Babee

You finally lean your head back against the old oak tree on the far side of Camp. Today had been shockingly busy, your duties doubled as the Aphrodite Cabin Head fell “ill” last minute, but you are pretty sure she lied so that she could go on a date with her boyfriend.

It was such a headache. You are fine taking care of younger campers, farming and jumping in to be a camp nurse, but adding onto your supervision tasks left you exhausted.

This is the only place you could breathe, hiding away from your siblings and Chiron. You are the only person who knows about this blissful view.

Well, thats not true. There is one other person who knows.

His footsteps were feather light as he walks up, a perk of being a son of Hermes. He sits down next to you and you sighs softly.

“Was your day hectic or was I the only one screwed over by Evangeline today.”

He chuckles, ignoring the view and just looking at you. His hands fiddle with the blades of grass under them, lightly plucking.

“Louis also ditched, so I doubled my training duties.”

“Seriously! It’s like cause we are single, we are automatically free to do their jobs too.”

You slouches further against the tree, covering your face with your hands in frustration. He tuts, pouting at you.

“Oh poor baby. Sweetheart, are you being overworked?”

You shoot him a glare, not appreciating the sarcasm. You sigh once more, looking back out at the lake. There are a few young campers splashing around in the lake, enjoying the afternoon. You wish you were that care free.

Luke frowns, putting his chin on your shoulder, pouting still.

“You know you don’t always have to step up and play hero darling. It’s okay to ask for help.”

He reaches behind you, drawing you close to his side.

“You need to relax. You’ve stressed yourself out and your going to make it worse if you keep grumbling.” He puts his thumb to your forehead, pressing out the creases softly.

His soft tone truely made your want to relax a bit. There was something about Luke that could always ground you and make you feel safe and at home.

You melt slowly into his arms, unable to resit any form of comfort. He chuckles very softly, pressing a light kiss to the top of your head. The whole day hurt your brain, but here in his arms was so calm, even if only for a moment.

“There you go. My goodness you were overworked today.”

He holds your for a few moments, the late afternoon air providing your peace. You sighs a happier sigh than before. There were a few squeals coming from the lake and they both look over, their instincts kicking in.

You chuckle, looking up at Luke.

“We are such parents.” You joke, moving a bit and now leaning back against his chest, grabbing his hand that was draped over your shoulder.

“Yeah. The pain of having dead-beat parents. We end up doing their jobs.”

You can’t help but let out a loud laugh, looking back at the kids.

“I’m okay being camp parent to my siblings.” Luke smiles, leaning his head on top of yours. He was silently proud of himself for getting you out of your grumbly mood. For him, his day was brighter when you are happy.

“You’re good at it too. And I am happy to co-parent them when you need.”

“Why thank you Lukey.”

You sit there for some time, watching the world slowly turn around you, leaving you trapped in the moment. You love it, staying in life as if they were normal. You wish you were.

“Want me to tell you about that new Hephaestus kid did?”

He was never that good with long silences.

“Yeah. That would be nice Luke.”

⋆࿔* :･🌱⋆.ೃ࿔* :･

The sun was low over the hills, fireflies emerging from the brush around the lake. The young swimmers were long gone, but the two young adults still sit, watching the sky go from blue to a burst of oranges, yellows and pinks. They most definitely missed dinner, but at this time you couldn’t bring yourself to care. You might regret it later, knowing you will be hungry.

For the first time in weeks, you are able to relax, with only Luke as company. His random stories brought you peace, and the melodic chirping of the crickets started to lull you to sleep.

Luke would have let you, apart from the fact that they would both be grumpy and sore if they slept outside. He lightly pokes your cheek, stretching his neck.

“Come on. We should get some food before you nod off.” You grumble, sitting up and stretching. Standing, Luke holds out his hand to help you up, before they walk down the winding path to camp, Luke not letting go of your hand.

⋆࿔* :･🌱⋆.ೃ࿔* :･

You manage to sneak into the big house kitchen, grabbing some food and making a small sacrifice to your parents before eating and heading back to your cabins.

Your cabin was vibrating with energy as you walk closer, and you sigh.

“I don’t want to go in there.” You mumble, stopping in your tracks.

“How about a deal? I will sneak us out of camp this weekend. Evangeline and Louis now owe us a favour.” You smile softly.

“Deal.”

