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Tim sat patiently as the nurse drew his blood.
Having a blood drive had been a good idea, and Tim was happy to donate his blood for the war efforts.
Except.
The nurse was beautiful.
He'd never seen a woman as pretty as her, though he'd never really been interested in women.
The nurse finished wrapping up his arm and putting gauze on the inner side of his elbow from where she'd pricked him earlier.
“Alright sir, you have a good day, thank you for donating.”
Tim nodded dumbly, “Thank ya’ ma'am.”
He left the hospital with a pep in his step. Maybe it was the side effect of not having any blood but his heart felt like it was gonna fly right out of his chest.
On his way home he stopped at the shop to get some flowers and found himself higher than a kite.
Upon arrival at the family's old farm house he offered up the flowers to his little sister Cassandra. His older brother Dick by the old oak tree chopping wood.
Dick stopped and turned to him, “What's got you in high spirits?”
Tim laughed with a happy grin on his face, “I met a girl!”
Dick laughed, “Did you now?”
He nodded, “Yeup! And I'm gonna marry her!”
Dick snorted, “Does she know that?”
But Tim paid him no mind and continued on into the house to help his grandpa with dinner.
Ever since his second brother went off into the war, it had been his job to help out in the house. Their dad had not been happy at all.
Their father, Bruce, had been in the previous war. He never talked about it. The man was moody and a drinker. There were many a night that his pa and oldest brother Dick fought. Tim hated it.
It was a vile feeling that creeped its way into his throat and burned like pa's whisky.
That night the family sat at the table waiting for Dick to arrive.
He'd gone off to town at some point earlier claiming to have an errand to run.
Tim knew something was up and was nervous.
Everyone was.
Jason's chair sat empty in between his own and Dick's.
Bruce was sitting silently at the head of the table, eating his dinner.
He was the only one.
The screen door slammed shut and everyone held their breath.
Cass looked down to her plate and little Damian who sat on their grandfather's lap tucked his head into the older man's shirt. Tim just stared, waiting for the pin to drop.
Dick walked into the kitchen and the air left the room.
“Pa, I'm going.”
Bruce slammed his fist on the table and everyone flinched, “Like hell! You turn right around and tell them you're not doing it. You give them that damned uniform back right now or so help me God!”
Dick shook his head, “I gotta. I'm able bodied and it'd be an honor to serve my country. You of all people would know that Bruce.”
Alfred stood from the table and ushered Damian and Cass away. Tim was frozen.
He sat and watched the two bicker and argue till they were hoarse in the throat.
It ended when Dick stormed out and let the screen door slam behind him.
Bruce glared at him, “Don't you ever think about doing something like that y'hear?”
Tim nodded numbly and left the kitchen. Wandering into his shared room with Jason and laid on his bed.
In the morning he awoke and ignored the heavy silence in favor of the hospital.
Most of the staff paid him no mind so he wandered aimlessly until a stray nurse flagged him down and asked where he was supposed to be.
Tim thought a moment before answering, “I'm here to give blood.”
The nurse smiled and directed him to the wing he was looking for.
And there she was, prettier than every flower in Virginia. Raven black hair and the most beautiful southern blue-bell eyes.
She spotted him and came over, “You again? What're you doing here? You can't give any more blood you know.”
Tim deftly smiled, “Oh no ma'am, I meant to come here to ask you on a date.”
The woman laughed, “A date? You don't even know my name do you!”
Tim grinned, “Well if that's all I need then my name is Timothy but call me Tim, there's a motion picture showing in town tomorrow night and I thought we could go.”
She laughed, “You're funny Tim, fine then, I'll humor you.”
Tim was surely smiling ear to ear, “What's your name then ma'am?”
The nurse smiled, “Marinette! And you better get out of here, you're not supposed to be back here!”
Tim laughed and got out of the hospital, running all the way back home. He whooped and jumped and was over the moon! And Marinette was such a pretty name too!
All day he had her on the mind and every chore felt ten times easier, nothing was going to ruin this for him! Not even Dick and his pa's fightin’!
Alfie even helped him pick out what to wear to impress her!
By the next evening he was ready for her, waiting by the cinema to see that movie with her. He'd even gotten her flowers from the fields by the cliffs!
