Always in the Back of My Mind 2/?
Title: Always in the Back of My Mind 2/?
Character/Pairings: Mainly Liebgott/Webster (mostly Liebgott-centric), with Nixon/Winter and Welsh/Kitty and maybe others later?
Warnings: Cursing, drunks, blood
Rating: PG13
Disclaimer: I mean in in absolutely NO way, any disrespect towards the real men of Easy Company, or the actors that played the roles of them. This isn't based on the legitimate men, just the more fictionalized part from Band of Brothers.
Summary: AU; Liebgott hasn't seen his Highschool friends in five years, and has been invited to a small reunion. He's not too keen on attending, but feels as if he must. He's not in the slightest, excited to see his former friend, the Harvard one with he pretty blue eyes.
A/N: I really liked writing the fight scene. ...I like where I'm taking this.
Liebgott woke up the next morning, rolling out of the small apartment bed. He stretched his neck, having laid on it awkwardly the night before from being drunk.
He dragged himself to the bathroom, rubbing his neck and shoulders, and turned on the shower. There was a small mirror hanging from the wall of the shower, in which he looked in, checking himself. He realized he needed to possibly trim his hair and shave, his face being covered in the subtle hints of dark brown black hair.
He reached our lazily to his scissors and razor that lay on the counter. The snippets od his matted hair fell to the floor of the bathtub, either being washed away from the water running down his back, or lay forgotten and uncared about.
Stepping out of the shower, feeling a bit better in general than what he had before, he examined himself better in the larger mirror that lay above the sink. He rubbed his chin, getting at the small spots he had missed in the shower.
Liebhott now examined himself, his whole body now, something he had not done in a long time.
He was tall, skinny, and pale, with messy hair that had loose strands that would dangle in his face.
Everyone had always joked about his stature, but he never minded much. He was skinny and fast, which meant no one could ever catch him. Tough new kids would always try and mess with him in school, not really knowing just what they were getting themselves into.
Liebgott smirked at himself, remembering old fights where he had either knocked out someone, or had them running.
He didn't bother covering himself as he walked out of his bathroom, and made his way towards the closet. He wondered for a moment if he should call in sick for work today.
"Screw it." He murmured, and threw on the best things he could possibly find, getting mentally prepared for the day ahead of him. He wouldn't have time to make it onto work at the barber shop, since he had woken up later that what he had originally intended.
He walked out of his shabby apartment, and took a long breathe, settling any nerves he had. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he set off down the street towards the parking lot, his face seeming to have a permanent look of distaste on it.
In actuality, he was thinking of a much better, time in his life, when he was much younger. Much younger and half way across the globe. Much better for about three seconds.
Smirking to himself, only for a moment, he got into his car, and drove off to his destination, an old pub they used to hang out at out downtown in the town he used to live in, where the reunion was being held.
By the time he had arrived, it was late in the day, the reunion already started. He pulled up in the parking lot, and looked at himself in his rear mirror. He lazy combed his fingers through his hair, not caring so much as to what he looked like as much as he probably should have. He sighed before he stepped out of his car, locking it, and headed inside. He was greeted by the all too familiar smell of booze, and smiled to himself.
Looking around, he saw a small a small table of men his age, with a couple of women. Smirking , he made his way over, and stood behind a man with short brown hair, who was waving his arms around telling some great story. Liebgott smacked him upside the head, causing the group to look at him, and the sitting man sputtered and made a noise in surprise.
"Geesh George, I don't even have to look at your face to know it was you."
George Luz turned and smiled widely at him, jumping up.
"Joe! Heya buddy; how've you been?!" He patted him on the back, and gestured to the open seat beside him, and Liebgott filed in the circle. He looked around at his friends, all smiles and bright eyes who asked him what he had been up to, but saw no sign of bright clear blue eyes.
Go figure, he thought inwardly.
He answered their questions, and noticed not many things had changed. Except for a couple of ring fingers. Muck, Malarkey and Penkala seemed to be still joined at the hips, laughing at some sort if inside memory they had. The same went for just about every small group.
