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#joseph bubbles payne
honey-im-hotdog · 11 hours
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I’ll chase you if you chase me.
Click for better quality. Please don’t steal or repost; feel free to use though.
Check out my masterpost — requests are open.
Buck • Bucky
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this took.....longer than i care to admit but mota meme
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thatsrightice · 2 months
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Navigators. ❤️
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reyenii · 1 month
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i was going home. i just wished more of us were.
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nigesakis · 3 days
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MOTA as unfortunate callsigns (inspired by @scurvees's Terror version)
part 2 part 3 part 4
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itstheheebiejeebies · 1 month
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Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five and MotA
if you have a request or want to be tagged for any of my edits send me an ask. don’t repost, reblogs appreciated. all of my edits can be found here
Taglist: @bcofl0ve @fromcrossroadstoking @inglourious-imagines @easynix @alienoresimagines @sammy-1998 @blenalela @punkgeekcryptid @wexhappyxfew @lovingunderratedcharacters @a-beautiful-struggle-of-life​ @hellitwasyoufirstsergeant @vintagelavenderskies @mavysnavy @angels-fall2 @snafus-peckuh @alejodi0nysus @sydney-m @shadowsandmoonlight @mrseasycompany @gutsandgloryhere @ourmiraclealigner @johnny-martin-is-mypeanut @tvserie-s-world @serasvictoria @alyxzanderthebored @sergeant-spoons @labarboteuse @mysticaldeanvoidhorse @i-dont-like-bullies @silverspeirs @satan-incarnate-666 @footprintsinthesxnd @hopefuldreamers-world
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coldarena · 2 months
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lucky snowglobe
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darkimpala1897 · 1 month
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The Cleven twins Masters Of Air Au headcanons.
1. Gale's twin is name Ruth Thomas Cleven, he's the youngest by ten minutes, everyone calls him Ruthy, Bucky calls him Bucket, because he's Bucky, Buck is Buck, and Ruth is Bucket.
2. His dark hair comes from his mother, well Bucks blonde hair comes from his father.
3. Ruth teases Buck anytime he brings Marge up, he goes "Marge this, Marge that, we get it."
4. Is there for Bucky when he realizes he's in love with Buck.
5. He awkwardly kissed Bucky to test a theory that maybe he's attracted to him and not Buck, but Bucky immediately reacted by going "That was like kissing my sister, no definitely in love with Buck not you" and Ruth was like "Jeez thanks."
6. Does drunk karaoke with Bucky, you would think he was Buckys twin not Bucks.
7. When Buck goes missing, he insisted his brother was still alive actually he yelled at anyone who said he was dead, "it's a twin thing" Bucky would say.
8. When they are reunited with Buck in the prison camp he straight up went "I told you so." And Bucky just glared at him.
9. Ruth is the polar opposite of Buck, he keeps Buck on his toes that's for sure.
10. Anytime anyone picks on Buck for his name being Gale, Ruth makes sure to let them know that only he can pick on Buck for being called Gale.
11. Will straight up punch someone when they ask why he's named Ruth.
12. His accent is thicker than Bucks, Bubbles one time joked he needed subtitles.
13. One of the biggest pranks Bucky pulled on the newest airmen was when they asked where Major Gale Clevens was, he'd point him in the direction of Ruth who always plays along.
14. Ham somtimes somehow gets them confused with the other, Ruth finds it hilarious and doesn't correct him, Buck does because he feels bad.
15. Major flirt and playboy Ruth is, he always says "I'll write you." With a smile and a smirk, and then Buck is like "You're aren't going to write her will you?" And then Ruth is like "Do I look like you and Marge?" And then Buck is like "Sometimes I'm ashamed that you have my face."
16. Ruth will eat anything, Buck is a peaky eater.
17. Ruth can pretty much mimic any accent, he isn't great at mimicking people but accents he's amazing at, he enjoyed scaring everyone in the prison camp by randomly yelling in a German accent, worked everytime.
