chuckles nervously. “It’s something small and I don’t usually get attracted to anyone.” He rambled on, Simon allowing it as he got the knot untied and gently removed the apron from around his neck.

Y/n turning back around without thinking as he continued. “—it’s not really a crush but an attraction? Or I think that is considered a crush?” He whines, throwing his head back in defeat. “I admit I’ve had a thing for you ever since you came in!” He confessed.

Simon silently watched, amused. He sets the wet apron aside and focused his attention back to Y/n. “Ever since I came in?”

Y/n nods, avoiding his stare.

“I thought I scared you.”

Y/n whipped his head up, almost giving himself whiplash. “Never! I knew that you were a softy after helping Alex.” He huffs out, finally looking into Simons eyes as he lets out a soft breath. The two staring in silence until Simon is the first the cut the tension between them. His voice is soft as he leans down to match Y/n’s height and asking.

“Go on a date with me.”

—

[ AN: Credit goes to all artists! ]

[dovithedarklord]

Masterlist

Age of Monsters

Pairing: OFC x Simon "Ghost" Riley, OFC x König

Tags: Slow Burn, Slow Build, Enemies to Lovers, Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, POV First Person, Not Beta Read, Medical Inaccuracies, Military Inaccuracies, AFAB OC

Trigger Warning: The story will contain violance, blood and smut in detail. Please, keep that in mind!

⚠️MDNI⚠️

...............................................................................................

Summary:

50 years ago, the world was turned upside down by the appearance of a virus, and monsters destroyed most of the known civilization. For safety, humanity has retreated to colonies all around the world, where life is lived according to strict rules and in fear of monsters. Fortunately, the virus caused something other than just the emergence of mutant monsters, it also awakened the Hunters, who have been heroically protecting the colonies ever since. Leona Woods spends her days in Colony 17 hiding from her duties as a Healer, but her carefree life soon ends when one of her evenings doesn't go as planned. And when karma finally catches up, she is forced to join Liquidation Unit 141 to fulfill her duties.

Or

Life in Unit 141 isn't nearly all sunshine and rainbows, especially when a certain masked Hunter tries to make it even harder. However, the excitement only increases when a new danger appears, which threatens not only the life of the unit but the safety of the entire world. And Leona must decide whether to choose her own interests or the survival of her new team and the world.

The world in the story is inspired by the Guideverse.

....................................

Author's Note

Hello!

I've uploaded every finished chapter here! I upload it regularly!

The story moves quite slowly, so please be patient!

I have pretty much covered all the characters in the tags, but the list could expand in the future.

(I proofread myself before posting, so sorry if there are mistakes! I write the story in my language first, and I translate it after. English is not my first language, so help is welcomed! Just be nice, please! )

If you're interested you can find the story on AO3: Chapter One

........................................

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

........................................................................

Map of the colonies

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Other works

Stucked (Soap x reader, Ghost x Reader, Horrorgame au)

[juvenillia]

》 Masterpost 《

Hello there! You can call me Jules, I write for fictional men I simp for. [atm it's mostly cod] My works are nearly always reader inserted inspired by my OC's.

This blog is 18+ 》 MDNI 《 (pls just have your age in your bio)

Requests are open.

Just hit my inbox! I write for the men you already find in this post and I'm happy to serve.

》Find me on AO3《

You can always ask to be tagged in a specific (upcoming) work or series. Just leave a comment

》 Call of Duty

Simon 'Ghost' Riley

Death of Peace of Mind [ongoing fanfic]

happier [hurt/comfort one shot]

tangled pt. 2 [smut/ series]

absolution [smut/ priest!Simon/demon!reader os]

Johnny 'Soap' MacTavish

second death [hurt/no comfort drabble]

tangled pt. 1 [smut/series]

under my skin [fluff/smut os]

König

Giftig [coming soon]

waidmanns heil [smut/hunter!König x prey!reader os]

Captain John Price

like smoke [coming soon]

future days [fluff oneshot]

if you let me [fluff oneshot]

Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick

friend in need [fluff/smut oneshot]

Poly

tangled [ Soap x Reader x Ghost]

Headcanons/Brainrot

Love Language [141+König]

Rammstein [König]

Moving on [141+König]

Smoking [Ghost, sfw]

[babygirl-riley]

Simon “Ghost” Riley x Reader Masterlist

I HAVE REVAMPED MY LIST HERE

Hello my fellow Ghost obsessors! Here is a guided list of my latest work! The symbols that are next to the stories contain what story warnings have what. Just so you’re prepared or wanting/looking for.

