#Old Acquaintance 1943

[autumncottageattic]

Old Acquaintance is a 1943 American drama film released by Warner Bros.

The film was adapted from a screenplay by John Van Druten, Lenore Coffee and Edmund Goulding based on Van Druten's 1940 play of the same title.The film stars Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Gig Young, John Loder, Dolores Moran, Roscoe Karns and Anne Revere.

[misswarmnights]

The breathtakingly beautiful Dolores Moran in 'Old Acquaintance' 1943. 🌷

[the-winter-spider]

Spin You Around | B.Barnes

Word Count: 5.3k

Warnings: Angsty, happy ending

A/N: Someone requested this forever ago, im revamping and editing all my fics so i decided to just repost this!

Revised Version

Masterlist

———-

1943

You were across the bar from Bucky and Steve. You came with them—they were your best friends—but an old acquaintance spotted you and waved you over. You excused yourself and made your way to where you were now. Even as you tried to focus on your conversation, your eyes kept drifting back to Bucky. Every time you caught his gaze, he was staring at you. When your eyes met, he gave you a soft smile before taking a sip from his drink. He said something to Steve before making his way toward you.

Your friend squeezed your arm, noticing Bucky’s approach. “I’ll catch up with you later,” she said before slipping away.

“Hi, doll.”

“You miss me that much?” You gave his shoulder a light shove, trying to mask the nervous flutter in your chest.

He ran his tongue over his bottom lip—a habit of his that always drove you crazy. Before he could respond, you quickly added, “Why aren’t you out dancing, Buck? There are plenty of pretty girls here tonight. I was just on my way back to keep Stevie company.”

You were deeply, madly in love with Bucky, though you didn’t realize it until Steve pointed it out one night after you saw Bucky locking lips with another girl. He was a ladies’ man, and you’d known that for a long time. But knowing didn’t make it any easier to watch. You told yourself nothing would ever happen between you two, so you settled for your place as his best friend.

Bucky reached out and took your hand, pulling you closer. The thudding in your ears grew louder—your heartbeat, you realized. “Yeah, but why would I want to dance with them when I’ve got the most beautiful girl in the world standing right in front of me?”

Your mouth fell open, and heat flooded your cheeks. You looked down, avoiding his eyes, trying to process what he just said. Bucky flirted with you all the time, but this… this felt different.

“Buck…” you trailed off, still searching for the words.

“Dance with me, Y/N.”

Your eyes met his again, and there was something in them you hadn’t seen before. It wasn’t the usual playful glint; it was something deeper, something that made your stomach twist. “Is everything okay, James?”

“I just want to dance with you, doll. So, will ya?”

You nodded, your voice barely a whisper. “How could I ever say no to you?”

He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He led you to the dance floor, and you couldn’t help but glance back at Steve, who was watching from the bar. He gave you a thumbs up, but his smile was tight, almost forced.

Bucky placed a hand on your waist, pulling you close as you began to sway to the music. His other hand held yours against his chest. You felt his heart beating beneath your palm, steady and strong. But something was off. The longer you danced, the more you could sense it—something was wrong.

When the music shifted to a faster tempo, Bucky surprised you by picking you up and spinning you around. You laughed despite yourself. “Bucky!”

“Did you say faster?” He laughed along with you, but when he set you down, the mood shifted. His hands lingered on your hips, his laughter fading as his gaze met yours. His eyes were searching, almost desperate.

“James, are you sure everything’s okay?” you asked again, more insistently this time.

He gave you a small, almost sad smile. “Of course, doll. I’m here with you.”

The song ended, and Bucky suggested getting a drink. You agreed, though unease settled in your stomach. Back at the bar, Steve gave you a teasing grin. “That was interesting to watch.”

You forced a laugh. “I thought I was going to show everyone what I had for dinner.”

“She’s being dramatic,” Bucky said, but there was a tension in his voice. He handed you your drink, and you took a large gulp, trying to drown the growing anxiety. “I’m gonna head to the ladies’ room. Don’t miss me too much, okay?” you said, trying to sound lighthearted as you turned away.

“I already miss you, doll!” Bucky called after you, but his voice cracked just slightly.

In the restroom, you were reapplying your lipstick when two girls walked in, their conversation catching your attention.

“I can’t believe he’s going off to war,” one of them said.

“I know. He’s such a looker. A shame he probably won’t be coming back.”

Your stomach twisted at their words, but you kept quiet until they noticed you. The redhead gave you a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry to hear about Bucky,” she said. “I know you two are close.”

You froze, your lipstick forgotten. “What are you talking about?”

The redhead’s eyes widened. “You don’t know?”

Her friend snickered. “Guess they’re not as close as we thought.”

You felt the blood drain from your face. “Know what?”

The redhead hesitated, then offered, “Maybe you should talk to James.”

Her friend rolled her eyes. “He told Beth he enlisted. He leaves in a couple of days. Didn’t think you’d be the last to know.” With a final smirk, they left you standing there, your world spinning.

You stared at your reflection in the mirror, trying to process what you’d just heard. Bucky was leaving. He hadn’t told you. He’d told Beth—a girl he probably didn’t even care about—but not you. How many others knew before you did? Did Steve know? Were they planning to keep it from you until it was too late to say goodbye?

A tear slipped down your cheek, and you quickly wiped it away, refusing to let yourself break. You forced yourself to breathe, to pull it together. But when you stepped out of the washroom and saw Bucky and Steve sitting there, laughing like nothing was wrong, the hurt crashed over you like a wave.

You made your way back to them, your hands shaking. Bucky’s eyes found yours immediately, his smile faltering when he saw your expression. “What’s wrong, Y/N?” he asked, reaching out for you.

You pulled your hand back, the hurt evident on your face. “When were you going to tell me?”

His brow furrowed. “Tell you what?”

“Buck,” Steve whispered, his voice full of guilt.

Your gaze snapped to him. “You knew?”

Steve looked down at the table, unable to meet your eyes. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, shame coloring his tone.

You scoffed, the betrayal cutting deep. Grabbing your coat, you turned to leave, but Bucky shot to his feet, panic in his eyes. “Doll, I was going to tell you after tonight. I just didn’t want to ruin—”

“Ruin what?” you snapped, your voice trembling. “Ruin the perfect night you planned before you just disappear? Or maybe you were waiting for your next girl to spill the beans.”

