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#F-14A
thatsrightice · 6 months
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I love being able to identify variants of the F-14, like I feel like an expert even though I very much am not, for the record. I consider myself more of a knowledgeable enthusiast.
Like this guy? I immediately know it’s an F-14A
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And that’s a F-14D Super Tomcat
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Probably a F-14B
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F-14D again, they’re the easiest to tell head on
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F-14A
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Also totally an F-14A
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That guy right there? F-14D
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It’s fun, but tough cause not every aircraft can be identified by a single picture, it depends on the angle. But here’s how you can learn to identify the F-14 Tomcat variants almost instantly. It’s so easy! I promise!
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coldwarairforce · 1 year
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An E-2C Hawkeye aircraft passes overhead as a Fighter Squadron 84 (VF-84) F-14A Tomcat aircraft stands by for launch on the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) during the ship's shakedown cruise. 1990
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nocternalrandomness · 2 years
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Tomcat at the MCAS Miramar Air Show
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usafphantom2 · 1 year
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F-14A-159008-VF32-OCEANA-MAY76 by Michel Klaveren
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actual-haise · 2 years
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Picked up the Revell 1:144 F-14A Black Tomcat yesterday, really nice little (emphasis on that) kit that's still packed with a lot of detail even though it's dwarfed by my 1:72 SU-47
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hobbystationerytagimi · 11 months
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ハセガワ 1/72 F-14A トムキャット “エースコンバット ラーズグリーズ隊” 再入荷しました。
https://www.tagimi.net/?pid=175302584
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compacflt · 1 year
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Okay first of all the WWGATTAI updates are *chefs kiss*. Absolutely in love. Second, was/is debriefing updated? I'm doing my inevitable weekly re-read of it and am feeling like I'm noticing new scenes but I could totally be wrong.
also, random question, do you have a favorite commercial aircraft?
thank you! yes it was :) none of the other one-shots were though, that’s still on my to-do list 😩
favorite commercial aircraft probably has to be dhc-8 (in which i nearly died last July) or bell 407 (i can’t planespot in the city unfortunately but there is a heliport near my apt where i can watch the 407s touch down from about 20 ft away and it’s always the highlight of my day)
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rabbitcruiser · 1 year
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Top Gun Day 
Host a watch party, with costumes and topical games, or simply gather your friends to watch the 1986 Tom Cruse classic Top Gun and its sequels.
In 1986, smack dab in the middle of the bodacious decade of neon, headbangers and The Brat Pack, the movie Top Gun roared into theaters like an F-14 Tomcat. It got a missile lock on the box office and shot down just over $356 million, making it what would eventually be the 11th highest grossing movie of Tom Cruise’s career. The movie centers on Maverick, a hot shot pilot, who is sent to the US Navy Fighter Weapons school, and all of the drama, pride and testosterone that scenario entails.
History of Top Gun Day
The actual Navy Fighter Weapons School was formed in 1969, during the time of the Viet Nam War, by the Chief of Naval Operations Admiral, Thomas Hinman Moorer, at the recommendation of Captain Frank Ault. The realization came that the Navy’s fighter pilots needed more training.
During Operation Rolling Thunder, the United States lost nearly 1,000 aircraft over North Vietnamese skies. The USAF and Navy both sought the causes, but came to two different conclusions. The Air Force believed that the fault was mechanical: that MiG pilots caught American pilots in a rear blind spot. The Navy decided that the failure was in training. The Air Force responded by developing new technology, while the Navy started the Top Gun school, eventually paving the way for 110 minutes of heart pounding action, backed by a roaring theme song.
Top Gun Day Timeline
1969 Top Gun school admits its first class
The Navy Fighter Weapons School is opened for extra combat training at the height of the Viet Nam war.
1981 Tom Cruise debuts on the big screen
Playing a minor role in the film, Endless Love, Tom Cruise was beat out for the starring role (opposite Brooke Shields) by Martin Hewitt, an actor who would end up doing mostly random TV appearances afterward.
