╰ ┈ " 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 "✎▫✧⭒...

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The days have gotten colder ever since winter arrived last month. The sun barely has an effect on the Earth when it's so far away. The winter season was a favorite of (Y/n)'s, but only because she could snuggle with her blanket and pillows. However, there were drawbacks to living through a cold winter.

Sicknesses were common. (Y/n) is one of the people who's more vulnerable to the cold. With a cold home in such a cold area, it would be easy for her to get sick.

The woman woke up one day, her eyes staring up at the ceiling. Her big blanket wraps around her form, engulfing her in a much-needed warm embrace. The sun was glaring at her face through her blinds. She moved her body away and reached for her phone. Her face shows off a smile as she looked at the date. It was a weekend and she didn't have work today. That brought her joy.

(Y/n) looked through the many notifications that appeared on her opening screen. Most of them were texts from her friends' group chat and others came from apps she had on her phone. She had some important emails here and there. Some from her boss and others were reminders to pay off her car and her house.

It was the fifth month of living in this old house and the woman still felt like she needed to get used to it. She wasn't a big believer in the paranormal but her house has been creaking and croaking. A few cold spots appear and disappear at the same time. Sure, ghosts might make those, but that could also just be the house's thing.

It was an old thing. Maybe it's naturally just cold.

The wooden floors downstairs have been very loud and sometimes the walls felt like something was skittering inside. (Y/n) remembers calling her realtor about the noises, only to have him say that they were just critters.

She was advised to call exterminators to check on the property, but doing that costs her a lot of money. Right now, the woman was very tight on money. She wanted to be fully independent of her family so by the first month she stopped asking her mom and her dad about money. She never knew how much she needed them until the middle of the second month when all the bills came in.

Her job was enough to support her, but it's hard to save up for anything.

A sigh leaves her mouth as she sat up. She felt an immediate rush of cold air hit her skin, causing her to shiver. There was the house's natural cold again. A frown replaced the smile on her face. There was a thought in her mind that told her to go back to bed, but she couldn't do that. She had a lot of things to do today, from raking up the leftover leaves to calling her dad. She could probably finish all of her tasks in time for lunch if she worked hard.

Slipping in her slippers, (Y/n) rushes to the bathroom to get ready. She showered, changed clothes, and did her face. Just a daily moisturizer and toner were needed for today. The next part came naturally for her. She walked out and headed straight for the bed again. She pulled out the box underneath and plucked out the letters.

The woman gently ripped open the envelope and plucked the letter inside. Although the letters were normal for (Y/n), there was a slight surprise. Tucked inside the worn paper was a baseball card. Her (e/c) eyes widened as she stared at the small collectible. It was a picture of a Boston Red Sox player named Ted Williams. The card was dated 1939.

"This is a collector's item isn't it?" (Y/n) asked herself. She looked at the back of the card, finding a signature on it. That was more of a surprise than the baseball card itself. The thing looked to be signed by the actual player. It was more than a collectible now. It's rare and it's in mint condition, which seemed impossible.

Gently placing the baseball card down on the counter, (Y/n)'s eyes scanned the letter. A warm smile appeared on her face as she read his greeting.

"Good morning Jones," (Y/n) smiled. The words drifted off in the air, only entering her ears.

Good morning babe!

I hope your morning is going well. I think my morning's okay. The rationed food is definitely getting better each day. I'm genuinely starting to look forward to every meal now. It's definitely an improvement from whatever the hell we had at the start of my deployment. I'm starting to like lugging around cans and boxes of food with me while I'm out there. I hope you've eaten already! If you haven't, please consider eating something.

I know you're not a soldier, but it's good to eat something too. Charles told me the other day that his sweetheart has been struggling with food recently. Says it just wasn't the same eating by herself. Hey, if you're feeling like that, I'm sorry! I know it's rough, but hey, just think I'm there, in spirit of course. I'll be eating right beside you, even if I'm all the way here in Europe and you're back in America.

