[Chapter 65 -> playlist's are sectioned > I'll put the link in the comments]
"The meeting-" you muttered urgently, sitting yourself up. You checked your watch; you had missed it.
"It's okay Rook, I said I'd catch you up." Ghost said a gloved hand of his resting on your shoulder. You sighed, letting your body slump back against the couch as you groaned tiredly.
"Work - I've got work to do." you said suddenly remembering the stack of papers on your desk as you stood up.
"Rookie." Ghost said, his hands grabbing onto your waist before you can leave. "You look tired love.." he mumbled, turning you around to face him.
"I know, I'm sorry.." you muttered back, letting yet another sigh escape as you felt his gaze on you. "I know everyone's doing a lot more, especially you and here I am." you grouch gesturing to the couch. "Missing meetings and leaving work."
"You're doing just as much as us all rookie, maybe even more." he says. "You're the one who brings us our drinks, who brings us food from the cafeteria, and you don't complain when asked to take paperwork back and forth between others." Ghost speaks.
"I know stress has been keeping you awake longer." he says. "I didn't mean to wake you; you were about to fall off the couch." he says with a light chuckle. "I know we'd be in a worse state if it weren't for you feeding us and keeping us hydrated." he shrugs.
You close your eyes, inhaling deeply before letting it out in a sharp exhale, dropping your chest. "Team's support each other." you say your voice a tired whisper. "I've got work to do." you say, slipping from his hands.
He's quick to grab your wrist, "Not so fast rookie." he says, pulling you back as you wince slightly. He feels your damp sleep and his brows furrow under his mask. He loosens his grip on you, pulling your sleeve up.
"Rookie .. - what is this.?" he says, looking between you and the band aids.
"Just a small cut." you shrug.
"I meant the patches, these are for simple grazes not cuts like that." he says, giving you a disapproving look that makes you sigh. "Were you not the one who patched up Soap earlier today after his mission?" he asks.
You press your lips into a thin line. "Don't even think about saying 'team's support each other' again because that's the 23rd time I've heard you say it." he huffs, pulling you towards the kitchen part of the common room.
"I watched you clean Soap's wound and then bandage it with precise skill rook and this is how you treat your own wounds?" he mutters, lifting you onto the counter as he tugs you sleeve up more. "Don't forget your part of the team too, support yourself as much as us." Ghost scolds, searching through cupboards.
Your eyes flick to the doorway as Keegan appears. "Can I finally enter now?" he asks, you furrow your brows with a slow confused nod. "Thanks, this asshole wouldn't let anyone enter because you decided to take a nap." he says walking over.
Ghost shoots Keegan a glare. "It was hardly like that." he grunts as Keegan walks towards the fridge.
"Whatever you say bossman." Keegan shrugs, already giving up before arguing would start. He turns to you, another energy drink in his hand as his eyes drop to your arm. "Don't think that's how it's done." he says cracking open his drink.
"It's only temporary." you say as he pulls his mask up above his nose, tipping his head back and taking a drink. You look at Ghost still searching for the medkits with a slight scowl.
"Why does no one ever put it back in the right spot." he grunts, Keegans eyes scan the cupboards before he passes his drink into your hand, reaching past you and opening a cupboard.
He opens it, hitting your head in the process as you say an intrusive, 'ow'. It didn't hurt, but still it left your lips as Keegan turned to Ghost before even checking on you. "I didn't mean too, -stop staring at me." he says defensively as his hand pats your head.
You scowl, pushing his arm away as he chuckles lightly. "It's fine, it didn't hurt." you reassure them both as Ghost grabs the med kit.
"Be a little more wary next time Keegan." Ghost sighs as he grabs your arm, his focus set on his actions. Keegan merely hums a response, catching your attention over Ghosts shoulder as he mouths, 'You alright?'
You respond with a thumbs up, and he nods, leaving the room as Ghost rips the band aid from your arm. You squirm, taken by surprise more than anything as his hand easily wraps over it, applying a bit of pressure as he waits for the sting to clear. "You're alright." he says.
He does it to the other one and you scowl at him, not that he notices. You look down at Keegans drink in your hands, downing the rest of it in a few gulps. Ghost glances at you but says nothing as he cleans the cut.
Keegan returns a moment later and you hold his can out, he takes it before his eyes drop and he looks at you while you offer a grin. "This is because I hit your head, isn't it?" he mutters to which you nod. "Fair enough." he says grabbing another from the fridge.
His usual response would be to argue or engage in a playful fight, but his tired look explains the reason for his immediate submit. "I'm heading home for the night, others have left" he says as he leaves, head tipped back as he drinks, and your focus drops to your arm.
Ghost wraps it carefully, tucking the loose ends under the wrap before packing up the mess. You watch, eyelids heavy as a yawn stretches your jaw. The windows display a starless night outside, the room lit by the florescent lights under the cupboards and floor lamps.
