Stars and Love

Badge walked over with the crowd of young objects to the barracks after his first day of basic training. He had been placed in the armless squadron, and it had been harder than he thought. The green badge was exhausted after the constant physical exertion, wanting nothing more than to lay down in the bare bones bunk beds of the barracks. As he pushed open the door to his room, he noticed his bunkmate lounging on the top bunk. A red ball with a star on his face, who was armless like him, promptly named Star Ball.

"Looks like I beat you to the barracks." The other object smiled smugly, crossing his legs.

"It's not a contest." The young Badge rolled his eyes, a foot on the bottom bunk. "I don't have time for this today."

"Relax, General. We're just recruits, and the night is still young. We should be out there hitting on ladies and getting drunk!"

"Even if I wanted to watch you be drunk, I'm not old enough to drink."

"Oh, no way. You joined the military as soon as you turned eighteen? Why?"

The soldier in training paused for a moment, looking annoyed at the question. He briefly thought back to his parents. His father was an army man, and his mother a traditional military wife. His father was very demanding, pushing his idea of masculinity onto the young Badge. His expression became dazed as he thought about how his parents treated him.

His mother and father had both been harsh with their words and punishments most of the time, even when he didn't do anything wrong. If he had hands, he could count the times he was apologized to on one hand. But he had always felt overdramatic in calling his childhood terrible. Badge's parents did love him, and they always fed and kept him safe.

But, maybe the truth was... he joined to get away from them.

"Hello? Are you there?" The other object had climbed to the bottom bunk, waving his left foot in front of his eyes. He blinked, disoriented but feeling embarrassed at spacing out like that. He looked towards his bunkmate, before awkwardly chuckling.

"Yes, I'm here."

"Do you have shitty parents or something? Why did you react like that?" Star Ball seemed more concerned for Badge than anything, putting his left foot back on the ground as he sat on the edge.

"No," He scoffed, as if it was the most ridiculous thing that he had ever heard. "I just wanted to serve our country. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to bed."

"Nobody 'just wants to serve their country.'"

"Maybe you don't, but I want to thank this country for the life it gave me."

"That's the cheesiest thing I've ever heard."

"I'm not arguing with you about this." He pulled himself to the bunk, staring at his feet as Star Ball began to push the door, turning off the light.

As the red ball was leaving, he looked over.

"Good night, Badge."

That made Badge feel strange.

——

Badge was woken up by the smell of alcohol and the loud sound of trumpets playing early in the morning, announcing the beginning of the day. He pulled himself up, shaky feet on the ground. Throughout the trumpet song, he could hear his roommate groaning, footsteps going down the ladder and slowly going to the front door.

Badge, not being hungover, got to the front door faster, quickly preparing his weapon for inspection. He bought it over to the meeting point, while eventually Star Ball followed, ending up being 10 minutes late for PT.