It was odd for Nancy. The fact that Robin chose to be her friend and for once she didn’t want to push her away. Ever since Barb, she had made sure she didn’t have time for friends, only occasionally hanging out with Freddie… But now he was gone too. So, the fact that Nancy didn’t feel guilty for wanting to be Robin’s friend made her feel weird. It made her feel oddly safe compared to the sleepless nights hearing Barbs pleas to her.

Maybe it was the fact that Robin actually listened to her, or the fact that Steve dragged her into this mess, so if anything happened, she wouldn’t feel responsible…? But she would. She would feel that guilt all over again, her heart in her throat and tears in her eyes at the thought of her lifeless body entangled in Henry’s vines. She can’t let that happen.

Her feet hit the ground, each step feeling heavier, dragging her down as she follows everyone into their headquarters of sorts, sitting on the arm of the nearest armchair, feeling restless. Her leg was bouncing up and down as everyone tried to settle in and calm down… But how could they be calm in a time like this?

Hopper and Joyce had gone out, trying to check for damage and grab a few of Hopper’s thing’s, leaving the older kids in charge. Kids… They were adults now. That didn’t sit right with Nancy. It felt like only yesterday she had met up with Barb and convinced her to ‘let loose’ and Steves house… She shakes the memories from brain, pushing them back into the darkest corner of her mind.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear who started speaking or what about, but she finally took herself out of her own thoughts and looked up, listening to her boyfriend speak, Jonathan’s hand firmly planted on Will’s shoulder, clearly worried for his brother.

“We should split up. I mean it’s the best way to cover ground and- “

“I’m with Robin.”

She didn’t recognise the sound of her own voice, but she knows what she has done after seeing the surprised look on Robin’s face and the almost disappointed look on Jonathan’s as she cut him off. Even Steve was giving her a shocked look, maybe because he wanted to take Robin for himself.

“We work well together,” Nancy’s focus was now fully on Robin, “You’re a fast thinker and I am- well I think I can push you to take more risks don’t you think?”

Robin nods, almost dazed as she looks up at Nancy from her spot on the floor. “Uh huh- yeah- I- I mean sure- “

Nancy noticed Robin’s slightly flushed face and wide eyes, but she brushes the thoughts from her mind.

‘I probably embarrassed her.’ She thinks.

What she doesn’t catch is the wide eyes and half smirk that Steve Harrington was sending his friend’s way. The way he looks between them and how he connects the dots before Nancy even figured it out herself…

“Are we heading the right way?”

Robin’s nervous voice almost squeaked as she follows Nancy down the dark passageway of trees.

“Positive. Dustin said that this is the way we had to go.”

It odd how after knowing Dustin for so long, she learnt not to question him. It might be because he hadn’t steered them wrong before, or maybe she knew that she had to trust Mike’s friends.

“Okay- okay cool.”

She felt Robin closer behind her than before, the whole world feeling dark and grim. On instinct, she reaches back, her hand slipping into the taller girl’s hand, holding her a little closer. Her heart was pounding in time with each step, her radio dead silent still, her signal hadn’t come. They make it to their destination and hide, just like they had planned. All the while the grip on her hand grew.

“Okay seriously, how long are they going to take? We’ve been here for like an hour and my hands are getting numb- and I really need to pee!”

She chuckles a little, smiling at Robin before shushing her. “Calm down. I’m sure they will be ready soon. But knowing Steve he had to make sure his hair was perfect for ass kicking.” Robin chimes in, finishing her sentence with her before they break into a fit of quite laughs. “I know right! That man is so obsessed with his hair! Like I’m lucky I even get time to brush it in the mornings!”

“Mine is a nightmare too sometimes, but you know.” She shrugs, “I’m pretty sure if there was a class on hair, Steve would have gotten straight A’s.”

“Ah yes, the might King Steve! Oh, how he has fallen. He went from top of the chain to being my friend.” Her sad smile didn’t go unnoticed by Nancy. She reaches her hand over to the other girl’s shoulder and gives it a slight pat.

“And what’s so wrong with that? I’m your friend and honestly, I’m glad.” “Really? Miss Nancy Wheeler is glad to be friends with me?”

“Yeah.” The silence wraps around them like a fog, suffocating, like there were words needing to be said as they just look at each other.

The light bounces off of Robin’s face, her freckles adorned her cheeks like the stars that used to be in the sky above Hawkins, her hair framing her face just right.

“You make me feel listened to and seen I guess.”

