Work Text:
John's family was cursed. Well that's what the woman had said to them when she'd been scorned by his father. He'd been sleeping with her after his work days and coming home to John and his mother at night. Let's say the woman didn't take it lightly, she cursed them. Love being the only thing that could lift it due to his father never knowing what it was the vile man he was.
Nothing seemed to change though, so little 9 year old Johnny never took any head to it, they went on with their miserable lives under the watch of his awful father.
That is until he hit 21. The pain he went through was heartbreaking for his mother, his insides felt like hot coals, it only lasted 24 hours but it was torture and like that it was over. Nothing seemed to change...except it did, he stopped aging. Looking as 21 as he did 5 years ago when he turned it the look of horror on his parents faces when they finally figured out what was going on.
It took him forever to find the scorned woman, she seemed as surprised as he was, the curse was never meant for him but his father. Crying he begged her totl take it back, not wanting to watch his friends and family die without him. She cried with him, stating she couldn't. Only his soul mate, his love would make him age. The only issue is there's no tell, no flash of light, no words on skin. Just the possibility of aging when in contact and even then there was always a chance of them not realising it and his soul mate never being with him.
This was 125 years ago, so far he'd only come across his soulmate twice. He had the same first name ever time but was always so different. Simon. His Simon. The first time they'd been together it had lasted a whole 2 years, 2 years of aging together before he was ripped from him by pneumonia. The second time, 40 years later; lasted a bit longer, 5 blissful years together before they'd been pulled apart by hateful, spiteful people who didn't understand their love. John had to watch his love get beaten to death, his heart cracking and dying with him.
Now at 28 it was 2019, he'd been alone for so long, it was time to put his immortality to use. Joining the army had been a simple decision, his sweet Simon would never be there and he couldn't go through the heartache again. So imagine after 3 years of climbing through the ranks he was suddenly paired with Simon Riley. Ghost.
Soap had spent years avoiding Simon, not wanting to go through the heartache again. It was never about the aging, it was always the feel of his heart being ripped in two as his other half passed. He contemplated running, abandoning the army, not wanting to be around Simon, until he looked into his lieutenants eyes, something there snapped inside him, this Simon looked so hollow, so broken and Ghost needed him. After that it was easy, las almas was terrifying but knowing this Simon could handle himself put him at ease. Hassan was the closest to death he'd ever been but that was the straw on the camals back for Simon, words were spoken and kisses were exchanged. His heart was whole again. They spent so much time talking, getting to know each other, healing. Until Makarov. Soap remembers Gazs death, his best friend dying instantly. He remembers how broken the captain was after that, how the team felt hollow. Next was price, taken out by one of Makarovs followers, that hit him hard too but he remembers watching Simons lifeless body falling to the ground, he remembers the blood welling in his throat as he screamed, holding him close, feeling the pulse under his fingers weaken until it stopped. Soap left after that, leaving behind his dog tags, he felt like a shadow of himself. It wasn't meant to be, he was cursed, not just immortality but to lose everyone he loved. No more fighting, no more army. He was going lead a quiet life.
That how he found himself owning a coffee shop, 25 years later in Scotland. The one place he knew he wouldn't run into Simon. Or so he thought. Imagine his surprise as he was brought out of his own thoughts by a rough familiar voice. "Can I have a regular tea please" he looked up making eye contact with the tall, blonde man, there was no mistaking it. This was his Simon, he wasn't as tall or as broad but he'd recognise those brown eyes anywhere.
Realising he'd been staring too long Soap took the money and got right to it. He still had a shop to run after all. Looking at the cup in his hands that said 'simon' on the side... he wanted to be selfish for once, maybe this time with no war, no one hunting them they could finally be happy. Finally be whole. He lifted a pen to the cup. 'Why don't blind guys skydive? Scares the shit out of their dogs' a joke he'd been told before, by his previous ghost. Making the tea, handing it over and watching the man leave was hard. Until he saw Simon stop outside the tattoo shop across the road, taking in the writing on the cup. His eyes lifted to make contact with Soaps, them crinkling at the edges in amusement. Yes, maybe this time they'd be fine.