SPR slash.
Did like a triptych of Saving Private drabbles to cheer myself up, may post 'em on FF, as there's very little SPR slash around. By that I mean none. So I made some Upham/Jackson.
Anyway. Tally ho 'n all that.
Sleeping
Miller smiled wryly, watching the small group of men catching what they all knew could be their final hours of sleep. He was always amazed at how men's true characteristics only seemed to shine through at times of dire need, certain death and when they were sleeping. Ryan was mumbling something about his parents in his sleep and smiling away to himself, just looking innocent and quiet. Wade had used to suck his thumb occasionally, the rest of the company had been sworn to secrecy by Miller, he'd rather just let the men do what they liked when they were sleeping at least that way they could have a few hours of blissful ignorance. What surprised Miller most of all was Upham, the young man spent many nights curled up, sobbing and shouting in his sleep, unlike his optimistic façade.
The men were in the ruins of an old hotel somewhere, sleeping on the floor with their jackets rolled up beneath their heads. They reminded Miller of a nest of mice he had once found back home, all piled up in an untidy heap, breathing as one. He could hear the collective mumbling and cursing and after so long he could pick out each man's voice individually.
"Have you seen Jackson and Upham?" There came a voice from behind him. Reiben was smirking to himself, gripping a dog end cigarette between his teeth. Miller shook his head.
"Not since earlier." He admitted "Why?" Reiben grinned, this was obviously the answer he'd been hoping for, he beckoned with a long finger. Reluctantly Miller stood up, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands in an effort to wake himself up. The two of them edged around the sleeping mass carefully, avoiding standing on arms and legs which stuck out awkwardly from the untidy heap. Reiben halted in front of two men. Miller blinked incredulously and then grinned softly, shaking his head in apparent disbelief. Jackson and Upham were spooned into each other, Jackson's arms wrapped protectively around Upham's still form as they slept together. Upham kept mumbling things happily into the crook of the other man's neck. In return Jackson would wriggle into the smaller man so that their limbs ended up tangled together gently until they merely looked like one person.
"Should we wake them?" Reiben asked "You know how Catholic Jackson is... He'd hate this." Miller stood for a moment and glanced back at the comforting embrace, Upham's face was hidden against Jackson's neck so that all Reiben and Miller could see was his disheveled black hair and fingers curled tightly in Jackson's similarly scruffy hair.
"No. No, let's leave them. He wouldn't hate this; sure, he'd be pretty humiliated if he found out we'd seen it. But that doesn't mean he'd hate it." He told the other man truthfully waving a brief hand at the contented smile on Jackson's usually angry or puzzled face. Reiben shrugged lopsidedly, with only one shoulder. He flicked his glowing cigarette butt off into the darkened rubble. "So keep your mouth shut, to both of them okay Reiben?" He asked. Reiben nodded calmly.
"You the boss." He confirmed, holding out his palms earnestly. Miller nodded.
"Yes. I am." He agreed "Now go get some sleep Reiben, we've got a huge day ahead of us" he reminded the other man.
"Yessir."
Reiben mock saluted and picked his way through the sleeping bodies, before digging his way into the heap in an attempt to get comfortable. Miller took one final glance back at the two men twisted together, gave a wry grin and then resumed his silent watch.
Sleepless
Corporal Upham woke up slowly, for once he was reluctant to get up, which was odd, considering usually he hated sleeping on the cold, uncomfortable floor of wherever they had been forced to sleep. The nightmares kept him awake most nights too, making him pray for the telltale smudge of red on the horizon, indicating that he could officially get up. Since joining the army, the nightmares had escalated, some snippets of his past, some of things he had seen only days earlier and some of the distopia he imagined as the future. Upham no longer spoke about his nightmares, and chose to keep them to himself. He vaguely remembered a doctor coming to his house when he was young, probing him about the things he'd seen, more often than not Upham would sit, silent unwilling and unable to talk to strangers of them.
It was still dark.
"Have anymore nightmares?" There was a bleary, southern voice from beside him, it took a few seconds for Upham to realize who it was and tilted his head sideways. His nose clashed with Jackson's lightly, and the other man grinned.
"Not sure..." Upham furrowed his brow, trying to recall the previous night. He could almost feel warm fingers laced into his hair, and an arm slung haphazardly, yet comfortingly across his hips, pulling him in. "Don't think so." He shrugged resignedly. Jackson smiled warmly and nodded, he too had an odd de ja vu about sleeping beside Upham. He could feel nervous arms brushing his shoulder blades, fingers wandering through his matted curls, and a warm breath beside his pulse. Truth be told it scared the shit out of him, but he could feel a sense of overwhelming pride at the idea that he had helped keep the young man's night time fears at bay.
