#masters of the air 2024

[favorite-characters]

𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕚𝕣

Callum Turner as 𝗠𝗔𝗝. 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 «𝗕𝗨𝗖𝗞𝗬» 𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗡 (S01.Е01-09 • 2024)

[the-a-word-2214]

Would love to see the Barry lovers give Curtis some love

[mobius-m-mobius]

Owen Wilson and Tom Hiddleston in Midnight in Paris (2011) // Loki S02E01 (2023)

[youaintnothinbuta]

could u write something for austin where reader is obsessed with his hair especially when she goes with him on set and they get wet bc he’s sweating too much, and once it turns her on sm that it ends up with him eating her out with her hands buried in them and when it’s too much she pulls it a little harder and austin just loves it

“You're so good at this.” — austin butler x reader

Summary: see request^^

Pairing: austin butler x fem!reader

Word count: 1.2K

Warnings: SMUT, 18+, mature language, oral (f receiving), probably typos im sorryyyy

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

You stood nervously outside the set of Masters of the Air, clutching your pass, waiting to be let in. Your boyfriend, Austin, was in the middle of filming, and you didn't want be any cause of distraction. His manager, a familiar face to you, greeted you and whispered, “Just slip in quietly, Y/N. They should be done with these takes in about 20 minutes.”

You nodded, your heart racing with excitement, as you followed her onto the set. The lights were blindingly bright, and the air was thick with the smell of sweat and costume fabric. You spotted Austin immediately, his chiseled features set in a determined expression as he delivered his lines. His voice too —deep, commanding, and authoritative— it sent shivers down your spine as he barked orders at his fellow actors.

You sat down quietly and out of view of him and any of the other actors. You couldn't help but notice how good he looked, his blonde hair mussed and his eyes gleaming with intensity. The layered costume added bulk to his already impressive physique, and the sweat dripping down his face only added to his sexiness. You felt that familiar fire ignite in your tummy as you watched your man at work. You pressed your thighs firmly together, trying to contain the desire that was building inside you.

After what felt like an eternity, the director called for a lunch break, and immediately the chatter in the room began.

“Austin!” You called. He perked up, a bright smile spreading across his face as he heard your voice, his eyes locking onto yours instantly.

“Baby, hi,” he said, striding towards you with long, purposeful strides.

You smiled, feeling a little shy but also incredibly turned on. You felt a flutter in your chest as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a warm embrace, pulling you into a gentle kiss.

“I didn't know you were coming today,” he murmured, his lips brushing against your ear. “Sorry,” he apologised for being sweaty, tugging on his thick coat, “I feel like I’m melting in this thing.”

"I wanted to surprise you," you whispered back, your hands sliding up his chest to toy with the buttons on his costume, “and you look amazing.”

Austin chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Do I?”

You nodded, responding to him. You found yourself getting more and more turned on by Austin's proximity. You could smell the sweat on his skin mixing with his cologne, feel the heat radiating from his body, and see the way his eyes seemed to devour you, and the way his wet hair curled slightly at the nape of his neck. You knew you had to get him alone, and fast.

“How long do you have?” You asked, your words came out heavy, thick with desire.

Austin's eyes narrowed, his pupils dilating with interest. “40 minutes ish, why?”

You leaned in, your lips brushing against his ear. “I need you,” you whispered, the words sending a thrill through your entire body.

Austin's eyes flashed with desire, and he pulled back, his face set in a determined expression. “Let's find a quiet spot,” he growled, taking your hand, leading you to his trailer, the door closing behind you with a soft click. You barely had time to catch your breath before he was on his knees, his fingers deftly undoing your pants and pulling them down. His mouth closed over your pussy with a hungry growl.

"I've missed you," he said, his voice low and husky. You felt your body respond to his words, your nipples hardening beneath your shirt. His fingers dug into your skin as he pulled your core even closer to his lips.

You moaned as his hot breath washed over your skin, his tongue darting out to taste you. Your hands buried themselves in his hair, the soft strands tangling around your fingers as you pulled him closer.

“Fuck, Austin,” you breathed, your body trembling with pleasure. “You're so good at this.”

He chuckled against your flesh, “I know.”

He groaned, allowing you to feel the vibrations of his vocal cords, his mouth working magic on your clit. He slid his middle finger inside of you, curling upwards as his tongue lapped over your most sensitive spot. You gasped, your body tightening around his finger as he pumped it in and out of you. Your legs began to shake. You felt yourself building towards orgasm, your hands tightening in his hair as you tugged and pulled.

“Yes, baby, like that,” he muttered, his voice muffled against your skin.

Austin loved when you pulled at his hair, and he responded by increasing the pressure, his tongue lashing against you with reckless abandon. You felt yourself hurtling towards the edge, your body coiling tighter and tighter.

You were so close, your body trembling with anticipation. The pleasure was getting too much, you pulled his head back by his hair, when you finally let out a loud cry and came all over his face. Austin groaned, his eyes closed in ecstasy, as you pulsed against his mouth.

He gently pressed his tongue on your clit, allowing you to milk yourself of your orgasm using his face until you were empty.

For a moment, you just sat there, panting and trembling, as Austin slowly got to his feet, his face smeared with your juices. He smiled, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction, and pulled you into a deep, wet kiss, his saliva and yours mixing with your slick.

“I love you,” he whispered, his voice husky.

“I love you too,” you replied, a smile spreading across your face too. Austin's gaze never left yours as he reached for a towel that was draped over the back of a nearby chair. He gently wiped the remnants of your orgasm from his chin. Then, with a gentle touch, he brought the towel between your legs, softly wiping away your fluid. The intimate gesture sent a flutter through your chest, and you felt your heart swell with affection for this man.

As he helped you to your feet, Austin's hands lingered on your waist, his fingers brushing against the skin beneath your shirt. He zipped up the fly of your jeans, then fastened the button with a gentle tug. The simple act felt like a declaration of ownership, a reminder that you belonged to him, and he to you.

“Come on, let’s get food,” Austin said, his voice still thick, as he held your hand, leading you back to the catering area. He handed you a plate and took one for himself, both of you eyeing all the delicious looking food that was provided. Just then, the ten-minute call rang out across the room, a reminder that your break was drawing to a close. Austin's eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, his voice low and teasing.

“You’re terrible,” he kissed your temple, pulling your head to his chest, “making me miss out on half my lunch break like that.”

You laughed as you leaned into him, “I’ll return the favour tonight.”

His stomach flipped at your words, he shook his head, a slow smile spreading across his face.

“Hush,” he teased, shoving a strawberry in your mouth. You bit down innocently, humming with delight at the sweetness.

a/n I know for a fact no one eats pussy like Austin Butler does end of conversation

[whitetrashjj]

you didn't tell by abby s

[quick-catton]

heyyy besties so i watched mota ep2 and it was very fruity. what was that. i know it's supposed to be about serious war. but [minor spoilers] the phone scene where curt calls buck and egan (am i supposed to first name basis them? gale and john?? idk bro) gave me Thoughts, alright.

hear me out. tall stern serious keeps-his-boys-in-check bf (gale) x tall loud rowdy riles-up-his-boys bf (john) x short affectionate golden retriever looks-at-his-boys-like-they-are-the-sun bf (curt).

thoughts.

