Ghost was terrified.
What the hell had he been thinking when he agreed to go home with Roach? Well, that was easy, he hadn't been. Roach had cornered him with that charming smile of his and Ghost had agreed without thought. Now here he was, sat outside Roach's home and about to meet his family.
"Ready?" Roach was looking at him, smiling softly and it helped ease his nerves.
"What am I supposed to say?" He sighed, glancing out the window. "I want to make a good impression, don't I?"
"Just be yourself. I like the real you, so will my family. But don't call me love or they'll think we're dating." He winked and got out to unlock the gate.
Ghost watched him with a frown. He'd started calling Gary love a few months ago, mostly just to tease him. That had been the original intent, now he said it with a softness usually reserved for a lover but Roach hadn't objected so Ghost carried on. It felt almost natural now.
"Would that be such a bad thing?" He asked when Roach returned, thoughts still on his passing sentence about dating.
"If you can suffer the interrogations and the many, many times you'll be asked about marriage then I guess not," Roach smirked. "By the way, don't marry me."
"Huh?"
"You asked me to remind you not to marry me once. You're welcome."
"Thanks." Ghost laughed.
"And don't call me Roach anymore. Amber will never let me live it down if she heard my callsign. From now on I'm Gary again."
"Alright, Gary." His eyes narrowed in response, making Ghost laugh again. He always found it so endearing how easy it was to tease Gary.
"Laugh it up, Simon." As they pulled up there was already a woman waiting on the porch, presumably Gary's mother. "Remember to breathe." He said consolingly, patting his knee.
Ghost watched Gary get out again and run towards the house to greet his mother and sighed, unlocking his seatbelt. It was too late to change his mind now, might as well get it over with.
Gary's family were… strange. Ghost didn't know how to describe it. He supposed it was how normal families would act when the mother wasn't an alcoholic, unresponsive and uncaring of an abusive father. Even his parents seemed to love one another. Ghost couldn't remember anything but arguments between his own. He wondered what he would've turned out like if his family had been less toxic. Maybe he wouldn't be so hesitant to admit his feelings about Gary, maybe he would've said something by now.
"Everything ok?" Ghost started when someone touched his arm, only to realise it was Gary.
They were sat at the kitchen table, supposedly eating but Ghost had lost his appetite. He forced a somewhat natural smile on his face and responded, "yeah."
Not convincing enough apparently because once they were finished Gary grabbed his hand and pulled him outside. They sat down on a porch swing overlooking the darkening farm in silence for a while.
"So?" Gary prompted softly.
"It's nothing." Ghost relaxed as the other man pressed closer to him but said nothing, giving him space to think. He didn't know when things had changed but Gary understood him in ways he barely knew himself. He sighed, reaching out to hold Gary's hand again and the familiar warmth gave him the courage to speak. "It's strange… seeing how your family behave. It's how a family should be I suppose."
Even Gary's sister, Amber, obviously loved and cared for him. The teasing relationship the two had was something he'd never been able to achieve with Tommy and now he'd never get the chance.
"You're part of my family, Simon."
"Am I?" Ghost looked at him, searching his face only to find honesty in his eyes. "Do you mean that?"
"Of course." He pressed their joined hands to his chest. "You will always be welcome here. I will never turn you away."
"Gary I-" He stopped and smiled. He was too perfect sometimes. Ghost didn't want to overstep their boundaries though and ruin it so he kept it to himself. "We should go back inside before they wonder where we've gone."
"Alright, I hope you're ready for more questions because my family are nosy."
"As long as you're there, I'll be fine."
"I'll always be here." Gary stood and pulled him to his feet. "Come on, it's getting cold."
"Right behind you."
At the door, Gary let go of his hand to open it. Ghost wanted to reach out and take it again but knew better, the action wouldn't go unnoticed. So he kept his hands to himself and followed Gary inside.
"Everything alright?" Jenny, Gary's mother, asked anxiously.
"Of course!" Gary fell onto the sofa and patted the spot next to him so Ghost sat. "Just talking."
"Talking." Amber waggled her eyebrows. "If you wanna make out with your boyfriend that's fine but you should come up with a better excuse."
Ghost started to laugh as Gary's cheeks went red.
