Klaus couldn't understand why he'd decided to stay but seeing the way Dave smiled at him on the bus he knew that he didn't want to leave just yet. Weeks passed, and the Battle of Hue raged on. Klaus was even beginning to adjust in the warzone he'd found himself in. It was like being at home, but this time people cared about what he thought.
The tent was empty as Klaus tidied his kit bag. He felt a hand on his back and looked up in fear.
"it's only me!" Dave laughed.
Klaus smiled "Sorry" he said. He sat on the uncomfortable army bed, he'd become to call a bed.
Dave stayed standing as he spoke "I'm thinking of hitting a club in the city this evening. Wanna join me? A few of us are going."
Klaus shrugged hi thin shoulders "Sounds good."
Klaus danced so freely that evening. He'd never felt so free or alive in his life! They'd won the battle and were celebrating with leave. It was only a few days but it was better than nothing.
Dave watched him from the bar and smiled. He watched the way Klaus moved his body mesmerised by him. He'd appeared out of nowhere about a month ago and since then Dave hadn't taken his eyes of him. He wanted to know who Klaus was.
Klaus stumbled over to the bar and joined Dave.
"Are you drunk yet or is that your usual walk?" Dave asked playfully.
"That's just my swagger." Klaus said cockily.
Dave laughed "You say the funniest things!" he said. The handsome blonde ordered them a round of shots and they sat at a table.
They had downed half of the shots before anyone spoke again.
Klaus put his hand on Dave's arm "so Dave, my buddy . . ."
"What is it" Dave asked. He shook his head. How strong were those shots?
"Do you have any" Klaus threw his arms in the air dramatically, he was thinking of a random thing to ask "Siblings? Do you have any siblings?" Klaus laughed.
Dave held up one finger "One" he said "A younger sister. You?"
"me? Errrm" Klaus counted on his fingers, he was trying to remember everyone. He pointed to himself. "the fourth of six, it used to be seven." He looked across to the dance floor where he saw Ben dancing, his modern clothing making him stand out like a sore thumb. "Hey not cool!" Ben yelled. Klaus hissed at him and Dave looked confused.
"you have five other siblings?" Dave asked "Fuck me dude! That's insane."
Klaus laughed and shrugged. "I'd rather be here than there." he said. he looked over, but Ben had disappeared, he did that sometimes.
"there's two shots left, you want to?" Dave asked.
Klaus picked up the shot and Dave linked his arm around Klaus's and they drank.
The pair giggled and went to the dance floor, hours passed, and the music blared but they couldn't care less. The war didn't matter, nor the army. All either of them cared about was the other. They danced so close to one another finding any excuse to touch.
"I'm going to the bar." Klaus said, he was staring to sober up and was enjoying the feeling of being intoxicated. he began walking to the bar, but Dave pulled them towards the wall, out of sight from everyone.
Klaus looked up him and smiled. His hands instinctively reached for Dave's neck. He felt Dave's lips on his and melted under their touch. He barely noticed Dave's hands through his hair, or when they settled on his waist.
The pair pulled away and looked at each other, their eyes meeting. Klaus felt so safe in Dave's embrace.
"Maybe we should find a hotel?" Dave suggested.
Klaus nodded. "I'd like that."
Over the next few months they kept their relationship secret. Meeting up in secret and spending time together when they had leave.
Klaus stood in the grotty hotel in Saigon and admired his new tattoo.
"It looks good." Dave smiled.
"I think your looks nicer." Klaus said. they both laughed. Their whole squadron had gotten the same tattoo the previous day.
Dave patted the bed next to him and Klaus flopped onto it. Laying on his back he looked up at Dave.
"These past few months have been the best months of my life." He said.
Dave laughed. "Were fighting an invisible enemy in a war that seems impossible to win. We'd sooner get to the moon than we would win this war."
Klaus opened his arms and Dave lay next to him. Klaus cuddled into his boyfriend's muscular chest. "The moon is overrated. This is more fun. I've just never had this before." Klaus said.
"Had what?"
"Love." Klaus said.
Dave looked at him injured. "No one has ever loved you? But you're amazing. Wait! Not even your parents?"