“What do you mean?” Spinning around a little from where she was sitting, Robin fully faced her, crossing her legs.

“Like that! You give me your full attention, like you hang onto every word. You don’t make me feel like I’m being ignored, you are always there when I need you. And you balance me out so well! You’re fast paced, keeping me on my feet, while somehow also grounding me in reality so I don’t get too far in my thoughts! You fill in the gaps when I lose my brain and you and I work so well together. So yeah. I am thankful you’re my friend.”

Once again, the silence embraces the night, Robin left speechless while Nancy caught her breath, both of their faces flushed. There was a bright strike of lighting, followed by a crash of thunder a moment later, right before the radio went static.

“Nancy! Robin- Are you there?”

Dustin’s voice called out, snapping both girls out of their thoughts.

“Right here Dustin.”

“It’s go time!”

The whole group had found each other once again, Nancy and Jonathan in the middle of the pack, watching their brothers walk side by side, following Steve up the front.

“Seems like the Wheelers and the Byers make pretty good couples.”

She looks over at her boyfriend, taking a deep breath. “About that… Jonathan, I love you, I really do- but we aren’t working anymore. We’ve been distant. I don’t think I can do this.”

“Yeah… I agree.”

A few more words were shared before they split, Nancy slowing her pace and heading to the back of the group with Robin, who had seen the interaction between the two.

“You guys okay? That seemed… tense?”

“Yeah. I’ll tell you later.”

Theres a beat of silence between them, where all they can hear is the trudging footsteps of the group. The silence is almost pleasant, if it weren’t for the impending doom looming over their heads.

“Did you mean what you said before? That you’re thankful I’m your friend?”

The question took Nancy a little off guard, almost surprised that Robin even needed to ask that.

“Of course I’m serious Robin.”

“Huh…”

Another beat. She glances at Robin, wondering what is going on through her mind.

“For the longest time I thought I’d only have Steve… but now I have you.”

A soft glance with a smile is exchanged between the girls, a weird fluttering feeling bubbling in both of their stomachs, a feeling Nancy hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Well, you’re stuck with me now.”

Once again, they were left together, looking out and listening out for their signal, so they can destroy Vecna-Henry-001 once and for all.

She holds the barrel of her gun steady, prepared to shoot in case any of those vines or nasty bats come near the pair, Robin holding a machete for close range. They stay close to each other, both of their anxieties high. Having faced Vecna before, they know that there is a chance that someone won’t make it out alive, keeping them on edge.

“Hey Nance?”

She turns to the taller girl, seeing the worried look on her face. Taking a deep breath, she turns to face her fully, still on alert as she gives her a comforting smile.

“What’s up Robin?”

The air grew thicker between them as Robin seems to be internally battling herself. A shaky breath passes her lips before she speaks.

“I-if this is the end- I have to tell you something.” Silently she urges Robin on, giving her a soft look.

“I- I like you- Not in a friend way- Well in a friend way- but also in more than a friend way. Y-you make me so flustered but so calm- and I really- really like you and I don’t want to lose you just because you know I like girls- cause I don’t like guys- but I really like you! You’re smart and pretty and-”

“Woah! Calm down Robin- breathe.” Her hand rests against her shoulder, stopping her from her rambling, partially so she doesn’t pass out from lack of breath, and because she need to process what she just said.

The air was tense as Robin anticipated rejection, and maybe even the loss of a friend in this moment as Nancy stayed mostly silent, her lips pursed in thought.

She hadn’t ever considered the fact that women were an option romantically since she had come from such a strait-laced family… But she shouldn’t be surprised. There were times that she felt strange around girls, like in the locker room for gym, or when she watched ‘Fast Times’ for the first time.

And then there was Robin. Charming, awkward Robin. After the whole falling apart with Jonathen, she thought she was lost with love. But Robin, she makes her feel complete, heard, respected. She can’t help but smile when she sees her, wanting to stare at her face, and count every freckle on her body, wanting to be around her all the time and- oh… OH!

Maybe she does like girls… The thought caught her off guard for a moment

A bashful smile creeps onto her face, chuckling as she looks up at Robin.

“Maybe I like you too…”

A loud bang rings in the distance. That’s their signal. The pair don’t have time to dwell on the revelation of love, but instead have to jump into action, to defeat Vecna, and save the world. The jump into action, trying not to be distracted by each other.

