How to Love the Stars | Ghost (Simon Riley)

Chapter 25

The next morning, Althea awoke to the soft sound of Ghost's labored breathing beside her. She had managed to drift off to sleep in his comforting presence, her own exhaustion giving in to the demands of rest. As she stirred, she realized that the room was filled with a dim morning light.

With a gentle sigh, Althea carefully extricated herself from Ghost's still-embracing arms. She couldn't help but notice that the fluttering feeling in her chest hadn't entirely subsided, even after a night's sleep. Her face burned, and she hoped that he wouldn't be able to remember anything that happened last night. It remained a puzzle she couldn't quite unravel, but for now, her focus was on her ailing teammate. She picked up the thermometer, taking his temperature again. It had gone down to 102. It was much better, but he was still so insanely sick.

Gently, she brushed a strand of hair from his forehead and murmured to him, "Hey, Ghost. It's time to wake up. Your fever's gone down a bit more." She would have to stay to take care of him. She knew he wouldn't be happy about it, but it was crucial to monitor his condition closely.

The cool washcloth on his forehead seemed to be doing its job, and the color was slowly returning to his cheeks.

Ghost stirred, his eyes fluttering open with a groan. He still looked pale and exhausted, his brow furrowing in discomfort as he tried to sit up.

"Morning," Althea said softly, her worry evident in her voice. "How are you feeling?"

Ghost tried to speak, but his voice came out as a hoarse whisper. He reached for a glass of water on the bedside table and took a sip before managing to croak, "Like I've been hit by a truck."

Althea couldn't help but smile at his attempt at humor, even in his weakened state. She handed him a fresh washcloth that had been soaked in cool water and placed it on his forehead to help bring down the fever. He groaned, trying to bunch the blankets up to his chin again.

"We'll need to keep an eye on that fever," she said, her fingers brushing gently against his skin as she adjusted the cloth. The sensation sent another inexplicable flutter through her chest, and she briefly wondered what it meant.

Ghost nodded weakly, his eyes closing as he leaned back against the pillows. "Thanks, Althea," he whispered. "You've been amazing." His morning voice was raspy and much deeper than usual.

Althea's cheeks flushed, and she quickly looked away to hide her reaction. "It's what teammates do, Ghost," she replied, trying to sound casual. "Now, get some more rest. I'll be here if you need anything."

As she sat by his bedside, Althea couldn't shake the feeling of warmth and concern that had settled in her chest. She watched over Ghost, her heart fluttering with a mixture of emotions she still couldn't quite decipher, but for now, all that mattered was helping him get through this illness.

Ghost studied her expression, noticing a twinge of worry. "Is something wrong?"

Althea looked up, meeting his gaze. "No, nothing's wrong."

He didn't look away, instead putting more intensity into his stare. "Althea. You're doing that thing."

She scoffed. "What thing?"

He smirked, lifting a hand to wiggle a finger at her face. "You're doing that thing with your mouth." He mimicked her, twisting his mouth. "You do that when you're worried."

She sighed. "Yeah, you caught me."

"What's wrong?"

She paused before blurting out a response. "Did I invade your privacy?"

Ghost continued to study Althea's worried expression, his mind racing as he tried to piece together what she was so concerned about. Her question about invading his privacy had caught him off guard, and he couldn't fathom why she would ask such a thing.

"What do you mean, invading my privacy?" he asked, his voice still raspy but laced with curiosity.

Althea bit her lip, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of the washcloth in her hands. She glanced down at it as she tried to find the right words. "Last night, when you were... delirious with fever," she began, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink, "you came to the door without your mask on. I saw your face, and I just... I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable."

Ghost blinked, his memory of the feverish night not as clear as he would have liked. He vaguely remembered Althea being there, offering him comfort, but the details were hazy.

He considered her question for a moment before managing a small, hoarse laugh. "Althea, I don't care about you seeing my face as much as you might think. In fact, it's probably more strange that I don't mind you seeing it."

Althea's eyes widened in surprise, and she looked up to meet Ghost's gaze. There was a mixture of relief and confusion in her expression. "You... don't mind?"

Ghost nodded, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Sure, it's not something I go around showing to everyone, but..." He looked away, and for the first time, Althea saw the fearsome Lieutenant Simon Riley blush. The feeling made something warm bloom in her chest.

As he spoke those words, he couldn't help but wonder why he felt so comfortable around her. Why did her presence soothe him in a way that no one else's did? It was a question he'd been avoiding for a long time, buried beneath layers of training and duty. For some reason, with her, it was different. He hadn't even known her very long.

Althea's worries began to melt away as she realized that Ghost didn't mind her seeing his face. She couldn't deny the fluttering feeling in her chest anymore.

Their conversation hung in the air for a moment, heavy with unspoken emotions. They were both the same, two soldiers who had learned to bury their feelings deep within themselves, yet so different at the same time. But in that vulnerable moment, with Ghost weakened by illness and Althea by his side, something shifted between them.

Ghost cleared his throat, breaking the tension with a hint of awkwardness. "So, about last night..." he began, his voice trailing off. Ah. So he did remember. Shit.

Althea was the one blushing this time, her gaze dropping to the bed sheets. "I'm so sorry... I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I mean, I fell asleep with you, and I didn't ask if that was okay, and you're my teammate, and..." she mumbled.

Ghost just tilted his head up, slightly away from her, eyes on the ceiling. "No," he said softly. "In fact, it was... nice."

A/N: Oh my god, I haven't had time to write a thank you for 4k reads yet because I was so busy dying and now I'm so close to 5k! I'm so sorry and I'll write 4 and 5k together because I am still kind of dying right now. 

THANK YOU FOR READING! All of your comments made me so happy, and I enjoy seeing my book getting more popular! I am enjoying writing this a lot, I hope you are enjoying it as well! Have a wonderful day/evening/morning wherever you are from! Love yu!