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footprintsinthesxnd · 1 year

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Love and War

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Synopsis: Bob Floyd never expected to fall in love during the war, especially not with a pretty, young nurse during basic training. But love works in funny ways and can their love stand the rest of time, the war and the distance that separates them. Warnings: mentions of graphic themes, war, injury, weapons, sexual images, language, 18+.

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Operation Market Garden, Netherlands, September 1944

Bob never realised what true pain actually was until he had been shot. As a child he’d often played Cowboys and Indians with his brothers, pretending to shoot at each other and fake dying, but that had been so far from the truth. Hot, steering pain shot through his abdomen as the bullet flew straight through him. The pain hadn’t come at first but as soon as his knees hit the floor he’d screamed out in agony. He’d seen soldiers sustaining worse wounds than simply being shot, Jackson had been caught in an explosion in Carentan just three months before and still bore the scars on his face and neck to prove it, yet he’d never once complained or grumbled. Even when they were back in Aldbourne and the local women seemed to avoid him due to his scar he didn’t complain.

Aldbourne seemed so far away now, like some distant memory and all too soon they had been jumping back into enemy territory, jumping low into Holland. Bob vividly remembered cutting a replacement out of his parachute after the boy became tangled in the strings. He jumped with his reserve chute even though it had been low and the boy had been crushed under the weight of all the baggage he was carrying.

Bob didn’t know how it happened, one moment he’d been running to shield the injured replacement, he was inexperienced and missed the sniper who was nestled on the roof. The poor boy could have only been 18 years old, fresh from Fort Benning, with little to no battle experience. Bob recalled helping the boy prepare for the jump just days before.

“You jump ready to fight,” he informed him, tightening the boy's webbing and securing the musette bag. “You won’t need your reserve chute, we’re jumping low and if your first one fails you won’t have time to open the second.” He’d continued nonchalantly not noticing the faces of the fearful replacements. “Now we are jumping into enemy territory, you must be quick and precise. Remember your training. Once you land, cut the ties on your parachute, make sure your gun is loaded and ready and follow your platoon leader.” The boys' faces only looked more and more nervous as the time to jump came but Bob reassured them. “You boys will be fine, like I said remember your training, that’s what it’s there for.”

The sniper had hit him in his neck, just missing the jugular but causing the boy to cry out in agony, withering on the tarmac road while his comrades dived off their seats on the Sherman tanks for the banks on either side. He screamed, rolling around while the sniper fired at him again. Now Bob knew this was a trap, snipers often shot one man, leaving him just about alive to draw out the other soldiers but he couldn’t just watch the bit suffer. Against Bob’s better judgment and Private Jackson’s protest, he lunged forward, scrambling up the bank and scurrying over to the wounded paratrooper. He’d managed to drag the boy to the bank, Jackson reached out and helped him pull the boy to cover when the bullet struck him, causing him to fall forward into the ditch.

Bob’s mind was hazy but he simply remembered the pain. He saw Jackson's face above him, slightly blurry and his shouts would have been deafening if not for Bob’s ears ringing from the explosion around them. The grass earth beneath Bob’s fingers shook as he grabbed ahold of it as Jackson began applying pressure to the wound. He watched as the dark, scarlet began oozing from his abdomen and across his pale flesh. He watched as Jackson began shaking out the white powder sulfa to the wound. He watched as Jackson stabbed a surrette of morphine into his thigh. The earth exploded around him, mud flying through the air like fireworks on the 4th of July. Bob just watched, as if everything was in slow motion if he lay quietly everything would be ok.

“Stay with me, Floyd,” Jackson repeated like a mantra in Bob’s mind.

“Where’s Miller?” Bob mumbled out, not realising he was actually talking until Jackson replied.

“He’s coming, buddy, he’s coming. Just hold on for me, Floyd. You’re gonna be fine.”

“I don’t look fine,” Bob mumbled, watching as he bled into the earth around him. “Am I gonna die?”

“No, you’re not gonna die… I promise,” Jackson’s voice broke as he spoke and Bob knew that he couldn’t keep that kind of promise, no matter how much he wanted to. Bob nodded reluctantly, resting his head against the grassy bank behind him. Pale, white clouds danced above his head on the clear blue background, like an artist's paintbrush was dancing across the canvas of the world. Bob was a mere speck of dirt on this artist's canvas, maybe the artist was trying to remove him with the red paint that flowed from his abdomen.

Doc Miller’s voice echoed near Bob’s ear but he didn’t see him, his eyes glazed over as they started to the heavens above.

