Chapter Text
It was surprising to see himself in front of him, even though there was no mirror, no polished metal and no water, he was the person across from him.
The same blue eyes he was so familiar with, gazed down at him, the same eyes he saw in the mirror each morning were watching him. And he was looking back up at himself.
Otherwise it was quiet. Only the wind pulling on the strands of grass and whooshing through the leaves of the old oak tree he loves to sit under.
'Clack.' His pen slid from his hand and fell onto the rough pages of his sketchbook.
"hello." It's the same voice he hears when signing under the shower in the evenings. Albeit a bit higher, younger, but rough, as it has been laced with smoke.
"Hey."
A soft thud was heard as the other him sat next to him, leaning onto the bark of the tree.
“How are you, me, but older?” the other asked.
“I'm not exactly you in older. I'm you in another universe.”
The other answers with a puzzling look.
“I am you, but a different version. I have a different position, I work differently and I have different experiences. Even though I'm you.”
The other soap nodded slowly, clearly processing everything.
Sighing softly he bathed in the comfy feeling of the wind in his hair and the smell of flowers.
“How’s life been treating you?”
Soap let his head drop onto his chest.
“Not so well i think. Its been… a lot.”
He let out a wet breath, pulling up his nose he continued.
“Everything is so much. Having to stop terrorist attack after terrorist attack. I don't know when I've last spoken to any of my family. I miss them.”
Johnny looked over, deep bags were rounding the others eyes.
“Sounds like a lot of work.”
“It is. Always shooting, running, hiding, protecting… It's exhausting. What i would do for a break…”
Soap sighed, letting his body become putty against the tree.
“What rank are you? you mentioned something about that…”
“I'm a Captain. Like Price.”
“Captain McTavish.. That rolls nice of the tongue.”
Soap smiled.
“And Ghost is a lieutenant."
“He is in my universe too. He's a good one. He's so strong. I wish to be like him one day.”
A fond smile crossed Johnny's face.
“You're right he's a good lieutenant. But he's also stubborn. He does wish to be a higher rank than me often.”
“That does seem like him. Still make bad jokes?”
“He does.”
Johnny grinned, looking down into his lap.
“But I still laugh at them every time. He seems to be so happy when i laugh about them.”
“That is quite cute.”
Soap laughed. His eyes crinkled softly and all his teeth were showing. His laugh was deep but still sounded like the bells of the church of his childhood village.
Johnny decided he would like to hear that sound more often.
Smiling fondly he turned to him
“You Love him right?”
Soap sighed.
"I do."
I love him dearly.
I would like to protect him.
I would like him to be mine.
I would like to hang the stars for him.”
“...But you never told him, right?”
"I didn't."
“You should tell him.”
"Why."
“Because now you have time.”
“What do you mean? Isn't this a dream?”
“....you don't know, do you?”
"Know what?”
Soap looked at him questioningly.
“come with me. I need to show you something. Itll explain everything.”
Johnny stood up and dropped sketchbook and pen next to the tree before holding a hand out to soap to help him up.
Walking down the hill, the two stepped through a stone gate.
Suddenly being surrounded by flames, but no heat reached their skin.
The flames were raging in a soft manner, the glow bouncing off their faces and the figures that were trapped in the heat reflecting in their eyes.
There was he.
A third version of himself, laying in the flames beneath a beam of burning wood.
He was surrounded by flames and his face painted with the expression of pure emotion.
Anger.
Pain.
Sadness.
Regret.
What was he regretting?
Why was he sad?
Soap bent down, the lips of the other moving as fast footsteps were approaching.
First feeling the heat, and then the burning of the fire. Soap was suddenly the other, laying on the ground, he felt like screaming.
Tears streamed down his face as his screams grew weak. Black boots neared him. They were familiar.
His voice was quiet, barely heard over the suddenly raging flames, the screams of pain and cracking of wood, but at the same time his voice was so loud in his own ears.
“...I'm sorry I never got to tell you that I love you, Ghost…”
Mouth pulled into a pained and sad smile the last bit of his life fell from his grasp, like it had been covered in oil.
Letting his eyes fall shut, his sight blacked before everything was clear again.
“You need to stand.”
Johnny's hand came into view and he was pulled up.
“Do you understand now?”
"I do."
Soaps' face was pulled into a strange expression of sadness and fondness.
“That's why I have enough time.”
“No soap… don't go. Please don't leave me Johnny.” Ghosts baritone voice was heard.
Soap turned just to see Ghost pulling his lifeless body into his lap.
The raw despair in ghosts shocked him. As did the soft sniffles that were seeping through the burning anger of the flames.
Turning back around, he didn't see Ghost press a kiss to his face, and he didn't hear the soft whisper of
“I Love You Too Johnny.”
He walked back up to the other him and the two stepped back to the beautiful hill of unburnt grass and colorful flowers.
"I'm dead. That's why I have endless time now.”
He started breathing slowly.
"That's right. Now go. He's already here. "Go tell him.”
Soap grinned, tears staining his face.
“I will. Thank you for waiting.”
Johnny smiled back and shooed him away. “Go.”
Spinning, he ran.
He didn't know what the way was, but his heart knew.
He closed his eyes and ran, feeling lighter with every step.
His weight became less and less.
His tears flowed faster and his legs ran quicker.
Throwing his eyes back open he saw the blurry figure of his lieutenant, standing in knee deep water.
“Ghost!”
He ran and ran until he was right in front of him, breathing heavily and tears covering his face. The water was cold around his shins, but he didnt feel it.
“Ghost. I-”
Breaking off into a sob he was embraced with strong arms.
“I- I Lo-”
“I know Jonny. You don't have to tell me”
Burying his face in the crook of the other's neck he breathed the familiar scent as he sobbed into his shoulder.
“I- I want to.”
He pulled away, looking into the brown eyes that reminded him so much of the molten chocolate his mother would pour into his milk in the morning.
“I love you Simon Riley.”
Turning his head, a soft kiss was pressed onto his mohawk.
“I Love you too Johnny.”
“I will never leave you again now.”
Soap mumbled into his neck, clawing his hands at his back.
“And you don't need to.”
Ghost pulled his head from his shoulder and pulled his mask off, revealing his own tear stained face, covered in scars.
Not having much time to look at the other's face, soft lips were pressed onto Soaps.
“This us is for all eternity.”