Most of the group was already married, or were about to be sometime soon. Luz even pulled out his wallet, showing around his pregnant wife like was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. And it probably was, from the huge grin and light up of his eyes every time he even looked at the picture.
"So Joe, you found yourself a babe yet?" Asked Cobb as he handed back the wallet to Luz.
"Yeah," Luz perked up, nudging Heffron in the side, "you found a nice Heffron yet?"
Babe glared at Luz, and mumble something about how his girlfriend had already caught the best Babe as he fiddled with cigarette.
Liebgott shook his head, and smirked, feeling a twinge of jealously for most of these men. "Nah, haven't found 'er yet."
As cruel fate would have it, a man came into the room, a large smile on his face. He was nicely dressed, with tanned skin, that hinted he had been out in the sun for long periods of time. He sauntered over to the group, and waved at them all, his body lax and comfortable.
"Hey guys!"
Liebgotts body went stiff, as his eyebrows narrowed together. He didn't need to look up to know it was David Webster, but the sound of his voice made his eyes look up before he could think better of it.
He examined Webster as he walked over to where the whole group was all gathered, and noticed Webster had grown, and had more muscle to him now. He had small traces of stuble that faded down his neck, and his hair seemed to be a wind swept mess, that seemed to fit him.
There were joyous hollers of welcome from the whole group around Liebgott, and when Webster finally sat down, he was directly across from Liebgott.
Webster hadn't made eye contact with Liebgott since he had arrived, -Liebgott thought his eyes were a bit grayer than the last time he saw them- while Liebgotts eyes had been trained on him intently.
Liebgott wore no expression, other that his eye brows faintly drawn together. Something inside Liebgott made him want to just jump across the damn table at this very moment, and just strangle the bastard, and touch him in the worst way at the same time.
After a few moments, after the group settled down and Webster had ,of course, seen Mrs. Luz, Liebgott had had enough for a bit.
"I'm going out for a smoke," he muttered, and pushed his chair back with his legs. Webster had finally looked up at him, his face indifferent.
Liebgott started for he door, ignoring the calls that he could smoke inside,and shoved his hands into his pockets.
Taking the back door and slamming it shut behind him, he snatched the smokes out of his pocket and quickly let one up, leaning against the back wall.
He took a long drag from his smoke, and sighed, running his fingers through his hair.
"Stupid bastard..."
He was squatting now, his hands rubbing his face.
He started thinking about that time again.
He hated thinking about those memories.
He hated it.
(RR*)
They were young, their final days of graduation from highschool just ahead of them and in reach. Webster's mother was their pack mom of sorts, and had taken it upon herself to put up a small challenge for her son and his friends. Being from old money, so much she didn't know whay to do win it, she decided that if the boys did well in school and tried their ansolute hardest, she would send them to a beautiful place for their last days of school. Everyone who has ever met Mrs. Webster knew she was a woman of her word, joking or otherwise. She was a kind woman, but she didnt't mess around. So of course, the boys made the grades, and were shipped off to a country called Austria.
Liebgott was David's best friend at the time, they spent just about every waking moment together, but had felt different about Webster over the course of their friendship.
Now, Liebgott wasn't gay by any means, he had shared his fair amount of women and had thoroughly enjoyed the time he spent with them.
But there was something about Webster that made him forget anything else in the world even existed.
"Hey! what the hell are you doing out here?" Liebgott called out, spotting Webster sitting on a dock quite a few yards away, just gazing out into the open water of a crystal blue lake. It was their last days of the vacation, many of them in a gloom, not wanting to leave the country side. But Liebgott thought this was strange for Webster, who had been one of the ones trying to cheer anyone that was down, up.
When he didn't respond, Liebgott frowned, making his way over to his friend, his heavy boots thudding against the hard dock wood, his eyes casting out lazily onto the open water.
He nudged him in the shoulder with his boot, hands shoved in his pockets. "Hey college boy, we've all been wonderin' were you were. It's time to eat and leave."
Webster neither responded to his words, nor his foot. Sighing, he sat down beside him, dangling his legs off the edge of the dock, the toe of his boots barely touching the skyline blue water below them. He looked out to the water, wondering what the hell was so special about it to get Webster in such a trance.
