March 1st, 1945
Tyler was marked for death before the boat even landed on the beach.
He could feel his upcoming death inside of him, like a bird feels the changing wind before a deadly storm. It was a feeling of acceptance, a firm grip on the grim reality that once he stepped foot on that beach, he wouldn't be stepping off.
Fog clung heavy in the air, soaking into his face and damping his already damp skin break out into sweat. The sun had long disappeared under the dense clouds in the sky, blanketing the beach and all of their surroundings in a grayish hue. Tyler couldn't tell if it was raining or he was just cold.
He forced himself to train his eyes at the back of the curly haired head shivering in front of him. They'd promised each other they would make it alive so they could run away together. That wasn't an option anymore, not when they were moved to the forefront of the massacre the U.S. called a war.
Tyler reached a hand forward, squeezing Josh's forearm to tell him that he was there and he wasn't going to leave him any time soon. Not if he could help it. The only reason he would ever be this brave while in the face of danger was when someone he loved was in danger.
Case in point, First Sergeant Joshua Dun. A hurricane in a glass bottle. He was quiet and too soft for war, yet he could hold the attention of everyone when in a room with his passionate ferocity of caring for others.
They met in 1938 in his family's plantation that Tyler grew up on. Since the Depression destroyed most of jobs, Josh had lost his own as a teacher and moved south to work in the wheat field Tyler's family owned. They bonded over their mutual wish to do more than just grow crops, to move to a big city and make a change in the world. Tyler knew it was against God's will to be with Josh that way, but there was no way in hell that something that angelic could be a sin.
Since homosexual relations were forbidden, they ran away to New York, avoiding being drafted while scavenging for any jobs they could find for four years before they couldn't run anymore. There were rough times between them finding stable jobs and a shitty apartment, but those never outweighed the heavenly times.
Tyler admired Josh mostly for his kind nature and passivity, which balanced out his own aggressive and short temper. He didn't play with others, especially after joining the army. But with Josh around, he learned how to let go of his troubles and not project his anger out on others.
Somehow, the two secret lovers ended up in the same brigade. A God sent give.
The boat lurched to a rocket stop as the got stuck in the shallow sand, making the other soldiers jump and nearly slide out of their seats. Bodies littered the beach, blood mixing in with the salty water splashing against the tall sand dunes. One of their tanks were overturned, and the sharp sounds of bullets pierced the tense air.
Everyone knew they weren't going to make it out of that beach in one piece.
As the other soldiers began to stand, Tyler let go of Josh's arm and let his mind go blank, let every drop of fear of dying drain away. He couldn't think about Joshua, the love of his life dying in a hellhole like that. It was his new mission to keep him safe. If one of them was going to live, it had to be Josh.
Tyler's feet sunk into the muddy sand, the ice cold water reaching just below his armpits. The strong smell of blood and salt filled his lungs.
