Reconvene // h.s.

i.

He didn't appear to have any major injuries and she was glad; she'd seen way too much these past few days and she really couldn't take another session of amputating body parts. She busies herself in finding a rag and getting it wet, using it to clean his face. She leans over and rubs the cloth over his face, taking extra care when going over the purple bruises and red cuts. The girl gently cups his face, avoiding the intensity of his stare.

"How are you these days, Beth?" He inquires politely, not bothered by their close proximity.

She almost laughs at his casualness; she had always admired his ability to brighten serious situations and the usage of her childhood nickname made her break into a grin. "Fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"Wasn't doing too well, actually," He gestured to his current state which finally earned a laugh from the nurse. "Until I saw you, that is. We haven't seen each other in so long."

"How long has it been?"

"9-10 years, I think," He rolls his lips in and stares at her for a few seconds. "But I mean, you're the math expert; I was the one who failed."

He gets another laugh from her and they share another brief moment of closeness.

"So, you got a girl back home?" The nurse asks after, out of curiosity and something else--but mostly out of curiosity, she thinks.

His eyes twinkle and he laughs, throwing his head back and slapping his knee, as if the concept of him having a significant other was impossible. The sound is pleasant to her ears, and she immediately pictures the sun coming up; his laugh evoked this type of imagery and she was completely enchanted. "No. Would be nice, though."

"How 'bout you? You got yourself a husband?"

"No, unfortunately," Her face flushes red and he notices, but he knows that she used to hate it when people pointed out her characteristic of turning crimson easily so he didn't. Though, he always loved to be the reason she blushed.

"I'm surprised," He smirks in amusement when her cheeks only increase in vibrancy.  "A woman like you would have no trouble getting any man."

No matter how old he got, he still seemed to have that boyish charm. Her eyes flicker down and she tucks a strand of stray hair behind her ear. Elizabeth lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding before changing the subject. "So, do you have anyone you're coming home to, then?"

"Sure do. My family--my sister, especially,"  He responds in an instant. She notices this because she knows that he'd do anything for his family, anything to protect them and keep them safe, like join a war. She could feel her heartstrings being pulled when she becomes aware of how much he must miss their faces.

"Gemma," She comments, remembering his sister and the games they used to play with her.

He smiles again and she couldn't help but mirror his happiness. With all the darkness that consumed her day, Harry seemed to be the first and only thing that gave light.

"You remember?" He lifted an eyebrow before wincing and soothing it with his trembling fingers.

"How could I not? We locked you in that closet for hours, remember? And then you cried for hours," The girl let out a small chuckle at the precious yet hilarious memory.

"Yes, and all you did was laugh with her. Thanks for that, by the way; both of you are the reason I still have claustrophobia to this day." She had made the mistake of looking into his eyes briefly and there was a sparkle in them now.

"Remember when we first met? You were under a tree, reading that book about medicine that you stole from your parents' library. You've always wanted to heal people, Beth, and look at you now. You're a nurse." There was admiration and respect in the boy's gaze and after his words, a shy adolescence made an appearance in the girl's facade.

"Remember when you said if there was another war when we got older, you'd fight for your country just like your dad? And now--"

"And now, I'm a soldier." He finishes and they were both left in silence.

"Look, I don't know what's out there, what happens on the battlefield, but after what I've seen within these four white walls, I don't even want to picture it. You're more than brave, Harry. Every soldier in this room is."

"Not brave enough to say I love you after all these years." He focuses on the scab on his hand, picking at it and making sure his eyes were on anything but her.

Another silence plagues their conversation; although, this silence was their last one. Elizabeth is called to attend to another soldier in need of more care and Harry is moved to another area of the hospital. She looks back at him and he's smiling but just before she could smile back, the doors close.

They didn't know if they'd ever see each other again. And that's because for Elizabeth and Harry, Lovers Lane was just another street that the bombs of WWII decimated.

_____

Because i hate myself, I made the ending rly sad so I'm sorry abt that hahahahaha

I'm 100% aware that the second to last paragraph didn't happen at all in WW2 but like this is fictional so yeah I do what I want thx

Thank you so much for reading I love you all!! ❤️❤️