“Floyd! Floyd, can you hear me?” Miller’s tone was calm and collected as if he were simply chatting to Bob back in the pub in Aldbourne and not saving his life. Bob remembered groaning as the medic began slapping his face, he remembered Lieutenant Nelson’s voice and he remembered being carried. Images flashed before his eyes as the stretcher he was on bumped around in the back of the truck, flashes of light misted his vision as the pain grew through his body. He could feel everything, and at the same time, nothing at all. Bob thought there and then that he was dying, he was going to die and he’d never see (y/n) again, her beautiful smile, hear her laugh, touch her.

Bob could hear your voice breaking through the darkness, he pushed himself towards it, desperately trying to open his eyes but no light came and your voice faded away. “NO! NO COME BACK!” Bob screamed into the abyss of his mind but no one replied, no one came for him.

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The next thing Bob could recall was a heavyweight against his hand, it squeezed him gently, a soft, familiar voice filing his subconsciousness. It was barely above a whisper and Bob wondered for a moment whether he was imagining it until he felt a warm pair of lips against his forehead. Stirring slowly he forced his eyes to open, squinting at the bright spotlight that seemed to shine on him, groaning under his breath.

“(Y/n)…?” He asked groggily, his eyes trying desperately to focus on the figure beside him.

“Hey Bobby,” she answered, leaning forward and running her fingertips across his forehead, brushing away the stray blond hairs. “How’re you feeling?”

“Sore but all the better for seeing you,” Bob mumbled back, his throat crying out for a drink as he spoke roughly. (Y/n) must have realised because she was soon supporting him to sit up, propping several more pillows behind him before raising a glass of water to his lips. Bob drank gratefully, never taking his eyes off (Y/n) for a second in case she disappeared and this all turned out to be a figment of his imagination. (Y/n) helped him lean back against the pillows, pulling the blankets higher up his body when he began shivering.

“You had me worried, you know, Bob. When I heard what had happened I came as quickly as I could,” she leaned down, pressing a light and gentle kiss to his lips. He felt her start to relax, watching the tension leave her knowing that he was now safe.

“Where are we?” Bob asked, his bright, blue eyes wandering around the room. He knew he was in a hospital, both walls were lined with beds wrapped in crisp white sheets, some filled with soldiers and some lay dormant. Nurses flitted in and out of the room, checking in each patient before hurrying off again.

“You’re in a hospital, my love…” She smiled sweetly at him before adding, “In Holland.”

Bob’s eyes grew wide as he studied her face, trying to tell if she was being serious.

“Why are we in Holland? Why are you in Holland, you’re meant to be in Paris, away from all of this?” He began rambling, trying to push himself further off the bed but cried out as the pain began to spread through his abdomen again.

“Stop Bob, please,” she begged, helping to rest him back against his cot and holding a firm hand to his chest, knowing that if she let go he’d try to launch himself off the bed again.

“I’m stationed here, at the military hospital in Holland. I didn’t want to tell you because I knew you’d worry. I thought you might have realised when my letters started to arrive with different postage stamps,” she laughed lightly and Bob couldn’t help but smile back at her.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he admitted, squeezing her hand gently. “I missed you but I just wished you’d told me. I didn’t want you in harm's way.”

“Bob, you don’t get to decide whether I’m in harm's way or not,” you looked at him sadly, “I’m a nurse, I need to go where I’m needed.” Bob nodded glumly, reaching out his hands to you. “Come here.”

(Y/n) obeyed, scooting onto the edge of his bed as Bob wrapped his arms tightly around her middle, nestling his head into the crook of her neck. “I missed you so much,” he mumbled into her warm skin. (Y/n) hummed in reply, carding her fingers through his blond locks in response.

Bob’s recovery was slow, he’d pushed himself too soon, reopening his stitches and setting his recovery back. (Y/n) had been fuming, reprimanding him as if he were a child.

“Do you have no care for your health?” She shouted at him, after pulling him into one of the storage rooms away from the other patients.

“I need to get back to my men (y/n), they are my friends and they need me.”

“But I need you, Bob. I need you to get better. I need you to be ok.” Bob could see the tears welling in her eyes and instantly reached out to embrace her, cradling her into his chest as they both sat in silence, afraid that if either of them spoke it would drive the other away.

Bob stayed in the hospital for two weeks recuperating from his wounds. He saw (y/n) every day, watching as she tended to the other soldiers and she would try and spend every evening cradled in Bob’s arms.

“You got yourself a purple heart then,” (y/n) murmured, running her index finger over the small purple medal.

“I guess I did,” Bob hummed, smirking in reply. She poked his chest with her index finger, “my brave, handsome soldier.” A blush warmed his cheeks but he couldn’t drop his gaze, mesmerized by her eyes.

