<Simon Riley who isnāt as freaked out as everybody thinks he is. (AKA nothing burger thought. Canāt stop thinking about, donāt necessarily think itās good but canāt spew anything else out of my brain rn)>
šØCW:šØ Suggestive themes, mentions of kinks but not necessarily smut (nothing sexual with reader) š¤
The mask, itās always been a means to keep moving. He doesnāt hate it nor does he necessarily like it, it just helps him get through the day. Makes him feel a little more secure, the weight of it thatās comforting to have against his skin maybe a good luck charm? He never puts labels on it just knows itās what works for him so he doesnāt change it.
Of course, with the mask comes unwanted attention. Assumptions heās really actually not interested in indulging in. The mask means mystery. Mystery means thereās always a group of women who are ready to drop their panties for him and not in the way he likes. The girls who come up to him in the bar and itās that look in their eyes that tell him everything that he needs to know. Theyāre not there because they think heās charming. Theyāre not playing pool/darts with him at the bar because theyāre particularly interested in getting to know at least a few thing about him before trying to bed himā¦ they see the mask and of course, they sexualise it.
And sure, he gets itā¦ but it would be nice for at least once for a hookup to invite him in without them wanting to beat them with his belt or tie them up. Of course heās done it before and heās not necessarily opposed to it but it doesnāt get him off either and he hates that itās an expectation. Every once in a while he want casual sex that he isnāt expected to performā¦ but of course, other women arenāt interested in that. They either dislike the mask and are turned off by it (which, fair) or theyāre scared of it. (Also fair.)
Simon wouldnāt say heās necessarily angry about it justā¦ wanting. His hookup pool is already miniature as is because heās military, add on his blunt personality and stale humourā¦ yeah, he wouldnāt say heās popular with the ladies. So he powers through it. Finding familiar company in his hand rather than a freaked out woman most nights (Iām sorry this made me cackle)
Until heās at some stupid pottery class with Gaz, his girlfriend was supposed to go with him but broke up with him a week before over a stupid argument. How did the asshole even convince him. Ghost didnāt want to be here not until someone pops up in his face, hands covered in dry clay as they point at his balaclava (the one he wore out in public because it was seen as moreā¦ appropriate for civvies)
āDid you draw the skull on yourself? What did you use?ā
And Simon canāt help but let his brain short circuit as he sits in the corner, avoiding Gazās desperate gaze to come and join him because he doesnāt want to look like heās here alone.
āWhat?ā
Ghost grunts like he was a bear being poked awake from hibernation with a rather pointy stick, lifting an eyebrow as his arms tighten around his chest, rather slumped in a chair.
āThe mask youāre wearing. What did you use to paint the skull on the fabric, did you do it yourself? The white looks chalky. What type of paint did you use because itās defined not fabric paint.ā
It was a lot of words spewing from your mouth at once, fast and upbeat somehow he kept up with your chipper voice despite it all. Watching as your finger pointed at the fabric covering his face but didnāt touch, keeping a surprisingly respectable distance.
āWhat? I- I dunno. Canāt remember. Who are you?ā
Ghost shook his head in utter bafflement at this conversation yet still responded to the best of his abilities becauseā¦ when was the last time a woman came up to him and asked anything genuinely neutral.
You of course straighten up with a small smile to introduce yourself.
āI work as one of the Pottery instructors. I noticed you sat by yourself then saw your mask and thought itād be a lovely texture to use on my project. I just wanted to know because different paints act differently on clay and fabrics. So i wanted to do a little research on the type you used.ā
Once again, a lot of information for Simon to take in. You beat it off your tongue like their conversation was a game show and the clock was ticking. It meant Simon needed a few extra seconds to wrap his head around what had just been said before coming up with a response.
āSorry. Canāt remember. Suppose I could have a look.-ā
He suddenly realised what he was offering, his time for a stranger he really didnāt care about, at least he shouldnāt. So what about her project? He didnāt understand why heād subconsciously offered to help. Itād take him house of ripping up his barracks to find that small tube of paint he used fucking years ago. He didnāt even know if heād thrown it away.
Butā¦ the words had already been said and when your face lit up and you said a sweet almost- very close to cute thank you his chest squeezedā¦ because you were actually talking to him. A woman, not having morbid curiosity or sexual want towards the mask he woreā¦ just
Neutrality.
So yes, heād gone back to base, ripped apart his barracks to try and find that stupid tube of paint he even confided in Soap who he thought could help due to his arty skills in which he said plainly āI donāt use paint and even if I did, wouldnāt fucking tell from your mask.ā
So here he found himself at 3am, scrolling online through paint brands, room a complete mess, mattress not on its frame, draws he usually kept so meticulously near and organised tipped outā¦ and then, the bright screen that was the only thing keeping him awake felt like a fucking god sent because heād actually found it. Heād never gotten so fucking excited not obsessed over something as a small favor from a complete stranger.
Safe to say, Simon ordered it, paying and extra 3.50 for next day delivery because yes, secretly, Simon enjoyed peoples company. It was the first time in a while a woman seemed interested in something about him with complete neutrality. So he was in fact excited.
You of course had only asked the favour ever so casually. You hadnāt meant for him to go completely out of his way and when heād told you about all the hardships heād gone through for the tube of paintā¦ only for it not to get the same texture on clay, you shut your mouth and used it anyway because the man seemed so genuinely happy with himself and heād done that all for a person he didnāt know. He popped in time from time to check on the progress of the project you were doing, chest puffed out with quiet pride each time he saw you using the paint.
You eventually became close and it was damn sure something youād take to your grave because you would never steal that shining joy in his eyes for being so helpful, not knowing heād only done it because youād been soā¦ normal and he just wanted to make you happy.
Both of you keeping a secret thinking it made the other happy not knowing the paint was the most insignificant part about it.