Soap got shot in the face. It’s not so bad, it was a close quarters, clean shot. By some dumb luck the fucker managed to get him from the inside out, so the most damage he’s got is two broken teeth and and large hole in his cheek.
It’ll heal fine, by some miracle it hadn’t even gotten infected (probably because it bled like an old slasher film). But now Soap, one famously chatty John “Soap” Mactavish, is stuck unable to talk for roughly a week.
He’s going fucking insane by the second day he’s fully lucid. His journal is filled with rambles and doodles and eventually just scribbles when his brain ran too fast to even form words.
He could watch videos, if only on mute because he’s got a fucking ice pack strapped around his head. It would be fine aloud but he’s stuck in an inbetween room in the med ward, and he does know some curtesy.
Normally he’d pester Gaz, but he and the Captain are on a mission half way around the world from their current base. And besides, even if Gaz were awake, he’d hardly be in the mood for Soap bitching about a few stitches.
His salvation comes a dose and too many ice-alterations later to count, in the form of one masked lieutenant.
He’s sure his eyes light up like a puppy, but he’s too wound up to care by that point.
“Nice to see you conscious, Sargeant.” Is all Ghost says as he drops himself into the chair besides Soap’s cot. Then Soap sees the objects in Ghost’s hands, his nose scrunches up.
“Paper work.” Ghost states, and drops the offending parchment and clipboard in Soap’s lap.
Soap can’t voice his opinion on the matter, but Ghost seemingly reads his mind. Or his nose wrinkles.
“Your hands still work, far as I’m aware. Price will want the report. I’m sure he’ll just be dying to hear your voice again, even in writing.” Ghost’s normal monotone breaks as he says the last bit. Smug fucker.
Soap, using his still very functional hands, socks Ghost on the shoulder. It earns him a proper, stilling chuckle out of the man. A reward for his suffering. He smiles a bit at that, then winces as it pulls at his cheek. His mouth is still full of coppery taste and a hint of gunpowder, but a fresh trickle of blood makes itself known at his mistake.
Ghost makes to get up and Soap panics. Bored out of his mind and still on some not insurmountably strong painkillers, he grabs Ghosts wrist. Thoroughly attention-gotten, Ghost tilts his head at him.
“Something I can help you with?” He asks, and watches Soap scramble for one of the notepads a diligent nurse had been using to ask him his pain level.
‘I’m bored.’
Ghost tsks as he reads it, giving Soap an unimpressed look.
“Lucky for you, you’ve got the world in your hand right there. And a charger, even.” He says, and points to the phone in Soaps unoccupied hand. Right, he was still grasping Ghost’s arm.
Soap lets go and looks away with a groan. He almost opens his mouth to complain before he thinks better of it and turns back to the paper.
‘Wifi’s shit here, and I haven’t got anyone to talk to.’
It takes Ghost a minute to decipher Soap’s increasingly slanted script.
“Even if you did, could hardly talk to them, aye?” Soap lets the slight at the end slip past him, in favor of very emphatically writing:
‘Can still write. Or text, if they know how to use a phone.’
The last bit is a slight break in character. Usually he’d poke at Ghost for pretending to be tech-illiterate. But his current vocabulary is limited by his already shaky hand-writing.
“Well, handy for you I just might.” Ghost says, and gestures for Soap’s phone.
He’s unlocked and handed it over to Ghost before his words even hit. With Ghost currently occupied by… whatever he’s doing on Soap’s phone. Soap opts to tap his knee and give him a confused look.
“I do have a phone.” Ghost says, eyes twinkling with something like mirth. He hands Soap his phone back, and to Soaps astonishment he finds that Ghost’s entered his phone number.
“Can’t promise I’ll respond quickly, I’m handling two sets of paperwork after all.” Ghost says, and stands up and just walks out like he hadn’t just handed Soap something worth more than gold.
Soaps first thought, when his brain catches up to what had just happened, is to change Ghost’s name. He’d entered himself as simply ‘Ghost’ which went against Soaps sorting system for contacts. He quickly alters it to one ‘Lt. Simon “Ghost” Riley.’
Someone who didn’t know him would assume he was a proper respectful soldier boy for entering every one of his contacts’ ranks. Really he just couldn’t be fucked to remember them on his own.
