"Can I have a kiss Sarge?" This time it was said playfully. A joke about the topic of conversation. The squad laughed as Basil batted his eyelashes over dramatically and pursed his lips. They had been talking about their dating lives back home. It had started with Happy Sam waxing about his childhood crush and had ended up a rather filthy conversation. At some point Steve mentioned that Bucky had been quite a sought after gentleman, always out dancing. Bucky had flushed slightly as Basil's grin had widened into his familiar mischievous look. It was the look that the guys had all come to read as 'Basil's shit eating smile'. He opened this mouth and said, "oooo Sarge liked pretty girls huh? Did you kiss a lot of pretty girls Sarge? Am I pretty Sarge? Can I have a kiss Sarge?"

Bucky let out a snort and placed his palm over Basil's face to shove him gently away. "Nice try Parrish", he shot back as the other men laughed and teased. Maybe in another squad they would have been beaten up for merely joking about being gay, but the howling commandos didn't bat an eye. It was simply part of Basil's antics. He said enough silly things and was unpredictable enough that none of them batted an eye. All of them passing it off as another joke. Only Bucky knew that Basil was serious. Though Steve gave them both amused looks that was a tad too fond and knowing to be so easily distracted. (Basil guessed that Steve knew about Bucky and him but the man had yet to say anything yet).

"Better luck next time Parrish", Gabe called from where he was walking behind them.

""Nice try Baz", Monty chuckled. Basil turned around and began walking backwards so that he could see the whole squad. He was near the front with Steve and Bucky. The rest of the men were in leisurely rows behind them. Dum dum and Frenchie bringing up the rear. He pouted at them.

"I guess that Sarge doesn't find me pretty".

"With that mug, no chance", Jim shook his head with a snort.

Basil mock gasped in offence and almost tripped over a rock. The heavy weight of his pack, plus the medical equipment almost sent him flying. Bucky, who was nearest, grabbed him buy the collar and hauled him up so that he regain his footing. Basil immediately blushed and laughed. (Bucky did that with one hand. Basil was trying not to swoon). "Thanks Sarge".

"Watch where you're going", Bucky tapped his knuckle on the tin of his helmet. It made a little ding noise and Bucky smiled fondly. Basil was pretty sure his face was on fire. Thank god for the usual covering of grime and dirt.

"Don't want you getting shot at Parrish", Steve called. "We're only a few hours from the base".

Basil nodded and continued walking, facing forwards this time. He wasn't going to stay silent thought. "I've still got a better mug than you Jim", he called back. There was a few scattered laughs.

"You look like a poodle puppy", Gabe called.

Sam burst out laughing. "I have to admit it Parrish, but that's correct".

Basil gave them a affronted look over his shoulder. "It's the curly hair isn't it? My cherubic curls".

Bucky chuckled. "You have never been Cherubic a goddamn day of your life".

"True".

"It's the curls", Dum Dum nodded. "And the fact that you're a kid".

"I'm not a kid. I'm twenty".

"Still a kid", Steve stated.

Basil pointed at him. "Cap, you too? Traitor". He dropped his shoulders and pretended to sulk. "I'm nobody's baby, I wonder why", he sung mournfully. There was a round of sniggers. "Each night and day I pray to the lord up above, please send me down somebody to love. But nobody wants me, I'm blue somehow". He let out a large dramatic sigh and the squad all chuckled. Basil let a small grin tug at his lips and he threw his arms out in true musical fashion. "Won't someone hear my plea and take a chance on me? Cause I'm nobody's baby now". His voice rose at the end of the verse then cut off. The men gave amused cheers and Basil turned and bowed.

"Thank you. Thank you", he clutched at his chest like he had won an award and gave a sniff. "I could have never of done it without my idol, Judy Garland and her wonderful teachings". The men all laughed. Bucky rolled his eyes and gave Basil a light shove on the shoulder. Basil promptly overbalanced and went sprawling in the hedge. The men laughed louder and this time Basil joined them.

