[ COMPLETED ]
German Translations Provided By @vanessanats
BOOK 1 of the ORPHIC series
ZEITGEIST
/ˈtsītˌɡīst,ˈzītˌɡīst/
the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time.
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"We are all pieces on a chess board. Knock some off and it doesn't matter."
Pasiano di Pordenone, Italy August, 1943
ITALY WAS MORE ROMANESQUE then Lucy had imagined, not that she'd complain. The architecture was beautiful in more ways than one, and a part of her felt as though she'd travelled back in time. She let her eyes flick across hundreds of windows and doors before she turned to look ahead of her. In her peripheral vision she could see James chewing on a protein bar. To the left of her was Timothy, who she'd gotten used to calling Dum Dum.
Over the few months it took to arrive in Italy, Dum Dum had made it a personal mission to get to know Lucy. It puzzled her for a few weeks- maybe even an entire month- until she realized Dum Dum was trying his best to be her friend. She admitted it took her way too long to realize, and might've been a little embarrassed. Then again, she was a bit rusty on social cues- it's what happens when you get captured by supremacist assholes and refined to a base- so, at least she had a good reason for being awkward.
Their heavy tactical gear was gone, replaced by casual clothes that were a thousand times more comfortable then the buckles and backpacks once attached to their backs. Lucy shoved her hands in her pockets as the three of them continued towards their destination- a small bar near their military base they'd left a few minutes ago. Supposedly it was used as an op's base for soldiers and pretty safe.
Lucy wasn't overly interested in drinking, but it was Dum Dum's fantastic idea to get a pack of beers, and James's brilliant decision to drag Lucy along.
She wasn't sure how to slowly branch away from the military and find an apartment a few miles from here. It should've been simple but she had one problem: James.
James had been antsy as soon as they arrived, always sending her side glances and fidgeting with the collar of his shirt. It was as if he was scared of what she'd say, so saying "goodbye" was a lot harder than she thought.
"Whiskey or rum?" Dum Dum questioned.
"None."
"Both."
Lucy and James spoke at the same time.
James raised an eyebrow and Lucy shook her head.
"Should all of you really be drinking tonight?" She asked with a pointed look.
Since the 107th division had touched down only a few days ago, the Colonel was yet to send them on a particularly life-threatening mission- they weren't in dire need of another company anyway. That didn't make Lucy any less paranoid by the amount of HYDRA agents that could be hiding, well, everywhere.
