#and the main one i listen to is 4 hrs

[popstart]

i wish i knew more songs so i could make more diverse playlist, however i refuse to listen to new music so im at an impasse

[footprintsinthesxnd]

Chapter 4: ‘Picnics, Phartzac and Painful Goodbyes’

Gale Cleven × Hope Armstrong (ofc)

Series Masterlist

This story is based on on the fictional portrayal of these men from the MOTA to series.

Summary: When their plane is diverted to Thorpe Abbott airfield Hope and Ruth's lives change forever. These two brave nurses must face the trials and tribulations of war, as well as suffering the heartache that war inevitable brings with it.

Collab: A Pair of Silver Wings by @major-mads

Sunday, August 15th, 1943: AAF Grove, Berkshire: 2000 HRS

The constant ticking of the clock in the corner of the base supply closet was the only sound filling the air as the Angel of Death’s nurses tallied their bandages, morphine syrettes, and other supplies that needed refilling after their busy weeks in the air. Looking up from her clipboard, Ruth sighed, seeing Hope staring at the wall before her in a daze.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Ruth called quietly, already having an idea of who was on her friend’s mind.

Hope blinked a few times and looked over at the blonde with a half-hearted smile. “Gale…I miss him.”

“I know,” she sighed softly, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. “I miss Johnny, too. It’s been almost three weeks. I love his letters but-”

“It’s not the same,” Hope finished for her.

Before either of the women could continue a voice echoed through the almost empty building. “You girls in here?”

Frank.

“We’re in the back!”

His shoes clacked against the concrete floors as he made his way to the back storage room, sending the girls a half-grin when he stuck his head inside the door. If they were paying attention, they would have noticed the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“How’re you two holding up?”

Their eyes met briefly, silently communicating whether or not they would be truthful. Ruth’s pale blues decided the answer was no, and Hope’s gaze moved back to her clipboard.

“We’re fine,” she answered, reaching up to grab a bandage from the crate. “Just tired.”

Frank moved to lean his shoulder against the doorframe, holding his captain’s cap under his arm as he spoke gently. “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

He looked over at them with a worried expression as the ticking of the clock filled the room again, neither of them speaking up. “You would tell me if there was something wrong, right?”

Ruth’s stomach sank. “Of course,” she murmured, turning to mirror Hope, who had her back turned to the man while filling up supply boxes.

Frank sighed and ran a tired hand down his face. “How about you both call it a day, huh? Go get some chow and then relax. You’ve been going almost non-stop for weeks.”

Since their last visit to Thorpe Abbotts on July 31st, they’d spent almost every day in the air, transporting patients from Italy to Africa, sometimes spending the night in nurses' tents in the middle of the Tunisian desert. If they weren’t on a run, they were doing things around the base, constantly on the move in preparation for the worsening invasion of Sicily. The sheer volume of casualties was horrendous, and it seemed that the men got younger with each one they laid eyes on.

Carnage takes a toll…and not just on those fighting on the fronts with bullets flying around them.

“Come on,” Frank urged, throwing his cap back on. He walked over and pulled each of them under an arm, turning toward the closet door. “That’s an order.”

Hope raised an eyebrow at him, unable to keep a smirk off her lips. “What makes you think we’re gonna start listening to you now?”

This time that Frank smiled, it was genuine. “I am a Captain, after all, Lieutenants.”

He walked them to the main exit of the hut, released them from his hold, and opened the door for them. They each wore a grin, and he saw it as a win. “Now go eat up. I’ll make sure everything makes it on the Angel.”

As he lightly pushed the pair out the door, Ruth turned around. “There’s just one thing I need-”

“I got it, Ruth,” he interrupted. “I promise.”

Hope grabbed the blonde’s arm gently, pulling her out the door behind her. “Come on, Rue. I’m starving.”

Watching from the windows as the women made their way to the mess hall, Frank sighed. He had come in a few minutes before he announced himself, and had heard the girls’ conversation. Part of him felt guilty for eavesdropping on them, but another part of him was glad he overheard it. Out of the three of them, he was the only one who had the power to do anything about the situation.

It was no secret they reminded him of his younger sister Grace back home, and from the first time they met, the trio formed a close bond that was only deepened when they went up together for their first casualty evacuation. Frank’s heart ached to see the normally bubbly women so down, and he knew he had to do something about it.

Marching over to a nearby desk, Frank grasped the phone and held it up to his ear.

The operator’s voice crackled through the receiver. “Number please.”

“Norfolk, 7322, please,” he replied.

Thorpe Abbotts AAF Base, Norwich

“Good job today, boys,” Johnny praised, raising his glass toward the other crew in the Officer’s Club bar. “I heard you stayed tight in formation, just like we taught ‘ya.”

Earlier in the day, select crews of the 100th had taken part in a mission targeting aircraft factories in Merville and Lille, both in occupied France. The mission was a success, and the ‘Bloody Hundredth’ defied its nickname by bringing all its forts home safely.

“It wasn’t your aftershave, Buck, but I still stayed close enough,” Claytor called from across the bar where he sat with the rest of Alice From Dallas’ crew.

Buck grinned, taking a sip of his ginger beer. “I’d expect nothing less, Roy.”

A familiar trumpet solo echoing through the hall stole Johnny’s attention, and his eyes rose from his almost empty glass to the dance floor, his mind taking him back to the last time he heard Artie Shaw’s Star Dust…

when he had danced with Ruth and held her so close.

Gale’s hand on his shoulder, breaking him from his memory, his heart beating loudly in his chest just as it had been that night.

“John,” Gale said with a raised eyebrow. “Did you hear me?”

Egan nodded and pursed his lips, running a hand over his mustache briefly. “Yeah,” he rasped.

“What did I say?”

Pulling out his signature raised eyebrow grin, Johnny reached up and tapped Gale’s cheek. “That I’m the best pilot in the 100th…and I have to say that I agree with ‘ya.”

Buck just rolled his eyes and shook his head at the man. “That’s definitely not what I said.”

Drinking the rest of his pint, John raised a few fingers at the bartender, who slid a full one over to him.

“Then what did you say, Buck?” he asked, quickly gulping down half of the new glass. The major had already had a few shots earlier in the night, and he was starting to feel the familiar buzz. His cheeks were flushed from the alcohol and warmth coursed through his veins.

“It doesn’t matter,” Gale huffed, sipping his drink. “What were you dazed off thinking about? A certain blonde, perhaps?”

Bucky shifted his position against the bartop to face him and nodded once with a shrug. “Maybe,” he paused, his smirk falling to a frown as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “I miss her.”

Out of all the things that Gale Cleven thought would come out of his friend’s mouth, the words “I miss her” were not what he expected. Sure, he knew John liked Ruth, and Hope had even told him that Ruth liked him back, but hearing it from his mouth made it real. The longing in his voice surprised the Major. In the three years the two knew each other, he couldn’t recall the older man ever speaking about a woman in such a tender way.

“Me too,” Buck replied softly, his own heart aching to see Hope.

“You too, huh?” Johnny quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye as he leaned closer to Gale. “Well, last I checked, Hope’s the one you should be missin’. Ruth’s my girl, remember?”

Buck rolled his eyes, a chuckle escaping his lips despite doing everything to hold it in. “Yeah, yeah,” he groaned, his tone tinged with amusement. “You’re hopeless, you know that?”

“Hopeless romantic, you mean.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of hopelessly stupid.”

Johnny feigned offence and placed a hand over his heart. “Come on now, what’s life without a little excitement, right?”

“Speak for yourself, Johnny boy,” Buck replied, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. “Some of us prefer a quieter existence.”

“Where’s the fun in that? Life’s too short to play it safe.”

Gale shook his head, scoffing playfully under his breath and bringing his glass to his lips. “Hopeless.”

John’s grin widened as he glanced over at him, raising his eyebrows expectantly. “You’re the only Hope-less one here.”

Buck froze with his glass on his lips for a moment until he turned to Johnny with a confused and somewhat incredulous expression. “That was terrible, Bucky.”

“What? It’s funny. I thought it was pretty clever,” John insisted, chuckling to himself.

Gale just shook his head, using all his willpower to remain stoic. “Not really.”

Undeterred, John persisted, tilting his head toward Buck. “Come on, it’s a little funny.”

Finally, Cleven’s facade fell, and a tiny smile quirked his lips. “Okay, maybe just a little,” he conceded.

“See, I told you-”

The thump of a phone being placed on the counter in front of them cut him off, and both men looked up confused, their serious moment broken. Kidd held the receiver up to his ear. “Operator, I’ve got Major Cleven here.”

“Why do we keep getting calls at the bar?” John asked loudly as Jack handed Buck the phone, and Cleven shot him a “shut up” glare.

“Hello.”

“Is this Major Cleven?” the voice asked.

“It is,” Buck replied, looking over at Johnny skeptically. The other major then leaned close to hear the conversation. “May I ask who’s calling?”

“This is Frank Martin. The girls’ pilot.”

At the mention of the nurses, all amusement fell from their faces and they shared a worried glance. John suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and every ‘what if’ ran through Gale’s mind.

Why would he be calling?

Readjusting the earpiece, Buck cleared the emotion from his throat. “Are…are the girls okay?”

“Sorry, Major. Don’t worry, they’re alright,” he winced, able to hear the concern in the other man’s voice. “I’m just calling because they need a pick-me-up, and I was wondering if I could bring them by the base tomorrow-”

While Buck let out a relieved breath, John’s face lit up and he grabbed the phone from Gale’s ear, unable to contain his excitement. “Yes!” he shouted into the phone, causing all eyes to turn towards the bar. When they realized it was just Bucky being Bucky, they all went back to their conversations. “Maybe you’re not so bad after all, Frank!”

“What is wrong with you?” Buck hissed, snatching the phone back from him.

How Ruth calmed the man and riled him up at the same time, Buck would never understand.

Kidd shot him a look that mirrored Buck’s question and John shrugged. “It’s not my fault you’re so lonely, Jack,” he smirked, talking louder to be heard over the music. “I get to see my girl! You should be happy for me! I was just talk-”

“Will you shut the hell up, Bucky?!” Gale snapped as he held the phone back up to his ear. His eyes narrowed, remaining on Johnny as he spoke. “Sorry, Frank. Major Egan’s had a little too much to drink tonight.”

On the other side of the line in Berkshire, Frank was more than confused at how the loud, boisterous man could ever be with someone like Ruth. “I can tell.”

“We’d love to see the girls tomorrow. What time do you think you’ll be here?”

The Captain scratched his 5 o’clock shadow, calculating the drive time in his mind. “Around 1 in the afternoon, probably. If everything goes to plan, that is.”

“Thank you for doing this, Frank. We owe you big time.”

“Of course. Don’t tell ‘em I told you this,” he sighed, ”But they need a break, even if it’s just for a few hours. And as much as I hate to admit it, they miss you both like crazy…I just want to see ‘em happy.”

Gale’s heart sped up in his chest, and he looked over at Bucky who was staring off at the dance floor yet again, a soft grin on his lips. “Yeah, we know the feeling. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See ya.”

The call ended with a click, and John threw his arm over Buck’s shoulder, shaking him lightly. “I had a feeling tomorrow was gonna be a good day!”

Curt then appeared next to them, leaning on the bar top. “So I hear your nurses are coming into town tomorrow?”

“Don’t you go getting any ideas, now,” John grinned down at him, his mind starting to fall back under the influence after his moment of clarity. He reached down and picked up his pint, about to gulp the rest down when he had a sudden thought.

‘What are you doing?’ his mind screamed at him. ‘You can’t be hungover.’

Placing the pint back onto the bartop, he pushed it away from him, motioning for the bartender. “Can I -uh- get a water, please?”

Curt, Buck, and Jack all shared confused glances, and Kidd was the one to speak up. “I didn’t even know you drank water.”

“There’s a first time for everything, Jack,” John replied, chugging the glass, a few droplets falling from his chin to his dress jacket. “I don’t think Ruth would appreciate me being hungover tomorrow.”

Jack scoffed lightly, his brow raised skepticaly at him. “Who are you and what have you done with John Egan?”

It was the thought running through all their minds. Out of the three of them, he knew the least about Ruth’s effect on John, Curt and Buck having witnessed it themselves over the past few weeks.

“It looks like Ruth has done in a little over a month what women have tried for 27 years.” Biddick grinned, throwing his arm around the major.

With a chuckle, Johnny lowered his glass and looked up at his friend. “And what is that?”

“She’s tamed you.”

Egan’s brows shot up in surprise, and Buck laughed loudly from beside him, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle the sound. “I wouldn’t say that, Curt,” he retorted. “Tamed is a strong word. Maybe more like watered down.”

John shrugged, pursing his lips. “Whatever. All I know is that Hope seems to have the opposite effect on you, Buck.”

“Oh no. Here we go again,” Gale groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Please don’t-”

Bucky grinned, pointing past the major to Kidd. “Jack, have you heard the story?”

“I have not.”

“So it’s the night of the dance. Ruth and I were dancing, right? We’re having a great time and then here comes Charlie��”

Frank watched as the Major left the base, waving goodbye to the few officers that remained to keep everyone in line. He only had a few short hours to get his plane to work and everything had to go exactly as planned.

He’d already spoken to the officer in charge who agreed to let Hope and Ruth have a day off after their weeks of endless work and seeing that there records showed they had the most men evacuated back to England in stable conditions, agreed that it was only fair. He had their passes tucked neatly away in his flight jacket, not trusting the girls not to misplace them in the meantime.

The Austin was parked around the back of the officers barracks. The car was in pristine condition and was the Majors pride and joy. Luckily with the Major off base everyone would assume he’d taken his car with him so it’s absence wouldn’t be missed.

All Frank had to do was get it from the officers barracks and park it around the back in the store room by the C47’s overnight. The officers, he’d found out, had a meeting that morning and it was his best chance to ensure their barracks were empty.

Walking down the narrow, wooden path between the barracks, Frank checked over his shoulder repeatedly. He hadn’t felt this crafty since he’d been playing tricks on his younger sister all those years ago.

The car was parked exactly where it should be. Blue bodywork gleaming beautifully, silver-coloured wheels polished and the hoods fitted over the lights to fit with blackout regulations. The keys, as always, were in the glove compartment and Frank thanked his lucky stars that everything was going just right.

Pushing them into the ignition, the engine roared to life in all its glory and Frank couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride sitting behind the wheel of such a fine vehicle.

He drove the car quickly out onto the road and down towards where the planes were taxied, pulling off the main road through the base and cutting down the empty runway. There was something exhilarating about driving at 60 in a car like this and Frank felt a little flourish of the boy of his youth living out a childhood dream.

Pulling the car up into the store room, he ignored the looks of the ground crew Sergeant, who quickly dismissed whatever Frank was doing and continued his way across base.

He pulled a large sheet over the Austin, covering it from prying eyes before locking the store room door and walking away, whistling a little tune to himself as he went.

He wasn’t sure how his plane had worked so flawlessly but he’d thank God in his nightly prayers that it had. He had the passes, he had the car, now all he needed to do was tell the girls.

The Next Morning: Monday, August 16, 0900 HRS

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Frank stood outside hut number four in the chilly morning air, banging his fist against the tiny covered window between Hope and Ruth’s beds. “Wake up, sleeping beauties! I’ve got some good news for ya!”

Stirring from her sleep, Hope became vaguely aware of her surroundings. Ruth was sleeping to her right, curled in on herself under the covers as she whimpered and mumbled incoherently, turning over onto her back.

“Is’ alrigh’” the blonde muttered, her brows furrowed.

Hope peeled back her blanket, ready to wake up her dreaming friend, but two more loud knocks beat her to it. The sound woke Ruth with a start, and her eyes shot open, frantically scanning the hut as her chest heaved. After a few moments, she seemed to get her bearings and looked over at Hope with a hand on her forehead.

“You okay?” Hope asked carefully.

Ruth nodded stiffly, brushing some stray hairs from her forehead. “Yeah. Just a bad dream.”

“I’m here if you want to talk about it.”

“I know.”

Frank’s voice came through the thin walls again, and Hope rolled her eyes. “I’ve got a surprise for you two! Come out here!”

“I think he’s full of it,” Ruth chimed, sitting up against the wall. “Why does he keep waking us up like this?”

“Probably because it’s the most annoying. It’s what Hugh would do.”

“Yeah. Sounds about ri-”

BANG. BANG.

“I can hear you in there!” Frank shouted, his lips almost against the window as he got as close as humanly possible to them from the outside. “Come out here! Really! I have something important to tell you!”

The duo shared an annoyed glance and slowly made their way to the door. “This better be good, Frank!” Hope groaned as she pulled it open. Just like the last time he had woken them up with a few sharp knocks and some yelling, they were the only ones in the hut. Most of the other nurses were out on missions or doing work abound base.

Grinning from ear to ear, Frank sauntered from their window to the door. “Morning.”

“Cut the crap,” Hope retorted with an eye roll. “What’s this super important thing we need to know?”

The man broke out in chuckles at her direct attitude and readjusted his crusher cap atop his head, his lips pulling into a slight grimace. “So I heard you two talking in the supply room last night about the guys-”

“What?” Ruth gasped, sticking her head out from the doorframe to glare at him, her brows furrowed.

“You sneaky, son of a-”

He threw his hands up in surrender. “Hold on. Let me finish before you kill me, alright?”

Though they were still glaring up at him, the women nodded slowly, and he took a deep breath. “Because I hate to see you both upset, I worked it out for us to have the day off.”

Frank’s eyebrows raised expectantly, waiting for them to catch on to what he was saying, but all he was met with was confusion. “Thanks for that, Frank, but how is that “super” important?” Hope asked, tilting her head at him quizzically.

“I got us a car,” he added, his grin widening as his eyes widened in anticipation.

Ruth looked even more confused. “I’m not following.”

“Oh for crying out loud!” the captain grumbled, slapping his palm across his face as he shook his head. “Ruth’s a blonde, so she has an excuse, but Hope, you ought to have caught on already.”

Ruth’s jaw dropped and she barely concealed an incredulous grin. “Hey!” she defended.

Removing his cap, Frank ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. “I’m taking you to Thorpe Abbotts for Pete’s sake!”

Hope and Ruth stood silent for a moment as each of their minds came to the realization of what that meant. He watched on as their confused expressions faded into pure joy and their eyes lit up, huge grins painting their lips.

Frank couldn’t help but smile, his heart warming at the sight before him. “Don’t thank me all at onc-”

Their bodies colliding into his cut him short, and his senses were filled with unintelligible squealing as they hugged him tightly.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Now, this does not mean you have my blessing, alright?” he remarked as they released him from their death grip. “I just hate seein’ you two so miserable.”

“When are we leaving?”

Peering down at his watch, Frank smirked. “An hour.”

The nurses’ faces turned from glee to horror at his words, and within a split second, they ran back into the hut, slamming the door behind them as they frantically got ready.

THORPE ABBOTTS AAF BASE, NORWICH: 1257 HRS

By the time the car rumbled to Thorpe Abbotts’ MP gate, it was 12:57.

‘Perfect timing,’ Frank thought as he glanced in the rearview mirror at the girls who were running their fingers through their styled hair with excited grins.

The MP approached the car, a friendly smile on his face. “How are ya’?

“Good, sir,” Frank nodded. Captain Martin. We’re here to see-”

“You’re good to go, Captain. Major Egan said to keep an eye out for you,” the man interrupted, nodding for him to go on. “Tell Bucky he owes me one!”

“Will do.”

At the mention of John, Ruth perked up even more in her seat. She had thought about seeing him again from the moment they had last said goodnight, her mind reminding her of the warm and giddy feeling that coursed through her body in his presence.

Hope reached over and squeezed her hand tightly as she spoke. “I’m so excited.”

“Me too. I can’t wait to see him!”

Frank listened in from the front seat, his brotherly protective instincts kicking in. “Hope, you taught Ruth your right hook, right?”

“I tried to,” she chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her friend. “She knows the basics.”

“Go for the crotch, Ruth,” the man advised, nodding at her in the rearview. “It's our weakness, okay?”

She rolled her eyes and chuckled under her breath, her gaze turning to stare at the window at the passing concrete buildings. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

His attention turned to the other nurse. “And do you still have what I gave you last time?”

Hope’s face instantly heated up as she glared at him.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Be smart.”

They rolled to a stop in front of the main building, and both Hope and Ruth’s stomachs were swirling with nervousness and excitement. The duo shared one last hopeful glance and exited the car.

Hope could hear John’s voice from the other side of the car but she couldn’t concentrate on anything as she scanned the surrounding area. She was soon met with a very smiley Gale, who waved at her from where he was standing on the grass. Hope could make out the large, fluffy dog in front of him that she could only assume was the infamous Meatball.

“Gale,” she called as she finally reached them. Gale didn’t even speak but instead engulfed Hope in a warm and comforting hug. He smelt strongly of his cologne and Hope instantly felt at ease.

