Josh Ray Person is a stubborn son of a bitch.

He's annoying, he's loud-mouthed, he's an asshole.

Unfortunately, he is also a part of the company I was assigned to. And being in close quarters with someone like him can make a person slowly go insane.

Even more insane than Harold James Trombley. OK, maybe he was just a little bloodthirsty.

Weren't we all.

I groaned as I grabbed a magazine lying next to me and placed it on my face, blocking out another argument inside 2nd platoon's tent. I lied down on my back as Brad Colbert chuckled from next to me, my arms stretching out above my head.

"Let's have Ryan settle this then." I heard my name and internally cringed, knowing what was coming from the loudest mouth in the crew. I squinted into the light as Ray ripped the magazine from my face, his own face coming into view above me. He shot me a large grin as I glared at him. "What?"

My question was harsh but Ray ignored it, the smirk still playing on his face. "Ryan, baby. Who has the biggest dick in the tent?"

Snickers sounded out around the tent as I stared up at him in disbelief, Brad rolling his eyes from next to me as Walt Hasser looked up at him when he took an interest in the conversation. I glared at Ray as I sat up, ripping the magazine from his grasp and rolling it up. "I sure as hell don't know the answer to that question. But," I slapped Ray in the face with the rolled up magazine as I smirked. "It sure as fuck ain't you."

There were a lot of low ooh's coming from around the tent as Ray glared at me, kicking the edge of my bunk. He opened his mouth to say something as Rudy Reyes came rushing over, placing his hands on Ray's shoulders. "Now, let's not start something we're going to regret."

Ray glanced back at him and glared. "The bitch started it with her stupid comment-"

"Drop it, Ray." Brad piped up from next to me this time, his eyes never leaving the computer in his lap. Ray groaned loudly at us as he sat down on the edge of my bunk, crossing his arms like a child. "Fine."

"Who said you could sit here? I don't need your germs all over my shit." I slid back on the bunk and poked him in the ribs with my boot, his face scrunching in a look of annoyance. He grabbed my foot and pulled, forcing my body to slide down the bunk as he smirked. I reached down and grabbed the magazine again, rolling it in my hands as Ray watched me. I brought my hand back to strike him and he glared, a hint of challenge in his eyes. "Don't even try it."

Walt watched us in amusement as I smirked at him, bringing the magazine down on his head with a hard thwack! He glared hard at me as I continued to smirk, hitting him with the magazine more than a few times. Ray held his arm up to shield his face as he shifted his position. "You asked for this, Reese."

"Bring it on, Person." I challenged him as he smirked back, lunging forward and tackling me. I lost my balance and we both tumbled to the floor on top of Walt, his grunt telling me that we landed on him hard. Ray slapped me in the chest as I kept swatting him with the magazine, Walt doing his best to escape our tussle from underneath our bodies.

"Hey, hey, come on!" I heard Antonio "Poke" Espera yelling from above us as he tried to separate Ray and I, his exasperated sigh telling me he was more than sick of us fighting today. "Get off of her, Ray."

I felt Ray slap me in the arm again before he looked at Poke, his eyes rolling as I slapped him in the cheek with the magazine. "She started it-"

"No, you started it and I'm ending it." Poke sent a look at Ray that dared him to challenge him and Ray backed down, sighing as he got off of me. Poke eyed him and sent a nod in my direction, Ray sighing again and holding a hand out. I stared at him and then scooted behind a sitting Walt, looking up at Ray. "I'm good. I'm just going to stay here with Walt because he's the nicest one here."

"I take offense to that." I looked over at Brad to see he was finally looking up from his computer, his face scrunched. I made a face at him as Ray dropped his hand back to his side. "You're the superior, Brad. You have to be nice to me."

"Technically, I don't have to-"

"You know what I mean." I shot him a look as he just grinned at me, his eyes dropping back down to the computer screen.