[floralcyanide]

˚₊✩‧₊◜kinktober 2024! ―

✧ it's that time of year again! I'm starting early this year because the last two years I didn't finish the challenge. life got in the way and all that jazz. here is the list of kinktober prompts I will be doing along with their respective muses. this is subject to change.

✧ please remember to read/ participate in kinktober, you must be over 18. so minors, do not interact.

✧ as I complete each work, a check mark will be added next to the prompt.

(prompts are below the cut.)

day one. cockwarming with: John “Bucky” Egan (Masters of the Air)

day two. nipple play with: Benny Cross (The Bikeriders)

day three. blood play with: Roman Bridger (Scream 3)

day four. orgasm control with: Coriolanus Snow (The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes)

day five. praise kink with: Bruce Wayne (Batman Begins)

day six. degradation with: Coriolanus Snow

day seven. bondage with: Jackson Rippner (Red Eye)

day eight. edging with: Gale “Buck” Cleven (Masters of the Air)

day nine. breeding kink with: Javier "Javi" Rivera (Twisters)

day ten. mutual masturbation with: Stu Macher (Scream)

day eleven. throat fucking with: Thomas Webb (The Only Living Boy in New York) ✓

day twelve. threesome with: Gale “Buck” Cleven & John “Bucky” Egan

day thirteen. knife kink or gun kink with: knife kink with Ethan Landry (Scream 2023)

day fourteen. sex toys with: Callum Turner

day fifteen. hate sex with: Callum Turner

day sixteen. thigh riding with: Austin Butler

day seventeen. sex tape with: Bruce Wayne

day eighteen. squirting with: Billy Antrim (Billy the Kid)

day nineteen. public play with: Joe Rantz (The Boys in the Boat)

day twenty. voyeurism with: Bruce Wayne

day twenty-one. corruption kink with: Roman Bridger

day twenty-two. daddy kink with: Cillian Murphy

day twenty-three. spanking with: Joe Rantz

day twenty-four. shower sex with: Javier "Javi" Rivera

day twenty-five. roleplay with: Neil Lewis (Watching the Detectives)

day twenty-six. face sitting with: Stu Macher

day twenty-seven. dom/sub with: John “Bucky” Egan

day twenty-eight. drunk sex or high sex with: drunk sex with Tom Blyth

day twenty-nine. phone sex with: Billy Loomis (Scream)

day thirty. anal sex with: Jonathan Crane (Batman Begins)

day thirty-one. mommy kink with: Ethan Landry

[kiernanshayemckay]

Austen Butler - Masters of the Air (2024)

[aldarquen]

Finally got around to making some memes of my latest ✨obsession

[johnslittlespoon]

the boys <3 :'))

[3d-wifey]

I'm so surprised that more ppl don't do scp aus. Like the character as a Plague Doctor esque scp and the reader as a doctor/assistant/prisoner or even as another scp. Like... am I just a genius? A revolutionary of sorts?

[favorite-characters]

𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕚𝕣

Austin Butler as 𝗠𝗔𝗝. 𝗚𝗔𝗟𝗘 «𝗕𝗨𝗖𝗞» 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡 × Callum Turner as 𝗠𝗔𝗝. 𝗝𝗢𝗛𝗡 «𝗕𝗨𝗖𝗞𝗬» 𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗡 (S01.Е01-09 • 2024)

[callumsgirl]

ONE SHOT

strawberries and dirty talk

or: In the morning, Gale opens up completely about his feelings for Bucky. He tells him all his thoughts of loving him and his fears of not being loved by just one man, by Major John Bucky Egan.

It's quiet this morning. Very quiet in fact, and cozy and warm too. Gale sighed softly and buried his nose in the soft white sheets of the double bed. It smelled like soap and fresh roses.

His own slow heartbeat hummed in his ears and he breathed out relaxed. For the first time since he's been in England, waking up and starting the day doesn't feel hectic or scary.

He simply felt rested, relaxed and full of energy.

It probably had everything to do with the company of his best friend - Major John Egan. Everyone had called him Bucky since he was a kid, and even though it had taken Buck half an eternity to tease the backstory out of John, he found the nickname endearing and sweet.

The pet name suited John so perfectly and every time he said it, his own lips tingled. His heartbeat quickened and he had to concentrate on not grinning widely.

Because well… he didn't normally smile or grin so openly or laughed out loud so often as John did. Of the two of them, Gale had always been the quieter, more introverted one when it came to telling jokes with friends, joining in conversations or dancing with young college girls.

Well, that had changed somewhat in the past few weeks. Not in front of everyone, but Gale had gotten better at expressing his thoughts and desires when it came to John…and him.

He was still miles away from whispering as openly and filthily as John, moaning loudly and letting his lust run wild, but he was working on it…and Bucky had a big part in that.

Gale snuggled deeper into his pillow and smiled as his mind drifted off.

Behind his closed eyes, his mind drew a picture of John: dark brown, wavy hair that had felt unreal soft under his fingertips the first time he'd touched it. His thoughts flitted on to Bucky's soft, smooth skin and the unmistakable smell when he hugged or kissed him. The corners of Gale's mouth twitched and he felt the blood rush through his veins and his body temperature rise.

Just thinking about John made him blush. How would he ever manage to talk as dirty as Bucky?

He quickly chased this thought away and returned to more pleasant things. Like imagining every millimeter of John in detail.

Gale's fingertips twitched and clutched his pillow tighter as he imagined John's lips. Pink, full lips - so beautifully swollen when they'd kissed for minutes and the passion Bucky put into each of his kisses quickened Gale's heartbeat further.

He sighed softly, with pleasure, and continued to think of John and his kissable lips.

The things Bucky had made him feel with those lips made Gale embarrassed. He felt his cheeks heat up and gasped a little more breathlessly than he would have liked.

Buck had thought a lot since Bucky had kissed him for the first time a few weeks ago. He was sure he'd never felt anything like he'd felt with John.

The feelings that the few women that he had taken out and kissed back home in the States had made him feel seemed ridiculous now. The illusion that he had interpreted his feelings back then as love almost made him laugh. Those few women had been nothing more than a flirtation or a crush at best, Gale realised.

The few intimate moments with John had meant more to him than anything else so far.

It seemed ridiculous to him how easily Bucky had managed to turn him on. One kiss, one stroke of his fingertips over his ribcage or his bare stomach, and he was ready to burst into flames.

So far he and Bucky had only kissed. They had made out like inexperienced teenagers - although Gale was beginning to realise that he wasn't far from being a teenager when it came to sex.

So they had used the little time they had together to kiss and explore each other with their hands and mouths. Gale had been terribly nervous the first time he'd kissed John's body and wrapped his fist around his hard cock.

But Bucky had only smiled tenderly and encouraged him. Giving him the time Gale had needed to figure out for himself, but also for John, how he wanted to touch him.

John had supported him, his own hand closed around Gale's until he found a rhythm. He had whispered, sighed and moaned with pleasure.

You're doing so good, darlin', John had whispered with a husky voice and still yet it made Gale blushes. Keep going a bit faster and i'll come.

Gale had never felt prouder than the moment John orgasmed and he was the reason for it. Buck was also certain that he had never seen anything more beautiful or more real yet.

