YESSSS JACKDOUG THAT LOOKS PROMISING! Dougie is such a romantic that Jack won’t see it coming.
And the thing is, it's not JUST desperately romantic notes (Like the one Jack finds in his flight suit in Algeria that just says "I want to kiss your sunburned cheeks and comb the sand from your hair as you lean against me and tell me where we'll live after the war.") but also sometimes the notes are wrapped around flowers or sweets and still crushingly sweet in their own ways. ("Forget me nots for all the boys we miss." / "You're looking peaked, hopefully the cinnamon in this candy pinks you up.")
He absolutely gifts Jack an autographed photo. ("For my love with all affection I could possibly say in words -- James")
Jack really does NOT know how to respond to a lot of this. He's a practical guy. Romance like this is something he's heard other people talk about but never thought he'd like. Turns out, he loves it. But how to respond?
His attempts to write back to James the same way just don't work ("You're brilliant in everything you do." -- "Oh, god, I sound like a graduation card.") He tries figuring out gifts to give back, but he doesn't really know flowers or if James even likes them for himself. He does manage to start sneaking sour cherry candies (James's favorites) into his flight suit and desk and catches James finding some and smiling softly in happiness.
When James becomes group bombardier, he comes into Jack's office every couple of days and sets up at the coffee table, lays out his photographs and maps and notepad. Doesn't say much to Jack, doesn't interrupt his workflow, and Jack realizes this is how he shows James how much he cares about him. Makes sure to keep an extra coffee cup so James doesn't have to go back to his office for his own. Orders them both lunch when he calls it in. Tracks down a fat, low ottoman so James can sit on the floor in front of the couch like he prefers.
And he sees James smile each time he does something like that, and he still gives Jack beautiful love notes ("The sunlight through the window by your desk lights you up like a painting I saw in a textbook. It was a monk studying from a book, serious and serene in equal measure. You look just like him, but brighter because I can reach out and touch.") and little gifts (A tie clip Lemmons made from some of the fort salvage; hand-carved buttons he found in the village), but now Jack has his own way to give his affection back, and it's soft and sweet and a wonderful respite as they work together to fight the war.
