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❛ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ᴇʏᴇꜱ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ɴᴏ ɢᴜᴛs, ɴᴏ ᴄᴏʀʏ ꒱


❝ SHUT UP & KISS ME,
YOU MEATHEAD ❞

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"And so the United States entered World War Two on December 7th, 1941. As FDR said, 'a day that will live in infamy,'" Mr. Feeny finished teaching the class as the bell rang. "I want to thank those of you who brought in some of your family mementos. It helped to show that this war was not just a point in history but an even that touched all our lives. Thank you."

Juliet filed out of the class after everyone else and caught up with her friends in the hallway as Topanga said, "you know, he asked her to marry him on December 7th, 1941."

"Wait, I know that date," Cory realized. "Help me out here."

"Pearl Harbor," Shawn replied. "The day that will live in infamy. Feeny was just talking about it."

The redhead gave him an awed look. "You listened to Mr. Feeny!"

He stared at her in surprise. "Oh my god I listened to Feeny!"

She huffed in amusement as they left Cory and Topanga. "It's not so bad, you know."

"No, it's bad," he disagreed. "Anyway, your grandparents really immigrated to the U.S. during the war?"

"After the war," Juliet corrected him. "Ireland was technically neutral during World War Two but after Pearl harbor they became more active in their contributions. My grandad volunteered to fight since since that's what most of the men during the day did. His name was Oscar Byrne."

"Can I see that compass again?"

"Oh, sure," she said, and pulled out the navigation device to hand it to him. The small object was surprisingly heavy in his hand as he tilted it from side to side to watch the needle swing back and forth. "There's an engraving on the back," the redhead told him, prompting the boy to flip it over.

"'Always and in all ways,'" Shawn read aloud. "Your dad's side isn't the only one who enjoys puns."

"It was a saying between him and my grandma. With how unknown everything was back then, she wanted him to know that she'd always love him no matter what direction the war took him. He told her the compass would help him find his way back to her."

"That's incredibly sappy," the dark-haired boy remarked.

"It's not like you're any better," the girl countered. "I think it's sweet."

"Well they are your grandparents," he allowed. "I wonder what it was like during World War Two."

🌎🌎🌎
[1941]

Juliet and Shawn walked down the school hallway dressed in era-suitable clothing. The dark-haired boy swung his books by a strap as the pair stopped to study the 'I want you' poster hung up on the wall. "I don't know why they chose such an old man to represent the U.S.," the redhead complained. "It makes us look elderly."

"His age doesn't matter, doll," Shawn replied. "It's the message. He's pointing right at me."

"I thought I told you not to call me that," she grumbled. "We aren't a couple."

"Well with all this uncertainty I wasn't gonna take my chances," he said as he looped an arm around the girl's shoulders. "What would you think if I enlisted, doll?"

"I'd be glad since you wouldn't be around to call me that," she sassed. "Besides, shouldn't you see what Cory's doing first?"

"Good thinking. Let's go find that boy," he agreed. They entered the common space to find their friends standing in the middle of the hallway. "Cory! We're going to enlist. Uncle Sam wants us. I wasn't going to but he was pointing right at me. We're going to defend our country, Cor. Are you coming with us?"

The curly-haired boy looked at Topanga, who shook her head.

🌎🌎🌎

"Operator? Yes. Connect to Miss Topanga Lawrence at Zenith-6-5000. No answer, huh?" Cory talked into the phone before he hung up. "Golly. You can drive from Philly to Cleveland in a week but they don't have a machine that can take a message."

"It'll be invented someday," Juliet said confidently, "and maybe letters could be sent through phones, too."

The two boys gave her odd looks as Shawn shook his head. "Never try to understand a bird's head. Don't worry, Cory. That dame loves you up to the sky and back."

"Well, I ain't just saying goodbye."

"Don't say ain't," Mr. Feeny scolded him as he passed. "Your mother will faint. Just because you're in the army doesn't mean you have to talk like a sailor."

"Where is she?" Cory murmured as he looked around the room.

The older man walked to the stage and stood in front of the microphone, catching everyone's attention. "Before you ship out, I want to wish our boys courage, perseverance and a safe trip home." He paused as everyone clapped before he continued: "and during the lull in the fighting, I'd like a thousand word essay on what I did during my summer in Europe."

Mrs. Matthews arrived with her husband to say goodbye to her son but added on to Mr. Feeny's speech: "boys, remember 'please' and 'thank you.' Just because you're at war doesn't mean you can't be polite."

"I give the orders now, Amy," Mr. Matthews said. "Alright, everybody! Let's load the buses and head to Europe!" When no one moved, he sighed. "Please!"

Shawn turned to leave with the other boys but Juliet caught his arm before he could. He turned to her. "Julie, I've go to go—"

"Call me that nickname that I hate," she asked. He gave her a curious look at the expression on her face. 