Apart from all this pure bliss and the longing to be close to John, one fear remained in his mind.

What would it be like between him and Bucky when he was finally ready to take the next step? To want more than just wet kisses and passionate hand jobs. What would it be like when John had sex with him?

Would it be painful? Would he like that urgent feeling and most of all… would he disappoint John because he hadn't experienced men and all that - fuck me in the ass thing.

Gale swallowed and frowned as a wave of nervousness hit him hard. Ever since he and John had been in London and in that beautiful hotel room, he had been on the lookout. Almost as if John was going to ambush him at any moment and force him to do something.

It was absurdly ridiculous and he shook his head slightly. His heartbeat was humming louder in his ears now and he rubbed his face with both hands.

He hadn't addressed the whole fuck me in the ass, top and bottom-thing yet. Gale was constantly at a loss for words and, to be honest, he was pretty scared.

A small voice whispered in his head from time to time. It reminded him that John had more experience and that he wasn't the first man John had had in his bed.

A small, selfish part of Gale wondered: What could John ever give him, as unrestricted and untouched as he gave him his heart and his body.

He wanted John to feel or experience something that belonged only to him. Sometimes he wasn't sure if there was anything innocent left in Bucky.

Maybe that was one reason why Gale was hesitant to address the whole fuck me in the ass-thing.

Another sigh escaped his lips and he blinked against the ceiling. Then he closed his eyes again and breathed in and out deeply several times. After a few breaths, he managed to slow down his heartbeat.

Gale turned on his left side, tangled his legs in the comforter and stretched his arm out. Longing to touch John's warm, sleep-drenched skin. Stole a few kisses from his lips before getting up, ordering breakfast and taking a shower. But there was nothing beside him in bed…he half opened his eyes and blinked a few times as the morning sun blinded him.

He frowned and felt a pressure rising in his chest. "What?" he whispered sleepily. His voice was hoarse and his throat dry. "Bucky?", he asked. But there was no answer, just silence and Gale began to panic a little.

He sat up and the comforter slipped off his upper body. The pleasantly cool room air collided with his sleep-warm skin and he shivered slightly.

He called out again, "John?"

Again there was no answer and he swallowed. He rubbed his chest with the palm of his left hand. Almost as if he was trying to rub the stinging away.

He couldn't do anything about the rising nervousness that flooded his body. Gale brushed his lips and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

His gaze wandered around the room and finally stopped at the bedside table. He reached out and picked up the folded sheet of paper. A paper airplane, he thought and the corners of his mouth twitched with childish joy.

He carefully unfolded the sheet of paper and as he deciphered Bucky's handwriting, an invisible knot loosened in his stomach.

good morning,

I woke up early, wanted to watch the sunrise like back home. You looked so peaceful so I let you sleep. As soon as the sun came up, I'll be back.

Love you, Bucky

He let out the air that he had been holding in unconsciously. His chest relaxed and he sighed loudly.

"Everything is good," he murmured quietly. He didn't know exactly why he was saying that, but maybe it was just something he needed to see for himself.

Bucky hadn't gone away or left him alone. No, he was watching the sunrise because it was one of his favorite moments of the day. A moment Bucky often spend alone in the morning because he needed the silence and colurful play of light.

Gale put the note back on the bedside table and stood up. His feet carried him to the window in a few steps and the lukewarm sun tickled his skin. He leaned his shoulder against the wall for a few seconds and enjoyed the feeling.

Then he opened his eyes again and opened the window. In an instant, birdsong and jumbled voices from the street reached him. Gale smiled and walked over to the radio, where he switched on a station.

After the news flash, a man started singing. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and take a shower.

As soon as he opened the door, a beguiling cloud of soap, aftershave and mint enveloped him.

The combination of all the smells made his nose tingle. Gale brushed his teeth and got into the shower. As he held his face under the stream of water, he inhaled the remaining nuances of Bucky's aftershave in the air. It smelled of fresh lemon, a hint of cedarwood and just John.

Gale soaped himself up as he muffled the sound of a new song starting on the radio. He watched the lather disappear down the drain and minutes later, he stepped out of the cubicle. He grabbed a white towel and tied it around his waist.

He rubbed his palm over the steamed-up mirror and looked straight at his ice-blue eyes. Then he noticed the damp shaving brush and the open bowl of shaving cream. He smiled softly at the thought of John standing here earlier in the morning shaving while he slept.

With the sound of Chris Stampelton's voice in the background Gale grabbed the shaving brush and covered his cheeks and chin with shaving cream.

With precise and sweeping movements of his wrist, he let the razor glide over his skin. A few minutes later he is finished and wipes away the remaining shaving foam with a towel. Gale went back to the bedroom and puts on a pair of boxer shorts and his uniform pants. With a click, he fastened his belt and sat down on the red armchair next to the window.

With the sunlight on his face, he reached for the newspaper and began to read. Below the article, he discovered a half-completed crossword puzzle. He grinned at the sight of Bucky's messy handwriting and filled the last gabs.

Just as he was about to fill the very last gap, he heard footsteps and shortly afterwards the door to the room opened. His heart leapt in his chest when he saw Bucky. Dressed with a black cloth pants and a white shirt covered by his flight leather jacket.

"Mornin'", Gale muttered, his voice stumbling. He cleared his throat and stood up, approaching Bucky. He was taking off his jacket and throwing it on the unmade bed.

Buck couldn't help but marvel at the play of Bucky's arm muscles. Bucky noticing his stare, teased him in a tender voice, "Did you miss me?"

"Always", Gale answered fast. Maybe too fast, but he couldn't be something different than honest with him. "It was a cold when i woke up and nobody around for cuddles", he added.

"I'm sorry, darlin", John apologized and smiled with showing his white teeths.

Bucky stepped even closer to Gale. So close that he could wrap an arm around his waist and pull him against his body.

A cool shiver ran down Buck's spine as his warm skin collided with Bucky's cool one.

"Sorry", John chuckled. "Maybe I should have stayed in the warm bed with you after all. It was fresh outside."

"I can feel that." Gale leaned a little closer to John and their noses touched. John leaned in and kissed him gently and without any pressure. "Did you sleep well anyway?", he asked.

"Hmmm," muttered Buck and leaned in for another quick kiss. John smiled about how warm and soft Gale's lips felt on his own.

They stood in the middle of the room for a few minutes and kissed. Without any further expectations or pressure. It was sweet, slow and all Gale needed to calm his nerves.

When their kisses ended, John leaned back and slid his thumb over Gale's plump lower lip. "I got you a present."

"A present? For what?", he asked surprised.

"Jerking and sucking me off so damn good last night", Bucky replied with a flirty smirk on his lips.

Gale immediately blushed and lowered his eyes. That made Bucky laugh. "I'm just teasing you, Buck." He slid his hand over Gale's chin and lifted it gently. "No, really, you're in for a treat," he said, handing him a bag. A bag that Gale hadn't noticed before.

His fingers trembled slightly as he looked inside and discovered the present. He smiled broadly and watched John in the corner of his eye as he took off his shoes.

"Strawberries?" he asked with childish joy in his voice.

Bucky giggled and came to him. "I remembered you saying strawberries reminded you of home."