1986 Top Gun is released
Quickly earning a deep love from audiences, Top Gun becomes the highest grossing film of the year.
1987 US Navy uses the film for recruiting
In a “Join the Navy” commercial, songs from the movie are used along with shots that look like that came straight from Top Gun footage.
2022 Top Gun 2
After waiting more than 30 years, the world finally gets to see Tom Cruise in action again as “Maverick”.
How to Celebrate Top Gun Day
Top Gun Day celebrates the movie, but at its core is all about attitude. It teaches about the importance of teamwork…and shirtless volleyball. So how do you take the highway to the danger zone?
Get started with some of these ideas:
Reenact the best Top Gun Movie Scenes
A good way to begin might be by reliving the adventures of Goose, Maverick and the Iceman. Go to a karaoke bar and sing “She’s Lost that Loving Feeling” and “Take My Breath Away.” Why not try to play a little volleyball with a group? Shirtlessness is optional, of course. Download some Kenny Loggins and blast “Danger Zone” out of those car windows as loud as is possible.
But maybe karaoke isn’t the thing and the weather isn’t good enough for sports. It is still possible to find other ways to enjoy the day!
Host a Top Gun Day Party
Get friends and family together for a cool party in honor of Top Gun Day. Invite people to dress up like their favorite characters. Entertain by playing Top Gun trivia games before settling in to watch the movie.
During the movie, don’t forget to grab a pair of dark aviator glasses and an old leather jacket. For an added challenge, try to find a pair of overalls to convert into a flight suit! It might even be fun to make it into a double feature with some other jet-fighter movies of the era, like the lesser known Iron Eagle, which actually came out a few months before Top Gun.
Snacks served at the party could include a variety of airplane and naval themed treats, such as patriotic m&ms in red, white and blue, cookies in the shapes of stars, airplanes or clouds, and even aviator glasses. Decorations can, of course, feature anything red, white and blue, stars & stripes, naval, airplanes, American flags or even quotes from the Top Gun movie.
Listen to the Top Gun Soundtrack
Of course, the music played at the Top Gun Day party is key. After all, the movie won more awards for its soundtrack and score than in any other category! It’s packed with quintessential 80s classic songs, like these:
Playing with the Boys by Kenny Loggins. Featuring in Tom Cruise’s shirtless beach volleyball scene, this song plays when Maverick (wearing full-length jeans) and Goose beat their adversaries. Of course, then Maverick bails because he has a date with his love interest, Charlie, played by Kelly McGillis.
Take My Breath Away by Berlin. It must be good because this song plays in Top Gun no less than four times! Incidentally, the band named themselves Berlin in an attempt to make people think they were German, but they were really an American new wave band.
Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins. Appearing in the movie three times, this is the ultimate fighter jet song.
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ by The Righteous Brothers. This one is a classic from 1964 that made a comeback more than 20 years later because of the Top Gun Movie. It plays in the movie when Maverick and the other naval officers lip sync it to Charlie in the bar while it plays on the jukebox.
Show Off with Top Gun Quotes
The Top Gun movie offers a ton of quotable lines that can be used to make an impression. For instance, you can ask your friends for permission to buzz the tower. If they say no, do it anyway. If they ask YOU to buzz the tower, be sure to say “Negative Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.” Just be prepared for them to buzz you anyway.
Or, even easier, simply tell everyone you see that you have the need, the need for speed. “You can be my wingman forever”, “Let’s turn and burn!” and “Remember boys, no points for second place” are also some other great lines from the film.
Learn Some Fun Facts About Top Gun
Even those who consider themselves to be pretty big fans of the movie might have something new to learn when it comes to Top Gun Day trivia! Here are some fun facts to impress friends and coworkers alike on the day:
Top Gun is set in San Diego, California and many of the sites for filming can still be visited, including Charlie’s little blue house and Kansas City Barbeque, which still features Goose’s piano.
Tom Cruise, at only 5’7”, wore lifts in his shoes to balance out the taller 5’10” Kelly McGillis as his love interest in the movie.
