You push open the meeting room doors, finding the full team standing around. You scowl, gripping the thin string in your hand. "Whoever did this is getting a smack." you threaten holding the balloon that floats beside you.
You turn towards the sound of a click of a camera, narrowing your eyes at Alejandro. "You look so happy hermana" he says, looking at his phone and showing those beside him.
"Was it you Alejandro?" you say stepping into the room fully and letting the door swing shut.
"No no, I was just in charge of taking the photo" he says turning the phone around. You frown masking the smile that threatens to take over, not because your happy but the picture of you looks idiotic.
"I'm popping it" you growl, grabbing the knife from your belt and flipping it open.
"You'd hurt the feelings of whoever gave it to you." Keegan says, leaning back in his chair.
"So?" you mutter. You looked about at the team, double taking back to an oddly suspicious looking Soap.
"It was one balloon" he says on defense immediately as he stands up. "It could have been two or three or 56, but it's just one" he says.
You narrow your eyes but sigh, some part of you had grown soft and you hated it sometimes. How blissful life was only needing to worry about yourself but now it affected you when you made them upset.
"I don't want to see this." you mumble, tucking the knife away and feeling the balloon bob as you tug the string.
"Easy fix" Ghost says taking it from your hand.
"Thank you" you say glancing at him.
"I wouldn't do that" he says, stepping behind you as you feel him fiddling with the back of your vest.
"Ghost you better not-" he steps back into view, the balloon is gone, and you shake your head, glancing up and seeing it hovering above you. "Untie that from my vest right now" you scowl.
"A lot of scowling from the birthday girl" Price joins in with a chuckle.
"They did this to you didn't they?" you say turning to Ghost.
"Mm, but it wasn't one, it was several." he says.
"Can't believe you'd do this to me" you mumble, and he chuckles.
He steps closer, dropping his voice as he faces the front. "Don't worry I'll take it off later" he says, his voice barely heard.
Your eyes flick to him as he clears his throat, standing up straight and walking off. "Rookie, I've got some work for you" Price catches your attention.
You accept it happily, taking a seat and grabbing a pen, opening the folder and frowning. You glance up, everyone's gaze on their work as if they don't know. You pick up the white envelope. "Unless this is a check, I don't want it" you say.
"You won't know unless you open it" Keegan says, looking over at you.
You put it down, looking at them all. "I can't believe you all reassured me this wouldn't happen, and it's happening" you say watching as they smile. "Someone gives me some actual work."
"There's no work for you today rookie" Price smiles, taking papers that Alejandro holds out.
"I'll do someone else's then" you offer, looking around.
"Mine." Soap says, sliding across papers. .."What?" he says defensively after Ghost picks it up before it can reach you.
"Do it yourself Johnny" Ghost grunts.
"I want to do it" you speak up. "It'd be the best gift ever." you add with a smile. Ghost narrows his eyes for a moment before tossing it across to you. "Maybe my birthday isn't that bad" you say with a smug tone.
***
The day was going by rather quickly and you hadn't been cornered or tricked into anything else birthday related much to your relief. However, you had grown suspicious of the team's disappearances from time to time.
Other than that, and the balloon on your back, the day was average. You did a quick patrol, volunteering to do so after having a cleared schedule. The week had been busy, Ghost being annoyed for most of it.
Making you feel on edge around him, but he had seemed to escape the moody persona. You'd done a lot, training and work, picking up extra patrols and completing small missions.
You hadn't even had a drink in a while so tonight, drinking with the team would be like a reward. The day was hot, the sun relentless and torturing you while your gear absorbed the heat.
You walked back to your dorm, singling out the key for your dorm to open your door, only pausing to find it unlocked already. You stepped into the room, opening the windows a bit to allow some air flow around the room, hopefully overtake the humid heat that hovered.
You did a lap of the dorm, checking behind doors but finding nothing out of place and no one hidden about. Although, if you were to get robbed you most likely wouldn't notice anything missing, there was barely anything to take.
You pulled your vest off; it was clear you wouldn't be given work unless you asked for it, so you decided to lose some layers. You took off your jacket, sliding over a plain shirt. It was lighter, keeping you cool.
You tucked it in around your tactical belt, standing there as you looked at yourself in the mirror, wondering if it was better tucked in or out. You noticed something in the mirror, turning around and narrowing your eyes.
A box, plain white with a pale pink ribbon wrapped around it. It sat on your bedside table, a bow on top, its presentation simple and neat. You picked it up, tracing a finger over its edge with a sigh.
