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A faint knocking came from the door. Samuel Seabury had grown accustomed to the sound in recent times. Usually, it was some continentals asking for supplies or for housing and most of the time he would politely decline. Sometimes the soldiers would give some solemn speech about the revolution and how denying them supplies is betraying the country, but what were they expecting? This is the only loyalist part of Connecticut for miles. Samuel’s train of thought was interrupted by another round of knocks, this time more frantic. Samuel walks towards his door and cracks it open. “Help a guy out would you?"
The man at the door was wearing a scuffed up continental's uniform. He has this black, side swept hair and worried yet hopeful look on his face. Another thing to mention is that he reeked of alcohol
Samuel was just about ready to deny and wave away the man, when he looked down and saw that the man was clutching his side. His blood was dripping down onto his porch. “Oh my…” Samuel pushed the door fully open. “Come in.”
The soldier stumbled into Samuel’s home. "I’d hate to be a bother so late but well… you know.” The man nodded toward his wound. Samuel had a little experience with patching up wounds due to his service in the French and Indian War. He always kept a first aid kit in his bathroom in case of an emergency. “Just go sit on that chair over there.” Samuel pointed to a chair in his kitchen. The soldier took a seat with a heave as he sputtered out more slurred, rapid fire apologies. “Can I just ask…” Samuel interrupted, "What happened?” The black haired man looked to the side and sighed. " Well, me and some of the other soldiers got drunk and picked up a gun and…” His eyes shifted, "They accidentally pulled the trigger and hit me.” The soldier half-heartedly laughed. Samuel sighed and rubbed his eyes, that just added to his reasons on why he didn't drink. “Just let me get some bandages."
As Samuel walked to the bathroom for a first aid kit, the soldier glanced around the house. In front of him was the man's living room. His eyes weren't fully focused but he could still make out some of the furniture. In the room was a couch and a fireplace, he noticed that the fireplace was still burning but was slowly dying out. To his right, a stone stove and some basic cabinets. His brain eventually led him to face the wound. It hurts like a bitch. Surprisingly, a random man's house wasn't the first place he thought of going. His first idea was going to the medic’s tent. When he got to the tent, The lamp was out, and he'd rather get shot again than wake up the guy. What can he say, the medic is a scary dude. Eventually, he looked across the horizon and saw a dim light and a smoke cloud. After some thinking, he had decided that he might as well try it.
The soldier looked up to see the other man coming back with bandages and hydrogen peroxide. "You're gonna need to” Samuel cleared his throat, "Take off your shirt." “Hey, you have to buy me dinner first.” The soldier jokes. Unfortunately for him, the other man was not in the mood for jokes. The soldier takes off his shirt. Samuel began to clean off the wound.
***
“Hey, I never caught your name." The soldier inquiried.
"Samuel Seabury. Yours?”
“Charles Lee."
“I like that name. It rolls off the tongue well."
Lee’s face tinted into a pinkish shade. “Thank you.”
***
“What's your title?” Samuel asked.
“Huh?" Lee seemed like he just woke up from an open eyed nap.
“Your title? Like you know, general, private, and stuff like that”
“Oh. Well..” Lee’s voice hushed, "Private.”
"Well that's nothing to be embarrassed about!”
"Who said I was embarrassed?” Charles said defensively.
“Sorry." Samuel whispered under his breath.
***
Samuel wiped his eyes with the palm of his hands while he stood up. He looked at the clock. 1:37 AM. “I didn't realize it was so late." He looked back at Charles and hesitated. “Look, I don't quarter soldiers often. I have my own personal opinions on the war” Samuel continued, "But would you want to stay the night here?" Lee’s face flushed red. He stood up with a grunt and met eyes with Samuel. Samuel shifted and crossed his arms. Lee cleared his throat, looking to the side, “If it’s not a bother.” Samuel smiled and pointed towards the living room. “Alright, you can sleep on the couch over here and I'll wake you up early so you can get back to your camp." Lee looked at the couch and looked back at Samuel. He grabbed Samuel’s hands. “Thanks… for everything.” Samuel blushed, shaking off Lee’s hands.
"Yeah well it's late and I don't want you to walk back there in the dark.”
“What? You think I can't walk in the dark alone?" Lee joked, "I'm fighting a war for god's sake!”
