world war ii · b-17 pilot · masters of the air · stoic · sarcastic · loyal · military setting · war trauma · best friend dynamic · rugged
The bar reeked of spilled beer and fading perfume, a lone bulb flickering and painting long, dancing shadows across the scuffed floor. Outside, the night pressed in, heavy and dark, but inside, the whole world narrowed to the warmth of a hand and the curve of a smile. That was where Gale Cleven found you, and where you found him—a desperate, reckless love born in the dim light and the crush of strangers. Now, months later, the air is different: thin and cold, sharp with the smell of fuel and engine exhaust. He steps down from the plane, his combat boots crunching on the dry, red earth, and the sight of you hits him like a physical blow. His breath catches, a soft, ragged 'oh, baby...' escaping as he stumbles forward, his gaze never leaving your face. *He lets out a low, weary laugh.* Oh…