Ghost x Reader
It does no good to dwell on the past. That was your motto, live in the present, look forward to the future, but never turn back. And usually, you were pretty good about not reminiscing. Right up until you were rappelling down a mountain with Ghost. It was going just fine, and then there was a tearing sound, a sudden weightlessness, and an ear-piercing shriek you later realized was coming from your mouth. And as you fell, hurtling towards your imminent death, the event that gave you your call sign flashed through your mind.
The call sign Angel may sound cool, but anyone who had heard the story knew it was actually embarrassing. You had slipped while rappelling at boot camp and had fallen through the air, your hair sliding out of its bun and whipping around you. Somehow, someway, the timing was just right and you jerked to a stop in the perfect position, the sun shining behind you as you swung from your rope, giving you a halo. One of your squamates said 'you look like a falling angel' and the name had stuck.
Guess I'm living up, well...dying to, my nickname. Is the last sadistic thought that crosses your brain before you hit the ground.
You made contact with the earth and for a moment you blacked out. When you open your eyes next, it is to a bloodied and bruised Ghost leaning over you. His mask is gone and his blonde hair is colored with blood. He mouths something, looking worried, but you can't hear him over the ringing in your ears.
You push yourself up, body trembling. Surprisingly, you feel almost no pain as you sit up, just weakness as you lean against a broken wall. You look at the bone jutting out of your leg and grimace, but it's more for sight of it than the feel. There is a dull ache in your abdomen, and you know your legs are broken, but you can't feel it. It is a strange experience.
Your vision finally clears all the way and you look at the fallen rope, attached to you and Ghost, who is sitting next to you, and realize he too must have fallen.
"Is your radi-"
"No." He cuts you off, voice rough, "It broke in the fall. We're stranded." He coughs, a little bit of blood dribbling down his lip. You frown, knowing that means his lung is punctured. You shift to face him and immediately regret it.
Pain is gradually making itself known in your body, every minute worse than the last. There is a burning, stabbing pain in your stomach that is slowly getting worse and you know what it means.
"We're not making it out of here, are we?" You ask, voice raspy. He shakes his head in response, looking at the broken mask in his hands. You lean on him, his arm coming up around your shoulder.
"Are you scared?" You ask, eyes half-lidded. God why does your stomach hurt this much?
"I don't like the unknown." He admits, finally looking at you. You don't respond, instead looking out at the ruined city you both were supposed to infiltrate. You laugh softly, which turns into a cough that burns and burns and burns. Blood splatters in the dirt and you grimace.
"What's so funny?" Ghost asks slowly. He pretends to ignore the fact that you are actively dying.
"The ruins of Finis Viae." You slur, curling further into him, "It means End of the Road in Latin. Fitting for the final resting place of a Ghost and an Angel."
"Someone should write that on our headstones." Ghost mutters, resting his head on yours. You smile weakly, in too much pain to laugh.
"Who knew...dy-dying...hur-hurt so...bad." You gasp softly. And God does it hurt. There is fire in your abdomen, burning its way through your body, filling your veins, setting every nerve a light with agony.
Ghost doesn't respond, just grips you slightly tighter. Your head slides down to his chest, his heartbeat the only thing you can hear over the ringing in your ears.
You lay that way for hours, just The Angel, The Ghost, and The End of The Road.
And, as for all things in this mortal world, your time runs out. Ghost can feel it, the moment your soul leaves your body. He panics for a brief second, not wanting to be there without you. But then his heart stutters, and he realizes he is going too.
"I....love...you." His final words, carried by the wind through the ruins of a ghost town. He closes his eyes and slumps over you, locking you together in one final, tragic embrace.
"Get up silly." You giggle, stretching a hand out to help him. The world is brighter, the dark no longer able to reach you. You grasp Ghost and haul him up, and the two of you stand, hand-in-hand, staring down at your uninhabited bodies.
"Are you ready to go?" You ask him, smiling.
Ghost hesitates for a moment, biting his lip.
"I am." He finally replies, unsure, but trusting you. He looks down at you, cupping your cheek with a ghostly hand.
"I was afraid I couldn't hold on to you." Ghost admits, his voice quieter than usual, "That you would leave me."
"I would never go where you could not follow." You say in response, covering his hand with your own.
"I'm scared." He spoke softly, letting the words hang in the air.
"Don't be." You say, smiling at him, "Death is but the next great adventure."
"Who said that?" Ghost asks, teasing..
"What, you don't think I could come up with that on my own?" You ask, mock offended. He raises his eyebrow and you laugh.
"Fine, fine, it was Dumbledore."
"From Harry Potter?"
"I'm surprised you know that."
"I read the books!"
"You can read?"
"Hey!" He shoves you and you laugh. It was strange. You feel like you should be sad that you are dead, but all you feel is...light, almost...warm.
"What comes after this part?" Ghost asks quietly, sobering up. You notice him looking around and you could sense his fear. He was used to being the leader, the soldier always following the orders, and now he was stepping into the unknown.
"I don't know," you grab his hand, "but I'll be with you."
"I don't like the unknown." Ghost says again. He felt out of place, like he didn't belong here. Death felt too peaceful, too nice after all he had gone through. He had hoped death was a little like his life but in this moment, the two felt nothing alike.
"I know." You say gently. You squeeze his hand, looking up at him, "But I'll be with you." He smiles down at you, pressing a kiss to your head.
"C'mon, it'll be fun." You say, grinning. You take one last look at your bodies, locked in an eternal embrace, as close in death as they were in life, and turn around. You tug Ghost behind you,smile at him one last time, and step into the light
