You are reading: [Part 1] Read [Part 2] here! Word Count: 1.4k You viewed Simon as your friend, but clearly he didn't feel the same.
Being friends with Simon was not something you'd expected to happen, even though you'd known him since secondary school. You recall a young boy entering the classroom, your teacher introducing the new kid from Manchester as Simon Riley. The small chain of snickers erupts from the classroom, you weren't able to tell why then, only learning after that he was teased and picked on due to his ragged appearance, mainly the dark eye bags and the bruising plastered on his arms. But that didn't stop you.
You found your edging towards his presence, talking to him in between classes, sitting on his table and admiring him from afar, but your attempts to befriend him were futile. He just never reciprocated it.
You never shared the same classes, to your dismay. Though you were in the same year group, you were distinctly cleverer than him, that was a fact, excelling in your A-Level subjects, considering your high ambitions of applying to the best universities in the UK. Simon, on the other hand, always found himself at the centre of trouble, getting detention after detention for insignificant reasons such as failing to get his planner signed by his parents, or talking back to teachers, even when they had asked him questions.
Once you finished your after-school extra classes, only for students that had been handpicked from the year group, you'd purposely walk the longer route through the now empty school just to look through the doors of the detention room, to see Simon carelessly slouching on his chair, whilst graffiting the school furniture. How the teacher never caught him, you'd never know. But you could tell who the culprit was, you'd sit down in classes where the table was littered in small skull faces carved by biro.
Sometimes, he make eye contact with you through the door, when you'd walk past, the constant snarl on his face slightly faltering when you'd flash a gentle smile his way. Of course, the smile was never mutual. In fact, you often find yourself thinking of the last time you'd seen his smile, flicking through the yearbook and class photos, only to find that he was in neither.
Ah, you remember that. The end of school was approaching. The last year you'd see your fellow classmates, the ones you've grown around for almost 7 long years.
Simon Riley entered form time late. It was the last first day of secondary school. The first day of Year 13. He strolls in, the tie around his neck still sloppily wrapped around his white shirt collar. You remember that fondly as, the moment he looks up to you, you point towards the collar of your blouse, hinting to him that the teacher was going to cause another scene at his attire that week. He raises his eyebrows at your gesture, blushing furiously as he rips the tie off, the teacher beginning to raise his voice at Simon.
In your mind, Simon's blushes at you, after seeing you for the first time since summer holidays had started. But that thought is pushed away, when your friend asks you if Simon had replied to your texts. He had not, for your information, they had been left on delivered.
But you don't fail to notice the change of appearance from Simon, in fact most of your classmates open your jaw in shock, the once scrawny boy had seem to hit a growth spurt, his body almost doubling in size.
"Simon mate, hitting the gym?" A boy asks, when Simon walks past to sit in his seat at the back of the class. His attempts of a conversation are unanswered, and a small part of you is happy to see that he treats everyone harshly, not just you.
Trying to talk to him in the lunch line was also so much harder, now that he was surrounded by a bunch of popular kids, the girls squeezing at his bulging arms, and the guys patting his shoulder, conversing with him as if they hadn't ignored him for the previous years of school. He'd catch your eye once in a while, and sometimes you'd find a look of desperation within them, help me, like he called out for you.
All in all, the last 10 minutes of lunch always consisted of you sitting at your desk, ready for the next class, with Simon sitting rather close to you, even though his designated seat was rows behind yours.
"Maths was boring today, I know we're not in the same set, but when you finally get to the same topic, I beg you'd start cryin'." You'd mention, not turning to look at him, but he knows you're talking to him.
He hums, listening, "Speakin' from experience, huh?" He'd always refer to you by your surname, his manny accent seeping through his words.
You'd chuckle in response, jolting suddenly when the bell rings signally the end of lunch and he gets up and walks to the back row, even though it was still just you and him in the room. Perhaps he was embarrassed to been seen by you, given his new-found popularity, or perhaps he thought you didn't want to see with him. Who knows.
Many months pass by, and as exams had finally come to a finish, the schools opened the hall for a get-together for the final year students. Many had turned up with pens and markers to sign their fellow classmates school uniform, as memoir before heading off into university. Others had their yearbooks open, asking (or begging) people to sign them. You sat down, watching your friends mingling with others, a hot pink sharpie in your hand, knee bouncing as your eyes skimmed the loud room for a tall muscular guy.
Hours had gone by, your shirt only consisted of 7 signatures from your friends and one janitor that you'd been acquainted with, yet no sign of Simon. And when the clock hit 5 P.M., you were one of 5 people in the hall, the rest leaving to head home for the holidays.
"He's not coming, dude. C'mon, ice cream on the way home?" Your friend would suggest.
"But...but it's the last day of school...I mean there weren't any classes, why wouldn't he show up, I don't understand..." You frown, admitting defeat as you start zipping your bag up ready to leave.
"Did anyone truly understand him?" You friend states, rather than questions, locking arms with you and she drags you towards the exit, ranting about her holidays plans.
15 minutes later, the room was nearly cleared out, with just your form room teacher tidying away the paper cups and plates.
"These bloody kids, why am I even a teacher, I would have been on Broadway if it weren't for puberty messing up my lovely voic-" His mumbling is interrupted by the doors slamming open and a teenage boy with a black balaclava mask running towards him.
"AAAAH- This is a school- This is a school in the afternoon, who in earth wants to rob a school past 5 PM, what you even in here for? Gonna steal some pens and pencils, yeah I'd like to see you try, I'm a white belt in Karat- Riley, you? Mate, you're like 6 hours late."
Simon pants in exhaustion, his mask now in his hands, "Sir, -huff- is she here? Am -huff- I too late?"
The teacher huffs in annoyance, "You're not the protagonist of a romance film, Riley, go home. We finished at 4:30. It's 5:15, don't you boys haven't nothing better to do?"
Simon rolls his neck, "Ta...cheers for the wise words." He makes his way towards the exit.
"Happy to help," your teacher groans turning away from him, "Had you been here 15 minutes earlier...maybe you would have caught her...."
Simon pauses in his steps, cursing loudly. Maybe he shouldn't have signed up for the military that day.
He walks home that dark afternoon, forgetting his card for public transport. He checks his phones for notifications, clicking the text messages that he'd marked a spam. It was from you.
He knows he should have called you, at least even texted you. But he was too much of a pussy. It would be weird to hear your voice over the phone, not like hearing it as he sat by you at lunch hearing you ramble.
It's not like you meant something to him, you're...you. Replaceable.
Like every other person he's met.
You don't mean anything to him.
And just like that, 5 years go by just like that.
Okay, so I got this idea in bed, let's see how it goes on paper :P or on my laptop should I say...part 2 in the making hehe
tags -> @lilliumrorum, @kxtz3, @poohkie90, @rainlovesyou12, @restrictionsapply-blog, @lunamoonbby , @nigthmar3moon , @thychuvaluswife , @itsnourm , @bubusi11, @chessecakelover , @owkittie, @cheomain , @corvusmorte , @k4es , @mandythemint , @copiasratscheese , @yyiikes , @funkyysho3es
something short to break the writers block :P
With exams finally finishing, you find yourself slouched against your desk chair, eyes glued to the screen in front.
"Liebling...c'mon let's talk..."
König mumbles, walking into the room. With your finals done, and him on a break, he just wants to spend time with his lover, but instead your attention is devoted to your video games.
"Hmm...5 more minutes..." You grumble out, clicking aggressively to shoot the enemy team.
"Baby, you've been playing for so long..." He tugs at your hoodie, forcing you to fix your posture and sit up straight.
You groan his words, realising your character had died. You turn to König, an idea popping into your head.
"For a sniper, you're quite bad at shooting long distance...oh wait, you're not-"
"Scheisse." König blurts out, the character now frantically running around, taking some damage from a bullet shot. "This mouse is faulty, schtaz..."
Snorting at his words, you lean into the crook of his neck, "Come on, Colonel, you bought it for me for christm-"
"Was zur Hölle- [what in the hell] Schatz! I hate this game." He screams, sitting up straight again, incidentally shoving you away. "When's the next round."
