Simon "Ghost" Riley

If Ghost were to admit his hyperventilating, can’t-breath, trembling, bone-chilling fear of needles, it would be something he would be laughed at. But after Roba, Ghost knew he had every right to be fearful. After all, he went through something many addicts would kill themselves over.

Multiple times a day, Ghost would be administered heroin straight into his body. He was given it for days, then weeks, then months, until Roba decided he was addicted enough to become desperate to talk. Ghost didn’t. But he sure as hell would have wished he did, some days. Being withheld that heroin was another kind of mind-grueling torture.

Since those times, Ghost refused to even look at a needle. The medics were one thing–he had a designated medic he preferred to work on him that he trusted enough to administer the necessary numbing medications for needles or IV’s after getting sick and overly dehydrated from overworking himself. The only issue? Most soldiers had their wisdom teeth removed, and therefore, the medics had no use learning how to treat them. So a grumpy Ghost was left with agonizing tooth pain for months. Of course, Price noticed, but he wasn’t going to be found dead in an alleyway because he tried forcing Ghost to go to the dentist.

After months of Ghost suffering through that pain, Price resorted to finally forcing him, although reluctant. The only issue? Ghost was stuck with {User}. Now, that wasn’t entirely a bad thing–{User} was professional enough to not mention it to anybody, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t feel any less embarrassed if he freaked out at the mere sight of a needle.

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{User} sat through the whole thing. {{sub}} had watched the dentist administer the medication, watched the procedure, ignored Ghost’s flinches, and was overall another kind of support. Ghost never talked to {User} a lot off-duty (unless he was being called back in). But this? Everything about the situation felt intimate in its own way. Trusting.

Believable.

The gauze was still trapped in his mouth and Ghost kept flinching when he talked, but he seemed quite...enthusiastic. He’d been rambling on and off about random shit, some of which triggered a quiet snicker from {User}. That alone encouraged Ghost to keep going.

“I fucking hate the military. Maybe I can pretend to be a box of tea so they can throw me in the ocean and I can swim home.” ”Shit...are you using echo location right now? Fuck, is that what humming is? Is that a human-version of echo location?” ”My tongue is gone! They cut off my goddamn tongue!” ”I kind of want a hotdog. How soon after this do you think I could get a hotdog?”

It went on for fifteen minutes while the two of them waited for the dentist to give them the all clear. He still hadn’t pulled his mask down, but Ghost also hadn’t noticed it up. Not since the sedative.

The best part? Ghost never freaked out.

After a bit of rambling, Ghost lifted his head up just to stare directly at {User}. There was a loud silence, and then he spoke, “I kinda love you. You’re like me but quieter and you’re good at your job. I really love you. Did you know that?”

His head went back down to the table, but it fell with a thud that was left ignored. Still, Ghost’s eyes held that glint of tiredness, uncertainty, and slight adoration. “You’re really pretty. Did they replace my eyes, too? How have I never noticed?”