"We weren't-" He couldn't finish the sentence and ended up huffing. "Whatever." He glanced at Ghost and smiled. He couldn't help smiling back.
"Hey, we were planning on breaking out the board games. Can we tempt you?" Matt, who was Amber's boyfriend but also Gary's childhood friend was holding up two games. "Which one?"
Ghost found the whole thing weird but enjoyable. Everybody genuinely liked each other and he was more than a little surprised to find he'd been welcomed in too. It was easy to see where Gary got his kindness from, his mother was, well, what Ghost assumed a mother should be like. When she hugged him goodnight it was nice, something he wasn't used to but still pleasant.
Gary did the same once they were upstairs, hugging him tightly on the landing. "Thank you for coming." He whispered and then he was gone, his bedroom door shutting with a soft click.
Ghost stared at the door, wanting to follow him inside but knew that was crossing the line. With a heavy sigh, he turned and entered what was his room for the next week.
New Year's Eve came quickly and despite Gary's admonishments that they were taking it easy, they ended up at a shooting range. It was hard, almost painful watching Matt and Amber shoot. The Lieutenant in him made him want to step up and take charge. Suppressing this urge he instead leaned back against the wall with Gary.
"How did you learn to shoot?" Ghost asked as the couple became distracted. He watched as Amber clipped the edge of a target. "You're really good but your family…"
"I know." Gary smiled. "I used to sneak down here after school. Mr Davis, the owner taught me to shoot, said I was a natural."
"Mr Davis has a good eye."
"Well, instinct's never failed me yet." Gary traced a line to one of the targets. "It's like I can follow the bullet path, I know where it's going to hit even before I fire. You understand?"
"Not really." Ghost shrugged, glancing down at him. "That's some special gift you got."
"What about you, Lieutenant?" Gary nudged him. "What's your speciality?"
"Endurance beyond the normal." He flashed a grin before continuing. "You can't break something that's already broken. I'm just a high functioning wreck." He'd always believed this, ever since he was old enough to understand what his parents had done to him. At least he could thank them for making him durable.
"I don't believe that for a second."
"Mmm, you should." Their eyes met and Ghost softened slightly under Gary's concerned gaze. "It's only lately I've been feeling normal again." As if he'd ever felt normal before meeting Gary.
"What changed?"
"Some stupid Sergeant came blundering into my life. He insisted on being my friend and now I'm realising how much I owe him for bringing back my humanity." He reached out and poked Gary's cheek gently. "Blonde, cute smile, about five-eleven. Ever met him?"
"Sounds familiar." Gary's answering smile was heartbreaking. "Maybe he thinks you're pretty neat too."
He snorted. "Thanks." Not exactly a declaration of love but he'd take it all the same.
"Hey, are you two done flirting over there, it's your turn!" Amber called, smirking as they looked up. "Guests first?"
Ghost took the offered rifle and winked at Gary. "I hope you're ready to lose." Because he wasn't about to miss his chance to see inside Gary's room.
"Don't count on it."
It wasn't hard. The range was simple and the rifle was easy to use. Ghost was fairly confident he'd hit every shot. That was until somebody - he was betting it was Gary - grabbed him from behind and wrapped their arms around his waist. He jumped, his shot going wide.
It was indeed Gary who was smiling and he slid the ear defender off his ear, resting his head on his shoulder. "You missed, Lieutenant."
He couldn't be too mad in the face of that charming smile. "That's cheating."
"You should know better. That's the first time you've reacted in ages."
Ghost should. They had been doing this for a while now back at base. Gary squeezed him and a rush of warmth coursed through his veins.
"Well, I wasn't expecting you to do it in front of your sister." Ghost elbowed him, not surprised when he didn't let go. "That shot doesn't count."
"Alright." Gary slid the defender back into place and patted it before moving his head out of the way.
Ghost lifted the rifle, smiling slightly as he aimed down the range. He could do this all day with Gary given the chance. He hit the shot with no problem.
"Nice job."
"Worried?"
"Not even a little bit. Let me show you how it's done." Ghost handed him the rifle and stepped back. He wasn't surprised when Gary hit every target first try, after all, he was one of the world's best marksmen. "I win," Gary called, grinning as he rested the rifle against his shoulder in a rather attractive pose.
