Band Of Brothers Imagine - Tumblr Posts
Imagines
Hello baby otters ! đŠŠ
Requests for imagines are open. So feel free to ask ! âșïž
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Hey! I saw your requests are open and I was wondering if I could get something with Chuck or Dick... or bothâșïž thanks so much! And Iâm so excited to see what you come up with!
@iilovemusic12us Finally I decided to do an imagine instead of a headcanon, I started it as a headcanon and at the end it was more an imagine than a headcanon so, here it is ! I loved wrote it and Iâm so exciting to post it ! I hope youâll enjoy it. đ
Meeting at the bar (Chuck Grant x reader)
Warning : None
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You met Chuck while he was on leave at camp Toccoa. You worked as a nurse in the US army, giving men medical exams to see if they were able to enlist.
On this evening, you were in a pub with your friends, the one where soldiers came during their on leave. From where you were, in a corner of the pub, you saw him, he was with Popeye, obviously at this point you didnât know who they were. Your gaze was sweeping across the room when his met yours and you shyly smiled before look down, feeling your cheeks burning. On the other side of the place he smiled too, amused by your reaction, gave a tap on Popeyeâs arm saying that heâll be back soon and walked towards you.
You didnât see it, too busy pretending discuss with your friends about anything that could make cool down your hot cheeks.
You heard someone clear his throat beside your group and everyone turned their faces towards him.
"Sorry to disturb you. I saw you from where I was and I was wondering if you would accept an invitation to drink." He said, looking you straight in the eyes.
That was pretty direct.
Nobody said anything but they looked at you before pretending that they saw one of your friend further away letting you alone with him.
At the beginning it was a little bit hard for you, you were very shy, but the time passed by and you felt more at ease. You fit very well with your discussions and him, always smiling that once you wondered if you didnât look like an idiot smiling all the time. There was a good feeling between you two, so good that you didnât see the time passed and you stayed there until the closing.
After that, you saw him again each time he was on leave. Sometimes waiting all the week for the weekend to see him and his magnificent blue eyes. The last time you saw him you had danced, laugh a lot like each time you were with him, but this dance, damn, a very cute moment, lost in each otherâs gaze.
Then few weeks passed and you didnât see him anymore, ignoring that all the weekend passes were cancelled by Sobel the dragon.
Every week you were at the bar with your friends, hoping to see him. When you finally abandoned the idea to see him again, thinking maybe he was avoiding you, for some reasons you didnât find, he entered in the place, seeming to be looking for someone.
When he saw you, his eyes lightened up, leaving the guys with who he was and joined you.
" I thought you run away from me." You said laughing, unable to hide your joy to seeing him again.
"Never! I tried to sneak out every time to find you." What a smile, your heart missed a few beats.
This evening, while you were talking, sitting at the bar, he was hung on your lips while you were talking about your week. Suddenly, as you werenât prepared for it, he kissed you. Which led to a cheerful and noisy reaction from the guys around you, even them were waiting for weeks for this to happen. It was so obvious that Chuck was so on you. He moved away from you to look at them.
"Oh shut up!"
It made them laugh while you were here understand nothing and still surprised of that kiss.
-----
The last night you saw him before the big jump, you couldn't tell how long you both stayed in each other's arms, you wouldnât let him go and he wouldnât let you.
As he kissed your forehead saying that he will think of you every minute he will pass away from you, a tear felt down on your cheek.
Of course he wrote to you every time he could. Letters and passing time made you realize you developed really strong feelings for him. And no matter how he would come back from the war, in which state, as long as he was alive you knew you would love him unconditionally.
---
It was my first one so feel free to say what you think about it, the good and the bad, it will help me for next ones. Thx đ
Don't hesitate to do requests !
Ill request something!! My favorite is Nixon so of course its about him đđ with a prompt âDonât give up on meâ angst/ fluffy imagine.
Thanks for your request ! There it is, maybe itâs a little bit too long, sorry for that. đ I know I asked you who could be like a big brother/best friend but finally I totally changed my mind, the first idea was too much long, like reeeaaallyyyyyy. So maybe Iâll do it in two or three parts later. đ Anyway, Iâm not really proud of it, not sure of the quality of the end, but I hope it will be angsty and fluffy enough, and that you will like it ! đ
Don't give up on me. (Lewis Nixon x Reader imagine)
Once again Lewis forced on the bottle, but this time itâs not just about a hangover.
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Strident. The noises of the sirens outside were strident. She had the feeling it was drilling her eardrums. She wanted to ask for it to stop but nothing came out from her mouth. Blue and red lights were dancing in front of her eyes she could hardly keep open. A far away voice was covered by the sirens which continued to ring in her head. Seeming far away but yet very close.
âSweetheart, stay with me please, keep your eyes open.â
Her gaze swept over the surroundings trying to remember what happened. Unable to make a single move, her eyes stopped on the man next to her. Lew. But once again, nothing came out. Sitting on the driverâs side, his head resting on the headrest he was looking at her, fright in the eyes. Blood had sunk from his eyebrow arch, presumably due to the impact against the steering wheel. She felt his hand take hers and tighten it.
âY/N !â Lewis called her desperately as she felt her eyelids close before sink in darkness.
One hour earlier.
âI think you shouldn't drive Lew.â
âItâs ok, Iâm fine and feel good enough to drive. Plus, I am used to drink, booze doesn't has any effect on me anymore.â He joked.
âYeah, that's the problem.â She mumbled.
He kissed her forehead and took his place behind the steering wheel before she could add anything. Y/N sighed and sat on the passengerâs side. Both were invited at a retirement party of an old employee of Nixon Nitration Works. Obviously, Lewis hadnât resisted to drink. Actually, he hadnât need to be invited anywhere or at any party to drink. As the night felt down outside, Y/N was looking through the window, a way to escape a new argument with her husband about his excessive and frequent alcohol consumption. Finally, he broke the silent.
âSay it.â She turned her head towards him.
âSay what?â
âAll the things you used to say.â
âBe clearer Lewis, I donât know what you are talking about.â
âOh donât you ? You perfectly know. You hate when I drink too much.â
âIf you know, so why are you continuing?â
He turned his face towards her.
âWatch the road please.â
âSo what ? Are you going to give me one of you life lesson ?â
âLew Iâm not kidding, watch the road!â
âStop yelling ! Iâm fine, itâs fine ! Donât str-â
Two seconds of inattention. Itâs what it took to leave the road, one sharp bend, two seconds and it was over.
It was hard for Lewis to see his wife laying in that hospital bed. Especially because it was his fault. Feeling his heart squeeze, he leaned on the wall in front of him. What had he done? The door opened and a little head passed through it. It opened bigger and he saw his parents enter with his two children. Their five years old girl ran towards the bed while his mother gave him the eight months boy.
âHow is she?â His father asked.
âShe still unconscious, they donât know much for the moment.â
With her grandmotherâs help, the little girl climbed onto the bed, grabbing her motherâs arm she shook slowly, angst on her face.
âMommy, mommy wake up.â
It broke Lewisâs heart, his children may had lost their mom because of him. Devastated at the sight of his daughter asking for her mom, he gave back his son to his mother as he began to cry, reaching out his arm towards his mother. Lewis made his daughter go down the bed, knelt down to be at her height and kissed her forehead telling her everything will be ok. The four of them left the room letting him alone with Y/N.
Lewis sat down on a chair next to the bed and passed his hands through his hair, keeping his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. What if she died? What was he going to tell to her parents? How was he going to tell that after he took their daughter from them, after he killed her. Y/Nâ s parents never loved Lewis. They knew about his alcohol issues, plus, their daughter moved at the opposite side of the country to be with him and for that they resented him. The machines made alarming noises and quickly doctors and nurses went in, tell him to leave the room.
Sitting on a chair in the corridor he looked at his children in front of him, his daughter asleep in her grandmaâs arms and his son in his grandfatherâs. How could he did that to them? How would he explain them that their mother will probably never coming back again ? How would he tell them it was his fault? Would his children be taken away from him? How could he live with that on his conscious ? He couldnât. A doctor came back to tell him her heart stopped few minutes but they had intervened in time and he could go back to her.
Sitting back on the chair he leaned over her taking her hand in his.
âI donât know if you hear me. Maybe itâs the case but you donât even want to listen to me. I know you wonât never forgive me for that. And I know you wonât, because I know youâre gonna live. Because I rather prefer you to live and leave me, than you died. Please wake up, wake up and yell at me, tell me Iâm the biggest asshole on earth, tell me youâre gonna divorced, youâre gonna take the kids away, but at least you will be alive. I could kill myself for having hurt you.â A tear felt down his cheek. âI shouldâve listened to you, youâre always right. Forgive me for being the worst husband on earth. I love you, and maybe your greatest mistake was to love me back. You shouldâve listened to your parents, Iâm not good for you, you deserve so much better.â He kissed her hand and squeezed it. âPlease stay with me, stay with us. They need you. I need you. I promise I wonât drink anymore. Not a single drop. Donât give up on me.â
After his parents came back to say goodbye before bringing the children home, he stayed here. Staying all night sitting in the same uncomfortable chair beside her, keeping her hand in his. He didnât fall asleep, how could he? It was his fault if she was laying there between life and death. He was anxious, devasted and angry towards himself.
Finally, when the first rays of sunshine went through the window, she felt their warmth stroking her cheek. Hardly she tried to open her eyes, blinded by the sunlight. As she woke up, all the pain due to the accident and the wounds woke up as well. She winced and slowly turned her head towards the window, subconsciously, sheâd never thought see the sun again.
She groaned when she felt the pain which attracted Lewâs attention who was looking through the window lost in his mind. When he saw her opened eyes he almost jumped to the bed.
âSweetheart ..â He didnât dare to say anything else, what could he said ? She probably wanted to kill him and he couldnât blame her.
âLew âŠâ She tried with a low voice.
âYes sweetheart?â
âIâm thirsty ..â She continued with a weak voice.
He poured her a glass of water which was on the bedside table and gave it to her. Slowly, like she just woke up from a year sleep, she took the glass from both hands and he helped her to drink. Seeming exhausted she rested her head on the white pillow looking at him.
âDo you remember ?â She nodded. âI cannot say how much Iâm sorry. Please forgive me, you were right, I shouldnât have been driving.â
She reached out her hand toward his cheeks, him expected her to slap him. Instead of that she just stroke it. Allowing himself to do more he bent over her to kiss her forehead, gently caressing her hair.
âIâm so sorry ..â She could feel the pain in his voice.
âI know.â She responded with a soft voice.
âAnd I love you.â
âI know it too.â
âAnd Iâll accept every choice you will make.â
Maybe her biggest mistake had been to fall in love with him. That was probably what people around them could thinking. That she was too kind, too innocent for him. Yes, he was an absolute idiot sometimes, but he was her idiot. She would never regret her choice, she loved him too much for that, she needed him as much as he needed her. They were meant to be together.
âLew ?â
âYes sweetheart ?â
âI wonât give up on you.â
He smiled as he understood she heard everything he said while she was unconscious. Squeezing her hand near his chest, caressing her hair with the other, he bent down once again to kiss her. Realizing he had almost lost the most precious thing is his life, he was now ready to make all the efforts to give up on alcohol, she and their children deserved it more than anything.
Hey there!đ I hope 2021 is treating you well and that you and your family are safeâ€â€ Can I request something fluffy with Ronald Speirs if you're comfortable writing for him? If not, you can totally choose who you wantđ Maybe when they got told war's over (the baseball scene)? Or whatever you want really I'd just like something to warm my heart a bitđ Take your time and you have no obligations to write this if you don't want or aren't inspiredđ
Hellooo ! â„ïž You asked for it and there it is ! I'm not convinced by what I wrote, really sorry for the quality đ. I had the idea but it was a challenge to write about Speirs and I think I failed đ€ŠđŒââïž. But still, I hope it will warm you heart. Enjoy â„ïž
No disrespect towards the real men of the company, it's just about the actors.
How lucky we are. (Ronald Speirs x reader)
Does Speirs really know how to smile ?
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It was a day like she hadnât seen in years. A sunny afternoon, gathering people who had gone through hell together, who cared about people who had once been strangers and had become a family. For whom they could have risked their lives, that they actually already had done during the last year. Everybody was laughing, enjoying peace, and playing baseball. They were all happy.
Sitting on the frontside of the Jeep between Lip and Harry, Y/N was looking at the scene she had in front of her, a huge smile on her lips. This shared joy and game reminded her of the neighbours' meetings in her old town before the war.
No one seeing them couldnât have imagined they had experienced horror, and yet. Y/N was applauding, supporting the boys, throwing a few gazes towards Ron nearby, leaning over another Jeep while looking at his men.
âCome on Tab! Come on guys!â She shouted.
Nixon and Winters approached and as they got closer Speirs ordered the men gathering. All of them approached in a circle waiting for orders.
âListen up. This morning, President Truman received the unconditional surrender of the Japanese. War is over.â Winters announced.
A short silent followed. No one was expecting such news. But after a minute, laughs and shouts of joy came back. Y/N felt she was taken by behind, Bull passed his arms around her waist making her turn with him which made her laugh. Johnny tousled her hair passing next to her and Floyd kissed her cheek. War was over. Turning her head towards Speirs who was still a few steps from there, she saw him looking at her with a smile. She would have swore she'd never seen him smile for the time they had been together. She came closer passing her hand in her hair.
âGosh, wouldn't the end of the war bring us a miracle? It seems you know how to smile !â
He guffawed and reached out his hand for her to take it. What she did, following the others who were leaving the baseball field.
âI have to finish a few reports, but I will meet you tonight, this news has to be celebrated in a proper way.â He kindly squeezed her hand and went away heading to the room which became his office for the time they were in Austria. She nodded and giggled a smile on her face when he left, always so ⊠himself. He wasnât the type to show lots of affection, and the smile he had only a few minutes before had probably asked him too much effort, it was too much for one day, she didnât gonna ask more. He was Ronald Speirs, not George Luz.
Y/N joined the other men in one of the rooms of the former hotel where they were hosted. They indeed celebrated the end of the war as it should be, alcohol was flowing and a cloud of cigarette smoke filled the room. Not having seen Ron since the announcement of Winters she got up, leaving Floyd, George and Babe with whom she had been and went in search for him. As she left the room she saw him talk to Winters and Nixon, he looked up at her and she glanced at him as she walked up the stairs to their room and made him understand to meet her when he was finished. On entering the room she removed her jacket and threw it on the bed when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw Ron come in and close the door behind him with a serious look on his face. He leaned against the furniture next to the door with his arms cross on his chest.
âWhat's with that face, is the war starting again or what?â She joked while sitting onto the bed.
He looked up at her and took a breath. Y/N stiffened on the bed, something was apparently wrong.
âI have to tell you something.â He pinched the bridge of his nose, blew and looked her straight in the eyes. âI took my decision.â What decision? She frowned her eyebrows without understanding what he was getting at. âIâm staying in the army.â
Y/N choked on the air she had just inhaled. What did he just say?
âSorry, what are you going to do?â She thought she might have heard wrong.
He lowered his head and looked down at the ground, he could no longer look her in the eyes. He knew it would hurt her.
âAnswer the question. Look at me when I talk to you Ron.â
---
She had never asked herself about how their relationship would be evolved after the war. Such as she had never imagined dating Ronald Speirs one day. It had come to them as a matter of course. Contrary to what one might have thought, it wasn't because she was a badass girl that Ron started paying attention to her. On the contrary, it was her softness, her unshakeable laughter, her unfailing good humour which had illuminated so many dark times during this war. Her presence had always brought sweetness for men, cheering them up. He had always wondered how and why she enlisted, she was the kind to say, âMake love not war.â, a pacifist person. Yet she was there, and he had to recognize her presence helped a lot. Little by little, without noticing it, he had become attached to her. Once, she gave him a smile from far away, on a night of December, she was freezing cold in the middle of the Bois Jacques. As she was seated among men who were still telling the same story about Speirs offering cigarettes to Germans prisoners.
âWho would dare to go and offer him a cigarette?â She asked under the surprised looks on her.
âWhat the hell, we hadnât survived this damn fucking war until there to be killed by Speirs. Did your brain freeze?â
âWhat are you afraid of Perco?â Franck shrugged his shoulders and continued to brush his teeth.
Luz and Muck shared a doubtful gaze and George jostled her with his shoulder while pulling on his cigarette and blowing up the smoke upwards before talking to her.
â50 bucks that youâre giving up before reaching him.â She smiled and looked at the others.
âSold. Whoâs in?â
â20.â Said Penkala.
â40.â Muck announced.
â100.â Cobb looked at her with his dismissive air, convinced that she would abandon, and George laughed at him. âYou underestimate her.â
She stood up rubbing her snowing butt. âGet the cash ready. Watch and learn ladies.â She took the pack of cigarettes Penkala was handing to Muck, winked at them before turning her heels and walking towards Speirs. They all turned to watch her while snigging. She walked towards Speirs who was laid against a tree, carried by the excitement of the bet she advanced with her head held high, overflowing with confidence.
âCaptain Speirs!â He turned his head at her. âHmm?â He barely looked up at the begenning.
âMay I offer you a cigarette?â
He looked at her without wondering and took one of the cigarettes she was handing to him and lit it. Then she turned her head towards the men far away who were looking at her in amazement, she winked at them and went back to Speirs. Feeling the audacity coming inside her she bit the inside of her cheek and went on: âDo you mind if I keep you company?â
Speirs looked at her as amazed as the others were, nevertheless, he didnât show it and smiled at her. âSure.â
And it was how it started. Thanks to a stupid bet.
---
âObviously, it wasnât anything serious for you.â She stood up from the bed and picked up her jacket, squeezed heart.
Ron frowned his eyebrows, straightened up and stepped to the right blocking the door access. He had never cared what anyone thought of him, but he couldn't let her think that she didn't matter.
âObviously, itâs serious. Damned Y/N! I didnât expect to fall in love in the middle of the war!â He was now his turn to shout.
âSo why did you decide that? Without talking to me before! Itâs selfish Ron!â
âYou donât understand.â
âOh yes I do, pretty much actually. I donât matter to you more than that and you prefer the army.â
He shook his head and finally his gaze fell on the ground.
âBeing in the army is the only thing that ever made me feel like I belong there. If I could have, I would have asked you to come.â
âWell I can! Why couldnât I?â
He passed his hands over his face and looked at her. âNo you donât. I won't handle having to worry all the time for you as I already did it for months.â He reached out his hand to take hers but she took a step back.
âBut it doesnât matter if I spend my days worrying about you and wondering where you are and if you are dead or alive?! You know what I wonât handle? To raise your child alone if youâre not there anymore!â
Anger on her face, she was looking at him, her chest rising under the strong inspiration she had taken in anger.
Ron freeze. âCome again?â
âDonât pretend you didnât understand.â
âI guess it changes a lot of things..â He mumbled looking at the void.
She opened wide her eyes stupefied by his reaction. Tightening her jaw and her fists she let out her anger.
âItâs unbelievable, you drive me crazy! Itâs the worst way ever to announce a pregnancy! I know youâre not the kind to express a little bit of joy, by the way, have you ever felt joy once in your life Ronald?! Do you even know what it is?! Shit, you could have made an effort for Christâs sake!â
Hell yeah, she was angry, maybe a little too much? A little smile stretched Ronâs lips, amused to see her get carried away in this way. It was cute, amusing, and hot as hell at the same time.
He moved forward reaching out his hands towards hers, her fists tighten against her thighs, arms along her body. He took her hands between his own and getting closer, he laid a kiss on her forehead.
âWell, I havenât seen you so angry since I know you, I didnât even think it was possible. I have to admit it turns me on.â
She punched his chest, pushing him away. âRon!â How could he be joking whereas it was not the good moment. He had just announced that he wanted to stay in the army and she had implicitly told him she was pregnant. A laugh shook his chest while he pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her waist.
âIâm glad to see that you know how to laugh and that you arenât totally emotionless.â She said, putting her hands on his arms.
âThis is perhaps a second miracle brought about by the end of the war.â
âItâs not funny Ronald.â She was still pissed off but let him lay a kiss on her cheek.
âThree miracles in one day. How lucky we are.â
Y/N raised her gaze at him and it became softer.
âIâm not gonna let you down. Plus, if I am not here, who's gonna learn this kid to be a badass? You are the purest person on earth, and I continued to wonder how the hell you fell in love with me, you deserve so much better.â
âSo now you think you're the one who can decide what 's good and wrong for me?â
âAs long as Iâll care more about your life than my own, yes I have my say on this.â
Y/N raised her eyes towards the sky with a smile on her lips. Who would have thought that underneath that psychopathic air there was someone so soft.
