Peace.422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9eRQPbmh7
Peace was something Liberty Base hasn’t had for a long time. But now, it was everywhere. Everything was unusually silent, and so blissful it was almost suspicious. 422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7In6neSSe
For as long as the people at base had remembered, peace was something they’d never had the luxury of having. Something was always going on, something was always happening, and whether it was war in a nearby country or territory, or an internal conflict, it was always big. Hell, they couldn't go for a month without worrying over something. After the Great Destruction, it seemed like peace was impossible. Yet, there it was, shining down on the base like a glorious ray of sunlight.422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFhh7DoiGv
A thin, hazy layer of shimmering fog covered the land, as the aftermath of a late-afternoon drizzle. Birds, from somewhere in the distance, were chirping and their soft melodies could be heard throughout the area.422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6M1Y2e6in
Everything was so unusual; the morning wasn't like any other. Armedautos didn't zoom over the streets, soldiers didn't scurry about frantically, and the emergency alarms must've been on mute. The usual sound of shouted commands, gunshots, or roaring engines was also nonexistent.422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rSl12GICk
It was a lovely evening, and for once, people had the time to enjoy it. Dewdrops collected at the tips of the grass, and it made it glisten like fields of emeralds in the evening light. The sun barely peeked out from behind the trees, and only a sliver of its fiery gold color was visible, above all that dark green. The quiet hum of conversation, and the unfamiliar sound of bubbling laughter hung in the warm air, and footsteps in gravel echoed throughout the base.422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrkBXJQew0
This sudden serenity was the slightest bit odd, but, it was definitely accepted. It's been awhile since Liberty Base could finally take a sigh of relief.422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwXtd3DDBP
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“Seems like someone finally brought the weekend to Patriot’s.” Jesse joked, raising an eyebrow at Anthem. “That or Lex put a kickin’ new ‘secret ingredient’ in his drinks.”422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWmfYwK2w7
The way Jesse waggled his eyebrows and puckered his lips after saying that made Anthem’s alabaster cheeks flush a light rose. He licked his lips nervously and avoided making eye contact with him. Just glancing into those dreamy blue eyes made him tremble. Sometimes his stomach would spinand his heart would shake if he looked at them for too long. He needed to shift his attention to something else before he got too carried away; or before his inner organs took flight.
Anthem glanced over his shoulder, quickly observing the thin crowd in the bar, and realized that his friend was right. The aroma of the small room was unusually cheerful, and it felt refreshing, yet strange. Anthem was used to a slow moving, drunken, gloomy atmosphere, but as soon as he set foot in Patriot’s Paradise, it was like someone flooded the place with joy. Instead of being empty, the bar was filled with a laughing crowd. The eerie, solemn silence Anthem was used to was replaced with a light, mellow melody. He noticed a group of men and women across from them, and they were all laughing, and singing off-key to the current song. The air smelled of sweet rum, and Anthem could smell something floral.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” he sighed in reply, looking back at Jesse, who donned that ridiculouscheeky grin of his, his white teeth brighter than the fluorescent lamp hanging above them. He swallowed a sudden lump in his throat and glanced at the holowatch on his wrist. 6:30. I guess Trista will be late, again. Thirty awkward minutes with Jesse? She would definitely pay. “But it seems like the whole base is on some kind of antidepressant. Still, I’ve never truly seen the place like this. So peaceful. I like this sudden change.”
Jesse nodded, the curls in his golden hair slightly bouncing as his head moved. He chuckled, deep and low, slowly lifting a square cup to his lips. The tinted glass twinkled underneath the lamp’s brilliant light, as did his eyes. Anthem caught himself staring too long at them again and glanced at the golden-brown wall above his head.
“Say, Anthem,” Jesse said, his chin resting in the palm of his large hand. “How long do you think this period will last?”
“Hm?”
