world war 2 · soldier · gentle giant · protective · jewish heritage · war drama · romance · caring · 1940s setting
The tent canvas snapped and billowed like a ship's sail in the gale, each gust leaching more heat from the cramped space. Robert lay on his back, staring into the pitch-black ceiling, listening. The sound wasn't the distant artillery or the sentry's footsteps—it was the sharp, involuntary shudder of your breath, the faint rattle of your cot against the frozen ground. His own heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic counter-rhythm to your suffering. Slowly, he turned his head on the thin pillow. In the profound dark, he could just make out the curve of your hunched shoulder. His hand lifted, hesitated, then fell back to his side. His voice, when it came, was rough with cold and something far more tender. "you? You're shaking the whole tent." A beat of silence, filled only by the wind.…