withtheoldbreed | d-day + 43 ✯ video

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d-day + 43 ✯ video

[Sledge clicks on his comm and smiles a little cautiously at the camera. He's in his room - a well furnished bedroom with white walls and dark wooded furniture, all of which clashes pretty strongly with the battered combat uniform Gene's still wearing - and there's a pretty alarming pile of stockings and various stocking stuffers on his bed courtesy of all you guys.

Seriously, this is more candy and sweets and everything he's ever personally had in one place in his entire life.]

I just wanted to say thank you all for the gifts. Although I might need a little help with this one. [He holds up the CD player Ian got him.] I don't think the cable's gonna work in the outlets in here.

[They have two prongs, not three, and he's not going to just park in a common room and listen to music.

There's a pause as he puts the CD player down, and it's probably easy to see the uncertainty play out in his expression, like he's about to turn the comm off before he just goes ahead and holds up a bear wearing a pretty close adaptation of this uniform, complete with helmet. Uncertainty is still plain in his face, but there's something maybe a little wounded, too. (Not that that's anything new, really.)]

Did everyone get one of these bears?

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[It's extremely weird to see Sledge in that room, in that context-- Or it would be, if Snafu was actually watching. He's not - though he'll probably watch it later - thanks to an apple pie that apparently was made in hell itself and the possibly slightly insane but sexy broad who gifted it to him.

Instead, he just finds his buddy smoking up on the deck later when Snaf heads out for a breath of fresh air (and a cigarette, but as he smokes everywhere on the Barge it's not like he's going up there for it specifically) before heading back to his cabin. It's late and quiet, deep in the early hours of the morning really, and something about the set of Sledge's shoulders puts him a little on edge. When he approaches, movements looking languid and almost lazy even if he doesn't feel it, he sees that Gene is staring down at a teddy bear wearing a familiar-looking uniform he's got loosely held in one hand over the railing. Snafu got one himself and for a moment he thinks it's the same one, except his is more casual, stripped to the waist with small dogtags around its neck proclaiming it to be RV Burgin. He left it under Burgie's bed in his cabin, anyway.]

Sledgehammer.

[It's not a question but it could almost be one.]

[Sledge has been up here for a while. He's got a jacket thrown over his uniform, but it's still bitterly cold, and it's helping him feel a little bit numb and a little more awake than he would be without it. A good thing, too, because he'd woken up screaming an hour or so ago and couldn't get back to sleep.

He hears the footsteps crunching in the snow behind him and half turns, taking in the familiar figure of his foxhole buddy wearing the winter coat Gene got him for Christmas over his uniform, and there's a moment where he's glad to see that, because their uniforms are absolutely not built for this.

But then abruptly, he feels like he's been caught doing something stupid, and looks down almost guiltily at the stuffed animal he'd brought out with him. There's a crazy moment where he feels like he should hide the bear, but there's nowhere he can do it without calling more attention to it (hiding it behind his back, cramming it in his jacket) or losing it permanently (throwing it over the side, and even though it's just a stuffed bear, he feels like he can't bring himself to do that to something that's supposed to represent the Skipper), so Sledge just winds up holding it awkwardly in front of him as he turns around to face his friend properly.]

Snaf. [He's not sure what else to say, and it's not enough of a question to get anything out of him.

(Besides, Snafu will be able to tell how worn out and troubled he is. That's been more or less his constant state of being the entire time they've known each other.)]

[Sledge looks worn in a way that is very familiar, even if on the Barge it hasn't been quite as common as it was on Peleliu. There's enough light to see shadows in the hollows under his eyes. Snafu's eyes drift down to the bear again, taking a closer look and realising who it's probably meant to resemble. He sniffs and drops his gaze, crunching closer to his buddy over the snow after a beat or two of hesitation, tapping his cigarette against the pack to settle the tobacco before he hangs it between his lips.]

Got one'a them too.

[It's casual, just a remark as he leans his elbows on the railing - facing inwards towards the deck's centre with his back to the stars - and he flips his lighter idly in his hand while he says it.]

[Gene shifts so he's leaning against the railing too, settling comfortably beside his friend, even if his shoulders are still somehow tense and slumped from wariness and lack of sleep. He takes a drag on his cigarette - almost gone, now, and it still hasn't quite taken the edge off from the nightmare - before he says anything else.]