Your father had got you a gift once, a pair of headphones that you loved. Other than that, celebrations weren't a thing around. He'd acknowledge your birthday, maybe cook your favorite dinner that night.
But that was it. The box didn't have a sticker, addressing who it was from, and you thought about putting it back down, but you knew your curiosity would gnaw at you until you opened it. Another feeling came in to play.
A childlike excitement, a warm feeling that made you smile even if you were alone. Like part of you had felt completed, that odd feeling of never knowing you needed it until you had it. Words of encouragement or small things that filled a void.
An empty space that had never been fulfilled, like there was still a figment of your younger self who finally got to experience something you desperately longed for at nights.
Like your body was a photo album, empty pockets that were supposed to be captured life events. Your childhood remained empty. Nothing to record and nothing to show. Your teenage years, empty. Transitioning into adulthood, empty.
It was empty, but moments being captured. Adding color to your bland life, sprinkling hue onto the greyscale lens of your eyes. A revived child inside, finally feeling appreciated.
You grinned, sitting down on the bed and tugging at the ribbon. It slipped off effortlessly, you put it on your nightstand before lifting the box open.
It was a bracelet, a sturdy leather strap that could be tightened by the thin chains. A charm hung from it, a simple 'R'. You took it from the box, flipping it over in your open palm before sliding it onto your wrist.
It was lightweight and easy to figure out. You held your hand up, watching a ray of sun glare off its silver texture, you looked at it for a moment longer before standing up. You walked back out into the living room, picking up your vest.
You untied the balloon from it and thought for a moment before tying it to the side of your tactical belt, out of the way.
You made your way back to the office, hands clasped behind your back. Unsure why but feeling slightly shy about the gesture. You didn't know who it was, but after the 'whole tough' act about not wanting anything, you certainly weren't playing the role well.
You stepped out of the elevator, fixing your shirt a little as you walk down the hallway. The familiar white wall on one side and the other large glass windows, a sight that you'd grown used to, looking over the base.
You reached your office without interruption, closing the door slightly as you entered. You paused, looking on your desk. With narrowed eyes you picked up the can with a bow stuck on top, pushing open Keegans office door.
"What'd I say about gifts?" you mumble, giving him a small glare as he looks up. He smiles, leaning back in his chair as he shrugs.
"You know how forgetful I am" he chuckles. You press your lips into a thin line as he reaches across his desk, picking up his own drink. "Got one for myself" he grins, cracking it open.
You try push down a smile as it pulls at the corner of your lips. "I see you smiling" he laughs, shuffling papers over on his desk and patting the surface.
"I thought of something funny is all" you mumble as an excuse, walking over and sitting down on his desk as he leans back.
"Whatever you say rook" he chuckles as you open your drink.
You and him spend a good amount of time talking and drinking, it's refreshing for the hot day. He's easy to talk to, keeps conversation going with ease something you'd always found difficult, but it came easier when you were comfortable around the person.
You finished your drink off, grinning as you look at him. "Keegaaann" you say, watching as his face falls.
"Spare me this once rook." he groans.
"Ready for a funny joke...?" you smile. He sighs in return, and you lift the can up, stopping at the small, wrapped package taped into the dip of the can. You narrow your eyes, removing it carefully. "Keegan" you scowl.
"I have no clue what that is or how it got there." he says, acting clueless.
You put the can down, "... thank you" you mumble, tugging over a fold of the festive paper. You unwrap it, left with a small object covered in tissue paper which you remove.
A charm drops into your hand, and you smile. It was a rifle gun, detailed and shiny as you looked over it. You glanced at Keegan, watching with a smile himself. "I might just spare you the joke today." you say.
He stands up with a chuckle, putting his own drink down as he takes the charm from your hand. "Yeah well, I think I should be spared everyday with the backstory of this" he says, amusement on his words as he grabs your wrist.
"You were being annoying." you say, defending the situation. Within the first week of knowing Keegan, you'd been training with the team, and he was purposely trying to piss you off. In retaliation you'd shot the prop helmet he wore.
He looked like the life had left him and Price had taken the gun from you, making you apologize to him while he dramatically claimed you'd almost killed him.
"You almost killed me." he says, unclipping the bracelet.
You sigh, narrowing your eyes at him. "Dramatic much?" you say as he laughs, sliding the charm on for you and clipping it back up as you watched.
"There you go birthday girl" he teases as you scowl. "Would you mind dropping these by Alejandro's office?" he says, passing you a clear cover file.
