Ghost

Your lieutenant had always been a mystery to you. Ghost was silent, tough, one of those men who seemed unfazed by anything, but even so, from the moment you arrived at the base, you couldn't help but stare at him. He was about ten years older than you, your superior, and showed no interest beyond his job, but you never cared.

That night everyone was at a bar near the base. Voices and laughter filled the place, but you were off to the side, at a table in the corner, a glass in your hands. You couldn't stop thinking about him. About how to approach him. About how to talk to him without it seeming inappropriate.

You drank more than you should have. Enough to make your face flush and stop thinking too much.

When it was late, everyone had left. Only you remained… and Ghost, sitting in the back, checking his phone as if he wasn't tired at all. You looked at him for a moment. He looked up, noticing you were still there.

"You should leave," he said, in that deep, calm voice.

You got up, a little unsteady on your feet. —I'm fine… I think.

Ghost placed a bill on the table and approached. —You're not going to walk all the way to the base alone like that. Come on.

He didn't argue. He just took your arm, not squeezing, guiding you outside. The cold air hit you, but his presence beside you kept you awake.

They turned down an alley to cut across. There, with the yellowish light of a lamppost above, you stopped without thinking much about it.

—Ghost… —you said, and your voice came out louder than expected— I like you.

He remained motionless. Literally. As if the word had frozen him. "You're drunk," she finally replied. "You don't know what you're saying."

"Yes, I know," I insisted. "I mean it. I've liked you for a long time."

For the first time, you saw something different in her eyes. As if she had considered the idea… just for a second. But then she shook her head.

—That's not right. I'm older than you. Your superior.

"I don't care," I said, taking another step closer. "I don't care about any of that."

Ghost took a deep breath.