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[ghostlychief]

Simon “Ghost” Riley Masterlist

Last updated: 4/27/24

Pockets of Peace; Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!Reader; hurt/comfort; minor fluff; angst; 3.3k+

More often than not, you find yourself in the presence of Simon Riley, aka “Ghost.” You find that your blooming friendship with the aloof Lieutenant provides you with a blanket of comfort, offering you a place of solace within his company. It’s no different when you’re injured during your next mission.

Weighted Blanket; (part 2 to Pockets of Peace); Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!Reader; hurt/comfort; angst; fluff; 3.8k+

After your last mission, things changed between you and Ghost. Although feelings shifted and emerged, your quiet routine with the Lieutenant stayed the same. He never failed to provide you with little pockets of peace throughout your tumultuous life, and you treasure these moments, holding them close to your heart. Except this time, it’s you who returns the favor, and offers him a warm embrace to grieve quietly

Heating Pad; Oneshot; Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!reader; comfort; fluff; 1k+

It’s that time of the month again. The time when you’re bloated, bleeding, in pain, and a bit sad. Luckily for you, your boyfriend makes sure you’re looked after during this emotional time.

Scary Dog Privilege; Oneshot; Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!reader; protective!Ghost; light fluff; 1.1k+

Ghost being protective when you go to a bar

Joy Ride; Oneshot; Simon “Ghost Riley x reader; 1.1k+

You didn’t think that riding a mechanical bull was on the agenda for tonight, yet here you are. It might have been all worth it though, when you catch the eye of a mysterious tall, burly man that you had been eyeing all night.

Full of Surprises; Oneshot; Simon “Ghost” Riley x gn!reader; 1.1k+

You witness drunk Simon for the first time.

Ivy; oneshot; Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!reader; 2.3k+

Sometimes, old wounds don’t heal properly, even when you think they do. Past insecurities come to light when you see a woman try her best to flirt with you boyfriend, Simon. You can’t help it when insecurities of the past seep into your mind, clouding your judgement.

Falling into Place; Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem! reader; 1.6k+

You and Simon dance in your living room

Counterpart; Oneshot; Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!reader; 900+

You weren’t at all what 141 expected, in fact, you were almost the complete opposite

That Makes Two of Us; Oneshot; Simon “Ghost” Riley x reader; 900+

Simon meets your big dog, who’s very protective of you

Too Hot To Handle; oneshot firefighter!ghost x fem!reader; 900+

Just hot firefighter Ghost saving you from a fire in your apartment building

All of You; oneshot; Ghost x fem!reader; fluff; 400+; MINORS DNI

you’re naked in bed as your boyfriend cherishes you

Helping Hands; oneshot; request; Ghost x fem!reader; 1.1k+; fluff

you save Ghost from an ambush, then tend to his wounds

Ghost’s reaction to S/O sending nudes; drabble; MINORS DNI

Word Game: send me a word and i’ll write a drabble

Safe

Ocean

Star Pupil; oneshot, Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!reader; 1.4k+; fluff

you are a new recruit for the organization that squad force 141 is under. what happens when you are seemingly the only recruit that takes her training seriously, but also develops a crush on your instructor?

Dancing Queen; oneshot; Simon “Ghost” Riley x fem!reader; 2.2k; fluff, slight smut

you dance with Ghost on the dance floor to your favorite song, what more could happen?

Phantom Pain; one shot; Simon “ghost” Riley x fem!reader; 1.1k+; fluff

It’s only when Ghost gets severely injured when his secret family becomes not so secret anymore.

Positions; drabbles; ghost x reader; smut; MINORS DNI

A mini masterlist of different oneshot drabbles of all the positions Ghost puts you in while you explore each other’s bodies. (I’ve created a mini series)

Don’t Blame Me; ghost x f!reader; gore; NSFW; 7k+ wc

They say love makes your crazy, so can they really blame you?

Curves and All; ghost x chubby fem!reader; 700+ wc

feeling particular insecure, ghost makes sure you know that he loves you…curves and all

Under the Mango Tree; ghost x fem!reader; NSFW; 1400+ wc

Ghost wakes up to find you aren’t in bed, but soon realizes you’re out back picking mangoes in a pretty sundress. He can’t help but join you.