“Y/N, please, I—”

But you didn’t let him finish. You pushed past him, not caring about the tears blurring your vision. “Goodbye, James,” you choked out, leaving him standing there, with his heart in his throat and yours shattered on the floor.

A couple of days had passed since you overheard the news from that redhead and her friend. The anger, the hurt, the heartbreak—they all clawed at you relentlessly. You cried, you raged, but deep down, you knew you had to face him. The thought of letting Bucky leave for war with things unresolved gnawed at your conscience. Regret was a burden you couldn’t bear to carry if he didn’t come back.

When you finally mustered the courage to open the door, Bucky was standing there, hand raised mid-knock. The relief in his eyes was palpable. “Y/N,” he breathed out, as if he’d been holding it in all day. You forced a tired smile and gestured for him to come in. As you turned away, you noticed he was already in uniform. It hit you then—he was leaving soon. A fresh wave of tears welled up, and before you could stop them, you broke down, burying your face in your hands.

“Darling, please don’t cry,” Bucky murmured, pulling you into a tight embrace. He pressed soft kisses to your hair as you clung to him, your sobs muffled against his chest. “W-why didn’t you tell me, Buck?” you choked out, your voice trembling with the weight of all the things you’d kept bottled up.

He held you tighter, as if afraid you’d slip away. “I was going to. After that night, I wanted one last dance with you, without you knowing. I wanted one more moment of happiness, just you and me, before… before everything changes.”

You sniffled and pulled away, wrapping your arms around yourself as if to hold in the pieces that were breaking. You forced yourself to meet his gaze, though it hurt to do so. “But why tell Beth before me?” The words came out sharper than you intended, but the pain behind them was real.

Bucky shook his head, desperation in his eyes. “I didn’t. She must’ve seen me when I was signing up. I promise, doll, I only told Steve before we came to get you. You have to believe me.”

You searched his eyes, looking for any hint of a lie, but all you found was sincerity—and fear. You nodded slowly. “Okay, Buck. I believe you.” Relief washed over his face, and he took a step closer, his hands gently cupping your face. His thumbs brushed away the lingering tears as he tilted your head up to look at him.

“God, you’re so beautiful,” he muttered, his breath warm against your lips. His voice was thick with emotion, raw and unguarded. Your heart pounded in your ears as his lips hovered over yours, barely touching. “Tell me to stop, and I will,” he whispered, his voice trembling slightly. When you didn’t, he closed the gap, kissing you with a longing that made your knees weak. You pulled him closer, desperate to keep him with you for as long as you could. But the kiss ended too soon, both of you breathless, clinging to the moment.

“It was always you, Y/N,” Bucky murmured, his forehead resting against yours. “It will always be you.”

You wanted to hold onto those words forever, to freeze time and stay in this moment where everything felt perfect, where it was just you and Bucky, no war, no goodbyes. But reality crept in, and with it, a deep, aching sorrow. You felt your heart crack, a piece breaking off with the realization that this might be the last time you ever had him like this.

“Why now, Buck?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

“I was scared,” he admitted, his voice laced with regret.

You let out a bitter laugh, wiping away the tears that were starting to fall again. “James Buchanan Barnes, self-appointed ladies’ man, scared of little ol’ me?”

A small smile tugged at his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re different.”

“Isn’t that a little too cliché, even for you, James?” you teased, trying to lighten the mood, but your heart wasn’t in it.

“Different because this,” he said, taking your hand and placing it over his heart, “belongs to you. It always has. I was scared you wouldn’t want it.”

Your breath caught in your throat. “Bucky, I—” The words failed you. How could you put into words the depth of what you felt?

“I was terrified that if I told you how I felt, you wouldn’t feel the same,” he continued, his voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t want to ruin what we had. I would’ve rather had a part of you than lose you completely.”

“How did you know?” you asked, your voice cracking.

“Steve,” he replied, a small, rueful smile on his lips as realization dawned on you.

“I’m gonna kill him,” you muttered, shaking your head, but there was no real malice in your voice.

Bucky laughed, a sound that was both joyous and sad. “I wish I’d known sooner.”

“Me too,” you whispered, your heart heavy with the weight of lost time.

He let go of your hands and walked over to your living room, where he began sorting through your records. You leaned against the doorway, watching as he carefully selected one and placed it on the turntable. A slow, melancholy tune filled the room, and Bucky turned to face you, his eyes soft but filled with a sadness that mirrored your own.

“Y/N, would you like to dance?” he asked, holding out his hand.

You smiled faintly, taking his hand. “I’d be delighted.” You let out a small giggle as he pulled you close, and for a moment, it almost felt like everything was okay. But as you swayed to the music, reality crept back in, and the question you’d been dreading slipped from your lips. “Bucky?”

“Yeah, doll?”

“When do you leave?”

He hesitated, his grip tightening around you. “In the morning.”

Your heart dropped, and you couldn’t help the gasp that escaped your lips. You tried to pull away, but he held you tighter, as if he could keep you from slipping away like the night itself.

“Please, doll, this is all I want. Just this.”

Tears welled up in your eyes, but you fought to keep them at bay. “I can’t do this without you, Bucky,” you whispered, your voice cracking.

“Do what? Dance” He smiles softly trying to make light of the situation, the heaviness.

“Live,” You murmured, your voice barely audible.

“Doll…” He breathed out, his own tears threatening to spill.

“No, Bucky, you don’t get it,” you choked out, finally meeting his gaze. “You’re everything to me. My heart belongs to you, and no one else. Soldiers don’t always come home. What if you don’t come back? What am I supposed to do then? I have Steve, but he’s not you. Bucky, I—”

He silenced you with a kiss, soft and lingering, a promise he couldn’t guarantee but desperately wanted to keep. “I promise I’ll come back to you, doll,” he whispered against your lips, his voice filled with a conviction that was as fragile as it was earnest. “Whatever it takes. I love you, Y/N.”

His eyes searched yours, pleading with you to believe him, to hold on to hope.

You swallowed the lump in your throat, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. “I love you too, Buck,” you whispered, but the fear in your heart made the words feel hollow, as if saying them out loud might jinx everything.

And as you held each other, swaying to the fading melody, the night stretched on, bittersweet and fleeting. The dawn would come too soon, and with it, the cruel reality that nothing—no amount of love or hope—could keep the inevitable at bay.