"Web, what the hell is wrong with you. I know you like the water, but sheesh man." He snorted, and kicked what little water he could with his foot, disrupting the serene calmness of the lake with multiple ripples.
This made Webster jump in sudden realization that someone was next to him, "Oh! Joe, it's you!" Webster's face was a bit reddened by the sun, and his gaze seemed a bit far off.
Liebgott made a small snort, and rolled his eyes. "No shit. I've only been here for what? Five minutes?"
This made Webster laugh, and look at the water again, a broad smile on his face. "Sorry Joe, what's up?" Liebgott shrugged, and tried to see what the hell Webster was looking at.
"Nothing, other than looking for your sorry ass all morning." He gave up his search, and turned his eyes back to Webster. Liebgott could see the clear cut profipe of his face, from the small crooks of his nose, to the sharp angles of his jaw. He shifted where he was sitting uncomfortably, having this strong urge to touch his sun flushed cheek, or just touch any part of him really.
"I was just thinking about somethings..." was Webster's only response. Liebgott then noticed the small bottles of liquor that laid against his leg, as to why he hadn't noticed before, he wasn't sure. He didn't question it, summing up that he was drinking away his sadness of leaving Austria.
Webster really loved this place, and expressed his love for it so much that anyone would lend an ear to listen in hope that he would just shut up afterwards.
He never did.
"Hey well, let me in on some thoughts too. I want to think about something other than leaving this damned place." He nudged Webster playfully, who promptly looked at him, and shifted away suddenly. They stared at eachother few moments, Webster's body visibly tense.
"Some thoughts should just stay thoughts." Webter's voice so low and soft that Liebgott had to wait a moment before he actually understood what he said.
Liebgotts eyebrows creased together, and he looked at him with a frown forming on his face. "You okay Web?" He was thoroughly confused and a bit worried by his sudden change in mood. Webster started to get up into a standing position, not looking in the other's general direction. "Y-yeah I've just got to go." His voice cracked, and his feet fumbled underneath him.
"Sheesh Web, I ask you a simple question and you go all jumpy on me. The hell's got your panties in a bunch?" Webster seemd to be paying him no mind, and Liebgott's hand shot out, and latched onto his arm.
"You listenin'?" He jerked him back down to the dock by him arm, making Webster accidentally stumble ontop of him.
Liebgott's face started to flush furiously at the position they were in, and he couldn't stand to look at his friend ontop of him. "God dammit Web you-"
Liebgott was suddenly cut off by Webster's lips pressed to his,Websters eyes closed tightly. Liebgott's mind went completely blank as his breath hitched, his body tensing underneath his friends. He internally started to panic, not knowing what to do, or if it was even real.
Webster's lips, which tasted strongly of foreign alchohol.
The warm body against his was too good to be true, something Liebgott had only ever dreamed and thought of in private.
Before his mind came around to respond, Webster was off of him just as quickly as he was on him. He quickly got up and started scrambling away, his legs carrying him so fast that it looked like a stride took him yards.
Liebgott sat up, his head in a slight daze. When he came to, he called Webster, his voice hoarse and cracked from shock. But Webster was long gone, and out if earshot.
Liebgott had no idea what to do.
He was extremely happy, but very, very confused. And growing angry that he had just left him with that, and not even a word of explanation.
When Liebgott finally gathered himself, he made his way back to the large hotel they had been staying at, not seeing any sign of drunk boy. Come to find out, he passed out on a bed in another room.
For the last couple of days Liebgott had waited for Webster to say something to him. And whenever he tried to approach him, Webster would either leave and murmur out some excuse or apology, or would just completely avoid Liebgott in general.
This pissed off Liebgott a great deal, but what really made him hate Webster, was the day of graduation.
He had been sitting in his chair not paying attention to the speech, fiddling with a cigarette when something flew at him and hit him in the back of the head. A small waded up piece of paper landed in his lap, and Liebgott looked back, shooting glares at the rows behind him.
Deciding to open up the piece of paper, he found a small note with long elegant hand writing on it.
"It was the alcohol...
I'm sorry, Lieb."
Liebgott immediately snatched his lighter from his pocket jean's pocket under his robe, and watched as the burning paper slowly drifted to the ground infringe of him.