âSo, as I said, youâre not gonna be the one whoâll make him a badass, youâre too kind for that. And even if this kindness is a gift from God for me, this boy is gonna need some-â She interrupted him, raising an eyebrow.
âHow do you know it will be a boy?â
âI can feel it.â He smiled as she laughed.
âAnd if itâs a girl? Will you turn her into a female version of you?â
âAbsolutly.â Y/N shook her head as she was laughing. âSheâll need to learn how to defend herself, this world wonât be kind to her. Maybe she will even more need it.â
She wrapped her arms around his neck looking offended.
âYou know itâs sexist?â
With a smile on the corner of his lips he lowered his eyes to Y/N, obviously teasing her.
âSo what? Are you gonna punish me for that?â
âYou know I canât let this pass.â
âIâm delighted with it.â He said playfully.
She kissed him while closing the door, kicking it. Tonight the roles were going to be reversed and he was going to see if she still was the purest and kindest thing in the world.
Thinking about what he had said a few minutes before, she raised her head as he lowered his eyes on her face.
âRonald Speirs, did you say you fell in love?â
âDonât pretend you didnât understand.â He teased her using her own words. Feeling a bunch of butterflies through her stomach she kissed him.
âI think I fell in love too.â
Amused, he raised his eyes to the sky and held her closer to him. Like the announcement of the end of the war, this news was the promise of better days to come.
Hello dear! I saw your requests are open! âșïž Can I request something with Malarkey? Anything you feel comfortable with! đ
Hello sweetie ! Here's what you asked for, I hope you'll appreciate it â€ïž. Don't hesitate to give feedback, whether it's good or bad. âșïž
As always, there is no disrespect towards the real men of the company, there are real heros đ and it's only based on their portrayals in the mini serie.
Don't push me away. (Donald Malarkey x reader)
After having lost his best friends in Bastogne, Don gradually isolates himself and pushes away the only one person he cares about the most.
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Tightening her coatâs collar around her neck to protect herself from the cold as she could, Y/N was walking around the streets of Haguenau, where the Company had arrived after Bastogne. She stopped for a short moment to look at the surroundings, her gaze fell on every man she could see, trying to find the one she was looking for, for almost one hour by now. When Christenson walked by her, she stopped him while putting her hand on his arm to make him stop.
âPat, have you seen Malark? â
âTry the house on the corner, itâs where the 2nd platoon stays.â
She thanked him by nodding her head, slid her hands in her pockets, lowering her head to protect herself from the freezing cold and headed to the house Christenson had just indicated her. Once in front of the entrance she moved to the side to let pass men getting out, they greeted her nodding their head and she gave it back to them before rushing in the building. She went upstairs to check if he was there but seeing only Jackson, Ramirez and McClung she went down the basement. When she arrived, she saw Babe, Liebgott and Chuck gathered around a table over a semblance of soup. Liebgott raised his head when he heard someone arriving and with a nod, indicated to her where was Malarkey. She thanked him nodding too and went to see the one she was looking for. Sitting on a corner of the room, leaning forward his elbows on the knees and a smoking cup between his hands, he was staring at the void.
âDear Lord, youâre harder to find than Webster in Bastogne.â She joked while the boys were choking on laughter behind her.
Don didnât react, not even a grin formed on his face. Y/N lost her smile and bite the inside of her cheek before taking a breath and come kneeled in front of him, slowly putting her hands on his forearms that she squeezed softly.
He had a vitreous look, that look that only a few months ago was illuminated by that little spark of mischief, that look that had faded since he had lost his best friends Muck and Penkala in Bastogne. He had nothing left from the Malark he once had been, as a lot of men, the war had sucked out his soul, only an empty envelope remained. Donald hadnât been surprised when the patrol had been announced. No surprise, no disappointment, no annoyance, truth was, he didnât feel nothing anymore, he had switched to autopilot. Finally, after Lieutenant Jonesâ attempts to take his place on the patrol, he had been removed from it. He had barely shrugged his shoulders when he found out and went back with his hands in his pockets.
âHow do you feel Don?â She asked with a soft voice.
âLike someone who saw his friends blowned up by a fucking mortar shell. And you, how do you feel?â
The voice full of anger he stood up and as he did it her hands felt down on her knees.
Surprised by his reaction she stayed kneeled voiceless. She couldnât blame him to be angry, but he hadnât any reason to attack her or others for what happened. Resting her hands on her knees she stood up as well, watched him put his cup on the stove and get out of the basement under the dull gaze of the boys who looked at her with a desolate air, making her understand it wasnât her fault. She followed him before he vanished once again and she could no longer find him.
âDon!â
Annoyed, he sighed and continued his way without looking back, speeding up the pace, hoping that she would get bored and leave him alone.
âMalarkey, stop your ass now!â She shouted, provoking the surprise of men there who turned around on their way to see what was happening. His hands inside his pockets he turned around, exceeded.
âItâs how you speak to a sergeant?â She moved forward irritated, raising her eyes at the sky.
âOh itâs fine, donât play this game with me.â Malarkeyâs gaze went from her to the men who were watching the scene and who quickly took over their activities under his annoyed gaze. âAs hard and sad as it can be, you wonât make them come back Don. So youâre requested not to act like an idiot.â
He looked at her angry and turned his heels to go back on his way. He didnât want to offend her sooner in the basement, and he knew he had to get away from her before sending her fuck off under the anger. He had nothing against her or against the others, but he was angry, and this anger was taking precedence over the rest.
Fists and teeth tighten she mumbled before following him, if he thought he was going to get away like this. Catching him, she pulled his jacket by his shoulder to force him to face her.
âDonât run away!â
âY/N please leave me.â
âNo chance Malark! If you think Iâm going to let you mope and brood, you put your finger in your eye up to your elbow.â
âWhat if I want to be alone? Stop trying to save everybody Y/N!â
Luz who was walking by, a cigarette between his lips, a crate of Hershey bars in his arms guffawed seeing them arguing.
âGo find yourselves a room you lovebirds!â
âShut up!â They screamed at him in a same voice without taking their eyes off the other. Luz chuckled and went back on his way shaking his head amused to see them fight like an old couple. Everyone could see that they were turning around, except them.
âIâm not trying to save anyone Don!â
âYou don't even realise it! As soon as someone goes wrong you turn around and do everything you can to cheer them up! Itâs a fucking war, everyoneâs doing badly! So stop trying to save people from a situation of sadness in which they will all inevitably find themselves at some point!â
Y/N felt tears coming up but swallowed it shaking her head. âFine, then if you donât like it fuck off, itâs not because you wallow in your sadness that everyone else wants to do the same. Donât worry, I wonât bother you with that anymore.â
She tried to keep a cleared and without tremors voice. Hurt by his behaviour she turned her heels to join the building where the platoon she belonged was.
Don stayed here watching her leave, he sighed, closed his eyes one moment cursing himself to have acted like an idiot, all he wanted to avoid. He didnât really mean what he had say, on the contrary, that was the reason for which one he liked Y/N as much. For her altruism and her capacity to give so much kindness around her. The only reason why he was acting like this was to keep her apart because he didnât want her to see him like this, so different than he had been. However, she didnât care to see him being so sad, she was not going to love him less because he was just a human. Although she tried to dissuade herself from it, what she felt for him was more than friendship.
Y/N was sitting cross-legs onto her bed, turning the pages of a book she had found in the scraps of the house when she heard footsteps and then a presence near her, she didnât needed to raise her head to know who it was. There were footsteps of someone who wanted to be forgiven and was coming with hesitant step, afraid of being said to go fuck himself.
She raised her gaze to make him understand she was knowing he was here. Don was leaning against the door, a sorry look on his face. Y/N reported her attention on the book pretending to be totally absorbed by it when she didn't understand a bloody word of what was written. If he had come to yell at her he could have gone back. He took off his hat and came sit next to her, throwing a look at the book, and gently shoved her to catch her attention.
âYou speak French now?â He said a grin on his lips. He wanted to make amends but had no bloody idea how to do it.
âNo Don, you canât say Iâm bothering you, yell at me and come back like a saint. It doesnât work like that.â She said without raising her eyes from her book. Donald winced, it was going to be more complicated than expected.
âIâm sorry Y/N, I shouldnât have talk to you like that, I regret it. And I didnât mean what I said.â
Without raising her head, she looked away and then, taking a deep breath, closed the book with a sharp blow, letting a small cloud of dust escape from it.
âFine, what do you want?â
âTo make peace.â
âIâm not in war against anyone.â He looked down and bite his lower lip, she put down the book next to her and then she took one of his hands between hers.
âListen Don, I know itâs hard. It hit everybody; we all miss them. Everybody lost something in those woods, a friend, or a piece of our soul, for what was left of it. But donât push away those who are still there.â She paused before almost whispering. âDonât push me away.â
Hit by her last words he didnât expect to hear, he raised his head and looked at her while she was looking at their hands on her knee, his still in hers. Placing his index under her chin he gently raised her head so that he could see her face. His gaze, which was constantly shining despite these dark times, unlike his own, had lost its intensity.
He felt horrible, thinking it was his fault, because he pushed her away as she was trying to help him. He was afraid, thatâs why he had pushed her, he didnât want her to see him as a sad person, someone morose, so different that he was before Bastogne, he was afraid that she would push him away from now on. He really cared about her, she was the only thing to which he was clinging in this war. Through months they had forged links, they became inseparable. But now he wanted to protect her, he didnât want to switch off her natural light by staying near her with his new dark breaking soul. He cared too much, he loved her too much. But heâd never find a way to tell her. What if she were just seeing him as a friend?
âAlright. But can you promise me something in return?â She nodded.
âNever stop saving me.â
A smile slowly stretched her lips and Don could have sworn that her eyes light up again. She brought their hands together against her chest and came to rest her head on his shoulder as he tilted his to come and lay his head on hers.
âI promise you.â
For the first time in weeks, Don felt something inside him, like a heat wave, that was the effect she had on him, she soothed him. Maybe it is this feeling which gave him the courage to tell her how he felt about her. But his chance was taken away when a whistling sound was heard, both knowing to well this sound, they quickly stood up to go out of the room as a first explosion happened. They ran downstairs to reach the basement but a second shell exploded near the house, under the shock of the impact that spread throughout the building they fall down as they were running down the stairs. Without thinking, Don pounced on her to protect her from a potential following impact, wrapping her with his whole body and tightening her against him. By that time, nothing else mattered anymore, he had to protect her. He wouldnât have stand anything happened to her. When silent came back, they stayed like this for a moment, she was clinging to him, her arms tied around his waist and her head against his chest, waiting for a second shot that never came. Don moved back from few inches to make sure she was fine and put a hand on her cheek.
âAre you okay?â He asked panic in his voice.
Y/N nodded shaken by what just happened. Running footsteps were heard and an alarmed Babe appeared.
âAre you two alright?â
They nodded and detached themselves from each other to stand up again. Don reached out his hand to her so he could help her to stand up, she took it, thanking him but once on her feet she didnât let it go. Something similar to an electric current passed through their hands when they touched. Babe, once he was sure they were alright went back to the basement to tell others both of them were okay. Y/N was about to following him, still holding Donâs hand but was slowed down as he didnât move. She raised her gaze at him as he was already staring at her. He didnât know how, but he knew it was the time to tell her, if not now after what happened, then when? To his surprise he didnât need to say anything. Staring at him, a soft smile stretched her lips and he knew, he knew she had understand what it was about. And as he was staring her straight in the eyes, in her loving gaze, he knew she was feeling the same. The strong bond they had progressively forged for months allowed them at that particular moment to understand each other without having anything to say. From now on she would always be there to dress his internal wounds.
@iilovemusic12usâ This oneâs for you ! As you asked it's OBVIOUSLY with the fantastic Chuck Grant himself! It's so fluffy and full of love like you deserve it. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it (really this one is my baby Iâm so proud of it đ„ș). Love you â€ïž Also sorry for the lenght, I felt really inspired đ.
As always, there is no disrespect towards the real men of the company, there are real heros đ and itâs only based on their portrayals in the mini serie.
Can't ever live without you.
(Charles "Chuck" Grant x reader)
Warning: angst, too much love, sadness, war wounds
Have been dating for a while, the reader and Chuck find themselves confronted with anguish, separation and suffering when Chuck decides to join the army and leaves to fight on the Western Front.
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Los Angeles, August 1942.
Pushing her stepladder between the shelves, Y/N set about putting away the pile of books that had been returned during the afternoon. After finishing her studies, she had found this job in a small bookstore around the corner of a street that didn't look like much. This work which only had to be temporary had finally became her permanent work. She loved being in this quiet place, surrounded by shelves full of books, a picturesque place, aisles almost too narrow to walk between the shelves, the smell of old books floating in the air, a place where she liked to spend time, where she felt out of time. There wasnât a lot of people and most of the time there were regulars, but Y/N liked it, it gave the place a felling of warmth and familiarity.
Pushing the stepladder once again to reach another shelf, she caught a book on the pile, which had to be store there, she tiptoed up to the top of the shelf and placed the book in its place. No sooner had she had time to put it down than she felt like she lost her balance, when she should have fallen, she felt arms encircling her waist and someone put a hand over her mouth so that she didn't scream with surprise or fear. She found herself pressed against the shelf opposite the one where she had just put the book. When she saw who was facing her, she laughed silently as he laughed, what she made big eyes at, putting her index finger on his lips to signal him not to make a sound. For any answer the man in front of her put his hands on her cheeks and kissed her tenderly, when he moved his face away from hers, she gave him a pat on the arm.
âDo you want me to get fired?â She said trying to keep as serious as possible, whereas she was thrilled to see him there.
âYou? Get fired? Please, you're the model employee, at worst he'll give you the big eyes.â He laughed.
As usual Chuck had come to pick her up at the end of the day, every day for just over a year they have been dating, he would leave the metal products manufacturing where he worked and make a detour to pick up Y/N and take her home. A tiny apartment on the fourth floor of a remote downtown building for which one that they had both been saving up for months to finally afford to move in together just a few months earlier.
âI still have a few books to store before leaving, I wonât be long.â He nodded and as she was about to go back to her books, he pulled her by her hand to bring her back to him and kissed her once again.
She laughed against his lips and moved back while he was surrounding her waist with his arms, burying his face in her neck to stifle a laugh. âStop it!â she exclaimed in a low voice so as not to attract the attention of her boss at the reception desk or any other person present.
âAlright, Iâll be waiting for you outside.â He said finally, giving her a kiss on her cheek before walked away, winking at her. She felt her cheek ignite and her heart rate tried as hard as he could to calm down.
Even after having spent so much time with him, this kind of emotional demonstration always made her get excited as if it were the first day. She took a deep breath and put her hands on her cheek as if it could cool them. As she did every evening, she hurried to finish tidying up before joining her boss behind the counter who never lifted his nose from his newspaper. Lonnie was an old man in his sixties and who have been working in this bookstore since he had opened it thirty-five years ago. He had gray hair on the sides, but nothing left on the top of his head, a perfectly well-groomed moustache, a pair of round glasses always placed on the tip of his nose, over which he read his newspaper. He looked at Y/N approaching over his glasses and smiled at her.
âIs it good for today?â He asked her while looking back on his newspaper.
âEverything is stored where it should be and shelves are in order and clean.â He nodded at her words without raising his eyes.
âAlright girl, see you tomorrow then.â
She caught her purse and her jacket, walked back across the counter throwing a "See you tomorrow Lonnie." and headed for the exit.
When she went out, she was struck by the light warm breeze of this late Californian summer day. Chuck was waiting for her leaning against the car and smiled as she approached. The declining sun was creating golden reflections on his hair that brought out his deep blue eyes. Y/N couldn't help but think that she was very lucky to have him, Chuck was a golden man, adorable, funny, affectionate, intelligent and handsome.
That evening while he was driving, he didnât say a word. He had lost the smile that had brought his face in the bookstore, he seemed pensive. She would occasionally glance at him from time to time trying to decipher his tune. A frown wrinkled his forehead, and she couldn't help but ask him if something was wrong.
âIs everything alright? You seem reflective.â
He turned his head towards her and gave her a smile which has to be reassuring, realising the steering-wheel with his right hand to take hers placed on her knee.
She didnât search to know more, she knew that he would tell her in due time, there probably was no reason to worry about. However, Chuck's distance during all the evening and his look seeming to be far away made her start to worry. He had barely exchanged a few words during the meal and was content to play with the food on his plate with his fork. While he was doing the dishes, Y/N approached him and put her hand on his arm and finally decided to make him spill it out.
âIs everything alright? You really seem weird since earlier. What made you radically change your mood?" she asked, her voice full of sweetness.
Chuck sighed, stopped what he was doing, took a cloth with which he wiped his hands and turned to face her, leaning against the sink.
âI .. I try to find the best way to tell you something but no matter how much I return the information in different ways, I don't know how to do it.â
Intrigued, she frowned briefly and then placed herself in front of him, taking his hands in hers.
âJust say it like it comes, then.â
He took a breath and squeezed her hands between his own, for her part Y/N was really starting to panic, she had no idea what he might want to tell her, but it was apparently something serious.
âYou know I love you, right?â
Her heart raced as it did every time he said it and a slight smile stretched her lips.
âI know it. As you know I love you too.â
A weak smile stretched Chuckâs lips without going to his eyes. He didnât have any idea how telling her something like that without breaking her heart. What if she thought that he didnât love her enough to stay? He felt incapable to tell her, he didnât know how to announce her he had taken a decision, and that he was doing it by duty for his country but before all, for her. So she could continue to live the free life she had.
âYou have to know I love you more than everything, and that Iâm doing it because I have the duty to do it.â
"Chuck, you're freaking me out right now, please tell me what's going on.â
He took a deep breath and then intertwined her fingers with his own to keep her close to him, as if to hold her.
âIâve decided to enlist.â
Four words, how only four words could have such a destructive effect? Her heart squeezed so tightly to his words that she thought she couldn't breathe for a few seconds. It took her a while to assimilate these words, her eyes fell back on the pile of dishes behind him, what to say? What to do? How to react to this type of announcement? When they had just moved in together, as everything was going well, he decided to leave. But all was not well, war was raging on the other side of the Atlantic and in the Pacific. A war in which the United States were engaged, and Chuck was right, it was his duty as a citizen to fight for his country and for freedom. How could she blame him for that.
âSay something pleaseâŠâ He said softly. She opened her mouth but no sounds went out. Finally she raised her eyes at him and just snuggled against him, resting her cheek against his chest. Chuck wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him, he knew that even though she understood, this didn't stop her heart from breaking. Finally they huddled together for a moment without either of them saying anything.
Days went by and Y/N was trying as hard as she could to accept the situation, well, to accept it was a fact, to live with it was another. For the moment accepting it while Chuck was still there was relatively easy, everything will change and become more real when he would leave.
She wasn't the least bit angry with him, how could anyone be angry with someone who decides to show so much courage, because that's what it took to get involved, courage. Although the announcement was like a bomb, it didnât divide them in any way, perhaps even strengthening their already strong bond. They continued to live their lives, with their share of little habits, every day he would drop her off at the bookstore at 7:55 a.m. so that she could start at 8:00 a.m., kiss her tenderly before he could hardly let her go, and he would pick her up every evening at 6:00 p.m.
One night while she was sitting on their couch reading a book, Chuck suddenly entered the room and came to kneel down in front of her, making her raise her eyes towards him, with questioning gaze.
âMarry me.â
She burst out laughing, caught off guard, but stopped short when she saw that he wasn't laughing.
âExcuse me?â
He shook his head and straightened up to come and sit next to her, she pivoted to face him and he took her hands in his.
âMarry me.â He repeated himself.
âYes, I understood the first time Chuck, but ⊠why? I mean, does it just take you suddenly like that? You could have taken care of the proposal.â
He realized that it might have been surprising and recognized that from an outside point of view it must have seemed strange.
"It did. Honestly, I've been thinking about it for a while now, but I didn't know how to do it. It's not the way I would have liked to propose, but things being the way they are, it's for safety." She squinted her eyes without understanding, tilting her head slightly to the side, as if that would help her neurons connect and she would understand.
âWhat do you mean by âsafetyâ?â
âIf we were married before I leave, it will assure you to perceive something if I .. didnât come back..â
Struck by his words she stiffened, slowly put the book on the coffee table in front of her while she assimilated and turned towards it.
âChuck please..â Her voice became almost begging for him not to go any further, imagining for even a second that he would never come back was unbearable for her.
âThis is war .. You know itâs a possibility..â
His voice had faded, he would not have liked to talk about it either, but they had to face the reality of things, that was the problem for Y/N, it was becoming too real, she was not ready to let him go.
âI know.. But saying it out loud makes it all to .. real.â
He gently squeezed her hand and with his other, came tenderly stroke her cheek.
