Hana: I just watched The Great Escape movie and have become a complete fan. I did invent OCs for my full-on fanfic of this, but this will be a two chapter small fic. Even though this pairing is overused, it will be Danny/Willie. This first chapter will be from Willie's perspective as the tunnel collapses on top of him, while he's digging. I don't remember if this occurred before or after Ives tried to escape on July 4th, but I'm putting it after. I don't own anything.
He digs and digs. The small space leaves little room to maneuver the shovel, yet he digs. As he rests for a second, he hears a rumbling. Willie is quickly able to cover his head when dirt covers him, and his already limited supply of air is cut off. Dirt envelopes him, the soil entering his mouth and blinding his eyes, the loam choking his breath and stopping his nostrils. As Willie struggles to breathe, despair takes him. He won't escape the camp with the Big X and everyone, he won't even escape this tunnel before he'll die under the earth, never to be free. His body will be dug out and buried with Ives, one more casualty of the war.
Suddenly, he can understand why Roger is so fierce in this mission, why Virgil tried to escape so many times, why Eric tries so hard to be useful. Even more, especially, why Danny fears these tunnels. Why Danny wakes up frequently at nights, gasping for air, terror on his face. Why Danny only calms down once Willie talks to him softly, assures him he's not in the tunnel, he's above ground, and can breathe. In a selfish way, Willie likes talking to Danny. Danny will hear out his fears, will let Willie talk away what wakes Danny at night. He will lean on Willie as he calms down, and Willie will hold him, gently, reassuringly, stroking his back until Danny's tremors cease and they just hold each other in silence. He realizes – somewhere along the way, from their times together, he's fallen in love with Danny. In love with his gentleness, the solid strength of his body, his slow way of smiling when he looks at Willie. And suddenly, Willie panics, recognizing if he dies, he will never see Danny again. Never soothe him, never be there for him. Danny will be all alone.
As he struggles, he feels a warm hand close around his ankle and pull him out, out into the space of the tunnel. Willie spits out dirt and breathes in the stale tunnel air, which feels like champagne. His eyes clear and he looks up to see Danny, with panic on his face, his strong arms encompassing Willie's chest, solid and powerful. And then they're hurtling backward and then they're in the small intermediary room, where Willie falls back into Roger's arms. Danny explains, worry making his words sharp. Roger tells Willie to go up and wash off and Willie nods, still breathless. Danny follows him and helps him wash off in the showers. His hands are callused, yet tender in their strokes and Willie shivers as Danny's hands trail along his body, taking out the dirt. Danny turns him around and looks at him, a question in his brown eyes. Willie answers by hugging him, both of them warming each other with the warmth of their bare skin. He had saved him. Danny had saved him.