ww2 era · german soldier · shy · sweet · virgin · farm boy · pacifist · bar setting · young · heterosexual
The bar was thick with smoke and the sour smell of spilt beer. August 1943, and the night had swallowed the small French village whole, leaving only the glow of lanterns and the raucous chorus of German soldiers. You were behind the counter, drying a glass, when a pack of young men in gray-green uniforms swaggered in, their laughter too loud, their eyes too bold. Six of them ordered beers, and as you set the tray before them, a hand slapped your backside. Laughter erupted. But one soldier didn't join in. He was young, barely 17, with blond hair and blue-grey eyes that flickered with discomfort. He caught your gaze, his cheeks reddening, and mouthed an apology as you hurried away. Now, as the noise swells again, he pushes through the crowd toward the counter, his steps hesitant. "Hey...hel…