"That miss doesn't count." Ghost replied, glancing at Amber for confirmation. "Ref, can we call foul play on Gary's part?"
"Granted." She smirked. "Dirty tactics little brother, I didn't know you were such a cheater."
"So it's a tie then? Nobody wins."
"That means we both lose." Simon was still angling for his chance and thankfully, the other two were on his side.
"Simon's right." Matt agreed.
Trying not to look too smug, Ghost pushed away from the wall and took the rifle from Gary. "I hope you've hidden all your embarrassing things away."
"That's not fair!"
"You both lost so technically you have to fulfil the bet. Suck it up." Amber clapped her hands together. "Let's get a move on! We still gotta hit the shops!"
"Don't look so smug," Gary grumbled as they left.
"I just want to get to know you more. Are you really going to deny me that?" Ghost asked innocently. It didn't work, Gary's eyes narrowed in response. "Alright, I want to tease the hell out of you, sue me."
"I'm starting to regret bringing you with me."
"Don't lie, love." Ghost caught up to him easily, grabbing his arm. "You like having me here."
"Angling for a compliment?" Gary asked slyly.
He turned and leaned against the car to appraise him. He looked striking in his long-sleeved shirt, sleeves pushed up to his elbows and black jeans. It wasn't often they wore civilian clothes and Ghost was determined to remember how fitting they were on his Sergeant.
He also wanted to beat Gary to the punch. "How about this one? You look stunning."
Gary blinked, mouth opening slightly in surprise. He looked at Ghost in amazement for a few seconds before his cheeks turned pink and he smiled, dimple flashing into view. He made a show of looking Ghost up and down. "Not too bad yourself, Lieutenant. You should wear flannel more often."
"I'll take that into consideration."
"Alright ladies, it's time to go!" Matt grabbed Gary in a headlock, ruffling his hair. "Amber wants to get the shopping over and done with and I'm keen not to piss her off. Come on, in the car."
By the time they got back, it was already getting late. Gary grabbed Ghost's arm and dragged him upstairs as soon as the car stopped then paused outside his bedroom door. Gary glanced at him, almost shyly and Ghost took that as a yes, flashing him a smirk as he walked inside. The room was small but tidy, the walls covered with band posters and most of them were from old rock bands.
"Did you ever dye your hair?" He glanced around to see Gary was sitting on the bed and he scowled, making him grin. "I've got to see those pictures."
"Not a chance."
"Please? I'll give you a hint about your gift if you do." His end of the bet was to get Gary a thank you gift for inviting him along. Ghost had gotten it whilst at the shops and the small good luck charm was now resting safely in his back pocket.
"Fine." Gary got up with a groan and found an album, flicking through the pages before stopping. "Here."
Ghost took it and couldn't help grinning. Gary looked like he was in his mid-teens, hair dyed black and wearing leather pants so tight they must've cut off his circulation. But what caught Ghost's eye was the choker. "Now that is something special. Not going to lie, if you wore that now it'd be kinda hot."
"Hilarious."
"Do you still have those trousers?"
"Probably." Gary looked good in jeans and now Ghost was wondering what he would look like wearing something tighter. Gary seemed to follow this train of thought because he frowned. "Not a chance. Look at my chicken legs in that photo, there's no way I could fit into them now."
"I would love to see you try."
"Keep dreaming."
He probably would. Ghost continued flipping through the album, noting Gary's change back to blonde hair not long after. He paused on a photo of him wearing the standard SAS uniform and it looked like he was at Hereford, holding a certificate and beaming widely. "When was this taken?"
Gary looked over his shoulder and smiled. "That's when I passed Selection, I was around twenty? Still two years away from joining the task force."
"You look so young."
"I still am!" He laughed and fell back on the bed. "I'm only twenty-five."
"True." He placed the album on the side and started opening drawers. One was full of a jumble of cables, probably for devices long gone. The next was full of books and after a quick examination Ghost realised they were all military textbooks. One had a piece of paper shoved inside and he pulled it out, smirking when he saw it was another photo.
"What?" Ghost flipped it over so Gary could see it was a photo of Hugh Jackman. He went red instantly. "I can explain!"
"You have a crush on Hugh Jackman?" Ghost laughed, Gary's expression not helping. "That's so cute."
