Saved Soldier (AB/DL)

25: Sweet

     ~~~~~
"Come on kid get up!!" The man shouted and glares down at me. "Pathetic. You can't even do ten push-ups! How are we going to defeat THEM if you can't even do a push-up?!"
     I stood up slowly and looked at the man, clenching my teeth and shaking in fear.
     "Soldiers shouldn't cower and be so afraid." He grabs onto my shirt and shoved me against a wall. "Get stronger. For the good of our country." He shoves into knee into my stomach. "The ENTIRE fait of the country is riding on your shoulders." The other soldiers came closer as I now sat on my knees and held my stomach tightly.
     "You're pathetic. How are you ever going to impress anyone? You'll never make anyone proud. You won't amount to anything." The man laughed. "You're like a wounded animal... pathetic and cowering..." he smirks and looks back at the men behind him.
     "Well boys, what do you say? Shall we put the wounded animal out of it's misery?" Everyone came even closer. I tried moving back but there was a wall. My breath hitches as I shook my head. My eyes were so watery. Everything was blurry I couldn't see.
     "You're so helpless and pathetic. You can't even do anything for yourself. Stupid, pathetic wounded animal." The men began to grab onto me, throwing punches and kicks. I sob out in pain and let it happen. My body would not move. I couldn't move, breath, or see, I couldn't- I couldn't!!
     "Jono, Jono, Jono!" They chant. I sob out and shake my head harshly.
          Jono's Pov:
     "NOO!!!" I scream and sit up breathing heavily and panting.
     "Jono!" Vicky frowns and pulls me close, hugging me tightly. "Okay Okay, you don't have to wake up yet I'm sorry. If you really needed to sleep in you should have told me." She rubs my back.
     I could only whimper now. I liked it when she held me like this. I rest my head against her chest and put my ear to it. I could heard her heart beating... it was reassuring. I just stay quiet and try to calm myself listening to it.
     "Oh... were you having a nightmare?" She rocked my gently. I felt so safe... I know she won't let those meanies hurt me... she's so strong and it doesn't matter if I'm helpless. I have someone to protect me now. I slowly nod in response to her question.
"I'm sorry honey, at least now I don't feel guilty for waking you up." She smiles and runs her fingers through my hair. It felt so nice.
"Thank you..." I mumble out.
"It's no problem at all." She sits me up and pecks my forehead. My face heated up a bit, she is so so so so so pretty. "I'd say it's time to get dressed, huh?" She laughs a little. "What do you wanna wear today, baby?"
She went to look through some clothes for me. "We don't have anything to special, you can wear a onesie or something baggy or-"
"'Raff!!" I yell out when I saw the giraffe onesie. It was so cool and yellow!! I like yellow, it's such a happy color, and I felt so happy. She made me so happy!
     "This one?" She held out the onesie and laughed. I quickly nodded. It was the coolest thing ever because it had this hood to it that you could wear and it made YOU into the giraffe!! I can't even believe it!
     "Okay, lay down and we'll get you changed." She cooed and walked over to me. I quickly laid down, bouncing a bit in excitement. I couldn't help myself, the onesie made me feel so upbeat and energetic. Clearly anyone would feel the same! "Hold still baby, how else am I gonna get it on you?" She laughed quickly pulled it onto me. Afterward, she quickly flipped the hoodie onto my head and gasps. "Where did my Jono go?? All I can see if this cool baby giraffe!"
I giggle and began to move away from her. "I dunno! I'm just a 'raff!!"
"Aww, that's too bad... because I was going to treat my baby Jono to some special breakfast this morning."
Unless it's apples I'm sure it can't be all that good! Wait... what if it IS apples?! "Hmm... I think the only way you get him out... is with apple!!"
     She laughs. "Apples? Well I was gonna get him some oatmeal... but with some special maple syrup in it!"
     "M-Apple syrup?!" My eyes shine. Did she say more apples?? I flip my hood off and quickly make my way over to her. "I wan' M-Apple syrup!!"
     "Hmm... close enough. But you gotta promise to be good when we go out to get food, Okay?" She smiles a little and lifted me up.
