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spacepigeonsposts · 4 years

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Helpless

Chapter One

Rose Hughes was never in a hurry for romance. She was happy to be single and wait for the right person. After meeting Eugene Sledge at a ball to celebrate everyone coming home from the war, she thinks she may have found that person.

Pairing: Eugene Sledge x original female character

Words: 1022

Warnings: none

A/N: this is my first time posting anything like this so go easy on me. this chapter is mostly exposition. there’ll be more Eugene in the next.

Mobile, Alabama 1946

The war was finally over. By now just about everyone had calmed down and was trying their best to return to the normal ways of life. However, after everything was over there was still a mess to clean up which meant an even longer wait for some families to see their sons and husbands.

Rose Hughes and the rest of her family had been one of these unfortunate families. Her brother, Eric, had enlisted as a marine. He then had been stationed to stay behind and help after victory had been declared. But he was finally back home and to celebrate they would be going to the ball being held that night. Rose and her sister, Maria were getting ready in their shared room. Rose was sitting in front of their vanity doing her makeup while her sister was getting dressed.

“Hey, if you want, you can hang out with me and Charlie while we’re there, y’know since you don’t have a date,” Maria said. She was referring to her and her boyfriend Charles, also known as Charlie. He was a nice guy. Rose was pleased that Maria seemed happy with him. But while spending time with her sister was great and all, Rose wasn’t exactly interested in being a third wheel for the whole evening.

“No thanks,” Rose replied. “I think I’ll just mingle a little.”

Maria shrugged and went back to getting ready, content to let her younger sister do her own thing. Rose thought about what her sister said about not having a date. It wasn’t abnormal for Rose. She’d never had a boyfriend and rarely went on dates with anyone. The last real “date” she could remember was when she was about sixteen and the boy she was with tried to kiss her but nearly cut her lip on his braces. She grimaced at the awkward memory.

Rose wasn’t particularly bothered being single. But she had to admit, she felt a little pang of loneliness whenever she saw how happy her sister was with Charlie or her parents who were still so in love after all their years together. Rose, as she always did, pushed those thoughts aside to finish her makeup. After applying a shade of red to her lips that she was satisfied with, she got up from the vanity to put on her shoes so her sister could do her makeup next.

When they were done getting ready, they headed down stairs to meet their parents.

“Oh, don’t you girls just look so lovely!” their mother exclaimed when she saw them.

The sisters smiled and hugged their mom before Maria explained that Charlie would be picking her up. Once he arrived to take Maria, everyone else piled into the family’s car to go to the ball.

“So Rose, honey,” her mom started. “Are you gonna meet your date when we get there?”

“No, I don’t have one,” Rose replied, starting to feel a little cramped in the small car due to the question. Rose loved her mom to death but she seemed so insistent on getting her to find a boyfriend.

“Well, you need someone you're gonna dance with all night, don’t you?” Her mom retorted playfully.

“C’mon, mama, you know I don’t care for that sorta thing,” Rose said with a laugh to hide how uncomfortable she felt.

“Yeah, she hasn’t bothered going out with anyone since… Who was it? Tommy from junior year?” her brother teased. She pinched him to make him shut up.

After arriving to the dance, everyone in the family split off in different directions to dance, talk to friends, and gossip with neighbors. Rose spent some time walking around and catching up with friends and more relatives before settling by the punch bowl somewhere around the middle of the giant room. Eric walked over to get something to drink.

“So, no luck finding a partner?” he asked as he grabbed a glass to fill, once again trying to provoke his hard headed sibling.

“Eric, you heard me in the car. I don’t care about-”

Her brother cut her off as he noticed someone across the room. He grabbed her by the arm and started walking before she could even notice who he saw. When they finally reached the mystery person he stopped and she yanked her arm back from him.

“Geez! You didn’t have to pull me so hard,” she said, looking at her brother indignantly. However, he was already talking to the stranger.

“Rose I wanted to introduce you to my buddy Eugene Sledge,” he said. “I met him at boot camp, one of the best men I knew there. Eugene, this is Rose Hughes, my sister.”

She felt her cheeks heat up as she finally looked up and caught sight of the apparently very handsome man standing in front of her. He had dark eyes and ginger hair that fell in a neat fringe across his forehead. Her brother nudged her and she remembered she was supposed to reply.

“Oh! Um, hi,” she started. “Thank you for all of your service.”

“If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it,” Eugene replied with a smile. Normally he wasn’t so bold when talking to a lady but he just found her too pretty to resist a flirtatious remark.

She blushed harder at the comment and started to stutter out a reply before her brother cut in and saved her from further embarrassment. Or at least she thought.

“I’ll leave you guys to it,” he said before turning and walking away. She could have sworn she heard him laughing to himself as he left her to fend for herself.

What she didn’t notice was as she was watching her brother walk away, Eugene was watching her. He may have only just met her but he could’ve sworn he’d never seen someone so beautiful. Her soft green eyes and messy brown curls had him enraptured as soon as he looked at her for the first time. He knew right away that the night was going to go differently than both of them had expected.

#joe mazzello #joe mazzello fanfic #eugene sledge #eugene sledge x oc #eugene sledge fanfic #the pacific #hbo war #the pacific hbo #the pacific fanfic #writing #helpless

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har-rison-s · 5 years

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back home

A/N: Not requested and totally at the top of my head, this one. I watched the Pacific and am now rewatching it, and I love it, and I love Eugene. Wow. Joe is truly one masterpiece of an actor. I admire him so much. And I love the Pacific, it’s such a good mini-series. Eugene’s character is very complex and I like those kinds of characters with many hidden characteristics you really find out if you look close enough. I really analysed him bit by bit so I could write something about him, and so here it goes. This is pure fiction, and I do not own any of the actors, plotlines or the mini-series in general. I wanted to write this, and there’s so little content of Eugene Sledge here, I hope there’ll be more. This will have a part two, I promise. Happy reading!

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Eugene was always that one kid who was quiet out of the whole class. The one who knew all the answers, aced his tests, but didn't raise his hand when the teacher asked questions. Never really talked to anyone, was the last to get chosen for teams in P.E. and sat alone at lunch. Sidney could crack him up half-way, and he was a shy and reserved person. Only I was the one who he really opened up around.

Deep down inside, Gene was witty, sarcastic and emotional. He even secluded from his parents, his ma more than his father. Although they saw quite enough of his emotional side and weaknesses. But when he came back from serving in Japan, he isolated himself even more than before. Even from me.

I have known Eugene since around third grade, when I started going to public school. My parents didn't want me to, but my grandparents talked some sense into them to let me out in the world and socialise. It did me quite a good job cause, look at me now - talkin' and chattin' with anyone interesting I see. That's how me and Gene became friends. I ain't afraid to talk to anyone, even if they're afraid of talkin' to me. Gene was, at first, but then he discovered I'm reliable and a true person to the very core. And he let himself loose around me.

Eugene is jealous, caring, empathetic, kind, passionate and friendly. He's all those things and more, feeling every emotion any person could. Even though he's like the rest of us, he's unique. One of a kind. Ain't no one like him in the entire world, and I'm very sure of that. He makes me smile with the weirdest things and most interesting words, makes me laugh with his dark-humored jokes and picks my interest with every minute that I spend with him.

I didn't really know the right things I was feelin' towards him until he left for the Pacific War. My ma riddled it out for me finally, and at first I was denying, of course. I didn't believe that Eugene was responsible for the butterflies in my stomach or the slight jealousy I felt towards any girl he'd accidentally had a conversation with. For all I knew, it could've been because of Sid, but it wasn't. Sid was a catch for the eye for other girls in our school, and he really ain't my type at all. I've known that for a very long time.

Four years, I think, I spent in waiting, longing and a head full of doubts. Waiting for Eugene to return. I volunteered at any job that could bring me closer to him, but there weren't any slots open for women at the time. At least, not on the islands surrounding Japan. I visited his parents very often, went with Deacon outside for walks and playing. His ma even said it felt like a part of him was at home when I came over. It made me feel quite special.

Now, it's a summer afternoon at the Sledge's residence, and I'm sitting in Eugene's bed, going through his photo albums. There are pictures of us two, pictures of him younger, of him and Sid, his parents in their younger years, and many, many more. Being so caught up in all the memories and reminiscing, I don't even hear a car drive by. Or a closing of the front door or the happy cries of his ma downstairs. The only thing that brings me out of my nostalgic trance is the bedroom door opening. I turn around, expecting to see Dr. Sledge or Mary, but... my jaw drops once I see who it is. It's Gene. Alive and breathing, standing in the doorway in a uniform and his suitcase in hand.

At first, I smile wide at him and immediately drop the album on the nightstand, hurrying around the bed to walk towards Eugene. His face shows shock and gladness he never thought he'd experience again. It's me. In his room. Probably waiting for him, he guesses.

He drops his case and I slowly put my arms around him, afraid of how he'll react. Anything could have happened during his serving days, and I don't want to cause an uproar of a buried trauma by doing something wrong. I rest my cheek on his shoulder, hugging him tight to me. An embrace I thought I'd never feel again, and I can tell he felt the same way. His arms are around my frame, as well, and we hold each other like that for a long, long time.

Then, my tears come, and I don't really want them to, but I can't help it. They're tears of joy and they're tears of weeping for what he must have been through, what he had to go through in War. I sob against him while smiling and he just keeps on holding tight to me, knowing how I feel.

I hold onto Gene's arms and pull back a little so I can see his face. My hand traces over his cheek, making sure that he's really here, it's really him. I smile wider and my cheeks start to hurt from doing that already. Gene gives me his true smile that I always seem to pull out of him, and I'm ever so glad to see him. Our eyes lock and I sigh shakily.

“Eugene...” I whisper his name and he nods, closing his eyes. A deep sigh leaves his lips, and I can tell he feels exactly as he says next.

“You can't imagine how tired I am.” He tells me and I chuckle. “But I'm more glad to see you.” He admits and I smile. He leans his forehead against mine and we both close our eyes. “So glad.” I nod.

“I waited for ages.” I say and exhale. “I thought you'd never come back.” I tear up again, sobbing, and Eugene tightens his grip on my waist, feeling many emotions in one moment. “But I ain't gonna spend the day crying, now am I?”

Eugene nods and I laugh. “Can we lay down?” He suggests and I nod, moving away from him. I take his suitcase and put it on the window sill, opening it. I turn back to Eugene and smile. He's laying in his bed, and the photo album I went through just a mere two minutes ago is in his hands and he glances at me. At first, there's this curious look in his eyes and a mischiveous raise of an eyebrow, but then he pats the other side of the bed next to him, signalling for me to lay with him. And I do, oh, I do. I've wanted nothing more for years.

I skip over to his bed and bunch the down part of my dress in my hand, holding it around my legs as I lay down. I sigh once my back is on the soft mattress. It hasn't been used since Eugene left. And it will definitely need some welcome-back using.

I look over at Eugene and he's got the most tired of all tired smiles on his face, and it makes me feel warm. He's glad I'm here, and he's glad to be back home. He closes the photo album and puts it back on the nightstand before settling back down on his back next to me and taking my hand between his.

There's a conversation between us that actually lasts for hours, and I tell him everything that he's missed here. My family's summer parties, Deacon's last days and his funeral and tributes, school, applying for works, lake in the summer and winter. I tell him everything. Because I know he needs a big distraction from where he's just come and doesn't want to talk about what he's done or seen or where he's been. I know that, and I can feel it from him because he's so close to me.

During the conversation, he mentioned about Mary Frank making a welcome-home dinner for him and his brother. And though we'd rather stay here all day and night, his family needs him and they're my family, as well. So we joined them downstairs.

I hesitate to tell him my true feelings. It'd be too much for him today. Maybe some other day... I don't want to excite or worry him more than he already is. It's overwhelming—everyone is happy for him to be home and wants to tell him what he's missed, it's his first day home, in a real bed and he's met his best friend again. Well, two of them, actually. He told me Sid waited for him at the station. At that, I groaned and grumbled “traitor” and Gene laughed, telling me I can tell that to Sid when I meet him soon. I'll have to tell Eugene about my feelings soon, I know I need to. Sid has suspected something's up with me, we've been meeting up occasionally since he got home. And he knew that I was at the Sledges' house today, so I guess he wanted to give me and Eugene quite the pleasant surprise.

Eugene might reject me, he might not feel the same way, or he actually might do the opposite. I know how he feels about relationships, I know him very well. I might as well freak him out with my feelings, and I don't really want to. But, whatever the aftermath may be, I ought to tell him. I can't live the rest of my life without him knowing the truest truth. It would kill me.

