not paris

[easyco_soldier]

May 1945.

Zell am See, Austria.

«So it’s an Airborne exhibition. They have one of every allied combat plane that got used in the war. You’d be like a technical advisor, make sure they get everything right.»

Paris. Don Malarkey remembered another time when he had dreamed of Paris. Seemed like ages ago, now, didn’t it? In reality, it had

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[fourforone]

After the blizzard, Buck's been feeling anything but steady on his feet. Every flash he sees of a familiar face makes him feel guilty and ashamed, like he should be stronger in the face of dire times. Bastogne's going to rest heavy on him his whole life, but he has to learn how to go on. Seeing Don Malarkey's face so soon after, it feels as if this isn't a coincidence.

Or maybe it is. Maybe fate's ready to screw with him again. He watches the other man just long enough to see that it really is him before approaching and coming to a severe halt before he can launch into a desperate embrace of the other man of relief and 'thank god you're here' and it's all too much for him to process, so Buck shoves it deep down and manages a rueful smile. "Fancy seeing you here," is all he gets out, though it's not what he'd intended to say at first.

[easyco_soldier]

The last time Don saw Buck Compton, the man was being taken off the line for -

What was the excuse again? Trenchfoot?

Don didn't blame Buck for it - he never did. Never thought any less of the man for what happened.

God. He even envied him for it, sometimes. He felt ashamed, remembering his friend’s pale face and red-rimmed eyes. But these hours? days? in that foxhole, holding the Luger, he wished that he, too, could just give up. Break. Maybe even forget.

But it wasn’t that easy, was it? It never was.

"Hey, Buck," he managed a smile. Buck looked better than the last time he’d seen him, at least. He was glad. "Haven’t seen you in a while! How are you? And… do you know where we are? "

Somehow, he had the feeling that whatever this place was, Buck had been there for a while already.

[fourforone]

Buck's still not sure this is actually real, but he's about to cry or laugh or something in between, and all he's got is this strangled sound of incredulous disbelief that he's seeing Don Malarkey in the flesh. He ends up grinning instead, clapping Mal on the shoulder and giving him something of a shake. "Goddammit, about time you showed up," he says, voice rough. "I'm real sorry you have to be here, but as long as I'm stuck here, I need my best friend, don't know how I was doing it without you."

"Welcome to paradise, Mal," Buck offers apologetically. "One-way ticket, no way out."

[easyco_soldier]

Of course, Don was incredibly happy to see Buck, happy to see his friend seemed to be fine. He missed him a lot, especially during those weeks in January. He doesn’t blame Buck, but he wondered if it would have been easier to have to strong, confident Buck by his side during his roughest time.

But the past was the past. Can’t change it, and Don didn’t want to think too much about it. Buck was grinning, he was alive and appeared to be well, and Don found himself grinning back.

"Well, I wouldn’t have left you all alone by yourself on this tropical island, right? What are you sorry for? The pretty exotic girls not treating you right?"

His grin dropped and his stomach clenched with Buck next words. Paradise? One-way ticket?

Oh. Well, that explains a lot…

"Oh shit, Buck," he said, voice chocked. "Really? I…"

He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t care about himself, his own life, not anymore. But Buck? This can’t be happening!

"I… didn’t know. What- what happened?"

He thought Buck was safe, off the line! This can’t be happening.He

[fourforone]

Buck snorts at Mal's words about pretty exotic girls and he's got a right mind to give him one heap of a talking-to about girls with minds of their own and a way of breaking his heart by either vanishing or not wanting the same things that he does.

And yeah, sure, the sex is great and all, but he's starting to want something more again.

"Don't really know what happened to get us here, Mal. Last thing I knew, I was in Austria playing baseball, and you weren't there, so I'm taking that as a personal affront," he jokes, "and the next I'm here. And I've been here for almost a year, now." Buck softens, taking in the look on Mal's face. "Jesus, Don," he exhales. "Don't look like that, you're killing me."

