To Be Loved // Masters of the Air

17: Tough Crowd

Everywhere around the three of you had been swept up into complete darkness, the feelings of the night engulfing you around the base as you all left late from the party. The three of you planned on heading back to the barracks for the rest of the night, the party having been a blast, something you hadn't felt like you had for awhile with the events that took place the past couple of months. Cleven and Egan looked as content as you did, the both of them enjoyed themselves there.

Yet something still nagged you at the back of your mind. The way Cleven looked hours ago towards Egan's idea for London over the coming weekend. It only got you to wonder why. "Gale?"

Your sudden words snap him and Egan back to reality as they turn their heads in unison. It took a second before Cleven's eyes darted toward yours, something in your tone making him look at you differently. "What's up?"

It was the question that had been stuck in your thoughts the whole night as if they'd been bouncing off the walls, wondering why he wasn't too adamant on the idea. "Why don't you want to go to London?"

Cleven pauses for a moment before he sighs, rubbing his eyes briefly while he stares blankly ahead. Giving a blunt answer with no explanation. "I just don't feel like it, that's all."

"Are you sure that's the reason?" You frown to yourself, pushing on. An annoyed frown of his own spread across his lips as he paused for another moment, lowering his voice. "I thought my answer was clear enough."

"I'm just confused. It's finally a moment of peace away from the war, and don't you want to just pause for a moment? To enjoy yourself at least a bit?"

His eyes narrow ever so slightly, as if you didn't care to know what he'd been feeling. What was happening all around you. "Are you afraid that I don't want to spend time with you?"

"No, that's not it." You bite the tip of your tongue before spurring out anything else, keeping your mouth shut.

"You sure about that?" Cleven's annoyed expression turned into more of a blank state as Egan raised a brow at him, not understanding why he was acting off just like the snap of a finger.

"Buck, what's with you? You're always down to join." Egan couldn't help but look confused, even more so when you were all back at the party.

"I don't think I'd be able to enjoy myself in London knowing the friends we care about keep dying around us every second of our lives. I can't focus on anything besides that." The death's of the men from the bomb group and his friends were eating away at him, guilt swirling in his mind even when it wasn't his fault. It took a moment for Egan to process Buck's words before he looked off to the midnight sky with the stars twinkling, his jaw clenched. Cleven looks away as he says it, hands forming into fists in his pockets.

"I'll be fine."

Those were the last words he'd said to you both for the rest of the night, leaving towards any direction but the barracks. The guilt of pushing the topic too far hits you then as the three of you split ways, not knowing what would happen in the morning.

~

The sunlight would shine its way through the barracks window closest to your cot, your arm covering your eyes with a string of grumbles leaving your lips as you realize how long you slept in for. 10:30 was the time you got out of the comfort of your own bed, pulling on a fresh pair of OD's and brushing your hair. You checked Cleven's room after finishing, noticing he wasn't there.

With a search around, it left you confused. Not sure where he had gone this early in the morning as if he'd be anywhere else but here. Even Egan's room had been checked over by you after leaving Cleven's room in the barracks. Nothing. He wasn't there either. There seemed to be no one around, and your anxiety began to slowly build up as the moments passed by.

Only then do you bump into Egan as you make your way back into your own barracks after leaving his, seeing him walk out. Your reaction time hadn't been quick enough and you cursed out, heart threatening to jump out of your ribcage from the scare. An amused grin swept across his lips as he tilted his head towards yours. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

You give a tiny smile to his quick apology, looking from the door to the barracks and then back to him. "Why'd you visit? Your room, well, isn't here."

Egan took notice of the way your lips slowly turned into a smile, especially after all of last night. The moment was peaceful as the two of you stood in front of each other, not helping himself but to feel at ease when his eyes took you in. "I wanted to ask if you'd still be up for London."

Pursing your lips, your eyebrows draw together. "Do you mean for us to both go together?"

A smirk carried on his lips as he nodded, "I was going to ask you if you wanted it to be just you and me, it would give us a chance for the two of us to have some time to ourselves for a while."

You'd thought about it, even with all that's happened last night. But you needed some release to hell on earth, which was war. And so with a nod, you accept. "I'd love to join you, John Egan."

He hadn't expected that quick of an answer to his request, his smirk forming into a smile at your acceptance to go with his hand extending towards you, eager to have you by his side again.

"Then it's decided. We're off to London."