You smiled at Ghost across the table from you, his pen flipping around his fingers in a smooth motion, dancing along between as he leaned back in his chair on a slight turn from the table towards the front where Price stood.
He narrowed his eyes at your smile, flicking his eyes towards the front and back at you in a silent gesture to listen to the mission. Your smile turned sheepish, and you angled your chair towards Laswell and Price, squishy toy in hand.
With all the collected information on the enemy base taskforce141 was being sent out on its first big mission, compared to the other small ones here you would go collect intel to get more information.
Other than the usual worry about missions the week had been going by quickly, finally being able to make a big move against the enemies. The files you had taken from the smaller base still hadn't all been looked at.
Either getting distracted or just being busy in general, workloads had been lighter this week and everyone had managed to catch up on sleep during the less hectic time. There was a clear difference within the team, things had returned back to normal, somewhat.
The air wasn't so dense or heavy and no one was rushing about and abusing the coffee machine. Considering the type of mission being issued, it was put to taskforce to complete with Price leading, Ghost second in command as protocol.
You bounced your knee, squeezing the squishy toy slowly while trying to target one of the smaller things inside its elastic material. You leaned back against your chair, so slack that you could basically consider it lying down.
Gaz turned towards you slightly, glancing at Price before turning his full attention on to you with a smile, his eyes flicking down to your hand. You held out the ball and he poked it, shaking his hand afterwards.
Keegan came into view beside you, looking across at you before looking back at the front. You kept your eyes on Price, acting as if you're paying attention before holding the ball out to the side.
You see Keegan blindly grab for it, staring ahead with the same tactic as you to avoid trouble. He rolls his chair closer, taking it and tossing it between his hands. Price shifted his stance, his hands folded around the straps of his vest like always.
He was clear about the intentions of the mission, a raid for more intel, kill on sight before destroying the place. It was a main location base, the enemy team seemed to have multiple facilities around and it was unknown how many there were.
This was the biggest by far, secret operations and undercover organizations working over there. The only issue was, with every mission small or not the objective behind the enemy's teams motives weren't known.
You drummed your hand against your bouncing knee to the beat of the song stuck in your head, repeating the first 3 lines of the chorus because that's all you'd managed to remember. You sat up after a moment, easing your back from the awkward position before glancing at Keegan.
His head was down, inspecting the toy and the objects inside that would bulge out upon squish. You ran your hands down over your vest, feeling the pockets and creases, searching for something else to entertain yourself with.
You had been having an uneasy sort of anxiety in your stomach lately, something that was new to you. You couldn't pinpoint to its main reason, it was like the feeling you get when you were being watched, but you knew you weren't because it wasn't exactly like that.
Something dwelling in the depths of your stomach creating an itch you couldn't quite scratch. Your gut held a sense of dread for something you had no clue about, and although you tried to ignore it, the feeling was persistent.
Making you feel a little more on edge than usual, nothing was out of the ordinary and you would know if someone was following or watching you. You were a very skeptical person so 'gut feelings' wasn't something you gave into so easily.
You had tried to brush it away as sickness, or even just being tired but as you sat in the meeting room it still lingered inside. Bouncing your knee was often something you did with ADHD trying to rid of energy or just having the constant urge to move.
But this was nervousness, you could tell by its uncanny pace. You usually just bounced it with an average speed, but this was more of a shake in a single limb, you looked down at your thigh watching it.
There was a difference that you could tell, this was from anticipation of an unspecified reason. Even when you tried to stop it would only strain your muscles, unlike the simple fidget version you could stop.
Keegans hand reached over from beside you, he held your thigh down by your knee. His warmth infusing through his gloves as he looked ahead at Price, your knee still bounced but his grip was firm, and it wasn't so eager and fast paced anymore.
Maybe he could see the difference, the team was used to you doing something while in meetings, this one being common. He tossed the ball back into your lap and you picked it up, feeling it squish between your fingers.
"You good lil' mama?" he whispered lowly, his chair beside yours his voice dropping so no one else but you could hear him. Both your eyes remained on the front as you gave a small nod.
"Mission jitters." you said back as an excuse. He tipped his chin up in understanding, digging his fingers into your gear softly as he drummed them boredly. You tried not to squirm, unsure why but the feeling tingled.
"You're nervous?" he said with a hushed tone, as you nodded. You weren't that nervous about the mission but there was always a sense of concern when a mission was issued. Not that it had any effect on your abilities.
You let out a small sigh, dropping your head back as your eyes traveled along the ceiling and down towards the windows. They flicked to Ghost out of habit, surprised to see him staring back at you with a slight glare.
