Band of Brothers Imagines

Set-up - Floyd Talbert x Reader

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"I take it you've also noticed they're in love with each other," Grant pointed over to you and Talbert, sitting together cosily in the corner, as he whispered to Shifty.

"Sure I have, Chuck, everyone's noticed except those two," Shifty's gentle voice cut through the noise of the pub that most of the Easy men were currently drinking in.

"We've got to do something, they're getting on my nerves with those longing gazes and flushed cheeks whenever they're in the same room."

"Like what, Chuck?" Chuck leaned conspiratorially towards Shifty as the latter spoke.

"Here's my idea..."

///

The following day, you were dragged by some of your fellow soldiers for a walk around the rolling fields surrounding Aldbourne. You hang back, keeping to yourself, head still sore from the previous night of alcohol-fuelled fun. Shifty also hung back, needing to get you alone to put Grant's plan into motion.

"How's it going, Shift?" you asked; you could never tell the sweetest man in the entire 101st that you'd rather walk alone.

"It's goin' just fine Y/N. I had a real interesting conversation with Tab last night," Shifty's gaze was fixed firmly on the grass, and you noticed a red tinge to his cheeks.

"Yeah?"

"You see, the thing is... " Shifty trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. The man radiated embarrassment and you wondered just what he was trying to tell you that made him feel quite so awkward.

"Come on Shift, you can tell me, whatever it is!" the pair of you had come to a standstill, and you placed a reassuring hand on Shifty's arm.

"Tab is... he's in love with you," Shifty finally brought his eyes up to meet your own, and you saw the sincerity in them. You couldn't think of a response and so just stared at Shifty, mouth hanging open in shock. "He told me himself last night." Shifty was even redder now, perfectly matching a ripe tomato.

"Well, why doesn't he tell me?" you queried in a whisper, still trying to process the information that the Floyd Talbert was in love with you. Little did you know that Shifty was internally screaming, Chuck's plan wasn't detailed enough to cope with your questioning, and if he blushed any harder he might combust.

"Um, well... I don't think he's sure you'd feel the same way, and he's not the kind of man who copes well with rejection," Shifty's spur of the moment answer seemed to satisfy you, and his cheeks began returning to their normal colour.

///

Across the same field, a similar conversation was taking place.

"Chuck, are you for real? Y/N loves me?" the excitement in Tab's voice was obvious, and his eyes gazed lovingly at your back, overwhelmed that you reciprocated his hidden feelings.

"Yeah, I'm sure, Tab. How come you haven't made a move already, you've sure got enough confidence," Chuck smirked at his friend, and Tab rolled his eyes, although grinned back.

"It's different though, being in love. You want a dame for the night, rejection doesn't matter, there'll be another good time girl who comes along soon enough. But when you're in love, wanting that one person, there's no backup." Chuck wasn't smirking anymore, and he just gave his friend a supportive nod.

"Well, now you know you won't be rejected, you can tell her."

///

The small bunch of blazing orange wildflowers that Talbert held out to you were made even brighter by the warm August sun. The heat of the afternoon was sweltering, made worse by what Shifty had told you that morning.

"I picked these for you," he handed them to you, a grin on his face.

"Holy mother of god, what? You're really expecting me to believe that you picked these?" You laughed, knowing full well that if Tab really had wandered the fields of southern England picking flowers, they'd all be weeds.

"Alright, Shifty picked 'em, but it's the thought that counts," he pouted, pretending to be hurt.

"I suppose it is," you grinned, smelling the petals.

"I love you, Y/N," Talbert murmured, taking your spare hand in his, eyes locked on to yours.

"I know, Tab... I love you too," you smiled, leaning in, ready to kiss the man of your dreams.

"Wait a second, what do you mean you know?" Talbert pulled back, confusion written across his beautiful features.

"Shifty told me this morning that you told him last night you loved me," you were just as confused as Talbert now.

"Son of a bitch," Tab muttered, noticing his two giggling friends in the distance. "You lying shits!" he shouted to them, but he laughed at the same time.

"You mean you didn't tell Shifty you loved me?"

"No, and I'm betting you didn't tell Grant you loved me."

"What? No!" you laughed, realising what your two friends had done. "But I suppose all's well that ends well," you sighed in contentment, taking Tab's hand in yours.

///

"Where the hell is Luz?" Grant sighed, making his way through the few soldier's hangouts in and around Aldbourne that evening.

"What do you want him for?" Shifty asked.

"Son of a bitch is trying to avoid paying me my ten dollars ever since Tab and Y/N came back holding hands."

"You bet on whether they'd get together?"

"Course I did Shift, I ain't stupid!"