-----

2023

Bucky leaned against the railing of the compound’s balcony, the cool night air a welcome contrast to the warm chatter inside. An investor party, Steve had called it—something about needing to keep the Avengers funded now that Stark was gone. Sam had quipped that money didn’t grow on trees, to which Steve dryly replied, “It’s made of paper, so technically…” That had earned a chuckle from the room, but Bucky hadn’t joined in. His thoughts were elsewhere, rooted more in the year itself than in the meaningless gathering behind him.

He gazed up at the night sky, swirling the whiskey in his glass—a drink that once would have had him grinning ear to ear, arm in arm with Steve and you, with the same stars twinkling overhead. The memory brought a faint smile to his lips, but it was quickly followed by an ache that settled deep in his chest. He hadn’t had much time to indulge in his self-pity, not with everything that had happened. Steve had always been there to drag him out of the darkness, but tonight it seemed even Steve couldn't hold back the tide.

As if on cue, Steve appeared beside him, his hand landing on Bucky’s shoulder with a familiar, grounding presence. “You okay, Buck? I know you don’t like crowds.”

Bucky sighed, a sound heavy with years of regret. For a long moment, he just stared at the sky, the words building up in his throat, too thick to swallow. “I was thinking about Y/N.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky saw Steve’s expression shift, surprise mingled with something else—understanding, perhaps. “What about Y/N?”

“Everything,” Bucky replied, his voice low, almost lost to the wind. He paused, taking a sip of his drink, the burn a distant memory. “I just… I wasted so much time not being with her.”

“You didn’t know, Buck,” Steve said softly, trying to offer some semblance of comfort.

A bitter laugh escaped Bucky’s lips, sharp and jagged. “Y’know, I promised her I’d come home. I broke that promise.”

Steve’s face tightened with empathy. “You can’t beat yourself up about that, Buck. There was nothing—”

Bucky’s grip tightened on his glass until it shattered, the shards falling to the ground like the remnants of his broken promises. “That’s not the point, Steve!” he snapped, his voice cracking with the weight of all the years he had kept these feelings bottled up.

“Buck, calm down—”

“No, you don’t get to do that,” Bucky cut him off, pushing himself away from the railing. His voice was trembling, raw with emotion. “You wanted me to express my feelings, well, this is it! It’s not fair, Steve. She was supposed to be it. I had a ring.”

Steve’s lips curled into a small, sad smile. “I know.”

Bucky blinked, confusion knitting his brow. “Know what?”

“About the ring,” Steve said, his voice thick with old memories. “After you went down, they gave me your duffle. I found it.”

Bucky’s legs felt weak, and he lowered himself onto one of the patio chairs, his mind reeling. “I was going to propose when I got back,” he whispered, the words barely audible. “I was so sure I was coming back.”

Steve moved to sit beside him, letting out a long sigh. “Y’know, I was going to go back.”

“Go back where?” Bucky asked, though part of him already knew.

“To see Peggy,” Steve continued, his tone reflective, as if he were speaking more to himself than to Bucky. “Live the life I was meant to have. When we went back to get the stones, I kept a Pym Particle. Once everything here was settled, I was going to go back. I was gonna tell you, but… things changed. Peggy got married, and I met Sharon. I found happiness again, in a way I didn’t expect. It wasn’t the love I thought I was destined for, but it’s the one I want now. I’m not who I was then.”

Bucky stared at Steve, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. “Why are you telling me this, Steve?”

Steve stood up, a determined look in his eyes. “Come with me.”

Reluctantly, Bucky followed, the two of them weaving through the dwindling party, silent as shadows. Bucky didn’t ask any questions, just trailed behind Steve until they reached his room.

Steve knelt down, pulling out a box from beneath his bed. He handed it to Bucky, who took it with a puzzled frown. “Open it,” Steve said quietly.

Bucky lifted the lid, and his breath caught in his throat. Inside, nestled on a bed of faded velvet, was the ring he had planned to give you all those years ago. His hands trembled as he picked it up, the metal cold against his skin.

“How?” Bucky’s voice was hoarse, his eyes never leaving the ring.

“I kept it with me,” Steve explained, his voice soft. “I was planning on giving it to Y/N after we found the Tesseract, but I never made it back. It came down with me.”

Bucky twirled the ring between his fingers, lost in thought. “Do you think she would have said yes?”

Steve smiled, a gentle, knowing smile. “Why don’t you find out?” He reached into the box again, pulling out something small, something Bucky never expected to see again—the last Pym Particle.

Bucky stared at it, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. “Steve, I—”

“Whatever you decide, Buck,” Steve interrupted, his voice firm but kind, “just know that it’s your choice. The past doesn’t have to be a chain around your neck. It can be a second chance.”

Bucky’s gaze flicked between the ring and the Pym Particle, the future and the past colliding in a way he hadn’t thought possible. For the first time in decades, he felt something he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in years—hope.

2023

“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Yes, Buck, for the thousandth time, yes.”

Bucky fiddled with the ring in his hand, standing on the small platform as his heart raced. The mix of anxiety, excitement, and fear churned inside him, making his hands shake ever so slightly. Steve could see the turmoil in his old friend’s eyes as they waited for Scott to finish setting up the machine.

The secrecy of it all was both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Steve couldn’t stop thinking about how much trouble he would have been in if Tony was here, if he ever found out, Steve would have never heard the end of it.

Convincing Scott had been easy enough, but Bruce would’ve insisted on studying the last Pym Particle instead of using it for something like this. But Steve knew Bucky deserved this chance—this chance to reclaim a piece of himself.

“What if she doesn’t want me? What if she married?”

Steve sighed, trying to keep his patience. “Buck, she didn’t.”

“How do you know that?” Bucky’s voice was tight with worry.

“Peggy told me. She never married. She tried to set her up a few times, but Y/N just never did.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better, Steve. What if she only wants that Bucky? The one she remembers. What if she doesn’t want who I am now?”

“Buck, stop.” Steve’s tone was gentle but firm. “Trust me, I know she’ll love you no matter what.” He gave Bucky a reassuring smile and a wink, coaxing a small laugh from him.

Bucky looked down at the ring in his palm, its simple design gleaming in the dim light. “I’m gonna miss you, y’know?”

“I’m gonna miss you too, Buck.”

