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Alastair knew his cousin joined the military because of him, he knew this because John wouldn't shut up about it when he was finally allowed in. He still remembers the phone call, John was so ecstatic.
It had been years and he hasn't seen John since. He knows he isn't dead but his whereabouts are beyond him. Now he was busy, up to his ears in paperwork after being promoted to Lieutenant. It was hard work but it was worth it in the end.
Whispers spread fast in the military; it was a known fact. When murmurs of a secret elite task force started popping up he kept an eye on it. All he had gathered thus far was that there were supposedly 5 members.
The only thing that was close to agreed upon was that a skull-masked man was one of the members, he doubted that.
He listened and watched until one day Captain Macmillan informed him that an old friend's team would stay on base for a while. "Ey don worry bout em Price will keep em in line."
He just agreed and didn't ask more questions. If Macmillan didn't elaborate it meant you weren't supposed to know more, asking questions would only piss him off.
The day arrived and a helo landed. Macmillan stood by his side with a wide smile. First out the helo was a man about as tall as Macmillan, he wore a bucket hat and had mutton chops.
"Mac, long time no see my friend." The man greeted, definitely British, the familiarity surprised him. He had never seen or heard anyone refer to the Captain as Mac.
"Good and how is my old lieutenant doing?" Macmillan shot right back as he pulled the man into a hug. Alistair blinked in surprise, which explained the familiarity.
Another man appears and takes a place next to the man in the bucket hat, he has on sunglasses and a baseball cap. "You must be Captain Macmillan. We've heard lots about you, it's an honor." Another brit.
"Pleasures all mine. A friend of Price's is a friend of mine." His captain responds and shakes the offered hand from the new man.
"Mac, this is Sargent Garrick, my right hand. Goes by Gaz."
Macmillan nods before looking past the two men and raises his eyebrows, he looks to where his captain is looking and sees what has got his attention.
A man at least 6'4" in all-black tactical gear and a balaclava with a skull sewn onto it. He has to look up as the man approaches. He meets two eyes surrounded by black one brown one blue.
"Ye must be Ghost." Macmillan says with a smile not offering a hand to shake. The man, Ghost, nods.
Another man…just…appears next to Ghost and waves excitedly. He had on a brown mask that covered the lower half of his face. Apple green eyes and a mop of light brown hair. He was the shortest of the group made even more obvious by the man he took a place next to.
Price chuckles, "This is Sargent Sanderson he goes by Roach, he doesn't talk much." Roach offers out a hand vibrating in place, and Macmillan takes it with a wide smile.
"How rude of me." Macmillan says before gesturing to Alistair, "This is my lieutenant, MacTavish."
"MacTavish," Ghost says tone void of emotions—yet another brit.
"YE BAMPOT'S YE COULD AV WAITED FARE ME!"
He blinked hard, turning quickly towards the all too familiar voice. John meets his eyes and freezes, for a moment it's silent.
"JOHN WHAT TE FUCK AR YE DOING ER?!"
"ME WHAT ARE YE DOING HERE?!"
The argument soon devolves into Scotts to the point where only Macmillan can understand what is being said.
Both Price and Macmillan try to stop the squabble but neither can.
"JOHNNY THAT'S ENOUGH!"
The booming voice causes everyone to freeze in place looking wide-eyed at the origin. Ghost was glaring at the two MacTavishs…Mactavi?
John looked like a chastised puppy, and Alistair was looking between his cousin and Ghost repeatedly. NO ONE calls John Johnny, the last person he had seen do that got a fist to the face.
"Sorry Lt," John replies with a rye smile.
Price and Macmillan share a look, Gaz looks amused and Roach was suppressing a laugh.
"Mac this is my MacTavish, he's a sergeant, and goes by Soap." Price explained exasperatedly. Macmillan gives an understanding look.
"SOAP!?" He barked looking extremely confused. John just raised an eyebrow in challenge.
"I'm going to regret this but what's the relation?" Macmillan asks.
"Alistair is my cousin, he's the one that got me wanting to join the military."
