window watcher (pt 1.) 𓂃⋆ 𐙚 ̊.
simon riley, who you have a massive crush on and he finally catches you staring. after a couple little interactions, he asks to drive you home one night after seeing you at the base late.
cw: alcohol consumption. sexual language. 4.1k words.
you watched the large man strut across the tarmac from the window of the tower like a hawk watching it's prey scurry through a field. even though he was a man, the way Ghost's hips swayed when he walked mesmerized you. his many, many pounds of gear could be blamed for his heavy walk, but you'd seen him walk without it before. and boy was it that same, lumbering stride it always had been.
staring was wrong, and you knew that, but you'd never quite seen a man so captivating. the walk alone was enough to make any woman go weak in her knees, but there were many other factors that played into his appeal. you could go on and on about them— his voice, his skill, the sheer size of him. but you knew it was wrong.
the worst part about all of this was, you'd only ever uttered about ten words to the man. you were just an assistant to the air traffic controllers, until you could become one, bringing them coffee and whatever else they so needed. the one time you were down in the hanger is when you briefly met him, a pilot introducing you two.
Ghost had scuffed out a "'ello", as well as a few other words, but the conversation had stuck to small talk before the man stalked away. but you'd never forget the way his head tilted down to look at you, face hidden behind the skull-patterned balaclava and large tinted sunglasses. he had towered over you during the conversation and even though it was pathetic, the sight of it turned you on.
but you spent most of your days up in the damn radio tower, watching him come and go as he moved around the tarmac. sometimes there were weeks where you wouldn't see him at all, but it wouldn't worry you— he was Ghost after all. he seemed cruel, cold, and absolutely unstoppable.
"that damn walk," another female voice snapped you out of your thoughts. it came from holly, who was another assistant, secretary type of woman. in all honesty, you weren't all that interested in what her exact title was because you tried to avoid her entirely. she was sweet, bless her heart, but hell could she talk and talk.
"w-wha— oh y-yeah," you stumbled over your words like a damn fool, face beet red after you had been caught staring. you turned away from the window while ducking your head as if you couldn't dare to look anyone in the face.
"just messin' wit'cha, love!" holly smacked your arm playfully with the newspaper in her hand as she snickered. the action sent a feeling that had no other explanation than "the ick" throughout your body as you faked a laugh. embarrassment quickly crept in and you were unable to stop a stupid, sheepish smile from spreading across your cheeks.
"i didn't mean to be staring," you breathed as you turned to look back out of the window but Ghost was gone. he often disappeared as quickly as he appeared— hell, did his name fit him.
a week passed and you didn't see Ghost. this was normal, you weren't concerned, but you did miss seeing him. it was almost embarrassing how much you liked to see him, how much you looked forward to it. no one knew it of course— not even fucking holly, regardless of all her prying.
there was no point of mentioning anything about your little obsession to anyone because for one, you weren't alone in it and for two, it wasn't going to get to any sort of first, second, or third base with him. Ghost probably had ladies throwing themselves at him, especially outside of this god forsaken base, and there was a greater chance that he was uninterested in the lot of them.
so why would you be different?
the whole other issue is how wildly unprofessional it would be— even just to attempt to make a move. getting fired would be the last thing you needed at this time in your life, you would have no where to go. it was better that you kept to yourself and keep your little attraction to yourself.
plus, what if he was ugly under that somehow very attractive balaclava?
"would ya look at who's back?" holly's hand wrapped around the inside of your hand and pulled you to the window. the action snapped you out of your dizzying thoughts and soon your eyes locked onto an all too familiar figure. relief washed over you for a second. it didn't matter if you knew he'd live— it was still always relieving when he came back in one piece. "happy, ain'tch ya?"
"whatever," you mumbled, bracing your hands on the window sill as you bend forward slightly. holly walked away with a shake of your head that you ignored because it wasn't worth your time. watching him amble around with other soldiers and people made you get lost in your thoughts and you didn't realize that he was walking towards the tower.
your eyes naturally followed him until he stopped mid stride, turning his head around to another man. it was hard to see exactly what was happening from all the way up in the tower but the other man, who seemed like Price but you couldn't really tell, seemed to had yelled at Ghost before walking up to him and saying something directly in his ear.
suddenly, Ghost's head lifted as Price walked away. his gaze tracked upwards, higher and higher, until his neck was craned all the way back and his were locked on yours. if it were possible, you heart would have pounded its way out of your chest and fallen onto the floor. the eye black around his dark eyes was smeared, eyes glinting in the sun as he stared up you.
he raised a gloved hand and flicked two fingers at you in a little wave and you lost it— backing away from the window and dropping to your knees, hand covering your face. embarrassment immediately began to eat away at you causing your face to become crimson red and chest heaving.