They were blue and matched her eyes!
Tim's heart did a flip upon seeing her, in a pretty little Sunday dress with flowers printed all over it, her hair curled neatly and resting on her shoulders.
“You look beautiful.”
Marinette blushed and Tim felt like he had conquered the whole world, war be damned!
Laughing, she grabbed his hand, “C'mon Tim we're gonna be late!”
She dragged him inside and he paid for the tickets and together they watched the motion picture. Well, she did, Tim spent the entire time just watching her.
The way she smiled and gasped and just existed.
His heart would never find another like her and he was sure of it.
When they left the cinema she looked up at him with those pretty eyes and he just couldn't help himself, and he kissed her.
She yelped, “Timothy! What are you doing?”
He backed up and frowned, “I thought you, y'know, kissed at the ends of these types of things?”
Marinette glared at him and knew he'd made a mistake, “No you don't. You can't just kiss a woman like that! It gives her the wrong idea about you!”
Tim furrowed his eyebrows, “The wrong idea..? What other idea is there? My brother always said that's what he did…”
Marinette gave him a pained look but suddenly sighed heavily, “You're too sweet for your own good aren't you? Do me a favor and stop listenin’ to him.”
Tim nodded, “Would you like to go out with me tomorrow too? After your work?”
Marinette looked at him like he was nuts, “Seriously?”
He nodded.
She sighed and he thought he spotted a smile on her lips.
He felt bad for having kissed her but he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again.
Finally Marinette sighed, “Alright I suppose… will you be picking me up then?”
Tim nodded a grin spreading on his face, “Yes! I can't wait! Have a good evenin’ Miss Marinette!”
He laughed and jumped in the air at his success. He'd get to see Marinette again!
A car honked and narrowly avoided hitting him and Tim realized he had accidentally wandered into the street.
Still laughing he ran to the other side where Marinette stood in her pretty dress laughing at his fool behavior.
He couldn't wait.
He adored her so much.
Tim saw her the next day, and the day after that, and everyday she was free.
He'd even taken on more chores so he could get done quicker and get to see his lovely girl.
Dick had already shipped off to the war with his pa drinking himself into oblivion, so it wasn't like he was missing anything not being home.
The one day he went to drop off flowers for Marinette while she was at work, as he often found himself doing, when he saw it.
Some of the men had just been sent home from the war.
Men were laid up in various states.
Bloody.
Broken.
Missing themselves in more than just body.
Tim understood what his brother had meant when he'd said joining up was something he needed to do.
Tim knew.
Marinette found him up by the reception desk as he frowned.
“Tim? What's wrong?”
He turned to her, giving her a sad smile.
“Mari.”
She shook her head, tears welling up in those pretty blue-bell eyes.
“No! Tim no. You can't! What about what your father will say! What about me!”
He pulled her close as she wept on his shoulder, tucking her head under his chin.
Tim shushed her softly, “I gots to Marinette. It ain't fair that everyone else goes while I sit here safe and sound.”
Marinette shuddered and half-heartedly hit his chest with her curled fist, “Timothy you can't lead me on like this! What was all that talk lovin’ me and wanting to marry me? Huh, what about that?”
Tim smiled, “Marinette, would you make me the happiest man in the entire world and marry me?”
She glared and Tim's heart melted, “You better come back to me Tim! Back alive!”
He laughed, “We can get married right now!”
She shook her head, “We are not gettin’ married on a whim! You are going to go out there and when you get back we'll marry. I love you Timothy.”
Tim lit up, “She loves me! She really loves me!”
The other hospital staff gave him funny looks as a still teary-eyed Marinette shushed him, “Tim! Knock it off!”
He laughed as she pushed him out the door.
When he went home, Alfred directed him to the graveyard.
He found his pa there, bottle of booze in his hand.
Tim didn't meet his father's eyes.
He flinched upon hearing the glass bottle shatter and Tim fell to the ground as his dad punched him.
He guarded his face, “Pa stop! Please!”
Bruce looked at him with drunken disdain, “You're no son of mine. Get out of my house. Go play soldier.”
Tim heaved himself up, feeling his split lip and his slowly swelling cheek.
He left.