You blink, keeping your eyes closed a moment longer before feeling your head dip down. You sit up straight, opening your eyes as your head hits back against the cupboard on your own account.
Your eyes double take to Ghost who watches you with a look of thought behind his glassy eyes. "Seems like the cupboard is more of a hazard than a gun is for you rookie." he says as you drop from the counter.
You tilt your head, studying him for a second before folding your arms, "You're awfully cherry for someone whose been in a grouch the past four weeks." you comment, raising a brow as his eyes narrow.
"Cherry?" he repeats, leaning back against the counter.
"Poor wording." you mutter as he hums in confirmation. "Something happen?" you ask, nothing had seemed to pull him from his irritation the past couple weeks, but things seemed different this evening.
"It was a successful mission; we have two hostages in the interrogation rooms currently, not only that but we retrieved a drive from a main control panel that's being studied at this moment." he reports.
"The hostages are weak, spilling information in return for their lives and the hard drive holds a major upper hand for us, intel we didn't think could be scored so easily, meaning that this week or two could be a little less hectic mission wise." he goes deeper into detail.
Your body seems to relax a little at his words, a smile tugging at your lips. "Making dreams come true sir." you say, an attempt at a humorous statement for the first time in days.
"Naturally." he says, a cocky but playful undertone to his words as he stands up straight, walking towards the couches with you in pursuit. He grabs something from the table and holds it out to you as you smile.
"Fruit salad." you say, taking the fork. "I love this stuff, haven't had it in a while." you add looking up at him, furrowing your brows in confusion at his amused eyes. "What?" you say.
"Nothing." he shrugs the amusement remaining as you stare at him for a second longer. Another yawn escapes your lips, this time making your eyes water.
"I'll eat later." you mumble, walking over and putting it in the fridge, returning to him as you check your watch. "I still have work to finish up though, I should start-" your interrupted by a yawn and you curse under your breath, rubbing your sleeve across your watery eyes.
Ghost folds his arms, his eyes studying you for a minute while you stare back wondering what he's thinking about. "Are you cold?" he asks after a minute.
"No?" you say, looking outside at the dark sky. "It's unbearably hot." you add.
"I'm cold." he says slowly, as you narrow your eyes.
"I mean, you can take my jacket but I'm not sure what use it-" another yawn cuts your words, and you sigh, "-what use it would do for you." you finish. "How are you cold?" you ask, looking at him with a questioning look.
He doesn't answer for a minute, glancing at the couch and back at you as you erupt into another yawn, your eyes squinting as they fill with tears. You wipe them with an annoyed swipe of your sleeve, clearing your vision as you see Ghost taking his vest off.
He tosses it onto the coffee table between the couch's before removing his tactical belt. "What are you doing?" you ask confused. "Especially since your cold." you say, emphasizing cold.
"Well you don't mind helping now do you Rook?" he asks, barely giving you context and increasing your confusion.
"Can't you ask Soap or Alejandro?" you say, checking your watch. "I've got work-"
"I'd prefer you for this rookie." he says taking your hand and pulling you closer as he lies down on his back on the couch, pulling you on top of him. "Besides everyone else has gone back to their places."
You can feel his warmth even through his clothes and you narrow your eyes, not bothering to crane your neck up to see him, instead you keep quiet. Your body lays more on the side of him closet to the back of the couch and his arm holds you stopping the chance of you slipping off him.
The rise and fall of his chest is soothing in a way, a subtle movement as your arms hang loosely on either side of him. His other hand rests on your back, tracing up and down your spine with a light touch that makes your eyelids heavy.
The dimly lit room is warm, he is warm, but you are not overheating. Your body falls weaker, inducing the sleepy state without a defense. Ghost shifts under you slightly, feeling his fingers gently traverse across your belt, searching for the strap.
You feel sedated, like you've taken the strongest sleeping pills to exist, but you remain aware and comfortable. He slides your belt off, hearing the slight jingle of gear as he places it on the coffee table.
You wanted to apologize, realizing it was probably digging into him. However, your lips don't move, you're breathing through your nose, a comfortable hum as you focus on the rise and fall of his chest, how it feels like you're a baby being rocked to sleep.
Your breathing hitches as he says your name, lost between consciousness and sleep. "I know .." he whispers softly. "Lift yourself up a little.." he hushes, you do as told feeling the weight of your vest disappear, your shoulders feel lighter.
His hand goes back to tracing lines up and down on your back while his other holds you. You close your eyes, trying to evade the creeping sleep. "Only for a minute and then I'm going to work ..." you mumble, your words lazily pronounced.
"...whatever you want princess..." his whispers, a soft husk as the small vibration of his words hums through his chest, his voice slowly fades out.