"Rate my delivery service 5 stars." you say.
You nod, walking towards Alejandros office while inspecting the bracelet. You give a sharp knock upon arrival, and he greets you in, "Afternoon hermana" he says, putting the cap back on a pen he was using.
"These are from Keegan." you say, following him as he walks towards his desk.
He smiles warmly, taking them from you and digging through a draw. "Just a sec, mind delivering something for me next?" he says, glancing up before going back to his searching.
"Not a bit" you reply, leaning away from the streak of sun coming through his window and hitting your eye.
You look at him as he slides something onto your face carefully. He chuckles while you look around the now tinted office. "Alejandro.." you say slowly as he holds up his phone camera. You stare back at yourself, flower shaped sunglasses sitting on your nose.
"Just a little funny gift, you don't need to wear them rookie" he says with a light laugh as he reaches up to grab them.
You step back, pursing your lips. "No-!.., I'm going to wear them forever." you say quickly, holding them to your face as he smiles. "So, is there really something to deliver or..?"
"Yes yes," he says, passing you over a file. "To the birthday girl please" he says, giving a pat on your back as he turns you around.
"On it." you nod, stepping towards the door before stopping. "That's me" you say, turning back to him.
"Mm" he hums, grinning. "Just some work."
You stare at him for a moment before leaving, walking down the hallway as you open the file and find its not actual work and instead word games. You purse your lips, reaching your office and shrugging to yourself.
With the lack of work today you really had nothing better to do. You grabbed out a highlighter, taking the lid off as you put your headphones on. Listening to music while doing work was always a distraction.
But this was 'work', so no issue. Your eyes scanned the paper, a word find that made your eyes hurt, you gave up after finding nothing in the first two seconds.
You spread the pile out, looking over the other paper games before your eyes set on a card. The inventible 'Happy Birthday' on the cover in big letters. You picked it up, feeling the ragged lift on one part.
You opened it, something slipping out. Your eyes scanned the tabletop, looking for whatever it is before spotting it. You looked at it for a moment, picking up the charm and bringing it closer for a better look.
A headphone charm, cold in your palm, a smile spreading across your face. You undid the bracelet clasp, sliding it on with a soft grin. Something catches your attention, and your eyes draw to your open door, seeing Price at Keegans office door before tossing him something.
He turns around, going to walk back down but stopping as he notices your gaze. He smiles, "Looking good birthday girl" he says, nodding at your sunglasses.
"Thanks captain" you say, tapping your pen on the edges of the paper.
He hums in thought for a second, "You wouldn't mind running an errand for me, yeah?" he asks, checking his watch.
"Sure." you say standing up.
"Mind heading down to the cafeteria and grabbing something for me, just say for me and they'll know" he says, as you nod.
You leave the office, walking across base while taking your time doing so. There's a nice breeze outside, it's warm but doesn't add to the heat. Inside is cooler than out, the air conditioning on while the soldiers are at work.
You step into the cafeteria, finding only few groups about. Considering the time, there's more than usual but you notice most of them have cold drinks. Trying to escape the hot day, you walk across to the counter.
You open your mouth as a worker notices you, instead they cut you off with a "One second" while holding up their finger.
They returned a moment later, passing you over a bottle of alcohol with thin shiny ribbon wrapped around the neck the undeniable charm hanging from it. You thanked them, picking it up and leaving.
You stopped in the hall, pulling the charm off and looking it over with a smile, it was a mini bottle of beer.
You jammed the cap of the bottle between your teeth and gave it a rough twist, the cap coming off with ease as you drank the alcohol before it overflowed. You walked back, stepping out of the elevator and seeing Price walking down the hall.
You smiled, holding the beer up to him as he reached you. "I thought drinking was prohibited during work hours hm." you hummed, raising your brow.
He shushed you before chuckling, his eyes moved to your hand that held the bottle. Smiling as he seen the charms, "Keep it between us, yeah? I'm sure Soap would be highly upset with me." he laughs.
"Won't tell a soul sir." you say as Price nudges the balloon attached to your belt away from blocking his view.
"Oh and - before I forget" he says, digging into a pocket on his pockets. "This is for you, as promised." he says amused as he holds up a gold star sticker.
You laugh as he peels it, "I am, a man of my word" he says, lifting your chin gently as he places it on your cheek. "Goes with the sunglasses." he chuckles, ruffling your hair.
"Right, best get going before I'm late" he says, as you nod, watching him continue towards the elevator.
[ The cover photo of the story :) ]