Chapter 26: Persuasion

It was still dark when I finally woke up. I shifted slightly to look at the clock on my bedside table. It wasn't there, huh. It was then I remembered I wasn't in my room & I also wasn't alone. I turned around on my other side to see Ghost sleeping quietly next to me.

I smiled. For the badass Lieutenant of Task Force 141 he sure looked cute when he slept. Well, former Lieutenant. I sighed causing him to open one of his eyes.

"Wuzgoingon?"

I stifled a laugh & opted for a shrug. "Nothing much."

"Good. C'mere."

He pulled me against his body again & I breathed in the scent of his aftershave. I'd always liked the way it smelt. Not that I'd ever admit it to anyone.

I felt him press his head into my hair. "Does this mean we're good?" He mumbled.

I laughed. "If you want to be."

"Good." He yawned.

"Are you tired… or exhausted old man?"

"I'm tir-" He frowned as he realised what I'd said. "Hey!"

I laughed again & jumped out of the bed before he could grab me. I raised an eyebrow. "Getting slow there."

"I'll show you slow." He growled before launching himself at me. We both ended up on the floor.

"Yeah, thanks for that." I gasped, massaging my ribs.

Ghost shifted slightly so he wasn't putting his full weight on me. He smiled at me making my heart beat increase. God dammit. How the hell is he so good looking!

"No problems mate."

I snorted. "I think we're a little bit more than friends."

He looked at me in mock confusion. "What do you mean bug?"

I rolled my eyes & poked him in the side. "Stop being a prat."

He shrugged. "Fine." With a grin he lent in & started kissing me again.

I felt any resistance I'd been putting up leave as I kissed him back. I felt his hand trail down my chest & stomach before reaching the waistband of my boxers. I pulled away suddenly making him frown.

"What?"

I smiled slyly. "Appeal to the military."

"What?" He frowned again in confusion.

"Appeal."

"No."

"Aww… C'mon… Please?"

"Nope."

I shrugged & sighed heavily. "Fine." Catching him by surprise I shoved Ghost off & left the room. I smiled as I heard movement behind me & saw Ghost come striding out of the room after me. He too was only wearing his boxers.

"Where are you going?"

"To bed."

He raised an eyebrow. "Weren't you comfortable?"

"Sure but I don't share a bed with cowards."

He frowned. "I'm not a coward."

"Then appeal to the military."

He shook his head. "I can't."

"Why not?"

"What do I tell them about the past year?" He lifted his hands to air quote. "Hey there everyone. I haven't appealed to the military for over a year because I suck at formalities such as this bull shit. So can I have my position on the TF back?" He lowered his hands & looked at me.

I shrugged. "Not in those exact words."

He groaned.

"What if I didn't come back?"

He looked up sharply. "You will."

"What, so you're willing to wait for however long it takes for the next TF break. Or wait long enough for Soap to call you & tell you I'm dead?"

He shook his head. "I don't want to do either."

"Then appeal."

"No."

I sighed in frustration. "You just said you weren't willing to wait around for someone to tell you I'm dead! Yet that's exactly what will happen!"

"No it's not! You always come back! Always have, always will!"

"You don't know that!" I said exasperatedly, willing him to understand.

"No."

"What do you have to lose?"

He looked at me thoughtfully. Finally he sighed & looked defeated. "If I appeal will you please stop bugging?"

I grinned triumphantly. "Yep."

"Good. I'll appeal then."

I smiled at him again just as my stomach growled. Thankfully not loud enough for Ghost to hear.

"I'm hungry. You want some food?"

He looked at me like I'd just lost ever goddam bit of my mind but shrug. "Yeah sure."

I sat down at the table with the pizza from yesterday & took a bite. I looked up to see Ghost watching me with disgust written across his face.

"What?" I said around a mouthful of food. "It's good." I held up a slice towards him. "You want some?"

He wrinkled his nose. "No thanks. I don't eat shit for breakfast."

I held up my hand holding the pizza in defence. "Don't take it out on the pizza!"

Ghost smiled before grabbing a spoon, bowl, cereal & milk. I raised an eyebrow. "Cereal? Really?"

"It's better than that crap."

"Fine, fine. What the pizza ever do to you?"

He chuckled gently before eating. Once he'd finished I waited until he put the stuff in the sink before speaking.

"When are you going to appeal?"

He groaned. "Tomorrow Mum."

"Good." I threw a slice of pizza at him & just my luck it hit him in the back of the head.

He whirled around & glared at me. I got up quickly began backing away, holding up my hands in surrender. "C'mon you asked for that. You called me Mum. That would be one fucked up relations-"

*Splat* The pizza I'd thrown landed directly on my face. I picked it off to see Ghost smiling triumphantly.

"Now we're even."

"Bitch."

"Twat."

I growled & threw the pizza again but this time Ghost dodged it before grabbing a slice from the table.

"Oh it's on now bug."

"Bring it!"