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It was not Ghost’s fault. Not only would Price never blame him just on principle, but everything he did was correct. His actions were trained into him and in fact, if the grenade had landed closer to Price’s boot than his, Price would’ve done exactly the same. If Ghost hadn’t moved as soon as it landed, snatching up the unfamiliar canister, Price might’ve even ordered him to throw it back.
The throw never happened though, because the grenade exploded with a gust of smoke in Ghost’s hand as soon as he touched it. Price made to grab at the bandanna around his neck, but the smoke hit his face faster than he could cover it and he sucked in a breath faster than he could think to not. It looked like it wouldn’t have mattered much anyway, because Ghost was wheezing and coughing right alongside him, despite the mask covering his face.
The canister was dropped from a shaking hand and kicked with a shaking foot, but the damage was already done. Price could feel his body losing strength, his eyes losing sight, his mind losing consciousness. He fell to his knees and reached for his lieutenant, an attempt to grab him and pull him close. Shield him from whatever was happening. Ghost fell against his chest and Price gripped as tightly to his vest as he could before he blacked out.
When he came to on a cold concrete floor, it was to getting pricked in the arm with a needle. He jolted, but he was being held down and his body was still weak from the smoke. He pried his eyes open and his head throbbed as he was temporarily blinded by fluorescent light. He blinked rapidly, eyes darting around as his first thought was “where’s Simon?”
He didn’t have to look for long, Ghost was being held down the same as him not too far from him. He was fighting the people holding him down, shouting at them to “leave him alone” and it took Price a moment to register he meant him. And another moment to grasp that Ghost didn’t have his mask on.
The needle pulled out of Price’s arm and the people holding him down all abruptly pulled back, leaving him on the floor. He struggled to push himself up, noting he was stripped completely and chained by his ankle to the concrete wall beside him. He put his hand on that wall to try to steady himself as he looked around at Ghost again. The people holding him back had also backed off and he was sitting up, shifting into a defensive position as he bared his teeth at the retreating people.
He was similarly chained to the wall and stripped, left with no clothing except a collar looped around his neck. Price’s guts twisted and threatened to revolt at the sight of all his bare skin. Not because the horrific scars, the fit body, or the handsome face disgusted him, but because it meant someone stepped all over the carefully laid boundaries of his friend. He turned his head away, swallowing dryly as he grew steadier.
The room they were in was almost completely made of concrete except for the far wall which had two large one-way mirrors and a heavy metal door in it. The half a dozen assholes that were just pinning them down were filing out through the door and Price was pretty sure, taking up position outside the mirrors. To watch them.
“You alright?” Ghost prompted, “Cap?”
Price looked around at him, blinking rapidly and then nodded sharply.
“What the bloody hell is goin’ on?” Ghost growled under his breath.
Price was getting an idea in his head and he didn’t like it.
“How ya feelin’, lad?” He asked, putting that off until later.
“Worst kinda hung over,” Ghost answered, “What is this?”
He reached up to touch the collar around his neck and as soon as his fingertips brushed it, he spasmed, back arching and head throwing back as he whined through his teeth.
“Ghost!” Price shouted, scrambling as quickly across the short space as he could, “What is it, what’s wrong??”
“Shock collar,” Ghost wheezed, head falling forward, “Not again, damnit.”
Price wanted to grab the collar and rip it off, but it seemed likely it would just shock them both. He gripped Ghost’s upper arm instead, hoping to steady him while he took a few heavy breaths.
“Fuck,” he grunted.
“Sums it all up nicely, I think,” Price muttered.
Ghost shot him a mightily unimpressed, unamused look and Price snorted as he settled beside him, glancing at the door again. It was closed now. There was little to no point in checking it. It was too heavy to even consider budging and there were no handles, locks, or hinges on the inside to try tampering with. Whatever plan of escape they hatched would likely have to involve the door already being open.