Tomorrow will be Kinder; ghost x gn!reader; hurt/comfort; 1800+ wc

When overly stressed by the calamity of your job, you find yourself pulling away from your teammates and even sometimes, your closest friends. Luckily for you, they don’t go anywhere, and patiently wait for your return. Although one person in particular, never lets you fester alone.

Sun-Kissed; ghost x fem!reader; smut; nsfw; MINORS DNI

You’re at the beach with Simon and the rest of 141. You’re young, hot, and happen to be sporting a bikini that leaves little to the imagination. The other 141 men can’t help but gawk, which of course, leaves Simon feeling a little jealous.

Beautiful Boy; ghost x fem!reader; fluff

you’re expecting a beautiful, baby boy

in my head; ghost x fem!reader; angst; minor fluff

Here’s the thing: you’re in love with a version of a person that you’ve created in your head, that you are trying to but cannot fix. The only person you can fix is yourself. This has gone on way too long…enough is enough.

part two: come back to earth

tattooed heart; ghost x gen!reader; fluff

the one where you ask ghost about his tattoos

escapism; ghost x fem!reader; fluff, mild angst

the one where ghost looks out for you

paper hearts; ghost x gen!reader; angst

Ghost loves you, but you’re tired

pretty boy; short drabble

You call ghost pretty boy and he..kind of likes it ?

do not enter is written on the doorway

the one where Ghost walks you home

….more to come! <3

[ghostlychief]

Halo Master Chief (John 117) Masterlist

goodnight n go; Master Chief x gen!reader; fluff

You finally reunite with John after he's been gone on a mission

the one where you love John's scars; master chief x gen!reader; fluff

dating master chief headcanons; no warnings, fluff; master chief x reader

the one where John takes care of you; fluff; master chief x gen!reader

Drops of Jupiter; fluff; touch-starved!John

just thoughts about riding John’s thigh

...more to come <3

[ghostlychief]

HE’S SO

[ghostlychief]

He’d blush too

If someone tells Chief he's cute it flusters him and makes him cuter

Feedback loop

[ghostlychief]

It’s always a struggle figuring out what to have for dinner

[ghostlychief]

NAURRR ur so right- I feel like John would love the challenge of finding out what makes you tick and then teasing u about it ??

ALSO he’d love the exploration in finding new ways to pleasure you and himself heheheheh

currently imagining the experience of riding John’s thigh. He’s so muscular that there’s ample room for you to do your thing and move in ways that gets you going just right. He help you ofc, by placing his large hands on your waist to help steady you and whisper sweet words of encouragement in your ear as you ride him, “that’s is sweetheart, just like that.” Or “look at you, so beautiful riding me.”

IDKIDK

he’d also flex his quad to intensify the feeling for your clit rubbing against his smooth skin

and it actually makes all the difference in the world when he does this bc yk he’s a spartan

[ghostlychief]

currently imagining the experience of riding John’s thigh. He’s so muscular that there’s ample room for you to do your thing and move in ways that gets you going just right. He help you ofc, by placing his large hands on your waist to help steady you and whisper sweet words of encouragement in your ear as you ride him, “that’s is sweetheart, just like that.” Or “look at you, so beautiful riding me.”

IDKIDK

he’d also flex his quad to intensify the feeling for your clit rubbing against his smooth skin

and it actually makes all the difference in the world when he does this bc yk he’s a spartan

[ghostlychief]

*hurriedly running towards your inbox* 👽 - favourite covenant species? 🤖 - orion project, spartan IIs, spartan IIIs, or spartan IVs? 🥘 - who are you taking out on a date?

