+Author's note

Request and idea by Snoink!

Anyone aquainted with the German doctor could tell you with confidence that the man was filled with affection.

Whether it was towards his pets, his patients or strangers down the street; you'd be able to see a cheerful smile with a tip of his hat.

And it was no suprise to the neighbors and the people around town to find the doctor so sweetly in love with his wife. The two lovebirds were hardly ever apart. And with their laughter contagious to all who were near, and many would consider them as a pretty picture.

But loving as they might be, life was just and fair, shedding it's share of dissapointment over all. It was needless to say the loving couple were no exception.

Jospeh Ludwig had been summoned to a military base just out of town, and it was concluded in his contract that he was forbidden from leaving.

But the couple knew that this would be a mere april shower. Their seperation would be brief, for this too would be a sorrow to pass.

(Y/n) waved away tearfully when it was time to leave. In the mirror of his car, Jospeh gave a reassuring smile as he waved back, heading out in the early hours of day.

+++

The doctor quickly formed a bond with an Engineer he had met there. Sharing their academic studies, a bond quickly formed between the two scholars, and they were soon known to be good friends.

Many nights they would share stories with a bottle of beer, or a small game of chess to kill the time. And on one of their usual nights together, the German brought up a question over a bottle of ale.

"Engineer, I sometimes see zhat jou leave for town, aren't jou bound by zhe contract?"

A soft chuckle escaped the Texan.

"Nope, I only get to leave to get equipment or the such. You can guess why the guys pile me with lists for stuff everytime I go out"

Medic gave a hesitant stare.

"Zhen.. Vould it be okay if I asked jou a favor mein freund?"

"Sure doc, what is it?"

Fiddling with his fingers, Medic looked down at his hands as he continued.

"Jou know we are verborten to leave zhe base, not even to leave for zhe post office! I vant to send some letters for mein wife, but I haff no means to reach her, even when she lives downtown!"

Engineer gave a reassuring smile as he clapped a hand onto the German's back.

"Shucks, is that all? I could just drive out anytime partner! Just give me your letters and I'll head right out!"

+++

Pulling up at a small driveway, a woman with (h/c) hair looked out curiously as the Engineer got off his truck. The woman walked out, greeting the cheerful Texan.

And when Dell saw her, he was certain who she was. She was exactly as Medic described her.

She had beautiful (E/c) eyes, soft (H/c) hair with beautifully carved lips. With a tip of his helmet, he handed over a envelope with her name on it.

"Hello ma'm, you're Ms. Ludwig, right?"

The woman stuttered nervously at the stranger. "Y-yes..? Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Ah'm Dell Conager miss, I work with your husband. He wanted me to deliver this letter for you"

Beaming at the mention of her husband, she eagerly took the letter from her hand, and hastily began reading it.

With a chuckle, Dell was about to get in his truck when the small lady stopped him.

"Wait! Please let me get you something, you came all this way to deliver this. Do you have time to at least stay for some tea?"

Engineer was surprised at her sudden request, but happily agreed.

+++

The two found that they made fine company. Once a week the Texan would come over with the letter, and find (Y/n) rushing out to greet him. Sometimes he would even find her standing outside waiting for him!

She'd read the letters with a love struck gaze, carefully tracing the letter with her delicate fingers, as if to feel her husbands work on it.

(Y/n) would always take the Engineer into her backyard, putting out tea and cake for him as they exchanged a hearty chat before he went on his way with a letter with her reply.

The two found many things in common. Often their conversations were held in the garden as they laughed. Both their cheery attitudes worked well together, and a friendship strongly formed.

Sweet scents of honey with splashes with purple and blue were gushing out through the dark green bushes, sunlight filling the air with sparkles, and Engineer found himself more at ease with each passing week.

He would continue to deliver letters between the love birds. And both were grateful for the Texan and his kind acts. And with another smile, the Engineer head out to (Y/n).

It was another day like any other week. The bees traced the air with circles, honey poured upon the sweet cakes laid in front of the Engineer as he sipped a tall glass of lemonade whilst he waited for Mrs. Ludwig to finish her letter.

She smiled warmly as the put the letter away.

"It's so nice to hear from my husband again.. I'm glad he's doing good"

"Heh, and he's doin' a fine job on base"

"I can imagine, I've always loved to watch him concentrate on his work"

The Engineer faltered at her words.

But why?

(Y/n) continued. "It was his passion and his kindness that drew me to him. He'd be so sweet to me while we were dating, and even more so when we had gotten married"

The Engineer put down his glass of lemonade.

"I-is that so?"

(Y/n) giggled. "Every day we would come out here, tending to the flowers we planted here together.."

Looking around, the Engineer saw the flowers around him seemed less colorful than it used to. And the bees started buzzing annoyingly close.

"We would then dance here on the grass, sunlight pouring down from above. Then we'd eat cake and tea out here"

The Texan looked down at his half empty glass, which caught (Y/n)'s attention.

"Would you like some more?"

The Engineer gave a polite smile and shook his head. He no longer felt thirsty anymore.

Looking up at the sky, he realized that the sun was blaring into the garden, his cake stale and his lemonade bitter.

Getting up, he excused himself with a soft goodbye, and lead himself towards his truck.

And when he gripped the wheel, he realized he no longer felt the same way he did when he came over earlier.

+++

During the passing days, The Engineer stayed focused on his work. Blankly reminding himself that there was work to do.

He continued his hearty conversations with the Medic, but found himself saying less and less, merely nodding as his mind drifted off somewhere.

The Medic hardly noticed the changes in his friend. Blinded by their friendship and his wife's letters left him blissfully ignorant as he would chat away on some new experiment.

"Engineer?"

He woke up from his small trance, blinking wildly at the Medic.

"Huh? Yeah partner?"

Medic smiled and handed him another letter for his wife.

"I thank jou again mein fruend, I wrote a poem for her zhis time. I can't wait for her to read it!"

With a curt nod, Engineer took the letter and left the room. Walking down the hallway towards his room, he stared deeply at the letter.

He realized that Medic was sending the letter, signed with his name on the front envelope with his usual cursive handwriting.

He also realized that Medic might not be sending a "poem" this time.

He had some work to do.

+++

Engineer pulled up at the familiar driveway to find (Y/n) watering her patch of flowers. He got out of his truck, and headed over to her.

(Y/n) soon stood up straight and blinking in the sunlight, smiled at her friend.

"Hello again! Ready for some more tea?"

The Texan gave a shake of his head and walked up to her, ready to hand over the envelope.

"Thank you so much. I don't know what we would have done without you Dell!"

Engineer flinched, but handed over the envelope.

With a gracious smile, (Y/n) took the envelope, opening it's seal.

Try as he might, the Engineer couldn't bear to face her face. Facing away, he bowed his head low and grimly clentched his teeth.

Slowly (Y/n) read her letter, quietly reading it's contents as her expression grew emotional.

With a small sigh, she lifted her head with watering eyes.

"Thank you Dell.."

Dell stared blankly at her face.

"What was the letter about darlin'?"

Gently folding the letter and placing it in her pockets, she smiled sweetly at her friend.

"It was a poem about the two of us... He always knows just how to make me cry.."

With a stiff smile, the Engineer nodded.

"Ah'm afraid Ah have to go now. Lot's of things to do today"

"Oh, I'll see you next week then!"

Engineer gave a tip of his helmet with a hollow smile and turned to his truck.

On the way back home, Engineer rubbed his thumb over another envelope he had written in Medic's name.

The Texan was certain that he had done the right thing, his was conscious clear.

But as he sucked in a side of his cheek, he couldn't help but wonder how things would turn out differently if he had simply given her this letter.