withtheoldbreed | d-day + 52 ✯ video

[It's relatively early in the morning when Sledge clicks on his video feed, and he looks tired, maybe even exhausted. It's also obvious he's not in his own cabin - the room behind him looks more like a shack, and although it might not be as clear, he's sitting on the floor, half leaning against the legs of a cot. One of Snafu's arms is visible, hanging limply off the side of the cot like he's just asleep.]

... Snafu's in a coma. [The word sits uncomfortably in his mouth, and it kind of shows in his face. He's read about barge comas obviously, thanks to Chromie's welcome packet, but it's one thing to read about it, another to try shaking your buddy awake and not be able to, no matter how hard you try.

He takes a breath and steels himself, trying to push it back and get what needs to get done, done.

(Except his eyes still look pretty dead, but that's not really anything new.)]

I'm gonna need a hand getting him to the infirmary.

[Private to Kieren]

I thought it'd be better than just leavin' him here. [It's what the pamphlet suggested, anyway, and he sort of feels more comfortable leaving his friend with people who can monitor him and make sure he doesn't get worse (if that's even possible?), but he still sounds uncertain. Like maybe this - making decisions about his friend's well being - is overstepping.

Which is weird to think about someone you've pretty much been physically stuck with for over a month, but here we are.]

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[Gene takes Snaf's legs as directed, vaguely wondering if this is a preview of things to come if they ever make it out of here and off Peleliu and back somewhere like Melbourne or wherever and Snaf gets out on liberty and gets wasted. He's heard some stories from Burgie about how prone to getting lost and in trouble his friend is, so he wouldn't really be surprised.]

Yes sir. [It's a little awkward, but they're managing and he still thinks this is sort of better than just following behind as Steve carried him, so he's not complaining.

And, like a broken record:] Thanks again for helping, sir.

[It's awkward, yeah, but they fall into it pretty quickly. It's not exactly natural to carry a limp body, but it's not hard, either, once you figure out how to do it and how to compensate for the other set of hands helping you.]

Don't mention it. [He tries to grin a little.] Beats having someone drag him by the heels, right?

[He hasn't talked to Snafu much - or to Sledge much, about Snafu.] How long have you guys known each other? By your reckoning, anyway. [He realizes it might not be the same, between the two of them - thanks to the Barge and its strange timelines.]

Yessir, [Gene says, managing a chuckle as they start heading to the door and into the hallway. This is definitely better, and while he's pretty sure Snaf would be whining if he was conscious, he's limp and silent as they keep going, so it's fine, probably.]

Couple months. [That's easy enough to answer, and offer. It's been a while, even though it's only recently that they've been close.]

I was a replacement in his mortar squad. We weren't really friends until we landed on Peleliu. [And it's almost strange to think of him as a friend now, if only because he knows exactly what kind of Asiatic Snafu is now, but. He's his friend.] He's usually my foxhole buddy.

[He's definitely pleased to get a chuckle out of Eugene, and looks just the slightest bit triumphant. He's interested, though, to hear more, glancing over his shoulder every so often just to make sure he gets his bearings as they move.]

Ah. I know how that goes. [Maybe he was lucky to have a foxhole buddy that he already knew, but he still knows how it goes. If you weren't close before, you usually end up being pretty close. At least in some senses of the word.] I don't think you necessarily have to be friends long, though, to be good ones.

Guess not. [There are definitely guys in their company who aren't best pals who still do a decent job of watching each other's backs, but...] But I guess he's grown on me.

[He sounds playfully annoyed, but it's clear he's actually kidding. They're friends, he's more than comfortable admitting that.]

[He grins a little, despite the fact that they're carrying an unresponsive guy through the halls.] Good friends do that, too. Without you ever planning on it.

I don't know much about comas, but he should be okay. Everyone I've seen go into one, they come out of it just fine. Maybe a little annoyed they missed so much, but that's all.

[And besides, in Snafu's case,] Just think of it as him making up for all the sleep you missed on active duty.

d-day + 52 ✯ video

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