[easyco_soldier]

Don didn't know how to be around Buck anymore, and he hated it. The man was one of his closest friends, for god's sake, and he was so happy to see him, yet... He wished it had been under better circumstances. He couldn't act like nothing happened - Buck knew him too well to not get how fake that would be. He wished he could have seen Buck one last time before coming here. He wished his last memory of the man wasn't the broken shell of himself he'd become in Bastogne.

But this wasn't so bad, he figured. At least Buck seemed well enough here, all things considered. And he came back to Easy, in the end. Couldn't be so bad, right? It just felt so... unfair, that this would happen to Buck, of all people.

Calm down, Malark. Everything's gonna be fine, you'll see.

Don smiled faintly. "Sorry, Buck. I'm just... I'm really happy to see you. Wish I'd been there to play baseball with you! I got reassigned to Paris before you came back." His smile grew slightly, his eyes lighting up. "So. How are you doing?"

[fourforone]

"Yeah, heard about the cushy deal that Dick set you up with," Buck says with a fond grin. "You could've dropped by and said hello. They uh, they moved me out there after everything, after I healed enough. They had me training the boys coming into Paris in athletics, trying to keep everyone in decent shape."

It'd been a good gig, but he'd wanted to go back to Easy.

"And now, well, now I'm here." He softens at Mal's question and forces a smile on his face. "It's here and there. Good and bad, but for the most part, it's all good. It is."

[easyco_soldier]

Seeing Buck's smile, even if it wasn't as bright as it used to be, was nice, Don thought. His own smile got wider, more honest. "I would certainly have dropped by if I had ever actually gotten to Paris! I arrived here before I could even see the Eiffel Tower!"

His eyes brightened. "I'm glad to hear that, Buck. Real glad. You're a though guy, you're amazing - I knew you'd be fine."

It was sentimental, yes, but Don thought he had the right to be sentimental, after all they'd been through. Seeing Buck here, smiling, the sun shining on his face and in his hair, he felt so much love for his friend -the best friend he had left, now-, he could barely contain it.

[fourforone]

Buck's anger at this place, his irritation, any of his distaste all fades when he sees that look on Malarkey's face and god, but he can't help being pleased. It's one of the few times he really feels like things are going well for him. "What do you say we get you settled on a bunk at the Officer's Club, huh? Screw the enlisted quarters right now."

Because of all people, he's not about to hand over his best friend to his clone. Guarnere might have gone following Babe, but not this time, not at all.

[easyco_soldier]

"Officer's Club?" Don felt really flattered by the offer, and really, would truly enjoy staying with Buck. But, Officer's Club?

"You sure this is okay? I don't mind going in the enlisted quarters..." Never mind that he doesn't know where it is, and he really wants to keep close to Buck right now... he wasn't about to make a nuisance of himself in the officers' place!

[fourforone]

"No," Buck says sharply, and maybe it's too much, but he doesn't want to get into explaining Cain just about now and it's not like they're enemies, but the two of them never exactly bonded and became best friends over time. "It's crowded there, not sure they've got rooms left. Better a bigger floor and cot than no space at all, right?"

So it's not the whole truth. Close enough.

[easyco_soldier]

Don grinned. Buck really did seem to want him in the Officer's Club. If that was the case, Don wouldn't argue anymore.

"Alright!" he agreed. "Show me the way?" Don was still sweating heavily in his woolen uniform, and he felt like a shower and a nap might do him some good.

[fourforone]

Buck just claps Don on the shoulder and gestures with his chin, ready to get this show on the road and find a place to sit down and have a drink. "We've got plenty to catch up on, I bet. Maybe moreso me than you," he teases lightly.

[easyco_soldier]

Don chuckled. "Yeah, probably," he said, "Given that I seem to have dropped here before you... in our time. Huh, or something."

That concept was still a bit hard a grasp.

"Can't wait to hear what you've been up to in this place!"

[fourforone]

Buck can't help the slight smirk on his face as he debates saying something incredibly crude, but hell, he's not about to inflict that on Mal just yet. Not when things are still so new. "I'll introduce you to them after I tell you all their names," he lightly jokes. And if Kara or Jaye hears him say this, he has the feeling he'll get thoroughly smacked.