28, French, she/her. Trying to fix things by writing. It works.
She muttered something in French under her breath, but didn’t pull away. And Ghost—well.
He’d never been happier to promise anything in his life.
She muttered something in French under her breath, but didn’t pull away. And Ghost—well.
He’d never been happier to promise anything in his life.
He leaned in, enjoying how she froze. “That’s what you meant.”
She huffed, looking away. “Not my fault if you infer things incorrectly.”
Ghost chuckled, warmth blooming in his chest. She’d never say it outright, not yet—but she didn’t have to.
He leaned in, enjoying how she froze. “That’s what you meant.”
She huffed, looking away. “Not my fault if you infer things incorrectly.”
Ghost chuckled, warmth blooming in his chest. She’d never say it outright, not yet—but she didn’t have to.
Ghost set his rifle down, turning toward her fully. “You wouldn’t like it,” he repeated, voice low, teasing.
“No.”
“Sounds an awful lot like you’d be sad, love.”
Ghost set his rifle down, turning toward her fully. “You wouldn’t like it,” he repeated, voice low, teasing.
“No.”
“Sounds an awful lot like you’d be sad, love.”
“I’ve decided I would be… moderately displeased if you got shot.”
Silence.
Ghost just stared at her, biting back a grin. “Moderately displeased?”
“I’ve decided I would be… moderately displeased if you got shot.”
Silence.
Ghost just stared at her, biting back a grin. “Moderately displeased?”
He waited.
And then, finally—
“I’ve decided something,” she announced, stiff, as if she was forcing the words out.
Ghost glanced at her, amused. “Yeah?”
He waited.
And then, finally—
“I’ve decided something,” she announced, stiff, as if she was forcing the words out.
Ghost glanced at her, amused. “Yeah?”
Ghost’s chest ached.
He nudged her leg with his boot, voice softer now. “I know.”
And that was enough.
Ghost’s chest ached.
He nudged her leg with his boot, voice softer now. “I know.”
And that was enough.
She curled her fingers around the blade’s handle, her grip steady—thoughtful.
Then, so quietly he almost didn’t hear it—
She curled her fingers around the blade’s handle, her grip steady—thoughtful.
Then, so quietly he almost didn’t hear it—
Ghost hummed. “Sounds like freedom to me, love.”
Wraith stared at him, something wavering in her expression.
Like she wanted to believe him.
Like she wasn’t sure if she could.
Ghost flipped the knife expertly in his hand before handing it back to her.
Ghost hummed. “Sounds like freedom to me, love.”
Wraith stared at him, something wavering in her expression.
Like she wanted to believe him.
Like she wasn’t sure if she could.
Ghost flipped the knife expertly in his hand before handing it back to her.
She let him.
That alone was proof of something.
He studied the blade, then tilted his head. “You’re sittin’ here, yeah?”
Wraith frowned slightly. “Yes.”
“With me.”
A beat. “Yes.”
“Nobody made you.”
She let him.
That alone was proof of something.
He studied the blade, then tilted his head. “You’re sittin’ here, yeah?”
Wraith frowned slightly. “Yes.”
“With me.”
A beat. “Yes.”
“Nobody made you.”
He exhaled. “You do now.”
She gave him a small, knowing look. “Do I?”
He exhaled. “You do now.”
She gave him a small, knowing look. “Do I?”
Then, without looking up—
“I do not know what it is like to be free.”
Ghost’s hands stilled.
Then, without looking up—
“I do not know what it is like to be free.”
Ghost’s hands stilled.
He’ll never forgive the people who made her this way.
Who stole what could have been. Who turned a child into a weapon and called it success.
But he’ll spend the rest of his days proving they didn’t succeed.
He’ll never forgive the people who made her this way.
Who stole what could have been. Who turned a child into a weapon and called it success.
But he’ll spend the rest of his days proving they didn’t succeed.
She brings him trinkets. She steals his things. She lingers, stays close, even when it’s unfamiliar, uncomfortable.
She chooses him.
And that—
That means something.
She brings him trinkets. She steals his things. She lingers, stays close, even when it’s unfamiliar, uncomfortable.
She chooses him.
And that—
That means something.
She doesn’t flinch at pain.
Doesn’t expect kindness.
Doesn’t know how to be anything but what they made her.
And yet—
She is more.
More than the sum of their cruelty.
More than the weapon they forged.
She doesn’t flinch at pain.
Doesn’t expect kindness.
Doesn’t know how to be anything but what they made her.
And yet—
She is more.
More than the sum of their cruelty.
More than the weapon they forged.
Because she was never given any.
He thinks about the things she’s done. The assassinations. The years of killing without hesitation, because that’s what they built her for.
Thinks about how she still holds herself apart, even now.
Because she was never given any.
He thinks about the things she’s done. The assassinations. The years of killing without hesitation, because that’s what they built her for.
Thinks about how she still holds herself apart, even now.
He’s seen the scars. The ones that don’t come from battle. The ones that tell a different story—of training, of discipline, of punishment.
He’s heard the way she talks about emotions—like they’re weaknesses. Distractions.
He’s seen the scars. The ones that don’t come from battle. The ones that tell a different story—of training, of discipline, of punishment.
He’s heard the way she talks about emotions—like they’re weaknesses. Distractions.
Scraps of information. Slip-ups. The way she speaks about her past in that detached, clinical way—like it was just another mission, another job, not her own life.
Like she wasn’t a child when they took her.
When they stripped her of softness. Of safety.
Scraps of information. Slip-ups. The way she speaks about her past in that detached, clinical way—like it was just another mission, another job, not her own life.
Like she wasn’t a child when they took her.
When they stripped her of softness. Of safety.
Ghost huffs a quiet chuckle.
Yeah.
She’s settled just fine.
Ghost huffs a quiet chuckle.
Yeah.
She’s settled just fine.
Wraith glances up. Catches him watching.
Raises a brow. “What?”
Ghost shakes his head.
“Just thinkin’.”
She tilts her head. Curious. “About what?”
He considers it.
Then—
Just smirks.
“How much of a menace you’ve become.”
Wraith narrows her eyes.
Throws the knife—
Wraith glances up. Catches him watching.
Raises a brow. “What?”
Ghost shakes his head.
“Just thinkin’.”
She tilts her head. Curious. “About what?”
He considers it.
Then—
Just smirks.
“How much of a menace you’ve become.”
Wraith narrows her eyes.
Throws the knife—
The way she listened.
The way she let him in, even when she struggled with everyone else.
And now—
Now she steals his things. Sleeps in his bed when he’s gone.
Lets him touch her without flinching.
Hugs him, sometimes. Clumsy, hesitant, but real.
Progress.
The way she listened.
The way she let him in, even when she struggled with everyone else.
And now—
Now she steals his things. Sleeps in his bed when he’s gone.
Lets him touch her without flinching.
Hugs him, sometimes. Clumsy, hesitant, but real.
Progress.