Price looked over the chains attaching them to the wall. Might be able to put enough pressure on them through twisting to snap a link, but there was a low percentage chance that would actually work. Even if it did, they’d be at a disadvantage lugging around a length of chain. It would be better to try to get the keys for the padlocks on the ankle pieces or else something they could pick the locks with.
That left the collar to contend with. Presumably it could be controlled by something outside of it, how else would it be able to be put on and taken off? There must be a remote or something with an active toggle to switch on after the deactivated collar was strapped on and off when it was ready to be removed. So either they needed to find the remote or Ghost would have to wear it until they could get to a tech. The latter was not ideal.
None of it was ideal, really and with those mirrors there, monitoring their actions, they couldn’t safely do a lot of moving around.
“How’re we playin’ this, sir?” Ghost murmured.
“Cautiously,” Price answered, “Try not to give anyone a reason to set that collar off until I give a signal.”
“Copy that,” Ghost agreed.
He had such a tense set to his broad shoulders and his eyes couldn’t be still, darting around the room restlessly. This clearly reminded him of a time before Price knew him. Price had unfortunately had to read the file on Ghost’s trauma and it again made him want to rip the collar off him.
“We’ll get out of here,” he assured him.
“I know,” Ghost said.
Price smiled lightly. It was only a moment later that there was a loud sliding noise at the door followed by a clang. It sounded like a bar being moved. If the door was barred, there was some possibility that it wasn’t locked. The door pulled open slowly, with a mighty metallic creak. Three people stepped inside their cell.
Two were clearly guards of some kind, possessing military grade gear and weaponry they shouldn’t have and the third was Freeman, the slimy git the reformed 141 had been chasing for months now. He was not particularly tall or wide, but he still cut an authoritative figure as he stepped forward, exuding confidence and intelligence. Also exuding money with that deep green suit and fancy watch he was wearing. His smile was charismatic and he was handsome and Price’s guts churned.
“Hello, Captain, Lieutenant,” Freeman greeted pleasantly, nodding his head, “We properly meet at last.”
“Forgive us if we don’t seem thrilled,” Price answered dryly, “Bit jet lagged, you understand.”
Freeman laughed lightly, seeming genuinely amused and disgust rose in Price’s guts. He didn’t particularly want to genuinely amuse a sex trafficker. The reminder of Freeman’s occupation had Price shifting subtly, trying to get closer to Ghost.
“Well, I am quite thrilled to have you,” Freeman said, “I’ve been hoping since I first saw the report about you two that you would end up here.”
Price recalled now the firefight they’d been in against Freeman’s people before that grenade landed. It had felt like their bullets just couldn’t find Ghost and him. Thinking back, he should’ve realized they were missing on purpose. Alarm began to rise with the disgust and Price fought not to visibly swallow, not wanting Freeman or Ghost to know he was nervous.
“You could’ve just asked us to tea,” he suggested.
Freeman chuckled.
“I’m afraid what I want wouldn’t have gone well with tea,” he dismissed.
Fuck. Price tried not to visibly react to that, but his mind was racing through files trying to remember what Freeman liked. He only touched men, seemed to prefer muscles, and had a fondness for blondes. It was no wonder he’d been excited when he got news of them. Price felt his insides seize with panic and his fists clenched as he tensed. Freeman smiled at him, seeming to pick up on his tension and reveling in it. Then he checked his watch and looked back at Price, eyes sweeping over him.
“Any moment now…” he murmured.
Price scowled in confusion right before he recalled the needle that had been in his arm. Freeman was waiting for whatever had been shot into him to kick in. There was a brief moment where Price felt some amount of relief that Freeman was focused on him instead of Ghost, but then the drug kicked in.
When it started, he almost didn’t realize, because it was a surprisingly gentle start. His face warmed up a little and after a second he realized that probably wasn’t outside influence. More warmth bloomed inside him. His chest. His belly. His crotch. The warmth ramped up to heat and he started to feel a bit sweaty as he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw tightly. No. No no no.
