You could feel your feet burning with the hours of walking you had to do that day. Despite the lack of a heavy bag, your armor and rifle alone had to weigh an easy 50 lbs. Still, like a good soldier you didn't complain as you walked behind your Lt, one foot in front of the other, slightly crouched, with the barrel of your gun swinging from left to right making its own practiced rhythm from years of training.
It was an unfamiliar place, this hell hole known as Las Almas, with its drug cartels and paid off police that were almost worse than the "bad guys". Not that it was easy to call yourselves the good guys anymore. At some point justifiable killing makes you into a butcher. And the man in front of you was a perfect example of that. The Lt killed ruthlessly, and his appearance matched his nickname. Ghost, who never showed his face and always wore that damned mask.
Not that you had time to ruminate on the killer who was currently your team leader. You had barely made it out of the confrontation with Graves with the skin on your neck and now Soap was out there on his own, hopefully still alive. Lucky for you, well you hadn't quite decided if you were really lucky, you had run into Ghost. In your mind Soap would have been the better ally to get through the city as everything about Ghost screamed lone wolf.
So far you had held your own and kept up. As the two of you turn around a street you hear your radio crackle "This is Bravo 7-1, in the blind- How copy?", Soaps voice. Ghost immediately grabs a Shadow that had been standing around the corner while you pull your knife, having to ignore Soap's call for now. You slice the inside of a second Shadows thigh for him to cry out as he crumbles only to be quickly cut off by your hand going over his mouth so you could slit his throat ensuring his silence.
"Ghost, this is 7-1, do you Copy?" you hear Soap again, more desperate. Before you can answer for him Ghost grabs you by your bullet proof vest pulling you to him, so your face is mere inches from his. He must have dealt with his Shadow then. "You are compromising our position, Corporal" he hisses "If you're going to do a sloppy job, you're on your own" he warns before pushing you away and reaching for his radio.
"Soap, this is Ghost. How copy?" he asked, frustration still clear in his voice. He waited half a heartbeat for Soap's response before clicking the radio again. "Johnny?" he asked, the frustration replaced with worry. "Johnny, how copy?"
"Solid" Soap responded curtly through the radio, and you let out a breath you hadn't even realized you had been holding.
"Thought we lost you" Ghost responded immediately. It was clear he had taken a shine to someone at least, so much for lone wolf.
Ghost nodded to you, his head tilted to the church that was your goal point and started in the direction with that silent order to follow. You fell back into step behind him resuming the scanning walk. Soap had fallen silent, so Ghost had his attention back on you.
"Our objective is to be silent; I know it's a challenge for you but gag them before you stab them" Ghost continued his lecture while falling back to walk next to you.
"Noted, Sir" you answered curtly, not bothering to hide the annoyance in your voice. He narrowed his black grease painted eyes at you before reaching for his radio again.
"Are you injured?" he asked, directing his question to Soap.
"Where are you?" the radio responded in your ear. Clearly that was an affirmative seeing as Soap completely ignored the question.
"There's a church. We're headed to it. Let's RV there" Ghost allowed Soap to slip past his question taking the lead with an objective. "You'll need to improvise to survive" He warned the soldier over the radio.
They had already had a hell of a time surviving this city using every possible resource they came by to skirt by without being noticed from half burnt candles to stray pieces of wire. It's not like they could kill every man they encountered.
"Graves and his Shadow's are on a killing spree," Soap said.
"Looking for Hassan" Ghost responded.
"Hassan and us" Soap confirmed the two men keeping their words clear and snappy.
This time when the two of you came up to a Shadow you stepped forward throwing your knife to hit the man right in the back of the throat. He made a low gurgling sound choking on his blood as he collapsed down to the rain slick pavers. You looked to your right seeking Ghost's approval, but he just continued on, it seems that little show was the bare minimum he expected of you. As you walked by the dying man you pulled the blood-soaked knife and whipped it off on your pants.
"Advise you move interior if you're not already, it's good cover." Ghost spoke into the radio taking his own advice as he led you into one of the many broken down homes. It was gut wrenching to see this house, the signs of a family now destroyed.
"Keep your light off" he barked an order to you over his shoulder as your eyes adjusted to a complete lack of light.
"I'm not fucking stupid" you retorted with a flash of teeth. The Lt turned to respond when Soap came over the radio again.
"Door's locked" he said.
"Look for supplies- things you can make tools with" Ghost advised him, clearly not put off by holding Soaps hand. You were surprised at how much that annoyed you, not that you needed your hand held.
"Welcome to guerrilla warfare" Ghost said over the radio but he seemed to be saying it to both of you before turning around and pushing on. Guess the radio interruption saved you from another lecture.
"Creepin' Jesus" Soap groaned through the radio.
"What are you seein'?" Ghost asked.
"A bloodbath" Soap responded before adding "Found a rope."
"That's a start" Ghost gave him before jumping out a window crouching low. "Keep looking."
You followed vaulting through before pausing outside to do a quick 180 scan with your rifle.
The two of you came up on a large tunnel with waist deep water running through it, at least it was waist deep for you, you found out the hard way jumping in after Ghost who without hesitation started moving through waters that contained god know what. You didn't even want to think about it.
