bytunder:

Blue Skies and Sunshine: @justonekiss

justonekiss:

“A captain in training? Wow.”  Jim must be very talented is he could skip ranks like that. Tiana wondered about Naveen’s own rank. Would he start at the bottom, or would they jump him ahead because he was a prince? But then, he didn’t know how to do anything, so they’d probably start him at the bottom. She shuddered involuntarily. Those at the bottom usually were in the most danger in combat. “Your parents must be so proud of you,” she finished. 

Tiana took a deep breath at his question. “Well, let’s see now. We’ve been married for about two years now, but we’ve known each other for almost three years.” 

Jim’s face automatically darkened at the mention of his parents. It was an old wound. He hated not being around his mother, even though he knew she had plenty of help running the inn. He felt guilty for abandoning her like his father did, even though she insisted that wasn’t what he did. Jim knew she worried and he hated that. “Well my mom runs an inn back home. I know she’s proud, but she worries. I feel bad not being home more.” Jim admitted, wondering why he was being so open with the woman who had just brought him lunch. 

Maybe it was because of her expression, it was so similar to his own mother’s, there was this need to keep busy, to keep working, because if she didn’t, she might fall apart. Jim worried for his mother, and now he worried for this woman he had just met. But he couldn’t do anything really to help either of them. “That’s not very long at all.” he said, trying to smile, unsure of why he had bothered asking the question since he really didn’t know what to say in these sorts of situations. 

Jim rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. He looked away. “What part of the military is your husband joining? I should graduate soon as commander of a ship. Maybe I can try and get him on board.” Jim said carefully. He knew that captains could request certain soldiers as long as they weren’t family. But to take on someone new when he was so new himself was risky. Jim didn’t know why, but he wanted to relieve some of the stress on the woman’s face. 

“An inn, huh? She sounds like a woman after my own heart. I’ll have to visit it sometime, and tell her you’re alright. Where exactly are you from, Jim?” Tiana wasn’t so sure why, but she felt the need to protect him. He was so young, but not naive. Still, the thought of something happening to him made her feel uncomfortable and sad. “No, no it’s really not that long, considering. We kind of had a whirlwind romance and eloped. But his parents wouldn’t really have approved, not to mention the scandal it would have caused, especially because he’s a prince. So we got married a second time with all of our family present.” She smiled remembering the day. She was so nervous, and Naveen so handsome. 

“Well, Naveen is in the Army, so I’m not sure there’s much you can do for him. He’ll be going to France soon. Or Russia. I’m not sure which, and I don’t think they can tell me.” she took a long drink of water that was sitting at their table. It was hard enough to think of him gone, but actually fighting, in combat? It was terrifying to think about.