18. Ruth can't ride a bike, I mean he can but not amazingly. He runs into everything.
19. Ruth does his brothers hair, he cuts it and styles it, but he refuses to let Buck touch his hair because it's already "perfect."
20. Terrible dancer, he enjoys embarrassing his twin at any chance he gets. That's why everyone jokes he's Buckys twin and not Bucks.
21. Biggest Bucky and Buck shipper ever.
Add onto this AU if you wanted! Write a fic if you wanted, do whatever!
Thanks for reading!
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dustyjumpwjngs · 3 months
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how the bloody 100th likes their coffee
call back to the one i made of easy company here
john “bucky” egan: i know we all saw him pour that whiskey in his coffee.
gale “buck” cleven: a good splash of cream in it. keep it simple
harry crosby: this man cannot stomach anything other than straight black
curtis biddick: not convinced he even likes coffee. i just imagine him drinking orange or apple juice in those green plastic cups from the 2000s
ken lemmons: he does not care. he’s the equivalent of an artist dipping their paint brush in their mugs. he likes it that way. yummy! a hint of oil really does the trick
joseph “bubbles” payne: get this cinnamon roll some sweet treat sugary little drink quick PLEASE
william quinn: iced coffee but the ice is all melted and it’s just water at this point
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jakes3resin · 7 days
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PowerPoint Night with Bubbles
There are many things a man needs to know once assigned to the 100th Bomber group, and Bubbles Payne has created a presentation full of rules of survival. These are vital things to ensure the safety of the crews and keep the peace on base. Rules like don't touch Major Egan's curls unless you can outrun Buck as well as don't let Lieutenant Biddick talk you into flirting with Major Egan even if you think Buck isn't there. Or don't dare Major Egan to do anything unless Buck or Kidd have approved it. Learn these rules, and you too can enjoy a peaceful life here at Thorpe Abbotts! Link to AO3
"Major where are we going?"
"Don't ask questions, just get in the bunker before they see us."
"Sir?"
"Private get in the fucking bunker right now."
"Yes, sir!"
Jack sighs from where he can hear Veal and one of the new guys. Really, he wished they could have this talk back in the briefing room where he'd welcomed them all or even in the mess, but secrecy is key according to Curt. Jack is hard pressed to disagree given the contraband they have, contraband that could get them all killed if Buck found out, but he still wishes they didn't have to sound so ominous shoving the new guys down here.
Bubbles stands to his right quietly collecting his note cards. Jack isn't sure why he has notecards considering this is a talk even he could give in his sleep, but Bubbles likes his note cards, says they make things seem less threatening.
Sure, Jack scoffs to himself, they're the threatening ones here.
Curt slides in right after Veal shuffles in the last of the new guys, who all look differing shades of terrified, confused, and lost. Curt waves his arms around, his signal for them to get the show on the road, and Jack sighs when he nearly hits Rosenthal in the face. The pilot, thankfully, doesn't seem upset by it, especially after Curt sends him a smile before darting off. Jack isn't going to think about the lovestruck look on the lieutenant's face. He has more pressing issues to deal with.
"Hi y'all," Bubbles starts with a smile as Friedkin and Claytor drag the projector forward. Bubbles is the best at these lectures with his sweet smile that'd make you think butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. It's a shame he's also secretly a gremlin like Bucky and Curt. "Now if anyone can't see the front of the room, please move so that you can. I've got visuals for this, and it's important everyone can see them."
A few boys shuffle around, and Bubbles nods gesturing for Friedkin to click on the projector. Without prompting, Veal turns to dim the lights. Curt hushes all of the new guys, and Hambone locks the doors. It's startingly well-coordinated, but Jack, despite himself, is thankful for it.
"I'm sure you boys are all wonderin' why we dragged you down here. Don't worry, you're not in trouble!" Bubbles turns to his next notecard. One of the new boys sneezes in the background.
