softspeirs

[softspeirs]

Matthew Settle as Ronald Speirs in BAND OF BROTHERS | Pt. 7: The Breaking Point

#HIM #ron speirs #band of brothers

[softspeirs]

can i request #27 for ellie and bucky please if you're feeling it? — @shoshiwrites

#27: pulling the other one toward them - this was just made for John Egan. A little interlude shortly after Ellie and John are reunited. (I wrote this on my phone - excuse any spelling mistakes!)

When he’s cleared from the hospital on base, he feels lost. The prospect of being able to go wherever he wants whenever he wants is more daunting than it is freeing.

He almost, almost wishes he was Air Exec again, if only so he could have something to keep his mind busy.

He decides to go see Ellie the first chance he gets. He isn’t flying for who knows how long, and now that he and Gale and Benny and Crank are all back home, he needs a change of scenery.

He escapes the scrutiny of his friends in favor of the cool, smooth wood of the bar in her pub.

“Major,” she greets him, with a shy smile and a tilt of her head, like she’d been expecting him.

He still can’t quite believe that he’s here. She fills a pint without being asked. She doesn’t quiz him about why he’s here, when he got discharged, what happens next…. any of it.

He thinks he loves her for it.

He puts up with some good natured ribbing from some of the locals, but he doesn’t think he’s imagining the relief on their faces - he wonders how it must feel to them, to know that when they get on a first name basis with American fly boys, they run the risk of losing someone, too. As if they could stand to lose anything more.

He overstays his welcome. Knows it, does it anyway, watches with amusement and adoration as she does nothing but raise an eyebrow as she goes over to lock the door after shooing everyone out so she can close for lunch.

She comes close, her skirt brushing his kneecaps where he sits, back facing the bar. As she goes past, he reaches for her, grabs a hand.

Her cheeks turn adorably pink as she struggles to meet his eyes. He feels he’ll burst with the affection he feels for this girl who poured her heart out to him on paper, but is struggling to meet his eyes here, now.

He tugs her closer. Makes room for her between his long legs. Stops just short of pulling her body against his - lets her make the decision if that’s what she wants.

His head fogs as she gets a little closer, her perfume sweet and sharp in his nose. Her lips brush his cheek and he sighs, a satisfied grin settling on his lips.

“Have you eaten?” She whispers. She sounds worried. He wants to kiss her.

“They fed me at the hospital before they let me leave.”

She hums. “I could use a bite.”

“I did promise you a date.”

He is not quite ready for a cafe or a busy restaurant. His appetite isn’t there, and he’s relieved when she tugs him down the street towards a small shop and comes back out with fish and chips.

They find a quiet place to sit, and he revels in this - the smell of fresh food, the breeze making her hair flutter, and her eyes on him.

He reaches for her again, pulling her closer to him as they sit side by side. He filches chips and laughs when she scrunches her nose in displeasure.

For the first time in months, his mind is blissfully empty. He wishes he could stay here like this forever.

An hour goes by before she turns to him, brows creased. “What time do you need to be back?”

“I wasn’t on a schedule.”

“Major Cleven will worry.”

“He always worries.”

“You need to get some rest.” She insists, hand light on the side of his face.

“Trying to get rid of me?” He’s joking, but it comes out genuine.

This time she’s the one who tugs him closer. One of his arms slides around her waist.

“I’d keep you with me if I could.” She whispers.

He kisses her, unable to go another second without closing the gap between them. She tastes sharp like vinegar, and her hand on his cheek slides up to tangle in his hair, scratching his scalp until he shivers.

He’s never had a girl walk him home before, but that’s what happens on this night. Hand in hand, they walk until they reach the gate, the man on duty raising his hand in greeting but saying nothing.

It’s not dark yet, and she insists she can get home on her own well enough.

The day was so easy. He had forgotten life could feel like that.

His hand feels empty without her smaller one in his, and he resolves to remedy that first thing in the morning. That night be finally sleeps soundly, his nightmares chased away by the memory of a hand in his and the feeling of her in his arms, her heartbeat matching his.

