Work Text:
Teeth
by Writtenwright
"He looks like he wants to swear. Doesn't he look like he want's to swear, Harry," Lew Nixon asked before taking a bite from his bowl.
"You know, Nix, I think you're right," Harry answered, grinning at Dick.
Nix just grinned at Dick's glare as he took another spoonful, "I told you to eat your lemons, How bad are your teeth, anyway?"
"I'll live," Dick Winters said, trying to eat his dinner.
"I'm sure you will, seeing how a machine gun couldn't get you, then a couple of teeth have no chance, do they," Nix joked then grinned as Winters' glare returned.
"Come on, Dick, eat your soup, we have the jump tomorrow," Harry Welsh nagged as he dunked his roll into his own soup.
"Can't you see the man's in pain, Harry, let him take his time. Of course at this rate we we'll jump before he's done with that one bowl," Lew Nixon added before taking a swig of Vat 69 out of his flask.
"Didn't you see the dentist earlier, Dick," the Irish man asked, taking a bite out of his roll.
"It didn't help, it just made it more painful. That man shouldn't be allowed near the men," Dick Winters stated trying to separate a spoonful of broth from the meat and vegetables of his soup, wincing as he bit into the spoon.
"Geez Dick, if you do that it'll take you all year to eat."
"And what do you suggest, Nix?" Dick asked holding his jaw.
"This," Nixon said before pulling Dick's bowl to him. He then poured the broth from his own bowl into Dick's as he used his spoon to keep his meat out of the. Next he used his spoon to take the meat and vegetables out of the other man's bowl and put them in his own, leaving just broth in Dick's . "There, now you'll find time to jump."
Dick pulled his bowl back to and looked at the it then Nix. "Thanks."
Nix swallowed the chunk of meat he had just bitten into before he looked at Winters. "I just wanted your meat."
*******************
"Harry's out late."
"Lew," Winters said looking up from his book in surprise as Nixon walked into the room he shared with Harry. "Yeah, he's at the pre-jump party at the Eagle. I thought you'd be there. How-"
"Ms. Bernes let me in. I have something for you, but you have to share a little if you want it," Nix advised as he sat next to Winters on the bed, handing him a combat tin.
Winters looked at the other man before he opened the dish to reveal cold, creamy ice cream. He looked back at Nix to see the man holding up a spoon. He took the spoon before asking, "How did you get you hands on real ice cream?"
"I have supreme scrounging abilities, you know that."
"This I can eat without hurting my teeth."
"You know, Dick, if the teeth are bad you can sit the jump out." Nix said as he scooped some ice cream with a second spoon.
"No I can't. I'm the CO, I can't sit out the jump. Who would lead Easy?"
"Harry," the drunk said as he took a swig from his flask. "Or maybe not." He added in response to Winters' look.
"No, Lew, I have to jump with the men."
"I thought you'd say that...look you can't tell anyone yet, but it looks like the jump's another no go. As of two hours ago the army was less than 5 miles from the DZ and moving fast."
"So by morning..."
"Looks that way...but it's not official, Dick. But if they do cancel it you have a appointment with the dentist up at Division. He's from your home, even."
"He's from Lancaster?"
"Yeah, he is and I hear he's better than the guy we have at Regiment. Yours aren't the only teeth he's messed up. Enjoy your ice cream."
"Thanks, Lew," Winters whispered as he rest his head against Nix's shoulder.
end