You laugh at his tantrum, massaging his tense shoulders.
"How about I take you with me for the next mission and I'll show you some real shooting, hm?" He suggests, rubbing his temples.
"I dunno babe, given the way you play, I might not come home alive-"
"Schatzi, please." He interrupts, turning to face you with a strict expression, "...the games starting again."
The next few rounds were very hectic, consisting of König screaming at his teammates with the mic on (which definitely led to your account being reported), and then König almost raising his voice at you.
"Why's the gun on the floor?!"
"Kö, you dropped it-"
"How do I pick it up?!"
"Babe, clic-"
"Who's behind me aAaAah-"
"König! Stop-"
Ultimately, the game ended with a disappointing score of 1 - 13, and a few new nail marks imprinted onto the desk where König has gripped out of irritation.
"That was a good game, I see why you like it Schnuki."
You hum in response, inquisitively picking up a random button that had be torn apart from your keyboard - the space bar, amidst König's shooting spams.
He gets up and pats your back, heading to the kitchen to prepare some dinner for the both of you, "Same time tomorrow?"
holy shit exam season is finally over and i'm so bored lemme know you're interested to be tagged in my future posts! tags -> @lilliumrorum, @kxtz3, @poohkie90, @rainlovesyou12, @restrictionsapply-blog, @lunamoonbby, @nigthmar3moon, @thychuvaluswife , @itsnourm, @bubusi11, @chessecakelover, @owkittie, @cheomain, @corvusmorte, @k4es, @mandythemint, @copiasratscheese, @yyiikes, @funkyysho3es
You are reading: [Part 2] Read [Part 1] here! Word Count: 1.4k You viewed Simon as your friend, but clearly he did feel the same.
When Ghost was asked about his emergency contact, he mentioned Soap's name.
"You can't put down another soldier, mate. Gotta be yer ma or summit." His higher-ups informed him.
"Why no'?" He grumbled, leaning against the wall in the dingy office.
"Wot if you're on a mission with 'im? Wot if he's injured too? Hm? Just do me a favour and put down yer missus, will ya."
Ghost rolled his eyes in annoyance, slamming the door shut as he walked out. With an important mission coming soon, it was vital that everything was in order before they left.
He just doesn't get it. Why does a skilled killer like him need an emergency contact? He's only been fatally injured once, and when they contacted his previous emergency number back then, was it really a big deal with someone at the nearest Maccies picked up?
Gaz frequently laughs at him, "Tried to call your mother, ordered a quarter pounder instead." It's a running joke in the team.
Ghost skims through his phone contacts, and he's embarrassed to see how few numbers he has: 5 being his teammates including Gaz, Soap and Price, one being KFC, one being his mother which he had saved under Slag. He scrolls up and down rapidly, debating to himself, should he just give them a fake number?
No...they'd find out again.
He clicks under the spam numbers.
His eyes shift to a familiar number.
It was yours.
The monotonous ticking of the clock paired with the irregular typing of the keyboards were burnt into your brain unknowingly. You've lost count of the number of days you've been in the menial job now, your first job since graduating university. How long have you been with that company, 2 years? 602 days now? You're counting the days 'til the weekend but even during that, you've got no one to come home to.
What a pathetic life.
Sometimes you wonder what Simon was doing in that exact moment was he working like you? Was he also in London? Did he...think of you, the way you think of him? It's possible he's forgotten, I mean after 5 years you've lost contact with the majority of your classmates- so much for best friends for life.
You check your phone, 9:28 P.M. 2 more minutes and you're running out of there.
By the time it hits 11 P.M., you're tucked away in bed a movie playing the background as you're aimlessly listening to reddit stories on TikTok whilst watching a minecraft speedrun.
You switch to using Instagram, by that I mean stalking. Your friends seems to be growth further away from you, one sending you an e-invite to their wedding, one welcoming their 1st child into their families, and yet you're still hung over about the last day of secondary school. The way the last time you had seen him had been in form, when he glances at you walking in late. The way his hands would purposely linger against yours when you were asked to hand out sheets to the class.
The mere thought of him jolted you. That, and the sound of your phone ringing.
It was an unknown number.
There's a hitch in your breathing. Was this a sign? What's the phrase, speak of the devil and he has appear? Was it perhaps...Simon?
You wait for a minute before picking up, not wanting to come across as desperate.
"...Hello?" You murmur.
"Hey." The voice is harsh and cold. It reminded you of Simon.
"Simon?" You whisper, a smile appearing on your face.
There's a pause on the other end of the line.
"What? No- Alan. From Accounting. You left some documents here at work, they seem important. You gonna pick 'em up?"
You blink. Once again your're stuck in another fantasy. In what world would it be Simon? The man who couldn't even reply to your texts in summer holidays. The man who wouldn't even attempt to return a full smile when you locked eyes in the corridor. The man you shouldn't have feelings for. Because, well, it's not like they were ever reciprocated.
What a pathetic life.
Alan, the dickhead from Accounting interrupts yet again. "Yo, you there? Wan' me to bin them?"
You sit up in your bed, sighing deeply uncomfortable, "Pull up your pants man, I'll be there in 30, Jesus. Just leave them on my desk."
Question. What's short but intense, most people dislike it, but you find it thrilling? One would think a conversation with Simon. But the answer is: London traffic.
You'd assume the usually busy roads to be dead and empty at 11:30 P.M. ish, but you're heavily mistaken, my friend. Seems like London nights are the life of the party. Driving past busy clubs and lit up pubs, whilst listening to One Of The Girls by The Weeknd [SUCH A GOOD SONG-] made you feel like a movie star in a coming of age film.
One where the guy gets the girl.
Of course, the majority of the drive you've being beeped at, or you're doing the beeping, but it's what really appealed to you when making the move to the heart of London. Life moves on whether you want or not, might at well be at the capital of England. Though sometimes you feel you're more likely to run into Simon in the north...
By the time you reach the entrance of your workplace, you begin regretting your outfit decisions, making eye contact with yourself in the reflection of the glass doors: A black hoodie and flared joggers. Nothing wrong in the clothing of course, but compared to the Data Analysts and Investment Bankers that are judging you right now, it makes you feel like the smallest person in the room.
Just a elevator ride up, grabbing your shit, another ride down, brisk walking to the car, and you can go back to the comfort of your bed. Easy, no?
You're in the elevator finally. The weird look from the receptionist really was the cherry on the cake.
Soon enough, the doors open again at the 9th floor, and you're met with the dark room of your department, which only had 2 of your colleagues slaving away at their desks, one which you're 99% sure is rotting away as they type on their keyboard.
You briefly nod at the two as they look up from the elevator doors opening, to which they returned.
Where's that file, where's the fucking file. You mumble to yourself, sifting through all the papers from your desk. The rotting lady looks up to you, shushing you for the noise.
Yeah, if only you had the courage to shush your toxic-ass husband...You think. Soon we'll hear your reddit story next to some trashy ass run on Subway Surfers on Tiktok...
The way down the elevator was excruciatingly slow, which was odd considering it was working perfectly fine 5 minutes ago.
The doors open again, at the 8th floor and 3 analysts walk into the once quiet elevator, and now you're face to face with the loud chatter of clients, and business meetings and...who left a mess in the men's toilets...
A phone rings again, and the analysts all search their coats, thinking it was theirs.
Not me.
Neither.
How is there service in this elavator-
Someone coughs, and you open your eyes from drowsiness, the 3 business musketeers silently urging you to pick up your from and rid them off that irritating ring tone.
Silently apologising, you bring your phone out of your hoodie pocket. It's another unknown number.
With no hesitation this time, just pure frustration and fatigue, you pick up the call, "Alan, I swear to God, if you're calling me again-"
Correction. There is service in the elevator. It just wasn't good.
The line breaks at the other person on the phone speaks.
"He- Co- It's an emergen- He- -mon Ril- -jury-"
"Huh?" You respond, partially not hearing as the line breaks every now and then. but also because the other 3 people decided it was okay to talk on full volume.