Now, I know what you're thinking! You're thinking "Why is there a Ted Williams baseball card in my letter?", aren't you? Babe! It's a limited edition Ted Williams 1939 card! I also got it signed by the man himself! Isn't that great?

You might be asking why I sent it, and that's because, well...if I can't send you the peanut butter and jelly crackers, I might as well send you something that I cherish the most. This Ted Williams card is my lucky charm, babe, so I really do hope that you take care of it well.

I'm kind of hoping that it'll give you good luck too! Maybe even some prosperity in the future. You might say that I need it more since I'm fighting, but honestly, I think I'm lucky enough. I get by every day with a prayer and I come back to base every night with little to no scratches. That baseball card has blessed me too much, so I want to share its blessings.

I dunno what you would do with it, but please don't sell it off to some kid. I know money is tight right now, and you're definitely an angel from Earth, but hold off on your kindness and don't sell it to a crying kid okay? It would really suck.

Of course, you might think it's kind of childish to cherish a baseball card, but you already know me and baseball. I love that sport to death! I love this card wholeheartedly, but hey, don't go thinking I love this card more than you. Call me cheesy, but there's only one of you and a hundred signed Ted William cards out there. You are definitely more limited edition than the card.

I hope you are well over there, babe. Stay healthy and stay strong always! I'll always have you in my thoughts and I hope you have me in yours too!

Sincerely, your amazing awesome heroic boyfriend

A. F. J.

There were things that she's noticed from the last few letters. He's getting better with his one-liners. She remembers when he had blurred out his baseball pick-up line. It was almost obvious that he hasn't actually used them before. For a man who seems to have gotten into a quick relationship with someone, it was strange that he doesn't know how to use pick-up lines.

Maybe he had managed to woo his girlfriend without them. He had the charm and probably had the looks too. Whoever the girlfriend was, she was lucky to have someone as sweet as him. He poured out his love to her in her letters, so there had been no use for pickup lines. Just talking to him was enough to make anyone swoon for her.

(Y/n) would have been lying if she said that she wasn't one of them.

Either way, she giggled at the times he's managed to sneak in one-liners in his letters. They were appreciated and it made the woman feel warm inside. It wasn't out of the ordinary. It had been like that ever since the third month. (Y/n) was aware of her feelings, but was still in denial of them.

The smile was stuck on (Y/n)'s face as she placed the letter back in the envelope. She gently picked up the baseball card that was on the counter. She scanned it again, picking up the faded paint and the smiling face of the now-deceased baseball player.

"Thank you, Jones, I'll make sure this card is in a safe pace." The woman placed it back down on the table and grabbed her phone. She had to make sure that thing is perfectly preserved. She knew that card collectors usually use a plastic sleeve to cover their cards, but considering that this card isn't like new pokemon cards, she might have to use more.

Maybe a special case? Once she's paid her bills and raked enough money, she might invest in a case. She would have to order it online though. She doesn't want to go into stores trying to find a case for a single baseball card. Besides, she wasn't a big collector of baseball cards. Just a small square box would be enough for this Ted Williams card.

For now, it would have to sit in the letter it came from. (Y/n) had to make a note for it, as she tends to forget things. She hopped off of her bed. She went to her closet to grab a coat so she could bundle up before doing her yard work. She made sure to grab the keys before exiting her home.

The rest of the morning was spent outside. (Y/n) was hard at work with a smile bright on her face. Reading those letters from Jones definitely made her feel better, like always. As she raked the remaining remnants of fall in her front yard, she thought about the soldier again. The man's letters had some time between them. Some letters felt like they were weeks ahead of the other. She wondered last letter's date tells her if he survived or not.

It would be impossible to tell, though. The dates were written on the letter itself. They can't be seen through the envelope.

Her desires made it almost impossible to stop her urge to rip open the last letter. She would have spoiled it for herself if she had done that. That feeling of not knowing his fate was killing her.