“How did I get so lucky.” He asked, carding his fingers gently through her hair whilst trying not to distrust the bin pinned neatly to the back of her head.

“I think the question is ‘how did I get so lucky?” She smirked in reply. “Although after the stress you’ve put me through, I don’t know if it’s worth it.” She jested and Bob shoved her shoulders lightly, cashing her to fall into a fit of giggles. She’d made him promise that if all the medals he could get, a purple heart was not one of them.

His wound had healed quickly and although he was still a little sore he knew it was time for him to head back to Easy Company.

“Bob, please don’t do this. You need to take more time to heal,” (y/n) had pleaded, tears staining her soft cheeks as Bob watched her as she desperately tried to stop him from packing his bag.

“You know I need to get back to them, Doll. They need me and I have to go.” His large hand came up to rest against her cheek, brushing away the stray tears. “I promise I’ll come back to you, I’ll always come back to you.” He sealed his promise with a kiss, not a deep, sensual kiss but it was soft and loving and took her breath away. “I promise,” Bob whispered once more, before picking up his kit bag and heading for the door. Bob knew that going AWOL was frowned upon but he always knew that any other man in his company would do the same, they were a brotherhood. Before Bob reached the door he stopped, his heart heavy in his chest.

“(Y/n)?” He asked, trying to stop his voice from shaking.

“Yes,” she replied, her eyes shining bright and hopeful and Bob knew that she thought he was going to change his mind and stay.

“I love you,” this time Bob’s voice didn’t shake, he spoke with a certainty that demonstrated how much he truly meant it. “And I promise one day I’m gonna ask you to marry me.” (Y/n) stood frozen for a moment, she knew what her answer would be but the words lodged in her throat.

“I love you too and my answer is yes,” she whispered but Bob heard her, a wide smile growing on his lips as he looked at her with so much love and adoration that she felt as if she would melt beneath his gaze. With one last look, Bob turned and disappeared from view, heading towards the vehicle bay in the hope of a lift back to Easy Company. She ran her fingers over her lips, memorising every detail, how his hands held her face, his lips brushed against hers, how his chest felt when they were pressed together. (Y/n) bit back the tears as she turned back to Bob’s now empty bed, pulling the sheets off the lumpy mattress and bundling them into her arms. She pressed the sheets to her nose, inhaling his scent one last time before walking down the aisles of beds and leaving the ward.

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“FLOYD? IS THAT YOU?” Jackson hollered, throwing his arms in the air in greeting. Bob grinned at the young radioman, waving frantically from his seat on the M4 tank as it trundled along the mud track, its large caterpillar tread churning the ground. As the tank slowed Bob jumped down, waving goodbye to the gunner and hurrying towards Jackson, a shy smile gracing his lips at the sudden attention.

“Yep, it’s me.”

“Well as I live and breathe. I was sure you were a goner, all that blood and screaming I never thought I’d see you again,” Jackson admitted, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke and his brown eyes glistening.

“Ya can’t get rid of me that easily,” Bob replied, pulling his fellow paratrooper into a tight hug which Jackson quickly returned, hanging onto Bob for as long as he could.

“Would ya look what the cat dragged in,” a smooth southern accent came from behind them and Bob turned to see Albert Miller, a wide grin on his face as he rubbed his hands in a grey cloth, trying to scrub the blood from his fingers.

“Miller, it’s good to see you too,” Bob flung his arm around his friend's shoulder. “You’ll never guess who I’ve spent the past two weeks with.” Both men looked at him quizzically, Miller scratching the back of his neck thoughtfully.

“No, who was it?”

“(Y/n), she’s stationed at the field hospital. She’s been nursing me back to health.”

Jackson let out a great whoop of celebration while Miller affectionately patted Bob on the back.

“I’m really happy for ya, Bob. (Y/n) is a good woman, one of the best, just like my Mary.” Bob knew that Albert missed his wife, Mary, a great deal, he rarely spoke of his life back in Mobile, Alabama but whenever he did this strange glazed expression appeared on his face, as if he wasn’t truly there with you anymore and he’d gone home.

“(Y/n) sends her love to you both,” Bob gestured to the two men in front of him. Miller gave him a crust nod in return, while Jackson blew Bob a kiss. “Give this to her when you next see her,” he snorted as Bob smacked him lightly on the back of the head.

The two men were so caught up in their friendly punching that they didn’t notice Captain Nelson approaching.

“Floyd,” he spoke, his tone harsh and authoritative, causing all three men to stand to attention.

