Fearless // Lafayette x Reader

She was sitting on the hard mattress, writing, when her brother came in to check on her again.

"What's that?" He asked, plopping down next to her.

She folded the letter carefully, glancing one last time with disdain at her sloppy French. "Just a letter."

Henry frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're writing an awful lot of letters to your American friends."

She didn't say anything, swishing the quill around in the ink jar.

"And you don't joke about the war as much, I've noticed." He was looking at his hands, twisting them together as though nervous. "You haven't really gone out to the shooting ranges as much as you used to, and you...you space out more."

She kept her eyes down.

"What I'm getting at is...you've been, well, different ever since you came back from America."

She looked up into his (E/C) eyes, the same as hers.

"(Y/N)," he said quietly, "can I ask you something?"

"Um...sure."

"I don't want this to rub the wrong way."

"I can handle it."

"Are you a British soldier or an American soldier?"

She jolted, startled.

Yes, she'd been asking herself the same question for months. But she'd never yet been faced with the question so straightforward.

This was her brother. She could tell him anything. Couldn't she?

"I..."

Couldn't she?

She lowered her head, the sadness in his eyes mirroring her own. He understood.

"(Y/N)." He twitched his arm, as though about to move it towards her, but then refrained. "Why?"

She shook her head, still looking down.

"They treat me like I'm a human, Henry. Like I'm a man." She raised her eyes to meet his, emotion swimming within them. "They respect me and appreciate me as one of them."

He looked hurt, searching her downcast features for any sign of a joke.

"(Y/N), I respect you like a man."

She looked up, struggling to get the words out that she wanted.

"You're...you're..."

Finally, she blurted. "You're not...them."

~~~

Henry's heart had stopped.

Never in a thousand years would he have expected his baby sister - his precious baby sister - to say that to him.

You're not them.

(Y/N) was as sharp-witted, hot-tempered, and harsh-spoken as her father, but she was also as beautiful and strong-willed as their mother had been. He often worried about her across seas by herself - at least here, he could protect her.

You're not them.

The words echoed in the back of his brain as he walked, boots clacking on the polished granite.

She had no right to compare him to her American "friends". They were probably just trying to seem kind to her, to lure her under false pretense.

She trusted them now. He knew what she acted like when she trusted someone.

You're not them.

As he approached the door, he raised his hand to knock - then froze.

Could he do this? Could he betray his little sister, whom he loved so very much?

You're.

Not.

Them.

He had to. It was the only way he could protect her.

Someday, after the war, she would understand.

Without further hesitation, he knocked.

_____________

DUN DUN DUN........

I'm sorry this was so short😭this is that other rly dramatic chapter😂 also I just realized that I forgot to post yesterday and I am terribly sorry about that.

But anyway, take this very short chapter. Sorry about that too. This is literally half of what I usually write but I figured, ya know, dramatic cliffhangers are key.

Updates will continue to be on Saturday's, don't worry! Peace out y'all and have a fantabulous week!✌🏼❤️