We sit beside each other at the dinner, shy smiles on both our faces as his relatives ask questions and tell stories. He's overwhelmed, I can feel that from him and I take his hand in mine underneath the table. Just a comforting gesture I can offer him at a time like this. He smiles at me, appreciating the hand holding and squeezing my hand ever so slightly. It makes me feel flutters in my stomach and I try to hide the blush, turning my face away from him. It confuses Eugene a little, so I look back. His eyes seem to be asking the question that burns hot in his mind, but I shake my head, a way of telling him that it's nothing. Eugene nods, but he'll be sure to ask me about it later.

When the dinner's over and I've helped Mary clean everything up, I head upstairs to join Eugene in his bedroom. His eyes skim over the pages of his small bible, he sits on the window sill. He has unpacked his clothes, and his suitcase now lies empty on the top of his wardrobe. Gene looks so peaceful there, the moonlight perfectly shining down on him and casting a painting-like shadow on the wooden floor. I smile.

My feet carry me over to where he sits and and I lean against the wide window's frame. Gene looks up at me. “What have you got there?” I ask, nodding at his bible. He sighs and closes it, throwing it over on his bed.

“Just my notes.” He answers. “I counted days at our locations. Wrote down some other things, as well.”

“Hmm.” I respond and then take his hand in mine again.

“What happened at the dinner table?” He asks me and I furrow my eyebrows, trying to catch onto what he's talking about. Then I remember.

“Ah,” I say once I realise, “nothing, hon.” I say to him, shaking my head with a smile on my face. “Do you want me to leave you? Go to bed?” I ask and Eugene's eyes travel to mine and there's a nervous glimmer in them.

He shakes his head suddenly. “No,” he responds, “no, please stay.” His grip on my hand tightens and it takes me a bit by surprise. I nod, understanding that he wants me to spend the night. Here.

“Alright, I will.” I say, still nodding. I lean closer to Eugene, noticing his nervous facial expression hasn't gone away, and caress his cheek. “I will, sweetheart. I'll stay with you.” Forever, I want to add, but I don't, fearing what he might say to that. Or maybe it'd give him comfort. “I'll stay with you for however long you want me to.” Eugene nods and closes his eyes, the anxiety-filled brown orbs invisible to me now. “I promise.” I say and our foreheads touch. I pull him towards me in a warm embrace, and he grips my sides, needing the comfort I give, craving it.

Soon, I feel my dress wetting in spots just next to his cheeks and I sigh. Those are tears. I caress my fingers through his brown locks and I feel his figure contorting in gasps and sobs now and then. “I'm here, I'm here.” I whisper to him over and over, hoping it'd sooth him.

After I told the Sledges that I'm staying the night and Mary Frank gave me a robe for sleeping and a robe to wrap around myself if it gets cold. We're both worried about Eugene's first night here, but she's glad I'm here. She always has been, and we both have the same worries about Eugene.

We're peacefully sleeping under his covers, hands still faintly holding on to the other's. When we sleep in the same place, our hands are always intertwined, and most times they even stay locked until the morning. Now's the occasion that the grip has loosened due to sleeping, but at one point, I feel a horribly tight grasp around my knuckles. It's so intense that I think my bones are gonna break any second if the holder keeps holding on.

I snap my eyes open and hear tossing in the dark. I look at Eugene and he's moaning and whimpering, thrashing around next to me. I struggle to get my hand out of his grasp and stand up on the floor after getting out of bed next to him. He has his eyes squeezed shut and turns from side to side, muttering words and names and pleas, whimpering. My heart breaks at the sight, and I can't bear watching him suffer. He's obviously having a nightmare, a very intense and horrible one. I have to tell his parents.

I wrap the robe for cold occasions around myself and jag out his bedroom door. I turn on the light in the hallway and run down to his parents' room, but I notice their light is already on. They're awake. I lean against the doorframe, seeing they're sitting up in their bed, and try to calm my breaths down. His father already gets up from the bed and I can't help the tears that gather in my eyes or the sob that gets past my lips.

“He-He's—“ I start to say, but I can't finish my sentence, “he's having a... a nightmare.” I look at his father as he's standing in front of me. He gives me an embrace and I relax against his chest. He's like a second father to me.

“We heard.” He says and I nod. My sobs truly break out and I can't control them. Mr Sledge pets my hair as I cry, and I feel so hopeless.

I sit against the wall of the hallway that borders his bedroom, knees against my chest and my chin rested on my folded arms, until I can't keep myself awake anymore. I settle for the guest room's bed in the early morning hours, exhausted from not sleeping, and have a deep slumber there until the next day.

Permanent taglist:

@v0idbella @inlovewithmiddleagedcelebs @works-of-fanfiction @destiel-stucky4ever-loki-queen @stfxlou @ur-gunna-h8-ths @one-taylor-one-vision@empressdreams @betweenloveandfire @but-legendsneverdie @deardeacy @fvckyeahbenhardy

#eugene sledge #the pacific #sledge #eugene #joe mazzello #joe mazzello imagine #joe mazzello imagines #joe mazzello fic #joe mazzello x oc #eugene sledge imagine #eugene sledge imagines #eugene sledge x reader #eugene sledge x oc #eugene sledge fic

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floralfloyd · 2 years

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One-shots and Imagines Requests

Below is a list of all the people I write for but I’m always willing to give anything a try if you don’t see your favorite person on there. As for plots, I’m open to anything and will write any kind of plot idea minus smut.

Band of Brothers

Floyd Talbert

George Luz

Dick Winters

Joe Liebgott

Babe Heffron

Lewis Nixon

Chuck Grant

Harry Welsh

Bill Guarnere

Ronald Spiers

Donald Malarkey

Carwood Lipton

The Pacific

Robert Leckie

Bill ‘Hoosier’ Smith – willing to do Jacob Pitts too

Eugene Sledge

Sidney Philips

Andrew ‘Ack Ack’ Haldane

Bohemian Rhapsody Cast

Gwilym Lee - all characters including Brian May

Queen

Brian May

John Deacon

Pink Floyd

David Gilmour

Rick Wright

Nick Mason

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hesbuckcompton-baby · 5 months

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hi helena! okay, could i request "the gaze that softens as soon as it lands on you" with anna and sledge?? i loved that fic omg! they're the dream couple for real haha thank you!!

Hi Blu, thank you for this!! Eugene and Anna are sooooo special to me you have no idea, I'm so glad you enjoyed their story!

Side note, I had just spent the day at a Christmas market when I wrote this so I was in a veryyy festive mood, hope you enjoy some Christmassy sweetness <3

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

December 25th, 1950

"Eugene!" My wife's voice rang from the kitchen as I sat crouched on the sitting room floor, carefully replacing the Christmas tree decorations our dog had knocked onto the floor with its incessant tail-wagging.

"Yeah, honey?" I called in reply, chuckling as it licked an affectionate stripe up the side of my face.

"Where'd you put the ham?"

My brow furrowed as I tentatively replied. "Well, darlin', we don't got a ham."

Anna appeared in the kitchen doorway, face contorted in a grief-stricken expression, hands on her hips as a dishtowel hung from the belt of her apron. There was a blatant smear of flour across her forehead that had not been there before, and I struggled not to smile at it, instead focusing on her evident distress. It had been the first year we had hosted Christmas dinner together - the first year we had spent it in our own house rather than travelling to visit her mother or mine. The whole thing had resulted from a misunderstanding during a conversation with my father, but by the time Anna had realised where she had gone wrong, the burden of responsibility had already been thrust upon us. And, as a result, I had so far spent the last two hours peeling vegetables.

"Eugene. My Love. My Darling. Why, may I ask, do we not have a ham?"

"We already got a turkey?"

She paused a long moment, closing her eyes, and I watched the way her chest heaved as she took prolonged, calming breaths. All morning I had watched on as she wound herself up into a state of panic, fretting over every tiny detail, even the ones I had covered, inspecting each of the potatoes as I peeled and tossed them into the bowl. It had always been her nature to be this way - as long as I had known her she had been a perfectionist and a worrier, caught up on expectations she believed others had of her.

Rising to my feet, I crossed the sitting room towards the kitchen, meeting her in the doorway. Tilting my head towards hers, I pressed my lips gently to her forehead, coming away flour-stained, before bending down to press another kiss to her pregnant stomach, shrouded beneath layers of dress and apron. Anna gnawed the inside of her lip, and I could tell she was resisting the urge to let a smile disrupt her irritated state, tapping her toe against the kitchen tile.

"You go finish your cookies, ok?" I urged, ushering her further inside, the warmth of the food still roasting in the oven filling the room and insulating us from the cold of snowfall outside.

"They're gonna be here in half an hour," She fretted, taking her stress out of the gingerbread dough as she pressed down with the rolling pin. "Mama and your folks and Mary and Sid will eat the turkey, but Mary's kids'll only eat ham, nothin' else."

"We can fill 'em up on mash potatoes and chocolate, don't worry," I assured her, rifling through the cupboard beneath the sink in an attempt to find a duster. The line of dust along the mantelpiece had been bothering Anna all day, and I knew she would be mortified if her mother saw it, even if Catherine March wouldn't give a damn.

"But we'll look like bad hosts if there's nothing for the kids to eat," Anna huffed, pressing the cookie cutter down with such force that I was worried she might dent the table. "And then your Mama will think I'm a bad cook, because her Christmases never went wrong, and Mary will think I don't care enough to remember what her kids eat, and what if it happens with our baby too, and I have to raise them on goddamn mash potatoes and chocolate because I never remember anything and-"

"Hey!" I bolted to my feet, crossing the kitchen towards her and gently seizing her wrists in my hands tugging her away from her baking and her anxieties. Her brow had been deeply furrowed, wrinkles creasing her forehead out of stress, her actions becoming more and more forceful with each worry that left her mouth. But as I took hold of her, turning her towards me, her expression softened, her entire body relaxing as if all concern had drained from her the moment we locked eyes.

I leant forward, pressing my forehead against hers, taking one deep breath after the other as she slowly began to do the same. When I spoke again, it was scarcely more than a whisper. "Everything will be fine. I am gonna call Sidney and ask him to bring a ham, we can put it in the oven when they arrive, and it'll be ready the same time as the turkey. And you-" I paused to press a quick kiss to the tip of her nose, making Anna chuckle. "Are not gonna forget to feed our child - hello? And hey, look, even if you do sometimes, a little chocolate here and there never hurt anybody."

"You sure Sid'll be able to bring one?" She asked quietly, and I almost laughed at her sudden meek expression.

"Mary knows you better than you know yourself, dear. I guarantee she's factored this into the equation."

Anna laughed, throwing her hands up in surrender, nodding continuously as her anxiety floated away. "Alright, yeah. Yeah, it'll be fine," She smiled, reaching up to dust a few streaks of flour out of my hair. Taking a deep breath, she let out a sigh, a gentle smile creasing her cheeks. "I love you."

"I love you too, you... insane person," I despaired, bending down to kiss her properly.

#prompt asks #eugene sledge #eugene x anna #oc: anna #eugene sledge x oc #the pacific #sidney phillips #mary houston

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juniperss · 1 month

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“Days Between”

Jinny {OC} x Eugene Sledge

Author’s note: uh yeah this wasn’t supposed to turn into a story but here we are…..I’m so normal about the childhood best friends to lovers trope with Eugene. I had this song on repeat the entire time I was writing

Tagging: @rosies-riveters (pls lemme know if you don’t wanna be tagged that’s totally fine LOL)

Content warnings: none

Word count: 1,580

“You’ll write when you have the time?” Jinny asked, turning her head to the side to peer at Eugene. He was propped up on his elbows and twirling a strand of golden grass between his fingers, the sunlight shining against his face giving him an almost ethereal quality.

Feeling her eyes on him, Eugene met her gaze and offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “ ‘Course I will. It’ll be like I never left.”

But of course that wasn’t true and they both knew it. Besides Sid Philips, Jinny was Eugene Sledge’s closest friend and he was her’s. The absence would be felt strongly and bitterly. It was bad enough that Sidney had already gone and the trio had been cut down to two, but now Eugene was going to leave too and Jinny wasn’t sure what her life looked like without him.

The grass around them gave them the illusion of shelter from the reality that in just a few days he would be gone for bootcamp and then to war. The fields and woods were their safe place; their childhood playground and teenage hideaways when the responsibilities of everyday life got to be too much. If one of them wasn’t at home it was likely that they could be found here.

“I’ll miss you.” Eugene spoke to the sky, but the words were meant for her.