It was a goddamn aphrodisiac or something like it. Freeman intended for Price to do his dirty work. That was not going to happen. Price was going to kill the man instead.
“Cap?” Ghost prompted quietly, “You solid?”
“I’m fine,” Price grunted, but it came out too strained.
Ghost touched his arm and his skin felt so good against John’s that he throbbed between his legs, almost groaning out loud. More like MDMA than an aphrodisiac then, but not quite that either.
“Don’t,” Price wheezed, trying to pull his arm away.
Ghost obliged, pulling his hand back.
“It hurts?” He guessed.
It was creating the most painful erection Price had ever experienced and turning his blood molten.
“No, it’s fine,” he lied, shifting away from him, “I’m fine. St-Stay back.”
“I’m afraid that won’t work for me,” Freeman spoke up.
Price’s eyes snapped open and up to him as a snarl twisted onto his face.
“You’re a smart man, Captain Price,” Freeman commented, “You know what I am telling you to do.”
“It’s not happening,” Price growled.
“What’s he talkin’ about?” Ghost asked, looking between them, “Cap, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Price insisted through his teeth.
“I had a feeling you would be difficult,” Freeman mused, still smiling like he was amused by the whole thing, “Which will be fun for me, less so for you and your companion.”
He reached in his suit jacket and pulled out something small and black. Before Price could dizzily register that it was a remote, Freeman was pressing a button and Ghost jerked next to him, spasming with another strained whine. Price looked around sharply and lurched toward Ghost as his head threw back. Price shoved his hand behind Ghost’s head, which caused his hand to be smashed between the wall and Ghost’s skull.
The heat of Ghost seemed to radiate all over his hand and up his wrist, sending a shudder through him. The texture of his hair sent smaller shivers through him as it rubbed across his skin. He had to bite his tongue to focus as Ghost slumped, huffing harshly.
“Ghost, you with me?” Price prompted, fingers brushing through the surprisingly soft longer locks on the top of his head.
“Fuck,” Ghost grunted, pushing himself up and shaking his head, “Aye, solid, sir.”
His eyes ended up dropping while Price played dazedly with his hair and he sucked in a sharp breath. He gripped Price’s shoulder tightly and Price’s eyelids fluttered, it felt so damn good to have Ghost’s fingers digging into his flesh. Ghost’s head snapped to the side, toward Freeman.
“What did you give him??” He demanded.
“It’s a lovely thing,” Freeman answered, “A sort of amalgam of many ideas. Sensitivity, stimulation, impairment, intoxication. Quite the cocktail.”
Price forced his hand off Ghost to smack it against the wall, shaking his dazed head.
“Now technically speaking, he may be able to resist the sexual urges burning his blood right now,” Freeman carried on, “But he knows what will happen to you if he continues to be difficult.”
Ghost’s hand tightened further on Price’s shoulder.
“It’s okay, John,” he murmured.
Price blinked hard and looked up at him. Ghost gave him a pained smile.
“I can take the zaps,” he assured.
Price smiled weakly at him. This was incredibly unfair and he didn’t even know what to do about it. Not without Ghost getting hurt.
Ghost spasmed again, face twisting and Price gripped his arm to keep him from slamming against the wall or the floor. He bared his teeth and whined through them again, higher pitched than before. Time seemed to pass very slowly, dragging on like they were working in slow motion, as Price watched in disgust and horror and seething rage while Ghost twitched and whined.
“Stop it, fuck, stop it!” He eventually cried.
Ghost slumped abruptly, heaving in harsh breaths.
“Are you still so certain you can handle it, Lieutenant Riley?” Freeman asked, sounding so amused Price wanted to tear his voice box out.
“Suck my fuckin’ dick, you fuckin’ minger!” Ghost spat breathlessly.
He spasmed again and Price saw his teeth snap down on his tongue. He hurriedly grabbed at his face to force his jaw open and shove his tongue back. He kept whining and twitching for so long, Price thought he was going to pass out.