You try once again, "I'm sorry I can't hear you."
"Missi- crash- 3 dead- -husba"
You snort, you wish these 3 analysts were dead right now-
"-Rile- Come- t- -ocation- sen- -by text- -sband-"
The line goes dead, and you're stuck staring at your phone with more confusion than you had started. Husband?
What was that? Wrong number? No, they had addressed you by your full name. You couldn't hear much, but from what you gathered...an emergency? I mean, that alone you could tell from the shrill from the speaker's voice.
The elevator door opens again and this time, it's the ground floor and all 4 of you walk out. It looks like the scene where the rich, popular characters make a grand entrance, straight out of a K-drama, except one person clearly missed the memo about dressing formally.
You check your phone's call log, debating whether to call them back.
Before you can lock your phone and shove it back into your phone, it dings again, a text from the very number. They've given you a location. A quick search on your phone, shows you google images of an army training ground. You check the time. It's just past midnight.
Looks like you're going on an adventure.
The drive to the army grounds was shorter than Google Maps had said, and now you're parked on the side of the roads waiting for the gates to be opened.
Theories are racing through your head right now, who do you know that's in the military currently?
Your coworkers? No.
Your university friends? No.
Your secondary school classmates? No.
Simon? Can't be.
The gates open, and you drive to the 2 men standing by the doors to the building, one is dressed like a doctor, the other? Like Stalin.
You get out of your car worried, "Hi, someone called over the phone?"
"Aah, yes. Mrs Riley. A pleasure to meet you. I mean I didn't think you were even going to come." He turns to the doctor.
You don't fail to hear the words exchanged between the both of them.
"What if she works at Maccies as well...she's dressed like it-" he murmurs, smiling at you widely.
The doctor on the other hand, seems to be more tense about the situation, "Sir, can we just send her in already, it's 1 A.M., I got a family to go home to-"
"Wasn't your wife cheating on you though-"
"Sir- How do you know- Okay, Miss. Mrs... Riley, was it?" The doctor turns to you.
You raise an eyebrow at him, "No. Um, no. My first name's not Riley, it's-"
"Will you just follow us. Please."
The inside of the building was almost the opposite than the outside, a loud brightly lit environment with crowds of doctors and nurses rushing around, compared to the silent dark grounds.
"Sorry, where are we going exactly?" You question, as the two men walk in front of you.
"You're handling the news better than I expected, Riley." The military leader (?) notes.
What news?
"What news?"
There's no follow up answer, instead they lead you to a quiet corridor, just outside a room, to which they gesture you to open. The doctor reads from a file, "He's going to be fine, just a few cuts and bruises-"
You interrupt, "I'm sorry?"
"What he's trying to say- we found him unconscious, seems like he inhaled too much of the gas. Thought he was in grave danger. Wasn't responding to anything. Broken rib cage, but he'll be fine. He always is, this man."
The doctor agrees with the solider.
"Indeed, a few months of bed rest, and he's be back in better shape."
The two stare at you, as you look at them with an unreadable expression.
"...And...I'm here because?"
They share a confused look.
"You're his wife, no? His emergency contact? That's what Simon said at le-"
"Si-Si-Simon?"
One second you're at home, the next you're a work again, and now you're in the bathroom with your head in your hands, sitting on the toilet lid, panic pulsating through your blood. For some reason, you can't find it in yourself to tell the truth, that you're not Simon's wife, so instead you pussied out and excused yourself to the nearest bathroom.
The good thing is, the 2 men believe you're crying over Simon's injuries, the bad thing is that he's awake. And he's been made aware of the call to his emergency contact: his wife.
"Good to say you mate. Called your wife. Sensitive one, that. Rushed-"
Simon breaks out of his dazed look. "Wife?" He barks.
The doctor shares a knowingly glance to the solider, Simon's higher up. "Yes...the one under your emergency contact?"
"Wot- Oh. Er- Yeah." Simon clenches his jaw, rubbing his temple, "Did she pick up or sum-"
"No Simon, she's here. In the bathroom."
The minimal colour in Simon's pale bruised face drains out in a click, and he's staring dead straight in front of him. For a second, no one talks, there's no movement, not even a breath is exhaled. Simon's not religious but he prays the 2 can't hear his beating heart thumping rapidly.
How was do when he sees you? A smile? A wave? A 'haven't seen you in so long'? No...he selected spouse when he put your number down for his emergency contact, if anything, he's got a role to act in front of the staff and higher-ups.
There's a knock on the door that breaks the silence. The door creaks open awkwardly, and a small head peeps out.
Simon's breath hitches.
When your parents instructed you to get out fairy land, you did. You were called delusion by your friends throughout adolescence, and you're teachers feared your expectations in life were always too high.
You remember the first time your parents told you the story of how they met. In your mind it was a romantic story, two doctors meeting together for the first time in the hospital, locking eyes and blushing furiously when their fingers touched through gloved during a high-risk heart transplant surgery. So when they mentioned that it was mere 'marriage of convenience' type relationship to you, your belief of love at first sight hit the iceberg of reality and sunk. Sunk deep.
So mustering the courage shouldn't be that difficult, right? Love doesn't exist...
The first step into the hospital room felt like walking into every exam hall you've ever entered in your entire life merged into 1...times 10. Nerve-wracking was an understatement.
Your goal was to just lie and act at his wife, play pretend and hope Simon plays along with it. It's all acting.
A marriage of convenience, you could say.
"Hey, Si-"
Your breath breaks, cutting off your own words as your eyes lock with Simon's. The room seems to shrink, and the bustling noise from the hospital corridor fades into the background. Simon's gaze is intense, his usual stoic expression softening for a brief moment. It's something the doctor and the soldier haven't seen, given the 5 years of knowing SImon.
He reaches an arm out, without speaking a word.
"Oh, erm." Taking his hand, he gently drags you, motioning you to sit on the chair beside his bed. Small electric shocks course through his fingertips and into yours, a warm feeling bubbling through your chest, and you can't help but smile at the way his eyes lock onto you, as his fingers gently caress your hand.
Simon’s grip tightens ever so slightly as you sit down, his touch simultaneously reassuring and questioning. You swallow hard, nerves prickling your skin. It feels like a minute has passes by the 2 spectators in the room feel like their watching a slow-burn romance movie.
The soldier clears his throat, breaking the silence. "We’ll give you two some privacy," he says, gesturing for the doctor to follow him out. As the door clicks shut behind them, the heavy silence continues to fall over the room.
Simon’s thumb strokes the back of your hand, a gesture that feels both foreign and familiar. His mask of stoicism cracks, revealing a hint of vulnerability beneath. "I didn’t think you’d come," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble. Your heart rate increases with every word he speaks, the hints of his northern accent peaking through the harshness of his voice.
You smile. "Well, here I am," you reply, attempting to sound casual despite the thundering of your heart. "Guess I couldn't ignore the call of duty." Your attempt of a pathetic joke makes him grin.
Simon interlocks his fingers with yours, and you swear your body changes to manual breathing. "SImon...You don't have to act, they're not here..." You mumble.
Simon chuckles softly, the sound sending shivers down your spine. His eyes, usually so guarded, now seem to search yours for something unspoken. "I'm not acting... and...I'm sorry," he says, his voice barely above a whisper.
"What for?" Both of your hands gently hold Simon's and you notice the way just one of his hands dwarf both of yours.
"That day...the last day. I tried to come, I swear, love. I was late-"
"I waited for you Simon." You blankly state. Simon freezes at the slight frustration in your voice, "I waited so long for you, hell, the teachers nearly kicked me out."
Simon nodding understandably, grinning slightly at the thought.
"I know. I asked our form tutor, missed ya by 15 minut-"
"Then why didn't you call me Simon? Hm?"
The lack of response let's you continue, the heat from your hands warming Simon's.