"Upham?" He asked slowly. The black haired man opened one sleepy eye and nodded, acknowledging the Southerner. "Y'know... Last night... Did I, er... Did I hold you?" His face was scarlet, but he managed to regain his posture, talking softly so that only Upham could hear him. The younger man blinked, like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a truck, suddenly feeling far too awake, he wriggled uncomfortably and tried to avoid Jackson's quizzical eyes, looking away. Jackson grabbed Upham's shoulder, forcing the smaller man to look at him with earnest eyes. "I did, didn't I?" He asked gently, releasing the tight hold a little.
"Are you going to attack me?" Upham asked nervously. Jackson shook his head. No.
"Yeah, you held me." Upham admits quietly. Jackson sat for a moment, then looked at Upham seriously. The black haired man looked back fearfully.
"How long 'til sunrise?" Jackson asked. Upham blinked furiously.
"A-About five hours… Why?" Jackson flopped back laboriously and groaned.
"Upham, boy either you're thicker than we give ya credit for or you're so damn naïve ya can't see the forest f' the trees." He shakes his head. "C'mere." Upham looked startled, and the surprised expression only increased when Jackson pulled the smaller man down until his head was lolling in the crook of the sniper's neck. He resorted to astonishment when he felt warm lips pressing firmly against his temple. Instinctively Upham wriggled into Jackson, and he felt strong, precise arms envelope his small frame.
"This whole situation is FUBAR…" Upham murmured drowsily. Jackson nodded gently.
"Mhm, now shut up an' go to sleep." Upham grinned, and complied.
Reawakening
Upham looked up at Jackson nervously.
"How do I look?" He joked, trying to keep the waver of fear from his voice. Jackson smiled calmly.
"Put it this way, I've never seen anyone look so good with ammo slung over his shoulders..." He grinned, shaking Upham's shoulder reassuringly. "Heard you translatin' earlier." He nodded towards the small group of men Upham had been speaking with "No wonder you were a desk guy." He raised an eyebrow. Upham wasn't sure if he could hear resentment somewhere in Jackson's voice, or whether it was the fear and adrenaline taking over, clouding his mind.
"But what Reiben said-"
"You heard that?!" Upham asked loudly. Jackson laughed.
"Yeah. Asshole's gonna have to wait his turn f'you. I was findin' you curiously arousing hours before he was." Jackson continued to buff his rifle absentmindedly whilst Upham looked on apologetically.
"If it helps I wouldn't sleep anywhere near Reiben." He shrugged carefully. Jackson snorted, then smiled and nodded.
"Thanks, means somethin' to me." He looked up at Upham, who gazed back earnestly.
"And I sure as hell wouldn't let him help my nightmares." He added as an afterthought. Jackson smiled lopsidedly.
"Good. 'Cause if I find you've been sleepin' around..." He waved the rifle jokingly. Upham laughed.
"You stink the least," he admitted, laughing "and you're okay when you're bein' good" Jackson nodded seriously. The two of them sit in thoughtful silence for a few minutes, Jackson cleaning with more force than is required.
"I was at the end of my rope y'know." Upham says suddenly, grabbing Jackson's hand in an uncharacteristic bid of impulsiveness. "I considered jumpin' off that bridge." He jerked a thumb at the bridge rigged with explosives.
"Why?" Jackson asked softly.
"'Cause of the nightmares and the war and you guys were all bein' well... I can't blame you, but I'm not part of the clique yet am I?" He looked at the ground. Jackson allowed his rifle to fall to the floor with a clatter. He barely noticed. Slowly, with his thumbs he traced along Upham's cheekbones, forcing the younger man to look up at him.
"Don't ever think about it again, okay?" It wasn't a request. "If ya die I'll kill ya." He told the black haired man forcefully, leaning forwards and placing a chaste, yet firm kiss on the other man's lips. Upham yanked backwards, dark hair tangled over his eyes.
"Jackson!" He hissed, then looked at Jackson's hurt face "What if someone saw us?" He asked softly, rubbing Jackson's knuckles tenderly at the other man's injured expression.
"You're right." Jackson admitted quietly. "But I need a reason to fight..." He muttered petulantly. Upham smiled, and looked around them then leant forwards, placing a far less innocent kiss on the sniper's lips. Their tongues met halfway, tangling together gently and tenderly. Upham's fingers automatically slid upwards, curling tightly in Jackson's unruly hair, pulling the other man in closely. Jackson's eyes fluttered open, to look into the smaller man's which were glittering with unshed tears as the smaller man broke off the kiss.
"Fight for that." He told him, then he was gone.
Oh yeah. If you think I own Saving Private Ryan, boy are you in for a shock. I apologise for icky tense usages, I'm not in a very good mood and these were written at four AM. 'Mkay?