"Seriously, though," Ray looked between all of us with a look of annoyance as Poke ran a hand down his face in frustration. Ray's eyes then met mine as I raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean, why did we get assigned one of the only women around here-"

"Ray, if you keep this up I'll personally see to it that you sleep in a ditch next to the tent," Brad glared at Ray from his position, sitting up a little straighter as Ray went into another one of his tangents. "Drop. It. Now."

There was a tinge of fear that ran across Ray's face, but it was soon replaced by a slight glare. He huffed once and then threw his arms up, walking towards the opening to the tent. "I'm getting some air."

"Well, I for one am glad to have you here with us, Ryan." I looked up at Rudy to see him shooting a huge smile down at me, my own mouth twitching up into a smile. "I really appreciate that, Rudy."

He nodded at me a few times, the smile still playing on his face, as he walked back to his bunk. The tent once again fell into loud chatter as I lied back on the ground, my legs moving to rest on Walt's back as he lied on his stomach to read mail.

"Someone go check on Ray, please?" Brad's question was directed to no one in particular but I heard Walt sigh, my legs sliding off of him as he began to get up.

"No, no. I'll do it. I was big part of all the shit that just went down." I quickly got up from the floor as Walt sent me an appreciative nod, grinning at him as I walked out of the tent. I scanned over the continuous beige of both the sand and the tents, landing on a row of Humvees. I stared over at them as I walked forward, my fists sitting on my hips as I looked up at the body sprawled out on top of ours. "I thought I'd find you here."

I heard a sigh as Ray shifted, placing an arm over his eyes. "What do you want, you gremlin?"

I rolled my eyes at Ray's nickname for me as I climbed up the front of the Humvee, sitting with my legs crossed and facing him. "Seeing if you're alright, you hobgoblin."

The playful jab back earned a smirk from him as he raised his arm, looking down at me with an eyebrow raised. "I'm fine. I'm always fine, Ryan."

I eyed him as he replaced the arm over his eyes, rolling the words around in my head. Every time Ray said he was fine, there was some sort of undertone in his words that told me he wasn't.

Ray and I were never the closest in the group and he wasn't as welcoming to me as Rudy, Poke and Walt were. But, he tolerated me. We tolerated each other.

It was a comfortable tolerance.

"Whatever you say, hobgoblin." The playful smirk played on his lips again as the words left my mouth, my eyes moving to scan over the sandy horizon.

"So, how is Ray doing?" I looked up at Brad as he walked towards me, leaning against the Humvee next to Trombley and I. I shrugged at him, turning my attention back to the football game some of the guys were trying to put together. "It's Ray. He blows up, gets annoyed and then goes back to his normal obnoxious self."

Brad chuckled as he crossed his arms, glancing down at me. "Do you ever think Ray acts the way he does towards you because he likes you?"

I snorted loudly at Brad as I rolled my eyes, shifting my position against the Humvee. "Right, Brad. He fucking hates me. We only tolerate each other because we have to fight together."

"I don't know. I think he might have a crush on you." I brought my gaze to Trombley and glared as his mouth turned upwards into a smirk. "Shut up, Trombley."

"Think about it, Ryan," Brad piped up again and turned to face me. "He acts like a middle schooler who has a crush on a girl. Replace the hair-pulling with harsh insults and punches, and it's kind of the same thing."

I waved Brad off as he frowned at me, Trombly nodding at him in agreement from his position on the ground. "Come on. This is ridiculous-"

"But not entirely not true." Brad and I both looked down at Trombley, who was now staring up at me with a huge grin. I heard Brad sigh from next to me as he shook his head. "Uh, right."

I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head as I pulled my hair into a ponytail. I leaned back against the Humvee again and my eyes met Ray's. When he realized I was looking at him he smirked, tearing his gaze away to focus on the game happening in front of him.

"You're a very confusing person, Person." I sighed as all of the men on the field ran a play, Rudy catching the ball and hauling it into the makeshift end zone.

"It wouldn't be so confusing if you just let your emotions guide you." I looked over at Brad as he made a heart shape with his hands, backing away from me as I glared. "Thanks, dad!"

