Thinking happy thoughts

"Sure I do." He stuck his lower lip out in a pout. "s' only if you did not mess up my hair so much that I'd look more t' part!" He did look in the direction which he would very soon be taking if he did not want either of them in trouble. There was nobody yet there, but he was ready to go, just buying himself those last moments.

"Stop delayin', will you? Or I will make it an order. One even you can understand." He shook his head. "You keep all-on like that an' you'll end up gettin' yourself in some real trouble, you do it to the officers an' not jus' me. An' we neither of us want that, do we?"

"I won't do it ter t' officers. I ain't daft. You'um my clos'st friend." He did not think of saying more on that, "So... it's different n' even then I'd do it only when there's no others lookin' couse If I did it when they were you'd be hard pressed ter do things you might not want to but have t'. Couse of you bein' t' corporal." He hesitated. "Will I be permitted ter come fer you to fix me hair?" He looked hopeful. "I'll be goin' right as you.. uh tell me that." He promised and knew he would keep that promise even if he had wanted to linger behind.

And for some reason that declaration floored Thompson. de Guarde really did need to make some friends his own age - or closer to it. "I must be... about twice your age, Mathew," he said. "You ought to have some friends your own age, you know."

Though, one of the things with being promoted was that Corporals couldn't really have friends among the private Marines, or something. Or not in the same way, anyway.

"I reckon I can still do your hair, Mathew," he said. "Though not right now, o' course."

"You ain't." He did not care whether Thompson was twice, thrice or many more time his age. He did not see how age was of any importance anyway. Was there a rule that said only people of a certain age should be friends? He scoffed at the idea. "You'um young." He declared simply. "I'll stand by that.." It was as clear as day, and his hair will be as nice and tightly made as a marine's soon enough!

"I trus' you. N' you came t' see how I was when I was hurt." Another thing that endeared the man further to the boy and enforced that bond of trust and care. He straightened then and grinned.

"See you later corporal!" He made a salute, poorly executed, and turned on his heel almost tipping over. With a grin and a laugh he bolted past the marine, only the quieting patter of his feet heard for a while longer.

"Oy! You don't salute folks what ain't officers, you!" Thompson called after him. It was nice of the lad to say he was young, but the truth was that he knew people back at home who were growing old by the time they were his age.

And trust... Somehow, Thompson didn't think de Guarde trusted very many people, not now.

He slipped his hand back into his pocket. No, he wasn't going to believe he'd been promoted, not for a while yet - maybe not even once he'd sewn the chevrons on.