âI promise you that even without that I would have ask you to marry me.â He took a break and had a small laugh. âGod, if you knew how much I love you, Iâm not even sure that someone had already loved someone else as hard as I do.â These words had the merit of making her smile, a sad smile but a smile all the same. âBut if weâre doing this now, you wonât be in need if the worst happens.â He leaned over to her to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I promise you that as soon as I come back we will have a real wedding, the one you want, the most beautiful wedding ever.â
âYou promise me to come back?â
âI promise you.â
Both knew very well that it was only a promise that could probably not be kept, even with all the will in the world, it would unfortunately not depend only on his good will. But they were reassured to say it and hear it anyway.
Obviously Y/N accepted, how could she have refused? Everything was done quickly, since for the moment it was only an administrative insurance. They had made an appointment at the town hall and had only done this among themselves, they had not wanted to invite even their relatives, it would have cut them off from a moment just the two of them, these precious moments that they no longer had much.
When the day of the big departure came, Y/N had the greatest difficulty in resolving herself to it, and honestly, she would not resolve herself to it once during the four years that would follow. Both knew that they were about to experience the most difficult moments of their lives. They stayed on the platform hugging each other until the last minute, Chuck sniffed one last time the floral scent that woke him up every morning and that he wouldn't smell for the next few years. Finally a whistle announced the imminent departure of the train and reluctantly they pulled away from each other. She raised her red, wet look towards him, giving him a sad smile, as if to reassure him that everything would be alright. Hands on her cheeks he came to tenderly kiss her, an ultimate, desperate kind of kiss, the kind you would give to someone you would never see again. She put her hands on his cheeks and tiptoed up to intensify it. A final call came for the last ones on the platform who could not end their goodbyes.
âNever forget that I love you.â He whispered before laying a kiss on her forehead.
âAnd you never forget that I love you and that Iâll still be there when youâll come back.â
As he began to move away towards the train, she squeezed his hand she still had in hers and resigned herself to release it and letting him go so that he could board. That day Y/N felt as if her world was coming to a halt, her heart faded with the sight of the train moving away. As the train progressively pulled away, everything around her gradually turned gray. She watched helplessly at the person who had brought her so much this past year, the one who had taught her how to live, how to love and how to feel loved, went away. The one she had been closest to for a long time. A grayish, slow-motion world would become her daily life, and would only recolor itself once the other part of herself returned. Since it was indeed a part of herself that she was watching leave.
The days and months after followed each other and became similar, everything had lost its flavour. Of course, the exchange of letters was as frequent as it could be. Y/N was only aware in Chuck's letters of what he was allowed to say. For the moment she was not worried, well, some anxiety had set in as soon as he had left but as long as he was not yet in combat it made the situation more bearable, but she knew that the moment would come and that her anxiety would increase tenfold.
Y/N continued her life to which one she had to adapt herself without Chuck. Lonnie was a great help, he would often ask her about Chuck, and apart from that, he always found a way to keep her as busy as possible so that she didn't have time to think about it and be sadder than she already was. Outside of work she continued to see her friends who had also had to say goodbye to a family member, friend or boyfriend. She kind of found comfort to be with people who understood and were going through the same thing.
Chuck too had to adapt himself, as for any other person who had enlisted and for whom life had radically changed from one day to another. He had been fortunate enough to have fallen into a good company, and the bond between the men grew stronger every day. The strenuous training, the intensive military courses, Sobel, all this was made bearable by the few letters he received. Every letter, every word on it had helped him through all the suffering, all the horrors he had seen once in Europe.
The letters had particularly helped him during and after Bastogne, Y/N brought a semblance of breath of life and humanity through her words. Over time she had become a bit like a non-present member of the company. Chuck often talked about her, and he told her many things in his letters and talked about the men who had become first friends and then brothers. Eventually she had gotten to know them virtually through the letters and sometimes asked Chuck about them, hoping for a chance to meet some of them once all this would be over, to meet those people with whom he had created an indestructible bond and with whom he had gone through all those hardships.
So it was only natural that they decided to write her a letter the day Chuck was shot. Every day for the last few years Y/N had only one anguish, that one day someone would come and give her the letter, the one she would never get over.
On an evening of summer 1945, while she went back to their tiny apartment, she slipped the keys into the lock and opening the door, the letter she hadnât seen, and which was stuck between it and the doorframe fell on the ground. Y/N kneeled and picked it up, looked at the writing she didnât recognize. Panic came over her and she closed the door before hastily tearing the envelope she dropped on the floor, unfolding the paper. She had to read it twice to be sure to understand, while she hadnât finished her playback, her eyes blurred and filled with tears that she let roll freely on her cheeks in a macabre silence. She had learned a few days earlier in the newspapers that Germany had surrendered and that the war in Europe was over. She thought she was safe from any tragic news, and yet. With a trembling hand she leaned on the back of a chair and sat down trembling. She let her pain explode in heavy sobs that shook her.
Her face in the palm of her hands, she let herself go for long minutes, unable to evacuate the pain that pierced her heart and twisted her stomach. Feeling like a force oppressing her, she thought she was choking from not being able to breathe more calmly again. After long minutes she tried to regain the upper hand as best she could. She stood up on her shaky legs and retrieved the letter, took out paper from the console in the living room, picked up a pencil and tried to line up words to write a letter. The one she had received had been signed by Sergeant Talbert, whom Chuck had told her about several times.
Tears went back as she was writing, she felt them rolled on her cheek and crashed on the letter in which one she thanked him to having warned her. Nevertheless, he had made the decision to spare her the facts, thinking that it would probably be harder to deal with the knowledge that after having survived until then, he had been shot by a soldier from his own country and out of combat. Just because this one had been completely drunk. But as he had suspected at the time he wrote the letter, Y/N asked him to tell her everything, but also if he would not mind keeping her informed of Chuck's state and condition. What he did, they exchanged several times, with each letter Y/N hoped for reassuring news, unfortunately his condition didnât seem to improve and he was still unconscious.
With every knock and ring on the door, every ring on the phone she would startle and her heart would clench at the thought of probable bad news.
As she struggled more and more to get through the day at work due to fatigue from sleep deprivation, not being able to sleep at night, anxiety attacks, and constant worry, she had no idea that Chuck had actually woken up, but that he had kept Tab from telling her anything.
Floyd went as much as he could to the hospital where Chuck was recovering, he shared letters from Y/N and what he told her. Chuck hadnât wanted to let Y/N know that he was awake, at the risk of breaking her heart, but he was afraid, afraid that she would push him away, knowing that he was now partially paralyzed in his left arm, that he had some difficulty expressing himself and that to top it all off there was a scar on his forehead. But he knew it wasn't fair not to tell her and let her worry because he was afraid.
âYou should send her a letter, you should tell her.â Tab had told him before putting the last letter he had received on the bedside table next to the bed, patting him on the shoulder and walking out of the room.
Eyes lost in the emptiness he sighed and resigned himself to finally writing to her. He closed his eyes for a moment, thinking about what he could tell her and how to do it. With pain and grimace as he moved, he grabbed the paper and pencil that Floyd had been careful to leave beside him.
My dear Y/N,
First of all, forgive me. Forgive me for the suffering inflicted these last years by absence and uncertainty. Forgive me again for not telling you earlier that I was awake. I begged Floyd not to tell you for fear of your reaction. It is unfair of me, please forgive me for this unjustified suffering. On Floyd's wise advice I finally take the courage to write to you and tell you the reasons for my anguish that you are leaving me. The German surgeon did an excellent job, since I am still alive, nevertheless the injury caused irreversible physical damage. It is now difficult for me to express myself sometimes, it doesn't happen constantly but it is still embarrassing, I can't imagine being unable to tell you that I love you without being able to properly align such simple words. It also resulted in partial paralysis of my left arm, how could I properly embrace you as before with this? I'm not talking about the scar that will surely push you away. I am constantly frightened at the thought of you leaving, and I am now feeling what you have been feeling for the past few years.
Forgive me for all of this.
I recently learned that since I have recovered enough to travel, I will soon be sent home, now that the war is over there is no reason to stay so far away from you any longer. I promise to let you know as soon as I know more. If you still want me.
And above all, never forget that I love you.
Love, your Chuck.
Wet spots had gradually formed on the paper as she read his letter. Y/N wiped her tears from the back of her hand and pressed the letter to her chest, a feeling of relief taking hold of her.
She wasnât angry towards him, perhaps she should have? But it wasnât the case. She could understand his worry, but was he really thinking she could run away because of that? She had agreed to marry him before he left, well it was mainly to protect her financially if something happened to him, but for her it meant above all that she knew the risks, that he would come back totally changed psychologically and physically, and she accepted it.
That day it was as if the shroud that had hung over her life for four years finally began to lift. She felt a strange sensation inside her, her heart was finally starting to pick up the pieces, gently, but this was only the beginning. Soon he would be back.
She had obviously responded to his letter with as much love as possible and reassuring words, which despite everything didnât take away the anxiety he felt. As promised, Chuck had informed her of everything that was going on, of all the information concerning his return. When the day came Y/N couldn't get rid of the ball that weighed on her stomach, for the first time in four years, since those farewells on the platform of Los Angeles train station, she was going to find the one she hadn't stopped thinking about for a single second since his departure.
What if he was the one who finally decided to leave her? No, she shook her head, it was ridiculous, why would he do that? She couldn't help wondering how much he would have changed, psychologically, of course he wouldn't be the same anymore, his return and readjustment to normal would probably take time. Maybe he would show signs of post-traumatic shock, but no matter what happened, she would be there to help him through it all.
Her hair twirling around her face in the cool New York wind in the middle of December, she walked to the dock where hundreds, maybe even thousands of people were waiting like her for the return of a loved one. She had travelled across the country to be able to welcome him directly at his destination. This port he had left for England two years earlier on board the SS Samaria.
She went into the crowd to get as close to the disembarkation area as she could, she lowered her head to protect herself from the icy wind, braving the blows of the shoulders as she advanced, she finally stopped behind a few people of the same reunited family. She looked attentively at this woman in her fifties, her hair slightly graying at the roots, her face marked by a few wrinkles, probably accentuated by constant stress, the same one she had felt every day for the last four years, had she too begun to have fine lines caused by anxiety? Unconsciously she put her fingertips on her cheek as if to reassure herself. The woman was accompanied by a young girl who was probably the same age as Y/N and who was holding the hand of a little girl, a little brunette with green eyes who was looking at her. Y/N addressed her a tender smile to which the girl responded with a smile as well.
Cries of joy made her raise her head to see the ship mooring. Her heartbeat quickened and a smile of excitement stretched her lips before evaporating. Finally her idea of waiting for him here didn't seem so good anymore, how would they find each other in this crowd? As the soldiers began to disembark to the applause of the civilians, she turned her heels to go back the other way, once again braving the jostling. She preferred to take some distance to have a better overview and not be lost in the middle of all these people. As she walked down the dock with her eyes, she could feel her heartbeat right down to her ears, it was beating so loudly it probably would have exploded. She gently shook her head as if to clear her mind and raised her face to the sky to take a deep breath of the icy breeze that did her the greatest good. Her gaze caught on a flight of birds passing over the crowd, a whole cloud of birds gathered, as the image of the reunion that took place on the dock.
She followed the flight with her eyes and pivoted on herself to continue looking at it. When she looked down again at the crowd she saw him. There he was, just a few feet away from her, the same piercing blue eyes that had haunted her nights on her.
Several times she had imagined running towards him and jumping on his neck, now that she was there she felt unable to move. Everything had stopped around her and she felt nothing but the wind whipping her cheeks. They didn't stay like this more than two or three minutes, just a few feet away from each other, but it seemed like an eternity. She finally regained the use of her limbs and advanced one leg in front of the other vigilant, as if she was ready to collapse under the shock, before finally sneaking between the people passing in front of her to come and jump at his neck. She grabbed him as hard as she could and closed her eyes to contain her tears. She felt Chuck wrap his right arm around her and put his left hand on her waist, squeezing her as hard as he could. He sniffed the floral scent he had missed so much and kissed the top of her head. Without detaching herself from him she moved her face back just a few inches to look at him, capturing every detail of his face as if she were seeing him for the very first time. Tenderly she raised her hand to come and caress his cheek with her fingertips as if to make sure he was real. Her gaze lingered on each line but she paid no attention to his scar, as if it were not there. Suddenly a laugh came out of her chest, not a mocking laugh, a relief laugh, warm tears ran down her cheeks as she was still laughing, Chuck joining her before diving to her lips and kissing her passionately and as fiercely as he could.
When the kiss ended he put his forehead against hers and she raised her eyes to plant them in his, she had dreamed of being able to lose herself in his eyes every night. Soflty she brought her hand close to his scar, gently touching it with her fingertips. Chuck lowered his eyes and closed them, perhaps to hold back tears. Reaching up on tiptoes, she kissed it gently and then raised his head by passing her index under his chin.
âChuck look at me..â His gaze fell on her, with the look of a broken man.
She brushed his cheek with the back of her fingers and gave him a comforting smile.
âIâm so proud of you. So proud of what youâve done for your country, for your courage and the strength that it took to you to go through all of this. Youâve bent through hell and you still standing. Youâre a hero Chuck. Donât be ashamed of anything, you know I donât love you for what you look like but for what you are. For all those little things that made you who you are. Donât ever doubt about it. And know that I still think youâre still as beautiful as ever.â
She kissed him tenderly before wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in it.
Holding her close to him, he buried his face in her hair and let his tears flow. For all those years spent away from her. For all those moments in hell. For his friends who died in combat. For the one he had been and would be no more. For those years of youth stolen by war and lost innocence. For the joy he felt at seeing her again when he didn't think it would be possible. For her to have stayed and supported him, to have continued to love him despite the distance, the years and now his handicap.
For all the broken lives.
Your requests are open?! I'd love to ask for something with Babe, if you don't mind luv đ„°
Hello dear! You asked for it and here it is! Sorry it took so long. I hope you'll like it. Enjoy ! â€ïž
As always, there's no disrespect towards the real men of the company. It's only based on their portrayals in the mini serie.
The scarf (Edward "Babe" Heffron x reader)
After months of trying to hide their relationship from others, Babe and the reader are finally getting busted.
Warning: coarse language
Also Iâm creating a taglist, tell me in comment if you want to be added and be notified of the following ones! âșïž
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Recently arrived in Germany the Company had moved to Landsberg am Lech, a town in Bavaria, and their mission had become much calmer than it had been in Bastogne and Haguenau. Everyone was enjoying the nice weather of April and went about their business while waiting for orders. Y/N had enjoyed this morning to sit quietly in a corner and write letters to her family and friends, informing them she was still alive, that she was fine and that she was now in Germany. She had then gone to the post office where Allen Vest was in charge of the mail.
âMorning Vest!â She sang in a cheerful voice as she approached the counter where she put down her letters and dragged them towards him.
âHi Y/N, hey, that's a lot of letters for one person.â
She smiled and put her both hands on the counter, tapping the varnished wood with her fingertips. Indeed, she had taken the time to write to her parents, her sister, her uncle and a general letter addressed to her group of friends who met each time to read her letters.
âYes, Iâm enjoying this time of lull, after all we donât know where weâre going to be sent next time.â
Allen took the letters while gently smiling at her and then went to the back of the room to classify the letters to be sent and rummaging through a pile of other letters he came back to her one in his hand.
âI thought well I saw one with your name on it.â
He reached out to her and was about to add something when the door opened sharply and Speirs appeared with his arms full of objects shining in the sunlight. As he approached the counter, Allen nodded to Y/N to make her understand he had to take care of Speirs. She smiled at him and walked out of the building with her letter in her hands. She immediately recognized the fine italicized handwriting and smiled excited to know what it was about. She walked along the buildings as she read the letter, which provoked a huge smile on her lips when she was suddenly pulled into a corner between two buildings and drawn away from prying eyes.
She began to laugh as the man who had lured her there, placed behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, came to place a kiss on her neck and put his head on her shoulder.
âI missed you so much.â
âWe've literally been living together for eight months.â She laughed, placing her hands on his forearms resting on her belly.
âYou know exactly what I mean.â He moaned as he put his chin on her shoulder and looked at the letter she was still holding in her hands. âWhat is it?â
She looked down at the letter and unfolded it to put it in front of his eyes.
âMy sister announces me that sheâs finally getting married! It's planned for next winter, she obviously hopes that by then it will all be over and I'll be home.â Her voice became lower and dull at the end of her sentence. Of course everyone was hoping for it, but no one really knew what tomorrow was all about and where they would be and when.
Babe tightened his clinch and kissed the top of her head.
âAre you planning to go alone?â His question caused her to pout and then she laughed.
âAre you asking me if, if all this happy mess is over, I'll ask you to come with me?â He shrugged his shoulders and had a sly smile. âWe don't even know where we'll be, and let's say we go back, we'll pick up our lives where we left it off, and they probably weren't going in the same direction.â She continued.
She fell silent and stared at the letter in her hands, for the few months she have been going out with Babe she had never thought what would happen once they got home, if they got home. Babe untied his arms around her and slid his hands over her hips to make her turn to him.
âI know that wherever yours goes, I will follow it.â
Her heart clutched to his words, she had not expected him to make this kind of announcement at all, the smile on his face made her melt and she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissed him tenderly and then came to put her head on his shoulder. They stayed hidden like that for a few minutes, taking advantage of finally being able to speak to each other with more than just distant smiles.
Since the Company had returned to England after the D-Day and had met the replacements Y/N and Babe had become inseparable, at last, until they started dating. They had chosen not to tell the others about it so that the others wouldnât spend their time teasing them. They had managed to keep the secret until now, which had been difficult since they were constantly surrounded by the other men. In order to prevent them from suspecting something Y/N and Babe had to stick to the friendly relationship that the others knew about them. Nevertheless, they had always managed to slip away for a moment for a hug or a kiss, all the way to Bastogne. They had never been so far away from each other when they were closer than ever physically. Being constantly surrounded by others in the middle of the woods and sharing their foxholes with different people, they could only look at each other from a distance. At best, they sat next to each other during the few moments when everyone was together, constantly living with the frustration of, at least, not being able to touch each other's hands.
A couple of times, Babe had managed join her when she was alone, while McClung, with who she was shearing her foxhole, was going out for a ride. But it had happened only a few times, and further apart so as not to arouse suspicion. These times would had been counted on the fingers of only one hand. She too had sometimes managed to join him but unfortunately they were almost never alone. One of the only contacts they could have had without anyone questioning was when Julian was killed, she would have died of pain if she hadn't been able to comfort him, it was the only time they could hold each other without it seeming weird. After that, for several days, it had been unbearable for him not to be able to take her in his arms when it was she who started brooding. To be able to take her in his arms, to interlace her fingers with his own, to caress her cheek and whisper to her that everything would be all right. This time he had been on the verge of cracking up, because instead of his place, there was Toye. Joe was constantly near her to cheering up her moral and several times had taken her in his arms. Bill's recurring jokes about Toye flirting with Y/N were upsetting Babe, who would have wanted told his friend to shut up. Being almost always with Guarnere, he therefore constantly heard his jokes. His only comfort was the smiles and looks of Y/N to reassure him.
But now they were away from it all, they just had to take advantage of the lull that presented itself and allowed them to spend time together out of sight.
âWe'd better get to the others before they wonder where we are.â She reluctantly detached herself from him. âYou're leaving first?â Obviously they werenât to be seen coming out of a corner together, that would have been the worst thing to attract attention.
He nodded and kissed her before taking a look at the street so he can get out. Y/N waited few minutes before being able to follow in his footsteps and reached the building where she was staying. Entering the building, she heard noises coming from one of the rooms of the first floor which was a big living-room and headed there. Liebgott was sitting on a chair, crossed legs on the table, was discussing with Popeye and Babe who had probably come here voluntarily to be in the same vicinity as her, which had the merit of making her smile, was leaning next to them against a piece of furniture. She joined them as Alley, Talbert, Janovec, and More arrived in the biggest racket they could make and took their places around the table.
Y/N remained standing on the other side of the table, leaning against the wall, while Babe in front of her was join by Skinny who had just arrived. Her eyes were drawn to something sticking out of Babe's pocket, her heart quickened and she tried to catch his attention with desperate glances, if he didn't notice then they were busted.
A small scarf she had given him was sticking out of his jacket pocket. She had taken with her a scarf that had belonged to her grandmother and that she had recovered when she died. She had always kept it on her ever since and had always managed to hide it so that it wouldn't be taken away like the rest of their personal belongings when she arrived in Toccoa. She valued it very highly, and when she was feeling bad, she would take it out and hold it close to her, remembering happy memories of her grandmother who she missed terribly.