"I had a crush, thank you." He snatched the photo away and shoved it back into the drawer. "I got over it. Now, are you done investigating?"
"Not even close." In the next drawer, Ghost found the choker and pulled it out, throwing it over to Gary. "Go on, give us a sneak peek."
"Never."
It seemed that was it for embarrassing things. Ghost sighed and joined Roach on the bed. "You're life was so different to mine." He hadn't kept anything from his childhood except a few things from his grandmother.
"Yet we ended up in the same place." Gary laid his legs over Ghost's lap and he immediately began tracing patterns up his leg. "Funny how things turn out. Not that I want to take away from what happened to you, I'm just glad we met."
Gary was one of the few people Ghost had managed to open up to over the years. Because honestly, how could he expect anything from Gary if he himself wasn't willing to share? It felt good to share with someone, a weight he hadn't realised he'd been carrying was slowly being lifted as he shared more with this man.
He patted Gary's knee and smiled. "I'm not offended, Gary."
"Good." He looked up curiously. "Are you glad you came?"
"Definitely." Ghost smiled. "Thank you for inviting me."
"Anytime." He nudged him with his knee. "What about my hint?"
"Your callsign."
"You didn't pick up a cockroach or something?" The look of disgust on his face made Ghost laugh again. "You can keep it."
"Not quite."
He continued tracing his fingers up Gary's legs as he relaxed back against the pillows. It was nice, the silence comforting rather than awkward. Ghost liked that they didn't always need to talk, that the silences felt just as normal. He paused, fingers pressing into Gary's calf and the memory of him falling on the favela rooftops flashed through his mind.
"Is this where you got shot?"
Gary pulled up his trouser leg and he was right, Ghost touched the scar gently. "How the hell did you know that?"
"I remember that day very clearly. You almost died."
"Except you saved me." He smiled. "Thank you by the way."
"I'm sure you've already thanked me."
"Still going to every time I remember since that's the only reason I'm sat here." Gary looked at him curiously. "Why did you do it?"
"I already told you why. I couldn't just sit there and watch you die?"
"Even though Soap said it was too dangerous? You broke his nose."
"I did and he reminds me of that fact once a week." Ghost smiled and pulled his trousers back down. "Still worth it."
"I should hope so."
"Boys, dinner is ready!" They both sat up at Jenny's call.
Gary stretched and patted Ghost's shoulder, swinging his legs off the bed. "Come on, I'm starving."
As night fell they moved outside and lit the bonfire. Gary dragged Ghost onto the porch swing which seemed to be a favourite of his and they sat close together as the evening wore on. Although Ghost didn't contribute much to the conversation, he was happy to listen. Gary's family was almost as interesting as the man himself.
When the countdown for new year's started, Ghost leaned back in the porch swing and sighed. He never celebrated the holidays anymore, never having anyone to share them with. Even if he wasn't participating in the traditional first kiss of the year, it was still nice to celebrate.
Ghost could feel Gary looking at him and turned, smiling when their eyes met. There was a flush to Gary's cheeks from the beer and his eyes were alight with the fire. He looked devastatingly gorgeous at that moment and Ghost felt his breath catch in his throat when Gary leaned into him. The kiss on his cheek sent a warmth coursing through his body. It had been real, without prompt or provocation. Gary had kissed him.
"Happy new year," Gary murmured then hid in Ghost's chest, arms going around his neck.
He couldn't help himself. Bringing Gary out, Ghost looked at him for a long moment trying to gauge his reaction but all he could see was the way his lips had curved into that soft smile, with a hint of his dimple. Ghost didn't even think he just leaned down and kissed Gary. It was honestly the best thing he'd ever felt, for a second at least.
Realisation however caught up fast. Ghost pulled away and stood up, putting some distance between them quickly. Kissing Gary, just kissing him without thinking, without asking… Ghost was sure the other man would yell at him, maybe even throw a punch. Had he destroyed everything they'd managed to build in the past three years with one simple kiss?
Maybe, maybe not.
He should tell him. He should just say it and get it over with. I love you, how hard could it be? But the words that came out of his mouth instead were, "Sorry, Gary." He sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I shouldn't have…"
"It's okay." Ghost stiffened when Gary stood up but he only walked to his side, close but not touching him. "We've both been drinking and everybody else has someone to kiss. It's natural to want it too."
