You seen Soap's face pop up over the short sandbag wall and glare at his grin. "That was your fault" you mutter.
"That you weren't looking where you were going?" he laughs.
"Because you were talking." you huff, shooing his outstretched hand away as you lay there. His frame blocking the sun from your face with a dark shadow.
"I said watch your step." he chuckles.
"Still counts" you say, reaching an arm over your sunglasses, blocking the day.
"Sure, whatever suits you, birthday girl." he says, his accent lacing his words along with amusement. You hear shifting before you feel his arm beside yours, his skin slightly cold despite the heat outside.
You lift your arm from your eyes, squinting as you turn your head towards him. He had laid down beside you, the sun beaming down on you both. "So much for training." he smiles, squinting himself.
"Let's just say my leg hurts from my fall." you say, glancing down at your legs resting on top of the stacked sandbags.
"Mm sounds like a plan." he hums, both of you blocking the sun out with an arm over your eyes.
***
You sit up, propping yourself up on your elbows as you look at Soap beside you, checking the time. You'd fallen asleep, in the middle of an outside shooting range.
Only 20 minutes had passed, and you flopped down as Soap was silent, his chest rising and falling slowly. You had nowhere to be, the sun was warm, the outside was nice, and it was comfortable.
In the company of Soap, you didn't mind just being quiet. Surely, he was asleep, he didn't always look tired but still light bags would show. You'd take sleep whenever you could anyways, who could blame him.
You rested a hand on your stomach, concentrating on your breathing as you listened to the birds around. Occasional conversation from passing soldiers and the slight breeze shifting things around.
You must've fallen back asleep because you woke up with a sharp inhale of startlement. "Sorry" Soap muttered as you shifted your arm away from your eyes.
He held your wrist, unclasping the bracelet as he slid on a charm. He smiled at you, lying back down as you raised it up into your view, turning your arm as you watched the sun filter through and reflect off the silver.
You grinned at Soap, seeing his choice of charm. "Thank you Soap.." you say with a genuine smile.
"Of course, birthday girl." he chuckles... "We should get up." he says after a minute of you both admiring the bracelet.
You hum a groan, "I don't want too."
"That makes two." he chuckles before sitting up, dusting himself off before standing, holding a hand out over your face to block the sun with its shadow. "C'mon Rookie." he laughs.
"What if I said my legs were broken.?" you ask.
He hums in thought, "Are you comfortable with me picking you up?" he says with a small grin.
"You literally picked me up and threw me into a wall so you could get the leftover drink last week." you laugh.
"I didn't throw you, I placed you and nicely." he huffs, leaning over and grabbing your waist.
"That's so bull." you grin, balancing as he picks you up and sets you on the sandbag wall.
"Okay, maybe I was a little harsh, but you did not get thrown." he bargains, turning his back to you.
"We can meet in the middle then." you nod, wrapping your arms around his neck.
"I can agree to that." he says with a light laugh, his hands finding a grip on your thighs as he lifts you from the wall.
"Are you doing this because it's my birthday or can I start getting piggy back's every day?" you joke as he walks along.
"If we're meeting halfway about things then I'd expect them in return." he laughs.
"I mean sure, might include a few falls and possible death but I see no issue."
You talk with him as you both head towards the office, going through the halls and on the elevator as he carries you. You'd said he could put you down awhile back, but he said it was fine.
He sets you down, entering his office as you fix your belt, checking on your ballon. You turn back to him, and he gives a familiar grin which makes any hint of a smile drop from your face. "No." you say.
"Oh, come on." he chuckles.
You stare at him, your hard glare softening at his excited smile. "Fine, but I'm not happy about it." you huff, bowing your head slightly, allowing him to put it on. You feel the soft pang of elastic on your chin and look up.
He gives you a nod, "You look great." he laughs as you frown.
"Yeah yeah." you mutter watching as he puts his own birthday hat on and grins. You can't help but return it, hating that your body was so quick to betray you.
***
You leave your office, stopping in your tracks as you walk into Ghost clearly on his way into your office. "Oh, hey." you say, trying to hide the slight startlement.
He makes an amused scoff, looking you up and down. "They really attacked you huh?" he says, tapping the lens of your sunglasses. "Got a soft spot hm?" he chuckles.
"Hardly." you scowl, folding your arms.
"You can't look angry with flower sunglasses and a party hat on rookie." Ghost says, a smile evident in his words as you soften your expression.
You meet his eyes, involuntarily glued to them as they look down at you, suddenly aware of how close you both were, having bumped into him. A trance of yearning starts with the stare, tingling into your fingertips and urging you to reach out.
