Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Hunter and Soldier. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own Halo, Microsoft, and 343 do.

(2526, UNSC Charon Light Frigate Vagrant)

Cal felt Gram squeeze her shoulder which made her turn to him. He swept his fingers across her faceplate. The Spartan version of a smile to the group.

She did the same, skimming her fingers across the glass as she opened a private comm line.

"I told you I would be safe." Cal put in as the duo slowly exited the pelican. "How much data did you get before I assassinated the VIP?" Cal questioned to which Gram was silent.

"A minute at best," Gram responded while they walked towards their quarters. "I hate when you do that lone wolf crap. We're a team, we all know Spartans aren't invincible." Gram said before the door hissed open.

Cal was silent, she wasn't present when Samuel died, neither was Gram. However? Cal also knew that Gram worried, he always worried.

"That's why I have you." Cal put in which got a stare. "You're always worried, you've been like this since the training," Cal added as Gram shook his head.

The duo proceeded to the bridge as the elevator shifted slightly. A sign their time in this system was over.

Cal looked at Gram who was busy clenching and unclenching his fists. He wanted to go back, wanted an excuse for someone to rattle his cage. Cal could see the slight wrinkles in his bodysuit which meant he was tense.

Cal ran her fingers over his shoulder again and squeezed. Gram slowly unwound his fingers. He turned to look at her, Cal stifled a chuckle at the fact that she was still slightly taller than him even in MJOLNIR armor.

"I'm not going anywhere," Cal said and crossed her arms. "We both know your too stubborn to let me die," Cal said as Gram hummed.

"Besides, someone has to babysit you," Cal said which got a sharp turn.

"We both know who the better fighter is without guns, Cal." Gram said before the elevator doors opened.

The two Spartans stepped onto the bridge; the techs looked up at the two supersoldiers as the captain chair whirled around. Both Cal and Gram snapped off near mechanical salutes.

"At ease, Spartans…" The captain put in before the duo dropped their salutes. "I almost wish we didn't need the Hyperions. I would have liked to see the fireworks from orbit…" The captain joked to which Gram tensed slightly.

If Cal opened a comm channel? She felt Gram might have found some dark humor in the joke at the moment.

"What's our next mission, sir?" Cal questioned while Gram cracked his fingers.

"Always business with you Spartans…" The captain said before walking towards the chair. "We're pulling back to wild space, orders from the brass. I don't have immediate orders for you both. However? Within 72 hours? You are to be sent orders remotely through your armor. You're both dismissed." The captain said before he sat down in his seat once more.

Cal and Gram shared a look as if both confused at this rather lackluster debrief.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Gram asked to which he was given a nod. "I expected more of a debrief. We were told to eliminate the covenant VIP and then bring any data we found back here." Gram put in as a tech walked over to retrieve the fiber optic wire from him.

"Son, would you like me to drop you back off?" The captain asked and turned to them. "We did what we came for. The covenant isn't going to be decapitated by one assassination and we all know that. I just want to think about how sweet one taste of victory is… Can you understand that son?" The captain asked which got a hum from Gram.

He went silent. He knew well that any victory right now was sweet nectar that should be savored. It wouldn't be something they could constantly enjoy.

"Of course, sir." Gram said before stepping back at the moment and looking at Cal. "Will that be everything, sir?" Gram questioned and got another nod before the two Spartans ducked out the door.

Cal turned to Gram who stared at the ground. A sign he was deep in contemplation.

"We should be happy we killed him," Cal said over their comm line as Gram turned to her. "The intel said he's been hiding from the UNSC for 4 months. We finally got him." Cal said to which Gram nodded.

"I'm more curious about why we don't have new orders," Gram responded and hummed. "Waiting around like this? It bugs me. We should be down there. I just don't feel like sitting around when the war is still going on at the moment." Gram added before turning to stare down the hallway.

"Gym," Cal said to which Gram turned. "I know your itching to fight. You've always been itching for a fight unless we've been on deployment." Cal added as Gram shrugged.

"Fine." Gram put in before turning to her. "But if we're talking like that? I'm bringing up that shot. You couldn't have shot him when I got back to the ridge? You had to put a bullet in him after sending me into the hornet's nest… When he was in the middle of his guards." Gram stated to which Cal could only sigh.

"I knew you'd bring that crap up." Cal put in as the two Spartans walked down towards the gym. "And second? You're the one who was SO worried I was going to get shot." Cal added, amusement lining her tone.

(1 hour later)

Cal looked over at Gram. The lither spartan looked gauntly compared to her, his ashy black hair stayed spiked and cropped like it always was… And his piercing red eyes stood out in comparison to her amber ones. A faint scar, a mark from his training, ran across his right cheek. Calloused hands also showed he was busy at work.