“Okay, Captain, Sergeant, it’s ready whenever you are,” Scott called out, his voice laced with excitement. “Time’s set to 1950, so your ages should roughly line up. That’s what you wanted, right?”

“That’s perfect, Scott,” Steve replied, then turned to Bucky. “Say hi to Y/N for me, will ya?”

Bucky nodded, his throat tight with emotion. “Of course.” He pulled Steve into a hug, holding on longer than he normally would. “Thanks for everything, Steve.”

As they pulled away Bucky gave Steve his famous smile, a smile Steve hadn’t seen in a lifetime “Don’t do anything stupid till i get back”

Steve clapped him on the back “How can i? You’re taking all the stupid with you” then stepped off the platform to stand beside Scott. He gave Bucky a thumbs-up, his eyes filled with both pride and a touch of sadness.

Bucky took one last deep breath, his heart pounding in his chest. “Do it,” he said, his voice steady now, filled with a resolve that had taken decades to build.

Scott flipped the switch, and the world around Bucky blurred into a vortex of light and sound. The sensation was disorienting, a rush of memories and emotions flooding his mind—his first meeting with you, your laughter, the way you had looked at him like he was the only person in the world who mattered. The war, the promise he had broken, and the endless years of loss that followed. But now, as the machine hummed and the years rewound, he felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time—hope.

1950

The light faded, and the world came back into focus. Bucky found himself standing in a quiet street, the air thick with the scents of a time long gone. He looked down at himself, noticing the familiar clothes, the old boots, the weight of the past stripped away. His heart raced as he took in his surroundings, recognizing the neighbourhood instantly.

Bucky smashed the device as Steve had instructed, then straightened his clothes, fixing the glove over his metal hand. He slipped the ring into his pocket and took a moment to steady himself before making his way to your house. Steve had mentioned that Peggy said you stayed in the same place, believing he would come home because Bucky never broke his promises—especially not to you.

This was it. This was his chance.

Clutching the ring tightly in his hand, Bucky made his way to your door, every step both terrifying and exhilarating. When he finally stood before it, his breath caught in his throat. The last time he’d been here, he had been a different man—a man who believed he could conquer anything. Now, he was here not as the Winter Soldier or the haunted man the world saw him as, but simply as Bucky—your Bucky.

The walk was short, but each step felt heavy with anticipation. His nerves buzzed as he approached the familiar doorstep, his hands in his pockets, his heart pounding. The house hadn’t changed; it was just as he remembered. He paused at the door, taking a deep breath before raising his hand to knock.

He paused at the door, taking a deep breath. What if you didn’t remember him the way he remembered you? What if time had changed more than just the years? From inside, he heard shuffling, followed by your familiar muttering under your breath. A smile tugged at his lips despite the tension. When the door opened, and he saw you, it was like time had stopped.

You were as breathtaking as the day he left—maybe even more so. Your eyes widened, filling with tears as you took in the sight of him. “Bucky?” you whispered, your voice trembling.

“Hey, doll,” he managed, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s been a long time.”

You gripped the doorknob so tightly that your knuckles turned white, trying to steady yourself. “Is it really you?”

“It’s really me, doll.” Bucky didn’t realise he was crying until you reached out to wipe away his tears. He hesitated for a moment before pulling you into his arms, holding you as close as he could. Your hands found their way around his neck, and you buried your face in his shoulder.

“Oh, Buck, I knew you’d come back to me. I knew it,” you murmured, pulling back slightly to look at him. “No one believed me. They said it was grief, but I knew.”

Bucky chuckled softly, resting his forehead against yours. “No one knew me better than you did.”

You didn’t reply right away; instead, you placed your ear against his chest, listening for the heartbeat you had longed to hear. When it thumped steadily beneath your ear, tears flowed freely. You didn’t know how or why he was here, but none of that mattered. Your Bucky was home. “I would have waited a lifetime for you, James,” you whispered.

His heart swelled, knowing how true your words were. “I promised I’d come back, doll. It was always you.” He gently cupped your face in his hands, his thumb brushing away a tear. “There’s something I’ve been waiting a long time to tell you—longer than you know.” He laughed softly, nervous but determined. “I love you, Y/N. I’ve always loved you, and I should’ve told you that day. There were so many things I should’ve done differently, but the one thing that’s never changed is how much I love you.”

A radiant smile broke across your face, one that had haunted his dreams for years. “Are you going to kiss me now?”

“I’ve been waiting a lifetime to do that.”

You started to respond, but Bucky didn’t wait. His lips captured yours in a kiss that was everything you both had imagined and more. It was a kiss that erased years of regret, one that made the world fall away until there was nothing but the two of you. When he pulled back, it was only for a moment, just long enough to catch his breath.

There was a question burning in his mind, a question that might seem too soon to anyone else, but for the two of you—who had waited through lifetimes—it was perfectly timed. Bucky reached into his pocket, his fingers finding the ring. He placed a soft kiss on your lips, then knelt down on one knee. The realisation dawned on your face, and your breath caught in your throat.

“Y/N, I—”

“Yes,” you breathed out before he could even finish.

His smile was wide and unrestrained as he took your hand. “Y/N, I’ve been wanting to ask you this for what feels like forever. You were always the only one for me, and you always will be. I would have found you in any lifetime. There’s no one else I’d rather spend the rest of this life with.” He paused briefly, steadying his breath as he tried to calm his nerves. “I know it’s been years—lifetimes, even—but one thing has never changed. It was always you, and it always will be. Will you marry me?”

Your eyes welled up, but a smile broke through, bright and warm—the smile he’d dreamed of for so long. “What took you so long?” You nodded, tears streaming down your face as you held out your hand. He slid the ring onto your finger, where it had always belonged. Bucky was finally home—right where he was meant to be.

In that moment, as he slid the ring onto your finger, Bucky knew that everything he had endured, all the pain and loss, had led him to this. To you.

“I love you, Y/N,” he whispered, his voice filled with all the emotions he had carried for so long.

“I love you too, Bucky,” you replied, your voice trembling with joy.

As the two of you stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the world outside your door faded away. The future was uncertain, but none of that mattered. All that mattered was that Bucky had finally kept his promise, and in doing so, had found the happiness he had long believed was lost forever.

