Chapter Text
January, 1916
Henri opened his eyes to the soft, subtle beams of sunlit glow glistening inside the open cave, with Augustin pressed as close to Henri as he possibly could be. That feeling made Henri smile tiredly- the chill of Augustin’s nose against his back, the soft snores encouraging him to stay and relax a while longer. He woke up hoping this would last forever. Just him and Augustin and the early morning. Here, where war didn’t exist, and they could love authentically. Here, where they were hidden by this small tarp, so the world outside would hardly even notice that they were there. He need not worry about silly things in this moment like escaping the cave and somehow traversing no man’s land after this. He thought it to be silly that it would even cross his mind.
He felt even more strongly about ignoring the outside world when he felt Augustin begin to stir, indicated by the older boy beginning to kiss lazily and tiredly at Henri’s shoulders. Henri grinned so wide that it began to hurt his face. Clearly he must have died last night with Augustin, and now they were in heaven.
“Good morning, Augustin.” Henri cooed softly, turning around as best he could to put his face in Augustin’s hair. The other boy clinged to him tightly, pushing his face against Henri’s chest and shoulder.
“Good morning, my love.” Augustin muttered back sleepily. “Did you get to sleep last night?”
“Of course, Augustin. I had you with me. I will always sleep like a baby as long as you’re here.” The younger man responded quietly, kissing Augustin tenderly on his forehead, then feeling his heart skip as he leaned back and saw his lover grinning widely. It made his body feel like he was going to melt into the ground and never come back out in the best way. He could just crush Augustin, he loved him so very much. He loved Augustin with a ferocity that could only be explained by soulmates. He could not quantify how deep his feelings ran. It felt as though they could become one being, and that would be the only way Henri could hope to feel close enough to Augustin finally. He wanted Augustin to envelop him completely in the warmth he made Henri feel.
Augustin kissed Henri on the lips tenderly, continuing to grin after, feeling a similar sentiment about Henri.
“You really do try to get me to smile, don’t you?” Augustin teased lovingly, knowing there were absolutely times that Henri did the things he did just to get Augustin to smile. He loved it. He loved that someone could and would put in that much effort for him, even during wartime. He loved that Henri made him feel like he was worth dying for. What he loved most was having this morning just for them, with no fear of being discovered right away. It was still raining this morning, but much more softly than the night before, so they couldn’t quite leave the safety of their hidey hole just yet. Not that either of them minded, they were having quite the lovely morning, after all.
“Of course, Augustin. If I am not making you smile, why am I here?” Henri stated rather honestly. He believed it, too. He felt there was nothing better than making Augustin happy. Nothing more fulfilling than making his purpose worshiping Augustin the way his lover worshiped God.
“Just to be amazing like you are.” Augustin quipped back, gently pressing his forehead to Henri’s.
Henri rolled his eyes playfully, scoffing faintly. “Whatever. You are just flattering me. I’m hardly amazing. What is amazing is you.” He quietly rebuttled, much to Augustin’s feigned chagrin.
The older boy rolled his eyes in turn.
“Let me say nice things to you, Henri.” Augustin chided with a tone of warning, determined to get his point across. That Henri could not simply dismiss all the feelings and compliments that Augustin wanted to pay him. Henri made him feel better than anyone or anything he had ever experienced, and he was going to ensure that the foolish younger man would understand that fact today.
“Or what?” Henri retorted sarcastically.
Augustin’s eyes narrowed. He glared at his second half for a solid moment before leaping into action, his hands reaching for Henri’s sides with expert precision.
You see, Augustin knew a fact about Henri that no one else knew, not even Henri's girlfriends:
Henri was *insanely* ticklish.
Henri moved to protect his sides a moment too late, beginning to laugh as he attempted to push Augustin’s hand away, beginning to kick and trying to turn away to escape his fate. Augustin was relentless in his planned attack for a short moment, deciding then to let Henri breathe, finding himself giggling breathlessly as well at the sight of the man squirming around with laughter.
“That's what.” Augustin stated pointedly. Henri let his laughter simmer down to giggles, playfully kicking Augustin's arm.
“You’re being silly! We're still in the middle of no man's land, Augustin, what if someone hears us?” Henri replied cautiously, remembering the poor fool who couldn't tie his shoes.
“Is today not a perfect day to die?” Augustin quipped back in a fashion outside of himself, leaving Henri feeling deeply confused.
“What's gotten into you, little mouse?” Henri asked softly, tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy and furrowing his brow.
“Nothing. Just… I think this is the best morning I have ever had.” Augustin admitted earnestly, wringing his hands a bit now and moving to sit back on his heels.
Henri smiled softly, that comment making him realize just how much he meant to Augustin. For the first time, the cloudy thoughts became clear- Augustin felt the same way about him, and it made him feel as though his heart was going to skip a beat. Maybe even stop.
“I think I might want to say the same.” Henri admitted quietly, going to kiss Augustin softly, grabbing his hands and trying his hardest to make the other boy feel like those hands could keep all the suffering away, if just for today.
Augustin smiled brightly into their kiss, melting into the affection, wishing this moment might never end.
“Lambert! Clément!” A soldier called from above.
Both boys froze for a moment, eyes snapping open, relief crossing between them as they remembered their coverage by their makeshift tent. Both hurriedly threw on their shirts and coats as Henri called a response.
“Sergeant Reynard sent someone after us after all. We’re down here! You’re here to save us?” He inquired almost disappointedly.
“Mainly to confirm that you are alive, soldat.” The other soldat replied, “Is Lambert down there?”
“Would I be here if he wasn’t?” Henri asked rhetorically as he finally poked his head out of the tent.
“I guess that is true. I’ve got another rope, you have to hurry. I can drop it to where you are to keep you out of the mud, then we need to hurry back.” The soldat commanded.
“Understood.” Lambert chimed in as he lit a cigarette, his serious face back on, sadness and turmoil returning to every inch of his face.
The soldat lowered them a rope as they gathered their things and began climbing up, Lambert first, then Clément. The three began swiftly returning to base, with Henri and Augustin both looking a little worse for wear. One might assume a day’s malnutrition and rainy weather to be the culprit, and they quite liked it to stay that way. As they returned to the bunker, they were met by Sgt. Reynard himself giving the two boys a curt nod and a salute.
“Anything to report?” He asked them sternly.
“Yes, Sergeant.” Augustin began, “There is an entirely new sinkhole out there, and some damage to the eastern side of the trenches from the rain, but aside from that, nothing to add to the last report.” He finished coldly.
“Good. Rest up, have some wine, change your footwraps if you must. You’re off patrol duty for the week. Both of you.” The sergeant stated softly, turning on his heels to walk away before another word could slip. Augustin and Henri made eye contact for a moment before walking their separate ways. Henri went to write in his journal, and Augustin went to the chapel to pray.
They had been saved, but for some reason, they just couldn’t shake the feeling that this was worse than being out there.
That was the last thing Henri could remember before waking up in the infirmary.