"I called you, I texted, I reached out to your friends-"
"-but it's difficult when I had none, right?" Simon cuts you off, his eyes urging you to look at the situation from his perspective, "The moment I saw you in that classroom on that first day, you were the only person that smiled at me. When I forgot my lunch, it was you that shared with me by your desks. Fuck, it's always been you, and I was too fucking embarrassed with myself to even be around someone as perfect as you."
Simon squeezes your hand as he continues.
"I didn't want you to be seen with me, because...you deserved better, love. You've always had. Good grades, good school, good life, didn't was you to be dragged down by a dick like me." He huffs out, turning away, "Signed up for the military that day, y'know. Remember when you said you wanted to just give up on your dreams of uni and jus' join the army. Just use all your frustrations on a gun or sumthing... I bulked up over that very summer."
You stifle a warm tear as it escapes and runs down your cheek.
"Wanted to be someone for you, swear down. So I signed up for the military...and I- that day. I was going to tell you...and ask you out."
Raising your eyebrows, you feel the atmosphere shifting, he continues.
"Yeah," Simon chuckles, reminiscing, "Wrote a letter cos I didn' know how to get my feelins across. But uh, I was too late. And when I asked your friend, and they told me you were moving out for uni...I just thought it was better to let my feelins die out. Didn't wan to drag you down any further..." He mumbles the last part.
A mix of emotions flood through you as Simon's words settle in the room. The weight of the years apart, the misunderstandings, and the unspoken feelings hang in the air. You take a deep breath, wiping away the tear that escaped earlier.
"Simon," you begin softly, your voice trembling with a blend of sadness and hope. "You never dragged me down. If anything, I felt lost without you."
Simon's gaze shifts back to you, eyes searching for any hint of resentment or anger. Instead, he finds warmth and understanding, a look he's not seen in years. "I thought you'd be better off without me. That you'd move on and find someone who could give you everything I couldn't."
"But I never wanted someone else," you confess, your voice firm despite the quiver in your heart. "I wanted you, Simon. Even when you weren't there, I kept hoping you'd come back. Do you know how many times I've looked at my phone hoping it was you that was calling me?"
Simon laughs, moving ever so slightly closer to you, his thumb continuing to stroke your hand, his touch grounding you both in the present moment. He takes a deep breath, seemingly trying to gather his thoughts.
"I'm here now," he says finally, his voice steady. "And I'll call you ever chance I get. Don't want to waste any more time."
You squeeze his hand in response, a small smile tugging at your lips. "Neither do I."
Simon presses a chaste kiss against your forehead and you lean against him.
"The name Riley really does suit you, y'know." Simon whispering into your hair.
"One step at a time, Si." You whisper back, burying your smirk into the crook of his neck.
Maybe your parents were wrong, maybe love at first sight does exist.
Outside the room, the 2 men straight in awe at the couple. The doctor sighs, "No more trouble in paradis-"
The solider nudges the doctor, "You wish that was you, huh."
me rn
tags -> @lilliumrorum, @kxtz3, @poohkie90, @rainlovesyou12, @restrictionsapply-blog, @lunamoonbby, @nigthmar3moon, @thychuvaluswife, @itsnourm, @bubusi11, @chessecakelover, @owkittie, @cheomain, @corvusmorte, @k4es, @mandythemint , @copiasratscheese, @yyiikes, @funkyysho3es, @delta98-idk, @spankmydepression, @yourfavbabigirl
In which you work at the nearest store at base, Ghost being your least favourite and unfortunately, most frequent, customer. Is there a connection there, or is it in his head? yALL - all these COD stories on tumblr got me hyped! So here I am tryna catch some clout ;) Be warned, this is possibly a very inaccurate version of military life, but then again, it's just a story. Word Count: 2.5k
Man, post-graduate life is hard.
Graduating top of your cohort of nearly 300 students in your masters degree within Psychology was impressive. Saving enough money from shadowing your senior Psychology professor and moving out to your apartment was impressive. Owing your own car was impressive.
What wasn't impressive though, was nearly hitting the 6 month mark of unemployment.
So here you are, stuck calling all your classmates for any open roles. You're so desperate at this point, you'd go for anything!
"Hey, Mahir! I know we didn't quite end of good terms...um-you know...when you asked for the mid-terms answers last year, and I- um...left you on delivered, and you had to retake the exams...but um, I hear you started working at the University as a Researcher and you're looking for a assistant? Well gee, don't forget how smart I a-"
Disconnected.
"Yooo, Josephine, it's me! From the Psychopathology group project! Yeah, I'm sorry I shouted at you for not doing your part on the project, and filing a complaint against you, haha...although, like, come on, it's your fault - you're 25, not a 5 year old bab-"
Blocked.
Wow. You were not liked.
So one evening, when you were on the phone to your childhood friend, Jordan Biggs, and had managed to slip out how desperately broke you were, he kindly offered a potential role at his workplace.
"Shop keeper? What, like a convenience store?" Remind me where you work again? Aren't you in the navy? What stores are you talking about?" You rambled, I mean a possible job - finally?!
On the line, Jordan chuckles, "Slow your roll, man. I've been been with the army for around 3 years now, I'm currently on a mission but we'll be home soon. Our base has a shop, that sells, you know, tactical gear-"
"GUNS?!" You interrupted.
Jordan laughs, then in shushed by, what you assume to be his teammate, "No, not any weapons. Just, tactical gear, MREs, bits and pieces of uniform. Sometimes you might be asked to clean the base, set up rooms for meetings. And ooh my favourite - work at the canteen. We serve the country, you serve us food." Jordan explains.
So you complied.
I mean, yeah, your degree isn't being utilised, but we're in a cost of living crisis, for Christ's sake.
And here you are, clad in a plain dark grey fleece, and straight black trousers, trying to look as professional as possible.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your first day was silent. You found that you lived only 30 minutes away from the base, so you didn't struggle with the early shifts, working almost full days at the base, with a surprising decent salary.
You learnt you had replaced the previous worker, Katherine, a grumpy senior who quit, being fed up with the stench of these sweaty unkempt soldiers, and their rowdy behaviour after missions.
You also met your staff at the base, being the youngest one there gave you no surprise, with most your colleagues being double your age. You liked it. It was quiet, having met a few of the soldiers.
Your role was relatively simple. Consisting of various tasks such as ordering enough food to satisfy the recruits, more training equipment, when a recruit seemed to damage one. All in all, you were satisfied, especially when the first pay day rolled in.
You also noted that your colleagues, without fail, always seem to talk about a specific group of soldiers, such as Friday evening, when you all found yourself eating an early dinner.
"Soap is so sweet! He's always so generous when we talks to me, although I can't lie, I don't know what the fuck he says half the time." Your colleague rambles, shoving a spoon full of Friday's roast dinner into his mouth.
Another agreed, "Nothing beats the dilf of a man - Captain John Price. I may be chewing steak but that ain't the meat I want in my mouth, if you get what I mean-"
You choked, "Margaret, you're married with grand-kids, lord."
After a quiet but much needed conversation, you learnt about the most well-known team within the base, Task Force One-Four-One, lead by Captain John Price, forming of Johnny 'Soap' Mactavish, Kyle 'Gaz' Garrick, and the one you were most curious about - Simon 'Ghost' Riley.
"But like, why Ghost? If he's close to this Soap dude, why not call yourself Shampoo or something?"
Your colleagues laughed at your naivety glancing at each other.
"My dear, I don't dare to call him anything other than Lieutenant. He's entered a 10 metre radius of mine, and I've already pissed myself." One stated.
"I've heard he threatened to attack Katherine, just because she overcharged him, long story short, she quit." Another replied.
It seemed you didn't understand how feared Ghost really was...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the time you all had finished dinner, the staff split up, some going back to the canteen to prepare dinners for the soldiers finishing training, some going to clean up the barracks, and you found yourself going back to your designated shop.
Aah, this is peaceful. You mumbled, drinking your hot chocolate, whilst sorting out all the army boots on display.
As the clock strikes 10 p.m. though, the silence is broken and you hear a stampede of soldiers, once you assume had come back from a month long mission. The majority of them, from what you'd heard, sprinted to the canteen to rid themselves of their strictly MRE diet, and finally eat some home cooked food, whilst others ran off to their freshly cleaned barracks to get some well-deserved sleep.
