A Heart Like Yours ~ 1917

Sunday, December 24th, 1916

Tw: Drinking

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The trench was full of bloody idiots getting so drunk they might cut their heads off. Schofield stayed away, blake trying to convince him to join.

" oh, cmon- won't it be fun? Just have a bit of bloody enjoyment for once-"

" I've never liked drinking in crowds. It never ends well." Schofield replied, reading his first letter in months.

It was short.

" oh, but cmon. This is different-" " How? Our lives are on the line? Is that really so different, blake?"

Blake frowned. " that's not what I meant. " " Just go be with your mates. I'd rather not be engulfed in the chaos."

" fine then." Blake said, standing up. Schofield watched him walk down to the rest of the drunken men, getting lost in the crowd.

Schofield shakes his head, picking up a book beside him. The sound of drunk men having 'fun' crowded his thoughts.

It wasn't long before Blake returned to the tree, his hands behind his back. " What do you need, Tom."

Blake furrowed his brows, " You never call me tom-" " Well, that's your name, innit?" Schofield replied, never looking up once.

" I don't need anything-" " Then why are you here and not partying?"

Blake sat down, setting a bottle beside Schofield. " I got you wine- I know you like wine. I won't be in your hair all night- I promise. "

Scho glanced up, tilting his head. " Why? I didn't need anything-" " Oh, cmon mate- It's bloody Christmas- you deserve something-"

Schofield sighed, picking up the bottle to inspect it. It was decent wine. " how'd you get this?" He finally looked at the boy. " I have my ways. " He grinned.

" Thank you, Tom." He said quietly, setting it down beside him. Blake's eyes lit up, he was so childish. He was too kind for the war.

Schofield reached into a pocket, flicking two gold rings at the younger. " Merry Christmas, Tom."

" Scho- you didn't have-" " Just wear the damn rings. " He sighed. He was not in the mood for debates.

Blake put them on, they fit perfectly. " How-" " they used to be my father's. I didn't want them."

" what was in the letter?"

" my daughter just turned 2. That's all it really said." Scho said truthfully.

" awh- I don't mind kids, I mean, they're bloody assholes but if they're anythin like you they'd be cute-"

" My silence now is not the right kind of silence. It's the kind of silence that would eat you alive, Thomas. "

Tom fell quiet. " I'm sorry. " " Don't be sorry Tom. You'll understand later. It's not just a me thing. " He sighed.

" go have fun. Act your age. You don't need to be hangin' round an old man like me on a fun night. "

" I bought two bottles for a reason. I want to be near you scho- those blokes don't understand human decency-" He groaned, Schofield sighing.

" It's Will." " What?" " It's Will. You haven't a need to call me Schofield."

Will smiled a little at the younger's expression. He placed a leaf in the book, setting it down. He grabbed one of the two bottles of wine, waiting for Tom.

Tom grinned, sitting a little closer to Will. He popped open his bottle, already trying to get as drunk as possible.

Will on the other hand slowly opened his, occasionally sipping here and there. Tom stared up at the sky, the constellations brighter than ever.

" I miss home." The young boy said softly. Will looked at the boy. " Did you see the stars often?" Will asked, receiving a nod in return.

" I never knew the name of the stars. Just that they exist. " Tom sighed. Will hummed in response.

" What about you, Mr mysterious. You never talk about home-" Blake looked at Will. Will shrugged. " Not much to talk about."

" oh, cmon- there's got to be something-" " I do not like talking about myself." Will said, taking another sip. "You remind me of my dad. He was always quiet, and he would always nag on me and Joey. He didn't like how reckless we were. He was always bloody pissed."

" How come you don't talk about him?" " There's not much to him. He was a mystery to us, just to himself. He had books upon books- he's gone though. "

" Gone?" " He joined the war first. I didn't join for a while. It's probably bloody obvious- " " Oh, I see."

Blake took another long swig of his drink, Will sighing.

" Slow down mate. You'll get yourself sick-" Will said quietly. " Tell me about your mom. She sounds like a lovely woman."

" She's too worried all the time. Me and Joey used to hide in the fields, and it would leave her shitless every time. " He smiled to himself, laying down in the frosty grass.

" That sounds nice to have, someone who really cares about you like that. She seems to love you a lot." Will said, but silence followed.

He glanced at the younger boy, who was half awake with a mostly gone bottle in his hand.

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