Band Of Brothers preferences/one shots/imagines

The Maple Tree | Luztoye

"Can you hand me that cup?" Joe's voice was raspy and he wasn't awake enough to really process his words.

"Yeah," George said. His voice was softer than usual, it felt like laying on a pillow of clouds. George grabbed the cup of water off his side of the nightstand and handed it to Joe.

"How're you feeling?" George kept his voice just as gentle, Joe propping himself up with an elbow as he downed the rest of the water in the glass.

"I'll get you some more." Joe said as he went to get up, George rested a hand on his bicep.

"No, it's okay I'll go fill it." George didn't know why he was still awake, maybe to make sure if Joe needed him he was here?

George had been away for a week visiting with his family after Grandma Lip had passed away.
He knew Joe didn't like being alone, that when he was alone his brain would make the most noise.

Joe watched as George disappeared into the hallway. The sound of the faucet running echoed through the silence of the apartment.
They'd been occupying these walls for five years now. Joe knew George wanted to buy a house. He was sick of renting and dealing with landlords.

"See, when we get that house we can spend our Saturday mornings at Home Depot picking out our next home project." George smiled, laying his head back on Joe's lap as he looked up at the branches of the giant maple tree above them.

"So I can spend my afternoons building a deck while you have a glass of wine with Babe and Daisy in the kitchen. With the flooring I did myself?" Joe chuckled, running a hand through George's fluffy brown hair.

"But what if I make you a pitcher of my Ma's best lemonade?" George held Joe's hand tight, giving it a firm squeeze.

"Joe," George said again, pulling his husband from his thoughts. That was one of Joe's favorite days, it happened two years ago. They had put an offer in on a beautiful town house and it was looking good for them.

Then the car accident happened and Joe lost his leg. They had to withdraw from getting the house, they barely could afford the hospital bills from Joe's stay and multiple surgeries.

Joe was on leave from work and George was working overtime. He was killing himself at work and having to come home and take care of Joe.
Joe felt like he really ruined George's life and now he'd be stuck in debt because of him.

"Sorry," Joe sighed, taking the cup and taking another drink before setting the cup down and lying back staring at the ceiling.

"Were you thinking about the maple tree again?" George laid down next to him on the bed and laid his head on Joe's chest. Joe knew how much George liked to hear his heartbeat. It kept the two of them centered.

Reminded them that they were human.

"Yeah," Joe breathed out resting a hand on the small of George's back. That's what they called Joes memory of that day. The day before the accident that had happened on Joes way home from work.

When he was ready to open back up to George after a long, six, terrible months of healing. He told him about how on his worst days he'd think about the day. Where George lay in his lap under the maple tree in the park by their apartment.

But it was the distance between the two of them they had this week. It was George's second night back and Joe was still deep in his head.
It was the longest they'd been apart from each other since Joes accident.

He had missed all of George's touches. The one that him feel safe and calmed. From the thumping chest and his uneven breathes of anxiety.
When he'd massage Joes stump from phantom pains.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here," George breathed out and gently rubbed Joes toned bicep, "I wish you would've called me if you were hurting."

"Didn't wanna bother you, knew your family was having a hard time." Joe sighed feeling a little guilty he didn't go to the funeral. But Joe was held up with a project at his garage and couldn't get off.
Grandma Lip was everyone's favorite, she was so kind and caring of everyone. Made sure her son always knew he had someone willing to help with the twins when Ron was deployed.

Grandma Lip had been so excited at the wedding that Joe and George were actually getting married.

"I know, honey but you're my favorite person in the world and I don't like when you're upset." George turned his head to look at Joe.

"Yeah but I should be able to handle having my husband leave for a week for a funeral. Then within those days go manic because he's not here." Joe sighed out.

"Joe don't ever say that about yourself. You're trying so hard and I'm proud of you for trying. I know how hard it is." George moved off of him and laid his head on the pillow next to his. George rested his hand on Joes cheek turning his head gently.

Joe would get embarrassed when George would tell people about Joes progress when he was healing. Didn't understand why George was proud of him.

"Yeah today Joe really showed those stairs who they were messing with."  George smiled as he sat on the couch talking to Daisy between her back to back concerts.
Joe was lying in the bedroom where he spent most of his days. He was only 24 he wasn't supposed to be ready to roll over and die.

"I'm so proud of him Daisy. He always gets so flustered when I tell him that." Joe could hear the soft smile resting on George's face when he said that.

"You know he's just been really hard on himself  lately. He's pushing himself really hard and I've been trying to get him to slow down a bit." George sighed.

"I think after tax season we could afford to put in for a house." George smiled rubbing Joes chest.

"I know I'm making less are you sure you want to do that?" Joe looked at him.
Joe had taken a pay cut after his accident. He couldn't stand in the shop as long as he could before when working on cars. So now he was doing some marketing stuff and it was a bit of a pay decrease.

"I can afford it and we want this." George found Joes hand and held it tight, "Look I was looking at it with Ma the other day and it's accessible. It would be just perfect. Arguably it might be better than the first one."

"Nothing could be as good as the first one." Joe smiled, it was true that house was literal perfection.
It wasn't too expensive and it had all upgraded appliances and new flooring and siding. It was in a really good neighborhood that was a newer addition to town. By a really good school with really good parks.

"You're right about that, Mr. Toye." George giggled his cute crooked smile shining out for Joe to see, "Maybe this time around I'll help you with the projects and not drink wine."