“How long until it cooks his heart, I wonder?” Freeman wondered, tone light.
Price’s eyes squeezed tightly closed. He felt so powerless. His legs were weak and his brain disoriented. Even if he could get to his feet right now, those guards would shoot him dead before he made it to Freeman and then Simon would be alone with him.
“Stop,” he rasped, “St-Stop, I’ll do it. Just stop. Please.”
Ghost went limp and Price caught him in his arms, letting him fall against his chest. He tried hard to fight down how absolutely divine his skin felt against his.
“Simon,” he grunted, shaking him lightly, “You with me?”
“The hell…else would I be?” Ghost grumbled breathlessly against his chest.
Price snorted lightly and slowly, carefully dragged his fingertips up Ghost’s arm. Ghost tensed under his touch and jolted upright, pushing his hand against his chest with his face pinching in a scowl. Price gripped his upper arms as firmly as he could without hurting him too badly.
“Simon,” he whispered.
“Don’t,” Ghost growled, shoving at his chest weakly, “Don’t!”
“Simon, we…I have to,” Price insisted, “He’s going to kill you if I don’t.”
Ghost’s eyes darted to Freeman and back to Price and he looked like he was in so much emotional distress that it physically hurt him.
“But…Johnny,” he murmured.
“I know,” Price said, trying to keep the distraught out of his voice, “That’s why I have to get you back to him…This isn’t unfaithfulness. This is survival.”
Ghost’s pretty brown eyes flicked between his, looking pained, searching desperately for something. Price didn’t know what or if he found it, but he looked away and nodded.
Price shifted to stretch his legs out and gently tug at Ghost, guiding him into his lap. Ghost wobbled a bit as he straddled Price’s thighs, shaky hands gripping at his shoulders for support and Price held his waist, hoping to help keep him steady. He was clearly too weak from getting zapped and the lingering effects of the smoke to actually do work, but Price wasn’t going to put him on the concrete floor to scrape up his skin.
“Don’t suppose you’ve brought us lube?” He muttered, looking up at Freeman.
Freeman’s lips pulled up in a smirk and his eyes went to Ghost.
“If you beg pretty enough, maybe I’ll let you have it,” he offered bemusedly, “Be particularly convincing and you can have a condom too.”
Price’s jaw clenched and he glared up at the man. Ghost huffed lightly before responding.
“Please, sir,” he begged, voice breathy and downright seductive, “Please. I’ll do whatever you want.”
Price throbbed again at the way his voice felt in his ears and suppressed another moan as his fingers dug harder into the flesh of Ghost’s waist. He must’ve really not wanted Price to come inside him.
“What an actor you are, little doll,” Freeman mused.
He pulled a bottle of lube and a condom from his suit jacket and tossed them. They landed on the floor beside Ghost’s folded leg with a plap and a tiny clatter, the noises as loud as a cell door clanging shut in Price’s ears. He swallowed dryly and picked up the bottle of lube.
His fingers trembled as he slicked them up and he wasn’t sure how much of it was the drug, how much of it was the manufactured arousal, and how much was the horrid dread inside him. But the collar around Ghost’s neck took this out of his hands while putting it firmly into his hands. He braced one guilty hand on Ghost’s hip while the other went around him.
As he rubbed gently at Ghost’s hole, his lieutenant’s forehead pressed to his while his fingernails dug into his shoulders and the pain felt like ecstasy racing through his blood. He cursed how goddamn good every touch felt while Ghost let out shuddery breaths.
“Ready?” He whispered.
“Aye, sir,” Ghost agreed.
For some reason the honorific made Price feel even more sick. The differences in their rank nearly made Ghost’s compliance like following an order. Price didn’t want to think of that. He took a breath and pushed his finger against Ghost’s hole.