“Damn, I’ve missed you,” Gale whispered into Hope’s neck, kissing her cheek lightly before Hope pressed her lips firmly to his. Gale was a little taken aback but soon kissed her in return, his hand winding into her hair and disturbing her neat curls but Hope didn’t care. It felt so good to be back in his arms.

A small whine caused the couple to break apart and Hope laughed as Meatball nudged his ball towards her. “You must be meatball,” Hope crouched down, ruffling his fluffy mane.

“He sure is,” Gale squatted beside her, stroking the dog affectionately.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Meatball,” Hope laughed as the husky nuzzled into her palm. “You’re a sweet boy.”

Footsteps behind them caused the pair to turn, meeting a very smiley Ruth who instantly dove down to greet Meatball, chatting animatedly with the dog.

Hope couldn’t help but grin as she watched John’s gaze follow Ruth and a look of pure adoration spread across his face. She stepped over to him, greeting John with a small hug.

“It’s good to see you again, John.”

“Good to see you too, Hope. How have ya been keeping?”

Hope shrugged, “Not too bad. Glad to finally have a day off. It’s been a tough few weeks.” Hope tried not to dampen the mood but both she and Ruth had been struggling, mentally and physically with the trials of their demanding job. John just nodded and Hope, noticing that Ruth was still occupied with Meatball, decided to offer John some advice.

“Ruth isn’t just another one of your floozy’s, John. She’s a special girl so you better treat her right, otherwise you’ll have Frank and I to deal with. I’ve met your kind before and the poor guy didn’t take too kindly to me punching him in the face, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. Is that clear?” She raised her eyebrows waiting for his response, amused as John smirked, scratching the back of his neck,

“Crystal, Lieutenant. I ain’t gonna cause any trouble. I really like Ruth, she’s a great girl and I’m not just planning on messing around with her.”

Hope seemed satisfied with his answer, giving him a small nod before moving back to Gale’s side. John let out a small breath he’d been holding. He’d heard about this other unfortunate guy from Hugh and he didn’t fancy meeting Hope’s right hook.

“So what are you two’s plans for the next…” Buck checked his watch. “Four hours?”

“Uhhh about that,” John smiled cheekily at his friend, snapping his fingers and pointing to him. “I’m borrowing your bike back for the afternoon.”

“What do you mean, ‘borrowing it back?’” Gale asked with furrowed brows.

“Well, Ruthie and I can’t walk all the way to Dickleburgh, and there were no jeeps...so, bikes it is.”

The girls were barely containing their snickers at the way the Majors often went at it like an old married couple.

Buck’s hands moved to his hips. “And what if Hope and I are going off base?”

“Come on, Buck,” Johnny groaned, mirroring his stance. “I know you weren’t planning to, were you?”

The younger man just glared at him with narrowed eyes. “No, but-”

Taking the confession as a win, John threw an arm over Ruth’s shoulders and pulled her against his side. “Thanks, Buck,” he hollered as he turned them toward the two bikes lying among the grass. “See you two later! Have fun!”

Ruth sent a small wave to Hope, which she returned, watching as her friend disappeared.

“Well it looks like I have you all to myself this afternoon then,” Gale smiled cheekily and Hope couldn’t help the little blush that crawled across her cheeks. “Was there something you wanted to do?”

‘You,’ Hope felt like saying but stopped herself, acutely aware of the condoms still stuffed in her handbag that she’d forgotten to remove from the dance. How did this keep happening to her?

“Well, I thought maybe you could show me some of this Suffolk countryside we are surrounded by. Maybe we could take Meatball for a walk, I’m sure he’d appreciate it, wouldn’t ya boy?”

The big husky looked up at her from his spot on the grass, panting in the warm summer sun. Gale smiled, ruffling the fur on the dog's head.

“There’s a little stream not too far from here, I’m sure you’d appreciate a cool-off, huh buddy?” The dog let out a small woof in agreement. “Well, there’s your answer.”

Gale stood back up, linking his arm through Hope’s and pressing his lips quickly to her forehead, “Shall we?”

“Lead the way, Major.

The pair began their walk down the narrow hedged lane, Gale’s hand quickly finding Hope’s and their fingers intertwined easily as if they had been doing it all their lives. Hope couldn’t help the way her heart lurched at Gale’s touch, the way his skin so softly brushed against her own.

Meatball ran out ahead of them, frolicking in the long grass, bouncing up and down and he howled happily.

“I swear I hear his howling in my sleep sometimes,” Gale muttered under his breath, causing Hope to chuckle.

“He’s just having fun,” she giggled, amused by Gale’s deadpan expression and his wrinkled forehead. “He’s a sweet dog really.”

Gale nodded, “He is a good dog, I’ll give him that.” There was something so natural about walking the dog through the lush, East Anglian countryside that gave Hope the impression that she was in a novel. A woman and the man she loved walking their dog on a sunny, summer afternoon would make a good first line to a book. If she thought hard enough, she could imagine the quaint little cottage they lived in and their three beautiful children playing in the garden.

“Hey Hope, are you alright?” Gale had stopped beside her, his eyebrows creased together, as his hands found their home on her hips.

“Yes, yes quite alright,” Hope blushed, shaking off the daydream, her mind still fuzzy with the images of Gale cradling their son. He’d make a good father.

Gale smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, “Good. You’re cute when you smile,” he spoke casually, almost absentmindedly as he began to walk away, but Hope’s blush grew ever deeper at the comment.

Stumbling to keep up, Hope linked her hand back through Gale’s and he squeezed it lightly. “Has Hugh been giving you any more trouble?” She asked, resting her head against his shoulder.

Gale grinned, “Not too much actually, John’s normally the one giving me a hard time. I think Hugh and I are actually on the same page now.”

“I’m pleased,” Hope smiled, watching as Meatball came tearing back towards them, his large pink tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. “At least things won’t be awkward at Thanksgiving now.”

The pathway drove its way across the hillside and down into a valley. Hope wasn’t sure how long they had been walking but Gale stopped beside a small rocky stream, where Meatball was already fully submerged, his long legs splashing through the shallows. Gale fell into the long grass, pulling Hope down beside him.

“How did you find this place? It’s beautiful,” Hope whispered, watching as the transparent waves lapped calmly at the river bank.

“I don’t really know,” Gale admitted sheepishly, “I was just walking one day and got myself a little lost and I stumbled upon it. Spent a good few hours here before trying to find my way back to base.”

There was something about the way that Gale spoke that caused Hope to relax, laying down in the grass and closing her eyes against the bright, summer sunshine. If only they could spend every day like this. Hope felt Gale lay beside her and she snuggled into his side, breathing in the intense smell of his aftershave. She had to admit, he was the best-smelling pilot she’d ever met, but there wasn’t much competition really, Frank always smelt of engine oil.

“I wish we could stay like this forever,” she whispered, turning her head to look at Gale and meeting his blue eyes, already watching her intently.

“Met too,” he leant forward to press his lips to hers and she smiled into the kiss. This was the most perfect moment and Hope wondered that if they stayed here forever they might be able to avoid the war entirely, living out their days in this little slice of heaven.

Their peaceful dream came to an abrupt end when a very wet, hairy lump landed on Gale’s chest, winding him as he shouted out.

“MEATBALL NO! BAD DOG!” The husky seemed oblivious to his intrusion and carried on his assault, licking Gale’s face aggressively despite Gale’s protests.

Hope giggled, watching the grown man try and fight off the loveable husky. “And you said I was the only love in your life,” she joked when Gale managed to wriggle free from Meatball, who soon found an interesting stick floating down the river and bounded off after it.

Gale didn’t look amused, his blonde locks plastered to his forehead and his white shirt sticking to his frame. Hope blushed at the sight, trying to avoid looking at his muscular frame through the thin, transparent material.

His eyebrows creased as he looked at her, “I’m sorry. Today was meant to be perfect. You’ve been working so hard and I…” Gale was soon silenced by a firm but gentle kiss, “and I…” and another one. He soon got the message and wrapped his arms around Hope’s frame, pulling her down onto his as she giggled.

“Why are you so perfect, Hope Armstrong? If I could, I'd marry you right here and now.” Hope froze above him but Gale continued to kiss her until he noticed she was no longer kissing him back. He gulped, looking up at her worriedly, “Did I say too much? I’m so sorry Hope, I…”

“No, no it’s not that, Gale,” she assured him, smiling softly, “Do you mean that?”

“Of course I do, Hope,” Gale shuffled so he was sitting up, Hope still firmly planted in his lap. “I really like you, Hope and when all this is over, if you’ll have me I like to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Hope smiled broadly, “I’d like that very much.”

“Then we’ve made ourselves a promise. To come back to each other,” Gale grinned, kissing Hope once more.

“A promise,” Hope whispered, kissing him once more. Gale lay back down, his head resting against Hope’s chest as her fingers wove their way through his hair.

“Hope,” he mumbled and Hope just hummed in reply. “Well, you sing for me?”

“Sing for you?” Hope laughed, “Like sing you a song?”

“Yes. Your voice was so beautiful the other night. I’d love to hear you sing again.” Hope pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.

“Did you have a song in mind?” She cocked her head to look at him but Gale just shook his head.

“Anything that Bucky won’t have sung and ruined.” The pair chuckled, remembering vividly John’s singing from the other night.

“Okay. Well, I know for a fact he won't have sung this one to you,” Hope pushed herself up and Gale followed suit, resting his back against a tree. He picked a strand of grass and twirled it back and forth between his fingers as he glanced over at her.

Taking a deep breath, Hope closed her eyes, allowing the cool air to fill her lungs as she began.

“You'll never know just how much I miss you

You'll never know just how much I care

And if I tried, I still couldn't hide my love for you

You ought to know, for haven't I told you so

A million or more times?”

As Hope sang she could feel Gale’s eyes watching her intensely, his blue ores boring into her. Gale couldn’t help the ache in his heart that only seemed to grow as Hope continued, the lyrics flowing softly from her lips.

“You went away and my heart went with you

I speak your name in my every prayer

If there is some other way to prove that I love you”

It was as if the lyrics had been written by Hope for him rather than by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren. Hope sang effortlessly and if Gale could bottle this moment and keep it in his heart forever he would.

All too soon the song came to an end and both their hearts were beating faster than they wanted to admit. Hope glanced at Gale, catching him staring at her, his mouth open slightly as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t quite find the right words.

“That was beautiful, Hope. Really… I-…” Gale stumbled over his words, cursing that he couldn’t control his emotions when he was around her. She bought out the best of him but also confused his emotions to no end.

Meatball’s loud whine from beside them had them both in stitches as the dog looked down, confusion evident on his fluffy face.

“God, Meatball, can I not get one peaceful minute with my girl,” Gale laughed, pushing the husky away and standing up, pulling Hope with him. “Guess we’ve got our marching orders, and from a dog no less.”

Hope grinned, “He’s more than just a dog, aren’t ya Meatball? You're a member of the 100th, only the finest group of pilots you’ll ever meet.”

Gale grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, “Boy do I like the sound of that.”

The walk back to the base didn’t take long and Hope found that both herself and Gale seemed to be dragging their feet. She didn’t want this day to end, it had been the most perfect day and Hope could feel her heart laying heavy in her chest at the prospect of getting back in their C47 in the morning.

“Gale, wait!” Hope stopped, her grip on Gale’s arm never loosened and causing him to spin around in a rush.

“Hope? Darling, what’s wrong?” Gale pulled her into his arms as the tears began to trickle down her cheeks. “Sweetheart, talk to me. What did I do wrong?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Hope croaked, her voice thick with tears, as she blubbered into his already damp shirt.

“Then why are you crying?” Poor Gale looked utterly confused, as did Meatball who sat beside the couple, his head cocked to one side.

“I don’t know if I can keep doing this,” Hope wailed, not thinking truly about what she had said.

Gale’s heart sunk as his grip loosened, “ I understand,” he whispered, his head hanging low. He wasn’t sure what he’d done so wrong but he’d clearly overstepped a mark. Was it because he wanted to marry her? But she seemed so happy.

“Gale, what’s wrong?” Hope snuffled, whipping her hand across her face.

Gale shook his head, “It’s okay, Hope. I understand. I am so sorry I overstepped. I shouldn’t have said what I said to you before and…”

“Gale, what’s going on?” Hope stepped forward, clutching onto Gale’s arm. “I don’t understand Gale, I need you.”

Gale cocked his head, looking at her once more, “I don’t understand. I- I thought that you didn’t want to do this.”

Hope couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her throat, “Gale Cleven, you are a very attractive man but sometimes you don’t use that pretty little head of yours. I meant I don’t want to go back to work, I don’t want to get back in that C47. I want to stay here, with you, forever.”

Gale’s face lit up and within two strides he had Hope wrapped back in his arms, “You mean the world to me, Hope Armstrong.”

“You mean the world to me too, Gale Cleven,” Hope smiled, pushing the loose strands of hair from Gale’s face.

Gale’s smile was infectious and Hope couldn’t help but grin all the way back to base, her hand linked to Gale’s and her head pressed firmly against his shoulder.

Once they were back through the gates at Thorpe Abbott, Meatball ran off to join two young boys with Sergeant Lemmons from the ground crew, whom Hope had met briefly during her first visit to the base.

Gale waved at Lemmons before stating how well he’d fixed up ‘Phartzac’ the previous week.

“Are you ever gonna give me a tour of ‘Phartzac’? You talk so highly of her, I feel like I should meet the other woman in your life,” Hope jested, poking Gale in the chest. He looked down at her finger, laughing lightly.

“You are the only woman in my life. Phartzac is just a plane.”

“Just a plane. I thought she was your pride and joy,” Hope gasped in mock shock, raising her hand to cover her mouth.

Gale scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, “Umm… well I guess, no she is but you are my favourite,” Gale corrected himself, clasping Hope’s hand between his. “You’ll always be my favourite.”

“Good,” Hope leant forward pressing her lips to his but all too soon pulled away. “Then let’s go see her.”

They made their way across the base, passing by the other Fortresses until they came upon ‘Phartzac’, who was tucked secludedly at the end of the line of planes. The base was unusually quiet and most of the ground crew were working on other planes closer to the tower.

“Well, here she is. ‘‘Phartzac’,” Gale pointed proudly towards the aircraft and even Hope had to admit that she was an impressive machine.

“She’s a beauty.”

“She sure is.” There was a sense of pride that seemed to shine off Gale as he spoke about the plane. Telling Hope of all her little quirks and how she needs a ‘firm hand to handle her right’.

“Can we go inside?” Hope asked, grinning hopefully at the Major who instantly crumpled and agreed. He took her hand, leading her towards the plane. He undid the hatch and helped Hope climb into the small cramped space, trying to preserve her modesty and tuck her dress around her legs. She climbed up into the plane’s cockpit, which was slightly more roomy. To her amazement, the inside was very similar to the C47 cockpit in many ways and she soon found herself falling comfortably into one of the seats.

“I see you're keeping my chair warm for me,” Gale smirked, pulling Hope to her feet before sitting down and pulling Hope down into his lap. She laughed, running her fingers over his cheek.

“Anything for you, Major,” she grinned and Gale leant in, kissing her lips delicately, their bodies moulding together as they grew closer. Hope ran her fingers through his tousled, blond hair, enjoying the feeling of his body impossibly close to her own.

Breaking away from the kiss, Hope turned to brush her hair back over her shoulder, her eyes trailing over the control panel until they came across a small picture stuck to one of the panels on Gale’s side of the plane.

“That’s me,” Hope pointed out, her voice shaking with surprise as she turned to Gale who only smiled sweetly at her.

“Of course it’s you. I never fly without ‘My Baby’. You’re always with me.” Gale smiled at her with pure adoration and Hope thought that she could never love this man more than she did right at this moment.

“Gale, I-I…” she paused, taking in his features as if she hadn’t already committed them to memory. “I really like spending time with you, Gale.”

Gale smiled back at her, his piercing blue eyes sparkling as his thumb brushed a stray hair away from his face before he replied, “I really like spending time with you too, Hope.”

Hope’s heart ached as the words ‘I love you’ sat dormant, waiting for her to speak them out loud and admit how she felt about Gale. Her mind screamed that it was too soon and she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Something war had taught her though was that life was precious and she feared that she needed to tell him before it was too late.

All too soon five o’clock rolled around and from their spot in the cockpit of the Fort, Hope and Gale could see Frank drawing into the base in the blue Austin.

“I don’t want to leave, Gale. This afternoon has been so perfect,” Hope whined, burying her head into Gale’s chest. She’d spent the remainder of the afternoon sitting on his lap, talking, kissing, cuddling. The last thing Hope wanted was to be dragged back to reality by Frank.

“I know, I don’t want you to leave either,” Gale whispered, pressing his lips to her temple, “But I also know that Frank would have my head if you’re back late.”

Hope nodded, reluctantly peeling herself away from Gale and the pair began their descent from the Fort. Gale hopped down first, helping Hope step down into his arms with ease and he held her in his arms for a few moments more.

“I wish you could stay,” Gale whispered, his lips brushing against her ear, sending a shiver down Hope’s spine.

“I wish I could too,” Hope whispered back, “Maybe next time?” She winked at Gale causing him to chuckle, a light brush spreading across his cheeks.

“I’d like that.” The pair began their walk back along the runway towards the Nissen huts where Frank had pulled up the car.

“Well, hello lovebirds. Did you have a good day?” Frank asked, lighting up a cigarette and leaning against the side of the car, a snug smirk on his lips.

“We definitely did,” Hope snuggled into Gale’s side, her hand on his chest, feeling as his heart rate suddenly quickened under her touch. “It was perfect. We went for a lovely walk by the river and…”

“Okay Hope, I don’t need to know if you used the condoms, okay? You know how pilots are with their horizontal PT.” He roared his great booming laugh, clearly still finding the condom situation amusing as Hope’s cheeks turned the colour of her red lipstick.

“Frank, I did…” Hope began, as Gale pulled a toothpick out of the box and began twirling it between his lips, avoiding catching Hope’s eye, but Frank just waved her off.

“I'm only joking, I’m pleased you had a good time,” Frank blew smoke into the air. “You girls deserve a break.” A high-pitched giggle alerted them to Ruth and John’s arrival and Frank waved them over to the car.

They hopped off their bikes near the car, laying them in the grass gently. Approaching their friends, they walked hand in hand, arms swinging between them. Frank waved them over, sending the couple a smug grin.

“How’s your day been, Ruthie?” Frank asked, nodding curtly to John who responded similarly.

Ruth peered up at the Major with dusty pink cheeks. “Good.”

“That’s it? Good?” The Captain grumbled as he took a drag of his cigarette.

Snickering under her breath, Hope wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Ruth who ducked her head, a grin plastered on her lips.

Johnny cut his eyes at Buck, who could see the mischief behind his friend’s eyes, and urged him silently to keep his mouth shut. “Well, If you-”

“Nevermind,” Frank interrupted the Major, raising a hand at him. “I don’t wanna know.”

Before anyone could speak, someone called out to the group. “Majors!”

Their eyes flew over to Hugh, who approached them quickly.

“I thought Buck had your blessing, Charlie?” John asked, a sly look on his face.

The group noticed his blank expression as he came to a stop beside his sister. “The light’s on.”

Buck and John’s smiles fell as their eyes met again. This time, there was no amusement in their gaze. Confusion painting their features, the girls watched them with furrowed brows.

“What does that mean?” Hope asked, looking up at Gale expectantly.

Johnny sighed and squeezed Ruth’s hand gently, peering down at her with pursed lips. “It means there’s a mission.”

“Harding said to bring toiletries, a blanket, and a summer uniform,” Hugh announced, running a tired hand down his face. “I think this one’s big.”

The women’s hearts sank…of course, they knew what the guys did, but until that moment, they hadn’t been reminded of it firsthand.

Hope turned, looking between her brother and Gale who both shared the same worried expression. It had always been horrendous knowing that Hugh might not return after a mission but now she had twice as much to lose. The fact that she could lose both the men she loved so deeply in one foul swoop caused the tears to well in her eyes. She looked up at Gale, unable to find the right words but he knew what she wanted to say and pulled her into his arms.

“Don’t worry, Darling. You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Gale promised, pressing his lips to her temple. She only nodded, enjoying the sweetness of his embrace and living in the hope that she’d never lose this. “And anyway, Hugh gave me his blessing, remember? I promised you that once this war is over I want to marry you.”

Hope grinned, tears trickling down her cheeks only to be swiftly wiped away by Gale’s thumb.

“You know you’re a real sweet talker sometimes.” The couple grinned at each other, Gale’s signature smirk causing Hope to chuckle. “No matter what happens you always find a way to make me smile.”

“Well that’s my job, Darling,” Gale chuckled, brushing his thumb across her cheek once more. “I always want to see you smile. I hate seeing you sad.” Hope nodded, smoothing his blond locks from his face and she leant up on her tiptoes to kiss him. It was very different from the passionate kisses they had shared earlier that day, but somehow it meant so much more.

