Edelweiss: A Time Travel Romance

Eike

"Bewegt euch, ihr Bastarde! Es herrscht Krieg und ihr bewegt euch wie die Schweine!" Eike's throat was scratchy as he shouted at the sloppy soldiers rucking up the hill. It was sickening how unprepared the young soldiers that have just arrived are.
The day was sweltering they already had two boys drop out from the heat, cowards. Getting away from the office had been what he needed, he rather be boots on the ground than doing paperwork.
Once the last of the soldiers passed Eike he fell in behind them, his legs burning and sweat dampening his clothes. He finally felt alive again!
Coming over the hill he gazed at the groups sat on ground resting and drinking from their canteens. They would get a small reprieve before rucking back to the camp they had set up.
He quickly checked in with all the groups before finding a seat for himself on a tree stump a little ways from the others. Pulling his canteen up to his lips he took a swig closing his eyes taking deep breaths.
"You cannot keep up anymore old man?" Came from in front of him and he opened an eye to see a grinning Bauer standing it front of him stripped down to just a white undershirt. He looked just as rough as Eike imagined he looked, Office work made him lapse on physical strengths.
"And you look much better?" Eike quipped and took another drink before offering it Bauer who took it gratefully.
After the girl had left his office four days ago he had joined a group leaving for maneuvers, which just so happened to include Bauer. He'd had to listen to his friend talk of the American for four days and of his plans to take her to the countryside and invite her to the Officers event.
Eike hated such events.
He had simply just nodded along to Bauer when he would discuss anything of that nature.
Taking the water canteen back from Bauer his gaze turned upward, the day was a little hot for Autumn, and he longed for the cool breeze.
"Aufstehen! Wir marschieren zurück." Bauer bellows pacing in front of the group.
Eike would have preferred taking a moment longer, for once they got back to camp he and Bauer would be heading back. The men, or more like boys, staggered to their feet at Bauer's insistence.
Bauer takes the lead and Eike falls in step with the last column of men. They are in good spirits knowing they will get food and beds once reaching camp.
Eike snaps at the ones talking and joking finding himself in a foul mood as they march into the camp.
The squad stops and forms clean columns of formation and Eike paces in front of them.
Stopping in the middle he turns to face them his face a mask of disgust.
"Nachdem ich die letzten vier Tage mit euch undankbaren Menschen verbracht habe, bin ich enttäuscht. Ein Mädchen könnte mit dem Druck umgehen, dem Deutschen Reich zu dienen! Ich erwarte Spitzenleistungen von ihnen! Ihr habt Glück, dass ich zurückgerufen werde, bevor ich euch brechen und euch würdig machen kann zu dienen. Wegtreten!"
Eike stands watch until they all disperse before going to his own tent. Grabbing his bag he had already packed that morning slinging it over a shoulder and met Bauer at the vehicle they were riding in to go home. His friend was practically foaming at the mouth ready to get going and prepare for his date with the American.
Eike threw his bags into the trunk and then folded himself into the back. Bauer followed suite and they were on move. Despite their best efforts sleep over took them on the ride.

~~~~~~~

Eike awoke as the vehicle shifted to a stop in front of the building. He nudged Bauer awake before getting out and collecting his bags, not caring if he was rude he simply escaped to his apartment. Just as he had expected the American was not home yet so he took his time undressing, bathing, and then decided to go and eat.
Eike found himself at the Officers dining station getting a plate and taking a seat with two other men he knew well, Felix and Anton.
They nodded their welcome as he sat and they gave him a little hell about running off to perform grunt work. Eike smiled and shrugged off the comments tucking into his meal.
Losing interest the men went back to their previous conversation.
"Koch and Wagner have seen her, they both wonder how he was able to capture her attention." Felix said before taking a drink of his coffee.
"I'm looking forward to seeing if that's true at the event. Though Bauer should consider himself lucky if he leaves with her as she won't be able to resist me." Anton stated puffing his chest in false bravado. Eike sets his mug of coffee down looking at the men, catching Bauer's name.
"Now what has everyone's attention with Bauer?" He asked lighting a cigarette and both men turn to him, Felix looking sheepish but Anton sneered. "Bauer's American of course! We hear she is rather good looking for the likes of him! She needs a man of higher standing I'm sure."
Eike considered bashing Anton's head into the table for speaking insolently of his friend, Bauer may not be SS like they are but his ranking would be higher than Anton's in the Wehrmacht.
"Bauer has a handle on the American. She is fond of him, not sure how your Hässlicher Becher could impress a young American." Eike snarled glowering down his nose at Anton before turning back to focusing on his cigarette.
"At least I will have a date for the event Meier, no would attach them self to an animal such as yourself." Anton snapped glaring openly at Eike his posture tense.
"Meier is taking Henri Laurent's daughter." Felix interjects smiling at Eike as if he did him a great service by divulging this information.
Eike took a drag of his cigarette blowing the smoke in Antons direction as he watched the man process this new information.
"You never miss on an opportunity to improve your standing Meier." Anton snorted, turning back to Felix so Eike took that as his opportunity to leave.
He slowly made his way back to the apartment allowing himself the chance to have a moment of reprieve.
After some time and taking different routes he found himself at the building and made his way in.
Sleep was all he had on his mind as he ascended the stairs and paused to unlock the front door to his home.
He was pulled from his thoughts of his bed when he saw the girl fluttering around the apartment.
She looked nice he thought, taking the time to notice her blonde hair falling just below her shoulders, her pastel pink dress fell just above her knees.
Walking to the couch he took a seat to remove his boots jacket and unbuttoned his shirt halfway before taking his boots to the front door. As he turned to go to his room in the small hall he heard a small gasp and the girl collided with his chest.
"Oh my gosh! Eike I didn't hear you come in you sacred the hell out of me!" She squeals as he holds her arms steadying her from falling. The girl looks up at him through her dark lashes and gives a nervous giggle. Then her gaze drops to her hands on his chest, his shirt having fallen open in the chaos and she yanked her hands back and out of his grip as if she had been burned.
He couldn't stop this feeling of emptiness as she stepped away from him and he did not like it.
"Allow me." He said opening the door for her and motioning her to walk through, aware they would brush each other in the small confines of the hallway.
"Oh, uh.......t-thanks." She stammers not looking at him and she hesitantly moves to pass him, both standing with their backs to the walls. She brushed quickly past and turned as she walked out the door giving a small smile before closing the door.
Being without the companionship of a women must be affecting him, no other reason he would have had any enjoyment of touching the girl. Nothing that couldn't be solved at a later time with another woman.
But as he prepared to lay down to take an early night Eike kept replaying the girl saying his name in surprise and couldn't deny the small seed of pleasure that planted in the crack of his heart that has seemed to open since being here.