𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐧𝐞; eugene roe ✔

PART SEVENTEEN

I am aware it has been a while since I have updated this thing. I am trying my best. Obviously this is completely fictional - a lot of what E Company did in Austria won't be covered in this book and characters like Eugene have been molded to fit my storyline. For instance, like there is nothing specific which clarifies Eugene met Renee, there is nothing specific in how these events take place.

Word count; 2,224

Valentina

Eugene's hand was cold against mine, a needed contrast from the heaviness of the room. Out of politeness and somewhat shame, I removed my palm almost immediately, reaching for a luke-warm glass of water on the chest of drawers to my right - something I had brought earlier that night to soothe Teo's throat. I drank the rest of it in one large gulp, wanting a distraction. The medic cautiously looked between us, aware he had missed some sort of connotation.

"We cannot tell him."

"We must tell someone. These men need to pay for their actions, Teo!" I snapped, putting the glass back down.

Eugene noticed a change in the way we conversed, the difference between German and Czech, and gathered a wariness. Easy Company didn't have any Czech translators; anything that was said between us would remain with us only.

"When?" I demanded.

The reluctance clung onto the air, "You were away. At the pictures."

I frowned, "But you were asleep when I left, Teo. Why-"

He intercepted, "I went for a walk. It was so quiet with everyone at the pictures."

"I don't understand." I stated. "How they knew, that is."

"One asked for me to rub him out, dazed by beer - both were incredibly drunk, you could smell it. I said no. He said I looked like..." His eyes briefly crossed over Eugene. "Like I sucked off cocks for a living. I tried to walk away. They cornered me. I never even said anything about my sexuality."

We stared at each other, unable to find any other way to propell the conversation.

"Nazi. Jew. Theft. Whore." Teo listed - the labels adorned to us, to him.

Having waited patiently, Eugene rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. Sympathetic, I regarded him carefully. Without second thought, I pulled him out into the corridor, dragging the doorknob closed behind me. I glanced around, hearing voices here and there, then took him upstairs, to the safety of my own room. His first thought was directed towards the giant mirror across from my bed, the names and dates marked down upon it.

I brushed my eyelids with the back of my hand, "I need you to promise me something."

He didn't move, only examine my expression.

"You know how hard this has been for me." I inhaled deeply. "And I don't want to approach your officers only to be sent away, or even worse let down."

"You have no reason to distrust Major Winters."

"But can you promise me that won't happen?"

He hated to make these types of deals, aware it could result in a break, "I promise."

Eugene entered a study - Winters' study - knowing a medic would capture his attention, given that Captain Spiers warned he was not to be disturbed. Turned out, the Major was only in need of a nap but the mention of myself and Teo had him up - ready to fight, almost. Eugene returned, brought us inside, and Winters offered us a drink upon our arrival.