Dating an SAS soldier hadnât been the best for you. You had met John MacTavish on some dating app. He had been a good lay, but he was never home. When he was and wanted to spend time with you, it was always at your flat. Sometimes he would stay the night, other times, youâd wake up to him getting out of bed while on the phone and trying not to wake you.
And, you had grown tired of it. You broke up with him the next time he did it. It was tiring to always have to worry if he was coming home, and you moved on. Met a nice person who understood your wants better. You and John had stayed friends.
You were at work, typing a report that was due by the end of the next day when your personal phone started ringing. It was a number you didnât recognise, but you answered anyway. You were your partnerâs first emergency contact.
âIs this Y/N?â A gruff British voice asked. He sounded like a Londoner.
âThis is,â you replied.
âThis is Captain John Price,â he says. âYou were listed as John MacTavishâs emergency contact.â
âWe broke up months ago,â you replied. âWhatâs this about?â
âUnfortunately I am still obligated to notify you,â he sounded⌠upset? âToday, on the twenty-first of November he was killed in action by a Russian terrorist.â
âWhat?â you asked. While you didnât really like him as a boyfriend, he was still a good friend. âNo thatâs impossibleâŚâ
âIt is,â his voice wobbled a bit. âTechnically I shouldnât tell you this but he died protecting me.â
A sob tore its way out of your throat.
John hadnât been too close with his family after joining the army. They hated that and disowned him when he came out as bisexual.
âKeep his ashes,â you said as your voice wobbled. âIâm sure you know that his family disowned him.â
âAlright,â he says, and with that, he hung up.
The report was forgotten. You got up and went to the bathroom. The man you had dated for a year and had been friends with after was dead. Just like that. No fanfare. You knew he had loved his team like family. And he had told you he had a boyfriend. His future had been snuffed out protecting the man he had in his phone as dad.
You pulled your phone out and texted the number of his former captain an address. He had always said if he got married he wanted it to be there. Only fitting they spread his ashes there.. right?