#AHAGGSGD I WANT TO EAT IT

[fixfoxnox]

Thinking about Roach whose love language is food. Baby boy was raised with an overprotective mother who wouldn't let him leave the table until he had at least two plates of food. Raised with one of those Southern grandparents who makes him all sorts of foods when he comes over and sends him home with two pans of cinnamon rolls for the whole family. Raised with a love and appreciation for food and the love that can be shown and given through food.

So food is part of his love language. Roach joins the 141 and immediately he can tell that these guys don't eat enough. They all look strong as hell, they all are strong as hell, but he notices how little they actually eat.

He notices Price skipping meals in order to try to get more paperwork done. He notices the aversion that Ghost has to most of the foods the cafeteria serves, and how little he eats because of it. He notices the way that Gaz gets so busy and focused that he just forgets to feed himself. He notices the way that Soap tries to avoid eating as much as possible and, when he does, that he's monitoring every bit of what goes into his system. He notices the bad relationship that the rest of the 141 has with food, and he says absolutely not.

So Roach starts slowly working them up with meals. He starts bringing lunch to Price's office. He buys little containers for it that look like the ones from the cafeteria and he makes a good sized meal and he starts bringing them to Price around lunch and dinner. He makes them all meals that can easily be eaten while working on something else. Easily eaten and little mess. He notices the healthy weight that his captain puts on with absolute delight.

He starts taking notes of what foods Ghost will and won't eat, what flavors and textures he hates and which flavors and textures he likes. He pieces it together through watching Ghost in the cafeteria, offering him different foods, and just straight out asking him in some cases. Eventually he has a full list and he starts making Ghost meals with only textures and flavors he likes. He puts them in the little cafeteria boxes with care, making sure there is no chance that the foods will touch or mix together. With the foods that Roach is giving "from the cafeteria", Ghost starts eating more and Roach notices how much happier he seems.

He begins a little ritual of finding Gaz and asking him to join him during meals. Gaz forgets, so Roach reminds him. If Gaz says "yeah I'll come in a minute" or anything similar to brush Roach off, Roach will simply wait for him. His presence is able to get Gaz to finally leave whatever he's doing and go to eat. They start a routine of taking their meals together and Roach watches with nothing short of pride as Gaz devours his breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Roach starts small with Soap. He has to. Its healthy deserts and sweets and healthy big meals. He tells Soap what's in them and watches with dissatisfaction as his friend monitors everything that he eats, making sure he's well beneath his calories for the day. Slowly, Roach starts asking him to try things he's made. Just a bite. Just a bite of a brownie won't hurt. Just a bit of a cookie. And every time that Soap does, Roach praises him.

Roach makes sure to give praise any time Soap eats something without monitoring his calories, without counting. Any time Soap brings it up during meals, Roach distracts him. He asks him some question about the explosives he'd been working with. When Soap gains weight, Roach compliments him. Roach tells him how pretty he is. He tells him how beautiful he looks.

He takes Soap out for ice cream, for dinner, for any treat he can think of and they eat it together. They split things and Roach always makes sure to get "full" before he's finished his half. He always makes sure that Soap just isn't thinking about the fact that he's eating.

And it works. Bites of brownies go to the full thing, half meals go to full meals, occasional treats turn into common treats. And Roach compliments Soap through it all. He builds up his confidence, he makes sure that the other man isn't scared of gaining weight. He makes sure that Soap knows that he's quite possibly the prettiest man that Roach has ever seen in his life. And when Soap is no longer worried about what he's eating, when Soap is finally enjoying his food, when Soap has a better relationship with food, Roach doesn't think he's ever felt so happy in his life.

Roach's whose love language is food. Roach who refuses to let the people he cares about continue to starve themselves. Roach who slowly works to improve the 141's relationship with food. 💙