"Broke off a fan blade." Soap said. Clearly, he was nervous, and you couldn't blame him. With the exception of maybe Ghost, you were trained from bootcamp to work as a team and Soap was alone.
"Tie off the blade with the rope and pry open the door." Ghost guided Soap making sure he was not completely alone, in spirit at the very least. Even though it annoyed you that you didn't get the "Ghost special nice treatment" you had to admire the Lt for keeping Soaps head on straight.
"Sounds like you've done this before" Soap kept up the conversation.
"Years of practice" Ghost responded, and the current calm in the tunnel let you wonder just how many years and what Ghost had been practicing. "We're coming up on the church, stay alert" Ghost said and without the echo of his voice over the radio it was clear he had remembered you existed and of course he noticed your momentary lack of awareness.
"Busted the fan blade-" Soap interrupted your smart-ass response to Ghost.
"Get you through the door?" Ghost asked as he leapt out of the water with a hand on the paved bank bordering it.
"Affirmative" Soap responded, and Ghost reached a gloved hand to you, so you decided not to be a brat and grabbed the offered hand, still surprised when he lifted your weight out with ease.
"Good. Stay on the hunt- there'll be more where that came from." Ghost said into the radio as he reached for two empty bottles from his bag. They slowly walked to the end of the tunnel peering out to find a small gathering of Shadows.
When they stopped, Ghost looked back at you. "Get ready" he warned you, his voice low and breathy before turning back to look out. He threw the two bottles, both of them going through a busted window with quick succession to make a loud crash on the other side of the plaza.
"What was that?" one of the Shadows exclaimed before waving the group to follow him to investigate the sound.
Ghost slipped out from the tunnel moving with a quick silent crouch to skirt along the plazas perimeter towards the looming church with you on his heels, shadowing his movements.
Without much fanfare you both slipped through the cracked heavy wooden doors of the sanctuary and although you weren't religious you could feel a wave of relief wash over you as you finally found a safe bubble in this hellish night.
"Keep your wits about you, Corporal" Ghost hissed, seeming all too aware of your relaxed movement.
"The Shadows are out there" you hissed back, matching his tone.
"And they will be back" he shot back his fuse seeming far too short with you.
"Then let's hit the tower, keep an eye on them" you answered to appease the ever-wary Lt.
Ghost paused, considering your suggestion. Without agreeing or, preferably, thanking you for your wonderful idea, he headed down to the altar of the church behind which should be a stairwell.
"Thank you, Corporal" you grumbled under your breath saying what he should have said if he had even an ounce of manners.
"Want me to praise you on my knees?" he asked, adopting the same mocking tone.
"Now there's an idea" you gave back "But now's not the time for flirting Lt" you chided him, a grin pulling at your lip as you walked backwards to keep an eye on the churches entrance taking Ghost's warning of the return seriously despite the banter.
"Found a headlight" Soaps voice cut between you "Not too far from its- previous owner" it was a grim reminder that one of your own was still out there.
"Good. Be careful with it. Can light your way but attracts attention" Ghost checked in. At least you weren't the only one getting a basic lecture on how lights work. "What's the latest?"
"Mercs are killing everything in their path" Soap reported painting a picture of the same streets you two just made it through.
"War crimes" Ghost grumbled as he opened a small wooden door that revealed the stairs you had been hoping for. You followed behind, closing the door behind you and wedging a piece of wood in the door to make it a little harder for anyone to follow. "Good job, happy your majesty?" Ghost praised mockingly.
"Need more suggestions on how to make me happy?" you said back with a dangerous glint.
"Makes me want to commit a few war crimes of my own-" Soap said through the radio to Ghost's previous observation.
"That makes two of us" you agreed but without pushing your radios button, that sentiment was just for the sarcastic Brit in front of her.
"Tyranny. It won't stand" Ghost responded, keeping the two of you in check.
"Think we'll get the green light to go after these guys?" Soap asked ever worried about the rules of engagement.
"No more green lights, Johnny. We're on our own" Ghost reminded him that all three of you were officially rouge, clearly outside of orders you could not agree to.
"What about Alejandro?" Soap asked, a question you had yourself.
"Alejandro you can trust. But he's in Graves custody. If he's even alive-" Ghost decided, and approval from him definitely meant something.
"Alejandro as neustro hermano. If he's alive, he's on our side" Soap agreed the broken Spanish you have been learning, it sounded awkward from the Scotsman.
"Be careful who you trust, Sergeant. People you trust can hurt you the most" Ghost responded as the two of you made it to the top of the stone stairs. You didn't miss him glancing back at you and you narrowed your eyes wondering what exactly that look was supposed to mean.
Was he warning you or telling you he was worried about you hurting him? Since when did Ghost trust you?
"Good advice, Lt" Soap said, beating you to the punch though you would have said it with far more sarcasm. "I want to be like you when I grow up" the other man added, and you couldn't help the short snort of a laugh that you covered your mouth to dampen.
"You want to be better than me, Johnny" Ghost said back with a strange look, no amusement in his voice.
"I will be" Soap's voice crackled through the radio matching the serious tone.
"Good man" Ghost responded, still looking at you with that strange look.
"Think I'll live that long?" Soap brought back the usual banter they shared.
"Probably not" Ghost said and though it was meant to be with dark humor you could see the worry that showed through his eyes, even with the mask.