"Yeah." Gale felt warmth explode in his stomach. No one else in the world could make him happy with something like…well, strawberries.

"You know me quite well", he smiled.

"I hope so," John grinned, his eyes glinting in the sunlight. He curved his right hand half around Gale's neck, half around his jaw and kissed him again. This time a little faster, more passionately and more urgently. His other hand reached for Buck's hip and he hooked his fingers into his waistband. "Let's have some strawberries. I want to taste the sweet flavor of your lips," John demanded, making Gale's blood boil.

"You can't give me such a sweet gift and then say things like that to me, John," Gale complained with blushed cheeks. But they both knew that the words carried no weight in the air.

"I can and will say more things like that to you, Gale Cleven." He directed him over to the bed and they both sat down, covering their legs with the white sheets.

Gale picked up a strawberry and ate it. The sweet, fruity taste exploded on his tongue and he leaned his head back. He closed his eyes and moaned softly, "Almost feels like home."

While Gale sat in bed with his eyes closed, eating strawberries, Bucky was perfectly content to watch him. The way Gale licked his lips did erotically strange things to him. His thoughts raced through his head. He wondered how he could choose his next words wisely without putting pressure on Gale.

Bucky put a hand on Bucky's thigh and cleared his throat, "I got us something else."

Gale opened his eyes, blinking, and when he looked at Bucky, his heart stumbled in his chest.

He couldn't screw this thing up here. Not when it involved Buck. Bucky felt silent for a few seconds and turned fully to face Gale, cupping his face with both hands. His thumb twitched and he was tempted to brush the sweet taste of strawberries from Gale's lips.

"What is it?"

"It's something we'll need…for the next step," he stuttered, feeling himself blush a little.

Damn it! , he thought.

There weren't many situations that made him feel embarrassed. But this talk with Buck about wanting him, having sex with him made it a bit difficult for him.

A crackling silence spread between them and the singing on the radio was the only noice in the room.

A few more seconds passed before Buck set the bowl of strawberries down on his lap and grasped Bucky's wrists with both hands. His beautiful blue eyes widened and he bit his lower lip. Tease John, though he wasn't even going for it. "Oh..you want…to…ehm," Gale stuttered suddenly shy.

"Yes…I want to undress you, spoil you and fuck your fucking hot, tight ass", Bucky finished Gales words.

As soon as the words had left his mouth, he noticed the tension rushing through Gale's body. "Easy," Bucky demanded. "Not right away, but I wanted you to know that I'm ready whenever you are." His thumb brushed over Gale's lips again. Their eyes continued to be connected by an invisible line.

"What did you get? show me" Buck asked curiously. His heart galloped in his chest and he gasped audibly as Bucky nodded slowly.

Bucky leaned across the bed and reached for his leather jacket. He rummaged in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small tin and a condom wrapper.

He handed both to Buck and watched him carefully. John wanted to be able to see his facial expressions in detail.

"Not really surprising," Gale admitted and hiccupped. The corners of his mouth twitched and he smiled apologetically. "Sorry I'm acting like a stupid teenager."

Bucky smiled slightly and kissed Gale's cheek. Then he moved closer to him until their shoulders were touching and whispered in his ear, "You're not, baby. You're doing a lot better than I did back then." He placed a hand on Gale's thigh again and squeezed his leg lightly, feeling the hard muscles. "I can see in your eyes that a thousand things are going through your head. Let me know," Bucky demanded gently. His voice calm and unhurried. "It's normal to be nervous. I'm nervous too."

Gale raised his head in a flash. "Why?"

It didn't make any sense to Gale that John was nervous about their first time. He had so much experience in bed and for a moment he thought John was just saying these things to reassure him.

"Why?" John repeated with a grin. "Look at you…I can't mess this thing up with you. I wouldn't forgive myself for that, Buck." He turned Gale's face towards him as he looked back down at the strawberries, condoms and lube.

"But you've already had sex with women and men…and," Gale searched for the right words. His fear from earlier came to pass and he stammered to himself, his thoughts a mess.

"…and it meant nothing to me, Buck. You, on the other hand, are important to me and I want to do this right with you."

Gale's hands tightened their grip on John's wrists and he pressed closer to him. Their lips were only a few centimeters apart.

Gale summoned up all his courage and asked in a raspy voice, "How will you…why can't I have a foul mouth like you…"

Bucky laughed softly and his upper body vibrated. "Because you're sweet and decent, Gale Cleven. It's not your style to ask for anything loud and dirty, but we'll get there…trust me." Now Bucky winked at him, a dark glint of lust in his eyes.

"But it's your way…to be loud and dirty, John Egan," Gale replied. Slowly, he relaxed again, especially at John's touch and his understanding of his situation.

"I can't argue with that." Bucky grabbed the strawberries and the other things and put them on the beside table. Then he turned back to Gale and grinned promisingly. "Now I want to kiss you and explain everything you wanna know."

Before Buck could say anything, Bucky pulled him from his sitting position to a lying one, leaning over him. One hand wrapped around his bare ribcage, the fingers of the other hand propped on the mattress beside his head.

Bucky breathed a number of feather-light kisses up Gale's chin to his ear and back. His hand stroked tenderly over his ribcage and bare stomach. He felt the rhythmic play of Gale's muscles under his fingertips and the quickening of his breathing.

Now they were moving in a good direction.

Gale's hands wrapped around Buck's neck and he stroked his covered shoulders. Every now and then he slipped his fingers under the fabric of his shirt. Gale ran his fingers over John's chest and clasped the hem of his shirt. He pulled it up, caressing the bare skin, and John interrupted their kiss to throw the shirt away.

Then Bucky bent down to him again and alternately kissed and sucked on the sensitive skin of his neck.

"Be careful," Buck warned him breathlessly.

"Always," Bucky whispered back, lowering his body further onto Buck. His hips thrust against Buck's and he smirked wickedly as all the air left Buck's lungs.

"Now tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours," Bucky asked Gale.

"I can't concentrate with you kissing me like that," Buck objected, moaning softly as Bucky gently but firmly scraped his skin with his teeth.

"I'm just making it more comfortable for us, darlin. I'm distracting you a little so your mind doesn't go crazy."

"Hmm...i can tell," Buck whispered hoarsely. "Stop...just for a second." He grabbed Bucky's cheeks and pulled him away from the crook of his neck. His blue eyes are blurred and unfocused. He ran his thumbs over Bucky's soft skin. "How will you manage that? Make it enjoyable for me, I mean."

Finally, he thought. I told him one of my fears.

John took a deep breath and ignored his own throbbing annoyance. The urge to kiss Gale senseless was strong, but he wanted to do this right.

He swallowed and looked deep into Gale's eyes. "I'm going to kiss you and touch you, drive you crazy with the touch of my hands…" he brushed the tip of his nose against Gale's ear and blew gently into it. "…then I'm going to do those forbidden things with my mouth that you love so much." John could feel Gale getting restless beneath him.

"Bucky", Gale moans shy. He felt Buck's wandering hands on his bare skin and as he rolled his hips again, Gale's head fell back into the pillows.

"Just like I'm doing right now," he continued to whisper, drawing patterns on Gale's bare, tense stomach with one hand. The fine blonde hairs that led the way to Buck's cock tickled his fingertips.