“Yes Sir,” Bob saluted the Captain, trying to keep his eyes trained over Nelson’s shoulder. Since when had Captain Nelson become so stoic and harsh? The next thing Bob knew Nelson had broken out into a fit of laughter. “My God, you should see the look on your faces, Boys,” he patted Bob on the back. “It’s good to have you back, Floyd, 2nd platoon has missed you.”

“We sure have,” Jackson chimed in with a cheeky grin.

“Thank you, Sir, it’s good to be back.”

“I’m sure it is. Although I have a feeling you’ll be missing your dear nurse though, won’t you?” Bob froze. How did Captain Nelson know about you? It’s not like he’d been that public with you.

“Don’t look so alarmed 1st Sergeant Floyd, your secret's safe with me. Come and collect your new insignia from Battalion CP.” All three men watched as Nelson retreated before Jackson looked up at Bob.

“Hang on a second, 1st Sergeant?”

Bob shook his head, squinting at the radioman in confusion. “What the hell are you on about?”

“Captain Nelson just called you first Sergeant Floyd.” Jackson retorted.

“Congratulations Bob,” Miller shook Bob’s hand vigorously, while Bob just stared blankly at them in utter shock.

“I think this calls for a celebration. I found a bottle of Vat 69 that I’ve been saving for a special occasion and I think this is classified as one,” Jackson threw an arm around each man’s shoulder and directed them toward the temporary barracks, laughing jovially all the way.

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fr3sh-tragedies · 5 months

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Here For You

[Until Dawn] Samantha Giddings x Female Reader

Word Count: 4.4k

Proofread: Yes

Content Warnings: Mentions of war, PTSD, death, strong language

[A/N]: I haven't seen many stories for Sam with a female reader, so I figured I could add on to what already exists! For context: I do struggle with PTSD myself, so I know some of the effects, but mine isn't from war, meaning I'm not sure how accurate my representation of it is in this story. Also, this was written on 11-22-2022, so it's been a while since I've read over this.

Enjoy!

“Shit. I don’t know, Mike. We just got back from war for god’s sake! I don’t want to add on to her worries. Maybe I shouldn’t do this after all,” Sam ranted over the phone, her grip tightening on the steering wheel as her anxiety skyrocketed. Mike sighed on the other side. “Sam, buddy, you’ve gotta calm down. I’m sure she feels the same way. Sure, I’ve never met her, but you talk about her so much, and it seems like she’ll feel the same way. And even if she doesn’t, I can promise you it won’t add on to her worries. Just go for it! You’ll feel better if you get it done. I don’t want you to regret not asking her out.”

As she came to a red light, Sam eased on the brake to bring her car to a stop. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before running her fingers through her loose strands of hair. Her hazel eyes flickered around in front of her, seemingly staring at nothing as her mind raced. At length, she let out another sigh and shut her eyes tight. “You’re right. You’re right, okay? I’ll do it–I’ll tell her how I feel.” Her friend chuckled. “Good.” Sam smiled for a moment, but it quickly faltered before dropping. “Ugh, but what if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if I make her uncomfortable, and she doesn’t want to be friends anymore?” Mike groaned. Sam could hear him scratching hard at his head.

“Sam, I can’t tell you what she’ll say when you confess, but it doesn’t seem like she’d be the type to stop hanging out with you over something like this. Not from how you’ve described her, anyway. Just…when the time seems right, tell her how you feel. Let her know what you love about her–specific things–and then tell her that you love her entirely.” “Yeah, but what if–” “You’re an incredible woman, Sam. I don’t see why she wouldn’t share your feelings. And hey, I thought you were supposed to be the calm, level headed one. I’ve never seen you get this anxious over something before. Not when you were applying to college. Not even when you enlisted for the army and got shipped off to war! You’re tough, Sam. You’ve gotta get your nerves under control so you don’t blow this.”

Sam rolled her eyes at his “level headed” comment, though she couldn’t bite back her smirk. She was so grateful for Mike–he truly was like an older brother to her. “Yeah yeah, okay. I’ll calm down before I say anything. Thank you, Mike.” “No problemo. Let me know how it goes afterwards, alright? I wanna have proof that I’m the ultimate wingman.” The blonde laughed softly and glanced up at the streetlight as it turned green. She eased her foot onto the accelerator and began driving forwards again. “Will do. Bye, Mike.” “Bye.”

Sam continued driving after turning her phone off and gently tossing it into her passenger seat. She sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to steel her nerves. “It’ll be alright. [Y/N] likes you. Maybe not the way you like her, but she still likes you. She won’t stop hanging out with you just because she might not feel the same way–just like Mike said. Just…calm down. You just got back from a war. So has [Y/N]. It’s not like this will be the most terrifying thing you ever have to do.” She managed to calm herself momentarily, but as she rounded the corner that led to the cafe she had agreed to meet [Y/N] at, her anxiety spiked. It was hard not to give in to her overwhelming thoughts.