He nodded, resolutely looking up at the sky. If he looked at Gary he was sure he'd break down and tell him. "You don't hate me?" He asked quietly after a minute.
"Never."
Ghost closed his eyes and smiled. He hadn't fucked up after all. "Don't tell Soap. He'll never let me live it down. Crazy bastard will think we're getting married or something."
"Just your friendly reminder, you're not supposed to marry me." Gary nudged him, playful as ever when he laughed. The sound filled Ghost's heart. "It was just a kiss, it doesn't have to mean anything."
"I know."
But it meant everything, even if he could never tell Gary that.
"You're not a bad kisser."
That got Ghost's attention. He looked down at Gary to see a distant look on his face and smiled, he was speaking without thinking again. "You're not too bad yourself." Then he grabbed Gary's hand. "Let's sit back down."
Amber gasped loudly, making them both turn to see Matt down on one knee. "Oh," Gary whispered, letting out a long sigh. "I could kill her, I almost had a heart attack!"
Ghost tugged on his hand. "Shh."
"Amber, I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember." Matt paused and smiled up at her. "Even if it took several years for you to love me back. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you. So what do you say, will you marry me?"
Amber was crying but she nodded and threw her arms around his neck with a laugh. "Of course!"
Gary's arm snuck around his waist, pulling him close and at that moment, Ghost felt truly content. This was enough.
After congratulating the newly engaged couple everybody settled back down for the next few hours until the fire burned out and the air became too cold to continue sitting outside.
Ghost was woken up that night by his phone ringing. He glanced at the screen, feeling less annoyed when he saw Gary's name and answered. "What's up, Roach?"
"Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you. It can wait until the morning."
"No, it's fine." Ghost turned over and sighed, rubbing his face to try and wake up. "What's wrong?"
"I just… feel lonely." The honesty in Gary's voice made Ghost want to get up and go to him. But he didn't, he stayed put. "Our job doesn't make it easy to have a relationship. Sometimes I miss having somebody to love like that."
"Well I'm no Hugh Jackman but you got me."
"Unless you're tall, dark-haired and muscular, I'm not interested." Ghost started to laugh but quickly stopped, he didn't want to wake Gary's family. "Why is that funny?"
"Because I'm all three of those things."
"No, you're not." Maybe Gary didn't realise the similarities or maybe it was a coincidence. "You're not Australian!"
"Three out of four's not bad though."
"Not good enough."
Well, he tried. "Guess you're staying single then. Feeling better?"
"A little." Gary sounded like he might be smiling.
"Want me to stay a little longer?"
"Please." Ghost settled back in the bed and closed his eyes. They weren't speaking but that was alright, the silence was comforting enough. He could only hope it was the same for Gary. "Simon?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me get, I might start snoring any second."
"That's alright I don't mind." Ghost laughed quietly. "Stay on the line, even if you fall asleep."
"Alright, love."
He fell asleep soon after, waking up in the morning to find their call still active and smiled.
It was their last night before returning to the base and they decided to eat out at a local pub that Gary's family had been going to for years. Gary slid into the seat next to him, smiling almost shyly. Ghost couldn't help thinking he was embarrassed about their call but didn't see why, their relationship had changed a lot over the years.
Since this break though, Gary had become more... touchy? Ghost wasn't sure but the Sergeant had relaxed and been more open around him at any rate. They were always touching and Ghost loved it.
Even now, Gary was close enough that their thighs pressed together. "Any closer and you might as well sit on my lap." Ghost murmured, smirking when Gary rolled his eyes.
"Very funny."
Amber placed their orders and returned, handing out papers.
"What is it?" Gary asked and Ghost looked down to see it was a list, smiling when he read the title.
"You have to divide into pairs and write down five things you love about the other person." She explained. "I'm sure you can think of a few."
"Amber..." Ghost glanced at Gary, surprised to hear reservation in his voice but he was looking at his parents. "Do we have to?"
"Live a little." Jenny smiled. "Surely there's something you two like about each other."
Ghost caught Mark's eye, trying not to betray anything when the man winked. Gary might be oblivious to his feelings but it seemed his parents weren't. He looked back at his paper, wondering what he should put.
