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❝ Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, you punk. ❞
ninewa province, iraq ( fob sykes army base ) march 8, 2008
YOU'RE REALLY starting to get on my nerves," Liam grumbled as Josiah wheeled him outside to the hospital to the awaiting car ready to take them back to base. The said soldier simply chuckled and helped him get in the car. On the way back to base, Josiah made sure to fill in Liam on what their sergeant decided regarding his condition. Liam was to return home immediately and rest. And the soldier was not happy about that.
Sensing his friend's frustration, Josiah nudged his shoulder, "At least you get to see the pack again. And get to eat Emily's awesome food. God I'm jealous..."
Josiah's attempt in cheering his friend up failed as Liam ignored him and continued to look out the window, a frown permanent on his face. Sighing softly, Josiah tried again, "Try not to mess up my bed while I'm gone. I keep ev―"
"Stop it."
The Lahote soldier visibly flinched at his friend's strong tone directed at him. He opened his mouth to say something but decided against it and allowed the car to be filled with an awkward silence; through the whole ride back to base, the soldiers sat in absolute silence. Upon arriving, Josiah helped Liam get in his wheelchair and rolled him towards the sergeant's office where he would have a talk with the injured soldier.
Josiah left shortly after, back to his bunker, and relaxed on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Samuel and some other guys in the same bunker played a game of cards to kill time. Closing his eyes, Josiah thought back to the two weeks Liam spent in the hospital, trying to get better, and all he could think of how dejected and depressed his friend had looked in those two weeks.
"D-Do uh... do you need help Liam?"
At the mention of his friend's name, Josiah's eyes snapped open and he sat up. Liam rolled into the bunkers with a scowl on his face and wavering eyes. He ignored everyone and just went to his own bed, laying down. Josiah let out a low sigh, gave Samuel and the rest of the guys a look to leave him and Liam alone, so he could talk to him in private. The guys understood and headed out the door, Samuel giving Josiah one last look and an encouraging smile. Josiah returned the smile before focusing his eyes back onto his friend's figure that laid face up with his forearm covering his eyes.
The soldier made his way over to him, "Alright, what's going on with you?" Liam made no move to respond or even acknowledge his friend's question. He simply laid there with no intention of moving.
Frustrated with his friend's behavior, Josiah smacked his arm away from his face. "I'm not going to stop bothering you until you tell me what's got you in such a mood. So if you want me to leave you alone, then you're going to have to talk to me."
Slowly sitting up, Liam glared up at his friend. Both soldiers stood their place while staring each other down with no intention of giving up until the other cracked under intense gaze. Fortunately, Liam was the one to look away first with a sigh escaping his lips.
"I'll be leaving back to La Push in a couple of hours..." Liam muttered, avoiding Josiah's burning gaze, "And I don't want to."
Liam let out another quiet sigh, pulling his forearms away from his face to look up at his friend who had his head tilted to the side with pursed lips in confusion. Sitting up from his current position, Liam groaned in pain as he adjusted himself to avoid putting pressure on his right side where he had some broken ribs in the process of healing. The soldier waved off his friend who reached out to help him and let out a cough, "You're going to be here... by yourself... and I won't be able to have your back." Liam avoided looking at his friend as he expressed himself, "I don't like it."
Everything seemed more clear for the Lahote soldier as he looked down at his best friend. Liam's mood swings were caused by his inability to accept that he would be leaving his best friend 'defenseless' while he returned back home to the rest of the pack.
Josiah didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say, so he opted to sit down on the bed besides Liam's. Minutes went by with either soldier breaking the silence. The silence wasn't suffocating in any way but instead it was a way in which both soldiers came to the reality that they would have to go their separate ways for some time. One disliked it more than the other.
"Everything's going to be fine Pim," Josiah finally spoke up, catching Liam's attention, "You need to stop worrying."
Liam really wanted to believe his best friend's words but something deep inside the soldier, a gut feeling, told him otherwise. Since he didn't want to argue with Josiah any further, just a couple of hours before he was to depart back to Washington, he responded with a simple 'yeah.'
On the ride to the airport, Liam remained silent the whole ride. Josiah tried to get him to talk, but he was unsuccessful. Liam would keep his eyes out the window without any say. Upon arriving at the airport, Josiah helped him with his luggage and together they headed to the entrance.
Josiah pushed Liam along the airport all the way to where his place was to board. Not wanting to leave on a down note, Liam made the attempt to cheer up and say goodbye to his best friend whom he would not be seeing for the next two months.
"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, you punk."
Smirking, Josiah responded, "Make sure my little brother stays in check."
Liam snorted, "I'll try with that little punk. But he's just like you."
Josiah chuckled, "Yeah..."
Glancing down, both best friend's smiled fondly at each other before Liam wheeled himself away. Josiah stayed back until Liam was fully in the plane before heading back out and leaving back to the base.
