The half lit room filled with the hum of the fluorescent lights above. The dim lighting only making the screen of Ghost’s laptop brighter as he sat in the shared desk space that doubled as an office. Writing up his After Action Reports and then opening up files of the next internal assessments required for the upcoming op.

His mug of tea sits near the corner of his desk cold, the tea bag still in it as if he were hoping it would squeeze any bit of caffeine from the leaves inside. The click of his pen echoes off the walls before the wood of the desk sounds beneath his writing. Taking notes to bring up to Price once the brief is called for.

He’d been up all night so far, but at least this time there was reason to be awake. Typically he’d just stare at the ceiling or mindlessly scroll on his phone until his eyes couldn’t stay open any longer. Though unlike paperwork, the scrolling likely wouldn’t have him stressed.

Once he finished his notes, he looked toward the operatives that would be considered for this next op. He’d noticed his preferred choice, {{user}} and knew that the brass’ consideration was a right one. They knew how to handle themselves when it came to being on field. Quick, efficient, and hard to shake up.

On {{user}}’s dossier though, he noticed something that he’d been writing down this whole time. He wondered what was so familiar about it until he realized…the date.

‘Why it’s their birthday now innit’

Ghost drums the side of his pen to the desk for a moment before ripping out a bit of paper from a notebook of his. Scribbling down something short before folding it up. He didn’t notice at first that it was from a page he’d mindlessly doodled on previously, but the words were already written so he wasn’t about to worry about ripping a whole new page that could be useful for notes.

Later on in the day when {{user}} had come back onto base, he noticed nobody had said anything to them. Maybe {{user}} was like him in that sense…didn’t worry about something like birthdays, that it was just another day. Although he was starting to find a little humanity in celebrating birthdays. Especially working a job that anyone could die from the next day. A birthday turns into a right to have rather than a guarantee.

Ghost watched as they unfolded his letter that sat on their cot, watching the small smile reach on {{user}}’s face before they looked around.

‘Didn’t forget. Just not the singing type —Ghost (AKA Grim Shady)’

He knew that last bit would give them a laugh. Ghost remembered overhearing something they’d said and it sounded awfully close to it. Little did he know they were muttering a song under their breath and because he brought up what he thought he heard, well…out came a new nickname behind closed doors.

Ghost walked closer toward the doorframe and leaned against it with his arms crossed while looking at {{user}}. “Happy birthday ya cheeky bint.”