"So, you've all sat through Harding's welcome and the regular onboarding talk, yes?" Bubbles nods as a few voices confirm it. "Great! Well, you can consider this an addendum to that talk! Just a few more very important things to learn before you settle in on base. This won't take more than an hour I promise, and then we'll show you all to the enlisted men's mess to get you some dinner!"
Bubbles turns to the screen that Curt somehow wrangled down here a week after they'd flown in. Jack didn't ask any questions just simply accepted it. Friedkin clicks the projector onto the first image, a picture of Jack, Veal, Buck, Bucky, Harding, and Turner. The boys all stare in confusion.
"I'm sure you fellas recognize Major Kidd, Major Veal, Colonel Harding, and Major Turner." Bubbles uses a laser pointer that he'd pulled from nowhere to point out each man as he names them. He jumps over Buck and Bucky. "They were all at your briefing earlier, you'll be seeing a lot of them depending which squad you're on. Now,"
Friedkin clicks to the next picture. Buck and Bucky stand smiling at each other. Jack knows neither of them know of this picture's existence given they'd been too deep in the other's eyes to notice the camera pointed right at them even after Curt yelled at them to smile. Idiots, the pair of them.
"These are Major Gale 'Buck' Cleven," Bubbles points his laser pointer at Buck's smiling face before shifting it to Bucky's. "And Major John Clarence 'Bucky' Egan. They're the topic of this briefing."
Jack leans back watching the new guys shuffle around glancing at one and other. Rosenthal quickly raises his hand. Jack sighs.
"We'll take questions at the end, sorry lieutenant, but there's a lot of ground to cover with not a lot of time." Bubbles at least seems apologetic when he says it.
"They, sadly, had to miss the briefing earlier due to Major Egan hitting his head during a rec soccer game this morning. They'll introduce themselves in the next few days."
Jack does not want to think about that headache. A simple soccer game nearly turned into a bloodbath. Friedkin had nearly been murdered, and Bucky was still in the infirmary at Buck’s insistence. God, he really didn't want to think about it.
Bubbles gestures towards the screen. A picture of Buck appears. Jack leans back against the wall as the new guys all stare slack jawed. For good reason too.
"This is Major Cleven demonstrating his hand-to-hand combat skills." Bubbles uses his laser pointer to circle the knife Buck's holding. "We don't know where he got this knife. Next!"
Friedkin clicks to the next picture. This one is Bucky's military headshot. Jack thinks its a good opener. They need to control the replacement's first Bucky Daze, and doing so with a soft opener like this works best. Curt had wanted to open with a shirtless smiling Bucky, but he'd been swiftly vetoed. Bubbles nods and turns to stare into the crowd.
"Now, I'm going to show you boys a few pictures, and then I'll get into a few Dos and Don’ts of life here at Thorpe Abbotts. We'll take it slow, but if any of you start feeling dazed or light headed, please take a seat on the ground. Someone will help you if you need."
The boys all turn to each other confused. A few whispers break out about what the hell is going on, but Bubbles doesn't let that deter him.
Friedkin clicks to the next photo.
"This," Bubbles says, not looking directly at the photo. "Is Major Egan after winning a baseball game."
Jack stares out into the crowd checking on the boys. A few seem dazed. Another few lean forward. He glances at the photo as Bubbles keeps talking in the background.
It's a good photo. Bucky is smiling nearly blinding in the darkness of the bunker. His curls are going everywhere as he stares down at the ground as he walks off the field. He's wearing a long-sleeved black shirt which does nothing to hide how broad his shoulders are, and you can just see the beginnings of his shorts if you glance down. Thankfully, the shot didn't show anything lower. Brady must have taken this one most likely, Jack notes. Few others would have stopped so high.
A click, and the photo changes.
"This is Major Egan after hearing Major Cleven tell a joke."
