#reader being reader

Reader: *Rambling about their favorite hobby/interests. Hands moving wildly as they speak. Their eyes bright and a blinding smile on their face as they talk to John.*

John: *Thinks it's sweet and kind of adorable. He's mostly just comforted by the fact that you feel comfortable enough with him to talk like this.* *It's nice for him to just. Feel normal once in awhile outside of blue team.*

John: *Is also confused on how you just as quickly stopped as soon as you started. Falling in on yourself as you ring your hands together.*

Reader: *Embarrassed that they had managed to talk for so long and John hasn't gotten to say anything yet.* *A lingering voice hissing at them that he doesn't care. That they've made a fool of themselves yet again.*

Reader: "I'm. I'm sorry."

John: *Is now both confused and concerned.* "Sorry for what?" *Doesn't like the fact that you're no longer holding eye contact. A sure fire way to tell that you're nervous or embarrassed over something. If anything he could almost hear your pounding heart.*

Reader: *Swallows thickly. Nervous by the stare that John is giving them. They consider lying or brushing it off but they knew better than to do that. John is capable of sniffing out a lie like a bloodhound.* "For talking so much?"

Reader: *Shrugging their shoulders. Trying to get rid of the tension there.* "I know it's not something you care about and I've probably taken up your time when you could have been doing something else." *They are rambling now.* "And I know that what I've got to say isn't all that important."

Reader:*Nearly jumps a mile high when John lays a hand on their shoulder.*

John-117: *Low-key pissed. Not at you but at whoever made you believe such nonsense.* "Who said that?" *His voice is low and even. Face void of emotion save for the muscles clenching in his jaw.*

Reader: *Squirming in their seat. Still unused to John's intense way of caring even after having known him for a while.* "Who said what?"

John-117: *Leaning forward in his chair so that he can be more on your level.* "That what you have to say isn't important." *He pauses. Eyes searching over your face.* "Who y/n." *He's using what you jokingly call the 'master chief voice '. The one that leaves no room for question. The one you hate to be on the receiving end of cause it means that you have to learn that you are cared for.*

Reader: *Wants to look away but can't. Both comforted by the fact that John cares but worried about what he might do.* "It's nothing Chief. Really."

Oh now you've done it.

John-117: *Nothing?* *Slides the hand on your shoulder down your arm until your hand is in his.* "It is never nothing when someone makes you feel this way y/n."

John: "No one deserves to be demeaned like that. You should have never been made to feel that way." *His knees bump into yours as he moves closer.* "Never will I take anything you say as "not important." You are allowed to be heard. Be seen."

John: *His hand squeezes yours. A calloused thumb soothing over your knuckles.* "You're allowed to be yourself with me. Always."

John-117: *He pulls away although he does not want to. Reaching for his helmet he had taken off to better hear you with. Wanting to hear your voice without it's audio filters.* "Now. Who?"

Reader: *Watches as Master Chief stands up. Golden visor looking at them.* "An. An old friend I'm no longer friends with. David Hawthorne."

Reader: " Chief I haven't talked to him in years. Why does it matter.... Who...."

Master Chief has left the chat.

A few days later

Reader: *Is humming along to Welcome to the Jungle as they clean their gun. * *Startles when they feel a hand on their shoulder. Really they should be used to it by now from how often people do it while they're lost in their own little world.* "Sorry about that! I had my earbuds... In."

Reader: *Immediately frowns when they see who it is. Almost putting the earbuds back in so they wouldn't have to listen to him.*

Reader: *Now standing with their hand on the back of their chair. On guard as they speak.* "Hawthorne."

David H: *He looks. Well scared as he shuffles from foot to foot. Brow glistening with sweat. He keeps glancing to the right.* "M'sorry."

There's a noise in the back.

David H: *Louder now. His face is paler than snow.* "I'm sorry." *You see his adams apple bob up and down as he swallows.*

Reader:*Confused.* "Sorry for what? What are you even doing here? Last time I checked you were on some distant colony planet."

David H: *Glances to the right again.* "For the way I treated all those years ago. For what I told you. I'm sorry. I know I can't make up for it but I'm sorry."

Reader: *Everything clicking into place as they remember their conversation with John.* "I. Okay then." *Honestly they didn't know how to respond. Never expecting an apology from the man that made them feel like the worst human In history.*

David H: *Curtly nods. Glances to the right. If anything he lost more color in his face from that last glance before he took off out the door.*

Reader: "Okay then..." *They look to where David had been and almost cry as a warmth bloomed in their chest. From happiness, from knowing that they were cared for. They don't know.*

All of Blue team is standing there. Leaning against the walls or in the Chief case against the back of a bench. Arms crossed as he, and them, kept a watchfully eye on reader as David gave what they thought was a less than ok apology.