Running through the wreckage, families and friends reunite, releveled that this whole thing with the upside down is finally over. They had won! After briefly reuniting with her family, Nancy can’t help but look around, standing on her tip toes just to see if Robin was okay after they got split up in the heat of the battle.

In the crowd she sees her face, talking to Steve, reuniting. A chuckle escapes her before she sprints their way, bumping into a few people as she goes.

“Robin!” She watched Robin turn her head in the direction of her voice, the biggest, cheesiest grin breaking out on the taller girls face as she moves Steve out of her way.

“Nancy!”

They almost collide with the force from Nancys run, their arms wrapping around each other in an instant as Robin nuzzles her face against Nancy’s hair, her own head in the crook of her neck, and that’s where they stay for a while. Steve ran off to find his children, leaving them in peace.

Everybody could see the smitten look on the shy WSO’s face as he reads a letter, about three pages long. As he leans against his hand against his cheek, he turns to the next page. Her writing was so familiar and even though they call last night, he always treasured her letters, the words making his heart flutter a little more.

He had to leave is darling wife and daughter behind 5 months ago, as he was called back to ‘Top Gun’ and his heart ached to see them again. But he must be strong, and do his job, as much as it hurts his heart. They try to call as often as they can, so he isn’t absent from their lives, but he always looked forward to her letters, sometimes they declare her love, and other times there is a drawing from his daughter.

Across the hanger, the others watched him, intrigued by the letter in his hand.

“He’s got heart eyes.” Hangman turns to his friend Javy with a chuckle.

“I know. Maybe it’s from his girlfriend?”

His co-pilot suggests as he sees the WSO chuckle. Hangman can’t help but tilt his head, grinning at ‘Baby on Board’, always looking for a new thing to tease him about.

“She must be like 100 years old if she’s still writing letters.”

A round of chuckles is heard in the group as Bob folds up the letter, putting it in the pocket over his heart as Mav enters, calling them to attention.

“How is Grandpa doing?”

He rolls his eyes. Ever since they saw him reading the letter from his wife, Hangman insists on calling him Grandpa, since clearly it must be an old lady writing to him. Phoenix promised him they would drop it after a week or two, but after a month of teasing, he was getting sick of it.

“Fine thanks.”

Hangman’s strong hand pats him on the back as he takes another swig from his beer, taking a seat next to him. It’s a typical Friday night at the ‘Hard Deck’, all the Navy pilots and WSOs alongside other people in the town all gathering around as the juke box plays old tunes, people dancing and drinking and having fun.

He really was trying to enjoy himself, but with his little girl’s 3rd birthday in a few days, and his leave being rejected, he can’t help but feel down. He had already called his wife, apologising about 1000 times as she kept insisting it was okay. But he heard her disappointment, the way she was saying it was okay.

It had been 6 months since he had been able to see them in person, and it would take a few more months until he got approval for them to move here with him.

A low whistle escapes the man next to him.

“Babe at 10 o’clock.” He points out to all the guys and to no surprise they looked.

“I bet I could get her number in 10 minutes.” “Yeah right Bagman!”

He rolls his eyes. As much as he enjoys seeing Hangman bomb with women at the bar, today he couldn’t even look in the direction of this woman, too distracted by his own.

“You sure Hangman? She has a kid with her.”

Phoenix walks behind them, leaning against the back of Jake’s chair. As he looks up at Hangman’s face, he could see the confidence slipping, but he tries to hide it with a smirk.

“I’m sure.”

“Good cause she’s coming over here.”

Bob finally turns his head to take a quick glance at Hangman’s next victim, but he stops, almost dropping his apple cider.

With out a thought he stands up, a stupid, dopey grin growing on his face as the little girl sees him first.

“Daddy!”

She points towards Bob and the woman holding her looks up, and the family wore matching grins.

“Huh. Bob?”

He starts pushing through his coworkers and getting to his girls.

“Hi Bobby.”

His wife’s coy grin told him all he needed before he leans in and presses a soft kiss against her forehead, then taking his daughter in his arms. The world around them was drowned out as they held each other, a smitten grin on Bobs face told Hangman all he needed. But that didn’t stop Phoenix and her sass.

“For 100, she is gorgeous.”

He’s gone. The man who raised him, who loved him, taught him everything, died.

The call from his mother plays on repeat in his brain as he clutches the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white as he tries to block out the pain.

Robert Floyd, WSO, a smart kid and overall gentleman, was raised in a farmhouse, growing up with two sisters, his mother and his pops, Michael Floyd.