"aye, you alright?" bobby, one of the air traffic controllers, asked as he turned in his chair. you nodded, then shook your head, unable to form any coherent words at that moment.
you avoided the window like it was the plague. you grimaced whenever you had to go down to the cafeteria to grab food. whenever someone asked if you could go grab something, specifically coffee, you hesitated and made sure your coast was clear.
avoiding Ghost was easy, mainly because you stayed in the tower or in the office in the hanger. but avoiding everyones questions was not. especially bobby and holly— both of them up your ass with questions constantly.
"oh c'mon, you haven't looked out that window once," holly begged you to tell her something but you wouldn't, shaking your head as you dug your nose into whatever paper you were reading.
"i've been working." you mumbled the lie through gritted teeth as you leaned back in the large leather chair that you seemed physically attached to with how little you had move from it.
"i think someone finally caught her staring," bobby chuckled with a shake of his head.
after a week of distancing yourself and being riddled with paranoia, you kind of gave up with hiding. it was getting old, exhausting even, and plus— you hadn't seen Ghost at the base at all. so you assumed that it was safe to go get food from the cafeteria.
you stood with your back to the rest of the room as you went to get a drink. loud, booming voices filled the space as well as the sound of dishes clattering which you drowned out, stuck in your own thoughts. what you didn't hear was the heavy footsteps approaching you from behind.
"been avoidin' me?" the sound of Ghost's voice made you almost drop your tray and your drink. as if it were a horror movie, you slowly turned around, head immediately craning back to look at the large man's face. he completely stood over you in a way that was almost devastating— hands resting on the straps of his plate carrier, balaclava on as always, eye black thick around his brown eyes that were narrowed slightly. he looked impossibly larger up close and you were suddenly aware of just how much your chin was tilted to look at him.
"w-what?" you mentally hit yourself for how embarrassing you were being. not only had you stammered but your voice had come out small, weak, barely even audible. your cheeks burned and you didn't need a mirror to know you were blushing.
"haven't seen you in the window." the words hit you like a truck because you realized, Ghost had been noticing you this whole time. he had seen you in the window of the air traffic control tower as you watched him almost every day while he went about his business.
"i-i've been bu..." your words died as you blinked rapidly— you weren't even sure what to say.
what could possibly be the right words for this?
Ghost tilted his head at you, leaning forward slightly as if he didn't hear you and you felt like you could faint right there. he didn't say anything as he stared at you for what felt like an eternity but was only a fleeting moment. and then he turned slowly and walked away, like he didn't just come and ruin your appetite. like you weren't standing there shaking like a fucking chihuahua.
but he paused. "thought i scared ya off." that was the final thing he said before he truly stepped away. you watched him walk off as your jaw hung open. his arms felt to his side as he sauntered away, his hips rolled with heavy step.
the interaction played over and over again in your head over the course of the last week. you had overanalyzed it, picked it apart, reenacted in— you felt absolutely insane. it was the world's smallest interaction but it had so much packed behind it.
you weren't avoiding the window now though, in fact, you were in it more. to the knowledge of no one but you and Ghost, there was now a little routine in place between the two of you. after whatever briefing he had with task force 141, or whoever, he would walk out onto the tarmac in order to leave. now though, he never failed to turn around and give you that quick, almost unnoticeable two finger wave. then he would disappear again you were never sure when you would see him next.
the routine put a smile on your face every morning and there was no denying that you had a bounce in your step everywhere you went. even your bestfriend had noticed and began to pry but you refused to budge.
sometimes you would see him around the hanger, or the cafeteria, but your nerves stopped you from talking to him. it was mostly stolen glances and soft smiles from across the room. very rarely would Ghost grunt out that little "'ello" that he liked to do and it would make your heart flutter every time. but even though interaction was limited and small, there was no denying it meant something— there was now a connection that was established.
"oi, you listenin'?" bobby gently nudged your arm, snapping out of your thoughts. him, holly, you, and a couple other air traffic controllers had agreed to meet in the office on break and have lunch together. it didn't happen much since schedules didn't always align but when it did, it was really nice.
"y-yeah, i am." you chuckled as you popped a chip in your mouth but everyone knew that was a lie. there was a moment of silence before the office door swung open and in walked Price, Ghost right behind him. everyone paused, heads swinging towards the two large men who did not belong in this office.