If Bucky's smile in the last picture was bright, this one was radiant. Jack would call it like staring right into the sun itself. Bucky's staring at Buck off camera, and with the sun just behind him, Bucky looks a lot like the sun made human.
"We call this the Bucky Sunshine Smile. On days where the weather consists of rain, rain, and more rain, it is dangerous to look at head on which is why we've prepared this for you boys just so you know. Early exposure helps keep you on your feet when you see it in person."
Bubbles uses his laser pointer to point out the ground crew in the background. A few boys sit down on the ground.
"Poor Winks fainted the first time he saw the Sunshine smile, and Lemmons now requires his boys to wear goggles if Bucky is going to hang around while they work."
Bubbles smiles at the men, but Jack can tell a few of them are already lost to Bucky's smile. Bubbles gives them another minute. Thankfully no one faints.
Friedkin clicks to the next photo. This one prompts a larger reaction from the men.
"This is Major Egan on the wing of Major Cleven's fort after a night of drinking."
Bucky stares up at the camera with flushed cheeks and a lazy grin on his face. With the top few buttons of his shirt undone, he's laid out on the wing like it's his bed back home, thighs open and arms draped above his head. This one was taken by Curt. Jack can tell because it looks closer to a pin-up poster than an innocent photo of his friend. Jack's just glad he's wearing more clothes this time. In the last iteration of this presentation, Bubbles had included one of Bucky in a tank top and shorts. Shorts, Jack might add, that went exactly five inches down his thighs before stopping. They're lucky the boys made it through the rest of the presentation.
Bubbles gives the boys a few minutes to take in the photo before gesturing to Friedkin to move along.
Bucky stares out at them, one arm curled pillowing his head. His curls are nearly as wild as the first photo, but they lay almost stylishly messy. Curt would describe Bucky's eyes here as 'fuck me' eyes, but Jack chooses to think they look sleepy, for his own sanity you see.
One of the new guys faints. A few others look like they might join him. Crosby runs over with some smelling salts. Well, Jack thinks to himself, at least it's only the one this time. They may have finally gotten the correct photo order this time. Daze the boys just enough that exposure to the real thing doesn’t kill them.
"Sorry bout that. He's fine, happens all the time," Bubbles gestures to Friedkin again. "Just one more then I'll give you gentlemen a moment."
The final picture gives Jack headaches just looking at it. It's Buck and Bucky, all over each other as usual. Bucky's got an arm thrown around Buck's waist with his other hand reaching up to squish Buck's cheeks. Buck has one arm tossed over Bucky's shoulders, and he's staring back at Bucky with a soft besotted look. In the background you can just see Veal doing shots at the bar of the officer's club. Jack doesn't blame him.
"Lights please!" Bubbles calls out. He leaves that last photo up even as the lights start to wash it out. It's probably for the best. Giving the boys a picture to focus on helps them remember the information, but washed out like this, they don't run the risk of anyone fainting again.
"Now, gentlemen," Bubbles moves to his next notecard. "These are the Buckies' Dos and Don'ts of Survival. Or as I like to call them 'Bucky-Proofing the 100th,' and if you follow them carefully, you may escape bodily harm and grievous injury to live a happy life here between missions."
Bubbles grins at them all. Jack suppresses a groan as Curt cackles. Rosenthal, Jack notes, turns his head in Curt's direction to watch him laugh. Jack turns his head away. He's not focusing on that right now, no sir. One problem at a time.
"Now, if my lovely assistant could bring up the poster boards he prepared." Bubbles looks over at Croz, who under the eyes of everyone there looks like he would rather die. Croz carefully drags over an easel with a bunch of poster boards under each arm. Dougie steps forward to help fix the easel when Croz trips over it and nearly smashes the thing to pieces. Jack sighs pinching the bridge of his nose.
Croz puts up the first poster board up before running back to hide at the wall. Dougie follows with a laugh.