"Right."
He looked up to find Gary watching him and smiled. "Only five? The problem is narrowing it down." But he did, putting down five things he truly loved about the other man.
I love...
1. Your tattoos.
2. The way you shoot.
3. Your honesty or inability to censor your thoughts.
4. Your hugs.
5. How much you understand me.
Gary took longer, chewing on his bottom lip as he twirled the pen around his fingers. For a moment Ghost was worried he couldn't think of five things but eventually Gary filled out the paper and then turned it over quickly. "So now what?"
"We swap," Amber replied mirthfully.
"No, we don't" Gary held the paper to his chest protectively. "No."
"Come on, love. It can't be that bad." Ghost slid the paper from his grasp and handed over his own. "Unless you've left it blank?"
Gary's cheeks turned pink and he looked down, touching Ghost's paper gently. "Quid pro quo."
"It's all yours."
As Gary turned it over and began to read, Ghost suddenly felt very nervous. He'd meant everything he'd written down. What if Gary hadn't taken this seriously and wrote down something frivolous? Finally, after what felt like forever, Gary finished.
"Can I redo it?" Well shit, he hadn't taken it seriously.
"No." Ghost felt stupid and exposed but he still wanted to read Gary's and held it away when he tried to take it back. All he could do now was play it off and hope Gary thought he was joking too. "It's mine now."
"Please?"
"Not a chance."
Gary groaned and hid his face, burying it in his arms. Ghost smiled but turned his attention to the paper, reading what Gary supposedly loved about him.
I love...
1. Your smile/laugh.
2. How you baked a cake for me.
3. Your aftershave.
4. Your hands.
5. That you care enough to save me.
With each line, a curious warmth had blossomed in his chest and Ghost wasn't sure but he felt he might be blushing too. Gary and his honesty, it was too much sometimes. Ghost wanted to lean down and kiss him when he peeked out from his arms, watching for his reaction but resisted the urge. "I'm keeping this."
"What, why?"
"Going to frame it and put it on my desk."
"No!" He reached for the paper but Ghost caught his wrists easily. "Why do you have to embarrass me?"
"Because it's fun." He held Gary's hands to his chest and smiled at him. "You can't have it back."
"Maybe I'll frame yours then and put it on my bedside table."
Even the thought made Ghost want to kiss him again, regardless of the fact they were surrounded by his family and in public. "You better."
"Kiss my ass."
Well, he could do that too if Gary wanted. Maybe not at the table though.
"Gareth Sanderson, watch your mouth!" They both jumped, having forgotten that everybody else could hear them too. Jenny swatted half-heartedly at her son, shaking her head disapprovingly. "Let's have a nice meal, alright?"
"Your mother's right." Mark put an arm around her and sighed. "I'm sure you can wait until later to argue."
"Hey, the makeup sex is the best part!" Matt whispered loudly and Ghost had to try very hard not to laugh.
Gary went red but smiled when he looked at Ghost again. "You can keep the list, just don't show MacTavish."
"Thank you, love." He was planning on keeping it, maybe not framed on his desk but still.
The rest of the night passed by quickly. Both the food and company were great and honestly, Ghost couldn't remember the last time he'd had this much fun. He'd forgotten what it felt like to relax and not always have to be Ghost, Lieutenant of task force one four one. It was nice just being Simon again.
Amber and Matt were heading home after the meal so they were saying goodbye now since they wouldn't see them in the morning. Matt grinned and shook Ghost's hand. "Nice to meet you man, Gary seems happier than last time he was here. Probably because he brought you along."
"Maybe." Ghost agreed, hoping but not daring to believe it was true. Last time, Gary had been injured so he wouldn't have been in high spirits anyway.
"Trust me, I've known Gary a long time." Matt leaned in, voice lowering confidentially. "He really likes you."
"I'll take your word for it." He glanced up as Amber grabbed his arm, smiling brightly at him. "Guess this is it then."
"Is that any way to say goodbye to your future sister-in-law?" Matt patted his shoulder and left to go speak to Gary and Amber waited until he was out of earshot to continue. "Seriously though, if you hurt my little brother, I'll kill you. I don't care if you're some special, super-elite soldier, I'll find a way."
"Noted."
