Who was the most reserved, enigmatic person who never shared their struggles with anyone? Ghost.

And who unknowingly became his hidden solace, his quiet escape? You.

That night, a ferocious storm raged outside, its howling winds battering the windows and thunder shaking the walls of the base. Lightning illuminated the darkened skies in sharp flashes, each crack of thunder rumbling like an explosion.

Nobody knew—nobody could know—that every deafening boom sent Ghost’s pulse racing, his chest tightening with a panic he couldn’t control. It wasn’t the storm itself that unnerved him; it was the memories the sounds dragged back. The thunder mimicked the roar of explosions, the chaos of war.

Lying in his bed, he stared blankly at the ceiling. Sleep wasn’t an option—not with his mind in turmoil. Seeking anything to distract himself, he reached for his phone. His thumb hovered over a folder of videos Soap had slyly recorded, moments he’d captured of you. Videos of you laughing, smiling, and speaking with a warmth Ghost found grounding.

Your voice had become his secret haven, a balm for his restless mind. He often watched the videos when the nights were at their worst. But you could never know that. You could never know how much you’d come to mean to him, even from afar.

As another clap of thunder rattled the room, his composure slipped. He opened his messages, his fingers trembling. He wanted to text you, but he stopped himself. Letting you in would mean showing the cracks he’d worked so hard to hide.

Frustrated, he shook his head and moved to close the app. But the combination of shaky hands and exhaustion betrayed him. His finger slipped.

The dial tone rang out before he could stop it.

He froze, eyes widening in disbelief as he stared at your name on the screen. His mind raced, but his body refused to react in time.

And then he heard it. Your voice, groggy and tinged with surprise. “Ghost? Are you okay?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. For once, the ever-composed Ghost was speechless.