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Snafu recognised that voice immediately.
Even though they were surrounded by hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of soldiers, he knew that booming laughter.
“George? George Luz?”
“No fuckin’ way, Snafu? Is that really you?”
The two men hug briefly, unable to believe the other was still alive.
Snafu could feel Sledge watching the interaction, trying to piece together who he was talking to. They were on their way home, home. Their part in the war was done, it was over. Snafu had nothing on his mind apart from the open fields of Alabama and Sledge by his side.
“Sledge, this is George Luz. We were stuck together on a cross country train to New York at the start of the war. Had to listen to his dumbass jokes for almost five whole days,” Snafu introduces the two of them.
George shakes Sledge’s hand, a quick remark already rolling off his tongue, “He was honoured with my presence for five days is more like it.”
Sledge grins, he has no idea how Snafu put up with George for so long. “So where you headed, where’s home?” Sledge asks.
There’s a slight hesitation before he answers, “Off to see an army buddy. He got sent home early, bad injury, haven’t seen him in a while.”
Snafu could decode that, he knew what George was saying. “Get that. Been with this one for too fuckin’ long and I’m still not sick of him yet,” he says, tilting his head in Sledge’s direction. Sledge gives him a playful nudge.
A whistle blows in the distance, prompting George to look down at his watch. “Shit, gotta go! My trains leaving in 10 minutes and I promised Joe I wouldn’t miss this one. Here, this is his address, write to me. If you’re ever local, I’d love to grab a drink with you,” George hands Snafu an address, before nodding at both of them and disappearing into the crowd of soldiers.
Shoving the paper into his pocket, Snafu turns to Sledge. “C’mon, our train leaves soon too. Wanna get away from all these uniforms and shit, just wanna get home.”
Sledge smiles, the two of them heading for their train. On the train home, Snafu writes to George, mailing the letter the next day.
-
It’s a few months later, George and Snafu had happily become pen pals. Joe even sends recipes to Sledge sometimes.
“I can’t believe they were apart of the airborne, couldn’t pay me enough to jump outta a plane,” Sledge says, the two of them having just finished reading the latest letter.
“Yeah but no sand? No fuckin’ bugs or island storms? Sounds like a dream,” Snafu replies, thinking about how different their lives would’ve been if they were in the 101st.
Sledge looks to consider it for a moment, “Nah. Still wouldn’t jump out a moving plane.”
“Yeah, I’m glad you didn’t join the airborne,” Snafu says, reaching for Sledge’s hand. Here, in their house, they don’t have to worry about prying eyes or how they hold each other.
“Why?” Sledge asks, already knowing the answer.
“’Cause I wouldn’t have met ya then,” Snafu answers, voice raw.
Sledge leans forward, pressing a quick kiss to Snafu’s lips. “Fuckin’ romantic,” he murmurs, earning a small laugh from Snafu.
“I could jump outta a plane,” Snafu says, more to himself than to Sledge.
“Mhmm, lets focus on getting you on the back of a horse first, huh?” Sledge replies.
“Horses are fuckin’ scary! Don’t know how you rode one growing up,” Snafu shakes his head at the thought of it.
Sledge laughs, rolling his eyes and pulling Snafu in for another kiss.