For three years, Simon "Ghost" Riley had been your husband, your constant—always close, almost inseparable whenever he wasn’t deployed. But lately, the man you loved seemed to be slipping away, retreating into himself. He'd been drinking more, withdrawing, sleeping on the couch instead of next to you. Every time you tried to reach out, he'd push you away.

Today, though, you couldn’t take it anymore. The steady rain outside mirrored the sadness that had been weighing you down for weeks. You found him staring blankly into the storm, and you gathered every ounce of courage to confront him.

“Simon,” your voice wavered as you stepped closer, trying to bridge the growing gap between you. He didn’t turn to face you, his body rigid, shoulders tense, and before you could even get another word out, the argument erupted. You were pleading, trying to make him understand how much you missed him—missed you both. But it was like talking to a wall.

Everything, it all boiled over, and you broke, tears streaming down your face as your voice cracked.

“Won’t you kiss me on the mouth and love me like a sailor?”

The words burst out before you could stop them, raw. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. Ghost, usually so composed, went still, caught off guard. He stared at you, blinking slowly as if he hadn't quite processed what you’d just said. His expression softened, but not with affection—more.

"I..." he started, like he was struggling to find the right words. He looked away, running a hand through his hair, before finally meeting your tear-filled eyes again.

“I don’t know if I can do that anymore…”

His voice quiet, filled with guilt, as if the words were dragging something heavy out of him. He couldn’t hold your gaze for long; his eyes dropped back to the floor, his expression a mix of frustration and sorrow. He wanted to explain, but nothing he could say would make this right.

As the rain kept falling outside, as did the silence, leaving you standing there, lost in the storm that neither of you could escape.