This time, the other boy smiled. God, his smile was pretty, for a boy that is. “Don't worry, I'll find you a blanket and a pillow or something” Samuel promised. “Oh no really it's fine!" Lee insisted, “I've slept on raw snow before. This is a massive upgrade.” He emphasized the ‘massive’ in the hopes that it would ease the worried boy. They went back and forth for a bit about sleeping arrangements until Lee caved and took the man's pillow and blanket.
“Look I'm just saying," Lee argued. “I'd rather you have the pillow and blanket than me.”
“We are not starting this again." Samuel said in a lighter tone.
Lee huffed and sat down on the couch. "Alright alright!"
As Samuel began to walk away, Lee turned and said in a sing-song voice, “Goodnight!"
A wave of pink flooded Samuel's face as he muttered a goodnight to the black haired man.
***
An alarm rang through the room as Samuel rolled over to the side. As he focused his eyes he read the clock, 5:01 AM. Samuel slowly sat up with a groan. He forgot that some soldier was sleeping in his living room. Samuel got ready, slipping on a black robe, a white scarf, and a red pin with the British royal crown on it. As Samuel opened the bedroom door, he heard a humming from the kitchen. Samuel turned the corner to see Lee frying eggs. Lee looked over at Samuel and smiled.
“Good morning, Sam!" Lee continued. “Can I call you Sam?"
Samuel stood in shock for a moment as he asked what Lee was doing.
“Well, I felt bad for keeping you up all night just to have you wake up early, so breakfast is on me."
"Thank you.” Samuel pulled out and sat down on a dining chair.
"Yeah well I haven't had real food in awhile." Lee commented, a chuckle coming from Samuel. A smile came across Lee's face when he heard it, he wished he could replay it over and over again. Alas, the laughter was over as quickly as it began. The soldier brought over the breakfast he made. It was simple, just eggs and bacon but Lee still looked proud of it. “Sorry if it isn't all that great, I haven't made eggs or bacon in a while." "I'm sure it's great Lee.” Samuel smiled again and this time Lee took a mental picture of it, to remember him by. They began to eat and started up some small talk.
***
“Say," Lee started. “Where do you work?"
“I'm a bishop." Samuel answered.
A brief moment of silence passed when Lee asked, “What is that exactly?"
“A bishop is sort of like the leader of the clergymen…” Samuel rambled on about clergys and the church.
As Lee tried to listen to what Samuel was spouting, his eyes led him to the other man's hair. It was a shaggy brunette hair that reached the base of his neck. Before Lee knew it he was raking his fingers through Samuel’s hair. “Um," Samuel looked at Lee. “What are you out doing?" Lee seemed entranced by the brunette's hair. “Your hair is soft." Samuel's face flushed into a deep scarlet. The most embarrassing part was that Samuel didn't even hate this that much.
After a couple minutes of the soldier fiddling with Samuel's hair, the brunette stood up, pushing back his chair in the process. “Well I think it's about time you head back to your camp." The bishop didn't mean for it to come out as blunt as it did but by the time he realized how it sounded it was too late. That sentence hit Lee like a herd of bulls, he had completely forgotten about the war, the camp, and his fellow, loud soldiers. The only thing he was thinking about was Samuel and his smile and his laugh and touch as he cleaned Lee's wound and... God Lee was an idiot. Falling in love with another man, let alone a bishop. In another time, in another place, Lee wouldn’t be fighting a war and he would've seen Samuel every night. Instead of this one off instance where he stumbled drunkenly into some man's home and ended up sleeping there. Lee realized that his eyes were welling up. “Oh." Lee cleared his throat, grounding himself back to reality. “Right." The soldier stood up, and began to walk towards the door. Samuel followed closely behind him, stretching out a hand as if to grab and turn him around. As Lee reached the door, he turned his head to the side. “I thank you again for the help and the place to sleep.” Samuel retracted his hand and just settled on saying his name. Lee fully turned around just to immediately be met with a hug. “You know, you can come by anytime." Samuel said. Lee feels the bittersweet tone in his voice. Samuel has no idea if he's ever going to see Lee again. Lee could die in battle, or he could freeze in the snow or hell he could get shot in a duel, who knows. He squeezed as tight as he could as if he was trying to merge with Samuel so he would never have to leave his side. Samuel was the first to push away, he was crying. “Well, if you ever have time, write to me." The brunette backed up. “You know where to find me." Lee turned around and walked out the door. “I guess I do."