“I love you Gale Cleven, come back to me okay?” Gale leant down and pressed his lips to Hope’s once more, relishing in the moment before they parted.

Hope turned to see Hugh looking down as he roughed up the grass with his boot.

“And you as well, Hugh,” she moved over to her brother who instantly embraced her. “I love you too and you have to promise to come back to me as well.”

Hugh mumbled something beside her ear before he pulled away, placing an object into her open palm. It was his ring, the ring he’d gotten for his eighteen birthday from their parents. It was the gift that inspired him to get a ring for Hope for her own eighteenth.

“Why are you giving this to me? I don’t want it. You keep it,” she all but shoved the ring back into his hand, pushing her brother away but Hugh remained firm.

“It’s not forever, Hope. I just want you to look after it for me, alright. As soon as I’m back in Thorpe Abbott I'll be demanding it’s safe return to me,” he jested, placing it back in Hope’s hand and she took it reluctantly, placing it on the chain around her neck, next to her own.

“Well you better come back in one piece and get it then,” she said firmly, holding her head high as she looked at her brother. “You’d better come back for it Hugh. You promise?”

Hugh nodded, hugging his younger sister once more, “Yeah Hope, I promise. I always keep my promises.”

The pair broke apart and Ruth returned to Hope’s side just in time for Frank to break up the farewells.

Frank’s regretful voice filled the air as he opened the back door of the car, leaving it open for the girls to climb in. “We’d better hit the road girls if we want to be back to base before it’s too dark.”

Hope glanced at Gale and Hugh once more, who now stood side by side, watching as she climbed into the car. She noticed when Hugh rested his hand on Gale’s shoulder and they shared a look that Hope couldn’t quite make out. Ruth climbed in beside her. They remained silent, watching as the men they loved became small specks in the rear view mirror.

Glancing at the girls' forlorn expressions as they each stared out their window silently, the Captain's gaze softened. "They're gonna be alright, you two. From what l've heard, your guys are the best pilots in the 100th. They'll be back in no time."

Ruth nodded slowly, her curls bobbing along her chin, but Hope remained glued to the window, her face hidden from Ruth by her dark hair. Frank eyed her carefully, watching as the tears rolled silently down her cheeks. Frank appreciated she had twice as much to lose, and knowing Hugh was never one to stay out of trouble weighed on her heavily. He’d have to keep a close eye on her over the next few days. While Ruth wore her emotions on her sleeve, Hope would suffer in silence in order to stay strong for Ruth.

The car was eerily silent as it made its way along the dark roads, the hooded lights casting a pathetic glow on the road ahead. Somewhere along the journey Ruth had fallen asleep against Hope’s shoulder and she smiled down at her friend, pleased that at least one of them could get some rest.

Once they arrived back to base the three split ways, Frank went to return the Austin before the Major returned the following morning. The girls went straight to their Nissan huts, undressing quickly and slipping into their nightdresses. Ruth sat on her bed, removing the letters from the box on her nightstand and reading over John’s words quietly while Hope busied herself around the room, folding clothes, tidying the cupboard beside her bed and arranging the desk.

Ruth slipped beneath her bed covers with a sigh, her mind too preoccupied to sleep, but unable to settle as Hope continued to rustle and shuffle around the room.

“Hope, will you please settle down and go to bed. We’re back to work tomorrow and we should at least get some sleep.”

Hope looked a little forlorn, “Sorry Ruth,” she slumped down on her bed, continuing to rummage through her musette bag. The blonde groaned, rolling onto her side to shield her eyes from the lantern by Hope’s bed. Eventually, all movements ceased until Ruth felt her bed dip with a creak as Hope sat down beside her.

Ruth had never really seen Hope cry. She’d shed a few tears but never broken down and cried, not until now…

Her shoulders shook as the silent sobs escaped her lips, “I-I can’t lose them, Ruth.”

“Hey,” Ruth whispered, sitting up in an instant and pulling Hope into her side, “They both made a big promise they would come back to you, Hope, and I don’t think that either of them would break it. They’re going to be fine…they all will.”

Ruth wasn’t sure if she was saying that part to comfort Hope or herself. The blonde had been sick to her stomach the whole night, unable to get the worst case scenarios out of her mind. Her only comfort was re-reading John’s letters.

She helped Hope crawl under the covers like she had so many times before, but this time Ruth resorted to being the big spoon instead of her usual place as little spoon. The bed wasn’t really wide enough for two people but they made it work, cuddling close to one another.

“He told me I mean the world to him,” Hope whispered, her voice thick with emotion as she mumbled into the pillow. The simple thought of Gale’s words sent Hope’s heart racing in her chest, and Ruth heard every single muffled word.

“He said what?” Ruth burst with excitement, “Did you say it back?”

“Of course, I did,” Hope chuckled softly at her friend's enthusiasm. “He also said that when this war is over that he wants to marry me.”

Ruth’s heart was fit to burst. She loved Gale and Hope together nearly as much as she loved her and John being together. Everything was coming together perfectly for them and she could only pray that things continue that way.

Now the older nurse understood why Hope’s worry ran deeper than she previously thought. Yes, Ruth felt very deeply for Johnny, but they hadn’t made any long-term promises to each other. Gale and Hope had. The couple had plans for the future…plans that would lead to children, a loving home, and a family.

Hope’s vision of three children playing in a garden reappeared in her mind, each one with Gale’s sandy blonde hair. Maybe they had her eyes and his lips? Her nose? She could see him coming home from work after a long day, giving her a loving kiss before sitting in a recliner with their youngest on his lap, rocking them to sleep softly. They’d have a dog too, running around and playing with the children. Maybe they-

“Hope?” Ruth mumbled into her friend's hair, breaking Hope from her thoughts. She earned a muffled hum and continued, “When you get married, can I be your bridesmaid?”

Hope turned over to face her friend slowly so she didn’t knock her out of bed, “Of course you can. Although you might have to fight Hugh for the job.”

Ruth grinned, narrowing her eyes playfully, “I bet I could take him on. One glare from me and I think he’d be crying.”

Hope chuckled in amusement, “I have to admit. When you’re mad, you are something to behold, Ruth Morgan. It doesn’t happen much, but I sure wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of you when it does. I know the last time Hugh got on the wrong side of you he wasn’t best pleased,” Hope giggled, recalling her brother's shocked face at Ruth’s outburst. I hope John is always on his best behaviour I don’t think he realizes what a firecracker he’s got.”

“Yeah,” Ruth chuckled, already imagining Johnny’s reaction to her spitting off at someone. “Hopefully he won’t be the one it’s directed towards.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s gonna be much of a problem. I saw the way he was looking at you, Rue. You’ve got him wrapped around your finger, even if either of you don’t realize it.”

Closing her eyes, Ruth remembered his loving gaze in his nissen hut earlier. “Maybe,” she whispered, sinking into her pillow. “I still can’t believe all of this is because we evacuated some patients at their airfield on a random day, Hope.”

“I know,” Hope smiled softly. “Look at us.”

The girls chattered continued late into the night and come morning when Frank knocked on their door, they had finally fallen into a dreamless sleep, still tightly wrapped in each other's arms.

Tags: @georgieluz @docroesmorphine @major-mads @violetdaze25 @bcofl0ve @precious-little-scoundrel @blurredcolour @artlover8992 @b00ks1ut @xxluckystrike @hockeyboysarehot @kmc1989 @blueberry-ovaries

[eclipsewxtch]

unpopular opinion: i actually don’t hate emma swan in seasons 1-3 regarding her inserting herself as a mom-figure to henry. “but she was inserting herself after she gave him up! she didn’t raise him! she’s not his real mother! she pushed regina out of the way!”

like. i hate that everyone acts like emma didn’t have incredibly valid reasons to distrust/dislike regina (post-season 1) AND to not trust regina around henry AND to “act like his mom” considering henry, a child barely older than 10, traveled from maine to boston (4 hr bus ride) to ESCAPE regina n convince emma to COME BACK to “save the town” and to stop regina??Henry ranted and raved at every opportunity (even to regina’s face!!) that he thought she was EVIL and DARK, literally to ANYBODY WHO LISTENED; Henry, himself, made it VERY CLEAR that he viewed emma as more of a mother when she wasn’t even present in his life for a decade and he was aware that she GAVE HIM UP even if he didn’t know the reason... (which he eventually did when regina put it in the local newspaper that emma gave him up when she was in prison which was lowkey sick omg???)

like i think it’s more of a green flag that emma stepped up in what was obviously an unhealthy situation because henry was suffering (being treated like he was crazy; unfairly put in therapy/ostracized by regina) and with regina obviously exerting control over henry the way cora did to her all those years ago… like from a non-magical, “let’s assume henry WAS crazy” stand-point; regina had a point. emma wasn’t his mom, she gave him up, she signed an agreement. legally she had no rights. BUT henry wasn’t crazy, there is magic, n regina atp WAS evil. so. emma was right.

does that mean that i think henry didn’t love regina in some way? no, he clearly does care for regina—but are u saying that if some kid traveled four hours by himself at ten yrs old to meet u, his parent who gave him up, talking on and on abt how EVIL his adopted mother is — even if u did assume henry was delusional, wouldn’t it be concerning? wouldn’t u want to get him away from her too? n considering emma was in foster care ofc she had reservations abt regina…

like. regina ended up POISONING henry (even if she didn’t mean it, n henry bit the apple pastry for emma to prove magic was real) her actions had consequences and i see so much emma slander as if she wasn’t in the right??? ts genuinely confused me.

i love regina, i do, she is one of my favorite characters. her character development, her backstory, her personality—all wonderful things. i adore her. but that woman had several screws all lefty loosey up in there n everybody just casually forgets it???

that being said, i think that makes it even more impressive that regina managed (eventually) to gain emma’s trust and friendship after all that bs😭 but re-watching s1 is not for the weak bro

[eyrina-avatar]

Just read your shifting post. And I feel like I struggle with lucid dreaming now that my frontal lobe developed. It sucks. Do you have any advice for newbies who are attempting to shift? It’s all very new to me! Thank you in advance🫡😚💙

Hello! First of all, I want to say that I think I've stumbled upon your acc somewhere else and I thought you were a shifter because of the oc as your pfp... I guess I was right hehe🤭

also, do you mean that you wanted to use the lucid dreaming method to shift, because ofc shifting is not a lucid dream but ld can be used to shift

anyways, I think the best thing to do is to keep a positive mindset no matter what and to think of it as easy and simple, don't try to overcomplicate it

Here is a post I made when someone else asked me how do I shift:

| post | (it has some methods in there)

Anyways this response is extremely long, hopefully it's helpful:

Now as for lucid dreaming(ld), there are many ways to do it:

one. wbtb method

-set an alarm for 4-5 hrs for after when you fall asleep and then sleep. when the alarm wakes you up, get out of bed and do something (go to the bathroom, maybe do a reality check, practice what you're going to do in your ld/ how you're going to shift etc, just try to wake yourself up a bit for 5-10 minutes. You can even think about lucid dreaming or whatever. If you have a hard time falling back asleep then stay up for just 5 minutes. Or if you have a really hard time, then just stay in bed awake for those 5 minutes. Anyways, go back to bed lay down and start affirming "I'm aware I'm dreaming" over and over again until you fall asleep. From there you'll either get right into the lucid dream while still awake, you'll feel like you're getting sucked into the dream and feel your mind zooming in and out until you're in the dream straight from the awake stage and so ofc you'll be lucid. OR you'll fall asleep and your dream will be lucid. If not try again next time (but I've had good success with this method.

two. supplements

-for legal purposes, i'm not responsible or advising anyone to take any sort of medicine.

Use galantamine(I got mine from amazon). Take the recommended amount which is like 4-5mg. How to use: go to bed and set an alarm for your REM stage(4-5hrs) fall asleep, wake up with the alarm, take the galantamine and immediately try to fall asleep as fast as you can before it starts taking effect and prevents you from falling asleep which is the main problem I have from it since I had insomnia for a while so the extra boost from galantamine didn't help my sleeping problem. It's best to have the galantamine somewhere next to your bed with a glass of water. wake up, drink it and fall back asleep as fast as you can and your dream should be lucid. Only use the galantamine once a week or at least 5 days of spacing between uses so the effects don't ware off.

three. lay down, close your eyes and start moving them left and right for about 10-15 minutes until you feel like you're ready(don't move during this process so make sure you choose a comfortable position. This will trick your body into thinking that you're in REM stage. You can probably fall asleep from there(which will most likely give you a lucid dream or you continue on. When you feel like it's enough, try opening your eyes and you'll feel your body go stiff and like you can't move: sleep paralysis. From sleep paralysis, just affirm that you're in your dr or try to visualize it while affirming. You should shift quickly.

four. subliminals

use lucid dream subliminals 2-3x a day while doing anything (or at night before sleeping- it doesn't matter when you listen to it) and then at night your dream should be lucid.

top subliminals on youtube that work well:

a. lucid dream . -by V1PER

b. 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒·˚ ༘improved perilously forced lucid dreaming subliminal (LISTEN ONCE) -by kiraミズキ's domain

you can listen to it more than once

c. ❝Dreaming°// Lucid Dream Package [sᴜʙʟɪᴍɪɴᴀʟ] by Enchanted Workshop

d. ♡ Lucid Dreaming Listen Once Noonchi Subliminals by シ Jay's Nirvana ヅ (the original uploader deleted their channel but this subliminal still works)

⎯⎯⎯

Using subliminals are really easy, use it, don't doubt it and don't waiver and be like "omg when are results gonna come....is this working...I don't think it's working...I don't have results" blah blah blah because then it won't work since you're repeating that and your mind will believe those doubts since the mind is stronger than any subliminal. Just listen 2-3x and don't worry or stress about it. Best to just assume it's working and that you have results and you should be good to go.

You can also use shifting subliminals as well

As for techniques, I already gave you a link earlier on in this post but you can also use the julia method, sunni method, raven method, 5 senses method. Or you can just lay down, relax and calm down then start visualizing that you're in your dr (1st person pov ofc) and think about how things look like in front of you, some noises you might hear, some things you might smell, how the round under you feels like etc and then start affirming that you're in your dr while continue to visualize. That has honestly gotten me pretty close plenty of times.

Sorry this was so long (I know all of my shifting posts are😅). If you want any shifting sub recommendations just lmk or if you have any more questions, just hmu in my inbox or whatever❤️

.ೃ࿐୨⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯୧

[kcuf-ad]

who are your top ten favorite black clover characters and ships (platonic or romantic) - talk about them

Oh boy this is going to be a long one, so Here we go.

The Characters

This is in no order, but these are my favourite. I have only watched up to episode 86.

Finral, this guy is a ride to watch. He is basically the little Brother friend of the Black Bulls and is clearly the only reason why they haven't died yet. His growth as character was a Great one to watch, both in combat as he managed to stall Langris for a bit, creating a New Spell, and even playing the key part of defeating Vetto with Vanessa and Asta. Everyone bullies him and his Rizz is pathetic and I love him.

Charmy is a character that honestly surprised me at how much I liked. I mean she is a gluton, but isn't afraid to share her food. She is easily the kindest of the Black Bulls, but is disrespful and I love her. I Like how her fights are the quickest in the show, with one or three punches and I love her Magic. I love how she wanted to eat Bell all for Yuno. I also think her crush on Yuno is adorable to me.

Luck is so fun to watch. Easily the most fun. His story is quite tragic and the way he was abused and looked down on everyone was sad to watch along. I like his character trait of his constant smile, and when he isn't smiling, you know she is about to get real. Also, his relationship with Magna as besties is so Damn Nice to watch.

Noelle is basically what you want to write with a female character, no joke. Strong? Yes. Important to the story? Yes. Growth both as a character and in power? Yes. Personality? Yes. She is a top tier female character.

Sekke mainly because how much he gets bullied by Jack, Yami and the rest of the cast.

Klaus mainly because he went from "Listen Here Yuno, just because you have a 4 leaf clover and was chosen my Vangence, doesn't mean I Will treat you the same way and you will Listen to me, no matter what." To "Yuno, did you brush your teeth today? Your hair doesn't look as clean as before. Have you eaten anything lately?". Mom friend.

Magna has been a fun character for sure, and the Fact Here has so much growth and trust in his friends. His friendship with Luck is Great, and I think he gets bullied as much as Finral.

Asta is the best New gen Protag and it isn't even close. This man embodies the idea of never giving up. No matter where he is, no matter how much he is down, he Will never give up as his Magic is never giving up. His weakness is his Greatest strength. He isn't special, but that's what makes him special. His fights are so interesting at how he uses his main Weapon and I love his rivalry with Yuno.

Yami is a retired Shonen protag. I mean think about it. He is from a different country, treated as an outsider, he has a rival with a goal in mind, has the Will to get stronger, his mentor becames a leader of a country and he has an unique skill of ki. Not to mention he is disrespect incarnate, disrespecting everyone left and right while he is on the floor.

Yuno is my favourite rival in all of anime. Sasuke is my favourite rival character, but as a rival Yuno is the best at it. He mirrors Asta in every way. He never discourages in Asta, hr has complete trust in his best friend. He looks Like an arrogant prick, but is just some shy, introverted boy who loves competition.

The Ships

For this, I have more platonic than romantic.

Asta x Yuno (platonic) - The best friendship and rivalry in all anime. Grew up as brothers and never gave up on each other and they truly care about each other.

Yami x Julius (platonic) - I Like it because od Yami's loyality to his mentor and friend, the trust between each other and that Julius was the first person to accept him.

Magna x Luck (platonic) - Basically, one who loves prankijg the other and the one that gets prankes, but they truly and deeply care about each other. Also the Fact that Magna was Luck's first friend is cute to me.

Mars x Fana (romantic) - Come on, how can I not? Mars was going to Fana's hot flames, burning up outside and inside, hugging her which was strong enough to break her out of it as they stated at each other for a long time with massive smiles on their faces.

Klaus x Asta/Yuno (platonic) - all because I love the idea of him Being the biggest mom friend to them

Vanessa x Finral (platonic/romantic) - can't really choose. I Like how both of them are so close to each other, and I Like that their main Arcs also feature the other.

Asta x Noelle (romantic) - A good hetero ship that doesn't make the female character the Protag's future baby mama, but instead encourages her to be stronger than ever and go beyond her past and limit? Sign me up!

Yami x Charlotte (romantic) - basically a girlboss feminist that could wreck anyone's shit in love with the closest looking homeless man on the planet. You love to see it.

Yuno x Charmy (romantic) - I just find it extremely cute at how flustered Charmy is around Yuno, how she would fight Bell for Yuno, gives him treats, and that Yuno doesn't think anything badly about Charmy, and how they net was adorable.

[legoarsonist]

8 and 18 fnaf ask game :)

WHOAG WAHOOIE TY FOR SENDING SOMETHING IN X3!!!

8. What's your favorite Fnaf song?

okay, so this is actually one which i've got a BUNCH of answers to :3, if we're talking about in the games i really love stone cold from fnaf world. my entire heart is just straight up a soft spot for the game, the animdude fight is a masterpiece and i love everything about that game even the pixel-y version is awesome.

For fanmade songs though, I really love "I can't fix you" by TLT and Apangrypiggy's remix of dheusta's shadow bonnie music box, fun fact the main playlist I listen to is a 69 song 4 hr 20 min long playlist of exclusively fnaf music. here's the link gamers

18. Who's your favorite rabbit character?(Bonnie, Vanny, M.X.E.S, Springtrap, etc?)

okok so aside from vanny (who is number one always of course) I really, REALLY like the whiterabbit from fnaf world. I love this guy's design, I love his blacked out eyes, I don't really care for toy bonnie or shadow bonne but flip the coloring around? sign me UP. I've commed artwork of this mf before just because i like their design so much :3

springbonnie and springtrap are also classics of course but you can't really have fnaf without them so idk if they can be counted as favorites. like of course i enjoy the mad rabbit and his ascent into a spooky amalgamation of remnant he's awesome

[andromedasummer]

been rewatching old endurance races just listening to them in the background while i draw/plan dnd stuff/play games. watching spa 24 hrs from 2021 and completely forgot about the accident about 30 mins in. got to be some of the strangest broadcast behaviour ive seen in a race, and i say that as someone who has done papers on live broadcast and its rules.

obviously normal protocol for a big crash is you wait for the drivers to get out and confirm theyre okay/on their way to the medical center. then the crash is shown once or twice to give viewers and comms clarification of the incident along with info about the drivers wellbeing/insight into what may have happened to cause it.

but what happened here caused way more anxiety. mid normal commentary race director comes on radio calling a full course yellow. comms have no idea whats caused it and assume a car has broken down on track and needs to be moved.

in reality, an incredibly severe crash occured at what i believe is the most dangerous corner in motorsport, most dangerous on track for sure. 4 car collision, all drivers sent to the medical center, 2 discharged and 2 sent to hospital 40 mins later (i remember aitken suffered spinal/chest injuries and a broken arm but he made a full recovery)

but none of the commentators are ever told what happened. people working the cameras are careful not to show anything because you don't show a crash/wreck until you know the drivers are okay, basic respect. but no one is telling the broadcast team anything. so for the next 40 minutes, the fcy continues and the comms and the viewers are left to speculate about what's happened and they aren't positive speculations, especially when people who saw the crash in front of their stands start tweeting and sharing photos/vids/what they saw online. this kind of thing (official sources being quiet around a crash and tip-toeing) does happen, but its normally when an accident has been fatal.

of course everything turned out okay. after the 40 mins passed, the race director came on over the radio and informed the drivers and viewers that 2 of the drivers were discharged from the med centre and two were going to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. im very surprised to have seen this kind of breakdown of communication happen. certainly its better safe than sorry and i'd rather have a nonfatal crash never shown during a race runtime than a fatal crash be replayed to death. but there comes a point where what is not being shown begins to imply a very distressing scenario. its not an easy position to put a commentator in, asking them to talk in the gaps with this uneasy fear hanging over them for an odd hour. and its distressing for fans who may be friends and family watching abroad to have the main feed not address what happened, or even who was involved.

