Babe I’m begging you to imagine the newest batch of rookies talking about not so badass reader and they’re just passing these legendary war stories back and forth.
There’s a rumor that the reader once killed a man with only a lemon wedge and a shoelace. One newbie says they saw footage of reader taking down a dozen enemy soldiers in the same amount of time it takes to peel a banana. Another said reader was raised by assassins and took down their first mark at age 10.
Nearly 10 feet away the 141 boys are listening to this and collectively thinking back to that morning when they watched the reader spread peanut butter onto bread with a butter knife, drop both the bread (which lands face down) and the knife which they accidentally kick under the refrigerator.
There’s a beat of silence and then a long tortured sigh, and in an accent they had never heard the reader use before they say
“Life is short but also like terribly and insufferably long at the same time.” (Jenna Marbles).
No one but Gaz has any idea what that means but Price thinks it might be some obscure internet reference.
There’s a silent understanding between the boys that if the reader ever kills someone it will be completely by accident.
not my queen and god jenna fucking marbles getting mentioned !!! and also how tf did you know i like peanut butter ?? you is a psychic fr.
i see the headcanons that ghost is this cryptic being around base with strange stories but i am LIVING for reader being one instead.
and i love the idea of reader who overhears the rookies talking and are quick to assume they're talking about ghost.
like reader just suddenly speaks up, leaning against the wall, eating bread, (nothings on it, it's just bread - which only unknowingly adds to readers supposed origin story -)
"one time it was just nothing but teeth-"
"teeth?" *rookie*.
"yeah teeth." reader says with a nod, biting into the plain bread. reader shrugs so casually. "tearing into people's neck. blood, and flesh everyone."
and maybe it's because the main source of light coming from the hallway is behind reader. It makes reader engulfed in black. their shadow filling the room. the rookies staring in what could be horror or disgust, maybe both...
"y'know it just... makes you think. doesn’t it?" readers head turns to the group of rookies. who can feel your eyes digging into them, looking at their exposed flesh.
they suddenly make up excuses and leave the room. making reader let out a thoughtful hum, slowly nodding their head and quietly whispering to themselves, "They get it... I should check out ghost's teeth..." reader mumbles before turning and nearly running into the doorframe.
what i also like about this hc, is that the 141 are totally in on it. spreading stories to the recruits because they think it's the funniest thing.
soap's just casually chatting with a rookie who sees a tiny peeble. he picks it up, holding it to the rookie. "ye know, reader threw one of these so hard and fast that it went right through the scalp of a target we had to take out." soap drawls, then tosses it over his shoulder with a smile on his face while the rookie is just awestruck.
or ghost and gaz are playing poker with some rookies for once.
gaz picks up his newly dealt cards, "Oh ghost, doesn't this remind you of when reader slit the throats of those mafia guys with playing cards." gaz chimes, meeting ghost's eyes across from him. a silent agreement that only they could understand.
ghost nods his head, "yup, then reader used ice on the last guy because the cards got too wet from the blood."
one rookie manages to speak up, "...ice...? but how-?"
ghost and gaz in unison, "you don't want to know."
later that evening, they go into the 141 common room- where reader has managed to find an old wii console and is making price play with them. only to catch reader ready to swing the remote, only to let go on accident and hit the tv square in the middle making the whole screen glitch then go black. and you also fall flat on your ass.
price looks so dissapointed but not surprised.
but gaz, ghost and soap look thoughtful. they could totally spin this into your supposed 'badass backstory.'