The movie didn’t originally have a love scene. That scene between Maverick and Charlie was added later, after test audiences said it needed one.
Bryan Adams was invited to sing on the Academy Award winning soundtrack, but he backed out because he thought the movie promoted war.
Play Top Gun Video Games
There are also two Top Gun video games currently available. The first is simply called Top Gun and was released for iOS devices by Freeverse Software. The second is called Top Gun: Hardlock. It comes from 505 Games, and is playable on PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.
Talk to a Member of the Armed Forces
There are many ways one could enjoy and relieve the excitement of the movie, but perhaps one of the more meaningful things you could do is to find a member of the armed forces, particularly an aviator, and thank them for keeping the skies safe. Ultimately, without someone up there, we might not have the movie, or the day, down here.
However you choose to celebrate, be sure to raise a glass for Goose, Maverick, Iceman and the rest of Top Gun class of 1986. Let the world know that you haven’t lost that loving feeling, even after all this time.
Top Gun Day FAQs
How old is Tom Cruise in Top Gun?
Top Gun was released when Tom Cruise was just 23 years old, just three years after his break-through role in Risky Business.
Are Top Gun pilots real?
Yes! Top Gun was an actual pilot training school in San Diego, California, known as the Navy Fighter Weapons School, until it merged with another school and moved to Fallon, Nevada in 1996.
When was Top Gun made?
The original Top Gun movie was made in 1986.
What is the most famous song in Top Gun?
“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Other popular songs from the film include “Danger Zone” and “Playing with the Boys”, both by Kenny Loggins.
Did Top Gun win any awards?
Top Gun won most of its awards for the music and sound, but other awards include a People’s Choice Award and an ASCAP Award.
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planesawesome · 15 days
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U.S. Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat awaiting to clear for take-off aboard USS John C. Stennis, Persian Gulf - February 25, 2002
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thatsrightice · 5 months
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F-14 FUN FACT OF THE DAY #44
When dropping unguided bombs, also known as “dumb” bombs, the F-14 Tomcat would be switched into a “bomb mode” that overrides the Central Air Data Computer(CADC). In “bomb mode,” the wings would be swept out to 55 degrees and the glove vanes would be deployed (if they had not yet been welded shut). This creates a stable platform for dive bombing when dropping dumb bombs. Without the mode locking the wings in place while the aircraft is on a dive bombing run, the wings would begin to automatically sweep back as the speed increases to decrease drag.
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coldwarairforce · 1 year
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A Fighter Squadron 84 (VF-84) F-14A Tomcat aircraft takes to the air after being launched from a catapult aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72) during the ship's shakedown cruise. 1990
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”Vandy One”
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usafphantom2 · 1 year
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F-14A-162703-VF41-1993
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F-14A-162703-VF41-1993 by Michel Klaveren
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skepsiss · 7 months
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Tooth and Nail -pt1- Steddie
You asked for it @strangersteddierthings it uhh...... hurts a lot at the end. Probably have to do a part 2... or more.
Uuhh, it's kinda sad guys. Prompt was to write something where Eddie is the one that is in denial about his queer-ness and Steve is the one who makes him question his sexual identity. Full request here.
14A ish rating. TW: Miscommunication, denial, mild homophobia, suggestion of past trauma (child abuse), use of drugs (weed), mild physical aggression, the f-slur (not spoken to anyone), self-hatred.
PT1 PT2 PT3
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Eddie Munson was a freak. He’d been labeled as such since he was a little boy with a teen mom who ended up marrying the asshole who got her pregnant. He was a freak when his mother left and a freak when his father went to jail; how no boy who lived that kind of life was normal by any stretch of the word.
It only got worse from there as he got older. A freak for being poor, a freak for having long hair, being a nerd, a metalhead, trailer-trash, drop out–the list went on and on. Eddie had also gotten good at being a freak. He got good at wearing it like armor so people were scared of him instead of just judgemental. He wanted those insults said to his face, not whispered behind his back and no way in hell was he going to take it lying down. It didn’t make things easy, but it was how you coped.