[t-w-i-l-l-e-r]

BULLIED THE BESTIE INTO BINGING ALL OF HELLUVA BOSS WITH ME *NOT CLICKBAIT* *GONE WRONG* 

it was my birthday recently !! Friend Of The Show @casperthearoaceghost n I have this goofy semi-tradition where they watch silly shit that I’m into with me around my bday and lo and behold, Apology Tour came out recently enough that the helluva brainrot was still alive and kicking when it came time to brainstorm this years ~festivities~. We’d also been talking about wanting to do a summerween-inspired hangout 4 a while n since apology tour took place on Halloween, well, it just made sense. AND THUS just a few short hours ago, casper n I watched ALL OF HELLUVA BOSS (murder family to apology tour, skipping shorts, music videos, the pilot n anything not considered a full canonical episode bc this binge was already pushing 6 hrs long and that’s just. So much.) AT ONCE. Below I have their RAW UNFILTERED thoughts on each episode individually. These r all 100% true direct quotes and if they say I’m lying then THEYRE the liar and they should receive jail time for those actions. 

Murder Family: “6/10. I love Loony Toons. Cartoon antics are fun but Blitzø gets on my nerves. Millie and Moxxie r rly cute!! Thought teacher lady was a main character and was disappointed :(“ 

Loo Loo Land: “8/10. Solid!” 

Spring Broken: “6/10. Felt like watching porn.” 

C.H.E.R.U.B: “No comment. Annoying.”

Harvest Moon: “8/10. Stella ordering a hit on her husband as he’s not even a foot away from her is hilarious, I love Hiram and Hermione Lodge <3 <3” 

Truth Seekers: “9.1/10. I won’t rate it a 10 on principle (bc thats reserved for The Owl House) but I highly fuck with this one actually.” 

Ozzie’s: “Anywhere between a 3 and a 4.5. Hate hate HATE that this eps about Blitzø stalking Millie n Moxxie, makes me uncomfy. Stolas is SO much better than Blitzø idk why he’s still fucking around with him, he’s probably gonna get an std. Praying for Stolas.” 

Queen Bee:  “8/10. KESHA MY WIFE COME HOME THE KIDS MISS U. Cotton Candy is probably the first song I’ve heard so far in this show that I’d be interested in listening to outside of it. Queen Bee my queen.”

The Circus: “No rating. Don’t care. I already forgot what happened in it.” 

Seeing Stars: “7/10. Via n Loona r sisters n I luv them <3 Stolas n Blitzø loving their daughters is rly nice actually and genuinely made me feel things” 

Exes and Ohs: Ok so real talk we didn’t watch this one. We got to the bit where Chaz showed up and I just. Couldn’t. Exes and Ohs has always been my least favorite episode in the series n I couldn’t subject either myself or my friend to actually watching the whole thing in its entirety lolololol. I just explained the important bits n we moved on. 

Western Energy: “4.5/10. Feels like it should be important bc Stolas almost dies but like,,,,, also feels like a filler episode.”

Unhappy Campers: “3.5/10. I love Millie and Moxxie. I wish the show loved them back </3” 

Oops: “7.5. Solid! I like Ozzie n fizz they’re silly <3!”

Mammon’s Magnificent Musical Mid-season Special (ft Fizzarolli): “9/10. I think I would like this show more if it were just about Fizz and Ozzie. Or anyone who isn’t Blitzø”

Full Moon: “7/10. The actual breakup scene was pretty good, but I still don’t rly care about Blitzø or his relationships so mixed bag.” 

Apology Tour: “9/10. Ok that was good. I’m very sleepy.” (It was around 1am at this point lol) 

so yeah that’s everything! We generally agree on episode ratings (except 4 Ozzie’s I fw that ep heavy I fear </3) so if u wanna fight u’ll have to go thru me. like comment suscribe etc etc BYE BYEEEEEEEEE

[major-mads]

Chapter 4: Bars, Bike Rides, and Bittersweet Goodbyes

John "Bucky" Egan x Ruth Morgan (OFC)

Series Masterlist

A/N: The past few weeks have been insane...my car got stolen, I got food poisoning...but here's the new chapter! I'm starting to believe in the Ao3 writer's curse lol (even though this isn't posted on there). it's the longest one yet!! Thanks to everyone who's been reading the series!! Please comment and let me know what you think!!

Collab: On a Wing and a Prayer by @footprintsinthesxnd

Word Count: 13.2k...it's a long one for sure!!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 15th, 1943: AAF GROVE, BERKSHIRE: 2000 HRS

The constant ticking of the clock in the corner of the base supply closet was the only sound filling the air as the Angel of Death’s nurses tallied their bandages, morphine syrettes, and other supplies that needed refilling after their busy weeks in the air. Looking up from her clipboard, Ruth sighed, seeing Hope staring at the wall before her in a daze. 

“Whatcha thinking about?” Ruth called quietly, already having an idea of who was on her friend’s mind. 

Hope blinked a few times and looked over at the blonde with a half-hearted smile. “Gale…I miss him.”

“I know,” she sighed softly, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. “I miss Johnny, too. It’s been almost three weeks. I love his letters but-”

“It’s not the same,” Hope finished for her.

Before either of the women could continue a voice echoed through the almost empty building. “You girls in here?”

Frank.

“We’re in the back!”

His shoes clacked against the concrete floors as he made his way to the back storage room, sending the girls a half-grin when he stuck his head inside the door. If they were paying attention, they would have noticed the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.  

“How’re you two holding up?”

Their eyes met briefly, silently communicating whether or not they would be truthful. Ruth’s pale blues decided the answer was no, and Hope’s gaze moved back to her clipboard. 

“We’re fine,” she answered, reaching up to grab a bandage from the crate. “Just tired.”

Frank moved to lean his shoulder against the doorframe, holding his captain’s cap under his arm as he spoke gently. “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

He looked over at them with a worried expression as the ticking of the clock filled the room again, neither of them speaking up. “You would tell me if there was something wrong, right?”

Ruth’s stomach sank. “Of course,” she murmured, turning to mirror Hope, who had her back turned to the man while filling up supply boxes.

Frank sighed and ran a tired hand down his face. “How about you both call it a day, huh? Go get some chow and then relax. You’ve been going almost non-stop for weeks.”

Since their last visit to Thorpe Abbotts on July 31st, they’d spent almost every day in the air, transporting patients from Italy to Africa, sometimes spending the night in nurses' tents in the middle of the Tunisian desert. If they weren’t on a run, they were doing things around the base, constantly on the move in preparation for the worsening invasion of Sicily. The sheer volume of casualties was horrendous, and it seemed that the men got younger with each one they laid eyes on. 

Carnage takes a toll…and not just on those fighting on the fronts with bullets flying around them.

“Come on,” Frank urged, throwing his cap back on. He walked over and pulled each of them under an arm, turning toward the closet door. “That’s an order.”

Hope raised an eyebrow at him, unable to keep a smirk off her lips. “What makes you think we’re gonna start listening to you now?”

This time that Frank smiled, it was genuine. “I am a Captain, after all, Lieutenants.”

He walked them to the main exit of the hut, released them from his hold, and opened the door for them. They each wore a grin, and he saw it as a win. “Now go eat up. I’ll make sure everything makes it on the Angel.”

As he lightly pushed the pair out the door, Ruth turned around. “There’s just one thing I need-”

“I got it, Ruth,” he interrupted. “I promise.”

Hope grabbed the blonde’s arm gently, pulling her out the door behind her. “Come on, Rue. I’m starving.”

Watching from the windows as the women made their way to the mess hall, Frank sighed. He had come in a few minutes before he announced himself, and had heard the girls’ conversation. Part of him felt guilty for eavesdropping on them, but another part of him was glad he overheard it. Out of the three of them, he was the only one who had the power to do anything about the situation. 

It was no secret they reminded him of his younger sister back home, and from the first time they met, the trio formed a close bond that was only deepened when they went up together for their first casualty evacuation. Frank’s heart ached to see the normally bubbly women so down, and he knew he had to do something about it.

Marching over to a nearby desk, Frank grasped the phone and held it up to his ear. 

The operator’s voice crackled through the receiver. “Number please.”

“Norfolk, 7322, please,” he replied.

THORPE ABBOTTS AAF BASE, NORWICH

“Good job today, boys,” Johnny praised, raising his glass toward the other crew in the Officer’s Club bar. “I heard you stayed tight in formation, just like we taught ‘ya.”

Earlier in the day, select crews of the 100th had taken part in a mission targeting aircraft factories in Merville and Lille, both in occupied France. The mission was a success, and the ‘Bloody Hundredth’ defied its nickname by bringing all its forts home safely. 

“It wasn’t your aftershave, Buck, but I still stayed close enough,” Claytor called from across the bar where he sat with the rest of Alice From Dallas’ crew.

Buck grinned, taking a sip of his ginger beer. “I’d expect nothing less, Roy.”

A familiar trumpet solo echoing through the hall stole Johnny’s attention, and his eyes rose from his almost empty glass to the dance floor, his mind taking him back to the last time he heard Artie Shaw’s Star Dust…

“May I finally have this dance?” he asked quietly, a gentle smile adorning his lips.

Ruth placed her hand in his. “Absolutely,” she replied softly, her other hand finding its place on his shoulder, her fingers lightly tracing the silver wings pinned on his uniform.

His hand on her side found a comfortable place at the small of her back, and he delicately intertwined their fingers, holding their hands out beside them. There was a few inches between their bodies, and Ruth could feel his warmth through the space between them.

The first notes of the chorus echoed through the room, casting a spell over the dimly lit dance hall. He led her with a tender sway, and he subtly used his hand on her back to pull her flush against him. The soft press of his fingertips against the small of her back, the feeling-

A hand clamped down on his shoulder, breaking him from his memory, his heart beating loudly in his chest just as it had been that night.

“John,” Gale said with a raised eyebrow. “Did you hear me?” 

Egan nodded and pursed his lips, running a hand over his mustache briefly. “Yeah,” he rasped.

“What did I say?”

Pulling out his signature raised eyebrow grin, Johnny reached up and tapped Gale’s cheek. “That I’m the best pilot in the 100th…and I have to say that I agree with ‘ya.”

Buck just rolled his eyes and shook his head at the man. “That’s definitely not what I said.”

Drinking the rest of his pint, John raised a few fingers at the bartender, who slid a full one over to him.

“Then what did you say, Buck?” he asked, quickly gulping down half of the new glass. The major had already had a few shots earlier in the night, and he was starting to feel the familiar buzz. His cheeks were flushed from the alcohol and warmth coursed through his veins.

“It doesn’t matter,” Gale huffed, sipping his drink. “What were you dazed off thinking about? A certain blonde, perhaps?”

Bucky shifted his position against the bartop to face him and nodded once with a shrug. “Maybe,” he paused, his smirk falling to a frown as he swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “I miss her.”

Out of all the things that Gale Cleven thought would come out of his friend’s mouth, the words “I miss her” were not what he expected. Sure, he knew John liked Ruth, and Hope had even told him that Ruth liked him back, but hearing it from his mouth made it real. The longing in his voice surprised the Major. In the three years the two knew each other, he couldn’t recall the older man ever speaking about a woman in such a tender way.

“Me too,” Buck replied softly, his own heart aching to see Hope.

“You too, huh?” Johnny quipped, a mischievous glint in his eye replacing the longing one from moments before as he leaned closer to Gale. “Well, last I checked, Hope’s the one you should be missin’. Ruth’s my girl, remember?”

Buck rolled his eyes, a chuckle escaping his lips despite doing everything to hold it in. “Yeah, yeah,” he groaned, his tone tinged with amusement. “You’re hopeless, you know that?”

“Hopeless romantic, you mean.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of hopelessly stupid.”

Johnny feigned offense and placed a hand over his heart. “Come on now, what’s life without a little excitement, right?”

“Speak for yourself, Johnny boy,” Buck replied, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. “Some of us prefer a quieter existence.”

“Where’s the fun in that? Life’s too short to play it safe.”

Gale shook his head, scoffing playfully under his breath and bringing his glass to his lips. “Hopeless.”

John’s grin widened as he glanced over at him, raising his eyebrows expectantly. “You’re the only Hope-less one here.”

Buck froze with his glass on his lips for a moment until he turned to Johnny with a confused and somewhat incredulous expression. “That was terrible, Bucky.”

“What? It’s funny. I thought it was pretty clever,” John insisted, chuckling to himself.

Gale just shook his head, using all his willpower to remain stoic. “Not really.”

Undeterred, John persisted, tilting his head toward Buck. “Come on, it’s a little funny.”

Finally, Cleven’s facade fell, and a tiny smile quirked his lips. “Okay, maybe just a little,” he conceded.

“See, I told you-”

The thump of a phone being placed on the counter in front of them cut him off, and both men looked up confused. Kidd held the receiver up to his ear. “Operator, I’ve got Major Cleven here.”

“Why do we keep getting calls at the bar?” John asked loudly as Jack handed Buck the phone, and Cleven shot him a “shut up” glare.

“Hello.”

“Is this Major Cleven?” the voice asked.

“It is,” Buck replied, looking over at Johnny skeptically. The other major then leaned close to hear the conversation. “May I ask who’s calling?”

“This is Frank Martin. The girls’ pilot.”

At the mention of the nurses, all amusement fell from their faces and they shared a worried glance. John suddenly felt sick to his stomach, and every ‘what if’ ran through Gale’s mind.

Why would he be calling?

Readjusting the earpiece, Buck cleared the emotion from his throat. “Are…are the girls okay?”

“Sorry, Major. Don’t worry, they’re alright,” he winced, able to hear the concern in the other man’s voice. “I’m just calling because they need a pick-me-up, and I was wondering if I could bring them by the base tomorrow-”

While Buck let out a relieved breath, John’s face lit up and he grabbed the phone from Gale’s ear, unable to contain his excitement. “Yes!” he shouted into the phone, causing all eyes to turn towards the bar. When they realized it was just Bucky being Bucky, they all went back to their conversations. “Maybe you’re not so bad after all, Frank!”

“What is wrong with you?” Buck hissed, snatching the phone back from him.

How Ruth calmed the man and riled him up at the same time, Buck would never understand.

Kidd shot him a look that mirrored Buck’s question and John shrugged. “It’s not my fault you’re so lonely, Jack,” he smirked, talking louder to be heard over the music. “I get to see my girl! You should be happy for me! I was just talk-”

“Will you shut the hell up, Bucky?!” Gale snapped as he held the phone back up to his ear. His eyes narrowed, remaining on Johnny as he spoke. “Sorry, Frank. Major Egan’s had a little too much to drink tonight.”

On the other side of the line in Berkshire, Frank was more than confused at how the loud, boisterous man could ever be with someone like Ruth. “I can tell.”

“We’d love to see the girls tomorrow. What time do you think you’ll be here?”

The Captain scratched his 5 o’clock shadow, calculating the drive time in his mind. “Around 1 in the afternoon, probably. If everything goes to plan, that is.”

“Thank you for doing this, Frank. We owe you big time.”

“Of course. Don’t tell ‘em I told you this,” he sighed, ”But they need a break, even if it’s just for a few hours. And as much as I hate to admit it, they miss you both like crazy…I just want to see ‘em happy.”

Gale’s heart sped up in his chest, and he looked over at Bucky who was staring off at the dance floor yet again, a soft grin on his lips. “Yeah, we know the feeling. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“See ya.”

The call ended with a click, and John threw his arm over Buck’s shoulder, shaking him lightly. “I had a feeling tomorrow was gonna be a good day!”

Curt then appeared next to them, leaning on the bar top. “So I hear your nurses are coming into town tomorrow?”

“Don’t you go getting any ideas, now,” John grinned down at him, his mind starting to fall back under the influence after his moment of clarity. He reached down and picked up his pint, about to gulp the rest down when he had a sudden thought.

‘What are you doing?’ his mind screamed at him. ‘You can’t be hungover.’

Placing the pint back onto the bartop, he pushed it away from him, motioning for the bartender. “Can I -uh- get a water, please?”

Curt, Buck, and Jack all shared confused glances, and Kidd was the one to speak up. “I didn’t even know you drank water.”

“There’s a first time for everything, Jack,” John replied, chugging the glass, a few droplets falling from his chin to his dress jacket. “I don’t think Ruth would appreciate me being hungover tomorrow.”

Jack scoffed lightly, his brow raised skeptically at him. “Who are you and what have you done with John Egan?”

It was the thought running through all their minds. Out of the three of them, he knew the least about Ruth’s effect on John, Curt and Buck having witnessed it themselves over the past few weeks. 

“It looks like Ruth has done in a little over a month what women have tried for 27 years.” Biddick grinned, throwing his arm around the major. 

With a chuckle, Johnny lowered his glass and looked up at his friend. “And what is that?”

“She’s tamed you.”

Egan’s brows shot up in surprise, and Buck laughed loudly from beside him, covering his mouth with his hand to muffle the sound. “I wouldn’t say that, Curt,” he retorted. “Tamed is a strong word. Maybe more like watered down.”

John shrugged, pursing his lips. “Whatever. All I know is that Hope seems to have the opposite effect on you, Buck.”

“Oh no. Here we go again,” Gale groaned and ran a hand down his face. “Please don’t-”

Bucky grinned, pointing past the major to Kidd. “Jack, have you heard the story?”

“I have not.”

“So it’s the night of the dance. Ruth and I were dancing, right? We’re having a great time and then here comes Charlie…”

AAF GROVE, BERKSHIRE: 2130 HRS

Frank watched as his superior, the Major as he called him, left the base, waving goodbye to the few officers that remained to keep everyone in line. He only had a few short hours to get his plan to work and everything had to go exactly as intended. 

He’d already spoken to the officer in charge who agreed to let Hope and Ruth have a day off after their weeks of endless work, and after seeing that their records showed they had the most men evacuated back to England in stable conditions. With this evidence, he agreed that it was only fair. Frank had their passes tucked neatly away in his flight jacket, not trusting the girls not to misplace them in the meantime. 

The Austin was parked around the back of the officer's barracks. The car was in pristine condition and was the Major’s pride and joy. Luckily, with their beloved Major off base, everyone would assume he’d taken his car with him so its absence wouldn’t be missed. 

All Frank had to do was get it from the officer's barracks and park it around the back in the store room by the C-47s overnight. The officers, he’d found out, had a meeting that morning and it was his best chance to ensure their barracks were empty. 

Walking down the narrow, wooden path between the barracks, Frank checked over his shoulder repeatedly. He hadn’t felt this crafty since he’d been playing tricks on his younger sister all those years ago. 

The car was parked exactly where it should’ve been. The blue bodywork gleamed beautifully, the silver-coloured wheels polished and hoods fitted over the lights to fit with blackout regulations. The keys, as always, were in the glove compartment, and Frank thanked his lucky stars that everything was going just right. 

Pushing them into the ignition, the engine roared to life in all its glory and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride sitting behind the wheel of such a fine vehicle. 

He drove the car quickly out onto the road and down towards where the planes were taxied, pulling off the main road through the base and cutting down the empty runway. There was something exhilarating about driving at 60 miles per hour in a car like this, and Frank felt a little flourish of the boy of his youth living out a childhood dream. 

Pulling the car up into the store room, he ignored the looks of the ground crew Sergeant, who quickly dismissed whatever Frank was doing and continued his way across base. 

He pulled a large sheet over the Austin, covering it from prying eyes before locking the storeroom door and walking away, whistling a little tune to himself as he went. 

He wasn’t sure how his plane had worked so flawlessly but he’d thank God in his nightly prayers that it had. He had the passes, he had the car, and now all he needed to do was tell the girls…but that could wait until the morning.

THE NEXT MORNING: MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 0900 HRS

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Frank stood outside hut number four in the chilly morning air, banging his fist against the tiny covered window between Hope and Ruth’s beds. “Wake up, sleeping beauties! I’ve got some good news for ya!”