It was so easy it made a full body shudder ripple through Price as his finger sank right into that soft heat. Ghost didn’t even grunt or grumble, just sighed. Physically, it was likely going to be very easy to fuck Ghost and the thought almost winded Price, his breath struggling in his throat as he carefully started to move his finger. His other hand wanted to move too, wanted to roam all over Ghost, squeezing, caressing, feeling the warm body that felt like sin and salvation in his lap.
He tried to blink and bite his tongue a lot as he worked a second finger into Ghost. It was the drugs. He had never wanted Ghost before now and certainly not this badly. Sure, he had looked, it was impossible not to look at some as fit as Simon, but that’s all it had been. It hadn’t really even crossed his mind as a possibility before and now he felt like a starving man who needed to take a bite of Simon to survive.
He tried to focus on practicality and the mechanics of it all as he fucked three of his fingers into Ghost while Ghost panted lightly against his face. It wasn’t working. He felt so good on Price’s fingers and shifting slightly on his thighs. Even his breath against Price’s cheek felt like whispered promises of pleasure. He needed Simon on his aching cock or he would die, he was certain.
He reminded himself it wasn’t the erection that would kill him, casting a brief glare at Freeman. He also reminded himself it wasn’t for pleasure. It was for survival. He was prolonging their lives so they could find a way out. He would find some way to reward Ghost for his sacrifice once they were safe. A good long leave, maybe. Nothing would be enough to compare to this though.
“Alright already,” Ghost eventually growled, shifting his hips a little, “Put it in.”
Price carefully pulled his fingers out of Ghost and picked up the condom. Between the two of them, they managed to get it open and on Price’s now bright red, straining cock. Price smeared more lube over it and Ghost shifted forward, straightening up a bit.
They both hesitated briefly and Ghost’s eyes darted over to Freeman, lips pressing together. His face was practically completely red. He so very clearly did not want to do this, but especially didn’t want to do it with an audience.
“Eyes on me, lad,” Price ordered gently.
Ghost’s eyes snapped back to him and Price brushed his thumb over his hip before carefully guiding him down. Ghost went obediently at his nudging, pressing his loosened hole to the tip of Price’s cock while staring into his eyes.
Price tried very hard not to shudder or moan as Ghost sank down on him. He was so hot and soft and clung to his cock just right. Waves of sparking, tingling heat shuddered through Price as Ghost settled in his lap. It was just the drugs, he reminded himself, but it was the best it had ever felt. It made the urge to touch more of him burn even brighter and a new urge to kiss him thrummed loudly in Price’s mind. But he didn’t do either of those things.
He let out a sigh as he tried to take a calming breath and rubbed his thumb over Ghost’s hip again.
“Solid, lad?” He prompted.
“Aye, sir,” Ghost agreed, voice a bit strained, “Aye, good. Fuck.”
Price saw something move and looked down to find Ghost was getting hard. A purely physical reaction he couldn’t help that sent electricity coursing through Price’s body. He wanted to touch him so bad, maybe even pretend this wasn’t what it was. But it was clear Ghost didn’t want to be reacting like that, so touching him would just be another violation unless he asked for it.
Instead, Price pushed forward, eager to get this over with for several reasons. He carefully nudged Ghost back up a bit to give himself room and then rolled his hips upward, thrusting into him. It was like an explosion. A burst of searing heat slamming into his pelvis and he clutched at Ghost’s hips and closed his eyes tightly as he gasped. He also froze, so utterly overwhelmed by the sensation burning through him. Even with the condom, he felt like he was dying for how good and unbearable it felt.
“Cap, you okay?” Ghost grunted, “John?”
“Fuck, Simon,” John groaned.
“Stay with me, soldier,” Ghost murmured, “We got a mission to finish.”
John shook his head, trying to clear it and drew his hips back down. He tried to be careful as he started moving at a somewhat steady pace, but it was all so overwhelming. The feeling of Simon on his cock and under his hands. Pleasure that bordered on pain coursed through him and desperation pushed hard against the remnants of his control. He tried very hard not to let go completely, but he knew he was going a little too hard and a little too fast.