My inbox is open! Send your thoughts and ideas! 🖤

Smut *

Angst ^

Fluff ~

Swearing &

Blood/Violance €

Child Loss/Abortions ¥

Kidnapping !

Trauma (any sorts) £

Suicide ;

Self harm ‘

Rape •

Torture ?

If you want check out my OC with Ghost series.

Ghost x Fox

—————————————————————————————————————

Series f!reader

Ghostly Ruins

Short Stories

Shy Guy M!Reader ~ &

Funeral F!Reader ^ € &

Bar Nights F!Reader * ~

Hands F!Reader ^ ¥ € &

Hardcore Bangers M!Reader * & ~

Daylight F!Reader ^ &

Office Times F!Reader * &

My Darkest Fairytale F!Reader ^ & £ ~

Oldies F!Reader * ^ ~ & £

Just a Dream F!Reader ^ &

Oh, My Love F!Reader * ^ ~

Paradise F!Reader * & ~

Haunted F!Reader * € ^ & ; £ Haunted Pt. II F!Reader & ; ^ £

Baroness F!Reader * & € Baroness Pt. II F!Reader * &

Stains F!Reader € • ? &

Secrets F!Reader * ~ &

Rainbows F!Reader ¥ ^ ~ & £

My Future F!Reader ^ ~ € &

The Riley’s F!Reader & ~

Daddy’s Gonna Buy You a Mockingbird F!Reader ^ ~ & £

My Peace F!Reader * ^ & €

Growing Pains F!Reader ^ ~ &

Lies F!Reader ^ & £ ; Lies Pt II F!Reader ^ ~ * & £ Lies Alternative Ending £ & ^

His Girls F!Reader ^ ~ &

Drabbles

Off I Go ^ & €

No Condoms? * ~ &

I’m Sorry ^ & €

I’m Sorry Pt. 2 ^ € &

Asks

Lies Alternative Ending F!Reader £ & ^

Only Mine F!Reader * ~ ^ &

Recordings F!Reader * &

[sofasoap]

Interlude two : Everyone deserves happiness.

Pairing: König x  f!Reader ( OC aka “Mini” MacTavish ) + Simon " Ghost " Riley

Summary: Bit of family moment. Family love all round. Takes place just after "Thank you for everything."

Warning: T to M theme, slight swearing. A/N : Character of Mini MacTavish is from @saltofmercury fic “ “The Favorite MacTavish” ” which she graciously let me borrow and write bit more expanded universe. Please go read her wonderful story to get bit of background, while you are there, go read her wonderful CoD fics too!

 “masterlist” for more prequel to this Mini MacTavish expanded verse.

“.. You are like a brother to me and Johnny. This will always be your home. I want us to stay as friend. I am so sorry.”

“ I will not hurt her. I love her very much. In fact, I am here today to ask for permission for marriage in the future.” Your head is still reeling from all the events that happened over the Easter weekend at your parent's family farm. A "pre-proposal" and breaking someone else's heart at same time.

"OH I am so happy you are settling down, I was losing hope on your brother to bring me a grandchild or a partner. He is not getting any younger!" Your Ma gushes as you two were doing dishes.

" Ah Ma, you know Johnny... I doubt he can settle down anytime soon with his flirtatious nature.. Just let him be." You know Johnny too well. The Casanova. While he is very respectable towards his interest, you doubt your brother will find his ONE anytime soon. He seems to be enjoying all the attention. " He is just like your Da when he was younger.. Chasing all the girls around their skirt.." Your Da? the calm and quiet and serious Da? You can't imaging. You burst out in a fit of giggle.

"How about you Simon? Anyone caught your eyes or interest?" Your Ma being a nosy body. Ghost hand paused in the air putting the dishes away, and you two look at each other. ' Ma, don't be so nosy. I'll make sure to find a nice lady for my big brother here." you bump his bicep with your head after finishing rinsing the last dishes, trying to end the subject. Ghost smiled down at you. The pain is still there, but you can see the slight change. " I think your cousin Alex's older sister is still single the last time I was talking to her Ma during Christmas gathering..." " MA PLEASE." Both you and Ghost rolled eyes. "Fucken Steaming Jesus, why is it still so cold outside." You heard Johnny complaining as the men coming through the back door. Your Da and Johnny was showing König around the farm. " Languages Johnny!" " Sorry Ma." You put on a kettle to get ready to brew some tea. You push Simon to the table to sit down with the boys. " Go. Thanks for helping." Walking over to your.. boyfriend?fiancé? (technically he hasn't propose to you yet) you gave him a kiss on the cheek after waving him to bend down a little. Still not use to PDA , he blushes and pick your hand up and give it a kiss. " Hello teddy bear, how was the tour?" "Good.."

