A Light That Never Goes Out (Simon "Ghost" Riley x Reader)

Hotcoco & caffeinated tea

We were deep into the forest, all of us on high alert, wolves, people anything could come out while being this far in a forest but yet it was still, quiet and oddly inviting.  It was always rainy or snowy in Michigan it had been a while since I've felt the snow in my skin since my military camp was located in the blazing sun of California.  The sun never did anything good for me, neither did the heat.  "Fuck I hate the snow" Gaz grumbled.  "It's pretty nostalgic for me actually" I shrugged and all three of them looked back at me.  "You've lost it Rookie" Soap snorted and I shrugged.  I didn't know how long the walk was gonna be nor did I knew what was gonna be at our destination the thought alone made the hair on my neck stand up.  The longer we walked the more the sky darkened over us.  "We shouldn't set up camp" Soap said and Gaz nodded and reply. 

I was giving the order to go find some dry sticks, this wasn't new.  Back when I was a younger child my family used to go on camping trips and I'd always be the one to gather sticks cause my sister was too scared of the dark forest.  I found a few of them big enough to make a decent sized fire when I heard muffled talked.  Almost immediately after as if my body acted on its own. I moved behind a thick trucked tree pressing my back deep into it.  I kicked snow over my footprints just incase.  There was in the sound of an engine started and a car driving off.  Thank god it whet the opposite way of my direction. 

After I was positive it was clear I turned on my radio.  "This is Private Rain, I spotted two man talking then they drove off in an armed vehicle, they were heading north, do you copy?" I said still leaning against the tree not as hard this time though. "Copy that, come back to camp private" Price said over the radio, that familiar static sound going off behind his voice. "Roger that" I replied then picked up the fire wood I had gathers along with some dead leafs.

Once I said it back to camp the boys were all sitting around a makeshift fire place, two shitty tents pitched up behind them. As my foot crunched in the snow my all turned simultaneously like a bird when you walk too close. "Here, come sit" Soap invited me and I nodded before setting down the sticks and dead leaf on the small gap in the snow they had dug. "Anyone got a light?" I asked and Ghost tossed me one of those all metal square lighters. I went to light it but Ghost stopped me. "That might not be a good idea" he spoke. "True, they were close" Gaz agreed. "They might've spotted the helicopter and went to check it out" I suggested. "Maybe, but still they know something's going on," Soap added and Gaz nodded. "Yeah but we can't eat without a fire" Gaz continued and Ghost nodded. They all looked at each-other then looked at me like they were silently debating about something but I didn't know what. "Light it" Soap said and I nodded then lit some fire starter and threw it in the pitiful pile of sticks hoping it was light and that I'd done something useful.

The heat of the fire was nice against my cold skin, made me feel a kind of comfort. "Ay 'ere you go kid" Soap handed me a MRE. "...I could go kill a deer" I said looking down at the mre. "Yeah but that'd take too much time and we need eat now" he said and I sighed as I opened the mre. I could imagine I'm was something good at least. I smiled when I opened it and saw a caffeinated tea packet. "Looks like your gonna be watch" Price said pointing at it. "Huh?" I looked up at him. "Anyone who has some kinda caffeine gets to stay up so that's you girly" she continued, which I didn't mind I didn't sleep much anyway. "So she can get us killed? I got it" Ghost said and I held back a glare. "I can hand-" "no you can't" he interrupted. "Give it here, that's an order Private" his eyes narrowed. "Yes Lieutenant" I handed him the tea and rolled my eyes. Then Gaz tossed me a packet of hot coco then flicked a friendly winked at me. I smiled back to him and mouthed a quick 'thank you'. At least I got something nice out of it.

I was handed the mug and felt the warm liquid slid down my throat. It didn't taste any good, watery and barely had any flavor but right now... it gave me comfort against the cold weather. "Feel better?" I hadn't realized I was sitting there looking down at the semi-sweet liquid till Soap spoke.  "What?" I looked up and noticed Gaz and Soap both looking at me then let out a good laugh.  "Your really somethin' Rain" Soap said still laughing.  My confusion grew.  "What are you talking about?" My helpless cluelessness only made the amused laughing worse.  I roll my eyes like a spoiled child and took another sip of my drink.

Night came fast, faster then anticipated. Gaz and Soap stayed in one tent while I went in the other since Ghost would be on look out. The tent was good for well, a tent. It was warm enough that I could lay down comfortably and not freeze to death. Like the night before, and the night before that sleep didn't come easy. By the time I did close my eyes lashes of unpleasant images glowed behind my lids. After what left like hours off tossing and turning as well as restless shuffling I realized sleeping was beyond impossible. I put on my heavy coat as well as boots then stepped into the white snow under the dark starry night sky. My breath immediately becoming steam due to the below freezing temperatures of Russia. The crunching of snow under my feet as well as owls calling filled my ears. It was peaceful, calm and tranquil. Taking a deep breath of the cold crisp air and exhaling. I looked around, no sign of Ghost. He was most likely circling the camp. The pit that Soap dug was home to faint embers that were once blazing flames. My mind went clear, but still tried to wrap around what was so inviting about this place. Maybe it was the silence, I didn't know.

"Why are you awake?" I flinched at the voice and turned around to see that annoyingly familiar skull mask. "Couldn't sleep" I said bluntly sitting down by the burnt out pit. He didn't say anything, just walked away. I could hear the grogginess in his voice, he was tired. Then again he always looked tired. His footsteps faded from before me and I let out another deep breath. I couldn't help but be relieved of his presence. My eyes glued on to stars. They were so bright not like what I was used to. Were I was from you would be lucky to even see a few at night. The moon looked lovely too, round and full of light.

I did truly love the moon.