Ghost POV
I walk into John's apartment the next day, holding my phone to my ear, "You've been getting off early a lot the past few days" Price says in my ear. I let out a silent sigh, "This is the second time" I say calmly. "You involved with someone?" Price asks, I pause, "Just a friend" I respond, keeping my normal tone. I hear Price let out a hearty chuckle, "Ghost you're a lieutenant, the amount of time you spent at work is already abnormal, nice that you've found a someone to distract you from it" Price says.
"Heard, Captain" I say, trying to end the conversation, Price laughs again. "Ok ok one more question, is she cute?" Price says. I let out a loud groan of annoyance, "Goodbye Price" I say, hanging up the call, putting my phone away. I continue to walk through the building, earlier today John texted me.
After what happened yesterday, I didn't expect him to be serious about this, but here I am. I walk up to his door, knocking on it, I feel a flutter feeling in my stomach. Just a friend.
Soap POV
I walk over to the door, opening it, I look up and see Simon without a mask. "You always early?" I ask, he nods silently, Well that's good. I step out, locking the door behind me, "I can drive us" Simon offers. I turn to him shocked a bit, "You want us to take, your car?" I say in disbelief. "Truck to be exact" Simon says, starting to walk away, with his hands in his pockets.
I walk next him, he seems normal in his speech, and mannerisms. As if he wasn't thinking about what happened last night, No, fuck, don't think about it.... Should I bring that up? Simon opens the door, walking through, I follow, entering the parking garage. I walk over to my car, "Hyundai SUV huh? What is that a 2013, 2014?" Simon asks.
I smirk at his cocky remark, opening the backseat, "It gets me to and from work, and it fits the carseat" I rebut. I take the seat, I look to Simon who has a confused look on his face. "Questions?" I ask, he offers his hand out, wanting to carry it for me, I wave him off. "Is the seat difficult to install?" Simon asks, I lock my car, "I've been a father for almost 5 years, so no , but as they get older the seats get smaller so nothing to worry about" I say.
Simon unlocks his car, which is closer than I expected it to be, I walk over to it, examining it. I tilt my head toward him, "You know what they say about people with over sized cars" I say. He opens the back seat, turning to me "That they're one of the few cars that a 6'4 man can fit into" Simon says. I nod in agreeance, "Point made" I say, I walk over to the car, starting to install it.
Ghost POV
I watch John as he leans into the car, I feel my chest start to beat, I turn away. Ghost, the hell are you doing, I look around the parking garage, just cars no people. Just look at the cars, I start to think back to what Price said. Someone to distract me, Why do I need distracting? I work hard at what I do, for all it's worth, my job is keeping me from doing what I want. Day drinking
"Simon, I need help buckling this in, can you help me?" John asks, I turn, he's still bent in the car. I rub my fingers together roughly, What I want, I walk over looking past him, into the back seat. He shows me the seat belt, "All your seatbelts back here are pretty loose, what should I do about this?" He asks.
"Yeah, I've had this car for a minute now, these seatbelts are useless if you don't know how to work it" I explain. Reaching over him, I grab the straps, putting the buckles together. "There it goes" I say, placing my hands on the side of the door. John scoots back out of the car, his back hitting my chest.
I look down at him, our eyes meet again, "You.. Should get that fixed" John says. I step back, unblocking him from the car, "I should" I say. John turns away letting out a cough, "Lets get going" he says, closing the backseat door. I nod, walking around the car getting in the front seat, This is fine. Why do I feel nervous around you?
Soap POV
I buckle my seatbelt, Fuck me, I peek over to Simon as he starts to drive, he seems fine. Not too bothered by being near me. When I asked him if he wanted to pick up Maddison with me, I didn't expect him to say yes, Soap please stop making impulsive decisions. "If you want I could put in the address into the gps" I say.
He stops the car at a light, handing me his phone, I take it. "Password?" I say, I offer the phone back, "Remington1834, capital R" Simon says. I stare at him shocked, "Is that your..." I pause for a moment, "Password? Yes" Simon says, keeping his eyes on the road. I type it in, It worked, I furrow my brow, Not very secure if you go around telling it.
I put in the address, allowing the car to direct Simon to the school. The air is silent, I keep looking over to Simon, who is driving calmly. Me on the other hand, is panicking, I tap my finger on my leg nervously. I try to stay focused, but all that's running through my mind is what happened between us last night.
"You nervous, Johnny?" Simon asks, I turn to him, I fucking knew it, bastard can hear my thoughts. "No, what made ya think that?" I ask calmly, Smooth, he makes quick glances at me. "Your leg bouncing is shaking the car" Simon says, I take back my statement, I stop bouncing my leg.
"Sorry" I say, looking down, there's a moment of silence, "Is something wrong?" Simon asks. I feel a tingling feeling in my chest, Can you hear my thoughts and the fuck happened last night? I think for a moment. "All good here" I say, feeling a sort of uneasy feeling in my chest. We arrive at the school's parking lot, I get out of the car, Ghost is looking down at his phone.
