Friends Don't Look At Friends That Way

Part Five.

Despite your initial hesitations, you end up taking Ghost's rather sound advice and tuck yourself away for the night instead of following down your usual Soap centered path. It isn't an easy feat. You spend nearly fifteen minutes pacing before your closed door before finally talking yourself down.

Soap will be fine without you for one evening. You are at his constant beck and call. It won't kill him for you to put yourself first this one time. You try and hook your brain around that mindset to keep it locked in place, but guilt still gnaws at the edges of walls you're trying to put up.

Stop. He will be okay.

The mantra you repeat to yourself don't feel reassuring. In fact, they almost stand to worsen your mood. Soap will be perfectly content if you don't show up at his door and that fact singes your heart with pain. Here you are, racked with indecision, while he likely hasn't given you a second thought.

Deciding that forcing yourself to sleep is the best and most sane option on the table, you flop down onto your bed releasing a frustrated groan. You're hardly a weak person. It takes a lot to unravel the threads of you are, but Soap has always been exceptionally good at finding your one lose string and pulling till your unstrung at his feet.

Lost in your thoughts, you miss the soft knock that sounds at your door. A minute goes by before another knock follows, firmer in intent this time.

Leave me to wallow in peace.

You consider yelling the words at your unwelcome visitor, but as a third knock is rasped out it's easy to tell whoever is on the other end is growing impatient. With another groan, you unwillingly push yourself up and trudge to the door. Yanking it open with a little more aggression than necessary you drawl out, "Whaaaaat?"

Leaning there, delightfully shirtless with grey sweats hanging dangerously low on sculpted hips, is Soap. His thick arms are crossed before his toned abdomen, the doorframe supporting his carefree stance.

"Hi tae ye too." He muses, "Yer still up."

"So are you." You use the door to sturdy yourself so the sight of how unbelievably good he looks right now doesn't send you to your knees.

"Were ye going tae stop by?" He asks. You can see slight annoyance written plain on his handsome face.

"I was. Something came up." You don't sound nearly as confident as you were hoping. The iron grip you have on the doorknob at least assists in hiding your shaky hands.

His irritation gives way to amusement, a smirk dancing on his lips as he carefully observes your body language. He knows you well enough to sense you're lying through your teeth, but clearly enjoys the way he makes you squirm. You'd be kidding yourself if you said you didn't like it too.

"More trainin' with Ghost?" The question is a loaded one and the way his brows raise after makes your stomach flip. You knew that little comment this morning was going to come back and bite you in the ass.

"Something like that." You mumble out. There isn't a better excuse coming to mind no matter how hard you try to come up with one. Thanks a lot, Ghost. He gives no reaction to your response, still quietly pinning you with that assessing look of his.

A long enough silence stretches between you then that you almost consider just shutting the door to save yourself the embarrassment — until you catch Soap's watchful gaze deliberately sweep down the hallway once, then twice. He suddenly surges forward and snatches you around the waist, tossing you easily over his left shoulder.

"Right then, lass. I'll be takin' my meal tae go, thank ye." The feeling of his laughter hums joyously through your body as he takes you hostage, giving you a playful slap on the ass.

A soft shriek flys from your lips as your hands scramble to find purchase on the bare skin of his back and even upside down you can tell that he is whisking you away to his room.

Just like that, you are free-falling full speed back to square one. Your heart is singing endless praise for this man like he is the home it yearns to return to. This side of Soap, the one you thought lost when he starting finding solace in your body, sucks you back in to its comforting, familiar embrace. You would spend the rest of your days in this warmth if you could...if he would only let you.