➻❥ a burning lullaby - PHILLIP GRAVES.

➻❥ 01.

after the attack on your hometown it didn't take much for you to sign up for the army. you weren't doing great in college, you barely had any friends- hell, if someone asked you who your closest friend was you'd probably name your cat. needless to say, signing up was an easy decision.

your parents however, were not on board. they just about begged you not to go. they couldn't let their only daughter sign up for something that could very possibly kill her. you always scoffed at that excuse. that was all it really was to you, an excuse. you didn't think twice when you signed up, practically throwing yourself at the opportunity.

that's how you ended up here, standing in a long line with other people- mostly men, but you spotted a few other women. a lot of guys barely looked eighteen, maybe nineteen at best. you weren't much better, you had just turned twenty a little less than two weeks ago. you stood straight, looking straight forward as the drill Sergeant walked down the whole line, asking names and ages. when he'd come across someone he didn't think would sign up, he'd ask them what the hell they were doing here. some people's voices trembled a little when the man spoke, others were steady.

the drill Sergeant was about nine people away from you. you glanced to your side, a guy beside you with dirty blonde hair, a sharp nose and icy blue eyes. maybe his name was Jared, or Jeff. he seemed like a jared. the guy glanced back at you, causing you to look forward again. "want a picture?" he muttered to you, a small smirk playing on his lips. you furrowed your brows.

"what?" you muttered confused. you could tell he was trying to suppress a bigger smirk or grin.

"you keep staring, so i asked if you wanted a picture?" the drill sergeant was 3 people away from you, which meant the guy next to you was closest to him.

"why would i want a fucking picture of you?" you huffed.
the guy sucked in his bottom lip. "what's so funny?" the drill Sergeant spoke- he was suddenly right in front of the guy, his eyes on both of you. the guy stood straighter, eyes looking dead ahead.

"nothing sir!" the guy spoke.

"what's your name and age?" the Sergeant spoke firm and loud.

"Graves sir! Phillip Graves. twenty one years old sir." the guy, Phillip, spoke firmly. huh. you wouldn't have pegged him as a Phillip.

the Sergeant nodded as he stepped in front of you. "what's your name and age?" he asked, an almost threatening look in his eyes as they landed on you.

"Nixon sir! Evan Nixon. twenty years old sir!" you answered. the man eyed you, as if there was something on your face. he huffed, stood straight and continued to the guy standing to the right of you.

as soon as the Sergeant passed a few people, you let out a breath. Phillip quietly chuckled beside you. "what's so fucking funny?" you hissed at him. eyes glaring at him as you turned your head. he stood once again, with his bottom lip tucked between his teeth as he tried to suppress any sounds.

"nothing." he muttered with a small smile. "just that you have a nice name." he had spoken the last bit so quietly you almost thought you made it up. you sighed, looking forward again as your eyes drifted across the boring wall in front of you. this was going to be a long day.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ

the first day of basic training ended quicker than you thought it would. it wasn't as heavy as you were expecting it to be. you sighed as you set you tray of food down on the table, sliding the chair back a little as you sat down. you breathed in before shoving a spoonful of mashed potatoes in your mouth, closing your eyes as you at the warm food. you had forgotten to eat both lunch and breakfast today, a dumb mistake.