Unseen | Ghost x Soap

Chapter 25: Tension

Ghost's POV:

The control room lights flickered, casting an eerie glow over the machinery. I finished the final command, locking in our access to the facility's data. Our mission was clear: gather intelligence on the enemy's plans and sabotage their communication network. This facility was the linchpin of their operations, and taking it down would cripple their efforts.

"All set," I murmured, pulling the drive from the terminal. "Now let's get out of here."

Soap smirked, clearly still irked by our earlier spat but ready to get back to work. "Lead the way, fearless leader."

I rolled my eyes, motioning for him to follow. We moved back through the corridors, our earlier tension replaced by a simmering undercurrent of unresolved emotions. The facility was quieter now, the night shift guards making their rounds. We had to be careful.

As we approached an intersection, I could hear footsteps echoing down the hall. A guard was coming our way. I turned to Soap, and without thinking, I pinned him against the wall, pressing my body against his to conceal us both in the shadows.

"Ghost, what the—" he started, but I clapped a hand over his mouth, silencing him. I raised my gun, aiming over his shoulder as the guard came into view. One precise shot, and the guard crumpled to the ground.

For a moment, we were frozen in place, our bodies pressed together, my breath mingling with Soap's. Slowly, I pulled my hand away from his mouth, our faces inches apart. I could feel his heartbeat pounding against my chest, and I saw his gaze flicker to my lips.

"Nice shot," he whispered, his voice rough with unspoken tension.

"Thanks," I replied, my voice barely audible. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just... was close."

"Mhm," I said, my eyes lingering on his for a beat longer than necessary. I forced myself to step back, the air between us suddenly charged with a different kind of electricity.

Soap cleared his throat, trying to shake off the moment. "Let's keep moving. Don't want to get caught now, do we?"

We navigated through the facility with practiced ease, the earlier irritation giving way to our usual banter.

"You know, Ghost," Soap said as we ducked into a storage room to avoid another patrol, "you're pretty handy with that gun. Maybe you should give me some pointers."

"Maybe if you stopped getting yourself into situations where you need saving, you wouldn't need them," I shot back, a grin tugging at my lips.

"Oh, so now you're a comedian too?" he quipped, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Just trying to keep up with your charm, Soap."

"Good luck with that, mate," he replied, nudging me playfully as we slipped back into the corridor.

As we approached the exit, the tension between us remained palpable, but it was tempered by our easy camaraderie. We reached the final security door, and I could see the relief in Soap's eyes.

"We're almost out," I said, glancing at him. "You ready?"

"Born ready," he replied, a cocky grin spreading across his face.

We moved swiftly, disabling the final security measures and slipping out into the cold Siberian night. The air was biting, but the adrenaline kept us warm as we made our way to the extraction point.

As we crouched behind a snowbank, waiting for our ride, Soap nudged me again. "You know, Ghost, if you wanted to get up close and personal, you could've just asked."

"Maybe next time I'll let you take the lead," I replied, smirking. "Just don't get any ideas."

"No promises," he said, his eyes twinkling with a mix of humor and something else. Something deeper.

The sound of the extraction chopper broke the moment, and we signaled for pickup. As the rotors whipped up the snow around us, I glanced at Soap one last time.

"Stay close," I said, my voice firm but tinged with something softer.

"Always," he replied, his gaze holding mine.

We boarded the chopper, the mission accomplished, but the tension between us unresolved.