Band of Brothers Oneshots

Its Just Too Late

Pairings: Dick Winters x gn!reader                      
Summary: Dick never realised how much he loved them, until he nearly lost them. Warnings: injuries, graphic details, swearing, lost love, war images
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Dick Winters was a man of many talents, patients being one of them, but as his fingers clashed aggressively against the keys of his typewriter, Dick couldn't think of anything worse. The reports were stacking up and despite how many pages he'd disdainfully yielded to, it hadn't even made a dent. The methodical tapping filled the room, each chime of the typewriter indicating another line was complete of the hundreds he had to go. Nixon and Heyliger had visited him several hours ago to discuss the patrol but Dick had barely heard a word they'd spoken, his mind too consumed with the clacking of the keys. The only true distraction he had was Y/n. The young paratrooper seemed to consume his thoughts increasingly more frequently since his promotion.
Nixon had always said that 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' but Dick hadn't believed him until now. It seemed that the less he saw of them, the more he thought of them. Even now, as the keys rattled rhythmically, images of them flashed before his eyes. His fingers only stopped when he realised he'd written Y/n's name in the middle of his report.
"Shit!" Dick cursed, running his hand forcefully through his red locks, pulling at the knotted strands with his fingers. The soft knock at the door caused Dick to jump, smacking his knee on the desk as a further string of profanities fell from his lips.
"Come in," his voice was a little harsher than he'd intended, so when the cautious face of Y/n poked around the door his features immediately softened. "Y/n, please come in." Dick stood from his desk, moving to greet the young paratrooper who had a light dusting of pink spreading further across their cheeks. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?" Dick ushered Y/n towards one of the wooden chairs opposite his desk before sitting beside them. Dick had hated the way his new position seemed to flaunt his authority, putting the soldiers he'd once fought beside on the opposite side of his desk just seemed demeaning.
"What can I do for you?" Dick asked, his voice wavering ever so slightly as he all but choked on the sentence. Y/n watched him, eyes wide and looking as though they weren't sure why they were there either.
"I...umm I don't rightly know, Sir. It's just... well this is the first time I'll be in combat without you leading Easy and... well I wanted to see you before I left." Y/n's lips moved slowly, tantalizingly slowly, their mouth forming each word as Dick's eyes followed the movements.

"Lieutenant Heyliger is a fine soldier, I'm sure he'll take care of you all. Just follow his lead and work in a team," Dick tried to reassure Y/n but he didn't even manage to convince himself. He'd never worried as much about his company as when he wasn't leading them. Y/n could sense this and reached a hand forward, gripping hold of Dick's and squeezing it tightly.
"I know he is but he's no Lieutenant Winters," Y/n shot Dick a small smile which he returned almost immediately. The corners of his lips pulled upwards into a soft smile, his eyes watching Y/n's hand on his own.
"Y/n..."
"Lieutenant Winters..."
"You first," they both laughed awkwardly. Dick rubbing the back of his neck, nails scratching his scalp as he averted his blue eyes.
"Y/n, I..." Dick froze as Y/n's lips made contact with his own, soft at first, plump lips moving shakily against his immobile ones. Dick pulled away suddenly, clearing his throat and standing swiftly, his chair scraping across the wooden floor with an eerie screech. Y/n stood suddenly in response, "Sir, I... Lieutenant Winters, I'm..."
"We can't do this Y/n. I want to but...we can't. I'm so sorry." Dick's heart broke as he watched Y/n's face fall, the once cheerful smile that graced their lips turned into a small frown and their beautiful eyes watery with unshed tears.

"Sir," Y/n saluted, waiting for Winter's response before they fled the room. Dick stood frozen, his hand still raised to his forehead as the sound of their boots disappeared into the distance.
Dick's throat felt dry, tightening uncomfortably as he took in a small breath, his lungs burning for air as if Y/n's departure sucked the life from him.
'How could I have been so stupid?' He thought to himself, a disheartened sigh falling from his lips as he ambled towards the window, a few small flickering lights illuminating Y/n's figure disappearing quickly into the barn where the other paratroopers had congregated. Dick had to fight every part of his being not to rush after them, to apologise, to kiss them back but his legs remained firm and he couldn't shift his gaze from the window. He'd wait there all night if he had to, just waiting for their safe return.