thinking about how the rest of 141 would notice the way loverboy!soap changes after he meets you
of course in the beginning they're tight lipped and a just a little over it when he gushes about the new love of his life, having heard this a million times about a million partners. in a month's time he'd have a new infatuation. out of politeness none of them roll their eyes when he can see them.
but the object of his desire is the same the next month, and the month after that. he might not have changed the intensity with which he speaks about his partner, but they all notice how much lighter he seems to be.
the pep in his step isn't like the one he gets from getting laid, its different. more genuine.
Price sees it in his work, obviously. Johnny's always been disarmingly smart, but now he's so much more sure of himself. in the field he's cleaner, more efficient than he previously was. it makes Johnny even more deadly, and even more valuable. the kid's head seems to be clearer than ever, even if Price knows he's daydreaming about you when he's rigging explosives.
Ghost sees it in the gym, the way that Johnny has a special alert for your messages and calls and will stop his reps immediately when the ping comes through his headphones. the meals you cook for his lunches are doing wonders, Johnny's got more energy and is bulking at rates Ghost wasn't sure were possible. and the guy's taking more progress pictures than ever before, and when questioned about it shrugs and says "lass asks fer bicep pictures when she's sad."
But Gaz notices everything in between. he sees the little notes you slip in Johnny's lunch (and that Johnny keeps every. single. one.) Johnny's jokes aren't any funnier, but they make you laugh so he's going to continue to tell them. he doesn't have wandering eyes at the bar anymore, only moaning and groaning about how long it's going to take for you to come and pick him up. Kyle can feel how much lighter you've made Johnny, now that he doesn't have to keep all the dark stuff bottled up.
Sure, they all keep that stuff buried. But Johnny always doubled down on that, not even allowing himself to feel grumpy or upset because he needed to be the one to lighten the mood. he needed to tell the jokes and make everyone feel comfortable, even at his own expense. so now that he has someone to talk through all that with, the team can feel him relax into himself like a sigh of relief.
more loverboy!soap // Masterlist
