Half Sick of Shadows » Band of Brothers [2]

49: Than We Could Have Expected

"Destiny guides our fortunes more favourably than we could have expected." - Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Don Quixote

-

A sunny day in Austria and we've been dragged out to play baseball, of all things. So bloody American. Well, I suppose I'm going to be living in the New World soon, may as well start getting acclimated now.

The Americans have the day off of training and sought us out when they found out so we can all play baseball, as they've been known to do in their free time (as if the training isn't intense enough). Being British, none of the four of us have the faintest of clues on how to play, but we go anyway.

A group of the yanks has been trying for about half an hour to explain the rules to us. Needless to say, we're struggling.

"It just sounds like rounders!" I insist, frowning.

Will nods. "I really don't see how this isn't just rounders with gloves."

"You only run if you hit it, I think," Tom supplies helpfully. Other than that, I don't see how it's different at all.

"Well, none of us has any fuckin' idea what 'rounders' is so why don't you play it like it's rounders and we'll play it like it's baseball and it'll all work out," Frank says, clearly getting frustrated with our lack of comprehension.

"I don't even like rounders," I mutter under my breath, kicking at the grass in front of me.

Gene laughs from beside me. "Come on, it's fun! You'll like it, I promise."

I can't say no to him and he knows it, so before I've even conceded he's grinning.

The team we're both on is fielding first - 'defending', I've been repeatedly told I'm supposed to call it, but really it's fielding - and it's very easy to grow irritated with the game whilst the sun is beating down on us as it is and it takes so long to get through everyone batting.

When Will steps up to bat I perk up. I grin and watch as he bats, misses the ball entirely, but runs anyway, as one would do in a game of rounders. This action is met with a cacophony of outcry.

"What the fuck is he doing?!"

"You're not supposed to run!"

"He didn't even hit it!"

"You only run if you hit it, Will, I told you that!" Tom calls out, but he's laughing just like I am.

Poor Will looks so confused looking between everyone shouting at him, so he heads back to try again. He's not any luckier this time, or the next (or the next) so he ends up just handing the bat off and retiring.

For my part, I don't really do much other than stand around and watch but at least no one shouts at me for it. When it's my team's turn to bat I'm positively dreading it and I push Gene in front of me so that he goes first.

"You scared?" he teases with a grin.

I roll my eyes but I'm smiling a bit. "I don't like this game. And it is just bloody rounders with gloves."

Gene only laughs and watches Garcia bat, who hits the ball and runs immediately to first base. I watch him closely, and everyone who follows after him, desperately trying to work out exactly what I'm supposed to do so I don't mess it up.

When Gene's at the front of the line I'm nervous but he seems fine. He shoots me a smile when I wish him good luck and before I know it he's hit the ball and run.

"Oh! Yay!" I exclaim upon realising. I clap my hands together once and watch as he slides to first base right as Buck kneels on it. "Is that good?" I ask Frank, who's standing behind me. "Did he win?"