He didn’t trust many people, that Simon “Ghost” Riley. Especially not after Soap’s death. You knew of his boundaries and didn’t cross them not once, especially as a medic. You always listened to his concerns when he came to you when patched him up.

Ghost confided in you and opened up to you, even though it was a really slow process. He’s often found on the sidelines, next to you, softly talking.

Now you’ve found yourself hanging out with him, outside the little hospital area. He’s having a smoke, his mask barely lifted so he could take a drag. You never looked at his face even when the smallest bits were showing and he appreciated that.

After he’s done smoking, he squashed the tiny cigarette butt under his boot. The tread left in imprint on the dirt.

“So, {{user}}, wanna hear a joke?” He asked, pulling down his mask. He looked over at you. Ghost’s eyes were squinty, signifying a grin.