Michael was a proud man, a strong leader and a loving father to his children. There was something about him, and as Bob grew up, he knew he wanted to be like him. He was kind, strong, and caring for everybody around him.

He was so strong, and healthy that the call came as a shock.

It was after training, a long day of listening to Maverick ramble and hearing Hangman and Rooster bickering over coms while in the air. The Hard Deck was bustling with activity as always, barely an empty seat in sight as everyone was letting lose, not caring about the hangover they will experience the next day, which was normal on a Friday night. He was playing pool against Fanboy when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, distracting him from his shot. He misses, looking away from the game, and down at his screen. Bob excused himself from the game the moment he saw “Mom” pop up on screen, walking swiftly out the back and standing on the little deck overlooking the beach.

The rest of the night was a blur. He couldn’t believe what he had heard. It couldn’t be true, there is no way he was gone. A single tear slipped down his cheek as his mother’s broken sob echoes in his ear, one of his sisters (he was too distraught to remember which one), took over the phone call, begging him to come home.

“Mom needs you.”

He was the man of the family now. That thought didn’t fully sink in until he was loading is suitcase into his truck, Nat and Mickey making sure he was well prepared for the long road trip ahead. After finding out about the death, he talked to Rear-Admiral Warlock about getting paid leave so he could head home, to his family. He had no idea how long he would be gone, but he got approval, and left that night.

Monday evening never seemed so dull. He always hated Mondays. Even though he didn’t hate school, the loss of freedom always seemed so dull. But with the sun is setting on the horizon as he hugs his two friends, it was almost painful. The world felt as if it was in black and white. Both of his friends kept fussing over him, making sure he had eaten before he hit the road, and Fanboy even offered to make the trip with him, but he felt like a burden, so just hopped in his truck after saying his goodbyes, putting his foot steadily on the gas, driving off into the night.

The coast faded from his view, the rest of the world fading into view, the little bubble of his North Island dream bursting as he doesn’t look away from the windscreen.

Stopping at a red light, he fiddled with the radio, trying to connect to his phone like normal. Most days, he is able to do it, no issues at all, but on this night, he struggles, his hands shaking a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

Maybe it was the shock still resonating, his heart not believing it could be true.

He finally gets the phone to connect, right as the light turns green again. He drives off, his favourite playlist playing quietly in the background. The music becomes white noise in his mind, the normally uplifting songs feeling sombre, a neutral expression still on his face.

All the landscape becomes a blur in his vision as he drives by, the highway empty so late at night. His mind is numb, hiding away his feelings from the world.

~

 Familiar roads finally fade into view, as he drove all night just to get home.

But is it even home anymore when his dads no longer there?

The country roads feel familiar, but the town feels empty compared to last time he was there. But that was to be expected as the sun slowly began to rise above the rusted rooves of the houses, the stores all shut at such an early hour of the morning.

While driving by each place, memories began to flood back, tainted with the loss of his father. Everywhere he looked he could see his smiling face, a proud chuckle leaving his lips as his wrinkled face made him smile too.  

Places like the cozy bookshop on the corner of main street with the lovely older lady who always lit up when they came into the store, or the little café ran by the teacher’s wife who always knew his order.

Nostalgia was a powerful thing, but sometimes it turns into sorrow.

Winding, dusty roads lead him out of the town, taking him past paddocks and fields of crops and animals, different driveways leading off to different farms, and he could name all of the owners by heart.

In the back of his mind he counts, 1, 3, 5, making sure he turns down the correct driveway, but he really didn’t need to. The roads in this town were carved into his heart, and he could get anywhere without a second thought.

His once steady breathing starts to shake as he takes the next turn, his heart aches when he sees the mailbox. Five coloured handprints surrounded the name ‘Floyd’, his fathers front and centre.

Denial was still strong in him as he pulls in, trying to be quiet as not to wake up his family. Removing the keys from the ignition, he sighs. Once he walks through the door, he knows life will change, that the once joyful house will be filled with sorrow and mourning for a man who made such a big impact to their family.

Wiping his hands on his jeans, trying to ground himself into reality, to not spin the whole world out of control.

Bob was always an anxious boy when he was younger, always more of a bookish type compared to most of the other boys in town, leading to having severe anxiety. Maybe he got it from his mom, who also had it. But either way, his thoughts played tricks on his mind, spinning the world out of control at any single moment, which made it almost impossible to navigate high school.