"Simon-" you tried stepping forward.
"Since when are we on friendly terms" the Lt shot back icily cutting your words short.
"MacTavish is going to be fine" you persisted dropping the nicknames to reassure the stubborn man. "Despite your low expectations of the rest of us mortals we were built for this"
"Low expectations?" Ghost asked his accent seeming to thicken with his annoyance as he stepped forward, clearly to intimidate you, to force you to back down and get back in line. He may as well have written the book on intimidation. Not only was he one of the taller men on the 141, and massive to boot, but his eyes seemed to be that of a reaper. So tired that you wondered when the last time he got a decent night's sleep.
Clearly his tactics to intimidate weren't working if you were focused on his eyes.
"You don't think shit of us, have you actually heard yourself? You can't decide if you want to run off and save the world on your own or be a nanny." You continued to antagonize him to the point that he took another three steps forward, grabbed you by your armored vest's shoulder strap, and slammed you up against the stone wall.
You winced.
"Did you see the caged dog?" Soap broke through their argument without even realizing it.
"Big geezer, if he barks, shoot him and repo quickly- Don't get compromised-" Ghost growled through the radio but for some reason it sounded to you like he was talking about himself.
Either way, from the sound of it, Soap still had a while to go before he would finally get to the church.
"A dog, huh?" you asked, seeing right through Ghost's mask though only the figurative one of course. Your feet were still trying to find purchase on the rough wall.
Ghost narrowed his eyes and let go of your vest so you slipped back onto your feet.
"Gimme a sit-rep" Ghost ordered Soap clearly trying to stay busy with the other man to not address your insights.
"Outside- Gated alley" Soap reported.
"Stick to the edges and stay low," Ghost said, turning away from you and marking your confrontation as finished.
"Copy" the radio sounded as Ghost made his way to one of the open arches of the tower, lowering himself without much grace and betraying just how tired he was. You almost felt bad for the infuriating bastard.
"You may get a brag rag for this" Ghost said into the radio making an attempt at cheering on the soldier who was left to fend for himself.
"A medal?" Soap responded with good humor.
"Chest candy" Ghost confirmed as you plopped yourself down near him, still giving him some breathing room. As much fun as it was to antagonize him, you did still value your head.
"Dead Shadows are my medals" Soap returned in the true 'not interested in military bureaucratic bullshit' fashion most soldiers adopted after no more than two deployments.
"You said you wanted to win. Congratulations, you're a winner" Ghost mocked him, though, you all knew it was impossible to feel like a winner when trying to drag yourself through hell.
"Away n'bile yer heid" Soap grumbled, slipping into his native tongue. You laughed again, gaining back Ghost's attention. You had heard Soap grumbled it a few times and gathered the meaning by now.
"English, MacTavish" the Lt ordered, growing annoyed with the both of you.
"Sorry, sir, let me translate, 'Go fuck yourself'" Soap offered some insight.
"Much better" Ghost said, his gloomy eyes still on you.
The radio fell silent letting the tension between you two grow as you refused to break eye contact. It was somewhat jarring, how Soap was not there but at the same time he was.
"What is your problem?" you decided to ask, breaking that silence. You weren't even accusing him of anything, just genuinely curious.
"Excuse me, Corporal?" Ghost warned not actually asking for clarification but instead, once again, warning you to back down.
"You can't seem to decide if you hate me" you observed lightly keeping your voice steady. He was intimidating but you didn't have to confirm that for him. He had enough of an ego as it was.
"Oh, let me make it crystal clear then, darling" he said, his voice lowering as he got back up on his feet closing the distance between the two of you.
Even if you had wanted to back up you didn't have much of a choice. Rough rock backed you and unfinished or broken building pieces were littered around you. Even then, standing off with Ghost was like standing off with a rabid dog, you absolutely did not want to run and give him chase.
And so with you cornered and sitting he went down on one knee supported by one of the rough stones and grabbed your hair roughly to establish his control over you.
"Church is on the other side of the city" Ghost said to Soap over the radio while holding you down making it clear to you, he wanted to give himself a little time to deal with you before checking in with your other team mate again.
Lightning flashed through the open arches illuminating everything like it was mid-day just for a half a second. Ghost gave you time to back down, to cower away from him. Clearly, he knew nothing about you.
"So, you are a rabid dog then" you observe before spitting in his face. May he do his worst.
"Is that what you want from me, the usual rabid dog act?" he asked, and you could hear it. You could hear a self-destructive smile in his voice as he filed you away in his mind as just like everyone else who had already made their judgments of him.
"No, I want you to stop being a little bitch and be yourself" you challenge him, your chin tipping up proudly even though he had you pinned. He was being sloppy anyways; both your hands were free and both of you were well aware you were armed to the teeth and knew how to make use of it. "Show me what's under that mask, Simon."
You were getting under his skin, and it was driving him mad, you could see it in his eyes. It was almost fun to rile him up, especially when he was so predictable.
"Be myself, is that what you really want?" he asked, his voice getting dangerously low. He was wound up like a spring. He was a bomb about to blow.
"You wouldn't make me beg, would you?" you asked, keeping your voice sweet though his fingers laced through your hair tightened painfully causing you to suck air sharply between your teeth.