     "Otay!!" I nod in response. Anything for more apple!
     She held me close and slowly opened the door, making her way out of the room and quickly down the hallway. I dunno why, but she put my hood back on and pushed my face into her chest. It's no fun! They always make me hide my face when we are going outside of the rooms! I couldn't see anything, but she made me do it and she said I had to be good for apples... so I just did as I was told.
We eventually slowed down and came to a stop. She pulled me out of her chest and we were inside that small kitchen like the other day. She slowly sets me in a chair and began to grab different things from the cupboards. Apples here I come!
     Vicky was mixing something in a bowl, and I just watch in excitement, bouncing around in anticipation. I don't know how much longer I could wait! I'm gonna DIE if I don't get an Apple!
     "Moooooommmmmy! Apple!" I whine out.
     "Honey, you're not having an Apple-"
     ...No Apple? Yeah. That's gonna be a problem. I shake a little and stood up. "Apple!!" I demand and glare at her.
     She raises a brow at me. "Are you really going to test me, Jono?"
     I was a little intimidated... but this meant war. I would like to call this, the battle of the Apple. My side fights for the desire of getting an Apple, and she is standing in my way!
     "I wan an apple!" I huff and slowly prepare myself for impact. I was gonna have no other option but to tickle her if I don't get that Apple!
     "I am going to count down from three, and by then, your little bum should be in that chair, unless you'd like it bright red. Understood?"
     I gulp and shake my head. A hit! And a strong one at that! What should we do?!
     "Three." She says and gives me a scary look. Oh no... I don't think this is gonna work. This is a heavy blow indeed.
     "Two." Ahh!! Brace for impact men! This is gonna be a big blow!!
     "One."
     "RETREAT!!" I cry out and quickly got back in the chair. We lost this fight. What now?
     A small beep came from the microwave. She smiles and took it out, taking a small jug and pouring this weird mixture into it. She mixed it around a bit and just stood there.
     Wait... what if she's mad at me?! I was so clouded in trying to get the apple I forgot about her! My eyes water a bit and I hug my knees to my chest.
     "Hey Baby, it's okay. I think you're going to like this too. You know, there are other yummy foods besides apples." She speaks in a soft voice and walked over to me with the bowl, setting it down in front of me.
     "I sorry mommy!!" I began bawling. I felt so terrible for trying to be mean to her! I'm such a terrible person!
     She hugs me close and pulls me onto her lap. "Shh... it's alright little one. I know you were just really focused on getting that apple. It's a good thing to be so determined over what you're fighting for... but you gotta make sure that your cause is just first. Right? You gotta think of what you're fighting for is really worth it. Ignorance blinded you is all. You were not thinking of consequences, the worth of your battle, or of alternatives." She kisses my nose.
     I giggle a little bit. Not gonna lie... didn't understand what she just said. There were sooooo many big words. But I just liked hearing her talk.
     "Now, how about we try some yummy oatmeal, hm? It's super simple, but super yummy!" I nod my head quickly. Vicky grabbed a spoon and pulled the bowl closer to us, taking  a spoonful and putting it into my mouth. I hum out in satisfaction. It was so... sweet! I like that word. It describes ALL my favorite things. Like apples and this and mommy! Er- Vicky. My brain is starting to mix up this sort of sensation of littleness and actual stuff... it's weird. I don't feel like this all the time, but when I do I get so happy and just wanna bounce around.
     There is one thing that won't change, No matter if I'm in this 'little space' or my 'big self', I wanna be with her. I want to be with my Sweet Victoria.

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Let me know how you're all doing in the comments! :) Quarantine can be super tough, and it's funny to think that none of us are alone in this aloneness... anyway, have a great day!