YEEEE HELLO DEAR 🫶🏻

okok

👽: I’m gonna have to go with the sangheili, they’re just so badass and after combat evolved their presence in the games are just so comforting ??? Idk like you’ll get to a mission and see that you’re teamed up with them and it’s like, phew finally some support in this godforsaken game. Also, the Arbiter is one of my favorite video game characters ever- like his whole arc was done so amazingly in halo 2&3. Plus him and his ‘demon’ are an iconic duo hehe

🤖: I’m so biased but Spartan IIs lol (after reading the fall of reach this opinion of mine was solidified)

🥘: you know what, I’m going to come completely out of left field here and say Johnson LMAO I feel like he’d be so fun to go on a date with !!!!!! His humor is unmatched - love him. One of my favorite lines of his is “dear humanity: we regret being alien bastards. We regret coming to earth. And we most definitely regret that the corps just blew up our raggedy-ass fleet…HOORA”

hehehehe

[ghostlychief]

✩ halo-based ask game will probably add more eventually :)

🌌 - what made you interested in halo? 🤍 - favourite halo character? 🖤 - least favourite halo character? 💘 - favourite canon/fanon ship? 💞 - favourite moment in a game? 💗 - favourite halo game? 💔 - least favourite halo game? 👽 - favourite covenant species? 🖥️ - favourite AI? 🚢 - favourite UNSC ship? 🗡️ - favourite weapon? 🛡️ - favourite armour? 💉 - flood, covenant, prometheans, or the banished? 🤖 - orion project, spartan IIs, spartan IIIs, or spartan IVs? ⚙️ - marines, odsts, spartans, or oni? 🏳️ - do you like rvb? 🥘 - who are you taking out on a date? 🍺 - who would you have a drink with? 🥊 - who are you beating the shit out of? 🎉 - share your favourite character headcanon ⭐ - share your favourite piece of halo lore 🎧 - song you associate a halo character with 📷 - 'aesthetic' photo you associate a halo character with

[ghostlychief]

John: there's no room on this team for idiots

Fred: Should we leave alphabetically?

[ghostlychief]

so glad it's friday - planning to stay in this weekend and catch up on requests <3

[ghostlychief]

[ghostlychief]

So many thoughts about babygirl master chief

I just wanted to pop into your inbox with the thought of comparing hand sizes with John. Like this man is so big I can ONLY IMAGINE how large his hands are hehe also I’m wondering about your thoughts on whether he would initiate it or you? If you did then I would imagine John would find it so amusing LOL he’d be like huh? BUT what if he did ? Would he be awkward about it? Smooth? Just so many thoughts about babygirl master chief tn

am I the only one who likes hands ? Yes ? No? Maybe so ?

*slams hands on desk* THIS-

ALSO, WELCOME LEE

MASTER CHIEF IS ORGINIAL BBYGIRL

This man's hand would engulf yours and it's so warm. At the same time, he's so delicate with you, he never wants to hurt you and you can tell whenever he holds your hand.

Very great question, now it's important to note, that I've had a drink or two while I answer this. I've thought about this so much, for so long and I love talking about this. And in my non-professional opinion, I believe you would have to initiate it most times. Looking at how Spartan augmentations went, they have very low sex drives to none at all. This doesn't mean they haven't gone through sex ed, they know how sex works, John understands how it works but has he ever felt the desire to? Most likely not.

But when he gets into a relationship with his partner, it crosses his mind that it's something you might want to engage in. John doesn't say anything leading into the conversation and lets you take the approach to it. I think it's important to note that it's a conversation to have with him before spicy stuff begins to give him peace of mind. He never wants to hurt you or make you uncomfortable.

At the end of the day, John doesn't really care for his own pleasure but likes to make sure his partner is satisfied, it's bad to say but it's like a game he wants to win in his head. If you want to engage in sexual matters, John doesn't mind, but John is awkward until he understands how to pleasure you but even then, it takes time. Something he wants to give you plenty of.

Now, I think John would initiate if he knows you need it. There is a point where John can read you with no problem, so whether your hormones want you to fuck or if you are generally in the mood or even stressed, John will find the prime moment to pull you away and initiate but he always asks after giving you a kiss. Consent is super important to him, especially yours.

I have very many thoughts about this. I hope these thoughts make sense, and I adore that you asked this <3

Hands are important!! I agree 100%

Like, imagine how they look around your neck?