He brushed his fingertips against Buck's belt and tried to undo it one-handed. He stumbled and laughed breathlessly, "Would you please help me out?"

Gale kissed him quickly, sharing the sweet taste of strawberries with him before undoing his belt and pants. The fabric landed silently on the floor and Bucky kissed Gale again. This time with his mouth open and wetter. His tongue grazed Buck's lips, dancing for entrance and when Buck opened his mouth, John moaned turned on.

"You taste so good, so sweet and your skin slightly salty," Bucky murmured. "You're making me addicted. I want to taste you all over," he continued, driving Buck further to the edge of his desire.

"Please do it", Gale begged.

"Do what?" John teased him, sucking on his lower lip. He continued to heat up the fire in Gale's veins and his body temperature continued to rise. A light, pleasurably salty film of sweat formed on his skin and Bucky slipped one hand under the hem of Buck's boxers.

"Jerk you off?",he suggested and closed his fist around Buck's hard cock. They both groaned at the touch and Gale lifted his hips off the mattress. "Or sucking you off?"

Gale exhaled impatiently and kissed John surprisingly hard and deep. He even gently nudged Bucky's bottom lip with his teeth, making him quiver. "Don't make me beg, Johny," Gale whispered, his eyes shuttered with desire.

"Maybe i'll exactly do it…" Bucky whispered. "What else is in your head?"

"God damn it," Gale complained.

"Am I driving you crazy?" Bucky asked innocently, sliding his thumb over the tip of Gale's cock.

"Yes", he replied quickly.

Bucky grumbled contentedly and kissed Gale again. Deep and slow at first, then faster and very wet.

"Are you worried it might hurt?" Once again, John hit the mark. Sometimes it seemed to Gale as if John could not only look into his eyes, but also into his soul.

He nodded breathlessly and suddenly he couldn't help it, but his eyes began to burn. Before he knew it, scattered tears were rolling down his cheeks. "I'm sorry…I don't know why I'm crying."

Gale sniffled. Bucky slowed his pumping hand movements and said tenderly, "I got you, Buck. Always and everywhere…we'll only go as far as you want. Even if it probably kills me." At his last words, Gale laughed a little tearfully.

"Why is it so easy for you to always say the right thing, huh?" Gale sniffled and then cleared his throat. Both his hands were now still on John's hips. His fingertips hooked into the hem of his pants.

"Because you make it easy for me to catch you," John confessed. "We'll take it at your pace, I promise."

"Can we try it slowly?" he asked.

Bucky nodded and that was the starting signal Gale had needed. Suddenly the dubious voices in his head fell silent and he sank into the mattress beneath Bucky.

From that moment on, several things happened simultaneously: first, they both undressed in minutes, and then Bucky's fist pumped a dizzying rhythmon Bucks cock up and down again while Gale kissed Bucky's chest and made a hickey underneath his heart.

They were both drenched in lust and desire as John kissed his way down Buck's chest and closed his lips around his cock. He savored the salty taste of Buck's pre come on his tongue and his moan vibrated around his cock.

"Hmm," Gale sighed, burying one hand in Bucky's soft brown hair.

Bucky moved his head up and down, alternately sucking gently on the tip and encircling the rest of Gale's cock with his hand. His other hand stroked over his lower belly, stopping Buck from rolling his hips rhythmically to his movements. He prevented him from feeling his pleasure fully. He knew what a bittersweet burn this must be causing in his body.

The next time Bucky lifted his head to gasp for air, he breathed sporadic wet kisses on Gale's thighs and murmured, drunk with passion: "Wanna try something new?"

Buck's body tensed slightly before he whispered, "Go ahead."

"You can stop me any time, darlin'."

Buck replied quietly: "I know."

Arousal and excitement flew through Bucky's body like a wave of heat. He wanted to push Gale so deep into the mattress until the frame creaked. "Relax", he mumbled and started sucking Gales cock again.

He wanted to bring him so close to the cliff that Gale could think of nothing but his orgasm and the tingling throughout his body. Only then would John take the next step.

The tension in Gale's body reached another level and John knew he wasn't far from an orgasm. He sucked harder on the tip of Buck's cock before reaching for the small can on the bedside table.

"Let's make it a little more comfortable for you." John reached for one of the countless pillows and licked his lips: "Raise your hips."

Gale followed his instruction and then he glanced at Buck and smiled as he saw him lying in bed with his eyes closed and his head leaning back. Bucky opened the can and spread a little lube on two of his fingers. He rubbed his fingertips together to warm up the gel.

"Have you ever touched your butt?"

Gale blushed a shade darker. John had hardly thought this would be possible, but his heart was pounding in his throat. Buck shook his head, "Never."

"I'll be careful," Bucky promised and breathed a kiss on Gale's twitching thigh muscle. "Close your eyes again," John advised him.

From his own experience, he knew what a great thrill this kind of intimacy was. He had already felt this wave of desire and shame himself. But when he had felt these new, overwhelming sensations, he had seen stars.

Bucky sank his upper body deeper into the soft mattress and spread Gale's legs wider. "Relax," he advised him again.

To his surprise, Buck did not comment on his instruction with a smirk, but simply breathed in and out deeply again.

Bucky closed his lips around Gale's erection again. It had softened a little, but John knew it was because of the excitement. Then a tingling shiver came over him as he spread Buck's buttocks with his fingertips and spread the gel with his fingertip.

Gale's ass muscles tensed. John created a trail of kisses with his lips that followed his groin to his thigh. With his other hand, he grasped Gale's own and wrapped it around his cock. "Pump yourself up and down slowly."

A shiver ran through Gale's body and he shivered as he began to touch himself. Now Bucky could concentrate fully on his other task. So he let his wet fingertips circle around Gale's tight lock repeatedly.

"Relax," he repeated, applying gentle pressure to the tight, contracted muscle.

He knew exactly what that first penetration felt like. It was a mixture of pure pleasure and a slight burning pressure. But as soon as his finger had penetrated the tight ring of muscle, a shock-like heat exploded in Gale's chest. The tingling sensation rushed through his entire body down to the tips of his feet in a matter of seconds.

"Fuck..god damn it...John", Gale moaned surprisingly load. "That's feels like..."

"..you are seeing stars, huh?", Bucky grinned slyly and dirty.

"Yeah", Buck replied. "Can you..."

John laughed softly and breathed a kiss on Gale's sweaty skin. He began to twist and move his middle finger slightly. He quickly found out which movements made Gale relax and go crazy. Buck exhaled loudly as John pushed his finger deeper into his ass with gentle pressure. John could feel every little throb of Gale's muscles and as he slid his finger in and out once, then a second time, Gale moaned again.

Bucky maintained his slow rhythm and continued to prepare Gale. His first finger was followed by a second and then he pumped in a steady rhythm. He could feel the muscle contractions and Gale's unbridled heat around his fingers, bringing him almost to orgasm himself.

Gale begged: "Please a little more."

Bucky sped up the rhythm of his fingers and as he curled his fingertips slightly, he touched that one special spot inside Buck. It almost immediately drove Gale out of his mind.

