Makin' Plans (hbo war imagines)

6. Edward "Babe" Heffron; Quite Contrary

"The only virgin I know is the Virgin Mary," Babe exclaimed.

Doc Spina laughed, but you just frowned.

"That's not true," you mumbled, but they heard you in the silence of the woods.

Both men looked at you, then exchanged a look.

"How do you figure that?" Babe questioned.

Spina gave a snort before a look of understanding washed over him. "Oh."

Babe was now the one frowning. "Oh? Oh, what?"

"Well, you know me," you huffed. "I'm a virgin. And I guess, Julian counts too."

"Y/n, you're not serious right now." Babe turned to Spina. "They're kidding, right?"

"Uh, I don't think so, Babe," Spina replied, clearly not wanting to be part of this conversation.

You rolled your eyes and continued trudging behind them through the snow. "Let's just get back."

Sitting in your foxhole later, you savored a minute to yourself. You could hear the rest of Easy having their own respective conversations in their own respective foxholes, and you were glad for it because it meant no one was getting shot at. You could almost fall asleep...

You heard the boots drop before you felt him sit down next to you.

"How's it going, Mary?" Babe grinned like he'd just told the best joke.

You were less than impressed. "My name's not Mary."

"I know," he began, "It's your new nickname. Short for Virgin Mary."

You groaned both internally and externally. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

"Aw, your secret's safe with me, Mary," he giggled. "I can't promise anything from Doc Spina, but I don't think he's that much of a gossip."

You gave him a resigned look. "You don't think someone's going to wonder why you're suddenly calling me Mary?"

He shrugged. "I'll tell them to shove it."

"Did you jump into my foxhole just to tell me my new nickname?"

"I-" He paused and scratched the back of his neck. "I guess so. Night, Mary."

"Ditto." You relaxed again once he had climbed back out. You closed your eyes, hoping for something resembling rest and for Babe to forget about the nickname soon.
__________

"Anyone seen Mary?" Babe asked, as he sat down on a bunk. "They were just here..." He looked around the doorway.

Webster, having been gone for the inception of your new moniker, looked around confused. "Who's Mary? A replacement?"

Liebgott shook his head. "That's Babe's name for Y/n." Noticing the confused look that persisted on Webster's face, he added, "Don't ask. He won't explain, and he's the only one allowed to use it."

Just as Babe considered getting up again to look for you, you rushed into the room, breathing a little heavy.

"I just wanted to take a piss," you muttered. "Maybe I should just dehydrate myself to avoid getting shot at every time I step outside." You took in the faces looking at you and paused. "Uh, hey. What'd I miss?"

Babe, halfway between sitting and standing, looked relieved to see you. "Nothing yet," he replied, sitting back down.

"Webster, here, was about to tell us what he knows about the patrol tonight."

You leaned against the door frame next to Grant. As Webster filled everyone in on what he had overheard, you held your breath. You were relieved when he didn't say your name, but you felt awful that basically everyone else around you would be crossing the river.

As you all walked to the showers, you nudged Babe. "As happy as I wanna be to not be going, I feel worse that I'm not."

The ginger shrugged it off. "Don't." That familiar teasing grin found its way to his face. "Can't have you dying a virgin." He spoke quietly, but he took any chance he could to make that joke since Bastogne.

All you did was roll your eyes and laugh a little. It was growing on you. "Shut up."

"Whatever, Mary," he chuckled as you joined the others.
__________

Austria gave you too much time on your hands. You found yourself searching for ways to keep yourself busy or entertained in your free time. Even with the possibility of dropping into battle elsewhere, everyone felt like a weight had lifted.

"Hey there, Mary. Whatcha doing?" Babe had found your little hiding spot.

It wasn't really a hiding spot. Anyone could have seen it. It was just a little shade tree out a ways from where everyone was staying, but no one had bothered you there yet.

You raised your eyes, moving your hand to block the sun behind him. "Oh nothing, Babe."

You had long since given up on fighting the nickname. It had lasted since this long, and it almost became endearing, despite the origin.

Tapping the ground next to you, you gestured your head to the spot.

He took the invitation and promptly seated himself down next to you.

"How long you plan on calling me Mary?" You picked at the grass by your leg. You didn't actually care, but it was something you'd wondered in passing a time or two.

He let out an amused breath, looking down at the thin strip of grass between you two. "I guess until you don't fit the description anymore."

You elbowed him. "How do you expect to find out that information? It's not like I'm sending you a letter to let you know."

"Maybe you should."

You scrunched your nose. "And why would I do that?"

"I guess I can just keep on calling you-"

Groaning, you playfully shoved him. "I should have come up with some dumb nickname for you." As he just laughed, you remembered something. "I could just pull a Doc Roe and just call you Edward."

The ginger physically cringed. "I had nearly forgotten about that. Good guy, but jeez."

You two sat in the silence for a moment, and you hardly noticed when Babe scooted just barely closer to you. You could feel your shoulders touching, but you refused to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, you liked it.

"I would like if you wrote me though," he piped up suddenly. He spoke softly and earnestly. "You know, once we get home and all."

"Really?"

"Yeah." He didn't even bother hiding his smile. "You don't even have to write me about losing y-" The look you shot him stopped his cheeky comment. "You write me about whatever you want. I'll just be happy knowing you made it back alright."

"Aww, even after all this doom and gloom, you're a softie?" you giggled. "Who knew?"

"Shut up, Mary." He has closed his eyes and rested his head back against the tree.

You copied his actions but also nudged him in the ribs a little before closing your own eyes. "Whatever, Edward."

I actually kinda hate this but also I don't.... oh well. M'kay.

~Mariah