we're on each other's team [band of brothers / hbo war]

20: shots

"Leave the pretty lady, alone. Your kind ain't welcomed here," the man spat at Madison's acquaintance. His friends that were with him were smiling and laughing along. The man noticed Madison staring at him in a rather pissed off manner. He grinned.

"You would be more beautiful if you smiled," he said.

Madison felt herself twitch in anger. What the fuck? She was going to fire back, but the sound of someone clearing their throat stopped her from doing so.

"Ahem!"

Madison whipped back to face the very impatient cashier.

"Are you going to buy?" he asked in English. Madison walked up to the counter briskly. She froze. She turned back to the line, trying to catch the attention of her acquaintance who was banished to the back of the line. It wasn't right that he got sent back there. She caught his eye, and she motioned him to join her. He looked unsure.

"Come back up here, you were in front of me," she said, loud and clear for everyone to hear. Her acquaintance grinned, walking past by the men as they muttered angrily. The lanky man (really, he was a boy) winked at Madison as he began to order. He soon retrieved his order and left the bakery. Then it was Madison's turn to order.

The employees were quick to get her order together, and she paid the cashier before she made her leave. One of the men tried tripping her, but she was able to dodge it.

"Betraying her own kind," one of the men said. "Stupid whore."

The man who had pushed her acquaintance back said something more vulgar, but she ignored them as she exited the store. They weren't worth her time. When she exited the store, she jumped in shock when she saw a figure in the corner of her vision. She relaxed when she realized that it was her newly found associate.

"Brave thing to do, for such a little lady," he said, before taking a bite of his strudel. He gulped. "Mmhm. You're right. This is very good."

"I'm always right," Madison said, watching him eat. It made her hungry, but she refrained from pulling out her order. "And I have to be brave if I'm standing here, aren't I?"

"Right you are," her newly found friend agreed. He studied her appearance. "I'm curious as to why you're in your outfit. You're in a man's uniform and I see a screaming eagle? Are you a part of the Airborne?"

"The 101st. 506th regiment. I'm a medic for Easy Company, Second Battalion." Madison explained, as she shifted her bag in her arm. She couldn't help but feel like a mother, bringing food home for her children.

"You jump out of airplanes?" the man asked. "By golly, you sure must be one crazy woman."

Madison grinned at the touch of humor in his tone and voice.

"That I am. I have to be twice as crazy as the men, but cleverer than they are," Madison said. The man chuckled. "My name is Madison, by the way. Sergeant Madison Klein."

The young man saluted Madison, who returned the gesture.

"Private First Class Joshua Green, but my friends call me Josh," the man, now identified as Josh, said. "Say, isn't Madison—"

"A boy's name? Yeah, usually," Madison said. "And don't you know it, I have a sister named Morgan too. But it's nice to meet you, Josh," Madison stuck out her hand for him to shake, and he did.

"Where you from?"

"Ohio. I'm from Dayton."

"No way! I'm from Dayton, too!" Madison couldn't help but laugh. "Such a small world, isn't it?"

"That it is," Josh agreed, smiling as well. "Dunbar District."

"Northeast, but I have family friends in Dunbar," Madison shared. "What do you do? For the army, I mean."