His second thought, after that was fixed, was to focus on what Ghost had said while Soaps brain was still loading.
“Two sets of paperwork.” He’d said. And, upon further inspection, Soap finds the forgotten clipboard in his lap only has the barest minimum papers in it. Soap feels something warm settle in his chest. He decides to text as much to Ghost.
-taking my work was nice
-you really need to work on your coldness
-have a reputation to keep after all
Against his word, Ghost’s response is near instant.
-Not nice, tactical. You’re still technically high, can’t have you fucking up anything important.
Soap notices the punctuation immediately. The image of Simon carefully typing it out on his tiny phone with his large hands makes Soap laugh, before he winces as it pulls at his cheek.
-Also, full name I notice there.
It was the barest of sentences but Soap could just hear the overly-serious tone Ghost would’ve grumbled it in.
-if you’re worried about a security risk lt just know it’s how i put every one in
Ghost types for a long time after he sent that. Soap has to put a careful hand over his mouth to resist the grin forming on his face pre-emptively to the chewing out hes about to get.
-Well, I guess compared to the rest of you that’s the least of our worries.
Soap squawks at that one.
-what’s that supposed to mean??
He knew to wait patiently for Simon to finish agonizing after his grammar this time. Even though he wants to break his bed rest and run to the lieutenant’s office to demand an answer.
-I mean you’re so desperate to talk you’re texting me about fucking paperwork, Sargeant. Also, an excessive amount of question-marks.
Soap could only roll his eyes at that. He was starting to get drowsy though. It was near nighttime, and a Nurse had come in between texts to give him some of the good stuff so he could really sleep.
-maybe if you visited and told me something you’d find the conversation more interesting
It was bold, but he could blame the drugs and exhaustion. Seemed stupid, how tired he was when he hadn’t been on his feet in at least 48 hours. But healing was hard work, apparently.
-Fine, I’ll eat breakfast with you tomorrow. Can’t promise I’ll have much to tell, but I’m sure you’ll fill the space.
Huh, that was easier than Soap would’ve expected. He doesn’t bother answering, just starts to drift off until a Nurse comes in to dim his lights. He wakes up slightly to give them a thanking nod, then properly sets about falling asleep. Thank god he normally slept on his back, he doesn’t know how else he would manage otherwise.
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I’ve decided that my WIPs should be somewhere. This is wolfstar, modern au (where Sirius and James have a tiktok account). It was supposed to be multi chaptered (basically just gonna be Wolfstar doing couples trends on tiktok, but they’re not actually together yet), but I only fully completed the first chapter. But it’s just rotting away so here, it’s about 1k.
I’ve made this a thing now so;
Next
Their video went viral two months ago. Sirius and James precariously attempted to pet a pigeon. Gotta give the guy credit, Pete’s great at dares.
He recorded it all, planning to use it to blackmail the two in the future. Nothing like friendly bullying between mates. And he got some good footage, a pigeon did fly in James’ face and Sirius stepped in poop, but then Remus just had to help.
He went to the shop and grabbed some bread. So they could lure a pigeon in. And in a shocking turn of events, they managed to pet one eventually.
They posted the video as a joke.
It took the algorithm only a few weeks to hit all the UK uni students currently withering away behind their desks.
And soon Pads and Prongs went viral.
And so as James and Remus crashed through uni, Pete cruised through his internship as a sous chef, and Sirius desperately search for artistic inspiration, they kept an online presence too.
Sirius and James documented their crazy days of boring work and painting, and entertained their fans with late night lives at their flats and short tiktok clips of dumb pranks. James’ hair was pink for a week. It was hilarious.
The internet was quick to fall in love with James’ long distance relationship with Lily. Pete popped up to show off his cooking sometimes. Remus appeared in the background sometimes. Sirius finds it unbelievable that he hasn’t realised how much the tiktok book girlies already love him.
And that’s what lead to last night. The marauders, a nickname from school and therefore an embarrassing inside joke, are all huddled in the small living room of James and Sirius’, eating Pete’s cake and cuddled under blankets. Their live and just chatting with the fans, relating over awful projects and difficult teachers.
“Not that this cake isn’t amazing, but does anyone want actual food? I could order takeaway since clearly none of us want to get up and make shit.” It’s a good suggestion from James, but Sirius isn’t really hungry.