Who's yours supposed to be? [But again, he feels weirdly guilty about it. Maybe it's not a fair question to ask, and he won't hold it against Snaf if he doesn't want to answer.]

Edited 2014-12-28 02:00 (UTC)

[If the bear was supposed to be someone else or if he was talking to anyone else, he probably wouldn't. But seeing as it's Sledge and seeing as he's out here in the cold in the dead of night looking shaken up with a bear dressed like Ack Ack in his hand, Snafu just shrugs and answers honestly.]

Burgie.

[It's less that he misses him exactly and more that he feels just the slightest sting of useless guilt about dying and leaving the sergeant in the lurch. Burgie's been good to him since Gloucester, and they're buddies. Were. He flicks the lighter and lights his cigarette, eyeing the fraction Gene's got left on his before pulling his smokes out again and silently offering the pack out.]

Edited 2014-12-28 02:27 (UTC)

[It makes sense, regardless of the reason. Burgie's one of the few guys Snaf seems to actually have some investment in. Jay and maybe Bill, too, not to mention the Skipper, Hillbilly and maybe Gunny Haney, if you can count amused bewilderment because the guy's as Asiatic as they get as having investment. Gene misses Burgie too, but he's also not shocked that that wasn't who his bear was dressed as.

So he nods, and when Snafu offers him the pack, he snubs out his cigarette and tosses the butt over the side before accepting a new one. (There's a moment where all he can think about is the second time his friend had offered him a cigarette, and how he'd grabbed it like it was the most comforting thing in the world.) The bear gets tucked under his arm as he fishes in his pocket for his own lighter.]

Thanks.

[The movement has become so natural that it doesn't really make him think of that time - pulling the cigarette out of his mouth and passing it over because Sledge looked like he was about to puke or pass out and that was the last damn thing they needed - but he nods when Gene takes one.]

Ain't gotta mention it, Hammer.

[He slides the pack back into his jacket pocket, watching Sledge light his and put his lighter away again. There's a moment two of silence, then Snaf puts his cigarette in his mouth and lets it smoulder there while he holds out a hand for the bear.]

[There's an irrational moment where Gene doesn't want to pass it over, like part of him is worried that Snaf's going to pitch it or something.

But it's just a bear, and he trusts Snafu - he's really not sure how that happened, sort of, but it's true and it's been a fact for so long now that it feels like second nature - so Ack Ack Bear gets handed over. The detailing is pretty impressive: the uniform looks worn, and the camouflage netting on the helmet is a little torn, and he has a set of taped dog tags, too.

But it's a bear, not actually the Skipper. Even though Gene's got pictures of him and most of the others in his room now, too, and maybe that's just as much a reason about why he's out here instead of sleeping.]

[To be fair, Snafu is unpredictable enough that it's not an entirely baseless fear. But again, mostly because of who he's talking to, he doesn't do anything more than hold it and look it over. The uniform is definitely detailed and he thumbs the dog tags so he can see the name on them. There's a part of him that wants to say something like you think he'd laugh about this shit? but the words don't taste right on his tongue as he opens his mouth to say them, so he stops. Ack Ack dying didn't hit him in quite the same way it did Sledge because he didn't look up to him, depend on him, in the same way. But they all thought Ack Ack was immortal.]

Guess I'm gonna head off to my rack soon.

[He flicks the helmet lightly - morbidly thinking that the real thing didn't exactly do the skipper much good, did it? - and then passes the bear back with a surprisingly gentleness.]

[Gene accepts the bear back before answering, more than a little surprised at how careful Snafu's being with it. He absolutely knows his buddy isn't sentimental and usually ribs the hell out of anyone who is, either good naturedly or not depending on who it is, so this is different, and appreciated. He's not really in the mood for being made fun off right now, even if it's well intentioned. Or at least not fully mean spirited.

But Gene's not feeling all that great about just going their separate ways again, even if he again feels like he's being an idiot for thinking like that. They're not in danger anymore, Snaf's free to go wherever he wants, and it's in the middle of the night. They should both be sleeping, and Gene probably shouldn't be choking on a request to hang out with him for a while longer when the guy probably didn't come out here looking specifically for him.]

Okay.

[He glances away for a moment, smoking quietly while he tries to figure out what to say, or if he should say anything at all.