" I am surprised he is pretty knowledgeable how the farm runs." Your Da mentioned.

" I.. I use to spend summer holidays at my Oma and Opa's farm up in the mountain... I use to... um, still do help them with works when I go back...." "OH good, extra pair of hand to help around so Da won't work me overtime like a slave everytime I come back." " Don't be so lazy Johnny." You smack your brother on the head as you serve up tea and scones. " Be nice to your brother." " Yae be nice to me Mini." "I’ll gie ye a skelpit lug!"

Ghost sits there, sipping on his tea and observe the family interaction. He feels like an outsider intruding this intimate moment. He longs to feel the love and bond that he never really get to experiences as a child. "Come on, Simon, help me out here. She's being nasty to me." " You asked for it." Taking another sip of tea, Ghost shows absolutely no sympathy towards Soap. " See? Even he agrees." you stick your tongue out.

" You should hear him in action. Wouldn't shut up over the com."

" Pahh. this crabbit is even worse. The bad jokes I had to endure." " ... I .. I think those jokes are funny.. " König pips up timidly.

" Three to one Johnny." You fold your arm across the chest and puffed. Ghost is going to miss all this when life goes back to normal.

" Got everything?" You look around your bedroom, checking for anything you forgot to pack. "I think... So." " Alright let's go." König picks up both of your luggages and heading towards the front door. Simon and Johnny already there at the front, your Ma was in deep talk with Simon while your Da and Johnny was checking something out on the phone beside them. You see Simon listening intensely to what your Ma had to say, as she has serious expression on her face and patting his hand makes you wonder what they were talking about. Finally she pulls him down for a hug which Simon returns with slight hesitance. The boys heading back to work immediately for next mission, you had to say goodbye to all three of them before you leaving on different flight, back to London while they flying over to the continent. You tearfully say your farewell to König, as is everytime for long distance relationship, saying goodbye was never easy. He promise to visit you again as soon as possible, with even prospect of visiting his family in Austria and show you around his grandparents' farm. König glancing side way, noticing Ghost and Soap is talking amongst themselves and not looking at your way, he bend over, pull his mask down and gave you a quick kiss, while wiping your tears away. " I will see you soon Liebling, I promise." He whispers. He hates seeing you cry. you nodded your head, he pull you in for one last tight hug before you went for final hugs with Ghost and Soap. You have no idea the next time all three of you see each other again was in dire circumstance. "...What did my Ma say to you?" " ... She said I am welcome anytime to your house..." " You know you are always welcome." " ... she said she sees me as another son that she didn't give birth to." " Simon, I respect you as a commander , a colleague and also as a brother from different mother right? Mini loves having you around as well. You ARE part of my family." " Thanks Johnny." " Besides, I need someone to help me to keep an eye on König." "... I think it might be the other way round. König probably get hassled by Mini than he does to her." "... That is true."

Farout I am making this chapter more into broken heart Ghost than König x reader fic lol ooops. I just want to round off his feeling for Mini, moving on from unrequited love onto family big brother love.

I am slowly easing Ghost into the MacTavish family household...trying very hard not to make it too forced. This boy deserves happiness and i WILL GIVE HIM HAPPINESS even in this König route ( and even though I hurt the poor boy with rejection...) I am imagining both König and Ghost are comfortable enough not to wear mask/face covering in private setting with their family.

[ponyosmom35]

Don't Say Things That You Don't Mean

bittersweet chapter thirty six

steve harrington x fem oc

synopsis: as the drugs wear off the truth starts to come out.

link to master list:

https://www.tumblr.com/ponyosmom35/733401347573088256/simon-ghost-riley?source=share

The drugs started to take effect almost immediately, and a giggle bubbled up from Indie's chest. The room seemed to spin in a kaleidoscope of colors, the sterile white walls turning a soft, dreamy shade. Steve's laughter joined hers, a contagious, carefree sound that filled the small, grimy room.

The doctors, having retreated for a moment, returned with a renewed sense of urgency, their expressions grim. They started asking the same questions again, their voices sharp and impatient. But to Indie and Steve, it was just background noise. The sight of the doctors pulling out weapons only made them laugh harder, their laughter ringing through the room with an unsettling giddiness.

One of the doctors approached Steve, grabbing his hand with a rough grip and yanking his nail, trying to make him talk. The pain was sharp, but Steve's reaction was to burst into hysterical laughter. Indie laughed along with him, unable to stop, even as the situation grew increasingly dire.

Between fits of laughter, Indie managed to shout out, "We cracked the code! We're gonna be found!" Her words were slurred, but they were filled with a wild, frenzied joy.