#a shorty #i hope that’s ok!!! #sorry this took forever omg #john egan x oc #oc: ellie peters #masters of the air fanfiction #mota fanfiction #softspeirs mota fanfiction

[softspeirs]

One Word Writing Prompts

Send me a number 1 thru 50 for a word that I’ll use to write either a headcanon, drabble, or starter. Send 🌀 for a random number instead.

01. — first 02. — kiss 03. — final 04. — numb 05. — broken 06. — wings 07. — melody 08. — rules 09. — chocolate 10. — nostalgia 11. — heartbeat 12. — stranger 13. — confusion 14. — bitter 15. — afterlife 16. — daybreak 17. — audience 18. — endless 19. — fireworks 20. — wishing 21. — birthday 22. — tomorrow 23. — oppression 24. — agony 25. — return 26. — protection 27. — boxes 28. — hope 29. — preparation 30. — beautiful 31. — lies 32. — underneath 33. — hide 34. — diary 35. — unforeseen 36. — conditional 37. — gone 38. — clear 39. — heartache 40. — wired 41. — insanity 42. — foolish 43. — words 44. — study 45. — love 46. — skies 47. — stars 48. — lucky 49. — shake 50. — punctual

#prompts please! #love a good one word prompt #so many possibilities

[softspeirs]

Better late than never.

EDWARD ASHLEY and CALLUM TURNER as JACK KIDD and JOHN EGAN

MASTERS OF THE AIR (2024) Part three

#loved this moment #jack kidd #john egan #masters of the air #but also i feel like jack is nursing his shoulder or his arm here and bucky just whacks him in it

[softspeirs]

This is a compilation of highlights from a panel held at the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force with Kirk Saduski (executive and producer at Playtone), Donald L. Miller (author of Masters of the Air), and Nate Mann (you know who he is 😌). The whole discussion is very insightful and really fun to watch, especially because Don knew Rosie very well, so I highly recommend that you watch it in its entirety. You can watch it here. There's a summary below if you don't want to watch the compilation 😉

Don on Rosie and Nate: “I’ve never met a more impressive human being in my life… his poise, his coolness, his composure.” He thinks Nate “played [Rosie] to a T.” 

Nate on the cast getting to know each other and the friendships formed: “A mission like [Münster]… took probably three weeks in a replica cockpit… all the while, Josh Bolt, my co-pilot is sitting right next to me… this was going on for a year… I was just texting him today… that kind of friendship is really the foundation of something like this… because they’re really up there for one another.”

Don on the show: “What makes the film for me is what Kirk talked about… the attention to detail is incredible and the dedication on the part of the actors, they jumped into these roles… I never saw a group of actors so emphatically committed to the project as these guys were; it was really incredible.”

Don on Rosie and Nate: “Rosie was [the] kind of guy who walks into a room and commands the room.” To Nate: “I thought you did that brilliantly, in an understated way. It would have been so easy to overstate that.” —> Nate: *nods vigorously and mouths 'thank you'* 😊🙏

Kirk to Nate: “You’re at the beginning of what we know is going to be a brilliant career, Nate.” —> Nate: *embarrassed* 🤭🙈🙉🙊🫣

Nate on how playing Rosie affected his life: “Things stick around… It’s always a good sign when you keep coming up with questions you might ask of your character. I would love to just sit down and talk to [Rosie] about jazz… I still feel this curiosity about him.”

Nate on how the incorporation of Rosie’s love for music was helpful: “When I first encountered Rosie, the thing you’re struck by is the magnitude of what he went through and what he chose to do in spite of what he went through, and that warrior-spirit... juxtaposed with this incredible warmth and this grace, and that’s where the music lives for me... He had this sense of trying to bring a buoyancy into others’ experiences, and I think he did with his crew. That balance there, between that steel-headed courage and his effortless warmth with others, was kind of where I tried to pivot.”

During the pandemic, Nate found a letter from his grandfather on his father’s side: it was from 1941 and mentioned how “unhappy he was.” 