She hesitated, glancing at Gary and Ghost did too. He was shaking his head at something Matt was saying but smiling. "Gary's had a rough time when it comes to love, maybe you have too, I don't know. He's sacrificed a lot for your task force so please, don't hurt him."
"I wouldn't dream of it." It was his turn to hesitate as he looked into her eyes, the same shade of green as Gary's. "I... care about him, a lot." He said it haltingly, never having admitted this to anybody. Telling Gary's sister was not something he'd ever considered before now. "I'd never hurt Gary."
Amber smiled, she too had a dimple but on the opposite cheek to Gary. "Good, that's all I ask."
Ghost looked to Gary again, smiling when he saw the Sergeant was watching them. "I think he noticed you're intimidating me."
"I hope you're scared."
"Very."
When they reached Gary, he looked at Ghost questioningly. "What was that about?"
"Nothing."
"Sure looked like something."
"I'll tell you later." Ghost slung his arm around Gary's shoulders, pulling him close to his side. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
"Good enough to wear that choker?" He winced as Gary elbowed him in the ribs. "Guess not."
"If you ever mention it to Soap I will kill you."
"I'd like to see you try. You've never beaten me at CQC." Ghost traced his fingers lightly over Gary's neck, smiling when he shivered. "Just for five seconds."
"Maybe next time." Ghost sighed in disappointment, the tantalising thought of Gary wearing a choker was sure to haunt him in his dreams from now on. "You so want to see it don't you?"
"More than you could know."
Amber hugged them both, squeezing Gary tightly. "See you soon." He said, voice betraying him with a slight wobble.
"Soon." She stressed. "I already miss you."
"Me too." Gary pressed into Ghost as the other two left, wrapping an arm around his waist. "I hate goodbyes."
Ghost leaned down and kissed the side of his head, smiling when Gary relaxed. "I'll make sure you come home, don't worry."
"Even if it means breaking Soap's nose again?"
"Of course."
They both laughed and Gary stepped out of his arms. "Come on, we need to get home and pack."
Home. Ghost was starting to feel like he could see this place as home. It was a strange thought, since the age of eighteen he'd not had a home, hell ever since he was eight and his grandmother had died. Having a place to call home was... nice. Something he could get used to given the chance.
"Ghost?" He looked around to find Gary watching him, a soft smile pulling at his lips. "Come on, we need to go."
"Right behind you, love."
They were leaving early the next morning so Ghost spent most of the night packing, trying not to miss anything. He was woken early the next morning by Gary who smiled tiredly, sitting on the edge of his bed. "Surprise." He laughed quietly, waggling his eyebrows. "Must be the first time I've woken up before you, ever."
Ghost smiled and rolled onto his front, pressing his face into the pillow. After a moment he felt Gary's weight leave the bed and thought he was leaving. A moment later, however, Gary crouched down next to him, resting his head on folded arms only a couple of inches away. He searched Ghost's face, breaking into another smile.
"Anyone ever tell you, you're kinda cute when your half asleep?"
"Shut the fuck up, Roach. It's too early for this." Ghost was more comfortable in this position, yes, but it also helped hide his morning wood and Gary was definitely not helping his situation. "Go make coffee or something."
"So mean."
"Don't wake me up then."
"No sugar?" Gary asked, getting to his feet. "And the tiniest dash of milk that might as well be non-existent?"
"That's the one." Ghost stiffened when Gary ruffled his hair, pressing his face into the pillow in an effort not to groan. The things his Sergeant did to him were so unfair. "Get out."
"I'll see you in ten." Gary laughed and then he was gone with a soft click of the door.
It took almost ten minutes for his body to calm down. In the kitchen, Gary was already seated and he nodded at the mug he wasn't holding. "Thanks." Ghost said, picking it up and taking a sip. "Hmm, pretty good for you."
"Why thank you." Gary rolled his eyes and continued drinking his sugar ladened coffee.
They were soon joined by his parents and breakfast commenced, more subdued than normal but Ghost assumed it was because of their imminent departure. It didn't take long for Jenny to start crying and Mark soon followed her. Gary rushed around the table to hug his parents, shrugging helplessly at Ghost.
"I'll get our bags." He said, leaving the three to say their goodbyes. Maybe this was normal, but it was still strange to see such an affectionate family unit.