"Thanks Harry!" Bubbles chirps before pointing his laser at the board. "The first Buckies' Do is: do keep space between you and Buck. Major Cleven likes his personal space, and he likes Major Egan’s personal space. So, unless Major Egan invites you into his and Buck's space, do keep a few feet away. Major Cleven may also decide to enter your personal space, but usually that isn't a good thing so avoid it if possible. Once he has his hands on you, we can't help you."
Bubbles moves on.
"Next! Do join Bucky's sports leagues! He has a few of them, so if baseball isn't your game, try soccer, volleyball, or any number of other sports. Bucky also likes learning about new games, so we encourage you to teach him. Buck doesn't care for sports, but he'll watch Bucky play." Bubbles points his laser to the next point.
"Do go out to the pub, especially if Bucky invites you! He's the best at getting everyone passes off base, so take the opportunity when it presents itself. There's always something fun to do, and usually there are games to bet on or locals to flirt with."
Jack can see Douglass nudging Harry. He hates this last point. He really does, not that Jack can blame him. Poor Croz had been subject to both Buck and Bucky due to the man's unfortunate tendency to walk in at the worst moment.
"Finally!" Bubbles says it like it's some grand reveal. "Our last Buckies' Do! Do place your trust in Majors Cleven and Egan on missions even if one of them just threatened you. Especially if they just threatened you! They're good men, and you'll soon see why we respect them so much up in the air!"
Bubbles gently lifts the board off of the easel to replace it with the next one. Curt starts laughing, probably at something Dickie or Veal said to him, and Jack wishes he'd sat this meeting out. Rosenthal is just blatantly watching Curt laugh now instead of Bubbles.
"Here are the Buckies' Don'ts. These are vitally important gentlemen, do not forget them! We'll do questions after, and Dickie and Hambone will have leaflets for when you leave listing them."
Dickie and Hambone wave when Bubbles points them out. They're both carrying a large stack of printed leaflets that Jack doesn't want to know where they came from.
"The first Don't is the most vital. Do not under any circumstances touch Major Egan's hair. Major Cleven doesn't like it, and he will react negatively to those who do. If you're interested in witness testimonies, those are also on the leaflets." Bubbles moves on.
"The second Don't is do not listen to Lieutenant Biddick when he says Bucky is okay with something. Bucky may be okay with it if you're nice and polite, but usually Buck isn't. Curt knows this, and he knows you don't. We've lost a few boys to this already."
Curt just smirks as the new guys all turn to stare at him. He winks at them, and Jack, for his sanity, does not want to think about why Rosenthal is blushing right now.
"The third Don't is do not flirt with either of them. Bucky is protective, and Buck is feral." Bubbles circles this Don't with his laser pointer. "Bucky won't hurt you, but Buck probably will. Your best bet at dealing with a feral Buck is to divert Bucky's attention to him. Usually this will calm him down within moments, but you will have to avoid the pair for at least three days. Buck never forgets, but time around Bucky lessens the punishment you’ll face we’ve found."
"The fourth Don't," Bubbles moves to his next note card. "Is do not stare too long into either of their eyes or look at Bucky's smile for longer than three seconds. It will cause confusion and befuddlement, and in some cases, it can be permanent. They are very, very blue. We know this. They are very, very captivating. We know this as well."
"The final Don't is a new one, added just for you boys," Bubbles lifts up another poster board. "Do not dare Major Egan to do anything if Buck, Kidd, or any other officer of or above the rank of Major are not there to stop him from doing something stupid. He likes dares, but there have been disruptions in base wide activities, which means any dare, bet, or proposition must be judged by the committee before they can be carried out. If anyone is found to have dared Bucky to do anything without approval, the guilty parties may be subjected to discipline under Buck or Kidd depending on the severity of the outcome."
Bubbles gestures for Friedkin to turn the projector off. Harry runs forward to dismantle the easel. Dougie, thankfully, helps him before he breaks it.