[ghostlychief]

Aw thank you so much hun🖤🖤🖤 (I love love love drops of Jupiter hehe)

OKIE, HI LOVE, I'm so excited. I would like to request Touch-starved! John. John, who didn't realize how it felt to be loved. John, who didn't know how nice it felt to be wanted for being just him. John, who's never had a hug in his life, stiffing when his partner gave him a hug before realizing how comforting it was. John, who doesn't know how to hug his partner back and is scared he'll hurt them.

Okay i love this idea so much. YOUR MIND CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME. Because John would TOTALLY be like this at first. Love touch-starved!John. For some reason the concept of the song Drops of Jupiter popped into my head when i thought of this John. I hope you enjoy what i threw together, and hope you're doing well <3

---

Drops of Jupiter

John-117/Master Chief x reader

no warnings, just fluff!

---

John’s life can really only be measured by statistics, measured quantitatively. From the moment he was found on Eridanus II by Dr. Halsey, his life started to have meaning in the way of numbers. How fast was he growing? How much did he weigh? How much could he lift? Those numbers became one of the most important thing in his life. Besides that, he didn’t have much else to count for. His sole purpose was to train and become the best Spartan II the UNSC has ever seen.

That was until he decided to remove the hormonal pellet, lodged in the center of his lower back, resting in between his spine. Who knew how much power rested in something smaller than a quarter?

This pellet repressed his moods, making sure he was only ever objective, the thought of subjectivity a sin. It also dimmed hormones a normal person experiences in their every day life. Such as, the longing touch of a loved one. Or, the hope to feel accepted by one’s peers. These suppressors were supposed to make the ultimate, elite solider. It was supposed to help aid the Spartan’s on the battle field by making them mission oriented. Act first, ask questions later. As long as the mission was complete and a success, not much else mattered.

At first, John felt disoriented. He felt unbalanced by the new coming of emotions and hormones that spiraled around in his body. There was a crash of emotions washing over his entire body that he forgot he felt before, in a distant past life he wasn’t even sure really existed. It felt rickety, yet exciting. Everything seemed brand new to him. The clouds looked different, the grass brighter, the sun felt warm against his skin. He appreciated the stars that blanketed the sky on a moonless night.

For once, he felt like he completed the orbit around what his life was really about. He finally understood. Life wasn’t just about missions and killing the Covenant. No, there was so much more to it and he finally felt like he touched back home after a long, grueling journey, pulled down by the gravity of the new world he found himself in.

Shortly after his pellet was removed, he met you. You were a linguistic technician that worked closely with many of the people John worked with. You were an expert in Sangheili, which became a hot commodity skill to have in the impending months leading up to the human/Covenant war. John had actually crossed paths with you before, only in passing, but you have met, though not officially.

The day you sat across from him in the cafeteria was Johns’s first encounter with you since feeling different, feeling new. You were already half way seated when you asked, “Mind if I sit here?” John looked up at you, brows furrowed and nodded, but at this point you were already sat down at the table.

“I’d like to pick your brain about something if you don’t mind?” Your sweet voice traveled across to John in the noisy cafeteria and he found himself staring at you for a second before he mentally shook his head. “Sure?” He was still perplexed why you were here sitting with him. Usually no one approached the Spartans unless they were instructed to do so.

“Okay, so I’m in the linguistics department, specifically Sangheili, and I wanted to ask you about the encounters you’ve had with the Sangheili, specifically the higher ranked Sangheili.”

John felt himself slightly smiling at your rambling, but he made sure to hide it from you. He cleared his through them said, “Yeah, I remember you. We met in passing a couple years ago.”

Your eyes widened, “Oh! I didn’t think you’d remember.” This time John made sure you noticed his smile, “Spartans have eidetic memory.”

“Ah, that’s right. Well, that’s good for all the questions I have for you then.” You then proceeded to talk to John about the Sangheili culture and how it related to their patterns of speech for the next two hours, time slipping away, fast through your fingers.

After that, John always felt a pull towards you, seemingly stuck in your orbit. If neither of you were on duty, you’d usually end up going on long walks. John told you about his past, like what it was like being in the Spartan program, and other adventures, like his mission on the Halos. You never interrupted him, and typically had follow-up questions, always curious to learn more about him.  

