Cozy! Ghost has allergies and Soap goes out of his way to help.
Spring should be jolly, really. Colors are coming back after months of grayish rain, cold wind and that feeling of nothingness that many dislike. Now the grass is looking alive, flowers blossoming and giving those soft scents. Sunny and warmer, which means more time outside, the mood at the base improves! But to Ghost is hell.
He wakes up one day with a stuffy nose and knows this is just the start from it. Second day his throat feels itchy, he drinks more water. Third day his eyes are puffy and he knows, he knows these weeks are going to be horrible.
It's the pollen from flowers and grass, the dust that lifts from the boots running.
Simon is sneezing constantly, eyes narrow, sniffling each minute, his mood got sour and Soap noticed it right away, how not to? Those microscopic particles are making his days a living hell.
The sergeant tried to help, pills? Simon was practically immune after using those through the years. One of those surgical masks with with a filter? Nah, still sneezing, eyes reddish at the corners.
Nose starts to get dry on the sides, small red spots, constantly blowing his nose damages the surrounding skin, so there goes Soap, buys mentholatum and gently rubs it over the irritated zone.
"Looking like a proper clown nose Lt" He jokes, that bright smile carried so easily.
"Hmmph" Is the only reply yet he does appreciate the effort.
The mentholated cream works for a while, a momentary relief, at least for the dried skin because allergies continue. So is Simon ready to continue this fight against this invisible enemy and now with an ally, Soap, his Johnny, no one else can call him that, always carrying tissues to handle him one if needed.
"Here, these are softer" Because the paper makes a difference.
So does kindness, most people always think of Ghost like this man that has everything figured out, and well, he kind of has... But that mentality leaves him alone, exposed. No man can fight a war alone.
"Do you think an air purifier will help?" Johnny asks with almost innocence.
"Don't know, I don't think they will buy one for one man alone" Grimacing as he blows his nose again, eyes reddish and puffy.
Three days and Soap proudly handles him a gift, an air purifier, portable. It won't solve the problem but at least will make it more bearable in closed spaces. Reduce those demoniacal particles.
So you can see Ghost, big hulk of a man, with his small machine going anywhere on the base, rec room? He has the air purifier, mess hall? There he goes, briefing room? As well and no one dares to say anything.
What would they say anyway? Simon will glare at them and is enough. Not for Johnny though, he called him out with a "Your emotional support purifier". Simon just grumbled in answer but he does find it funny. Spring may be hell, his eyes itching, tissues always on his pockets, still sour in the mood.
But Johnny has his back and that makes the allergies a little more bearable. Ridiculous mohawk always by his side, he didn't need to buy anything and yet he did it.
At night he turns the machine on, the white noise as well helps Simon to sleep, less nightmares, more dreams filled with that rambling voice, those blue eyes. He loves the man and he needs to give something back.
Light angst, Soap feeling self-conscious about himself, how boisterous he can be mostly.
Johnny's day has been awful since early morning, shower too cold, coffee too bitter, clothes felt itchy, training went sideways when he got distracted and a punch hit him fair and square on the chin, made his teeth tremble.
Ok, he can keep going. Maybe just bad luck? Must be, universe is going against him today.
His lunch? Tastes more like a salt rock, a mistake, surely other soldiers had the same bad luck. He rambles about this with Ghost who seems to not be listening, not about his morning, about the bruise that now decorates his chin. Simon's attention is elsewhere and it hurts when he shut ups and there are no questions.
Not even one.
The punch is nothing compared to this pain, being ignored, background noise, it makes Soap go back into that small doubt.
"Am I annoying?" Comes out softly.
He needed to vent, a couple of laughs and this day would be forgotten, instead his mind is starting to reel back, blue eyes looking for a confirmation.
"Sometimes, not all silence is meant to be filled Johnny" The tone is calm, half joking.
It's not a joke for Johnny though, who smiles as if it didn't hurt.
"Yeah, right" Chuckling.
Lunch is over, time to keep going with his day, ache on his chest starting to weigh down. Deliver some paperwork, clean his weapons, watch the sun coming down on the horizon.