Simon’s sweaty forehead fell against his as he panted against his face. He let out little groans now and then that sounded almost like his name. He was trembling lightly and holding on tightly, scratching the hell out of John’s shoulders. The way he acted combined with how John felt right then, it would’ve been easy to forget they were being forced into this, toyed with by a sadistic, creepy asshole. John had even tuned out of Freeman’s taunting by the entrancing sounds and feelings coming from Simon.
He didn’t know how long he fucked up into Simon’s welcoming, yielding heat. It felt like too long and too short at the same time when he finally came. He was so overwhelmed with sensation that he actually didn’t feel it coming on. It was abrupt, startling him into a bit-off shout as he jerked to a halt which caused Simon to startle in his lap as well. He froze again as waves and waves of fiery ecstasy burned through him so intensely he thought he might be spasming and definitely completely lost his mind for a moment.
When he came back to himself, he was settled on the floor and Simon was settled in his lap, patting his face gently. He pried his eyes open to blink blearily at Simon’s twisted up worried look. It smoothed a little as he opened his eyes.
“There you are,” he muttered, “Was about to send a search party.”
Price snorted weakly. He felt exhausted. Wrung out. Like he was a sponge and that drugged orgasm was a particularly persistent pair of hands. He shook his head again, blinking rapidly as he tried hard to get his bearings back. His cock slipping out of Simon actually did help with that, ridding him of one of the more intense sensations and Simon shifted back, settling more on his thighs.
“I don’t know why you two resisted so much,” Freeman spoke up, “Clearly you enjoyed it.”
Price and Ghost looked around at him, both glaring pretty hard at his smug little grin.
“One last thing,” he said, pointing between Price’s legs, “Take that off him.”
Ghost grunted and reached down to pull the condom off Price.
“Drink it,” Freeman ordered.
Ghost’s lips pressed hard together as his flushed face went redder. Freeman lifted the collar’s remote, waving it at Ghost tauntingly and Price wanted to knock his fucking teeth out. Ghost huffed out a frustrated breath and lifted the condom to dump its contents into his mouth. Price watched his Adam’s Apple bob as he swallowed it and almost shivered.
“There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Freeman mused, voice full of condescension.
“That’s it!” Ghost snapped.
He jolted to his feet and lurched at Freeman, tackling him to the floor before anyone could stop him.
“Simon!” Price shouted, twisting and getting to his knees to follow.
Before he could even try to get his weak legs under him, the two guards jerked their guns up to point at him. He froze, hands going up and became keenly aware he was far more expendable than Ghost to these people. Which meant Freeman had more plans for him.
Ghost let out a high pitched whine and seized on top of Freeman who, with great difficulty, shoved his larger body off him. He sat up and spat the condom out of his mouth and Price felt a swell of pride in his chest for his lieutenant. Ghost pushed off the floor to scramble back toward him and he put his arms around him, protectively pulling him close as Freeman stood up.
“You are a feisty little bitch,” he sneered as he stepped closer, “I would be careful how much you test my patience.”
Then he spat, the glob of saliva landing on Ghost’s cheek. Ghost glared up at him and Price’s arms tightened around him as he quelled the urge to tackle the fucker to the floor himself. Freeman looked at his watch and scowled to find the face broken.
“You are lucky to be so blessedly pretty, little doll,” he grumbled as he turned away from them, “Otherwise I might just cut my losses.”
Price wanted to start screaming or throwing things. Whatever plans Freeman had, he would have to pry Simon from John’s cold, dead hands.
Ghost shifted, moving more behind Price as Freeman and his guards exited. Price turned, putting his back half to the door to block Ghost from it. His body still felt so good against Price’s, but he did his best to ignore it, hoping the drug would wear off soon.
“You alright?” He murmured after the door closed.
Ghost gave him a very hollow look that made Price want to rip a certain appendage off himself. Then Ghost bent his head and spat something into his hand. Two thin pieces of metal like the hands on a watch.
