UNSC Infinity
Spartan Town.
Sleeping quarters for Blue Team
Less than one hour after New Year's.
Fwop !
The noise of a party cannon when it went off was surprisingly loud, if you weren't expecting it.
Bits and ribbons of ruby, sand, and grape-shaded streamer paper went everywhere, as Kelly 87 ( nee Shaddock ) fired one at the side of the Master Chief's head moments after they'd stepped through the doors of their quarters, catching him by surprise.
The nominal leader of Blue Team didn't quite flinch, ( Spartans weren't nearly flighty enough for that, though Navy corpsmen were ), but his eyes did widen for a second, before his mouth formed into a bemused smile.
Turning around, he found Kelly standing with the spent cannon in hand, and with her own mouth now a satisfied smirk.
" Couldn't resist ", she shamelessly admitted.
That was Kelly, no doubt. She'd always been lacking in sorry for anything she did that she thought was right, justifiable, or at least not wrong. John had figured that out for himself when Kelly had begun lacing clumps of snow with rocks, and chucking them at him and the other Spartan candidates way back when on Reach. It was a ruthless, borderline sadistic habit that Sam in particular had protested vigorously about.
Fortunately, he liked and respected that about her. Besides, at least party cannons weren't painful, unlike those rocky snow clumps.
" That's obvious enough ", He laughed, reaching over to brush a few bits of paper off his suit's shoulders. " I hope that wasn't supposed to scare me. "
Kelly teasingly raised an eyebrow.
" Why ? Did it ? ",
" Not quite, actually. "
The brunette Spartan woman sighed. " Shoot. I'll have to get a bigger gun next time. ",
" You know ", John suggested casually, " You could just load them into Oathsworn ".
That was a dangerous thing, giving Kelly ideas like that. Aside from the rocks-and-snow, John remembered another example of her mean streak; when she'd practically bisected one of their trainers during their last major exercise in one of Reach's former Titanium mines, prior to entering active service. It was just them, newly minted Spartans, without their armor, against the trainers who had heavily armored powered exoskeletons. Yet, said exoskeletons weren't enough to stop the Spartans from giving them a fearsomely through beating with nothing more than their bare hands. Kelly especially enjoyed herself, and showed it by leaving a sizable dent right dead center in the torso of one of the armored trainers.
That the trainer had survived still surprised John to this day. Kelly had always had real fire where it counted ( as a brunette woman, that was to be expected ), and even 28+ years of near constant battles with the Covenant hadn't snuffed that out.
Kelly pondered that suggestion, and with actual seriousness too.
" Hmmm. Worth consideration " , she finally declared.
" Uh oh. I know that look, Kelly. "
The brunette did an admirable job of looking innocent, before she slowly closed the distance between them. Of course, " slowly " for her was a light jog for everyone else, and the next thing John knew, she was up close to him.
The corner of her mouth twitched up.
"What look ? ", she inquired.
There was little mistaking the glint that had appeared in her eyes right now. Kelly had been in a festive, cheerful mood all ' night ', along with pretty much everyone else on the Infinity around the hours of New Year's. That wasn't surprising, in of itself, but, now-
Now, they were alone, and they'd formally entered the New Year. That said New Year was one that had the UNSC, and the whole Human race, facing a threat even greater and deadlier than the Covenant- Cortanna, and her legions of Guardians- was still on on their minds, but here and now, in this moment, that all seemed to be in the backseat.
They were Spartans, but they were not machines. It wasn't a lesson that Chief Mendez had taught them, but living as individuals, and not just as soldiers, was something they were getting the hang of now.
John hoped so, at least.
" You know which one ". He replied, in a low voice, gently embracing her.
Kelly hugged him back, letting their foreheads nearly touch.
Then she took it up a notch, and kissed him on the mouth.
That sealed away pretty much the rest of the universe, as any real kiss could do. John had just the bare minimum of situational awareness left now, and to be honest, he wasn't bothered by that at all.
There was more to life than just fighting, and training for the next fight. Things like, this, were so much worth it.
John was already kissing her back just as firmly, as she slid her hands along the sides of his jaw, pulling slightly.