He paused in Gary's room, fingers curled around his bag and looked down at the album still sitting on the desk. Flipping it open he quickly found the photo of Gary in his SAS uniform and smiled. Two years away from their meeting, he wondered what he'd been doing at the time. His whole life felt like a blur of classified missions and bouncing from task force to task force before settling with the one-four-one.
Now though, he felt his life had changed, for the better for once. Ghost also knew it was because of Gary that he felt like this. Since Gary had walked into his life, it had become bearable, even fun occasionally. This holiday had proven that.
There was a knock at the door and he jumped, slamming the album shut as he turned to find Jenny in the doorway. She smiled and stepped in. "Don't worry, Gary's still downstairs with his father."
"Right."
She walked over and hugged him tightly, after a pause he returned the embrace. "Look after my son please."
"I will." Ghost promised.
Her grip tightened around him. "I know how you feel about Gary." He stiffened and she let him go but she was smiling as she patted his cheek. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
"Thank you."
Jenny frowned and squeezed his hand. "You should tell him."
Ghost hesitated. "I'm... not ready for that yet." He doubted he ever would be. Not unless Gary said something first. He didn't want to destroy their friendship without absolute proof Gary felt something similar.
"Maybe one day." She winked and lead him back downstairs where Gary was waiting, looking between them curiously.
"Everything alright?"
"Fine." Ghost told him, handing over his bag. "Time to go."
More hugs followed for both of them. Ghost breathed a sigh of relief when he was finally released and got in the car, allowing Gary to say his final goodbyes. When he slid into the passenger seat a few minutes later he looked downcast.
"Ready?"
"Yeah." Gary sighed. He looked up suddenly with a frown. "What did Amber want last night?"
"She gave me the shovel talk." Ghost laughed when he groaned and banged his head back against the headrest. "Don't worry I took it seriously."
"Should've told her the truth."
"I don't think anything I could say would persuade her otherwise. She thinks we're dating."
"Yeah, but we're not..." Gary waved a hand between them.
"We're not." Ghost agreed.
"But-" Gary stopped abruptly and Ghost's turned to look at him. He blushed and quickly looked out the window.
"Are you trying to ask me out?" He asked teasingly.
"Of course not!" Gary snapped back defensively. "It's not romantic what I feel for you but you're more than my friend. I just don't know what the word is for this." He sighed and started pulling at his seat.
"Partners." Ghost had been thinking about it for a while now and that was the word he'd settled on.
"Partners," Gary said slowly, testing it. "Ok, I can get behind that."
"Alright partner, buckle up." That made him groan and Ghost chuckled. "Wave goodbye to your family, Roach."
"So I'm Roach again?"
"Of course, nobody can hear me now." Roach leaned out the window and waved goodbye as he drove down the lane. Ghost glanced at him as he slid back into his seat, noting the sadness in his expression. "You'll be back soon enough."
"You think so?"
Ghost shrugged, turning onto the main road. "Probably. The way things are heading we're going to run out of missions soon."
"What will happen then?"
"Everybody goes on notice, except Price, Soap and I." He sighed and idly tapped against the steering wheel. "I don't see it being a problem making it for your sister's wedding."
"You'll come?"
"I already said I would, didn't I?"
"So you'll be my plus one?"
"You're asking me out?" Ghost tried again, smirking when he saw Roach blush.
"Of course not!"
"Don't be shy, I won't bite unless you ask me to." Roach had such a beautiful neck and Ghost had thought on many occasions about the marks he could leave on him. Again, Roach didn't say anything in denial but then he didn't affirm it either. Ghost toed the line, pushing ever so slightly. "Oh, are you into that?"
"Don't even start."
"Alright, love." He smiled as Roach grabbed his hand, their fingers linking together easily. He was going to miss this. "You know you can't hold my hand when we're back at the base."
"Hasn't stopped me yet." They fell into silence for a while before Roach said thoughtfully, "Do you think we act like a couple? Everyone thinks we are one."
"Yeah well, not everyone has been through all the shit we have."
"I know." Ghost glanced across at him and his heart seemed to skip a beat in the face of Roach's smile. "Partner." He said softly.
"Partner." He replied, squeezing his hand.