"Thank you for sitting through this presentation. We will be taking questions now." Bubbles gestures for the others to join him at the front of the bunker to answer the replacements' questions. Jack stands up to follow the guys up there. The replacements just stare at them. Jack almost thinks maybe they're still in shock when one tentatively raises their hand.
"Is Major Egan a model?" The question draws a few laughs, but a few nod along.
"Not in this century," Curt shakes his head.
That seems to open up the floodgates.
"How did you get those photos?"
"Very carefully, and no one is allowed to tell Buck about them. We’re still recovering from his rampage after the pin-up fiasco." Jack jumps to answer this one when he sees Curt start to open his mouth. Jack doesn’t need Curt giving them any ideas. Not yet at least.
“Are his curls soft?”
“Devastatingly so.”
"What do you mean you don't know where Major Cleven got that knife?"
"He just pulled it out during training one day after someone played with Bucky's curls." Bubbles shrugged.
"He's damn good with it too. Man can fight." Curt joins in. "Next question?"
Curt's eyes latched onto someone in the crowd. Jack did not like how they lit up.
"You," Curt points, "Rosie, right? What's your question handsome?"
Jack was going to neuter Curt.
"Well, I," Rosenthal's cheeks looked near ready to burst into flames. "I was wondering how long the pair of them had been going steady?"
Curt bursts out laughing. Jack rolls his eyes. Veal sighs next to him, and Jack understands his pain.
"Nah, those two ain't going steady. In their dreams, yeah, but reality is Buck can't get his head out of his ass to ask Bucky who thinks he's not good enough for Buck."
Curt clapped his hands together, the sound echoed in the large underground bunker.
“Which is why I have a master plan,” Curt’s grin is downright sinister. Jack reaches over to shut him up.
“Do not listen to a word he says. Second Don’t remember that boys.” Jack stares at the crowd in front of him, deadly serious. “Lieutenant Biddick is not to be listened to. He enjoys chaos and destroying Buck’s psyche. He gets away with it because he’s Bucky’s best friend, and Buck wouldn’t do anything to upset him.”
Curt licks his palm, but Jack’s used to it and holds firm. Sadly, this is his life now.
“Majors Cleven and Egan are, how can do I say this?” Bubbles jumps in. “Circling each other? We’re trying to force one of ‘em to make the first move, but they’re stubborn.”
“Any other questions?” Jack pulls his hand away when he feels Curt open his mouth, narrowly avoiding Curt sinking his teeth into his palm. “You are a feral child they never should have let into a cockpit.”
“You’re just saying that because you’re no fun.” Curt zeroes in on Rosenthal in the crowd again. “Rosie dear, why don’t you help me lead these boys to the mess?”
Rosie stutters, but Curt guides him along. Jack fears he’s lost Rosenthal to Curt’s clutches now. The man is hanging off of Curt’s every word, and Curt is beaming from the attention.
“Don’t forget to pick up a leaflet on your way out!” Bubbles calls after the boys. Veal helps guide the stragglers out, and Jack locks up once Bubbles secures the projector.
“I think that went rather well?” Harry joins them as they climb out.
“Sure did Croz!” Bubbles links their arms. “Only one guy fainted! I think that’s our new record!”
“C’mon Buck!” Jack can hear Bucky’s whining tone. “I just wanna say hi to the new crews! Curt said he saw a few cute ones.”
“Oh God,” Jack guesses the boys will be getting their first real viewing of Buck and Bucky sooner than he thought. He starts to push his way to the front of the crowd. Maybe he’ll be able to divert them a different way.
“I’m just making sure John.” Buck’s low voice grows louder, probably walking in their direction now. The new boys all stop, eyes wide. “That ball could have done real damage. I can’t believe Friedkin kicked it at your head.”
“It’s fine! See?” Bucky laughs. “Doc said it only bled so much because it reopened the cut from before! Two wounds mean double the blood!”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.” Buck and Bucky round the corner, too caught up in each other to notice the crowd watching them.