"So it's his fault I have to deal with exploding microwaves?" Price asked
Macmillan and himself look at Soap, and Soap just smirks. Things move quickly after that, Price's men move into the base. The other soldiers on base gawk at the additions.
Soap comes up to his side, and Ghost follows on the Sergeant's heels. He wonders if John knows his Lieutenant is so close, the man is terrifying all bulk, muscle, and brooding energy.
Soap and he talk and it's nice but he has so many questions, however, he can't ask any of them right now. At some point, he made an offhand comment, and Soap asked Ghost his opinion. Ghost had given a clipped response. So Soap did know Ghost was following close behind them.
Eventually, they get to the rooms they have been given two for the three Sargent's to fight over, Ghost was given his own and so was Price who he learned was their Captain. The Sargent's shared a look and Roach took one room and Gaz the other, he was confused but opted not to say anything.
Ghost had entered his room and to Alistair's surprise, John had followed on his heels. He looked to Macmillan who was looking at Price, Price for his part just shrugged.
"Didn't happen, nothing is going on, and uhh.. oh yeah all my men follow all regulations blah blah blah."
Macmillan laughs.
~
10 minutes later they are all gathered in the mess hall, Price and Macmillan haven't separated and Gaz is following them like a duckling. Roach is signing to Ghost and Soap who are responding and signing back in turn. It's strangely domestic, dare he think it.
He makes his way over to Soap food in hand, he takes the seat to Soap's left. Ghost is to Soap's right and Roach is across from them.
Roach turns to him excitedly and starts to sign. Frantically he looks to Soap unsure of what Roach is trying to say, Soap chuckles but translates without a fuss.
"He's asking what you think about our team so far."
He thought for a second before responding, "I haven't gotten to know the lot o ye yet but Macmillan trusts ye and so does John, I doubt er bad people."
Roach nods his head, seeming to understand his point. Ghost is watching the interaction while occasionally taking a bite of his food. He moves the mask up before taking a bite and then quickly pulls it back down.
He can't get a good look and wouldn't pry anyway. Price, Gaz and Macmillan join them soon after. Together they eat and catch up before being set free to roam the base, Ghost takes off immediately Roach right behind him. Gaz and Price walk the opposite way and Macmillan leaves to continue his work. The cousins are left alone.
"It's been a long time huh John?"
"Ey, how av ye been?" Soap seems happy and excited to continue their conversation.
"Good but not as good as you it seems. Getting cozy with your Lieutenant?"
Soap goes bright red. Scratching the back of his neck, he tries to defend himself. "Well, ye see uhh… it's a little more complicated than that….."
"Is it now?" He asks, raising an eyebrow doubtfully.
"Look…I don't know exactly what me an Ghost have going on. I don't think either of us do, to be frank. We've saved each other's lives countless times, I owe him everything."
It's silent for a moment, "You love him don't you?" He asks John even though he already knew the answer. Even if his cousin hadn't quite figured it out for himself.
John didn't say anything for a long moment he looked past him lost in his own head, rubbing at his shoulder absentmindedly.
"So much Alistair, so fucking much ye have no idea, I wanna interduce I'm to Ma and me sisters. I want te show im Glasgow and the beautiful forests, I want to give I'm everything even though he didn't think he deserves it."
He was stunned, he hadn't realized John was that gone on the man. His cousin looked absolutely love struck and it was adorable, he just hoped Ghost wouldn't break his heart.
~
The 141 joined them for training the next morning, sparring with members on base and with each other, they were extremely impressive. They ran circles around the other soldiers, even the higher ranks.
However Ghost stood out, his skill was unmatched. He was an unstoppable force, even Macmillan gave it a shot only to be unceremoniously put on his ass. He didn't go down without a fight though and it was pretty close, however he still lost.
Ghost would even offer corrections and ways to improve when watching matches. He had learned a lot from the other Lieutenant.
Eventually Soap got in the ring with Ghost, it was the best fight of the session. They were polar opposites matched exactly. Soap was speed and evasion, Ghost power and force.
Yin and yang.
The fight was close, scarily close. Ghost had just barely beaten him, once Ghost got up he offered a hand and Soap took it standing. Soap walked over to him grinning. Soon most soldiers left to do other tasks once again leaving the 141 Macmillan and himself.
