The Nightingale || John Egan

XVI

London, England
October 8, 1943.

"You're leaving tomorrow" Iris heard Bucky imply from the seat beside her. She wrapped her fingers around her shot and looked at him and with a firm nod she spoke "I am".
"And I won't be there" he said again and she nodded one more time.
"Are you saying I'm uncapable of things without you?" she asked, a teasing smile forming on her face.
He opened his mouth wide and choked on a laugh before he shook his head and brought up a finger to her face "I think you're the most capable woman I know, Iris".
She hummed and drank the shot, all in one go before he did the same, both putting the empty shots on the counter, almost breaking the glass.

Both had tried to reject the thought of tomorrow for as long as possible, but it seemed it only brought what was undesired.
She knew it had been a while since she last bailed out of the plane, and certainly tomorrow wouldn't be an exception, would it?
And on the other hand, he had fully faith in her and in her capabilities.

She wore a light pink dress, her heels red along with her usual lipstick, and her pearls. It was no special occasion, but she felt beautiful in the flow dress and as his eyes lowered to admire her every once in a while, she noticed and her heart rested.

His head was tilted to his side, his eyes firmly behind her before she sucked a deep breath in and refilled his glass and hers.
"Can I tell you something?" he asked her his voice raspy from his drink, she nodded and leaned forward when he indicated her to do so, she got as close as possible as he pressed his lips to her hair and whispered, "Don't tell anyone but, William spoke to me earlier and he plans on proposing to your friend Alissa tonight" he said slowly and carefully to her ear, and when she fully comprehend his words, her smile grew wider and her heart warmed at the thought of her best friend getting married to the love of her life.

"I don't think it will take me much to act surprised, although the look of surprise on my face will be utterly sincere" she said, her tone filled with joy and happiness. And when he looked at her at that moment, possessing such happiness for occurrences that did not belong to her, he might have felt as if he had never loved her more than this moment.

Both were drunk, but Iris didn't bother to continue on with drinking and dragged Bucky out of his seat to go dance.
He didn't object once her hands went on his arms, pulling him out of his seat, laughter following their shadows until they reached where everyone was moving and dancing to the music.
It wasn't filled with light, if anything, they could barely see one another, so he took it as a chance to keep her close to him, without leaving a slight gap between their bodies.
She placed her arms around him, her hands crossed behind his neck as his arms stayed on her hips firmly keeping her tightly in.
They moved slowly compared to the others, both held tiredness in them but that would not stop them from being able to be in each other's arms.

"How come you always look beautiful?" he said looking down at her and leaning in, pressing his lips to hers, the movements at the beginning were slow and controlled, but soon became quicker, and only controlled by desire.
Both tasted like liquor, and soon both had each other's scents on their clothes.
His lips were covered by her red lip tint, and her lips were swollen and had smudged lip tint at the corner.
"Even with smudged lipstick?" he then asked, his voice low and his lips near her ear.
She slightly moved her head away, her cheeks burning up as butterflies filled her chest, fluttering around uncontrollably.

"I could say the same thing about you, Bucky" she said, looking up at him, whose eyes were slightly lighten up by the sound of his nickname and of the slight light coming from behind her.
Her finger went up to wipe the red over his lip and under, but her hand was touched away before he kissed her once again.

London streets were dark and lit by faint orange light.
The moon was absent, fearful of the events to come as both walked down the deserted roads of the city, her arm around his and both sobering up.
The silence that created between them felt kind to their hearts, it was comfortable as neither pushed it away, forcing words up their throat to then just spit them out as if they ahd no value.
The clicking of her heels echoed, his breathing was loud.

They walked toward the hotel they were staying at, it wasn't far from the pub but their pace was slow.

And when they approached the hotel, both came to a stop and didn't enter as he held her by her arm leading her to look up at him, both standing in front of one another.
"Iris, I uh- I love you" he said unexpectedly and quickly, but he looked fearful of her reaction and what she could possibly say, and the girl noticed that, she chuckled and took a step forward cupping his cheeks with her hands and pulling his face down kissing him forehead.
"Really?" she asked with a whisper, and all he could do was nod.
"I love you too, Bucky" she said and immediately he embraced her and spin her around, putting her off her feet with a small gasp leaving her lips.

And the door to their hotel room was shut immediately, both unable to take their hands off one another.

Her pearls were carefully taken off, the cold of the spheres brought shivers as they slid back, taken by him.
And then, his hand went lower and unzipped her rosy dress, and along with their heavy breathing, the sound of the dress unzipping made Iris' heart race.
His hands went up and from her shoulders he slipped the dress off, plopping on the ground soundless.
She turned around, the only light the one that came from outside the vast window, her eyes illuminated.
She began unbuttoning his vest, until she reached his belt and then, unzipped his trousers.

And with that, their lips connected.

In the middle of the night, she had sense a sudden absence.
The left side of the bed was empty, the blanket folded as if someone had left. Her head stay laid on the soft pillow, her hair pushed away from her face, as her pearls stay put on the bedside table.
It was not quiet, she heard bombing and for a moment she feared he had left her. But she didn't know yet, she slowly lifted her head up, applying weight on her elbows, and through the shadows and darkness she looked around before she looked forward and realized he had never left her.
He hadn't worn his clothes, not had he covered his body before he sat on one the the two chairs in front of the window, his legs sprawled open as he observed the bombing outside that if you wished hard enough, they could feel like fireworks.

He hadn't sensed her moving but he turned his head to check on the girl who now was looking at him, the sheets covering her body except for arms and shoulders.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice sounded small but she always sounded delicate and gentle to his ears, he glanced out of the window before she sat up fully, holding the sheet over her chest before she heard him speak, his eyes on her once again "Come here" his voice was slightly raspy and low, she began to send up, letting the sheet fall from her chest, she then walked over, careful with her steps as she found herself standing in front of the man she loved dearly.

His hands went to her waist as he delicately pulled her down on his lap, bringing her head down to rest on his shoulder, their legs intertwined.
Her back to his chest, as his breathing felt like delicate winds, blowing through her hair, his chest rising up and down, taking her with him.
"You slept well?" he asked her with a whisper, indicating to the time they fell asleep, to the time she woke up.
She nodded against his shoulder and hummed.

The bombing went on outside, it was far and yet it seemed to touch both.
And both were aware that tomorrow she would be going on another mission, but she wouldn't be with Buck's crew and that did not give her any form of reassurance, although she knew she mustn't judge without knowing, but it was missions in the air that we're talking about.

"You'll be gone tomorrow morning" he said, his arms went around her, embracing her body.
"And you'll stay here" she said then, as he was begging to feel conscious about the circumstances they were in.
"I'll wait for you. And when the war ends, I'll make you my wife, Iris Grey. I promise" he said, fixing his grip around her as she leaned in further, she looked up at his and pressed her lips to his warm cheek.
"And what will our home look like?" she asked, and he answered immediately "Whatever you want it to look like, Iris. Tell me what you want and I promise I'll make it happen".

"A garden, filled with flowers and those small trees. The house will be big enough to fit four people and on the porch, I want those chairs for two that swing so we can watch the sun set or rise when we want in peace and tranquility" she said, she felt as if she were wishing more than planning her future and she loathed the feeling that flooded her chest.

"Everything you want, Iris".