The rake (Y/n) held in her hands started to scrape the ground, making mounds of earth. Her grip around the wooden handle tightened as she huffed. She took in a deep breath as a way of calming herself down.

The last thing she wanted was her neighbors looking out their windows and seeing a young woman throwing a tantrum in front of her home.

She fixed her composure and continued to rake until she had placed all the leaves in her compost bin. She used her feet to fix the mounds of dirt that rose up, tidying them up so that they were flat on the floor.

A loud honk caused her head to lift up. Off to the road was a familiar person, whose car is already out of his driveway. Her lips curled up into a smile as she approached the driver. (E/c) eyes connect with a gentle lilac gaze.

"Where you off to, Matthew?" (Y/n) asked.

"My cousin's home," the blonde replied, "He's been bugging me about something. Says he's got something to show me, even if he could have just called me. I think he just wants to hang out."

"Be safe alright?" the young woman hummed, "and have fun wherever you're going."

"With his loud, annoying self, I don't know if I will," Matthew joked around, "I'll see you around, (Y/n)."

The pair shared a smile before (Y/n) walked back to her yard. The blonde male honked his horn again, spared a small, soft smile, and drove off.

(Y/n) used the side gate to enter her backyard. She tucked her rake in the shed that came with the house and made her way inside. She tossed her gloves on the kitchen counter and pulled out her phone. It was already noon. Perhaps her father was available. He usually has nothing to do for the weekends. Well, that is, if he wasn't busy with his wife.

The young woman made her way to the living room and sat down on the couch. She turned on her tv to a stream. She only wanted to have some background noise so it didn't feel like she was alone in the house. Of the five months living here, she just couldn't get used to the silence. Sure, it was comforting, but sometimes it was eerie.

Quickly she dialed her father's number and let the phone ring until someone picked up.

"Dad," (Y/n) spoke, "Good afternoon."

"Hey kiddo," her father replied, "What's up?"

"I wanted to ask if you found something," she asked. Her hands grabbed a pillow and hugged it.

"I couldn't really find anything," he spoke, "I've looked through everything, and not once did your grandpa mention someone named Jones. Even your grandma said he didn't know anyone by the name of Jones. She was positive about it too, considering how talkative that old man was. I would have called you sooner, but, I've got nothing for you, kid."

(Y/n) pushed her hair back as she nodded. A sigh came from her mouth. Although disappointment nestled in her heart, she smiled.

"Look, kid...I know how much you want to find out about this mystery soldier of yours. You could do it yourself you know. You have his letters. Maybe try looking through all of his letters."

"I don't want to," the woman mumbled, "I don't want to open the rest of them. It doesn't feel right and I have this weird... bad feeling about them."

"Well, whatever you wanna do. If you ever need help again, just call me okay?" The old man hummed.

"I will." (Y/n) spoke a soft goodbye to her father before picking up.

There were no leads at all in her search for whoever the hell this soldier was. Her father was right, though. If she was so keen on finding out who he was, she should have just opened all of the letters. There was a part of her that wanted to open all of it, but there was another that said that it would completely kill the suspense.

The two sides were at war at the moment and all the woman did was sit on her couch. Her eyes stare at the ceiling. Her lips were pursed into a frown. Ultimately, the side that wished to progress slower had won.

Her heart fluttered as she continued to stare above. Her thoughts drifted and wandered around. Thoughts about the mysterious soldier invaded her mind. Every time she recounted his words, her heartfelt warmth.

The poems he had written about were still in her head. He may not be his girlfriend but just the thought of him calling her beautiful was enough to make her swoon.

The smile appeared on her face again as she thought about the mysterious soldier.

The woman continued her day just like any other. She took a break from work and contacted her mother and her new partner. Although she wasn't close to her, she still loved her. She just needs to get used to her new partner though. They were nice to her, yeah, but it'll take a while.

After talking to her mom, (Y/n) went on to call friends and talk to them. Eventually, her social meter was depleted and she spent the rest of the evening by herself. She ate dinner, cleaned herself up, and got ready for bed. She snuggled up to her pillow and fell asleep.