In the rec room now soap was retelling the events of Las Almas. Price was grumbling something about classified information, and Gaz said something about not telling Laswell.
He was glad John made it out OK, and that he had Ghost looking out for him. ALSO, TAKING ON A TANK AND WINNING?!?! John was more accomplished than him. It boggled his mind that Soap was only a Sargent.
Ghost was sat next to Soap, occasionally making snarky comments or giving insight on the time at Las Almas. The two bickered like an old married couple. They would also finish thoughts for the other, Soap starts and gets stuck on the wording and Ghost just finishes it for him.
The two were different halves of the same whole.
Ghost didn't talk much if it wasn't directed at Soap, but just his presence alone was almost a comfort weirdly enough. Around twenty minutes later Price got a call, he stood and left the room.
"Think it's Laswell?" Gaz asked his team, "Probably, not many other people call Price. It's one o like seven people and tree o us are here, that leaves Laswell, Nickolai, Alex, an Farah." Soap ticked off his fingers as he named people.
"Nickolai never really calls, an Farah n Alex are always busy. That leaves Laswell, an better question when isn't it Laswell?" Soap finishes with a raised brow. Gaz and Roach nod along and Ghost makes an agreeing noise.
Price comes back in ten minutes later, "Alright you muppets Laswell says we have a mission in three days, so we will have more information tomorrow. She says it's some terrorist cell with ties to Shadow company." Price told his team as he scratched at his beard.
"Guess Shepard lent them out to not-so-savory people as well." Ghost said with a roll of his eyes. "Mercenaries are mercenaries," Gaz said with a scowl.
Later at lunch, Alistair got his first view of the lower half of Ghost's face. Glasgow smile scars branch from either side of his mouth. Another scar went straight through the right side of his lips, it looked like it healed wrong leaving a bit of his teeth visible.
On the lower left side of his face was a burn scar. It traveled down his neck to under his shirt, also on his neck was a thin scar clean across. It looked like someone had tried slitting his throat. There was light stubble covering the unmarred skin of his lower face.
He didn't look long, he respected the anonymity thing and went back to eating his own food. He looked over to Macmillan to see him looking at the revealed portion. He to looked away just as quickly.
The rest of the day wasn't eventful, now he took a step outside the barracks grabbing a cigarette. The quiet of the night and the cool breeze was calming. He lit his cigarette and took a drag.
"Come on Si please." John's familiar voice caught his attention. Looking over he saw the familiar silhouette of his cousin, and next to him the hulking figure of who he could only assume was Ghost.
"I said no Johnny stop being difficult." Ghost sounded annoyed and fond in equal measures. "What if I begged ye?" The scott only sounded half joking,"........ It might convince me." The Lieutenant sounded interested, he raised a brow trying to get a better look at the pair.
"Oh Lieutenant Simon Riley, will ye please show me er bonnie face again," John begged, sounding mostly serious. Ghost let out an annoyed huff before reaching for the mask. In one smooth motion, the balaclava was removed and held down at his side.
He could only see the back of Ghost's head, but he could see John's face. John's face lit up in the dim light of the moon, "Ye really are a bonnie lad Si, quite te opposite indeed." John sounded reverent as he reached up and cupped Ghost's face.
Ghost visibly leaned into the touch like a cat seeking affection. John practically melted on the spot looking somehow even more love struck. John brought up his other hand, now cupping Ghost's face in both hands.
Leaning forward and resting their foreheads together, Ghost spoke again, "Thank you…" The tone was fragile and unlike anything he had heard from the mountain of a man previously.
"Can I kiss ye?" John asks softly. Ghost nods minutely. John leans forward pressing his lips to Ghost's, it only lasted a moment, but Ghost ended up melting into the Sargent.
Alistair turns around leaving them alone once again cigarette forgotten about. He was happy for them and maybe it was meant to be. Either way his cousin had gotten this far by himself; he was a big boy.
If he saw Ghost or Simon at the next family gathering attached to John. Well he couldn't say he was surprised, and if it was the most at ease he had ever seen his cousin well he was glad for it