Steve added, still chuckling, "Dustin's gonna call Hopper! We're gonna be saved!"

The alarm blared suddenly, its shrill sound slicing through their laughter. The room seemed to vibrate with the noise, adding to the surreal atmosphere. The doctors, clearly startled, rushed out, leaving Indie and Steve alone.

A few moments later, Dustin burst into the room, his face a mixture of relief and determination. Without hesitation, he pulled out a taser and zapped one of the doctors, who crumpled to the floor, twitching. Indie's laughter turned into cheers, her voice filled with exhilaration.

"Yes! Dustin, you're a hero!" she shouted, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

With the doctors incapacitated, Dustin quickly worked on freeing them from their binds. Indie stumbled to her feet, her legs unsteady from the drugs. She grabbed onto Steve, who steadied her with a concerned but affectionate look. Together, they navigated through the corridors, their movements clumsy but full of a strange, joyous abandon.

They took turns making fun of each other as they stumbled down the hallways, their laughter echoing off the walls. Steve tripped over his own feet, falling in a heap on the floor. Indie couldn't help but laugh, her giggles escaping uncontrollably. 

"I wanted a hot dog!" she said through her laughter, still giggling.

Steve, grinning despite himself, replied, "The Russians took the keys, remember?"

They finally made it back to the outside, their laughter fading into exhausted smiles. They ran through the mall corridors, weaving and stumbling, their spirits lifted by the unexpected freedom.

Sneaking into a movie theater, they found a secluded spot and plopped down next to each other. Indie leaned in close, her breath warm against Steve's ear as she whispered something that made them both laugh even harder. The movie screen lit up with the opening credits of *Back to the Future*, and their laughter only grew louder with each passing scene.

Robin and Dustin went to make calls for help, while Erica kept an eye on Indie and Steve. The two of them decided to take a break and get some water. Indie pushed Steve off the water fountain and grabbed a drink, still giggling.

As they stood by the fountain, Indie looked up at the lights and the windows, her giggles fading into an uncomfortable silence. She suddenly felt a wave of nausea, her stomach churning. "Steve, I think I'm gonna—"

Before she could finish, she dashed into the bathroom, Steve hot on her heels. They both made it to the stalls just in time, and the next few minutes were a blur of painful, retching heaves. Indie's head spun as she threw up, her stomach protesting violently. 

When she finally finished, she leaned against the wall, feeling utterly drained. Her tears mixed with the sweat on her face as she tried to calm her racing heart. Steve was in a stall nearby, his own retching sounds a harsh reminder of their shared ordeal.

After what felt like an eternity, Indie wiped her mouth and her tears, her hands trembling. She looked at Steve, who was finally emerging from his stall, his face pale and sweat-drenched.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked, his voice soft but concerned.

Indie nodded weakly, feeling slightly better but still shaken. "I think so. I feel... a bit better now."

Steve's eyes searched hers, his expression serious. "You need to talk to Robin," she said, knowing the real reason behind her own turmoil.

Steve looked confused. "Why would I need to talk to Robin?"

Indie sighed, her frustration rising. "The way you were talking about your feelings for her, I think you should tell her"

Steve cut her off by crawling into her stall, leaning against the other door while he looks at her his expression earnest. "I wasn't talking about Robin," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Indie's heart skipped a beat, her eyes widening in disbelief. She stared at him, trying to process his words. "Who were you talking about then?"

Steve's gaze softened, his eyes searching hers with a vulnerability she'd never seen before. "I was talking about you."

"What?" Her breath caught in her throat, her mind reeling. "But I'm nothing like Nancy or Jessie or any of the other girls you were with," she said, her voice trembling.

"That's why I like you," Steve replied earnestly. "You're not like anyone else. You make me laugh harder than anyone else, and you're smarter than I could ever be. From the day that I saw you, I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. I was scared to talk to you because I didn't want to be made fun of. But now, I'm done with all that bullshit. I wish I'd found you sooner."

Indie's eyes filled with tears, her heart aching with a mix of hope and fear. She shook her head, trying to hold back her emotions. "Please don't say something you don't mean just because you're high," she pleaded.

Steve's face fell, his expression pained. He reached out, placing a hand gently on her knee.

Before Steve could respond, Dustin and Erica burst into the bathroom, their faces showing concern and relief. The moment was broken, and Indie and Steve shared a final, lingering look before their reality shifted back into focus. Thankful that the high seemed to begin to wear off. Indie stands and hurries out of the bathroom, trying to get as far away from Steve as she could. Her heart broken as she wondered why he would say those things to her when he would never mean them.