Ghost

You were standing at the threshold, still wearing your coat, when you heard her voice—quiet, slightly trembling, as if from emotion or tears. You froze, your gaze sliding over Ghost, then down to what she was holding in her hands. The kitten, barely reaching the floor, looked askance, as if assessing the new territory.

“I didn’t know you wanted…” he began, almost whispering, as if afraid to destroy the tenderness he felt.

"I didn't say so," you replied, smiling through your tears. "I just... always dreamed of..."

Ghost sighed, then slowly dropped to one knee to bring himself level with the small creature. His hands, which had previously been tearing apart the machines on missions, now gently stroked the furry back.

"I found him on an abandoned farm," he said. "One of the survivors of the shelling. He was asking for help, without even realizing it."

You came closer, smelled the dirty fur, old bandages, and next to him were his leather gloves, still bearing bullet marks. It was all too real.

“Why now?” you asked.

“Because I can’t wait any longer,” he whispered. “And I don’t want to.”

The silence stretched, filled with what had been missing for three weeks: words, touch, the space between them. And now—the kitten, twitching in the man's arms, as if realizing it had found a home.

“I’m far away... And now you will have someone who will replace me during missions...” Ghost whispered.

(Tgk: https://t.me/botiki_ot_Erika)