Jinny looked up too, catching sight of a flock of birds taking off. There was so much she wanted to say to him: that she didn’t want him to leave, that she loved him more than a friend should love another and that she had for so long but the words were stuck in her throat and sat there choking her. It would be selfish for her to tell him those things, she chided herself. Telling him not to go when she knew how long he had dreamed of fighting was selfish. And telling him she loved him and risking ruining a friendship before he went to war? So instead she put all of the meaning and desires that made them up and put them into another phrase:

“I’ll miss you too.”

—

He was a liar.

Jinny knew the thought were harsh, unfair, and frankly untrue as soon as they flashed in her mind. She quickly banished it, sending up a “I’m sorry” to the heavens, and retrieved the box of bandages from the top shelf of the supply closet she was currently standing in.

Eugene had written, just like he said he would and as often as he could, and with each letter was the confirmation that he was alive. A sweet balm of relief however temporary. The real reason for the stinging pain in her chest was that no amount of letters would truly make up for him not being home. Because she did miss him and she felt it so acutely every moment. She had carefully folded each letter and tucked them into her nightstand to read again and again when her mind refused to stop worrying. And after she had read and reread them, she penned her own letters to him.

Recounting the mundane aspects of her life had seemed pointless and almost ridiculous when s he first put pen to paper. But the more she wrote and as her life shifted with her job at the hospital and rehabilitation center, the easier it came in sharing everything with Eugene. She hoped the stories about her visits to his parent’s home for dinner, her talks with soldiers during rounds, her ramblings about Sidney’s latest schemes now that he was home, her thoughts about everything and anything might lend the same sense of comfort his letters brought to her.

Even now as she set to work organizing the boxes meant to be shipped overseas she began drafting a letter to him, one that she knew she would never send.

“Dear Eugene, I love you. I can’t wait to take our walks together again and talk. I don’t even care about what we say. I just miss hearing your voice. When you’re home, I’ll tell you that in person, as much as you can bear to hear me say it. Just come home safe, that’s all I want more than anything now or ever. Yours always, Jinny.”

—

The grass tickled her calves as it moved in the breeze that was sending the trees into a frenzy. It wasn’t as warm as it had been earlier in the day and Jinny was thankful for the reprieve from the constant sweating under its rays. Her eyes closed and arms crossed against her chest she let her mind drift away from the day just like she had when she was younger. Even though Sidney’s return wasn’t enough to erase the ever present stain of Eugene’s absence, having him home was a blessing and made walking their childhood route less bitter. Jinny had missed his constant talking and easy to come by smiles and she found some solace in busying herself with asking details about his upcoming wedding.

But today she was making the walk by herself since Sidney was busy and just for a few moments with her eyes closed she could almost feel the peace that had been gone since the war began. How much she had changed shocked her when she truly sat down to think about it. She had been so concerned about others and focused on their wellbeing that her own growth and maturity had come as a surprise. She was tougher now in so many ways but a heaviness came with it and sat on her shoulders even as she left work behind for the day. There was still much of herself that she was figuring out. Yet in moments like this, in the silence and the familiarity and in the missing of her friend, she knew that there were still pieces of her old self there that hadn’t changed.

“Hey, Jinny.”

The air left her lungs like she'd suffered a kick to the chest, mind not quite comprehending who that voice belonged to and how he was there and how it had most definitely come from behind her. She turned slowly as if he was Eurydice and she was Orpheus and looking back would send Eugene’s soul back to the underworld.

Because it was Eugene and he was standing right there with his arms at his sides looking so smart in his uniform. She stared, soaking in all of him, searching for signs of how much he changed in the time he had been away. He was skinnier and he looked tired, and there was that bone deep exhaustion that she saw in the face of every soldier she met at the hospital. But she could still see the laugh lines around his eyes and the sun touching his ginger hair making it glow, and she knew that this was her friend even with all that he brought back with him.

And then she was moving and throwing her arms around him and pulling him into her body. There was the possibility that she was hugging him too tightly but she couldn’t quite bring herself to care as all the fears dissipated with him against her. He was solid and warm and his arms were around her waist now holding just as tightly as she was to him. She could feel cheek against her head and his breathing on her ear, and she wondered if he could feel her tears falling on him.

“Sorry I didn’t write the last few weeks. I was going to write you one last letter, but I figured I could say it all to you once we were face to face.”

Eugene’s voice was muffled but she could still hear him. There was a half hearted laugh against his shoulder and finally, after another few moments of holding onto each other, Jinny allowed herself to step back. Her hands were still clasping his arms as if he would vanish without her there to anchor. He was smiling now and so was she, reaching up to touch his cheek. “I guess I can let it slide this time.”

His hand covered hers to hold it there. It was calloused and strong, so different from the hands she remembered before. She was surprised to see him looking at her with the same curiosity and searching that mirrored her own. He was trying to see the parts of her that had changed and fill in all the pieces of what her letters did not tell him about what he had missed of her life. Eugene swallowed hard and shook his head, still smiling.

“I love you Jinny Collins.”

There were seldom moments in her life that she remembered being too stunned to say something. But standing here with Eugene in her arms Jinny found her mind reeling with his declaration. How many times had Jinny thought those same words? Even before he had left, she had dreamt of saying them to him. How many times had she thrown away a draft of a letter that had those three words written carefully at the end? She had loved him for so long. And he loved her? She cupped his cheek in her hand and stared up at him with teary eyes and uttered the phrase that she wished she had said the last day they were together in the field of grass:

“I love you too.”

#oc: virginia ‘jinny’ collins #jinny x eugene #the pacific #the pacific oc #hbo war #hbo war x reader #my writings #my writing #🏷️ my writings #🏷️ my ocs

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malarkgirlypop · 6 months

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Lemonade Chapter 2 (Eugene Sledge x Fem!OC)

I forgot about this story TBH, I got stuck, I think I need to re-watch the pacific again to get my brain going again. Also the other chapter I posted didn't get much interaction so I thought I would put it on hold cause I didn't think anyone would notice ahaha.

Based on the HBO show and the actors who portray the characters, no hate to anyone involved.

Tag list: @next-autopsy, @xxluckystrike, @panzershrike-pretz (sorry if you didn't want to be tagged in this, let me know if you want off.)

“Something sweet?” I asked, holding out another cup. The men who passed us looked terrible. Gaunt, dirty and detached. The other nurses around me spoke to the men, welcoming them back from their mission. Most of them men smiled back, some even flirted. I tried my best not to cringe at their emaciated bodies, or injuries. My heart hurt, I had no clue what these men had seen but judging from their faces they would never forget. Our bright white uniforms looked pristine to the grime covered marines, we seemed out of place. Sticking out like sore thumbs. But the General decided it would be a good pick-me-up for the soldiers returning from their awful battles.

“Hi, welcome back.” I said warmly to the marine who had stopped in front of me, handing him a drink. The man stood still, not moving to take the cup from my hand. I smiled trying to think of what else to say, “It’s good to see you.” Still the man stood staring directly into my eyes, glaring. My smile dropped, as I gulped. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. The marine who had been in charge of the stand told the man to move on, even then he didn’t flinch.

“Why are you here?” He requested. The other nurses around me had stilled. We had been told to be weary, that the men that we knew before they were shipped away were not the same. Some had become more violent, easily provoked. Like they were wild bulls and we had to be careful not to spook them. They were unpredictable.

“I’m here to serve my country.” I replied to the man, “Same as you.” His intense stare pinned me to the ground. He scoffed, taking the cup from my hand and tipping it back, then throwing it to the floor. He marched away not looking back. I let the breath I had been holding out, Ellie nudging me to get back to work. I plastered another bright smile to my face and continued to hand out drinks to the men. But for the rest of the day the man's eyes were burned into the back of my mind.

“That guy was scary.” Mary said to me as we packed up the stand we had been serving the drinks at.

“Mary, don't say that! You don’t know what he has been through.” I scolded her, feeling bad that in the moment I was also scared.

“Girl’s stop chit-chatting and let's go, we have things we need to do.” Ellie said as she folded the table cloth we were using. I picked up the table, folding the legs back underneath to make it easier for me to carry.

“Hazel that table goes in the far storage tent, once you are done come meet us in the mess for dinner.” Ellie said as the rest of the nurses gathered the equipment we were using to take it back to the kitchen. I gave a sharp nod heading in the opposite direction to everyone else. I made my way through the camp, saying polite hellos to the men I passed. Some of them offered to help me carry the table to which I refused, “No it’s ok I got it.” I smiled at the marine who looked concerned, “Are you sure, isn’t that heavy?” He asked, looking at the table I held to my side.

“Really it’s fine!” I said moving forward, the table was getting more heavy the amount of times I had to stop, they were making my trip take longer. I moved faster through the camp, stopping a couple of times to readjust my grip. Finally making it to the storage tent, I placed the table down where there was space, not caring much if that was its actual position. I shook out my tired arms. Wiggling my fingers to get the blood moving again. I wiped my brow with the back of my arm, “God it’s hot.” I muttered, fanning myself with my hands. I don’t think I have been this hot in my life, the weather here is so humid it’s like walking into a sauna. It almost feels like you’re being suffocated by the heat, it’s so thick. I finally convinced myself to walk back into the hot sun. I make my way to the mess. I can see now why all of the men barely wear any clothes. All of their uniform sleeves have been torn off to be short, some of the men walk around without any tops on. I wish I could do that, these dresses that they have us in are tight and thick. They are also white which is so impractical when we are dealing with all bodily fluids and they want us to keep them clean. Plus the amount I am sweating and the dirt and grime on my skin from having minimal access to showers really doesn’t help. I arrive at the mess to sit down with the girls before we have to move on to help in the infirmary. I push around the food on my plate, the heat for some reason doesn’t make me hungry and the thought of having a full stomach in this swelter makes me feel uncomfortable.

“What? Are you not hungry?” Mary asks from beside me as she loads her fork with food. I shake my head pushing my tray towards her. She shakes her head.

“No, I'm about full myself.” She says also pushing her plate away. We sit and chat waiting for the rest of the girls to be done. We have to eat early so that the marines can come in and have dinner altogether and while they are doing that we help out in the infirmary.

I walk down the sandy path to the tent that has the injured and sick men. Mary walks beside me rubbing her stomach with a pained expression on her face.

“Are you alright?” I ask her. Peering over at her, she looks pale and sweaty.

“No, I think I ate too much.” She groans, looking ill. I pull her to the side of the path and let the nurses who follow behind us pass. I rest the back of my hand on her forehead, she’s sticky and hot. She’s a lot warmer than me though as I test my forehead heat against hers. A sheen of sweat covers her face, her appearance is pallor.

“Girls hurry up!” Ellie calls from ahead of us.

“Do you want me to take you back to your tent?” I queried as Mary took a deep breath shaking her head. “Are you sure? You don’t look well?” I asked again to be certain.

“I’ll be fine, I just need to get out of this heat.” Mary replied weakly. I took her arm and dragged her along to catch up with the group. We stopped outside the tent, as Ellie went inside to speak to the doctor.

“They are ready for us, Dr. Alpin will tell you what he needs you to do.” We followed Ellie inside the tent after she had given us the brief. The pungent smell of infection filled the warm air inside the tent. I did my best to breathe through my mouth, trying not to inhale through my nose so the smell wasn’t as strong. I heard Mary retch beside me. Ellie was quick to turn around at the noise. Mary had tried to straighten herself, but she couldn’t hold her gagging.

“Hazel sort her out, we don’t need her puking on the men.” Ellie scolded, flicking her hand in our direction to shoo us away. I took Mary by her elbow leading her out of the tent. Only making it a couple of steps before she was hunched over and puking onto the ground. I rubbed small circles on her back as she got the remaining food out of her stomach. We made it back to the tent as I let her rest on the cot, I gave her water, and a wet towel to place on her head.

“You rest up, drink water. I’ll be back soon.” I promised her and she weakly shook her head, her eyes still closed. I dipped out of the tent and went back to the infirmary.

“Hazel how is she?” Ellie asked as I stood beside her.

“She’s fine I gave her water, I’m sure she just needs to be out of the heat. She may have heat exhaustion. I will keep an eye on her tonight.” I reported back to the more senior nurse who gave a curt nod at my explanation.

I was given the task of wound cleaning. I went around to the men who had big open skin lesions. They looked miserable as I washed their wounds with water and covered them the best I could with the little supplies I was given. I did my best at small talk while still focussing on the task at hand. It’s hard work but I like it, getting to help people is my calling apparently.

After a long evening the girls meander back to their tents ready to get some rest after the big day. I check on Mary who snores softly in her cot, I rewet the cloth and place it back on her forehead. I slump down on my own bed, my heavy lids struggling to stay open.