You expected him to smack you or slam you on the ground. Hell, you would have expected him to stab you and write you off as an unfortunate casualty before you expected what he actually did next.
Before you expected him to flip up the fabric of his mask just a couple inches and pull you into him before you could even wipe the stupid grin off your face so he could kiss you, hard.
Your eyes went wide but you still couldn't quite register his face so close to yours, not when the taste of him was so distracting and the bit to your lower lip made you open your mouth in surprise. He tasted like salt and dirt. There was even a little blood. Those tastes should have been a turn off but for some reason your twisted mind wanted more.
"Graves is rounding up the cops" Soap's voice sounded echoing between your two radios, bringing you back to reality. And breaking your lips apart.
What the fuck was actually happening?
"He's judge, jury, and executioner now" Ghost said into his radio his voice is rough as he struggled to reign himself in.
The radios stayed silent for a few breaths as you both tried to steady yourselves, his fingers still locked in your hair, his body looming close over you.
"Bottle" Soap stated though he seemed to be asking for suggestions.
"Good for distraction" the Lt offered though once again his words seemed to have a double meaning as his dark eyes stayed locked on yours.
The two of you stayed frozen until finally you noticed it. He was silently asking for permission, or at least, waiting for some sign that he should continue.
So, this really was him showing you himself, he wasn't just attacking you. There was something raw and broken in him. Maybe he was a rabid dog. It was impossible to know yet. But you wanted to know what broke him.
It felt near impossible to refuse the sliver of himself he was offering. His mask was still up revealing the most you've ever seen of him. You looked down at his lips while biting your own lower lip. Then you looked back up into his eyes and that seemed to be enough of an answer for him.
It looked like he knew enough about analyzing every silent communication in your face to understand your silent yes and he dipped back down. This time he moved somewhat slower. He was still rough, you could cut yourself on his edges, and demanding as his lips crushed against yours until you slipped your tongue between your lips to lick his lower lip.
Another yes from you and he demanded more, his free right hand that wasn't supporting your head by gripping your hair sliding up to find your waist. Your gear was a more fitted version of his own and with unconscious memory he unbuckled the side of your vest so he could slip his hand under your shirt with ease.
"Chucked the bottle, worked like a charm" Soap's voice intruded on you again forcing you to stay focused and not lose yourself.
Ghost broke away from the kiss but only moved so far that his lips barely brushed yours as he spoke moving his shoulder so he could press the radio with his chin. "Told ya- pay attention and you just might learn something." His words rang with more than one meaning as per usual.
This time, as Soap had the decency to shut up, the Lt didn't meet your lips again but instead he seemed keen on exploring. While having complete control, he pulled your head back, running his teeth along your jaw until he found the spot just under your ear where it met your neck. He was the furthest thing from loving. You could still feel the power struggle between you and his attempt to intimidate you.
You had to admit, he was good at it. The only issue was that as while he may be scaring the shit out of you, some fucked up part of you was enjoying this all too much. You decided to play his little game, your hands were both still free after all so one went to his waist, sliding under his shirt to trace the skin along his pants waistline, while your right hand went further down the front of his pants to find his cock swollen against the tight woven fabric.
"Poor thing" you breathed in his ear. Challenging him to put you back in line.
"Commandeered some wax Lt" Soap reported causing Ghost to groan, while the radio was off of course. He still had to support his man even if he had his work cut out for him here with you.
"Could prove useful" he said to the radio, clearly not in a creative mood, at least not for Soap.
Which only sparked some creativity in you.
You squeezed his cock with your right hand and ran a nail against his skin with your left at the same time and so the Lt was barely able to hold back another groan before he had a chance to release the radio's transmission button. This was going to be fun.
"Found some chemicals" Soap continued his updates clearly looking for more enlightening ideas from the man above you.
"Tie them up with some wax you got a smoke bomb" Ghost relented an idea even though he was slightly breathless as he delivered it. "A toxic distraction" he finished with an accusatory look in your direction, his hand having strayed further up your shirt than you remembered as he released your hair to repurpose his hand to cover your mouth and squeezed one of your nipples cruelly. Your cry was muffled by his hand.
This fucking bastard-
"Sick, I like it" Soap responded over the radio, his commentary matching perfectly to the predicament you found yourself in.
"Guarantee you they won't" Ghost said looking all too pleased with himself.
In an attempt to fix that fresh grin on his face, one you finally got to see at least in part, you pulled at his belt letting it loose and using both hands to make quick work of his button and zipper.
"In a hurry, darling" Ghost asked, finally actually speaking to you and this time his hand grabbed the whole of your breast, his rough fingerless gloves feeling good on your delicate skin. He did move his hand off your mouth and trailed his fingers over your jaw and down your neck to give you a chance to respond.
"Soap isn't going to give us all night" you say back to him pulling at his pants before he suddenly changes his grip to take hold of you and spin you around on your knees. It was hard to even keep track of his fast precise movements.
"True" he murmured against your shoulder turning his head towards the sensitive base of your neck. Seems like the Lt wasn't quite ready to come at this face to face.
"Control freak" you accuse with your cheek against the cool rough stone of the church. Scared of intimacy was more accurate.