Price began to talk to bobby about god knows what— you didn't really care. you were too focused on how the man behind him would not stop staring directly at you. at first, you tried to pretend you didn't notice and looked away but that didn't last very long.
soon enough, your head was lifting to make eye contact, brown eyes burning holes into your own. he stood how he did that one day he talked to you in the cafeteria and it was slowly driving you crazy.
eyebrows raised at you, almost in a playful manner, and it made a sweet smile break out across your flushed cheeks. there were only a few moments of exchanging looks before Price wrapped his conversation up and was leaving the office.
Ghost followed slowly but didn't leave until he mumbled, "see ya t'morrow."
suddenly, all eyes in the room were on you.
that next morning, you didn't see Ghost like he'd said. he didn't strut out onto the tarmac and wave at you, you didn't even see Price or anyone from task force 141. then in the afternoon, you didn't see him at the cafeteria. you didn't see him anywhere at all as a matter of fact. it was hard to not let if affect you, you didn't want to be dramatic, but the bounce from your step was gone.
your coworkers noticed of course, and asked and asked until you snapped at them. after that, they didn't ask or even mention Ghost for the first time since well, ever. the silence was nice and you could finally get a small break from thinking about him constantly. bobby was kind enough to offer to teach you how to learn the controls early so that you could eventually fill in when some guy retired.
the day came and went quickly, and before you realized it, it was way late at night and the only people left were you and bobby. he quickly said goodnight to you and hurried out of the tower towards his car, mumbling something about how his wife is gonna kill him if he doesn't get home before ten pm. this left you alone to walk through the hanger and towards the office.
you had your back towards the door when it swung open, revealing a very large man in a skull-patterned balaclava, a black hoodie, and straight blue jeans. your soul practically left your body, body jolting with a jump as your hand flew over your chest.
"hell!" you yelled as you stared at Ghost, breath uneven and heavy. "you've got to stop doing that!"
"sorry love," he chuckled, shaking his head as his hand went to scratch the back of his neck— the action almost awkward. in all honesty, Ghost wasn't sure what to do now. he thought there would be at least another person in here with you and now that he saw you were alone, he wasn't sure how to act. he'd never admit it but you made him nervous, unsure of his confidence. "and 'm'sorry 'bout this mornin'. task force got busy and—"
"it's alright," your voice was gentle while you watched in disbelief as the man in front of you apologized for missing your routine. him calling you the pet name also caught you off guard and made your stomach flutter in ways you weren't used to.
you were now hyper aware of the fact that it was just the two of you, and he was blocking the door— there was no way to run. not that you would want to. well, maybe if he was chasing you.
but now's not the time to unpack that.
"listen, i've got to hurry." your eyes flicked to the clock on the wall and you noticed the last bus for the night that could take you home came in twenty minutes. quickly turning back to packing your bag, you continued to speak; "i think i can still catch the last bus."
there was a pause before Ghost finally spoke. "bus?"
"y-yeah, i can't drive." you admit sheepishly as you turn back to him. he's now standing with his arms crossed, the black fabric of his hoodie stretching over his large arms. you couldn't help but stare at the way his biceps and shoulders were accentuated in the hoodie and that's when you realized he wasn't in his gear at all.
"at this hour?" his question made you realize he was considering all he dangers of the streets at night, the thought making your stomach flutter.
"it's not that bad." you laughed awkwardly but you both knew it was a lie.
"i'll take ya." Ghost's words left his mouth before his brain really processed it and he immediately regretted it— he sounded too forward.
"w-what?" you almost choked on your own spit, pausing mid action as you slipped your coat over your arms and shoulders.
"i'll drive you home." he said it short, almost matter-of-factly. in his head, he decided it was no longer an offer and he was gonna make sure you got home safely.
"o-oh no, you don't have to do that." you reassured with a wave of your hand as you grabbed your purse, slipping in on so it hung from your right shoulder. you were now ready to leave. well sort of. Ghost wasn't going to budge, he wanted to make sure you were safe. he wasn't sure what about you made him care so much but he did, and it was eating him alive. "i can't manage, don't worry."
"didn't say ya couldn't," he shook his head, arms unfolding and falling loosely at his sides. "jus' offerin' while 'm'here."
there was a pause of silence before you nodded with a quirt "alright."
the drive was silent, no one daring to say anything, until his truck finally halted to a stop. throughout the long drive from the base to your flat, you learned that Ghost was possibly the worst driver you'd ever met. you questioned if he even had his civilian license the entire ride. the man hit about five curbs, ran about eight stop lights, didn't look at cross walks— hell, the bus would have been safer.
"well, thank you," you smiled the sweet smile of yours that he secretly loved so much at him as you took your seat belt off. "you didn't have to go through all that trouble, really."
