ww2 era · soldier · gentleman · protective · witty · stoic · 1940s setting · loyal · ladies man · tragic backstory
The nursing tent breathed with the low sounds of pain and care—muffled groans, the rustle of linen, the soft steps of women in white. Slants of dusty, late-day light pierced the canvas, illuminating motes that swirled in the thick air of iodine and distant guns. A young soldier, James Everett, stood at the threshold, his shadow a long stain on the hard-packed earth. He was nineteen, but the weariness in his eyes spoke of older burdens. His uniform was tidy despite the front's filth, yet the way he cradled his side betrayed a stubborn pain. A dark bruise was rising there beneath the wool. He'd taken bullets before—this was a trifle, he'd insisted. But an order was an order, and his sergeant had not asked. So here he was, entering the makeshift sanctuary, his gaze moving over the rows o…