I don't know if this is something that you'd be interested in writing, but I need somewhere to get this out of my head.
I've learned (from experience) that the military runs on 3 things: Caffeine, Nicotine, and Spite.
I just like to think about the Ghost boys and how they might interact with a reader who only runs on the 3. They know they have a problem but not even god can separate them from their morning redbull and zyn breakfast combo.
Anyways, thanks for reading my rambling!
Keep cool and stay safe! 🦭
A/N🪶: To 🦭 anon, I am so sorry it took me this long to respond! I love this concept and I was in a huge writing slump for a while due to school and a lot of life events. Now that I've graduated and am out of school (and am unfortunately thrust into the job market of this age), I can give my attention to writing again. I should mention I don't smoke or drink energy drinks so I apologize for inaccuracies. Thank you so much for your request! I've missed doing HC's for the boo crew. I hope you enjoy this, let me know what you think <3
Tags/Warnings: gn!Reader, Smoking (cigs), callsign Nitro, swearing, bad habits, sleep deprivation/lack of sleep, dark humor, La Croix mention
The Holy Trinity, CoD Ghosts HC's
Another late night. You didn't need to check the time to know your colleagues would be up and at 'em not too long from now. Your CO's had already told you it was fine, you didn't have to lose sleep over the work that would be continued the next day anyway. Their words were considered… and then promptly ignored.
The entire team of information specialists had been working on locating a few people of interest for months. If finding the locations of these people or any of their connections wasn't going anywhere and wasn't anticipated to go anywhere, then you'd instead attempt to gain intel instead, either from base in your little nook of unrest or from heading to suspected areas that may house something useful – which they usually didn't.
All to say, this wasn't your first rodeo. In fact, you'd lost count of all the times you sat in that chair when most had gone to bed, whether you worked alone or alongside a comrade who had also refused to give up even an hour in favor of possibility. It was noted, though, that you were typically the only one to stay at your desk, armed with far too many energy drinks for one person, a pack of cigarettes in your pocket and a level of spite that may as well have been siphoned from everyone else on base.
Your callsign came after the first couple weeks. "Nitro". Many of the drinks you consumed had nitro in the name, whether it was coffee or Monster. Tin cans of energy that sustained your searches as the night sky changed from a void dotted with stars to golden-hour sunshine into a cloudless blue day, all of which had their place on your desk and in your trash can. When you needed a short break to clear your head, you simply left your space and stood outside in the cool night air, lit cigarette to fill your lungs. The taste wasn't good but the feeling of the smoke and its effects was enough. You'd heard enough about "healthy habits" and considered quitting for the sake of your work and your lungs but that was for future you.
For now, you'd let it be as a little treat for how hardworking you were. After a few minutes, you returned to your spot in a darkened room lit by the harshness of a computer screen. There had been more than enough nights of unrelenting determination and you could feel your fingers – your entire body, really – getting sloppy. Sloppy work sets you farther back than not working at all, you thought.
After your shower, your body fell into the softness of your bed. Sleep came faster than usual despite the caffeine, not that you complained.
When the morning came, you were up and ready, mentally prepared for your day and unorthodox breakfast combo that included the typical unhealthy helping of additional caffeine followed by a quick cig outside.
Elias T. "Scarecrow" Walker
Elias was already in the base cafeteria, eating with his long-time friends as he savored the morning before the real work started.
He sat closer to the doors and kept an eye out for the well-known night-owl that was you.
When you walked by the entrance, he caught your eye and waved you over.
"For the love of god, get an actual meal today, will ya?"
He'd be the type to tell you, as your CO, that you weren't allowed any caffeine sources until you ate. Fruit, carbs or starches, veggies, meats (if you eat meat), the whole nine yards.
He won't force you to quit cold-turkey, he knows he couldn't, but he knows you well enough to attempt to steer you in a slightly better direction.
He's old enough to recognize his own habits, ones he refuses to quit and ones he promises to quit.
He sees the similarity between you two and isn't afraid to acknowledge it.
David "Hesh" Walker
Definitely the type to attempt to get you to stop these habits.
I see David as the type who probably engages in caffeine but stopped smoking a while back when he started getting worried for his lung health.
Smoked weed but switched to edibles to get the same effect with less risk.