He didn't do the usual gesture where he told you to pay attention instead, he held your gaze with a vexed glint in his eye before they shifted the tiniest bit to the side. Looking right past you as you turned to look over your shoulder following his gaze.
You seen Keegan staring back at Ghost, a smirk evident under his mask. His eyes flicked to you as you looked at him and there was a difference to the smile he gave you compared to the one he gave Ghost.
He shifted, eyes glancing over your shoulder back at Ghost for a split second that you missed before he straightened his posture. His eyes on yours as you looked at Price, showing the 'focus' you had on him before glancing back at Keegan.
He grabbed the armrest of your chair, turning you towards him more before leaning in. He brushed your hair back over your shoulder, his breath filtering through his mask and hitting your neck as he whispered in your air.
His body leaning over yours as you heard the grin in his hushed spoken words, they were dropped low ensuring no one else could hear. Not that it mattered if they did, it wasn't anything important.
You couldn't see his face, unable to read the emotions in his eyes as he looked over your shoulder. You grinned, trying not to make an amused noise at his words. He leaned back in his chair, creating distance between you both.
You shook your head, facing towards the front before you both got told off, the view of him still in your vision. He tilted his head ever so slightly, a cocky manner that wasn't directed towards you. His focus was elsewhere.
***
Later that day you were in the training room, deciding to burn of some steam. The anxiety you had temporarily leaving as you relentlessly punched the hanging bag; you had learnt that some emotions could be filtered out with training.
Using physical activities to overcome things you couldn't control. The mission was stationed decently far away, leaving the team to a safehouse. It was said to be a quick mission if done right, which hopefully there was no overturns.
If the enemy team somehow knew and was prepared, although it wasn't said out loud, then that meant the spy was on 141. Only the close group had been told, not even other majors. All under the assumption the mission wasn't related to the current task.
You stepped back from the punching bag, stopping its rapid sway with your body before turning on your heels, hands on hips as you let out a slow exhale. You looked down at the slack hand wrap you had attempted, unable to figure it out.
You had been here awhile, sharpening your skills despite knowing you didn't really need too. It was good exercise, helped your sleep better at night. The sun had only just set, leaving the sky a mid-tone blue.
You walked over to the wall where they had lined equipment, hand to hand combat had always been one of your favorite things. Guns were 'overused' in your opinion. You liked the thrill, the feeling, the risk.
You were good at it too, knowing that you might get hurt but you wouldn't be taken out that way. It had similar to reasons as to why you liked skating, you felt graceful, a usual clumsy person like yourself being coordinated when in the right mindset.
It was a change you liked, your limbs working together while connecting with the weapon you held. You respected your orders however, if a gun was required then a gun it was. But sometimes you longed for an accidental run in where you had to grab your knife.
You tucked the loose ends of the hand wrap under each other before looking around. One last activity and then you'd head back to your dorm for sleep, wanting to be well rested for the mission. You slipped your headphones back over your ears, heading across the room.
There was a sudden spike in your heartbeat as your eyes focused on someone standing behind you in the reflection of the frosted windows. You turned quickly, feeling stupid when you seen no one. You took your headphones off, looking around.
There was no noise, no one else and no reply when you called out. You glanced about before putting your headphones back on, not playing the music this time. You paused, hearing a noise that was indescribable.
It was footsteps but there was a voice too and with another glance in the window you seen a shadow, upon turning there wasn't anyone but the door to the training room swinging shut with a creak that echoed around the room.
You shrugged your headphones off around your neck with a huff, staring at the door for a minute before it was pushed open. Keegan stepped in, stopping in his tracks as he seen you. "Oh hey." he said, jogging over as you scowled.
"What?" he asks, seeing your expression as you turn back to the punching bag.
"That wasn't funny." you grunt, punching the bag with a frown. "You can't scare me Keegan, besides that was uncalled for, I'm worried enough as it is." you growl.
"What?- what'd I do." he says defensively, you sigh, turning to him with your hands on your hips.
"Standing behind me and running about, all that shit, not funny." you mutter.
"That wasn't me?" he says looking around at the mention of someone else. You hum, unconvinced as you turn away. "Really, it wasn't - I just got here." he defends.
You glance at him from the corner of your eye, before looking back at the window reflection. Just you and Keegan standing there. His form is obviously different from what you saw, although it was a blur from the texture of the glass.
"Go stand over there." you say pointing. He backs up, walking over and turning towards you as your heart drops at the realization that it wasn't Keegan. "Okay- it's fine." you say taking a look around. "Wasn't you, yeah, sorry." you mumble.
He shrugs walking back over, "Could've just been another soldier rookie, shy about training with someone else." he adds.
