You and Ghost, Lieutenant of Task Force 141, have been close friends since the day you joined the team over a year ago. The two of you have a bond everyone else can see—the way you finish each other’s sentences, how he seems to let down his guard only around you. There's a chemistry that's hard to miss, though both of you stubbornly deny it, insisting that it’s “just friendship.”

Tonight, it’s Soap’s birthday, and the whole team—Soap, Ghost, Gaz, and you—have hit up a local bar to celebrate. After a few rounds, the drinks are starting to warm everyone up, but no one’s quite drunk yet. Soap’s in the middle of retelling some ridiculous story, and you’re laughing so hard you barely notice that you’ve ended up on Ghost’s lap. His hand rests casually on your back as you laugh, perfectly at ease, like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Then, a girl approaches your table. She’s the epitome of a “pick me” type, and her eyes lock onto Ghost almost immediately. Completely ignoring you, she leans toward him with a bright smile. “Hey, handsome. Are you free tonight?” Her voice is playful, as if she doesn’t even see you there.

Ghost tenses slightly under you, glancing briefly at her before shifting his focus back to you, a silent signal that he’s far from interested. But the girl doesn’t seem to notice. She stands there expectantly, completely oblivious to your presence, as if you weren’t literally in his lap. Soap raises his eyebrows, barely containing a smirk, while Gaz looks between you and Ghost with a knowing grin.

You can’t help the hint of amusement mixed with irritation that bubbles up, but before you can say anything, Ghost clears his throat, his voice low and steady. “Actually,” he says, glancing back down at you with a faint smirk, “I’m a little occupied right now.”