"Sure, doll." He was surprised to find her hand held fast in his and made an effort to cheer her up. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid until I get back." 

Juliet gave a weak laugh. "Shouldn't I be saying that? You're taking all the stupid with you, after all." 

"Yeah, well I just thought—" He was cut off as the girl threw her arms around him to hug him tightly. He returned the gesture after recovering from his surprise. He'd almost believed that she wouldn't miss him at all.

🌎🌎🌎

"Alright, you dog faces. Brooklyn, distribute the K-rations. One can per person and no bellyaching," Mr. Matthews ordered the boys in the trench. "Cory, your mom sent you a Waldorf salad, dressing on the side."

Cory quickly explained as everyone stared at him. "I have a little trouble keeping the K-rations down."

"So, Cory, any word from Topanga?" Shawn asked as he sat nearby.

"Not yet and everyday that goes by that I don't hear from her I miss her that much more," the curly-haired boy replied. "Any word from Juliet?"

"No," he admitted. "Though we're not a couple as she constantly reminds me." He stood and raised his voice to address their squad: "this man's hurting! Any of you other mugs got a hard luck story of a loved one left behind?"

"He's just my roommate!" Jack said defensively as everyone's attention turned to him.

"You know what Shawn, I can't expect the mail to be on time with a war on, right?" Cory asked.

"Mail call!"

The two boys ran up to the postman. "Anything for Cory Matthews?"

"Or Shawn Hunter?"

"Maybe," the man replied as he pulled out two letters. He lifted one of them to smell the paper. "Looks like this girl Topanga's got it bad for you."

"You read my mail?" Cory demanded.

"Something's gotta keep me going through this war."

Cory grabbed the letters. He handed one to Shawn, who opened his and quickly unfolded it.

Meathead,

You probably weren't expecting me to write anything because we're not a couple. You'd be right— for once. I just wanted to remind you to change your socks. That's all.

Bye.

Juliet

Although it wasn't the love letter the curly-haired boy had gotten, it was very nearly the same thing. His expression softened at the words despite their not very romantic meaning.

Explosions overhead interrupted their reading time as one of the boys shouted, "incoming!"

The camp became a sudden flurry of action as everyone grabbed their weapons and took up their positions, Mr. Matthews' voice calling over the noise: "man your battle stations! It looks like we've got a war on our hands!"

Shawn handed Cory a helmet. "Cory, keep your head down. You don't want to make Topanga a widow before you even marry her."

"Shawn, listen to me. I made Topanga a lot of promises, okay? Now, if I don't come back and you do, I need you to do something for me," the boy said.

"Sure, pal. Anything."

"Marry her."

His face fell slightly. "What about Juliet?"

"She barely likes you as it is," Cory pointed out. "There's no way she'd marry you."

"I suppose you're right," he admitted, though he still searched for another excuse. "Wait a minute. She's your sweetheart. Cory, I wouldn't feel right about that. Kissing her would be like kissing you."

"I said nothing about kissing! I just want you to marry the gal. Topanga's a real peach, she deserves everything she's ever dreamed of."

"Okay," the dark-haired boy agreed reluctantly. "I'll marry her."

🌎🌎🌎

It was another period of no action and the boys were sitting around the camp. Cory had taken his usual position next to the typewriter with Topanga's picture on it, a harmonica in his hands as he blew lightly into the instrument. Mr. Matthews joined him after a minute. "You really miss her, don't you? This war's gonna be over soon, Cory. You'll be back in the arms of your sweetheart before you know it."

"Hey, Shawn, feast your eyes on this." The boy passed him his prize.

"Wow! That's some fancy ring," Shawn remarked. "Where'd you get it?"

"Cracker Jack box," he replied. "You know something? I can hardly wait to slip this little number on her finger."

"If ever two people belong together, it's you and Topanga."

"Okay, but don't you forget your promise to me," Cory reminded him.

"I know, we'll get hitched even though Julie won't like it."

"Big news!" Jack called to the group as he ran in. "Turn on the radio! Hurry!"

They huddled around the radio to listen to the announcement: "'once again, the war in Europe is over!'"

As everyone cheered, Cory shouted up to the sky: "Topanga, you hear that? I'm coming home!" He made his way over to the ladder. "Last one back to Philly is a rotten egg!"

Shawn tried to call after him as the cease-fire was announced, but it was too late. His best friend had already made it out of the trench and was nowhere to be found.

🌎🌎🌎

Shawn returned to Philadelphia (and Juliet) after the war. She pretended like she hadn't been glad to see him but she did protest less when he called her 'doll' so it made him think that maybe she had missed him a little. The lack of Cory's whereabouts did put a damper on things, though, and he didn't know how to break it to her that he had to marry Topanga.