Your little shop also seemed to be quite busy, a long queue waiting to buy water bottles, bandages, blankets, you name it. From nearby chatter from the tired soldiers, it seems most of the teams had arrived back from Afghanistan, a successful mission with no death and a few minor injuries.
An hour goes by and the queue dies down to around 6 people, with one at the till: Jordan.
"So a water bottle, that would be £1.50, payin- my God, Jordan?" You smiled, getting in front of the counter and pulling into a hug. He smelt like dusty and you joked that 1 bottle of water wouldn't suffice to rinse him of the smell.
"I haven't seen you in forever, it's been like 6 months? How's the job been treating you?" He enquiries, placing a kiss against your forehead. By now, the nearly empty shop turns to face the both of you, many assuming the situation to be a couple reuniting.
You and Jordan continue to catch up on everything - his mission, your job...Margaret's obsession with which positions she can take Captain Price in...
"Bro, she was going so in depth into the many ways she can contort her waist for, what she calls, the Price penis?!" You pull your most fake-disgusted face, as Jordan cackles loudly.
But his laugh falls short as a deep scruffy voice interrupts him-
"The only thing being wasted right now, is my time. Hurry the fuck up and pay for your shit. You act like we have all the time in the fucking world."
You jump slightly at the harsh words, although this is a military base, you should be used to this foul language.
"My guy, she said waist, not waste-" Jordan begins, before straightening his back and realising who he was talking to.
He turns around to face the man's voice, his back now turned to you, obstructing your view of the unknown soldier.
"Lie-Lieutenant. My apologies! Lemme grab this water and get out of your way," Jordan nervously chuckles, you can't see who he's talking to, but you can tell this was a man of higher authority, given how Jordan stutters. "Ooh, I see what you wanted to buy! Gloves, nice, socks, cool, Coc-Coco pops?!"
"My fucking God Biggs, the only thing big about you is your stupidity and your pussy attitude, grab your shit and go. Stop holding the fucking line, mate." The male's British accent is so prominent with every word enunciated, and you wish to never run into this stranger again.
"Sir!" Jordan turns to you, handing you a fiver and awkwardly side hugging you, "Have fun with this jerk wad." He whispers into your hair, before running out the shop, his water bottle still on the counter.
"Jordan your bottle-"
Holy shit.
After Jordan moves, your eyes feast before you, revealing a godly 225 lb man, standing at an impressive 1.89 metres, dressed in his dark and intimidating casual attire, his face hidden behind a skeleton mask, his piercing eyes squinted and penetrating into your shorter frame, his biceps bulging out of his sweatshirt, his shoulders broad, his trousers failing to hold his impressive bulg-
"Are you going to continue gawking at me like a fuckin' donkey or should I not pay for this shit?" He huffs out in disappointment.
Rude. Plain rude. Sexy...but rude.
Now you know why Jordan couldn't move a muscle when faced with this guy. Putting 2 to 2 together, you clocked. The way other soldiers left the shop as he entered. The way one look from him gets them to shut up so quickly. The skeleton mask-
"We- I- Um-" What the hell? Why can't you form a damn sentence?
"I- I- I don't give a damn. My shit, here." He mocks you, slamming his items on the counter. By now, the other customers have scurried off in fear. It's now you and Ghost in the shop.
You nod, humming a yes, eyebrows furrowing at his unkind words.
The next few moments are followed by near silence, the only sounds being the scanning of the items and your quickening breath. His foot begins tapping rapidly, as sign that you're taking to long.
It's uncomfortabl-
"The old hag before you's gone then."
Yes, Ghost, she is. And if you keep acting like this, I will be too. You grunt a response, unable to find the right words.
"£28.50" You say curtly, after a while. He hums in response, pulling his wallet to pay.
You watch him nervously, you did not expect to see one of the most respected soldiers in front of you so soon. Someone so handsome, someone so fucking sexy, but someone so fucking bitchy...
Oh. You said that last bit out loud.
Ghost pauses his actions, his head slowly craning upwards, his gaze drinking you in.
Your eyes meet his, quickly looking back at the counter, unable to meet his furrowed but amused glare.
"'m so bitchy, but you seem to love it, sweetheart. So red, like you're fucking in love with me or something." He scowls, slapping a £20 note on the counter.
"Maybe next time stopping droolin' over other men when you have your own cunt of a boyfriend." He mutters, before taking his shit and leaving. You don't fail to catch the smirk in his voice, as he exits your shop, loud footsteps booming behind him.
Oh my god.
You were at a loss of words. You were also at a loss of £8.50.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Jordy, you don't fuckin' get it! Dickhead left the place, without paying the full fucking price, mind you." Frustration was evident in your voice.
"Bitchy and broke," Jordan snickers.
"And the audacity to call you my boyfriend? Bye." You huff in annoyance, whilst Jordan chokes on his spit. If anything, he was a like a brother to you!
A week has gone by since that first encounter and your conversations with Jordan at the shop, when he passes by, always seem to end up at the topic of Ghost. The way he glares at you as you walk past him in the corridors. The way he sees you struggling when you carry boxes upon boxes- oh he won't help you, by the way. When you ask, he simply scoffs, "You're getting paid and you don't even want to do your job?"
Since that day, you've met all of the Task Force members. Price was as Margaret mentioned, sexy. Soap, comical, Gaz, kind-hearted, Ghost...yeah, he's there.
"But you don't get it man, he's so big- like over 6 foot! And those eyes- man those eyes. So condescending...but so hot..." you continue.
"Damn Margaret wannabe, we get it." Jordan jokes, drinking his can coke - which he didn't pay for. You'll tell him later.
As you both converse, loud footsteps enter the store.
Ghost. Again.
Did I mention he's been in here every day since the first time?
8 a.m. sharp, the moment you clock in for your shift, and 10 p.m. on the dot. Fucker's so annoying, he'll stay around the shopfloor, lazily looking at the various protein bars, even after you state the shop is already 10 minutes past closing.
But you don't mind. His silently stares at you, as if trying to remember the exact location of every beauty spot on your face, the consequent reddening of your cheeks, the slight touches of his rough callous fingers brushing against your own. All this unspoken tension, leads to your every thought being consumed by Simon Riley.
And when he enters the shop, wow. Buys the most random unnecessary shit ever. You notice how he walks in and purchases his singular Coco Pops cereal bar, day after day. This man isn't sick of them?
I mean, come o-
"Your obsession with me is flattering." He states.
Oh, forgot to mention, he's still an asshole. But at least after rehearsing to yourself in the mirror, you can actually speak up for yourself.
"Guh- buh- we- u-" Fuck's sake.
But he actually laughs this time. A loud imploding chuckle exits his mouth, and you actually smile a little at this unfamiliar emotion.
You can't tell what his face is doing under the mask, but his voice suggests a small smile rests on his face, but it soon disappears before he coughs awkwardly.
"Your boyfriend's in the infirmary by the way." He looks away, emphasising boyfriend a little too roughly.
You stare in confusion. Boyfriend? He picks up on this.
"Biggs. Rolled his ankle or some shit. Dunno why he can't just man it up. I've had worse injuries." He mumbles, smiling under his mark slightly, assuming Jordan isn't in fact your boyfriend.
Your eyes widen, "Jordy? Wha-who-how?"
"He-" But before he can answer your question, you're running out the shop to the infirmary, stealing a snack from the shelf for Jordan.
You fail to notice that you'd left a dejected Ghost at the counter, who'd picked up 2 coco pops instead of 1 this time, his smile faltering, as he planned to give you the 2nd, as a token of apology for his impolite behaviour.
In the end, he realised he'd been holding onto a ghost of a connection, overshadowed by the presence of another man.
He winces, being left alone at the till, hoping to actually strike up a conversation with you, as he gathers his (unpaid) belongings and walks out the door, off to shout at any rando that dares get in his way.
yALL its 2.30 a.m. and i'm craving coco pops-
Welcome back❤️ also I'm going to unis next year, if you don't mind me asking what's your major lol?would you recommend?