The only person today for who she had been able to part with it, was someone who meant as much to her as her grandmother, Babe. She gave it to him as the most important thing for her, making him understand how much she cared for him. As they didnât belong to the same platoon they were not always brought to be close to each other, and the scarf was like her presence to him, so that somehow they are always together. Since then he kept it preciously knowing what it meant to her.
When Babe's gaze caught hers, she tried to make him understand that the object was sticking out of his pocket by throwing looks at him and then at his pocket several times before anyone saw it, but he didn't understand and it was too late. Joe had turned his head to address him and his gaze had landed on the object of the crime. With a small laugh he gently pulled it out.
âWell, well, well, what do we have there? Isn't there something you're not telling us Babe?â
Embarrassed, he understood what she had wanted to warn him about and babbled, not knowing what to say. Y/N came to his rescue, looking surprised, she approached Joe and took the scarf of his hands.
âEh thatâs mine! Where did you find it?â
It took Babe a split second before he realized she was saving his ass and played along.
âI found it by chance on the floor this morning and I was going to bring it back to you, it must have slipped my mind in the meantime.â He shrugged his shoulders and looked sorry.
Joe looked at them suspiciously, not at all convinced, his gaze going back and forth between Y/N and Babe who unfortunately always seemed embarrassed. Feeling Joe's insistent gaze on her, she finally dropped a âWhat?â He squinted his eyes as if he was trying to read her soul.
âThrow out the crap that burns your lips, Joe.â
âAre you two fucking together?â
All heads turned to Y/N and Babe, some surprised, others giving the impression of having heard the biggest gossip of the century.
âNo!â They both exclaimed.
âHeâs like my baby brother!â
Babe flinched at her words, he knew she was just saying that to keep up appearances, but all the same, this false friendzoning was rather violent.
âSo you're fucking your baby brother?â Joe continued with a smirk on his face, still not believing it for a second.
âJeez, Joe!â She exclaimed in disgust.
Malarky arrived at that moment having only heard the end of the conversation.
âWho's fucking who?â
âY/N is debauching Babe.â Laughed More.
âJeez!â Malark exclaimed as he sat down, a more than amused look on his face.
âStop it! All of you! Nobody fucks anybody!â
Babe was still silent next to her, completely uptight. The boys were laughing at their greatest embarrassment when Luz, who had heard only fragments of the conversation from the next room, arrived with a cigarette lit.
âWho's gonna have a baby?â
Which fueled the boys' hilarity, Y/N raised her hands and clenched them in fists and roared in frustration before going out cursing them. As for Babe, he didn't know what to do, if he stayed there he was going to be teased by his friends, but if he followed her he would agree with them and would grill himself.
With her cheeks on fire, Y/N left the building to get some fresh air, finding a small wall in the shade and, away from the crowd, she sat down and lit a cigarette before puffed at it when a shadow came and hid the sun from her. She raised her head, squinting because of the brightness, and reached out her arm, offering her cigarette to Luz who had just joined her. He picked it up and as he held it to his lips, sat down on the wall beside her.
âYou and Babe then?â he asked with a sly smile on his lips. So her diversion hadn't worked, at least she had tried. She turned her head towards him raising an eyebrow, a slight smile on the corners of her lips as she waited for him to pull out a joke. But he didn't, instead, he took the cigarette from his lips with his right hand, and as he blew the smoke, passed his left arm around her shoulders.
âIf it had been anyone else, I wouldn't have accepted it. But Heffron? I can get used to it.â
She laughed and took the cigarette from his hands and puffed at it again.
âIs this your way to give me your blessing?â
George was the person she was closest to since Toccoa. Even without the incident that had just happened, he had probably guessed what had been going on for a few months. The two had quickly went together like horse and carriage, they had found each other in their humour, and their ability to make others laugh and make jokes. George soon considered her as a little sister and she as a big brother. As soon as the replacements had arrived he saw that she and Babe had gradually grown closer and that they had probably become more than friends. He had been happy for her and continued to look after her from afar.
âSo everyone knows about it? Or did you just sniff it out?â She asked, shoving him gently, which made him giggle.
âLet's say I've seen you gradually change, especially when you're with him.â
If the others probably didn't suspect anything, after the scene that just happened, they will most likely have suspicions.Y/N bit the inside of her cheek and made a grimace that made George smile and took the cigarette out of her hand.
âWhat are you worried about? No one will say anything, at worst they will tease you for a while before they get bored and move on.â
âThat's exactly what we wanted to avoid.â
He raised an eyebrow.
âYou know it will be just joking, in all kindness.â
She turned her eyes towards him and he gently pushed her around, which made her smile. George was right, there wouldn't be anything mean about it, and she never doubted it, it would just make her embarrassed that everyone would turn to them and tease them every time they were in each other's presence. But as he said, it would only be temporary, the time they spend on something else.
âYou're right, it wouldn't be the end of the world, and we wouldn't have to hide anymore.â
He nodded his head and winked at her.
âListen to the voice of reason.â She guffawed what made him smile, he stood up and kissed her on the forehead before returning to the building. Y/N stayed sitting on the wall for a few minutes thinking about what George had said. She had finally agreed with herself that her fear was unjustified, the Company members were so benevolent to each other, why would they go against this relationship? Other than to tease and embarrass them, what could they possibly say? They were already spending all their time making fun of each other and joking that nothing would be different. It was out of fear of being embarrassed by the mockery of others that they had chosen to hide, when they would only be mocked among so many others. She shook her head gently as she realized that this decision had been ridiculous. To have done otherwise would surely have saved them from frustration when they had found themselves far away when they needed each other the most. They had to stop hiding, and once the others knew about it, they could enjoy each other in peace. Loud noises of voices caught her attention and she turned her head towards the group of men a few yards away. She put out her cigarette and stood up to see what was going on. Two groups had formed, one playing soccer and the other surrounding them, each one cheering for the team they stood for.
She saw Babe from afar and made her way to him. As she stood next to him, she slipped her hand into his as he turned his head towards her with a questioning look. Y/N gave him a warm smile that he returned to her. To hell with what they might say.
Hello my dears! đ I want to write something but I donât know with which character, so with which one would you want it? đ„°
Tell me in comment! đ
đŁ To the Band of brothers family here,
I want to write a new little thing with BOB characters but can't decide about which one. Who would you want to hear about?
Tell me in comments and the name which comes back the most will be the main character!
Naughty Alphabet: Richard Winters
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A = Aftercare:
Afterglow with this man would be just as soft and perfect as his persona. When you're done, he would tenderly cup your cheeks and whisper sweet nothings to you and ask you if you're alright. He would go and clean himself up, bringing some wipes so that he could clean you also. Then slowly he would maneuver you so that, he could hold you as close as possible while facing you, pulling you up a bit so you are just whispering and rubbing your noses together tenderly while looking at each other in adoration.
B = Body:
He loves your hands. He can incase them in his so easily, they cup his face so tenderly and most importantly they are the ones that reach and pull him to you, they show him that he is wanted, that he is loved. They are voiceless, but they can show all your emotions and needs.
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What he loves about his own body, is his height. He is a tall man, and he enjoys it. It makes him feel strong. Not that he needs the validation of height, but he likes the feeling of being able to intimidate people who are threatening and being able to make his loved ones feel secure.
C = Cum:
He does it inside you. He is not an adventorous man nor a man with many kinks. He doesn't get pleasure from seeing you covered in his semen, he'd much rather see your belly swelling with the life born of your love.
D = Dom/Sub:
Dick is a tender dom. He likes being in charge, but he does not bring it to extremes. He likes having you completely in his mercy, because quite frankly it makes him feel worthy. Worthy of your trust, your pleasure. Things only shared between the two of you. You are his, and he is there just for you.
E = experience:
Dick is not a very experienced lover, for he wants to save physical intimacy for the love of his life. But he is a quick learner, and quite a specimen in everything that he does.
F = Foreplay:
Surprisingly, foreplay is Richard's favourite part of the act of love making. He likes taking things slow, just gently kissing you and tenderly stroking you all over. He would thrive on the small noises that you make, and the love that shines through your eyes.
And for the record he builds your stamina, because foreplay includes two orgasms minimum.
G = Games:
When it comes to sex, Richard doesn't play games. He sees no good in playing games at such a tender moment. Playfulness is for the naked mornings, but pleasure is for the naked evenings.
H = Handjobs:
Okay, quick hands are an issue for the both of you, or better said: greedy hands.
You love teasing Richard through his pants while you are getting it on. And you love getting him off on your hands. The crease between his brows, his parted lips as he leans against you as you jerk him off. The ethereal glow, and the noises he makes are almost enough to make you get off.
Richard likes fingering you while you two are making out in bed. He loves having you as close as possible, as your breath stutters, and your hips jump erratically. The squeks, as you grip him to get something to ground you, are music to his ears.
I = Intimacy:
Nothing related to sex is less than 100% intimate with this man. The two of you sink into your own bubble everytime, like there is no one else in this world. It's just the two of you, two lovers with nothing to hide from each other.
J = Jack-off:
Richard doesn't really masturbate. He has too much pride, self-control and guilt to do it. He prefers your hands, and he thinks that waiting will just make the reunion all the sweeter.
K = Kinks:
Richard has a praise kink and a breeding kink.
Hearing you praise him makes him feel proud, good, worthy. Just good enough in this unfair and greedy world.
And seeing you swell with his child. Boy oh boy, it gets him going. Seeing you so completely content, glowing, vulnerable and so his. The little creation of your love swelling inside you, makes him just want to keep you in that state forever.
L = Lewis:
Lewis is your personal sex therapist when it comes to sex related issues. Dick is extremely private so he you usually sort everything out just the two of you. But if he wants to surpise you, he goes for his best friend for advice, and the same if something unexpected happens while you are doing it, you can count on Nix to know the answer.
M = Mouth:
Richard can use his mouth very well. He can make you a buddle of titillated goo, just by using his talents on your lovely neck.
When it comes to his work downstairs, he will take his time. He will almost make you cry with overwhelming pleasure, before he even makes you come. And ones you are trembling all over, he will make you come like an earthquake was jostling you.
On the contary, he will never let you use your mouth to suck him off. It makes him feel dirty for making you pleasure him in such way. He doesn't want to feel like he is degrading you, so you have agreed that you will not put your mouth on his little Dick.
N = No:
He won't share you or want anyone else to witness you two making love. It is a moment shared between the two of you and he won't tolerate being interrupted.
Which Ronald Speirs learned very quickly, when his usually calm superior proceeded to threaten to feed him a pack of cigarettes and make his nicotine poisoning look like an accident after he interrupted the tender moment between lovers.
O = Orgasms:
You thrive in seeing each other come apart. In the thrilling moment of ecstacy, you both have found a strange fondness in each others pleasure. So much so that you get less pleasure from your own orgasms when compared to seeing each other cum.
Dick likes to overstimulate you, and you love turning into a puddle within his arms. Never have you felt so safe and content.
P = Position:
Your journey starts from this:
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And goes to this:
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Q = Quiet:
Richard doesn't make a lot of noise. At loudest he makes very throaty moans, but usually he mostly just grunts, or when you are jerking him off, whimpers so beautifully.
R = Rough:
To be honest, he can never bring himself to be rough with you. He will never beat you or manhandle you, it just feels wrong to him.
S = Secret:
Dick doesn't like people watching you have sex, but he likes when people know that the two of you are enjoying each other intimately, and that the both of you are more than satisfied. He loves his woman, and you love your man, people should know that.
T = Time:
Your intimate escapades take LONG. Talk about four hours of just pleasuring each other and basking in each others love.
U = Union:
One soul, one heart, but two different spirits who collide in the best way.
W = Worry:
You worry, that you don't pleasure him enough. He is happy with just pleasuring you, and basking in the moment with you that he just utterly and truly forgets himself.
X = X - Ray:
Little Dick is average girth, but longer than average. Dick is a tall man, and his little one matches.
Y = Your bed:
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Z = Zing
What gets Richard really aroused, is when you touch his belly while you talk. The two of you usually stand before each other and you absentmindedly start stroking is lower belly, an innocent act just to touch him. But that wakes him UP.
Are you still there?
/Part 1 /
Richard Winters x reader
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Okay, I know that some of the things about her enlisting are completely unrealistic, so forgive me, but in the end this is fiction so I hope you understand.
If you want to know more, here is a link :): ANC
Four years since 1939. Thatâs how long I have been training to become a nurse or as the soldiers called me a Red Cross Girl.
36 months of basic training with informal military training after. I did it to become a being who could do something in the middle of this bloody play of power.
I had given it up, the dream of becoming a teacher, for this. For the fact that in November 1939, my father and brother got locked down into Finland, to fight. To fight for their roots. I want to do my part now, in here. To bring back peace, for it hopefully can be brought back.
âYou are on the opposing sidesâ, you may think. No, I am not. Both of my countries were attacked, and I donât blame either for responding. You see, for four years, I lived in Finland, from the age three to the age of seven. My fathers side of the family is Finnish. My great grandfather came to America to look for a job, married another Finnish immigrant and started a new life. Then my father was born, later on he found a beautiful wife from Minnesota, and when I was three, we came to look for our roots. Being the first ones from our family to come back. I am fluent in Finnish, my father made sure of that.
Now here I sit, at the age of 24, in a train, going towards Camp Mackall. My heart was racing and my palms were damp with sweat. This was truly it, here I was going to see Colonel Robert Sink, and be an unhappy surprise once again.
âMaâam weâre hereâ a young boy with a kind smile said at the door. I must have been more in my head than I thought. I give the boy a soft smile: âThank youâ
I take my suitcase and slowly step out. The more you know, there is a jeep waiting at the station. With a dark haired gentleman behind the wheel. âSir, pardon? Are you possibly from Camp Mackall?â, I ask softly. He did not look happy and I had no intention of making his day any worse.
âCaptain Herbert Sobel. I was assigned to bring you to Colonel Sink Mrs.Wintersâ, how did he manage to make such an easy sentence so mean spirited I have no clue. I just continue smiling and step in. âPleasure to meet you captain, it seems you already know my name, but still allow me to introduce myself. Sonja Wintersâ, I say kindly.
He just nods and starts the vehicle. The rest of the ride is very quiet. But if someones eyes could set fire to their view, boy oh boy, there would be a fire hazard in North Carolina.
----------------------------
My breath catches as we arrive at the camp. I gulp and let Herbert help me out from the jeep. âFollow me, Mrs Wintersâ, he says curtly and starts leading the way. The place was huge! Completely and utterly giant!
We walk for quite a while till we come to stand in front of an office. From the door and my orders I already knew who was in. As we get a permission to enter, my heart stops at the door. There inside, I see a familiar red head. The head of the man who had the hold of my heart. I only just notice Herbert salute the colonel and then take his leave.
When I come to stand at attention in front of the Colonel, I can feel the baby blues burrow into my brain. Sink just smiles and says âAt ease, you better sit now, we have much to discussâ
âItâs lovely to meet you in person, sirâ I smile and timidly sit beside my husband, who is looking more broken inside than ever. He nods and takes out some papers, some of them being letters from me and my head nurse.
âLt. Winters I know that this is a surprise for you, a big one at thatâ, he begins, âbut your wife is here to work as a nurse for the Easy Company.â He can clearly see the pain in my husbands gaze even as he remains stoic.
âWith all the respect, sir, do you think itâs safe to have her in that position?â, oh how Iâve missed his voice. His soothing voice. I bite my lip and dare not look at him.
âWe have been ordered to try to raise the morale of soldiers and at the same time raise productivity and resources in the army. Having the nurses from the ANC and the red cross, would do both â Sink sighs, âI donât necessarily agree with the idea of women being assigned like this, no offence Mrs. WInters, but we have to try. And Easy is a remarkable company, with you there keeping her safeâ
âItâll be easier for you to know where she is, and at the same time your assert will keep the men from harassing her. She is a married nurse, a risk on itself. This is only a try and if she becomes a distraction, she will be removedâ
I look at Sink in the eye at the last sentence and I see the clear weight he put on those words. âSir, I believe both me and my husband will be able to focus on our duty at hand. I have come here to do a job the same as everybody elseâ, I reason.
Sink nods. âYou both have damn good marks. I trust both of you on this, and that is why I chose youâ. After a long discussion and some paperwork we are done. But only with two sentences from Dick. I knew my husband, he was mad. He wouldnât shout, but this demeanor oozed his distress.
âTake Nurse Winters to the officers barracks, that will be the safest place for her lieutenant. Welcome to the company! Dismissedâand with that I was left alone with my dear husband.
----------------
The first steps we take in the hall are very quiet. Then I open my mouth. âI miss youâ, I whisper and keep my eyes ahead. Dick gives a long sigh while carrying my suitcase. âThis is not the place for such discussions, Nurse Wintersâ
I keep my eyes ahead, but I can feel them watering. His voice is like a whip to my heart. âI understand, sirâ, I say louder this time. I can see his expression falter. We walk quietly side by side to the barracks. I can feel the long looks and hear the questioning as we pass people.
When we make it to a barrack, he lets me in first. I can see that there are three beds in there. Two filled, one empty. From the belongings I can see that one of the beds is definitely my husbands. I hear the door being shut behind me as Dick too steps in.
Once the door is shut I open my mouth. âDick, please, we have gone through this once alreadyâ, I beg as I look at him. For the first time he looks me straight in the eye. âYou know that I love you, you know we canât do this like thisâ, I rasp.
âSonja, we did discuss you joining the nurses, and yes you going near the battlefield, but we never had any conversation about you joining a company full of menâ, his voice was stern as ever, eyes not holding their usual warmth. He pinches the bridge of his nose as he continues: âYou could be attacked by your own comrades, you could become the reason they are too distracted to do their dutyâ He is looking down at me. His tall stature towering my 5âČ5 frame.
âI want to do my duty too, Dick. I want to help!âI shake my head as I speak âI was deemed fit for this program, I-I donât want to be uselessâ,I whisper looking down at my hands.
My heart skips as he raises his hand to take mine. âYou were never uselessâ, he whispers back raising my chin up. We take our time just looking at each other. He breaks the silence. âWhy didnât you tell me about this? Weâve been writing, why didnât you write to meâ, he looks so confused it hurts.
âWe werenât sure of it till couple weeks ago, I didnât want you to... well get worried and react like thisâ, I say tenderly cupping the side of his face. There are no words to describe how good it feels to be near him. Smell him, hear him, feel him. âI miss you soâ, I sob. My sob does it for him, and he pulls me against him. My arms around his waist and his cheek on top of my head. My sobs turn into a small giggle. âI love you, god I love youâI whisper. I feel his hold getting tighter at my words.
âI love you tooâhe whispers and kisses my hair. All I can think is the fact that he is holding me again, my Richard is holding me, telling me he loves me. Until the door opens with a bang and we jump apart.
We are met with a chuckle and a man with a smirk and bushy eyebrows.
--- This will probably be rewritten, but for now I want to see how people react to this idea---
Are you still there? / Part 2 /
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âDick, you dog!â, the man says with a grin so mischievous that it makes a bystander nervous. I start ticking my brain on people Dick has mentioned to me. This has to be Nix, no one else. I bite my lip nervously and stick out my hand âSonja E. Wintersâ
He tilts his head smirk till intact: âIs that a way to greet an officer?â Richard beside me huffs as I quickly go to salute. âQuit teasing her Lew, and meâ, he says dryly. Nixon only lets out a chuckle and now offers his hand.
âLewis Nixon, your chivalrous knight, but please in private, call me Lewâ, once I bring my hand to his, he pulls my knuckles to his lips while never breaking eye contact. He does know that Iâm his best friends wife, right?
I grin gently at the mans shameless attitude, he seemed like an amusing case. âI believe I have already found my prince charming, Lt.Nixonâ, I chuckle. I can almost hear Richard rolling his eyes at this conversation.
âThat you have, itâs good to finally see the miracle that is the only vice of Richard Winters, in real lifeâ he smirks as he walks over to his bunk. Now I can see Richard rolling his eyes. I only grin at him and straighten his tie, this might be one of the very few chances of showing him affection and Iâll take it.
âwell you do have enough vices for the both of usâ, Richard snarks, but without any true malice. Nixon only winks and looks at us, still smirking. âYou see lovely Sonja, this is what it looks like when you hit a nerve. And you are his every nerveâ, he continues teasing. I have to giggle at the expression my husband his throwing at his friend. A blush is rising to my cheeks with speed as I listen to his words. It feels good to know that I still am loved. Well of course I know, but well..lets say with the last couple years, one needs reassurance.
I start unpacking my gear onto the free bunk while Richard sits on his. âWhen are you getting introduced to the men?âLewis asks me when I take my books and neatly place them on my stand.
âColonel said that Iâll be meeting the men tonightâ, I start folding my red cross dress prettily and sigh. âThey really canât just give me pants?âI groan as I think of wandering around in the dress. Lewis raises an eyebrow at this and then shares a look with Richard.