When you get to your desk, he'll slip you a drink on some days when he has time. Probably something less saturated like Celsius if available.
If he knows you spent a night in the office, he'll avoid getting you one since lack of sleep and caffeine aren't good for you.
One of the many people giving you lectures about taking care of yourself but he does so with consideration and emotional intelligence.
"Trust me, I get how hard quitting is. Maybe try slowing down instead? I've got some good alternatives if you want."
Takes after his dad and makes sure you at least eat before your daily intake of caffeine and nicotine.
Logan Walker
Logan never really had any interest in smoking despite David's interest and former habit but did try edibles when their dad wasn't home (He hates the gummies because the textures were horrible and prefers the cookies).
He has a love/hate relationship with energy drinks and sometimes would let you take his, which meant you sometimes got some extra for him as payback (though you would occasionally take those too if the night was long and you ran out).
Makes comments every once in a while about your smoking habits and noticeably starts breathing out his mouth after you go on a smoke break.
"I don't get the appeal, I can still smell that shit on you."
Once tried hiding your pack of cigs…
He learned why he shouldn't do that the same day when he was heading to his room and found you sitting outside, leaning against the door with a can of redbull.
That one time, he gave you your pack back and even bought you a new pack as an apology.
Thomas A. Merrick
Still smokes when he's having a bad day (which is often) but will lecture you to hell and back about the energy drinks.
"Nitro, do you know what kidney stones are?" "If you ever get any, I will laugh at you."
During the late nights, he'll sometimes step in the office to ask if you want to step out for a bit.
You've never said no to him. At max, you'd ask him to wait a few minutes and walk outside together.
One time you only had one cigarette left and – out of politeness despite your cravings – offered it to him. He sensed your reluctance and denied the offer.
"I need to quit anyway… and pay you back for last time." He chuckled.
He understands the sleepless nights when the worry of missing something leads to overthinking. The mindset that if you aren't gonna sleep, you might as well work instead.
Merrick won't stop you but he will happily tease you about it all.
Make no mistake, he does truly care about your health even if he hides it behind jokes.
Keegan P. Russ
I can't get a good read on Keegan with bad habits if I'm being honest.
I think he hates energy drinks because the taste always makes him think of battery acid and the smell is like burnt plastic, no matter the brand.
Doesn't like smoking all that much but will take one once in a blue moon when he is stressed and especially if he's angry.
If ghost team is taking a group smoke break, then he'll join for the company because that means either silence with his friends or the sharing of stories.
He's the type who will typically not say anything about your habits.
He's been in the military long enough. As a marine, he's has seen just about everything in terms of bad habits.
The few times he does get in your face about it is when he sees those habits actually affecting you.
Mostly in the form of shaking from how many drinks you've had and those moments when you attempt to joke about how often you stay up late and how sometimes you end up doing all-nighters.
"Yes, Nitro, I'm sure lack of sleep and working with sensitive intel that could lead to inaccurate information if used incorrectly would be so much better with a can of liquid crack."
Alex V. "Ajax" Johnson
Similar to Keegan, but I don't think he smokes (at least, not anymore).
He will bring you bottles of water and snacks if he finds you up late.
Encourages you to go to bed or try to explain the process to him in hopes walking through your thoughts will help you work, which it actually does sometimes.
If you say you need a smoke break, he'll go with you. The smell doesn't bother him and he enjoys being around others.
When you mention you want to quit, he'll suggest some ways to help wean you off the habits.
"I've heard some people will bite into baby carrots and hold those in their mouths instead and treat it like a cigarette. Helps you stop and you get a snack for it."
"I don't know if it works, that's for you to find out."
He wouldn't ever try to force you to quit anything since it really isn't his business but he'll be supportive of you.
Don't get it twisted, though, if you start getting worse with your habits and taking smoke breaks too often or he finds it getting in the way of work, he will call you out without hesitation.
He cares and he will make sure you know it <3
Kick
Absolutely shares the same habits, mostly with energy drinks but takes advantage of a smoke when he needs relief from stress.
Well aware of how bad both of you are with these habits and jokes about it with you.
"How much you wanna bet that you drop dead before me?"
Keegan isn't a fan of these jokes but who cares?