Reader:"Thank you."

Master Chief: *Nods then motions for blue team to follow after David.*

Fili: Yes Givishel?

Reader: Would you still love me if I was a worm?

Fili: *Laughing.* Yes. I would.

Fili: I would make you a whole garden with your favorite flowers so you could live your worm life. And I would visit you everyday and make sure you had your favorite meals. Worm or otherwise.

Marc: I literally just kidnapped you because of this

Ran, seductively : Are you into cars?

Y/n : yes, it was truly a cinematic masterpiece.

Ran : No, no, I mean like are you a car person?

Hey look! I made something to give you in exchange for your attention!

Fredrick-104

While out in the field. Fixing the wheel on the Worthog.

Reader: "Hey Fred?"

Fred-104: *Hums in response. Keeping watch over the open field as he holds the Worthog up so that you could fix the wheel.*

Reader: *Pausing from loosening the lug nuts.* "Would you still love me if I were a worm?"

Fred-104: "I." *He stops. Trying to figure out if all those 'crayons' you had eaten earlier were messing with you.* "Y/n why would you be a worm?"

Reader: *You shrug and go back to twisting off the lug nuts. Tossing them into an old tin cup as you respond. Alibiet quietly.* "Dunno. But would you?"

Fred: *Sighs and stays quiet for a minute as he looks down at you. Your face dirtied and bruised. There's a hopeful look in those eyes of yours. Those eyes that have yet to dull even this far into the war.*

Fred: *He could tell that this meant something to you. He just couldn't tell what. And clearly he had taken to long to answer because you bit your lip and looked away. Shoulders hunching towards your ears as you went back to the busted tire.*

Reader: *You were a little embarrassed now. Maybe all of your dumb questions were now catching up to you with this one. Maybe Fred had just hit his limit with your shenanigans. Either way.* "Nevermind. It was a dumb-"

Fred: "Yes." *Something in his chest burned when you looked up at him. A grin so wide it was a wonder how your cheeks didn't hurt.* "I'd keep you in my pocket. Now pull the tire off. This is getting heavy."

Honestly he couldn't fight of his own smile on the way back. Your own bright grin almost blinding the entire way there.

Linda-058

The two of you had been meditating. Well. Linda still was. You were laying on the floor with your head in her lap. Counting every breath she made as you waited.

Reader: "Linda. Would you still love me if I were a worm?"

Linda: *Barely opens her eyes. You catch a sliver of green before she closes them again.* "Depends. Did I know you before you were a worm or are you just a random worm that I met?"

Reader: *You think for a moment. Reaching up to play with Linda's dog tags when they fall out of her shirt.* "You would know me before I was a worm. Doesn't make sense if i'm already a worm."

Linda: *You catch the barest hint of a smile on her lips before she's looking down at you. Red hair falling loosely past her shoulders. Her hand curling around your own."

Linda: "Then yes. I'd even have the UNSC make you your own sniper rifle so you could get into places I couldn't."

Reader: *Laughing softly.* "How am I supposed to shoot if I don't have hands?"

Linda: Thoroughly amused with you. Loving the silly questions you'd have for the others and her. The humanity that you would draw forth from them.* "You would have a tail though."

Reader: "Oh ya! Worms do have tails!"

The two of you were in the mess hall. Going over your respective playlists together and swapping old rock music when you randomly ask the question.

Reader: "Kelly. Would you still love me if I were a worm?"

Kelly: *Shrugging. Fred had told her about your strange question a couple of days ago.* "Ya."

Reader: *Beaming.* Really?"

Kelly: *She thinks its cute the way your hands patter against the table in your excitement. The grin on your face and the way your laugh sounds as it spills from your lips.* "Yep. Maybe we could get you some Spartan armor. Then you could be the strongest worm in the universe." *She nudges your foot with hers beneath the table.* "You could give the Hunters a run for their money."

Reader: *You snort a laugh. Adding on a led zeppelin song to the playlist.* "Now you're just messing with me." *You wave a finger at her. Laughing as you do so.*

Kelly: *She smiles. Picking an apple off her tray and handing it to you.* "Maybe. Now here. Eat."

Reader: *You look at her. Dead pan as you hold the apple, your elbow on the table as you look to it then her.* "Is this because of the worm thing?"

John-117

You had just finished training with John. You were tired, sore, and sitting cross legged on the floor. You were curled over your water bottle as you waited for John to finish up.