So, why? Why would he give himself another reason to be labeled a freak? 
Eddie would fight tooth and nail for any freak or weirdo he managed to befriend. It didn’t matter if you were fat, ugly, smart, dorky, a boy or a girl. It didn’t matter what blend or flavour you happened to be–even if Eddie was partial to the nerds and musicians–you were family as soon as you walked into Hawkins High. Once you were a freak you stayed a freak and it came with Eddie Munson as a perk.
As long as he lived. As long as he was in Hawkins. 
It wasn’t surprising to Eddie when he found out Will Byers was gay. He had seen it on him as soon as the boy’s missing poster went up and the subsequent reunion happened. He had never really gotten to know Jonathan–he was a weirdo, but not one that apparently liked Eddie’s flavour–but he, much like the rest of Hawkins, had breathed a sigh of relief was Will was delivered home. It was under weird circumstances and Eddie didn’t know much about middle schoolers, but he knew a freak when he saw one. Will was a nerd and he was gay which meant he was premo-meat to be fried by the masses.
If they were in school, if Will came back to Hawkins and Eddie was there he would have fought for him. It didn’t matter if he was gay because freaks and weirdos stuck together no matter the flavour. So when he found out Robin was gay he felt much the same. He didn’t have anything against queer folk and honestly, he saw them as being in a similar boat as him. He’d embrace someone who was gay way before he’d embrace someone who was Christian–even though he was neither of those things. 
Eddie had no love for the church and apparently, all the ‘f-words’ were all damned to hell so they might as well make it a party. Seemed like all the interesting people were hell-bound. 
Their little collective. Family. A regular bunch of Addams. 
So, why would he give himself another reason to be labeled a freak?
Eddie had been called everything under the sun as far as insults went. He was no stranger to ’bigot’  or ’devil’, ’sinner’ or ’faggot’. You learned not to react or give them a reason to keep poking. You learned not to take it seriously or let it chink your armor. None of it had to be true and denying it wouldn’t help, you just learned to _ignore_ it and tell yourself that they didn’t know you and their insults didn’t mean anything. Surround yourself with people that either love you or respect you and you’re golden. Listen to them, take their opinions, be yourself, and embrace your flavour.
When Steve came out as queer though, Eddie had no clue what to do. The idea that he would claim that label was beyond Eddie’s understanding especially since he hadn’t seen that confession coming from Steve of all people. He was a weirdo by proxy but… No, the thing that really bothered Eddie about that was his reaction. When he found out Robin and Will were as gay as they came he had gone out of his way to make sure they knew he didn’t have a problem with it. He made sure they felt like they were family and if everyone else ditched Eddie wouldn’t. 
Tooth and nail. Tooth and nail. 
But when Steve came out? Eddie had been shocked, for one thing, and secondly, he had felt his stomach drop out. Panic had flooded him and he was thankful that he wasn’t the only one in the room when it was said.
He had put an arm around Will and jostled him affectionately. He had cracked a joke and smiled at Robin before privately telling her that if she needed anything he was there. He had felt those reactions so naturally almost as if Will and Robin were just telling them all what college they’d be going to. Cool, doesn’t change a thing. Let me know if you need any help with stuff. Easy. Steve though? Steve…
While everyone else in their casual setting seemed to be nodding or not making a fuss–most of them used to this kind of thing by now–Eddie sat there petrified. What did he say? What did he do? Steve wasn’t some kid Eddie could rib and force into an affectionate headlock. He wasn’t a chick he could pretend to posture for so she felt like he had her back. He was… Steve.
Eddie had left that night feeling out of sorts. He hadn’t spoken to Steve and his subdued interaction was pointed out by anyone, but Eddie hadn’t left their little gathering feeling subdued at all. Outwardly maybe, but internally his mind had been locked in place over Steve saying I think I’m bisexual.
Okay… so what? Same as anyone else, right? Queer, whatever–certified freak, cool–so why was he twisted up about it?
