#luzroe

“Flash!”

“Luz?”

The answering voice is immediately recognizable - only one person has that particular smooth accent.

“I don't think that's the right answer, Doc.”

There's a bit more rustling before Roe appears just in front of him with a half smile.

“Guess it's a good thing it was you then. You land okay? Anythin’ hurt?” Luz watches as Roe`s eyes wander over him, checking to make sure he looks uninjured. 

“All good, Doc. You?”

“I'm alright. You seen anyone else?”

“Nope, looks like it's just you and me.” Luz smiles at Roe, comforted a bit by the fact he managed to land near the medic. “Guess we'll have to go find everyone else. Good thing I'm a hide and seek champ.” 

They set off, Luz, upon his insistence, taking point, despite them both being equally weaponless. They move quietly for some time, glued to each others’ sides, only ever stopping to quickly consult their map and compass. 

Even with the sky just beginning to lighten as dawn approaches, it's still quite dark out as they make their way through what appears to be a long abandoned farm. Luz leads them towards the crumbling farmhouse, eyes trained a bit too much on their destination and not enough on the ground in front of him. There`s a loud crack followed half a moment later by an almost equally loud thud and then a quiet exclamation of oh fuck.

Luz sits in shock for a moment, eyes darting around his new, less than ideal, position several feet underground. There`s a scrambling sound and what Luz can only assume must be the Cajun version of oh fuck. Looking up towards the noise, he finds Roe`s familiar face peering down at him through a rather large hole framed by broken, rotting pieces of wood.

“You alright?!”

“Doing peachy, Doc! What do you think of my foxhole? Might be a bit deep, huh?”

The grin on Luz`s face is quickly wiped away by the sudden, near crushing, presence of Roe as he damn near lands on top of him.

“The hell are you doing?!”

“You hurt? How's your legs?” Roe is already kneeling next to him, poking and prodding Luz`s body, looking for injuries, as he asks the questions.

“I`m fine. And look, I'm touched, flattered even, that you would jump into a hole for me, but you do understand that we are now both stuck in this hole?”

Roe stops his examination to glance first at Luz`s face, then up at the hole he had just jumped through, and then around at their new surroundings.

“Must be an old cellar or somethin’.”

“That's nice. Glad we get to spend our very first day at war stuck in a dusty old cellar. Hey, what`s Cajun for guess we’re fucked?”

“George-”

“Ha! It sort of sounds like my name!”

The exasperated look on Roe`s face only makes Luz smile wider.

“Anyone ever tell you you look like an annoyed puppy when you make that face?”

The only response he gets is an eye roll as Roe gets up to look around. Luz follows suit.

“Maybe we’re lucky and this is where they stored all their ladders.”

There's a small amused snort from Roe`s direction as they search in the darkness. The space they find themselves in is both bigger than expected and emptier than hoped for.

“You really ain't hurt?”

“Jesus, Gene, I`m fine. You don't have to fuss.”

Roe huffs at the accusation of fussing, “Ain`t fussin’. Just seein’ if you`re alright to give me a boost.”

“Now that I can do! Can`t shoot any krauts or avoid falling into cellars but I can be a damn good step stool.” The ridiculously large grin on Luz`s face is met, well, with a look somewhere between amusement and mild irritation.

The added height of Roe on Luz`s shoulders ends up being just enough for Roe to grab onto one of the steadier pieces of board and haul himself out. He disappears from sight as soon as he's out and stays out of sight for longer than Luz cares for.

“Doc? Hey, Doc!”

No answer.

“Doc! Don`t forget your favorite radioman!”

Still no answer.

Luz begins pacing, staring up into the dark, impatiently waiting for Roe to reappear. After what feels like a thousand minutes but is actually closer to five, Luz calls out again.

“Gene! Gene, buddy! I don't want to die in a hole! Gene, I-”

“I`m right here! ‘S alright! I just went to look for a rope in the farmhouse.”

“Well, did you find any?”

The large box that comes crashing down into the hole beside him is the answer.

“Jesus, you really gotta give a guy warning before you hurl stuff down a hole!”

“Found a box.”

“I see that.”

“Stand on it and it should be enough for me to grab you and pull you out.”

“Yeah, alright. Just don`t drop me, okay? I`m a valuable resource.”

Roe does drop him. Several times. But eventually, the plan works and Luz is successfully rescued from the old cellar with only a few bruises and scrapes. As they sit catching their breath, Luz rips out a handful of grass and tosses it at Roe.

“You didn't have to grunt like you were hauling up a baby elephant, you know. I'm light as a feather! Maybe you need to work on those muscles, Doc.” Luz winks over at Roe who raises an eyebrow at him.

“Sure, if that feather`s made of lead. And glued to a baby elephant.”

Luz can't help the burst of laughter from the unexpected joke. Roe quickly clamps his hand over Luz`s mouth, shushing him as he does.

“I know I`m funnier than you, but you gotta keep it down.”

“Funnier than me?!” Luz`s words come out in a barely attempted whisper as they both clamber to their feet. 

“Mhmm. I`ll teach ya how to make real jokes later, but first we gotta find the rest of Easy.”

Roe grabs Luz by the hand and yanks him along. They walk like that for several minutes, Roe leading the way, determined, and Luz trailing just behind him in quiet amusement, his hand clamped firmly in Roe`s.

“You planning on holding my hand the whole way, Doc?”

Roe glances down at their clasped hands at the comment, quickly letting go and mumbling a quiet sorry, didn't realize. 

“No worries. When we get to a road, you can hold my hand as we cross it.”

Roe merely shakes his head and keeps moving.

“You know, it's okay to admit you enjoy my company, Gene. I`m an enjoyable guy.”

“My mama taught me not to lie, Georgie.” Roe mentally kicks himself as soon as the overly affectionate nickname leaves his mouth and he can't hide the shade of pink spreading across his cheeks. 

“Georgie?” Luz`s voice rises, delighted by the surprising endearment.

Roe makes a small sound in the back of his throat as his brain scrambles for something to say.

“Yeah, Georgie, like the rhyme. Georgie Porgie, pudding pie, kissed the girls ‘n’ made them cry.”

“For the record, no one has ever complained, or cried, over my kissing ability.”

“That you know of.”

All the while, as they bantered back and forth and slowly made their way in the direction of their company, Luz`s fingers had slowly curled into a fist, savoring the leftover warmth from Roe`s hand.