Ficlet.

[edna-blackadder.livejournal.com]

Title: A Few Hours
Author: edna_blackadder
Rating: 13+, if that.
Pairing or Character(s): Trapper/Hawkeye
Disclaimer: Couldn’t own it less.
Author’s Note: Thanks to Sara for the beta.

This is either the most or the least romantic thing we’ve ever done; I’m honestly not sure which. It’s not the first time we’ve danced together, but for once we’re not kidding around. We’re also not really dancing, just sort of pressed together and moving a little. I could spend about five years like this, but I don’t dare tell Trap that.

He’s seriously upset, and I don’t blame him one bit. He thought he was going home, finally getting to see his wife and kids again. And it’s my fault, too, I’m the one who told him that. Instead, all he gets is a few weeks in bed with lackluster treatment. That, and a few hours with me in the supply tent, after putting on such a game face for everybody. When we snuck off, I did his yelling for him. He’s too spent from being sad to have any energy left to be angry. Plus it allowed me to hide how shamefully glad I was not to be losing him after all.

I’m in love. I know I am, and it’s not easy admitting it. I can’t really admit it, seeing as how it’ll never work for the exact reasons we’re here. For all that Trapper’s not above horsing around, he wouldn’t ever leave Louise. Not even for me. I’ve long since accepted that, and the war can’t last forever—and I just realized who I sound like, and I think I threw up a little in my mouth.

“What’s that, Hawk?” Trapper murmurs, his lips brushing my temple as he speaks. “You okay there?”

Am I okay? He’s the one who’s just been screwed royally by the army, and he’s asking me if I’m okay. I can’t believe it. “Yeah, fine,” I manage to say. “You?”

“All right,” he lies, and then he kisses the spot where his mouth has been this whole time. “Thanks, Hawk.”

“No charge,” I reply. His grip on me tightens, and I can’t suppress a small smile.