Econ major 😻 learning about money but I got none 😁
Honestly I'd recommend it, because I found it interesting in high school, but really choose a major that you'd enjoy (yes I definitely didn't look at the careers and salaries post grad...)
But good luck next year !!
It doesn't get any better <3
Okay so I'm rereading Tulips and Roses, and omds there's so many spelling errors 💀💀💀
I wanna say it's cos English isn't my first language, but it practically is...
And everytime I try to edit them, Tumblr glitches and the changes aren't saved-
lord i need part 3 of if i meant something to you to have a happy ending for reader at least 😭🙏 other than that i love tulips and roses so glad i found you
THANK U FOR FINDING ME 😄
What if I fucked around and gave reader a sad ass ending heheheheh-
Read inpressive yet unimpressed and if I was reader I’d tear him a new one and be saying stuff like
“you care more about reputation than me. You beat me up because you went fucking crazy and acted all high and mighty! You can forget a wedding or an Austrian cottage or children. The only purpose you’ll serve in life is being a soldier and then letting your rotting body be fertilizer for the forest!”
Probs would get into more detail about it. I’m petty🥰💅🏻
REEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAALLLL
thanks for the inspo 😹😹😹
Toxic!Ghost and ...not you
You're friend wants you to meet a special someone, and he happens to be closer to you than you think. Literally. Word Count: 4.3k
You look up from your laptop at your best friend Michaela, who has blabbering about her new fling for an hour now. You hum in acknowledgment, but come on ... you're not really listening.
"And he has a sick motorcycle, but he's never let me on it..." She drones on.
"Uh huh."
"And he said I would look prettier with longer hair! Which I think means he finds me already a little pretty...?"
"Wow, I agree..."
"And- YO ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME?"
You shut your laptop and focus wholly on her. "Mickey I love you, but this is the eighth guy you've loved this year. Whose to say this is gonna work out?"
Mickey sulks into your bed as you lecture her, finally being able to pour out your emotions.
"The last guy, who you planned a wedding for, you ended up dumping 'cos he reminded you of wet ketchup." You complain, moving your hands around over-dramatically. "And the dick before that, couldn't even pronounce your name correctly-"
"To be fair, Mickey is quite a hard name-" She butts in.
"It's a fucking Disney character, for Christs sake, who the fucks Missy? Listen, Mick, I'm happy for you, but you keep on dating douches, and then a month later, you come back crying to me about it. This isn't good for you or for me, you know how busy I am on this thesis."
Mickey's face contorts to a look of displeasure and betrayal, her eyes squinting as if she's trying to restraint the tears that look like they're about to burst in a moment.
She looks away before recollecting her thoughts, "I- I just thought you'd be happy for me-"
"I am Mickey! I really am! But it's like you search up 'world's most toxic asshat' and decide to bone the dude. They never treat you well Mick...come on, even a blind guy can see that..."
Your friend looks down, playing with the hem of her jumper, as if she's carefully considering your words, but you know her enough to know that she doesn't care for her advice. 4 weeks from now, and shes going to be sitting on your bed bawling her eyes out over another prick.
"You really are the worst, you know that?" She mumbles almost inaudibly, before getting up and heading towards the door of your dingy flat. You call out her name, telling her to come back, but give it a month, she'll come back trying over a different person.
It's a dark stormy Friday night, not even a week since your last contact with her, and there's already a brash pattern of knocks bombarding at your door. You look up from your laptop, almost a quarter into your thesis.
I swear if it's my fucking landlord again... You think as you grab a bat to protect yourself with, Mickey always complains about how dangerous your neighbourhood is.
You sigh out of relief when you peer through the peephole, it's Michaela...but she looks hysterical.
"Mickey...hey listen, I didn't mean what I said..." You start when you open the door to her furrowed eyebrows and hiccuped sobs.
"H- He- He keeps ghosting me-" She tries.
"Mickey, what's going on, who-"
She digs her face into the nook of your right shoulder, and your sharp nose detected the slight smell of booze, "Saw him at the grocery store, b-but he ignored me."
"Michaela honey, sit down. Okay what's going on." You bring her to your bed.
And so she tells you all about it. About the new guy that she's been seeing for 2 weeks now, how she met him at a new bar opening in your area, about how he sweet talked her into buying her a few drinks, and how he drove her home like a real gentleman. Your face scrunches when she accidentally spills about the part how rough he pounded her in her bedroom, with both her wrists tightly gripped and bound by one of his large callous hands, as he bent her over her desk.
The skillful way in which he dug his hips into her ass, 'thrusting into her like God told him to' as she put it. You mumble a little blasphemous when you hear that part.
A few more, 'Oh the dick was so good, I can't, I'm obsessed' and 'He fucked me like my future husband would', and she finally stops, her train of tears coming to a halt and she blankly stares at your ceiling, laying on your bed.
You nod dimly, not knowing whether to use the pep talk that you'd used for the last guy.
"What's this guy's name again?" You question her.
She shrugs, without energy, and the idea of injecting with a tranquiliser faintly disappears from your mind.
You look at her with amusement. "What do you mean-" you shrug, mocking her actions, "Does he have an ugly name like the other guy...what was...oh, Lester?"
Mickey snorts, looking up at you, "Lester didn't know how to eat me out, like he did."
"You don't need to bring up every sexual detail, Mick..."
"Sorry virgin..." She huffs.
You cringe at her, "Okay, so what's his name, it can't be as bad as Lester." She doesn't respond, her eyes tearing up again, "Um, okay, Imma say some names, tell me if I get it. James, John, Joseph, Jeremy, Jeremia-"
"Why are they all J names?" She mutters.
"Uh hello, you barged into my flat at 11 P.M. and you're drunk, considering how toxic this guy is, it's gotta be a J name. Jerome, Jude, Javon, Julius, Jason-"
"G." She stops you.
"G? Jason with a G...what the...Gason? Yeah, girl, if his name was that ugly, I'd be crying just as hard at you-"
"NO UH." She shouts so loudly, dragging her words, that even the gust of wind stops in fright. "His name starts with G...I think it does at least. He wouldn't tell me his real name...just a nickname."
You nod, as if in agreement, but you stop yourself because you've never been in a similar situation. As much as you love Michaela, you despise almost everything she does.
Like how in 2nd year of university, she missed an exam just so she could go on a date with a guy she was seeing. And she wonders why she had to retake that module over the summer.
There was also the time at your 20th birthday dinner, where she uninvitingly decided to bring her fling for the month, and no, you couldn't the food given the amount of time they decided to share saliva right in front of you.
"Wow Mick, your standards be dropping like this economy." You kid, although some part of you really questions how much truth lied behind that, "So, hit me. Who's this guy you've been seeing. Tell me about him."
"You for real?" She smiles sweetly at you, and for a second, every bone of hate towards her actions wash away. At the end of the day, she still is your best friend, and you should support her decision no matter what. That's what friends do, no?
"Yeah. I'm sorry. What's his name...or nickname? What do you call him?" You hold her hands, rubbing above her thumbs.
She sniffs a bit, but her smile doesn't falter, and her cheek blushes at the mere thought of him.
"His name is Ghost."
It's official. This was the worst guy Mickey has dated.
You've made a list of all people she's been with, ranking them with how well they'd treated her.
Okay so, Derek was a pass, he cheated on her with the Philosophy professor...literally worst degree ever. What kinda dumb career can you even go into with that.
Then there's Jonah, reaaaal bad boy, but he screamed like a girl and was way too deep into feminism. Pass, how do you manage to mansplain feminism??
Marc, aspiring footballer. You know what, smash, he was fine, I'll give her that. But then he left to play for Spain and never texted back... But he had dimples, so I'd forgive him.
Oh how did I forget Oliver. Auditioned to be a k-pop idol but lied about being Korean the entire time...pass for sure.
GAAH! There all so trash!
And yet there's another member on this list. Nameless, faceless 'Ghost'.