The letter said: “I just feel this frustration… this sense of wanting to do something with my life, this sense of responsibility, this sense of responsibility to you, to my parents, to my country, and to this society that gives me, a jew, a chance to live.” 

Nate thought of that letter when auditioning for MotA because “that personal sense of duty, for Rosie, was so pivotal to his inspiration and helping him fight.” He further said that “getting to explore that connection to [his] grandfather… it’s one of those unexpected great wonders of getting to do the work that [they] get to do.”

Nate on what stands out with this project: “This is unique in that, feeling connected to this history and being able to be part of sharing it with you guys and helping to educate the public on these men, on WW2, on that sacrifice, brings a whole other dimension of meaning to our work.”

The rest of the video is made up of clips of Nate being an adorable, sweet, thoughtful, and supportive human being 🥰

#this is a great interview #nate mann #masters of the air

[softspeirs]

Weekend check-in:

Hi pals! It’s been a busy one for me. I was so exhausted after work this week that last night I went to bed at 9 and slept for 12 hours.

Today I celebrated Independent Bookstore Day by doing a bit of shopping and got coffee and lunch with my mom.

Home now, probably won’t be much writing going on today, but possibly tomorrow.

Hope you’re all well ❤️

[softspeirs]

I'm sorry but "He means well" as Speirs' senior superlative sent me looking for his high school yearbook.

HE MEANS WELL?

And 18 year old Sparky, first row fourth man from left.

#HE MEANS WELL #ron speirs

[softspeirs]

I've been building model planes since I was a kid.

#the field (named after him) where he used to fly these models is super close to my house #but also not somewhere i'd go voluntarily lol #still i think there's a memorial or something there? i want to go see! #alexander jefferson #masters of the air

[softspeirs]

Evan Wright - Slouching Towards Bethlehem

#OP this is beautiful #i can't stop staring #evan wright #generation kill

[softspeirs]

Feeling down in the dumps so just going to say it: I miss how much we were all engaging with each other while MoTA was airing.

#:(

[softspeirs]

If people love my fics it feels like they love and approve of a very real and deep part of me

#ooh this hit

[softspeirs]

they were literally looking at web like this

#im wheezing #band of brothers

[softspeirs]

ANTHONY BOYLE as HARRY CROSBY Masters of The Air — part 1

#harry crosby #masters of the air

[softspeirs]

And then there was Floyd Talbert. He had it all. You knew if your life were on line, he would come through. (x)

a gifset of floyd talbert, requested by anon ✧

#love u floyd #his and liebgott's irritated faces in the bottom left #floyd talbert #band of brothers

[softspeirs]

during the 92nd street y interview an audience member asks callum if he'd trust any of the cast to throw a dart at an apple on his head and he says no

and someone in the crowd goes "i would trust austin"

and he gets this look on his face and says "you would trust me?" with that direct eye contact he does

anyway i'm being normal about it

[softspeirs]

Speirs' casual salute.

#he is sooo handsome #and sooo over it #at this point in the war it's like yeah yeah ok #ron speirs #band of brothers

[softspeirs]

Okay, so here's a thought, or a prompt, if you like - I imagine it's a little lonely, being one of the only nurses at Thorpe Abbotts. Does Grace find herself looking for some female friends in the Red Cross hut, too?

A/N: Thank you for asking after Grace, Merc! Feeling inspired by the book I'm listening to right now - The Keeper of Hidden Books by Madeline Martin.

The Red Cross hut is a five minute walk from Grace's usual lodgings in the women's quarters with the other nurses, and as she gets closer, she smiles when she hears the soft strains of music on a record player.

Nerves still twist up inside her - she hasn't been able to socialize as much as she might have liked, and she has an embarrassing grade-school feeling in the pit of her stomach. What if they don't like me? What if I say something wrong?

Still, she speaks to Helen and Tatty semi-regularly, and when they told her about their little lending library, she knew she had to check it out when she had a few spare minutes.

When she arrives, the two women are there, heads bent close together as they talk, and it instantly makes Grace feel like she's intruding.

