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Ghost always had trouble sleeping.
He cannot remember the last time he has had a full night of sleep, not troubled by nightmares, sleep paralysis or insomnias. He lived off of 2h naps and tea for most days. When everyone was soundly asleep, he would lay awake in his bed, thinking about the previous mission, papers he has to go through, and when he has enough of torturing his mind, he gets up and goes do some push ups in his room. Either that or he roams around the base, until he comes across his office and gets into the pile of papers that accumulated over the weeks of abscence.
The Task Force 141 had come back the day before from a hard mission. They worked together to track some narcos trying to smuggle more drug containers through cargo ships. It has been a long and exhausting mission, they all were on edge for more than 78 hours straight, with little to no time off. At the end, they all managed to finish the mission with no casualties, but they were still fucking tired.
Laswell had granted them all a day off, to get them all back on their feet. She had been with them through comms for the whole missions, she knows very well that their minds were strained.
But tired or not, Ghost still had trouble sleeping. He managed to close his eyes for a while, he doesn't know for how long (not enough), but he sure felt better, at least. His muscles managed to relax, his late night shower definitly helped. At around 4:30, he decided to get to the common room and read a book. It was about tactical warfare, just to not get too bored. He was wearing his simple balaklava on, leaving the scary skull mask to his room. There was not a single soul in the corridors at this hour, but he still felt more comfortable wearing it, even though now mostly everyone had already seen his face.
He remembers the stress he felt when he took his mask off in front of the 141 crew, when they were chasing down Graves and The Shadows. It was the first time in a while that he had taken his mask off like that, but it was important. It helped everyone then, and now they were more bonded than ever.
Soap used this moment to never stop complimenting Ghost about his face. Soap had been joking about him taking off the mask for ages, and Ghost will never forget the grin his younger sergeant had on his face for days after it had happened.
Eventually they talked it through. It wasn't easy : Ghost was a solitary man, used to work alone, and suddenly this happy-go-lucky loud scottish guy was invading his personal space and was calling him pretty and his "good boy". Ghost wasn't sure about the way their relationship was evolving, but one night after weeks of flirting, Soap declared his flame. He was serious about it, knowing that it wouldn't be easy, considering their jobs and pasts, but when he gently pulled up Ghost's mask over his nose and gently kissed the bigger man, Ghost couldn't hide his feelings anymore.
They were going at it slow, taking little moments to take the other's hand, still joking with obvious flirts that made everyone over the comms grunt in cringe, but they were happy. Soap was living through the dream and Ghost was slowly getting used to it. He would always keep an eye on his younger soldier, and he knew he could count on Soap to guard his back. It was mutual, and Ghost was fine with it.
The sun outside the window was slowly starting to peek through the trees, and Ghost took his eyes off his book to check the clock on the wall in front of him : 6:30. He knew that the others would get up soon, so he put his book down and headed to the officer's kitchen. It was one of the many benefits of being an officer in charge : they had they own quarters and their own kitchen, where everyone could put their own stuff in the fridge. Said fridge was decorated with pictures of the crew, goofy polaroids of Gaz and Soap, a picture of a german sheperd into Ghost's arms, and Captain Price holding a can of a coke and water on each hands. They would write little words on the picture sometimes, mostly Soap. That kitchen was their own little personal world, out of the military world, out of the guns and terrorrism world.
When he entered the room, it was still dark, so he headed to the windows and opened the curtains. Some warm sunlight hit his eyes; it was going to be a nice and warm day. He turned over to the round metal table that was in the center of the room and saw some tea cups that were still on it from the day before. He sighed and took them to the wooden counter sink before washing them. After putting them to dry, he turned to the coffee machine on the counter and turned it on. He put in the grains, filled the water container, and let it get warm. He then picked up the electric kettle from the shelves aboves his head, filled it with water and let it do its work. He checked the fridge in the corner, and grunted at the sight of the almost empty milk bottle. The guy who put it back in there will hear a word from him (he will forget about it and he knows it).
He picked four mugs that were sitting next to the sink, and put them in the middle of the table. He pulled out powdered sugar, tea bags, some spoons, bread, butter, jam, and the still fresh pastries that Laswell brought them the day before. She said her wife insisted to give them some croissants, so she obliged. Ghost looked at the paper bag containing five croissants, and smiled. It's been a while since he had some, he said to himself.
After that, the kettle was ready, so he grabbed one of the mugs from the table, the black one with the skeletons pointing guns at each others surrouned by flames (it was a gift from Soap, and he secretly loved it), and turned to the counter to fill it with hot water.