Day is finally over, Soap can get back to his room, lock the door, take off those awful clothes. Low lights, it's just a bad day. He could take a shower but there is no energy to do so, besides maybe the water will come out horribly again.
"Just a bad day..."
Only silence replies, sitting down the edge of his bed, hands over his lap, thumbs tapping into each other, fidgety. Anxious.
It repeats in his mind. This is not the first time he has been called annoying, even if not with the direct word.
Sometimes.
"He didn't mean it..."
But did he? The doubt grows, and suddenly Johnny feels small, exposed, even though there is no one else there, but his mind? Oh, it goes searching for the smallest of details.
How his team could and will find him annoying over time, how he can become a liability. Talking too much during a mission, maybe too much energy while training, too loud, too boisterous, his laughs, his steps, his voice.
Laying down, closing eyes fiercely together, hoping for an ounce of sleep, half an hour, ten minutes, anything.
It never comes, he stays awake, all night long while the word repeats.
Ghost laying his big ass frame on top of Soap, why? Because he had enough of his yapping. Not that he hates the incessant flow of words, he loves it! But right now he needs a minute to relax and telling Johnny to shut up is not an option, would be too harsh, so.
Dead weight it is then, lay on top, feel how Soap slowly relaxes, how his breathing takes a steady rhythm, how his hands start giving some pats on his sides to finally stop. His voice is not rushing anymore, a couple of yawns and the continuous and fast ideas have been stopped, just like that. It always works like a miracle.
They both win, Ghost can enjoy the silence and Soap gets to nap, both of them avoiding being overstimulated.
Simon woke up with a horrible headache, a migraine you could say, it started small and evolved so quickly during the day, one with the kind of pain that makes you dizzy on the spot. He took a couple of pills, nothing happened.
Tried a cup of his herbal tea, worked for like half an hour before exploding again. So, he goes around the base like a beast, heavy steps, hard glare, more growls than actual words when he is interrupted.
Ready to complain about something regarding the cleaning of weapons when Soap shushed him "The fuck Johnny!" Growling beast, the sergeant leading him to the... The broom closet, amazing.
Small, there is nothing there, barely any light, cold, away from the noisy rooms of the base, from training grounds.
And it works, there are no white lights! No loud noises or screams, it's amazingly cold and before he knows his body is resting on top of Soap, fingertips threading his blonde hair, when did the mask disappear?.
He doesn't care, his head is not pounding anymore and the fingertips roam so lazily over, circles. Simon's eyes don't burn, his ears don't ring, the only sound is the steady heartbeat on Soap's chest, his gentle breathing up and down, up, down.
For the time being, there are no worries nor pain, if he fell asleep or not is nobody's problem, if he likes to be lulled by Johnny's heartbeat, no one should care.
Simon has a collection of tea, you need something for an upset stomach? He has, anxiety? As well, migraine? Well, guess what.
So when Johnny gets a bad cold after a mission, there is Simon, cup in hand, herbal scent and simply saying.
"This will help you".
Nothing else, then in the morning he appears to deliver another cup, different scent.
"For your throat".
And goes away, where does he keep such a stash? Nobody knows, what they know is that Johnny feels better after a couple of days and many delivered cups.
Simon and Johnny spending one night sharing a room at the base, it was a sporadic idea, Ghost has too many nightmares and Soap insomnia has been getting worse. And when they sleep together in those smaller rooms at a safehouse, suddenly those problems are gone.
So, there you have Ghost knocking on Soap's door, looking tired as fuck, relatively comfortable clothes, balaclava that doesn't hide brown exhausted eyes and Soap, that opens the door a little too eagerly. Claiming he was already waiting.
Bed is small for the two of them, like sardines in a can but they make it work, Ghost with his back to the wall, Soap on the other edge, watching him fall asleep, flinch from time to time, just relaxing as he holds his hand...
The night is not perfect, they still barely slept but having company was a comfort they recognize as needed.
Ghoap but they are awkward around each other, the kind of "I can trust him my life but holding hands is too much", so they are going round and round over their feelings.
Price and Gaz simply look at each other shaking their heads "Muppets" They say at the same time.