"Feeling weak are ya?" Ghost asked into your skin his right hand coming under you to help support your weight as his left traveled down to your own belt. You nearly responded before Soap did for you, Ghost was playing with you.
"A bit shaky, sir, yeah" Soap said. The feeling was mutual.
"Graves tried to kill us" Ghost started "seems to reason if you were a little off."
Was the Lt giving himself excuses now? And the bastard didn't even have the balls to admit it about himself. Instead, he was projecting on Soap.
"Find a stim- it'll give you a little boost" Ghost then suggested to Soap and again you couldn't help but feel a little annoyed, jealous even, that his attention didn't belong only to you.
But clearly the Lt was a master of multitasking because while you were distracted by his voice, he had undone your pants and pushed them down to your knees while finishing your job and freeing his cock so it rested hot against the bare skin of your ass.
"Going to keep chatting it up with your bud?" you asked the jealousy creeping into your voice.
"Of course," Ghost responded, licking the sensitive part of your neck. "I've got a job to do."
"Bastard" was the only insult that sprang to mind even as you tipped your head to give him more access to your bare skin. Instead of indulging you he reached up to spit in his hand, using it to wet his cock with a couple of pumps.
"What a romantic" you teased to cover the nerves you felt at the pit of your stomach. Not that you got a good look at him but he seemed to have a cock to match his tall stature.
Ghost reached up to pull his mask back down over his face and you couldn't help the slightly puckered lower lip even as you thought, 'pussy'.
The Lt didn't give you long to anticipate though he did run the smooth head of his cock over your wet lips to add your own excitement to his gruff spit.
Surprisingly he took it slow, seeming to enjoy every inch he buried inside you. In reward he gave you a low guttural moan, one to match your own before leaning forward to cover your mouth, pinching your nose lightly to cut off your air supply without hurting you.
The two of you didn't get long before Soaps voice was back in your ear.
"I found some tape," the soldier whispered through the radio.
"Very useful" Ghost clipped needing some effort to not sound distracted.
"If I have to wrap a gift?" Soap asked even as Ghost seemed to grow impatient with waiting for radio silence to continue. He started to move again as Soap spoke and tightened his hand on your face to keep you quiet.
"So to speak- Hold on to it" he ordered, keeping his thrusts shallow and slow as you stretched to accommodate him, the feeling still raw and verging on painful.
As the conversation lulled it gave Ghost a chance to speed up. Your back arched as your eyes rolled skywards, the lack of oxygen heightening the deep pleasure that he thrust into you accompanied by throaty moans, it seemed like he had been pent up for a while.
"Ghost, you missing a knife-?" Soap asked.
"Several" Ghost grunted. You wondered if Soap noticed how much shorter the Lt's responses were getting.
"I think I found one" Soap responded, confirming that he hadn't the slightest clue that Ghost was keeping himself busy with you.
"Some of the dead Shadows are my handiwork-" Ghost related gripping both your thighs to thrust harder into you having to release your mouth.
"Don't take all the credit" you said between breaths. That remark earned you a sharp slap on the ass and you had to bite back a cry.
"You came through here?" Soap asked between your mixed moans accented by heavy thrusts.
"On our way to the church" Ghost responded, straightening himself up and tipping back his head.
"And you left me?" Soap asked with a huff.
"I'm used to working alone." Ghost shot back finding his rhythm exchanging banter with the other soldier and rearranging your guts.
"So much for no man left behind." Soap said.
"Just get yourself to the church" Ghost answered, having to bite back his own groans while your pussy clenched around his length buried inside you. "Tryin' to keep you alive and get you here in one piece, one of us needs to survive to tell the tail."
"Taking a shine to me, then?" Soap asked.
"Not in the slightest, still got a lot of ground to cover" Ghost denied seeming intent on taking advantage of that fact. He pulled completely out of you, evening out his breath.
Just as you were about to start whining at interruption he reached down to grab your wrist and waist flipping you back on your back, a man with a plan. He didn't waste time tucking his still erect cock back into his open pants but instead hooked his arms under your legs and lifted you up against the wall, hooking his thumb under his mask to lift it up over his mouth again. Any complaint you had quickly left your mind as his mouth found your clit.
A sharp shooter.
Your hands gripped his head keeping his mouth on you as he wrecked you licking and sucking with practiced precision.
"Seek and ye shall find-"
She had to let go of the Lt, not only so he could respond but also so he could breathe.
"Whatchya got?" he asked his voice returning to a more normal candor despite the lack of breathing she had been allowing him. He flicked his tongue over her clit as they waited for Soap's response.
"Black powder-"
"Nice. This could get interesting" the man between your thighs said before finding your core again and torturing while you struggled to stay quiet. Thank god for breaks between responses.
"Lt, about to play rough with the Shadows-" Soap kept going despite how you cursed him.
"I like the sound of that" Ghost murmured against you and you looked down to meet his eyes. It was all too tempting to take advantage of the moment and pull his mask off. You wanted to and his sleepy eyes seemed to dare you to but there was some sort of thread of trust building between the two as you both tugged at either end and didn't let go.
"Fashioned a trip mine" Soap reported.
"A man after my own heart" Ghost breathed. Your breath caught with the potential there.
Did the bastard have to keep leading you on with these damn double meanings?
"Thought you'd like that" Soap cut in breaking up the tension.
