Title: You're Forever My Hero
Summary: Radar's thoughts after his fight with Hawkeye in Fallen Idol.
Disclaimer: I do not own MASH.
"You ninny!"
Those two words echoed in his head, even as he fought back the tears that he could feel burning the backs of his eyes. He didn't want to cry. He didn't cry a lot at much to do with the war. Sure, he wanted to heaps of times, but he wouldn't give Hawkeye (No, he corrected himself, Captain Pierce) the satisfaction. He wouldn't let him know how much being called a ninny hurt him. he had always admired Captain Pierce. From the moment they met. Even if Pierce had teased him about how young he looked.
"How old are you kid? 12?"
"I'm 19!"
"Are you sure?"
Pierce had been only 29 himself. Radar saw Pierce as an older brother and he looked to him as someone he could have fun with, even though Pierce out ranked him. Pierce didn't see ranks with Radar, he took to him like Radar had hoped he would, as if Radar with his little brother or his child. Right now, Radar wished he hadn't been so taken with Pierce. He remembers the first time he heard Pierce speak to Frank Burns – it had been funny but also entirely disrespectful, but Pierce hadn't cared. He just grinned at Frank and continued eating his lunch.
Radar knew that if the Colonel heard about this Pierce would get a massive lecture. Although he loved Pierce, he also felt a sort of satisfaction in the way Pierce would get reprimanded. So, after Father Mulcahy saw him and found out what had happened, he made sure that the Colonel heard about it, he made sure Major Houlihan did too just for fun. He hoped that the Colonel would make sure Pierce knew how much Radar admired him. Of course, he was sure Pierce knew but it would be a healthy reminder.
While seeing the captain as an older brother, he also worshiped him – the same kind of hero worship one might have for someone who saves their life or that a little brother might worship their older brother. Radar had been an only child so having Pierce take to him like he was a younger brother was neat. And next to his worship, he valued Pierce's opinion. That was why he tried to go to Seoul in the first place. Because Pierce told him it was a good idea. In fact, Radar figured he probably valued Hawkeye's opinion more than anyone else in the world. More than probably even Colonel Blake's or Colonel Potter's or his mother's.
"Hey, Radar it's not your birthday is it?" Hawkeye asked walking into the office.
"No. Why?" The younger turned.
"You just got some costume jewelry from President Truman. I think he's sweet on you." Hawkeye said holding a medal box in his hand.
"Huh?" Radar frowned.
"Okay if I nail that on?" Hawkeye asked holding a medal aloft for Radar to see.
"Hey! That's purple heart!" He gasped.
"Oh, good. I hate it when President's get fresh." Hawkeye said it deadpan, but it was clearly meant as a joke.
"Wow! A citation. Wonder what my mom's gonna say." Radar breathed.
"She'll probably say her boy has changed over here. And she'll be right." Hawkeye said giving the younger man on of his I'm-so-proud-of-you-kid smiles.
"Yeah, I guess so." Radar let himself hear his mother's voice in his head.
"You still going to talk to us, now that you're a hero and everything?" Hawkeye asked.
"Oh, sure, I still talk to ordinary people." Radar smiled.
"Radar I'm going to something now I've hardly ever done before." Hawkeye said.
"You're not going to kiss me are you?" Hawkeye shook his head, before he raised his hand to salute Radar.
Radar returned the salute with a quiet, "thank-you, sir."
"Don't get hurt again will ya?" Hawkeye said, the smile was teasing, the tone serious.
"That's probably what my mom's gonna say." Radar smiled.
"She'll be proud of you, Radar. Just as much as I am." Hawkeye said, as he turned to leave Radar called him back.
"You know, Hawk… you're always my hero." He said quietly, but Hawkeye heard him.
"You're my hero too, Radar." The captain said, before giving him a smile, leaving for his tent.