Guarding Love

Chapter 16 - You Don't Call or Write

A/N - TRIGGER WARNING - mention of violence and possible death. Also, this is another long one.

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." — Khalil Gibran.

August

Scarlet POV

It's been a couple of months since Y/N has been on deployment, and she hasn't replied to my messages. I'm unsure if it's because of the wedding invitation or because she is busy. No, stop overthinking things, Johansson. Y/N told you that communication would be minimal.

Although, every time Reeses and Pieces post videos of their prank war or even Y/N playing the guitar, I feel a slight pain in my heart as if she was deliberately avoiding me. Still, it melted my heart when one of the soldier's approached her and asked for an autograph for his daughter, a huge fan which she, of course, signed. She even joined him on Zoom and played a few songs for her. Y/N didn't record any interaction, nor did Reeses and Pieces post anything. I only found out she did that because the daughter recorded and posted it on social media, and of course, it went viral.

Regardless, if Y/N could do that Zoom call and Reeses and Pieces could post videos once or twice a week, why isn't Y/N able to respond to my emails or even my letters? I don't have Instagram, only Twitter for promotional purposes, so Chris always sends me their videos, records their stories or sends screenshots.

My favourite prank Y/N pulled was when Reeses fell asleep in his bottom bunk. He had pinned his bed sheets around his bed for privacy, and Y/N tapped them to the bed so he couldn't get out. To wake him up, they yelled, Attention, General on deck, and all you could hear was Reeses hitting his head on the top of the bunk and him visibly trying to get out. She had taped it so well that he moved the bunk around the room. In the end, the whole bed fell over, and all you could hear was his scream. Although, watching her do the crotch-throat grab on him hit me deep in my heart. I remember how much she had begged to learn it, encase her character ever decided to do it. She spent more hours perfecting that move than in the makeup trailer for Iron Man 2.

Despite how much I missed her, Rose missed her the most she was always playing her movies or watching new videos of Y/N. Having Colin around helped me take my mind off Y/N. He had become more attentive to Rose and me. It had taken me a while to realize I had jumped her at the premiere, most likely because Colin wasn't attentive to me. I felt that he only saw me as a trophy that he had won, while Y/N always saw me for me. However, now, he has been so attentive to my needs and has even been helping us plan our wedding, but it is a lot bigger than I wanted it to be. I feel he's inviting almost everyone, but the only people I want at my wedding are my family, Kel's family, Y/N and her family.

I finished filming A Marriage Story a week after Y/N deployed, and I didn't have much time in between to relax with the filming of JoJo Rabbit starting a couple of days after A Marriage Story wrapped up. I'm in New Zealand with Taika, and working with him is a breath of fresh air I didn't know I needed. I haven't laughed so much on set since Infinity War with Y/N.

Walking to my trailer after a long day of shooting, I couldn't wait to sleep. Rose is currently off with Colin exploring the local towns. He wanted to spend some alone time with her, so they are staying in a hotel. I thought it was cute when he suggested it, although maybe he is trying to win her over before the wedding. Rose doesn't seem to like him very much, and I hope spending time with him changes her mind. Besides, it means I get the trailer all to myself.

As soon as my head hits my pillow, my phone rings. Groaning, I reach over and automatically open it.

"Hello," My voice is rough, and I did not realize it was a Facetime call, so I placed it at my ear.