John had never seen a more beautiful man in his life. At the same time, he realized that he was hopelessly lost and in love with Gale Cleven. So he continued to drive him towards his long-awaited climax.

"Come for me, Buck," John whispered and leaned up so that his lips hovered over Gale's cock again. "I've never seen anything more beautiful. Let me hear you, Buck," he demanded, moving his two fingers with more pressure and stroking the magic spot in Gale's ass repeatedly.

He closed his lips around Buck's cock again and together with Gale's own hand movements they worked towards the heated end.

Then it finally happened and John tried to memorize every detail of Gale: His parted puffy pink lips, his tousled blond hair, his shiny muscles strained to the breaking point, and that harsh, sinful moan in his ears.

"John," Gale cried out in a husky voice, his body shattering into a thousand pieces and Bucky was in the middle of it.

John felt the salty taste of Gale on his tongue . Fe seconds later Gale grabbed Bucky's dog tags and pulled him close until the tips of their noses touched. Ice blue eyes met hazel eyes. Time stood still and unspoken expressions of love hung in the air between them. "You almost got me killed, major. I had no idea it would be like this."

"Always ready to rock your world." Gale traced the curve of Bucky's lower lip. "Thank you," he murmured. "For giving me space and for your patience. Now let me return the favor." Buck immediately ran his hands up and down Buck's sides before placing his hand on his cock with firm pressure.

Slight drowsiness spread through John's arms and he dropped onto the mattress next to Gale as he took the lead and helped himself to a shattering orgasm.

Sometimes all it takes were strawberries and a little dirty talk to get things running between the two of them.

[wexhappyxfew]

light up my lover's way

BLIND DATES FEST 2024

featuring: Florence 'Flo' Godfrey and Captain Bernard 'Benny' DeMarco + Meatball being the ultimate wingman Absolutely beyond excited to put this out. Florence has been living in my brain for some time, but Masters of the Air and @blind-dates-fest (thank you Merc for the fun!) offered the perfect opportunity to do some writing and recently, with the episodes we've gotten, I've become a big DeMarco fan and wanted to see what I could do. I tried to really nail down how I could write him since we don't have a whole lot of content from him, and I didn't feel the most comfortable writing in the MoTA universe yet just because I wanted to see all the episodes first, but I wanted to give it the old college try and really enjoyed how this piece and how Florence came out! She was a treat to write and considering her story, this was a night for her well deserved! I missed out last year because of school stress and this year, wanted to be kinder to myself and allow some time to test out the waters with writing in MoTA. Please enjoy Flo and her time with DeMarco! :)

The mirror stared back at her with a more than poignant look on her face, as she gazed at her rugged-looking hair that had surely seen better days.

Extensive time out in the sun on the tarmac, with plenty of harsh oils and chemicals meant for planes and not exactly hair would do the trick though. Self-assured, she reached back and ripped a brush through the caramel ends of her hair that were in need of cutting and sighed quietly to herself before glancing back at her reflection.

Lemmons had encouraged her to take the night off - you've been working hard, Godfrey, take the night to get a drink or better yet, a full night of sleep where you're not thinking entirely about all things plane-related. She'd been pretty hesitant, she'd even told him that he was the one who needed the night off, but he'd quickly brushed some dirt off her shoulder, helped her scrub out the paint stain from her OD jacket and then promptly shoved her off in the direction of the celebration in the nearby hall that a good portion of the men and pilots had gathered into. She'd taken the time to gather herself, clean herself up and look presentable, but she was left appearing hesitant to even leave her room.

Florence Godfrey felt more mechanic some days than woman, but on days like that, she usually found some of the Red Cross girls and spent nights trading cigarettes, telling stories and sharing coffee from the potbelly stove in the corner that worked to keep them all warm. Sometimes, she tried to work so stringently that when she got in, she'd lay down and reflect and cry.

But, tonight wouldn't be one of those nights, no, her hands weren't covered in grease, her hair wasn't matted with sweat and her boots weren't soaked with mud and ice-cold water.

No, she actually had washed up, powdered her face, pulled a bit of lipstick onto her slightly chapped lips, and smiled to herself, the dress that fell below her knees a beautiful baby-bird blue.

Lemmons had been right - finally do something for yourself, give yourself the wheel of life. She wanted to do that for herself, more than anything.

The celebration in the hall was dying down - she took a glance at her watch - it was past midnight and people were slowly pouring out, a few couples still slowly swaying in the middle of the floor, some others milling about or talking quietly with gentle smiles in corners outside of the main doors.

Florence smiled quietly to herself - even just to get a drink that wasn't her inhaling water to keep herself from feeling parched. She'd never really allowed herself a freedom like this away from the planes, away from the other mechanics and ground crewmen. She'd always told herself to do her job, do what was needed of her and then bed out and wake the next time she was needed. She had always been like that though ever since working with Dad at the Navy Yard as a 9-year-old, learning all the bits and bobs that made things run and function.

Florence waded into the softly lit bar where only a few people were still at, finishing last minute drinks or basking in the quietly gleaming Billie Holiday singing 'If You Were Mine' over the speakers in the corners of the room. Florence walked up to the edge of the bar and offered a smile at the bartender who came towards her and offered a smile back and nodded.

"What can I interest you in tonight, Miss….?"

"Godfrey. Florence Godfrey," Florence said with a soft smile, "I'll take a French 75 if it's possible." The bartender smiled with a nod and turned away, whisking himself away to start prepping. Florence grinned to herself and then looked up towards the wooden ceiling, covered in pretty lights and patterned carvings.

Suddenly, she felt a presence at her….feet? Florence took a moment to think before looking down and seeing a beautiful, gray dog sniffing at her shoes, a brown harness around his soft fur and his puppy-dog eyes quickly looking up at her in excitement and glee.

"Awe, hello there!" Florence said, kneeling down in front of the mixed-husky dog, petting his face, her heart immediately softening at the sight as she laughed quietly to herself, "Aren't you the prettiest thing I've seen in months." The dog licked at her cheeks and she let out a laugh as she rubbed behind his ears, the dog's tongue hanging out as his whole body seemed to shake with excitement, tail in all directions.

"Hey, Meatball, don't go sneaking up on the ladies," a voice called from behind the dog.

Florence looked up from, if she caught the name correctly - Meatball, the dog - and found instead one of the pilots of the B-17s walking towards her, gentle eyes lingering on her, long enough for a crimson color to rush her cheeks, his hair dark and nicely cut and styled, and the small smile on his face suddenly making her think that this pilot was actually the prettiest thing she'd seen in months. Florence felt a warmth enter her body, a quiet calm overcoming her as she felt an uncontrollable smile cross her lips, as she slowly rose back to her feet and watched the pilot come closer, the thrum of a quiet Louis Armstrong song entering her ears.

"Italian or Swedish?" Florence couldn't help but say as the pilot neared, his eyes deep and dark, but soothing and welcoming all the same. The pilot let out a soft laugh, his eyes trailing down to Meatball, the dog - she'd never get over how adorable that was - before looking to her.

"Italian." he said, with a nod, "Why? Don't think he fits the part?" Florence let out a quiet laugh and kneeled down again to Meatball and scratched beside his little head and laughed.

"I think he's adorable," she said, "how'd you get a hold on him?" The pilot smiled at her and leaned against the bar.