This time Ghost didn't respond right away looking like he wanted to focus on you for a change. He moved you away from the wall sliding his arms up your body as he gently lowered you onto the ground with your back against the cool stone ground.
How about that, the Lt could be gentle for you.
He settled himself over you and you noticed he kept his weight off of you moving slower now. Not that he had been hurting you before but something had shifted in him and you couldn't quite put your finger on what. His free left hand moved down your side and brought your legs up to hook around your waist as his hot breath tickled your ear. He was a lot closer and it felt more than physical. Suddenly you couldn't blame him for keeping his careful distance before.
"Killed a Shadow" Soap's voice sounded,
"Nice" Ghost grunted using his free hand to run his cock back over your swollen pussy lips.
"Took his gun" Soap continued clearly wanting more of an answer from the Lt.
"Good work" Ghost gave in his words laced with a bit of a moan as he pushed his cock back into you needing to feel your tight hole again. "Moving up in the world, Johnny"
The words made you want to hear your name on his lips.
"Choose your shots and targets wisely, Johnny. Guns make noise" he continued to lecture as he sank all the way into you, his words feeling hot on your neck.
"My Kingdom for a suppressor-" Soap complained.
You started to open your mouth to make demands. You needed more of the Lt. You were starting to feel desperate.
"Be smart about what you've got. That's the trick" Ghost said, cutting off the other man's complaints.
Finally the two shut up again and Ghost found his rhythm again. This time he took it slow but every thrust was achingly deep. Your hands gripped his loosened pants so you could do your best to get him moving faster.
One thing you know about Ghost is he is stubborn to a fault.
"Take it easy, darling" he groaned in your ear as he continued to fuck you mercilessly slow.
"No" you whined back. While the Lt was chatty for once you couldn't seem to find your words. "More" was all you could muster.
"Beg" he demanded as your names scraped over what little bare skin of his she could find.
"Ghost", only one word responses from you at this point.
"Say my name" he damned this time. He wanted more too, you could hear it.
"Simon" you moaned, pulling yourself into him.
"That's it" he praised his words drawing out and he gripped your shoulders to keep you in place as his pace picked up.
"Simon" you moaned again, a fitting place for worship.
Your voice seemed to snap another part of him loose and he started to fuck you harder. He wasn't as cold and rough or calculated as he was in the beginning. Now he felt desperate.
You couldn't help but mirror that feeling.
"Fuck" he groaned into your neck as he pumped into with abandon. You could feel the tension drawing tight inside you. Every muscle in your body felt like a bow string about to snap loose.
"Again" he demanded your attention as he lifted himself just high enough to meet your eyes. He wouldn't let you lose yourself without him.
Your thoughts barely lept past the realization that his irises were not completely black. There was a ring of mahogany in them that you held on to as you broke under him. His hand found your mouth just in time before the whole damn city heard your cry and your pulsing release dragged him out with you. His bit back moan joined your muffled plea as his hot cum shot inside you, no thoughts to ask questions.
Pulses of pleasure continued to run up and down your shaking body as his hand slipped from your mouth so he could hear your soft whimpers. He didn't move and his eyes never left your as he fought to catch his breath.
Gibberish sounded through your radios. By some miracle Soap hadn't interrupted you through the last few minutes but that wouldn't last forever.
"Speak English" Ghost demanded for the second time that night his gruff voice sounding especially annoyed that he was in the middle of enjoying the light high that came after pumping out a load.
"It's rainin' fuckin' hard!" Soap snapped back, matching the Lt's shit attitude.
"Then say so" Ghost huffed and coming back down to earth from your own high you chuckled quietly. Now that you weren't trying to get a release that felt more necessary than air it was funny to hear the two exchange blows.
"I did!" Soap protested.
Ghost rolled his eyes running a thumb over your lower lip, cleaning off just a bit of spit. You snapped your mouth shut cheeks heating but being embarrassed about a little drool flitted right out of your mind when he slowly drew back his hips to pull his cock out of you.
"Rain's good" Ghost said to Soap, unable to entirely keep the groan out of his voice "It'll cover your tracks."
"Covers theirs too-" Soap said back his spirits low.
"Let's worry about you, Johnny" Ghost re-centered the conversation.
"So you do like me" Soap teased Ghost's words clearly working on him. The Lt rolled his eyes keeping his feelings on that comment between the two of you. He tucked his shoulder to roll on his back next to you, seeming to forget that his mask was still partially up.
"I like you alive" was all the Lt gave Soap.
The soldier seemed satisfied with that answer and layed off the radio a few more moments. It gave Ghost at least a few moments to tuck his now half limp cock back in his pants without Soap's voice in his ear.
You started to follow his lead, lifting your hips to scoot your pants up. Without warning you felt Ghosts rough fingers, surprisingly gentle, as they mimicked your move from before and traced the line from hip to hip just above where your waistline was. You tipped your head to look up at him lowering your hips back down to the cool stone as you buttoned up your pants.
You couldn't quite decipher that look he had in his dark eyes.
He didn't want another round but he looked like he was trying to puzzle you out almost as much as you were trying to figure him out.
"Moving inside" Soap had the decency to check back in.
"Check. Take what you need to keep them off you." Ghost instructed though his mind wasn't on the man still trying to get to them.