âI mean we could try to pull a few strings to get you better gear, better for your safety too, not you know, getting krauts try to sink under that skirtâ, Lewis offers. I smile at him kindly in thanks. My husbands jaw sets at the mention of Germans. He needs his time getting used to me at harms way.
âLew, would you do that now, we still have much to discussâ, he says at his friend over his shoulder. I look at my husband again. I know that expression well and right now at this time itâs the last thing I need. I can stand him shouting at me, or well could if he ever raised his voice, but I cannot stand that expression and the cold silence he that follows.
Lewis furrows his brows. âalright, I will. Nice meeting you, Holy Maryâ he says standing up and shoving a lucky strike between his lips. I smile and utter softy; âYou too, Lewâ
Once he is out of the door Richard puts his head in his hands. I rise slowly and take a seat next to him, but right when I touch him he recoils a little. I inhale sharply. He looks at me, studying my face, the expression never leaving his.
âYou do understand what Nix just said. You could be assaulted by Germans, and you will be right if they capture youâ, he says quietly. I gulp and nod: âI am aware, and I am willing to do this, even knowing that. You and I both know that that is a risk every nurse has to take. And we do have some combat trainingâ I explain tenderly.
I can see the stress in his eyes as he looks his hands. Slowly I sink down to the floor and kneel between his legs holding his hands. Warm chocolate meets cold sapphire as we stare at each other. âIt still haunts meâ, he whispers. I pull his forehead down to mine and stroke his neck soothingly.
âI know, darling, me tooâ, I whisper. He looks at me again and then takes my face into his big hands. I move my hands to hold his wrists in a gentle grip. âRichard, I want to do my part, and that requires a sacrifice, as it does to you too, but please lets not sacrifice usâ
Ever so slowly he brings my lips to his, for the first time in two years. The kiss is more than a kiss. Itâs..it feels like an eternity of love is once again flooded into my soul. Even if my rigid husband gets embarrassed with my poetic ways.
Once we break apart we nuzzle our noses together. âRichard, if this makes you lose focus I will not participateâ, I whisper. The men needed a good officer and I knew my husband would be that for them. I was a nurse, I would have to find a different way to help if needed. Dick does not rule my decisions, but no way in this life am I going to let him worry himself out of focus and to death.
Richard just shakes his head ever so gently not taking his forehead off of mine. âI know how much this means to you, to get back the peace and start building our own little worldâ, he sighs. âI can do my duty without letting personal matters be a distractionâ
He then gives a soft smile and presses a few butterfly soft kisses onto my lips. Our kisses: simple, pure and sweet. I smile into them and let out a soft giggle when he presses the last kiss on the tip of my nose.
"Get ready darling, change your gear on, Sobel will come get us at 1900. And beware, they are an honest bunch of troopers"
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I donât remember the last time I felt this nervous. Here I was standing next to Colonel Sink and Captain Sobel. In one of the five movie theaters in Camp Mackall. Some of the soldiers whistled, some muttered angrily and well some just looked bored. Iâd prefer them all to be the last one. No, Sonja, get your confidence, these men are going to get along with you, you are kind. Well, I could be kinder, but for now breathe.
âAs you all know, these times are damn rough. Everyone needs a boost in their mood and morale. That is why the United States army has chosen the Easy Company, for the program of sinking Army Nurses into the company. The main objective for that is keeping your health up and freeing more men to hold a gun instead of a syretteâ, Sink spoke with clear short sentences. The whole theater started to get some mumbles, and I could see my husband very uncomfortably just staring ahead as he sat with his platoon.
Sink glanced at me and Sobel, who was almost snarling from the look on his face. âThis is Nurse Sonja Winters, and she will be assigned to the E-company to work as a medic would. From this day on she will be a part of your field exercises and will be treated with the respect she deserves. If this program fails, it will be a shame to all of youâ, his tone got more and more sharp towards the end of the speech. It was clear that he didnât want to get the shame of having unruly men under his command.
âEnjoy your rest of the night off, for now I want you to start getting used to this, Captain Sobel will take this from nowâ
Sobel steps up like a peacock preening. Alright that was just rude, Sonja, remember your manners. âWe begin tomorrow at 0600, we will be focusing on battle logistics. Dismissedâ, and with that he took off. Leaving me standing there all alone in front of the men. Luckily the officers come to my rescue and order the men to go to a hall of sorts.
The hall is full of long tables, it looks like a chow hall. I walk next to Lewis as he promised to escort me. How kind of him. He smirks âSo, holy Mary, how does it feel to have couple dozen pairs of eyes on your peach?â, I look at him in horror.
âPlease do sleep one eye open if you want to keep your peach uncrackedâ, I snap. But then widen my eyes. âSorryâ, I whisper. But in the end he snorts so happily that I canât help but laugh also.
He then sighs grinning. âOkay, forgive me, my comment was not very chivalrous, no more swine-like behaviorâ, he says raising his hands up and making a mock bow. I shake my head. This man really is something else, witty and good with words no arguing with that.
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âOi, Ms. come here!â The shout came from a comely looking fella, light hair light eyes and a twinkle in his gaze. I smile and glance at Richard and see him smiling lightly too. I walk over to the man.Next to him there is a red-headed fella and another man with big brown eyes and a lucky strike between his lips.
âYes private-?â I ask softly. He looks at me up and down still grinning. âMuck. Warren Muck, but call me Skipâ, he offers his hand which I take giving it a firm squeeze. A handshake can tell so much of a person. âCall me Sonjaâ
âMe and the lads were wondering, would such a lady like yourself join us for the night and have lovely conversationsâ, he offers making grand gestures with his hands. I chuckle at his antics. âYes, but as a proper married lady, I will retire to my own bedâ, I say firmly but still smiling.
The one with the cigarette clutches at his heart mockingly: âYou break my heart, how lowly does thee think of me-eâ, he says streching out the e, making me giggle. I offer my hand at him: âWho is thee?â
âGeorge Luz, your humble servant. Oh and forgive me Iâm supposed to be over there with the 1st platoon, but I think I prefer youâ, I smile and shake my head. All these charmers. These really were a bunch. Sudden shyness taking over me, I felt very out of place. they were trying to get to know me, but still I just...well I feel very comfortable with just myself.
âAnd that is Don Malarkey, Alex Penkala, Joe Toye, Bill Guarnere- he looks mean but he bites before he killsâ George mock whispers at me, as he first loudly points at everyone. Bill really does look like he could bite Georgeâs head of at the moment. or mine, he doesnât look too happy about my presence.
In the end they offer me a seat and I take one between Joe Toye and George, opposite of Skip. I look at Joe and offer him my hand too, he takes it and nods. He seemed like the quiet type, not that I mind, I do in the end prefer the quiet type.
âWhere are you from?â, I ask smiling. âHughestown, Pennsylvaniaâ, he rasps. I grin a little and lean a little closer to him in the hall to hear him over the noise. His voice is so raspy, but he seems like the type of a man you donât have to make repeat himself.âIâm from Lancaster, well originally not, but been living there for the last seven yearsâ , I tell him.
He nods then furrows his brows. âThe fuck is wrong with your accent?â, he asks bluntly.
My eyes widen a little, before I snort. âIâm half Finnishâ, I answer. I appreciate him being blunt, honesty is something this world needs more of. I think he appreciates my reaction to his bluntness, since he then smiles. âSo, are you a farm gal?â
And that is how I spend the rest of the night, talking to the blunt Joe Toye.
All the love to @iilovemusic12usâ who has been my aid at this creative process!
Are you still there? Moodboard
Richard Winters x OC
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"How could something so pure, be tainted by blood?"
Are you still there?
/ Part 3 /
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Later in the chapter, the medic names are made up from the fact that what names were common!
The following morning was interesting indeed. Lewis had been very productive and gotten me PT gear and my WAC dress greens, which included a hobby jacket, âgarrisonâ cap and a pretty skirt. I was extremely grateful, until he gave me my ODâs, which of course were made for men. The issue of being unhappy didnât come to place until he saw me in them. And he laughed so loud it startled the men who wear near our barrack.
âOh my, my, you look like youâre gonna spread your wings and take off like a flying squirrelâ, he snorts coming over to me and playfully flaps the sides of my jacket. I look at him very unimpressed, and then quickly slap his hands away. But then sigh. âI shouldâve kept the skirtâ, I giggle. But all in all it isnât so bad, I have my medics patch and good pants. They are a little tight on the hips, but nothing unbearable.
And off we went, him escorting me to my first field exercise with Herbert Sobel. Oh boy.
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âNurse Winters, what is the meaning of this, you look more unpresentable then any of these men!â
The screaming of Sobel starts straight away as I stand with the men from the second platoon. âNo excuse, sirâI say knowing he was commenting on my jacket. He looks ready to snarl, once again. âIâll let you off, since you are only a woman after all, find a belt for tomorrow, or I will have to find an adequate punishment.â I just look ahead my eyes cold, so thatâs how it is. âyes, sir.â
I feel like he assigned me with the second platoon just to torture my husband. And me. He was in for a surprise, if there was one thing me and Dick would not waver from, that was our duty.
-------------------
I quickly started learning that I already had some knowledge to the matters we were going through. Enough for me at least. My main job for now was keep up with the men and when needed, have a plan on how to transport the âwoundedâ and if that was not possible, how to make a good long term plan for their health and the stamina and safety of the other men.
I was thinking and whispering with Eugene Roe as two of our men: Joe Toye and âPopeyeâ Wynn were âwoundedâ. Joe had a shoulder wound and Popeye had an upper thigh wound. Both weâre now patched up with Popeye having a syrette tied to his jacket.
âWe have to take one man off the line, to help Popeye near the Jeep, and once we drag Joe far enough he can start walking. One of us has to stay here, in case there comes an urgent need for a medicâ, I whisper.
Roe looks at me little uncertain, but nods. âWeâre gonna need to call the jeep towards the edge of the woods, but still near enough, we canât wait too much, since Popeyeâs wound is a heavy bleederâ, he backs up with his Louisiana drawl.
We report our plan, and luckily, we get the knowledge that we just saved more than two men, we the good decision of one of staying near the line.
âBut Winters, Roe, next time call for back up, we need all the good men in the line, when someone needs to be carried, try and get help along with the jeep. Even if it feels obvious, remember clear ordersâ, Dick says nodding as he looks over our work.
I feel pride swell up in my chest, not because we did surprisingly well, but because I got good objective critique. Learn, Sonja, learn everything you can.
--------------------
When the maneuver is over, everyone looks more or less annoyed. Sobel turned out to be the epitome of good in theory, terrible in practice. My thighs were also on fire, even if I had good physical training, the crouched running in high speed for surprisingly long distances is rough.
âSo, how does it feel now?â, Skip asks as we sit together to eat. I was once again chatting with Skip. It felt good to have people who actually reacted well to my arrival.
Joe was apprehensive still, but yesterday when we talked, he realized that I was just a proper farm girl from Minnesota. Nothing fancy even I used pretty words, I was just a curious soul.
I shrug: âI was scared it was going to be worse, with all you told me yesterday. Apart from the reprimands I got for my height and lack of muscle tone, I feel like I got very just treatmentâ, I smile and take a mouthful of the food on my plate.
Skip snorts and looks at me like I had gone crazy. âThe man screamed at you, because you arenât able to carry a man thrice your size, but instead you dragged him, come on â, he shakes his head. I shrug once again.
âIâm here to do a duty, Iâm assigned with you because I was deemed fit, and if I want to be fit enough I have to work for it. He cannot let me offâ, I explain my side. Sobel had yes screamed at me for dragging Denver Randleman when he was wounded, but Christ I was happy I was even able to move him. I knew I should do better, but for now I just need to work harder.
Bill shakes his head : âYouâre a fucking skirt, ainât no man carrying Bull from this company eitherâ And continues to shovel down his food.
Skip grins at me. âyou see Nurse Winters, we fight your corner, even if you are green and weakâ. I glare at him playfully. I know thatâs what most of the men thought, but Skip was not one of them. He really had been there for me today on the field. Him and Penkala. If I did something wrong, they quickly did something to make me correct it.
But when it comes to others, it had been a tough day. Joe Liebgott was constantly on my neck, I heard the way he spoke about me, I heard the way him and some of his friends said I did not deserve my place here. In all honesty, I couldnât blame him. I was a woman, it was easy for them to think that I was just some hussy who crawled up the right thigh. I needed to deserve my place here, i needed them to see that I was more then just big doe eyes and pinned up hair.
âWhat will you do when we are jump training?â, he asks suddenly. I was not jumping into Normandy, so I was not taken in for the parachute training. I swallow quickly and answer: âIâll be doing PT or then preparing at the hospital. I cannot believe how big that hospital is, it truly is wonderâ
Skip smiles at my happiness. It was easy for me to talk to him like this. One-on-one. I was still too nervous to open my mouth when I was in the middle of all the men. âYou really like helping people, huhâ,he chuckles.
I nod and continue eating quietly.
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Couple weeks later, I was a new woman. I knew my routine and I was dedicated to make it perfect. I still had very few friends, but they all seemed to have accepted my presence at least. Skip was still my safety blanket among the men. Me and Richard had made the decision of being very chaste and professional, even in private. Lewis decided it was a good reason to tease us for being the epitome of purity, but we saw it as a fair and responsible thing to do.
The men did not know about him being my husband either, for the record the army had so many people with the same name, that it was not surprising that they didnât even suspect it. Although it was harder and harder for me every day to hear one nameless sergeant keep pestering people about my husbands calm and correct ways.
Today was my day, well it was a field exercise designed for medics. Many simulated casualties so that we could practice our bandaging, improvising and so forth.
âCome on, Iâm wounded plant me just a little oneâ, George tried pursing his lips as I bandaged his leg, making a improvised splint. I shake my head and bring two of my fingers first onto my lips then plant them on his.
âThere you goâ, I say as I finish the bandage. He looks at me in mock horror, âYou just put your dirty fingers into my mouth!â, he gasps. I roll my eyes smiling.
âI put them on your mouth, youâre wounded, you have bigger worriesâ, I reason and look at him like a mother would look at a misbehaved child. He just mouths words mockingly and pats my head like I was his best dog to torture.
Then what I see next makes me freeze, some of the medics truly sedating Sobel. Oh Christ no. I stand up and job over to them. âWhat do you think you are doing?â, I ask sharply at the two medics, Webb and Jackson, who are now trying to pull down Herbertâs pants.
âFuck of broadâ, they snort and try to keep going. I purse my lips and kneel next to them. âI may be a nurse, but I am a part of this company. You are risking this mans health, which goes against every vow youâve made. You may think I am just an ignorant woman, who wants to play a soldier, but Iâm here to do my job. You might not care about him, but this is not the way to goâ, I quietly advice them.
They look at me raising their eyebrows as if they had to care what Iâm saying. Webb then shakes his head and snorts grasping the front of my collar to bring me closer.
âOi, hands off the lady Webb!â, comes a raspy voice. Behind us comes Joe Toye with a makeshift sling. Webb doesnât move at first not thinking Joe could be series.
But once Joe stands behind us and growls âWhat did I just say?â, the hand comes off right away. âNurse Winters had the balls to tell you off. I donât care the fuck you are doing to that on the floor, but you ainât disrespecting herâ, he says seriously while looking at Webb and Jackson both.
âSorry Wintersâ, they both mumble. I sigh and stand shaking my head. âJust donât hurt himâ, I whisper and go to help with the evacuating.
Joe stops me before I can go. I smile at him tenderly âThanks for that Joe, it means a lot.â He shakes his head and one corner of his mouth raises up: âJust fighting for your corner, Bambiâ
I walk to the litters with a smile on my face. The nickname is ridiculous, but hey, I was finally fitting in.
--------------------
âSo no one reported?â, Nixon asks as we sit on our bunks. I shake my head: âNope, I tried to tell them off Lew I really didâ, I sigh and look at my hands.
He chuckles: âDonât say that anywhere else, theyâll ask you to identifyâ. The door opens and Dick steps in. Straight from the latrines. I smile at him in my PT gear. It felt nice, the shorts. I was not really a fan of anything restricting me from the waist down. Oh no Sonja, do not phrase things like that ever again.
He smiles at me too and then does something surprising, he walks over to me and lays a kiss on my forehead. âYou really impressed the men yesterday, I heard what you didâ, he whispers. I shrug, it was nothing he wouldnât have done.
âWanna plant one on me just as congrats?â, I ask in a tender whisper. He chuckles and gives me a sound kiss. I grin widely and take a look at my book SeitsemĂ€n veljestĂ€. The Seven brothers, a Finnish novel. My brother send it to me one Christmas. Now the spine looked torn, Sobel had had his fun looking at it while throwing our things all over the place. When I saw the state of my books I almost cried. Luckily one of the soldiers from F-company, David was his name, was able to tell me where to get some cheap books.
âYou sicken me you know, ever since she came in youâve become a freaking dogâ, Lewis throws from his bed. Dick once again rolls his eyes and starts to neatly fold his clothing. âShe is my wife, Nix. And we have been perfectly professional, you of all people know thatâ, he grunts taking his boots off.
Nix chuckles, the sound a strange thing on itâs own. âI hit a nerveâ, he sings and happily plops down once again.
And once again thank you @iilovemusic12us â€ïž
Are you still there?
/ Part 4 /
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If I ever felt like my feet were going to fall off, it was today. I has just successfully passed my physical fitness test. I was feeling great, but I honestly couldnât feel my legs. The whole night before I had been practicing to get over those walls over at the training obstacle. Which meant that that none of us in our barrack got that much sleep last night, with Lewis and Richard having been at the map exercise at dusk.
But here I was once again, at night wondering around to find Skip. I wasnât completely sure which barrack he was in, but I was determined to check up on his ankle, which had once again been bothering him today. I knew this was inappropriate, but I wasnât going to drop this. He needed it supported for tomorrow for him to keep it from overexerting.
âNurse!â, came a call from behind me. The voice was so sharp it made me jump. When I turned around I was met with a piercing hazel gaze. It was the Dog company lieutenant, Ronald Speirs.
âForgive me sir, Iâm looking for E-company, Second Platoon. A private needs first aidâ, I quickly explain. He just looks at me with even more determination. He then offers me his hand, which I shake firmly. âRonald Speirsâ
I smile at little: âSonja Wintersâ. At that the corner of his mouth turns up and he smirks. âI think everyone in this regimen knows who you are, Nurse Winters.â Then he once again turns serious. âYou do realize that this could get you into some trouble. With the higher ups and with the menâ, he scolds. Itâs clear to see the irritation in his eyes.
âAs I said sir, I just need to check up on a comradeâ, I reason. I knew he was correct, but I still wanted to make sure Skip was fully alright.
âWell then, Follow meâ, he says and turns around. And we walk very very quietly.
--------------
Once we are in front of the barrack, I thank him. But before I can even fully get my thanks out, he walks away. What an odd man.
I knock on the barrack door timidly. When the door opens I am greeted by Bill. âThe hell are you doing here, come in you mickâ, he says and quickly pulls me inside. âYou outta your mind Bambi, there are slimy men all over the placeâ, he then scolds.
I look around the room and see most of the men in looking at me. I turn to Guarnere to ease my nerves. âI just came to see Skip, Bill. No one except Lt.Speirs saw meâ, I softly try to calm him.
His eyes almost bulge out of his head. âOkay letâs talk about crazy maggots then and not slimy menâ, he grunts. Skip luckily comes to my rescue and bows with his hand out âMilady, how can I be of service?â
I grin and take a cotton bandage from my pocket. âNot this again, I donât need any bandagesâ, he groans. I push his shoulders and sit him down on a bed. âPrivate Muck, your ankle is acting up again, it needs to be supported so the twinge doesnât come back and have worse causes! Do you want Sobel to have you out of training?â, I ask with my hands on my hips.
âListen to Bambi, Skip. Better have it wrapped up now, than in a cast tomorrowâ, Joe comments from his bed. I smile and nod at him. Sweet Joe Toye always having my back.
Everyone goes back to their own things as I lower myself to bandage Warrenâs ankle tightly. Once Iâm done I give him a bandage roll. âHave this near, because with all the sweating we do, this probably will be ruined soon. Once you donât feel hesitation to step on the ankle, take it off and save it for later. I know you donât want to take a day off, but please be merciful with these skinny thingsâ, I gently guide him.
He just pats my head and smirks. âOkay Bambi, wouldnât want to disappoint you.â I shake my head at his antics. âThink of Faye when you take care of yourself, God knows she wouldnât want her sweetheart hurtâ, I reason with a gentle grin. The way Skip talked about his sweet Faye Tanner was adorable. I actually gave him a couple romantic poems from my books so he could use them in his letters. It was a little secret of ours, the guys would ruin the sweetness of the gesture.