The spartan sniper stood, clad in only a black UNSC tank top with her service number on it and the UNSC logo, green coveralls, black combat boots, and green pants. She slowly made her way to Gram who was busy doing maintenance on his MJOLNIR armor like most Spartans did.

She approached the spartan as he stood up. Even at 15? Cal was still taller and held a good 5 or 6 feet over Gram. She looked at the smaller spartan who was dressed the same.

"You've checked it 5 times," Cal said as Gram hummed. "Sometimes I wonder if your keep your head on without me." Cal teased as she looked at Gram.

"Still not going to let me live down Taol?" Gram questioned with a frown and looked up at the spartan sniper. "Who's been looking out for you since the training?" Gram asked to which Cal hummed.

"Didn't you almost break a guard's ribs when they tried separating us?" Cal questioned while Gram turned away. "Chief Mendez tried having you beat with clubs, forced to do extra laps, sleep fewer hours…" Cal said as she leaned down closer.

"And yet 12-year-old you REFUSED to give me up." Cal put in before walking towards the boxing arena. "C'mon, you've wanted to blow off steam since we went Planetside," Cal said and slowly entered the room.

Gram followed. He ALWAYS followed, Cal compared him to the other Spartans, but she knew when they were finally officially paired up.

"Do you remember when they pulled us aside?" Gram questioned, his footsteps matching hers. "Paired us up? I don't even remember what they called us back then… All I remembered was that they told us that our missions would be classified." Gram said before the duo entered the ring.

The 2 Spartans faced each other. Cal almost smirked remembering the younger Gram. He was always shorter than her, and twice as headstrong. Gram wasn't stupid, but she was always the leader of the duo.

"Called us White Team." Cal put in while Gram moved closer, balling up his fists. "They mentioned putting in another spartan soon, I don't know who, I heard James at least once," Cal added as she faced her fellow spartan.

Cal lunged forward, her arm slightly extended, Gram stepped backward. Cal was taller and had the edge on him in terms of muscle and weight, which meant her range outmatched his.

Gram stepped back and pivoted, putting himself inside her reach. She kicked at his leg, trying to unbalance him.

"You've been wound up since we got the briefing," Cal said while Gram caught her elbow. "Why? It's been like every other mission. You know that. We go, do the mission, we come back." Cal said as Gram shoved her away and threw a punch.

"And what about when we DON'T?" Gram asked before Cal kicked him backward. "They got one of us. We're the vanguard, and they want us dead… Humans? Insurrectionists aren't as dangerous… But you've seen them, every time we win? They just burn it down." Gram put in as Cal managed to sweep his leg.

She moved to pin him only for Gram to move backward even as he fell. She was like Linda, he was similar to Kelly, small, cagey, determined.

"This isn't about that, is it?" Cal questioned while her partner climbed to his feet. "You've got the tell," Cal added as Gram frowned.

The one downside that Gram rather detested about his friendship with Cal? She knew him like a glove. His fears, his strengths.

The narrowing of the eyes, the slight hitch within his voice? She knew very well that Gram was trying to hide something.

"It's me, isn't it?" Cal questioned which made Gram frown. You're worried about what happens if I…" Cal said as Gram narrowed his eyes more.

She could tell she hit the nail on the head. Gram had this fear of her dying since Samuel died.

"We're soldiers, Gram." Cal put into the talk which Gram shook his head at.

"Don't try that, Cal," Gram responded while countering an attempt at an armbar. "The second you die is the second I die… We both know one of the reasons Mendez paired us together…" Gram added and got a nod.

She knew what Gram meant. She frowned and lunged forward as Cal tried to duck. The two Spartans rolled across the mat, both trying to subdue the other one at the moment.

Both landed next to the other, ready for another round before Gram hummed and finally spoke up.

"I don't want you to die, Cal." Gram said and slowly stood to a knee. "They kill you? I'm going to break. I'll end up dying because I do something stupid. You think that day will have to come, but I'm not going to let it… You die, I die. Because I'm going to snap if they get you like they got Samuel." Gram put add with his eyes slightly wide.

Cal was silent, all Spartans would die sooner or later. Their very purpose was to defend humanity, which meant sacrifice for the greater good if needed.

"Mission comes fir…" Cal started to respond to which Gram narrowed his eyes.

"Mission is to fight." Gram said and frowned. "Every spartan matter, every soldier matters. Don't pull that, we're a team. You keep pulling the lone wolf stunt, the covenant win if we're vulnerable. We're not vulnerable as a team. You know that." Gram said before raising himself fully.

He turned and offered Cal his hand.

Author Notes

Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that some chapters might be shorter. I know Spartans are more emotionless and such. But I wanted to show that Cal and Gram are different. The next chapter will show more talking and the duo bonding more and setting up their next mission. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!

P.S: Next chapter is 1500 to 2000 words or such.