"Aye"
"Penny for your thoughts" you interrupted. He waited for a heartbeat, probably hoping Soap would give him an excuse not to respond. Then he opened his mouth.
"Ghost" Soap broke in.
"Soap" The Lt responded but he looked like he almost felt bad.
"Found a tripwire rigged to a shotgun. Disarmed it. Took the gun" that damn soldier was like a puppy just looking for praise. Not that you had been doing the same thing only a half hour earlier.
"Open hearts and minds with it, Johnny," Ghost said, seeming to feel Soap's anxiety hike as he got closer to the church.
No response from Soap and the question pulled back between you.
"It's been a while" Ghost responded and he seemed pained at the answer, as vague as it was.
"Since you fucked?" you asked bluntly, that had been obvious enough but he seemed unhappy with your answer.
"More than that," he said, it was like pulling teeth.
You didn't give him the out of asking for clarification, instead you stared him down. Stubbornly he refused to give in.
"Johnny, Graves is burning the midnight oil to find us, why?" he asked the radio knowing it would annoy you to no end.
"Graves and Shepherd are both involved" Soap answered stating the obvious. "No matter what- this is an unprecedented amount of fuckery. We need to get to the bottom of it."
"Accurate and deadly fire tends to resolve these things," Ghost gave the butcher's answer as always. "Right now, we're not safe here."
"Not safe in Las Almas, or not safe with me?" you challenged the Lt forcing this conversation back on you.
"Right now- we're not safe anywhere Lt" Soap answered Ghost to. It somehow seemed to answer your question as well.
The dog bites because he can't feel safe anywhere.
The silence felt loud as Soap got busy on the other side of the radio and the two of you were left on your own. Ghost didn't know how to fill the silence between you, still refusing to answer your question.
"It didn't mean anything" the man finally spoke immediately going the defensive route.
"Then why have you still not fixed your mask?" you asked seeing right through that statement. Sex didn't have to mean anything. He wasn't the first man you fucked just because it's what you wanted in the moment. Normally it's what you wanted at least. This had felt like a need. As much as you dissected the Lt's motive you weren't quite to the point of questioning your own.
Your question had hit its mark since Ghost didn't even have the composure to wait a few minutes to pull down his mask so there would at least be some ambiguity to him actually only remembering when you brought it up.
With no answer from him you decided to stand up and stretch your legs.
"Sure" you said brushing off your legs being nonchalant only because you could tell it could annoy him. "It didn't mean anything, Simon"
"Stop saying my name," he warned.
"Why?" you asked, guessing he wouldn't come up with an answer. "You seemed to really like it a few minutes ago when you blew your load in me"
"Are you so fucking causual now-" he growled back getting up as well before Soap cut him off over the radio again.
"I'm in the coffee shop" So, only a click away then.
"Get us a tea" Ghost snapped, the joke seeming more like an order as he bit it out.
"Fucking Brits" Soap complained and you mouthed and agreement.
"You think your cunt is so great" Ghost confronted you back to his intimidation tactics.
"You're going to owe me for this," Soap was back on line and very helpful in pissing Ghost off with you.
"Why" the Lt barked.
"We're solving each other's problems," Soap stated and you crossed your arms, a smile playing over your lips as you waited to see where this was going.
"What's my problem? '' Ghost asked, affronted.
"The mask, take it off" Soap challenged.
"Show my face?"
"Yes, sir" you raised a brow putting more pressure on Soap's demand.
"Negative"
"Are you ugly?" you snorted at that.
"Quite the opposite" with that response from Ghost you stepped closer, challenging his space for once. You half expected him to back up.
"I doubt that," Soap answered.
You reached a hand up. You didn't go fast, you weren't trying to catch him off guard. You just touched his face, you brushed your palm over his jaw line and watching carefully you saw him lean into your touch.
It was so tempting to run your fingers down the edge of the mask and pull it up. Part of you felt like he wanted you to. He wanted you to take that act from him so he wouldn't have to choose himself.
You didn't give him the easy path because you could tell that most things were taken from him without his choice.
It was hard to keep your eyes off him. He was so volatile. Bursting at the seams with anger in one moment and falling apart in his own world of despair the next. All the things he had been through he just felt so much.
"Ghost" Soap was back.
"Soap"
"Guess what I found?"
"More stopping power?" Ghost asked and you let him out from under the pressure breaking the tension but crossing your arms as you sat back on one of the mostly flat building blocks littered around the towner.
"Check"
"Your life expectancy just went way up," Ghost said, seeming to relax a bit.
You didn't push on but simply waited so Ghost opted to focus back on getting Soap out alive.
"Johnny- town's full o' tunnels" he advised, referring to the one they had to go through to get to the church.
"Stand by" Soap whispered, barely audible over the radio. He was dealing with some trouble.
When Soap's silence drew out the Lt tipped his head back and groaned in frustration before walking over and seating himself beside you. He scratched the top of his head and you simply waited.
"People die around me," Ghost said, like a confession.
"Oldest story in the book" you answered not letting him off the hook.
"I mean it" he snapped at you. You just waited, unimpressed with his bark.
"My mum" he started again but didn't elaborate. "my brother- and his family" he couldn't quite string together a whole sentence but the meaning was clear enough.