:)
Anyway. Tally ho 'n all that.
Sleeping
Miller smiled wryly, watching the small group of men catching what they all knew could be their final hours of sleep. He was always amazed at how men's true characteristics only seemed to shine through at times of dire need, certain death and when they were sleeping. Ryan was mumbling something about his parents in his sleep and smiling away to himself, just looking innocent and quiet. Wade had used to suck his thumb occasionally, the rest of the company had been sworn to secrecy by Miller, he'd rather just let the men do what they liked when they were sleeping at least that way they could have a few hours of blissful ignorance. What surprised Miller most of all was Upham, the young man spent many nights curled up, sobbing and shouting in his sleep, unlike his optimistic façade.
The men were in the ruins of an old hotel somewhere, sleeping on the floor with their jackets rolled up beneath their heads. They reminded Miller of a nest of mice he had once found back home, all piled up in an untidy heap, breathing as one. He could hear the collective mumbling and cursing and after so long he could pick out each man's voice individually.
"Have you seen Jackson and Upham?" There came a voice from behind him. Reiben was smirking to himself, gripping a dog end cigarette between his teeth. Miller shook his head.
"Not since earlier." He admitted "Why?" Reiben grinned, this was obviously the answer he'd been hoping for, he beckoned with a long finger. Reluctantly Miller stood up, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands in an effort to wake himself up. The two of them edged around the sleeping mass carefully, avoiding standing on arms and legs which stuck out awkwardly from the untidy heap. Reiben halted in front of two men. Miller blinked incredulously and then grinned softly, shaking his head in apparent disbelief. Jackson and Upham were spooned into each other, Jackson's arms wrapped protectively around Upham's still form as they slept together. Upham kept mumbling things happily into the crook of the other man's neck. In return Jackson would wriggle into the smaller man so that their limbs ended up tangled together gently until they merely looked like one person.
"Should we wake them?" Reiben asked "You know how Catholic Jackson is... He'd hate this." Miller stood for a moment and glanced back at the comforting embrace, Upham's face was hidden against Jackson's neck so that all Reiben and Miller could see was his disheveled black hair and fingers curled tightly in Jackson's similarly scruffy hair.
"No. No, let's leave them. He wouldn't hate this; sure, he'd be pretty humiliated if he found out we'd seen it. But that doesn't mean he'd hate it." He told the other man truthfully waving a brief hand at the contented smile on Jackson's usually angry or puzzled face. Reiben shrugged lopsidedly, with only one shoulder. He flicked his glowing cigarette butt off into the darkened rubble. "So keep your mouth shut, to both of them okay Reiben?" He asked. Reiben nodded calmly.
"You the boss." He confirmed, holding out his palms earnestly. Miller nodded.
"Yes. I am." He agreed "Now go get some sleep Reiben, we've got a huge day ahead of us" he reminded the other man.
"Yessir."
Reiben mock saluted and picked his way through the sleeping bodies, before digging his way into the heap in an attempt to get comfortable. Miller took one final glance back at the two men twisted together, gave a wry grin and then resumed his silent watch.
Sleepless
Corporal Upham woke up slowly, for once he was reluctant to get up, which was odd, considering usually he hated sleeping on the cold, uncomfortable floor of wherever they had been forced to sleep. The nightmares kept him awake most nights too, making him pray for the telltale smudge of red on the horizon, indicating that he could officially get up. Since joining the army, the nightmares had escalated, some snippets of his past, some of things he had seen only days earlier and some of the distopia he imagined as the future. Upham no longer spoke about his nightmares, and chose to keep them to himself. He vaguely remembered a doctor coming to his house when he was young, probing him about the things he'd seen, more often than not Upham would sit, silent unwilling and unable to talk to strangers of them.
It was still dark.
"Have anymore nightmares?" There was a bleary, southern voice from beside him, it took a few seconds for Upham to realize who it was and tilted his head sideways. His nose clashed with Jackson's lightly, and the other man grinned.
"Not sure..." Upham furrowed his brow, trying to recall the previous night. He could almost feel warm fingers laced into his hair, and an arm slung haphazardly, yet comfortingly across his hips, pulling him in. "Don't think so." He shrugged resignedly. Jackson smiled warmly and nodded, he too had an odd de ja vu about sleeping beside Upham. He could feel nervous arms brushing his shoulder blades, fingers wandering through his matted curls, and a warm breath beside his pulse. Truth be told it scared the shit out of him, but he could feel a sense of overwhelming pride at the idea that he had helped keep the young man's night time fears at bay.
