#mota reactions

[ithinkabouttzu]

MASTERS OF THE AIR MASTERLIST

*DISCLAIMER* (before you read, welcome to my masterlist, I hope you enjoy my works! I also need to preface this, these works are in no way, shape, or form disrespect or hate to any real veterans. These works are solely based on the characters of the show. I also need to make known that there are probably historical inaccuracies so please do not take my words or work into historical context :) - Mac

Reactions/headcanons

(nothing yet!)

Imagines/oneshots

(nothing yet!)

[anomura]

"is it good?"

"it's great."

what if you were GAY and DOG CODED and IN LOVE and going stir crazy sitting still in a pow camp and also had a PRAISE KINK and liked feeling USEFUL

[aldarquen]

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

[anachilles]

chapt 9; whiskey neat, coffee black 🚒🥃

When they both turned to fix their gazes on him at the exact same time, the same pair of stormy blue eyes glared back and for a moment the familiarity was eerie, but thankfully fleeting. Stood next to each other, the physical similarities were unmissable. A thread flowing between them in the colour of their eyes, their willowy frames, and set of their eyebrows when they furrowed in displeasure. But at the same time, if he’d simply passed James Cleven on the street he wouldn’t have looked twice or noticed it at all. “No, unlike some people here I do actually work for a living and pay my own bills.” Whatever mirth the older man’s smile contained before quickly melted away. “You think you’re better than me.” It was a statement, not a question. A statement Gale didn’t deny.

-> read here on AO3! <-

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@alienoresimagines ||

@joeyalohadream ||

@imasexypotato ||

@clevenhq ||

@neverfellforyou ||

@buckyclevens ||

@coastiewife465 ||

@shoequeeny ||

@onyxsboxes ||

@thru00thepages22 ||

@doctorstrangeherself

@shprka

@carnevol

[imasexypotato]

*John & Gale discussing something on the runway*

Gale: I mean, have you ever had something that was so beautiful that everyone wants it?

John: ....*smiles*

John: I have you

Gale: ....*happy*

Random pilot: Get a room!

[amiserableseriesofevents]

Hi! If you have no other clegan requests, then I would like this:

"good. now you know what it's like."

(prompt list by @novelbear  - reactions to making someone cry)

Hello dear! I haven't forgotten about you, I just had to sort out and post Chapter 14 of Such stuff before diving into this 🥰 I hope you'll enjoy the angst 😗

1.9k of Angst, Emotional Hurt/No Comfort below the cut

Major Gale Cleven marries his longtime sweetheart, Marjorie Spencer, less than a month after his return to the US after the war. The bride is splendid and radiant and the groom looks as handsome as ever in his uniform — no one needs to know that it doesn't feel right anymore on his body, that the belt's been latched two holes tighter than before the war, that he still feels cold even if it's summer and he's dressed in wool.

Major John Egan, Cleven's best friend, is absolutely charming in his role of best man. He flirts with bridesmaids and old ladies alike, dances dutifully with all the bride's friends that ask him, he laughs, and drinks only a few glasses of whiskey to celebrate — no one needs to know that his hands keep shaking whenever he tries to stay still, that there's a flask tucked into his breast pocket filled with nasty liquor that makes his eyes water every time he takes a sip from it, that his heart is bleeding in his chest for the same exact reason he should be celebrating today.

The bride asks him for a toast, at some point. John forces himself to ignore the spark of worry in the blue depth of the groom's eyes as he stands, clears his throat and raises a glass.

He tells the wedding party tales about the groom. How he once landed a plane with all four engines busted. How he once danced with a dog while completely sober at a party. How he never used to drink anything stronger than a ginger beer but had to take care of drunk comrades too many times to count — and he knows that pretty well, him being the drunk comrade Gale would always take care of. How he is the best man sweet Marge could possibly wish for cause he never gave up on the thought of being reunited with her, not even in the darkest of times.

(What he doesn't say: how the groom had kissed him the night after that nightmare of a flight to Algeria, a kiss with blood and desperation in their mouths, a kiss that had made John feel alive for the first time in months.

How him dancing with Meatball was actually a weird way for Gale to apologize to John for having refused his invitation to go to London together, because he knew what John wanted to do and he wasn't ready to give that to him yet — nevermind all the other kisses they'd shared in abandoned haylofts and dark corner, nevermind all those times they'd found comfort in each other's bodies, nevermind that John had almost sunk on his knees and begged him to go, right there, in front of everyone.

How John had almost drunk himself to death the day Buck went down, and when that didn't kill him he'd driven a jeep drunk out of his mind and then tried to stay on his burning plane to be blown out of the sky and go back to the man he loved.

