As they walked into the corner of the compound that was Sky News' temporary home at Checkpoint Atlantis, it was clear the lads were nervous.
Tinks and Billy, elite Royal Marine snipers, are braver than you or I - staring death in the face on an almost daily basis, trusting in and relying on each other to get home safe and sound each night.
Yet as they sat down cross-legged on the dusty floor, they were uneasy - until, that is, they did what they always do and began to lean on the other.
They are clearly as close as two young friends can be.
When I asked them for their memories of 9/11 they acted as if twins - often finishing each others sentences, agreeing with each other and nodding in sync, giving an honest account of what it was like that dark day, for those almost too young to process the event.
"I'd have been 12, 10 years ago," said Billy. "I was on the bus waiting to go home, still at school.
"One of the girl's dads was flying to America. She was upset and through her everyone found out."
Tinks looked at his friend then, when certain he'd said all he wanted to, spoke slowly.
"I was 14. I was still at school, I remember being in a history lesson and seeing one of the teachers come in. She was crying and no one knew why.
"Then she told everyone, and I don't think anyone really understood how big it was, what kind of a disaster it was, until later when we all went home and saw it on the news."
As did so many others, seeing these events on television was a surreal event for them both - especially as they were just two young lads raised on action films and games of playing soldier.
Yet the constant barrage of imagery meant it quickly became all too clear this was no fiction, no Hollywood event - but a heinous act, committed by criminals.
"It was on the scale of natural disasters," said Billy. "But this time someone was to blame for it. This time it was terrorism."
The two barely knew of Afghanistan's existence, let alone those who had planned and executed the attack on the twin towers.
"At that age you kind of live in your own little bubble. It's just you, your friends and your family, you're just kind of plodding on.
"If someone had said to me: 'Who are the Taliban? Who are al Qaeda?' - I'd have been like, I don't know. Some bad guys."
But as they grew older, so did their understanding of what had happened that day - of Osama bin Laden, of the al Qaeda network, of the lengths to which some people were prepared to go to spread their views and suppress those they disagreed with.
Having made the decision to join the Royal Marines, they now find themselves trying to find a broader meaning to the job here in Nad e Ali.
For both, this is less to do with bearded men in caves plotting terrorist acts and more to do with this country's future.
"It's not about that one incident anymore. It's about many others," said Tinks.
"It's about why Afghanistan is the way it is, and what allowed that to happen in the first place.
"We're trying to get out of Afghanistan - we don't want our children or grandchildren to come back here."
Not for the first time, Billy nodded in agreement - and I found myself doing the same.
Not for the first time, I found myself deeply impressed by the Royal Marines Commandos.
Good luck lads - keep your heads down. I know you'll be looking out for each other.
Source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/9-11-afghanistan-no-longer-one-event-045542877.html
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