My eyes flutter open to the sound of chatter and movement. I yawn and stretch out my limbs. Getting into my uniform for the day. I nudge Mary awake.

“How do you feel?” I ask her as she sits up looking dazed.

“I had the weirdest dream, but other than that I feel better.” She smiles getting up and pulling on her clothes. I take my toothbrush outside to clean my teeth outside the tent. I sit on a fallen tree and brush my teeth, Mary joins me.

“Hazel!” I heard being yelled across the camp. I look around to see who called my name. Ellie strides into view. I groan internally, I like Ellie. She is fair, but she likes me too. That means when she needs a job done she comes to me, she trusts I can get it done.

“Yes?” I ask shielding my eyes from the bright sun to see her.

“Can you grab the table again from the storage tent?” Ellie requested. I nodded my head standing from my position to put my toothbrush away before doing the task.

I head down to the tent making my way quickly. I look down at the floor to ensure I don’t trip and also so I don’t get stopped to talk to by the passing marines.

“Nurse! Nurse!” I hear being yelled, I lift my head to where the voice came from. A young man stands outside of his tent. He beckons me over with his hand.

“Yes?” I say to the man. He is taller than me, dark thick curly hair and wide blue eyes. He grins at me as I approach.

“Can you help me?” He asks in a thick southern accent. I look into the tent behind. I see the figure of another man inside. He moves inside the tent before I can answer him, he holds the flap open for me to follow.

“I’m not supposed to go inside your tent, Sir.” I admitted. He only grins wider.

“Oh we don’t bite, Miss.” He teases. I sigh, following him into the tent. I can make this quick, then no one will need to know. I can get the table and arrive back like nothing happened.

“Now tell me, what is your name?” He inquires. I give him a confused look, wasn’t this an urgent request or did he only do this to bring me into the tent. I stiffen my stance.

“Hazel Evans, Sir.” I replied politely. He chuckles at me. I shift wearily under his gaze.

“I’m Snafu, but enough with the pleasantries. I need your help.” He changes the conversation, becoming more serious.

“How can I help you?” I ask, scanning his body he has no apparent injuries or wounds.

“Do my eyes look yellow?” He asks moving closer, widening his eyes for me to see. He leans forward, his breath tickling my face. I stare into his large eyes, his sclera appearing normal in colour. I raise my hand pulling down his lower lid to see the interior. The skin appears pink with healthy blood vessels.

“They look fine Snafu, nothing to be worried about.” I smile at the man reassuringly patting him on his shoulder.

“I told him that!” A voice comes from behind me, I turn to look at who spoke. My eyes go wide when they land on the tall man. His brown eyes locked onto mine, just like they did at the lemonade stand. I instinctively take a step back stunned. Snafu’s hands rest on my shoulders from behind me. He chuckles lowly hovering by my head.

“Did Sledge frighten you?” He asks, looking from me to Sledge. I sober myself, shaking my head. I step out of Snafu’s space, my heart rate still beating fast. A tightness grows in my chest as Sledge continues to stare at me with the same angry eyes. His jaw tight, posture ridgid. I slip back on a smile.

“No, I just didn’t hear him behind me.” I lie. “Hi, my name is Hazel.” I say extending my hand to Sledge. He glances down at my hand and then back up to me.

“I heard.” He says shortly, not taking my extended hand. I clear my throat dropping my arm back to my side. I give a sheepish grin as my stomach knots. I need to find an excuse to leave. This Sledge guy doesn’t seem to like me very much. If looks could kill, I would've been dead yesterday and today. I gulp, finding it hard to tear my eyes away from him. My eyes scan over his face taking him in. His soft white skin now marred with dirt and cuts, his angled jaw set with anger, his brows knitted together as he stares back at me. I wonder what he sees? I don’t have any makeup on, my thick brown hair is pulled back off my face into a neat bun as the nurses cap I wear is pinned to my head. My white uniform stands out against their dirty pants and topless torsos. I break eye contact first, turning to speak to Snafu who still stands behind me.

“I have to go, but if you need anything you can always go to the medical tent.” I smile making my way for the exit.

“Why would I go to the medical tent, when I know you Hazel.” He gives me a cheeky smile, as I give him a laugh, “I’ll come find you.” He winks at me. I turn to leave my eyes catching Sledge’s again, he still stares at me with caution.

#the pacific #my oc #sledge x oc #snafu shelton #HBO war #hbo #eugene sledge #the pacific fanfic

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borhap-au · 3 years

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“No one understands”

Part two of Eugene Sledge x Black Reader.

“Courage meant overcoming fear and doing one’s duty in the presence of danger, not being unafraid.” - Eugene Bondurant Sledge

They talked long hours about inequality and the need for change. Neither of them even realized how late it was, until the room was completely empty and Eugene’s friend came to tell them they need to close the coffeehouse. They took their things, thanked the boy and went out of the shop.

“Well, I promised to get you back home safely,” he smiled while Angel shook her head.

“Oh, no. The only person I don’t want to mess with in this world is my dad. And he won’t be happy seeing me with a boy,” she chuckled quietly and he nodded his head.

“I understand,” after he said that, she felt a little bad. The real reason she did not want to let him walk her home, was because she promised her friend she will not be that “stupid.” However, she talked to him for hours and she grew to really like him. She did not want it to be their last meeting.

So she added, “but you know what? I finish my classes at 3 PM tomorrow. How about we meet in the coffeehouse around 3:30? I would like to talk to you some more,” she gave him a warm smile.

“I’d like that. You taught me a lot today. I’d love to find out some more,” he admitted. She fascinated him. Angel gave him a double thumbs up.

“Oh, no worry. I will bring a whole new set of facts and figures tomorrow. I must admit, you were a great student. I’m proud,” she chuckled quietly.

“And you were the best professor I’ve ever had. If only others could talk as interestingly as you do. Learning would be much easier,” he complimented her and she was really happy to receive such a compliment. Some guys complimented on her looks, others liked her personality and sense of humor, but she hardly ever received a compliment about her intelligence, which was the most important thing for her that anyone could point out about her.

“So, do we have an arrangement?” she asked, waiting for his reaction. “Will we see each other tomorrow?”

“Oh, most definitely. I wouldn’t keep a lady waiting,” she smiled in response. They said their goodbyes and each of them went their own way. Eugene turned around a few times to see her again. So did she, right before she turned to a corner she would not see him from, and their eyes met. They both smiled embarrassed. She was the first one to wave at him. He waved back. Then he lost her out of sight.

When he came back home, he kept on thinking about everything she said. Her words resonated in his mind. She was so right, about everything. Before that, he always thought not being a part of a problem was enough. That day he understood how important it was to actually be an active participant in the fight for justice. Fight other than physical, which was the only type they taught him in the military.

The next day he came a little early, as usual. He sat in the same corner and drank his coffee, waiting for her to show up. He really hoped she will not stood him up. He liked her and wanted to get to know her better. Minutes passed by, and she still did not show up in the door of the coffeehouse, despite Eugene observing it closely.

“I’m sorry for being late. They kept me longer in class,” she smiled apologetically, throwing her purse on the chair and sitting next to him.

“Oh, it’s not a problem. I hope you got home safely yesterday,” he started a conversation after the waiter brought her order.

“Yes, I did. It’s pretty close to my neighborhood. We all know each other there, I always feel safe,” she smiled and sipped her coffee.

“The sense of community is always nice,” he said while nodding his head. She wondered whether she should ask that question, but she couldn’t really help herself.

“Just like the army, right?” Angel looked at him biting her lip. She was not the one to be scared of tough conversations. Her topics were usually difficult, since she didn’t like a simple small talk. She wanted her life and her relations to be deeper and more meaningful than just that.

Eugene looked at her surprised, not expecting this kind of question at all. He put his coffee away and took a deep breath.

“You were in the army, weren’t you?” she asked, not wanting to let go that easily. She wanted to get to know him, and his army experience was obviously a huge part of his life.

“Yes, I was. For over three years,” he liked her. He wanted to be honest with her, but it really wasn’t the kind of topic he wanted to explore.

“My friend’s brothers all went to war. Most of them even returned. They enrolled even though their father was doing everything he could to get that idea out of their heads. His own father was born into slavery and he could not understand how could anyone risk their life for a country that enslaved their ancestors, tortured them and raped the women to create more free labor. But they went anyway. You know why?” he shook his head. He had some ideas, but preferred to let her speak. “Because that is their country. It was created on slavery. Slaves made the United States. Not to mention all those asshole who’d say we cannot decide for this country if we didn’t fight for it.”

Eugene nodded his head. He remembered very well all the slurs he heard directed at the Black community. He reacted every time, but unfortunately it rarely changed anything other than the soldiers’ opinion of Sledge.

“Not to mention the Double V. Victory in Europe and victory here. Have you heard about it?” she asked looking at Eugene.

“Yes, actually, I did. I support the cause wholeheartedly. I can’t imagine how it must feel… It’s already hard enough coming home from war, feeling estranged and misplaced. I can’t imagine how it felt for them, coming back to a segregated country that doesn’t even allow you to sit in the front of the bus, even though you risked your life for freedom of that country…” he scoffed and shook his head. “The greatest democracy in the world, fighting with the nationalistic regime of Germany whose segregated country used the US as their role model for that separation.”

She raised her eyebrow and he nodded, confirming what he has just said is true.

“In the 30s, when they were isolating Jews from the rest of the society, they looked at the American model of segregation. I read a report on it. I guess the United States must be really proud to be such a great idol for others,” he said ironically.

“That’s just outrageous…” she sighed and then looked at him. “Can you tell me the stories you have of Black soldiers? I ask this question to anyone I know who went to war.” He hesitated, not being happy about speaking of war, but finally agreed, since he did not have to talk about himself specifically.

“The situation was no better than the one back here. The troops were segregated. At the beginning they didn’t even allow none of the Black men to carry a gun. I guess they were scared of a revolution, or whatever other thing white men thought they obviously deserved for their actions. So the Black men were used for other things. They unpacked the trucks, cooked, drove cars. Only later, when we were short of men, they allowed Black troops to actually fight. A lot of them became great pilots. I really respect their courage, cause after all they fought for a country which doesn’t even treat them like full citizens…”

“’Like actual humans,’ that’s what you wanted to say. You don’t have to be afraid of the truth,” she interrupted him. “It’s because of the Double V. We need justice all over the world, we need to stop racists in America, Europe and everywhere else. We don’t stop here, it’s just a start. We managed to win in Germany, so why not here?” she smiled, and her smile was full of hope that one day things will be better.

“I understand their reasons now. Thank you, it became cleared to me,” Eugene smiled. He already loved listening to her. She spoke with such energy and faith in her cause. “But I have to tell you, their determination was like no other’s. Because I don’t know a single white man who would keep on pushing and trying to get in combat for a country that segregates army’s bathrooms… Hell, they segregated even blood donations! Can you imagine that? As if Black blood was any different from white… I mean, it’s red. It’s blood.” She just shook her head with disapproval and disgust, but she was not surprised at all. What for him was a shocking news, for her was everyday life.

“There’s a great poem, I don’t know if you heard about it. It’s called ‘Beaumont to Detroit’ by Langston Hughes,” she looked at him expecting a reaction, but he just shook his head.

“I’m sorry, I never heard of it,” he admitted, ashamed he was not familiar with it. She took a book out of her bag. It was a notebook with a handwritten title: “Poems of Freedom, Justice and Equality.” She opened it on selected page and began to read the poem to him.

“’…I ask you this question/Cause I want to know/How long I got to fight/BOTH HITLER – AND JIM CROW,’” she finished reading the poem and looked at him for reaction. He did not say anything for a long moment.

“That’s… That’s a really good poem. And it touches all the painful spots. I’m just really sorry, on behalf of all men…”

“No, don’t apologize for them. They wouldn’t apologize. They don’t apologize and they won’t apologize. They don’t feel sorry. You feel sorry, and you have nothing to apologize for. You’re one of the good guys. We don’t judge people because of what they ancestors did to us. We judge people by their current actions. We want to be heard, acknowledged. We understand that living your whole life in a country based on slavery might’ve made you turn a blind eye on some issues. We understand that the systemic racism made you believe in certain things. We really know all of that. But it doesn’t excuse anyone from learning. The problem is very often ignorance. People just assume something is this way because it’s ought to be this way. Or they say something in supposedly good faith, and when we educate them about it being a wrong thing to say, they don’t want to acknowledge their mistake. That I don’t understand and I won’t accept. Everyone makes mistakes. As a white man, you cannot know about all the issues a Black woman faces. But you should be willing to learn about them and fix your mistakes,” Eugene thought to himself that this girl should be a universally known speaker. She spoke with such respect, intelligence and charisma. She knew how to put the issues so that everyone understood her. She could’ve been the next Sojourner Truth if they let her. And it was then when it hit him. Why has he heard of so many Black male orators, but so few women? Was it that the system wanted to silence Black women in particular? Was the problem rooted not only in racism, but also in sexism? Yes, of course it was. Eugene could not believe it took him so long to see how oppressed were the Black women, who had to fought not just with white men, but also with white women, who did not want to acknowledge their femininity, in order to cut them from the feminist movement.

