𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍 | | 1917

38. TO TRY

" She was so radiant she sometimes grew invisible. "

-

THERE WAS NO WAY for Will to know what would happen. He stared at her, hoping to stare a little longer. He should have made a plan. Hell- he should have created an entire bloody mission before resting his lonely eyes upon poor Josephine. But he didn't.

He thought it would work out as it did. On its own. But somehow his willpower wasn't enough and the nudge at the back of his head was slowly growing as time passed by. Pulling him closer into himself. It should have gone a little quicker by now.

Soon enough, Jo would have to go back to work- or whatever she felt like doing- and left would he be; restless and regretful. But worst of all; feeling rather foolish.

And yet, war did have a way of interfering with one's most closely held desires, did it not?

She told him that she would have followed him all the way to the train station if there were time- but there wasn't- so she was now standing beside the door opening, her fingers gracing behind her, along the grey-stained wall. The room had grown into an empty one, and the corridor outside echoed from the people's footsteps as they grew further and further away.

He carefully looked over again at Jo's refined, light face and thought to himself? What was it about her? Why was she always so astonishing?

"How long are you allowed to be on leave?" she finally asked, looking away from him.

"Three weeks," he said serenely.

She repeated his words beneath her breath, as though she were getting used to them. Taking them in, slowly. And yet, she must have known it was the case, right?

"And they won't let you stay?"

His jaw loosened, only to tighten once again. His voice growing quiet. "No."

Her eyes met his once again, slightly timid this time.
She must have been just as curious as to what would happen, still; no one could take the last step necessary.

Josephine thought, too. She thought so very much.

She knew that if she would have had the words to speak of it- or even dare to describe it- she would have. But none seemed quite big enough for it; to hold that swelling truth which was beginning to devour her. In fact, she didn't dare to tie it all to a single word. Everything inside seemed so much greater. Beyond recognition. Beyond what they liked to call comprehension.

And as if he had heard her, he reached for her hand. She had already memoried his fingers as they gently connected with her skin. The hesitation. The touch. It was all coming back to her. She would have known it was him, even with her eyes closed.

There was still air between them, just enough for them both to not fall into themselves entirely.

His hand had crept up her arm and rested just beneath her jaw, as though he were admiring her- taking her in. Like he never had seen her before.

Maybe it was the light.
Maybe it was just her.

Jo crept against the wall behind her. Reaching up and placing her palm upon his. The heat rose in her neck, wrapped fingers over her cheeks, embracing the newly found warmth. His eyes looked just above hers, and she could smell nothing but him close to herself.