#ghostmace

Ghost hated working with other people. He had gotten used to occasionally working with merc groups like Kortac and he even did runs for SpecGru on occasion. Usually though, he either refused or had Price make sure it was someone he liked. This time, Price had put in the request for König and Horangi and anyone who might have information on Makarov. 

He didn’t think too much about the set or the mission. No matter what, he’d finish this job and bring himself and Soap home. Hopefully König and Horangi too, but if not, oh well. This third person would be of no importance either. 

Soap wanted to greet them at the tarmac so Ghost went with him. The two of them watched the three people come down. Ghost remained silent, just glancing over the person who came in. They wore a thick jacket with a high collar and gloves. They had a golden mask on that shimmered slightly. 

König and Soap started to chatter away about something. It sounded like a show but Ghost had a hard time keeping up so he turned away from them. He planned to just talk with Horangi, but then he saw the third person there. 

They locked eyes and both paused. 

“Simon?” He sounded confused, soft and a little angry. 

König and Horangi looked confused, not knowing Ghost’s first name, but Soap was immediately on guard and confused by this stranger that knew such a big secret.

“Mace.” Ghost responded as professionally and coldly as he possible could. 

Horangi frowned. “Your name is Simon?” He seemed affronted at the idea, like Ghost should have a cooler name or something. 

Mace stepped closer, a picture of everything that Simon had thought of while being tortured. When his body had hurt and blood was on the ground, Simon had thought of him often. He wore a gold mask and his warm eyes stared into him. “You’re alive. You’re…” His eyes scanned over Ghost, breathing him in. There was a tinge of anger to his voice, but it was overshadowed by the disbelief. 

Soap cleared his throat, looking a little… jealous? That didn’t make much sense to Ghost but that’s what he looked like. “Name’s Soap and you are?”

“Like your….” Mace raked his eyes over Ghost in a way that could only be described as salacious. “Lieutenant said. Name is Mace.”

“And you know Ghost how?”

“Ghost.” Mace repeated. “Didn’t know you made it out of the Zaragoza Drug Cartel. Always assumed you died there.”

“I was there for seven months. Then I walked to Texas, spent a while there. How long did you look for me?”

“Don’t think I ever stopped.” Mace replied with a sincerity that made Ghost sick. 

“How much do you know about Makarov?”

König and Horangi both winced in unison. Soap looked a tad bit smug about it. 

Mace was professional. He told them everything he knew, which he admitted wasn’t much. 

Ghost and him walked together as they debriefed each other on everything. 

Soap quickly got between them to listen better. He made sure to lean into Ghost once they were in the meeting room, setting a clear line. 

Mace looked at him before simply shrugging him off. The five of them worked seamlessly, all of them having a unique skill or ability that gave them all good chemistry. 

Before long the four of them had infiltrated the building and Ghost had set up at his sniping position. 

“So.” Soap asked after a while. “You two know each other?”

Horangi interrupted. “Yeah, I’ve been dying to know what’s been going on with you two.” 

Mace hummed. “Simon?”

Ghost shot a target, watching carefully to make sure that no one saw it. “Few years ago, before I got my callsign, we fucked. That’s it. No need to act like you guys are.”

Silence followed before König whisper screamed into the mic. “Mace you fucked Ghost!!!”

“He wasn’t Ghost when we dated. I just called him Pretty Boy.”

“It was fucking embarrasing nickname.”

“You were pretty. Though, I can appreciate the muscle you put on.” Mace stabbed someone. They could hear the death gurgle where he held them against his chest and their mouth was near the mic. “Then Vernon took you.”

“He got his.”

“Your hands?”

“Roba.”

“And what happened to Roba?” Mace asked, a smile in his voice. 

Ghost smiled too, finding a familiar ease in being around him again. A spark that led back to before the mask. Before Ghost. “That was my hands.”

“Just like old times. You were little bastard back then and you haven’t changed.”

“It’s one of the things I love about Ghost.” Soap said softly. “I’ve set another charge. Should be able to head back soon, yeah Simon?”

