One Shots ~ [Call of Duty]

Soap: Smiling After All

Warning: MWIII Campaign spoilers

Words: 1.8700

Reading time: 8 minutes

~ Fluff ~

You hadn't seen it happen.

Thankfully.

You're not sure if you could handle the sight of it, Soap being shot in such close range it could've meant the end of him right then and there. The very idea had churned your stomach and made your heart race, as if you were standing there witnessing it unfold in real time.

You had already experienced a full-blown panic attack when Simon called you to break the news. The moment the words came through your phone's speaker, your mind was flashing up images of Johnny bleeding out right in front of you, and the sheer terror of it all was suffocating.

Simon wasn't particularly adept at delivering such updates, as he failed to immediately mention that Soap was doing okay by now. In the midst of your heavy breathing and racing thoughts, he eventually managed to slip that crucial fact through, allowing you a ray of hope.

Now, just two days later, Soap has been transferred back to your own base, and you're practically sprinting towards his room. The hospital wing is annoyingly far away from your section of the base, though your decent stamina allows you to get there rather fast.

Room number 12.

You don't bother knocking, and open the room before stopping to listen

Your eyes immediately land on Soap, who's lying down with his upper body slightly upright. Ghost sits on the left side of the bed and he sits up just a bit straighter when he sees you.

"Johnny," you exclaim, immediately going up to the side of his bed.

You swallow the lump in your throat as you notice the number of monitors he's hooked up to, though as his eyes meet yours, a light grin appears on his face.

Thank god.

"Hey you, missed me huh?" he sighs, his voice hoarse.

"Jesus Christ, Johnny.. You scared the living shit out of me," you say, laying your hand in his to feel his fingers intertwine with yours. "—And so did you with that call," you turn to Ghost. "You could have mentioned he was alive in the first sentence."

"I know, sorry," Ghost sighs. "I'm not good with this."

You shake your head, almost feeling sorry for him too. "It's fine."

"At least it got your adrenaline pumping, huh?" Soap tries to joke a little bit, but he winces in pain. He sounds more tired than you've ever heard. "I got my ass kicked this time"

You force yourself to smile, even though the vulnerability in his voice pains you. "At least you looked good doing it," you say as your fingers find his hair, carefully brushing through it.

Soap tries to hide his pain, winking at you with his grin. "My good looks never falter, you should know that by now."

"Shut up, Soap. For fucks sake," Ghost sighs, faking annoyance.

You chuckle, your heart finally beginning to settle as you ease into the familiar banter. "Well, it's a good thing your handsome face made it through this ordeal, or I might have to have a word with the enemy. They can't just mess with our best-looking soldier."

Ghost, who's been quiet, finally chimes in with a playful grin. "Might give Soap a run for his money in the looks department one day."

You look up with a grin on your face, surprised by Ghost's comment.