“I mean, we all know peace doesn’t last forever. I wish it could, though. But before long, we’ll be caught up in another war, or maybe another crazed panic.” Jesse said, with a disturbing, happy, glimmer in his eyes, that sent a chill down Anthem’s spine. “I wonder, how long will this one hold out? Probably for another few weeks, if we’re lucky.” He answered his own question.
Anthem hated to agree with Jesse, but he was right. That was the truth, and it would probably remain that way for many decades. After the war, every base in the Union lacked serenity. Whether it was a terrorist attack, political turmoil, or even the attempt at reconstructing the broken republic, it was hard to have peace around.
“Whatever.” Jesse swatted away at an invisible object, as if he were duly dismissing the conversation subject. “We can still hope, right?”
Anthem somberly nodded, smiling back at Jesse, despite the rather depressing topic. He took a sip of his drink, wincing when the liquor burned at the back of his throat. He’d grown used to the somewhat pleasuring sensation, but it still felt so strange.
An awkward silence began between the two men, and they looked anywhere but at each other during that moment. Anthem focused on a man who was chuckling with the bartender. Fighting back a blush, Anthem wiped his clammy hands on his pants. Did it just get hotter in here? He wondered. He tuned into the music, noticing the melody was familiar, but he couldn’t remember the name of the song. He tapped his foot lightly, in sync with the beat.
“Anyway, I was thinking, since it’s gonna be so nice this weekend,” Jesse said, pausing for a second, as if fumbling in his mind for words. He looked rather cute, Anthem thought, with his lips pursed together in concentration. Anthem watched curiously as his lips moved when he spoke, they just moved so fluidly. Sometimes, just sometimes, Anthem would lie awake at night just thinking about them. “Um, I’m going to the beach this weekend, y’know the one outside base, with a few people in my squadron and I was wondering if you’d like to accompany us tomorrow.” Jesse sighed, tucking a stray curl behind his ear. “I’ve told them about you a few times, and they all think you’re a pretty cool guy and have been pestering me about bringing you with me on our outings. Will you?”
Anthem bashfully looked at his lap, chewing at the skin on his bottom lip. He really wanted to, but he was going to Trista’s place tomorrow, and she had told him she would cook. Yeah, she would definitely tolerate him rescheduling, but he didn’t want to miss out on her majestic dishes.
“I’d love to, but Trista and I already had plans, she told me she’d cook for me, so I can’t miss it. You know how it is.” Anthem said, feeling a sudden pang in his chest. Was that heartbreak? “Maybe next time? I’m available Sunday, we could go to the ports. Sorry.”
Jesse nodded understandingly, and flashed Anthem another smile, with just a hint of pain, that made his stomach turn upon noticing it. He drank more from his glass and wiped his wet mouth with his the back of his hand. The way he dragged his tongue across his thick lips made Anthem’s brain go haywire. Something in his lower abdomen trembled, was he sick? He crossed his legs, and fidgeted around, uncomfortably. He screwed his eyes shut, and let out this long, breathysigh. Something deep inside him shuddered, making his teeth dig into his bottom lip.
“Nah, that’s totally fine. And she’s probably making her delicious Grater Cake. I wouldn’t miss that for the world, if I were ya.” Jesse laughed, his voice like liquid gold. “Well, could ya maybe get me some leftover cake? That stuff’s amazing, tastes like magic. And, sadly, she mostly cooks when you’re over, so I never really get to try her dishes.”
“Totally.”
“Thanks,” Jesse mumbled, his freckled cheeks tinged pink, but light enough for Anthem not to notice. “You know how much I enjoy her cooking.”
And speaking of Trista, Anthem laughed to himself when he saw the woman they were talking about walking towards them from across the bar. She was still in uniform, explaining why she was late. Anthem could already hear her excuse, “I was talking with a superior after work about business” already, because it was always the same. But still, at least she came.
