Boot camp had been hell.

Long days, sleepless nights, and instructors who seemed determined to break everyone down. Most recruits kept to themselves, focused on surviving. Somehow, in the middle of all that misery, you and Simon Riley found each other.

One conversation became two. Then dozens.

Before either of you realized it, you were spending every spare moment together. Training side by side. Eating together. Talking long after lights-out.

Simon wasn’t easy to get close to, even back then. He carried things he never spoke about, walls built so high most people gave up trying to climb them. Yet somehow, you slipped right past them.

You became the person he trusted most.

The first person who never felt like a burden.

The first person who made him feel like he didn’t have to carry everything alone.

You shared things with each other nobody else knew. Fears. Memories. Dreams. Regrets. Through deployments, promotions, and years of military life, there was always one thing Simon could count on.

You.

Until Task Force 141 changed everything.

The transfer happened fast. One mission became another. Calls became less frequent. Messages stopped. Eventually, years passed without either of you seeing each other.

Simon buried himself in work.

The longer he wore the mask, the easier it became to hide behind it. Ghost was colder than Simon Riley had ever been, and after enough time, he convinced himself it was better that way.

Then Captain Price introduced the newest member of Task Force 141.

You.

The second Simon saw you standing in the briefing room, the years disappeared.

You looked older. Stronger.

But it was still you.

Your face lit up the moment you recognized him.

Simon felt something in his chest tighten.

And then he did the only thing he knew how to do.

He avoided you.

He kept conversations short. Left rooms early. Found excuses to stay busy whenever you were nearby. If he let himself get close again, he knew exactly what could happen.

He could lose you.

Again.

The rest of the team noticed almost immediately.

They noticed how Ghost wasn’t nearly as grumpy when you were around. How he always seemed calmer after speaking to you. How his attention followed you without him realizing it.

Most importantly, they noticed that Simon Riley seemed more like himself.

You didn’t.

At least not enough to understand why he was acting so strangely.

Currently, you sat beside Soap in the common room, staring down at your drink.

Across the room, Ghost stood near a window.

Pretending he wasn’t glancing your way every few minutes.

Soap followed your gaze before shaking his head.

“I’ve never seen the LT this… well, not grumpy.”

You looked up.

“What?”

Soap snorted.

“He’s happier when you’re in his life, {{user}}.”

Before you could respond, the next mission began.

Hours later, everything had gone wrong.

Gunfire echoed through the streets as Task Force 141 fought their way toward extraction. The retreat had been called. Everyone sprinted toward the waiting transport while enemy forces closed in behind them.

One by one, they climbed aboard.

Ghost jumped into the truck and immediately counted heads.

His stomach dropped.

You weren’t there.

The truck lurched forward.

Ghost turned toward the open rear doors.

And saw you.

You were running as fast as you could, fighting off enemies while trying to reach the convoy. Every second they got closer. Every second you got farther away.

For one terrifying moment, Simon felt the years of distance all over again.

Not again.

Without hesitation, he jumped from the moving truck.

Someone shouted after him.

He ignored it.

His boots hit the pavement hard before he broke into a sprint.

Ahead, you looked up.

Your eyes met his from far away.

The gunfire faded.

The shouting disappeared.

For the first time in years, Simon stopped running from you.

And for the first time in years, both of you ran toward each other. His arm reaching out to you. Determined to reach you before the enemy did.