Halo Reloaded: Birthday
On the morning of his birthday, Spartan Fred-104, known to his few friends simply as "Fred," was up with the sun. His day was planned with military precision: drills at 0800, tactical review at 1030, lunch (nutrient-rich, flavor-poor) at 1200. Birthdays? A frivolous civilian indulgence.
But Fred's world was about to be turned upside down, courtesy of a certain Kelly-087.
As Fred emerged from the barracks, lost in thoughts of plasma rifle calibration, a blue streak hurtled towards him. It was Kelly, his girlfriend, who believed in birthdays with the fervor of a child writing to Santa. Before Fred could react, she landed a smacker right on his lips, knocking the stoic right out of his Spartan training.
"Happy Birthday, Freddie!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing in her armor.
Fred blinked, his brain rebooting. "Uh, thanks, Kelly. You know I don't really do birthdays."Kelly rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with mock exasperation. "Yes, I'm aware, Mister Party Pooper. But guess what? I've hijacked your birthday. Command's given us the day. No arguments, sir!"
Fred raised an eyebrow, a small smile betraying his amusement. "Hijacked, huh? Should I be concerned?"
She grinned, mischief sparkling in her eyes. "Terrified."
The day was unlike anything Fred had experienced. First, they were ferried to a secret spot on Reach, so picturesque it seemed stolen from a holiday brochure. There, surrounded by the symphony of nature, they enjoyed a picnic. Kelly had somehow managed to find real food – a miracle on a military base.
As they ate, Kelly chattered about everything from the latest Mongoose models to the antics of their fellow Spartans. Fred, usually a man of few words, found himself drawn into the conversation, his usual reserve melting away.
"Did you know that Johnson actually tried to arm wrestle an Elite?" Kelly laughed, recounting the tale.
Fred chuckled. "I would've paid good money to see that."The day took a turn for the surreal when Kelly revealed her next surprise – a dance lesson. A bewildered Fred found himself being spun around a makeshift dance floor, set up in an abandoned hangar.
"Left foot, Fred, not the right!" Kelly corrected, laughter in her voice.Fred stumbled, uncharacteristically clumsy. "I'm a Spartan, not a dancer," he protested, though a grin was spreading across his face.
As evening fell, they found themselves by a serene lake. A small boat, adorned with twinkling lights, awaited them. They rowed out, the water reflecting the fiery hues of the sunset.
Kelly's voice turned soft, her usual energy giving way to a rare vulnerability. "I know today's just another day for you. But I wanted to make it special. Because you're special to me, Fred. More than any mission, any battle."
Fred looked at her, this woman who was his equal in battle and his anchor in life. "Kelly, I... Thank you. I don't know what to say."
"Just say you'll remember this day," she replied, her eyes shining with emotion.Fred took her hand, feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with the setting sun. "I'll remember. Not because it's my birthday. But because it's a day I spent with you."
As they drifted under the stars, Fred realized that life wasn't just about duty and discipline. It was also about these moments of unexpected joy, the warmth of companionship, and yes, even silly birthday celebrations.
And as they sat there, side by side, he knew that no matter what the future held, they would face it together. Because in the end, it wasn't the battles that defined them, but the moments in between – moments filled with laughter, love, and the occasional stolen kiss.
@ionlymadethissoicouldleaveanask, @makowrites, @authortobenamedlater, @mrtobenamedlater.
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The Chief and the Intern - The Brave and the Bold - Master Chief X Reader
Masterlist
You felt a pounding in your head like nothing you had ever experienced in your life. Someone gently called you, but the moment you tried to open your eyes to see who it was, the fluorescent lights above you made you squeeze your eyes shut once again.
“(Y/LN)....(Y/FN)? My name is Dr. Aldias, can you hear me?” The voice was soft and soothing, and you felt as if you could willingly drown in it. “I’m sorry, I don’t think she’ll be awake to talk to you anytime soon,” the doctor said, and your brow furrowed in confusion.
“Understood, Ma’am.” You recognized that voice. It was the one that had promised to get you to safety. The Master Chief himself.
“Master Chief?” you murmured, and the room fell silent. You heard heavy footfalls approach your bed and groaned, feeling as if every step he took was a nail being drilled into your skull.
