THE ARCHER | ❝who could ever leave me, darling? but who could ever stay?❞
Faith "Archer" Wilson lost him years ago, and she didn't want to meet him ever again, after they left to become their own people, on different paths. But when she is called ba...
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𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐱𝐯𝐢𝐢 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫
❝ 𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 ❞
✈✈✈
HER NAME WAS ON THE PLAQUE.
For the batch of 2012, Lieutenant Faith Wilson-Kazansky and Lieutenant Natasha Trace were awarded the awards of academic excellency, creating history as the first two women to receive the award side by side.
Iceman, Sarah, and the entire Kazansky family had visited. In fact, her father was the one to pin the wings of gold to her chest, with tears and joy in his eyes.
Currently, the entire gang was at the Hard Deck, celebrating their graduation. Everyone had changed out of their dress whites, and were in casual clothes as they clinked their beer glasses against each others'.
Natasha, Reuben, Jake, and Faith were by the pool table as they played a game of Nine Ball. Jake was constantly throwing pick up lines at the two women stood there with annoyed looks but hints of smiles on their faces, as Payback would reply for them two, coming up with a variety of comebacks of his own.
Faith leans down to take the shot for her team consisting of her and Nat, obviously, dog tags floating ahead of her, her hair is down, brushing against her shoulders and the white summer dress she'd worn hugged her features perfectly. The dress had intricate designs of periwinkle flowers all over it, and the pearl necklace she'd worn topped the look off like a cherry on top.
"Oh, come on!" Jake groans at the perfect way Faith pockets two balls into the net. "How are you so good?" He asks, green eyes wandering around her body as he leans forward towards her.
Faith barely pushes him back with a single hand to his chest, passing the cue stick to Natasha as she lines up the shot, "My uncle taught me." She just shrugs, taking a sip of her beer, engaging in a conversation full of flirts with Jake as he gives her the smirk, crossing his arms to flex his shoulders.
"Arch, I need to talk to you." Bradley.
Faith catches his gaze, looking into his eyes after what felt like forever of being apart. The conversation around them dies down, everyone around them completely silent as they watch what unfolds.
The brunette looks towards Natasha, who presses her lips into a thin smile and nods, a clear depiction that the pair should talk things out. Faith sighs, finishing her beer with not more than two gulps, as Jake looks at her with a wide gaze and frozen body, "Marry me." Everyone chuckles, falling back into conversation with each other.
Faith's laughter dies down as she looks back at Bradley who barely smiled, instead a deadly glare on his face. Faith shakes her head at her best friend, grabbing his forearm and pulling him outside to stand in front of him.
A moment of silence is shared between them as they keep their eyes on each other, so many words to say, but no words forming. She breaks the ice, "Bradshaw. You wanted to talk. So talk."
Bradley says absolutely nothing, just stares at Faith as he gathers his words. Faith lets out a dejected sigh, shaking her head at him once again, before unfolding her hands and making a move to go inside the bar. But he catches her wrist with a tight grasp before she could get any farther, and pulls her back towards him. He places his hands on her waist, as she yelps and places her hands on his chest to steady herself, gaze meeting his. Bradley leans his forehead against hers', and a chill runs down both their spines at their sudden closeness.
"I'm sorry, Fae. I didn't mean what I said that night, I wasn't in the right mind." His forehead still against hers', as his hot breath fans her face. She speaks in soft whispers under the white light of the moon, "Hey, you don't need to apologize."
Bradley's eyes flash a wave of relief, and he pulls her into a hug, both arms wrapping around her waist. Faith leans into his touch, her own hands going to cross behind his neck as she takes in his fresh beachy scent. They stand like that for god knows how long, just holding each other close and taking in the other's here-ness. She closes her eyes as she breathes deeply, a cold shiver running down his spine as he feels her nose brush against his neck.
God, she missed this. Missed him.
Faith pulls away from him, her hand travelling down his shoulder to his wrist. They walk towards the beach ahead in silence. The sky was a blazing maroon and orange, a faded concentric circle of pink between the two distinct shades. The pair find a spot to sit on the beige sand, leaning against each other's warmth as they sit, thigh against thigh.
They simply stare at the sky as the sun slowly disappears into the horizon, the waves crash against each other and the wet sand.
"I got a letter. From Oceana." Bradley begins in a soft whisper audible to just her. Faith simply hums as she turns her head to the side to look at the side of his face. He simply gazes forward, not meeting her eyes yet. He continues, "They want me on their squad. The Golden Warriors."
"Bradley... that's amazing." Faith gives him a soft smile, but he still doesn't meet her gaze. She brings her hand to his chin, pulling his gaze away from the sky to meet her eyes, and that's when he requests, "Come with me."
"What? Bradley- I," But he doesn't let her speak, cutting her off as he practically pleads, his hand moving to hold her face, "Come with me to Oceana. We'll fly with each other."
"Fly with me."
Faith remains silent as she registers Bradley's request, turning her head back to watch the sun, now just a half a golden sphere by the horizon.
She speaks nothing as she feels his gaze on her. They could be together. It could be how she's always wanted it to be. Him and her, side by side, as they were today, as they were since as long as she can remember.
Her answer was simple. Her answer made him smile. Her answer made him look at her, and lean their foreheads against each other as they basked in the rays of the sun.
