Giving Ghost a Music Box
Since I didn't receive any requests for once, I wrote something I've been wanting to write, which is just reader giving Simon a music box as a gift. I think he'd love something like that, with the small tune calming him down whenever he needs it. This is just self indulgent, but someone else might enjoy it as well, so I'm posting something for once.
A rather cold winter evening it was, the sun having kissed the world goodbye quite some time ago. With the final moments before dusk finally faded in its entirety, you looked at the blue sky, a blanket of clouds draped over it. A lovely sight, really, one you had seen a thousand times already. Not much snow was left, with a few piles serving as reminders of the cold that once was a week ago, but that, if nothing else, meant that you wouldn’t slip on the remaining ice anymore for there barely was any. You sighed as you waited at one of the traffic lights, having turned red just as you thought you could still make it. What a bother. Glancing at the small wrapped box on the passenger seat, you smiled. In your eyes, it was a rather special gift for a special someone, a person you had adored for years now. It may have been something small, but it held a lot of meaning to you. In fact, you had desired something like it for a long time yourself, but you knew it would make for a special gift for that special someone.
It was a music box, the wood adorned with carvings. It didn’t seem like anything extraordinary, and that it wasn’t, but it had a place in your heart. You played its melody in your head, remembering the metallic sound that came from it as you turned the handle slowly enough for it to be in tune with the actual song. You hoped Simon would love it as much as you do. And even if he didn’t want it, you’d be more than happy to keep it for yourself.
The light turned green once again and you hit the gas pedal, driving for another few minutes before you finally got home, watching as the lanterns automatically turned themselves on as it grew entirely dark outside. But it didn’t matter, nothing did in that moment. Not the dark, not the cold, not you shivering as you weren’t wearing clothes fit for such a cold evening. Soon enough you’d be inside anyway, reveling in the warmth of a nicely heated room during January. With the car parked in the parking lot nearby, you headed on home, not forgetting about the small music box.
You’d been thinking of getting Simon a gift for a while now. It wasn’t necessary, he always assured you, but you wanted to anyway, just to show your appreciation for him. He was a lovely man, a lovely boyfriend, who you could always count on, no matter what. Even when he wasn’t home, he’d try his best to talk to you whenever you needed it, listening to your woes as you rambled about a day, at first so sweet, gone sour due to the wrong people. Even though you could be quite the handful, something you were aware of but simply couldn’t help, he always stayed by your side, always making sure you were well. Sometimes he would neglect going to bed just to talk to you over the phone. Simon was a sweetheart indeed.
You held the wrapped box tightly in one hand, fumbling with your keys in the other as you tried to unlock the door of the apartment. It took a while, but you got it to work eventually, with the only obstacle left being a few flights of stairs until you could finally see the love of your life. As you were in no hurry, you opted for the elevator, pressing the button and waiting for it. Your mind wandered to the last time you and Simon made a small trip away from where you lived. Mind you, you were simply visiting his friend Johnny in Scotland, but you recall the sweetness of him defending you from some drunken people wishing to pick a fight with you. It definitely had its perks, having a boyfriend in the military, even if there were just as many downsides to it all.
You stepped inside the elevator, letting the door close behind you as it took you upwards. When you had gotten sick recently, he wouldn’t leave your side, unafraid of catching the flu himself. It was always a treat when Simon cooked, and that time he made you the best chicken soup you had ever had in your life, followed by a hearty vegetable stew as well. Even when you whined about being cold, when the three blankets weren’t enough, he wrapped you in his arms and made sure you stayed warm with him around, despite you sleeping all day anyway. And yet, somehow, he never got sick himself, getting away with a light cough and nothing else.
As you made your way up the final flight of stairs you thought about how he carried you back home when you had gotten injured. Hiking, while it could be a fun thing, could also be quite dangerous. And such a thing had happened as you barely had entered the forest. You slipped and twisted your ankle, unable to move up the entire mountain. You apologized over and over again, feeling shame and guilt upon not being able to go up the mountain with Simon. But instead of being angry with you, he picked you up, kissed your forehead and told you to be more careful next time. He even waited at the doctor’s office with you, just so he could keep an eye on you.
There are many things that can be said about Simon Riley. He’s a heartless killer, he’s a scary guy who knows how to end someone’s life with his bare hands, he’s stern and objectively scary to have around. And yet, at the same time, that man with an expression usually so cold has the warmest heart you’ve ever seen. If you had to, you would make every single mistake in your life again just to get a chance at meeting him, a chance at being with him, once more.