How his Buck never gave up on the thought of marrying Marge, not even in the darkest days of a bleak German winter, but that didn't stop him to find comfort once again in Bucky's arms, in his mouth, along the sharp lines of his body, between his shaky legs.

How he knows with excruciating precision every sound the groom will make tonight during his wedding night, every whimper and moan, every shaky breath, every whispered curse and breathy laugh.)

John tries to leave the wedding without even saying goodbye but Gale knows him too well. He catches up with him in the parking lot, thanks him wearily for his beautiful toast.

“I forgot to add one thing,” John tells him, because now he really doesn't have anything left to lose. “That I love you, more than anything in the world.”

Gale doesn't say anything back to him, maybe he hopes the sadness in his eyes will be enough.

It's not. John leaves, and doesn't look back.

—

The happy marriage between Gale and Marjorie Cleven crumbles apart in less than one year.

They'll say it was because of the war, that Gale didn't come back as he was before and they couldn't work out anymore.

They'll say it was because of the children, Marge wanted them but Gale never seemed sure enough to actually try, fearing he'd unlock something ugly buried deep inside him, the venom of his father dripping through.

They'll never tell the truth: Gale is in love with someone else. Marge doesn't know who — she had a hunch, but Gale refused to listen to her trying to talk about that, said she wouldn't understand because she wasn't there, she doesn't know. Still, she rightfully refuses to play second fiddle in her own wedding; she gives him the ring back, packs a suitcase and goes home to her parents.

Gale goes home too; not to Casper, Wyoming, nor in South Dakota. He drives a whole day and a whole night to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. To the only place he's ever truly felt at home: with John.

He doesn't have an address so he asks around town if anyone knows where Major Egan lives. A nice lady points him to where the the Egans are staying; Gale doesn't think too much of that weird plural, he figures John's still with his mom and sister as he thinks about what to do after.

He rings the doorbell, practicing in his mind what he's going to tell John once he sees him again.

It's a blonde woman that opens the door, tall and with piercing blue eyes but not the same shade of John's — not his sister, Gale's mind provides.

She looks equally surprised to see him. “Can I help you, Sir?” She asks.

Gale goes through the motions. “Good morning, Ma'am. I'm sorry to disturb you, I'm looking for Major John Egan. We served together, I was passing by and wanted to say hello.”

The woman smiles at his words, almost relieved. “Of course! Any friend of Bucky is welcome here. Bucky! There's someone at the door for you.”

“If it's the pastor I swear I'm going to tell him-” John's familiar voice echoes through the narrow entryway behind the woman as he walks to the door, adjusting his tie, but the words die on his lips as he sees Gale staring right back at him. “Buck,” he says, voice full of wonder and for a second Gale still thinks it's going to be ok. Then the curve of John's mouth sharpens, the surprise sours in his eyes.

“Buck Cleven, what are you doing here?” He asks him, tone wrong, posture tense.

“I was passing through and thought about stopping by,” Gale says, glad now more than ever to have left his duffle bag in the car. “How are you? It's been a while.”

“It sure has,” John says. “I've been good, thank you Buck.” Then his gaze shifts to the woman, like he's just now noticing her here. “Oh, what a disgrace I am! I forgot to properly introduce you two. Jo, this is Buck, one of my best pals from the war. Buck, this is Jo. My wife.”

Those two words lodge themselves into Gale's heart.

“Oh. I didn't know you got married, congratulations", he tells John, voice strangled, hands fisted at his sides.

“Yeah, it's been a short engagement but what can I say, when you know you know, right Buck?”

Gale nods. “Right. Well, I better go now, I don't want to make you late for work. Jo, it's been a pleasure to meet you,” he says, and retreats to his car. He hears hushed voices behind him and tries to walk faster, but the door closes and John reaches him just before he can open the door to his car.

“Buck,” John says again, harsher this time. “Buck, look at me.”

Gale exhales and turns. “What?” He asks, chin raised in defiance.

“Why are you here?”

“Marge left. We couldn't make it work, the war changed too many things. It changed me, too much,” Gale says then he adds, “She knew.”

“She knew what?”

“That I'm in love with someone else. That I'm in love with you,” Gale spits out, cheeks getting hotter and hotter by the minute. It's getting harder to breathe and to keep the stinging in his eyes at bay; he fails, John's face in front of him suddenly blurry.

“Are you crying?” John asks. When Gale doesn't answer, he talks again. “Good. Now you know what it's like.”

“Did you marry her just to spite me?” Gale asks, outraged. “Were you just waiting for me to cave?”