Eddie had been spending a lot of time with Steve over the last few months and he wasn’t ashamed to admit that he actually liked his company. Steve was sarcastic and charming and a little bit of a bitch but it just made joking around with him easier. Once they had bridged the gap between ‘nerd shit’ and ‘jock shit’ it became easy to spend time with Steve. Eddie had watched Steve relax around him which literally looked like his body relaxing. You wouldn’t know it right away, but Steve was tense when he wasn’t comfortable around you: arms crossed, brows pinched, shoulders tight, jaw locked, and stance controlled. All of that fell away once he settled down and it was easy to be around him then. Eddie had actually enjoyed seeing the process of Steve relaxing around him as they played the NES with Dustin or sat outside and shared a joint without the rest of the goodies-goodies knowing.
He enjoyed Steve’s company, so what was he worried about? Was he scared Steve would come onto him? That was presumptuous of him and probably rude. He wasn’t scared of Will getting a crush on him or any other obviously gay guy he had seen at shows and bars. He’d even turned guys down which always seemed to embarrass them a bit and Eddie hated that he saw a flash of fear in their eyes when he told them he was straight. He always made sure to end the conversation with It’s cool, man. Don’t worry about it and then smile to show he meant no harm.
He liked queer folk. They were family. Why was Steve different? 
Eddie’s brain was stuck in fast-forward all night once he got home. He hated it when his brain did that to him. Every image flashed through his brain at supersonic speed and he couldn’t focus on anything. It was exhausting and frustrating and it literally felt like his mind was racing. The only thing that helped was imagining the sprawling darkness of space and slowly… very slowly… adding little pinpricks of light to the image. He had to force himself to slow down and from the outside, he knew it looked like he wasn’t doing anything. It looked like he was being lazy, but in reality, all the energy he usually exuded had just become internalized. 
He’d tell Steve it was fine. He’d made sure Steve knew he always had his support. That was what he was supposed to do. That was what he did for everyone else.
But when it happened–when he got his chance to have an aside with Steve–his gut had pulled and his tongue had gotten caught between his teeth. It happened the second time he tried too, and the third, and the fourth–each time he tried to talk to Steve one-on-one he clammed up. It was maddening really and Eddie had started to notice that Steve was suspicious of him–and not in a good way. 
The fifth time was different. The fifth time was worse. 
They had all been celebrating Max’s return home and as the kids got loud and the sun set it felt like one of those nights where Eddie just didn’t have the energy to be around this many people. He loved socializing–he loved the party–but sometimes it just became too much he could feel his mind drifting away from the scene.
Eddie had started his drift before looking up and catching Steve’s eye across the room. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and as he flicked his gaze up he slowly raised his hand to his mouth and mimed smoking. It didn’t take a genius to know what that meant and Eddie raised his brow in agreement before slinking away.
“I don’t have any on me,” Eddie explained as they stepped out into the dark, “but I’ve got some at home.”
His trailer was only a stone’s throw away from Max’s place so it wasn’t really a big deal. Weed sounded like a good idea too; he could smoke and bring him back to earth and maybe it would settle his nerves enough to properly talk to Steve. He _wanted_ to talk to Steve.
“We going to smoke here?” Steve asked as he followed Eddie inside the trailer. Wayne was out and Eddie didn’t have any qualms about Steve coming over to his place.
“Sure, might as well so the impressionable young children,” Eddie mocked, using a stuffy, posh voice, “don’t get tempted by our bad influence.”
He snickered as he touched his own chest, extending his hand skyward and acting as if he were delivering a Shakespearean speech. 
“Ms. Languard, is that you?” Steve mocked back, shoving Eddie’s shoulder so he’d continue his walk towards his bedroom. 
Eddie laughed again and stumbled down the hall, glad that they could at least joke around with each other still. Yeah, he’d smoke and then he’d properly let Steve know that being queer was cool with him and that they were blood-bonded for life already having survived a demonic war together. Steve would call him dramatic and they’d laugh over it and then things could go back to normal. 