And maybe he wouldn't have, if he was well rested or warmer or feeling less sharp and painful inside, but he's not any of those things, so it comes out.]

I'm glad you're here, Snaf.

[Sledge looks right back over at him after he says it, obviously wanting to clarify.]

Not that I'm glad about what happened- [Because Christ, he still feels irrationally guilty about it, and can't quite figure out how he's supposed to get off Peleliu if he loses someone like Snaf, especially after the Skipper and Hillbilly.] But if I was gonna have someone here from home, I'm glad it's you.

Yes.

[He has a little emaciated bear in a purple kilt. It's sort of cute but also sort of weird.]

[He's not sure how to say this, because Eugene's gifts were both thoughtful and way nicer than what he'd gotten him, but he also has no idea what else he could've gone with. He's not used to this kind of thing. So he's just frowning a little in his reply, but not unhappily.]

Thanks for the record player, Eugene.

[No mention of the sort of redheaded bear in a dress that he's shoved in a drawer, not without a slight tinge of guilt. Sorry, mamabear.]

Did yours come looking like that?

You're welcome. [Look, Gene doesn't want for much when it comes to this kind of thing, so the present was appreciated regardless, and he looks genuinely happy to hear that Jimmy liked his.]

If you wanna try any food from the future, I think I've got enough of it for four people.

Any recommendations? Or anythin' I shouldn't be trying?

Some of the candy's not bad.

You're makin' the future sound real good, there. [He leans out of shot for a second, then picks up the pin-up calendar Snafu'd given him.] Almost as good as your friend did.

Edited (urgh english idk sorry!) 2014-12-28 20:46 (UTC)

[Gene lets out a low, apparently impressed whistle and laughs.]

Wouldn't've fingered him as a thoughtful gift giver. [Let alone painting a positive picture of the future for anyone.]

Edited (enter key!!) 2014-12-28 21:19 (UTC)

Yeah? Well, maybe I shouldn't've got myself shot, lookin' at this. [He slowly flips through it, for Gene's benefit as much as his own.]

[There are a couple reasons why Jimmy shouldn't have gotten himself shot that Gene can think of, but he manages not to say that.]

Just think of all the movie stars you're missin' out on.

It's a real shame. [He nods in the direction of Gene's bear.] Your skipper?

[Gene's smile flickers and fades as he glances down at the bear again, and he nods.]

Yeah. Got the dog tags and everything.

...you're gonna get him back, Gene. That's why you're here.

[There's a weird mix of happiness and discomfort in him hearing Sledge say that and it makes him rough, sharp-edged. He isn't sure how to respond and what ends up coming out is dismissive.]

Stupid fuckin' thing to be glad about. Peleliu ain't home. [In contrast to the gentleness of his hands when he'd passed over Ack Ack Bear, the next thing he says is almost mocking.] You want someone from home, you better wish for fuckin' Phillips.

[He turns away from Gene's gaze, flicks his cigarette out over the railing and into space. With his back turned, he asks:]

You wanna come down and help me kill some'a them little bottles came in the Christmas stockings? Shit's better than jungle juice.

[Once upon a time, that might have scared him off. There's no question that Snafu had seemed intimidating at first, and probably would be intimidating now if they hadn't gotten to know each other, if Sledge hadn't come to trust and rely on him, and so all this just seems like such a Snaf thing to say that he doesn't get his back up, especially not if the other marine probably wants him to. If this is a test, he's not giving Snafu what he wants.

Instead, Gene lets out a snort, not disbelieving, but sort of mocking in his own way, because that's definitely not what he meant. Here, home means more than just Mobile, Alabama, or even the United States. It means the world they came from, and Snaf is absolutely a part of that.

He misses Sid, too, but he's not going to go back on what he said. He meant it.

But he knows it's pointless to try correcting his friend, or insisting that he knew what he was saying, so he smokes quietly and only looks back over at the other marine when he makes his offer, immediately trying not to let on how relieved he is that Snafu asked.]

Sure. [Sledge tosses his cigarette over the railing too, watching it go for a moment before glancing (not quite shyly) back at his friend.

(Maybe it'll be easier to get his mind off stuff if he isn't alone.)]

Edited (fusses!!) 2014-12-30 01:26 (UTC)

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