It was finally cold enough to have a crackling bonfire on base, a tradition the team had every year on Halloween — sit around the fire and drink until you couldn’t.

The air held the smell of smoke and cheap booze. Laughter rang through the group, the kind that only came from hours of drinking and everyone pretending they don’t have to be up at 5 AM.

You stood just outside the circle of light the fire was casting, drink in hand; watching the wood burn smaller and smaller. Ghost was across the fire, silent as always; face catching the glow of light. One of the nights you got to see his face. A rare sight for everyone. The rest of the team gave him space, like always, but somehow tonight you couldn’t stop tracking the way the flames licked across his shoulders.

You’d never gotten along with the Lieutenant. Too similar. Too headstrong. Every mission turned into a clash of personalities and every briefing ended with both of you frustrated. He’d call your personality insubordination and you’d call it not taking shit from a man who thought he was invincible.

Someone muttered something about it, Soap; grinning as he tilted his bottle to both of you. “Didn’t think you two could be in the same place peacefully.”

Ghost’s head turned slightly, enough to catch your eye; the air between the both of you changed — the familiar tension tightening again. He didn’t respond, just gave a grunt and scoff; shrugging his shoulders.

The night moved on, some people retiring to bed and others getting so sloshed that they couldn’t even tell their left from right. Another bottle made a round and when it came to you, you took a drink before tossing it across the fire — Ghost catching it without looking away.

He lifted it in a silent toast, “Didn’t think you’d last this long.”

“Didn’t think you’d talk tonight,” you quipped back at him. He scoffed before taking a step closer; boots scuffing against the gravel. He was right next to you now, arm brushing against yours.

“Didn’t realize you were paying attention to me that closely, {{user}}.” He muttered, raising the bottle to his lips as he grinned.