It was November. François thought he was doing very well in this battle. There were no cuts and three kills. He was feeling fine.

Then he looked down on his arm, a gaping bullet wound on his left shoulder. He didn't even feel pain until now. He groaned and grabbed his arm, dropping his gun.

"François!" He spun around to see Kim on his horse. "Are you hurt?"

"Yeah! Can you get me out of here?"

Kim Byung-ho Choi, one of his very best friends, got him on his horse and took him to get medical care. It wasn't a bad wound, just needed cleaning and bandages. Kim made sure he was ok before leaving. It only took a few seconds later for Lloyd to come flying in.

"Hey, man!" Lloyd sat next to him in a chair close to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Could be better." He grinned at him, Jesus he's so cute. "Just got shot."

"Damn, I hope you're alright." He took out his book. "You want me to read to you?"

"Is that stupid book again?"

He hugged his book to his chest. "It's not stupid! It's the book you got me for my birthday!"

"Yeah, it's stupid. You've read it like three times."

"So? It's a good book."

François sighed and gave in as Lloyd began to read. He secretly adored how his voice sounded. It was a French accent that dragged words and controlled his heart. He drifted off to sleep as Lloyd continued.

"One day, he had a better idea. To everyone he knew he wrote that he was going on a very dangerous mission. 'They asked for volunteers. It's very dangerous, but someone has to do it. I'll write you the instant I get back.' And he had not written anyone since."

------------

As François recovered, he noticed how Kim was acting towards Lloyd. He followed him around like a puppy dog. He was excited every time the man noticed him, laughing and blushing like a madman.

Lloyd already had a boyfriend back at home. He didn't dare even say anyone but his dear Mulligan was beautiful. One day, which happened to be François' last night in the hospital, he heard the worst news.

"Me and Mulligan are getting married!" François' eyes shot out of his head. "I brought him a wedding ring and I'm going to ask him to marry me my next phone call!"

With his heart crumbling, he only smiled and hugged him so tight his shoulder hurt again. Lloyd was so excited that he ran off to tell the others, leaving the other alone with his book.

"Fuck." The tears came down his chin onto the blanket. "Shit. Fuck."

Lloyd loved that boy. They met in high school, he says, and he was the one. He's seen pictures of him before, so tall and muscular. He could never be like that. He had to work to look like this and it still isn't right, Lloyd would never love such a disgusting girly thing. He's gay after all.

Suddenly, Kim came in. He flopped down on the chair, weeping as much as the other.

"Fucking hell." Kim sobbed in broken French. "He shouldn't."

"I know." He hugged him and cried on his shoulder. "Poor thing."

They both cried that night, leaning on each other. They both didn't know, however, that the other loved Lloyd. François opened the book that was there and read to Kim in Korean.

"The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he is on."

---------------

The evening before that big mission everyone in their mother was going on and on about. Lloyd was to fly on the first aircraft that their company made. The highest ranking general, General Cortéz, called the chipper soldier for a "special surprise." Before he left, he gave François a hug.

"You're the best, I'm glad you're better." He whispered in his ear.

"You too, you're my best friend." He tried to control the quivering in his voice.

Just as he was leaving, the phone rang for him. Lloyd was about to run over, but François promised him he would answer.

"Hello?"

"Hello, I'm calling for Sauveterre." That deep voice on the other end gave him a chill.

"W-who are you?"

"Mulligan Monsel." François' body froze. "General Sauveterre wrote to me saying he had a surprise for me?"

"Alright, don't tell Lloyd I told you!" He heard a giggle on the other end.

Then he paused. He wanted Lloyd for himself. This was his chance.

"He-"

Cheated on you! Left you! Got tired of you and wants to marry me!

Then he stopped himself. He would break those happy hearts, and he couldn't bring himself to do it. He loves Lloyd. He would never hurt him.

"-brought you a new necklace!" His accent thickened to hide the shaking.

"That was the big surpise? He acted like he wanted to marry me!" They both laughed.

"Bye for now, I'll tell him you called."

"Thank you, goodbye."

He put the phone down, went outside to where nobody could hear him, and screamed.

???- ???