A smile twitches under his balaclava, it's somehow like your bodies sync. Both knowing exactly what you want and how to achieve it. You take a step back into your office as he walks forwards. His frame towering over yours.
"At least close my door." Keegans voice draws you away from Ghost, unknowingly breaking a lustful gaze. You can't see him as Ghost stands there, blocking the view.
Ghost looks over his shoulder, his expression mutual from what his eyes show. He steps over to Keegans office with a simple shrug grabbing his door handle. "There's no need for that." you interrupt with a small smile to Keegan.
"Ghost was just coming to ask if, .. I needed some...thing." you say, tugging on Ghosts sleeve as he steps back from the door.
Keegan tips his head back, "Makes perfect sense." he says with a smirk.
"Yes, it does." you say back, nodding before stepping out of view from his door, Ghost following you.
You turn to him in the hall, ready to make a compromise until you hear your name. "Rookie-", you turn around seeing Gaz, a party hat on that makes you chuckle. He catches your gaze and laughs, "Yeah uh, made the mistake of stopping by Soap's office."
"-Anyways, sorry I'm in a slight rush but here you go." he says warmly, passing you over a wrapped gift. "Know I haven't been around much, but I'll be there tonight yeah?" he says, patting your upper arm.
"Chop chop hermano." Alejandro calls from down the hall as Gaz turns.
"That's me then." Gaz smiles, he's about to walk off but pauses, turning back to you, hand in pocket once more before he holds out a bill.
"Gaz, I don't need that, it's yours." you laugh pushing his hand back.
"No no take it, usually my family puts it in cards, but I didn't get one, so please." he says.
"Gaz-" you huff.
"I'll take it." Ghost says, plucking it from Gaz's grasp with a smug hum. He grabs your belt, pulling you back slightly and sliding a hand around, tucking the note into one of your pockets.
"Date prisa, Garrick, viejo." Alejandro calls out. Gaz chuckles, looking over his shoulder before saying a quick goodbye. You watch as he walks off, the party hat on overtop of his cap.
You look down at the wrapped gift in your hands, you unwrap it, lifting the lid and humming with amusement. You feel Ghost peering over your shoulder and you turn to look at him holding the gift up.
You see his eyes lift slightly, returning your smile with a small one of his own. He takes it from you, removing your party hat and setting the cap down on your head before sliding the party hat back on.
You run a hand along the embroidery that reads, 'ROOKIE'. "How does it look." you ask, putting your hands on your hips and turning to Ghost.
"Very festive." he replies, his voice the same with a lighter tone as he speaks to you. You tilt your head to look around Ghost as Keegan exits his office, his focus on what's in his hands. He pauses while walking past.
He looks at your hands before holding up a roll of tape. "Can you find the end for me?" he asks. "Gloves." he says, noticing your confused expression. You take the roll as Ghost picks something else up from the gift, a small box.
"Open it for me." you say as you run a finger along the tape, trying to feel the slight ridge of the tape. He holds it in your view, lifting it open and revealing a charm.
It's a detailed grenade sitting center of the box, you hold your arm up slightly, picking at the edge of the tape. Keegan unclasps the bracelet, taking the charm and putting it on as you pass him over the tape.
"You have no idea how long I was working on that." he says, heading back to his office.
"Lieutenant, over 'ere yeah." Soap calls, returning from somewhere as he walks back into his office. Ghost steps past you without a word and you watch as he too, disappears into Soaps office.
***
The day starts to finally wind down and its ending with the opposite feelings you felt the moment you woke up. Despite them going against your wishes, you don't feel bothered anymore.
The gestures were sweet, small. The bracelet you'd cherish till death, each charm given had a small story behind. It was simple, nothing exaggerated or extravagant. Just a simple token from each of them.
The gifts were humorous, making your heart feel heavy with a strange sadness, although you didn't feel sad. Almost like guilt, but you hadn't done anything. It wasn't something you were used to, no.
The sunglasses, the cap; the balloon and sticker, even the party hat. All of it made you smile each time you caught sight of yourself in some reflection, you looked ridiculous but the smile the team had upon seeing you was worth it.
Time moved quicker, sleep came easier, and feelings didn't weigh down the air like always. The backpack of emotional baggage finally becoming lighter. Your relationship with your team growing.
Forming bonds like siblings or favorite cousins, someone you could count on to lift your mood. Being around them only made you smile, even making your face hurt at times. Jokes and banter happening between everyone.