“Yeah i’d have food mate.” Remus agrees and then so does Pete.
“I’m good i’m not hungry.” James shoots him a vaguely sceptical look, and asks him if he’s sure.
“Yes i’m sure James.”
They decide on simple fish and chips. Usually they get something, as James would say, with more taste. But the chippies the only place that’ll bring them food and not take more than two hours. It is a Friday after all.
Since they’re using James’ phone for the live, Remus takes his phone out and takes Pete and James’ order.
So they continue along chatting and rather quickly the questions about Remus, who’s been pretty quiet all evening, increase from about 50% of the comments to 75%.
“Just appease them a bit Lupin.” Remus glares at James for that.
“I have no clue what the people on your phone want to know about me James.”
Remus has a tendency to refer to technology as if he’s a grandpa who understands nothing beyond a radio. Sirius has heard people call it annoying but really it’s just endearing. At least to Sirius.
“How about that book you read Moony? Red, White and Royal Blue? Apparently you were caught making some choice expressions while reading in the background of me and James’ last tiktok. Did you like it?”
Remus gives him a disapproving look, likely annoyed at Sirius’ question. Apparently books need more detail than just a simple, yes it was good, or no it was not.
“Well… okay do your phone people really care about my opinion?” Remus turns to James. He replies that yes they obviously do. The comments are going crazy over having Remus’ attention.
“Fine. I enjoy Casey McQuiston’s writing style. I thought it was entertaining and I really liked how Alex and Henry complimented each other. Henry was able to calm Alex and Alex’s able to reason with Henry when he’s struggling.”
Sirius looked blankly at Remus.
“Oh come on Moons. You spent like 2 hours explaining the whole book in depth and going on and on about your favourite characters and lines. Your book is annotated all over. At least share with the audience your favourite quotes.”
Remus sighs beside Sirius. Sirius really wants to hear these though. Remus seemed to love the book and Sirius often finds listening to him describe something he loves is always majestic. He details it all with elegant words until you’re eating out the plan of his hand.
“I guess I thought it was pretty funny when Nora said, How did I know I was Bi? I touched a boob. Wasn’t that profound.”
“Remus.” Sirius whines.
“Oh fine. There’s a tone of quotes from that book I love. There’s I love him on purpose. Or he tells his too fast brain: don’t miss it this time, it’s too important. I- erm- I guess I also kind of love this thing Henry says, it’s like And I thought if someone like that ever loved me, it’d set me on fire. But then I was a careless fool and fell in love with you anyway.” Remus has not taken his eyes of Sirius once as he quotes this beautiful book. How does he remember those lines just of the top of his head?
“You know what though,” His voice takes on a soft tone. The one he reserves for kids, animals, things he loves, and sometimes Sirius. If he’s in a good mood. “my favourite, has got to be When have I ever, since the very first instant I touched you, pretended to be anything less than in love with you?” Remus’ eyes are rich and deep and chocolate. Sirius wants to paint them.
“Moony!” James interrupts their eye contact. “Now they’re all gonna be in love with you, damn it.”
Remus chuckles and glances to the side.
“Doubt that Prongs. But yeah I loved the book. Oh and erm- food should be here soon by the way guys. Just got the notification to say it’s on its way here.”
Remus then clearly decides he’s done enough socialising with the internet so he grabs his current book, Song of Achilles, and carries on reading.
And of course, because he’s so easy to deal with already, Sirius’ stomach, as if it has a mind of its own, decides now is the time to become bloody starving.
He glances guilty at Prongs, who furrows his eyebrows as if to ask what’s wrong.
“Hey Moons,” Sirius raises the pitch of his voice slightly to warn Remus he’s about to be a bit annoying. Remus glances up, squints at him and tilts his head.
“Remember when I said I wasn’t hungry?”
James bursts into laughter and Pete chuckles. But Remus just goes back to his book. And once the laughter dies down he, without even lifting his head from reading, tells Sirius,
“Idiot. I know. I ordered you food when I ordered ours. I know you. I knew you’d be hungry.” He rolls his eyes but goes straight back to the book.
The entire internet sees Sirius’ doe eyes but Remus does not. It sends James up the wall.
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