To Be Loved // Masters of the Air

5: Apologies

It was 2045 at night. You were alone to deal with yourself for the last couple of hours, clearing your head to rest your mind.

Egan and Cleven weren't in the mood to go to sleep yet, worried you've been gone for too long. The lounge barracks had still been open, the lights turned on inside. Crosby, Bubbles, Biddick, and a few of the others had been sitting inside chatting with drinks and playing cards as they looked set for the night. Crosby would catch the two as they came in, concerned for his friends but even more concerned to see you weren't with them.

"You guys are back. Y/N hasn't been back yet, and it's been hours." Biting his lip he couldn't help but mumble on until Cleven catches his eye, but Egan was the one to speak up.

"We know where she went." He took a calming tone towards Crosby as he spoke up, unlike what had happened hours prior. Though he wouldn't say anything more than that. Crosby and everyone else would have to deal with not knowing any information because neither of the two would give anything else away.

"Where? Biddick and I have been worried. It's not like her to lash out like that." The look on Egan's face told Crosby everything they knew, which wasn't much.

"Trust me, it's better if you don't know. Just let us handle the situation. There's really no need for you to worry, she can handle herself."

That much was evident. Even more so, he still wouldn't budge on his explanation to his friends. Biddick cuts Cleven off before he even gets the chance to speak, turning back to Egan.

"Jesus Egan, what happened to your cheek? It's red."

Cleven and Egan both glanced at each other, surprised Biddick had noticed it that quickly. They thought they hid the fact that you slapped Egan pretty well by not showing any sign of distress afterwards. But clearly Biddick picked up on it.

"It's nothing. It's not important." That simple answer made Biddick on edge, and he dropped the subject then and there.

"..okay. Do we just wait for her?'

Everyone was hushed for a few seconds before the two spoke again. They figured that they couldn't do much but just wait for you.

"She'll show up eventually. Just needs time to process everything."

Cleven nods to both Crosby and Biddick with a tight lipped smile.

It fell silent for the next few minutes on end, the only noises being the shuffling of cards and puffs of cigarettes. The creak of a door sounds out as you walk in, a bit surprised people were still awake but in reality, they'd been there to wait for you. To see if you got back safe.

"Oh. Didn't know everyone was still up."

The exhaustiveness in your voice was noticed immediately as you scratched the back of your neck awkwardly. When Crosby turns to the direction of the door, everyone else looks up with the other two on their feet in an instant.

"Y/N,"

Crosby had a concerned look written all over his face, hoping that you'd truly been alright after everything that happened. Cleven and Egan silently stood beside the rest of the men, but their eyes never left yours. They'd speak to you once Crosby had done so. Only then when you give a dry response back to his concern does he show a sign of worry.

"We were worried about you, you were gone for a good while. We thought you would've been back here earlier or at least the barracks, but it's nice to see you now."

Better late than never which he'd thought. You were a close friend of his, he never wanted to see you close yourself off again like you did tonight.

"Just had to think some things through but I'm fine now Croz, trust." You hold up your pinky finger for him to do the same as a way of promising you were okay. It would be a half truth, you'd still been uptight, especially seeing Egan in front of you.