𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 | 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝐀 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥 | 𝐑𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐬

❃❃❃

Months had passed since you and Ron first met on the night of your first jump into combat. The two of you had become good friends. There was an unspoken respect for one another and maybe even a little chemistry...

As much as you wanted to deny it, you were falling for him, but you had no clue if he felt the same way. He kept his emotions hidden, he was unpredictable.

Regardless of how you felt, you didn't want your affections to distract you from the real goal. Winning the damn war.

It was December 19, 1944. The 101st was heading into the Bois Jacques. You sat between Joe Liebgott and Shifty Powers on the way there. Liebgott had a habit of invading your personal space, Shifty however was the most respectful man in the unit, and a damn good shot.

"Where the hell are we headed this time?" Christenson said across from you as he lit a cigarette. He was visibly exhausted.

"The depths of Hell I presume." Luz replied sarcastically.

"Hell wouldn't be this cold." You said with your face buried in your scarf, eyes darting at Luz.

"Damn right, im freezing my fuckin nuts off." Liebgott nodded in agreement. "Anyone else gotta take a piss?"

The men began to murmur and get up. "Hey stop the truck we gotta piss back here!" Liebgott yelled to the driver.

The truck stopped as Lt. Speirs approached the back.

"You got 5 minutes." He said, staring at the men. They all shook their heads in agreement and moved out to the side of the road to relieve themselves.

As you made your way to exit, Speirs grabbed your hand and assisted you as you jumped out.

He guided you, hand still in his, to step aside and talk to him. "(Y/n), have they told you about where we're heading?" He looked concerned, not for himself, but for you.

"Belgium...The Ardennes...why do you look like someone just shat in your scrambled eggs Ron?" You said trying to lighten the tension.

"We're looking at about 200,000 German soldiers in opposition. That's more than we fought on D-Day. We need to be strategic if we're going to get through this campaign." He said looking you in the eyes. He needed you to hear what he had to say, as if your lives depended on it.

Speirs philosophy was always centered around being a dead man walking, so why the sudden need for survival hit him so intensely was beyond you.

You looked over as Malarkey and Muck were debating whose pee would freeze faster in the cold air. "Morons." You thought to yourself. You enjoyed their antics as much as it annoyed you.

"No offense Ron but you've never been one to think before you do. Remember the cigarettes..."

Ron knew what you were referring to, and he didn't appreciate it. You had been there the day he killed 20 German POWs. You didn't blame him for it, but it showed you just how much he was capable of. Ronald Speirs was a killer.

"Battalion Headquarters told us to take no prisoners and you know that." He said, giving you a glance while walking away.

"Let's move out!" Captain Nixon yelled as you all returned to your jeeps.

"You coming Sargeant?" Speirs said as he motioned his head for you to come sit next to him.

"Well I guess I wont say no to riding in first class." You said sarcastically as Ron gave you a half smile and scoffed. You stepped up as he followed behind you. You were now sitting next to Ron in the back seat, and suddenly you felt warm again.

You were looking at about a 2 hour drive until you reached the Boi Jacques, you decided it would be a good time to catch a quick nap. After all, you barely had time to sleep since your last jump.

The cold started to set in and you could hardly get comfortable. You felt as if you were in and out of sleep every other minute. Suddenly you felt Speirs arm wrap around you and pull you into his body. Your shivering stopped, and your cheeks flushed red. You were visibly surprised and that made Ron smirk.

"What?" He looked down at you. "You're cold aren't you?"

"You aren't?" You looked up at him.

"Well not anymore really." He said locking eye contact with you.

"Me neither." You stared into his hazel eyes.

He started to move closer into you, your faces inches apart when the vehicle abruptly stopped causing the two of you to jolt forward, ruining the moment. You had arrived in the Ardennes, and it looked like hell.

You and the men made your way out of the vehicles and grabbed equipment, you stared at Ron who was now talking to Captain Winters.

Was he really about to kiss me? You thought. You saw him give you a side eye as he continued his conversation with Winters.

The almost kiss with Ron couldn't keep your mind off the real objective however. How the hell were you going to last in this hell hole of a forest...

You began to dig your foxhole next to Eugene Roe. He gave you a nod, fear plastered on his face.

You tried to lighten the mood.
"Well at least I'll have a medic next to me when shit hits the fan, right Gene?" You said sarcastically, your voice shaking from the cold.

"Very funny." He said as he rummaged through his med-kit.

Your hopes of being home by Christmas vanished. This was the reality of war. However, you felt comfort knowing Ron wasn't far. The events that previously took place in the car ran through your head all night long.