#23 jan

During the war, women were employed by Pan American Airways at LaGuardia Field as maintenance workers, as seen in this January 23, 1942 photo.

He shouldn't have come here.

He shouldn't even be at Pest. The place reeks of booze and sweat and bad decisions, and while he's not one to shy away from an occasional night out, this club, of all places, is not his scene. And he planned on making a quick appearance, he did. He'd show up just for the sake of it, just to play nice to his superiors and make sure they remembered his name. He ended up staying a bit longer than intended. But that's not even what he means when he thinks he shouldn't be here.

He shouldn't have come here, to a backroom, where the door closes behind him and it's just the two of them.

It starts with him merely asking Wren if they were okay, and it ends with them half-dragging him to this room. Half, because it's not like he didn't want to come. He's stupid, and he's painfully aware of it, too. There's a big part of him that'll always care for them; a part that remembers the crippling pain of being left behind, but still follows wherever they call. It's been years, and it's pathetic to think that now, when the door shuts the rest of the world outside and he's here alone with them, he feels oddly... safe. At home are the words that come to mind, but he wouldn't go as far as call anywhere -- or anyone -- home. But the sentiment is there, the deep-seated calming presence of someone you know far too well, the comfort of someone who's seen you, inside and out.

He doesn't let his walls down around them anymore, but he remembers what that felt like. "You alright?"

As the evening unveils, Ravi's tension builds up and shrivels seemingly at random, waves of nervousness that come and go; he finds his stomach twisting in one moment, and feels completely relaxed a minute later. He never expected to be wound so tightly about this entire event, especially not when things were going so well.

Well -- at least on his end. The lights were impeccable, all the flowers were perfectly placed, the food tasted wonderful and he even checked to make sure everyone's dietary restrictions were being met when dinner was served. Things already had worked out, from the party planning point of view. Things are starting to wrap up around him now, people finishing their desserts, talking about the afterparty. He's been congratulated for everything over a dozen times, had many different people shaking his hand and telling him he's done good -- then why does he still feel the lingering effects of this past week's stress on the shake of his fingertips?

He gets up once the plates are being taken away, giving everyone on his table a cheeky wink about how he needs to go check on his man. Easier to say that like it's a joke, than to admit he needs to see the one person he knows always has the right things to say. After an entire night of running around making sure everything is running perfectly smooth, and being overly nice to people he doesn't like, he wants nothing more than to meet with his husband again and feel at home.

It's not like distracting someone is a difficult task for Ravi Reyes, but he still finds his own smile faltering in a fleeting second of nervousness as he approaches them.

Eden Sadik. He doesn't have an ideal relationship with the Sadiks -- which is expected, after they've decided to close with the enemy instead of the Famine business --, but he has interacted with Carman much more than with the younger one. There's a reason Thomas was originally chosen for this, they probably would've had a much easier time; maybe distract Eden with some muscle flexing, or showing off abs, or whatever it is that Thomas does to catch people's eyes.

His steps are hurried, the clacking pattern of his boots on the floor betraying the urgency behind his movement, having just heard that he was needed for the job. His dress flutters whimsically around him as he turns a corner, and his smile brightens up to uncanny valley levels of faux excitement as his eyes fall upon Eden. "Ah, the younger Sadik!" He greets loudly. Once they're within reach, he puts his hands on theirs like they're childhood friends, pulls them closer, demands all of their attention. He's hoping the excessive eye contact will be contagious enough to keep them focused on him and not thinking about the cars currently being tracked in the garage. "I've been dying to talk to you. Hi. I'm Ravi, I know we've sorta met previously, but I've always been so busy before-- and ugh, you look absolutely stunning! How've you been? Where did you get those shoes? Tell me all, please. I have a feeling we could be best friends."