“No, Buck. I married her because she's a nice woman, she treats me well, and she doesn't really care if I had someone else before or during the war.”

“She fucking looks like me.”

“That's a plus,” John admits. “She's also a pilot, so. And she's my wife, and we've been talking about building a family.”

“And what about me?”

“What?”

“What about the fact that I fucking love you?” Gale almost shouts, remembering at the last second that they're not alone in the world — there's also Bucky's wife, apparently, and their neighbors. The words come out of him in a strangled whisper, more tears now running freely down his cheeks.

John laughs. “You know, I could do exactly what you did when I told you that at your wedding. But I know what that felt like, so I won't. I'm going to tell you things exactly how they are: I loved you, I loved you so much. You broke my heart and moved on, and I had to move on too. I have a wife, I love her. I love you less, but I still love you. There's no place in my life for you, not now, not like this.”

Gale feels like he's breathing molten led, not air. “And what am I supposed to do?” He asks.

There's sadness in John's eyes now, and something too akin to love not to make Gale's heart ache. “I don't know, Buck. You'll have to figure it out. It's better this way, I promise.”

“But I love you,” Gale tries again. This time, John yields and hugs him.

“I love you too,” he murmurs in Gale's ear. “But we cannot make it work. I am so sorry, Buck, so fucking sorry.”

It's not your fault, Gale thinks. It's mine.

He extricates himself from John's hold. “There's nothing to be sorry about,” he mumbles. “I'll be fine. And if you ever need me for something, anything, you just have to call, ok? Anything, I mean it.”

(What he doesn't say: if you ever get tired of her, if you ever want to pick things back up from where we left them, if you ever feel lonely or bored one day, call me and I'll be there, waiting for you, atoning the sin of having let you go.)

John's always read him like an open book. “Thank you, Buck. I'll see ya,” he says, and goes back to his house — to his wife.

But Gale reads him perfectly too, and he knows one thing for sure: sooner or later, he'll be back.

Now it's his turn to sit and wait.

[thatsrightice]

THE REASON REAR-TRI-WHEELED PLANES LIKE THE P-51 DO THE LITTLE “S” WIGGLES WHILE THEY TAXI IS BECAUSE THEY CAN’T SEE PAST THEIR NOSE OH MY—

oh wait ha i def already knew that

[jakes3resin]

Spoilers for my next Clegan Fic! Inspired by my chats with @getinthefuckingjaeger I present my next crack fic!

Rough Draft Title: PowerPoint Night with Bubbles Payne

The subject of his presentation:

It's going to be a very educational presentation for the 100th!

[goldthorn-archive]

banging my head into the wall. gale’s reaction to john being a reserve command pilot. “what the hell is a reserve command pilot?” “you had nothing to do with it?” he looks like there’s anger simmering below the surface. john you could’ve been safe on the ground and now you’re unnecessarily going to be up in a fort on this crazy mission? not even my fort where i can try to keep you safe? why do you insist on putting yourself in danger?

[wexhappyxfew]

me going back to my notes and rereading the part where brady tells annie that he wants her, back in thorpe abbotts, all by themselves, in his A2 jacket only

[agir1ukn0w]

bbc ghosts fans watching masters of the air ep 6:

[hogans-heroes]

CANNOT get over the way they look at eachother when they reunited OH MY WORD

The way they look at each other is my Roman Empire. THAT 👏🏼IS👏🏼LOVE👏🏼

My heart aches just thinking about it. It will be in my mind forever and now you have been subjected to it toooooo *laughs evilly*

But THEYYYYYYYYY

[lewis-winters]

oooohhhh research idea for fun: a closer look at the portrayal of World War II in Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Masters of the Air (when it comes out), since all three were released in three drastically different political landscapes + Hollywood eras.

[gingerwerk]

Croz going from feeling like he’s the worst navigator in the 8th Air Force to being the guy who made the plans for the entire air assault on d-day

[trashbag-baby666]

Croz: and then my head hit the wall BAM

[lorephobic]

The issue with a lot of these deaths in MOTA is that people don't know if their friends are dead or not. At the end of the episode Buck thinks he's still alive since some of the plane bailed out. It's less than they don't care and more that they don't know.

A lot of the men during this era would land safely on the ground and then be killed by ground soldiers or by angry civilians so even bailing out doesn't guarantee their safety. Im sure the death of Barry is going to have more meaning later in the show but I think they're trying to showcase the chaos of the war and the fact that they just don't know.

Also not all death is meaningful.

"not all death is meaningful" is one of the most sinister & bleak things i have ever had the displeasure of reading.