Klaus shook his head. "No one. Never. Not till you. I wish we could stay like this forever. Just you and me."
"I love you too Klaus." He stroked Klaus's cheek "I hate having to hide who I am from everyone else. I feel like you're the only one who gets me."
Klaus nodded. "You mean everything to me Dave." Klaus held onto Dave tighter.
"Do you want to know a fact?" Dave asked. He wanted to try and cheer Klaus up.
Klaus looked at Dave. "only if it's interesting."
"It's very interesting. My little sister told me it." Dave said. "Did you know dolphins give sponges to their mates to show their love?" Dave said. Klaus stared at him. "I know, crazy right? I thought she was joking but she showed me the book she read it in."
Suddenly Klaus started crying. "I don't have any sponges to give you!" he cried.
He embraced Klaus and soothed him patiently "No! Don't cry! I don't need a sponge to know you love me."
Klaus kissed Dave "I love you." He said.
"I know you do." Dave said. he ran his hand down Klaus's torso and side as Klaus reached to stroke Dave's neck. "I love you too."
A few days later they returned to basecamp and had new orders.
"Were going to the front! We can finally get those bastards!" Darren ran up to Klaus and Dave. He was a member of their squadron.
"It's going to be great! Right Klaus?" Dave said.
Klaus went very pale suddenly. He felt like he was going to throw up.
Dave put a hand on his shoulder. "You ok buddy?"
Klaus shrugged his hand off. "I need a minute to breathe."
Dave and Darren nodded. "we'll be outside."
They left the tent and stood in the entrance talking in excited tones.
Klaus fell to his knees and reached for the case. "You can do this. Just disappear the way you got here!" he pulled at his hair manically. He had to leave now! He couldn't say and fight. He didn't want to die here. He touched the case and looked up at Dave. He felt the tears forming in his eyes. He couldn't leave yet, he needed Dave and Dave needed him.
He knew it was foolish, but Dave was all that mattered to him. He could leave behind the only thing he loved.
Klaus stood up and walked to join the others. "it's going to be good." Klaus said.
He knew he was wrong even as the words left his mouth. He didn't realise how wrong he was till he heard it end so quickly just over a week later.
The bullet whizzed through the air and Klaus turned to Dave. More bullets whizzed around them, an orchestra of machine gun fire filling the air.
"Dave?" There was no response. Klaus moved from his position and rolled Dave's body over. There was a huge blood stain across his chest. Klaus compressed the wound with his hand. He stroked his face. "Dave. Dave. Please don't leave me."
"Klaus, I'm going to be ok." He said as blood poured from his mouth.
This can't be happening. Klaus was screaming inside his head. He couldn't lose him!
He put his forehead to Dave's and looked into the eyes of the man he loved. "Get a medic. Soldier down!" he said to anyone who could hear. He turned to Dave. "It's going to be ok. We're going to get you a doctor. Stay with me, please." Dave smiled and nodded but Klaus could see his light dimming "GET A FUCKING MEDIC!" Klaus screamed. He looked to Dave again. The handsome blonde smiled at him for the final time before Klaus watched him die.
Klaus insisted on carrying Dave's body back on the stretcher along with Darren. He normally didn't bother, he couldn't stand seeing their body's, he knew he just see them again when he sobered up.
Back at the base Klaus watched them put Dave's body with the rest of the dead soldiers from the incursion. He walked up to his boyfriends' body, he had too many and not enough word to say. So Klaus said the only thing that mattered "This isn't goodbye, I promise I'll see you gain. I love you.". he wanted so badly to kiss him one last time but knew that he never would. He took one last look before walking away from the bodies of so many good men. This war had taken so many bodies.
Klaus walked to his bed and cried quietly for a few minutes, every kiss, every smile played in his and he held onto the memories, clinging to them.
He pulled out the suitcase. It was time to leave. He took a deep breath and opened the case.
Suddenly he was sat on a bus, in 2019, there was blood on his hands and a heart that had broken in two. The world was ending in four days, but his world had already ended. He wished that he'd never gone back in time.