He turned his head to look at Webster behind him, and saw that he was looking directly at Liebgott, a look on his face Liebgott couldn't quite place, not thatched cared to.
Liebgott just snorted and turned his head to the school principle, feigning interest. But in reality, he was in a calm rage, hating that someone he trusted so much; worried constantly about; even thought he might have loved at one point, had toyed with his emotions like Webster had. Liebgott easily brushed by Webster without a word after they had officially graduated,even though Webster had stood in front of him, hand outstretched.
Liebgott couldn't stand it, and that wasn't even the worst of it.
He had been huddled with his friends at a celebration party that night at some strangers house, shaking hands with people he barely knew, when Muck and Malarkey starting pointing fingers at a wall behind Liebgott, snickering and catcalling.
To Liebgotts disgust - although he showed no signs of the feeling- was Webster kissing a girl so passionately against a wall, Liebgott almost gagged. The usually smiling, shy poetic writer's hands were roaming the girl, who didn't seem to mind in the least, welcoming it even. It took a lot of Liebgott's nerve to keep a straight face, let alone to not just going over there and give Webster a real good lickin'.
After excusing himself, and having a number of beers, Liebgott was drunk off of his rocker. He would just keep drinking, that memory of Austria and the one from barely and hour ago still in his head, the large amounts of beer numbing his thoughts and emotions for a while. He was so drunk, he could barely stand, let alone walk or speak straight.
Bull, Lipton, Luz, and Cobb tried dragging him away from the home bar,but Liebgott would just slurr and struggle in protest, his hand loosely grabbing for another beer.
"Alright, I'm fuckin' done with this drunk's ass." Cobb said slightly slurred himself, dropping a limp but struggling drunk Liebgott to the ground, Bull following suit, having enough as well.
"Jesus- Cobb, goddamnit I need some more help." Luz groaned, looking around for someone.
Just then, Webster seemed appear out of the blue, grabbing drink arm. "I'll help."
Luz smiled to him. "Hey David, than-"
As fast as his body would allow him, Liebgott swung an arm out of an unsuspecting Lipton's hand, and clipped Webster in the jaw. He was suddenly ontop of Webster, swinging his fists into his face, shouting and spitting all sorts of profanities at him.
"You bastard! You fucking dick!" He was drunkenly swinging, sometimes hitting the ground beside his head, but hitting him right were it hurt for the most part.
Webster was struggling underneath him, his arms flailing to try and keep himself safe as the rest of the group was trying to pry Liebgott off him. There were a few tears running down Liebgotts face as he was jerked back.
"What the hell are you doing Joe??" Luz yelled, his face concerned and angry.
Liebgott payed him heed, but instead stared down at Webster who was being helped stand up, his face and nose bloody, it running down his face to his stained shirt in a solid stream.
The drunk man smirked, and spat out at the ground in front of Webster, snickering.
"It was the alcohol. Sorry David."
(FFN*)
That was the last night they had seen Liebgott, his presence vanishing entirely from the group after the escapade. He moved to a rural part of a neighboring town, and had cut most contact with anyone, save for Eugene Roe, who had done practically the same as he, for entirely different reasons. Roe still kept small chat's with everyone just to see how they were doing, but never more than a small 5 minute chat.- That's how he learned about the reunion, was through his small, practically nonexistent chat with Roe. They had started to talk less and less after about a month or so ago, and Liebgott found out why.
Even Roe, the quietest, most serious of the group, had found himself a pretty lass with bright blue eyes and long brown hair as a finance. You could tell they loved each other dearly, just by the way they looked at eachother, she would talk, and he would smile, his eyes always watching her every move.
Liebgott puffed out smoke from his mouth, watching it float of into the night sky. He stood up, and leaned against the wall, able to hear the joyous laughter of men inside, and he smiled to himself.
Shit, he thought, maybe I don't need anyone, maybe-
His thoughts were cut off as a door opened, and light flooded the back alley. Liebgott felt himself grow angry, as he could recognize the man out there with him just by the way he breathed.
"Whatthefuck do you want, College Boy?"
*Rewind, FastForwardtoNow