Stirring from her sleep, Hope became vaguely aware of her surroundings. Ruth was sleeping to her right, curled in on herself under the covers as she whimpered and mumbled incoherently, turning over onto her back.

“Is’ alrigh’” the blonde muttered, her brows furrowed.

Hope peeled back her blanket, ready to wake up her dreaming friend, but two more loud knocks beat her to it. The sound woke Ruth with a start, and her eyes shot open, frantically scanning the hut as her chest heaved. After a few moments, she seemed to get her bearings and looked over at Hope with a hand on her forehead.

“You okay?” Hope asked carefully.

Ruth nodded stiffly, brushing some stray hairs from her forehead. “Yeah. Just a bad dream.”

“I’m here if you want to talk about it.”

“I know.”

Frank’s voice came through the thin walls again, breaking their soft conversation, and Hope rolled her eyes. “I’ve got a surprise for you two! Come out here!”

“I think he’s full of it,” Ruth chimed, sitting up against the wall. “Why does he keep waking us up like this?”

“Probably because it’s the most annoying. It’s what Hugh would do.” 

“Yeah. Sounds about ri-”

BANG. BANG.

“I can hear you in there!” Frank shouted, his lips almost against the window as he got as close as humanly possible to them from the outside. “Come out here! Really! I have something important to tell you!”

The duo shared an annoyed glance and slowly made their way to the door. “This better be good, Frank!” Hope groaned as she pulled it open. Just like the last time he had woken them up with a few sharp knocks and some yelling, they were the only ones in the hut. Most of the other nurses were out on missions or doing work abound base.

Grinning from ear to ear, Frank sauntered from their window to the door. “Morning.”

“Cut the crap,” Hope retorted with an eye roll. “What’s this super important thing we need to know?”

The man broke out in chuckles at her direct attitude and readjusted his crusher cap atop his head, his lips pulling into a slight grimace. “So I heard you two talking in the supply room last night about the guys-”

“What?” Ruth gasped, sticking her head out from the doorframe to glare at him, her brows furrowed. 

Hope’s eyes widened. “You sneaky, son of a-”

Frank threw his hands up in surrender. “Hold on. Let me finish before you kill me, alright?”

Though they were still glaring up at him, the women nodded slowly, and he took a deep breath. “Because I hate to see you both upset, I worked it out for us to have the day off.”

Frank’s eyebrows raised expectantly, waiting for them to catch on to what he was saying, but all he was met with was confusion. “Thanks for that, Frank, but how is that “super” important?” Hope asked, tilting her head at him quizzically.

“I got us a car,” he added, his grin widening as his eyes widened in anticipation. 

Ruth looked even more baffled. “I’m not following.”

“Oh for crying out loud!” the captain grumbled, slapping his palm across his face as he shook his head. “Ruth’s a blonde, so she has an excuse, but Hope, you ought to have caught on already.”

Ruth’s jaw dropped and she barely concealed an incredulous grin. “Hey!” she defended.

Removing his cap, Frank ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. “I’m taking you to Thorpe Abbotts for Pete’s sake!”

Hope and Ruth stood silent for a moment as each of their minds came to the realization of what that meant. He watched on as their confused expressions faded into pure joy and their eyes lit up, huge grins painting their lips.

Frank smiled, his heart warming at the sight before him. “Don’t thank me all at onc-”

Their bodies colliding into his cut him short, and his senses were filled with unintelligible squealing as they hugged him tightly.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Now, this does not mean you have my blessing, alright?” he remarked as they released him from their death grip. “I just hate seein’ you two so miserable.”

“When are we leaving?”

Peering down at his watch, Frank smirked. “An hour.”

The nurses’ faces turned from glee to horror at his words, and within a split second, they ran back into the hut, slamming the door behind them as they frantically got ready.

THORPE ABBOTTS AAF BASE, NORWICH: 1257 HRS

By the time the car rumbled to Thorpe Abbotts’ MP gate, it was 12:57.

‘Perfect timing,’ Frank thought as he glanced in the rearview mirror at the girls who were running their fingers through their styled hair with excited grins.

The gate guard approached the car, a friendly smile on his face. “How are ya’?

“Good, sir,” Frank nodded. “Captain Martin. We’re here to see-”

“You’re good to go, Captain. Major Egan said to keep an eye out for you,” the man interrupted, nodding for him to go on. “Tell Bucky he owes me one!”

“Will do.”

At the mention of John, Ruth perked up even more in her seat. She had thought about seeing him again from the moment they had last said goodnight, her mind reminding her of the warm and giddy feeling that coursed through her body in his presence. 

Hope reached over and squeezed her hand tightly as she spoke. “I’m so excited.”

“Me too. I can’t wait to see him!”

Frank listened in from the front seat, his brotherly protective instincts kicking in. “Hope, you taught Ruth your right hook, right?”

“I tried to,” she chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her friend. “She knows the basics.”

“Go for the crotch, Ruth,” the man advised, nodding at her in the rearview. “It's our weakness, okay?”

She rolled her eyes and chuckled under her breath, her gaze turning to stare at the window at the passing concrete buildings. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

His attention turned to the other nurse. “And do you still have what I gave you last time?”

Hope’s face instantly heated up as she glared at him.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Be smart.”

They rolled to a stop in front of the main building, and both Hope and Ruth’s stomachs were swirling with nervousness and excitement. The duo shared one last hopeful glance and exited the car. Before Ruth could turn to close the door, she gasped as she was engulfed in a bear hug from behind and lifted off the ground. The white sheepskin sleeves around her waist were a confirmation of what she already suspected.

“Johnny!” she yelped, a wide smile on her face.

“There she is!” He laughed, his cackle reverberating through his chest as he held the blonde against him. His infectious laughter soon had her giggling along, all nervousness long gone from her system. Ruth’s head was spinning by the time he put her down. 

Was it from his proximity? His comforting aroma of whiskey, cologne, and a hint of cigarettes? Ruth didn’t know…what she did know was that the feeling she got around him was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.

She turned in his arms to face him, her signature blush dusting the tops of her cheeks. “Hi, hotshot,” she whispered.

Now that she was finally in his arms again, Johnny’s eyes drifted to her perfect and soft lips, and he had to use all his willpower not to lean down and press them against his.

His hands moved to her waist as he leaned down and kissed her cheek, unable to contain his affection. “Hey there, slugger. I’ve missed you.”

Their cool azure gazes met, and the hustle and bustle of the base seemed to fade around them just like it had that night in the dance hall with Stardust playing softly in the background. Ruth’s heart sped up in her chest as she felt the warmth of his touch and the adoration in his eyes. 

“I really missed you, too,” she whispered.

John scanned her face, noting her vibrant blue eyes, dimpled cheeks, and light pink lips, “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

The clearing of a throat broke them from the moment, and the couple turned toward the sound. John kept a hand on Ruth’s waist as she bashfully turned her face into his shoulder to avoid Frank’s lingering stare from where he leaned against the closed driver’s door.

“I’ll be back at 5 o’clock sharp, alright? Tell Cleven, too.” The Captain stated and pointed behind them, his eyes slightly narrowed as he glared at Bucky. Following his hand, Ruth’s grin widened when she saw Hope and Gale in the distance with a dog bounding around them.

‘Is that Meatball??’ her mind screamed.

John nodded and sent him a two-finger salute. “Yes, sir. 5 o’clock sharp.”

“Have fun, kids,” Frank remarked as he reached to open the door. He stopped when a hand was thrust in front of him. For a second, the man stared at the hand before taking it and giving it a firm shake.

“Thank you again, Frank. Buck and I really appreciate it.”

The sincerity in his words surprised Frank after what he’d heard about Major John Egan, the wild and womanizing squadron commander of the 418th. Perhaps there was more to him than met the eye.

“You’re welcome, Major. Oh, the guy on gate duty said you owed him one,” he replied with a small smile. A genuine one. With one last look at the pair, he got back into the car and drove toward the exit. 

As soon as he left, Ruth turned to John and pointed to their right giddily. “Is that Meatball?”

In the grass, he could see a white furball jumping around Buck and Hope. “Sure is.”

Without a word, she grabbed his hand and tugged him behind her as she beelined for the dog. Despite Johnny’s long strides, Ruth was walking so fast he had to jog for a moment to keep up with her. 

“He’s a licker,” he warned as they approached the husky.

Ruth immediately sunk to her knees and began ruffling his fur as her voice went into dog mode. “Oh, you’re so fluffy! You’re such a good dog, Meatball,” she giggled, the dog’s tail wagging excitedly.

Hope couldn’t hold back a grin as she watched John’s gaze follow Ruth, a look of pure adoration spreading across his face. She stepped over and greeted him with a small hug.

“It’s good to see you again, John.” 

“Good to see you too, Hope. How have ya been keeping?” 

Hope shrugged, “Not too bad. Glad to finally have a day off. It’s been a tough few weeks.” She tried not to dampen the mood but both she and Ruth had been struggling, mentally and physically with the trials of their demanding job. John just nodded, and Hope, noticing that Ruth was still occupied with Meatball, decided to offer Bucky some advice. 

“Ruth isn’t just another one of your floozy’s, John,” she said quietly. “She’s a special girl, so you better treat her right. Otherwise, you’ll have Frank and I to deal with. I’ve met your kind before, and the poor guy didn’t take too kindly to me punching him in the face…so don’t say I didn’t warn you. Is that clear?” 

She raised her eyebrows waiting for his response, amused as John smirked, scratching the back of his neck. “Crystal, Lieutenant. I ain’t gonna cause any trouble. I really like Ruth. She’s a great girl and I’m not just planning on messing around with her.” 

Hope seemed satisfied with his answer, giving him a small nod before moving back to Gale’s side. John let out a small breath he’d been holding. He’d heard about this other unfortunate guy from Hugh and he didn’t fancy meeting Hope’s right hook.

He was broken from his thoughts when something jumped up on his thighs, making him lose balance and fall to the grass roughly, the crusher cap flying off his head.

“Hey!” Bucky chuckled as Meatball climbed on top of him, the husky’s sticky tongue licking his face.

The group burst into laughter, and Ruth picked up John’s cap, holding it out to him as he clambered to his feet. With a smirk, he took it and placed the huge hat on her head. 

John thought it was the most adorable sight he’d ever seen. 

The cap completely covered her forehead and sat crooked like he always had it. She had to lean way back to see him under the bill. 

“I don’t think it fits, Major,” she giggled, sending him a goofy salute as the cap fell back down over her eyes.

He couldn’t contain a loud cackle as he lifted it from her head, running a hand through his stray curls before returning it to its rightful place. Suddenly remembering there were other people there, Ruth’s face turned a deep pink.

“So what are you two’s plans for the next…” Buck checked his watch. “Four hours?” 

“Uhhh about that,” John smiled cheekily at his friend, snapping his fingers and pointing to him. “I’m borrowing your bike back for the afternoon.”

“What do you mean, ‘borrowing it back?’” Gale asked with furrowed brows.

“Well, Ruthie and I can’t walk all the way to Dickleburgh, and there were no jeeps...so, bikes it is.”

The girls were barely containing their snickers at the way the Majors often went at it like an old married couple.

Buck’s hands moved to his hips. “And what if Hope and I are going off base?”

“Come on, Buck,” Johnny groaned, mirroring his stance. “I know you weren’t planning to. Were you?”

The younger man just glared at him with narrowed eyes. “No, but-”

Taking the confession as a win, John threw an arm over Ruth’s shoulders and pulled her against his side. “Thanks, Buck,” he hollered as he turned them toward the two bikes lying among the grass. “See you two later! Have fun!”

Ruth sent a small wave to Hope, then looked up at Bucky with raised brows. “You’re full of it, you know that?”

“What?” he asked innocently, squeezing her shoulder gently.

“I don’t know how he deals with you.”

They came to a stop in front of the bikes and Johnny released her from his grip, tilting his face down towards her with a smirk. “Ruthie. He doesn’t know how you deal with me.”

“Well,” Ruth shrugged. “You’re lucky I like you so much.”

John chuckled, the warmth of her smile melting away any last remnants of tension from his shoulders. “I consider myself the luckiest man in the world,” he replied, his voice soft with sincerity in a way that only happened around the blonde.

A shy smile played at the corners of her lips as her cheeks flushed pink at his words. “Smooth talker,” she teased, her voice barely above a whisper. 

The Major’s heart raced as he looked into Ruth’s eyes, and in that moment, he was acutely aware of how close they were. His gaze flickered to her lips, temptation tugging him forward with an irresistible magnetic pull as he reached out a hand to gently tilt her chin upward. But just as their lips were about to meet, Ruth pulled back suddenly.

“Not so fast,” she whispered, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Don’t think I forgot about how you trashed the Braves in your letters, hotshot. I’m sticking by my promise.”

John grinned and raised an eyebrow. “You mean your threat? Two can play at that game, doll…you can kiss the mustache goodbye.”

They glared at each other for a few moments, neither willing to give in and admit their team was lesser. All the while, the urge to feel their lips against the others was becoming too much for the pair. Ruth broke first, sighing.

“This does not mean that I-”

She was cut off by John closing the distance between them and gently landing his lips on hers. Melting into the embrace, Ruth’s lips parted beneath his, her hands finding their way to his chest. As they broke apart, Johnny’s heart pounded in his chest and the nurse's eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked up at him with a playful smile dancing on her lips.

“I guess the mustache stays,” she teased, her quiet giggles filling the air.

Bucky chuckled, brushing a stray lock of blonde hair from her face. “For now,” he replied, his voice tinged with affection. “But don’t think you’ve won just yet, slugger. The Yankees will always end on top.”

“Whatever.”

Moving to stand up the bikes, Bucky handed one to Ruth before swinging his leg over it and settling into the seat, his grin widening as he glanced over at her. “You’re gonna love this place, Ruthie. It won’t be too crowded right now, either.”

“Where are we going again?” she asked, trying to get comfortable on the bike. In that moment, she was thankful she decided to wear pants that day instead of a dress.

“Dickleburgh. It’s about 10 minutes away, and it’s got the best pub around.”

Finally ready to go, she held herself up with a foot. “Alright. Lead the way, Major.”

"You got it,” he winked, pushing off and leading the way down the base’s main road.

The sun hung high in the sky, casting dappled shadows across the road as they pedaled through the picturesque countryside. For once there wasn’t mist or fog in the air, but the familiar smell of manure filled their noses when they passed a freshly fertilized field. Ruth’s face scrunched at the smell, and John chuckled beside her. As they rode, he couldn’t resist steaingl a few glances at the woman, captivated by how her blonde hair danced in the breeze. 

“So, what’s your family like?” Ruth asked out of the blue, glancing over at him with a fond grin.

“It’s me, my mom, and my two sisters. My pops passed last year.”

She kicked herself for bringing it up. “I’m sorry, John. I can’t imagine.”

“It’s still hard,” he said with a small sigh. “But we manage. My sisters are all out doing their own thing, and I’m over here, so we all try to keep in touch with Ma the best we can.”

Ruth nodded. “I understand that.”

Silence lingered in the air for a few moments and Ruth tried to lighten the mood.

“Tell me about your sisters.”

A wide grin immediately tugged at his cheeks and he chuckled. “They’re spitfires, for sure. My older sister, Frances, named after my ma, is an Army nurse in the South Pacific. And Eileen…she’s the baby but bosses us around like she’s the oldest.”

“Wow. So you’re a middle child?” Ruth asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Sadly,” John groaned, looking over at her with his signature snarky smile. “But the middle child sure didn’t get forgotten in the Egan house. I’m the only boy, so….”

“You’re a mama’s boy,” she finished for him.

He slowed his pace to ride closely beside her, his mustache quirking up at the corners of his lips. “Well, Ruthie, I have been known to introduce myself as Mrs. Egan’s bad boy, John.”

Ruth’s eyes widened in disbelief at the comment, and she couldn’t help but cringe at the raunchy line, a soft groan escaping her lips as she shook her head in disapproval.

“John, seriously?” she exclaimed, her voice tinged with laughter as she shook her head. “Please tell me you don’t actually say that to people.”

With a chuckle, he shrugged nonchalantly. “No can do. But don’t worry, I promise I won’t introduce myself like that to anyone else. ”

“You better not,” she teased, playfully scoffing under her breath. “Or I might have to reconsider being seen in public with you.”

“We’ve already established that you can’t resist my charms, so would-.”

“Hey, hey.” She corrected, waving a hand over at him. “Back to your sisters, hotshot. You were talking about Eileen.”

“Right,” John huffed before nodding fondly as Eileen and Franny’s faces appeared in his mind. “Lena’s all grown and married now.”

“How old is she?”

“Twenty-two. Last time I saw her was at her wedding. She sends me letters every now and then checking in.”

Ruth cut her eyes at him, her gaze holding a mischievous glint. “What do you think of her husband?”

“Well,” Bucky sighed dramatically, raising his eyebrows. “I like the chump, but the fact that he kisses my sister, sleeps in the same bed as her…it makes my skin crawl.”

For the rest of the short ride, he told her of each of his family members, and by the time the village of Dickleburgh’s charming cottages and cozy storefronts came into view, Ruth could almost imagine the Egan family sitting at Sunday dinner, laughing and enjoying each other's company. It reminded her of her own that she missed so dearly. 

Ruth’s pace slowed as they entered the village, John guiding them toward the heart of the town where the pub awaited them. They passed people on the street who nodded at them kindly, and she thought the overall atmosphere of the town was already very welcoming. 

“Here we are,” he called over his shoulder, his grin widening as they approached the pub.

He dismounted smoothly, but Ruth tried to put on nonexistent brakes with her pedals out of habit. Her eyes widened in panic as she struggled to reach the ground without falling over, her toes just barely scraping the pavement. 

“Johnny!” she called out, her voice tinged with alarm as she desperately tried to stop.

He spun around just in time to see Ruth’s panicked expression and her feet flailing as she tried to stop the bike. Reacting quickly, he dashed forward and caught her just before she slammed into the brick wall behind him, his arms wrapping around her waist to steady her.

“Sorry, doll. That one’s on me,” he grimaced as he helped her dismount the bike. “I should’ve warned you about the brakes. You alright?”

Ruth leaned into his warm embrace once she was on her feet, her heart still racing from the sudden scare. “I’m fine,” she assured with a nod. “Thanks for catching me.”

Johnny’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he gently guided her toward the entrance of the pub with a hand on the small of her back. “I think Frank would string me up if I let you hurt yourself on my watch.”

“Yeah, you’re definitely right.”

He opened the door for her, and as they stepped inside, they were greeted by soft light filtering through the open windows, casting a gentle glow over the cozy pub. A few people were sprinkled throughout the building, but for the most part, it was pretty empty, just like he had said. The second John appeared from behind her, the older bartender who’d been drying a glass busted into a hearty laugh.

“I was beginning to wonder if you’d been shot down by some bloody Jerry!”

“Not yet, Jack,” John grinned, approaching the bar with Ruth, who snickered under her breath as she watched him duck slightly under the low-hanging beams surrounding the bartop.

Johnny leaned against the bar, his hand sliding from her back to her waist, tugging her into his side. “Ruth,” he gestured to the blonde, before nodding at the man behind the counter. “Jack.”

She smiled sweetly at him. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Jack nodded.

Scanning the room, the Major’s eyes widened as if he’d suddenly remembered something. “My favorite dart slinger here?”

Jack shook his head and pointed across the room with a grin. Taking Ruth’s hand with eyes sparkling in excitement, Bucky beelined in the direction. “Ruthie, there’s someone I want you to meet. You’re gonna love him!”

He ducked under another beam into a smaller corner of the pub, and Ruth’s smile widened at the way his eyes lit up when he spotted a young man holding a few empty glasses.

“Tommy!”

A wide smile stretched from ear to ear on Tommy’s face as he noticed Bucky approaching. “Major.”

Releasing her hand, John threw an arm around Tommy’s shoulders, leaning down and pointing at Ruth in front of them. “This is my girl, Ruth, Tommy. I wanted her to meet the best damn dart slinger in all of East Anglia.”

Ruth could’ve sworn that her heart melted right then and there. 

“Hi, Tommy,” she greeted, gesturing over at the Major. “You must really be the best if John admits someone’s better at something than him.” 

Tommy’s eyes lit up at the comment, his grin somehow widening as he slowly extended a hand toward her. “Hi,” he said softly.

Ruth gently took his hand in hers, her heart swelling with warmth at the sight of his friendly demeanor. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she replied, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

A fond smile played on Johnny’s lips as he watched their interaction. From the moment he first found out she’d been a teacher before the war, he knew she was amazing at her job, but this moment solidified the notion in his mind.

“See, I told you she’s a sweetheart,” he teased, giving Tommy a playful nudge and sending her a wink. “And she’s real pretty too, right?”

Tommy nodded enthusiastically, his hand still clasped in Ruth’s. “Yep. Pretty,” he agreed softly.