"I don't mean to interrupt--" she says softly, getting their attention.

"Oh!" Helen is the first to look up. "Grace, hi! We were wondering if you were still coming by."

"Got stuck listening to a lecture about the importance of personal hygiene..." Grace makes a face. The girls laugh.

"Here--" Helen leads her over to a battered bookcase in the corner of the room. It's stuffed with paperbacks in varying conditions, and a few hardcovers too.

"Most of these people brought over themselves, and some we've picked up in town when we've had a bit of extra money."

Grace beams at the girls. She can't remember the last time she got to curl up and enjoy a good book. She still doubts she'll have much time for reading, but for those sleepless nights, it'll be a godsend.

"This is wonderful." Her gaze skips across titles, falling on a beautiful watercolor spine. Riders of the Purple Sage sticks in her mind, her thoughts filling with images of the American west and cowboys and robbers.

"Helen's been trying to get through Gone with the Wind for four months--"

"Hey!"

"-- And it's our only copy, so we have to take turns, but you're welcome to it when she's done. I read it before her. We could... we could talk about it afterwards!"

Grace can barely hold in her excitement. "A book club?"

"A base book club." Helen says. "If we can scrounge up some food from the mess, we can try to meet at least once a month, unless we have to share one copy of something."

"Or," Tatty adds, thoughtful, "We could all read separate things, and then meet to share our thoughts. That way someone can recommend something to someone else."

Grace is nodding, already thinking of a few other nurses she knows would enjoy this too. The idea of having regular meetings with other women makes her giddy. She feels like she's seventeen again, gossiping with the girls at school.

Just then, a knock at the door interrupts them. If it was another woman, they wouldn't knock, so Helen smooths her hair before going over to greet whoever it is.

"Ma'am," a man Grace doesn't recognize says, before being welcomed in. He's got a small box in his hands, and when he gets closer, Grace sucks in a sharp inhale. "Thought these could go to better use here. They weren't in any footlockers in particular, but they've been gathering dust..."

Tatty and Helen look equally stricken. It never occurred to Grace that half the books on this shelf were likely those of fallen airmen who either loaned them to someone or who left them somewhere, never to be retrieved.

"We-- we can't take these. Their families--"

The man frowns. "They don't have names inside. We have no idea who they belonged to, and I don't think they'd want their books."

Grace disagrees, though she doesn't say it out loud. Books, especially well-loved books, can be just as sentimental as any personal belonging. She thinks of her copy of The Great Gatsby, the spine lined and cracked with overuse, how she can almost smell her father's pipe tobacco stuck in the pages.

"We'll take them." Tatty says firmly. She looks at the other girls, "If they're not going to have homes, we might as well be the home for them."

Helen is miles away, Grace can tell by her expression. She remembers a conversation in the early morning, Helen trying her hardest to put on a brave face and pretend she wasn't grieving a man she had barely gotten the chance to know.

"We should get the other girls involved," Grace says suddenly. "I think they'd like the chance to get their minds off things. I know a few nurses who probably have books to share, too."

Helen comes back to the present, a small smile growing on her face. "That's a good idea. Some of our girls probably do, too."

"Perfect," Tatty says smiling, clapping her hands together once, the matter settled.

Grace leaves that evening feeling melancholy, but also excited at the prospect of getting to know these girls better. They've all been here over a year now, and they've each been through so much in their own ways. If they can get together once a month or more to get lost in worlds of adventure, of romance, of anything that will take them away from all this, Grace is happy they'll do it together.

A/N: Fun book fact from LitHub: "... by the time Fitzgerald died in 1940, the book had sold fewer than 25,000 copies. Now it sells 500,000 copies a year, if mostly to disgruntled students. It was WWII that rescued Gatsby from obscurity. The US government developed a program to send cheap paperback books to soldiers, and of the 1,227 titles chosen, one of them was The Great Gatsby."

#lil reblog as i finished the book that inspired me to write this #and it made me cry #saskia maarleveld as a narrator you can do no wrong