Hey Guys! So this is a series of one-shots or ficlets that are all together, but not exactly one whole story either. It's more like different chapters and events that happen throughout Season 11 before everything goes down.

I do not own characters or anything. All rights go to creators of Halo and RoosterTeeth

Enjoy!

Unmasked

After everything he'd been through and witnessed between the Red's and Blue's, he really shouldn't have been that surprised. Yet he couldn't help looking between them incredulously as the awkward silence settled between them.

"...You're kidding me...right?"

They all looked between each other before Simmons spoke with a shrug. "Well, it never really seemed important to us before. I mean think about it, we just stood at opposite ends of a canyon and tried to kill each other."

Wash shook his head in disbelief. "Yeah, yeah I get that, but...you guys have seriously never seen each other without armor on? You've known each other for years!"

"Dude, of course we've never seen the Red's without armor. It's not like we waltzed over to the other side of the canyon and asked to see them without their armor on," Tucker explained.

The ex-freelancer rolled his eyes, suddenly feeling strangely out of place in just a gray t-shirt, black sweats, and sneakers as everyone around him stood in full heavy artillery. His own features were for everyone to see; corn-silk blonde spiked hair, steely green-grey eyes, and well-formed muscles on his arms and calves, with a glaze of faint freckles across his skin. Rubbing his forehead in exasperation, Wash sighed. These people would never cease to amaze him in the most ridiculous ways.

"Okay, well, today we are doing warm ups without armor to increase endurance without the excess weight, as well as learn to defend yourself without the extra protection. So...start...taking it off."

He could feel the gazes pin him in place at his choice of words, only this time, there was no armor to stop them from seeing any color rise to his cheeks, but he kept a straight face and steadily gazed back.

Donut, of course, responded with enthusiasm. "Okay! Boy, now these great legs will be for everyone to see!"

Placing his gun down on a nearby rock, his hands reached for the latches on his suit as he began to enthusiastically hum with every unbuckled clasp. "How exciting is this!"

"Whoa! Donut!" Simmons cried. "You don't strip out here in the open! Geez, let's each go back to our bases and change."

Donut halted in his endeavors. "Oh...alright then!"

Hastily, he ran off as the rest turned to Wash, who was about ready to cut the circulation off from half his face by pinching the bridge of his nose so hard. "Okay guys, do what Simmons said. Be back here in three minutes sharp, and if you're not here, I'll personally come and find you myself. Alright?"

A grumble of agreements came before everyone turned and headed off, leaving the ex-agent to run his hands through his hair as he sighed once more. Really, what was he going to do with these guys? They were just so...something. He didn't even know. They were idiots, but almost in an endearing way. Yet they weren't incompetent. He was well aware of that fact after having been defeated by them himself, as well as watching them take on an army of Tex's, and the Meta.

Still...there were times when they didn't seem to comprehend common sense.

"Alright Wash, so what exercises are we going to be doing?"

The blonde snapped to attention, realizing he'd been lost in thought for awhile now as he turned to an approaching blonde haired shorter man. He had sky blue eyes, a youthful, almost boyish face, and wore a white tank top with disturbingly short pink gym shorts.

Without even registering the voice, Wash could already identify this character.

"Just wait a minute Donut, we need to wait for the others."

Donut gasped, dramatically bringing a hand to his chest. "Wow, you're so perceptive! How'd you know it was me?"

Wash's eyes flickered down to the pink shorts and winced, before looking back up. "Uh, lucky guess..."

"Alright! We're ready!"

Thankful for the distraction, Washington turned to the group of four men that walked over, his eyes widening at the sight.

What the...?

Not only did everyone look completely different than he had ever perceived, but he couldn't tell who was who...not to mention, the tallest had metal parts to his body; And the shortest had strange surgery stretch marks over parts of his arm. Just what the fu...

The cyborg spoke suddenly, sighing heavily and crossing his arms. "I'm really beginning to think that this was a bad idea."

"Yeah, quit staring dude. It's unsettling," the shortest spoke, and Wash felt relief at the recognition that sparked through him from their voices. Simmons seemed to be the part-metal man, with long limbs, short red curly hair, pale features, and hazel eyes. Grif, who stood beside him in bored stance, had light brown hair and stubble, a bit of a pudgy figure, brown eyes, and deep toned skin that clashed with a stitched line across his shoulder blade, and skin that was stark white from his thumb to his elbow.

"Sorry, it's just...uh...what happened to you guys?"

Grif and Simmons shared a look and turned to Wash.

"Well, there was a bit of an accident when we were stationed at Blood Gulch. Sarge had to give us surgery," the usually maroon-plaited soldier explained. "Basically, I ended up part robot..."

"And I ended up part...Simmons," Grif finished lamely.

There was a pregnant pause between them as Wash stared blankly in their direction. He opened his mouth once to comment, but shut it just as quickly for lack of better to say, before turning to the final two figures with an analytically trained eye.

So this must be Tucker and Caboose...

One had blonde hair, darker than Donut's or his own, but still vibrantly yellow, with big green eyes that were wide and child-like. He had a dopey smile on his pink lips as he bounced on the balls of his feet; a movement that looked awkward for his broad shouldered body.

Finally, the last figure was around his own height, but his skin seemed to be a natural bronze in color, as though the sun had permanently kissed his flesh. Raven black hair fell just passed his ears and over his brows, he was lean but had muscle. But what caught the ex-freelancer's eye the most, is that contrasting to his ebony hair and tan skin, the soldier's eyes were a bright cyan blue and seem to crackle with electricity.

Overall, he had to admit...he was quite handsome.

This...isn't what I expected.

Quickly, Wash recovered by clearing his throat.

"Alright, which of you is which?" He asked, looking between his two teammates, and still finding it very odd about just how different seeing behind each mask made things.

The banana-blonde turned to his friend with sudden wide and concerned eyes, whispering not-so quietly. "Tucker! Something is wrong with Wash! He doesn't recognize us. Quick! We must help him remember!"

He turned back to Wash and leaned forward hopefully. "Ag-ent Wash-ing-tub. We. Are. Your. Friends." He began to punctuate his every word as though he spoke to one that was hard of hearing.

"It's not obvious?" the second man turned to him, arching his dark brow challengingly as Wash gave an exasperated sigh with a light chuckle.

"Well, now it is. Caboose, I'm fine. Trust me, I know who both of you are."

"Hey Tucker," Grif turned to him with his eye brows drawn together. "I thought you were black...?"

Tucker narrowed his eyes at him. "What made you think that?"

The red soldier frowned deeper. "I dunno, it was just tossed around a lot and you never said you weren't."

"I never said I was either. And besides, who says I still ain't?"

Now it was Simmons turn to get confused. "What?"

Tucker rolled his aqua eyes. "I'm half black you dumb asses. That's why I've got skin like a Greek god. I'm bronze and be-autiful." He finished this sentence with a cheeky grin as he jerked his bangs from his eyes.

Simmons scoffed. "And don't forget have an ego the size of Grif."

"Yeah!" the orange soldier chirped in agreement before fully registering the comment. "...Wait a minute...hey!"

"You guys!" Wash shook his head at their stressful antics. "We're here to train and do drills! Not discuss Tucker's looks, ego, or anyone's size. Now can we get back to..."

"I think you look great Tucker!" Donut interrupted obliviously. "You almost look like caramel! I could lick you right up!"

Everyone looked to Donut with a bit of disturbance at his blatant comment. He had a way of just making things uncomfortable.

"Yeah..." Tucker stretched the word. "Let's get back to whatever it is we're all here for again."

Wash exhaled heavily through his nose.

This is going to take longer than I thought.