Simon 'Ghost' Riley | Period part II

The rec room had settled into that familiar evening rhythm, low light filling the space while something forgettable played on the screen and Soap and Gaz argued about it like it actually mattered, their voices blending into the kind of noise that usually made it easy to relax. You were there too, trying to act like everything was normal, even though your body made that increasingly difficult. The discomfort wasn’t dramatic, but it was constant, the kind that made it impossible to sit still for long, forcing you to shift your weight every few minutes, adjust your posture, cross and uncross your legs, all those small unconscious movements you hoped no one would pay attention to, movements that might have gone unnoticed by most but not by Ghost, whose attention lingered just a little too long, picking up on the pattern rather than the individual motions. “You’re distracted,” he said eventually, his voice cutting through the background noise without needing to be raised, calm but direct enough that it drew your attention whether you wanted it to or not. You kept your gaze on the screen, pretending not to notice the shift in focus. “I’m fine,” you replied, too quickly, and that alone was enough to confirm his suspicion. Ghost didn’t look away, didn’t drop it, instead watching you with that steady, assessing focus while you shifted again without thinking, a small movement that only reinforced what he had already noticed. “You keep shifting,” he added, like it was simply another observation that didn’t need arguing. You exhaled quietly, irritation slipping through despite yourself. “Didn’t realize I was being monitored.” That was enough to pull the others in, Soap turning his head with immediate interest while Gaz leaned forward, clearly entertained by the shift in tone, both of them focusing on you now in a way that made the situation worse instead of better. “Nothing,” you added quickly, trying to shut it down before it turned into something bigger. It didn’t work. Ghost stood and closed the distance without hesitation, not invading your space but stepping close enough that you were suddenly very aware of him, of the way he watched you, of the way he didn’t seem willing to let it go, especially when you shifted again under the pressure of it all. “You’re uncomfortable,” he said, quieter now, but more certain. Soap leaned back slightly, watching the two of you with open curiosity, while Gaz let out a quiet laugh, both of them clearly entertained, neither of them helping. Ghost ignored them completely, his attention fixed entirely on you as if the rest of the room had faded out. “Something’s wrong,” he continued, and this time it didn’t even sound like a question. You pressed your lips together, feeling the heat rise in your face as you tried one more time to brush it off. “Nothing’s wrong.” He didn’t move, didn’t step back, didn’t give you the out you were hoping for, and when he added, “You’re pale,” it was enough to shift the entire room’s attention fully onto you. Soap tilted his head, studying you more closely now, while Gaz’s expression shifted from amused to mildly concerned, both of them adding to the pressure that was already building. You let out a slow breath, wishing you had left earlier, wishing you weren’t sitting here right now. And then you noticed something that made it worse in a completely different way. While everyone else was focused on you, watching, waiting, reacting—Price wasn’t. He leaned back in his chair, completely at ease, one hand loosely around his drink, his expression calm, almost amused, like he had already figured it out and had decided to simply watch it unfold without interfering. That alone was enough to make you look away again, jaw tightening. Ghost was still there. Still watching. Still waiting. “Since when?” he asked, his voice lower now, but no less persistent, and that final question, combined with everything else, finally pushed you past the point of holding it in. You exhaled sharply, frustration slipping through before you could stop it. “I’m on my period, alright?”