Once she pulled to the side of the road and stepped out of her car, first grabbing her phone from the seat beside her, she clicked on [Y/N]’s contact and sent her a quick message to let her know she had made it. She went inside just as her phone buzzed in her hand. ‘I know. I’m across the room from you, silly.’ Sam looked up from her phone to find the [h/c] girl standing in line at the register, smiling and waving at her. The blonde grinned nervously and waved back before joining her in line. They hugged each other tightly, so relieved to see each other again.

When the war had gotten worse and they were sent to fight in it, they were shipped off to separate locations without any contact. It drove them insane not being able to know if the other was okay. Finally, after they were sent home, they immediately called each other and were relieved to hear each other’s voice. Knowing that they were both okay allowed them to finally get the rest they desperately needed. After sleeping for about a day and a half, Sam asked [Y/N] if she’d want to meet up so they could talk. The [h/c] girl agreed instantly, and they chose to go to the cafe closest to where they lived. For Sam, it was only an eight minute drive. For [Y/N], however, it took twenty.

Sam figured the girl had left much earlier than she needed to so she wouldn’t be late. She couldn’t have arrived much sooner than she had. She smiled and sighed, finally stepping back from the embrace to look [Y/N] in the eyes. Oh, those beautiful [e/c] eyes. So captivating and gentle. She always found herself getting lost in a trance as she stared into them. All those late nights in their shared bunk, talking about plans for upcoming missions, gossipping about their fellow soldiers, softly whispering kind words and risque secrets. She cherished those nights.

Those nights were partly the reason she fell so hard for the girl so quickly.

“Sam? You’re doing it again,” [Y/N] said suddenly, waving her hand in front of the blonde’s face. Sam blinked and felt the heat rising to her cheeks. “Huh? Oh, uh…sorry. Zoned out.” The girl in front of her giggled, making her heart flutter. “You do that a lot.” She nodded and scratched the back of her neck, silently thankful that they had to step forward in line so she could hide her face by looking ahead momentarily. “Yeah, my bad. My mind just kind of…wanders.” [Y/N]’s eyebrows popped upwards as she tilted her head to the side in curiosity. “Really? Where to?” The crimson red once again warmed her face at the girl’s question. “N-Nowhere. It’s…embarrassing.”

[Y/N] smirked and nodded. “Fair enough. I’m just curious though. Why does your mind only seem to wander when you’re staring at me? I’ve never seen you zone out around anyone else.” Sam choked on the air she tried to breathe in, startled by the fact [Y/N] had caught on to her situation. The girl laughed. “Don’t worry, Sammy, I’m just teasing.” Sam looked down and used her hand to cover her face as she took a deep breath. When she felt her face was back to its original color, she lowered her hand back down to her side. They stepped forward again when it was their turn to order. “I’d like a medium vanilla frappe.” The barista behind the register nodded with a smile, wrote the order down on the cup, then turned to Sam. “And for you, miss?” “Uh, just a small green tea please.” “Alright. Can I get a name for the order?”

Sam and [Y/N] looked at each other, silently communicating before turning back to the barista. “Samantha G.” The barista nodded and typed the name up on her register. “That’ll be $8.03.” At that, both Sam and [Y/N] reached into their pockets for their wallets. They looked at each other. “Oh, it’s alright, [Y/N]. I’m fine with paying.” [Y/N] smiled softly. “You don’t have to, Sam. I don’t mind paying this time.” “Nah, I got it. You can pay next time.” The [h/c] girl blushed faintly. “O-Oh. Uh, yeah, of course.” [Y/N] put her wallet away as Sam handed the barista her card. She returned it to the blonde shortly after scanning it and handing her the receipt. “We’ll call when it’s ready.” Sam nodded.

“Thanks,” she mumbled loud enough for the employee to hear. She headed over to a table near the back of the room, [Y/N] trailing closely behind her. They sat down across from each other and smiled. Both tried to think of something to say, but couldn’t, so they looked away instead and blushed. Sam’s mind screamed at her to say something–anything–to break the silence. Finally, she cleared her throat. “S-So, uh…did your mission go well?” The [h/c] girl looked over at her. “Hm? Oh, yeah. It was…successful, in terms of the goal, but…” The girl fell silent. Sam raised an eyebrow. “But…?” [Y/N] sighed, averting her gaze to stare at the table in front of her. She began to pick at her nails.

