Chapter Text
"Alright team, Laswell said that Fang should've arrived last night. I decided until now to tell you because he would've arrived late."
"So we're meeting him?"
Soap spoke up. He wasn't nearly as scared as Gaz but he really didn't like the sound of this 'Fang'.
Price was about to speak when Ghost cut him off.
"Does this 'Fang' have a name? Or even a file?"
"Fang asked personally last night for his name not to be revealed, something about bringing back bad memories. And his file is heavily redacted. Only thing unredacted was his nationality but he also asked for that to not be told to anyone. And yes Soap, you're meeting him."
They murmured amongst themselves before nodding and following Price out.
(like 3 minute timeskip)
They looked to the back of Fang, who was doing pullups in the training area with bright yellow headphones on. They could lightly hear the music playing out of the headphones, but it was in a different language so it didn't really matter. The group could also hear him near silently singing along as if he could understand every word. They didn't doubt him.
"He looks like a girl."
Ghost looked over to Soap, who was trying not to laugh.
"He looks like a stripper.."
He whispered back, Ghost now had small tears dripping out of his eyes, a sign he was attempting not to laugh as well.
Price smacked both of them on the head.
"Not funny."
But it was clear he thought it was amusing too.
He walked over to Fang, trying to get his attention.
"Fang."
Fang dropped off the bar, music still going but he had made it a bit quieter.
"What?"
Despite his looks, he reminded Soap of Ghost. He had a dark gray balaclava on that had white swirls on it and 3D, well, fangs glued on. And very much unlike a girl he had a low, rough voice. But something was off about it.. Soap couldn't quite place his finger on it but he sounded wrong, like he was trying to do a voice that wasn't his. Not in a bad way, it just sounded broken..
"I wanted you to meet the rest of the team so it isn't as awkward going on a mission with them."
"Okay."
They both turned to the group of men standing on the other side of the path.
He could name each one of them, Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley, Sergeant John "Soap" MacTavish, Sergeant Kyle "Gaz" Garrick, and of course, standing right next to him, was Captain John Price.
"I met them. Can I get back to working out?"
"That wasn't a meeting. You just looked at them."
Price had to almost psychically restrain himself from smacking Fang on the back of the head like he did with the rest of the task force.
"I believe it was meeting enough. We know each other now. Isn't that fine?"
"I want you to actually talk to them? Get to know each other."
"No thanks."
Fang went to turn away, but Price gave him a look that he knew quite well from his own mother.
"..Fine."
He walked over, Ghost's eyes squinted as he took in Fang's defining features. His mask had fangs on it that covered the space above his eyes and two that rested just in front of his eyes. On the back of the mask was two spikes. How strange. His mask was so over the top. Whatever. He could also see pale white scars, all over his face and one just barely showing beneath his undershirt's sleeve. And beneath his fishnet stockings was a tentacle thigh tattoo, like an octopus.
"What?"
Ghost stayed quiet. He didn't want to seem rude, but he knew that's all his demeanor screamed.
Fang didn't like being stared at, as he shifted his weight and readjusted his stockings.
As the air got tight with tension, Soap reached out his arm for a handshake.
"I'm Soap."
"I know."
He didn't take Soap's hand, instead focusing on changing his music.
"... You like music..?"
Soap hesitantly asked, not entirely sure he would even get an answer.
"Yes. It helps me focus."
He paused.
"You look stupid with your hand out like that."
"Sorry.."
Soap withdrew his hand. Fang looked much less intimidating than Ghost but he was so much harder to talk to for whatever reason. Even Ghost was avoiding talking to him.
"If you don't mind if I go back to working out, right?"
"Go for it."
Soap gave him two thumbs up but wasn't giving a full, real smile. Fang just walked off and turned his music back up.
"What a meeting. Gaz, Ghost, you two didn't even say anything."
Price had his arms crossed but even he was a little nervous around Fang.