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Language:
English
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Published:
2026-02-05
Updated:
2026-02-05
Words:
339
Chapters:
1/?
Comments:
3
Kudos:
9
Bookmarks:
1
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57

wait for me (i'm coming, too)

Summary:

"Thinking of you keeps me steady. Some things stick in my head, even when I don’t mean for them to. But I’d rather say the rest when there aren’t as many oceans between us, and no men peeking over my shoulder, counting my words. You know how it is.

You’re the one that knows me most. You know what I’d say.

All yours, till the end of the line,

Jerk

P.S: Send another sketch—I’ll see it when we fall back."

Begins in Azzano, 1943, and spans the Howling Commandos and Co's years fighting HYDRA.

Not Canon Compliant.

Title inspired by Hadestown's 'Wait for Me'

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: Prologue

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

October 3rd, 1943

[REDACTED BY CENSOR], [REDACTED BY CENSOR]

 

Punk,

 

I meant to write sooner, but we’ve been on the move, and days are starting to run together. The Army encourages us to write, but struggles to carve out the time for it.

 

I’m fine, before you fret. Sleeping when I can, but I find walking a lap of the camp does more for my head than sleep ever does—don’t tell Ma.

 

We’re leaving at dawn for [REDACTED BY CENSOR]. The brass have bumped me up to Sergeant, but it doesn’t sit right in my head. I always trusted you to be my compass, in times like these. You’ve got more pluck than I could ever have. They haven’t told us much, it just fell down the ranks as usual, another [REDACTED BY CENSOR] to [REDACTED BY CENSOR]. 

 

Don’t get in a stew if you don’t hear from me for a while. Paper has a knack for taking the long way—it’s becoming a real pain in the neck.

 

Not that I want you here. You keep pulling your red wagon, and taking care of Ma, and Becc’s, and the twins whilst I’m gone. No more funny trips to the recruitment offices, you hear? I need you safe, Punk. Or I’ll get Becca to keep watch, and y’know she’s a hawk. 

 

I bet Mrs Campbell’s after another portrait. She’s the one that pays well, right? Insists you have a real knack with pencils and paintbrushes.

 

Don’t give that up for something as thin as this war.

 

Thinking of you keeps me steady. Some things stick in my head, even when I don’t mean for them to. But I’d rather say the rest when there aren’t as many oceans between us, and no men peeking over my shoulder, counting my words. You know how it is.

 

You’re the one that knows me most. You know what I’d say.

 

All yours, till the end of the line,

 

Jerk

 

P.S: Send another sketch—I’ll see it when we fall back.

Notes:

Supporting Information:

(I'm going to do this at the end of each chapter, because I really enjoy when fics give me a bit of a history lesson at the same time. I am from the UK, so the facts I share will be from my own research as I learn how the US Army operated specifically. Also a reminder I am not a historian! This is just research I have stumbled across whilst writing and taking history in school. Feel free to share yours or correct me!)

- Censorship in WW2 was applied to letters sent from soldiers to protect and prevent leakage of important strategic information. For example, where the regiment was going, for how long, and why. This was in fear of the intelligence getting into the wrong hands. There was a saying that "loose lips sink ships", which shows how serious this was taken. Sometimes, large blocks of letters would be inked out or redacted, or even entire letters wouldn't make it home.

- The army would often promote internally when they lost men to casualties. Especially before dangerous operations...

- During the early 20th Century, society did not support LGBTQIA+ relationships in the slightest. It was illegal, seen as mental illness, and an excuse to harm another person. Especially in Army contexts. For example, punishment for being gay in the US Army included an immediate discharge (often via 'blue discharge' or an 'undesirable status'), and psychological evaluation. Sometimes even solitary confinement. The consequences were real, and heartbreaking. In society, men were expected to marry women and start families quite early. Any stray from the norm and they were ostracized, targeted in their own communities, and at worst killed. It was dangerous beyond comprehension. In this fic, Steve and Bucky are already an established couple.

- This is why in his letters, they don't use their real names, and Bucky is as discreet as he can be whilst wanting to share how much he misses Steve. As a forewarning, I will be writing the Commandos and Co as very supportive in the end, but there may be some homophobic talk depicted at some points, which I will highlight in the authors notes beforehand.

Thank you for taking the chance on this! I'm very excited to be writing it, especially with the canon divergence a bit later on :)

Love,

Elle

Notes:

come and chat to me on tumblr! @superheroboybnd