[ There goes Ghost again, saying his sweet things. Johnny smiled in his seat, soaking in that off-handed compliment. Not for the first time, he wondered what things had been like before, how Ghost must have looked at him, if he stared on occasion, what look was in his eyes.
That's a pit Soap tends to avoid, though, knowing he's not going to see Simon again and pretty sure he'll never really remember what he looked like. It used to not bother him, but the feeling tends to get worse just about every day. So, Johnny ignores it, as one does. He'd rather focus on the little compliment. And the brush of his thigh.
Johnny loves the contact Simon gives him. Not just for affection and comfort, but to ground him. With the blindness, he feels like he always needs to be grounded, and listening to the sounds of the world only goes so far. Sometimes it almost feels like a sensory deprivation chamber, like he's the only thing left in the world, like he really did die back there, but then Simon's hand reaches out and everything's good again. Soap refrains from just leaning over and flopping against him for now. Not while he's driving, anyway. ]
Really? Surprised I haven't dragged you up there kicking and screaming yet.
[ He honestly is surprised. It sounds like a lot of fun, never mind Simon just being home with him in general. But maybe Soap followed Simon on their time off. Or maybe they didn't have time off. It sounds like the bloke they were hunting, whatever bastard that shot him, had kept them busy. Johnny only knew enough to know that the situation had been complicated and difficult... But he does wonder how long he and Simon have been doing this. ]
You'll love it, LT. [ A beat. ] Even if you hate it, I'll definitely love it.
(Johnny would have known more about that than Ghost. Or maybe Gaz, honestly. Ghost remained oblivious to the ways he treated Johnny so differently, the ways that he always was looking, always reaching out in some way whether it was physically or verbally. Lately, it was always both.
It wasn't just Johnny who had lost something in all of this. Though Ghost was steady and calm with Johnny, he had some ugly nightmares that haunted him each night. He wasn't entirely sure how he was going to get away with that once they were in close quarters, but he figured he could just do his best to stave off sleep and figure something out. They had given him some medication to sleep with, but he didn't think that was all that better of an option.
There were a lot of things he knew he'd have to adjust to being in close quarters with Johnny. He was digging his own grave here and he knew it. He firmly had told himself he would only do this if he thought he could keep himself restrained and stay appropriate.
He snorts quietly.)
I've no doubt it was on your mind plenty before. We haven't had too many chances for a proper vacation.
(Not since everything had blown up in their faces.
He smirks under his mask.)
And if I don't? Will you make it up to me, Johnny?
[ Johnny wasn't naïve enough to hope that their close quarters situation was going to be as close as he'd like them to be. After all, they haven't even talked about them yet, though he'd already gotten the impression they rarely did before. Point is, while his focus is on not being disappointed over the most definite lack of activities on their first night (and probably week) together, he'd still notice if Simon wasn't sleeping.
Not that he has much room to talk. Soap can fall asleep, sure, but fuzzy nightmares wake him up too frequently for it to really be called sleep. The frustration of never being quite sure what the dreams were about didn't help either. So maybe they'd end up being a couple of cagey night owls together, but Ghost was going to have a hard time hiding that sort of thing from him.
Maybe harder than Johnny originally assumed, if that question was anything to go by. Perhaps he was being a little too hasty in his assumptions regarding the nature of their close quarters. Adrenaline junky he is, Johnny gets his own smirk on his face and bites his lip a little just thinking about it. Damn, flirting with this man was addicting. ]
You already know that, Simon. Believe I can think of some ways to go about it already.
Trust me. You'll be singing praises by the time I'm done with ya. [ Oh, if only. ]
(It is addicting and it isn't until Johnny responds with that that Ghost realizes that this whole thing might become a problem. They had only ever been able to do this sort of thing back on base or during a mission. Never had time to let the situation breathe. This is about when it occurs to him, rather sharply, that he is about to be completely alone with Johnny for the unforeseeable future.
His grip on the steering wheel tightens and he realizes he had absolutely no intention of stopping whatever might happen. Because he knew something might happen. He was almost positive. He may not be all that experienced when it came to these kinds of situations, but even Ghost realized that they flirted far more regularly than just some guys in the same unit blowing steam or passing time.
He certainly would never have accepted being spoken to like this by Gaz or anyone else. Plus, there was probably something morally off about sleeping with the man you're in love with while he was empty on memories and blind as a bat. Probably.
But he glances at Johnny and sees him biting his lip like that and it hits him like a freight train. Maybe it's wrong...But well...
He reaches a hand out and rests it on the uppermost part of Johnny's thigh, fingers hooked in, dangerously close to his groin. He gives Johnny a firm squeeze. Perhaps a gesture of silent promise. Or something. He doesn't know, but it felt right to do in the moment and it felt good to do. It was only a small fraction of the things he had imagined doing to Johnny.)
Naughty boy, you are. (His hand lingers, too close, too burning, and slowly he slides it away and back onto the steering wheel where his grip becomes white-knuckled.)
[ Entirely unlike every other time Ghost has touched him, this one is surprising. Not in a bad way, certainly not, but Johnny hadn't exactly expected the motion at all. Even as he holds his breath, his grin only grows sharper. The grip he has on whatever is near his hands at the moment is probably just a touch too tight and only noticed when Ghost's own hand begins to slip away.
He wants to grab that hand and keep it there, but he doesn't. Then he thinks to swipe it off the steering wheel or wherever it's at and put it back, but he still doesn't. Maybe it's because a part of him likes Simon being in charge, something that's probably not a big secret between them given their ranks. Or maybe it's because he's just as nervous as he is excited. After all, he doesn't remember what Simon likes, what he wants. He tells himself that this is just a learning opportunity, a little side adventure that they'll both enjoy until their usual path is found again. But that doesn't change how he doesn't want to remind Ghost of who he isn't anymore.