He got help with that as an adult, medication and different grounding methods helped him calm down, made him the reasonable and level-headed WSO that he has become.

But at times the thoughts come back, making his heart ache as he spirals into anxiety and pain.

Inhale, exhale.

He repeats this over and over in his mind, trying to remind himself how death is natural, heck, he has been close to death before, but that never fazed him. Maybe he still saw his dad as some kind of superhero, like every kid did. Looking back on his life, maybe he didn’t fully grow out of the adoration he had for his father, because he was his hero.

There was nothing the Michael Floyd would not do for any of his kids. His family was his world, and he made sure that he did everything in his power to make sure they knew this.

A faint knock on the car window took him out of his thoughts, blinking a few times as he gripped his jeans, grounding himself back to the present.

Confusion crosses his face as he looks out the window, and he doesn’t see anyone there. With a shaky breath he opens the door, a soft smile gracing his face for the first time in a few days when he sees the big blue eyes of his niece, Ava, starring up at him, her arms outstretched for her uncle.

“What are you doing up at this hour Bubs?”

Hopping out of his truck for the first time in hours, he picks up the small girl, stretching a little as he does. He puts on a brave face with a chuckle as she cuddles against him.

“Momma heard you pull in. She said I could come and get you.” “Oh did she now? And what’s your mother doing up at this time?”

His hold on the kid tightens as he shifts her to one side in his arms, grabbing his bag in the other before shutting the door, heading towards the gate, which Ava clearly forgot to shut in the excitement of seeing her Uncle Bobby.

“Nanna was crying again this mornin’, so most of us were up.” It sounded so casual coming from the 6-year-olds mouth, but it hit him in the heart. His dad’s death took a toll on all of them, but a part of him feels extremely guilty for not being there for the rest of his family earlier, which was nearly impossible, but a voice in the back of his mind was nagging him, tearing him apart from the inside out.

~

The light was drained from the house, and he knew it from the second he walked in. It was dull, the bubble of the perfect home had burst as he sees his sisters sitting at the counter, both with a coffee mug in hand, clearly tired.

He places his bag down on the floor in the entryway, three sets of eyes turned to look at him, a glimmer of recognition and hope in all of them. Ava wiggles in his arms, desperate to be put down on the floor again, barely able to stay still, and as he does that, his older sister, Ava’s mother, Megan walks his way, wrapping her arms around her little brother in an embrace. No words were spoken, they weren’t necessary as they held each other in grief. Right behind Megan was Amanda, his youngest sister, hugging him as well. It was gentle compared to all the times before this, as they always seemed to roughhouse together, but now, they were both fragile, like one piece of wind would break them.

“Robby.”

“Mandy.”

They both laugh with a sad smile on their face as his mother comes over to him, slow and weak, maybe from age, or her grief. For the first time since he found out what happened he breaks. Her arms were wrapped around him as she sadly says his name, and he can’t help but cry, knowing he is in a safe space in his home.

Angela Floyd, formerly Angela Jenson, was a strong-willed woman, who wouldn’t take anyone’s shit, not even her own husbands. She kept the house running like clockwork, helping out on the farm, no matter how many times Michael told her he was okay on his own. She is a provider, and she couldn’t be prouder of her boy.

~

It took him a while to settle into his old room. Not much has changed as his family was sentimental, keeping rooms pretty much the same, freezing them in time forever. His old posters were slowly peeling off the wall, and the few books he left behind were still there, untouched from his last visit.

He got to catch up with his brother-in-law, Ryan, who had been out that morning, running the farm in place of his dad, but Ryan was glad when Bob volunteered to help out while he was in town.

The day went too quickly for his liking as the hours ticked by, and he felt lost. He’s being overwhelmed by grief, memories rushing back, ones that he didn’t previously remember.

A little skipping figure came up to him, tugging on his sleeve.

“Will you take me to the library? They’re doing a story time today, and Nanna doesn’t feel well enough to take me.”

He could never say no to that little face.

~

The building looked the same as he had remembered it, the sandy coloured walls still standing, but the paint looks fresh.

The eager child pulls him inside, taking him to the front desk so they could sign in for story time.

The air inside was tense. He could feel people’s eyes glancing at him, most in sorrow, some feeling sorry for the WSO. In a small town, news spread like wildfire, and he couldn’t get the thought out of his mind about the fact that some of these people may have known about his father’s death before he did.