One time tried to hold a contest to see who could quit faster… nothing happened.
Will try to find caffeine sources that aren't saturated with "chemicals and all that good stuff" but that leads to you getting a personal review of different brands that you don't think anyone has actually head of.
"It's like if… La Croix tried to be exciting but ended every statement with a period."
If you both are working late at night, sometimes you end up not engaging in these habits as often due to being so focused (if you're familiar with the term "body-doubling", I think it's like that)
In relation to that, if you're both working together, no one can stop you unless they unplug everything you're working with (which they won't do).
Gabriel T. Rorke
Hates hates hates energy drinks and makes unoriginal comments on it.
"Regular old soda will rip the rust off metal, so what do you think something like that is doing to your stomach?"
If you comment about his smoking habits, he'll probably say he'd prefer the damage of smoking to the energy drinks.
He'd be the type to tease you for using energy drinks to stay awake.
During smoke breaks, he doesn't mind sharing if you're close enough but if you say you forgot your smokes, he'd tell you that you owe him (he will steal a cig from your pack).
Riley
He's a dog so…
If you're staying up late, sometimes he'll hang out with you.
If you go on a smoke break or go to get a drink, he will follow you.
I hope you enjoyed! Please remember these are just my opinions. If there's anything I got wrong in reference to canon, how habits like these work or there's something else wrong with my writing, please let me know so I can fix it! Happy New Year!
A/N🪶: These are just my options! Feel free to send me yours. These are for all the Ghosts, including former, deceased and current within the Ghosts game. This list will include Rorke, Ajax and Elias Walker. Also this is going to be formatted differently from the first HC, Natural Disasters.
David “Hesh” Walker - German Shepard
Hesh is loyal, probably to a fault. Willing to do whatever it takes to protect the ones he loves and get the job done, even if he gets injured in the process.
^ Bringing me to my next point, Hesh is very protective of his family. The mere idea of anyone getting hurt is enough to get this man baring his teeth and attacking.
In the Natural Disasters list, I mentioned that Hesh, according to Urban Dictionary, means courageous, another trait of German Shepards.
One more trait that applies is also Shepards, really any animal in general, being alert as well. This is a given, though, considering he is a soldier in active war zones especially with such effective and deadly enemies. He needs to make every second count and can’t afford to slack in these areas.
I should mention that Shepards are obedient yet stubborn. Hesh knows when to listen to his superiors but he’ll easily let you know when he doesn’t agree with something. Think about when Merrick, Keegan and Elias (mask on) picked them up and Hesh was yelling about their dad still being caught in the crossfire. Merrick got Hesh to sit his ass down but Hesh was clearly not happy about it, understandably.
Logan Walker - Mountain Lion
Mountain lions can’t roar and Logan can’t, or —depending on your headcanons, consciously chooses not to— talk.
Logan finds other methods of communicating, for example, when he and Keegan were about to bust into the room to get to Ajax, Logan used his fingers to count down.
The National Wildlife Federation website says “Mountain lions are territorial and solitary. They use pheromones and physical signs… to define their territory.” (Mountain Lion, Fun Fact.)
Mountain lions are known for being very stealthy predators, again a given considering the fact we’re talking about the Ghosts.
The Mountain Lion Foundation describes them as being relentless hunters which almost connects it to the wiki quote for Logan that calls him a cold-blooded killer and an excellent soldier (CoD Ghosts: Wiki, Logan Walker, Personality.).
Elias T. “Scarecrow” Walker - Black Bear
Scary but not as scary as you may expect.
While Elias is certainly ready to do his job at any point no matter how bloody, he still has his weak spots, that being his sons.
He’s caring but while be stoic when necessary. He’s not territorial but will protect his friends and family when the time calls for it.
Also one detail I find cute about bears is that they have DNA relation to dogs, albeit very distant. I like to call bears giant murder puppies :D
Thomas A. Merrick - Grizzly Bear
I want to say that grizzly bears are often considered to be more dangerous than black bears and more likely to attack if given a reason to.
Both grizzlies and black bears can charge but where black bears may shift away at the last second and avoid attacking, grizzlies may continue to charge and attack their target (once again I’m thinking about Merrick punching Rorke because it just makes me laugh, that man was not ready).
