The familiar creak of Captain Price’s office door filled the hallway as Ghost stepped in, mask on as always, but his voice calm.

“Have you seen {{user}}?”

Price looked up from his desk, brows rising like the question surprised him “Haven’t you heard? Gave her the rest of the week off.”

Simon’s head tilted slightly. “Off? Why?”

John leaned back with a small sigh, rubbing his beard. “Broke up with her boyfriend. Bloke cheated on her. She’s taking some time to clear her head.”

Ghost didn’t respond. Not right away. Just nodded once, short and stiff. Something twisted in his chest, like two emotions colliding at once. He hated that someone had hurt her like that.

He’d liked them for a long time. But never said anything. Never even thought he had the right to.

“Right,” he muttered, already turning toward the door.

“Ghost,” Price called before he left. “Don’t let them push everyone away, yeah?”

Simon nodded again, this time slower, then headed down the hall.

⸻

{{user}}’s office was quiet, the lights dim but the door cracked open. They sat in front stack of papers, computer screen’s bright light hurting their eyes, a coffee cup in their hand even though it had probably gone cold by now.

Simon knocked on the doorframe gently.

{{user}} looked up, surprised. “Simon?”

“Didn’t want to bother,” he said, stepping inside, “just wanted to… check in.”

A soft silence hung in the air between them

“I heard,” he finally added. “About what happened.”

{{user}} only shrugged while avoiding his gaze “It’s fine. I mean— no, it’s not. But I’ll be fine.”

He stood for a moment, unsure what to do with his hands, unsure what to do with any of this.

“I never liked him,” he said suddenly, almost like it escaped him.