"Boarded a B-17 with me back in Greenland, was a real good sport the whole flight," the pilot said and then shrugged a bit, "I think I convinced him that he'd make a good co-pilot." Florence laughed as she stood to her feet again and looked at him with soft eyes.

"I don't think it'd be proper of me to only think of you as Meatball's Dad," she said, watching the small smile on his face quickly grow, "gotta name?"

"DeMarco. Captain Bernard DeMarco, but you can just call me DeMarco, whatever suites your fancy." he said, before chuckling slightly, before imitating, "Some of the guys like to yell, DeMarcooooo!" Then he looked to her and smiled.

"You don't have to do all that though," he said, leaning closer slightly, "Benny'll do just fine. Special cases." Florence stared at him quietly for a moment and then grinned.

"Benny it is…..Captain," she said, before holding out a hand, "Godfrey. Florence Godfrey, but you can just call me Godfrey, whatever suites your fancy." She smirked slightly at his face as he reached out and shook her hand.

"Some of the guys I work with like to yell," and she woefully imitated Lemmons, "Godfreyyyyy!" She then leaned closer to him and smiled up into his beautiful, tender eyes.

"You don't have to do all that though," she whispered, "Flo'll do just fine…..special cases." Benny stared at her for a moment, before breaking out into a wide smile and gently holding her hand in between them like a sacred piece of life.

"Goddess of flowers," he whispered quietly, his voice a soft rumble, "Flo." She smiled up at him.

"Ma thought it was pretty." she offered to him. He smiled at her in the dimmed light of the bar, that Ella Fitzgerald song she was always forgetting the name of somewhere above their heads, eyes warm and simply, only on her.

"Your Ma was right." he said back to her, staring at her with genuineness and fullness in his eyes. She felt her face warm and let out a laugh at his words, covering her mouth as she did so. Looking back up at him, she watched him stare right back at her and smiled as her hand fell from her mouth.

"I've never seen you around in here before," he said softly, "couldn't help but introduce myself, or well, Meatball, for introducing us." Florence looked down to Meatball, sat patiently staring up between them with his ever-caring eyes that dogs always seemed to have.

"He likes you," Benny said, his hand, which evidently was larger than hers, still clasped around her own, with no sign of disconnecting soon, "he's a friendly fella, but he don't just go up to anyone." Florence's eyes softened as she rubbed her free hand on top of Meatball's soft little head and glanced to Benny again.

"Dogs are probably some of the best creatures to ever walk to Earth," she said with a smile, "Sometimes they know us better than ourselves. I like to think sometimes they're protecting us, or….just there to guide us, be with us, give us someone who unconditionally loves you, ya know?" Benny's smile on his face was something that engrained itself quickly in her mind and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah," he said softly, "I like to think of it that way, too." For a moment, as Ella Fitzgerald sang her part, the gentle thrum of a bass and brass to follow, they watched each other as if taking in the very quiet moment they had there between one another that night. An unexpected chance for Florence to get out of her normal gear and into a dress, to have her hands free of grease for the first time in a while, and to be looked at by a man with the softest eyes she'd ever seen - with a dog named after an Italian meatball no less.

"I'd ask for your hand in a dance, but I'm afraid that French 75 is calling your name and Meatball would take offense," Benny said, his eyes seemingly nervously flitting to the drink that had appeared at her side before meeting hers again, "and I know you're one of the women who works with the ground crews….I'd hate to steal an evening away from a good drink." Florence watched him.

"You know I work with the ground crews?" Benny nodded with a smile.

"You hang around Lemmons a lot," Benny offered, "and you work hard. We all see that. Buck does, too. Mentioned you were the best of the best. Didn't want to be too forward when I heard you tell the bartender your name." Florence watched him, as he gave Meatball a smile and a pet on the head before he looked to her again.

"Ma didn't raise me to be impolite either," he said with a nod, "and you've earned an off night like this and a drink like that."

"And a night getting to talk to a man like you." Florence said quietly to him, her heart starting to pound as he watched her - no one ever really had mentioned her in the way he had, having noticed her before and even made the effort to talk to her like he had. Her palms felt sweaty, and her mouth felt dry. Benny watched her for a moment as she took a sip of her drink and then looked to him.

"I'd be more than happy to spend a night dancing with you," she whispered.

There was something unspoken behind her words - like the realization was still there, they just hadn't mentioned in. In war, moments like this were precious and sheltered and held close in the palms of their hands. A night with someone with tender eyes was worth more than enough money in the world to her, especially in wartime. The thought saddened her heart and her mind as she stared at Benny DeMarco, with that million-dollar smile and those eyes. Benny let out a shaky breath that he looked like he'd been holding in and reached forward to take her hands in his and leaned forward the slightest bit so the only things she could see and hear were him and his voice.

"With you? I'd consider it a privilege." he whispered and then pressed a soft kiss to her hands clasped in his and then gently pulled her towards the open dance floor where only a few couples were left and had made it this late in the night. Wrapped in each other's warm embraces there in the middle of the floor, Billie Holiday's voice singing in the eves, and the gentle sway of their bodies so intimately close there, Florence let herself dance softly that night with Benny DeMarco.

Florence let herself live a bit for once.

[mercurygray]

Blind Dates Fest 2024 - Freda Torvaldsen, ARCS

A few days ago I asked for MOTA prompts, and @junojelli delivered:

A MOTA scene prompt for you: a new arrival is amongst the clubmobile ladies at the local pub one evening. Of course, it would only be right that they give her the lowdown on the men they can see in the bar, and the recent gossip on possible nocturnal escapades of course 😏

So! An extra Blind Date! You can learn more about @blind-dates-fest at their blog.

Fandom: Masters of the Air

It was only a matter of time before the subject came up.

“Can’t say I’ve ever met a Freda before.”

It was always like this, her first day in a new assignment, where you been, where you from, what do you do. And then inevitably someone would work around to the obvious. So... what’s a name like Torvaldsen doing with a name like Freda?

“And neither had my mother,” Freda said with a resigned smile, sitting down heavily and nodding thankfully to one of the other girls for the beer. “After my father and brother were both Peters I think she just wanted something interesting.” She shrugged. “She told me once she found the name in a short story in a woman’s magazine. Never got confused with another girl in class, though! Fred’s just fine, for every day use. It’ll get tossed in eventually, so we may as well start there.”

Fred was easy - approachable, even. A good way to start a conversation, a quick, easy joke to set everyone on the same level. Who’s on shift today, girls? Rose, Laura, and Fred. Wait, Fred? And she’d stick her head out from wherever she was hiding, and the boys would all have a laugh that Fred was really a twenty-six year old blonde from Madison, Wisconsin with a big smile, and not the paunchy driver from Brooklyn they all pictured when they heard the name. She didn’t mind the jokes, really - it made the whole job easier. So what’s your name, solider? You have a nickname, too? Where you from? The whole reason she was there, in three questions or less - to make the average G.I. feel at home, seen, valued and wanted.

