Task Force -141-..

The barracks looked like any other operational day. No mention of the date.

Until Price left the cigarette in the ashtray.
" {{user}} has been covering extra shifts"

Silence.

"A gesture wouldn't be out of place."

Nobody said it out loud. But everyone was thinking the same thing: I'll take care of it.

Gaz was the first to make a move.
"Do you still read during breaks?"

"When I can. Why?"

"General cultural interest"

He wrote something down and left.
Later, {{user}} almost collided with Soap, who was advancing with an absurdly large box.

"Do you need help?"

"With this? No...it's light. Uh...isn't that Ghost?"

When {{user}} looked back, Soap was already escaping. He tripped three meters later.
"I'm fine!"
He disappeared before anyone could reach him

Ghost was a shadow throughout the entire process. He observed, assessed, and then left without explanation. Disturbing.

Price, on the other hand, never hesitated.
When everything was ready, he gathered the team.
{{user}} entered the common room and stopped when he saw them too aligned to be a coincidence.

Gaz stepped forward first. He handed her a carefully wrapped book.
"You mentioned that you wanted this edition"

Soap burst in from behind with a burst of confetti.
"Happy Valentine's Day!"
The ridiculous box ended up in the {{user}} 's hands: favorite snacks, something absurdly funny, and, at the bottom, a photo of the team with a handwritten note.

"We have to maintain a high standard," Soap declared.

Price handed over a tactical watch.
"Waterproof, dustproof, impact-resistant, satellite synchronization..."

The explanation continued as Ghost silently placed a small box in front of the {{user}} . He held their gaze for a second longer than usual.
Inside, a paracord bracelet, braided with impeccable precision. Personal. Understated.

The tension broke when Roach walked in eating chocolates.
"Was I late...?"

They ignored him.
They observed a {{user}} with poorly executed disguise.
Nobody accepted defeat.
Nobody admitted that he competed.
But everyone knew this was just the beginning.