When Roach had gotten back from his hike he had switched to signing, Soap felt guilty knowing that his actions earlier were most likely the reason for Roach's current muteness. Roach had never told anyone, but they all knew that something happened to him. Something that made him lose his voice every time he got too overwhelmed. Just then their lieutenant Walker, well, walked right in.
"Roach! Soap! How are my favorite sergeants?" He said it in that stupidly cheery voice, Soap was also cheery, and his tone reflected that, but he was genuinely happy, Walker's cheer felt forced almost condescending.
"Hey, lieutenant! We're doing good. Also favorite? Did you forget about Gaz?" Soap responded cheerfully he may not really like Walker, but he was still their lieutenant. And besides maybe he really was just happy to see them, people's tones can be a little off, especially in the military.
"Ah well the big boy's already Price's favorite might as well balance out the favoritism in our little task force. Besides I may as well get chummy with you two if thing keep going as they are right now Gaz may become my captain, Price that old geezer keeps recommending him for promotions." Soap noticed how his voice dripped down into a bitterness. Walker tensed for a moment but the next he was sidling up next to Roach.
"Aw, come on bug, don't tell me you've shied out again. Come on. You know I like brushing up on my BSL but it's just a lot easier if you would just use that pretty voice of yours." Roach looked uncomfortable as Walker threw his arm around Roach's shoulder shaking him playfully. He quickly moved out from under the brash lieutenant's arm and stood off to the side.
'I don't want to be touched or to speak right now.' Roach quickly signed and then walked off with a 'Goodbye, sir'
"Huh? What's up with him? He should be comfortable around us by now shouldn't he? I mean he can just say he doesn't want to talk to us, no need to give us the silent treatment. I mean he is our friend right?" Soap was annoyed by Walker's continued ignorance even when he and Gaz had told Walker not to bother Roach when he wasn't speaking, they had even gone to Price, but Walker insisted that he knew what to do. Soap was beginning to think that Walker was just talking so that he could stay in the group having only joined after the Hassan missile incident.
"Sorry lieutenant, I may have made an insensitive comment to Roach after the meeting-"
"There was a meeting?! Aw man! Why didn't anyone tell me? At least let me know what happened in the meeting. Please Soapy boy? Johnny?"
"I told you not to call me Soapy boy or Johnny. Ask Price for the notes. I'm going to go check on Roach" And with that he left Walker and went in search of SpecGru's resident pest.
Soap wasn't able to find Roach in his usual spots, meaning either Soap really fucked up earlier or Walker was about to die. Soap took a few minutes to rationalize Roach's actions, avoiding setting Roach off more and a dishonorable discharge for murdering his superior officer. Soap knew that Price would rather get rid of the okay lieutenant rather than discharge him but if he murdered Walker than it may cause too much trouble and paperwork for his captain, possibly ending in his own death.
Instead of continuing to fail at finding Roach, Soap decided to instead spend a little time outside sketching. He never knew what to draw, nothing in particular peaking his interest. Besides Roach of course, his face covered and uncovered, well what uncovered parts Soap could see when Roach was eating or when he got a little too out of breath and pulled his mask down a little to breathe easier. But Soap noticed that he hadn't had any new ideas and he had filled the majority of his current sketchbook with the same face in the same ways.
Of course he adored Roach, and he loved drawing him, but Soap had always felt that just one thing was missing. He had this problem in his previous relationships, way back in high school when he hadn't come out to his family he knew that he was happy with them and cared for them, but he never felt satisfied both with giving and receiving attention and affection. He always felt bad about it, same as when he would sneak looks at the other guys in the locker room. He knew that he wasn't doing anything wrong, but it had always been drilled into him that only one person would complete his other half. He knew about polyamory, but it was already enough of a challenge to get at least his immediate family to be okay with him dating a man, but two people at the same time was too much for him. He decided long ago that when he met his person he would shirk whatever extra needs he had.
Soap was disappointed in the conclusion that if that were true Roach wasn't meant to be with him, he knew that most likely in the end he would get his heartbroken by Roach, but he was head over heels for the man. The loveable prankster, whose emerald green eyes held such depth to them, so much that Soap wanted to get lost in them forever. The caring man, who always brought a spare med pack in case one of them got hurt on a mission. He didn't understand why he never felt complete with Roach when he was the perfect partner for him. Both shared a love for mischief, and both cared about the recruits a lot. But life's cruel like that. Soap hadn't realized how long he had been sitting there until Gaz called for him, letting him know that dinner was about to start. With one last look at his sketch book Soap pocketed the item inside of his jacket and went to join the others.
Soap would later learn a year or three later who he was meant to be with.