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There's no one waiting for them outside these four walls, the once familiar sounds of family gathering turned to the four of them sat peacefully with the distant chatter from the television. Mugs filled with their preferred hot drinks set on the makeshift coffee table of cinder blocks and a stained piece of plywood. A statement piece, Soap once called it, even though they were surrounded with warm woods and plush cushions.
The dull hum of wind against the windows was ever so present, whatever snow touched the ground seemed to melt within hours, though begun to stick once nightfall fell over the city. Candles and lamps give the room a comforting, warm tone. Each breath, they inhaled the scent of pine.
It's late, though it's never mentioned where they're tucked shoulder to shoulder on Soap's couch. The faintest glow of outdoor decorations seep through the windows. For the first time since they clambered in the door, shedding their winter attire, they felt warm. Kyle and Johnny were tucked cozily in the middle, John and Simon happily sitting at the ends. Their blankets piled over each other messily, Kyle's tucked his over his shoulders, while Johnny preferred to keep his sweater on and have his hands free. Both Simon and John opted to wrap their blankets around their shoulders.
The old television's audio gets fuzzy from time to time, yet all it received was a chuckle and a comment about it's age. Whatever DVD they popped in barely gets any attention over their quiet conversations.
It's comfortable. The fuss during the light packing made it seem like it would be dreadful, but no, they had everything here. Far enough away that they couldn't hear the annoyance of the city, while being close enough to get anything necessary as soon as possible. Here, settled in Johnny's house, their stress seemed to melt away. Slow and steady with each sip of their warm beverages. Simon's hot chocolate, Johnny's coffee, and then the shared tea that Kyle insisted he didn't want any of, and now steals sips of from Price.
There's something about the calm colors, the delicate decor and simple layout that screamed home. Every holiday—or leave, for that matter—at least one of them found themself here, sitting with the warmth of the fireplace and a hot drink. This house is the one place everything seems to go away. Work isn't brought here, that's for Simon's or John's places, Soap's rules. Not that anyone fought that anyway.
One big thing, though, is the fully decorated tree in the corner of the room. Set up with the worst ornaments possible, and old lights from the attic Johnny didn't even know he had. Little pine needles shed from the tree Soap gathered the day before—the others didn't ask where it came from—there wasn't a tree skirt to catch them, so a blanket was thrown under the stand and they had called it a day once all of their little trinkets were on the tree. Some of them weren't even ornaments, just things they had in pockets that had stayed in the tree.
In their gentle chatter, Simon's eyes laid softly on the tree, on the lights wrapped around it. The softest expression fell over his face, this childlike wonder that felt so very warm to the kind faces watching. A different kind of light to their peaceful atmosphere. Years ago, they had grown accustomed to drying each other's tears, but mostly to the way their beloved lieutenant would isolate until the holidays were over.
Christmas Eve wasn't easy for any of them. From holding together the thinning threads of each other's mental heath, to the loneliness of knowing there wasn't a family to see as soldiers flooded from base on leave… They made their own family, one where they kept each other warm and cared for. Loved, they'd dare to say.
Small gifts laid under the tree, wrapped horribly or in gift bags with the recipient's name on it. Simple things, little gifts that they most likely held onto for most of the year… It hadn't ever mattered what was in the presents (even though it's a bonus), the company was more than enough. Seeing each other out of gear, with relaxed shoulders and calm eyes, felt more like a gift. Their humanity left at the gate of the base, replaced by necessity, while they got to be people here. It was too easy to forget the way they crave that togetherness.
It's safe to want, far far away from the battlefield and deadly weapons. They were allowed to lean into each other's arms, there was time to close their eyes and breathe… They planned to do just that.
Simon's hand abandoned his mug, brown eyes shifting to the bundled up members of his team—of his family. His eyes glaze over for just a moment, blinking until his gaze focused back on the men next to him. Ungloved and unmasked, his expressions were clear. Something hesitant in his gaze as his lightly trembling hand came to rest over Soap's chest.
Without so much as hesitation, another warm hand met his. And just held, ever so gently, without a pause in conversation or his name being mentioned. A smile and a hand on his, that was it.
"We've got'ya, Si…" Came the gentle voice from the man cuddled up to him. Johnny's voice rumbled in his chest as Ghost's head comes to rest on his shoulder. It's okay.
"I know." He breathed. Ghost's eyes wander the room, as there was something new to see. The decor, every little thing from little snowflake window gels, to the fresh tree. The holidays always weighed heavy, they've all seen their share of ruined holidays and pained experiences in a sorely similar way. There was no blood shed here, that's all they could ask for.
Johnny's house was more of a home to all of them than their own places, or the space they gathered in on base. Their own beds might bring comfort, but there wasn't anything like falling asleep in a space that carried the scent of the loved ones closest to them. The large bed was definitely a plus… Big enough to squeeze the four of them into if they so desired.
"Alright, love?" John hummed.
