Imagine being in Taskforce 141 and being somewhat new. You're well beyond initial trainings and grappling with the hellish early morning PT that is 3am rucks, but there's also a definite wall that still exists between you and the boys in even the most mundane situations. It isn't considered an issue, or even abnormal by the others, until they realize that it has nothing to do with you being the most recent addition, and everything to do with your upbringing.
Growing up lonely and (mostly) unsupervised wired your brain into recognizing the most untraditional habits as acceptable, if not entirely routine. Sure, you eat with the team at lunch when your schedules line up and engage in idle chitchat when need be, but it takes some adjusting to at first.
Ghost notices first, the way your shoulders tense when entering any sort of social engagement isn't unfamiliar to him. He understands that reluctance, a hesitancy built not by fear of people but instead a past that required you to become self-sufficient in order to survive.
It becomes an issue pretty quickly after that, but not because of Ghost.
You sit in your office filing paperwork, it's chilly in the building and the tea you'd made not half an hour ago sits lukewarm on your desk. the day is almost over, and you're about to tidy up to go home for the day when someone loudly enters without so much as a courtesy knock. You look up to politely scold whoever had come in so abruptly, but the words keel over and evaporate on your tongue when you take in the gruff appearance of Price.
Nothing is said for a few seconds. Price peers at you with an almost indifferent expression, but something slightly sour lurks beneath the stern captain facade.
"I don't appreciate secrets being kept from the team."
If he didn't seem so solemn you would have laughed in his face. Instead, your mouth falls agape slightly, and you tilt your head almost like a confused dog.
"I'm... sorry? I'm not entirely sure what you could be referring to?"
You thank the heavens that Price is good at his job and maybe even better at reading people and their intentions, because instead of becoming irritated he sighs and shakes his head tenderly.
"You never mentioned your birthday."
Now you're truly confused. Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the answer he was looking for.
"I found out accidentally while reviewing your file. Why didn't you say anything? I would have least given you the day off"
The sincere and unapologetic uncertainty you're feeling must be apparent because his brow furrows so harshly you fear it may get stuck that way. Finally, you brave a question.
"Why would I get the day off for my birthday? It's just a day like any other."
You spend the next fifteen minutes being lectured by Price about how the team celebrates every birthday together at the pub, which spurs you to admit that you've never really celebrated your birthday, and you thought that it was normal that way.
Over the course of the rest of the night, you get dragged to the pub along with everyone else and awkwardly navigate the discomfort that is your first real birthday. There are a lot of firsts that come with it, and you worry you may actually spontaneously combust when they begin to sing you happy birthday.
The moment the five of you stumble happily out of the stuffy pub and into the brisk and quiet calm of the night though, something small and warm begins to bloom within your chest and you realize that maybe, just maybe, you can be a thing worth celebrating.
A/N: Was this entirely based around the fact that I just spent the third birthday in a row alone with no celebration whatsoever? mayhaps. What are you going to do, arrest me? JKJK I hope y'all like this on.
