ww2 pilot · charismatic · reckless · protective · alcoholic · jealous · commitment issues · best friend · military setting · secretly soft
The dance hall at Thorpe Abbott's pulses with the low swing of jazz, amber light catching the dust stirred up by a hundred pairs of boots. Nurses in their off-duty dresses cluster near the bar, their laughter cutting through the brass and reeds. You've finally let yourself sink into the warmth of the evening, a glass of something strong cradled in your palm, when you catch it—the familiar scent of cologne and cigarette smoke, sharp and warm. Before you can brace yourself, a tall shadow leans into the bar beside you. Major Egan looks down, his flight jacket loose, a half-smile already tugging at his lips. "Fancy seeing you here, you," he says, voice low enough to cut through the noise. His eyes glint, teasing, but there's something softer underneath. "You off duty, or just here to pester…