Ruth couldn’t help but blush at the compliment, her cheeks flushing pink as she glanced up at a smirking John before her gaze fell to the floor. “Thank you.”

With his arm still draped over Tommy’s shoulder, Bucky grinned and glanced between the two of them. “Alright, alright, you two,” he chuckled, his tone light and playful. “Remember that she’s my girl, Tommy. You can’t go stealing her from me now…I like her too much.”

The blonde shot him a playful glare, but couldn’t suppress the smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. “You know, I doubt Tommy here wouldn’t make fun of my team. Maybe-

“Well, that’s it. I’ve got to go win her back,” John interrupted as he lifted his arm from Tommy’s shoulder and gently intertwined his hand with Ruth’s. “Don’t cause too much trouble, alright?”

Tommy started walking back up to the bar with a nod. “I’ll try.”

“I already love him,” Ruth mused, allowing Bucky to lead her over to a secluded table near the corner. He held out the chair for her and helped her sit down before settling into the opposite chair. “When did you meet him? When you first came over from home?”

“Yep. Tommy’s actually the reason we have those two bikes out there.”

The blonde tilted her head at him with a confused expression. “How?”

“Well, I told ya, he’s the best dart shooter around,” John started, leaning his elbows onto the table with a smirk. “Few months ago, a buddy of mine, Morris, bet his bikes that Tommy couldn’t hit an apple on top of my head…you know I can never say no to a good bet.”

“Wow,” she chuckled as she shook her head. “For a pilot, you sure don’t care about your eyesight, huh?”

“I cared more about those bikes. Buck was flying in the next day and I couldn’t have him gabbing about how long the walk was, now could I?”

1530 HRS: 3:30PM

The time flew by as they talked in the small pub, just soaking in each other’s presence.  Their conversations ranged from childhood stories to their missions, and it seemed that there was nothing that they couldn’t talk about. John sipped on his pint and listened in as Ruth used her hands to animatedly tell a story, a few giggles escaping her.

“So there’s this drink back home called Cheerwine, and it’s almost pure sugar. We only got it for special occasions, but when James was around two, he got into some-”

“What?” he asked with wide eyes, his raised eyebrows wrinkling his forehead. “Your baby brother drank a bunch of wine?”

With a roll of her eyes, Ruth reached across the small table and placed a hand on his arm. “It’s not alcoholic. It’s a soft drink, hon. If you’d let me finish the story, you’d know that,” she quipped.

He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers gently, lifting his empty one in surrender with a smirk. “My bad, my bad. Please continue.”

“Thank you…That day I got home from school and little Jamie was nowhere to be found. My Mama and Granny were freaking out, running around like chickens with their heads cut off looking for him. So I do the only reasonable thing an older sibling does when the younger one is missing…I went to get a snack.”

John chuckled across the table. “Sounds about right.”

“I went to grab something out of our cupboard, and if I wouldn’t be dawgoned, there he was!” Ruth exclaimed with a huff, “Fast asleep with three empty bottles of Cheerwine next to him.”

A loud belly laugh filled the pub, and a few of the newer patrons looked over at him with an annoyed glare, but the regulars didn't even bat an eye. "The little squirt had a sugar crash,” Johnny remarked, his eyes shining with amusement. “I can only imagine the look on your mom’s face when she found him."

Ruth nodded, a fond smile tugging at her lips as she remembered the chaos of the day. “Oh, she was not happy,” the blonde admitted with a chuckle. “But thankfully, Jamie was completely fine. He slept like a log for the rest of the day, though.”

Another part of the memory came to the forefront of her mind and caused her smile to falter slightly, eyes falling to the table. John squeezed her hand in concern, worry etching his face at her sudden change in demeanor. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” Ruth weakly replied, reaching up with her free hand to grasp her cross necklace. “Later that year, my Granny, she um, passed away. She gave me this. Said it was her good luck charm…You would’ve gotten along great with her.”

John rubbed his thumb over her knuckles gently. “I’m sure I would’ve. You know how I feel about good luck charms.”

“She first gave it to Dad when he went off to fight in France, and when he came back to my Mama a year later, Granny said it was the necklace that did it.”

“And what did your Pops have to say about that?” he questioned lightly. 

“Well,” she snickered, her blue eyes raising to his and holding up air quotations. “He said it was because of his ‘skills as an infantryman.’”

They shared a few chuckles before Ruth took a deep breath and shook away her memory. She sat up straight and scooted her chair closer to the table, leaning over it toward John. “But enough of the past,” she grinned, excitement sparkling in her eyes. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten what’s coming up, hotshot.”

“And what is that?”

“Your birthday!” Ruth cried, her eyes widening at the realization of how loud she was. Leaning further over the table, she lowered her voice. “Your birthday!”

“Oh, that,” Bucky chuckled. “28 is gonna be the same as 27, Ruthie. I’ll just be one year closer to becoming an old man.”

She raised an eyebrow at him skeptically. “I thought you already were?”

“Oh, that hurts,” he replied with a barely concealed smirk, bringing a hand to his chest. “I never expected such a low blow from you, doll. Here I was thinking you liked me.”

Taking a sip of her cider, Ruth shrugged. “Maybe I’d like you more if you would shut up about the Yankees.”

“No can do. Maybe I’d like you more if you would stop yapping about the Braves,” he sassed.

They both glared at each other with narrowed eyes for the second time that day, neither wanting to give in first. Unlike the first time, John was the one that conceded, sticking a hand out. “Fine. Truce?”

Ruth eyed his hand for a few moments in contemplation before shaking it. “Truce.”

“On that note,” he started, squeezing her hand. “I’ve got to go to the head. Don’t go anywhere.”

“Yes sir.”

As he made his way across the pub, Ruth watched him go, a soft smile playing on her lips. He stopped to speak to Jack for a few moments and then let out a single laugh, sparing her a wink before disappearing behind the bathroom door. She sighed contently, shaking her head at how she turned into a puddle in his presence. The sound of John's seat scraping across the floor broke her from her thoughts.

Her eyes followed the sound, and her smile faded and was replaced by a wave of discomfort as she was met with the sultry smirk of a dark-haired American in his service uniform. He leaned over the table towards her and Ruth immediately removed her elbows from it, folding in on herself as she wrapped her arms around her stomach. She felt his eyes on her, and her gaze flicked around the room, getting stuck on the door that John disappeared behind.

“Hi there, beautiful,” the man greeted, his words slightly slurred. “Can I get you a drink, doll?”

The endearment sounded like nails on a chalkboard coming from his lips, the complete opposite of the way it made her heart skip a beat when Johnny said it. 

“I already have a drink,” she muttered quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her heart racing in her chest. Ruth cut her eyes at the man quickly, her unease growing by the second as she prayed for John to return. 

“Come on, don’t be like that,” he persisted, his body practically draped over the table. “What do you want? A pint?”

Her skin was crawling under his gaze as he undressed her with his eyes. 

‘This is not happening,’ she thought. ‘You’ve gotta say something!’

Just when she was about to muster a response, the door to the bathroom swung open, and John emerged with a grin on his face. Relief flooded through her system at his familiar figure. 

Bucky’s smile faltered as he met Ruth’s scared and uncomfortable eyes that silently pleaded for help. He was unable to see the whole table, so when he stepped forward and saw the man practically draped over her, a flash of protective anger crossed his features. His steps quickened as he made his way back to their table, his expression hardening with each stride.

When he reached their spot he clamped his hand roughly onto the man’s shoulder with a clenched jaw, his chest burning. “Thanks for keeping my seat warm for me, pal,” he gritted out, his sharp tone in contrast to the playful words themselves.

The airman’s eyes remained on Ruth and he didn’t even bother to look up. “I didn’t know you owned this seat,” he snarked, finally shifting his eyes from the nurse up to John, whose glare threatened to burn straight through him.

The second he caught sight of the golden oak leaf on John’s collar, his eyes widened and all color drained from his face. He shot clumsily to his feet,  “Sorry-uh-Major, sir. I-I didn’t know,” he stammered, offering a split second salute before stumbling off to rejoin his friends across the room. 

Ruth covered her mouth to hide her grin at the man’s horror, her heartbeat already calming with John’s reassuring presence. Staring daggers at the man, Bucky’s hands sat on his hips as he took a deep breath to steady himself. When he turned his gaze back to Ruth, his expression softened, and he reached out to gently pull her sitting figure into his side. “You alright?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.

“Yeah,” she sighed, melting into his embrace. “Thank you…my knight in dirty sheepskin.”

Ruth’s giggle filled the air, and all the remaining tension left John’s body. “Not you, too,” he groaned. “Buck always rags me about the jacket looking dirty.”

”Well, if the shoe fits…”

He rolled his eyes, squeezing her shoulder lightly. “You ready to head out?”

“Sure. What time is it?” Ruth asked as he offered a hand and helped her to her feet.

John checked his watch quickly, scratching his mustache lightly. “Only 4. We’ve still got an hour.”

With a smirk, the blonde pulled him toward the door. “Let’s get going then, Major.”

“Add the drinks to my tab, Jack!” Bucky called over his shoulder as he quickly followed Ruth out the door, throwing his cap on haphazardly.

By the time they reached Thorpe Abbotts, clouds had moved into the English sky, replacing the bright sunlight with a dull and gloomy haze. Ruth followed John’s lead as he rode further into the base, pedaling past a few nissen huts.

“Go ahead and stop pedaling,” he pointed just ahead of them. “We’re stopping at my hut.” 

“Alright!” She replied, coasting along the pavement for a few moments. Johnny had already hopped off his bike like a pro and leaned it up against the hut.

Smirking, he placed his hands on his hips. “You need help?”

“I think I got it!” 

The bike beneath Ruth slowly rolled to a stop, and she stuck a foot out to catch herself in right front of John. Once she hopped off the bicycle, he propped it against his, taking her hand with a proud grin. 

“Here’s home sweet home,” John chuckled, gesturing to the nissen hut before them. He tugged on her hand and opened the door, but Ruth stopped for a moment behind him.

She scanned their surroundings briefly, her voice lowering to a whisper. “I don’t think that I should be in there.”

“Rank has its privileges, Ruthie. We’re alright,” he smiled down at her, squeezing her hand once. “Anyways, the Hundredth’s known for our raunchy discipline, so why start following the rules now, huh?”

“Are you sure?” The nurse asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow at him. “Buck told us about Hugh getting in trouble for having girls in here.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” John chuckled, pulling her a little closer. “Don’t worry about Buck. I have a feeling Hope’s got him-uh…preoccupied.”

Taking one last glance around them, a grin formed on her lips and she nodded excitedly. “Okay.”

As he led her into the small building, Ruth immediately noticed the similarities in their living spaces. The men’s hut was just as cold as theirs, and everything down to the sheet color was identical, except for the various city names that were burned into the ceiling of the men’s room.

Walking past each name, she read them aloud. “Bremen, St. Nazaire, Le Mans, Trondheim, ” Her eyes scanned the beds they passed as well. On some of the nightstands stood pictures of women, others of smiling families, and Ruth found herself comforted by it all.

“Which one is yours?”

“This one,” he replied, tossing off his cap and flopping face down onto a nearby mattress with a creak. 

Ruth chuckled and rolled her eyes at his child-like antics, sitting on the edge of the bed as John turned over onto his back to look up at her. He moved an arm behind his head, taking in her beauty as she reached over and picked up a book from his bedside table with a soft smile.

Her fingers traced the faded letters on the book’s cover with a tender reverence. “Guys and Dolls,” she murmured, her eyes distant as she flipped through the worn-out pages. “One of my students did a report on a story from in here.”

Continuing to watch her closely, Johnny’s stomach twisted at the longing he saw in her eyes. He could tell how much she missed her students, how teaching had always been more than just a job to her…it was a calling, a passion that filled her with purpose.

“Yeah, I like to read,” he replied, his voice gentle as he propped himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her. “Figured I could use a little entertainment to pass the time between missions.”

He decided he wasn’t going to dwell on the topic if she didn’t want to talk about it, not wanting to upset her. They all had touchy subjects, and for most of them, they dealt with home. 

Ruth nodded, her lips curving into a wistful smile as she closed the book and set it back on the bedside table. “I miss teaching,” she admitted softly, her voice tinged with sadness. “The kids, the classroom…it feels like a lifetime ago.”

As he listened to her confession, a pang of guilt ran through him. Of course, he couldn’t have known the book would make her upset, but that didn’t stop his heart from clenching in his chest. Unable to bear seeing her in distress, he sat up against the wall and reached out instinctively, his fingers brushing against her arm gently.

“It must be hard, being away from something you love so much.”

Ruth’s eyes met his, and something he couldn’t quite decipher shone in the deep blue as she readjusted on the bed to face him, moving a little closer with a knee folded underneath her. As she gazed down at him, a whirlwind of emotions swept through her. She couldn’t deny the warmth that spread through her chest whenever he was near or the way his presence seemed to cause a permanent smile to hang from her lips. He always knew just what to say to quell her worries and anxieties in a way that no one ever had before. With each touch, smile, and laugh, she felt herself drawn to him more and more, a magnetic pull that she couldn’t resist.

John’s dark, tousled, and slightly unkempt hair framed his face as he stared up at her, tenderness radiating from his gaze. A few stray curls lay scattered across his forehead, and Ruth slowly reached up and ran her hand through his hair, feeling the soft strands beneath her fingers. A sigh escaped John’s lips as he closed his eyes at the sensation, his features relaxing into a look of contentment. 

She gently slid her hand down to his cheek, tracing the contours of his face with a feather-light caress. Johnny’s eyes fluttered open at her touch, his eyes locking with hers in an unspoken exchange. He leaned into her hand and brought his own up, covering her much smaller one.

“It’s alright,” she finally replied quietly, fighting a sigh when he placed a soft kiss against the inside of her palm. “Some things make it worth being away.”

John sat up fully and reached a hand up to the side of her face, rubbing her jaw softly with his thumb. “I know the feeling.”

His eyes wandered her face for a moment, looking for any sign of discomfort as he leaned in. “Can I-”

“Yes,” she breathed, and for the second time that day, John connected their lips…but this one was different.

As their lips met, Ruth felt a surge of safety flood through her entire being. The slight tickle of his mustache was a familiar feeling that somehow brought her comfort. His lips were soft and tender against hers, moving with a gentle rhythm that made her stomach swirl. Ruth’s head spun, all thoughts dissipating as they got lost in each other’s embrace.

The taste of whiskey…the smell of his cologne… it was John. He was all-encompassing.

In that moment, Ruth Morgan knew she never wanted to kiss anyone else again.

Ruth melted into him, her heart pounding in her chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. John’s hand remained on her jaw, and his touch sent tingles coursing through her skin. She sighed softly against his lips, the sound muffled by their kiss.

Eventually, they pulled back breathlessly, their quiet pants mingling in the air between them as they leaned their foreheads together. John placed one last chaste kiss against her lips and leaned back to fully view her face, his hand running over the smooth skin of her cheek.

“Ruthie, you’re amazing…”

The nurse ducked her head slightly, looking at the bed between them for a moment before peering up at him through her lashes with a bashful smile. “Thank you.”

A lazy grin appeared on his face as their gazes locked again. ��...except for the fact that you’re a Braves fan.”

Ruth’s eyebrows shot up and her jaw dropped, a scoff that soon turned to chuckles leaving her lips. “You’re such an idiot! What happened to our truce?” she howled, reaching her hands out to shove him, but John caught them before they could find their mark, holding them against his chest as Ruth fought against him.

“Not so fast!” he cackled, their laughter echoing through the small space. 

The familiar sound of her giggles never failed to make his heart skip in his chest.

“You didn’t seem to care about me being a Braves fan a minute ago!”

“What was a minute ago?” Bucky asked cheekily, checking his watch for dramatic effect. The time that greeted him made his heart drop, the giddy feeling disappearing suddenly as his smile fell. “Oh, Come on.”

Ruth froze, her brows creasing. “What is it?”

He released her hands and held up his wrist for her to see. 

4:50

“We gotta go” John groaned, clambering to his feet. “Frank’s gonna kill me if you’re late.”

When she didn’t move from the bed, he reached out his hands to her. “Come on, Ruthie. We’ve only got nine minutes to get over to the main building and it takes all of that on the bikes.”

Ruth let out an exasperated sigh and took his hands, allowing him to pull her to her feet. “I don’t want to leave.”

“I know, doll,” John mumbled, tugging her into a tight embrace. “I don’t want you to leave either, but you’ve gotta get home before the blackout goes into effect. The roads get real dangerous after that.”

Ruth knew he was right, but after being there with him by her side, she didn’t want to be without her Major. Serious feelings were slowly developing each time they spent time together, and it got harder each time they parted.

The couple spent the short bike ride to the main building planning their next meeting. Passing a few other airmen, Johnny grinned proudly at them as their eyes cut over to Ruth.

“Evening, fellas.”

“Major.”

As they turned the corner, the blue Austin came into view with Frank leaning against the side, Buck and Hope a few feet away.

“I wanna go to the pub and see Tommy again.” She called out, the wind whipping her blonde hair in all directions.

“Damn,” John cursed. “I’m being replaced.”

As she often did in his presence, she rolled her eyes, a high-pitched giggle leaving her lips. “You’re so overdramatic.”

They hopped off their bikes near the car, laying them in the grass gently. Approaching their friends, they walked hand in hand, arms swinging between them. Frank waved them over, sending the couple a smug grin.

“How’s your day been, Ruth?” Frank asked, nodding curtly to John who responded similarly.

She peered up at the Major with dusty pink cheeks. “Good.”

“That’s it? Good?” The Captain grumbled as he took a drag of his cigarette.

Snickering under her breath, Hope wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Ruth who ducked her head, a grin plastered on her lips.

Johnny cut his eyes at Buck, who could see the mischief behind his friend’s eyes, and urged him silently to keep his mouth shut. “Well, If you-”

“Nevermind,” Frank interrupted the Major, raising a hand at him. “I don’t wanna know.”

Before anyone could speak, someone called out to the group. “Majors!”

Their eyes flew over to Hugh, who approached them quickly. 

“I thought Buck had your blessing, Charlie?” John asked, a sly look on his face.

The group noticed his blank expression as he came to a stop beside his sister. “The light’s on.”

Buck and John’s smiles fell as their eyes met again. This time, there was no amusement in their gaze. The girls watched them with furrowed brows. 

“What does that mean?” Hope asked, looking up at Gale expectantly.

Johnny sighed and squeezed Ruth’s hand gently, peering down at her with pursed lips. “It means there’s a mission.”

“Harding said to bring toiletries, a blanket, and a summer uniform,” Hugh announced, running a tired hand down his face. “I think this one’s big.”

The women’s hearts sank…of course, they knew what the guys did, but until that moment, they hadn’t been reminded of it firsthand. Ruth could see a flicker of fear in Bucky’s eyes, and reality came crashing down on her.

Every time they went up, they ran the risk of never coming down again.

This realization sent a surge of panic coursing through her veins, and she found herself unable to speak, her throat constricted with emotion. Feeling her hand start to shake in his hold, John pulled them away from the group, giving the couple some privacy.

“Hey,” he murmured softly, his voice barely above a whisper as he reached up to cup her jaw, leaning down to meet her eyes with his face creased in concern. “We’ll be alright. We always are.”

His words offered her a fleeting sense of reassurance, but Ruth couldn’t shake the overwhelming dread gnawing at her insides. The fear of losing him…of never seeing him again threatened to overwhelm her.

She nodded, her lips quivering as she fought to keep her emotions in check. “I know,” she whispered back, her voice barely audible. “But…just in case…”

With trembling hands, Ruth reached up to her neck, fumbling with the delicate chain of her granny’s necklace. She hesitated for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest before finally unclasping it and holding it out to John.

“Here,” she said softly, swallowing the lump in her throat. “Take it. If it got my Daddy through a war, it’ll get you through, too.”

John’s eyes widened in surprise and he gently pushed away her outstretched hand, closing her fingers over the necklace. “Ruthie, I can’t,” he protested. “I’m not taking it. I’m set on good luck charms, remember? This means too much to you.”

But she shook her head, a determined glint in her eyes as she pushed the necklace into his hand. “Please, Johnny,” she insisted, her voice unwavering. “I want you to have it. Just…just come back to me, hotshot.”

“I will. I promise.”

Johnny’s throat tightened as he met Ruth’s desperate gaze, the emotion in them stirring his own inside his heart. He took the necklace and brought her into a loving embrace, cradling her head against his chest. Ruth let herself get lost in his arms, finding comfort in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath her ear.

“Hey Ruthie,” he murmured, his chest rumbling at his deep tone. She could hear the smile in his voice. “While I’m gone, don’t go and get another boyfriend okay?”

Pulling back from John’s embrace, Ruth sent him a teary smile and chuckled quietly. “Don’t take too long, then,” she retorted, her strained as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t think I could handle having two boyfriends at once.”

His eyes crinkled at the corners as a wide and toothy grin grew on his face. “There it is,” he marveled, shaking his head. “The most beautiful smile in the world.”