Finally, you stood in front of the door to your apartment. Quickly, you unlocked it and took off your shoes inside, the door simply falling closed behind you.
“Simon,” you called out, “I’m home!”
It must have been around 8pm, so it wasn’t very likely he was out anymore. No store would normally be open at such an hour. And soon enough, you heard something big get off the couch, the movement making its way towards you. The door to the living room was opened, revealing him. He seemed a bit out of it, a bit groggy even as he stared at you. Seems like he took a nap while he waited for you.
“Hey, love. How are you doing?” His voice was lower than usual, a bit more gruff as well. Although adorable, his hair was also a bit messier than usual. Seems like he genuinely was sleeping for a little bit. You granted him that, considering it wasn’t always a given he’d sleep well at night, even if you did feel a twinge of guilt for waking him up. As you took off your coat, you put down the small box, which Simon spotted immediately. “What’s that?”
Hanging up the jacket, you chuckled. “Open it and find out. It’s yours anyway.”
And that he did, carefully peeling off the tape to reveal what was inside. It took him a while to realize what it was, considering he just woke up from a relatively deep slumber. Setting down the wrapping, he looked at the small wooden box from every angle before taking the handle in his fingers. It was cute how small the box really was in his hands. When he turned it, he jumped a bit as the first sound played, stopping in his tracks before continuing. He let the entire tune play out, a smile forming on his face as he recognized it. “You Are My Sunshine”, something that held true for the both of you. A second time, he played the tune, listening intently as he seemed to be lost in thought, but happy regardless. It wasn’t much, but it conveyed how you felt about him.
“Thank you, lovie. It’s so very sweet.” Music box in one hand, he wrapped his free arm around you, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead.
“I’m glad you like it, I was worried you’d think it to be childish.” You wrap your arms around his large frame, taking in his warmth, the scent of his body wash wafting in the air.
“There’s not a single reason I wouldn’t love it.”
As you let go you gave him one more kiss on the cheek before heading off to the bathroom to wash your hands. It seemed to have been a good gift as, from time to time, you can hear him play with it. A smile etches across your face every time your hear a small, metallic version of “You Are My Sunshine”, knowing fully well he appreciates the gift as much as you hoped he would. Every time he thinks you’re not around, not listening, he’d play the small melody, and every time it would warm your heart. Simon was a sweetheart, it showed in his actions and the way he appreciates everything you ever did for him, how he treated every gift you ever got him.
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Potential TWs: mentions of s*icide/s*icidal thoughts.
Ultimately, in S4, I fully believe that Daisy ran away from the team to end her life.
She ran away so that the team would inevitably “give up on her”, so to speak, and that it wouldn’t hurt them as much when she did turn up dead.
I was inclined to call her actions passive suicide ideation at first, but it wasn’t even that. She was actively doing everything in her power to get herself killed, even if she wouldn’t admit it. Even if she had no plans to do it herself (that we know about), she was deliberately putting herself in those dangerous situations. She wanted them to kill her. Hell, she even begged Robbie/Ghost Rider to do it.
She begged him to kill her.
She was also in constant pain. The bone-restoration pills she was taking, as Jemma said, didn’t relieve pain. She wanted to be in pain. To feel it. Because she felt like she deserved it.
So, I can’t lie, it bothers me a little how quick Fitz and Mack are to just jump down her throat when they confront her in early S4. I understand that they’re upset at her for just abandoning ship, but I can’t really say that their anger is justified. She’s in SO much pain, and they know that. She was brainwashed by Hive- and left with lingering addiction/withdrawal-like effects. She lost Lincoln, the dude she loved. And worse, she blames herself for all of it. They know the pain that she’s in.
“She’s turned her back on us, Mack.”
No, she wants you to turn your back on her.
She wants you to give up on her.
That way, she can end her life without feeling more guilt for leaving the team behind. After all, they won’t care if they resent her for leaving, right?
It’s frustrating, and frankly just sad, that they couldn’t see that. (Meanwhile, Robbie picked up on it immediately and he was a literal stranger.)
It’s not that I blame them at all. After all, this is usually how it goes in real life too. Not a lot of people can recognise the signs until it’s too late. It’s realistic, if anything. But just… sad.
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