“So teach me. Tell me, please. If you want to. What are the most common mistakes white people make? I’ll try to teach others about them, so we can all know better,” she smiled hearing that. She thoroughly enjoyed having such a clever student.

“First of all, stop with the ‘I don’t see color’ thing. I’m glad you acknowledge that a color of one’s skin shouldn’t be a reason to treat them as a lesser human. I mean, it should be obvious, but unfortunately it isn’t. But it’s not a good thing to say things like that. Because by ‘not seeing color’ you don’t acknowledge the pain and struggle Black people have to endure every single day. Another thing – could the white ladies just stop asking to touch our hair? We’re not their puppies to pet. And don’t assume you understand. Don’t talk about those issues as if they were yours. It’s not just for you specifically, of course, is directed at all white people. I hear all too often them discussing our experience as if they were all-knowing. You have no idea. You have just the point of view of the oppressor, even if you don’t oppress anyone knowingly or purposefully. You didn’t live the struggle, so respect the fact you don’t know how it feels,” he actually took out a notebook and wrote down some of the things she said, as she continued to lecture him. They talked about race and social issues, and then their conversation turned more casual. They talked about books and poetry and exchanged some names they might like to read. Finally, Eugene found the courage to ask the question he thought about for some time.

“Would you like to maybe go out with me? Like… Not for a coffee, for a dinner for example,” he smiled and then looked down, being a little shy. He did not ask a girl out since he was in high school, apart from that one ball after he returned from the war, but neither he nor the girl enjoyed their time there.

Angel smiled slightly, but needed to remind him of something that he did not realize as he usually did not have to live with it. She was not surprised he did not know. Most white people do not think of such things before making plans, because the issue did not involve them.

“If you can find a restaurant that will allow us to sit there, sure,” her smile was a little sad. In Washington maybe it would be easier, but they were still in Alabama. “They usually don’t allow mixed couples in the public eye, you know, not to ruin their reputation. Black people are hardly allowed in any fancy places anyway.”

“So… I invite you to my house. I’ll cook the dinner,” he smiled. Of course, he did not think of the reputation his household will have among his neighbors after that event, but if anyone reminded him of it, he would say he did not care. If they had a problem with that, then it means they were racist, and he did not wish to affiliate himself with such people. “I can pick you up from wherever you want. I assume your father may not appreciate my presence at your house.”

“Oh, no. Just give me the time and address. I will definitely be there and get there on my own. I cannot wait to see what you’ll make for that dinner,” she gave him a big smile. She wrote down the address and they agreed on the time. They were both really happy about the meeting. Neither of them commented on how happy they were, because they did not want to jinx it or appear weird, but they definitely could not wait for the Saturday to come. And it sure looked promising.

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auroralightsthesky · 3 years

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My love, my life (Jay x OC)

Summary: Jay and Rachel went through hell and back to be together but the years of peace bring something even better than any of them could imagine

Note: Inspired once again by the song “Simple” by Florida Georgia Line, literally cannot get enough of this song!! It’s perfection!! I know it’s not period accurate but I had to include it anyways

Mobile, Alabama: June 6th, 1948

“Ok don’t trip hon,” Jay said as he led her down the small, sloping hill towards the lake on the Sledge property.

“Jay I swear to God if I trip and fall.....”

“It’s ok I’ve got you.”

She kept a hand over her eyes, not knowing what Jay had in store for her. The ceremony earlier in the day had gone off without a hitch but now that night was beginning to fall, Rachel had begun to wonder if he, Sledge and the others were going to prank her with something obscene.

“Good grief I feel like a paratrooper in this dress,” she laughed.

“Yeah but you look gorgeous either way,” Jay assured her.

He wasn’t lying. Her oaken brown hair pulled back out of her face and her wedding dress trailing against the green made her look like an angel walking the earth and Jay, still handsome as ever in his dress blues....could there have been a better pair?

“How much further?” Rachel asked him.

“Just a couple more steps hon and you’ll see,” he replied.

Rachel felt her heart hammering with excitement as they finally stopped. “Can I now?” she asked.

“Ok hon,” Jay said. “You’re good to go!”

When Rachel opened her eyes she couldn’t believe it! Not only were her fellow nurses and so many of the other of Jay’s fellow Marines standing there in the renovated barn in the glow of the fairy lights on the ceiling. But so too were their friends from Easy Company and their wives there as well. Her jaw dropped in disbelief as they applauded and cheered for the newlyweds. Luz and Jessica, Sledge and Jenny, Burgie and Florence, Grant and Isabella, John and Lena, Tatum and Eve, Steve and Maryetta, Leckie and Vera, everyone they knew and loved was right there with them.

Rachel tried to hide the huge grin that broke over her face as she and Jay were nearly swarmed by their loved ones. For a minute she had half expected for Sid and Sledge to prank them with something awful, but this was so much better than she could have ever imagined.

“Oh my God you all did this for us?!” she exclaimed happily.

“It took us FOREVER to get everybody together,” Tatum replied.

“I had to write at least forty different letters,” John informed him.

“And mail them all at the same time,” Lena added as she held onto a squirming two year old Anthony Basilone.

“But we’re all here,” Steve replied.

Rachel nearly cried at the sight of their friends and family. These were people who had meant so much to them, their brothers and sisters who would have given each other the clothes off their backs for one another. She looked up at her husband, their eyes beginning to mist over with tears as he led her to the dance floor in the center of the room and began their first dance. Eddie and a few others broke into the song, their voices carrying to the huge timbers that held up the barn with the others joining in to dance.

“It’s like, one, two three

Just as easy as can be

Just the way you look at me

You make me smile

Ain’t no need to complicate it

We both know it’s overrated

We’ve been there it’s safe to say it ain’t our style

It’s just that simple, S-I-M-P-L-E

Simple as can be

Just that simple, S-I-M-P-L-E

Simple as can be”

They danced away without a care in the world, happy that the years of peace had begun for them all. No one cared about the silly antics that ensued during those late hours, John’s crew taking pictures with a camera as they made stupid faces, Leckie’s gang holding Runner up in their arms or Winters pretending to snatch a Vat 69 bottle from Nix’ hands. For that moment they all forgot their troubles as they danced the night away and enjoyed each other’s company, but no one did so more than Jay and Rachel.

“I love you Jay,” she whispered in his ear as they danced with barely an inch between them.

“I love you too sweetheart,” he replied. “You’re my love, my life.....my everything.”

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brian-roger-deaky-and-fred · 5 years

Text

Dog Tags (Eugene Sledge x Reader)

Summary: Eugene flirts with Y/N, a nurse assigned to tend to him after he is injured in battle.

Warnings: Mentions of Blood/Injury/Sickness, Non-Graphic Depiction of Explosion, Mentions of Death, Cursing

A/N: Hey guys. It’s been forever since I’ve seen The Pacific, but I got a request for Eugene, and I love that boy, tbh. I hope this is accurate enough. I know nothing about war and very little about medical practice. Anyways, I like the end result!

*************************

Eugene's head hurt. That was the first thing he noticed. Then the ringing in his ears. Everything was hot and white. He could feel the sticky humidity...his clothes clinging to his skin. The air had been knocked out of him, and his ribs and chest ached with every panicked breath he took. He felt like he was on fire. He cried out as loudly as his burning lungs could muster, choking painfully on smoke and fumes that clouded the air.

"Snafu!" He yelled, begging with God himself to see his friends' faces. If only, just to know they were alive. "Sid!" Mustering his strength, he bit down hard on his lip, trying to pull his legs from under the jagged piece of debris that he was pinned under. He felt something cut and dig further into his middle, and his muscles gave out. He collapsed under the weight of the metal with an angry sob. He turned his head, deciding that he'd rather not have an ever growing pool of his own blood be the last thing he saw.

His eyes caught on an ant, crawling slowly up a blade of grass.

If he was still enough, he could barely feel the exhaustion or the pain, now. The smell of dust and smoke, chemicals and war...somehow, it faded into the gentle scent of the wild flowers growing in freckled patches over the meadow.

He could almost hear Sid, laughing and calling to him as he climbed the thick branches of the old oak tree nearby. The red stickiness glazing his fingertips was merely from the wild strawberries they had stopped to pick for Miss Grace, the little old woman that lived down the street from him. She always used them in jams and pies. He could feel the breeze waving through the tall grass.

He laid there in his meadow, feeling gentle rays of sun paint his skin as his eyes followed that ant, still lazily making its way up that blade of grass. His eyelids grew heavy, and just as it had many times before, the summer breeze lulled him to sleep.

"M-Mama?"

" 's alright, baby. Just relax..."

His voice was barely there, his throat dry and burnt. A gentle hand ran through his soft auburn curls, pushing them back from his forehead.

"Mama, they killed me..."

There was a short silence as he felt her lay a cool cloth over his forehead.

"You're safe now. I've got you."

Y/N was careful as she worked. He'd been sweating from the fever, which was unyielding and high, yet he still shivered in his sleep. She moved delicately around a small nick on his cheekbone as she cleaned his face.

When he'd been found, he'd been covered in dust and blood and dirt. It obscured his features, practically camouflaging him into the debris. He was clean now, his wounds freshly wrapped and cared for, and he seemed far more human. His skin, though riddled with tiny cuts and bruises, was alabaster and smooth. It seemed even more so against the deep, auburn locks of his hair. When she was close enough, Y/N could even see a spattering of light freckles across his nose and arms.

His abdomen had been wrapped tightly, as well as his shoulder, right up to his collarbone, and his left knee. She knew he'd been shot and pinned under something for a long while. That was all she knew. That and his name, which was pressed into his dog tag.

Sledge

E.B.

534533

Type - O

T. 2/43

USMCR

She'd had to clean the blood from it before she could read it.

He stirred, groaning a little and mumbling inaudibly. Y/N tied off the end of the bandage she'd been wrapping his upper arm with. She could barely make out his words.

"M-Mama?"

Concern filled her eyes. She bit her lip. "It's alright, baby. Just relax..."

There was a silence. Y/N grabbed her pencil, making a note in her journal before pressing gentle fingers against the pulse of his neck.

He swallowed thickly. "Mama, they killed me..."

There was twinge of pain in her chest. She knew better than to try and wake him. Taking a deep breath, she ran her finger tips over his face, soothingly. "You're safe now. I've got you." She cooed. His breathing hitched as she laced her hands in his hair, carefully pushing it back off of his forehead as she wrung out a washcloth, folding it in half neatly before laying it over his heated skin. "I'll take care of you. We'll get you home, again." She tucked a lock of hair behind his ear. As if reacting to her touch, he took a deep, startled breath, eyes fluttering open.

She hushed him sweetly, and his tired eyes slowly fluttered shut again. Just as she thought she'd lured him back to sleep, he spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the infirmary, darlin'. Everything's alright."

He paused. "My friends...Sidney Phillips, Robert Leckie, Merriell Shelton-"

She gave a soft smile, "You're the only one I've got listed from your platoon."

Relief flooded his chest, and he relaxed his head further against his pillow as his eyes drifted shut. There was a long silence as he tried to sort the thoughts in his head. He glanced over at her. "You're southern."

She nodded, as he watched her tend to a gash on his bicep.

"Where from?"

"Montgomery."

He smirked, "Well, I'll be damned. If it ain't a small world."

She laughed quietly, "Where'd you learn to talk like that?"

"Mobile."

Her eyebrows raised, amused. "Been there a few times. Never ran into you." She blushed, eyes not leaving his arm, "Would've remembered..."

"Me too." He smirked, lazily. "It's hard to forget a pretty face."

Her ears went red as she scratched something else in her notebook. She pulled a small glass object from her breast pocket, "Hold this under your tongue for me, now, before you go gettin' yourself into more trouble."

He smiled, taking the thermometer in his mouth. It made his words sound funny when he talked, "With all due respect, Ma'am, I think I might like bein' in trouble with you."