“Holy shit!”
“Oh my god!”
Jack hears a thump as someone faints. Fuck, they forgot to warn them about the blond hair.
Bucky’s still blond curls gleam in the late evening light. His roots have slightly grown out, but that just means they bounce as he moves around. He’s still in his gear from this morning’s soccer game, and while thankfully his shorts are slightly longer, there is little left to the imagination. Buck hovers at his shoulder, worry etched into the lines of his face. Jack hears Friedkin squeak and run away.
“Don’t be such a worrywart Buck!” Bucky drags Buck closer. Buck doesn’t even flinch at having Bucky’s face barely even an inch from his own. Jack thinks it probably calms him down, the fucking simp. “How about a kiss to make it feel better? Don’t know if you know this, but kisses heal all wounds.”
Buck stares at Bucky with furrowed brows. Bucky grins and leans closer. Jack can see that at least the infirmary had washed the blood off his face.
Quick as a whip, Buck pulls Bucky’s face down to press a soft kiss to the cut across his nose. He places a second on the tip of his nose before pulling away. Bucky stands frozen. His cheeks start to color, a bright pink coloring his pale cheeks. His blue eyes stare at Bucky dazed.
“And they’re not going steady?” Rosenthal’s voice whispers to his left. Curt’s answer whisper is closer to a laugh than anything else.
“Idiots, am I right Rosie?” Curt pauses. “See what they want right in front of them, but they just won’t take it.”
Rosie stares back at a loss for words. Jack sighs.
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“We’re not gonna be like them, Joe.” Harry’s fierce tone catches Joe off guard. "We're gonna make it."
(Joe, Harry, and Major Egan's grief)
“Harry, look.” Joe presses his chin into Harry’s hair, careful not to dislodge his best friend’s head from its rest on Joe’s shoulder. “Over there.”
He glances down and over thick, messy dark curls to watch Harry squint in the pre-dawn light. They’re perched on one of the many observation towers on base - far away enough from the heart of the operations and closer to where the ground crew park the forts under repair. Joe waits as Harry scan the tarmac for a second. The hitch in his breath tells Joe that he’s seen it.
Joe drops his head on Harry’s, the two of them lone observers of a single jeep making its way down the tarmac until it turned and parked by one of the forts on the hardstand.
The signature white of Major Egan’s sheepskin is the only bright spot in the blue light of twilight. The figure sits straight as a ramrod as the engines die down and the headlights fade to nothing. Joe and Harry breathe in tandem, eyes focused on Egan as he sits there with an empty passenger seat, staring at nothing. 
Joe counts down the seconds by the ticking of his wristwatch, each passing of the needle like the countdown of a bomb.
He counts to the sixth minute and the time bomb explodes with a small gasp that Joe does not need to be there to hear. Idly, he thinks of trees falling in forests.
Watching John Egan fall, Joe thinks, is like watching a giant sequoia being felled by explosives. It is heartbreaking, terrifying, and it sparks a kind of anger in his heart at the destruction of something so timeless and seemingly indestructible. 
It’s intrusive and personal, but the thought of something so immutable breaking down without a witness feels blasphemous. So Joe sits there, wrapped around Harry with his head bowed and he makes himself watch. He forces himself to witness the destruction of John Egan as he slumps over the steering wheel, his broad back curved and defeated, but still breathing.
How soon does a felled tree know it is dead?
“I wish I saw what happened.” Harry whispers, voice hollow. Joe feels the way Harry’s arm tightens around his waist and he turns to bury his face into dark curls, no longer have the appetite to watch the loss of another life. “I wish I could tell him what happened.” 
Joe is silent for a long while. 
He casts his thoughts to the few hours he spent walking around as a solid ghost on the grounds of Thorpe Abbotts, his body still existing among the living whilst his soul is lost over the skies of enemy territory. 
