Unseen | Ghost x Soap

Chapter 51: A Day Off

Ghost's POV:

Morning light filtered through the frost-covered windows of our makeshift base, casting a cold, blue hue over everything. The team assembled in the common room, everyone looking weary and worn. Captain Price stood at the head of the room, his expression softer than usual.

"Listen up, lads," Price began, his voice carrying a note of understanding. "I know the past few days have been tough. The mission was intense, and we've all been under a lot of stress. But our next deployment isn't for another four days, so today... today is a free day."

A ripple of surprise and relief passed through the room. We rarely got a day off, and the news was like a breath of fresh air. I glanced over at Soap, catching his eye. He looked just as surprised as I felt, but there was something else there too—a spark of curiosity.

"I want you all to take this day to relax, recharge, do whatever you need to do to get your minds right," Price continued. "We leave in four days, so make the most of it."

The room erupted in cheers and laughter. The tension that had gripped us for days seemed to dissolve instantly. Price gave a nod and left us to our own devices. As the team started discussing plans, I couldn't help but think about how I wanted to spend the day—with Soap.

We walked out of the common room together, the cold air biting at our faces.

"What are you thinking?" Soap asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

"The guys are talking about hitting the bar," I said, watching his reaction. "But I remember last time wasn't exactly a great time for you."

He winced slightly at the memory. "Yeah, not keen on a repeat of that."

A random idea struck me, and before I could second-guess it, the words were out of my mouth. "How about we go ice skating?"

Soap stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows shooting up in confusion. "Ice skating? Where the hell did that come from?"

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Thought it'd be something different. It's freezing out, might as well make the most of it."

He hesitated, and I could see the doubt in his eyes. "I dunno, Ghost. I'm not exactly... experienced with that."

A smirk tugged at my lips. "What, afraid you'll fall on your arse?"

His eyes narrowed, a hint of a challenge there. "Maybe. Or maybe I just don't want to embarrass you when I turn out to be better than you."

I chuckled, nudging his shoulder. "We'll see about that. Come on, it'll be fun. Besides, it's something new."

Soap sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Alright, fine. But if I break something, I'm blaming you."

"Deal," I said, unable to hide my excitement. "I'll just go change real quick."

I hurried to my quarters, pulling on a hoodie and gray sweatpants over my thermal gear. I kept my mask on—some habits were hard to break—but the rest of my outfit was decidedly casual. I felt a strange surge of anticipation as I headed back to meet Soap.

When I found him, he was dressed in a comfortable sweater and jeans, a wool hat pulled low over his ears. He looked... adorable. The thought hit me unexpectedly, and I had to push it aside before it showed on my face.

"Ready?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He gave a small smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "As I'll ever be."