You hated him.

From the moment you met Lieutenant Simon Ghost Riley, there was something about his cold, unreadable eyes behind that skull mask that rubbed you the wrong way. Maybe it was the way he dismissed you during your first joint mission. Maybe it was the smug way he said nothing at all but still managed to make you feel a liability.

You were not a liability.

And he sure as well wasn't perfect.

He was ice and you were fire. Every interaction sparked something dangerously close to combustion.

--

"You're sloppy on recon," he said after your third mission together, tossing your tablet on the table like it was trash.

You scoffed. "You didn't even check your six when we were clearing the compound. Try preaching with your back covered next time."

Ghost’s gaze lingered, sharp and amused. "You always this mouthy?"

"Only with people who pretent to be gods because they're scared to be humans."

That shut him up for a second. Just one second

Then he said. "Better a god than someone playing soldier."