Anthem waved at her, and she saluted back. Always so formal. Instead of striding, she was practically draggingherself, her heels sliding over the tiled floor. Anthem was used to her footsteps sounding like claps of thunder. He realized there was something different about her appearance; instead of having a powerful, sultry look, she seemed rather tired. Maybe it was the frown cast upon her plum lips, or the way her eyebrows furrowed, but unlike everyone else in the bar, she looked so down. That made her stand out from the jubilant crowd. The black circles under her eyes made her dark skin look pasty.
“Sorry I’m late.” She said, putting a firm hand on Anthem’s shoulder and yawning. “But I had a brief meeting with Lieutenant General Fey.”
Jesse smiled and waved at her, and she plopped down next to Anthem. She crossed her legs and rested her head on his shoulder. She quickly settled into the white cushion of the booth, shifting around until she found the most comfortable position, which was squeezed up rather uncomfortablyclose to Anthem, to where her plush bosom was being pressed against his side.
“These booth chairs are so comfortable, I could doze off right here.” She grumbled, closing her eyes. Her thick eyelashes brushed over the tips of her defined cheekbones. “Ugh, today was absolutely exhausting. Was it different for y’all?”
The hint of the patois in her voice was slurred and awfully dull. Anthem was slightly concerned for her. Did she pull another all-nighter?
“Yes. Today was really nice. Anthem and I were just talking about how wonderful it was.” Jesse said, nodding at Anthem. “How are you feeling right now? You don’t look so good.”
“Fucking jolly.” Jesse raised an eyebrow at her. “Can’t you tell I’m miserable from just looking at me? That’s one of the most moronic questions I’ve ever heard, and this is you I’m talking about.” She groaned, her eyes still closed. She nuzzled deeper into Anthem’s shoulder, making Jesse stifle a snort. She never really acted like this unless she was truly worn out. Trista draped an arm across Anthem, holding him close, practically cuddling his stiffened figure. It was funny to Jesse, watching her use his friend like a human pillow. “Hey, Anthem, could you dial up a coffee?”
Anthem reached for the small tablet in the middle of the table. He dialed up “1 medium dark roast coffee”, knowing that was her favorite, and sent the order.
“Wait, you’re not drinking tonight?” Anthem asked, raising an eyebrow. Whenever they visited this bar, she almost always got some kind of rum, or strong liquor. Even though she was a lady, slightly, she never turned down the opportunity to drink. Gotta relieve the stress of hard work in some way, she always said.
“Right now, the only drunk I need is drunk on caffeine.” She responded, glaring up at him. “If I’m tired then how in the hell will I be able to cook for you? I don’t want to fall asleep and burn everything!”
Anthem chuckled and gave Jesse an amused look. Why does she always lie against me? Jesse makes for a much better cushion, with those muscles of his.
Trista yawned again and turned, so her nose was against his neck. Her slow, deep breaths ruffled his dark brown hair, and he could feel her chest rising and falling against him. No offense to her, but Anthem hoped that coffee would come soon, so the caffeine could wake her up, and so she would stop sleeping on him. He was not her bed, for faith’s sake!
“Why’re you so tired?” Jesse asked, eyeing his friend curiously. Trista was always wide awake, and seeing her so fatigued was rare.
She was silent for a second, and both men thought she was actually asleep. But, she was trying to come up with a somewhat non-alarming way to tell them what happened. She was alerted with some devastating news from her father late last night, and she had been discussing it with officials for her entire work day.
“Well, last night, I received some news from my dad, back in the Caribbean Territory.” She said, lifting her head up, and looking directly at Jesse. She ran her hand through the loose curls in her hair, scratching at her head with her long nails. Jesse was interested, she could tell by the way his eyebrows twitched, and from the way his lips quirked. “Apparently, there have been several attacks,” she yawned. “Afflicted upon the islands. They know little, but it’s from some small, socialist country called Dystopa. Plus, one of the generals here said they were moving in a northern direction, towards us. The islands might have to go to war, they’re not quite sure. But these attacks are becoming a threat.”
Jesse hummed, slowly nodding his head. Anthem looked down at her, shocked. Why hadn’t she told him earlier? That news sounded pretty important, her home country was basically at risk of war!