"Shepard turned his back on us-" he struggled to bring meaning in his words but you weren't going to let him flounder like a fish out of water all day, especially when he was trying.
"But you feel like your family betrayed you more by dying on you," you stated clearly. It was a feeling every soldier, every survivor, had at some point.
He just looked at you and you knew you hit the nail on the head even if the broken man in front of you wasn't ready to pull himself apart at the carefully crafted stitches he sewed to make himself some facade of whole over the years.
Somehow you knew you would be there to help him put the pieces back together when it did happen, no one could do it alone, not even Simon "Ghost" Riley.
"Found some oil" Soap reported giving Ghost the break he desperately needed, always on time.
"Oil, bottle and some rope for a wick. Time for a cocktail," Ghost instructed.
There was a few seconds of pause.
"Ghost" Soap wasn't holding up at this point.
"Talk to me Johnny" the Lt ordered.
"I found the tunnel."
"The church plaza is on the other end of the tunnel" Ghost laid out. It had been a quiet stretch for the two of you but Graves was getting desperate. "Push through, you're nearly here."
"Ghost, I got Shadows wearing body armor," so definitely more trouble than they had.
"You'll have to get in close and find the gaps"
"You make it sound like a walk in the park," you huff at the Lt's casual tone.
"He just needs to keep his shit together," Ghost dismisses as the line falls silent again. "You got eyes on the church?"
"Aye"
"Good. You're on the right track. Keep comin'," Ghost reaffirms. You were starting to feel like he was trying to keep his own anxiety in check. The Lt wasn't used to having to give out orders while he sat in relative safety.
"Ghost, areas blocked off."
"Try and cut through the shops."
"Think I found a way through, Lt" Soap said as the two of you stood up to peer out the window in anticipation of seeing Soaps approach. On his way over Ghost grabbed his sniper rifle.
"I'll hold 'em off until we RV in front of the church and secure a vehicle for exfil." Ghost said to both of you as he set up in the open arch facing in the direction you both had come from.
"Roger that"
"Give 'em hell, Johnny- We're almost there."
Only seconds later Ghost squeezed the trigger letting a shot ring through the tower. You grabbed your rifle from where it was propped knowing the sound would draw Shadows up the tower.
"Ghost, was that you?" the radio asked.
"Who else? Now go-" Ghost ordered the soldier. Their wait had finally ended.
You moved to the window but just as you glimpsed Soap moving through the plaza you heard a crash coming through the stairwell and shouts joined in.
You raised your rifle moving closer to the door so Ghost could continue to have Soap's back.
"Ghost, how copy?" Soap called just as you saw the first Shadow's head and started firing in precise three shot bursts.
"Johnny, got company in the church, and they're not here for forgiveness!"
"Drop the jokes" you snap at Ghost as you continue to drop Shadow after Shadow.
"Get to the steps, we'll be there" Ghost barked at Soap as he drew his pistol. The poor fuck was on his own.
"Copy, Lt"
The two of them pushed forward having the advantage as the Shadows pushed through the narrow stairway. There had to be an end to them.
Finally you made it to the bottom of the stair and found the rest of the church empty.
"Go," Ghost shouted. And the two of you ran. A figure appeared in the door but you hesitated to squeeze off the trigger, it could be Soap. Before he came out of the shadows a shot rang up and you felt a bolt of white hot pain go through your side as you dropped.
"No!" Ghost shouted behind you firing his pistol until the Shadow who shot you dropped.
You didn't have time to even look at the found. Ghost grabbed you by the back of your vest hauling you up until he could get his shoulder under your torso. It hurt like hell but before you knew it he was running out of the building with you.
"Ghost!"
"Soap!" You finally heard the Sergeants actual voice as fresh air hit you and you knew you had made it out of the building. The Lt moved you and suddenly you were falling before arms caught you again.
You looked up. "Soap?" you asked.
The Ghost landed next to you. There had been a tall fence between you and escape. Ghost hoisted you over his shoulder again relieving Soap of you.
"We need a vehicle, on me!" Ghost shouted leading the way and Soap provided cover. You could feel the deep cold that meant you were losing blood fast. "Stay sharp, they know we're here and they know it's us. They'll send more."
Your head felt limp but you could still hear even if your vision was blurry and upside down.
"Contact- dead ahead!" you heard Soap as shots were fired.
"I see them, watch the alley!" Ghost added firing his pistol with one hand using the other to keep you balanced. "Johnny, stay close."
"Heads up for a vehicle we can take," Ghost ordered and you did your best to grip the back of his vest to held stay up. "Soap, pickup truck ahead. Light up"
"That's our exfil. Get to it!" Ghost ordered again as Soap fell behind.
You heard a car door open and your whole world pivoted as you were tossed in the back and closed inside, followed by two shakes as the men left on your team got on either side of the truck.
It was hard to hold on to consciousness as the engine fired up and part of your mind decided you were safe.
"Alright Johnny, you made it." Ghost said.
"We made it, Lt" Johnny responded only for gunshot to shatter what remained of the trucks windows.
"Hold fast!" Ghost ordered and the truck shifted into gear before you felt a hand reaching back to keep you on the seat.
The last thing you remembered was the car jolting as it ran over several obstacles that screamed.