The first time you touched him was when he was explaining how he was taken as a child by Dr. Halsey to be entered into the Spartan program. You rested your hand on his bicep, and your fingers slowly rubbed back and forth in a comforting notion. He at first stiffened, but then soon relaxed under your enchanting touch, longing to feel it again after you left his quarters that night.

He started to see more and more of you, and his feelings slowly and quietly developed into something akin to love, though he was never really sure what that word meant. Not until you. He imagined what love might have been, but could never quantify it since love never dealt in numbers or absolutes. It was abstract, confusing, with no concrete answer to it.

Though all of these new emotions felt confusing at times, John never felt confused by you. You simply loved him, not Master Chief or John-117, just John. Slowly but surely, John felt more comfortable with you, emotionally and also physically. Although Spartans are massive in their stature, people still forget how freakishly strong they actually are. Such as, John can easily flip over a Warthog. So, in dealing with you, he was extra cautious.

The first time you wrapped your arms around his middle in a bone crushing hug, he was worried about hugging back, afraid he would crush you, hurt you. He doesn’t remember ever receiving a hug like that, and he wanted to savor it, and feel it over and over again. Once he realized that he wasn’t going to hurt you, he would always pull you into random hugs through out the day, comforted by your beating heart against his.

John’s life, once measured only in numbers, in quantity, now could be measured by so much more. He was lucky, after all.

---

[ghostlychief]

IM SO GLAD🖤🖤🖤 your requests are always so fun, thanks for sending this in hehe 🤗

OKIE, HI LOVE, I'm so excited. I would like to request Touch-starved! John. John, who didn't realize how it felt to be loved. John, who didn't know how nice it felt to be wanted for being just him. John, who's never had a hug in his life, stiffing when his partner gave him a hug before realizing how comforting it was. John, who doesn't know how to hug his partner back and is scared he'll hurt them.

Okay i love this idea so much. YOUR MIND CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME. Because John would TOTALLY be like this at first. Love touch-starved!John. For some reason the concept of the song Drops of Jupiter popped into my head when i thought of this John. I hope you enjoy what i threw together, and hope you're doing well <3

---

Drops of Jupiter

John-117/Master Chief x reader

no warnings, just fluff!

---

John’s life can really only be measured by statistics, measured quantitatively. From the moment he was found on Eridanus II by Dr. Halsey, his life started to have meaning in the way of numbers. How fast was he growing? How much did he weigh? How much could he lift? Those numbers became one of the most important thing in his life. Besides that, he didn’t have much else to count for. His sole purpose was to train and become the best Spartan II the UNSC has ever seen.

That was until he decided to remove the hormonal pellet, lodged in the center of his lower back, resting in between his spine. Who knew how much power rested in something smaller than a quarter?

This pellet repressed his moods, making sure he was only ever objective, the thought of subjectivity a sin. It also dimmed hormones a normal person experiences in their every day life. Such as, the longing touch of a loved one. Or, the hope to feel accepted by one’s peers. These suppressors were supposed to make the ultimate, elite solider. It was supposed to help aid the Spartan’s on the battle field by making them mission oriented. Act first, ask questions later. As long as the mission was complete and a success, not much else mattered.

At first, John felt disoriented. He felt unbalanced by the new coming of emotions and hormones that spiraled around in his body. There was a crash of emotions washing over his entire body that he forgot he felt before, in a distant past life he wasn’t even sure really existed. It felt rickety, yet exciting. Everything seemed brand new to him. The clouds looked different, the grass brighter, the sun felt warm against his skin. He appreciated the stars that blanketed the sky on a moonless night.

For once, he felt like he completed the orbit around what his life was really about. He finally understood. Life wasn’t just about missions and killing the Covenant. No, there was so much more to it and he finally felt like he touched back home after a long, grueling journey, pulled down by the gravity of the new world he found himself in.

Shortly after his pellet was removed, he met you. You were a linguistic technician that worked closely with many of the people John worked with. You were an expert in Sangheili, which became a hot commodity skill to have in the impending months leading up to the human/Covenant war. John had actually crossed paths with you before, only in passing, but you have met, though not officially.

The day you sat across from him in the cafeteria was Johns’s first encounter with you since feeling different, feeling new. You were already half way seated when you asked, “Mind if I sit here?” John looked up at you, brows furrowed and nodded, but at this point you were already sat down at the table.