She tried to hide her smile, cheeks going even pinker, "Mouth closed, Mr. Sledge." He obeyed, grinning as he tried to relax his sore muscles. After a few seconds, she took the thermometer from his lips, frowning as she read the tiny measure.

103° F

Sighing, she placed it to the side before grazing her fingertips over the cool towel she'd placed against his forehead. It had already gone warm. She took it, dipping it back into a little bowl at his bedside. "Do you remember anything?" Her voice was softer now. She hated to ask. He was in pain and exhausted. God knows it would hurt just as much to relive it.

Her demeanor was comforting to him, somehow, as if she was trying to coax a scared cat down from a tree. He let his eyes flutter shut again, trying to go back to his meadow.

"I got hit in the shoulder. Saw someone throw something a few yards over...I knew I had to run like hell. It threw me backwards. Not really sure how far. Knocked the air out of me. I was gaspin' and chokin'. Guess I inhaled a lot of smoke doin' that, huh?" She gave a sad smile, nodding. "I was under something big. Knew it was cuttin' into me. I tried to move it, but it only cut deeper."

He could see her eyes filling with concern over his words, "You...You've got crushed ribs.-" He nodded, sighing. "-Gunshot wound to the shoulder. There's some pretty nasty gashes on your stomach and legs."

He gave a sad laugh, "No sight for sore eyes, am I?"

She squeezed the excess water from the cloth, tenderly pressing it against his cheek down to his neck, cooling the skin.

"I never said that, Mr. Sledge."

The corner of his mouth tugged upwards. "Eugene." She raised her brows in confusion. "Name's Eugene. Friends call me 'Gene." He smiled at her hands as she folded the cloth again.

"Are we friends?"

"Well, goodness, I hope so. If I have to lay here, sick as a dog and practically naked, I'd rather it be in front of a friend than in front of a stranger." Y/N laughed. The sound brought a wide smile to his face...the most genuine smile he'd given in a while. He choked on a laugh of his own, his throat feeling like it'd been lined with sandpaper. Her face fell.

"Here, darlin'." Carefully, she lifted his canteen from beside the bed. "Filled it for you. I knew you'd be miserable when you came to." She unscrewed the cap, holding it to his chapped lips. It was heaven against his throat. For a while, they stayed there, focusing on letting him take little sips from the jug until it was halfway gone. He felt like a wilted plant, his lungs still burning from the smoke.

Closing the lid, she set the green bottle on the floor. "Well, Gene, my name is Y/N L/N. It's very nice to meet you."

He cleared his throat before he spoke again, "You'll have to forgive me... 'm not used to havin' such pretty friends."

She bit her lower lip, "Me either."

Somehow, he felt worse the second day. His fever was down a bit, but his muscles were starting to realize what he'd put them through. And his ribs...God, his ribs ached like hell.

"Bet you've got a pretty girl waitin' for you back in Mobile." Y/N mumbled, trying to distract him with conversation as she tended to his wound. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, keeping his eyes off of the stitches being delicately made across the gash in his arm.

"Would you be jealous if I did?"

She smirked, "I asked you first."

He chuckled, "Only girl waiting up for me is my Mama."

"Did you enlist?"

He yawned, rubbing his eyes. "Tried to. Took a while to get here. My dad's a doctor. He didn't like the idea. They wouldn't take me at first 'cos I had a heart murmur."

"Did you really?"

"Sure did."

"I thought your pulse was a little strange." There was a silence. She set down the needle, though she hadn't quite finished "Do you mind if I-?" She tapped her chest lightly. "I'll be gentle. Won't hurt your ribs." He nodded.

Carefully, as if she was afraid to move too quickly, she rested her head on his chest, her ear against his heartbeat. His breathing nearly stilled at the contact. He realized, suddenly, how much he had been longing to be touched. After a few seconds, she pulled back, looking as if she was trying to reel herself in. He wished she'd stayed there, longer.

"Strong heartbeat." she mumbled, toying the edge of his sheets. Her voice was quiet as she returned to her work on his arm, "Strong heart. It kept goin' even after you lost all that blood. It'll get you back home to see your Mama, again."

He smiled, looking down at his hands as a blush crept to his cheeks, "You make it beat awful fast, Miss Y/N. Think you should know that."

She opened her mouth to speak.

But then her name was called down the hall.

She met his eyes. Fighting to find words, she pointed to the door as she stumbled backwards.

Gone.

When he woke the next morning, she was singing to herself as she folded linens.

The corner of his mouth tugged upwards. He hadn't heard singing in so long...not like this. He gazed over at her, a lazy, dreamy smile on his lips. Her voice trailed off for a second as she got lost in her thoughts.

"Don't stop, now, darlin'."

He laughed hoarsely as she flipped around, so startled she'd nearly jumped out of her skin. Her cheeks went bright red.

"Didn't know you were listenin'."

"Well, I was, and it was the sweetest thing I've heard in fifteen months, so I'd love if you'd keep goin'. Hell, I was about to ask if you take requests."

She threw a pillow case at him, hiding her smile as he chuckled. "You're lucky I don't shut that window, there, so you can't even hear the birds singin' to you!"

"Oh, now, you're much better than the birds."

She rolled her eyes, sitting down beside him on the bed and pulling a thermometer from her pocket. "Open."

"Say please?"

She shot him a look, and he took it, a playful smirk on his lips. He held it between his teeth gently, like his pipe, so that he could still make an attempt at talking.

"How 'bout I make you a deal-"

"No!" She giggled, and he couldn't help but do the same.

"Well, hear me out, now..." She raised her brows expectantly as she took the thermometer from his lips.

100° F

"Alright, here's my offer. If you sing for me, I'll sing for you."

"You've gone crazy, haven't you?"

He grinned, "Maybe. 's been a long time since I heard a pretty lady sing. I was really enjoying it."

She sighed, pouring some water from his canteen over a clean towel. She laid it over his head, "Sing me a song, then, soldier."

He smiled widely, "And what song would you like, darlin'?"

She breathed a laugh, "Whichever song your little heart desires."

She could see his dimples, now, his eyes fluttering shut as she laid the cloth over his forehead.

Some day, when I'm awfully low

When the world is cold

I will feel a glow just thinking of you

And the way you look tonight

He took Y/N’s hand, and she laughed as he hummed the instrumental break, rolling her eyes at him.

Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm

And your cheeks so soft

There is nothing for me but to love you

And the way you look tonight

He had a nice voice, though it was hoarse from the damage the smoke had done. He beamed the whole time, laughing through the bits where he sounded rougher.

"You're a regular Sinatra, aren't you?" She laughed.

"I never said anything 'bout singin' well, now!"

Her cheeks went pink, "Never had someone sing to me before."

"You've been with the wrong people then, sweetheart."

"Oh really? And who should I be with?"

He blushed, looking down to his hands. She gave a knowing smirk, crooning down to meet his eyes. "For the record, I think you're a lovely singer." She unscrewed his canteen and let him take a few drinks. She took a swig, too, before capping it off, which brought a smile to Gene's face. She sighed, "They Can't Take That Away From Me."

"Hm?"

"That's my favorite song."

"I'd love to hear it..." He wanted her to lay her head on his chest again.

"Gene, I-"

"Please?"

Sighing, She took the washcloth from his head, dipping it in the water before moving to press it carefully down his cheeks and neck, again.

The way you wear your hat

The way you sip your tea

The memory of all that

No, no they can't take that away from me

The way your smile just beams

The way you sing off key-

Gene laughed, and she scrunched her nose at him, teasingly.

-No, no they can't take that away from me

We may never never meet again, on that bumpy road to love. Still I'll always, always keep the memory of

The way you hold your knife

The way we danced until three

The way you changed my life

No, no they can't take that away from me

No, they can't take that away from me.

They were silent for a long time, his eyes unable to leave hers. He had beautiful eyes...deep and brown. Warm.

"That's a good feeling, isn't it?" He whispered, lifting his hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What's that?" She'd long since stopped caring about the washcloth, using her position up against him, more than anything now, to caress his cheek with her fingertips. His hand held her wrist, rubbing circles into it with his thumb.

"Lovin' someone that way."

She nodding a little, "Have you ever had that?"

He gave a little chuckle, thinking back, "When I was in the fourth grade, there was this little girl in school with me...Georgia Grace. I thought she hung the moon and threw the stars up there with it."

A smile drew to Y/N's lips, "Why's that?"

"I liked her hair. Wore it in two braids n' tied it with these little red bows, everyday. And she always had lace around her socks...little polka dotted dresses and shiny black shoes. She knew everything under the sun, too. Every question you threw at her she had an answer to throw right back.-" Y/N laughed softly, letting her chin rest against her wrist as he played with her hair. "-Told my Mama I was plannin' on askin' her to marry me." Y/N's eyes fluttered shut, enjoying his story. She could picture her. "I tried to sit by her one morning. She just laughed at me. Called me a carrot top. Broke my little heart right down the middle." He gave a sad laugh. Y/N's face fell. "Now, what's that look for?"

"She broke your heart."

Gene shrugged a little, his tired eyes finding Y/N's, again.

"She didn't sing."

"You know, one of these days, I'm gonna marry a girl like you." He said it plainly, as if it were common knowledge.

She chuckled, hiding her blush as she cleaned around his stitches with some rubbing alcohol, "Now, why on earth would you want t’do that for?"

"So, I could be around you whenever I want. Wouldn't have to wait for you to come fix me up."

Smiling, she brushed some bangs from his face, "Well, that does sound awful nice, now doesn't it?"

He grinned, "Sure does. I'd go put a ring on that finger and buy you the prettiest dress you ever did see."

She giggled, "And who're you gonna steal all that from?"

"Quit!" He laughed, shoving her, playfully. He sighed getting lost in his thoughts as he gazed out an open window from across the room. "That's how it's all supposed to be, ain't it? Nobody's fightin' with anybody else...causin' wars. Just imagine that...running off. 'd be awful grand, wouldn't it? Buildin' a little house in the middle of god knows where and putin' a family in it...What’s your favorite color?”

She quirked an eyebrow, “Yellow.”

“We’d paint it yellow, then.”

Y/N grinned,"You haven't known me two weeks, Gene."

He laughed, sadly. "Yeah, but God knows, I may be dead tomorrow. Can't just wait around for a grave to fall in."

She was halted a little at his joke. Swallowing thickly, she reached for a bandage to re-wrap his arm. "Now, don't you go talkin' like that.” His face fell a little, and he met her eyes, giving a silent apology. "Seen a lot of good men run out of time, Gene. I don't ever want to think 'bout you bein' one of 'em."

"Oh c'mon now-" He bit his lower lip, smiling as he crooned, trying to keep her gaze. "We both know I'm far too stubborn to die."

It was three in the morning the next time he woke, sweat glazing his face. Y/N heard him cry out.

"Gene...Gene, it's only me."

He couldn't breathe. She hushed him, running her fingers through his hair as she tried to coax him back down to her. "Y/N..." His heart rate started to slow, only to speed up for a second when Y/N walked away from his bed, in search of his canteen. "Stay, Y/N. Please." He begged, reaching a trembling arm out for her.

She took his hand. He held it so tightly, she was sure her fingers were crushed. "I won't go anywhere. I'm just looking to get you some water, alright?" He nodded, swallowing thickly as she plucked the jug from the ground. He took slow sips, his mind still racing.

"Stay with me." He repeated, eyes pleading and voice cracking as his throat tightened with tears.

She nodded, "Lie back for me, ok? Just relax." Gently, she ran her finger tips along his face. The furrow in his brow released as his muscles started to calm. Tears rolled from his lashes down to his cheeks.

"You can sleep now, baby. You're safe. Won't let nobody get you."

His fever was getting worse. Infection. Most likely result of the hour he'd spent, unconscious in a pool of his own blood. When the fever reached 105° F, he was taken into emergency care.

He'd only gone under the condition that she sing for him as much as he wanted when he got to feeling better. "Cross your heart!" He'd said.

It wasn't uncommon for patients to be put under closer watch. It happened nearly everyday, but her heart had sunk when they took Eugene. Somehow, she felt like she'd failed him...as if she hadn't been enough.

They'd said two or three days at the most, until his fever was down. A week passed. No word on Eugene. By week two, a pit of fear had twisted itself in Y/N stomach. She tried not to let her supervisor see it as she explained.

"A patient under my watch a while back, sir. I was told he would be placed back under my care after we managed to get his fever down. I haven't been updated."

The man grabbed a clipboard, flipping back a few pages before lazily tracing his finger over a table of names. "Sledge?"

"Yessir."

He grunted in response. "The WU sent out a telegram this morning."

It felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of ice over her. "A telegram? Why-"

"To notify his family."

Her shock was evident. She glanced at the page in his hands, seeing nothing but a list of names, sprinkled every so often with 'KIA's and 'MIA's. Immediately, she was hit with a wave of nausea. Pale as a ghost, she whispered a hoarse "Thank you" before excusing herself.

Minutes later, she was leaning over a trash can in the nurses quarters, trembling violently as her brain tried to process what had happened.

Gone. Twelve days, and he was gone.

They gave her his dog tag.

She saw him every night. That sweet, lazy smile. He was young and witty. Every time, she could practically hear his murmured heartbeat still ringing in her head. "Strong heart. It kept goin' even after you lost all that blood." She'd told him. "It'll get you back home to see your Mama, again."

So many times, she thought of finding his mother...of telling her everything. She wanted, more than anything, to apologize to her for losing him. To let her know of how much she hated herself for letting the warm, rosy color drain from his freckled cheeks.

But when she thought of facing baby pictures hanging lovingly on walls and mantle places, stories of his childhood...What if he looked like his Mama? What if she sat Y/N down in the living room, telling her all about her son's dreams and aspirations over tea? Could she live with knowing all of the wonderful things he never got to do? She could picture his deep brown eyes, staring at her from a military ID photo, proudly displayed by his family. What if he had little sisters or brothers that missed him when he passed?

Was he in pain when it happened? Was he all alone? Did he call out for her?

Nearly every night, the what ifs of Eugene's Death and the Sledge family filled her head. When it didn't, it was Gene, playing with her hair as he rambled on about little Georgia Grace in his fourth grade class, who wore braids in her hair with red bows tied to the ends. She could hear him singing to her too, his voice rough with laughter.

God, she wished she hadn't teased him about how he'd wanted her to sing. She wished she'd just shut her goddamn mouth for once and sang to him. For months, all he'd heard were bombs and curses and screaming, yet she had been coy in fulfilling his only request of her after he'd suffered over a year of hell.

Late at night when she couldn't sleep, she stare at the dog tag laying on her bedside table and sing to him.

We may never never meet again, on that bumpy road to love. Still I'll always, always keep the memory of

The way you wear your hat

The way you sip your tea

The memory of all that

No, no they can't take that away from me

The way your smile just beams

The way you sing off key...

She'd always apologize to him for crying, as if he was sitting right there beside her. "I know I don't sound very pretty, all choked up." She'd say, wiping her face on her nightgown sleeve. "You'd think I'm bein' so silly...actin' this way." The cicadas gave their muffled reply through her bedroom window. "I wish I'd gotten to say goodbye to you, Gene." She blinked back tears, eyes burning again. "I know it's selfish of me, thinkin' that way. Probably havin' a great big party up there, all the time. Bet you don't even remember all this, anymore. Ain't got no wars up there, do they Gene? Not ever..." She trailed off, eyes falling back to the letters pressed into the tag. Sledge E.D.

"G'night Gene."

Her memories faded as time went on, though she seemed to be fading a bit with them. It'd only been four months since she'd been home, yet she'd long since started to see changes in herself. She'd gotten thinner. Just a bit. Barely noticeable to most. The same couldn't be said for the exhaustion lingering in her eyes. Restful sleep was a luxury now, to most.

It got colder, the leaves once again started falling to the ground, covering the earth in oranges and reds. Little things provided distraction. The war seemed so distant to Y/N as she made conversation with the milkman or watched the neighbors' kids rake piles of leaves to jump in.

She'd been getting ready for her morning classes, running behind as usual. She had only just started making up a sack lunch to take with her when she heard a knock at the front door.

'Oh goodness..." She moaned to herself, eyes darting around her kitchen for the bag of apples she'd pulled from the tree growing her the back yard. She'd promised Mrs. Elbert some once they were ripe, and she'd forgotten to run it by their house the morning before. "Coming!"

Finally, she spotted the bag, grabbing it as she ran to the door. "Now, I haven't washed 'em yet, but if you're using them for pie-"

She froze, realizing it wasn't, in fact, Mrs. Elbert.

The man on her front porch turned to the door, realizing she'd finally answered it. She dropped the bag of apples the moment she met his eyes.

Deep, beautiful, brown eyes.

Her skin went white.

"Well, I'll be damned." He whispered, a grin creeping to his lips.

Her whole body went weak and pale. "Gene..."

"Do you know how many L/N households there are in Mobile? More than I thought there'd be, that's for sure. I was beginning to think you'd just been a fever dream, Miss.-"

And then her arms were around his neck, face in the crook of his shoulder as she clung to him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

He grinned, "Well, goodness gracious, darlin'."

"T-Told me you were...you were d-dead." Tears burnt her nose and as she started to tremble

His face fell, and he pulled back a little to look her in the eye, "What?"

"I went lookin' for you...when they didn't bring you back to me. They told me you...you were-" She trailed off, her brain working too hard, already, for her to find words.

"They discharged me, angel. I never got a chance to tell you. I looked all over." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She couldn't begin to tell if he was even real.

She guided him inside, leaning against the front door after she closed it. "I-I...I feel like the room's spinnin', Gene. Can't hardly breathe..." Tears welled in her eyes.

His brow furrowed, "Come're, Darlin'...careful now."

He had her sit on the couch, lying back against the arm rest. "Let me get you a glass of water, alright?"

"Gene, you don't have to-"

"You took care of me for a good long time, sweetheart. Let me help you just this once...Please."

The water did help. Somehow, it seemed to clear her head. She took his hand as she sat at her side on the couch, unable to tear her gaze away from his.

"Now...isn't that a bit better?" Gene gave a small smile as she nodded. He wiped the tears from her face, gently, with his thumbs.

"I swear, 's like I'm seein' a ghost, Gene. I feel like I've gone crazy." There was a silence. Slowly, as if not to scare him off, she brought her fingertips to his face, gently grazing them over his cheek as she cradled it. He leaned into her touch, pressing a kiss to her palm.

"You're not crazy..." She was close enough, now, to see the light dusting of freckles across his nose. He swallowed thickly as she ran brushed her fingers around a scar on his forehead. Eyes not leaving hers, he leaned back a little, fingers stopping at his collar to unbutton his shirt down to his rib cage. He slid the sleeve off of his shoulder, revealing a scar over his bicep where she'd given him stitches so many months ago.

And then there was his other arm, a small, silvery pink mark to the left of his collar bone, no bigger than a quarter. A gunshot wound.

"There's quite a few of those." He mumbled, not looking at the two scars. "The one over my stomach's awful." Timidly, she lifted her hand, trailing over the lines that been forever carved into his alabaster skin. "They make me sick t'my stomach sometimes...remindin' me of all I've done." Her eyebrows furrowed, and she crooned down to meet his eyes. She tucked a strand of auburn hair behind his ear. He glanced up. His eyes widened, realizing, only now, how close they were. For a split second, his gaze dropped to the curve of her lips. He hoped she hadn't noticed. She noticed. She could feel the heat of his breath fanning over her.

"Miss. L/N..."

There was a silence. Her voice was barely a whisper, "Yes, Gene?"

He swallowed thickly, "I think you're the prettiest thing I ever laid eyes on."

Her breath hitched at his words, forehead pressed to his. Y/Ns eyes fluttered shut.

"Then, kiss me, Gene."

He held her jaw, thumb rubbing over her cheekbone as his lips grazed hers.

There was a knock at the door.

They both froze.

A grin crept to Eugene's face, and he laughed breathily.

"Expectin' someone?"

Mrs. Elbert looked suspicious when Y/N opened the door, mumbling something about how she, "Thought she'd be in class, by now." Y/N didn't miss the woman's pointed glance around her living room. "My daughter saw a boy hangin' round your front porch this mornin'. I sure hope you haven't brought 'em inside. Wouldn't want the neighbors to talk." With that, Mrs. Elbert thanked her for the apples, and trotted down her front lawn, her heels digging into the grass.

Y/N sighed, as she closed the front door. Before she could say a word, Gene's lips were pressed against hers. She hummed contently as his large hands held her face, and he backed her against the front door.

His kissed her like he'd never get to ever again, his tongue grazing against her lower lip as their movements deepened. She loved the way he smelled...like pine and books. His rough, callused hands fell to grip her hips, tightly, her blouse riding up a bit over her stomach.

But then their movements slowed, starting to soften and sweeten. Y/N's muscles relaxed.

She thought of her tears. She thought of every crack that had splintered inside of her when she lost him, and then, she let Gene kiss it better, again.

*************************

@mirkwoodshewolf @howellxmercury @cosmicsskies @hotttspace @hopefully-aesthetically-pleasing @mazzellho @deathontwoclogs @deacy-dearest @blisshemmings

#eugene sledge #eugene sledge x reader #eugene sledge x you #eugene sledge imagine #the pacific #the pacific imagine #pacific #joe mazzello #joe mazzelo x reader #joe mazzello x reader #joe mazzello x you #joe mazzello imagine #joe mazello smut #joe mazzello x oc

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spacepigeonsposts · 4 years

Text

Helpless

Chapter 3

Pairing: Eugene Sledge x original female character

Words: 2017

Warnings: a little bit of angst(fighting with parents)

A/N: i’m so sorry this took so long to get. i’m gonna try to be more consistent. hope you like it :)

It was now weeks after the ball and Rose hadn’t stopped thinking about Eugene. She cursed her forgetfulness for not asking where he lived so she could send him a letter. She decided she’d ask the postman next time he came around since they were pretty good friends.

The next day, she saw him walking down the street, stopping to deliver mail to each resident. Now that Rose was seeing him again, she realized he and Eugene kind of looked alike.

When he made it to her mailbox she ran down the sidewalk to greet him as she often did.

“Hey Gardner!” She yelled.

Gardner looked up from her mailbox and waved to her.

“Hi, Rose,” he said. If you didn’t know him well enough you might think he was grumpy most of time but Rose knew better.

“Can I ask you something?” She asked.

“Sure,” Gardner replied.

“I was wondering about someone you might have on your route. His name’s Eugene Sledge? I wanted to ask if you could give me his address because I wanted to send him something,” Rose explained. Now that she was saying it out loud she realized it sounded a bit ridiculous. She didn’t even know if he was on Gardner’s route.

“I’m sorry I can’t give personal information about customers to other customers,” Gardner said.

Rose remembered how responsible he was about following the rules and the manual.

“That’s alright,” she said. “I was just wondering. Don’t worry about it.”

She smiled reassuringly at him. He gave a small smile back, waved bye, and walked onto his next stop.

How was she going to get in touch with Eugene now?

She collected her family’s mail and walked back up the long driveway to their house, trying to think of any neighbors she could ask about him.

A few hours passed and Rose had something else on her mind for the first time in weeks. She’d been talking to her parents about life plans. Rose was twenty one now and they both thought it was important that she start thinking about her future. However, going to college was not the answer they’d hoped for when they asked her what she wanted to do.

“Honey, wouldn’t you rather settle down with someone who can take care of you?” Her mother asked. She had a sad look on her face like she was disappointed.

“Momma I don’t need someone to take care of me. I can do that myself. I can go to school and get a job,” Rose replied, exasperated.

“Sweetie, your mother’s right,” her father interjected. “You wouldn’t have to work a day in your life.”

His response came as a shock to Rose. She always saw her father as more progressive than most of the men of her time. But now, here he was saying she should just get married and give up the rest of her life.

“I can’t believe you guys won’t just support me!” She said. “I want to do more with my life than stay home and cook and clean or take care of kids.”

Her mother opened her mouth to say something but didn’t get the chance before Rose stomped out of the room.

Rose ran upstairs to her and Maria’s room. She quickly put on a pair of shoes and rushed back downstairs and out the front door. She didn’t know where she was going. She just wanted to get away for a little while.

She walked down back roads until she came across an open clearing. It was full of tall grass and wildflowers. More importantly, she noticed a familiar figure laying in the middle, reading a book.

She slowly walked closer, trying to make sure her brain wasn’t tricking her. And it wasn’t. Eugene was right there in the field.

Rose wiped the tears off her face quickly. She didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of the man she had been trying to find for weeks.

In between rubbing her eyes, she saw him stand up like he was about to leave. She always seemed to be calling after him when she saw him.

“Eugene!” She yelled.

He turned around, surprised to find he wasn’t alone in the field anymore.

“Rose?” He yelled back.

There was still some distance between them and he wasn’t sure it was her at first.

She ran farther into the clearing towards him.

“Y’know it’s a lot harder than you might think to find someone in such a small town,” she said once she made it to him. It was as if just being in Eugene’s presence had made Rose forget about all that had been making her upset before.