Eddie had found one of his baggies of weed after tossing the laundry on his floor about the room for a few minutes before finally getting his stuff together so he could roll them a joint. The buds had been bitter and Eddie had jokingly apologized before hanging the blunt over to Steve to smoke. He had coughed and gagged at the flavour and Eddie had called him a pussy in good humour. Normal. They were acting normal.  
As the weed seeped in they got quieter though and Eddie felt himself drifting again as he sat on the foot of his bed. Steve was standing by the window so he could blow the smoke outside even though Eddie didn’t care about the smell. It was polite and Eddie could appreciate that at least.
“You okay?” Steve asked as Eddie caught himself staring blankly at the ground, knees tucked up to his chest.
“Oh–yeah, yeah, I’m fine, just thinking,” he admitted, blinking hard and then smiling at Steve. They shared a chuckle and Steve took a step forward to hand the joint over.
“Thinking about anything interesting?” He asked, carefully turning the blunt in his fingers so Eddie could grab it.
“Yeah, I guess so…” Eddie mumbled, taking a moment before finally putting his feet back on the floor and taking the smoke from Steve.
“You gunna share with the class?” Steve asked and Eddie giggled again at that, the joke was not that funny but the weed was getting to him.
It took another moment as Eddie smoked, his attention drifting a bit before he finally answered.
“I was thinking about what you said the other week,” Eddie admitted, trying to let the hold his anxieties had on him fade away. He could just let those fears slip through his fingers and he’d finally be able to say what he had been meaning to say for weeks now. Weed was good for that.
“The other week…” Eddie continued, and he stood slowly to pass the joint. Steve was staring at him with bemusement and confusion, obviously trying to follow along with what Eddie was saying. Eddie could feel that blanket of anxiety that had been wrapped around him slowly lifting. He didn’t have to think about anything, just say what he meant to say and then they’d be back to normal. 
“The other week when you uh, when you told everyone you were gay,” Eddie explained, nodding which got a pinched expression from Steve.
“Bisexual–bi,” he corrected, taking the blunt from Eddie and smoking it.
“Yeah, that,” Eddie answered, “it got me thinking about stuff…”
Eddie could feel himself getting distracted as his mind lost its grasp on the words he had been trying to deliver. He understood what he wanted to say–in sentiment–but he was having a hard time forming the words to go along with it. His attention kept on bending and then refocusing on other things that weren’t important. How his hair was tickling his ears a bit, and how bitter the weed tasted on the back of his tongue, and then to his room and how it was probably embarrassing to have Steve here when it was such a mess–he had to refocus on Steve.
“Uh, you, Steve,” Eddie tried, lifting his hand and poking Steve hard in the chest. He just had to drift his brain over to thinking about Steve.
“Yeah… me?” Steve replied, breathing a small laugh.
Eddie smiled, wondering for a moment if he was acting silly and if he was amusing Steve. He liked it when they joked and he had been missing that the last few days. He missed spending time with Steve. He wanted to tell him he accepted him. He wanted to tell Steve he’d always be there. He wanted to put him in a headlock, rib him, posture a little… see him relax… He wanted to see Steve’s posture change, his brows soften, and his mouth unpinch. And then everything would be normal. How they’d just go back to being freaks together.
Yeah, no more anxieties about all this, it was just Steve. It was just Steve.
“Eddie?” Steve asked and Eddie only vaguely registered that he was touching Steve’s face. He looked confused, but he was smiling, and all Eddie could think about was how beautiful his smile was. 
The next thing Eddie knew he was stepping forward as if in a slow dance and pushing Steve back towards the wall he had been leaning on. Steve didn’t fight him, but Eddie didn’t have the presence of mind to question what that meant. He was just moving them across the room so he could press flush against Steve and kiss him. The action had been so gentle Eddie had felt like he was dreaming through the whole thing like it wasn’t really him doing it. Steve shuttered under him and Eddie pulled back just far enough so he could see Steve’s expression. His eyes were closed and his brows were pinched together as if something painful had just happened.
