Clouded - Scomiche

chapter 5

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"Kaplan, a word."

Avi's smile drops as Scott leaves the medics tent, calling the long haired soldier to his office. Mitch walks out as Avi follows Scott, his brow furrowed in a mixture of confusion and curiosity. Avi and Mitch lock eyes for a second, a small, discreet smile appearing on Avi's lips before he looks down at his feet and enters Scott's office. Mitch smiles too, even though Avi is no longer in view, a subtle sign of thanks towards Avi's bravery earlier on.

"Packages from home arrive later, Grassi!" Michael shouts, the rest of the boys laughing and chatting around him.

Mitch nods with a smile, walking over towards the group with his arms crossed over his chest. Some are stripping out of their uniform, still whooping and cheering about the attack earlier.

"You expecting much?" Michael asks, looking down at Mitch as the smaller boy comes to stand beside him.

Mitch shakes his head, "no, not really. A sickly sweet letter from my dad and some typical 'mom' gifts from the mother. You?"

Michael shakes his head quickly, scoffing as he lifts a brow, "my parents disowned me when I joined up. Three years later and they still don't wanna see me, even when I'm home on leave."

Mitch sighs sympathetically, shaking his head as he watches Michael. He can see the hurt behind his eyes, but still, Michael looks up with a smile and lets out a loud sigh.

"Still, Carissa's here with me and she's the only important thing in my life so there isn't anything I need in a package. Her parents send us updates from home but... honestly, when you've got the love of your life here fighting with you, you don't need much else."

Mitch holds back a smile, looking down at his feet as he pushes his hands into his pockets, "you're actually quite sweet, aren't you? I mean, behind the big boy façade."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just mean, everyone here seems to.." Mitch shrugs slightly, "not like me. But I guess it's just a front, right?"

"No one hates you, Mitch. Just some people didn't deal well with Matt's death, that's all. Just hard to get used to you."

"Yeah well I wish they wouldn't take it out on me..."

Michael frowns, smirking, "did you not just hear what I said? Some of these guys aren't handling Matt's death too well, of course they're gonna take it out on you."

"Why though? It isn't like I was the one who killed him or anything."

Realisation hits Mitch as soon as the words leave his mouth, Michael's smirk becoming pursed lips and his frown deepening.

"You know, you really don't need to be so insensitive."

"Sorry..." Mitch says quietly, shaking his head, "I really didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"You mean you didn't mean to sound like a dick? Because you did, and it's kinda pissing me off that you're still talking to me."

"What? I'm sorry, I just.. you said that they don't like me because of what happened to Matt and I just thought that-"

"You thought wrong, whatever you thought, it was wrong. We will never hear a bad word about Matt, you hear me? Not ever."

"I know and I- I'm sorry, I know you wouldn't, but you-"

Michael scoffs, looking away from Mitch with a shake of his head, "please, please don't pretend that you know me, Mitch, you've not even been here five minutes."