War of Hearts

Chapter Thirty-Eight - Belonging

The unease was palpable as the ground team arrived back to base with the ULF. Price and Gaz were still out trying to prevent a disaster at the dam, and the uncertainty of Makarov's status was weighing heavily on everyone. Inside the barracks, Soap lay on his back tossing a ball up and catching it over and over, Hex was sitting on the edge of her bed resting her elbows on her knees, and Ghost came to sit down beside her.

"If he's alive, he'll let us know..." Ghost mumbled.

"...Where and when is the question," Hex said with a frown as she began bouncing her leg.

Ghost instinctively rested a comforting hand on her knee, a gesture that was just as much for his sake as it was for hers. Despite the looming dread, he was grateful to have her there with him.

She absentmindedly brought her hand to rest on top of his. Her shaking leg slowed to a stop, soothed by his presence, and they shared a smile. Their moment was interrupted when they saw in their peripherals that Soap stopped tossing the ball, and they remembered where they were, yanking their hands away as they saw him staring back and forth between them.

"Did you just- " Soap began to ask.

"Don't." Ghost growled as Hex turned bright red.

"Are you two...?!"

"Johnny-" Ghost started to protest, and Hex bit back her growing smile.

Soap noticed the embarrassment in his tone and the amusement in Hex's expression, and realized instantly that they had finally gotten together. "HA! YES!!"

Ghost grumbled and rolled his eyes. "Shut it!"

From where he had been laying down staring, Soap shot up from his bed and rushed over to them and wrapped his arms around the two of them before he was shoved off. "Holy hell, about time!"

Hex buried her face in her hands and started bursting into laughter, mumbling through both, "oh my god..."

"You two make a lovely couple." He said through a shit-eating grin. "You're gonna have to fight over me for best man someday, and I'll be the best Uncle in the world, and-"

"SOAP!!" She shouted through laughter, absolutely mortified.

"Okay, okay, fine, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, but when? How?? Tell me everything!"

"No," was all Ghost said in response

Soap made a whining face "oh come onnnnn"

Hex was doubled over on the side of the cot from her aching sides and furious laughter.

"Bloody hell, Johnny, will you leave it alone? You broke Hex." He said with half a smile.

They both looked and couldn't help laughing along with her. The tension began to ease as they all shared the lighthearted moment. Hex finally collected herself enough to sit up and wipe a few droplets from her eyes. "Oh my god," she said again. "I'm gonna go get some air." A few lingering giggles trailed her words, and she rushed outside.

Ghost shot Soap an intimidating glare, but it fell on a wide, unbothered smile. "...I hate you so much."

"No you don't." His grin grew even more. "Now spill."

"'Spill?' Really?" Ghost's annoyance was met with Soap's wiggling eyebrows. He sighed, realizing he was not going to let this go, and caved. "...I don't know, it's new."

Soap's mischievous smile melted to a sincere one. "You happy?"

It seemed like such a simple question, and should have a simple answer, but could he really be happy while the world was so dark and cruel around the spot of light she provided him? He looked down to the ground and thought for a moment, "...yeah. I'm not sure how much of a future we'll be afforded with all that's going on... but yeah. I'm happy." His voice softened. "She makes me happy."