𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘪𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦

SEE YOU AT THE MOVIES

no request

it was the march of 1943, and toccoa felt a lifetime ago. camp mackall was the closest thing to luxury you had experienced since before you'd left home, especially in comparison to fort benning. fort benning made toccoa feel like a spa holiday. thudding your kit onto the closest cot you could, you flung yourself onto it. "tired?" perconte asked, quirking a smile.
"you have no idea frank. no idea."
"hey guys!" hoobler rushed in, "you'll never guess what they've got! heated showers!" you couldn't help but grin at hoob's childlike wonder.

mackall had one thing that stood out the most to you, and your boyfriend. it had a cinema. your love of movies had bonded you with george luz from the first mention of john wayne. you'd spent hours together that night, chatting about movies and chain smoking in the PX tent. soon it became a weekly occurrence. the men all prayed to all that is holy that the pair of you would just admit you were in love. christmas day 1942, luz held a piece of mistletoe over your head (god knows where from) and you finally sealed lips. the relationship was open between the men, but you kept it discreet with the officers, god forbid sobel ever found out. the pair of you held back on the PDA and the officers would turn a blind eye to it.

even the food was better than anything in the other camps. the mess hall was busy with people enjoying it. "so fellas, and lady," skip always made an entrance, "how are we finding mackall?"
"it's better than benning." malarkey's opinion was muffled by the potato in his mouth.
"anything's better than benning. i never wanna see another frying pan again!" you laughed at george's reference and squeezed his knee under the table. he smiled at this affectionate gesture, placing his hand over yours. "it's got a cinema," you piped up, "i'm glad of that." the men all murmured an agreement, george especially. you were both beyond excited. now you could both could go see some movies, some fresh meat for the pair of you to dissect.

a few weeks passed. you'd practice field exercises, none of which had ended well. sobel trued his best, you'd give him that, but his best wasn't good enough. there was a universal feeling between enlisted men and officers alike. you wouldn't last five minutes out there with him in charge. finally you were lay on your cot, on your belly with your eyes closed, when you felt the mattress sink. two of luz's knees were straddling you and he leaned down. "they're playing a new movie tomorrow. it's got rita hayworth in it. and fred astaire."
"yeah?" you mumbled, too lazy to move now that you were nearly asleep.
"yeah." george kissed the shell of your ear.
"sounds good, baby." you lifted your head slightly and patted george's arm before thudding back down and enjoying the feeling of a bed. you couldn't help but smile as you felt him hop down, and crouch next to your bed. "not even a sneaky goodnight kiss?" he asked, fake pouting. you complied, pecking him on the lips and he grinned at you wildly. "sweet dreams, angel."

you spent a whole day training. jumps were getting more and more complicated, with rifles and other small arms. when you got back, however, that's when the real shock came. everyone was a victim. sobel had raided everything, and confiscated anything he considered contraband. the barracks were trashed, sheets turned over, footlockers open and emptied. all your letters were gone. sighing, you slammed the lid of your footlocker down and felt like screaming. "you too?" george asked, crouching down next to you.
"yeah. every single goddamn letter. how the fuck is that contraband?"
"sobel's... he likes asserting his power doesn't he? he can scream at us all he likes now, and it doesn't work. he's gotta find new tactics." you were on the verge of tears. "cmon. let's go outside huh?"

outside the barracks, you could slip behind them and gain a little privacy. you stood together, george's arm around your waist, smoking together in silence. he rubbed circles into your hips gently and you rested your head on his shoulder. "what's the film george?"
"you were never lovelier." he said, blowing smoke out of his mouth. smirking, he leaned down and crooned: "you are always lovely y/n!" you smacked his arm playfully, stroked his face, and gave him a peck on the lips. his warm brown eyes spoke of his love for you, without him having to open his mouth. "i'm sad he took away my letters." you nuzzled into his neck. "i miss home."
"we all do." there was nothing more george could say to comfort you, you knew that, so he instead pulled you into his chest for a hug.

the cinema was packed, but george managed to snag you both a seat at the back. you sat between him and sergeant lipton, he gave you a warm smile and a gentle hello as you sat down. george grasped you hand tightly in the dark. as the film started rolling, you could feel the excitement building up in you, and in george. you were a far cry happier than you were before you'd sat down.

"that was a good movie." bill lit up a cigarette and nodded in contentment.
"that was an amazing movie!" george smiled, arm over your shoulder.
"i'd kill to be as pretty as rita hayworth."
"aw, baby, you're a thousand times more beautiful that she could ever be!" george pinched your cheek and joe toye pretended to gag, asking you both to get a room.
"you're all just jealous because your girl isn't as smart as mine!"
bill chuckled, "she ain't that smart."
"oh yeah? y/n, baby, tell them about mr acuña."
"he is disgustingly misogynistic, manipulative, stubborn, and controlling!" you turned around and started to jump where you stood, "but film recognizes he is a problematic character, even if he never receives any kind of comeuppance for his terrible behavior! that's important! you film uses mr acuña to teach us that even if how we treat people doesn't lead to a punishment it doesn't mean it isn't wrong!" huffing after losing all your breath, you watched as the men started at you in amazement. "that's what i think anyway."
"that's my girl!" george shouted proudly.

the PX tent was where it really got good. both tipsy and excited, you and george were swinging round the dance floor singing the shorty george. "good people i'm telling you!"
"that the shorty george is the dance to do!" the pair of you started to wildly dance, you trying to tap dance like rita hayworth did, george tipping his garrison cap like fred astaire. the men cheered and clapped at this performance, finding it almost as amusing as the film itself. george swung you around and you squealed in utter delight. you were intoxicated, not by alcohol, but by george luz.

the alcohol did get to your heads though. stumbling down the dirt track, back to the barracks, you stopped to stare up at the sky. "what is it baby?" george slurred, grasping onto your jacket. "look! the stars! the cosmos! the world... it's so big!" you laughed manically. george pulled you flush to him and grinned. "yeah, it is! one day baby... no listen... one day, when you come back to rhode island with me—"
"if i come back to—"
"when! baby this isn't a negotiable. but i'm gonna take you to every damn cinema in the state! and... and... yeah!"
"and... i'll kiss you in every one!" he leaned in and pulled you into a kiss. it was sloppy, but the love and affection you held for each other was poured into it. george's hands rested on your cheeks, yours on his shoulders. "i love you." those three words slipped out your mouth before you could stop them. george just pulled away properly and smiled. "i love you too baby."