Makin' Plans (hbo war imagines)

19. Lew "Chuckler" Juergens; Save Your Love

The second he saw you smile, Lew knew he was in deep. You were with the other medics, going over supplies, when someone cracked a joke, and he saw you from nearly 20 feet away, but you were all he could see. He couldn't explain why you stuck out to him, but something about that smile. God.

"What brought you out here?" had been the first thing he asked when he finally caught you by yourself.

You had to keep yourself from snorting. "A boat, same as you."

Scratching the back of his neck, he let out a laugh. "Alright. Let me rephrase: what made you decide to join?"

"Everyone's doing their part," you shrugged. "Working in a factory wasn't what I wanted my part to be."

He only nodded, taking in your words.

"What about you?" Small talk was never your strong suit, but he was a good sport about your previous smartass answer, so he deserved it. "No, let me guess, you're here for the all-expenses-paid, tropical vacation."

"How'd you know?" He stuck out his hand, a gesture you weren't used to from men. "My name's Lew, but my buddies call me Chuckler."

"Do I have the honor of being one of your buddies?"

"We'll see."

You had to hand it to him, he could give it about as well as he could take it.

This first interaction only resulted in you developing a second shadow. Any spare time he had, Chuckler was following you around, asking questions and falling for you, one sarcastic remark at a time.

It had been movie night, and he went looking for you the second the screen went black. He found you alone in your bunk, just sitting there.

"I lied before. You know, when we first met, and you asked why I came. Sure, a little bit was the cause. The pride in knowing I helped, but I followed a boy here," you admitted, unprompted. "My boyfriend from back home. I saw him today." You looked up at him, tears welling up. "He didn't look twice. Like he didn't even know me. Like I wasn't the last person he saw before he left town."

He'd never felt so sick. The pain he could see in your face was only part of it. The other half came from his more selfish self. He had thought- God.

No one empathized with you more right now than he did.

Knowing that your heart was in the —dirty, rotten, manhandling—hands of another when he knew how good he could take care of it, it was all almost too much too bear. He wasn't an angry man, by any means, but Lord help the fool that hurt someone he loved. Was his anger fueled by his love for you or by his jealousy of this asshole, he couldn't tell. He didn't care anyway.

"What's his name?"

"What?" When you looked at him, you saw something in him you had yet to see before. You couldn't place it, but it scared you a little. "Why?"

He clenched his jaw slightly before softening up again at the sight of your concern. "Just curious." Whatever he had planned on doing to What's-his-name had dissipated from his mind, for now.

You weren't sure what he wanted with the information, but you told him the name. The name that had once tasted so sweet when you whispered it to yourself at night now left a bitter numbness.

He nodded and sat down next to you. His arm found its way around you, swallowing you into a hug. He almost couldn't help the action. It was his knee-jerk reaction.

And you weren't about to object. With your face pressed against his chest, you closed your eyes and just let him hold you.

"I know this sounds so stupid," you mumbled into his shirt. "But I just can't believe I've wasted so much on him. I just want to take it all back and give it to someone else."

"Save your love," he whispered. For someone like me. He gave you one last squeeze before loosening his hold on you.

You almost always had a response, but the words weren't coming to you now.

"You need some rest," he told you gently.

"But-" You stopped yourself and nodded. "Okay."

He gave you the best smile he could muster, which was never difficult for him, and he felt his heart melt like a popsicle when you returned it.

"I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he got up and let himself out. He had some things to take care of. Maybe you'd be mad when you found out and never speak to him again, but he'd fallen in love in the worst place imaginable. This was for his own satisfaction. What's-his-face was about to meet a less-gentle version of the hands that wanted to hold your heart.

Another lovely tumblr request :) I listened to "Susie Save Your Love" almost nonstop for 2 days and got this request somewhere between then and things have never liked up like this for me.

Also, I have strong feelings about Chuckler viewing sarcastic banter as affection bc just look at ALL of his interaction w the other H Company boys. That is all. M'kay.

~Mariah