"What does he look like?" You begin your interrogation.
"Dunno." Mickey shrugs.
"How old is he?"
"Dunno."
"...Career?"
"Dunno."
"Dunno as in you don't know, or dunno as in this freak's unemployed?" You rub your temples in frustration.
Mickey sighs seeing how annoyed you are, she begged and dragged you out of your flat into the bright lights and atmosphere of a cafe.
"I think he's loaded, he-"
You sigh, "You said that about the last guy, and that was just because you couldn't see the minus sign on his online banking app."
"Can you not get annoyed at me for a second? This is my potential husband for all I know." She says exasperatingly.
"Ah yes! Your husband is a nameless, faceless, jobless knobhead who you've had sex with once, talked to...ONCE. Remind me why you're so hooked on this guy? Here's a challenge, don't mention his dick."
An elderly lady sitting on the table besides you two, grumbles and leaves after hearing that.
"...Can I have a sip of your frappe?"
"Oh would you look at that! Princess Mickey DOES know how to ask a question! You couldn't just, I don't know....ASK for his name? Don't act like this was the hardest thing you've done, remember when you considered proposing TO A MAN-"
"The only hard thing about Ghost...was his penis."
The cafe goes silent when she blurts that out.
You sigh for what felt like the 100th time that hour, and you lean in to whisper to Mickey, "Mick, it's been just over a week since you've last seen him- whose to say you'll see him again?"
She rests her head in her hands, clenching her eyes shut at the thought. "I thought I'd run into him again, I don't know...Am I stupid for wanting him so bad?"
Yes, yes you are. You want to say. But you bite your tongue.
"nOoOoO, oF cOuRsE nOt, gah, why'd you say tha- yes. Yes, you are." So much for trying, "You don't even remember what he looks like, are you sure we're not stuck looking for a character out of one of your sex dreams?"
Mickey leans in so close to you, that you can smell the coffee breath.
"I know I was drunk, but I swear, I woke up and there was hickeys all over my neck-"
"But you said he was wearing a mask-" You're interrupting her and you can tell it irritates her, with her eyebrow twitching.
"Yes, but I don't remember-"
"What colour was the mask?"
"Uh, black."
"Was it a surgical mask or a balaclava?"
"Um, a baklava."
"Bitch, that's a pastry dish."
"I CAN'T! I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!" Mickey screams, standing up so abruptly, everyone in the cafe stops and turns.
You gasp, purposely loud so everyone can hear, "Are you breaking up with me...because I'm homeless?" All of the cafe goers murmur to each other at the scene in front of them.
"We were at your flat an hour ago, you fool- come on we're going." Mickey hisses, dragging you out the cafe, uncomfortably smiling at all the people that looked at you with sympathy, "No, don't feel bad, apparently a thesis is more to important than my future husband."
The walk home was pleasant, with Mickey hooking her arms around of yours, onlookers may have assumed that you two were a couple. But overall, it was nice being in her presence without the mention of any men.
"Hey look, the room next to yours is vacant. Maybe I should move in!" Mickey points out, when both of you have made it down the stairs of your building.
"I don't want you that often, jeez." You joke.
And for a while, your days do seem to be getting better.
It's been a month since your little cafe date, and you're still stuck at home grovelling through your tedious thesis.
The good news is, you're about 3 quarters in, the bad news is, your new neighbour has no apparent spatial awareness, having blasted his rock music through the floor. Unlucky for you, there's only 3 apartments on the floor of your building: you, Mr Feldman (who you're sure is deaf considering he hasn't made any complaint from the noise) and you're new neighbour, whom you've never met but already hate.
"TURN DOWN YOUR MUSIC DUMBASS." You bang on the door of your neighbour.
Yet no one opens the door and apologises.
In the evening, the noises get worse. Instead of rock, it's a combination of Weeknd songs and the loud female moans and bed shaking next door. Once you'd heard voices that had belonged to 2 women, so you deduced that you lived next to a sex-crazed lesbian.
"Mr Feldman, how are you okay with it?!" You complain. You've had enough of the noise, especially the headboard banging since it seems your neighbours bedroom is just a wall away from yours.
"Okay with what, sweetheart?" The elderly gentleman croaks out, standing at his doorstep.
"The noise! You don't hear the loud ass music?" You groan, having being repeating yourself for a 2nd time.
"Yes, the music is ass, but it isn't loud." Mr Feldman says, his finger tapping at his chin, comically pondering with his jurassic-age brain.
You roll your eyes, walking away and towards your own room, "How- I feel forgetting how old you truly are...."
"I heard that."
"I really doubt you did." You shut the door on him.
This is a real issue, not like the ones Mickey has with men, you can't focus on your thesis, this could seriously jeopardise your education.
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: have u talked to ur landlord
ᵇʳᵒˢᶦᶜᵏˡᵉˢ: duh i unleashed my inner karen, but he isnt doing anything cos this dick offered to pay almost double the rent for his flat
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: damn he loaded
ᵇʳᵒˢᶦᶜᵏˡᵉˢ: yet he cant afford earphones apparently
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: why dont u get him some
ᵇʳᵒˢᶦᶜᵏˡᵉˢ: wat
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: as a joke
ᵇʳᵒˢᶦᶜᵏˡᵉˢ: hm thats funny mickey
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: thanks who am i talking to again
So you did just that, you placed a pair of pink wired earphones in his mailbox... which happened to be right next to yours. And you waited.
And waited.
And a week later, and no response.
Your neighbour definitely doesn't know that he has a mailbox does he? A week since you're little prank, and yet you can still hear the music through the walls so loud, you think you've developed tinnitus. The throbbing in your ears is so painful, sometimes you feel phantom drips of blood running down your ear.
"Asshole doesn't even turn down the music. Come on, play some Beyonce at least."
Mickey snickers, she's on your bed texting other people.
"You're not even listening, are you?" You throw a pillow at her playfully to get her attention.
"Babe, it's 1 in the afternoon and I can't hear any music now, let's not start the day like this. Say, there's a lil get together in that bar down the road, you there?" She says, but you're not even sure she's talking to you as she hadn't looked up to you since saying that.
You crack your neck from exhaustion, "Nah I'll pass, need to finish a draft of my thesis and sen-"
"Blah blah blah, all I hear are excuses, thesis this thesis that." She rolls her eyes.
"Yeah, well you would have failed high school and university if not for me. So you paying with cash or card?" You boast.
Mickey gets up, dusting herself, "Listen I gotta dash, but I better see you there- it starts at 11."
"Woah, wait, which bar, who's going, what's the dress code- Okay you're gone."
And for a first time in a while, you're stuck in your room alone, without the loud obnoxious music and without anyone constantly whining at you. Peace and silence-
Hold on, what's that?
You press your ear against your bedroom wall, which is funny considering you usually complain about the noise. It's not music, it's more sultry and sexual. Deep and gruff moans escaping someone, and this time it's actually enjoyable to listen to. Nothing like those pornstar like squeals you were used to, no. This was more raw.
The way his voice broke at certain points combined with the lazy irregular slick noises, which you imagined to be his dick slipping through his tight, cocooned fist.
"Fuck, mhm."
That voice.
If this was the voice of your neighbour, you would have never complained about the commotion. Was this why Mr Feldman has no issue with the noise? Was he blessed with the intimidating whimpers next door?
You press further, ignoring the growing wetness pooling at your underwear. You could tell he started thrusting faster, his voice increasing in volume just a little bit.
You could tell he's close.
But some part of you wanted to deny him of this pleasure.
So instead of touching yourself with your neighbour, you're standing right in front of his door, banging against the door frame with all the might you can muster, you fear you might break it down.
The door opens.
And you're face to face with your neighbour.
And a minute the warmth between your legs actually makes sense. Because you're neighbour isn't a sex crazed lesbian...you're neighbour is a-
"Sex God,"
"Excuse me?" His voice is deeper when he's talking.
"... I said, oh God. Can you keep the music down?" You reroute your words, drinking in the appearance of this beast in front of you.