“We just…I saw so many of my friends die, Sam. So many men and women didn’t get to come home to their loved ones. They never get to see their friends or families again. How can I consider that a success?” Sam frowned, her heart breaking as she saw tears forming in [Y/N]’s eyes. Hesitantly, she reached across the table and grabbed the girl’s trembling hand. She caressed the back of it with her thumb. “I know what you mean. I can’t tell you how many people I saw die in a single day. I see their faces every time I close my eyes. I spoke to my therapist about it, and she said it sounds like Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder. It’s really common with soldiers, even if they haven’t seen battle in person, so it doesn’t surprise me that we both might have it.”

“Yeah, my dad warned me about that. I’d heard about it multiple times throughout school, but I never knew how horrible it really is. I wish there was a way I could forget about everything I witnessed. All this stress is making me worry about my future.” “I know. It’s going to take some time, and by that, I mean years, but we’ll get through it, okay? I promise. Yes, we both have therapists who can help us find healthy ways to cope, but we also have each other. We both know the general idea of what we saw, so we have true sympathy for our situation. We aren’t alone in this. I’m here for you.” [Y/N] smiled weakly, though it dropped. “I know. I’m just…I’m scared, Sam.” Sam tilted her head. “Of what?”

“I’ve heard so many stories–I’ve seen it multiple times! How people with PTSD snap at the smallest things and end up driving away the people they love. I don’t want that to happen.” Sam sighed softly, her own hand beginning to tremble. “I can’t promise that we won’t lose control sometimes. Trauma makes you do scary things–it gives you horrible thoughts and overrides your emotions. It can make you lose sight of what’s logical. It’s terrifying, but there are ways to cope with it. Therapy and talking with people who understand it are two of those ways. It’s going to take years. I know that’s terrible to think about, but it’s true. You won’t be alone during those years, I can promise you that. I’m here, your therapist is here, and everyone else is too: Emily, Jessica, Matt, Mike, Chris, Ashley–all of us. We’re here.”

[Y/N] smiled genuinely at Sam, who returned it with her own small grin. They gazed into each other’s eyes, visibly refraining from telling each other something. Sam took in a shaky breath to ease her anxiety. She took note of how warm [Y/N]’s hand felt in her own–how soft her skin felt against her own. She recalled how warm the girl’s body felt when they had hugged earlier in line. She smiled. “[Y/N], can I be honest with you?” The [h/c] girl nodded, a spark of interest flickering in her eyes. “Of course.” Sam parted her lips to speak. “I wanted to t–”

“Samantha G, your order is ready!”

Both women jumped at the sudden holler, looking over to the register where the barista from before had placed their drinks. Sam sighed, her heart pounding in her ears. She turned back to [Y/N]. “I-I, uh…I guess I’ll be right back.” [Y/N] smiled nervously and nodded. The blonde then stood and walked to the counter, picking up the drinks before spinning on her heel to head back to the table. She sucked in a breath, cursing under her breath at how stupid she was for trying to confess at a time like that. She deliberately slowed her steps so she wouldn’t have to face [Y/N] again so soon, but because of the small size of the cafe, it only took her a few seconds to make it back. She sat down and handed the drink over, instantly taking a sip of her own to avoid eye contact.

“What were you saying?” Sam put her drink down and cleared her throat. “Uh, nothing. It’s not important.” [Y/N] frowned. “Alright…” They sat in silence, the only background noise the surrounding chatter of the tables nearby and the occasional sip they alternated between taking. After a few minutes, Sam’s phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and clicked on the notification. Mike had texted, asking if she had confessed yet. She sighed. ‘No, I can’t do it. Not now. I think we still need time before either one of us is ready.’ Mike sent back a frowny face, but agreed that she should wait. ‘You should still tell her how you feel though. That way she knows she can come to you when she’s ready.’ Sam rolled her eyes. ‘Fine. But I’m not telling her now. I’ll tell her some other time.’

She pocketed her phone with a huff and finished off the last of her drink. She stood and walked to a trash can, tossed her empty cup inside, and stepped back over to the table. She put her fidgety hands into her pockets and stood beside [Y/N], who looked up at her with an unreadable expression. “Why don’t we get out of here? I think it would be best to get some fresh air and talk about something else until we’re comfortable.” The girl still sitting nodded and stood up as well, following Sam as they both headed out the door. They got into the blonde’s car, and as they were buckling up, Sam paused her movements, making the [h/c] girl look over at her in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“Didn’t you drive here?” “Oh, yeah. I guess you can just drop me off here after we’re done hanging out. That way I can take my car home.” Sam nodded and started the engine, merging into the street once the upcoming traffic cleared. They sat in silence for a while, not sure what to say. Finally, as [Y/N] realized Sam hadn’t specified where she was going, she turned to her. “Where were you wanting to go? I’m not really sure of any store or mall that isn’t packed at this time.” Sam hummed, the gears in her mind turning as she kept her eyes on the road ahead. “I guess we can go walk around at the park near my place. Would that be alright?”

