#mayhaps my mindset is a tad bit dark

[cod-dump]

Price has known about Ghost and Soap’s relationship since it began— he monitored it closely at first, confirming that Soap wasn’t pressured or coerced into some kind of relationship with his superior, and ensuring it doesn’t affect their work. But if anything, their partnership is a match made in heaven. He hears the playful banter, but Soap always listens to Ghost’s command, and Ghost never ‘pulls rank’ if Soap suggests a different course of action.

Price wasn’t going to mention it— there are technically rules about fraternization, but whether or not he’s going to enforce them is questionable at best. But he individually gives them both a not-so-subtle message of “be careful, this is how people can get compromised”. They both tried to pretend they didn’t know what Price meant, but Price retorted with something like “nothing goes over my head.” The two are a little freaked out, but are at least comforted by the fact that they don’t have to worry so much about secrecy anymore, they were just free to be themselves and with each other

A Crack In Your Castle Of Glass

SoapGhost

TW: character death

YOU’VE BEEN WARNED

___

“This is how people can be compromised.”

It was a warning that they both didn’t take to heart like they should’ve.

Ghost made a point to not let people too close. Not to let them through his walls, into his bubble. But Soap… He wasn’t like others. He was genuine, not hiding some ulterior motive. His smiles were warm and he laughed at his lame jokes and even fired some back. No, Soap wasn’t like others.

So Ghost let him through his walls.

Soap never thought about actually befriending a superior officer, especially not to this extent. The hand holding was definitely more than friendly at times. Late night phone calls, watching movies together while not being afraid to lean on each other. Soap found himself laughing more and more at Ghost’s jokes even though a month ago he wouldn’t have found them that funny.

Neither one was prepared for falling in love. In their line of work it’s a dangerous thing. Both were scared that one of them would be shipped off or transferred elsewhere to make sure their relationship doesn’t interfere with their work. So they started to hide. Secret meetings, trying to appear very professional in front of everyone, even when it wasn’t called for.

No one questioned anything so they thought they were in the clear. But Price noticed. He had called them to his office separate. Soap was sweating bullets while Ghost was very quiet. At first Price didn’t say anything about what they feared, but then he looked them straight in the eye and told them both the same thing.

“Be careful.”

Confusion for both of them, “I don’t know what you mean, sir.”

Price looked Soap up and down, “Nothing gets past me, sergeant.”

Soap was nervous after that. When he met up with Ghost he, too, seemed to be thinking about things. Things being their relationship.

“Price knows.”

Ghost grunts in response, choosing to say nothing. Soap anxiously looks at Ghost, wondering if the man was going to end it. Cut this budding relationship before they go too deep. He expected Ghost to say something, tell him to leave him alone and that whatever they had was no more. But Ghost didn’t say anything. Soap looked away, feeling a shiver of uncertainty travel up his spine. But that shiver went away when Ghost took his hand into his and squeezed.

That’s all Soap needed to know that Ghost wanted him and that the fear of them being separated wasn’t going to chase him off. Soap squeezed back. It was uncertain where this would take them but he wasn’t so afraid of facing it with Ghost at his side.

_

Price wanted them to be happy. Ghost had been through so much and so had Soap. They were an unlikely pair but they truly made each other happy.

He told himself he would end it if it interfered with their work. That if it pushed past the invisible line that Price had placed. But they never did anything that would make him have to act. They communicated about things, had a two sided relationship. The professional side and the domestic side. These sides were on a coin and could never co-exist at the same time. Price told himself if the wrong side was shown in the wrong situation he would put an end to it.

But it never came to that.

He’s seen them when they think no one can see them. Soap leaning into Ghost’s side with a big smile on his face. Ghost being visibly more relaxed around him, Price being able to see the smile in his eyes.

He wanted them to be happy. But he should’ve ended it when he first noticed the signs. He should’ve done something to stop it so this wouldn’t have happened.

So now Price can only blame himself.

_

They were in sync on the field. The closer they get the more unstoppable they felt. They grew cocky but neither would admit it. They weren’t afraid of the fight in front of them, laughed at the threats thrown at them.

Ghost had his enemies but he wasn’t scared of them. Their attempts at his life were laughable at best, they never had anything on him.

They were so good at hiding their relationship that they never thought it would be an issue. Price wordlessly approved of it so they believed that would be the end of it. They believed that there wouldn’t be anything else to worry about. That they didn’t have anything on Ghost.

Then Soap was taken.

Ghost lost his mind. Price wasn’t able to hold him back and convince him to take a more calculated approach. He just ran off, demanding blood. It took a week to find him again, or at least locate where he was last seen. They found a warehouse, bodies— But not Ghost or Soap. Price sent Gaz back out, choosing to look by himself.

He just had that horrible feeling in his gut that he knew he wasn’t going to like what he found. He searched the warehouse, finally coming to a room. In that room— the scene before him broke Price’s heart. He felt like a failure, unable to hold back the tears. He should’ve separated them from the start.

He wanted them to be happy, but this is where that happiness had gotten them.

And now Price has two good men to bury.

[afraidofchange]

viivyre​:

╮ ╰. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐰 / 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞; ’quite precise’, certainly a true enough statement, even more so if the Comm. Specialist had  an understanding of what exactly it was that she did. How much sensitivity was needed to maneuver through whatever hazardous depths one had chosen to cross; it came with equal disadvantages, surely, a certain mindset that had her evaluate even the likes of Traynor through a certain lens. – the unkind, rational & cold kind, people [no matter which] best sorted into categories of use, of dependency; an act of drawing out secrets & reactions leading to one’s involuntary distancing & doctoral analysis of anything behavioral, tonal & otherwise displayed. ━ she was grateful for the mental detour / the change of topic. Alas, mayhaps the miserable tinge of nostalgia was much more of a comfortable matter to mull over than a sudden bout of paranoia. 

          “ I’m almost tempted to figure out what exactly those reasons are. “ ━          she keeps a faint hint of prior warmth in her tone; colors certain syllables in a bit of a humorous shade while observing; noting gestures, making mental notes. – nervousness evident in other’s every motion the very first thing she focuses on / that & sudden bout of confidence / some bravado dug out & yanked into the front- & center; accommodations, right. – here’s to the swift curl of her lip / she chooses to probe, if only a tad. “ They’re quite generous. The Commander certainly knows how to spoil her way into my heart. “

     While not entirely out of her league, the adjustment from working Research & Development to retrofitting one of the Alliance’s top war vessels has been leaps and bounds for Samantha. Shoebox or not, being among the presence of the Commander and her esteemed renowned company of soldiers that will lead them through the war against the reapers is nothing short of intimidating. Yet, she has a job to do, and so, she takes a breath - a deep one, heaved from the depth of her lungs to still her rabbit heart. 

   “Well -” Sam stutters a bit when she realizes Liara’s tone is something less intimidating, and rather, more inviting. “From what I know of you, you’re um, quite the source of intelligence,” Dark brown eyes flick to the multitude of consoles again. She needn’t say more to make the further insinuation, so she thinks. The subject change, however, is a welcome reprieve. 

   “Aha, I’m sure it’s uh, to make a lot of us regular crewmen a bit jealous, eh?” Here, ,Samantha laughs, coming more into ease. The comment about the Commander doesn’t go entirely unnoticed, though - and Sam makes it a mental note of it.