(Y/n) stirred around in her sleep. Her eyes sprang open once the day arrived. She did not move an inch from her current position as she tried to remember what happened in her mind.

She had a dream.

Sure, she dreams sometimes at night, but this time it was different. In last night's dream, she envisioned herself with a man. That man had his face covered by a black haze one can easily pick out his smile. He wore a dark green uniform, brown boots, and glasses. It was clear that he was taller than her. He had no voice, but, he was able to speak to her. It was like the dream had its own subtitles.

When asked his identity, he mumbled Jones.

His identity is why (Y/n) was so keen on remembering the dream.

The young woman danced with him underneath the pale moonlight. Their fingers were intertwined and Jones had his hands on her waist. They were so close to each other that they filled the spaces between their chests. When the camera panned out to film the couple's face, pure adoration and love were seen.

(Y/n) stayed in her bed and her lips unknowingly curled into a smile. She had been dancing with Jones in her dream. The look on her face showed how much she loved the man she barely knew. The grip she had on her blankets tightened as she sighed.

"No...I can't-" (Y/n) said to herself. "I can't fall for someone who's already dead." She tried to clear her mind by getting up and starting her morning routine. She walks to the bathroom and stares at herself in the mirror.

"Get it together," the woman told herself. Her mind and heart refused. They dwelled on the thought of waltzing with the soldier under the night sky. She could only bring her head down in defeat. As much as she hated to admit it, her fondness of Jones grew up to the point where she developed a crush.

From the span of five months, she's completely lost herself to a man she's never seen before.

(Y/n) pushed her hair back as she washed her face. A smile appeared again as she thought about the soldier. She was eager to read another letter this morning.

She wanted to hear from him again.

Exiting the bathroom, she headed straight for the bed. She pulled out the box of letters and grabbed one. Gently, she tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. She made sure that nothing else fell out of it. She wouldn't want to damage whatever Jones had in there for her.

For her. These weren't really for her. She wanted it to be.

"Good morning Jones," she whispered.

Good morning babe!

Have your days been getting better? Have you been eating well? You know without you sending anything at all, I get kinda worried that things are bad back at home. I don't even know if the letters are getting to your address. I hope they're reaching home though! I hope you get to read them. I genuinely hope that you've gotten something to eat this morning. Hopefully a good meal too!

I'm sorry I haven't been writing in a while. I know it's been a few days since I've last sent you the letter. We're currently trying to attack a few European bases, so it's getting a bit hectic around here. Soldier morale is declining. Mine is too, but, I'm trying to push through. I'm trying to be happy with you, ma, and pa in my thoughts.

Don't worry about me. I will always try to show you the enthusiasm you've grown to love. If I manage to slip up in one of my letters, I'm sorry.

I was recently put on post while Charles, Alex, and James stayed put back at base. Sure, I'm with a few other guys but I can't really relax. Everyone is basically on edge. I barely got any sleep last night. I'm only writing this right now because I've been given a break this morning. Don't worry! I'm sure I can keep myself safe here since I've got a buddy with me.

It's a Brit, actually. Goes by the name of Kirkland. He's kind of mean, serious, but whenever he wants to have a laugh, he has one. I get along with him. Sort of. It's hard to strike up a conversation with him when he always turns me down. I guess I don't mind. We should all be serious at this job you know? Can't have our guard down, especially when we don't know when enemy forces are going to strike.

Kirkland's been helping me with my sharpshooter skills. Kirkland's a really good sniper! He's given me tips and tricks on how to aim better, how to reload my rifle properly. He tells me when to peak out and when to hide. With the help of the rifle, I'm actually able to hit the targets! My hands aren't as shaky anymore.

Honestly, I'm beginning to love this rifle that they've given me. I used to dislike the M1 Garand since it's mostly used for longer range. I myself prefer to be just a bit closer and I like operating the machine guns more. I'm getting better with the rifle though! I think I'll use