“Atta boy, Simon,” Price praised, rubbing a hand over his side.
Ghost pulled his leg up, glancing around briefly before starting to pick the lock. He managed it pretty quickly and then picked the lock on Price’s shackle as well. They decided to leave the shackles on for the time being, to wait for a good opportunity and settled in to wait for it. John wanted to pull Simon closer, to comfort him, but Simon looked so distant and guarded that he couldn’t bear to force him to be closer.
It was quite some time before they got their opportunity, enough time they both seemed to be a bit steadier, but not enough time for the drug to have worn off yet. Price had to get his hands off Ghost as the burning seemed to rear its head around the time the door opened again. It was another guard with similar gear to the others, but they were carrying food.
Price was a little surprised, but he supposed Freeman wanted them, or at least Ghost, alive and able to participate in his sadistic games. They needed to get out immediately. Price looked at Ghost as they finished eating and Ghost looked back. He tapped his ankle and Price nodded, tapping his belly.
They turned to the guard to return the styrofoam bowls they ate out of and the guard dropped the rifle in their hands, letting it hang from the strap on their vest. As they took the bowls, Price and Ghost moved, lurching toward them. Ghost went low, grabbing at the knife sheathed on their ankle while Price went higher, snatching the rifle and yanking the buckle to release it from the strap.
The guard stumbled back, dropping the bowls and going for their sidearm. They didn’t make it in time, instead being smashed against the floor by a very pissed off refrigerator of a man that stabbed into their neck. Price pointed the rifle at the door while Ghost dispatched the guard and it opened pretty quickly, letting in five more guards.
Price shot at their unguarded faces as they rushed in and managed to drop two. Ghost pulled up with the side arm and shot another before any of them could get a shot off. The remaining two ducked their heads and fired, but it was so obvious they were shooting around them, rather than actually at them. That made it fairly easy to dispatch them as well.
When they were all down, Ghost turned to Price, offering him the knife.
“Cut this thing offa me,” he growled.
“It’ll shock you,” Price pointed out as he took the knife.
“Do it!” Ghost snapped.
Price sighed and leaned forward. He brought the knife close before grabbing the collar. Ghost jolted right before the knife severed through the cloth and Price flung the collar far away from him. With that taken care of, they quickly started stripping clothes and gear off the guards.
By the time they’d suited up in stolen gear, another group of guards was bustling in. Despite how weak the two of them were, Price had no doubt they were going to clear this compound, fueled almost entirely by rage.
Ghost even more than Price tore through each new enemy like he would only be satisfied when everyone was in pieces. Price did not blame him and he did not stop him, even when they got to Freeman. He just stood guard while Ghost stabbed the creep repeatedly and cut off pieces of him.
When he was done with his butchery, he shoved past Price to exit the room.
“Let’s go,” he growled.
Price followed him, let him lead the way out of the compound and call for exfil. They didn’t speak as they waited or as they got in the helo or even when they got back to base. After a stiff and purposely uninformative visit with the medics, Price was ordered to stay in the infirmary to flush his system while Ghost was cleared to leave. He didn’t at first though, he stood beside Price’s bed with his fists clenched.
“I’m sorry I had to do that,” Price murmured.
Ghost let out a cold, hollow laugh that made Price shudder.
“You ever touch me like that again or tell anyone what happened, I’ll rip your fuckin’ dick off,” he warned lowly.
“Understood,” Price agreed.
He wouldn’t blame him if he wanted to go ahead and do that now.
“You understand fuck all,” Ghost dismissed icily.
He turned to storm out of the infirmary before Price could ask what that meant. He sighed heavily and dragged his free hand over his face. The other was too occupied by an IV or else he’d cover his face with both and scream at the top of his lungs.
What was he even supposed to do now? Go on like nothing happened? Try to transfer or step down or even retire completely? He definitely wanted to make sure Ghost would never have to see his face again, but he didn’t exactly have an excuse lined up and he wondered if it would be worse trying to run.
