The Inglorious Basterds

Chapter 7

Amber was cautious of Nikita, now clad in a dark brown army uniform, and had so far been watching her interact with everyone. When directing speech to Amber, she would drop her formality used when she talked with the officers and privates at the table, and indeed sat around the bar; Aldo, Donny, Hugo, Utivich, Omar- it seemed that because of Amber's lack of uniform and military experience, she was below everone else. Towards Aldo, the Brit was especially formal with: always adressing him as sir, answering him in a professional, polite way. Hell, she even apologised for muttering.

"Right, Amber?"

The woman looked to Donny, her confused expression washing away to that of someone who knew what was happening.

"I don't know what you just asked me about, but probably no."

From the side, sat opposite Jane, Hugo smiled, a small chuckle escaping him. Jane found herself following after Hugo, his smile and laugh contagious.

"I said, if you'll pay attention, we're planning on staying together after this is over. Right, Amber?"

"Oh!" A light blush spread across her cheeks as she nodded, "Yeah-Yep-Yes! Now you've found me, you're stuck with me."

"I don't know if you're gonna stick to that, but good on ya!" Aldo stated, earning a glare from both Donny and Amber, but a chuckle from the men around the bar, Nikita included.

Jane muttered something in German, gaze concentrated on her knife as she sharpened the blade. Hugo, too, was sharpening his knife, but stopped to look at her.

"What was that?"

The Two Toned German finished her slight wrist flick before slowly looking to the man who tended to say very little to her.

"Something." She replied coldly, gaze connected to his. After a moment she placed her elbow against her leg and leaned into it. "I said: I could do with whiskey about now."

"Me too." A reply as cold as hers, yet his eyes showed anything but coldness.

Her eyes must've showed about the same, for she found herself setting her knife and grinding belt down. She stood and strode to the bar, pulling down her shirt as she stepped over bodies, grabbing two glasses and filling them with whiskey to just over half way. Jane could feel eyes on her as she made her way back to Hugo, and even more so when she offered a glass to him. His questioning gaze caused her to almost instantly explain herself.

"I owe you for the cigarette."

Or, in the very least, that's what she wanted to believe. It was either owing him or wanting to make friends with him. She sure as hell wasn't going to say she wanted to be friends with him.

He placed his knife back into his boot and accepted the glass with a small nod as thanks, appreciating the gesture. He took a sip.

She's not too bad.

"Say," Aldo began to Nikita, looking her up and down, a small smirk threatening to grow wider, "You look pretty damn good in uniform."

The British engineer choked on her drink, placing it down swiftly on the table to look directly at The Apachi. She coughed, her blush noticeable, though she attempted to hide it by looking away. Upon assessing the rather strange flirtatious behaviour of her commanding officer, she looked back to him, smile small.

"I must say too, sir, that you're real easy on the eyes."

He couldn't help but let his smirk grow, picking up his glass and holding it up. Nikita hesitantly joined him, her glass raised besides his.