"Upham?" He asked slowly. The black haired man opened one sleepy eye and nodded, acknowledging the Southerner. "Y'know... Last night... Did I, er... Did I hold you?" His face was scarlet, but he managed to regain his posture, talking softly so that only Upham could hear him. The younger man blinked, like a rabbit caught in the headlights of a truck, suddenly feeling far too awake, he wriggled uncomfortably and tried to avoid Jackson's quizzical eyes, looking away. Jackson grabbed Upham's shoulder, forcing the smaller man to look at him with earnest eyes. "I did, didn't I?" He asked gently, releasing the tight hold a little.
"Are you going to attack me?" Upham asked nervously. Jackson shook his head. No.
"Yeah, you held me." Upham admits quietly. Jackson sat for a moment, then looked at Upham seriously. The black haired man looked back fearfully.
"How long 'til sunrise?" Jackson asked. Upham blinked furiously.
"A-About five hours… Why?" Jackson flopped back laboriously and groaned.
"Upham, boy either you're thicker than we give ya credit for or you're so damn naïve ya can't see the forest f' the trees." He shakes his head. "C'mere." Upham looked startled, and the surprised expression only increased when Jackson pulled the smaller man down until his head was lolling in the crook of the sniper's neck. He resorted to astonishment when he felt warm lips pressing firmly against his temple. Instinctively Upham wriggled into Jackson, and he felt strong, precise arms envelope his small frame.
"This whole situation is FUBAR…" Upham murmured drowsily. Jackson nodded gently.
"Mhm, now shut up an' go to sleep." Upham grinned, and complied.
Reawakening
Upham looked up at Jackson nervously.
"How do I look?" He joked, trying to keep the waver of fear from his voice. Jackson smiled calmly.
"Put it this way, I've never seen anyone look so good with ammo slung over his shoulders..." He grinned, shaking Upham's shoulder reassuringly. "Heard you translatin' earlier." He nodded towards the small group of men Upham had been speaking with "No wonder you were a desk guy." He raised an eyebrow. Upham wasn't sure if he could hear resentment somewhere in Jackson's voice, or whether it was the fear and adrenaline taking over, clouding his mind.
"But what Reiben said-"
"You heard that?!" Upham asked loudly. Jackson laughed.
"Yeah. Asshole's gonna have to wait his turn f'you. I was findin' you curiously arousing hours before he was." Jackson continued to buff his rifle absentmindedly whilst Upham looked on apologetically.
"If it helps I wouldn't sleep anywhere near Reiben." He shrugged carefully. Jackson snorted, then smiled and nodded.
"Thanks, means somethin' to me." He looked up at Upham, who gazed back earnestly.
"And I sure as hell wouldn't let him help my nightmares." He added as an afterthought. Jackson smiled lopsidedly.
"Good. 'Cause if I find you've been sleepin' around..." He waved the rifle jokingly. Upham laughed.
"You stink the least," he admitted, laughing "and you're okay when you're bein' good" Jackson nodded seriously. The two of them sit in thoughtful silence for a few minutes, Jackson cleaning with more force than is required.
"I was at the end of my rope y'know." Upham says suddenly, grabbing Jackson's hand in an uncharacteristic bid of impulsiveness. "I considered jumpin' off that bridge." He jerked a thumb at the bridge rigged with explosives.
"Why?" Jackson asked softly.
"'Cause of the nightmares and the war and you guys were all bein' well... I can't blame you, but I'm not part of the clique yet am I?" He looked at the ground. Jackson allowed his rifle to fall to the floor with a clatter. He barely noticed. Slowly, with his thumbs he traced along Upham's cheekbones, forcing the younger man to look up at him.
"Don't ever think about it again, okay?" It wasn't a request. "If ya die I'll kill ya." He told the black haired man forcefully, leaning forwards and placing a chaste, yet firm kiss on the other man's lips. Upham yanked backwards, dark hair tangled over his eyes.
"Jackson!" He hissed, then looked at Jackson's hurt face "What if someone saw us?" He asked softly, rubbing Jackson's knuckles tenderly at the other man's injured expression.
"You're right." Jackson admitted quietly. "But I need a reason to fight..." He muttered petulantly. Upham smiled, and looked around them then leant forwards, placing a far less innocent kiss on the sniper's lips. Their tongues met halfway, tangling together gently and tenderly. Upham's fingers automatically slid upwards, curling tightly in Jackson's unruly hair, pulling the other man in closely. Jackson's eyes fluttered open, to look into the smaller man's which were glittering with unshed tears as the smaller man broke off the kiss.
"Fight for that." He told him, then he was gone.
Oh yeah. If you think I own Saving Private Ryan, boy are you in for a shock. I apologise for icky tense usages, I'm not in a very good mood and these were written at four AM. 'Mkay?
:)