Letter from 1914 (world war 1 - imagine scenario)
Summary: Felix is a 25 year old, German soldier from 1914. He's never done anything in his life, for his mom to be proud of. And since his dad died (9 years ago), his mom have treated him even worse. He has an 11 year old sister (Lily), and a 32 year old aunt, Elise. When the war comes up it's super obvious for Heidi (Felix's mom) to send him to the war "to have something to be proud of for once". Little did he know that he would meet the love of his life during his time there.
Author's note: I had a school assignment where we were supposed to write like we were any person from 1914, from their POV, and I thought it would be fun to post it here. Btw, it is a gay couple in the story fyi (I can write both gay and straight couples so you know).
It's me, Felix. The war isn't like we thought at all.
You know Mother Heidi wanted me to participate in the war so badly, so she could finally have something to be proud of. And since it was obvious to everyone we would win.
But it wasn't that simple...
We are at war on both the Eastern and Western fronts now, which is where I am right now (The western front to avoid any confusion).
War is not what we thought it was.
It's bloody and cold. And I nearly died once. But a French man saved me.
His name is Nestor and he is only a year older than me.
He has dark hair and a mixture of blue and gray eyes. He could have chosen not to save me, since he could have received huge punishment for it.
When he bumped into that soldier who was about to shoot me.
The trenches were cold. Especially now during the winter.
It's so sad that everyone has to be here during Christmas. Think of all the families waiting for their father, or brother, or husband to come home again.
This Christmas was not as bloody as the rest of the war.
We in the German army started singing Christmas carols.
The bloody, silent cold. It felt like home in Germany for a moment.
After a while the French- and Englishmen started singing along.
It was a man from each camp who met up in the middle, between the trenches, and decided that we should have peace. At least during the Christmas night.
We all gathered in the middle after a while, and some people even played soccer. But not me though. I've never been much for soccer, as you know.
And then I met him again.
He also sat on the sidelines, while the others played soccer. And I sat next to him.
It was a little awkward at first. Because I didn't know how to thank him, or because of all the fine details in his face that I couldn't notice from such a distance before and that made me a little nervous now, I couldn't say.
I saw more detail now up close.
His hair was dark, like a crow's feathers. And his eyes, like two storms out at sea.
He seemed so brave and mature in the way he observed everyone during the soccer game. As if he had been through a lot, even though he's lived barely a year longer than myself.
But he also looked a little lost. As if confused. Or perhaps miserable.
He was also quite thin. From the slender shoulders to his slim stomach, and legs. It didn't look like he was sick, but..
It just felt like it wasn't enough, in a way.
When I realized that I had been staring at his figure a second longer than I should have, I cleared my throat and looked at the ground.
I was a little ashamed. But he didn't seem to notice. Or care maybe.
We talked for a while and he was actually very nice.
He told me about his family. About being an only child, and all the pressure that came with it.
After he finished talking, I told him about mine.
He felt oddly relatable though he's in the opposite family situation compared to me.
But it felt like he understood.
All the pressure that came with this particular war. What would happen if we didn't win? And what would happen if we did?
I got a strange feeling of nausea when we talked about who would win the war.
What if we won, and he died? Or vice versa?
The thoughts were too much at that moment, so I chose to push them away for the time being.
As the soccer game was coming to an end, Nestor looked much happier.
I told him some of your infamous jokes, and he loved them.
His laugh sounded so genuine. So inviting and warm, despite the cold night that surrounded us.
There was something about him that felt different.
Like home. But different from back in Germany. Like another kind of home. A kind I never knew existed before.
Like he filled a void in me I didn't even know I had. A void I didn't know needed to be filled. (please don't do me dirty here)
When the soccer game was over, everyone gathered in the middle of the field again, including me and Nestor.
I met some of Nestor's friends. He had to translate, though, since his friends and I didn't fully understand each other. But it went well.
Then we saw a cat pass by.
It was apparently a cat that had been in the trenches. The other German soldiers had named it "Felix" because they thought it looked like me (the same green eyes and blonde hair). But those in the French army had named it Nestor because apparently he was the one who found the cat in their trench.