John-117: *Unwinding the wraps from his hands. Sitting on the floor across from you. Waiting for you to catch your breath before beginning your stretches.*

Reader: *You were regulating your breathing. Watching as John unwrapped his hands. The movements were methodical. Almost mechanical in their familiarity with the action. Slowly, more and more of his paled, scared skin was shown to you.*

Reader: *Your own still wrapped hands tighten around your bottle. You could feel your heart flutter in your chest as you open your mouth.* "Hey Chief?"

John-117: *Hums to let you know that he is listening. Moving to unwrap his other hand.*

Reader: "Would. Would you still love me if I were a worm?"

John: *Stops altogether. Blue eyes pinning you down. Searching over you. He sees your near death grip on your bottle. Could hear the hitching of your breath. See's the way your chin ducks down into your chest.*

John: "Why would you be a worm?"

Reader: *You glance away and shrug your shoulders. Feeling a little silly now.* "Dunno. Just am." *You begin to unwrap your hand. Trying to search for something to do besides stew in your own emotions.*

John: *Finishes unwraping his and begins to help you with yours. He knows you didn't need it but still.* "How did you become a worm?"

Reader: *You shrug your shoulders and try to will your shaking hands to still.* "Dunno." *You watch as John soothes your first freed hand. Feeling comfort from it and his calloused fingers trail against your palm. Feeling comfort from his steady warmth.*

Reader: "Does it matter?"

John: *He was trying to calm you in one of the few ways he knew how. That by being close to you and letting you move, work with your hands, allowed to to speak more easily.* "It does. I'd want to know how to turn you back. The universe is dangerous for a worm."

Reader: *You don't say anything for a moment. Mulling over your thoughts as John guided you through the first of your stretches.*

Reader: "Would you still love me though?"

John: *Pauses in what he's doing. One of his large hands is still pressed to your back. Moving upwards as you sit upright. Its steadying. Grounding as you look up at him.*

John: "I would find a way to turn you back." *His chest hurts when your face falls. He sighs a breath when you let out a soft 'oh'. And look away.*

John: "Look at me." *He's still kneeled down next to you so he moves to sit instead. It almost hurts him when you do look at him. Eyes glossy and he could tell that you were biting the inside of your cheek.*

Reader: "Ya Chief?" *Your voice is tight. You don't know why this mattered so much to you but it did. The others would be ok if you were a worm. Why not John?*

John: *Softly bumps you chin with his knuckles.* "I'd change you back from a worm because I would miss you."

Reader: *You tilt your head. Confused. Mainly because that wasn't the question.* "What do you mean?"

John: *Looks over your shoulder. Surveying the room before turning his attention back to you.* "Worms don't talk. Worms don't ask the questions you do." *Worms don't fill that empty spot in his chest like you do. The thought of losing you. Just the thought.*

John: *Taps a finger against your cheek.* "And worms don't care if people love them." *And oh how his heart burns when you cry. Brushing away the tears before more could form.*

John: "I would find a way to turn you back."

Fred-104: *Openly staring. Radiating concern™.* "What are you doing over there y/n?"

Reader: *Glances up.* "Oh?" *They strap the last firework to their arm. Using their teeth to tear the duct tape.*

Reader: "Oh ya. So this." *Lifts up a leg and points to the fireworks strapped there.* "Is so that if slash when I die. It's at least with some pizzazz" *They make jazz hands while grinning.*

Fred-104: "Y/n. Y/n no!" *Starts chasing reader down to wrangle them so he can strip them of the fireworks.*

Kelly and Linda: *Snickering. Watching in amusement and Chief joins in. Trying to grab readers kicking legs.*

Kelly: "Bold of them to assume we'd let them die."

........................

Medic Reader: "Ok. So do you want the pink bandaids or the purple ones?"

Injured Marine: "Do you have any green ones?"

Medic Reader: *Shakes head and fishes out a pink one.* "Sorry. Chief got the last one."

Injured Marine: *Confused.* "But he's in armor?"

Master Chief: *Has a green bandaid on the crack on his visor and a shiny gold sticker on his shoulder.*

Reader: *Walks into Chief's room where all of blue team is lounging around.*

Reader: *Clasps hands together.* "You have all just lost The Game."

John,Fred,and Kelly: *All look at each other. Confused.*

Linda: *Launching herself over the couch and nearly kicking Fred in the face.* "You little gremlin!"

Reader: *Tearing ass down the hallway while cackling.*

Linda: "Two years! Two years!"

.................................................................

John: *Steps into the room. Sighs when he sees blue team and reader standing in furniture/tables/a couch cushion on the floor.* "You are all children."

Reader: *Hands on their hips while standing on a table.* "Those are some bold words for a man standing in lava."

.....................................................................

Reader: *Their gun runs out of ammo mid battle.* "This bitch empty. Yeet!"

Reader: *Running away from a very confused grunt. The poor thing trying to help it's now knocked out friend.*