Of course, Merrick is dangerous but he knows when the time is and isn’t appropriate despite his temper. Merrick is a big dude too, so I think this works (“stocky”).
Gabriel T. Rorke - Polar Bear
Once he has his sights on you, you’re already gone.
Hehe, polar bears are mighty dangerous.
Polar bears are bigger and stronger sometimes, but other time grizzlies and polars can be about the same in build.
Polar bears are more likely to attack considering they have fewer resources for food and typically eat a lot as well.
Fun fact: Polar bears don’t hibernate.
^^^ Piggy backing off that, Rorke doesn’t seem to be resting. He’s always planning something, whether it be a plan B or future plans.
He’s a very large and commanding presence who will find alternatives when desperate, willing to do what he must to make sure his plans are completed.
Keegan P. Russ - Leopard
Fast, sneaky. You don’t know he’s there until it’s too late.
Fun Fact: Leopards can roar. Keegan, though very quiet, stills speaks and intimidates with his voice when necessary.
Leopard’s are solitary and ambush hunters, I don’t need to explain this but I will.
If you recall, Rorke had a lot of trouble getting his nasty ass hands on Keegan after kidnapping the Walker family and Merrick.
His first objective was to find Keegan. In my eyes, it’s because he knows that as long as Keegan is alive, Rorke isn’t safe.
Like many animals, leopards care for one another, seen with families. I think Keegan is a very caring person but he avoids showing it often, which is fair.
Keegan continuously checks in with Logan throughout the game. In the underwater mission, he made sure Logan was okay. If you look closely when walking behind Keegan on the submarine, Keegan turns his head back to us briefly.
Alex V. “Ajax” Johnson - Elephant
Ajax is smart and powerful, I want to say he’s very determined.
In the short time we knew him, he was very stubborn as well. He didn’t give up anything and held out for a while. Though he was a lower rank than the other characters.
In his last moments, he made sure the last Ghosts knew what was happening in a last ditch effort to keep them safe and aware.
It’s hard to pin down super specific traits due to the fact that elephants can exhibit many and there’s not much we can give to Ajax.
I want to say that Ajax was more laid-back with his friends and comrades, leaving his bold energy for those who don’t deserve his respect ( insert the iconic scene where Ajax puts up his middle finger right at the Federation soldier ).
Like all the animals and characters on this list, Ajax was dangerous when necessary. He wasn’t spending every moment trying to be scary or intimidating or anything. He’s confident in himself and his abilities and he doesn’t need anyone else to speak up for him.
The respect we hear given to him by the Ghosts after his death was well deserved.
Love you, Ajax <3
Kick - Monitor Lizard
Some kind of reptile (I was so tempted to put him as a Gila Monster but I can’t do that to my best boi).
I’d say probably a water monitor.
These lizards, which can grow to 9 feet btw, don’t surprise their prey, but “actively pursue” them.
While these creatures have venom, but it’s not necessarily fatal.
Kick is definitely dangerous when he’s needed but it’s not like a “I am the grim reaper.” type of thing, it’s more like “I have a job to do and you won’t be in my way.”.
These creatures are known for being intelligent which lines up with Kick’s likely (not confirmed?) role as an information specialist.
The main thing that doesn’t quite line up is the fact that water monitors can be friendly whereas Kick is, if not more stand-offish, then solitary. I do imagine that he eventually opens up, but he’s definitely more comfy with his computers.
Neptune - Owl
I imagine that Neptune, being one of the original Ghosts, is very wise, though more subtle. I can’t think of what kind of owl he’d be, maybe snowy.
I mostly just wanted to include him here. Feel free to add onto him.
Riley… Riley
The most dangerous creature ever, himself.
World’s Best Throat-Snatcher over here being a cutie patootie with blood on his maw. 10/10 best boi.
A/N🪶: Please keep in mind that these are just my opinions! I’d love to hear(or I guess read?) your thoughts. These are for all the Ghosts, former, deceased and current within the Ghosts game. This means I will be including Rorke, Ajax and Elias Walker. Canon character information is taken from the CoD: Ghosts Wiki page. Please correct me if I’ve got anything canon wrong!
Elias T. “Scarecrow” Walker, Earthquake
Not because he’s a Californian at heart.
I imagine that Elias had a very large impact on many people's lives.