Ruth’s smile grew wider at John’s words, her cheeks flushing with a rosy hue as she glanced up at him through her lashes, giggling. “Stop it. You’re making me blush.” 

Silently, he reached up and ran his hand through Ruth’s blonde hair gently, his eyes studying her face as if committing it to memory. “I can’t help it,” Johnny whispered, his voice husky with emotion as he traced the curve of her cheek with his thumb. “I know I joke around a lot, but you’re just so damn perfect, Ruth. In every way.”

The nurse’s heart skipped a beat, and she bridged the gap, her lips brushing against his in a soft, lingering kiss. Pulling away reluctantly, a bittersweet ache settled in their hearts. John pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, his lips remaining against her skin for a moment longer than necessary. From over her shoulder, he caught sight of Frank checking his watch, and the Major knew it was time for her to go. 

Although his heart sank at the thought of watching her walk away, he pulled her into one last embrace, wrapping his arms around her tightly before reluctantly stepping back. “Go on,” he said lightly, mustering the most reassuring smile he could. “I’ll see you soon, slugger.”

Ruth nodded slowly. “See you soon. Please be careful.”

She walked toward the car slowly, glancing over her shoulder at him every few moments. Just as she reached Hope, John called out to her, his eyebrows raised as he sent her a smirk. "I expect a letter waiting for me when I get back!"

"I’ll see what I can do, Major. And I expect one the second you get back!"

She held his gaze for a few moments, their blues having a silent conversation reassuring that they'd see each other again. 

The couple's eyes finally diverged when Frank's regretful voice filled the air. "Girls, we'd better hit the road if we want to be back at base before it's too dark."

Frank opened the door for them, and with a final nod, she slipped into the car beside Hope, her heart heavy with both worry and longing as she watched Johnny’s figure grow smaller in the distance. 

Glancing at the girls’ forlorn expressions as they each stared out their window silently, the Captain’s gaze softened. “They’re gonna be alright, you two. From what I’ve heard, your guys are the best pilots in the 100th. They’ll be back in no time.”

Ruth nodded slowly, her curls bobbing along her chin, but Hope remained glued to the window, her face hidden from Ruth by her dark hair. Frank eyed her carefully, watching as the tears rolled silently down her cheeks. He understood she had twice as much to lose, and knowing Hugh was never one to stay out of trouble weighed on her heavily. He’d have to keep a close eye on her over the next few days. While Ruth wore her emotions on her sleeve, Hope would suffer in silence in order to stay strong for her best friend. 

The car was eerily silent as it made its way along the dark roads, the hooded lights casting a pathetic glow on the road ahead. Somewhere along the journey, Ruth had fallen asleep against Hope’s shoulder and she smiled down at her friend, pleased that at least one of them could get some rest. 

AAF GROVE, BERKSHIRE: 2015 HRS

Once they arrived back to base the three split ways, Frank went to return the Austin before the Major returned the following morning. The girls went straight to their Nissan huts, undressing quickly and slipping into their nightdresses. Ruth sat on her bed, removing the letters from the box on her nightstand and reading over John’s words quietly while Hope busied herself around the room, folding clothes, tidying the cupboard beside her bed, and arranging the desk.

Ruth slipped beneath her bed covers with a sigh, her mind too preoccupied to sleep, but unable to settle as Hope continued to rustle and shuffle around the room. 

“Hope, will you please settle down and go to bed? We’re back to work tomorrow and we should at least get some sleep.” 

Hope looked a little forlorn, “Sorry Ruth,” she slumped down on her bed, continuing to rummage through her musette bag. The blonde groaned, rolling onto her side to shield her eyes from the lantern by Hope’s bed. Eventually, all movements ceased until Ruth felt her bed dip with a creak as Hope sat down beside her. 

Ruth had never really seen Hope cry. She’d shed a few tears but never broken down and cried, not until now…

Her shoulders shook as the silent sobs escaped her lips, “I-I can’t lose them, Ruth.” 

“Hey,” Ruth whispered, sitting up in an instant and pulling Hope into her side, “They both made a promise they would come back to you, Hope, and I don’t think that either of them would break it. They’re going to be fine…they all will.” 

Ruth wasn’t sure if she was saying that part to comfort Hope or herself. The blonde had been sick to her stomach the whole night, unable to get the worst-case scenarios out of her mind. Her only comfort was re-reading John’s letters.

She helped Hope crawl under the covers like she had so many times before, but this time Ruth resorted to being the big spoon instead of her usual place as little spoon. The bed wasn’t really wide enough for two people but they made it work, cuddling close to one another. 

“He told me I mean the world to him,” Hope whispered, her voice thick with emotion as she mumbled into the pillow. The simple thought of Gale’s words sent Hope’s heart racing in her chest, and Ruth heard every single muffled word.

“He said what?” Ruth burst with excitement, “Did you say it back?”

“Of course, I did,” Hope chuckled softly at her friend's enthusiasm. “He also said that when this war is over that he wants to marry me.” 

Ruth’s heart was fit to burst. She loved Gale and Hope together nearly as much as she loved her and John being together. Everything was coming together perfectly for them and she could only pray that things continue that way. 

Now the older nurse understood why Hope’s worry ran deeper than she previously thought. Yes, Ruth felt very deeply for Johnny, but they hadn’t made any long-term promises to each other. Gale and Hope had. The couple had plans for the future…plans that would lead to children, a loving home, and a family.

Hope’s vision of three children playing in a garden reappeared in her mind, each one with Gale’s sandy blonde hair. Maybe they had her eyes and his lips? Her nose? She could see him coming home from work after a long day, giving her a loving kiss before sitting in a recliner with their youngest on his lap, rocking them to sleep softly. They’d have a dog too, running around and playing with the children. Maybe they-

“Hope?” Ruth mumbled into her friend's hair, breaking Hope from her thoughts. She earned a muffled hum and continued, “When you get married, can I be your bridesmaid?” 

Hope turned over to face her friend slowly so she didn’t knock her out of bed, “Of course you can. Although you might have to fight Hugh for the job.” 

Ruth grinned, narrowing her eyes playfully, “I bet I could take him on. One glare from me and I think he’d be crying.” 

Hope chuckled in amusement, “I have to admit. When you’re mad, you are something to behold, Ruth Morgan. It doesn’t happen much, but I sure wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of you when it does. I know the last time Hugh got on the wrong side of you he wasn’t best pleased,” Hope giggled, recalling her brother's shocked face at Ruth’s outburst. “I hope John is always on his best behavior. John better watch out. I don’t think he realizes what a firecracker he’s got.” 

“Yeah,” Ruth chuckled, already imagining Johnny’s reaction to her spitting off at someone. “Hopefully he won’t be the one it’s directed towards.”

“Oh, I don’t think that’s gonna be much of a problem. I saw the way he was looking at you today, Rue. You’ve got him wrapped around your finger, even if either of you don’t realize it.”

Closing her eyes, Ruth remembered his loving gaze in his nissen hut earlier. “Maybe,” she whispered, sinking into her pillow. “I still can’t believe all of this is because we evacuated some patients at their airfield on a random day.”

“I know,” Hope smiled softly. “Look at us.”

The girls chattered continued late into the night and come morning when Frank knocked on their door, they had finally fallen into a dreamless sleep, still tightly wrapped in each other's arms.

A/N: What I wrote about John's sisters is true!! Frances really was an Army Corps Nurse in the South Pacific during WW2 and Eileen got married in 1941 to Lowell Watson! Johnny's father, John Egan (Sr.) sadly passed away in 1942. The Egan parents named two out of their three children after themselves, John and Frances being their namesakes! Just thought I should share that the Egan family was pretty cool!

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[videogametako]

steam next fest feb 2024: aeruta

saw this, action platformer with anime girl, cool. link here

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2286780/Aeruta/

it had a bread theme to it too and in hindsight, the bakery half of the game should've been expected.

overview

so chaya is an adventurer in training who's apparently on probation and taking an exam. on her way to complete the quest she encounters an oven that explodes on her, effie thinks it's chaya's fault (naturally) and hijinks ensue.

by hijinks i mean she hires you to work for her bakery. the place she needs ingredients from is coincidentally where chaya needs to go for her quest, so she goes and does both at the same time yay.

effie is cute and kinda dumb

mechanics

this game has snappy combat, it'd probs be much better on controller (fingers hurt). you have a dodge too. one thing i particularly liked is the "drive" mechanic

proud for this action screenshot

you press x to hook an enemy towards you. the kicker is that you can hold forward + x to move toward the enemy instead. this is the main reason for why i find the combat so snappy. you can either isolate and pick off a mob or close the gap and engage a horde, and it's super intuitive with the way it's implemented (i mean, button press or button plus direction)

eventually you get heals. it's a really quick heal too but you can't restock any (at least as far as i got, a little <1 hr). dodges are important because you don't heal between stages. oh yeah this is a branching dungeon type kinda game (not too sure what the genre is called specifically)

combat gets very repetitive, though it's a demo so i expected that at least. overall, pretty good though i think. chaya feels really good to play.

i'll mention the bakery part in the next section

gameplay loop

the two main parts of the game are the "quest " and the "town" part as i'll be referring to them now.

the quest part is the whole dungeon combat action stuff. you advance chaya's career and farm materials to cook bread and upgrade the bakery. that's pretty much it i think, at least for now.

the town part is where you sell bread. it goes: wait for effie to bake > take bread > place bread on counter (button) > check out customer order (you do this ddr minigame of 2-4 arrow key presses) > clean up litter > repeat. it feels like it's missing something, but i think it's passable if you're not doing it too often (you can't dash indoors sadly)

effie gives you a calendar where on some days some types of bread sell better so you typically aim to open up shop on those days while you farm on every other day, at least that's what it feels like you should be doing because the bread takes a fair amount of mob drops to make

oh yeah you can upgrade your bakery from this architect cutie after you pay your debt to them, that would probs help in making the bakery feel better to play (no i didn't have any more gold to spend)

aesthetics

the sprites feel a bit stiff, but honestly the animations are extremely charming (especially effie's, she's so animated (i have no gif to offer, sorry)). OH also the architect (i already forgot name, bollie or something) was missing a walk cycle animation for one of the cutscenes lol. honestly they're pretty good as stills but definitely feeling lackluster as idle animations (still no gifs). enemies looked a lot better in terms of animation, and combat stuff was passable i think.

anime aesthetic i also like, oh and the enemies are admittedly cute and goofy (hate those crabs, they're annoying to fight (both types))

found a screenshot, i was one letter away

now, the music is pretty good. a few tracks felt reminiscent of touhou, i enjoyed listening to em. the boss had uh, well it's audio felt broken sometimes. feels like its attack sounds just cut out unnaturally. well, it's a demo, so not too big of a deal i think

closing thoughts

this game has a lot of promise i think, i recall recettear when playing this. it's obvs not recettear but i was reminded of it, except aeruta has a lot more action elements. i'm excited to see more of the quest part honestly, weapons, abilities (though not sure what can top drive unless it just straight up has better numbers) and maybe characters too. the town part too to a lesser extent, but it's fun in its own right.

i think their art direction has a solid foundation (it's the standard pixel anime stuff, nothing too groundbreaking) but could use a bit more refinement. more dynamic idles, the sound design on that boss please it bothered me please be broken so the devs can fix it i don't know how i'll fight it knowing that's how it's supposed to sound like orz

i'm looking forward to see where this game leads, i have wishlisted it on steam, and maybe if it sounds nice you can go wishlist it too it helps the devs

[circlecast]

Stepping Into Your Best New Year

New year has arrived how are you going to have the best year in your life?

Plan and pursue

Why having plans is needed - https://www.relaxedmale.com/why-you-want-to-plan-your-year/

Build your 4 pillars

Man's Mind

Man's Body

Man's Soul

Man's Community

Get a coach

What I am doing this year

Fasting 4 times

Getting 10 clients

Getting a coach

End of the Year Information

< hr >

  In this episode of The Relaxed Male podcast, the host begins by welcoming listeners and discussing the importance of being intentional in the new year. They stress the need to make plans and set goals rather than just talking about them. The host acknowledges that decision-making can be challenging for men but encourages them to overcome their fear and take action. The main speaker dives into the concept of decision-making and the fear of missing out on other options. They believe that making decisions can make a person stronger, despite the common excuses people make to avoid planning and setting goals.

They emphasize the importance of pushing oneself and going through challenges to become a better person. The speaker criticizes men who desire attention from attractive women without putting in the effort to improve themselves. They then share their own goal of fasting for seven days but mention that their spouse expressed concerns and questioned the safety of the decision. However, the speaker is confident in their ability to complete the fast and mention an example of someone who went over a year without eating. They acknowledge that hunger pains and temptations will be a challenge but express determination to overcome them. They plan to repeat the fasting challenge four times throughout the year to improve their physical pillar. The main speaker discusses the discomfort that comes with learning something new and the importance of having a plan. They share a link to a blog post about the benefits of planning and explain that our brain's natural inclination is to seek pleasure and avoid pain, making learning new things challenging.

They also emphasize the need to step out of our comfort zones and embrace the discomfort of setting goals and experiencing failures. They introduce the four pillars of relaxed mail, which include the mind, passions, body, and community. The speaker suggests working on the mind by reading books and listening to educational podcasts, pursuing passions, taking care of the body through exercise and proper nutrition, and building a strong community of meaningful relationships. The speaker discusses the importance of having a strong community and setting a goal to have 10 close friends.

They emphasize the need to actively engage with others, learn something special about them, and form meaningful relationships. They acknowledge that some may feel overwhelmed by this idea and come up with fear-based thoughts, but it is essential to open oneself up to others and build a community. The speaker highlights that seeking support and guidance from a community can help apply what one has learned and make progress in various aspects of life. They also mention the importance of having a coach who can help identify and overcome limiting beliefs, provide guidance and accountability, and propel personal growth further.

The main speaker plans to fast four times and acquire 10 clients while seeking a business coach to enhance their coaching practice in the upcoming year. The main speaker continues by sharing the history of The Relaxed Male, which started as a men's catalog and evolved into a blog focused on helping men. They reflect on the growth of their podcast and the fluctuations in listenership over the years.

They express gratitude for every listener and emphasize the importance of providing value and trusting that success will come with time and consistency. The host encourages listeners to share the podcast with others and invites them to explore new podcasting apps that offer interactive features. They also mention a few spots still available for free coaching and highlight the importance of genuine dedication to self-improvement.

The episode concludes with a reminder to share the podcast on social media platforms and visit the show notes on the website for more information. The host also encourages listeners to get in touch and leave a message on the website if they're interested in free coaching. The episode ends with a message of gratitude to the audience and the anticipation of future growth.

00:00:00 Welcoming 2024 and Making It Your Best Year Yet 00:09:58 The Transformation of a Lump of Coal into a Diamond 00:16:27 Understanding and managing our wife's emotions 00:19:00 The importance of making a plan and setting goals 00:26:38 Building a Strong Community for Men 00:36:11 Consistency and Growth in Special Day Posts 00:46:05 Building a Viewership and Changing Society

Newest podcast episode to change your Mindset

[milfmatsu]

realized i never showed y'all my jazzmatsu playlist! it's based on my absolute favorite hesowars set, Jam Session.

my favorite piece from each brother's section:

Osomatsu: “Spring Is Here” - Bill Evans

Karamatsu: “Lazy Bird” - John Coltrane

Choromatsu: “I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face” - Wes Montgomery

Ichimatsu: “Yesterdays” - Paul Chambers

Jyushimatsu: “Are You Real” - Art Blakey

Todomatsu: “Blue in Green” - Miles Davis

[unravellingdescent]

Dream Guardian

Today, I was a butterfly. I’d never been a butterfly before, nor would I know if I were ever going to be a butterfly again. Despite that though, flying felt familiar; comfortable. I recognised the area, though I can’t recall where I’d seen it before. I remember fluttering through certain roads that looked hauntingly familiar, but I can’t remember where from. I wouldn’t say I had no control over where I’d go, but rather, it just… felt right.

Another weird dream huh. This time it was in the presence of a butterfly, wings of midnight blue, as I watched it travel across my neighbourhood under the full moon. I mean, it’s not like I haven’t dreamt of butterflies before; but unlike the other ones, this butterfly had a presence to it.

My car broke down today on my way to work, so I had to take the night bus home. This normally wouldn’t be an issue, except I had to stay late for work AND the fact that the main bus I’d take no longer functioned after midnight. At least I had the day off tomorrow to solve this stupid car issue. Today’s been a rough day in general, and it’s driving me crazy that the fucking butterfly dream is stuck in my head. Just watching it flutter, again and again, from beginning to end. An intrusive thought is one thing but this one would JUST NOT leave.

As I walk from the bus stop towards my apartment, I notice the surroundings is familiar, too familiar. I’ve lived in this area for about two years now, and it’s not like I haven’t walked here before, but this felt different. Normally, I’d take the main roads, staying away from any dark alleys and unlit areas – for safety reasons of course, but I recall the butterfly, floating through this exact area. It didn’t take the normal routes I would take, instead turning into the daunting alleys and taking the backroads I normally wouldn’t.

“Teenage boy’s body found in abandoned car.”

Poor kid I thought to myself, watching the morning news in my new pyjamas that I JUST spilled coffee on. As I kept listening though, my hands began to freeze, sending chills down my entire body and staining the rest of my pjs.

“…found near the roundabout of Smith’s Avenue… …autopsy reports show the victim was murdered around 12:20am...”

Smith’s Avenue? The closest main road I’d drive to work? The same one I’d normally take coming home from the bus stop? The same path I would’ve taken last night had I not spontaneously followed a different route all because of a dream. Surely it was luck. Or just déjà vu. There’s no way that body could’ve been mine had I gone the normal way, right?

Today I was a kitten, awoken by the early morning cold. My mother and siblings still asleep, tugging trying to feed themselves on her milk. I couldn’t fall back to sleep though, so I wandered the plains, running through the thick fog of winter dusk. I soon found myself near a small townhouse, not of humans, but other cats. They welcome me with warm purrs and feeding me fresh milk and fish, disappearing once the sun was in the sky.

My alarm really woke me up this early. 4:30 am? A whole hour earlier than my usual routine – maybe I was half asleep while setting it up but I don’t think I can go back to bed. And these birds outside are chirping so damn loud there’s no way I’m getting another ounce of sleep. Maybe I should just head to work, at least that way I’ll get to catch up on the work that’s been piling on me since the day my car broke down. Leaving at 5:30 in the morning feels strange, I can barely see anything in this mist but on the bright side, the roads are somewhat empty. Guess I’ll be the first one at work today, reminds me of the times I used to come in early just to impress and suck up the management.

It's almost 7am and most of my colleagues should be here by now but so far, there’s only four people here, and one of them had to be my boss that’s been on my ass for the past week about some new project which wasn’t even assigned to our department. I see the HR lady talking to him, …and now he's walking towards my office. Hopefully it’s not about this damn project again, maybe I should put some headphones in and pretend like I’m working so he’ll leave me alo- guess not.

“There’s been a massive multi-lane accident on King’s Road. Some of our colleagues have been affected by this and will not be able to come in due to traffic blockage. You may take the day off if...”

Turns out there was a drunk driver going over 70 mph that ran a red light into an oil truck around half past 6 in the morning. Over 14 casualties and counting according to Google’s latest results. Not sure what sane human drinks and drives that early in the morning, but what bothered me most was that this was my usual time commuting to work. There was a significantly high chance of that number being 15 had I woken up like I usually do. I’m suddenly reminded of the butterfly from 4 weeks ago, and the kitten last night. They both had the same eery presence to them that I still can’t quite put my finger on, but apart from that, there was no real correlation, right? I mean, sure the kitten was awoken early like I was, but nothing else stands out.

As I drove home, the dream kept replaying in my head, I’d watch this kitten wake up, wander off in the fog, and visit a townhouse of cats, eat, drink, disappear and repeat. It came to my realisation that the kitten was rewarded for waking up early and wandering off, before all its siblings, and getting to eat and drink free meals. Was I somehow rewarded, or rather, somehow avoided a fatal accident by being awake early and wandering off, or heading, to work?

A guardian angel looking out for me? It’s been appearing much more often, increasing in frequency over the last year or so, where certain animals, objects, even inconspicuous things like the wind or sunlight, had a weird presence to them. One time it was a bird that stared at my usual coffee shop for ages, and then flew away – most likely telling me to not get coffee that following day. It took me 2 hours in the bathroom to understand that maybe I shouldn’t have drunk coffee that day. Another time it was in the form of the rain, heavy pouring rain. This time I listened, and had brought multiple umbrellas and raincoats with me to work. Did I mention I work in the fields now? Well, I work in the fields now, rarely in the office but occasionally I do have to go in to finish off some paperwork.