I shouted at him as he walked toward another Humvee, his loud laugh drifting through the air. I huffed and then slowly smiled at him, realizing that maybe I was being too hard on Ray. He was a very confusing person, but maybe if I could actually sit him down and talk to him I could finally understand just what makes his mind tick.

That is, if he could sit down across from me and resist the urge to tackle me to the ground as a formality.

A really weird formality.

I realized my face was scrunched into an odd position as Walt stopped in front of me, his brow furrowing as he looked at me. "You alright?"

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him, shrugging after a moment. "Maybe."

"Ray troubles." I shot Trombley a glare as he just grinned at me, Walt nodding his head in understanding. "He is a very complex person…" Walt trailed off as Trombley and I looked at him, his mouth turning upwards into a smirk. "Complex in his own way."

"I hate all of you, you know that?" I grinned at Trombley and Walt before shoving a thumb in Brad's direction, seeing Walt place a hand to his chest in feign hurt. "I'm astounded at your words, Ryan."

I rolled my eyes with a grin as I shoved Walt's shoulder, sliding down to sit on the ground with Walt mimicking me.

"Fuck off!" Ray's shout brought all of our attention to the field in front of us. I raised an eyebrow as Ray ran full force at Rudy, tackling him to the ground. I felt my body tense as Ray began punching Rudy, the much taller man turning on Ray and holding his head between his thighs.

"Finally, something exciting happens." I shot a look over at Trombley before standing up, crossing my arms as I watched the remaining men around them try and break the scuffle up. They pulled Rudy off of Ray and held the two men back, Ray spitting in Rudy's direction.

"Get off me!" Ray ripped out of everyone's grasps as I watched him, Brad jogging toward him as he started to walk away from the field. Anything Brad tried to say to Ray seemed to be in vain as he looked back at me, eyes pleading me to do something. I didn't say anything as I started walking towards them, moving into a quick jog when I realized Ray was starting to walk faster.

"Ray!" Brad called after Ray as he stopped and I passed him, his eyes hitting my form as I watched Ray wipe his face. I frowned and kept jogging behind him, deciding to call out to him like Brad had. "Ray!"

I saw Ray tense up as he continued to walk, wiping his face again as I fell in step with him. "Get away from me, Ryan."

"Ray stop. Stop!" He roughly shoved my hand off of his shoulder as he tried his best to keep his gaze off me. I huffed and then quickly moved in front of him, reaching out towards him. I felt Ray's entire body tense as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders in a tight hug, holding him in place. I glanced up and saw Brad smiling lightly at me from a distance, turning around to walk back to the Humvees.

"Talk to me. Please?" My voice was muffled by the material of his shirt as I spoke to him, his body remaining stiff. A long moment passed as the football game continued in the background, everyone's loud chatter and jabs cutting through the air. I sighed as I began to pull away, stopping when I felt his arms wrap around my back.

I felt him squeeze my frame tightly and I returned the gesture, feeling water droplets hit my neck.

That's when I knew Ray – the same Ray who liked to tell me how much he hated me, the same Ray who tried to show everyone he was a hard-ass – was crying.

Not for one moment would I have ever thought that I would have to be the one to console Ray. Two people who barely tolerated each other helping the other. At least, us not liking each other is what I've come to believe.

And there we stood, silently holding onto each other.

"Heads up."

I flinched as I barely caught the pop tart package that Ray threw at my head, holding it up so the silver package shined in the moonlight. I leaned up on my elbows on the hood of the Humvee as I raised an eyebrow at Ray. "How did you get this?"

Ray grinned smugly at me as he climbed up to the roof of the Humvee, lying back and placing his hands behind his head. "Stole it from Trombley. Though, he was totally fine with it when I told him who it was for."

I made a face at him – though I doubt he could see it in his position – and rolled the package in my hand. "Thanks."

Ray didn't respond to me as I continued to stare at the unopened package, a smile gracing my lips in appreciation at the gesture.

