Necromancy → Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Reader

4. Haunted

"Bullet's buried in her, LT." Soap says, as he moves slightly to give his Lieutenant some room to look.

"We need to remove it quickly." Ghost says, as I hear the metal clink, "I found some alcohol in the kitchen, we're gonna have to use it."

"Shiiit..." Soap remarks, as I feel his hands release the pressure that they were applying to my wound.

"Just do it." I say, as my breath hitches in my throat and I feel Ghost's gloved hands take Soap's place.

He is silent for a moment, as I feel his gloved hands hover around the bullet's entryway slightly. I take a small, erratic breaths as I try to maintain my composure and keep myself from passing out. The panic inside of me in monumental, my adrenaline burning through me like fuel to an engine that was quickly burning out. His voice comes low and quiet:

"Stay still."

The next three minutes are the worst I have ever experienced in my entire life. He had Soap spill vodka over my wound to disinfect the entryway while he used some sort of metal, tweezer-like tool to yank and tug at the bullet that had housed itself in my lower back. It was in this moment that my facade was completely futile and gone. I screamed and cursed at the both of them. I called them things that should be in no woman's mouth, let alone a poor, helpless girl like I was trying to come off as.

"Fucking hell!" Ghost exclaims with a huff as he tries to hold me down, "Stay still- it's almost out!"

The pain feels sharp as I feel the bullet move within me, burning and prodding at the walls of my skin as I wince and curse:

"Fuck y-"

But with one final, agonizing tug he managed to finally get the bullet out. I pant, coming down from the intense, repetitive pain as Ghost stands up with the bullet to go drop it in the sink. Soap's hold on my arm that I had barely even noticed loosens as I hear him rip some bandage with one hand and begin to clean and wrap up my wound:

"Alright." Soap says, a little breathless "That should do it."

The wound burns still through my flesh like acid has been spilled atop my skin, but it is nothing compared the pain of the bullet being within me like earlier. I bite my bottom lip and wince as I move to turn over and get back up on my feet. My back aches, my abdomen cracking slightly while Soaps hands find my arms and he helps me up carefully:

"Thank you." I mutter quietly, as I come to my feet and lean my weight back onto the bed for support.

He shakes his head, hands still on my arms as his eyes meet mine:

"I should be thankin' you."

I stare at him for a while, feeling something other than the desire to get rid of him so I could kill his Lieutenant Ghost. Seeing him as something other than just an outlier. A nuisance. He seemed truly grateful, even though I didn't really intentionally take that bullet for him. It was more of an accident. I got shot. Hurt, because of him- and yet somehow I can't look away. Was it a raw emotion? Was it just because I have never had anyone grateful to me before? I didn't understand what was happening within me, but like always, I will twist it. And I will use whatever I feel, no matter how confusing, to my upmost advantage. I will use what I feel to manipulate those around me and be successful in my mission.

After all, that is my purpose.

And so the curtain rises once more:

"No...you saved me..." I say, in the gentlest tone of voice as I try to soften my expression on purpose, "I feel...indebted to you."