Archive of Our Own ^beta

The winter night bites at Gene’s skin. He scurries around the foxholes, asking for morphine, scrounging any supplies he can.

He doesn’t stop moving yet the cold seeps into his bones, sends a shiver down the entire length of his body. He’s sure he’s circled the area a dozen times now, but he holds onto fragile hope. There has to be enough. He can’t lose another man.

The trees cluster together, looming above Gene as he sneaks around, nodding to those he’s pestered enough. Just on the outer edge of the camp, he spots a familiar silhouette and he races over.

“Heffron. Hey, Heffron. You okay?”

As soon as the words leave his mouth, Gene realizes his mistake. Babe stares at him with wide eyes, the hand shoved down his pants stops moving. The visible puffs of air only confirm what Gene’s interrupted and he clenches his hands, struggling to keep his gaze from drifting back down.

There is a beat of silence, then it’s Babe who snaps first.

“Gene, what is with the Heffron bullshit, huh?” He spats as he fiddles with his zipper. “You know my name, why don’t you use it?”

Still caught in the edges of shock, Gene says the first thing that comes to his mind.

“It—It’s Edward, right?”

“Edward? Are you serious? Only the goddamn nuns call me Edward!”

Babe’s anger is nothing short of terrifying and Gene stays frozen where he is. His face betrays him, confusion, fear mixing into one. He just wanted to ask Babe for morphine. They’re tired, they all are, but Babe’s usual sarcastic candor is nowhere to be found.

When Babe’s eyes meet his own, the crushing anger shifts. There’s a couple of blinks, then Babe swallows. A shadow passed over his eyes, a new focus centers right on Gene. Gene waits, expecting a punch or another outburst but instead Babe marches over and grabs Gene by the shoulder.

He drags Gene deeper into the treeline, away from prying eyes. Under his breath, Babe talks to himself, but Gene can’t make anything out. He stays his own voice, terrified that even his footsteps are too loud.

Babe comes to an abrupt stop then and Gene almost crashes into him. Just when he opens his mouth to ask what Babe is doing, Babe’s gaze snaps to him.

“Since you interrupted me, you might as well help a guy out,” Babe mutters.

There’s the faintest tremor in his voice, the edges of his hardened stare flicker. Gene doesn’t need an explanation and his stomach churns. Babe grabs Gene’s shoulders and pushes down on them, his mouth set in a thin line.

Gene could wretch himself free, could run from all this. He chooses to sink to his knees, gaze up at Babe with the most apologetic look he can muster.

“Christ,” Babe whispers, then he rushes to pull out his cock.

Half-hard, Babe strokes himself and Gene’s mouth waters. Babe isn’t small by any means, in fact Gene is sure he won’t be able to fit half of the length in his mouth. Still, he shuffles forward, lets his lips part. He keeps his pitiful stare on Babe and he can see the flush on Babe’s cheeks.

“You really want this, huh?” Babe murmurs, tracing his tip along Gene’s mouth.

Gene nods, anticipation rising and he lets his tongue dart out. Babe bites back a moan and he none too gently pushes his cock into Gene’s mouth. Gene’s eyes flutter shut with the heaviness, his lips stretched wide. More and more Babe pushes in and Gene chokes just a little. Babe is quick to pull back, but Gene grabs hold of Babe’s hips, keeps him in place.

“Jesus Christ,” Babe tips his head back. “You’re too good at this.”

Gene preens under the compliment, moves his mouth up and down the length of Babe’s cock. He swirls his tongue around, sucks at the velvet skin. His hands grip onto Babe for dear life and Babe places one hand on the back of Gene’s neck. His hips thrust with Gene’s mouth, sometimes pushing too far, but Gene loves it all the same.

He opens his eyes to look up at Babe, shuddering when hungry eyes meet his own. His own cock hardens and Gene grinds his hips up for a little relief.

“God, you look gorgeous,” Babe pants against the quiet of the night. “Need to ruin that pretty face of yours.”

Gene has never been called pretty but now it’s all he ever wants Babe to say to him. He quickens his ministrations, keeps eye contact with Babe as he swallows him down again and again.

“Gene, fuck, Gene,” Babe gasps and then he’s spilling down Gene’s throat, shoving his cock in as far as it will go.

Tears sting Gene’s eyes, he tries to relax, but he can’t breathe and his vision blurs. He chokes and coughs when Babe pulls out, uses a shaky hand to wipe at his mouth. Babe is quick to tuck himself away and then he leans down, a hand on Gene’s face.

“Are you okay?” He asks and Gene glances at him.

Babe’s stare is swimming with concern, now he’s the one on the edge of fear. Gene nods, lets out a final cough. Really, he’s fine beyond his mind catching up to the situation rearing its head.

