Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Challenges listed at the bottom.
Word Count - 1204
Warning - Character Death
photographs beneath his pillow
She held him tightly, gripping at his khaki green coat like she was never intending to let go. He sympathised with her. He didn't want to leave. This was never supposed to be his life. The Malfoy family ring on his hand said as much, and yet, it still hadn't saved him from this fate.
"I love you, Mother," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"You make sure you come home," she begged him, releasing him. "Goodbye, Draco."
"I will, I promise. Goodbye, Mother."
As Draco got into the car, and watched the Manor fade behind him, he tried to be surprised that his father hadn't even been there to see him leave.
…
"Goodnight, Brothers. Goodnight."
Draco rolled his eyes and twisted on his bunk, unable to get comfortable. He was aggravated, scared and he just wanted to go home. He wasn't meant to be a soldier. He was supposed to be a man in a suit, living the privileged life he was brought up in, carrying little more than a briefcase and a full wallet.
Sighing to himself, he pulled the photographs out from under his pillow. He only had a few. One of his mother, one of Draco surrounded by his friends, and one of his horse, Flash, the most precious being in Draco's life.
He thought he missed that horse more than he missed the Manor and all it's comfort.
The other men had pictures of their families, their partners waiting for them at home. They told stories between them, and Draco wondered if they were doing it because they actually wanted to share their lives with strangers, or if it was to just help keep them sane.
Draco was going with the second theory. It had only been two weeks since he'd shipped out, and already he felt like he was losing his mind.
Huffing, he stuffed the photo's back beneath his pillow and stared up at the ceiling. He ignored the silent tears sliding down his face into the pillow.
He just wanted to go home.
…
"You're Malfoy, right?"
Draco groaned and turned away. It was before dawn, and he was quite sure he'd only slept for about an hour.
"Hey now, I know I'm not much to look at but—"
"Let me guess. You have a great personality?" Draco mumbled into his pillow.
"Not a morning person then?" The soldier who'd woken him was far too cheerful, but Draco didn't want to get in trouble for beating his 'brothers'. "Well, you need to get up. We're heading out in twenty minutes."
"Heading out where?"
…
The soldier who'd woken Draco was Theodore Nott, and he would not stop talking. They rode side by side in the back of the jeep, and he hadn't stopped for breath since they'd sat down.
"And really, if you think about it, it takes two to lie; one to lie and one to listen, and—"
"That makes absolutely no sense," Draco interrupted. "The listener wouldn't necessarily know they were taking part in a lie."
"I was just seeing how long it would take you to interrupt," Theo said, grinning. "Props, you lasted longer than most people do."
"Aren't soldiers meant to be all… silent and obedient and—"
"I follow orders just fine," Theo said, rolling his eyes. "I can be obedient when I need to be. The silence out here will kill you more painfully than a bullet though, so I fill it whenever I can."
That, unfortunately, made a whole lot of sense to Draco and he nodded. "I guess so."
"So why don't you talk for a while?"
"I've… not really got anything to say."
…
"Shh. Be quiet, and be careful," the soldier in front of Draco murmured.
Draco was desperate to be anywhere but there in that moment, but he hunkered down and listened to the gunfire. It was so rapid, it sounded somewhat like the pitter-patter of a heavy rainfall.
He didn't know what was worse, the fear for his own life or being witness to the end of others. Nobody wrote about this in the brochure—not that Draco had seen one, but he couldn't imagine anyone willing signing up for this hell.
Eventually, the gunfire slowed to a stop, and after a long, pregnant pause, the soldiers around him seemed to sag with relief.
"We need to arrange a retrieval for the… men," one of the leaders said quietly.
The word 'bodies' was left unsaid, but it was still heard.
"I… where's Theo?" Draco asked, looking along the line of soldiers.
None of them met his eyes.
…
He'd known Theo for less than a day, and he didn't understand why he felt so… sad. So angry. And admittedly, he felt a little betrayed.
Theo had been the first person to reach out to him, and now he was gone and Draco was more alone than ever. He almost wished that Theo hadn't spoken to him, because then he might not be feeling such a burn in the back of his eyes, or the sharp pain in his chest.
How could a young life be snuffed out so easily.
Draco stared at the flickering candle on the wall and sighed. It was far too easy to compare the candlelight to the lives of all of those around him.
Including himself.
He suddenly regretted the promise he'd made to his mother.
…
"Hey."
Draco looked up to see one of the older soldiers standing close by the table he'd been sitting at.
"Uh. Hi?"
"I heard that you were asking about Theo when… well, you know. Were you friends?"
Draco shrugged, looking down. "I think we could have been. I only met him that morning but—"
"You don't need to explain. I'm Blaise. I… here."
A photograph was thrusted at Draco, and he took it, more out of shock than because he thought he should. On the shiny paper, Theo grinned up at him, his arms around two other soldiers.
"I thought you might want to… remember him, I guess. This was taken a few weeks ago. It was the heat of the moment, you know? Turned out well though, it's a good picture of him."
"Thanks," Draco said quietly, never taking his eyes away from the photo. When he eventually did look up, Blaise was gone.
…
That photograph joined the others under his pillow.
…
"Draco!"
He smiled tiredly for his mother as she walked quickly towards him. It was strange to be home; he hadn't truly expected to make it.
He'd been lucky, but there were many, too many, who hadn't been.
"I'm so glad you're safe, Sweetheart," she said, gathering him into a tight hug. "It will be nice to put this behind us. I've been so worried about you."
Draco nodded and when she took his hand to lead him into the Manor, he let her lead him willingly.
He knew that he wouldn't be able to put it behind him, the way she was hoping. He knew that he'd left part of himself behind when he'd gotten onto the plane.
When he went to bed that night, it was with his hand resting on photographs beneath his pillow.
Written for:
Assorted Appreciation - 20. Photograph
Trope - 3. Someone who wants to return home.
Space - 10. Soldier!au
Book Club - 8. Allison - Theory / Desperation / Saying Goodbye
Showtime - 33. "Goodnight, Brothers. Goodnight."
Liza Loves - 11. Family Ring
Scamander - 6. "Shh. Be quiet, and be careful."
Bex's Basement - 16. "It takes two to lie; one to lie and one to listen."
Film Festival - 21. "Let me guess. You have a great personality?"
Marvel - 1. Soldier!AU
Lyric Alley - 9. It was the heat of the moment
Wacky Wandmaker - 10. Cherry (privileged) / Whisker (aggravated)
Build A Bear - 3. Dorothy Costume - Green
Game Night - Truth - Khaki
Pop Figure - Stormtrooper - 1. Soldier!au / 2. Fear / 4. Obedient
365. 357. Witness
1000. 607. Candle