“Yes Ma’am?” he asked, and when you opened your eyes, his gloved hand was shielding your eyes from the bright light.
“The research base…some of us didn’t escape…” His helmeted head nodded in understanding. “We’re prepping a team for insertion. Command was hoping you’d have some valuable information.”
You nodded, attempting to very slowly sit up, a task he quickly aided you with, keeling at your bedside. His hands were warm on your shoulders as he helped situate you more comfortably. “The banished wanted the colony's resources, or at least the ones in production. They kept a lot of us alive to work, myself included.”
His hand settled on your knee, and you blinked in surprise. “Were there any other civilians?” he asked gently.
“Not anymore,” you murmured, answering his unspoken question. You attempted to stand, but his hands moved back to your shoulders, preventing you from going anywhere.
“You need to stay here and recover. According to Dr. Aldias, you’re suffering from head trauma,” he stated bluntly.
“I want to help,” you argued. “I may not be a soldier but-”
“You’re staying here,” he finalized, squeezing your shoulders softly.
“My friends are down there, I spent months living with those people,” you argued.
He cocked his head at you contemplatively, as if he were mulling his words over carefully. “Most civilians don’t make it out of combat alive. By the time my team is sent in, there are none of you left, and we’re hauling out as many marines as we can. I was lucky to find you before anything happened. The last thing I want to see down there is a dead civilian, so how about you stay up here so I don’t have to? Can you do that for me?”
You felt your jaw go slack as you stared at him. If Dr. Aldias’ reaction of widened eyes was anything to go by, you supposed that was far more personable than Spartans, than the Master Chief, would usually behave. “I…ok,” you stumbled over your words, your eyes falling away from his visor.
He gave your shoulder another soft squeeze. “Thank you.” And then he was gone, off to prep his team for a rescue mission. He’d thanked you. As if he hadn’t saved your life, carried you to the med-bay, and talked you down from rushing into battle to get yourself killed.
The more you thought about it the more embarrassed you became. You were probably only so agitated and determined due to your concussion. You leaned back against your bed and groaned as Dr. Aldias went about checking your vitals.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so…personable,” she commented after a moment of silence.
Your head shot up curiously. “What do you mean?” you asked.
“Oh I’m sure it’s nothing,” she murmured, shaking her head. You blinked in confusion as she took a few notes down on her clipboard. “Get some rest, (Y/N).”
When you awoke the second time, the lights were dimmed, and your eyes had to adjust to the lack of light. The clock on the wall read 2200 hours, and you found yourself having to count backward to determine the time.
Dr. Aldias was nowhere to be seen, and your stomach had begun to rumble hungrily. When was the last time you’d had a meal? Well, you hadn’t exactly had a real meal in quite a while. The banished hadn’t been feeding you very well to begin with.
You considered trying to find the mess hall yourself, but starships were massive, and you didn’t know where to find any shoes. You carefully got to your feet, looking around for any sign of your uniform shoes. Would it be appropriate for you to explore in your socks and med-bay scrubs? It wasn’t as if you were wearing a hospital dress.
You were so lost in thought that you didn’t notice the hulking figure in the corner of the room stand from his seat. He was deathly quiet, and when you backed into him it was all you could do to contain a shriek.
His hands shot out to steady you, and you swallowed thickly. “Chief…I didn’t know you were here, maybe make a little more noise next time,” you suggested with a tinge of embarrassment clouding your voice.
“Apologies, you seemed bothered by it before. I take it that means your head is feeling better?”
You blinked in surprise. He had remembered that? Was that also why the lights had been dimmed? “No, no it’s ok,” you insisted, pinching the bridge of your nose. “It’s fine, I’m fine.” you weren’t entirely sure who you were trying to convince.
“Ma’am,” he stated softly.
“(y/n),” you corrected. You were sick of being called Ma’am. You weren’t an officer or anyone of high importance really. You were an intern, and you couldn’t help but feel like a rather pathetic one after the display you’d put on when he’d found you.
“(y/n), considering the events of the past few days, it would be completely understandable if you were not fine.”
You weren’t sure what to say to that. It was beginning to unnerve you that you couldn’t see his face. How were you supposed to read him with that visor in the way? Maybe that was the point, you supposed.