He takes the grief that was a brief, but oppressing friend to him in those scant hours into his hands and he turns it over and over. He pokes and prods at the dark ball of tar that, for a few hours, dripped messily all over his heart before Harry came back and scraped every last bit of it away. 
He imagines the black viscous thing crawling all over Egan’s heart like the sticky reaches of an eldritch creature, getting into the ventricles, clogging the arteries, and poisoning the blood system to ensure death at molecular level.
The enormity of it steals his breath.
“I wish you did, too.” Joe mumbles into the riot of curls. Without opening his eyes, Joe scoops Harry’s thighs and lays them sideways over his, manhandling Harry until they are as close as humanly possible without tumbling over the edge of the tower.
“‘No record’, was all that I had to go on with.” 
Harry makes a distressed noise. 
“I don’t know what I would have done if I knew where you went down, but at least I knew you were somewhere and not everywhere at once. It’s stupid, Harry - It’s so stupid, but,” Joe swallows, breaths coming out in shuddering gasps. He wraps his arms closer around Harry and Harry reciprocates. “But it feels better, somehow, to look at a map and know that’s the last place on earth you existed because it's not like I’d be getting a body, ain’t it.” 
Joe imagines himself living through this war. 
Ten, twenty, thirty years down the road, when he has a wife and children and grandchildren - he’ll tell them all about the love of his life Harry Crosby who he will introduce as his best friend. He’ll show them all the pictures he has of Harry, tell them stories about Harry, and then he’ll pull out maps and point out his last resting place. 
He imagines visiting an obscure German countryside in his golden years, casting his eyes up at the blue skies and telling Harry to hold on, he’s coming. 
Maybe, in that future without Harry, the world might grow kinder to folks like them and Joe wouldn’t have to pretend. Maybe, hopefully, his grandchildren can look at Harry’s pictures and see the truth as clear as day and they would understand. Maybe then his grief can speak its truth - a bereaved lover.
Joe allows himself to sink through the maybes a few seconds more before resuming his vigil.
Major Egan is sitting upright in the jeep now. He rubs his hand over his face, presses the heel of his palm to his eyes, his mouth hanging open with exaggerated breathing. They watch quietly as Egan stumbles out of the jeep and drags himself over and up into the parked fort.
The hatch closed like a period at the end of a love story. 
“We’re not gonna be like them, Joe.”
Harry’s fierce tone catches Joe off guard. He pulls away to look at Harry’s white, terrified face. He’s not looking back at Joe, but the bruises his fingers press into Joe’s side speaks louder than any gaze ever could.
“We’re gonna go home and Jean’s gonna fuss over us and then you and her are gonna sing every Friday night in our lounge, and you’re gonna tell me to shut up because it’s scaring the cats.”
Harry stops speaking as though he ran out of breath. His gaze cuts to Joe so suddenly that his heart skips a beat. He sees an ultimatum in those brown eyes, an all or nothing.
“We’re gonna make it.” 
Joe goes up the next day on the Munster mission, lucky snowglobe in his vest pocket, and Harry’s face is the last pretty face he sees.   
(for Abbie (@moghraidhs) and her ability to express 'nina, why would you?' very clearly through a single thumbs up emoji)
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Curt: Bucky and Bubbles are my best friends.
Buck: Excuse you, Bucky's my-
Harry: Bubbles is my-
Curt: BUCKY AND BUBBLES ARE MY BEST FRIENDS.
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thatsrightice · 3 months
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wHEN WERE Y'ALL GOING TO TELL ME ABOUT CROSBY WAVING TO BUBBLES AT THE START OF THE PRE-FLIGHT BRIEF???
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reyenii · 18 days
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louis greatorex as joseph “bubbles” payne in masters of the air
(photos by robert viglasky)
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nigesakis · 10 days
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mota as random pictures from my phone part 3 (p1 + p2)
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itstheheebiejeebies · 2 months
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Joseph "Bubbles" Payne Icons
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