“Where’d you say you were, before this?” Helen asked. At least, she thought it was Helen - or was it Ellen? Honestly, Tatty had run through the team of three pretty quickly this morning and she might have misheard. Tatty, of course, was easy to remember - Katherine Spaatz, with a last name the papers wouldn’t soon forget and a face that liked being photographed. Mary Boyle was the other, a sparkling-eyed Irish girl from Des Moines who looked like just the kind the fellows all liked to spin around a dance more than once. She couldn’t remember the name of the girl she was replacing, either - not that that mattered much. She was going home with the one non-communicable disease the Red Cross didn’t want to deal with - pregnant, Mary had mouthed across the table when they’d first met this morning, her fresh off the bus from London and Tatty skating artfully around the subject.

“Did a spell at the canteen in Washington, another couple months in London in a few different spots,” Freda offered. “I guess I’m a professional replacement at this point - which is either a compliment or a curse. You’ll have to tell me which.”

“Well, we’re happy to have you, for as long as we’ve got,” Tatty said with a nod. “Did they tell you what the work would be like? Working a base is different than canteen service.”

“The hours, for a start,” Mary said, rolling her eyes.

“If they’re running a mission, they’re up and at ‘em at 4:30 for a 5 am briefing, which means -”

“Service ready for 4:45,” Freda filled in, nodding along. “Means we’ll be starting about...three thirty, maybe, to have everything hot and ready?”

“Will that be a problem?” Tatty asked, her eyes dark and decisive across the table.

Freda shook her head. “Always was more of a morning person. How long are they usually out for?”

“Longer runs...six, seven, eight hours at a time? Tower will give us a ring when they’re expected back in, and then we rack up donuts and coffee in the interrogation hut. You’ll need to be sharp on that shift,” Tatty warned. “They don’t always come back looking pretty.”

“Doctor’s usually on hand to evaluate anyone who can walk. If they’re still standing he’ll turn ‘em loose on the interrogation team,” Mary explained. “Captain Brennan and her girls run that room - she’s nice, you’ll like her.”

“You’re not there to make small talk for that one - pass out coffee and get ‘em to their table as quick as you can. Each crew runs through the whole mission - what they saw, who they shot at, bombs dropped. The after-action report. Once they’re done, they’re free to leave, and so are we. We’ll do dishes and clean-up, and then get the coffee urns ready to drive ‘round to the crews. Can you drive?”

“Well enough for Wisconsin,” Freda offered with a shrug. “We had a Ford I could grind through.” She didn’t say anything about the last time someone had asked her if she knew how to drive, and how she’d nearly run over the campus mascot trying to muscle a Clubmobile into a turn.

“Sounds like you’ll be driving our Jeep, then. We’ve got one assigned to us.”

Freda nodded, trying to maintain serenity. Well, that’s all right. A Jeep’s not a remodeled London bus, and it sure as hell doesn’t drive like one.

“The planes are parked out on hardstands and the crew basically live out there while they’re working,” Tatty went on, “So we take coffee and sandwiches around once the planes come back in. They’re good guys out there - better than the flyboys, sometimes.”

“Now, Tatty, don’t go turning her head the wrong way,” Mary interjected, before Freda could ask what a hardstand was. “They’re all nice. Just take some getting used to.”

“Anyone I’ll need to watch out for?” Freda asked, glancing around the club, which was gradually beginning to fill for the evening - officers in their Class As, the gilt on their wings like sunshine, laughter like a river. The knucklehead who knocked up your friend, for instance?

Tatty made a gesture across the room towards the biggest group. “The tall one horsing around with the dartboard is John Egan - Major Egan, rather. Or Bucky, if you want nicknames. He’s mostly harmless, but he’ll flirt with anything. Just give as good as you get and you’ll be fine. Man next to him is Major Gale Cleven - also Buck - who you’ll wish was single and isn’t.”

“He’s got a girl back home in Wyoming,” Helen (Ellen?) put in, her smile a little wistful. “Ask him about her sometime.”

“Man with the permanent frown is Major William Veal - Bill, sometimes. He’s all business, you’ll never see him dance, so don’t ask. Tall fellow next to him with the lighter curly hair is Major Jack Kidd, also mostly business.”

Freda’s eyebrows went up. “Mostly?” Now there’s a word with a story.

It was Tatty’s turn to smile. “We think he might be sweet on Mary, when he lets himself.”

Mary rolled her eyes. “Only because the rest of you gang up on him!”

“Those are the squadron commanders, anyway - the other pilots and navigators and crews report to them. It’s a lot of names,” Tatty said, almost dismissive.

Notice how she didn’t say I’d learn them, Freda thought to herself. They’d told her that much in London, when she’d gotten her assignment. Don’t get too attached to your post, or the soldiers there. They can change or leave at any time. It’s a war, not a weekend.

“Ladies! And how are we all on this fine evening, eh?” Here it was - faces up. Freda found her smile and turned to see who it was - a young man with black hair and blue eyes and a smile just this side of mischievous. And this one is named Trouble, I’ll bet. First lieutenant with flying wings - a pilot. “You all over here plottin’ somethin’ we fellas need to be made aware of?”

“Just introducing the new girl around, Curt.” Tatty gestured to Freda, on the other side of the table, who raised a hand and nodded hello.

Trouble (Curt?) smiled a little wider, his hand on Tatty’s shoulder, leaning closer over the table. “Oh, the new girl, eh? And does the new girl have a name?

“New girl answers to Fred,” Freda said with a patient smile, trying not to smile too hard at the patently obvious big-city, big-spender feeling rolling off of the lieutenant in waves. New Yorkers. You could run them off a press like that. It was funny, sometimes, how much they tried not to be types - but she’d known far too many men like him. That was the trouble with canteen service - you saw so many they all started to look the same. “And she’s not looking for another drink, before the lieutenant starts asking.”

“Tough customer!” He laughed at that. “Curtis Biddick, at your service, Fred. Now, if any one of these jokers starts anything or gets fresh, you come find me, alright?” He pointed, for emphasis, and she took note of the knuckles of his hand, the shortness of his nails. “Gotta take care of our girls, you know, since you’re always taking care of us.”

“I’ll certainly keep it in mind, Lieutenant.”

Biddick waved the rank away like it was a fly he were swatting. “Now, none of this lieutenant crap, Fred. My friends call me Curt.” He fixed his eye on her and she smiled, and nodded - heard and acknowledged. Confident they had an understanding, he clapped Tatty’s shoulder again and stood up. “Tatty. Mary. Helen. Fred. Yous all have a good night, now.”

“Well, there you are, Fred. If Biddick likes you you’re set. He was serious about finding him, too - he’s the company boxing champion.”

“Of course he is,” Freda said with a smile, finally able to place where she’d seen hands like that before. And a total sweetheart underneath all of it, if I read him right.

And a soldier, something in her head reminded her. That’s the trouble with working a base - they won’t just be here for a night. You’ll have learn their names, and their girlfriends, see them day in and day out - until one day you don’t.

She took a deep breath and a sip of her beer, still glancing around the room, at the laughing men at the dartboard, the craps game, the piano, everyone alive and free and full of life. Maybe it had been a bad idea to start with names.

---

Eagle-eyed readers will notice that I have name-dropped several new characters in here; one of them, Marion, is my other Blind Date this year. You'll meet her on Saturday!

[sagesolsticewrites]

Anthony Boyle looking entirely too attractive at the BAFTAs today 😭