gn reader. platonic. comfort4hurt. my specialty >:) thank you larkin for proofreading this <3
It's been weeks since you've been formally introduced to the task force, and nothing's gone wrong per say, it just felt off.
You were a spectacular soldier, being transferred and moved around to different teams was your normal, even picking up the call sign 'nomad' from your handler. Although, your history of traveling around came with a price, you were shuffled around like a card from a deck. You desperately wanted to gain some sort of connection, friendship.
That project had been abandoned a while ago. Having decided to forgo a human companionship and any mutual emotions, you were cold, cruel even to anybody who tried to get close.
This task force seemed slightly different, but you kept your walls up, assuming you'd be out of here after some big mission. But no, time has passed and you've had slips, letting your cold, hard, facade crack. Warmth seeping through. Of course the members started to notice, slipping in a observant question here and there.
"You doing alright ?" A friendly face you'd come to know as 'Johnathan Price' had sneaked beside you right outside of the base, starting up a conversation. You mindlessly nodded to his question. "What's up?" the response had come out bluntly, like an attempt to get him off your case.
"Nothin', just wanted to check on you. Ya seem out of it." His cool blue eyes glazed over your figure, watching for clues of fatigue or such. "Have you settled in well with the rest of the team?"
That was when all the memories came flooding back, nights where all you could do was replay the interactions of teammates like hitting a rewind button. Where you could've possibly made them feign more interest before you were shipped off to some new team like a box of goodies. Nights you spent listening to someone's video essay, desperate to have the comfort of hearing someone talk to you, imagining they were speaking directly to you. how pathetic ?
Alas, it wasn't enough. you decided it was easier to block everybody out. A choice that wouldn't have been made without a lot of thought, but it seemed like the best idea to you. Shutting out anybody rather than taking another chance.
You turned, focusing your attention on the captain, and somehow, it all came spilling out.
"I, I don't know..." Your words came out in a blubbering mess, tears were quickly dropping over your cheeks as fast as you tried to wipe them up. "I've never been stationed in one place so long, and everybody is so kind. I haven't stayed this long to get to know a person this well. I want to be friends with them I just." You paused, smiling as you frantically wiped the remaining tears, "Haven't been able to do so in so long."
And price just nodded, listening to each word that you said. He caught your attention, offering his open arms as a present of comfort while you just slid in them. "Listen, it's alright. I don't think you're going anywhere as of yet, you can stay a while." He pulled back after a while, looking you in the eyes. "My team won't bite ... well maybe my Lieutenant if you get close.. but over all they're friendly people. Opening up isn't the worst thing, maybe talk to em at lunch ?"
He gave your shoulder a light punch, before moving towards the door, "C'mon, it's cold outside."
★ all works belong to @rotteddaughter , do not repost on anywhere else with or without credit, do not plagiarize. thank you !