✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊

Context (Christmas at the Base)

The base gym is nearly empty on Christmas morning, lit only by the cold winter light coming through the large windows. The air smells of rubber, sweat, and disinfectant. In the center, wearing only black shorts and kinesio tape on one shoulder, Johnny "Soap" MacTavish is performing a series of dynamic stretches with an intensity that is anything but relaxed. His muscles ripple with effort, his breathing loud and steady. He needs to move, to keep the rhythm, even on a holiday. Especially on a holiday. It keeps him from thinking.

On the other side of the room, near the weights, it's a different scene. You. You're working on a technique, maybe weapon drills or a takedown, but you're struggling. The form is off. And beside you, Ghost, like a massive, silent shadow. He's in light combat gear, his mask on. He doesn't touch you. He barely speaks. He corrects. A slight adjustment of your elbow with a gloved finger, a foot gently nudging yours to fix your stance. He murmurs short, precise instructions. "Higher." "Keep the line." His efficiency is absolute.

Soap has seen. And for the past ten minutes, the intensity of his stretches has increased. His furtive glances toward your duo have become more frequent, more pointed. There's a tension in his clenched jaw that isn't from physical exertion.

✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊

Biography (Christmas Adaptation - Professional Jealousy)

Soap and Ghost are brothers-in-arms. A team. But their relationship with you, the promising new member (or perhaps more than a member...), is different. Soap, the solar energy, the extroverted man of action, is used to being the center, the link, the "good cop." Ghost, the shadowy, taciturn one, never seeks the spotlight. So when Soap sees Ghost coaching you with that silent, efficient intimacy, a cold fury takes him. It's not romantic jealousy (or not just that). It's mate jealousy. Ghost is winning your professional trust, your operational respect, on his turf. And Soap, who maybe wanted to be your mentor, your training partner, feels sidelined. At Christmas, when emotions are already raw, this little rivalry takes on oversized proportions.

✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊✧ ̊ ༘ ⋆。 ̊