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Gaz, Ghost, and Price stood at the cliff’s edge, the air thick with grief.
“He was the best of us,” Price spoke truthfully, staring out at the water.
“The toughest,” Gaz added, clutching his hat to his chest.
“He’d have fought the world barehanded…” Ghost breathed, not fully able to process that Johnny was gone. He reached down into his bag, retrieving the urn. Gaz and Price placed their hands on it as they readied their goodbyes.
“Who dares wins… Sleep easy, soldier,” Price was the first to say.
“See you down range, brother. We’ll take it from here,” Gaz continued. His voice was firm, but grief was still evident in his tone.
“Rest in peace, Johny.” Ghost’s voice was thick with emotion. Unshed tears shined in his eyes.
Johny was gone. The very man who showed Ghost how to live again was dead. Gone. Never coming home. Ghost would never see that bright smile again or those ocean eyes that he could drown in. Never would Ghost be able to tell Johnny that he loved him. The guilt would follow Ghost for the rest of his lonely life.
Ghost carefully uncapped the urn and tipped it, letting the breeze carry Johnny away. Just as the man had wished. Johnny had said he didn’t want to be confined in a jar or six feet under for eternity. He wished to be free and let the wind take him wherever it pleased. Ghost could do that for him.
He let his tears fall, dampening his mask. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Price pull Gaz into a firm hug. Price extended an arm out to Ghost, but he lightly shook his head “No.”
As Ghost was placing the urn back into the small bag, a low whistle was heard from behind the group.
“So you guys do like me.”
Ghost stood up way too fast, his vision blurring from the sudden change in position. When his vision finally cleared, he saw Johnny. He was walking towards the others with a smug look on his face, and his left arm was in a cast and a sling.
“Soap!” Price was the first to break out of his shocked trance, rushing forward to the Sergent. Gaz followed suit. Price pulled him into a hug, mindful of his arm. Gaz wrapped himself around the man, too. When they pulled away, Ghost wasted no time pulling the man into a bone-crushing side hug. Ghost moved back slightly to scan over Johnny, checking if the man was really there. His hands came up to cup Johnny’s face, frowning when he noticed that Johnny’s hair was buzzed. He had a bandage on his left temple that went up past his hairline, and he had a bandage over where his left ear should have been.
Ghost placed one hand on the right side of Johnny’s face, not wanting to hurt him. His mouth was open in shock behind his balaclava.
“How?” Gaz rasped, clutching Price’s arm in shock.
“The first bullet took my ear,” Johnny pointed to his missing ear, “And the second missed the critical parts of my brain,” He gave a cocky smile at that.
“I decided to fake my death so I could blow Makarov’s brains out as I promised.” Ghost didn’t miss the way Soap’s eyes narrowed at Price slightly.
“Makarov is KIA. Sergeant John’ Soap’ MacTavish, however, is not,” Johnny flashed another smile.
“I love you,” Ghost finally blurted out. It might not have been the right time, but Ghost refused to let the opportunity slip away again. Johnny’s eyes widened in shock.
“I love you. I love you. I love you,” Ghost repeated like a prayer. Tears were streaming down his face, but he didn’t care. He had a second chance.
“I know,” Soap breathed out. Ghost pressed a chaste, masked kiss to Johnny’s lips, not wanting to swap spit in front of the Captain.
Johnny smiled softly at him, and then he turned toward the others.
“I’m sorry I had to hide it. I really am. But I am not sorry for killing Makarov,” He said firmly.
“You did good. I’m proud of you, son,” Price spoke fondly, clapping Johnny on the shoulder.
“Um... I do have to ask, though. Who’s in the jar?” Ghost could hear in his voice that Johnny was trying not to laugh.
Ghost’s eyes widened as he looked at his bag.
“I-I don’t know,” He stammered, looking to Price, “Who’s ashes were those?!” He asked the captain with wide eyes.
“They were supposed to be Soap’s!” Price stressed before he busted out laughing, the other men soon following. Johnny laughed so hard that he fell to his knees. Ghost fell beside him. They laid on their backs, cackling and kicking their feet like little kids.
“We- we gave that sappy speech for a random guy!” Gaz wheezed, causing the others to laugh impossibly harder. Price and Gaz were doubled over laughing while Ghost and Johnny rolled around on the ground.
Eventually, their laughing fit died down, and Johnny turned his head to look at Ghost. He had a fond smile on his face.
“Come here,” Johnny requested softly. Ghost quickly complied, scooching next to Johnny on the grass.
With his uninjured arm, Johnny pulled the mask up over Ghost’s nose and kissed him. Johnny pulled back with a smile.
“I love you too, dumbass,” He said with a playful shove.