What's it Like?

Andy paused in the doorway. Based on what Viking told him, things had calmed down a little bit, except he saw not many beds had been vacated since he woke up. Those men horribly injured from the planes and those few survivors of the Warmonger’s shot still lingered. He just wanted to go home, he didn’t want to see any of this. How was he even supposed to be normal after all this? On top of that, this was the daily routine for these men. He shuffled over to Sarge and the others.

Sarge was still out. Coulson was covered from the shoulders down in bandages. Polski only had a bandage on his head and a sling for his arm. Coulson smiled when he saw Andy approach.

“Not too badly beat up?” he asked.

Every breath is agony. “I guess not. Sarge is still out.”

Coulson didn’t notice it was a statement. “He is. I’m sure he’ll be fine, though. What brought you back to sickbay?”

“I don’t know,” Andy mumbled.

“Any news for us?”

“I guess we’re getting ready for the Khardis to invade the castle.”

“You scared?”

Andy didn’t answer.

“I understand,” Coulson chuckled. “You’ll be fine. I mean, look at me, I’m doing alright.” He spread his arms as wide as he could, allowing Andy to fully take in the volume of his injuries.

“You look ready for a dance number.”

Coulson gave out a hearty laugh. Andy smirked ever so slightly. “Look,” he said with his smile gone, “I’m sorry.”

Andy shook his head. “Sorry for what?”

“About before. Pestering you.”

It clicked in Andy’s head. “No, you’re fine. I just... wasn’t in the mood to think about home. And Spartan’s told me he doesn’t want any of us talking about home here.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, could you humor me a question, at least?”

Andy shrugged. It all depended on the question.

“Tell me,” Coulson said, “you ever serve in the army back home?”

Andy shook his head.

“Hm. Drafted.” Coulson swallowed. “Only a week after I turned eighteen.”

Andy wasn’t sure what to say. He was aware of the draft back in America, but it was taken out of use decades ago. Sure, it was still there, waiting to be brought back in a dire time, he guessed, but it was still a bit of an alien concept to him.

“So how is civilian life?”

Again, Andy found himself not knowing what to say. His experience in civilian life wasn’t all that great, though it was absolutely better than all this. In the end, he managed to answer, “It’s alright.”

“Got anything waiting for you back there?”

“Yeah, my life.” Andy didn’t mean for his response to come out so harshly. Feeling mildly awkward about it, he broke his eye contact with Coulson.

“Hey, I understand. None of us chose this. Well, none of us little guys.”

“I don’t think it’s so bad,” Polski chimed in. “Good looking girls never gave me much attention back home.”

“With a face like yours, I wouldn’t get too used to it,” Coulson replied.

“Hey, you’re nothing to look at either, you know.”

Both men broke out into laughter, and Andy found himself breaking into an actual smile.

Turning his attention back to Andy, Coulson said, “Look, we just have to make it through. Once we do that, it’s civilian life for everybody. What more can a guy ask for?”

“I don’t know,” Polski said. “You ever really look at Viking? I don’t think that man’s built for civilian life. There any major wars going on back where you come from?”

“No,” Andy answered. He thought for a moment before continuing, taking care not to reveal too much per Spartan’s order. “We had a couple, but I’m not sure we have anything going on quite at this level.”

Polski grunted. “Wonder how Viking faired back home, then. There’s something off about him, you know?”

Andy shook his head. He needed a bit more time with Viking before he could make that personal call.

“It’s his eyes, the way he looks at things. Like he’s just not all there in the head.” Polski shivered. “Just not right, is all.”

“Oh, bollocks,” Coulson blurted. “Viking’s only issue is how damn old he is. Seriously, take what he can do and put it in a guy not graying out, and you’d have an unstoppable war machine. That would be something to see.”

“I don’t get it,” Andy said. “How can you both be so... this... right now.”

“Because of all this.” Coulson gestured to all the other men lying in beds around the room. His face sunk, and Andy swore he aged ten years in that one moment. “Can’t let it get to you.”

“How old are you?”

“I just turned nineteen last month.”

Andy bit his lip. Coulson was almost three years younger than him. “And you’ve only known this?”

Coulson nodded. “War started while I was still in school. My dad tried to enlist, but they wouldn’t take him. Said he was too old to meet the physical requirements. I.... Well, like I said, I got drafted. That’s all there is to it.” His face turned back into that smile. “It’s okay, don’t let it get you down. Sure, it sucks, but at least I’m getting to see the world.”

Andy laughed again. “Spartan said something like that just a little bit ago.”

“Hey, sounds like my kind of guy. Maybe once we’re out of here we should go out for drinks.”

“Maybe.”

“I think you’ve wasted enough of your time in here.” Coulson adjusted himself in the bed, wincing as he did so. “You should get to wherever Spartan and the Commandant want you.”

“Right now, that’s out of the way.”

“Guess that makes sense, you being a civvy and all.”

Andy supposed that, too. Why put someone with zero combat experience in the heat of it? He was still surprised he’d been taken to the cliff with the mortars. He was even more surprised he survived. The sight of that soldier going limp came back to him. Why couldn’t he just go back home?