He can’t be solely defined as a “killer”, he still has so much humanity left, shown by the way he comforted his son even when he knew he wasn’t going to survive Rorke’s torturing.
There are some lines from wikipedia used to describe earthquakes that I think are fitting for him.
“Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those that are so weak that they cannot be felt, to those violent enough to propel objects and people into the air…” - Wikipedia, Earthquake, paragraph 1.
“Earthquakes by themselves rarely kill people or wildlife - it is usually the secondary events that they trigger…” - Wikipedia, Natural Disaster, Earthquakes
Elias is definitely a hardened person but not so much so that he’s emotionless or stone cold. However, keep in mind that he and Hesh said that Elias has put his sons through multiple “tests”.
I imagine these tests were done to teach his sons to survive and defend themselves, probably after the death of their mom/his wife.
Elias is strong but still emotional, loves his sons more than anything but also understands that the world needs someone to defend it.
“Listen, you boys… you’re the only thing I’ve got left in this world… But you’re also the only ones I can trust.” - Elias Walker to Hesh and Logan.
David “Hesh” Walker, Wildfire
I almost wanted to say flood but I think wildfire is fitting for David.
Like with Elias, this is not because he’s a California native(?). Mostly because I don’t see anything that exactly says he was born in California. Just that he was raised there.
I’ve seen multiple definitions of Hesh. Urban Dictionary says it comes from the word “hessian” and means “cool, courageous, reckless”. Wikipedia says that HESH(UK) or HEP(US) is a type of “explosive projectile… that conforms to the surface of a target before detonating”.
David is a very emotional person as we’ve seen. He gets angry and worried easily, as seen in the entire game.
The biggest examples that come to mind are when the brothers are picked up with Merrick and Keegan and David is arguing with them about getting their dad, and when Keegan, David and Logan are trying to get coordinates on Rorke and Rorke appears in the monitor, taunting them. David yelling at Rorke and calling the dude a piece of shit, as he should. Keegan attempting to calm him down.
David can be stealthy when he wants to be but that doesn’t mean he won’t get out of control or reckless. He’s ready to put himself on the line, especially for Logan.
You don’t see his rage at first but you’ll see it when it gets bigger.
I think David uses his emotions to help him get the job done, powered by spite as shown by him telling Merrick to hit the very train him and Logan were on so they could avenge their father.
His emotions aren’t a bad thing, of course. He cares a lot about those around him and wants to protect them. Maybe I just love him too much but I can’t help it!
Logan Walker, Drought
I had a hard time picking one for him but I settled on drought.
I wanted to pick something that wasn’t an exact opposite to Hesh, but still different.
“A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions.”. - Wikipedia, Drought, Paragraph 1.
Logan is described as a “quiet-man, a cold-blooded killer and an excellent soldier…” - CoD Ghosts: Wiki Logan Walker, Personality
According to rescue.org, a drought happen gradually but are still deadly.
You don’t hear it happening but you can see the effects it has on the ecosystem around it.
Logan is described by Elias as being more like his mother, who we know nothing about aside from her status as deceased and Elias saying the tremors used to scare the shit out of her.
Let’s also mention how droughts can increase the likelihood of wildfires. David and Logan are always supporting each other and working together whenever possible. I think Logan(and Elias too) has given David a lot of inspiration to become the man he is and vice versa.
As different as the two are, they go hand in hand, different skill sets that can fit like a puzzle.
Thomas A. Merrick, Avalanche
Big scary man (he’s labelled as stocky on his wiki page)
But for real, Merrick is a very strong person. I wouldn’t call him emotional like Hesh, but he is loud and a very visible presence.
He’s unique and has a history that I imagine has influenced him a lot.
He’s respectful but I think he reserves his respect for very specific people.
Keep in mind, he went from yelling in David’s face at the beginning to just accepting his order to hit the train at the end of the game. Not to mention the way he was able to emotionally connect with the brothers after Elias’s death.
When Rorke was his Captain, we saw the amount of respect Merrick holds. “Permission to speak freely?.. No, Sir”. But we also see Merrick punching Rorke as soon as he has the opportunity and telling him to shut up.
Also, I feel like he prefers colder climates, which fits because avalanches are basically snow slides.