In the past 6 months or so, the presence has taken a form that it hasn’t before, a human. A woman, more beautiful than any I’d seen, deep hazel eyes and a smile that lit up her face. She would talk to me. Talk with me. At first, she only pointed, her hands glowing in certain directions, sometimes in the sky. Sometimes she’d stand, or float, in empty space, pointing to 4D diagrams, pictures, usually warning me of danger, or just things I should consider or approach in my day to day life. It’s not like I’m uncapable of doing my work or meeting new friends, but listening to her has helped improved my social circle and work life.

Eventually she spoke. We’d talk about each other, well, me mainly. It was weird talking to someone in my dream and vividly remembering every detail, but it was a good weird, one that made me comfortable and felt therapeutic. I’d listen to her speak in her soft, tender voice, about who she was, though she didn’t know much either. She said she wasn’t a guardian angel but a dream guardian. A presence that only speaks to you in your dreams – she knew that much at least. She told me she didn’t know why she was here, but that she felt like there was something important to do regarding me. Something that drove her very existence to me.

At first I was curious, intrigued as to what mystic force would drive her to me. But eventually, I stopped losing interest as to why she was here, and just appreciated and enjoyed her company. It wasn’t physical, but it felt real. I asked her why she didn’t appear as a human from the very beginning, but I soon found out that wasn’t in her control. We came to the assumption that maybe I had to listen to her warnings more and trust its presence more for that to happen. I asked her why she felt so important to me, and yet so distant; she didn’t know. I asked her if she’d stay with me for the rest of my life, if she’d continue to appear in my dreams, but again, she didn’t know. Maybe once the “important” thing was completed, she’d disappear for good.

I didn’t want her to disappear, but I didn’t know what to do either. So, I let it be. She’d visit me almost every night, and the mornings after not getting a visit from her, I found myself trying to go back to sleep for a chance to talk to her again. I never could though. It’s not like I could force myself to dream of her either. And when I did dream of her, it felt lucid, yet I was unable to control my surroundings or my own body to the extent I wanted it to. I wanted to hug her, or even just hold her hand and say thank you. Thank you for saving me countless of times, no matter how big or small it was. It’s not like I didn’t thank her every time I saw her, but it never felt sincere. I don’t think it could’ve felt sincere unless I’d hold her hands in mine and wept and cried telling her how much I appreciated her looking out for me.

It’s been an entire year since I’ve met her. And yes, I’ve managed to hold her hand and tell her all the things I wanted to say, and more. It felt like I was holding everything and nothing at the same time. It was so full and so heavy, yet so empty. The cosmic universe in the palm of my hands and the absence of everything simultaneously. She said she could feel nothing, and she’s felt nothing throughout all the times I’ve held her. I didn’t know if that was an insult at first, but she reassured me that dream guardians cannot feel anything, and that she understood and empathised with everything I said.

It's been three years since I’ve met her. She hasn’t shown up since then. I’ve dreamt of her and thought of her every day, but there was never that presence to her like the past. It wasn’t her. It was something I conjured up from my own thoughts and tried to manifest in my dream. The one I’ve been dreaming of isn’t my dream guardian. I missed her. Did she finally complete the important task she was assigned to? Did God, or whatever heavenly divinity that brought her to me, decide to finally take her back? If she was here to protect me and keep me happy, why have I felt so miserable? Why is she always on my mind? Her soft voice, her smile that’d light up her entire face, her hand that filled me with everything and nothing, her comfort and her worry. I missed everything.

I haven’t had proper sleep in weeks, I’m scared I’ll never see her again. I don’t want to conjure up a fake her from my obsessive thoughts and replace her. I’m scared I’ll no longer dream of her, and she’ll be gone forever, forgotten from my mind. I’m scared I’ll come to the point where I thought everything was just a hallucination or just a normal dream. That she was never real. No, I’m going to try to see her again soon. Tomorrow I’ll drive to the nearest pharmacy and buy the strongest sleeping pills in hopes that they can help me meet her again.

She appeared that night, but she was different. Her voice was weak and straining. Her face no longer carrying her smile that filled up my heart. And her eyes, lifeless. For the first time, she reached out her hand to hold mine. But it didn’t feel like everything and nothing, it felt… real. It felt human. She begged me not to go tomorrow and take those pills, she begged me to forget about her and live the better life she helped me achieve. She said to not let her efforts go to waste, and that she would watch over me from above. She said she loved me. She loved me. She loved me. Again and again. I didn’t know it until that moment either, but I loved her too. I fell in love with my dream guardian, and I didn’t want to ever let her go.

I awoke this morning, crying, beating myself up for waking up so early. If I slept a little longer, I could be with her for a little longer. How could my own body be so against my own wishes? Falling in love with the woman of my dreams, literally. But I loved her more than any other person I’ve ever loved and felt more loved in that one dream than I ever felt before. I wanted to see her again, and I’m going to.

9pm. There’s two bottles of sleeping pills in front of me. I’m going to meet her tonight again, and hopefully, I can stay with her for the rest of my life. Even if I have to take multiple bottles every night. I’m going to see her.

As I swallow one pill after another, I slowly find myself getting sleepier and sleepier, but I need more. I need as much time I can to be with her. Fighting to stay awake, I open the second bottle and start taking a handful of them at once. I’m sleepy, I’m falling asleep. Please wait for me.

It's been so long since I’ve been here, I’ve lost count. Maybe a few hours, maybe a few millennia, maybe since the beginning of time. What was I doing here? What am I doing here? How did I get here? Who am I? Who was I before I got here? I want to know who, or what I am. It’s so dark, I’ve been wandering for so long, yet I don’t feel like I’ve moved at all. I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to go back to a time before I was here, before I forgot who I was.

Am I alive? Was I once alive? Is this the graveyard of the dead? I don't feel alive, nor do I feel dead. Is this where the forgotton are left behind? I see glimpses of a life, somewhere in the distant past, somewhere in another universe. Why was I so eager to rest? So eager to throw away my life? What for? To sleep? To meet something, or someone? Is this the realm for the souls that gave up on living? If it is, I don't want to be here. I don't want to give up on my life. I want to go back. I want to live a longer life, as long as I can. I'm sleepy. I close my eyes one last time.

...And some day, open them again. I don’t feel what I’ve felt before in the darkness, it’s not dark at all. I feel nothing and yet, everything at the same time. I can see yet I sense I’m also being watched. I don’t know where I am, but these roads feel hauntingly familiar. I don’t know where I’m going, but wherever I go, it just feels right. I’m looking around, it’s a full moon and I’m floating on wings, midnight blue, a butterfly.

[flying-kanery]

Hey @kanerallels! Thank you for the tag! I loved reading all your fun facts! I actually did already do this one lol, but I totally understand, these chains of reblogs can get really confusing haha😂but here it is again, just in response to you tagging me queen!

I was originally tagged for this one by the amazing @xxxcertifiednerdxxx!

Start post:

Woah, this one's kind of deep, I like it!

Thanks for the tag!

Are you named after anyone?

My family's actually pretty into that kind of stuff, so yeah! I think I'm actually named after multiple people...but I'm not sure. I know I'm named after my dad (his name is Brian, my name's Brianna. it's the masculine and feminine versions of the Gaelic word for "strong"). But my mom told me that wasn't the main reason they chose that name for me, which I think is kind of weird, but whatever lol. She told me she just liked the name haha. I think my middle name comes from my great aunt that I never met.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh.........if I were to guess, I'd probably say last Wednesday. I don't even remember what I would be crying about or anything that happened that day. I'm just feeling last Wednesday for this question. Now, the last time I remember crying was probably...when I was listening to I Dreamed a Dream from Les Mis...the Glee version, AH!

moving on

3. Do you have kids?

Nope. I'm pretty young. But I really want to have kids someday! I've worked with kids quite a bit and I've always had a special love for them<3 I think, in a way, they're some of the most trustworthy people on the planet. You never have to worry about a child traumatizing you or breaking your heart because they don't even know that people are capable of that much hurt. They have no concept of true betrayal at all. I think that's why I love being around and working with kids so much...the world hasn't tried to tear down their hope at all (usually) so they are everything that is possible and they remind us adults (even though I don't really consider myself that much of an adult beyond the legal sense haha) of the potential within ourselves and it's great<3 SORRY THIS TURNED INTO A RANDOM "I LOVE CHILDREN" SPEECH LMAO.

But seriously, work or volunteer with kids if you get the chance. It's truly a beneficial experience.

Also, I have younger friends from high school who I call my children lmao. They're really more like younger siblings to me, but we all were in theatre together so we basically would spend 24 hrs a day together (at least it felt like it lol) and a lot of times we'd have rehearsals or shows till late at night and then we'd still go hang out afterwards. We'd come to the school's theatre on weekends for rehearsals, we'd have meals together there, etc. etc. If you've done theatre (or if you have annoying friends like me who rant about it incessantly) you get it. A lot of them literally called me mom, mummy, mother, madre, etc. They would always tell me I was "the mom of theatre." All of that's to say that I, along with some of the other theatre gals in my grade......but especially I, basically had to take care of them ALL THE TIME. Sometimes I felt like a real Hera Syndulla haha, raising teenagers while I was still a youngin'. They could be...A LOT. But I know I've really impacted their lives and when I come to visit the theatre, now that I'm in college, they all freak out and greet me like a relative who's been gone forever haha. It's great.

I talk so much.

All of that's to say, that no, I'm not a mom. But I REALLY feel like I am sometimes hehe. And I love it<3

Anywhooooo

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

ooooooooooh, I don't know really. It depends on who I'm with and like the context of the situation. Like, I guess I'm kind of naturally sarcastic because I can't help being sarcastic with my family sometimes, even though I resist the urge to as much as possible because my family does not take well to sarcasm lmao. Back in high school, if it was a teacher a was really close with and I knew it would be taken the right way I would banter back and forth with them a bit and it was fun haha. I'm actually relatively sarcastic with most of my friends, especially the ones I'm closest to, but sometimes even one's I don't know very well. I guess, it's just kind of how I talk??? Those who know me best will definitely say that I have a very cynical, jaded sense of humor and I exercise it a lot haha. But you know, we all be coping in different ways :) Specifically, one of my best friends and I spend 50% of our time together brutally bantering with each other. I think we just trust each other so much that we're both so uncensored together hehe.

5. What do you notice first when you meet people?

Okay, this may sound kind of hippie dippie (I hate the fact that I just said that), but probably their energy. I'm like really into like the whole "people give off a certain vibe" thing. But seriously, I feel like when your truly a good person, you give off that energy and other people who vibe on the same frequency as you (i.e. the frequency of truly good people) will be attracted to that energy.

6. What's your eye color?

Really dark brown. Like, sometimes people have a hard time telling my pupils apart from the colored parts of my eyes haha.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

HAPPY ENDINGS. I am very easily frightened and as the (in my personal opinion) amazing Rian Johnson once said, "Defy every cynical narrative!"

Which is ironic since, as I previously mentioned, I have a cynical sense of humor lol.

8. any special talents?

I'm really good at rolling my r's lol. I have a really good short term memory, like I'm really good at memorizing things. I think my record is that I was able to repeat a sequence of six numbers backwards right after the person said it to me. It's so weird though cuz I also have ADHD so I'm always losing things and forgetting things I need to do haha.

9. Where were you born?

An unknown suburban city hospital in California, the rest is classified hehe😎

10. what are your hobbies?

Tumblr lol. I literally could just find stuff to do and people to talk to on here all day haha. ig writing fanfiction is a hobby too. I'd say it's about 50% hobby 50% deeply personal emotional commitment. I would say reading fanfiction too, but that's really just 0.1% hobby and 99.9% deep emotional commitment. I like drawing (even tho I'm not that great at it). I used to like to make rainbow loom bracelets (like literally last year, so way after they were cool). I usually like to make things like little iMovies or bracelets only when they're gifts I'm giving to other people. Then, I really enjoy it.

OH and I'm also a shopaholic. Especially when it comes to fandom merch and clothes. Specifically, I love thrifting and wandering through antique stores. (I've found some pretty interesting Star Wars stuff in antique stores so if anyone's interested in hearing about that lmk ;))

11. Have any pets?

I have a 7-year-old boarder collie black lab mix named Buster. He's one of my best friends<3

12. what sports do you play/have you played?

dOeS tHeAtRe cOuNt? jk. Ummmmm, well I did dance from when I was 3 till the beginning of my senior year of high school (I quit dance a couple months into senior year, long story lmao). I never did it competitively, but I did it A LOT. LIke, by the time I quit, I was dancing about 9 hours a week. And it would've become more than that if I had continued. I was gonna finally do competition my senior year but then I said, "buh-bye." But my older sister did competitive dance for years and I would go to her competitions and stuff. I was also really into "the dance fandom" growing up (if you haven't heard of it, lmk and I'll explain. I promise it's a real thing lol) so was like "familiar with the competition scene."

OH, and I also did soccer in kindergarten and 1st grade only because all the other girls in my class were doing it and I HATED it. Like I literally refused to get out of the car and go play in my team's game one time.

13. How tall are you?

5'4" the last time I checked :)

14. favorite subject in school?

In high school, it was English. I had an amazing teacher (who shipped kanera btw).

15. dream job?

If this is my magical fantasy land then......

A singer/songwriter who also becomes Dave Filoni's apprentice (the way he was for George Lucas) and kind of follows in his footsteps, eventually takes over for him, and carries on his legacy at Lucasfilm. Who is the showrunner of her own animated star wars series whose main character is a purple twi'lek teenage girl post-new republic jedi with a purple/pink lightsaber named Mila...yes, I've thought about this a lot. I'd also be the showrunner of another series that includes a SCRUMPTIOUS amount of kanera content BUT none of that content will acknowledge (let alone confirm or deny) Kanan's death in rebels. And OMG, JUST LIKE YOU @xxxcertifiednerdxxx I'VE LITERALLY HAD THE EXACT SAME IDEA THAT WHEN I'D BE CREATING ACTUAL CONTENT FOR LUCASFILM AND LIVE UNDER THE REGIME OF THE PRODUCERS I'D HAVE TO KEEP MY PAST (EH, IT'LL PROBABLY STILL BE PRESENT) FANFICTION WRITING TUMBLR POSTING PERSONA A SECRET CUZ IT'LL BE CONTROVERSIAL. BUT THEY'LL NEVER KNOW WHO I AM. BUT I PICTURE THEM FINDING OUT THAT I HAVE TUMBLR AND WONDERING WHICH USER IS MEEEE. EXCEPT NOW THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GONNA WORK SINCE I'M LITERALLY SCREAMING MY MASTER PLAN FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR RIGHT NOW LOL.

15 people??? Sorry, luvs I'll do my best lol.

No pressure tags :) : @kanerallels @accidental-spice @anoray @ladywren7 @laughingphoenixleader @dorothythesmallandmeek @darthbecky726 @generalsyndulla @ilovecatsandbaking @opalknight @yubsie

15 questions, 15 people

I've been tagged by several people (most recently @brekker-by-brekkerr, thank you for the tag!) so here I go!

Are you named after anyone? Not my first name, but my middle name comes from my maternal great-grandma!

When was the last time you cried? A couple hours ago while reading this fic! And I 101 percent stand by it

Do you have kids? Not unless you count the various characters in my books. But I talk too much about the fact that they are complete idiots for that. So, no!

Do you use sarcasm a lot? I'd say it has a time and place, so a bit!

What is the first thing you notice about someone? Whether they're wearing fandom merch nor not, honestly. I pay way too much attention to that kind of thing

What's your eye color? Hazel-y green!

Scary movies or happy endings? Happy endings, of course!!

Any special talents? Lock picking! And making everything about my blorbos

Where were you born? Coon Rapids, Minnesota

What are your hobbies? Reading and writing mainly, with crocheting, lock picking, and knitting as side hobbies. Also fan fic reading, if that counts

Do you have any pets? Yes!! A cat named Hazel, she is beautiful and I love her

What sports do you play/have you played? My dad likes to tell this story about me and my sister-- he brought home this soccer net when we were little, and we were all "oh yeah we want to play!" and he, being a Phy Ed teacher and coach of every sport ever, was like "finally!" So he brought us out to play-- and quickly discovered that the only reason we wanted to play was so we could be characters from The Karate Kid, which we'd just watched as a family. So, long story short, I'm not a sports girl. I did briefly do archery, though!

How tall are you? Like 5'5"

Favorite subject in school? I liked history! Mainly anything ancient Egypt related. And English, of course

Dream job? Full time writer. Or something where I'm paid to be enthusiastic about people's writing, because I love doing that

Tagging with no pressure (some of y'all have probably already done this but I've lost track. Feel free to ignore this): @thetreasurechest @flying-kanery @accidental-spice @heckin-music-dork @auroramagpie @xxxcertifiednerdxxx @fairytale-lights @babsbabbles @ardentlyyang @laughingphoenixleader @locitapurplepink @oldmanwithashield @avatardoggo @thatonecrazyfan @clawedandcute

[mandana-the-service-pup]

✨Library #6✨

We have a 2 hr plane ride we are prepping for. This video was from todays session. We went to a library we have never visited before. I picked a table that was in the center of all the activity (glass doors in front, printers to the left, computers behind and main desk to the right). Hubbins sat next to me and I had her tucked under the table. We were there for one hour. This video captures the last 10 minutes. The reward is a med/high value kibble. 2 pieces at a variable rate (averaging 20-30 seconds, maxing out at 45 seconds)

Video Timestamps

0:00-3:00 is in normal speed. She is watching a lady print stuff out about ten feet from us and was pretty interested but held her position without much input from me.

3:00-4:50 is sped up. Pretty standard distractions with people coming in and out, lots of little kids. She was pretty relaxed. (Highly recommend listening to high pitch kibble crunching. It’s adorable 🥰)

4:50-6:50 is back to normal speed. This was when she really laid back and relaxed. I started giving her larger rewards for this behavior and we ended the session on a good note.

After the library we practiced our settle at a smoothie shop while Hubbins went to the store for 20 minutes. She did a medical alert, held her position on her mat in a relaxed state, ignored people walking past her and didn’t react at all to the blenders. I didn’t have any treats or kibble with me when we got there but she did amazing and was rewarded (outside) with a little bit of yogurt from the staff as we left.

[blacksupremacy86]

Captain America: Injustice Begins

Part 1 - 3

Steve Rogers has one last mission to return the mind stone to 2012 New York City but Hr arrives to late.

He sees a strange shadowy fingers in the left corner looming in the darkness shadowy figure.

Steve placed the mind stone in the box then he slips out sneaking in the corners of the room.

The man evades him racing in to the main hall way as Steve chases after him.

The man slips avoiding the oncoming shield at his face as it is smashing it in to the wall.

The man barely is able to stand up again then he sees Steve approaching slowly he grabs the shield.

“Watch where you aim that thing.” His soft voice emerges.

“Speak now! Who are you?”

“More like…why am I here?”

“Get to the point smart ass”

“Sir Yes Sir”

“Simple really, I am here to save you”

Steve is so perplex his mind unraveling at the seams due to this man’s nerve.

He stood in confidence with wicked smile holding up Steve’s shield in one hand.

He aims Steve’s shield to the side letting it

rio bouncing off the walls.

Steve jumps up catching it with his right to get back some control.

He is mystified at this man’s ability to speak and sound right even if it’s not true.

Part 4 - 6

Steve gives in leaking up five floors landing on the staircase toe to toe with him.

“Wow! Such a athlete”

“Quit the false admiration”

“Oh it is quite real”

“Your proud won’t let you see it admit it though.”

“It is so much easier to make me the villain.

Right Steve?” The man states walking up a step or two.

Steve the ever cool man from the thirties lost in modern times is visibly shaken.

He raises his hand to from a fist by the odd man caught it.

“Uh uh uh, let’s be civil about this”

“You call any of this civil”

“Touché! Let’s make a wager I will win any way.“

“I bet you have no way of betting my partner “

“You know him right”

“Bucky, wait! What? Let him go”

“Ok, ok you win”

Part 7 - 9

Captain America falls to his knees in total defeat as Bucky rises.

He runs off the staircase landing at Steve’s feet.

His gun descends over Steve as the trigger is pulled.

Steve closes his eyes the trigger is pulled and Steve slips in to sleep.

Bucky lifts him to his shoulders as they exit the building.

“Wakey wakey Steve” Bucky slaps him hard in the face.

“Wwwwwwhhhhhhaaaaatttt? Buck” he says

“Uuuuuggggggghhhhhh! What is happening?”

“That dart is more then just some stupid tranquilizer.”

“It’s a chemical compound made to make it easier for you.”

“Easier for me to what ?”

“Listen to your twisted visions”

“No to be corrupted”

“Nnnnnnoooooooo”

“Silence or Bucky goes on the black Market he will sell for millions.”

Part 10

Steve’s mind enters a hazy state of altered fogginess from which he will never return.

He trains his mind as bests as possible to

be on focus.

He kept his eyes on Bucky while all his feelings, thoughts and emotions vanish.

“Excellent! Steve you have allegiance only to one man that you love.0

“You give me your full autonomy and fully absolute allegiance to me”

The end