Le's Soldier

Part 70

The next few days settled into something steadier.

Not perfect — Leah was still getting waves of nausea, still slower than usual — but the tension from the argument had faded. If anything, they were closer. Softer with each other. More aware.

⸻

06:45 AM — Early Start

Lilly's alarm went off quietly.

She turned it off instantly, already half awake.

Leah groaned beside her. "What time is it..."

"Too early."

"Don't go," Leah mumbled, eyes still closed.

Lilly hesitated.

Work.

Cadets.

Responsibility.

Then Leah shifted closer, curling into her side, hand gripping her shirt.

"...stay for a bit."

Lilly sighed quietly, pulling her back in. "Ten minutes."

"Liar."

"...five."

Leah smiled sleepily. "Better than nothing."

⸻

08:30 AM — At Training (Lilly)

"Again!"

Lilly's voice echoed across the training ground.

Cadets groaned under their breath but moved anyway.

"Cleaner," she snapped.

Tommy walked up beside her. "You're in a mood again."

"I'm always in a mood."

"No, this is a specific mood."

Lilly didn't respond.

"Everything alright at home?" Tommy asked.

"...yeah."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "That didn't sound convincing."

Lilly exhaled slowly. "...we had a fight."

Tommy winced. "Bad?"

"She accused me of cheating."

Tommy blinked. "Jesus."

"Dream," Lilly added quickly.

"Ah."

"She didn't mean it."

"But she said it."

"...yeah."

Tommy nodded slowly. "That'd sting."

"It did."

"But you sorted it?"

"Yeah."

Tommy nudged her shoulder lightly. "Then you're fine."

Lilly didn't answer.

She just turned back to the cadets.

"Move!"

⸻

10:30 AM — Leah at Home

Leah sat on the couch, blanket wrapped around her, phone in hand but not really using it.

She rested her other hand on her stomach.

Still there.

Still okay.

She exhaled.

"Okay," she whispered to herself.