Please keep in mind that while Hesh being a loud, emotional person could be used to say that his loudness would cause a Merrick avalanche, avalanches actually can’t be caused by sound. The more ya know :)
Keegan P. Russ, Sinkhole
Sinkholes actually do have warning signs if you look closely.
But they might as well be sudden when you don’t pay attention.
Keegan, while not completely silent like Logan, is still a very quiet, controlled person.
We see him sneak around, leaving bodies in his wake.
He’s described in the wiki as “known to complete combat operations under extreme conditions”.
Sinkholes (or the conditions for them I guess?) can form over the course of hundreds of years. Keegan has a lot of experience and was part of the original 15 Ghosts.
Keegan knows how to hide himself, seen when Rorke is interrogating the Walkers and Merrick trying to get information on him.
He’s there when you least expect it, hiding under the surface.
Alex V. “Ajax” Johnson
Because we see so little of Ajax, it was difficult to find something fitting.
Ajax was also one of the original fifteen Ghosts.
He’s strong, stubborn and I’d say a powerful force, in his last moments, he was giving direction to Keegan, Logan, David and Merrick. “Rorke. It was Rorke. He’s targeting… look.. the wall…” - Ajax in Struck Down.
Because of this, I think a cyclone was the best fit.
A cyclone is basically like a storm of winds I guess?
“A large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure… the largest low-pressure systems are polar vortices and extratropical cyclones of the largest scale (the synoptic scale).” - Wikipedia, Cyclone, Paragraph 1.
He did everything he could in his last moments, staying strong as long as he could to protect the remaining Ghosts, giving them all the information he could as his last words.
Remember, the air itself can be just as dangerous as anything else.
Rest in Peace, Ajax, you deserved better my guy <3
Gabriel T. Rorke, Flood
Yes, I’m choosing this partially because this was a major part of his character arc within his lore.
But there are more reasons.
“Human changes to the environment often increase the intensity and frequency of flooding… ” - Wikipedia, Flood, Paragraph 1.
^ This can connect to the impact the Federation had on him, before and after Rorke being dropped.
The thing about floods is that they can sweep you off your feet, not in a good way, obviously.
The flood is going one way and it’s not afraid to take you with it.
It hits you where you’re actually the weakest, making you stumble and appearing when you least expect it.
The flood in the game occurred due to the dam breaking.
Rorke seems to be a “go with the flow” type of person. Something goes wrong, all he can do is keep trying to reach his goal (assuming he hasn’t already made a Plan B).
Floods can cause a lot of damage and take more lives than one may expect. He’s made his impact within the game, the way he killed Elias, making the Ghosts(especially David and Logan) want to avenge their former captain which led to even more shit happening.
Kick, Tornado
This one I can’t explain but it just feels right.
Maybe because he flies a helicopter?
Also when I was looking at wikipedia about cyclones I found something interesting.
“Mesocyclones, tornadoes, and dust devils lie within the smaller mesoscale.” - Wikipedia, Cyclone, Paragraph 1
If you recall from Ajax’s HC above, basically ajax is a big cyclone and Kick can be like a smaller scale cyclone I guess. I just like the idea of that (plus Kick is the shortest of the Ghosts)
Neptune, Storm
I’m just gonna leave this here for inclusion’s sake.
Neptune has next to nothing on his wiki page so I’m just gonna give him something more basic.
I almost gave him volcano but that felt like too much.
We appreciate all the Ghosts here <3
Riley… Riley
He’s a natural disaster of his own, special type.
Have you seen the way he rips peoples throats out?
This might just be the most images I put together in one post. I was originally not going to put Neptune, Grim, And Torch because not that much is known about them and we don't really know how they look besides from a few photos. So I wasn't going to put them. That was until I felt bad leaving them out, so I decided to put them and try to come up with some designs, I'm more comfortable with making little critters like rats instead of military designs but I tried. I only made the designs based on their callsigns, and they look pretty generic but I don't really know what to put for them and I tried.
Edit: this also took me such a long time, but hey I finished it, now I can move on to other projects.
Anyway from top to bottom, left to right it is Elias, Roake, Merrick, Keegan, Ajax, Kick, Hesh, Logan, Riley, Neptune, Grim, and Torch.
