Christmas day was a very cozy affair. König and Horangi missed dinner the night before, but they weren't upset in the end. The rest of the team had been too scared to go to their rooms and fetch them.
Either way, they emerged in the morning along with everyone else. They were all extremely amused by the sight of stockings on the fireplace of the sitting room and Price insisting that it must have been Santa Claus.
"We're grown men, Captain." Ghost told him, deadpanned.
Price reeled back slightly, looking affronted, "Do you really think so little of the man? Think he would only focus on the children of the world. Santa cares for all, Simon. Well, everyone who's been good at least."
"I dunno if what we do for a living qualifies as being good, Price." Soap wrinkled up his nose doubtfully.
Nikolai came up behind the wolf and boldly reached a hand up to scratch at the back of his scalp, "No, no. You are all very good boys."
Soap gave a happy rumble and began kicking at the ground, tail wagging rapidly. Ghost wasn't sure if it was due to the scratching or the fact that he had been called a good boy.
Either way, they all indulged Price's whims and sat around on the floor going through the stockings. After that there were more gifts actually from Price, and from each other. Rudy made them all wait until after breakfast though. It didn't take much convincing from the man as he had made cinnamon rolls. As soon as those words had left his mouth about half the room was stumbling over each other to get to the promised food.
Gaz and Roach were slightly distracted all morning as their little cocooned caterpillar was emerging. The little thing came out with its wings all shriveled and wet. A blue butterfly that Roach named Morph. The whole team checked on the little thing in the enclosure occasionally. It was fascinating to watch, and it reminded them all of how Roach looked when he had gotten dunked. Slow, still, weak. But with so much potential.
Another activity for the day was continuing their failed mistletoe venture from the day before. They kept trying to maneuver the little sprigs around where Price and Nik would inevitably walk, but they weren't having much luck, and clearly they weren't being very subtle. Price eventually had it. He couldn't just stand idly by when he knew his boys were up to something.
"Alright." He said finally, "Spill. What have you lads been up to."
They all blinked and avoided eye contact, clearly trying to feign innocence.
Price huffed, "Deception is the quickest way to end up on the naughty list next year."
The threat clearly worked. Soap folded so fucking fast.
He pulled a piece of the mistletoe from his pocket and instantly spilled his guts, "We've been tryin' to get you and Nik to go under the mistletoe so we could make ya kiss each other but we accidentally made König and Horangi kiss and fuck and be in love and we just wanted you two to admit that you were in love too but it's so fuckin' hard and you two are impossible!"
Price blinked. Everyone in the room looked at him in awe and confusion. There was absolutely no punctuation in his statement, and he had said it all in one breath, having to suck one in at the end of his ramblings.
Nikolai snorted, apparently amused.
"Why were you trying to get us to kiss each other?" Price asked, wholly confused.
"Because you're always hidin' it and we fuckin' know you're in love! We just want ya to admit it!" Soap whined, flopping sideways dramatically across Ghost's lap.
"Of course we are, Sergeant." Price said after a moment.
"You..." Soap slowly sat up, "You're just gonna admit it. Just like that?"
"Well, sure." Price shrugged, "It's not a secret."
"But," Alejandro tilted his head, "you two never show any intimacy."
Rudy nodded emphatically, "It's true! We've never seen ya kiss or hold hands or cuddle or anything when we're just hanging out."
Ghost nodded his own agreement.
Nikolai laughed and Price rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, "Maybe you lot don't know, but we humans like to keep a certain level of professionalism. And that includes not subjecting friends and family to unnecessary PDA-!"
Price's face was suddenly grabbed by the jaw and abruptly turned by Nik who leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Price made a surprised noise before Nikolai pulled back with a flourish of his hands, "There we are. Problem solved."
"Nik! That was so unnecessary!" Price's face was bright red.
"Ease up, Jonathan." Nik laughed, "It's Christmas, they can consider that my gift to them."
Soap threw his fists into the air in triumph, "Yes! Finally! Thank you, Nik!"
Nikolai waved him off, "Anytime, Kid. Doesn't take much convincing."
He wiggled his eyebrows at Price before grabbing him again to kiss his cheek. Price blushed more, and the whole team was greatly amused at the sight of him so flustered. Eventually Price shoved him off, trying desperately to compose himself, "Alright, alright. We're in love. Happy now?"
"Very happy, Captain." Alejandro confirmed, raising his mug of hot chocolate.
"Anyway..." Price huffed, changing the subject, "I wanted to give you boys one last gift, but if Nik's was enough for you..."
Soap instantly shot up, "No, no, no! Please!"
Price laughed, "Relax, Sergeant. I'll tell you."
Everyone got quiet, eagerly leaning in to absorb whatever the Captain was going to say. He waited a moment, pausing for dramatic effect, the cheeky bastard.
"I thought you boys might like to know what it is exactly you have been building."