He suddenly felt a pair of big arms surrounding his waist, a tender kiss finding its way into his nape, over his black balaklava.
"Hey there, big guy."
"Johnny..."
"You making me breakfast ? Is it Chrismas already ?"
"Don't get too full of yourself..."
They both tenderly laughed, Ghost putting his right hand on Soap's arms that was resting on his sides, taking in the love the still half asleep man behind him was offering. He opened his little bag of tea and dumped it into his mug. He gently turned around, being carefull not to take off Soap's arms off of him, a pressed his two hands around the other man's shoulders, caressing them softly.
"Did you at least managed to sleep a little, Simon ?"
"Hmm. Couple of hours. Got up at 4."
Ghost rested his forehead onto the slightly smaller man's.
"You ?"
He asked, lifting his chin up and pressing a soft kiss on Soap's forehead, through the fabric.
"Yeah I slept alright, am a bit sore tho."
"That's good then."
Soap could definitly tell that Ghost was smiling through his mask.
After a minute of just enjoying each other's arms, they separated, Ghost took his mug and went to sit on the sofa next to the window. Soap watched him grunt like a dad as he sat and a chuckle escaped him. Ghost heard him and pulled a middle finger, which made him laugh for good.
As Soap looked to the table with a yawn, the door opened again, and Captain Price and Gaz entered together. The Captain was looking fresh as ever, while Gaz somehow managed to sill have the mark of his pillow on his left cheek.
"Good morning, Captain, said Soap, after filling his mug with the freshly brewed coffee."
"Hello, Soap, I hope you slept well, because I got to see you in my office later on. Im taking this day off to make you sign papers you've been procrastinating on giving me for months, said Price with a proud smile."
Soap sighed really loudly, looking at the ceiling, and answered with his scottish accent heavier than usual, while Ghost made a hand sign to greet his captain after he saw him.
"Really, Captain ?? It's like, 7, can't I have at least my mornin' ??"
"You had three month to sign me those documents, Sergeant, I'm definitly taking your morning if it means I get to make you do your work, answered his captain with a proud smile."
Soap accepted his defeat, and sat at the table to at least enjoy his coffee. Gaz had already walked in and greet Ghost with a head nod and a smile, and grabbed his mug of coffee and started to eat one of the croissants.
"Man, we really gotta get Kate something to thank her for those, they are really good, he said with his mouth full."
Price for his part just filled his mug for a tea and went over the window, legs appart, looking proudly at the horizon and the blue sky slowly appearing. They were all wearing their civilian clothers, but somehow all had their trusty jeans. Soap was wearing a green tank top, Gaz was rocking a red flannel and Price just had a simple white shirt on. Even Ghost is wearing a simple black pullover, looking as gloom as usual, burried in this black sofa. The view made Soap a little softer than usual, seeing his big black man all emo like that.
"Also who made all this ? Usually it's the Captain... This can't be you, Soap, you ain't got the taste for something this sophisticated, continued Gaz, smirking at his friend sat at the table in front of him."
"Fuck you Gaz, I'll piss in your coffee, answered the scottish man with a full smile."
"Do that, Johnny and I'll make you do the dishes of the entire base for 3 months."
Everyone laughed as Ghost got up of his sofa, mug empty. He went towards the table after putting it in the sink, then grab a croissant. He pulled up his balaklava over his nose and took a bite out of it. A lighter is heard flicking, and Gaz turned over to see Price, leaning over the now open window, blowing out the smoke of his cigarette.
"You don't want anything, Cap ?"
Soap offered a croissant to Price, he declined with a movement of the hand, and took another blow of smoke.
They continued to talk lightly as they enjoyed their breakfast. They laughed together as the minutes passed, finishing the coffee and all the croissant; Soap cut the last one in half to share with Ghost. The sun was fully out now, it was 8:30, and they all slowly partake into their own activity for the day. Gaz went back to his room and took a shower, Price dragged Soap into his office and forced him to sign all the papers he needed, then send him back for the day.
Soap actually wanted to spend some more time with Ghost. Their last month was just missions over and over, Soap was missing the big arms of his lover around him. He enjoyed stealing a smile from him, knowing only him can make his Simon have those expression. Those risky moments where he slips two fingers under his balaklava and felt Ghost's desire grow with every second in those big eyes of him. Soap found it thrilling, knowing that the big scary ghost man could become this weak under his touch. He got excited just thinking of it.
He thought about it more and more as he approached Ghost's room. He gently knocked, and he heard a familiar "Come in !". He smiled like an idiot as he got inside and locked the room behind him.
"You couldn't wait, huh, McTavish ?"
"Never for you, Lt..."