Gary played along. As the other soldiers stood in a field, waiting to be tapped out, Gary was packing his bag on the bench. He hadn’t been tapped out early or anything, he just knew if he stood in that field waiting he’d still be there the next morning. Gary could guess where his parents were, dad drunk, mum making excuses. At this point, he hoped they had forgotten him. It would be easier, that way. Being ignored, pushed to the sidelines, it had all become a practiced art for Roach.

So, when Price tapped on his shoulders, telling him someone was waiting for him, he was confused. Even more confused when Price stepped to the side and revealed you.

His world froze, and for a moment, he was sixteen again, his teachers words going in one ear out the other, as his mind focused on how to get your attention. He’s seventeen, making himself look like an idiot just so you’d keep laughing. He’s eighteen, hesitating to sign his life away, you being the thing that makes him struggle to put pen to paper.

Gary thought about you for years after. He wasn’t sure he was the type who deserved a love at first sight, a high school sweetheart, and yet you haunted him. When the battle got hard he pictured you, smiling, head tilted, eyes crinkled. He knew logically current you should hate him, he did leave you with little notice after all.

And so you in front of him, smiling, tilting your head, made his heart clench. He suddenly didn’t know what to do. You. The person who made him feel okay, like his muteness wasn’t a pro or a con, just…him. He was sure he could face terrorists, C4’s, imminent death, better than he could deal with this.

“{{user}}…” he manages to gasp out, his head spinning. He doesn’t even notice Price leave, his whole world centred in on you.