The blonde was constantly worried about her fiancé and went by the Matthews' every day to see if there was news of their youngest son. The trio made their daily route to the family's home, ducking under the hanging laundry as Topanga asked her usual question: "any word, Mrs. Matthews? I'm all busted up inside."

"Any minute now I just know he'll be walking through that door," she replied wistfully.

"He won't be able to open it, Amy," Mr. Matthews complained.

"Well, I guess I've put this off long enough," Shawn said with a sigh. He gave the redhead a longing glance before he turned to Topanga. "Topanga, I need to ask you something."

As he drew her aside, she gave him a confused look. "What's on your mind?"

He knelt. "Will you marry me?"

The watching Matthews family gasped. Juliet's hand rose to cover her open mouth as she stared at the pair in horror, unable to believe the question he'd asked. She might've acted like she hated Shawn but it would kill her to see him with anyone else.

Thankfully, Topanga disliked the question as much as she did and slapped him. Quickly, Shawn added, "I probably should have mentioned that it was Cory's last wish."

Cory's family seemed to accept this reasoning, though the redhead was still staring fixedly at her two friends, too shocked to put a stop to the madness.

"If that's what Cory wanted," the blonde said quietly as Shawn stood. "But what about Juliet?" She looked over at the stunned girl.

"Who was I kidding?" Shawn asked. "We'd never have worked out." He dug into his pocket and pulled out the Cracker Jack prize. "He couldn't wait to put this on your finger."

She looked at the ring and avoided the boy's eyes. "It's swell."

"If you blow into it, it makes a siren sound," he explained. Although she did as he suggested, her expression remained sad. "You're not happy."

"You're not Cory," Topanga said, "and I'm not Juliet."

He still hadn't looked the redhead's way, too afraid of what her reaction was. Instead, Shawn kept his gaze on the girl in front of him. "Well, I guess we should make plans." His words didn't help, causing her to run off. "Hey if I had things my way—" he started, but then he met Juliet's wide, hurt blue eyes and his sentence faltered.

If he had things his way, the doll he'd be marrying would be her.

🌎🌎🌎

Juliet was reluctant to attend the wedding but it was her best friends getting married and even if she longed to say no, she knew she never would. Topanga, of course, looked beautiful in a long, white silk dress. Being her closest friend, she'd asked the redhead to be her maid of honor despite the fact that the roles should've been reversed. Juliet had agreed nonetheless and now she was leading her best friend down the aisle. As they approached the Matthews, they paused. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, any word yet?"

"No, we have to face it," Mr. Matthews said. "Cory is—"

"No! I know my son is still alive and he loves this girl," Mrs. Matthews interrupted him. "There, I said it."

Mr. Feeny appeared on stage holding a bible. "It's time," he announced. 

Juliet moved off to the side to allow the bride and groom to stand in front, though her eyes remained fixed on Shawn. He looked incredibly handsome dressed to the nines.

"Well, Shawn marrying Topanga," he started. "This is weird. On the other hand, who would have thought, as principal, that I could perform marriages?"

"Wait! I-I object!" the two girls spoke at the same time, the redhead stepping forward to interrupt the ceremony.

"Mrs. Matthews, I can't do this," Topanga spoke first. "Cory's alive, I can feel it. When you love somebody, you just know. Besides, Juliet's the only one who should be marrying Shawn."

"That's why I sent Eric," the older woman replied.

"Mom, think about what you just said," Morgan pointed out.

As the audience began to disperse, Juliet grasped Shawn's arm. "Shawn, wait." He turned back to her and she continued: "I know I've told you a hundred times that I hate it when you call me doll but that isn't true! Well, maybe it was at first but I grew to love it and I didn't want a day to pass without you calling me that. I also know that it seems like I don't have any feelings for you but somewhere along the line between all your stupid jokes and silly nicknames I realized that I did have them and when you asked Topanga to marry you, it absolutely killed me—"

Shawn pulled the redhead closer, cutting off her confession by pressing his lips to hers in a long-awaited kiss. It was everything he'd thought it would be and made the all the years of longing worth it. When they pulled away, his expression was soft and affectionate. "I'm sorry, Julie," he said quietly. "I never meant to hurt you like that and I never want to again. If you don't hate me too much, would you be my girl?"

Juliet stared at him in amazement before she remembered that his question needed answering. "I could never hate you, you big meathead. And yes, I'll be your girl."

🌎🌎🌎
[Present day]

"Hey! I'm not cheesy," Shawn added.

"You're the cheesiest person I know," Juliet told him, knowing it would only make him exasperated.

"Yeah, well, I happen to like cheese," he grumbled.

After checking to make sure no one was around, the redhead grinned at him. "Shut up and kiss me, you meathead." 

A/n: I couldn't resist the Steve/Bucky reference lol. 

Also, "meathead" was 1940s slang for a stupid person, sort of like how present-day Juliet calls Shawn an idiot.

[written apr. 2021]
[edited may 2022]