The Spirit of the Corps » Band of Brothers

60: No Small Thing

No one could know. Not even Mabs. Especially Mabs, given how she felt about Floyd. Charlie didn't know what, exactly, had transpired between Mabs and Floyd, but whatever it was had soured Mabs' opinions of him. So, even though she was her best friend, Mabs could absolutely not know that Charlie had almost kissed Floyd.

Charlie tried her best to be casual as she answered Mabs' questions about why she'd come back to the hotel so late last night. She mentioned how her and Floyd had taken a walk down the Champs Élysées and how she'd 'accidentally' led them the long way back, but she definitely did not mention the rose or the dance. Or the almost kiss. For obvious reasons.

Thinking back on it, she could absolutely understand why Floyd had tried to kiss her. Well, to an extent. For one, she had nearly let him. Why on Earth had she let it go that far? And that wasn't to mention the fact that she'd bought him a literal red rose beforehand. What had she been thinking? He was Floyd, who barely knew how to interact with a woman when he wasn't flirting with her. Why had she ever thought it would be a good idea to practically confess her love for him, as though he didn't kiss every willing participant the moment he got the slightest hint that they were willing?

It didn't mean anything. Of course it didn't. And that was why no one needed to know.

That was also why she hadn't let it go too far.

Floyd had had the audacity to look hurt when she'd pulled away from him, but she hadn't fallen for it. While she was sure the hurt was genuine - he didn't lie to her, or at least she didn't think he did - she was also sure the only reason he wanted to kiss her was because she was, for lack of a better word, there. She was just around. Last night, she happened to be the woman who ended up alone with Floyd Talbert and accidentally revealed she maybe wouldn't hate kissing him. So he'd tried. Because that was what he did.

It. Meant. Nothing.

And when he'd said her name so softly afterwards, deep pools of sorrow and longing mixing indistinguishably together in his puppy dog eyes, that hadn't been real sadness. It had been disappointment, because he'd been rejected for probably the first time in his entire life, and by a girl he didn't even really want at that.

He didn't want her. Not like that. Why had she ever fooled herself into thinking that he might? He'd even laid it out for her when they'd first met - on multiple occasions! He wasn't interested. She was simply - there. In the wrong place at the wrong time, as did seem to be a terrible habit of hers.

"- so we didn't actually do much," Charlie was saying to Mabs, answering her question about what she and Floyd had done after going to the bookstore. "We just took a long time getting back. You know how I am with directions."

Mabs laughed at this. "About as bad as I am, which is an accomplishment and a half."

Charlie laughed her agreement as she finished pinning her hat into her hair. Across the room, Mabs smacked her bright red lips together and capped her lipstick.

"Ready to go?" Mabs asked, turning to face her.

Charlie nodded, giving her beret one last gentle pat to ensure it stayed in place before rising to her feet.

"Last day in Paris," Mabs said, pulling open the hotel room door and shooting a smile over her shoulder at Charlie. "How you feelin'?"

"Sad," Charlie told her honestly as she shut and locked the door behind her. "I could stay here forever."

"I know," Mabs said, placing a comforting hand on her arm. "We'll come back the first chance we get."

Charlie smiled over at her as they made their way to the lobby. "Promise?"