“Yeah, anything is fine. I just want to get my mind off of what we were talking about for a little bit.” Sam nodded, but they went completely silent after that. They drove for a few more short minutes, though it felt like an eternity to the both of them. Once they finally pulled up to the side of the road, they got out. [Y/N] stood near the hood of the car as she waited for Sam to join her after locking the car. They linked up and walked over to the red track that trailed along the edge of the park, standing a more-than-reasonable distance away from each other. Sam looked around at the other people walking around while [Y/N] stared down at her phone, mindlessly scrolling through posts on her feed.

Sam’s previously tense gaze softened as it landed on a group of small children laughing and running as their parents chased them with bright smiles. A small smile of its own made its way to her lips as she looked over at [Y/N]. “Hey, have you ever thought of having a family of your own? Y’know, once you’re ready?” The [h/c] girl looked up, surprised at the sudden question. She shrugged. “Oh, uh…I guess so. Every once in a while, yeah, but I really want to find the right person first before I even think of starting a family.” Sam nodded. “Ah, yeah, that’s a good idea. But a family doesn’t necessarily mean having children. It could mean having nieces, nephews, or a pet, or even just having a partner. There’s no real definition of what a family has to be.”

[Y/N] smiled. “That’s a nice way to look at it.” They shared a smile, finally making eye contact for the first time since they left the cafe. “What about you?” “Hm?” “Have you ever thought about starting a family when you’re ready?” Sam blushed. “Oh. Yeah, I have.” “Anyone specific in mind?” The blonde’s blush deepened. “Y-Yes.” [Y/N] suddenly smirked, pocketing her phone as she stepped closer and leaned in a bit to the side. “Oh? Who?” Sam looked away. “No one. I don’t wanna say.” “C’mon, Sammy, you can tell me. I’m the same one you shared all those secrets with back in our bunk.” Sam sighed after a moment and looked down at her feet, unable to wipe the smile from her face. “I-I can’t share any names, but…it’s this girl.”

“Yeah? Tell me about her! Maybe I could find a way to get you two together.” ‘Oh, the irony,’ Sam thought to herself. “She’s just…perfect in my eyes. She’s kind, beautiful, selfless, strong, and just…incredible. I wish I could tell her how I feel. She means the world to me. I could go on and on for hours about how much I love her. I can’t picture a life ahead without her in it–I don’t want to picture one without her in it either. Even if she doesn’t feel the same, I still want to be there for her–to make her happy and feel loved like she deserves.” [Y/N]’s smile seemed forced, not quite reaching her eyes. “Oh, it sounds like you really love her a lot!” “Yeah, I do. How would you confess?” “Me?” “Yeah. If you were in my shoes, what would you do or say to her to let her know how I feel?”

[Y/N] looked ahead, not really looking at anything in particular. “Hm…Well, I’d probably take her to a nice place where we’d be alone, and then start talking to her about what I love most about her. Then, if she doesn’t seem uncomfortable, I’d tell her how I feel.” Sam nodded, making a mental note. “That’s not a bad plan at all. Maybe I’ll follow through with it. I could do it tonight, actually.” “Oh, do I need to leave at a certain time so you’re alone?” “No, it’s fine. We’ll figure it out.” “Alright.”

They continued walking, Sam seeming to lead the conversation afterwards as [Y/N] gave increasingly shorter answers. Finally, after about an hour and a half of walking, they headed back. Sam drove them to her apartment instead of the cafe, confusing the [h/c] girl. She turned to ask her where they were, but the blonde had already gotten out of the car and headed to the front of the building. [Y/N] stepped out and shut the door. Sam turned to her and motioned for her to come over. “C’mon! I wanna hang out with you for a bit longer. Unless you’re busy?” “Oh, no, not at all.”

Sam nodded, and they headed inside. They stepped into the elevator as the blonde pressed her floor. They made it up in a few short moments and headed down the overly long hallway. Finally, just as [Y/N] was getting ready to ask how much further they would have to walk, Sam turned and pulled her keys out from her pocket, unlocking the door in front of her and pushing it open to step inside. [Y/N] followed after her. Sam closed and locked the door behind her once they were both inside. “Go ahead and make yourself comfortable in the living room. I’m just gonna change into something a little more cozy.” “Alright.”