Ava once again grabbed onto him, pulling him over to the large children’s section, which had grown a lot since he was a kid. His fingers trace over the familiar spines of some of the novels, his name inside the book on the library borrowing card.

“Come sit here Uncle Bob!”

Ava pats the seat on the floor next to her with enthusiasm, clearly wanting him to stay with her, while the other adults sat at the back of the room.

The kids gathered around, some shoving each other, others trying to see over another kid’s head. But they fell silent as they looked over to the left, watching as a woman walks in.

His gaze slowly turns to this woman, his own heart stopping for a moment as she sat down, two books on her lap and a smile so bright it could warm the coldest of hearts.

Their eyes meet for a moment, right before she starts speaking, and a blush spreads across his cheeks. In one look he was putty in her hands.

Bob never considered himself a social butterfly, as he would rather read than go out to a bar on a roundy Friday night after work with his teammates, being left alone when they all find someone to take home. Even though he had been back at Top Gun for 3 months, being a back seater for Pheonix, he never really left the base, minus some small errands. After Maverick announced that the Dagger Squad will be a permanent fixture in San Diego, he could finally breath, knowing that he could get attached to his squadron and the town he has been living in. The military was always moving him around, as a top WSO, but a part of him wished he could settle down, stay in one place for a while and maybe find a girl, and hopefully this was his chance.

The clouds drifted over the sun and the rain began to pour, his feet hitting the ground at a steady place before the little bell above the door rings. He makes it inside a quaint bookshop, owned by a local family from what he had read. He was on his way over there, to find sanctuary for his aching heart when it started to bucket, drenching him to the bones.

“It’s really coming down out there, isn’t it?”

A soft voice drifts from behind the counter, a contrast to the sharp pitter patter of rain bouncing off of the shop fronts windows. Bob turns, spotting the person who spoke to him. The store was empty apart from the worker behind the counter. She was pretty, truly his type looks wise. A timid smile is plastered on both of their faces as he nods.

“Honestly it came out of nowhere. It was so peaceful on the walk over here until just now.”

A chuckle escapes her lips as she nods, her gaze drawn to the window where raindrops were racing down to the bottom. He was drawn to her eyes, her distracted nature endearing, he can’t help the smile creeping up on his face. She shakes out of it and looks back at him. “Sorry! Feel free to look around and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask.”

The comfort of the shop truly drew him in, the plethora of books adorning the shelves making him want to buy out the whole store (Although he doesn’t need to get any more books, his shelves were overflowing with poetry books, and any book that captured his interest). Each step brought him further into the atmosphere, each step bringing him into the enchantment of the fairytale in his mind. The shelves carved out of wood, the details making it feel like the shelves belonged in a cottage.

He can’t help but smile at how the book looks so amazing, the collection precise and diverse, curated with many interests in mind.

He comes back a few more times over the next month, getting closer to her, learning her interests, favourite books, and how the shop was her whole world.

His mind wanders back to the loneliness in his heart, how he wishes he could settle down, and have his own library, his wife curled up with a book, nestled into his side as his attention is taken away from his own book to her face. How her face lights up at certain parts and how he can’t help the love in his eyes.

Her face changes, warping into a different face from the one that was stuck in his mind. Her face turned up. He cannot think about this.

Bob was standing outside the bookstore, trying to work up the nerve to walk back in there after thinking of her for a week, his mind running in circles with different daydreams of what like would be like with her by his side, finally having the life he wished for.

Once again, the store welcomes him in, the warmth embracing him and her smile making him melt once more. “How’s my favourite customer?”

“Better now I’m back here.”

‘Now that I’ve seen you.’ The words were on the tip of his tongue, his heart pounding out of his chest as he flushed a little, heading back into the shelves he was familiar with now, as he could walk around there with his eyes closed.

The mind still wanders, seeing her at the front counter reading another book, flipping through the pages, most likely for a review from the shop. He could imagine her at his kitchen counter, reading and annotating while he cooked them dinner. Bob allows his mind to come back down to earth and he looks through the books once more, grabbing a few from the shelves, admiring the blurbs and the cover design. He makes his way to the front counter, back to the woman who captured his attention.

“Ooo! I love this book!”

She picks up one of them, scanning them for purchase. Her eyes lit up, his heart filled with warmth, an unfamiliar feeling blooming in his chest, and he knew.

‘I’m screwed.’