"Very." Simon's shoulder visibly eased as John's voice filled the space, just as Johnny's touch had done to the growing, distant look on his face. His brown eyes settle back on the tree, as if he couldn't quite tear his gaze from it.
"It's pretty, yeah..?" This voice spoke with that smooth sleepiness that pulled all of their eyes to the man slotted between Soap and Price. Kyle grinned at the way they all glance to him when he spoke, the hands in his blanket reaching out for his, and Price's, mug.
"Haven't decorated a tree in twenty years, Garrick, I.." Simon's mouth fell open as his mind searched for the correct words, "I forgot." Forgot what, they didn't need to ask. The soft look that drifts over their faces is enough understanding. It had been too long for the rest of them regardless… Too long without family crowded around, except this time, no one had to play pretend.
"'m glad we could remind you, then, aye?" Kyle murmured through the mug. The smallest bit of tea dribbled down his chin as he pulled his hands back. A small chorus of affirmatives ring out among the four of them.
"We'll remind you as many times as you need, love. Always." Price reiterated for him—for all of them, really—while his hand goes to wipe the cooling tea off his other soldier's face. The warm eye contact he made solidified his promise, locking eyes with the three of them one by one. He'd remind each of them, as much as they needed, that he would gladly wipe away the creeping darkness in their heads to replace with whatever lights they needed, whatever would captivate them in that moment. Like the lights Simon clearly adored. And dammit, they all knew they'd to the same for each other.
Ghost wordlessly hummed instead of responding aloud, his hand gently curled into the fabric of Johnny's sweater as he steadily blinked up at the delicate colored lights. Not those new, absurdly bright ones, but the warm, familiar ones he hadn't had the joy of truly experiencing in too damn long.
"I can bring some back'ta base if you want 'em in your room." Soap's head leaned against the one on his shoulder, the hand around Simon's moved to accommodate the way he grasped the fabric, and settled on his wrist. A light, consistent weight.
They didn't need words to understand that was exactly what Simon wanted, either. None of them needed gifts beyond each other, not the ones under the tree, or whatever they could get from expensive shops. Ghost had made it clear that he hadn't wanted any a long while ago, years back, even. But the others watched as his eyes grew impossibly wide at the offer, a silent yes on his lips.
"Consider it done." Johnny tapped his wrist, letting his head roll to the back of the couch. A sweet smile rested on his face. Each breath, he sagged further against Simon's side.
Soap was really no better than Gaz in this situation, cuddled up so comfortably with the only people he trusted with his life—the tiredness in Kyle's voice had been clear, and the sleepiness in Johnny's eyes continued to grow until his calm blinking turned to, as he said, 'resting his eyes'.
From Gaz's side, John stifled a yawn. An arm came to steadily wrap around his sergeant's side once their mug had been discarded to the makeshift coffee table. His, somehow warm, hands trace the embroidered sweater on Kyle's frame. The steady movement producing a light hum from the other.
There was no way this couch would be comfortable enough to sleep through the night, and yet, each of them seemed to let their eyes steadily close and their beverages chill in the cold weather. What was left of the fire would burn out easily without someone prodding the wood, or adding another log. Did they truly need it when they bundled up so close to each other under all these blankets?
Except, Simon's eyes stayed open. Barely, as if he was forcing himself to keep going. As the fire burned out, their movie ended, and the candles' flames began to quiver, he slowly picked his head up from Johnny's shoulder.
He took a brief moment to bask in the quiet. He blinked slowly as he traced each of his teammates' faces. John's cold-reddened nose, slight twitching lip.. Kyle's near breathless huffs in the warmth of their space, Johnny's faint grin. Simon breathed in the air of comfort as he stripped himself of his blankets.
The bedroom wasn't far, he knew that. And, one by one, he carefully moved each of them to the large bed down the hall. Whether any of them woke, Simon didn't mind, although he did his best to keep them asleep. Johnny only seemed to shudder, while Kyle wiggled his his arms to get to a more comfortable position, and Price seemed to just be dead weight. The sweetest smile sat on Simon's face as he laid John down, the last one, and crawled into the bed with them.
They've all carried each other to and from places, bloody and injured, but this time, those terrifying images never flashed in Simon's mind. Merely fond ones. Starting with the time he carried Johnny all the way to bed from the rec room sofa, all the way to twenty years back, carrying little Joseph through the hall that was only illuminated by string lights, something similar to the ones Johnny had everywhere now. The weight only strained his shoulders, never once reminding him of something worse than a pulled muscle.
No, he just saw his family. The warmth wrapped around all of them, blankets pulled to encase the four of them in the comfort they've all been so desperate to feel. Ghost settled into a spot as near to the middle as he could, somewhere he reached to lightly press the softest kiss to each of their foreheads.
Christmas wasn't easy for any of them. But as the clock ticked later and later, Simon only found himself falling asleep easily while he was surrounded with love.