The basement smells faintly of old carpet, soda, and whatever snacks Soap has abandoned on the coffee table. Controllers clatter, music hums from a tiny speaker, and the faint buzz of the overhead light flickers every few minutes.

Soap throws himself onto the couch, almost toppling over the armrest. “Yes! Did you see that shot, Ghost? That was insane! I swear you weren’t even trying to block me!”

Ghost barely looks up from his beanbag, one eyebrow raised under the mask. “Try harder, Mactavish. Or maybe stop whining about losing.”

Gaz groans from the corner, half-sitting, half-leaning against the wall, notebook open but mostly ignored. “You two are going to break something—or yourselves—before midnight. Honestly, is this really how you spend every Friday?”

Soap flips him off without looking. “It’s called skill, Gaz! You wouldn’t understand. Watch this next round—I’m unstoppable!”

Ghost smirks faintly, moving his fingers faster on the controller. “Unstoppable until I kick your ass again.”

The game erupts into chaos—laughter, shouting, the occasional groan of frustration. Soap spills a little soda on the carpet, muttering as he grabs a napkin. Gaz sighs loudly, sliding onto the floor to avoid the sticky puddle. “Seriously, you’re going to regret that.”

Soap grins. “Regret? Never! This basement is my kingdom, and I rule supreme.”

Ghost tilts his head, deadpan. “King of trash cans and spilled drinks, maybe.”

“Okay, okay,” Gaz groans, tossing the notebook aside. “Next round—let’s just see who actually wins for once, no excuses, no soda spills, no…”

“BORING!” Soap interrupts. “Where’s the fun in that?!” He lunges for the controller in Ghost’s hands.

Ghost dodges smoothly, smirking. “You think I’d make it that easy?”

The three of them freeze for a second, just looking at each other, a quiet moment in the middle of chaos, and then Soap laughs so hard he almost tips over again. Gaz shakes his head, smirking despite himself, and Ghost just shakes his head too—but there’s a twitch of a smile under the mask.

The basement isn’t fancy, it’s messy, and it’s loud. But somehow, it feels like the perfect place for them to just be… themselves. Controllers in hand, music in the background, voices overlapping, and laughter bouncing off the walls. Another Friday night, another round of chaos, and the three of them—Soap, Ghost, and Gaz—at the center of it all.