Only Fools Rush In [to be edited]

Do You Swear?

A cool and gentle breeze whipped the short and delicate tawny hair of the American soldier. The sky, once smeared with dark clouds, was clear and blue. The sun peeked out from behind white clouds and the animals of the wild jungle began venturing out. The sound of a trickling stream woke Brennan up. Brennan inhaled the chilly air along with the smell of smoke. Remembering what had happened last night, he jumped up, just to be shoved back down to the ground by two firm hands.

Ready to strike, Brennan pulled a fist back and looked for the threat. However, his heart softened at the sight of Tien. “Tien? You’re okay? You’re good. I thought—,”

Tien moved forward on all fours, like a small child, and placed soft fingers over his mouth. She gestured to his wounds. “Ban dang bi benh. Ill?”

“I’m sick?” Brennan felt his forehead. “Yeah, I know. Wish I had a cigarette. What happened?” Brennan thumbed over his shoulder and furrowed his eyebrows. “You know? Last night? The villa. Uh, lang?”

“Lang? Dot chay. Chung ta knong the quay kai, chung to phai o lai ay. Stay? Good?”

“Right, we have to stay here.” Brennan pointed to the ground beneath them, getting a positive nod from Tien.

Tien gave him a shy smile and got up to fetch the food she had caught. Bringing it back on a large leaf, she presented to him various berries and a beaten fruit. Sitting down beside him with her legs crossed, she broke up the fruit in small bites and offered it to him.

“What about you? Tien? What about Tien? You’ve eaten yet?” Brennen picked up the piece of fruit and showed it to Tien.

Tien shook her head and hands and pushed it towards him. “Eat. Good.” She made nibbling sounds that made Brennan grin and ruffle her hair playfully. “You’re a good kid, thanks.” As he ate, Tien moved up behind him and slowly began removing his jacket. Jumping at the unpredicted action, he turned around with a perplexed expression. “Whoa, whoa, slow down. No. What are you doing?”

“Hurt.” Tien pointed to his neck and side wound. “Bad.”

“Okay, all right. Go on.” Brennan returned to his food, cuing Tien that it was all right for her to remove his shirt. Once his battered and torn skin was exposed, she gently tore a piece of her sleeve off and dabbed it in the stream nearby. She placed one hand softly on his shoulder, steadying her movements, and blotted the blood away. It was only after Brennan finished his meal did he become aware at how tender she was to him. Gnawing on his bottom lip, he slowly looked over his shoulder and stared down at her pert and small features.

He wasn’t sure how he felt towards her, but her kindness and youthfulness stirred in emotions he thought he wouldn’t have for any other woman except the one he had proposed to. In a shaky voice, Brennan began talking, “You know, there was a girl back home. She was pretty and a close friend of mine.”

Tien looked up and gave him a smile, letting him know she was listening.

“Yeah, I proposed to her before I left, she said, ‘no.’ I don’t know why. Maybe she didn’t share the same feelings as me, or I was reading it all wrong. I don’t know. But, hell, it doesn’t matter.”

Hearing the bitterness in his voice and the tension in his muscles, Tien lowered her rag and placed delicate fingers under his sunken chin. She lifted his face slightly and towards her.

“Ah, it’s all right, don’t feel sorry for me,” Brennan insisted, pulling against her fingers. But the motion continued and he couldn’t help but follow. Before he knew it, he was staring into her dark eyes, wondering what was going to happen. A shudder went through his body and he had the notion to take her in. Hold her. Seduce her into his. But a different idea came to mind. He didn’t want to take advantage of her innocence for his deprivation.