They had kissed and Steve was in pain? They had kissed, why would Steve be in pain? They had kissed.
Eddie let go abruptly and stumbled backward as his anxieties plowed back into him.
“Sorry!” He said quickly, sticking his hands up in front of himself.
Steve didn’t move from the wall and as he opened his eyes slowly and a pang of guilt shot through Eddie. He stumbled back again as his knees hit the edge of the bed forcing him to sit down.
“Sorry, sorry–” Eddie offered, laughing now as his fear bubbled up. Why the hell had he done that? What the fuck was he doing?
“Sorry, man, I didn’t mean anything by it, I uh, was just curious.”
That was the reason, right? There probably wasn’t another reason that made sense. He had been high and his brain had just filtered through the possibilities and for some reason, it had settled on a kiss. Fucking weird, but he had never claimed to be normal.
“Curious?” Steve said back slowly as he came out of what seemed like a daze, “you were… curious?”
Eddie felt his throat getting tight and he was desperately trying to swallow the lump that was forming there.
“I was just joking around,” he offered a weak smile and Steve just stared at him. Eddie watched as his expression changed from dazzled confusion to anger. 
“What the fuck, man?” Steve bit out sounding insulted. He didn’t sound as angry as Eddie thought, but he did sound upset.
“Sorry, I dunno man, I’m high,” Eddie blurted, speaking to the first excuse that came to mind.
Steve just stared at him before shaking his head in disbelief. His frustration looked like it was building and that in turn was making Eddie shrink back.
“You’re unbelievable…” Steve muttered to himself, as he slowly turned to face his back to Eddie, his hands going to his hip, “unbelievable… what the fuck?”
“Sorry–” Eddie tried once more getting cut off this time as Steve snapped at him.
“Stop apologizing, okay?” He said slicing the air with his hand before settling back down and putting his hand back on his waist.
Eddie shut up and stared as he watched Steve’s shoulder bunch and his posture shift from relaxed to tense.
“Joking around… joking around?” Steve asked, his tone accusatory even though it was level. Eddie just gaped at him, not sure what to say if he wasn’t supposed to apologize anymore. The question seemed like it had been rhetorical anyway.
Eddie watched as Steve touched his own lips, squeezing them sharply as if he were thinking and trying to pull the sensation away from his mouth at the same time. 
“So, you were just curious to know–what? What it’s like to kiss a guy? To know if you like guys?” He asked, turning to look at Eddie again but not changing his posture at all.
“I don’t like guys, I’m straight,” Eddie said sharply, his stomach tightening, “I was just…”
Steve’s lip started to curl and Eddie shrunk back further, feeling guilty and embarrassed and ashamed in a way he didn’t know how to communicate. In a way he didn’t want to communicate.
“Just… joking around?” Steve repeated back, his dipping so his delivery lacked emotion. That had stung. That hurt more than Eddie thought it would.
Steve shook his head and raised the joint back to his lips to take a hit. 
“Yeah, real funny,” he started to say as he tossed the blunt at Eddie, “a regular riot. Just kiss your buddy Steve. It’s soooo fucking funny that he likes guys.”
Eddie could see that Steve’s cheeks were flushing as his voice hitched slightly. He was keeping it together but his expression was that of a man who had just been betrayed. He looked hurt. It looked like he had just bore his soul and Eddie had laughed in his face. Like he had been cruel for no other reason than to hurt him.
“Steve–” Eddie started, standing up, not sure what to do.
“You’re sorry, I get it,” Steve replied, stepping towards the door and starting to walk away.
“I didn’t mean it like that–” Eddie tried, hurrying after him and grabbing Steve’s shoulder to stop him from leaving. Steve tried to brush him off, but Eddie was determined to hold on.
Steve moved quickly then and it caught Eddie off guard as he grabbed his wrist and whipped around. Steve shoved hard and Eddie stumbled backward until he hit the wall, Steve’s forearm across his chest.
“Don’t–” Steve bit out, sticking his finger aggressively in Eddie’s face, “--fucking touch me.”