Neither I nor Nestor thought it had to be named after ourselves. Nor that it had to be such a big deal.
We were a little embarrassed by their quarrel, to be honest.
So in the end Nestor and I decided to name the cat Felix as it's first name, and Nestor as it's last name. I actually wanted Nestor's name before mine since it sounded much more proper than mine. But Nestor insisted, and I couldn't deny that.
Besides, he looked so pleased after we decided the order of the names.
And he smiled that smile that spread a warm, slightly tickling feeling in my stomach.
The Christmas celebrations eventually ended and everyone would go back to their trenches.
I could see large masses of soldiers disappearing in three different directions, heading back to their camp. I looked at the German camp, and then at the French. But couldn't find Nestor.
I was afraid that I wouldn't have the time to say goodbye before the war would begin again. But then I found him.
He was standing a few meters away, and I got that feeling in my stomach again.
There he was, his head looking in every direction in a matter of seconds. Almost as if he was looking for something.
I walked up to him before he could notice me, and gave his back a hug. He was taller than me so my arms were under his.
He made a surprised squeak as he turned around to stare at me.
At first he was a little confused, but it only took a few seconds before he looked more comfortable and hugged back. He was so warm. A contrast to the winter air.
I told him how much he mean to me and how happy I am that I have met him. Despite the short time we spent together, it felt like we'd known each other our entire lives. And everything about him just felt…
He was quiet for a while. And I don't know if it was a trick from the night, or if his usually pale cheeks got a little color. But the red shade suited him. It complimented his features.
And then. He closed the distance between us, his lips on mine.
They were soft and gentle. It felt like he kissed me for an eternity, until the second it ended.
When he backed up a little, the red color had traveled all the way to his ears.
Almost as if he had been slapped hard across the face. Or as if his cheeks got so cold because of the temperature, and that that would be the reason for his cheeks to turn into this hue of dark red.
I knew that. Because his cheeks were warm.
He said he hopes we win the war and that he hopes I'll be fine when I get back home afterwards.
He hugged me one last time, extra tight. And that was when I realized how strong he actually was, though he was pretty skinny.
He almost crushed me. But it felt good in a way.
Like a proper "goodbye", unlike the one I got from my mother when I left. The look she gave me. The disgusted look. And at the same time a warning that if I screw this up, it's over for me.
He then hurried to his friends in the French camp, and I felt the warmth disappear with him as he left.
When I went back to the trenches that night, I couldn't stop thinking about him.
How he hugged me. Kissed me.
And how I would never get to experience that warmth again.
A week later, when the war was on again, I saw Nestor. But it wasn't the same warm and tickling feeling that I had experienced before, that now filled my body.
I made eye contact with him for a few seconds. But then he was shot by someone from the German army.
He looked into my eyes as he fell dead to the ground.
I couldn't help the tears that flooded my eyes, down my cheeks the second his eyes closed.
His soft cheeks against the hard, dirty ground.
I hid my head behind the path of the trenches and wept as I had never done before.
And not like a wound that goes away after a while. Not like the wounds mother gave me every time she got ashamed of me.
This was something much deeper, and that hurt a thousand times more.
This was an indescribable pain.
The reason I'm now writing to you Elise is because I don't know if I'll live another month, another week, or even another day here.
You're the one who's been there for me the most during my time in Germany after father died. And the one who understands me.
I don't want to die without you knowing what happened. And I want you to be able to explain all of this to Lily one day if I don't come back.
I wish for you to say hello to Mother and Lily, and for you to tell them that I love them.
So much. And that I always did.
Even though she hasn't treated me very well, I will never stop loving Mother Heidi.
Thank you for always being there when I needed you. Take good care of yourself and the rest of the family.
Author's note: This is my first story and I hope you all like it. Idk if it's good or not. I tried to have some facts in it like the peace during Christmas and the cat, but idk.
Lmk if you'd like it from Nestor's POV or if you want me to write it as if they are living it, and not as it was written now (like a letter).