(based on the "Purple Hearts")

It was a Thursday night, and the bar was louder than usual.

Military boys had rolled in — fresh cuts, tattoos, the constant clang of dog tags and half-finished beers. You’d been here before. Different uniforms, same energy. You weaved between tables with a tray full of whiskey shots, trying not to flinch at the noise, trying not to think about the insulin sitting in your locker — the vial you were stretching longer than you should.

“You gonna sing tonight?” Maria, your manager, called from behind the bar.

You shrugged. “If the mic still works.”

“You’ve got the voice of a broken angel,” she laughed. “These guys’ll eat it up.”

You didn’t respond. You didn’t sing for guys like that. You sang because tips went up when you did. Because singing felt like the only time your body wasn’t failing you.

At table seven, one of the soldiers whistled. “Another round, sweetheart?”

You rolled your eyes. “Ask me again without the whistle.”

The guy raised his hands, but the one sitting next to him—tall, dark curls pulled back, ink curling down his forearms—just smiled behind the rim of his glass.

He didn’t say anything until the others were busy talking. Then, casually, almost too casually:

“You really don’t like us, huh?”

You looked at him. “Just not a fan of testosterone in packs.”

That made him laugh — low, easy, rough around the edges. “Fair.” He extended his hand. “Damiano.”

You hesitated. Then shook it. “You here for the weekend?”

He nodded. “Deployment’s Sunday.”

“Fun.”

“Not really.”

There was a beat of silence. His eyes flicked down to the tiny pink packet you kept clipped to your apron — your glucose tabs. Most people didn’t notice them. He did.

“You diabetic?”

You blinked. “Yeah.”

“Type 1?” he asked, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

You nodded slowly.

He leaned back, looking up at you with something like curiosity. “It must be hard... It's all probably expensive huh?”

You nodded your head again, suddenly feeling a little sad.

"You know, the advantage for soldiers is that they have health insurance..."