Thoughts like that are stupid, he admits. Besides, Ghost is still more than apparently into him. So, what is he worrying about again? ]
I'm a man of my word, Simon.
[ And he is, very much so. His grin stays sharp while he purrs through every syllable. Nerves or not, he wouldn't be the man he is if he ever let a little anxiety stop him.
So, being a little menace, his own hand reaches over and very innocently tucks a couple of fingers into the pocket of Ghost's jeans. And just. Stays there. Super innocent. Extremely not distracting in any way. His dumb smirk is no proof of anything. ]
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no subject
That's a pit Soap tends to avoid, though, knowing he's not going to see Simon again and pretty sure he'll never really remember what he looked like. It used to not bother him, but the feeling tends to get worse just about every day. So, Johnny ignores it, as one does. He'd rather focus on the little compliment. And the brush of his thigh.
Johnny loves the contact Simon gives him. Not just for affection and comfort, but to ground him. With the blindness, he feels like he always needs to be grounded, and listening to the sounds of the world only goes so far. Sometimes it almost feels like a sensory deprivation chamber, like he's the only thing left in the world, like he really did die back there, but then Simon's hand reaches out and everything's good again. Soap refrains from just leaning over and flopping against him for now. Not while he's driving, anyway. ]
Really? Surprised I haven't dragged you up there kicking and screaming yet.
[ He honestly is surprised. It sounds like a lot of fun, never mind Simon just being home with him in general. But maybe Soap followed Simon on their time off. Or maybe they didn't have time off. It sounds like the bloke they were hunting, whatever bastard that shot him, had kept them busy. Johnny only knew enough to know that the situation had been complicated and difficult... But he does wonder how long he and Simon have been doing this. ]
You'll love it, LT. [ A beat. ] Even if you hate it, I'll definitely love it.
[ Because grumbly Simon was the best. ]
Sorry this took so long!
It wasn't just Johnny who had lost something in all of this. Though Ghost was steady and calm with Johnny, he had some ugly nightmares that haunted him each night. He wasn't entirely sure how he was going to get away with that once they were in close quarters, but he figured he could just do his best to stave off sleep and figure something out. They had given him some medication to sleep with, but he didn't think that was all that better of an option.
There were a lot of things he knew he'd have to adjust to being in close quarters with Johnny. He was digging his own grave here and he knew it. He firmly had told himself he would only do this if he thought he could keep himself restrained and stay appropriate.
He snorts quietly.)
I've no doubt it was on your mind plenty before. We haven't had too many chances for a proper vacation.
(Not since everything had blown up in their faces.
He smirks under his mask.)
And if I don't? Will you make it up to me, Johnny?
it's okay! sorry mine took awhile too ♥
Not that he has much room to talk. Soap can fall asleep, sure, but fuzzy nightmares wake him up too frequently for it to really be called sleep. The frustration of never being quite sure what the dreams were about didn't help either. So maybe they'd end up being a couple of cagey night owls together, but Ghost was going to have a hard time hiding that sort of thing from him.
Maybe harder than Johnny originally assumed, if that question was anything to go by. Perhaps he was being a little too hasty in his assumptions regarding the nature of their close quarters. Adrenaline junky he is, Johnny gets his own smirk on his face and bites his lip a little just thinking about it. Damn, flirting with this man was addicting. ]
You already know that, Simon. Believe I can think of some ways to go about it already.
Trust me. You'll be singing praises by the time I'm done with ya. [ Oh, if only. ]
♥
His grip on the steering wheel tightens and he realizes he had absolutely no intention of stopping whatever might happen. Because he knew something might happen. He was almost positive. He may not be all that experienced when it came to these kinds of situations, but even Ghost realized that they flirted far more regularly than just some guys in the same unit blowing steam or passing time.
He certainly would never have accepted being spoken to like this by Gaz or anyone else. Plus, there was probably something morally off about sleeping with the man you're in love with while he was empty on memories and blind as a bat. Probably.
But he glances at Johnny and sees him biting his lip like that and it hits him like a freight train. Maybe it's wrong...But well...
He reaches a hand out and rests it on the uppermost part of Johnny's thigh, fingers hooked in, dangerously close to his groin. He gives Johnny a firm squeeze. Perhaps a gesture of silent promise. Or something. He doesn't know, but it felt right to do in the moment and it felt good to do. It was only a small fraction of the things he had imagined doing to Johnny.)
Naughty boy, you are. (His hand lingers, too close, too burning, and slowly he slides it away and back onto the steering wheel where his grip becomes white-knuckled.)
Don't make promises you can't keep, Johnny.
no subject
He wants to grab that hand and keep it there, but he doesn't. Then he thinks to swipe it off the steering wheel or wherever it's at and put it back, but he still doesn't. Maybe it's because a part of him likes Simon being in charge, something that's probably not a big secret between them given their ranks. Or maybe it's because he's just as nervous as he is excited. After all, he doesn't remember what Simon likes, what he wants. He tells himself that this is just a learning opportunity, a little side adventure that they'll both enjoy until their usual path is found again. But that doesn't change how he doesn't want to remind Ghost of who he isn't anymore.
Thoughts like that are stupid, he admits. Besides, Ghost is still more than apparently into him. So, what is he worrying about again? ]
I'm a man of my word, Simon.
[ And he is, very much so. His grin stays sharp while he purrs through every syllable. Nerves or not, he wouldn't be the man he is if he ever let a little anxiety stop him.
So, being a little menace, his own hand reaches over and very innocently tucks a couple of fingers into the pocket of Ghost's jeans. And just. Stays there. Super innocent. Extremely not distracting in any way. His dumb smirk is no proof of anything. ]