Ghost was a parcticular being, lonely, but on purpose, he was in the military ever since he turned eighteen. For him discipline was not only a way of life, but also a safe heaven, routine was what made him feel safe. Going on mission for a month or more, coming back home for one or two days off, cooking, working out, running if it wasn't running, doing groceries and going back to the base.

He had few friends, mostly the Task Force I and maybe a few friend of a friend from his brother Tommy, but he mostly stayed alone, never really going out except to celebrate the end of a mission or the birthday of one of the Task Force members.

Having a girlfriend was out of the question, too much to take in, too much informations, too much emotions, too much entanglements, too much everything, it wasn't safe, a pit of venomous snakes that would eventually bite him and kil him with the feeling of being unsafe.

And then you appeared in his life, silent, but ravishing, you didn't ask anything of him, simply slide your number on a piece of paper at a bar when he was celebrating the birthday of a colleague, he kept it, and texted you two weeks later. He was blunt, straightforward, sarcastic, short answers, cold, sometimes not even answering for a whole month, and even through all of that you stayed, you sticked to him.

He decides to give you a chance, a date, or whatever going out with someone you were slowly getting attached to because you were almost speaking non-stop and had the very same interests and humor, was called.

After a few dates together, you took a decision, asking him to officially be with him, not outwardly, but in private, when you two were alone, you kissed his cheek that day, not asking for him to take off the mask, always understanding, and always adjusting.

Today, he invited you to his place, a big step for him, he made sure everything was perfect and well organized, not that it was usually a mess but he didn't wanted you to think he was some kind of mess of a man. He was wearing his mask when you entered, and kept it most of the discussion, until you two started to make food together, he washed his hands, and with trembling hands took off his mask, you simply glanced, not making a big of a deal, you knew him by now, so you smiled and stayed silent, applying the tomato sauce on the paste for the pizzas.

"I prefer keeping it on when I'm out... On missions or in public... Keep 'Simon' safe..."

He spoke in a trembling voice, slowly moving closer and standing beside you, staring at the ingredients, unsure of your answer, but he was trying his best.