2023

“Y/N, you would have loved Sam,” Steve chuckled as he finished his weekly updates. “I’m sure Bucky told you all about him. He always pretended to be a hard ass around him, but he loved him—I know he did.” Steve paused, as if waiting for a response that would never come. “I think ill allow him to meet you next week”

He sighed, standing up slowly and brushing off his knees. “I’ll see you two later. Don’t do anything stupid till I get back,” he said with a bittersweet laugh, his heart aching at the silence that followed. He lingered for a moment longer, unwilling to leave just yet.

A hand touched his shoulder, and Steve turned to see Sam standing beside him. “Time to go, Cap. The team’s waiting.”

“I’m coming,” he replied softly. He turned back for one last glance over his shoulder, his eyes tracing the engraved names on the headstone, side by side.

Here Lies,

Mr. and Mrs. James Buchanan Barnes & Y/F/N Y/M/N Barnes

A Once in a Lifetime Love.

“Goodbye, pal,” Steve whispered, his voice filled with the weight of years gone by.

As he walked away with Sam, he felt the familiar ache of loss, but also a sense of peace. Bucky had found the happiness he deserved, and now, at last, they were together—forever.

[citizenscreen]

Ida Lupino and Olivia de Havilland visit Bette Davis on set of OLD ACQUAINTANCE (1943).

[bendysinitiation]

(A timeline of events from an outsider’s perspective, based on @bendyredrawn ‘s very own timeline! In this world, JDS’s growth is much like Fleischer Studios, with some things from Disney.)

1919 - Drew-Stein Studios is created by Joey Drew and Henry Stein. They also release their first short, “Little Devil Darlin'“. It stars a misunderstood little imp that tries to keep a job in turning people to sin. It becomes a hit with minority groups, such as immigrants, as escapism from the riots of the time, and conservative whites of New York find it blasphemous.

1920 - “Imp from the Inkwell“ Is released. In this story, the imp, now named Bendy, gets into antics with a live action Henry Stein. The production of short comics also start, introducing an unnamed hellhound into the picture.

1922 - More cartoons and comics are made. Notably, Boris makes his entrance in “Boorish Beasts”. He is Bendy’s acquaintance and foil, being quiet and calculative, but warm-hearted.

1925 - The Bendy film “Tombstone Picnic” makes a breakthrough by becoming the first ever animated “talkie” through vitaphone. The titular character is voiced by none other than Joey himself. Drew-Stein Studios hits the top of the charts for animation in America.

1926 - Another series, Telltale Trio, is introduced into the catalogue. It is not focused on the well-known imp from hell, but instead a trio of ghastly animals haunting a small town. Drew-Stein Studios changes its name to Joey Drew Studios.

1927-1930 - Countless other comics and talkies are released. The idea of angels are also introduced to the Bendy series. JDS grows exponentially in young employees during the start of the Great Depression.

1932-1933 - One year of mostly comics. Rumors go around that JDS is buying out a new studio in the Brooklyn area to house all its new departments. Joey Drew mentions big things are coming, but keeps it a surprise.

1933 - Construction finishes on the new studio and production moves in. Several female singers, musicians, and foley artists are also hired around this time. Alice Angel is introduced: a trigger-happy messenger that’s ended up in Hell. This also marks the year of JDS’s first color film.

1934 - With the addition of the Hays code, JDS holds back on all the violence, and produces less Bendy cartoons. Strangely enough, its reputation and income is barely effected. Alice Angel becomes the darling of the show around this time.

1936 - JDS releases a feature-length on the return of Bendy. It becomes extremely popular. But at the same time an endemic of sickness spreads throughout New York for a few days. There are also reports of some theatres receiving completely corrupted canisters that have whole minutes blacked out, melting, or incomprehensible.

1937- Henry Stein leaves the company because of “creative differences”. The studio’s growth comes to a halt.

1937-1940 - Production slows on more Bendy cartoons, instead focusing on other series again. Employees start protesting for better treatment outside the studio.

1940-1943 - Employees of the studio start to go missing, along with other employees leaving in droves. All report sickness.

1944-1945 - The studio, again, advertises a new breakthrough. A few more cartoons come out, all focusing on Bendy. People near the studio report cold chills and auditory hallucinations for months upon end.

1946 - After a mass plunge into hysteria from people in the near vicinity of JDS for 3 hours, The studio goes completely silent. All people employed go missing. Many investigations are taken out under these disappearances, but all become cold cases. People that go in don’t come out. Eventually, the studio is demolished.

1963 - New animation released. Henry is told by Joey to record the old studio. Game events.

[zeldahime]

Highway to Pail Day 2

[Day 1] [Next] @do-it-with-style-events

February 2: You can always trust someone who works at a music shop. They give sound advice.

Aziraphale had known dear Caroline for forty-five years, and he knew she was suspicious. Humans usually were, after about twenty or twenty-five years of acquaintance, and she was no mere acquaintance. To her credit and his relief, she kept her suspicions to herself, never so much as alluding to his corporation's failure to age a day while she herself grew from a confident young woman serving on the home front to a raucous grandmother and pillar of the community.

He also knew she was suspicious for another reason. A reason with beautiful red hair currently cut in an atrocious bowl cut, trying to get his long, delicate fingers on the only thing that could actually kill him. This was suspicion that he knew Caroline felt was well within her jurisdiction, as the unofficial denmother of Whickber Street. He was not really one of her charges, but as she had told him so many times, he was something close to family. And human families, he knew from millennia of living among them and hearing their stories, meddled in each others' romantic affairs.

Caroline and Crowley hadn't often met, but they'd pass each other on occasion, if Caroline closing up The Small Back Room coincided with Crowley coming round to the bookshop to collaborate on paperwork. Aziraphale had never introduced them, but Caroline had always been sharp as a tack. He'd been mentioning Crowley offhand to her for twenty years before they were reunited during the war, and the very first time she saw a red-haired man in a sharp suit enter the locked bookshop after curfew in 1943 and not come out again until morning, she'd cheekily gifted him a small cake and ribbed him gently about his night.

She referred to him as "your Crowley," when she spoke of him. It always made him feel a little warmer, even though it wasn't true. Crowley was Hell's, just as Aziraphale was Heaven's. What Crowley might want was irrelevant and what Aziraphale wanted was even less of a possible consideration.

Caroline had been the first person to ask him about Crowley's activities in Soho, a month ago. "Your Crowley," she had told him with raised eyebrows, "asked our Jenny if she knew anyone who could lever themselves down into a secure facility on a rope. She pointed him to the BDSM hall on Duck Lane." She rapped her knuckles on the desk. "What is he up to, Mr. Fell?"