“When is Dr. Aldias coming back?” you asked softly. You needed food, and some shoes, and maybe some pain meds for the pain in your shoulders.
“Dr. Aldias is…overwhelmed at the moment,” he murmured.
“With the survivors?” you asked. You had completely forgotten about that. He nodded rather grimly, and you couldn’t help but feel…alone. You didn’t know anyone else on this ship. You didn’t even know who you were supposed to report to. With a heavy sigh, you found yourself taking a seat on your cot. “What am I supposed to do,” you whispered to yourself.
The Chief regarded you with the tilt of his helmet. You looked lost, and alone. He knew what being alone felt like. Until he’d been re-uinited with Blue Team he’d felt very alone. Especially after losing Cortana. He couldn’t help but think back to the sight of you curled in on yourself on the battlefield, and felt his stomach drop. Whatever you had felt in that moment, he didn’t want you to ever feel again.
How he was supposed to make you feel better was an absolute mystery to him however, and he simply put a hand on your shoulder. “(y/n)?” he called softly as your eyes became a little glassy.
You screwed your eyes shut, not wanting to burden the Chief with witnessing you cry. “I don’t know where my shoes are,” you murmured, voice coming out hoarce. He cocked his head at you, but you couldn’t decipher the nature of it. “Or where the mess is, or my clothes,” you ranted softly.
“(y/n),” he said sternly, gaining your attention. “Everything is going to be just fine. Those things can be taken care of. We can even contact your family if you’d like,” he offered.
Oh God, your family. They probably thought you were dead after not having been contacted by you for months. It took a moment for it to even register what a kind offer that was. “I appreciate the offer but…don’t you also have more pressing responsibilities?” you asked, trying to be as considerate as possible. He was the Master Chief after all.
He was quiet for a moment, before kneeling down in front of you as his hands settled on either side of his helmet before, much to your surprise, lifting it off his head and setting it on the cot beside you. “My team and I have been ordered to remain on the Infinity for the time being. I promise you it’s no distraction.”
Your eyes swept over his face before landing on those clear blue eyes set on either side of a broad nose, shrouded beneath dark eyebrows. He tilted his head at you in an almost curious manner. You looked softer without the barrier of his visor between the two of you. “Shouldn’t you be taking the opportunity to rest yourself?” you asked.
He raised one of those thick brows at you, the ghost of a smile flashing across those lips. “I’ve had plenty of rest of the past few days.”
Your eyes narrowed in a mix of confusion and disbelief. “Days?” you asked. He nodded affirmatively.
“You’ve been here for three, to be exact,” he explained, standing to his full height. “Considering how long you’ve been out, it’s no surprise you’d be hungry.” He offered you a hand up, delicately holding onto you when you took it.
The Chief’s eyes roved over your face, and his blank expression turned into a frown as he took in the bruises on the right side of your face, momentarily reliving the relief he’d felt when he’d scooped you up to find that you were, in fact, alive after that grenade had sent you flying. He’d watched too many people die, too mant fiends, too many allies. He hadn’t been able to save hundreds of people in New Pheonix, or Cortana, or his Spartans, Miranda, Johnson, Sam. The list went on and on. But he’d saved you. And that had felt…rewarding. Like he wasn’t entirely useless. He didn’t realize how badly he had needed that until you were nestled in his arms.
It had felt like having a purpose again, he realized. “Clothes first, then food,” he said, and you nodded in approval.
“Thanks you,” you murmured, swallowing what remained of your anxiety and sadness. Neither of those things would help you right now.“And I’d like to apologize, I was a bit…confused before. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I didn’t mean to be difficult.”
You could have sworn you saw his lips quirk in amusement. “Normal for someone experiencing a brain injury, I’d say. And brave of you,” he added as an afterthought.
“I didn’t feel very brave when I was knocked on my ass that morning.”
“It’s harder to keep a clear head in real combat,” He answered, leading you out of your little room, placing his helmet on as the two of you left the med-bay behind. You couldn’t help but think that if you were going to continue working for the UNSC, that might just be a good skill to learn. And you were pretty sure you were looking and the best damn teacher too. Baby steps, you thought. For now, you needed a meal.
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