
Whether you choose to interpret them as Bash Brothers or a full Battle Couple, there's something great about one soldier giving another the encouragement they need to dash into cover or land a killing blow, or shaking their partner out of a panic attack by rushing to their side.

He just wishes he could work on his research more efficiently. More over Tygan's response that the only thing he genuinely misses is his lab equipment meaning none of the the plentiful food, warm beds, safety, or even those damn juicy advent burgers ever tempts him away from XCOM. Only for once she's not doing it with an air of suspicion or subdued hostility over his history, Shen is just legitimately checking upon a colleague that she relies on.

So when you see soldiers laughing and talking in the bar or exercising together in the guerilla warfare school, it's because those soldiers have actually become Fire-Forged Friends in battle. It then matches those soldiers up while on the Avenger. However, this isn't just window dressing the game actually tracks the relationships between each soldier, based on factors like how many missions they've been on together, who has healed who, shooting enemies flanking them, and carrying unconscious soldiers out of battle.

If you zoom in, you can often see them being visited by their colleagues, who try to cheer them up (if their wounds are light) or look at them with sadness, shaking their heads (if they are badly hurt).