He hadn't answered, but whatever look was on her face must have told her something, because she had just tsked at him a bit and said, "Whatever he's doing, Fell, he's going to get someone hurt. If this is about that fight you had that you talk about, the one before he left, it's best time to try to fix the root." She had winked. "And maybe that will keep him from leaving before dawn like he does. Everyone knows you've a flat upstairs; nobody needs to know there's only one bedroom in it."

Meddlesome old woman, his Caroline Service. Aziraphale adored her.

Aziraphale had asked around, of course; he knew already, but what he heard confirmed it. Crowley was planning to rob a church, get holy water.

Caroline was right. He had to get to the root of that fight in 1862, one hundred and five years before. Crowley had asked for the only weapon in Creation that could really hurt him. Did Aziraphale trust him with it?

Did Aziraphale trust Crowley with his life?

Well. That question had been answered in 1941, he had thought. But—

No, it hadn't been. Aziraphale trusted Crowley with Aziraphale's life, but that hadn't been the argument. The argument had been about whether Aziraphale trusted Crowley with Crowley's life.

He took his favorite flask, solid and leak-proof and decorated with his personal tartan, and headed to St. James' Park to gather some water from the duck pond to bless. If he was going to give Crowley a suicide pill, Aziraphale would at least make sure it was his own holiness that would kill Crowley, not the impersonal, clinical holiness of a Heaven that had already cast him out.

[thesullengrrrl]

We'll Meet Again - Chapter 2

Elaine receives a letter from an old acquaintance.

Author's note: Hello! Thank you for the likes and reblogs and comments for my last post! Here's another chapter for this story and here's the AO3 link if you prefer reading there. Let me know what you think!

Chapter 2: across the universe

RAF Thorpe Abbotts

Late October 1943

Rosie slowly turned the door knob of their barracks. He had spent most of the night in the officers’ club, talking to the men, drinking with them and he did not notice the time. It’s Saturday tomorrow, he justified. At least he could sleep in a bit, even for an hour or two.

As he entered, he struggled to gently close the door to not wake up the others. His head started to feel woozy from the drinks he had and sat down on the nearest chair so that he wouldn’t stumble. He closed his eyes and sighed. He may be tipsy, but he wasn’t ready to turn in. Not yet. 

Aligned on the barrack entrance were two tables, one on each side. Rosie’s gaze turned to the other table across him, and there was a small pile of to-be delivered letters on it. He wrote his family and friends a few letters every week to give them updates of his daily life, but never about his missions. The last letters for them were mailed yesterday. Was there a person left to write? 

He thought of Mabel, but according to his mother, Mabel already has a sweetheart. 

He wondered if Mr. Giggles liked her new man. 

A sense of longing for home slowly crept on him. He remembered the good old days that seemed to be a lifetime ago. Him at his family home, his mother greeting him when he got off from work, horsing around with his siblings, the commute from his home to the law firm, the loud music from various jazz clubs he and his co-workers visit, Minty and Minton’s, Elaine…

Elaine. Few days ago, he received a parcel from his family. It consisted of two scarves (one white, one dark blue with pale polka dots), letters from different family members wishing him luck, a letter from Minty, some smushed chocolate bars, and a few photos (it had a small note attached saying, “You might forget our faces!”). 

After opening the ones from his family, he opened Minty’s letter for last. As he read the letter, he could smell the faint alcohol and smoked cigars, transporting him back to the last time he was there. 

Minty was right, he thought. It was indeed a bloodbath. Sometimes he would feel bad for the mechanics who had to clean the interiors of each plane that lands. Aside from the engine problems and several cosmetic issues with the planes after it had been gunned, they had to see the amount of bullet cases and blood scattered on its floors and walls. 

They had to clean away what's left of the dead men. 

I also sent a copy of a photo of you and your girl there. The last line of Minty’s letter made him pause. What photo? Which girl? He felt something inside the envelope and pulled it out. It was a photo of him and Elaine, capturing the night they met. They were looking at each other quite intensely, as if the camera caught them in an intimate moment.

His younger self looked serene, almost. As if he had not heard the Pearl Harbor attack hours before this photo was taken.

Elaine was smiling at him.

He turned the photo and saw Minty’s scribble: 

Thought you might need extra inspiration. I still have a copy in here, in case your girl comes around. Drinks are on me when I see you two. –M

That photo now resides in his bedside table, tucked inside a copy of Of Mice and Men. One day, the photo slipped from the book and Pappy picked it up. He took a good look at it before Rosie started to reach it from him. His co-pilot did not easily give it up and the two ran around their barracks for two minutes before Pappy gave it up. Few men gave them weird looks—Pappy was laughing while Rosie was glaring at him when they got back inside. 

“Why didn’t you tell us you have a girl back in New York?” Pappy asked, his tone teasing. “I have to hear Bailey talk about his wife every damn time and here you are just hiding someone!” 

“I’m not hiding her,” Rosie defended as he tucked the photo in one of the pages instead of the usual sleeve. “We’re just friends.” 

“And yet I find you looking at that picture at night.” 

“Hey! I don't!”

“Sure, Rosie. Sometimes, you look as if you are a war widower when you look at that picture.”

Pappy only chuckled at him and went on his way. Rosie had never been so embarrassed being seen at those vulnerable nights. When he tells Crosby about the whole thing (which includes her French exit), he cannot decipher whether his friend felt bad for him or wanted to laugh at him. Either way, Crosby suggested he write to her, even just to say hello. 

Rosie thought it was ridiculous. Why would he write to someone who just left him without saying goodbye personally? What kind of person leaves someone with only a note? 

Before he could stop himself, he opened the drawer to get a pen and a clean sheet of paper. Luckily, there was. Opening the night lamp, he uncapped the pen and the words started spilling. He didn't even read what he was writing and just overlined the parts that he felt were wrong to say. It’s late at night, he's slightly bloated with alcohol, and he’s…yes, lonely. He hasn’t heard from the woman for almost two years, he’s most likely not going to hear from her again, so what’s the damage? Nothing!

When he was done, he sealed it, placed some stamps and laid it on the pile of letters to be sent tomorrow. 

He let out a sigh of relief. It was cathartic. Maybe he could stop thinking about her.