He's tall, maybe a few inches taller than 6 foot, with short dusty blonde hair, and a prominent scar running through his thin but well moisturised lips. And his jawline, wow, the Gods above must have spent eons perfecting his jaw structure-
"'m sorry. But uh, hey thanks for the earphones." He pulls out one of the hot pink earbud from his ear.
You blush, he had seen his gift, "Uh huh, how'd you know it's from me?"
"Y' think old man Feldman's gonna buy a bloke hello kitty earphones?" He kids.
"Maybe, it's 2024. Live and let live. Don't be shocked if you see Feldman walking around in a skirt." And you're surprised he laughs your joke, admiring the crease lines by his mouth when he smiles, almost forgetting that you had an imagine in your head that he was the worst possible neighbour alive...
"Cute." He comments, looking down at you.
"Me...? Or are you visualising Feldman....." You drag your words, until he laughs again, leaning onto his door frame and just then you understand why Mickey would chase guys the way she does.
"No, please, he's not my type. I lean towards um...cute, short neighbours."
"You're literally just describing Feldman, dude,"
"That's on me," he smiles widely at you, "If I had known it was you banging on my door, I'd 'ave opened it a while back." He flirts.
You blink at him, no ones ever flirted with you. What would Mickey do? No, she'd just snog him this very moment. I mean, what's stopping you?
"If I'd known you were my neighbour, I'd be banging you a while back. Wait."
There's a pause in the conversation and you're too scared to correct yourself. "I-"
But he cuts you off, letting out the loudest laughs at that you'd ever heard, almost as if he was cursed not to laugh and it had finally been broken. The type where he hand gently grabs your shoulder and you could almost feel the vibrations from his broad chest.
What a sight.
"You know what I meant." You giggle, wait, when did you start giggling?
His laugh ends in a fit of small coughs, "Didn't catch your name, dove."
You introduce yourself, opting not to sticking your hand out like you're in a job interview.
But he does it for you, placing one large callous hand in front of you, for you to shake.
"Simon." He says as he kisses the back of your hand.
You thought when you met Simon, that you two had bonded, like he was about to ask you out bonded, but alas you were wrong.
You laid in bed the rest of the day, intending to complete a draft for your thesis, yet instead you found yourself on Sims creating a family for you and your beloved Simon. And a short nap later, you wait up to over 20 notifications from your friend.
4 missed calls from ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: yoooo wru??? its 11:30
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: HOEEEE WAKE UP
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: fuck ur thesis come hereee im drunk
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: BABE THE GHOST GUY IS HERE NO JOKE
5 missed calls from ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: you better be dead
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: oml he saw me
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: black baklava btw
2 missed calls from ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: hehehehe im going back to his place
ᴹᶦᶜᵏᵉʸᴹᵒᵘˢᵉᶜˡᵘᵇʰᵒᵘˢᵉ: if i die yk where im at yh
Oh shit. It's past midnight, you try calling Mickey but her phone goes straight to voicemail, curse her and her DND.
You start looking for your keys, there's no way you're attending the party, you're just going to pick her up from whomever's place she's at and take her home.
"Mhm, doll, jus' like that."
You pause in your step. Mickey's safe right? A quick listen wont hurt anyone.
"'lil deeper pretty girl, yeah, like that."
Some part of you wishes it was porn Simon was watching, and that God was playing a cruel joke on you, introducing you to the prettiest guy you've seen, and now suddenly you're stuck hearing him fuck someone else? Yeah, you've heard it before but...this time it made you feel uneasy.
This time you knew who was behind the voice, you knew who was moaning. And forgive me, but you thought you had a connection, no? That talk earlier today...did it mean nothing?
And when did he suddenly become so vocal? What was so special about this girl than the others?
You stand still, with your ear pressed so tightly against the wall, you've probably left a mark against it. And his moans never stop.
And hers start. For a second you feel like you recognise the female voice, but through the slurs and hand-covered whimpers (you presume), you can't figure out if it was familiar to you or not.
You flinch when the head boards banging, and you feel yourself throwing every romantic thought you've had of this man when you hear his degrading tone towards her.
"C’mon, make yourself cum on my cock, dove."
You gulp hearing him use the nickname he gave you on someone else.
30 minutes of torture.
You stood against that wall, with your ear so firmly pressed, someone might have thought it was glued on. The only sounds you were focused on was his whimpers and you caught the way his voice broke when he spoke, and your infrequent breathes.
When the noises stopped, you stepped back in embarrassment. You felt so shameful practically peering into a man's sex life. How disgusting are you truly?
You reach into your pockets, feeling for your keys and your phone, suddenly remembering Mickey's whereabouts.
ᵇʳᵒˢᶦᶜᵏˡᵉˢ: just woke up
You lied. You couldn't ever tell someone of today.
ᵇʳᵒˢᶦᶜᵏˡᵉˢ: omw wru
You open your door, feeling the abrupt urge to surround yourself within nature after doing something so distasteful. And if it couldn't get any worse...
Simon's door opens.
One part of you wants to turn and see which lucky girl had the opportunity to getting plowed by him, and yet the other part knew you'd immediately crumble at the thought of it not being you.
"Oh my god! That's why this place looks so familiar....!"
You widen your eyes, your breathe getting caught once again.
"Mickey...?" You whisper, not even turning your head to look at the horror next door.
"Yes, it's me silly. Come here, want you to meet someon- oh can't walk, fuck." She giggles, barely conscious.
You turn your head towards her slowly, like a movie character.
It's Mickey in the flesh, wearing jeans and a black tube top that had been worn so sloppily, you were almost scared you were going to get flashed. She smiles innocently at you were half lidded eyes.
"Oh...I-"
A figure walks out, dressed in a blue-gray 3/4 sweater and a hood, and you swear you feel yourself sinking into the ground. Could this get any worse.
And your wishes were answered. Mickey turns back to press a vulgar, almost cringe-worthy kiss against his clothed jaw, and you shift your eyes down... to see his dark jeans... and the zip undone. You turn your head around, almost debating to ignore the couple and lock yourself into your bedroom until death overcomes you. Your darting eyes rest on his face, begging for him to say something to remove the awkwardness.
Yet, something about Simon was different...
His eyes bore deeply into your soul as if trying to read you, his once kind face contorted into a look of pure disgust, like he were looking into the eyes of a killer. This didn't look like the man you talked to this morning...
His eyes drag down over your crooked frame, a raised eyebrow twitching almost in mock sympathy. To make it worse, he had his arms crossed so tightly around him, he looked like the human epitome of a 'side eye'.
You pray to God it's the effects of alcohol. Or maybe you're the drunk one! Maybe you're sleeping and this is all just a dream, or nightmare...
You put your hands on the doorknob, wanting to resign yourself from this situation when your eyes drift back to Mickey, who seems to have taken the liberty of speaking.
"I want you meet the guy I was talking to you about. His name is Ghost."
First of all, thank you all for 6200 likes and 300 followers?!!!! THE BEST <3 Also, my writing schedule is so poor, I'll try to update as much as possible!! tags -> @lilliumrorum , @kxtz3 , @poohkie90, @rainlovesyou12 , @restrictionsapply-blog , @lunamoonbby , @nigthmar3moon , @thychuvaluswife , @itsnourm , @bubusi11, @chessecakelover , @owkittie, @cheomain , @corvusmorte , @k4es , @mandythemint , @copiasratscheese , @yyiikes , @funkyysho3es, @delta98-idk , @spankmydepression , @yourfavbabigirl
i literally check ur acc everyday for part 3😭
NOOO IM SORRY ITS COMING PROMISE IM HALFWAY THRU
I’m a bit late to “if I meant something to you” but I JUST READ PART 2 & 3 AND OMG IT WAS SO GOOD EJWJSNDNF
I CANT BELIEVE SHE JUST FUCKING SNAPS AT THE END LIKE YES GIRL YOU DID THAT 😍
It was so good I loved it 🫶 keep up the good work!!!
— 🌘 !
Let's be real the girl had to grow a pair - AND THANK UUU
cutest emoji !! 🌘🌘🌘