Clouded - Scomiche

chapter 8

long time no see. anyone still here?

so yes. it's been years and i can only apologise. maybe re-read the last few chapters because i'm sure you've probably forgotten all about this book. i'm trying to get back into writing, i miss it a lot. sorry for any mistakes and sorry if it's a bit rough, bare with me while i get back into it.

let's gooooooo

Mitch sits quietly beside Dan, Eddie sitting in the front of them as they drive back through the gates of Camp Bastian.

His ten days leave was eventful to say the least. For the most part, he ended up in Idaho with Dan, partying with his friends. He figured it was better than being home alone, he got bored of that after the first day. They grew close, nothing happened but it's clear now that Dan has a soft spot for Mitch, and Mitch doesn't exactly know how to respond to that.

He knows he should feel flattered, but for some reason he's just struggling to lap up the attention in the way that he normally would. Mitch was excited to come back to Bastian, as strange as that may sound. He tries to convince himself that it's nothing to do with Scott, that he's just missing the routine, but part of him knows that he's just lying to himself.

Dan places his hand on Mitch's leg, and Mitch turns his head towards him, a forced smile on his lips.

"You good, Mitch? You've been quiet."

Mitch nods, subtly shifting his leg away from Dan with a sigh, "yeah, yeah. I'm good. Just tired."

Dan smiles, nodding and turning his head to look back out the window. Mitch closes his eyes momentarily, wishing this car ride would just hurry up.

He really did have a good time with Dan, at the time. But now that he's back, he's kind of wishing he didn't bother going to Idaho. If he does have a weird infatuation with Mitch now, surely that just makes things even more complicated. It's true, there is technically nothing going on in Mitch's love life, and a little romance while he's here shouldn't be such a bad thing, but the thought of one tall blonde Staff Sargent has Mitch holding himself back, and he just can't figure out why.

The car comes to a stop just outside of the parade square, to Mitch's relief. He opens his door, sliding out of the car and feeling the hot Afghan air hit his skin. With a shake of his legs to get the circulation flowing, he grabs his bag out of the trunk and makes his way to the Medics tent.

Kirstie is sat inside, surrounded by papers. She looks up as Mitch walks inside, a smile forming on her face.

"My baby!"

They hug for a while, laughing and just embracing each other.

"How's things been, Kit?"

"Good! I mean, as good as they can be on an army base. Carissa saved a guy who was kindly gifted a double above the knee amputation from an IED last week, that was pretty momentous. I've just been drowning in paper work and waiting for you to come back. How's your time off been? Any hot boys?"

Mitch shakes his head slowly, "wow... I mean, that's amazing for Carissa, not so good for the guy who had the amputation though. And erm, no. No, I was in Idaho. With Dan actually."

Kirstie raises her eyebrow, turning away from her paperwork and chewing on the end of her pen, "oh?"

"Nothing like that," Mitch says quickly, shaking his head, "No, it was just an excuse not to be alone to be honest. Dan's nice but, no. No."