That was when the first crack broke the noise. A whizz of a bullet went through the space of air where Basil had just been standing. Immediately everyone was throwing themselves for cover. Bucky, because he was nearest, immediately threw himself into the hedge next to him. "This is comfy", Basil remarked as the other man landed half on him. Both of them ended up brushing up each other as they struggled for their guns, legs tangled and elbows hitting ribs.

"Shut up Parrish", Bucky muttered as he managed to get the strap of his rifle off his shoulder. He pressed a hand to Basil's chest to push himself up. He turned, blocking Basil's view as the surveyed the scene. The curly haired man scowled and wriggled for his weapon.

"It's one squad. Twelve men. Probably a scouting troop", Bucky whispered. "They are just coming round the corner". Basil huffed slightly as he finally managed to get his feet under him so that he could raise himself into a crouch at Bucky's side. He sneaked a glance around the leaves to confirm Bucky's observations.

"Bloody hell", Basil swore as he flicked the safety off his rifle. (It was a Lee-Enfield and it had served him well thus far). Across the road, half hidden in the bushes on the other side, was Steve. They could just about make out Gabe, Dum Dum, Pinky and Jim in the leaves behind him. The others must have found other hiding places. Steve raise his hand and made a hand signal. It was a closed fist. They were waiting for the squad to get closer.

A tense few minutes passed. They could hear the soft murders of German and the tred of boots on the dusty road. Basil could feel the pounding of his ear as the familiar rush of adrenaline filled his veins. He could feel Bucky breathing deeply beside him. A snipers low slow breaths as he lined up his Mark. Basil tried to mimic it as he readied his weapon. The barrel pointed towards the slight bend in the road as the footsteps grew steadily closer.

The German squad rounded the corner. They were moving slowly, guns raised as they walked slowly along. It was hard to see their faces over the barrels of their guns and below the metal brim of their helmets. Just see uniformed bodies and deadly weapons. Some part of Basil was glad about that. He didn't like killing. He had shot people before and helped blow up almost five hydra factories by now, but he never liked it. He was a healer and a scholar long before he was a soldier. They were the two things he hoped he still would be when he got out of this. If he ever got out of this.

The German squad weren't clothed in the all black uniform of hydra. Which meant that they were a squad on the way to meet up with the army or on a mission. Whichever one, they weren't a priority for the howling commandos. They were tasked specifically with hydra forces, leave the regular German army to everyone else. That did not mean that they would let this squad go however. They had already been shot at. (If Bucky hadn't shoved him jokingly then Basil might be on the ground bleeding out from that bullet). If the Germans saw them then they would fire.

Then Steve gave a command. His closed fist, his signal to wait, dropped. Basil took aim and as the bangs rose around him, took fire. It was over in seconds. None of the German squad knew what had hit them. A few managed to send a few bullets off aimlessly before falling but none hit the commandos. Soon they were all down. Instant kill shots to the chest or head. Bodies sprawled bloodied on the dusty floor. The cloudy daylight silent over them.

They didn't move for another five minutes. Waiting to see if there were any more surprise Germans drawn by their gunfire. After a long fiver minutes in which Basil concentrated on breathing through his lips slowly, Steve gave the signal to rise. Their allies uniforms rose from the underbrush like bad weeds. Silently they all wandered over to the strewn bodies. This was simple. The after kill search and check. It was war and supplies were always unreliable so after a battle they would always look for anything they could salvage from the dead. Some took gold to sell. Some took anything valuable. Steve hated that and had made it a policy for them to take nothing more than what was needed. Ammunition, rations and medical supplies.

Basil patted down the still warm and sticky with blood jackets, checking the pockets and the packs. He found a pack of cigarettes from a man with a grey moustache and stuffed them in his pocket. Another jacket provided him a half empty medical pack and he stuffed the bandages and equipment into his own. The third jacket offered a tin of hard boiled sweets. When he opened it he came face to face with a little black and white picture stuck in the lid. It was a woman in her late twenties. She had blonde hair pulled up behind a scarf and was holding a flower out to the viewer. Basil closed the tin without taking anything and stuffed it back into the jacket pocket.

"Let's March on", Steve's voice broke the silence. Basil straightened and they continued marching forwards. The dead left in their wake. Bodies still lying where they had fallen in the dust.

Unedited

Not the happiest chapter but this is war.