His tone was incredibly level but it was obvious that he was holding back real anger. It was easy to forget sometimes that Steve was an athlete. That he could run circles around everyone in the crew and was easily the strongest amongst them under the age of twenty-five. He had survived Russian torture and Eddie had witnessed him using that strength to help the party. Steve was resilient and he was strong… even if he rarely threw a punch. 
Eddie was too shocked to react properly and before he knew it Steve had let go of him and stormed out of the trailer. Fear rang Eddie like a bell as he stood there and listened as a car engine turned on and the sound of tires of gravel filtered through the open screendoor. He was shaking, he was sure, his body reacting to old memories and mortified by what had just transpired.
“Fuck…” Eddie mumbled, his throat tight and his lips feeling as if they were glued together.
“Fuck–” he repeated, heaving as he raised his hands to his face and pressed his wrists into his eyes.
“Fuck!” Eddie shouted feeling the tears build as he let his knees buckle under him. He slid down the wall and crumpled, hands still pressed into his eyes as he started to sob openly. He was soothing the memories of that scared child but he was also mourning Steve. It felt bad. Everything felt bad.
“What the fuck are you doing?” Eddie muttered to himself through his tears, his voice thick with phlegm, “what the fuck was that? Why did you do that? You fucking… asshole!”
He was bullying himself, he knew it, but he couldn’t help how upset he was. He was mad at himself for doing something unbelievably stupid and he was frustrated that he was reacting this way to it. But he couldn’t help that it felt like his heart was about to give out as he gasped in breath and his stomach filled with air. He was practically gulping as he forced himself to his feet and stumbled into the bathroom. It was like he was a little kid again. But that wasn’t fair–he didn’t get to act this way. He had been the one that had hurt Steve.
“Fuck,” he gagged, leaning over the sink and turning the tap on. A morbid part of him needed to look and see the fear and sorrow on his face so he looked up at the mirror and cringed at his own appearance. His face was red and tears wouldn’t stop flowing from his eyes. His upper lip had gathered snot and his mouth was turned grotesquely into an open frown.
“Stop it,” he swallowed, gritting his teeth as he stared at himself, “you don’t get to do that.”
Eddie gulped in another breath and stood up straight. He closed his eyes and forced his frustration inwards, forcing himself to just get over it.
“Stop it, stop it, stop it,” he mumbled, breathing out slowly as he tried to calm down, “stop it!” He flipped the switch from upset into anger, tears still running down his face but no longer hyperventilating.
“What the fuck was that?” he repeated, dropping his gaze to look at himself in the mirror again, “you–you… you fucking creep. Asshole. What the hell? You’re fucking straight. How the hell are you going to fix this, asshole? Why would you give yourself another reason to be labeled a freak?”
The words stung and Eddie swallowed hard, looking away from the mirror finally. He was calming down even if he didn’t feel better, pushing those emotions inside to deal with later. It was too raw right now, it was too much, he couldn’t do this right now.
Eddie let out a breath through gritted teeth and then moved back to the sink. He turned the water on full blast and then started yanking his rings off. He didn’t care where they fell, but once his hands were bare he cupped them under the water and splashed the cold liquid into his face. He gasped at the sensation and did it again, did it until he had washed all the snot and tears from his face, and then turned the faucet off.
Eddie hung his head over the sink for a long moment, breathing through his mouth as the water streamed off his face. He settled slowly and sucked in one last hard breath and then dried his face off.
“Fucking hell man…” Eddie said quietly, sounding more exasperated than anything now. 
He frowned deeply as he walked back into his bedroom. The joint they had been smoking was on the floor at the foot of his bed and it had started to singe a hole into the carpet. Eddie tisked and picked it up before stamping on the burn mark a few times to make sure it didn’t spread.
How the hell was he going to fix this?
Pt2
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A Soviet Tu-95 Bear bomber being escorted by a US Navy F-14A Tomcat and a Royal Navy Sea Harrier FRS.1, 1980s
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