With his shoulders dropping, Babe lets out a sigh of relief and kneels down in front of Gene. There is a small frown on his face, the smallest apology sitting on the edges of his gaze. Just as his hand slides down to Gene’s waistband, a snap of a branch interrupts him. Both men whip their heads over to the noise, Gene’s stomach leaps up to his chest.

Gene blinks at the sight of Ralph, his figure just barely outlined by the moon’s light. His eyes shine in the darkness and Gene can tell Ralph hasn’t just arrived. A thrill passes through Gene, his need for Ralph wrapping tight around his chest.

Babe stands up straight, levels Ralph with an even stare. A question hangs above them and when Ralph doesn’t run, Babe takes a breath in.

“You want Gene to make you feel good too?”

Ralph balks, but no sound comes out. His head snaps from Gene to Babe and back to Gene. Now in the thick of it, Gene can start to feel the snow seep into his knees, he shifts on them with a wince.

It’s Babe who walks over, grabs Ralph and drags him to Gene. Ralph still tries to find his excuse, nonsense spilling out of him until he looks down at Gene. Mustering his best pout, Gene gives Ralph a shy tilt of his head and when he hears the, “Oh, fuck,” he knows he’s won Ralph over.

Ralph is frantic to get his cock out and Gene sits up, his hands massaging Ralph’s thighs. Once Ralph’s cock is out, Gene licks a long stripe along the length, holding back a smile with the groan he gets in return.

“Yeah, doesn’t he feel amazing?” Babe murmurs, his mouth near Ralph’s ear.

His hand reaches down, taking hold of Ralph’s cock. Ralph shudders, one hand pulling Babe closer, the other balancing on Gene’s shoulder. Babe guides Ralph’s cock into Gene’s mouth and Gene eagerly sucks him down.

“Fucking hell,” Ralph rasps before biting down on his lip to quiet himself.

There’s a soft chuckle from Babe and he kisses just under Ralph’s ear. He still holds onto Ralph’s cock, pumps where Gene’s mouth can’t reach. Gene watches the scene above him, entranced, all while his mouth savors the taste of Ralph.

“I’m not gonna—,” Ralph chokes out, his hips giving short, sharp thrusts.

Gene doesn’t stop, nor does Babe, and Ralph comes, muffling his moan with a hand over his mouth. Slow to pull off, Gene swallows down Ralph’s seed, gives one little lick to the head before settling back on his feet. His legs ache, his knees are probably frozen to the ground, but Gene has never felt more alive.

He stares at the two men above him, presses the heel of his hand into his own neglected cock. After Babe gives Ralph a final kiss on the jaw, he crouches down and hooks his arm with Gene’s.

“Let’s get you back to our hole. We’ll take care of you,” Babe whispers in his ear.

Gene just nods, his own desperation clouding his mind. He doesn’t see if other soldiers notice their return, doesn’t feel much at all besides the two bodies on either side of him.

Once they’re settled in the cold ground, Gene finds himself wrapped in Ralph’s arms while Babe opens up his pants. The chilled hand on his cock makes him flinch but then Babe is leaning down and swallowing Gene whole.

Ralph wraps a hand around Gene’s mouth, keeping his noises safe between the three of them. The other hand, Ralph splays on Gene’s chest and he nuzzles along Gene’s jaw. Babe’s nails scratch at Gene’s skin, his mouth and tongue work wonders on Gene’s cock. All Gene can do is lay there, let these two men take care of him. He’s warm, secure, and he melts into Ralph’s kiss on his temple, the way Babe licks and sucks him.

Gene lets a little whine escape him, to let them know he’s close and he’s sure he can feel Babe grin around his cock. With Ralph hugging him tight, Gene moans in his throat, he thrusts up into Babe’s mouth. Babe makes his own noise of content, the vibrations running along Gene’s body and pushing him over the edge. He spills into Babe, eyes rolling up with his orgasm, wave after wave sweeping him under.

When Ralph removes his hand, Gene takes a deep, rattling breath and he sinks against Ralph. Careful and gentle, Babe tucks Gene away and then crawls up between his legs. The kiss they share blooms in Gene’s heart and he hugs Babe close.

“Babe,” he breathes.

There’s a rumble in Ralph’s chest and Babe chuckles.

“That’s all it took, huh?” he pulls back just enough to raise a brow at Gene.

Gene’s brain takes a moment to catch up and then he ducks his head. He doesn’t know how to admit his fears to his fellow soldiers, the nightmares that plague his restless sleep.

A sad smile passes on Babe’s face and Gene burrows into himself. He’s moved around, laid against the walls of the foxhole but in an instant he’s wrapped up in the arms of Babe and Ralph. They cocoon him, hold tight with no intention of letting go and Gene can’t do anything else but accept it.

What comes next, Gene doesn’t know, but for now, he can try to sleep and have one night where he doesn’t have to face the world alone.