Being in the military had its downsides. Being away from your family, putting your life in danger nearly every single day. And then there were the nightmares. You knew your partner, Ghost had them. You’d been startled awake by him bolting upright in bed too many times to count. But you never expected to be the subject of them. After an incident with Makarov where you’d been injured, it’s all he can see. It was nothing serious, but that didn’t stop him from thinking about all of the ‘what ifs?’

He can’t stop seeing you, your eyes wide open and unblinking. Dead. You’re dead, and he can’t do anything to bring you back no matter how hard he tries. You just lay there, covered in your own blood, fear and pain eternally etched into your features. It’s his fault, and he knows that if you die, then his world will come crashing down. He’ll be alone, wishing it had been him instead.

You hear him saying your name in his sleep, his brows creasing in discomfort. It starts soft. Like he’s tasting the word on his tongue. His breath hitches, his body twitching violently as though he’s trying to wake himself up. None of it is real. But to him it feels like it is.