Majority of it over stupid reasons, entertaining days and keeping you warm. You thought it was idiotic at first, nights you'd return to your dorm and catch yourself smiling as you recall the day.
It was pointless trying to keep it in, you thought only negative emotions would ever affect you enough to show on the outside, but this joy was present, hanging around even in your moments alone.
You woke up feeling alive, refreshed, excited to get to work. You never wanted it to end, didn't want to lose it now that you had it. It chewed on your mind, that any day one of these people could die.
A mission gone wrong, a traitor among. Each individual bringing you immense amount of glee, you didn't want to think about it but the more they made a place in your heart the more your worry grew for them.
Sometimes you feared that life was only teasing you, dangling this feeling in front of you, giving you a taste before pulling it away. You tried to close up, but it was impossible, even just seeing them made your face light up.
You could see and feel a visible change to yourself, eager to work. You admired their courage, their work ethic and their ability to sync without communication. They did their work and did it well.
They lived each day like immature children but worked with advanced skill and precision. It didn't matter personal feelings towards each other, they could hate each other, despise them and still make a perfect team when on missions.
Something you needed to pick up, you often let your personal preference come before professional protocol. Although you often came around grudgingly, instead of only having concern for yourself you factored in the team.
Working your actions around them, bringing them into your plans not wanting to disturb their work or endanger them. All these mooshy feelings taking over even when you tried to up the 'tough' persona.
They seen straight through you now, having let your walls down once they'd never fully raise again. It's like they knew you better than yourself sometimes, if you denied a drink, they'd get you one either way, small things like that.
You liked working alongside them, more than you thought. Your life had been impacted so majorly by these people, your whole life you'd tried to avoid that. The reason being you'd only ever had it happen negatively.
You liked the days of group work in the meeting room, fighting Soap under the table while you kicked each other. Taking Keegans pens and hiding them, watching as he looked for them. How Price would scold you all and then do something equally as childish.
Once throwing a paper plane at your head and trying to blame Soap. Listening to Alejandro insult Soap in Spanish with a smile and that was enough to convince Soap he was receiving compliments and thanking him.
Keegans endless cycle of trying to annoy Ghost, failing each time after being shot down with a smartass comment. Ghost's wit never ceased to amaze you, his seriousness and flat tone as he said the most diabolical things.
The banter between both Gaz and Alejandro being the most unhinged conversations you'd ever heard, once minute they were like best friends and the next, they were trying to snap each other's necks.
Laswell would often give a sigh like a disappointed mother before exiting the room claiming she's going to go drink a bottle of wine in the dark of her apartment. Inside jokes and friendly dispute between everyone.
On the battlefield or in the shadows of an enemy base you seen a different side to them all, soldiers trained well and linking like magnets to overcome threats and avoid dangerous obstacles.
You admired their skill sets, the ability to think quickly, to know the safest route for a positive result. How they handled themselves, aware of their surroundings and everyone else's. No words needed to be exchanged for them to know, a team that would never let each other down.
Risk was always present when on missions, death lingering around unsuspecting corners and corridors. No one discussed it, subtle care for each other's health and safety was implied. Protecting each other without needing to be asked.
You twisted the bracelet around on your wrist as you walked towards your dorm. You had agreed to drinks with them in town, Soap somehow managing to convince you to include dinner, said he didn't want to drink on an empty stomach.
You pushed open your door, glad you had opened your windows earlier that day. Keegan said he'd give you a ride with the others and he'd come get you in half an hour, when everyone was ready.
You showered, preserving the gifts you'd been given. Even if they were intended to be temporary you wanted to keep them. You stuck Prices gold sticker on a sticky note, taping it above your bed.
You put the cap, sunglasses and party hat down on your nightstand and tied the ballon to the armrest of your desk chair. They were small things, you wanted to have them forever.
You changed into a short-sleeved compression shirt, taking the heat into consideration. It was breathable, made of light spandex. You dug into the pile of washing in the basket, you'd been telling yourself for weeks you'd fold it but hadn't.
You didn't have a lot, prioritizing comfiness over presentation, meaning most your clothing was oversized shirts and hoodies used as pajamas. You got up, searching your closet and finding a white skirt.
You'd mistaken it for a shirt at first, you put it on, scowling as the zipper on the side pinched your skin slightly. You finished with socks and high-tops, standing up with a small huff.
[You can change the outfit to what you want, but this is what I'm using - from google, I have no fashion sense]
You were messing about with the gear in your tactical belt when you heard a knock on your door.