"s'no trouble," the skull-pattern balaclava turned towards you and in the dim lighting, you could see the wrinkles in his eyes from him smiling. "wanted ya to be safe."
"that's very kind of you." your hand shakily reached for the door handle, pulling on it till the door swung open. you then stepped out, cold air nipping at the skin of your exposed legs beneath your pencil skirt.
you didn't even get all the way out of the car before a gloved hand was catching your bare one. "love," Ghost said sweetly, his eyes darting down to your purse that lay forgotten on the seat. "don't forget that."
"oh hell, thank you." you giggled as you carefully took the purse strap into your hand as he let go. deep brown eyes met yours once you looked up and suddenly you were frozen— behind half in the seat, one leg in the truck while the other was extended out. "Ghost?"
"oi please, m'names simon." simon. it fit him and it didn't at the same time.
"r-right, uh, simon?" you stammered out, trying your best as you wrestled with the words that you really wanted to say. "d-do you— would you like to come in? have some tea, or a drink? a cig? y-you know, something to say 'thank you'."
there was another pause and immediately began to overthink.
but finally, the man nodded— putting the truck in park before taking off his seatbelt. he followed you carefully to your door, waiting patiently behind you as you unlocked your door. you could feel him towering over you and it made your nerves light on fire, fingers shaking slightly as you slipped the key into the lock.
you'd be lying if you said it didn't make your panties a little damp.
you were a glass of wine deep while he was just a few sips of beer deep, not wanting to lift his balaclava a lot and definitely not wanting to take it off. you understood it, respected it— who were you to question him?
the conversation had been flowing nicely and you were able to talk without your nerves consuming you now that you were tipsy. how talkative Ghost was being really made you smile, as you didn't expect it from him. but, unbeknownst to you, he somehow felt comfortable enough with you to talk a little more than with the average person.
when the topic at hand seemed to sizzle off into something but silent 'mhm's is when you decided it was time to get up and pour yourself another glass. it was a dangerous game you were playing— who knew what version of drunk you was going to come out.
good thing you had a pretty high tolerance.
as you were pouring it, you felt a warm presence behind you. your head began to feel like it was buzzing at the sudden proximity of the two of you— simon really had to stop doing this to you.
"s'this one any good?" his voice sounded from next to your ear as his arm reached around you to grab at the bottle of wine you were drinking. there was heavy hesitation from you as you tried to form words but couldn't. you could practically feel his chest against the back of your head because of how close he was standing. your heart slammed against your rib cage so loudly you swear he could hear it, chest heaving with each breath.
the worst part was, the bastard was doing it on purpose.
he knew the effect he had on you and in a way, he liked it. he liked watching your cheeks flush, liked watching you stammer, liked watching you get all flustered over him when there was absolutely no reason for it.
"u-uh yeah," you wanted to turn around but you felt frozen. if you turned around, he'd be right there, and you weren't sure if you could handle being that close to his face. sure, the alcohol in your system was calming your nerves and boosting your confidence, but it wasn't nearly enough.
"can i taste it?" his hand reached out to wrap around your wine glass, fingers brushing yours. all you could do was nod, eyes burning into the counter as her brought the glass up to his face. you didn't dare turn around as he pulled up the edge of his balaclava to take a sip out of your glass. that just had your mouth on it. "that is good."
"s'my favorite." you finally twisted your neck to look at him with a soft smile. his head was tilted slightly as he looked down at you, face less than a foot away— even though he was easily a foot taller than you. the wine glass still in his hand, the other hand inches away from your hip. he wanted nothing more to reach out and place his hand there, and you wanted it too.
before his thoughts could even begin to get the best of him, simon was gently placing the wine glass back down onto the counter and backing up from you. the small clink sound filled the still and silent kitchen, sounding much louder than normal. his eyes stayed locked onto yours, something that you couldn't quite read swirling in his brown irises. it always made you uneasy how hard the large man was to analyze— physical and verbal cues never really helped.
"as much 's' i'd love t' stay," your heart sank a little as words as disappointment washed over you. when you invited him in, you weren't exactly sure where it was going to go. you knew there was no way in hell it was going to go as far as you really wanted it to, but you were hoping he would stay for a little longer. "i's late love, y' should get some sleep."
you smiled at the sweet words that showed his respect for you and your time. "you're gonna drive home under the influence?" the playfulness in your tone had simon rolling his eyes, a faint hint of a smile under the balaclava. his head tiled towards the half drunk beer that stood forgotten on the table.
authors note: super slow burn....kinda excited! this will also be posted on ao3 eventually.
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