I stay at the barrack for a little while. Chatting with Muck, Don and Penk. I mostly just sat and listened...and giggled. These boys lightened my heart with their jokes.
âLetâs get you back before someone comes lookingâ, Joe says jumping up. I shake my head âI can find my way outâ, I say and go to the door. Until Bill stoops in front of me. âYou ainât going outta this door without an escortâ, he says tapping my nose.
I roll my eyes smiling and wait for Joe to come. I gently wave at everyone and let Joe lead me out. Once we are out we start softly talking. With Joe it was easy, he was comfortable with silence, and he never saw the need to judge or lie.
âYou miss home yet?â, he asks while lighting a cigarette. I start thinking. Do I miss home? What is home? Me and Richard lived in a barn house in Lancaster. Desperately trying to gather money for our own lot. Do I miss it? Yes I do. In the end there was nothing better than sinking next to Richard after a long day, cuddling up to him in the chilly bedroom. It was not a fancy dream, but it was the nest me and Richard have started with, and that was enough.
âI do, sometimes itâs just better to not think of itâ, I answer. He nods in agreement. âYou miss your husband? You seem so invested in Faye and Skip, itâs odd that you never talk about your own sweetheartâ, he says blowing out the smoke.
I gulp and wring my hands together. He seems to notice my nervous reaction and furrows his brows. âYou ainât gotta talk about it if you donât want toâ, he then adds. âBut if he hurt you, heâs never walking againâ
My cheeks hurt as I smile at him. After the Sobel incident weeks ago, he really had become a dear friend to me. He just needed to see that I was worth the effort. And I sure am happy that I was to him.
âItâs not like that Joe, it really isnât. He just..he is in the army tooâ, I tell him soothingly. His brows lift and he nods. Then he says something that makes me freeze:
âYeah the LT seems like a proper fellaâ
My eyes bulge out of my head as I halt my step. âWhat?!â, I ask sharply. He just shakes his head and smirks. âYou look at Winters like a lost puppy and he looks at you like a protective bear with itâs cubs. At first I thought it was nothing, but then I saw him help you with your gear and those looks ainât just your regular âwell thank you sirââ
I shake my head and my hands tremble. âJoe you canât tell anyone, does anyone else know? Oh no they are going to see me as a hussyâ, I almost start pulling my hair. It feels like a carpet has been just pulled from under my feet. All my achievements would mean nothing to the men from now on.
âHey, hey, Sonja! SONJA!â, Joe raises his voice making me halt. âNo one has said a word about you two. I just happened to notice. What you told me made me guess. You two are so professional itâs hard to even tell if he likes you or notâ, he soothes rubbing my upper arms. I bite my lip and look at the ground.
âYou are such a proper girl, not one of us would call you a hussy. You ainât like that, Winters isnât like thatâ, he continues. I look at him in the eye and only see kindness. Kindness and honesty in those button eyes. I nod and take one hand thatâs on my shoulder. âthank youâ, I whisper.
For the rest of the walk we just walk while he sings softly. Once we come to my barrack he takes my hand again. âYou can trust me Sonja, Joeâs cotchaâ, he smiles and then takes off. I smile softly too. He and Skip just might be the only friends Iâve ever truly had.
-------------------
The maneuvers with Sobel have been getting worse and worse. He is jumpy, he is unprofessional and most sadly: he does not know how to work theory in practice.
Nix also got moved to the battalion staff. He was now packing the rest of his stuff. It felt odd, I had come used to spending time with the man. He was very odd company, but the more you get used to him, the more pleasant you see him.
âWhat are you gonna do?â, Lewis asks as we discuss Sobelâs field work. I know it is very unprofessional of me, but my eyes almost become stars when I look at my husband in his Ike jacket. I shake my head and grin at the thought.
âNothing, just keep training the menâ, Richard answers, just as a short fellow hops in. I quickly stand up too.
âAm I interrupting?â, the man asks. As me and Nix look at each other. Richard answers for us as he rises up: âNo, no. Lt. Lewis Nixon, Nurse Sonja Winters, Lt. Harry Welsh just in from the 82ndâ, he introduces. I smile at Harry kindly and shake his hand. âAhh the beautiful lady wifeâ, He grins with his tooth gap.
I smile too, all the officers know the setting.It was easier that way and when things got serious, it was very practical. âBeautiful wife for a beautiful manâ, I say knowing it would make my husband flush.
Harry chuckles and moves to shake hands with Lew. âCongratulations on the promotionâ
âAh, thanks. If you wanna call it that. Youâll learn them pretty quickly. Sheâs holy Mary, biblical little lady with a husband to match: No flaws, no vices, no sense of humorâ, Lewis manages to hint. I glare at him and he just looks at me with a million dollar smile.
âJust like your chums up at Battalion Staff?â, Richard quips. I grin at him and go to gently brush his jacket straight. Which it already was, but better be as neat as possible. While I do that Dick turns his head to Harry: âWhatâs up?â
âIâm hearing a lot of rumblingsâ, you can hear the concern in Harryâs voice. Lew catches on quickly: âSobel? We were just talking about thatâ
âSo he gets a little jumpy in the field?â, Harry confirms as I turn back to him and Lewis. âHe gets jumpy and you get killedâ, Lewis nods. I look at him with raised brows and a dry expression. âWhat?â, he asks.
âArenât you just tactfulâ, I say pointedly. He chuckles: âhaha, sorry Dick, Iâve rubbed up on her.â I roll my eyes, in his eyes you could see the pride of being bad influence. And I am in deep shame that Iâm not immune to it.
Richard just continues with the topic of Sobel. âListen, if we discuss it, it should be among ourselvesâ, he says looking at all of us very pointedly. We all quickly agree, and then the devil himself jumps in.
We are moving out.
@iilovemusic12usâ
Are you still there?
/Part 5/
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Please, if you could. leave your opinions of this series in the comments :)
l yawned as I sat with Eugene Roe and Ralph Spina at the train wagon. My head was aching and my throat was sore. It was really getting tough to stay awake. I wasnât going to ask for sick leave, but I felt like there was a spiky hairball stuck to my throat. So much for enjoying the train ride. No, Sonja, you are finally able to relax a little. I shouldnât be ungrateful and take these moments for granted.
I slowly take my cross pendant and give it a little kiss of thanks for the little moment of peace. Ralph raises his brows from across me. âYou praying?â, he asks kindly.
I shake my head: âIâm thanking God for being able to rest.â He nods and looks at me with a soft look. Eugene also smiles, they truly are a pair of truly empathetic men. âSo youâre religious?â,Eugene asks.
âEvangelical Lutheranâ, I answer. âMy whole dads side of the family is, with you know them being Finnish. I was actually confirmed thereâ, I explain. Religion was something I valued. It did not rule my life, but belief was something that gave me a feeling of contentment. I want to live a pure life, and as long as I keep my intentions pure, I want to belief that something out there is looking out for me.
âDo you actually speak Finnish?â, the Cajun gentleman asks. I chuckle âYhtĂ€ hyvin, kuin sinĂ€ puhut Ranskaaâ, I answer and they look at me both very confused. I giggle at their expressions. âI just said that: As well as you speak Frenchâ
With Richard and Lewis
Richard Winters was calmly writing into his notebook as he heard a very familiar voice behind him: âGoing my way?â
The red head stopped writing for a moment. âWhere the train takes meâ, he answered. Being the calm and collected man he was, he didnât feel the need to pester his friend for information. Even if he seemed to be very adamant for him to take interest.
âWhere do you suppose that might be?â
âHavenât got a clueâ
âYeah, come on. Take a guess. Atlantic, Pacific, Atlanticâ, the button eyed officer hints. Richard continues writing to his notebook. He couldnât deny being a little curious, but he could live without knowing. Lewis on the other hand couldnât live without sharing. âIâm not the intelligence officerâ, Richard interrupts his friends guessing game.
âAs such, I know, but if I told you, Iâd have to kill youâ, Lewis quips as he leans closer to Dick.
âSo donât tell meâ, Dick answers just as cool and collected as before. It truly amazed Lewis, the amount of self restraint the lieutenant in front of him had. It was admirable, but amusing as well. If your humor is sick enough of course.
Lewis makes his way and sits in front of his friend. âNew York City. Troop ship.England. Weâre invading Europe, my friendâ, he says seriously and pulls a flask from his back pocket.
âFortress Europaâ, he salutes and pushes the flask towards his friend. Dick still looks as cool as before. âSince when do I drinkâ, he inquires dryly. The dry expression and amusement leave his face quickly after Lewis ends up admitting to hiding a case of his favorite whiskey: VAT 69, into his pristine friends footlocker. Dick was not sure which worried him more, the fact that his friend had just sneaked it in or the fact that his friend was so actively drinking. God knows he didnât want to see Lew hurt.
Dick looks very displeased as Lewis offers the flask to Harry, before a thoughtful expression takes over as he looks at the flask, making Lewis raise his brow. Was he really considering taking it?
âSonjaâs throat was sore. Might be wisest to get her here and offer some without the men seeingâ, Richard says after a while. Lewis shakes his head: âShe is a nurse! Iâm not wasting my VAT on thatâ he chuckles.
Richard raises his brow, looking very displeased again. âAnd since when was her health a wasteâ, he whispers looking very serious. Harry next to him laughs. âGod Nix, go find her or heâll be pissy all dayâ
Nix nods and stands up with a smirk attached to his face. Dick shakes his head, and people dared to say that traveling with friends was pleasant.
Sonja
My brows furrow as I see Lewis Nixon make a very determined path towards me. And no there was no chance he was coming to see someone else. He locked his eyes with mine and you could see the mischief dancing in his brown orbs.
He smirks as he stands next to me quickly nodding to Spina and Roe, before leaning closer and whispering into my ear: âJosef calls Mary, I repeat Josef calls Maryâ
I pull a face and look at him like he had just gone crazy. He seems to be happy with that, and takes my arm helping me up, before taking a hold of my shoulders and literally pushing me where he wants.
âLewis, could you kindly explain, why you decided to kidnap me?â, I ask with mock kindness. âAs I said, Josef needs Maryâ. I roll my eyes at his joke.
âYou really arenât as funny as you think you areâ, I point out, before I let out a small cough. âShut up, holy Mary, Iâm absolutely hilarious. Though you sound a little roughâ, he says and I do hear the actual care in his voice.
I look at him tilting my chin up and smile gently. âJust a little sore throat. Iâm a nurse I know how to work it outâ, I soothe. He just shakes his head and says under his breath: âDonât I know itâ
When we make it to their seat Harry jumps up from next to Dick and he and Lewis maneuver me over to his old place.
âOkay, Maiden fair rescued from the wolves, and Knight Lewis Nixon just got off the hook, thank youâ
So much for being subtle boys. I look around and see no alarming faces. With that I slouch a little and lean against my husbands shoulder. Richard seems to do the same check and brushes my thick brunette locks back before planting a kiss on my forehead. Harry is looking at us with a soft grin, he really was such a romantic. As was I, him talking about Kitty made me feel all kinds of joy for them.
Then he does the most surprising thing, he holds his hand out for Lewisâs flask. I open my mouth to ask why was he offering his teetotaler wife a drink, but I donât get the chance. âDrink, itâll ease your painâ, Richard whispers and holds the flask near my mouth.
My mouth comes to the most loving smile as I look into his eyes. This caring angel of a man. âYou noticed, huh?âI whisper tenderly.
I raise my other hand to tip the flask with his and take a small ladylike sip. The taste is..not my favorite and I pull a face. It felt like those shivers you get when you drink cold tea from the bottom of the mug.
âThank youâ, I whisper and we pass the flask back to Lewis. Who looks positively horrified. âI just gave you five star liquor and you pulled a damn face. No woman, you donât say thank you. You apologizeâ, he scolds. I canât even tell if he is serious or not.
âoh forgive me oh lord of sinâ, I say tiredly and lean against Dick even more heavily. âthatâs more like itâ, I hear the pleased answer. Richard takes my hand and intertwines our fingers. I sigh and sleep better than I have slept since I left Lancaster.
Huge thank you to @iilovemusic12usâ, our chats really mean the world to me! :)
Are you still there? /Part 6/
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I sat quietly in our barrack in Camp Shanks, New York City. It was so surreal that tomorrow we would be going to set our foot out from our home country. It made all of this so sickeningly real
Skip who had just been laughing with Penk and Don, decided to plop next to me onto my bunk.
âAhh!â
And in the process bump me onto the floor. The shocked look on his face was too hilarious. âSorry, sorry, fuck sorry Bambiâ, he mutters as he scurries up and helps me once again to plop next to him.
I giggle softly and shake my head. âDonât worry Skipâ,I pat his head gently as he too chuckles. Then he turns more serious and makes it clear that he wants to have a more private conversation. We both turn so that we are on our sides facing each other, with our hands under our heads like sleeping children. Luckily being private wasnât that hard in the noise the men were making.
âyou seemed pretty bummed about getting the pass to the cityâ, he starts softly. âI mean you donât drink, and you usually spend the free time in the base anyway. Iâm just curious to what was so special now?â, He finishes. I sigh. I could lie to him and make up a believable story about how I wanted to see the city before stepping out, or then I could be true to him the way he has always been to me.
âI was going to spend time with my husbandâ, I whisper. His eyes widen at my confession. âHeâs here?â, he whispers urgently. I nod, my heart racing so hard it feels like itâs on run to my mouth. I gulp and reach into my shirt where lies a ring on a chain with my cross. And on the ring there is a small engraving of my husbands name.
I gently take the chain off and pass the ring to him. He takes a little time to inspect it and get his eyes work in the bad lighting. Then his eyes widen and mouth opens. I quickly jump up and slam my hand onto his mouth.
âWhat the hell are you two doing?â, comes the voice of George Luz. I turn sharply and grab my ring away from Skip. âTalkingâ, I answer quickly. He just raises his brows and blows out some smoke. Then makes a face and nods. I turn back to Skip with a serious expression and mouth: âNo ONEâ
He just grins and smiles. âNot gonna have my Bambi thrown to the wolvesâ, he says tenderly and boops my nose. I breath out and smile back. It felt good to let it out. Skip was so dear to me, it always felt so wrong to keep lying to him.
It also felt very odd to be sleeping with the men. I was now officially put into their barracks. Sinkâs orders: âYouâre familiar now, safe to start blending in.â And it was true, I felt more in touch with the men now. Even if Bill laughed at me because I was too scared to come down from the top bed of a bunk bed. Which lead to Bull gently lifting me down:
âThere we go maâam safely on the groundâ
âPlease, if I ever get a daughter, let them marry a gentleman with your mannersâ
I take a hold of Donâs watch and see itâs already 7.30. Shoot, I need to find Joe. âJoe!â, I shout and in my turn plop down onto his bed, like the true lady I am sitting with my posture perfect and ankles crossed.
âYe ready to go, Bambi?â, he asks and I nod. He slowly gets up and stretches his back. âWell off with us thenâ. And so he starts singing once again. A strangely pleasant and soothing sound.
I had asked Joe to escort me to the officers barracks tonight. I wanted to see Dick before we leave. If this was the last time I saw him, I didnât want it to be just a brief tender moment.
Once we made it to Dickâs barrack, he was already sitting on the steps with his garrison cap on and the dress greens too. I was still in my skirt, but the cap and the hobby jacket were long forgotten.
âThank you, Joeâ, Dick nods to Joe as a dismissal. âMy pleasure lieutenantâ, Joe smiles and takes off. I turn to my husband with a tender grin.
âIâve missed youâ, I whisper and put my hand on his abdomen. Just to soothe me that heâs actually there.
âWeâve been together most of the dayâ; he chuckles. I shake my head still smiling. âNot like we used to beâ, I whisper a little strained. His brows furrow as he brushes my hair behind me ear. He then sighs and cups my face kissing me longingly.
His lips are always so, so warm and soft. The warmth and softness wasnât the concrete feeling maybe, but it was the feeling that brushed my heart. I didnât notice the tears streaming down my face before he pulled back. My hands were still around his waist, and his now cupping my neck.
âDonât cry, darling, not right nowâ, he whispers and kisses my tears away gently. âWe should probably go a little further, someone could walk here any minuteâ, he then adds.
I nod and give him a small kiss onto his adamâs apple, before moving to grasp his arm. Moments like this reminded me so much of our first meeting, well first time we actually got the words out of our mouths.
3rd of May 1936
It was an early morning as Sonja Savolainen was smiling and singing in front of a group of young girls who were singing along with her. They all had their hymnals and catechisms out and smiles on their faces.
Sonja was only 18 and now substituting her aunt as a Sunday school teacher. She was a young, timid girl with a sharp head on her shoulders. Teaching the small girls during the Sunday service was something she thrived on. She was always very lonely with the people her age, not really having the will to socialize, the courage chat and having a strange accent to go and to top that a strong interest in education and research, had quickly left her the odd one out.
Her mother had always said that she is too curious for her own good, but Sonja never saw it as a flaw. She wanted to learn more about everything, and she dreamed of a husband who would support her and be ready to built a whole corner of the world just for them.
She was as pure and proper as a young lady could be. She worked hard in her parents farm, she rarely cursed and tutored children. All in all, she was a kind human being. But with the standards she set for herself, she ended up being self-destructive.
âAlright, alright, children. We can sing more next week, I will still be here. Ms. Miller will come back soon, I promiseâ, she grins. All the eight girls were so sweet, and such dedicated little things. There was this one girl Lena, who had hard time reading, but Sonja promised to tutor her on Friday nights while she still was in Lancaster. In a months time she would be going back to Ham Lake, Minnesota.
Slowly the girls get picked up by their parents. Sonja getting numerous hugs from the children and thanks from grateful mothers and fathers. And bless Lenaâs mother who had brought her a small piece of raisin bread as thanks for her teaching.
Now only ones left in the room were Sonja and small six-year-old Ann Winters. âAnn, darling, isnât your mother picking you up?â,Sonja asks softly and kneels next to the still brightly smiling girl. Ann cutely shows her teeth as she giggles. âNo, Ms.Sonja. my big brother will come though, heâs probybly lost.â Sonja smiles and almost giggles at the way the girl pronounces probably.
âWell we shall wait for him, Iâll stay with you until he finds his way. Maybe you can draw him a map for the next time?â,she chuckles.
âohh, It can be like a treasure map, âcept the treasure is meâ, Ann giggles making Sonjaâs heart warm with her adorable little idea.
âWhat a sweet treasure you areâ, she says and taps the little girls nose. Their chat is interrupted by a knock on the door. Sonja quickly rises and goes to open it.
âHello, you...m-must be Annâs brotherâ, Sonja almost whispers the last part as she looks at the man before her. There stands a tall, red-headed man with the softest blue eyes. Sonja bites her lip, he was stunning.
Richard almost as red as his hair, as he looks at the woman. He was never the most confident with girls and he hadnât expected his sisterâs Sunday school teacher to be a pretty young lady.
âI-I am, maâam. Richard Wintersâ, he says and offers his hand. Sonja takes it smiling softly âSonja Savolainen, please come inâ, she almost whispers again. His hand is so warm and big, in contrast to her own small and as her brother said it, delicate, but chubby hands.
Ann almost screams as she sees Richard. Richard grins and helps his sister get dressed and takes her catechism for safety keeping. âDick, imma make you a big big map, and you will find big big me!â, she giggles enthusiastically. Sonjaâs heart pumps so fast as she looks at the man. He is so calm so soothing, at least from the five seconds sheâs interacted with him.
âForgive me maâam for keeping you waiting, is there anything I could help with?â, he asks as he takes Annâs hand and tries to keep her from jumping to the roof. Sonja really canât stop her heart from jumping like Ann.
âoh, no no , Ann is a very well behaved girl. It was a pleasureâ,she says and starts to gather her own things. âoff you two go, I can manageâ, she finishes. Richard smiles at her softly. His own heart beating so fast that he cannot get the words to of âthank you, trulyâ out from his mouth.
âGooâbye Ms.Sonja!â Ann says and waves. Richard smiles and offers his free hand to shake again. âThank you maâam, we-we will probably see each other againâ, he gulps. Sonja bites her lip again and takes his hand.
âLets hope soâ, she says and then blushes blood red. Why did she have to say that. My god, why did she have to be so forward. Richard takes one look at her warm chocolate eyes again, nods and then takes off with his little sister.
The moment their eyes had met, their souls were bound.
Present
I grin stupidly at the memory. We finally find a dark corner where we can sit and talk in peace. We take a seat on this big rock with our arms still wrapped together.
âYou alright?â, he whispers as he looks at my grin. I nod and cup his cheek with my free hand. âYou seem to be awfully in your head tonightâ, he then adds.
âJust thinking of youâ, I answer and giggle as he still after all this years manages to blush. âDo you think that the lot we were looking at could be free in a couple years?â, I suddenly ask. He shrugs.