“You should’ve told me or at least commed me earlier!” Anthem said, his voice sharp. His eyebrows sank and creased, and Trista rolled her eyes. “That’s some concerning news.”
Trista snickered, a weak smile creeping across her lips. That news definitely kept her up last night, because her laugh sounded more like a tired sigh, on the border of a whimper.
“There’s no need to be so agitated, boyo.” She said, a hint of anger in her voice. “It’s just a few attacks. Plus, none of us are government officials, so there’s no need to be worried. All of it will go away soon, or at least that’s what Fey said.”
“Yeah, she’s probably right. It’s probably nothing.” Jesse agreed, with a somber taint on his smile, not knowing they were both entirely wrong. Because none of these problems would fade, they would grow. And before they knew it, war would blossom before their very eyes.
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“Savior!” Trista yowled, quickly separating her mouth from the coffee mug, her eyes blown wide in surprise. “My tongue feels like it’s been set fire to. This coffee burns like a million suns!”
Jesse chuckled, and Anthem sniggered at her suddenly energetic reaction. Even though drinking the coffee felt like drinking molten lava, Trista swallowed a large portion of it, anyway. Caffeine was essential if she promised to make the meal that had Anthem begged her to. I spoil him too much, when I shouldn’t, she mentally scolded herself, thinking about the dishes she would prepare tonight.
“Well, that woke you up a little, didn’t it?” Anthem asked, nudging her gently in the side.
“Funny, funny, my tongue is blazing right now.” She growled, the familiar spark of fury returning to her eyes.
“That’s why you wait for a minute before you drink, or eat, warm things.” Jesse said, winking playfully at her. She rolled her eyes at him and folded her arms over her chest. “Didn’t you learn that lesson when you were younger, after, like, trying to eat a hot meal or something?”
“Say something smart like that one more time, boy, and I might just pour this mug of boiling coffee down your pants.” She snapped, glaring at him. He smiledin return, and she snarled back. “But I need this caffeine a bit too much to waste it.”
Trista lifted the mug to her lips again, and took another sip of the searing drink, wincing as she did so.
“You should’ve gotten it iced.” Anthem said, receiving a threatening glower from the woman next to him. “That would've been a much smarter idea.”
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“Hm, I never realized how beautiful it’s out until now. It seems like I was too busy to notice it.” Anthem said, looking at the starry sky above him as he and Jesse went to their homes. They lived near each other, so they usually walked to and from places together. Sometimes, Anthem thought they did too many things together.
Jesse’s boots crunched against the gravel as he walked, and he looked at Anthem, the dim moonlight shining in his bright eyes, like sunlight over a frozen pond.
“Yeah, I guess so. It is pretty nice out.” He said. “Maybe, in the near future, we should go and look at them.”
Anthem bit his lip, just thinking about it. The two of them, sitting on a wooden dock, looking at the sky, the stars reflecting in Jesse’s eyes. Yeah, he thought. We should totally do that.
“Sounds like a plan.” Anthem smiled, a small laugh escaping his lips for a second. “Sounds fun.”
Suddenly, Anthem felt Jesse’s arm wrap around his shoulders, and he was pressed close in a manly side embrace. Anthem felt his cheeks become warm once again and stiffened in Jesse’s arm.
To his relief, Jesse let go of him, and turned to leave. He paused, and grinned at Anthem for the millionth time that evening, making his chest tighten. For a second, they stood on both sides of the sign that showed the direction of their homes, just staring at each other, like they were trying to read each other’s minds.
“See ya.” He said, before turning to walk off toward Rian Housing Units.
“Yeah, bye.” Anthem said, also heading off in his direction, to Housing System B, looking up at the stars.
I hope there are more laid back days like this, he said to himself. Lucky for him, there would be more wonderful days, but soon, it would be a long time until Liberty Base reunited with peace again.422Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQTYNzN5cw