"You coming?" I ask, he looks over to me, "Am I allowed to?" Simon asks. I walk around the car, opening his door, "As long as you stay right next to me" I say. He lets out a sigh, stepping out of the car, I give him a light smile. We start walking towards the school, parents all walking into the school, waiting for their kids.
I walk in, making sure every few feet that Simon is still behind me, right behind me, keeping his gaze glued to the floor. I did say to stay next to me, Walking around I notice something. Everyone we pass, is watching us, but not us, him. Giving each other slight whispers, pointing, struggling to keep their obvious conversations quiet.
We stop, waiting near other parents, I lean over "You're popular I see" I say. Simon looks up to me, and with a confused gaze, looks around the room. Quickly he looks back to the floor, I nudge him a bit, "Simon?" I whisper to him.
Ghost POV
I feel chest start to beat rapidly, I keep my eyes on the floor, Is the room spinning? Why is it spinning? I start to feel hot in my clothes, Why is it hot, why am I feeling like this? I lean down in my seat, Focus on your shoes, your shoes aren't moving, the room isn't spinning. I feel someone's back on my arm, they're leaning on me.
I turn my head, Johnny is leaning back on me, on his phone, unbothered by the prying eyes. I feel his breaths, they're calm. I look back to the floor, the room has stopped spinning, I make shallow breaths, trying to match his. How? How are you so confident in being watched.
Not in a military sense, because in the base, you know you're being watched. No, you know why you're being watched, why do your eyes look down at me so. No, I take another deep breath, focusing on the pressure John has on me. I don't have to worry about them looking at me, because I have you, Johnny.
John stands up, I look to him in confusion, soon after a bell sounds. Doors swing open, releasing hundreds of small children into the halls. I sit up straight, a nervous feeling floods my chest, This is fine. The noise rises from a small chatter, to fast footsteps, and hearty conversations.
"MADDISON!" John yells out, How does he see her in this crowd? A little girl runs to John, clinging onto his legs, with a toothy smile. You saw her, Maddison turns to me, her interest quickly shifts as she rushes over and start telling me about her day. I listen to her, her words are fast and erratic.
She's excited to tell me about her day, she is excited to see me, my heart rate slows. The halls aren't as loud as before, I can understand what she's saying. Well, I can piece together the words that her 4 year old brain allows me to hear. I enjoy your hearing your thoughts, you must enjoy saying them, because of how much you're talking right now.
She digs in her dress pocket, pulling out a rock and handing it to me, What? I look at the rock in my hand, I furrow my brow looking it over. Red with white spots, rough around the edges, I look up to her. "This a gift?" I say, trying to not scare her, she quickly nods. I put it in my pocket, "I'll keep it in my pocket" I say, proud of my new item.
Soap POV
I watch them, She immediately ran to him, I smile down at their cute interaction. You don't know him, yet the moment you saw him... I shake my head of the thoughts. She's four, they change their minds every second, I look at Simon's face. His look is stagnant, he's just there, watching her talk. Doesn't look the slightest bit interested, yet she likes you.
I put my hand on Maddison's head, "You guys ready to get going? You have to go to your moms house" I say, slightly messing up her hair. Simon nods, standing up, I offer my hand to Maddison, who is already clinging onto Simon's. I put down my hand, "Let's go" I say, leading the way out of the building.
People still watch us as we walk out, their prying eyes won't stop me from doing what I need to. I look back, Maddison now has hold of Simon's keys. Swinging them while she holds his hand, Seems trusting enough, I look back walking up to Simons truck. I open the back door, "Ok come here Maddie" I say. She let's go of Simons hand, walking over to me, I take her bag, picking her up and putting her in the seat.
"Ghost is Maddie's friend" She says as I buckle her in, "Is that so?" I ask, turning to Simon, who's already in the driver's seat. He shrugs, with the same stagnant face, What does she see in you? I turn back to Maddison, "Well we should thank your friend for giving us a ride to moms house" I say.
I close the door, getting in the passenger seat, "Thank you Ghost!" She says happily. "Pleasure" Simon says, moving us out of the parking lot. "Let see if she's at her house" I take out my phone calling Lydia, I listen to it ring. Please pick up please pick up please pick up, The call ends, SHIT. "Aw shoot, mom isn't answering her phone right now so that means you get to go to daddy's house!" I say.
Maddison looks down sadly, "Oh.. So I get to spend more time with Ghost and daddy?" Maddison says. I turn to look at Simon, I guess we were planning to hang out after this. "Yep".
Ghost POV
We've been driving for a a few minutes now, I look in the rearview mirror, Maddison is sleeping, a little bit of drool spilling out. Lucky it's not on my seat, I look over to John, he's looking out the window. I look back to the road, Peaceful car ride, "Hey Simon?" John says, Almost peaceful. "Hm?", John turns to me, "Can we talk about... Yesterday?"
I take back my statement, NOT peaceful.
{I'm almost done with season 3 of YOU, and I have to say, not the best. Not at all stale, but just a lot going on, cloudy. Hope you enjoyed!}