100 story challenge (Tom Hiddleston imagines) *edited*

Absence (Captain Nicholls)

A/N: So this is one of the letters James wrote to you while he was at war, so it's in the middle of the horse story before he goes missing.

James has been away with Joey for almost a year, life is scary and the only thing I'm doing is working, reading letters, and worrying. Our family unfortunately have no animals to tend to because they were killed a long time ago for rations to sell. Which means that we are all trying our hardest to grow crops and prepare rations to be sold for the city. We get to keep some of what we make, but not as much as we used to because of the shortage.

James has kept his promise and is writing as much as he can, the letters always vary in length because he is always in different situations. One of his latest letters was from late May this year...

Dear y/n,

My love, it's coming so close to a year since we met. I miss you greatly and I fear that I cannot wait any longer to see you again. You are my waking thought and, in my dreams, while I sleep. I just wish to see your face and be able to kiss you in wedlock. At the moment I am fine, but I fear that one day, I will die without you in my arms. Being in the cavalry is almost terrifying... I shouldn't be telling you this, I do not need or want you to worry about me. Just fear for your family and yourself.

You know how much I love you already, but I will say it again and again. I love you y/n... more than anything in the world. I don't want to upset you; I remember how you told me that you always cry reading my letters because it reminds you how I am not there. So tell me what you want me to say and I will say it. Tell me what you don't want me to say and I won't. I want to ensure that even thought I am not there; you feel like I am and that we will be together soon.

Joey is doing amazingly well, the major and all the other men in the cavalry are jealous of me for having him, and some of them are willing to do almost anything to get him. However, I repeatedly remind them how I am only looking after him for my love. I hope you like the picture I sketched of him, I'm not an artist myself so it was the best I could do. You'll see him soon and he is under great care and I am trying my absolute best to protect him, which is going well so far.

I guess you want to know what's going on with the war like you always do. Italy have recently declared war a few days ago... I didn't believe it at first, but the major was adamant about it, so I obviously did after a while. Hopefully, they will be a good advantage to us, giving us the chance to shorten the war by a year or two. Some people are even wondering if the Americans will join, however it isn't a big thing, so no one really cares to enlighten them.

From your last letter I know that you fear for my safety, don't darling. We will be together soon. I promised you that I would come home to you, and I am still prepared to keep that promise. I will survive for you and I will fight for you. I love you y/n darling. And I can't wait for the moment I get to call you my wife... because it will happen.

From your love James. xxx

By the way, thank you for the photo, I keep it by my heart because you are in my heart always... that is where you belong.

A/N: The letter may be a little repetitive with the love parts but I think it makes it more genuine because it isn't perfect. The war paragraph about Italy joining did actually happen, on the 23rd of May 1915 Italy joined the war. The America talk I made up because they joined April 1917. I do hope you liked this one. I know it was much shorter than the last one which may have been a good thing ehehe. ❤