You’ve made it a habit now. Every time you hand Ghost the latest mission packet, there's a little smiley face tucked in somewhere. You don’t do it for praise. Honestly, you kind of expect him to rip it up one day. But it’s fun. And he never says anything.

Until today.

You drop the file on his desk with your usual grin, "Enjoy the reading, Lieutenant."

He doesn’t look up. Just gives a grunt. You turn to leave - then pause.

There it is. One of your old mission notes, slid carefully to the edge of his desk. You pick it up, confused.

In the corner, where your doodled smiley used to be, is a tiny, inked skull. It’s perfect. Clean lines. Hollow eyes. Somehow... sarcastic.

Your heart does something stupid in your chest.

You glance back at him, and he finally lifts his head, voice low and dry behind the mask, “Suppose you think you’re clever.”

You smirk, folding the note, “Depends. Are you gonna start drawing back?”

His stare lingers, “You ready for that kind of war?”