The moment lasted, until they finally had to pull apart to then, their foreheads now touching.
Exhaling and inhaling for a few seconds to control their breathing, neither of them spoke, before Kelly finally did.
What she had to say was of truly great importance.
" How long do we have, till Lasky needs us again ? "
Generally, Spartans ( all of them, whether they were 2s, 3s, or 4's ) disliked being out of their armor.
Watching from the outside, most would assume that was because of how resilient and powerful it was. Rank and file were always in awe of MJOLNIR armor, even when it wasn't in action. Each suit was over 7ft tall of superhardened alloys and plating; seeing it in person was a reality check.
There was no other way to experience that kind of raw might, except as a Spartan- or, as everyone thought, as a Spartan in armor.
John-117 didn't dispute that much. From the moment he'd first donned the MJOLNIR, he'd tasted that raw strength and might. It'd be a lie if he said he didn't savor every moment of it, despite his conscious focus on how he used the armor.
Halsey had been right whens he'd called it the most advanced form of technology mankind had ever forged. It truly was a triumph, and John was certainly at home whenever he had the familiar feel and form of the MJOLNIR. Its weight and bulk.
At the moment, though, he didn't mind that he was not in the armor. He actually hadn't been for a while, and it didn't really really bother him. Actually, right now, he didn't even have his formal suit on. It was currently hanging up in his uniform closet, leaving him in his t shirt and exercise slacks.
More importantly, Kelly was in a similar state: the swiftest Spartan alive was wearing just shorts, and a crop top.
John was on his back on one of the two bunks in the room, and Kelly was quite contentedly sitting across his legs, most importantly of all.
Her own, long, muscled legs were clamped against the sides of John's, and her weight pressed down against him. If she'd been in armor- if either of them had been in armor- then John wouldn't have felt the sensation of her bare skin against his.
He also wouldn't have gotten a look at the rest of her, either Her arms, for example, were like her legs; home to scattered scars earned from the years of ceaseless training on Reach. They were lithe and strong arms, but not bulky or masculine. That level of fitness was evident in her abs as well- they were chiseled flat, and toned.
It was a warrior's body, sculpted through years and years of battle and combat, prepared for by years and years of training.
This is why us men want women who're in good shape, John thought.
" John ? "
" Hm ? What ? "
" You're staring again. "
Kelly wasn't accusing him- her casual, playful tone reflected that. She was simply calling out an observation , and stating a truth. Besides, what mattered here was, John wasn't so much staring, as he was admiring.
You couldn't blame a man for noting the scenery, so to speak.
" True ", John smiled. He slowly pushed himself up from where'd been reclining, though Kelly didn't let him get and further.
Clicking her tongue, Kelly looked ( literally ) down at John. " Where do you think you're going ? "
She poked him in the chest for emphasis, and John knew better than to resist. Times like these, where they could be alone, without anything-missions, training, etc, looming on the horizon- had always been rare, and with the Guardians on the loose throughout the galaxy, that was even more the case.
But, even that couldn't stop them. Both Kelly and John understood, that no matter how busy you are, you can always, always, make time for what you wanted. Things had been crazily hectic, but that would not stop them.
" Nowhere, apparently ", he agreed. " Just, wondering who was in charge here. "
" As long as were not on the clock, that's not you ".
It was true, that. John was Blue One. Its leader, and the others followed him.
" It is New Year's Day ", John acknowledged. " Seems even us Spartans have found some R and R ".
" True ", Kelly reached down, and gently removed a bit of streamer paper that'd somehow still remained stuck in John's hair.
" But, " she added with a telling smile. " Who we spend that R and R with is what matters. "
There was that certain glint in her eyes, and a note to how she spoke, as she leaned in, and firmly kissed him again.
That was the real beauty of what they had; they could say things without actually saying them. It was a mental synergy at its finest.
John knew exactly what Kelly was thinking.
You love me, and I am your Blue 1. I love you, and you're my Blue 2. Nobody understands this, not even Frederic and Linda. That's alright, though. We're still a team.
You and I, though, have something even better than that.
He smiled.
" Yes. Yes it does. "