The 141s Reaper (Simon Ghost Riley Romance)

Chapter 4 - Base Arrival

(song for this chapter - Howling - CATHEDRALS)

REAPER POV

I took my cap off for him. He's very observant as much as he pretends he isn't. I know he would have noticed my scar, despite my best attempt to cover it. Soap is soap. He'd make friends with a tank if it would talk back. He's a kind soul. But I find myself caring way too much about what Ghost thinks of me. And as he hides his face too i know what it would mean to him that i show myself.

I can hear Reds voice in my mind, giving me yet another one of his so called therapy lectures. Your constant need to prove yourself will always hold you back if you let it. But he doesn't get it, to be constantly told by every authoritative figure that you will always be less than. It's hard to unlearn. Well actually he does get it, he knows everything. I've shared a lot with the rest of Zeta, been through a lot along side of them. But Reds and I are on another level entirely.

I come out of my thoughts to see Ghost is standing over me holding my bag.

"You alright Reaper?" He asks me and my stomach shoots up into my throat. He's never said my name before. The way he says it sounds, intoxicating. This man has such a hold on me already.

"Yes, sorry I'm fine." I say quickly to cover up the insanity my body is spiraling through. He holds his hand out to me. His hand. I look at it outstretched towards me and then up at him, his eyes are sincere and softer than I have seen them. I can't escape his gaze, he is going to suck me in and I won't be able to escape. I take his hand, our eyes never leaving each others. And for a split moment in time I feel like we are the only two people on earth. I hope he feels it too. He does run warm his hand is hot even through both of our gloves. He pulls me up to my feet, although I feel it was his gravitational pull more than his hand. I am in trouble.

I don't want to let go. My hand is securely placed inside of his, symbolic of us as we are in this moment. I feel so, protected. An army, an atomic bomb, a hurricane could be around us but he would make sure I wasn't touched.

I reluctantly let go losing the feeling of us along with his touch and he gestures towards the ramp of the plane. Soap must of already exited as he isn't anywhere in sight. Once off the ramp I see him waiting for us with two others. The rest of 141 I assume. Ghost is close behind me, very close. I feel if I swing my hand just a little bit more when I walk I could touch him again.

You must be Reaper, this is Gaz." he says nodding to the man on the left.
"Captain Price." He self states reaching out his hand.
"Sir." I say saluting him first and then shaking his hand.
"We aren't nearly that formal around here Reaper, you can bring it down a notch or two."
"Wasn't sure sir, didn't want to get on your bad side."
He chuckles.
"Lieutenant Reds has told me a lot about you, I think that would be fairly difficult."
"I'm sure eighty percent of it wasn't true sir."
"On the contrary I think he understated your abilities."
I can feel all of them looking at me, looking for intentions, weakness, cracks in the hull. They are there but I will make sure they don't see them. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. and I have spent my life making sure I'm not that link.

Ghost leans out from behind me and hands Price the intel. "Thank you Ghost." he says taking the box. "Why don't you escort Reaper to the bunk room, let her get settled. We'll debrief once Laswell has a look at the intel and we know our next assignments."

"Sir," i say taking out a USB from one of my tactical vest pockets. "If your sending those to Laswell i also have this, she will want to see what's on it." Hoffman did say it was classified but he specifically told me to send any information i gathered to Laswell, she must be the main contact for Gone dark.