“John?” Kyle’s voice called through his misery.
Price looked around at his beautiful, but pensive face and gave him what felt like the weakest smile ever. Kyle sat on the bed beside him, eyes searching his.
“You wanna talk or hold me, love?” He asked gently.
John reached for him and he shifted closer to lay on his chest, letting John wrap his arms around him and bury his face in his hair.
“I…I think I fucked up,” he whispered.
He’d bent to Freeman’s demands and it seemed like killing Ghost with the collar had been a bluff. Which meant he’d raped his subordinate, his friend for no reason. And he had enjoyed it as much as he’d hated it. Simon had every reason to be furious, to murder him in his sleep for what he did.
“I’m sorry,” Kyle said, “I hope you can fix your mistake.”
John didn’t answer, but he knew there was no fixing this.
~
Ghost had brushed off Johnny trying to talk to him about the mission and if he was injured when he left the infirmary, saying he was fine and needed a shower. He didn’t want to look at him just yet. He didn’t want Johnny to see the filth of that still clinging to his entire body.
He scrubbed so much in the shower that the entirety of his skin turned pink. Then he sat under the cold stream of water with his face buried in his knees. He hated himself. He hated Price. He hated everything. He hated feeling this disgusting when it had been the lesser evil. Technically.
Part of him had almost begged Price to let him die. He didn’t want to go through it again. He’d only recently started to feel like maybe he was getting better, like maybe his trauma wasn’t hovering over his shoulder so much any more. And then it happened again. Like he existed to feel violated and powerless.
But on top of those feelings, this time he got to feel disloyal to his partner and uncomfortable with one of his oldest friends. He felt a little bad he’d been so aggressive with Price in the infirmary, considering his captain was just as violated as he was, but he needed a wall between them until he could feel normal putting his back to him again.
Worst of all, Price was good. Fucked like goddamn machine, held Ghost just right, and had a great prick. If Ghost had been just a little more out of it, he could’ve come. He had wanted to come. He had wanted to pretend what they were doing was something else, but Price had been drugged and he was collared, both threatened with the other’s life. Yet it still felt good and the fact it felt good made Ghost feel even more unfaithful.
He knew Price had been right about it being survival and that they made the right choice so he could keep living and loving his people. But he didn’t feel right. Everything felt wrong and jumbled and as fucked as he had been. Unfortunately, sitting in the shower until the water was frigid wasn’t a solution.
He slowly stood up and flipped the water off to dry and dress. He shuffled toward his bunk, feeling exhausted and weak. His light was already on when he got there. Johnny must’ve gone in when he brushed him off.
“Johnny,” he started tiredly as he opened the door.
He stopped though because Johnny was inside, sitting on his bed, completely naked with his legs spread wide. He was touching himself, his cunt looking wet and red. Ghost closed the door behind him and locked it without looking away.
“Sorry, only way I know how to cheer you up,” Johnny muttered breathlessly.
Ghost started pulling his clothes off as he moved toward him, throwing them haphazardly all over his room. He sat on his cold floor and beckoned Johnny to him. Johnny slipped off the bed and crawled over to straddle his lap. He looked a little confused, but not unwilling to oblige Ghost.
“Condom?” He prompted as he settled on Ghost’s thighs.
Ghost felt something dark and hot claw its way up his insides and he wet his dry lips as he gripped Johnny’s hips.
“If you beg pretty enough, maybe I’ll let you have it,” he offered lowly.
Johnny’s face went pink and he bit his lip, visibly turned on by this way of playing that was new for them. Ghost almost shuddered and he thanked a god he didn’t believe in for giving him a kinky bastard to fuck his feelings into.
It wasn’t going to fix anything, but for a moment, while fucking up into Johnny with aggressiveness he never quite had before, Simon felt like he had the upper hand. It went away quickly after, when his face was buried in Johnny’s chest and he was clutching at him like he was his last lifeline, but for that brief moment of serenity, he could pretend he wasn’t pathetic.