Tonight, even for tonight, he was able to finally let his feelings down on paper. When he finished, he slowly walked back to his bed to avoid crashing into someone’s bed frame. Without changing his clothes, he laid down and stared at the ceiling. He let himself be lulled by the air and his eyes followed the lines in the ceiling. 

Few breaths later, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

—

The next day, he heard the rustle of the next bed’s mattress. He opened one eye and saw Pappy fixing his bed. “What time is it, Pap?” 

“Eight. Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

Rosie jolted upright and walked to the table near the doors. The small pile of to-be delivered letters were gone. 

“The letters here, where is it?”

“Gene got them an hour ago!” Pappy replied loudly across the room. “Why?”

He leaned his head on his hand and groaned audibly. Pappy’s eyebrows furrowed and walked towards him.

“What’s the matter?” 

“I think..." Rosie trailed off. "I just sent a letter that I wasn’t supposed to send.” 

“Like those unsent letters in your drawer?” 

Rosie’s head shot up. “You saw those?” 

“I was looking for a pen,” Pappy explained, walking towards him  with his arms raised. “Then I opened your drawer and saw those letters tied up. Is it the same woman?"

He nodded. 

Pappy clapped his shoulder. “Rosie, you obviously wanted to talk to that person. Maybe she’ll write back.” 

Maybe he needed to talk to Crosby. And also request for a lock and key for his drawer.

 

Late October 2026

Brooklyn, New York

When their schedules align, Elaine and Bunny meet up at least twice a month. The two women first met in Minton’s as waitresses. They were initially off with each other, with Bunny thinking that Elaine is a bit rude, while Elaine thought Bunny was too loud. They were once assigned two consecutive closing shifts and since then they understood each other.

Today was different. After a meeting, she opened her phone and saw several calls and messages from Bunny, asking to meet with her as soon as possible. This worried Elaine and thankfully, she was allowed to go early.

Few meters away, she spotted Bunny being served by a waitress. Two drinks–one green one and the other pink colored drink. She jogged and finally reached their table.

“Hey, Bun,” she greeted, kissing her friend’s cheek. 

“Lane,” Bunny replied. “I got you this strawberry smoothie.” 

Elaine sat and caught her breath for a moment. Her friend across from her, sipping her green drink.

Bunny is a 5 foot woman with a commanding presence. Her black hair is usually in a ponytail whenever at work and on a messy bun when she’s out from her shift. Her hoop earrings glittered a bit under the afternoon sky.

She is the opposite of Elaine, who stood 5 foot 5 inches, with slight medium built and wavy (now lighter) brown hair. 

When Jerry discovered the photo in the wall of frames, Bunny talked to Elaine about it the next day. She first tried to deny it, but Bunny made her admit the truth. They had been working together for a year at the time and this was the first time she told a friend about her ability. 

As they sat outside a cafe with their indulgent drinks, Bunny slipped a sealed manila envelope across the circular table, her hot pink nails distracting Elaine for a moment.

“Wow, THAT is pink.” Elaine teased. “Is it Barbie themed?”

“Ha ha,” Bunny replied, rolling her eyes. “But yes, I’m tired of those dark colors.”

“What’s this?” Elaine wondered, eyeing the envelope. “Is this why you wanted to see me?”

“Yes. Duke says it’s yours.” 

Elaine opened the envelope and revealed another smaller envelope. It was yellowing but the red and white borders are still prominent. 

Her eyes widened as she read the names written. At the top left side of the envelope, it wrote: 

Robert Rosenthal

USAAF Station 139

Thorpe Abbotts

Norfolk, England 

And in the middle part, it said:

Ms. Elaine Byrne

c/o Mr. H. Minton

206-210 West 118th Street

New York NY10026

United States of America

She took the letter. “Duke? The janitor?” 

Bunny nodded. “Yeah. Lenny, the new manager, made him clean the scary room, you know the one that was locked after we pried it open? He went through boxes and boxes and then he saw this. That room was like a fire hazard with all the papers and empty bottles of alcohol."

Minty’s room, she thought. It has always been filled with papers and some alcohol.

“And he remembered my name?” Elaine wondered.

“He’s like the oldest person there, so he almost knows everybody. Since you no longer work there, he remembered we’re friends so he gave it to me,” Bunny answered.

“He does remember everybody…” she observed.

“Where did the letter come from?” Bunny asked. 

“England,” she answered while reading it. “Rosie.”

“ Oh. Rosie… ” her friend sang, prolonging the man’s name. “You know, I never really liked the nickname. The name Robert is so hot though. You could call him Robbie when he’s—” 

Elaine crumpled a napkin and threw it at her friend. “Bunny! It’s like thinking your grandpa’s hot! Or Ernest Hemingway!” 

“What! He was good-looking, and so was Ernest Hemingway! I googled pictures of him and his pictures during those Nazi trials? I get why you…miss him.”

“I don’t miss him.” 

“Right,” Bunny said, sipping her drink while staring at her. “Says the woman who stole the picture.” 

Elaine frowned at her friend. “You know I had to. The staff won’t stop talking about it!” 

“Where did you keep it then? In your journal?” 

“No,” Elaine lied.

Bunny leaned in. “Don’t tell me you had it framed like a war widow and gaze at it longingly at night? Under your pillow?” 

She laughed at Bunny’s cliché. Bunny joined her, the mental picture enough to crack her up. She knew how her friend can be sentimental and she’s not too far off from not doing it. 

“No, I kept it in a journal,” she admitted.

“Don’t you want to read it now?” Bunny asked, pointing at the letter.

“I think I’d rather read it on my own…” Elaine remarked.

“Oh come on,” Bunny groaned. “I want to read an actual letter from a World War Two pilot!” 

“Can’t I just send you a pic?” Elaine asked. 

“No, I want the real thing.” 

Elaine rolled her eyes. She knew Bunny would not stop hovering over her and the letter. She handed it and her friend excitedly took it from her hand. The letter was gently ripped to the side until it opened. Bunny carefully pulled out the letter and started reading. As she scanned the page, Bunny’s expressions changed from somber to amusement and…confusion.

“What is it?” Elaine asked. 

“Were drunk letters a thing before?” Bunny asked back.

“I don’t know…why?” she replied, browsing the menu.

