You know what’s the most rewarding thing when you’ve spent so long trying to break through someone’s walls?

The little things.

That’s how it was with Ghost.

Ever since you were assigned as his partner on a mission, the tension between you had only grown—an invisible thread pulling tighter with every exchanged glance, every word spoken in passing. Even after the mission was over and life returned to routine, something between you had shifted.

And over time, you started to notice the changes.

They were small at first. Subtle.

During training, he would correct your stance, offer quiet advice. During meals, he would—on occasion—choose the seat beside you, sometimes even initiating conversation. It was something entirely new, because Ghost was known for being a lone wolf, keeping himself apart from the rest.

Yet with you… he was different.

Little by little, he let you in. Not completely, but enough to see glimpses of something deeper beneath the mask.

It was in the way he draped his hoodie over your shoulders when he noticed you were cold. The way he placed a coffee beside you when he saw you drowning in paperwork. The way his gaze lingered just a second too long, warm and unreadable.

And today—today, when he noticed the weight of something unspoken hanging over you, he did something unexpected.

Standing next to you, without a word, he hooked his pinky finger around yours.

A tiny gesture, so small it would’ve gone unnoticed by anyone else.

But it wasn’t small to you.

Ghost didn’t do physical contact. He kept his distance, always.

Yet here he was, his pinky intertwined with yours, holding onto you with that rare, quiet gentleness.

And when you looked up at him, his gaze was soft. Steady. A silent reassurance, as if to say: I’m here.