Ghost remembered himself. “Yes. Good job, Johnny.”

“Thank you, sir.” Soap was clearly preening and Ghost was never one to tell him no. 

“How long were two together?”

“Six months.” Mace answered. “He was a good kisser. In case you were wondering.”

Horangi laughed and they were all able to feel the hate rolling off of Soap even through the silence. 

Ghost laughed a little. “Don’t get jealous, Johnny. I kissed lots of boys and girls through high school and boot camp.” 

König stifled his laughter. “Not sure I believe it.”

“I don’t wear a mask because of anxiety.” 

Now there were two silent angry people. 

The mission was uneventful. He barely interacted with Mace after that. 

They were staying the night in the safe house before exfil could pick them up. 

Ghost was eager to get a shower. The place he had been sniping had some sort of plant that had stuck to his clothes and any piece of skin it could. It made him itch slightly. He excused himself and went to the bathroom. Before he could get the door shut, Mace put his hand on the door.

“Simon. Can we talk?”

Ghost took a deep breath and let go of the door. “Yeah. Come in.”

Mace stepped in. “Just fucking?”

Simon stayed silent. 

“We fucked? That’s it?”

Simon bit his lip hard, glad he still had his mask on to cover it.

“I was in love with you.”

“I know.”

“I searched. God I searched. When I joined a merc group, I was hoping to hear something. Kept my ear to the ground.” 

Ghost looked away. Part of him wanted to ask for forgiveness. Another part hated Mace for making him feel like that young cadet again. “Had to do what i had to do Mace.”

They stared at each other and the air crackled between them. It would be easy to lift the mask. Kiss him. Fall right back into the relationship they had as young guys in the SAS. 

But Ghost was not that person. 

Neither was Mace. 

It hit them both at the same time. 

“You and Soap…”

“We’re not dating. Officially.”

“You and I both know that doesn’t mean anything.”

Ghost shook his head and looked away. If Mace had come a few months earlier. If he hadn’t been so roughed up after Roba. If he had put his thoughts together long enough to remember the soldier that kissed him at night. Maybe things would’ve been different. Maybe right now, they could kiss and it would feel nice instead of like cheating. He wasn’t even with Soap but his heart didn’t know that. 

Mace sighed. “Don’t worry. I haven’t been some celibate monk waiting for you. Seeing you brought back some feelings, but I’d never fault you for not returning them.”

“They did for me too. Feelings. Were brought back, I mean.”

They were quiet a moment before Ghost continued. “Not enough though, right?”

“No. Not enough. I’m happy you’re alive. I’m happy you might be happy one day. But I can’t give up what I’ve built for you.” 

“And I can’t give up the military.”

Mace stepped forward and Simon lifted his mask. The kiss was… chaste. It was very much a goodbye. The slightest brush of lips. “You’ve changed a lot.”

“So have you.”

Mace pulled away. “Please ease the Scottish man’s mind. I don’t want to be blown up.”

“Understood.” Ghost smiled a little before pulling his mask back down. “Might ask him on a date after this.”

Mace nodded. “You should. You deserve to be happy.” 

“So do you. Don’t become a celibate monk.”

They laughed and Mace patted him. He left the bathroom and let Simon finally shower. When he got out, he put his bedroll between Johnny and the door and settled in for the night, watching the door. 

Ghost listened to everyone’s breathing drop off except König who was on first watch. 

Soap sighed. “Mace is… cool.” He spoke quietly enough that only Ghost would hear it.

“What did I say earlier about being jealous?”

“Not jealous.” 

Ghost turned over, despite his instincts to keep watching the door. He looked at Soap and sighed. “He was my first love. But he’s not my last. You don’t have to worry about him taking me away from you.”

“Why would I worry about that?”

Ghost pulled Soap over rather easily despite how much he weighed. He pulled Soap under his chin and to his chest. “Want to go to the bar after this?”

“With the 141?”

“Nah. Just us.”

Soap grabbed the arm around his waist. “Yeah. I would.”

Ghost settled in closer.