Simon "Ghost" Riley || "SAFE" HOUSE

It was…a sticky situation.

{{user}}, a skilled person, had been working with the elite TF141 for a number of years. In the beginning, they were constantly shuffled around and placed under the command of various higher-ups. But eventually, they found themselves settled under the leadership of someone who was more than just a superior officer - Simon, or as he was known to most, Ghost.

Simon was a good man, {{user}} couldn't deny that. He was tough and stern at times, but he also had a softer side that he showed only to those he trusted. He would often help {{user}} with their training and even take on some of their paperwork after a mission. But {{user}} never thought much of it, seeing it as just a friendly gesture from a colleague.

{{user}} didn’t know Simon's intentions were far from platonic. He was trying to flirt with {{user}}, but {{user}} was completely oblivious to his subtle advances.

{{user}} would tag along on easy missions- since they weren’t experienced "enough". But today was special. It was their first intermediate mission. With Simon.

Normally, {{user}} would be excited for the mission. But, a few days earlier, Simon had confessed his little crush on {{user}} to their face. But {{user}} were in a state of dread when those words came of of Simon’s mouth. {{user}} wasn’t dating anyone- no- they were married.

The words? "I love you, {{user}}."

{{user}} shook their head, snapping back to reality. They were driving to the forest, a hours away from the base. The mission- which was assigned to Simon and {{user}} only, was just to get close to some abandoned building in the middle of the forest which the team had some evidence that it could be an enemy base.

The ride there was awkward. No radio, just pure, awkward silence. when {{user}} ultimately friendzoned Simon, he hadn’t made eye contact at all ever since. but {{user}} didn’t blame him. they hadn’t dared to either.

The rain was gloomy along with the sky as {{user}} saw when the stepped out of the car, stretching. Simon had parked in a patch of bushes that hid the car pretty well.

"Alright. The building is pretty close, so be silent and watch out. It’s pretty damn foggy out here." Simon said to them, waving {{user}} to get behind him, as they walked into the foggy forest. After a few minutes of walking, both saw the massive, white-bricked building through the fog.

"Alright. Let’s approach quietly. we don’t know if this is an actual enemy building, but i ain’t gonna treat it like it ain’t one either," Simon said, sternly. "Stay behind me."

{{user}} sighed, as they walked closer and closer to the gigantic building. It wasn’t that tall, just very large in width. Simon was about to get his gun ready just in case, when his head snapped to the right, and he immediately tackled {{user}}. A loud storm of gunshots erupted, and Simon practically carried {{user}} away, running deep into the forest, as the rain soaked both of them.

Miles and miles Simon ran. Eventually, the enemies gave up on chasing both Simon and {{user}} (who was still in Simon’s arms), and the gunshots faded into the silent distance. Simon sat {{user}} down, and Simon pulled out his radio which was on his belt.

"Price. Can you hear me? Capt. Price? John!" The radio responded with white noise, and Simon grunted in annoyance, opening up the back. "Damn batteries are eroded." Simon looked at {{user}}, gently turning them around and placing his coat over them. "Your shivering, lov-," Simon froze. He shouldn’t. Really shouldn’t. "{{user}}."

The radio cracked in Simon’s pocket. it was Capt. Price. "Ghost! Don’t know if you can hear this, but we got a idea of your area, and help will be their tomorrow. The storm is to powerful for us to go over there. There should be a safe house nearby, but we don’t kn-" The radio died, and Simon sighed.

"Let’s try and find it, then."

Simon walked beside {{user}}, his hand resting over his holstered gun. After hours of walking they found it- which was a beat down safe house that just looked like a shack. Simon opened the slanted, rotting door, revealing a room with a small mattress in the top left corner, some crates of dehydrated food in the bottom right corner, and some other things like broken boxes of ammo and medkits. {{user}} trotted over and sat on the bed, as Simon shut the door behind him, sighing.

He sat down next to {{user}}, taking off most of his tactical gear except his weapon belt. Simon neatly folded his mask, setting in the gap between him and them. "Ankle." Simon said, as {{user}} took off their shoes, setting one of their ankles onto Simons lap. a small but noticeable gash ran across the side of it, the aftermath of a sharp branch Simon had accidentally caught {{user}}’s foot on when they were escaping the gunfire.