“I’d like to pick your brain about something if you don’t mind?” Your sweet voice traveled across to John in the noisy cafeteria and he found himself staring at you for a second before he mentally shook his head. “Sure?” He was still perplexed why you were here sitting with him. Usually no one approached the Spartans unless they were instructed to do so.

“Okay, so I’m in the linguistics department, specifically Sangheili, and I wanted to ask you about the encounters you’ve had with the Sangheili, specifically the higher ranked Sangheili.”

John felt himself slightly smiling at your rambling, but he made sure to hide it from you. He cleared his through them said, “Yeah, I remember you. We met in passing a couple years ago.”

Your eyes widened, “Oh! I didn’t think you’d remember.” This time John made sure you noticed his smile, “Spartans have eidetic memory.”

“Ah, that’s right. Well, that’s good for all the questions I have for you then.” You then proceeded to talk to John about the Sangheili culture and how it related to their patterns of speech for the next two hours, time slipping away, fast through your fingers.

After that, John always felt a pull towards you, seemingly stuck in your orbit. If neither of you were on duty, you’d usually end up going on long walks. John told you about his past, like what it was like being in the Spartan program, and other adventures, like his mission on the Halos. You never interrupted him, and typically had follow-up questions, always curious to learn more about him.  

The first time you touched him was when he was explaining how he was taken as a child by Dr. Halsey to be entered into the Spartan program. You rested your hand on his bicep, and your fingers slowly rubbed back and forth in a comforting notion. He at first stiffened, but then soon relaxed under your enchanting touch, longing to feel it again after you left his quarters that night.

He started to see more and more of you, and his feelings slowly and quietly developed into something akin to love, though he was never really sure what that word meant. Not until you. He imagined what love might have been, but could never quantify it since love never dealt in numbers or absolutes. It was abstract, confusing, with no concrete answer to it.

Though all of these new emotions felt confusing at times, John never felt confused by you. You simply loved him, not Master Chief or John-117, just John. Slowly but surely, John felt more comfortable with you, emotionally and also physically. Although Spartans are massive in their stature, people still forget how freakishly strong they actually are. Such as, John can easily flip over a Warthog. So, in dealing with you, he was extra cautious.

The first time you wrapped your arms around his middle in a bone crushing hug, he was worried about hugging back, afraid he would crush you, hurt you. He doesn’t remember ever receiving a hug like that, and he wanted to savor it, and feel it over and over again. Once he realized that he wasn’t going to hurt you, he would always pull you into random hugs through out the day, comforted by your beating heart against his.

John’s life, once measured only in numbers, in quantity, now could be measured by so much more. He was lucky, after all.

---

[ghostlychief]

OKIE, HI LOVE, I'm so excited. I would like to request Touch-starved! John. John, who didn't realize how it felt to be loved. John, who didn't know how nice it felt to be wanted for being just him. John, who's never had a hug in his life, stiffing when his partner gave him a hug before realizing how comforting it was. John, who doesn't know how to hug his partner back and is scared he'll hurt them.

Okay i love this idea so much. YOUR MIND CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME. Because John would TOTALLY be like this at first. Love touch-starved!John. For some reason the concept of the song Drops of Jupiter popped into my head when i thought of this John. I hope you enjoy what i threw together, and hope you're doing well <3

---

Drops of Jupiter

John-117/Master Chief x reader

no warnings, just fluff!

---

John’s life can really only be measured by statistics, measured quantitatively. From the moment he was found on Eridanus II by Dr. Halsey, his life started to have meaning in the way of numbers. How fast was he growing? How much did he weigh? How much could he lift? Those numbers became one of the most important thing in his life. Besides that, he didn’t have much else to count for. His sole purpose was to train and become the best Spartan II the UNSC has ever seen.

That was until he decided to remove the hormonal pellet, lodged in the center of his lower back, resting in between his spine. Who knew how much power rested in something smaller than a quarter?