“You were trying to find me?” he asked. His eyebrows were raised and his eyes widened. He was flattered and a little surprised.

“Well not at this exact moment,” Rose said. “But I was hoping I’d see you again soon.”

“I was hoping to see you too,” he said, now smiling.

He sat back down on the grass and patted the spot next to him, inviting her to sit with him. The spot was flatter than the rest of the grass around them. Rose guessed he must come here a lot. She sat down beside him, not bothering to protect her skirt from the dirt.

“So is this like your spot or something?” Rose asked, turning to face Eugene.

“Something like that,” he replied. “I come out here whenever I need to think or just get away from things for a little while.”

“Do you mind if I join you? That’s exactly what I need right now,” Rose said.

“Sure. I don’t mind spending time out here with a pretty girl I’ve been wanting to see,” Eugene said with a playful grin.

Rose put a hand up to her face to try and hide the sudden flushing of her cheeks.

“Thank you. For the compliment and for letting me stay,” she said.

“So what is it you needed to get away from? If you don't mind me asking,” Eugene asked.

“My family,” Rose said. “I got into a fight with my parents.” She looked down, picking at the grass in front of her.

“Gosh I’m sorry,” Eugene said. “What was it about?”

“I had been thinking lately about what I wanted to do with my life. I don’t want to waste away as a housewife in the same town I’ve been in my whole life. So I figured I could go to college.”

Eugene nodded understandingly even though she couldn’t see him as her eyes were still glued to the ground in front of her.

“But when I told my parents, they didn’t approve. My mama’s been trying to set me up with someone for ages and she didn’t like the idea of me going off on my own. And apparently my dad is a lot more misogynistic than I thought because he doesn’t think a woman needs an education. They just don’t understand that the world is changing and I can be independent if I want to.”

Rose hadn’t noticed the tears building back up in her eyes until she was finished talking.

“Hey, don’t cry,” Eugene said. “You’re an adult. You don’t have to listen to them. If you want to go out and get an education and a good job you should do it!”

“Thanks,” Rose said as she wiped her eyes. “ But they’re my parents. I can’t just go against them.”

“I know how you feel,” Eugene said. “There have been times that what my parents wanted and what I wanted didn’t line up. But in the end you have to do what you think is best for you and eventually they’ll come around.”

Rose finally looked back up at him. He had a sincere look of conviction on his face. How could someone she barely knew seem to care so much? She didn’t want to worry him with her issues any longer than she had to so she decided to move the focus back to him.

“Thanks. I’m sorry if I’m bothering you. Let’s talk about you. What do you think you want to do?” She asked.

“You’re not bothering me. I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Eugene said.

“I’ll be alright,” Rose said. “Really though, do you have any future plans?”

Eugene looked around for a moment like he was trying to find something good to say.

“I’ll be honest I haven’t really thought about it much,” he said. “I’ll probably go to school too but for now my plans are to just do nothing.”

“Well from what I’ve seen you seem pretty smart.” Rose said.

You’re also just pretty. She thought.

“I’m sure when you’re ready you could get any sort of education you wanted.”

He blushed a little at her compliment and smiled.

“Thanks. You seem pretty smart yourself.”

Rose smiled back at him. Once again, being with Eugene just seemed to make her feel better.

“So what kind of stuff do you like to do?” Eugene asked, wanting to get to know her better and not wanting to let the conversation end.

“I like to draw and do photography,” she said. “You know, just anything artsy. I also have a stamp collection. It’s got some pretty rare ones.”

“That’s cool. You’ll have to show me sometime,” Eugene replied.

“What about you?” Rose asked. She looked fine but on the inside she was jumping with excitement at the prospect of getting to hang out with Eugene again.

“I like to read,” he held up the book he was holding, “and I’m thinking about taking up bird watching. My father thought it would be a good idea.”

“Oh that sounds fun. Maybe I can join you someday,” Rose suggested.

“That’d be nice,” Eugene replied. “There’s some woods by my family’s house that have a bunch of ‘em.”

For the next couple of hours, the two talked about their lives and interests, finally properly getting to know one another. Both of them were able to forget about whatever was troubling them and just enjoy each other’s company.

The sun ,eventually, started to set. It gave everything a golden glow as the rays peeked through the branches of the trees. A light breeze had picked up making the grass and wildflowers sway gently. Eugene’s hair looked redder than ever in the light.

He noticed Rose starting to rub her hands up and down her arms.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“A little. I don’t handle cool weather that well I guess,” she said.

Eugene started to take off his jacket. Once it was removed, he handed it to Rose. She took it with a confused look on her face.

“You can wear it…y-y’know so you don’t get cold,” Eugene said.

Rose started smiling and quickly put the jacket on.

Eugene blushed at the sight of her wearing it.

“What do you think?” she asked.

“It suits you,” he replied.

Eugene glanced at his watch and was reminded of the time.

“It’s getting pretty late,” he said. “I guess we should probably go home.” He said it slowly like he wanted to prolong their time together as long as possible. Rose’s smile dropped from her face. But she knew they couldn’t just stay out in a field all night so she stood up with him.

“How about I walk you home?” Eugene asked.

“Yeah, that’d be great,” Rose said.

As they walked back towards Rose’s house, they talked more. Eventually they arrived at the mailbox at the end of her home’s driveway.

“Oh, by the way, can I have your address?” Rose asked. “I wanted to send you a letter but my mail carrier’s real serious about his job and wouldn’t tell me anything.”

“Oh sure,” Eugene said. He told her his address. “I guess I know yours now so I could send you something.”

“Yeah, that would be nice,” Rose said.

They said their goodbyes, at least for now, and headed their separate ways. Rose walked back up to her house, feeling much better and still wearing Eugene’s jacket.

#joe mazzello #joe mazzello fanfic #eugene sledge #eugene sledge fanfic #eugene sledge x oc #the pacific #hbo war #The Pacific HBO #the pacific fanfic #writing #helpless

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har-rison-s · 5 years

Text

back home to you

A/N: Yes hello hi no one asked but here is the second part. I know I have a lot of requests, at least seven, and other things I haven't finished, but this is fresh and I don't want to lose the idea or the inspiration or the feeling while I still have it. So, I really hope you like this. Happy reading!

main masterlist

borhap masterlist

joe masterlist

warnings: one or two curse words

The next day is quiet. I sit outside in the grass of ther front lawn, still in barely any clothes, and I'm reading my psychology book. My feet are knotted together behind me, swinging back and forth. The soft wind brushes against the skin of my legs occasionally, but it's warm so it doesn't make me shiver. It's very warm here during the summer, hot on many days when it's nearing the end of July and the whole August.

Eugene talked to his brother about something a mere hour ago, after the very quiet breakfast session me and him and his family shared. He's sitting in a chair with a coffee in hand, staring ahead. Silently I hope he's been looking at me, but I ignore the thought. Don't think he'll ever think of me the certain way I am thinking about him, taking the war and its impacts and him as a person in general. It makes me a bit sad, but I don't want to think about anything downing. I'm happy that I'm with him and I can spend my time with him, and I appreciate that so much.

When I turn over a page and get ready to read new words and knowledge, I hear a pair of feet padding down the locks of grass from behind me. I turn and lift my head towards the walker and smile when I see it's Gene. In his pyjamas and knitted robe, his cup of coffee gone from his hand, left on the small outside table. His feet are bare, and I see that when he sits down next to me, crossing his legs.

He looks at my book and I close it so he can see what it's about. He nods when he reads the title and I put the book down. I turn my body over so that I'm on my back, facing Eugene. I feel the grass locks through my shirt and robe and they tickle my skin, making me smile and wince a little. I feel Gene's eyes on me, and it makes me smile wider, turning my head towards him. I reach my hand out to his, chasing his long fingers.

“How are you feeling?” I ask quietly, so quietly that no one walking by could hear me. Eugene moves his eyes from mine and looks afar before looking down at our hands, a quiet sigh leaving his lips. I search his beautiful eyes, waiting for his reply. I really want to know every detail of how he's feeling, and usually he tells me each tiny one.

“Tired.” He says finally. “I felt like I didn't have any sleep at all. You were gone when I really woke up, but I figured why.” His words make me feel a little guilty and I refrain, my hand going a bit stiff in his. Eugene looks at my faulty eyes. “Don't be sorry,” he tells me, “I understand.”

“My main concern is that you don't feel sorry.” I tell him, and it freezes him a little. We watch each other's eyes, complete understanding traveling back and forth. “I can't understand what you've experienced in the war, because it was you there, not me. But I can understand every other feeling.” I say. “I don't ever want you to feel sorry about anything that comes of it. Nightmares or anything else, Gene.” I poke his knee with my pointer finger softly many times, my hand growing a bit bored. He watches the gesture for a while before wrapping his fingers around my wrist and pulling my hand up on his thigh to rest there.

“Thank you.” He says so quietly I fear I might have dreamed it. I smile and trace my finger in circles on his thigh.

“What were you talking about with Ed?” I ask then, twisting a little so that I'm closer to him. Gene shrugs.

“He told me how he distracted himself from his own nightmares and memories from serving.” He says and I nod.

“Did he give you any tips?” I question. Eugene gives me a breathy chuckle, shaking his head.

“None that I could really use.” He admits and I smile wide.

We stay like this for quite some time, and the sun starts to break through the tree branches more. I trace figures into his thigh, his palm, his forearm, and we lock eyes now and then. We don't speak, and both of us enjoy it. The silence comforts Eugene, and it makes me calmer when he is.

Maybe this is the moment I tell him. And if everything changes, it does. If nothing changes, so it goes. I'm ready for whichever result that may come.

“Genie...” I call his nickname so that he'd look at me, and he does. His eyes are curious and I look at our hands, “I don't know how to say this right and it might be hard to take in, but you mean a lot to me...” Eugene raises his eyebrows slightly, afraid to really show it. “What I mean is that I love you in every way possible, and I'd like to spend—if not all, then—most of my life with you.”

There's a long pause of silence between us, watching each other's eyes. I probably did it very wrong, and I should have been softer with my words, not so conspective and up-right. Now I wish he'd forget I ever said a thing. I ran my hands over my face, swallowing the escaped tears and looking away from Eugene. It was too much for him. I shouldn't have said anything.

“That's, uh...” he finally says and I immediately turn my head to look at him, he's looking down, “that's very kind of you to say.” He states, nodding, and looks at me again. “Is there anything else you'd like to say?”

I smile shyly and try to hide my excitement. I chuckle when I look down at my hands. “Yesterday, at dinner,” I start to say, “I was blushing. You make me blush all the time, Eugene.” I admit and I can see a soft smile starting to appear on his features. “I would have liked to tell you before you left because I never knew if you'd come back. Or come back the same. But I didn't know about my true feelings.” He nods. “You can do whatever you want with my, uh, my feelings. It's not obligate that you return them.” I say, on a more serious note, “I just wanted you to know that someone loves you. A lot. And will be here for you always.”

He lets his smile stretch his lips fully and his head hangs down. He reaches out to my hand and holds it, his thumb tracing over my knuckles, savoring the lovely moment. I've really confessed my love to him now, but there are many more things to say which I hope I'll have the chance to, soon.

“I want you to stay for always.” Eugene says, the smile still settled in his face, but a more serious expression on it now. He's lifted his head to see my face. “I think I'll go crazy if you don't.” He admits and I sit up in front og him, changing my posture. I bend my knees against my chest and wrap my arms around them, looking at Gene. “And I can't... Fuck, I can't promise you anything. I can't promise you a perfect romance or marriage or anything.”

“I know you can't.” I say to him and sway our intertwined hands left and right. “But I'll have everything if I have you. No matter how hard it'll be or how pained you are. I'll love you always.” I assure him and Eugene looks at me, and now there are tears in his eyes. I smile wide, and tears appear in my eyes, too. I chuckle and grip his hands tighter.

“Thank you, Y/N.” Eugene says and I nod. I let go of his hands and reach my arms out to him, asking the question with my eyes. He nods for an answer and I put my arms around his shoulders, pulling him against my warm form. My legs unfold and I'm kneeling before the sitting Eugene, his nose in the bend of my neck. I feel his breath against me as he breathes, and it brings me comfort. I want to stay like this with him forever. And I can now. I can.

Permanent taglist:

#eugene sledge #eugene sledge imagine #eugene sledge imagines #eugene sledge x reader #the pacific #pacific #joe mazzello #joe mazzello imagine #joe mazzello imagines #joe mazzello fic #joe mazzello x oc #joe mazzello as eugene sledge

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