âIf we get enough money from here, we can start making an offerâ, he says quietly. âBut we still need some money to built the house, so weâd still have to live in the barn.â I can see the pain in his eyes as he says those words.
I smile at him tenderly now stroking his brow and take his garrison cap off. âI donât really care, the barracks are even more uncomfortable. And in the barn Iâll have youâ, I try to soothe. He smiles a little strained as he seems too to be deep in thought.
âI did carry you over that thresholdâ, he says. I give him a sound kiss. âyes, you didâ, I grin.
Then his face turns grim. âAnd next time I carried you we were both covered in your bloodâ, he swallows. My grin fades and the tears try to gather again. I shake my head and kiss him softly again. I leave my face so close to his that our noses are touching. âIâm still here, Richie, and no one is taking me awayâ, I whisper. He presses his forehead against mine strongly and closes his eyes.
He then presses his lips to mine with urgency. He maneuvers me so that Iâm sitting sideways on his lap, his hands firmly supporting my waist. I deepen the kiss and press as close to him as physically possible with our clothing on. His other hand goes to cup the back of my head as I tangle my hands into his fire red hair.
It feels so good to kiss him, to feel his arms around me. But itâs torture, because I want him, I need him. And this was only stoking the already existing fire.
When he pulls away I can see his pained face.
âI-I need you, but I canât do this. Not like thisâ, he says his voice rough, his bedroom voice. I can feel him against me. It all makes me so needy that I almost feel ashamed. It would, if I didnât love this man as a part of my soul.
And thatâs how we sit. For an hour and a half. Trying to calm ourselves, softly talking, kissing and praying.
@iilovemusic12usâ
Are you still there? Richard Winters x OC - Masterlist
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âI leaned in and I was ready to let her hurt me. But she never did. She leaned in too, so I could lean back and let her protect meâ
âHe knows how he could hurt me, because he knows where my armor ends. But he chooses to protect me, because he knows where my skin beginsâ
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
And a big big thank you to my writing comrade @iilovemusic12us!! â€ïž
HOW TO SAY I LOVE YOU (WITHOUT SAYING I LOVE YOU)
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Summary: Everybody in Easy Company can see that Shifty is like a love-sick puppy with a cute truck driver. He loves her, but he's too shy to confess. Popeye, his best friend, can no longer stand to see it. Floyd Talbert is the man of the hour and knows how to get Shifty, who can barely say I love you", to say those three words without actually saying the words. The way to solve this pining? A classic carnival date.
Word-Count: 7.4k
Notes: Howdy y'all! Once again, I am back from the dead! School has been a little crazy lately. I'm still working on requests and opening up some prompts, but I have two essays that are due in a month and aka-my life is a mess but...writing. I hope you guys will forgive me for dying and take this tooth rotting fluff of Shifty and cheeky tab! Shifty basically has a phd in being adorable. It's pure fluff, not a single ounce of angst! Once again, fem reader. Also unbeta read, we die like idiots. Enjoy!
Taglist: @tvserie-s-world @easy-company-tradition @liebgotttme @50svibes (add yourself to my taglist)
âOh, itâs hopeless!â Popeye sighed, his face landing into his hands. It had gone on for too long. At that point, it was sickening to watch Shifty. As much as Popeye loved him, he couldnât stand to watch him attempt flirting, or whatever he was doing with his crush. Something had to be done, and the infamous playboy Floyd Talbert was the perfect person for the job.
Floyd had a smirk sprawled across his face as he looked behind Popeye, seeing the interaction blossom between Shifty and his crush. Shifty towered over them, shining his pearly whites and saying something inaudible, earning a sweet chuckle. His sun tanned cheeks turned tomato red as he rubbed his nape.
âI love Shifty, but that poor boy doesnât even know heâs in love with her.â Floyd remarked. Being a serial dater, he knew how to charm people, with his dashing looks and personality. Floyd studied the Virginian, struggling to hide his obvious affections. His bright smiles, rosy cheeks, spotting them within the crowds-the boy was enamored with her.
Not only was Shifty in love, but so was y/n. Shifty and y/n were both quiet, and shy people. They were adored by the company as being the nicest people alive. You were a truck driver assigned to the company in Aldbourne. Being the only girl donned in pants, the men of easy company were both intimidated and intrigued with you. When you werenât driving trucks, you were either subjected to Floydâs advances or the mortar trio attempting to flex their muscles. Y/n eventually eased her way into the company, becoming âEasyâs girlâ. Even though you felt welcomed, you didnât really have a friend you could rely on.
That was until you met Shifty Powers. You met him by accidentally running into him with a box full of mountains. He, being the kind soul he was, offered to help you reorder the thousands of bullets. In exchange, you offered him a ride to a location he was running late to. He introduced himself by Darrell, insisting that you called him by his real name with a smile on his face. He was an undeniable gorogues with sun tanned skin, a smile to die for, and chocolate hair that was golden in the sun. Not only was he attractive on the outside, but within. You were convinced that Shifty could do no wrong whatsoever. Heck, you also believed that he was legally not allowed to curse.
Ever since that encounter, you and Shifty had begun to hang out more. The two of you would talk for hours on end, explore the town of Albourne, escape the bars and find a little bookshop or peaceful space to talk. It was soothing to sit next to Shifty and simply hear him breathe, talk, or smile. It always makes your bleak world a tad bit better. But you were convinced that Shifty wasnât interested in you, he was too innocent. So you decided that the farthest you would be is friends. And yet, it didnât sit well with you.
Floyd had noticed that y/n was in love herself. Whenever she was around Shifty, sheâd become a mess as well, being clumsy and blushing red. Sheâd twist a strand of hair in her fingers every time Shifty looked at her, batted her long eyelashes, and looked in the distance to find Shifty, intent on his target, letting out a dreamt sigh.
Floyd was in love with y/n. After all, it was rare to find a female in a company full of men. However, Floyd was Shiftyâs best friend, and he wanted what was best for both of them. Popeye could see this too and he was sick of seeing two people who didnât even know what they were in love with each other.
Floyd, Chuck, and Popeye watched Shifty and you say something to each other. It was pouring outside. Attempting to find your rain jacket, it was nowhere in sight. Shifty, seeing your frustration, took off his jacket and gently put it on your shoulders. You turned around and tried taking it off, but Shifty insisted that you stay warm.
âMy paâ always made sure my maâ would stay warm. Itâs the best I can do,â He reassured.
âOh Shifty, thank you. This is too kind. How can I repay you?â You offered, wrapping the jacket around your body.
He shook his head, smiling, âI donât need a single thing from you, miss y/n.â
âBoy, the world truly doesnât deserve someone like you.â You stated, standing on your tippy toes. âLetâs get out of here so I can sneak you a Hershey bar, or two. How does that sound?â
Shifty froze and looked side to side. It felt like the devil was tempting him. But he could never see y/n as a devil. She was a beautiful angel in his eyes.
âWell,â Shifty put a finger to his lips, âThat does sound mighty fine, Miss y/n.â
You took his hand and dragged him to the door, your laughter echoing in the door. Shifty held the door open and let you exit first before closing the door, making your way to the supply room to eat chocolate.
Once Shifty was out of sight, Popeye turned back to Floyd. âIâve tried to ask him, trust me. He won't say a dang word on it.â He explained, âHe thinks miss y/n wouldnât like a fellow like him. But Iâm pretty sure she loves him.â
âYou kidding?â Chuck added on, âShe spoils him with free food, contraband, whatever. Anything he wants, he gets. She doesnât do that to any of us.â
âWell, miss Y/n did give me hershey bar last week,â Floyd proudly smirked.
Chuck looked unashamed, âYeah, because you were trying to convince her to go to the amusement park with her this weekend.â
The Boy from Kokomo playfully rolled his eyes, âShiftyâs not her only favorite.â For a second, he froze, a thought finally coming in his mind. âWait...the amusement parkâŠâ
âShe already said no to that one, and all the other dates,â Chuck said.
âI know that,â Floyd replied, rubbing his chin, âI got an idea. For Shifty and Miss y/n.â
Chuck and Popeye looked at eachother, and then Floyd. They could already see the idea forming, but it would take a lot of work.
âIâve known Shifty all my life. Heâs too shy to ask a girl out,â Popeye acknowledged, âHeâs too scared of being rejected.â
âI know that.â Floyd pointed his finger as he stood up and fixed his belt, âIâve got a plan.â
âFor once?â
âYes-be quiet,â Floyd teased, âAll those two need is a little push.â
-----------
Shifty looked up and down at the brightly colored paper and at y/n, who was loading up the back of a supply truck. His mouth hung open as his eyebrows rose in diseablief.
Floyd, Chuck, and Popeye stood all in front of him, waiting for an answer. Shifty shook his head and shoved the paper back in Floydâs hands.
âOh, I canât do that. No way.â Shifty denied, his cheeks growing red.
Popeye let out a defeated sigh as Floyd clicked his mouth, walking up to Shifty. âYes way! Have you not seen the way y/n looks at you?â
Shifty looked in the distance and then back at Floyd, âWhat? No! She looks at me like I look at you-like a friend. Besides, youâve seen miss y/n,â Shiftyâs gaze turned back to you as the butterflies fluttered in his stomach, âShe made it clear âdat she âdun needaâ man, and I wanna respect âdat wish. âSides, she wouldnât be into a guy like me.â
Popeye shook his head, âGod darn it Shift! You gotta realize dat your-â
âIn love. L-O-V-E.â Floyd teased, budding shoulders with Shifty. âBased on the dames Iâve been with in Kokomo, I know how women work. She looks at you like a lovesick puppy. The two of you are meant for eachother.â
Shifty looked at Floyd, blinking his eyes like a child looking at a math equation. He still wasnât understanding. âBut...oh, leapinâ lizards! Miss y/n would be into a guy like you. You get all âda pretty ladies...how do you dewit?â
Upon hearing Shiftyâs pleas for help, Floyd let out a chuckle and slapped Shiftyâs shoulder, who looked like a lost lovesick puppy.
âShifty, Shift, my dearest friend,â Floyd reassured, giving him a double pat, âThatâs why Iâm here. Youâre getting the best advice from your best man.â
Chuck rolled his eyes, âFan-fucking-tastic Shifty, you boosted his ego. This is going to be great.â
Floyd looked at an unassumed Chuck, giving him a pout. âOh come now, Chuck! Look at him, heâs in love.â
âBut you like Miss y/n! I donât wanna steal her. I mean, I want someone who can treat her right,â Shifty said, resting his hands on his cheeks.
âShifty, as your friend, Iâm pretty sure everybody in easy company wants Miss y/n to accompany them at the bar for a dance or two.â Floyd explained, trying to encourage Shifty. âI know how much you love her, and I think itâs fair to give you a shot. The only way youâll get what you want is by working for it.â
He saw Joe Toye walk by you. And even Joe Toye, one of the scariest people in the company, gave miss y/n a subtle nod. She smiled back and gave him a wave, a bandanna in your hair and dirt smudged on your cheek.
Just your mere presence made Shifty melt like an ice cream cone on a hot summerâs day. No matter what you were in, your uniform or covered in pig guts, you always found a way to be absolutely gorgeous. When Shifty had first bumped into you, he was convinced you were a fallen angel. You were too beautiful and bright in the rainy, gloomy Albourne. Yet there you were, always by his side with a smile on your face and story to tell.
Shifty let out a dreamy smile, a crooked smile on his face. âI wanna say I love herâŠâ Shifty added on.``...without sayinâ I love her.â
The boy from Kokomo cracked his knuckles, âWell, donât I just got the plan for you too. How does nice and slow sound?â
----------
âWhat are you doin? Stop pushinâ me! I canât dewit!â Shifty whispered in a hush as Floyd and Popeye pushed him towards the truck where you were loading supplies for easy company.
âBoy, quit being afraid of anything. Take that leap of faith!â Floyd called out before pushing Shifty near the truck before he and Popeye hid for cover.
Shifty turned around to find them before he heard a familiar voice call his name.
âShifty?â
The Virginian sharpshooter turned his shoulder and hid his hands behind his back, smiling with a piece of his golden chestnut hair falling on his forehead. âMiss y/n! Pleasure to see âyah. I hope I wasnât interruptinâ anythinâ too important.â
âShifty, youâre too sweet. I was just finishing the last load of K-barsâŠâ You explained, lifting a large box and shoving it into the back of her full truck, unable to see. Finally, done after a long day. Wiping the sweat off of your forehead, you walked towards Shifty only to be greeted by a variety of poppies.
â âere, got âem for you. You said you like the color redâŠâ Shifty blushed, looking to the side. Floyd and Popeye hid behind the side of the truck, giving him a thumbs up.
You took the flowers and examined them, a smile growing on your face. âOh, these are so sweet! Thank you..â You put the flowers in the pocket of your overalls to retrieve a few hershey bars from the back of the truck, âIâll getchaâ somethin-â
âWait, miss y/n!â Shifty announced, following after you as he grabbed your soft hand, pulling you back. You tripped on your own feet, almost falling to the ground before Shifty catched you, his hand on the small of your back. The two of you stared at each other, cheeks both burning with desire.
Shifty coughed and lifted you up, neating your ruffled shirt and cap with your hair messily tucked into. âS-sorry, IâŠwould like to ask you somethinâ. Not chocolate, maâam.â
You raised your eyebrows, insisting that he go forward with his response, his hand still in yours. He didnât even notice, but you did. You could recognize his soft, tan skin from anywhere.
âWould you go to the amusement park with me? As my date?â Shifty blurted out like word vomit, âI mean, only if you want. If you donât wanna go with somebody like me, then I understand.â
âYes, of course I would!â You also blurted out, your face red like a tomato. You took your cap off and hid your face, embarrassed by yourself. Inhaling, you let out an exhale before pulling yourself together. âShifty, I would love to go with you. I wasnât even planning on going at all until you asked me.â
Shiftyâs eyes sprinkled with happiness, like a child on Christmas morning. âReally? You wanna?â He squeezed your hand, realizing that he was still holding it.
You looked up at him with a warm smile, placing your dirty hand on top of his. âYes, I would love to.â
Shifty looked speechless. The rumors were true; his smile was infectious. Perfect and bright like the sun of a warm summer day.
âSufferinâ succotash!â He cried, âMiss y/n? Can I ask you one last thing?â
âYes, Shifty?â
âCan I give you a hug?â
It was definitely not what you were expecting. But then again, you werenât hesitant. Shifty could do no wrong-he simply seemed over the moon about asking you out. You were as well, but seeing Shiftyâs excitement made you smile and accept it. He was too cute for his own food.
âYes, you can.â You opened your arms only to have long hands pull you up and spin you around. It was a quick welcome as you spun around, heartfelt laughter escaping from you and Shifty. Shifty could do no wrong, whether that be at shooting or giving the best bear hugs. They were bear-like, but affectionate and protective. He trapped his arms around your waist as you held the back of his necks, your fingers tangled in his soft hair which shined in the sun. Shifty looked amazing no matter what, always glowing.
Babe threw the clown nose off of his face along with the roses Guarnere had picked out for him. Eugene was walking by, mortified to see Babe dressed (apparently) as a clown and a disappointed Guarnere. Not an unusual sight.
âHeffron,â Eugene walked towards a sad Babe, scanning his figure. âWhat are you doingâŠâ
âIâm heartbroken! Look at them!â Babe mourned, pointing at you and Shifty in an embrace, happily giggling. âI was gonna ask miss y/n out and give her these roses. I dressed up like a clown since I thought we could both be clowns together.â
Eugene simply blinked, perplexed by Babeâs logic. All he could think of was the word Yikes. He wouldâve most likely scared away y/n instead of winning her heart over. âPardon?â He looked at Guarnere for answers, who simply shrugged at him.
âDonât look at me like that. I tried, the kid wouldnât listen. Heâs a lovesick puppy with that damn dame.â Guarnere explained, crossing his arms as he looked at the happy couple.
The Cajun medic, along with Babe the sad clown and Guarnere, observed you and Shifty. A small smile crooked at his lips. He normally wasnât one for gossip or dating, but he was happy for the two of you. Even someone as quiet as him didnât deny the obvious chemistry between the two of you. It was like the two you were destined to be together. Humble, adored, and both beautiful in your own, respective rights.
âYeahâŠâ Eugene slowly bopped his head, âThere sure like lovesick puppiesâŠâ
-----------
The Carnival brought light into the gloomy Alborunte with itâs bright rides, laughing children, and joyful ambience. Shifty could recall his childhood with Popeye. Every year, theyâd have a carnival during the dog days of August. He loved the shooting games, winning thousands of plushies and eating candy with Popeye until he was sick. He was sure his Ma still had the plushies tucked away in the attic.
But instead of feeling overjoyed, he felt like he was walking on eggshells.
He waited at the entrance with Floyd, Popeye, and Chuck. Chuck kept looking down at his watch, keeping lookout for y/n as Floyd gave Shifty a final pep talk. They were all dressed in fresh uniforms with showers and fine cologne. It was a refreshing change, even if it was for one night.
âRemember, play it cool. Youâre sweatingâ like a damn dog!â Floyd said, fixing a stubborn curl into his cap.
âOh, I donât think I can do this. I mean, miss y/n deserves a real man. I mean sheâs soâŠâ Shifty rambled on before Popeye swatted him on the shoulder, gardening his attention to y/n in the crowd. You were far away but to Shifty, you were still recognizable. The girls in the crowd wore plain and monotone colored dresses but you wore a beautiful floral button up with sheer sleeves and ruffles, your makeup done. It was the first time Shifty had ever seen you without your flap cap and dirt on your face, and he wanted a better look.
âBeautifulâŠâ
Floyd smirked and patted Shiftyâs shoulders, letting out a dreamy sigh, âGod damn it Shifty, youâre lucky Iâm being nice to you. Hottie on the dot. Go get âem, tiger.â
Giving him a push on encouragement, Shiftyâs friends eventually faded into the crowd. Gulping, he began to walk forward towards y/n, who stood in the crowd, waiting in the exact location Shifty told her to wait in. Catching him the corner of his eye, she smiled with her red lips and walked over.
âShifty!â Y/n exclaimed with glee, looking at his clean uniform and quivering an eyebrow. âThank goddess I found youâŠand you look handsome in your uniform.â
âSays the pretty lady talkinâ,'' Shifty commented back as he looked down at your tinier form. Now that you were up close, he could admire every little detail from your rosy cheeks, red lipstick, manicured hands, and glimmer in your eyes from the fairy lights. âI mean, you always look very nice but tonight you look stunningâ.â
âOh quit beingâ nice to me, Shifty.â You playfully swatted his shoulder, âEvery guyâs in the companyâs said that to me. Not half of them even acknowledged me before I got dressed up.â
Shifty, like a confused puppy, tilted his head. How could someone such as y/n, who he considered to be the prettiest lady he had ever seen.
âWhaddya mean? You always have been very pretty, maâam.â Shifty acknowledged, his hands fiddling behind his back. He could feel his palms sweating, seeing the moon reflect onto your glowing skin. âYou always look beautiful. Itâs just tonight that you look even more beautiful than you usually do.â
You shook your head as you looked down, fiddling with the sides of your dress. Nobody had said those words to you in years. They were truly heartfelt and not some cheap way of getting into your pants. âI may not see it, but thank you Shifty.â
âWell, my maâ has always told me that Iâm one bad liar. I like to say it how it is,â Shifty insisted with a finger in your face, âand Iâm saying that you are one heckaâ ovaâ pretty gal.â
You smiled at Shifty, amazed by how cute he was. He didnât even have to try, it was all natural. âOh ShiftyâŠ.â You looked down at your shoes, seeing your feet brush against his boots. Clearing your throat, you looked up to talk. âIâŠâ
Before you could say a word, you could see Floyd Talbetr in the back. He noticed you talking to Shifty and upon seeing you, had a devilish smirk sprawn over his handsome face. You clicked your tongue, shaking your head. âOh goodness, doesnât he see Iâm on a date?â
Shifty turned around and bit his lip. He gently grabbed your hand. It felt natural in the moment too, his larger work in your pretty manicured hand. âThat son of a gun! Iâm sorry âbout him, miss y/n. âEre, letâs go. Iâm sure heâll find another lady, but not as pretty as you. I mean she would be very pretty, but not the miss y/n typaâ pretty.â
The two of you walked side by side, hands together. You looked at Shifty, raising an eyebrow. âAre you gonna keep callinâ me pretty the whole night?â
Shifty nodded his head like an enthusiastic child, âLike I said, if itâs true, is true.â
---------
Once the two of you escaped the infamous playboy, you and Shifty walked around the amusement park. The two of you had eventually let go of your hands since something had caught your eye, causing you to mindlessly wander. Shifty followed you like a puppy dog, whatever you wanted to do he wanted. Besides, anything with you was time well spent. Carnivals were something he always enjoyed with their bright lights and shiny attractions, especially with a pretty girl he was in love with. He forgot he was in a raging war whenever he looked at you; with your soft smile and calming words. Just for one night, Shifty could escape into his fantasy world with you, which to his surprise was the reality he was currently standing in.