"Humor me, gremlin," I glanced up when I heard Ray speak, noticing he hadn't moved from his position. He didn't wait for me to say anything before he spoke again. "Why did you follow me?"

"Why?" The word came out as a breathy whisper as I furrowed my brow at Ray, shifting into a sitting position on the hood. I was startled a little when Ray finally moved, leaning back on his elbows to look down at me. "Why did you… hug me?"

I stared up at him as I thought about his question. In my own mind I wasn't even sure what the answer was. For all I had known since I met Ray, we hated each other – or rather, we were supposed to hate each other.

He didn't like the fact that a girl was going to, in his own words, 'hold back' the platoon and get in his way. He let me know how much I annoyed him any chance he had.

On the other hand, there were times that Ray acted like we had been best friends. His stupid gestures of giving me parts of his MRE because I 'wasn't eating enough.' Sitting so close to me when we ate that our shoulders touched. Asking if I had enough room in the back of the Humvee when nobody was listening to him.

Some part of me – some part deep down – wanted to believe that Ray actually cared for me more than he let on. It was like he didn't want anyone to know that he actually cared for the female member of the platoon.

Or, that he cared a little bit more than everyone else.

"Because I knew you would stop for me." The sentence came out quiet and strained and I could see Ray leaning forward a bit to hear me. He eyed me for a long while as I kept my gaze on the package in my hand.

I held my breath as the silence continued to pass, wondering in the back of my mind what Ray was thinking. I didn't look at him as I made a move to hop off the hood of the Humvee. "I'm going to-"

"Thank you." Ray's words stopped me in my tracks. I blinked at him a few times as I looked up, a small smile tugging at his lips. I was more confused than anything and wondered if I had heard him right. Ray had never said that to me before. "I'm sorry?"

I heard the playful sigh escape his lips as he rolled his eyes at me. "I said thank you, gremlin. You hard of hearing now? Too much artillery going off got you going deaf?"

I glared at him as I crossed my arms. "No, I just never thought that Ray Person would ever say thank you to me. Is the world ending?"

I placed a hand over my eyes to scan the horizon as he let out a loud laugh at me. "Well, appreciate it because my thanks are hard to come by."

I grinned at him as I climbed up to the roof of the Humvee, Ray falling onto his back again with his arms behind his head. I leaned over him and looked down, smirking at the glare that overtook his features. "I'm honored."

"Shut up, gremlin. You're blocking the view." I felt his hand swat gently at my cheek as I laughed at him, our eyes locking as he grinned up at me. I couldn't help but feel comfortable in Ray's company in that moment, and I could only hope that he felt the same.

It wasn't long until I got my answer.

I felt his hand graze my cheek and then cup my face, his eyes remaining on mine. His hand burned with comfortable warmth on my cheek and, almost as if on instinct, I leaned into his touch, watching him lean up on one elbow. He smiled at me before closing the gap between us, placing his lips on mine.

I smiled into the kiss as I leaned towards him, slowly wrapping my hands around his neck. Ray lost his balance on his elbow and fell backwards, grunting as I fell on top of him. I pulled away to let out a few laughs before he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me back into another kiss.

We pulled away after a moment and looked at each other, Ray pushing a strand of hair out of my face. I grinned down at him before pressing my forehead to his, hearing him let out a light sigh. "So, this means you might actually like me right?"

Ray's body trembled with a laugh as I leaned back and looked at him, his eyes rolling at me as he pushed my shoulder. "It might mean I don't hate you."

I rolled my eyes playfully at him as I lied back with my head against his chest, looking up at the sky as his arm snaked around me. "You're a bad liar, Ray."

He chuckled softly as I opened the pop tart package in my hand. "Maybe I am, Ryan. Maybe I am."

I had a full story idea in mind for Generation Kill for a very long time, then I decided against it and decided to do a one shot instead. This is my first of two GK one shots I have planned.

Please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions for other one shots, please don't hesitate to let me know what you'd like to see! :)