This pellet repressed his moods, making sure he was only ever objective, the thought of subjectivity a sin. It also dimmed hormones a normal person experiences in their every day life. Such as, the longing touch of a loved one. Or, the hope to feel accepted by one’s peers. These suppressors were supposed to make the ultimate, elite solider. It was supposed to help aid the Spartan’s on the battle field by making them mission oriented. Act first, ask questions later. As long as the mission was complete and a success, not much else mattered.

At first, John felt disoriented. He felt unbalanced by the new coming of emotions and hormones that spiraled around in his body. There was a crash of emotions washing over his entire body that he forgot he felt before, in a distant past life he wasn’t even sure really existed. It felt rickety, yet exciting. Everything seemed brand new to him. The clouds looked different, the grass brighter, the sun felt warm against his skin. He appreciated the stars that blanketed the sky on a moonless night.

For once, he felt like he completed the orbit around what his life was really about. He finally understood. Life wasn’t just about missions and killing the Covenant. No, there was so much more to it and he finally felt like he touched back home after a long, grueling journey, pulled down by the gravity of the new world he found himself in.

Shortly after his pellet was removed, he met you. You were a linguistic technician that worked closely with many of the people John worked with. You were an expert in Sangheili, which became a hot commodity skill to have in the impending months leading up to the human/Covenant war. John had actually crossed paths with you before, only in passing, but you have met, though not officially.

The day you sat across from him in the cafeteria was Johns’s first encounter with you since feeling different, feeling new. You were already half way seated when you asked, “Mind if I sit here?” John looked up at you, brows furrowed and nodded, but at this point you were already sat down at the table.

“I’d like to pick your brain about something if you don’t mind?” Your sweet voice traveled across to John in the noisy cafeteria and he found himself staring at you for a second before he mentally shook his head. “Sure?” He was still perplexed why you were here sitting with him. Usually no one approached the Spartans unless they were instructed to do so.

“Okay, so I’m in the linguistics department, specifically Sangheili, and I wanted to ask you about the encounters you’ve had with the Sangheili, specifically the higher ranked Sangheili.”

John felt himself slightly smiling at your rambling, but he made sure to hide it from you. He cleared his through them said, “Yeah, I remember you. We met in passing a couple years ago.”

Your eyes widened, “Oh! I didn’t think you’d remember.” This time John made sure you noticed his smile, “Spartans have eidetic memory.”

“Ah, that’s right. Well, that’s good for all the questions I have for you then.” You then proceeded to talk to John about the Sangheili culture and how it related to their patterns of speech for the next two hours, time slipping away, fast through your fingers.

After that, John always felt a pull towards you, seemingly stuck in your orbit. If neither of you were on duty, you’d usually end up going on long walks. John told you about his past, like what it was like being in the Spartan program, and other adventures, like his mission on the Halos. You never interrupted him, and typically had follow-up questions, always curious to learn more about him.  

The first time you touched him was when he was explaining how he was taken as a child by Dr. Halsey to be entered into the Spartan program. You rested your hand on his bicep, and your fingers slowly rubbed back and forth in a comforting notion. He at first stiffened, but then soon relaxed under your enchanting touch, longing to feel it again after you left his quarters that night.

He started to see more and more of you, and his feelings slowly and quietly developed into something akin to love, though he was never really sure what that word meant. Not until you. He imagined what love might have been, but could never quantify it since love never dealt in numbers or absolutes. It was abstract, confusing, with no concrete answer to it.

Though all of these new emotions felt confusing at times, John never felt confused by you. You simply loved him, not Master Chief or John-117, just John. Slowly but surely, John felt more comfortable with you, emotionally and also physically. Although Spartans are massive in their stature, people still forget how freakishly strong they actually are. Such as, John can easily flip over a Warthog. So, in dealing with you, he was extra cautious.

The first time you wrapped your arms around his middle in a bone crushing hug, he was worried about hugging back, afraid he would crush you, hurt you. He doesn’t remember ever receiving a hug like that, and he wanted to savor it, and feel it over and over again. Once he realized that he wasn’t going to hurt you, he would always pull you into random hugs through out the day, comforted by your beating heart against his.

John’s life, once measured only in numbers, in quantity, now could be measured by so much more. He was lucky, after all.

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