Sam headed into her room off to the side, closing the door behind her and locking it before quickly grabbing her phone. She shot Mike a text in a panic. ‘She’s in my apartment rn, what the hell do I do??’ Mike didn’t take long to respond. ‘Nice!! Shoot your shot and tell her how you feel!’ Sam groaned, tossing her phone onto her bed and heading to her closet. She grabbed a slightly oversized t-shirt and some sweatpants. She changed into them quickly and sat on the edge of her mattress, holding her head in her hands as her mind raced. ‘Just tell her how you feel. Make her feel safe, so that even if she doesn’t feel the same, she knows it’s okay to reject you and leave. Don’t be pushy.’

She stood and grabbed her phone. She stepped over to her door and unlocked it, though she didn’t make any move to actually twist the doorknob and open it. ‘Breathe, and just tell her how you feel.’ She finally opened the door and headed over to the couch, joining [Y/N] as she sat down on the opposite side. They smiled nervously at each other before looking away. Sam’s phone buzzed in her hand, making her look down at it. Mike texted again, giving her a few words of encouragement. The blonde smiled with a soft sigh and looked over at [Y/N], who was toying with her fingers. “Hey, so…about earlier–when I asked about starting a family. There was actually a reason I brought that up.”

[Y/N] turned to her, now intrigued. “Yeah? What is it?” “You know those things I said about that girl I like?” She nodded. “I’m not sure if I made it obvious about who I was talking about, but could you kind of get a hint as to who I was referring to?” [Y/N] looked to the side as she thought to herself. “Uh…no, actually. I don’t really know anyone that we didn’t both meet during training, and from what I could tell, you didn’t really care for anyone there since they were all really rude at first.” Sam chuckled. “Yeah, until they got scolded multiple times, they were honestly pretty annoying. I tried pretty damn hard to stay calm around them, but they made it so difficult.” [Y/N] laughed with her this time. “Yeah. Kinda reminds me of boot camp.”

Sam nodded, both women smiling warmly at each other. Suddenly feeling the urge to be closer, the blonde scooted towards [Y/N], who didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. “Well, the girl I was talking about, I actually did meet her during training.” The girl’s eyes brightened, seeming hopeful. “R-Really?” “Yeah. All those things I said about her were true. I don’t want to picture my life without her in it.” Sam’s smile widened. “I don’t want to picture my life without you in it, [Y/N]. Even if you don’t feel the same about me, I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you–trying everything I can to make you happy. You deserve the world, and I want to try to give that to you.”

[Y/N] stared at her in shock, her face bright red as she fumbled nervously with her shirt. Sam’s eyebrows furrowed a bit after a moment of no response, her confidence crumbling. “Is…Is everything alright? I didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I?” [Y/N] blinked. “Huh? O-Oh, no! Not at all! I just didn’t expect you to feel the same way about me that I feel about you.” It was Sam’s turn to blush this time. “You feel the same way about me?” [Y/N] nodded. They smiled wildly at each other, overwhelmed with both joy and relief at the realization that they felt the same way about each other. Sam scooted closer, tenderly taking [Y/N]’s hand into her own. “So…what does this mean? What are we?”

The [h/c] girl shrugged after a moment, her smile never faltering. “I’m not sure, honestly. I really do love you, Sam, I’m just scared.” Sam tilted her head. “Scared? Of what?” “Of being in a relationship so soon after making it home. I’m worried I’ll be too anxious or stressed to play my part in a relationship like this. I just…I need time. I promise you, we will date–my heart belongs to you, but I’m just going to need a bit of time to figure things out. Maybe once I find good ways to cope with what happened, I’ll be ready.” She looked up at the blonde, expecting her to be upset. To her relief, Sam was still smiling as wide as before. She nodded and squeezed her hand.

“I agree. I think I need a bit of time as well. I’m just so relieved to know you feel the same way.” They stared at each other for a moment longer. At length, [Y/N] suddenly leaned forward and pulled Sam into one of those warm hugs she was so in love with. She froze, but quickly melted into the embrace and held her back just as tight, inhaling her scent and closing her eyes. “I’m so glad I met you, Sam,” [Y/N] whispered softly. Sam felt her smile grow wider as she buried her face into the girl’s hair. She held her tighter. “I’m glad I met you too. I love you so much.” [Y/N] didn’t respond for a moment, making Sam worry that she had said it too soon. Her worries were washed away, however, as [Y/N] chuckled through a sob. Before Sam could ask what was wrong, a soft, “I love you too,” came from the girl’s lips. They stayed there for several long moments, swaying side to side slightly as they enjoyed each other’s presence and warmth.

Finally, they leaned back and gazed into each other’s eyes. [Y/N] had been crying, but Sam could tell it was from joy instead of pain. She grinned, softly wiping her tears away. “Everything will be okay, [Y/N]. I promise you. I’m here for you.”

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