You were full of life in the park, dragging Shifty to every ride, whether it be scary or for toddlers. The two of you first stopped at the Haunted House, which Shifty was terrified to go into. You were scared, but it was the rush of adrenaline driving you. Shifty wanted to impress you, so he held your hand hand for âsafe precautionâ and walked in front of you. It was adorable to see him jump back at the slightest scares and mumble under his breath an alternative curse word, such as âleapinâ lizardsâ or âgreat scott!â
As the two of you exited the haunted house, lost in conversation, the two of you had been jumpscared. Shifty jumped and grabbed your waist, pulling you in for protection. You felt his stomach on your back and his firm grasp on your waist. You looked up and Shifty, who immediately realized what he was doing. The two of you broke into laughter, a few snorts in the middle. Shifty slowly let go of your waist, wanting to hold on longer.
âSorry miss y/n.â He apologized, bowing his head. âJusâ got a lilâ scared in the moment. I donât mean to be a coward.â
âA coward? Nonsense,â You smiled in reassurance and grabbed his hand, âYour no coward to me. Now come on! Thereâs more rides to go!â
Shifty was distracted by your beauty as you dragged him along. Once again, the two of you trekked around the park. He was lost in your gaze. How did a guy like him end up with a lady such as yourself? It was hard to deny the butterflies in his stomach. He had never dated in the past. Yes, he had crushes, but they never acknowledged his feelings. Heâd do anything for his crushes whether to be holding their books, walking them back home, anything for them, yet he never had his feelings returned. He always felt like he was the second choice. But with you, it was different. You were truly his best friend, and he wanted you to know it, but he still had no idea how to say it.
The two of you decided to take a break and ordered a sugary milkshake to boost your energy for another hour of rides. The two of you sat at a small table in the back, watching the happy couples and children in the distance. The waiter had brought over a milkshake, interrupting your peaceful little silence. Shifty wasnât even looking at the crowds, he was simply staring at you. His long legs brushed against yours until they finessed each other, making his cheeks go red.
He looked down and saw one milkshake with two heart shaped straws. You raised an eyebrow and fiddled with the straw.
âOdd,â You remarked, examining the milkshake, â I thought we ordered twoâŠâ
Shifty raised his head to see Floyd Talbert in the back, a smirk as he winked, two girls leaning on his shoulders giggling. Was he following them this whole time? Wasnât he too busy with those girls on his shoulders?â
Shifty tilted his head back down and muttered a curse under his breath, âThat son ovaâ mother truckerâŠâ
âShift?â You questioned. He looked up at you, to see that you were already taking a drink. âYou okay?â
Shifty rubbed the back of his nape, âYes maâam. Maâ apologies.â He looked at the milkshake and your manicured hands holding the cup down. âHey! Leave a lilâ for both of us.â
You cutelty giggled, âI havenât had one of these in a while! I canât help it. After all,â
âStrawberry, itâs the best flavor,â Shifty had said, and you had followed along in his words. The two of your eyes met, both leaned in close to the milkshake. To cut out the awkarenedess, both of you let out chuckles. A small snort emerged from your mouth, in which you soon covered in.
âSorry,â You mumbled, hand over your mouth. Your chuckles became faint, another snort escaping your mouth, âItâs not very ladylike.â
Shifty looked puzzled, âWhatchaâ mean? Whatâs not ladylike?â
âMy laugh,â You answered, âI always snort. Itâs horrible. Whenever Iâd laugh, these girls in my school would make fun of it. I canât really control it, sorry.â
âWhy would they laugh at you?â Shifty looked saddened at your insecurity. You were perfect in his eyes. You truly couldn't do anything wrong. âI think your laugh is very pretty, miss y/n.â
âAs sweet as you are, you donât have to lie.â
Shifty scooted up towards you, his hand sliding onto yours. He had a small smile in his face, his thumb caressing the inner part of your hand. âWell, I am beinâ honest. I ainât a good liar, you know âdat. Iâm sure âdose girls were jealous of you. âsidesâŠâ Shifty looked down and back at you with his hazel orbs, âI like your laugh a lot, miss y/n. âS pretty, âjus like you.â
Oh god, It was happening. Whether it was his cuteness, his Virgianian accent, he was luring you in. You looked up at him as your cheeks grew rosy. The two of you sat there, hand on hand, sipping on a milkshake with the lights glowing in the back. You always had the tiniest crush on Shifty, but it had finally hit you like a bus that it wasnât some tiny schoolgirl crush-but it was truly love.
You had told yourself over and over that the only reason he liked you was because he was nice to you. You were a cheery person, but deep inside, you had been hurt in the past. Always feeling you were the second choice, you shut yourself out from love. Especially in war. Sure, you were friendly towards the men, but you told yourself you wouldnât grow close to them. If they died, it would be better. As cruel as it sounded, it was kinder to them are you. It was for the better, right?
That fateful day you bumped into Shifty Powers changed your aspect. You were officially stupid with love, sitting there at a bright carnival, hand in hand as you sipped on a milkshake. He was too kind for you and the world you lived in.
âYouâre not gonna stop being nice to me, are you?â
âNo maâam.â
----------
After the milkshake incident, you had noticed you clung onto Shifty more. You were a little taken aback when he asked to hug you. Not that you didnât enjoy it, you truly did, and it was something that infected your thoughts. Your cheeks would go red and youâd cover the lower part of your mouth. Whenever Shifty walked into the room, it felt like the sun was shining in the dreary Albourne. Just looking at him made your IQ drop to single digits.
And Floyd had caught onto it before you had even noticed.
Instead of holding Shiftyâs hand, the two of you walked arm and arm, chatting the night away. The two of you exchanged stories of your childhood, home, and how you ended up where you were. He truly was an angel with a bright smile. He wasnât like other guys you had met who bragged about themselves. Whenever you would compliment him, heâd deny it with his cheeks all red from embarrassment.
âYouâre the best shot Iâve ever seen!â You announced, in disbelief. You had seen him practice a few times, and he would hit every target with grace. âYou make it look easy.â
âIâm not a good shot,â Shifty doubted, âBut Pa was a good shot. The best shot Iâve ever seen. I think youâd like Pa a lot.â
As the two of you walked in the crowd, you noticed a shooting booth in the corner of your eye. It was a classic paladone duck shooting game. You smirked and pulled his arm to the side, âWell, prove it then.â
Shifty let out a sigh and stood straight, saluting like you like you were Sobel, but much less intimidating. âYes maâam.â
You saw him stand there, his fingers curled around the trigger and the butt resting against his shoulder. He took a breath and exhaled, and let the bullets blue. Every duck fell to the ground within a matter of seconds. A minute later, Shifty returned with a large stuffed animal and a smile on his face. He handed it to you. It was a tiny, stuffed bear with button airs.
âFor you.â He commented, âI wish they had bigger ones. But I can get you more, if you want.â
You looked at the plusive. You felt juvenile, but it was Shifty. Besides, the two of you werenât in the army in the moment; you were two lovesick puppies, running around a carnival without a care in the world.
âNo, this is...perfect.â You held it close to your chest, âIâll name him Popeye, a good luck charm.â
Shifty had taken you to every booth he could find, effortlessly shot the gates, and won you more stuffed animals. Whenever heâd give you one, youâd smile like a child on christmas. He loved to see you happy, so he kept doing it more and more. In his mind, it repeated like a broken record, âfor y/nâ. Wherever you went, Shifty went. Whatever you wanted, Shifty wanted. He was truly a lovesick puppy.
After Shiftyâs a thousandth win, both of you walked side by side, arms full of plushies. Each of them were named after members of your company. A racoon named Luz, a black cat named Roe, a cub bear named Liebgott, a fox named Babe, a rabbit named Dick, and so many more. You held up a medium sized shark and nudged Shiftyâs shoulder.
âAlright, this one?â
Shifty put some thought into it, âWebster. Doesnât he like sharks?â
You let out a dry chuckle, âYeah, he wonât shut up about it.â
The two of you giggled until hitting the next booth and running into a familiar playboy and his newest addition bound to be one night stands. Floyd noticed you and Shifty arrived. He crossed his arms and walked over, faking a cough.
âLook at what we have here,â Floyd scanned you and Shifty, the both of you with wide eyes and stuffed animals overflowing in your hands, âYâknow Shift, Iâm proud of you. The whole company hates you for it, you lucky son of a gun.â
Shifty softened his eyebrows, âWait, they hate me? What did I do wrong?â
Seeing Floydâs cruel teasing, you interrupted the two. âFloyd, donât be so cruel,â You put a reassuring hand on Shiftyâs shoulder, âDonât listen to him, heâs just being himself.â
Floyd did a fake pout, âOh, come on hon. All due respects, but Shifty hit the jackpot before me. After all, he doesnât miss.â
Shifty and you both went as red as tomatoes, looking sideways. Floydâs armcandy giggled at his comment and playfully slapped him in the chest. He reassured his sweetheart and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her away.
After Floyd had disappeared to do god knows what, Shifty still looked perplexed and concerned. His thoughts were once again racing. Not about the company disliking him, but Floydâs comment. Even though he and Floyd were best friends, the two of them were different. He was a playboy in the spotlight, and Shifty was in the back, always tagging along. Growing up, Shifty considered himself to have a loving family. He saw the way his pa treated his ma; giving her his coat, bringing her presents, and treating her like she was a queen. Shifty had never been with a lady before, and he considered you his first real one. Twenty years of age and this was his first rendezvous with a girl, he couldnât believe it. And he wanted to make sure you were loved and not some jackpot, trying to be won like a competition.
âMiss y/n?â Shifty asked, gaining your attention. He cleared this throat, âI just wanted to tell you that I donât think of you in âdat way.â
âIn the Floyd way? Thatâs alottaâ guys, Shifty.â
âWell, I donât want you to think Iâm doinâ this because of him. Since youâre a very pretty lady, a lot of guys wanted to ask you, and be there arm candy. I just wanted to letcha know now that you're not some kinda prize to be won. I hope to god I ainât makinâ you feel âthat way.â Shifty exhaled, letting all his words come out like word vomit. They came out so quickie that he didnât even know what he was saying.
âShifty, I know you. Youâre a sweetheart,â You kindly affirmed, âAny dame would be lucky to get a guy like you. This has been such a wonderful night, so thank you for that.â The two of you were close to each other, your hands hovering against his chest. His uniform looked perfect on him, you didnât want to mess it up. Your fingers sucked in as they laid at your side, resisting the temptations that were filling your mind. âBut, I do have one request.â
âAnything for you, maâam.â He vowed, letting you take the floor.
âTeach me how to shoot.â
Shifty look behind you at the booth, a shooting gallery, and then back at you. It was an odd request for sure, especially considering the tender moment the two of you shared. âLike here, right now?â He coaxed. Out of the people, him? He was flattered. No lady had ever asked him something such as that.
You nodded, shrugging your shoulders, insisting, âYou are the best shot in the world, after all.â
âAlrighty, if you insist.â Shifty grabbed the small of your back as the two of you walked to the booth. Once you were given the prop gun, you placed the butt on your shoulder and closed an eye, the other looking out of the iron sight. Shifty got right behind you, his chest against your back. He leaned on your shoulder and moved your hand to the trigger and bottom while getting a sniff of your perfume. He never missed, but being around you was definitely a distraction.
âDonât aim for what you're shootingâ, aimâ for where you shootinâ,â He instructed, your eyes focused on the moving targets. Shifty hadnât realized he had put a hand on your waits to turn you over slightly. It wasnât like you minded his gentle touch.
The moving target came up, and with Shiftyâs hand upon yours, you pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the middle of the target, slamming to the ground. However, the two of you didnât stop. Every target that came, you shot and didnât miss once. While you were focused on the red targets falling to the ground, you could also feel Shiftyâs breath on you and his firm grasp on your hips. His fingers were on top of yours and the trigger. Whenever you were to get a target, heâd mutter â âatta girlâŠâ or âaim a lilâ higher, darlinâ.â It made you lose focus, making you thankful that Shifty was right by your side. You lowered the gun, his hands still resting on your hips. When the clerk had announced you had won, you shook it off and walked over to claim your one hundredth stuffed animal. Shifty had a pout as you walked away. He truly enjoyed being close to you.
âHey,â You called, a smile on your face, âThank you. Iâd like to do that again.â
âShootingâ again?â
âOf course. Iâd like to learn how to do it.â
âOh miss y/n, Iâd love to help, but I ainât a good shot.â
âStop denying it,â You affirmed, holding his hands in yours, bringing them to your chest. You looked up at him, the fairy lights glimmering in your eyes, âThat youâre a bad shot and not a gentleman and that I deserve to be with someone who can treat me right. You are an amazing shot. This night has been amazing. You are someone who can treat me right. IâŠâ Freezing on your words, the butterflies in your stomach crippled you. You knew what you wanted to say, but how could you word it into a coherent sentence. His hands scrunched in your chest as you still held them close, like a child with a stuffed animal.
âWell, stop denyingâ you're not pretty'. Because I think you're the prettiest girl Iâve ever seen,â Shifty confessed as he moved closer to your tinier form, âNot only on the outside, but inside. You're kind, always putting others before yourself. You also sneak the company Hershey bars, even though they donât need them. You're so interesting to talk to, you can just...light up a whole room when you walk inside of it,â Shiftyâs cheeks were burning like a fire as he pulled you close to his body, both of your breaths heavy. âI...oh gosh darn itâŠâ
You looked over to the side and turned back to Shifty, âFerries Wheel.â
âHuh?â
âLetâs go. Itâs the last ride of the night before they shut the park.â You exclaimed. Maybe the two of you needed a private place to talk. I love you, it was three simple words. You couldnât say it and he couldnât say it. Maybe it would work, maybe it would be a disaster. You had nothing to lose at
this point.
Shifty and you both walked over, seeing that there was no line for the ride. It was late at night. You only had an hour left on your night pass, and you wanted to make sure you used the most of it. What if always lingered in your mind. You knew not to get close to the men in the company, it was for the better. But now, with Shifty holding your hand, it was undeniable.
The two of you boarded onto the small cart, still hand in hand. No words were spoken between you two. You looked at the bright lights, which were getting smaller as you moved upwards. You could feel Shiftyâs gaze burn into you. Although the two of you
âMiss y/n?â He broke the silence.
âYes, Shifty?â You said, turning to look into his Hazel eyes. He smiled and shook his head, using one of his hands to cup the hand he was holding.
âI donât know how to say this but, I want to be honest with you since we only got a little bit of time to do so. I remember when I first met you and I was speechless, and I still am. Iâve had feelings for you for a long time now but tonight...made me realize them more. It made me realize what a foot I am for not knowingâ sooner. But now, I know. I gotta say it. Miss Y/n, I love you.â Shifty declared, âmore than anything in the world. If you donât like me, âdatâs okay. But I canât hide it anymore. I wanna help you learn how to shoot, I wanna go on more dates with you, I wanna be around you every single day.â
It had finally hit you. You looked at Shifty and chuckled, âYou said it. I love you too. I couldnât find the words for it...but now, I have. I love you, Darrell. â
You moved to Shiftyâs side of the cart and leaned on his shoulder, nuzzling into it as Shifty wrapped an arm around you, pulling you close to his body.
âHave you always loved me?â Shifty questioned, his fingers trailing against your bare arms.
You nodded your head, playing with his fingers. âSince day one. You?â
âSince I first looked at you,â Shifty confessed, âFloyd and Popeye always teased me âbout it. I didnât have the courage to say it before, but theyâŠâ
âHelped you. I guess you're not the only one here,â You sighed, just knowing that Floyd had something to do with this. Of course, it made sense for the playboy to make a matchmaker. âI told Luz by accident and you know Luz. Floyd had overheard our conversation and had to include himself. He helped me get a dress and prepare for this all. So yeah, I guess we both liked each other...but we didnât know it.â
âWell, know we do it. We both love each other,â Shifty said into your hair.
âYeahâŠâ You looked at the night sky, the stars and moon sparkling. âI like that a lot.â
The cart had stopped on top of the ride. In that moment, you felt on top of the world. Shifty had you in his arms, the temperature wa sprague, the sky was beautiful. It was all coming together now-but there was one missing detail.
Shiftyâs arm pulled you in closer before he asked gently, âMay I kiss you, miss y/n?â
That was it, the one missing detail. A kiss to wrap up the perfect moment. You turned your body towards him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. âYes, you can Shifty. You can do it as many times as you like.â
âYes Maâam,â He chuckled like a child. Wrapping his arms on your waist, your lips collided with each other. Your heart began to pound as you felt a desire run from your heart, to my chest, and down toward my inner thighs.
Shifty touched your neck, and the hair as it was moved away nearly gave me the chills. His hands went from the sides of your head and down to your neck, out to your shoulders and down to your hands. He grabbed your hands gently yet firm. You felt safe, he spoke no words. Your heart is about to beat out of your chest as you shut your eyes and took a deep breath out.
Shift kissed my shoulder, and ran his lips on my skin towards my ear, but didn't quite make it that far. It doesn't hurt, it only makes me want more.
Shifty turns you around, and we are facing each other. He stares into my eyes and smiles. Shiftyâs two hands grab your left hand as he places your open palm on his heart, and he holds it there. His eyes exude love, protection, security, safety, patience, and respect. You smile and he lets go of your hands, with one hand he runs his fingers through your hair and gently guides your face closer to his, eventually leaning me in to rest my head on his chest.
His other arm wraps around me, and you hope he never lets go.
And in that moment, the world was still. It was you and Shifty, on top of the world.
Lilyâs War (Chapter 3)
Summary: SOE Agent Lily Darlington is unexpectedly demoted from her position and offered a life changing opportunity to become the first female Paratrooper in US history?
Pairing: TBD - The suspense is part of the fun, no?
Warnings: Mentions of violence, language, Mentions of SA
A/N: Here is chapter 3! Iâm so sorry for the wait. I hit huge slump of writers block, coupled with 14 hour days at work (tv industry problems), but its finally here, and I really hope the next part will be worth the wait.
Chapter 1 / Chapter 2
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Chapter 3.
Camp Toccoa, 1942.
Private Lily Darlington was a smart enough young lady to know that going in as the sole female, and joining an entire, and somewhat established company of men, was never going to be a doozy. What she hadnât anticipated however, was just how much of an utter shit show the first weeks would turn out to be. Having worked the best part of three years within a male dominated organisation, where you wouldnât have a place at the table if you didnât deserve to be there, being thrust back to the beginning was a stark reminder that misogyny was alive and well in the US Army.
From her very first day, the men had built up an idea of her. Lily found it important to make note that not a single man had yet spoken to her during this time frame, or any time after, however, they believed themselves to know everything about her without actually getting to know her. The gossip among the men on how they perceived a woman to be in the face of war was not one of glowing promises. Hours wasted pinning her hair, tears shed at the possibility of ruining oneâs meticulously on trend manicure. There had been a bet as to how long the girl could get up Currahee before collapsing, with no man wasting a bet on if sheâd make it to full pack. Issuing her with a rifle would be simply unthinkable, women are soft and gentle, not trained to kill, she would be a danger to herself, and others if she got her hands on one. How would it be possible for a young woman to share a barrack with eleven other men. Young men, who smoked, cussed, gambled, and talked about things women ought not to hear. She wouldnât stick it out, that was for certain, they gave her one week with Sobel to throw in the rag, War was no place for her, and Easy wouldnât be her Company.
Much to their disappointment, the young girl made it past their premature deadline. By no means had it been easy, but she wasnât failing like the men had initially assumed, and yet, her progress only seemed to make their dislike of her increase growing more and more evident by the day. Introductions were slim to none, most the men had made it quite clear that they werenât interested in becoming friends, and she had resorted to getting to know her fellow company by the names painted on their footlockers and by listening into conversations she wasnât privy to. Incidentally, on the first night, she discovered her belongings had been unceremoniously moved to the far end of the bunk house. Next to the seemingly loudmouthed Private Guarnere, and opposite Private Liebgott, a chap whoâs dislike for her rivalled that of all the others combined, neither of the two were overly gracious about sharing their space, it seems that they had lost a bet in which she was the punishment. Suffice to say that they didnât spent their evenings trading secrets and braiding each others hair, though she did overhear Liebgott mention his interest in shaving hers off when he thought she was asleep that first night. Sheâd resigned to sleeping facing him, with her hair firmly tucked under the covers in an attempt to deter him ever since.
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