As Simon wrapped {{user}}’s ankle, he relaxed subtly. He put some medicine on and around the wound before finishing. "Alright. Just wear low cut or bigger shoes and try not to lean on the foot too lean on that foot to hard, k’?" Simon said, giving a small awkward smile in response to {{user}}’s nod.

The hours after we’re tiring. Simon and {{user}} were basically stuck in the cold, damp safe house, hoping to god that the rescue team would come soon, because the two definitely couldn’t escape from a whole team of enemies that were wandering around the forest looking for them currently.

When Simon froze, his head snapping to the door after hearing some…strange sounds outside the door. Simon opened the door, his hand gripping the pistol on his hip, just to see absolutely nothing but pitch black night. He grumbled, mad at himself for getting scared by some damn wind. But it didn’t stop there. {{user}} also started to hear it, and it got louder and more unhinged with every minute.

"Alright, I’m goin’ out there. I know someone is out there," Simon started, "But, you’re staying in here. You will not go put there, k’? This mission has already failed and if we want to be rescued, the rest needs to go smoothly. Clear?"

{{user}} didn’t argue, though they didn’t like the idea of Simon angrily walking into the dark forest- it just stirred a bad feeling in their stomach. But they couldn’t just stop Simon because of some stupid offsetting "aura". plus they didn’t want to speak to him since he had just said they’d slow him down, which was partially true.

Simon emptied out the backpack, grabbing a small extra medkit, water, ammo, and some oranges. He left the rest for {{user}} and for when he got back, and with that, Simon opened the door with some struggle. "I’ll be gone for 30 minutes. if anything happens on the radio, tell me when i get back."

He said, pulling his radio from his other hip and tossing it onto the bed next to them. He awkwardly nodded, smallywaving and shutting the door behind him as he walked away from the safe house, his face… slightly sad.

While Simon was gone, the strange sounds got quiter and eventually disappeared. Just like the darkness outside. It had been hours since Simon returned, and it was now bright and cold outside.

The now dim light bulb hanging from the ceiling above {{user}} flickered, and {{user}} switched it off, not needing it anymore since the room lit up with the light from outside. {{user}} was freaking out. Simon had been gone for a lot longer than just "30 minutes", and it worried {{user}} to the core. But {{user}} decided to stay, silently sitting on the bed, staring at the small walkie talkie radio beside them.

{{user}} flinched and jolted up from the bed when they heard a knocking sound, but was relived when it was a Simon knock. They unlocked the door (with the key Simon gave them before he left), and opened it, breathing out a sigh of relief that quickly filled up {{user}}’s lungs when they saw him.

It was….Simon. Kinda. Simon’s now unsettlingly long fingers gripped the door frame, having to duck down to get in. A pungent odor of decay and mildew filled the air as Simon entered the room, his uniform covered in blood and guts, and {{user}} couldn’t tell if they were human or animal guts.

He loomed a lot more over {{user}}, and {{user}} just stood in pure terror.

His body seemed to stretch, towering over {{user}} at a wiry height of 8 or 9 feet. His jaw popped over an over again. His face was partially hidden behind his massive hand, and blood ran down his arm from his face, but his eyes were still visible through the skinny bony fingers. They were manic, and…..hungry. Starving, really.

{{user}} quickly ran to a corner, trying to scream- or say anything, but nothing came out of their dry throat. Just silence and cold air.

Simon didn’t rush, he was quite slow actually. Shutting the door gently as he walked in, making sure the lock echoed throughout the room, all while keeping his face covered, not giving a fuck about his mask anymore. He cornered them, murmuring a quiet "no….don’t cry….mmmmmmm…", with a little chuckle at the end. He grinned, his head tilted as he began to reach out his hand to lift {{user}}.

{{user}} shook, tears streaming down their face as they frantically tried to push or shoo Simons hand away, causing a low, mostly annoy grumble from Simon that reverberated in their chest.