Thorn in My Side - Ghost x Reader

1. Roses are Red

Thorn pov
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Thorn:
noun

1.
a stiff, sharp-pointed, straight or curved woody projection on the stem or other part of a plant.

Phrases: "a thorn in someone's side"
a source of continual annoyance or trouble.

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Mission 000
13:00
12 years before contact

          A film of sweat starts to encase your body as you run through the obstacle course. Adrenaline coursed through your body, but you could feel your lungs crushing themselves trying to keep up with your pace. It's only been a month, but you're frustrated with how little progress you've made. You're acutely aware of all the sounds around you, but you try to concentrate on the crunch of the gravel underneath your boots. On the final stretch, you climb over the wall, underestimating how fast you were really going and end up falling on your ass at the finish line. Even so, you look towards the general timing the exercise, hopeful to see an improved time.

"Fuck" you hiss.

          5:27. Your second worst time yet. You stand up, trying to swipe all the dust off your cargo pants as you hear the snickering of some of your fellow soldiers. You give them a side-eyed glare, but it doesn't do much since you're not considered "dangerous". Your general gives you a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as you walk back towards the group. You watch as others clear the course with ease. 3:34, 2:53, 4:19, the closest to your time being 5:02. A gruff voice fills your head.

"Pathetic. What the fuck do you think you're doing huh?!"

"Y/n. Y/n?" A small voice asks

You snap out of your daze to see Melissa, another soldier part of your base training squad, looking up at you. She was slightly shorter than you, and had round glasses with splats of mud on them from the course earlier.

"Huh? What's up?"

"Just wondering if you were alright, just saw you staring off into space. You know General Shaw doesn't like 'slackers', and... well... you know how she gets." She looks down at her hands placed in front of her as she says this, twirling a small silver band on her finger. She had a habit of doing that whenever she was anxious about something, though she's gotten better at hiding it from the general since she got reprimanded last time.

     You give a small smile and reply "Yea, I'm doing fine. Thanks for looking out for me."

She lifts her head, eyes brightening a little, "Of course! Don't worry about your times right now, I just know you'll climb the ranks sometime soon. Just don't forget about me when you're famous~!" This comment made you laugh, in turn making Melissa smile. While she may be timid at first, once the ice was broken there was no stopping her tirade of fun facts and silly jokes. "I've got a new joke for you Y/n, wanna hear it?"

"Hit me with it"

"What do you call a group of kids who enlist in the military?" She pauses, looking at you with a mischievous grin.

"I'm not sure, what?"

"An INFANTry!" She lets out a snort and covers her mouth as she watches for your reaction. You try your best to hold in a laugh since it was such a dumb joke, but you fail, letting your smile grow larger as you laugh with her. You hear the general clear her throat, signaling for you both to shut up and watch the course. You and Melissa silently giggle once more, till the group is dismissed to mess hall. She asks you to join her, but you say you'll join her next time, the voice from earlier still bothering you. Her smile falters a little as she says