Unseen | Ghost x Soap

Chapter 23: Beginning

Ghost's POV:

The dawn broke over the frozen wastelands of Siberia, a pale light filtering through the snow-laden sky. Our small, makeshift camp was still and quiet, save for the distant howl of the wind. I stirred slightly, feeling the uncomfortable but necessary closeness of Soap pressed against me. His shivering had subsided during the night, his body finally warmed by our shared body heat.

Before long, the inevitable happened. The rest of the team began to wake. It started with murmurs and whispers, then a series of snickers, and finally, the loud, unmistakable guffaw of Gaz.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he exclaimed, standing over us with a grin that could melt the ice beneath us.

I groaned internally, shifting slightly to disentangle myself from Soap. His eyes fluttered open, and as realization dawned, his face turned a deep shade of red.

"Looks like Ghost here found a new way to keep warm," teased Price, his voice full of amusement.

"Yeah, Ghost, should we all take turns?" Gaz added, barely containing his laughter.

I sat up, trying to maintain my composure. "Relax, lads," I said, my voice steady. "Soap here was freezing to death. Just keeping him alive."

The teasing didn't stop there, of course. It followed us through breakfast and as we broke camp. Every sideways glance, every whispered comment was a reminder of our night together. Soap took it in stride, though, throwing back jibes of his own whenever he could.

As the day progressed, we moved toward our mission objective. The Siberian landscape was unforgiving, a stark contrast to the warm camaraderie within our team. We navigated through snowdrifts and ice-covered paths, the cold seeping through our gear despite our best efforts to stay warm.

Finally, we reached the facility we were to infiltrate. It was an old Soviet-era building, a relic from a time long past, now repurposed for purposes unknown. Our entry point was a series of narrow vents leading into the heart of the building.

"Ghost, Soap, you two take the lead," Price ordered, giving us a nod. "Get in, get the layout, and we'll follow."

The vents were tight, barely enough room to maneuver. Soap went in first, his lithe frame making it easier for him to navigate. I followed close behind, our bodies pressed together in the confined space. The metal walls of the vent were cold against my skin, a stark reminder of our precarious position.

"Move it, Soap," I grumbled, my breath visible in the cold air.

"Hold your horses, Ghost," he shot back. "I'm not as skinny as you think."

I could feel the warmth of his body against mine, an odd comfort in the cold vent. As we crawled, our movements were synchronized, each shift and turn bringing us closer together. It was impossible to avoid the contact, our limbs tangling in the tight space.

"Enjoying yourself back there?" Soap teased, his voice a whisper in the confined space.

"Just keep moving," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

We crawled forward, the mission always at the forefront of our minds. But the closeness, the teasing, it was all a reminder of the bond that had been forming between us. A bond forged in the cold of Siberia, in the quiet moments of vulnerability and the relentless teasing of our comrades.

As we reached the end of the vent, I pushed past Soap, our bodies brushing against each other once more. He smirked, that mischievous glint in his eye.

"Careful, Ghost. Wouldn't want to get too close now, would we?"

I rolled my eyes, but a small smile tugged at my lips. "Just focus on the mission, Soap."

We dropped down into the facility, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the warmth that came from being so close to Soap, even in the coldest, most unlikely of places.