You nod slowly, pulling the hand wrap off with a shaky sigh. "Think I'll head up for the night." you mutter. The uneasy tension in the air weighing on you, infesting your stomach with dark butterflies.
"Want me to walk you back to your dorm?" he asks, trying to hide the hint of concern in his words with light friendly amusement.
"No no." you mumble, brushing him off, "I'll - uh, I'll be fine."
"You look pale rook and if say, it wasn't a 'shy soldier' then it's best I walk you back." he says. You look at him for a moment longer before nodding.
He falls into step beside you, walking through base in silence. You cross the courtyard, anxiety following you even after you enter the dorm building. "Are you sure everything is okay?" Keegan asks.
You nod, looking at him as you walk up the stairs. The dread deepens the closer you get to your dorm, suffocating you as you stand outside your door. "Wait please." you say as Keegan looks around like he's about to leave.
You grab your keys out, grabbing the handle as the door opens. You frown, you always lock your door. "I must've forgot to lock up." you mutter, shoving your keys away. Your memory wasn't the most reliable, but locking had always been a habit.
You did it without thinking, maybe with all the dismay you had skipped it. You pushed open your door to your dorm, greeted with a pitch-dark room. "Alright Rookie be-" Keegan starts but you turn to him.
You grab his wrist as he says a goodbye. "Wait a little longer." you say, you try to sound even and composed but even you can hear a small fright in your voice the way it wavers. He nods slowly as you feel around the wall with your free hand.
You didn't want to step inside the dorm just yet, you flicked it on, and the room filled with a pale-yellow ambience. You dragged Keegan with you, turning on all your lights and lamps. "Are you afraid of the dark?" he says, an attempt to joke.
Feeling the distress in your behavior. You shake your head no, checking places around that could be used to hide as Keegan makes a questioning noise. "You're starting to worry me rook, something you're looking for?" Keegan asks.
His words bring you back to earth and you shake your head quickly, "No no, sorry, just wanted to turn on the lights with company in case .. in case I fell over or something." you mutter as Keegan grins.
"Everything is good then?" he asks, you nod, walking him back to your door with a small thanks. He ruffles your hair as you hold the door handle, glancing about at the halls for anything off. You were so sure you had locked the door.
You don't push his hand away like you usually do with everyone, and he pauses, gazing at you for a moment tilting his head. "Rookie- hey." he says clicking his fingers in front of your face. "Earth to rookie." he chuckles.
You offer an uncertain smile but its quick to drop, "Rookie, c'mon, I can tell somethings up, what is it?" he says his tone sterner and more serious, dropping any hints of humor it held before. Your eyes flick to him, feeling like you must look crazy.
"I just feel uneasy, it's nothing Keegan, sorry." you sigh, running a hand over your tired face.
"You look tired." he says.
"I've been sleeping a good amount, but I wake up during the night feeling off, wakes my brain up and-" you shrug with a dismissive gesture. Keegan looks past you, before nudging you back and closing the door behind him.
"You go get some rest rookie, I'll stay right here." he says with a light laugh as he sits on the sofa, you turning to face him.
"Keegan, you need rest too, please don't do this just because I feel uneasy." you say emphasizing the world feel. "It's just my gut being stupid, please." you say feeling bad.
He shakes his head, "Don't worry rookie, really. Trust me if I didn't want too then I wouldn't." he laughs as you muster a smile. You furrow your brows, locking your door as you nod.
"You can leave when you like, please don't stay up." you say walking towards your bedroom. He hums a response as you shut the door, leaving it open slightly. Your quick to change and climb into bed, feeling the weeks rest catching up.
[A/N
I've written up to chapter 85, after having re-written them twice, but I'm still not happy with the outcome, there's a lot more Keegan unintentionally because I'd started from this one, I involved Keegan more than enough.
I'll post the first few, maybe two or three of these but the rest I'm going to delete and re-write because I've weaved a lot of previous chapters into each and I can't delete it out without big chunks missing.
It is decided so if you want to know what happened further on down the chapters, I'll put it below.
The next chapters were basically Rookie and Keegan got paired for accommodation on a mission, Rookie had a spicy dream, with both Keegan and Ghost included but she had said Keegans name during.
Keegan being in the same room as her, heard this and later on figures, that Ghost also did, he got jealous, fucked her in the car after everyone returned to base, refused to occupy her mouth with kisses because he kept making her say his name.
Very jealous that she had said Keegans in her sleep. Keegan being the way he is used the fact that she did just to piss Ghost off, making him more annoyed. That's really the outline of the chapters, not all of it but the smut stuff.
I'll try post more today, love u]