She took the letter from Bunny and her eyebrows furrowed with the scrawly yet still (surprisingly) legible writing. 

Dear Elaine, 

Where are you? It has been two years and yet! And yet I still think about you most of sometimes. Like tonight, I’m writing to you. I already sent my family and friends letters so my letter quota is done this week. I thought of writing to Mabel but So here I am writing to you. 

Elaine stopped reading after that paragraph. She did not want Bunny to see her reaction towards the whole thing. After all, this letter is for her, right?

“That’s a drunk letter, bitch!” Bunny commented as Elaine folded the letter and placed it back in its envelope.

“I think I would cry if a guy wrote to me like that. Some guys can’t even spell properly, and autocorrect exists!” Bunny continued. 

Elaine chuckled at her, remembering her friend’s failed dates. 

“I just don’t understand how this reached me,” she admitted. “I mean, I basically ghosted him. Left him with a note that I made a waiter give to him.” 

Her friend raised an eyebrow. “That’s a bitch move.” 

“I know. But what am I supposed to do? Explain to him that I didn’t mean to travel back in 1941?” she said. “‘Hey Rosie, I’m the ghost from your future!’”

“Or maybe you could just shut up, go back to 1943 and just tie the loose ends. Give the guy some closure! Give you some closure!” 

Closure. Rosie’s future has already been written and Elaine is sure as hell not a part of it. However, she’s not going to deny (not in front of Bunny at least) that sometimes, she thinks about him. Did he walk the same streets? Was there like a place like Minton’s where they exist (or existed) together but in different timelines? 

The name Robert Rosenthal is one name she tried her best not to type in her internet search engine ever since she met him. There was a certain romance in it, about someone being a mystery, whose memories were just hers to keep. She liked it that way.

“You’re going to England on those dates, right?” Bunny reminded her. “Are you going to see him?”

The question snapped Elaine back. “What?”

She gave Elaine a look. 

“Sorry, I zoned out. What was it?”

“You are so far off. I said, you’re going to England to see your dad on those dates. Are you going to see him?”

“Hmm. Decide for me?” 

“Nope.”

“I don’t know. Really. Tell me what to do.” 

“You know what you’re going to do.” 

“What? Oh come on, don’t let me be stupid.”

Her friend snickered. “I know you know.”

Elaine’s jaw dropped, not knowing whether to laugh or strangle her friend. “I don’t know, really.”

Bunny’s phone started ringing. She took the call and Elaine continued to look at the letter, feeling its battered texture and even smelling it due to curiosity. It smelled like old paper, stuffy and a little bit of alcohol in there. 

Did Minty hold on to this letter on purpose?

“Yeah, I’ll be there. Wait for me. Alright. See ya.” 

“What is it?” Elaine asked. 

“Lenny wants me there early for God knows why! I should go, baby.” Bunny declared. “Bring me a souvenir, yeah?” 

Bunny stood up and gathered her things. Elaine took her hand playfully, pulling sad faces. “Bunny, will you decide for me…?” She laughed and gave Elaine a kiss on the cheek, the sticky strawberry scented lip gloss can still be felt.

“Bunny!” 

“You know what you’re going to do!” Bunny screamed when she reached a certain distance.

When her friend disappeared from the street, she placed a few bills for tips and took off. 

There’s nothing more urgent than a letter from an old acquaintance…from the 1940s.

While walking back to her place, she thought of the letter. The last time she time-traveled was almost two years ago, when she met Rosie for the first time. Before she left Minton’s, she stopped herself from going back to ask Minty about Rosie's whereabouts. She felt bad doing the French exit even though it was the right thing to do. 

Few blocks later, she reached her apartment and went straight to the elevator. When the doors were closing, she heard a man’s voice. “Hold it!” 

She pushed the open button and she saw a man rushing to enter. He was panting, and catching his breath. She observed the man, who was wearing an olive button down shirt, jeans, and white sneakers. He has a thick mop of curly hair, seemingly deliberately messy and his light stubble is like a more prominent 5 o’clock shadow. He has rather sharp features, especially around the jaw and chin area, but he exudes an approachable aura. Like if you borrow something or help you reach something, he would do it with no questions asked. 

She has seen him a few times in the building and sometimes in the coffee shop nearby, but never really had a moment with him until today.

The man towered over Elaine, and when he saw her looking, he smiled.

“Hi,” the man greeted.

“Hey,” she greeted back, trying to sound nonchalant.

“You haven’t pushed a button,” the man observed. Elaine immediately pushed her floor number. 

“Yeah…uh, what’s yours?” 

“Fifth. Same as you,” he answered. 

When the elevator pinged, the man motioned his hand for her to go first. She thanked him and headed to her door. As he passed her by, he said, “Thanks, Elaine.” 

He was living a few doors down from her. 

“How d’you know my name?” Elaine hollered. 

“I met your mom a few weeks ago. She asked me to fix something in your window,” he explained. Must be the window that has a weird sound in the hinges that I always forget to oil.

He walked towards her and extended his hand. “I’m Brian, by the way.” 

She shook his hand. “I’m Elaine, but you know that now.” 

Brian smiled sheepishly. “Yeah, I hope that wasn’t creepy or anything.” 

“It wasn’t but I’m gonna ask my mother about you.” 

“Okay, all right, good point. See you later,” he said, unclasping his hand from her. She observed him until he entered his door. Better safe than sorry, she thought. 

She placed her keys in the catch all bowl in the hallway and made her way to the couch. She took the letter from her bag and started reading it again, this time slower and at the comfort of her own home. 

Dear Elaine, 

Where are you? It has been two years and yet! And yet I still think about you most of sometimes. Like tonight, I’m writing to you. I already sent my family and friends letters so my letter quota is done this week. I was thinking of writing to Mabel but So here I am writing to you.

This war has been going on for too long. Too many brave men we had to mourn over and then still fly the next day. Some friends I made in the base are now gone and I don’t know if they’re dead or in some POW camp. Their absence is most felt at night, when the once full officers club is now half-empty. Some barracks now sit empty and too neatly, as if no one stayed there.

One time I had to tell a girl from the Red Cross that the man she danced with the night before died the next day. I couldn’t even look at her properly. It was awful.

I wish I could talk to you. I tried to have a little faith like you said, but sometimes I’m losing it. Can you help me find it? Tell me, how are you? Again, where are you? Are you still in New York? Partying in Minton’s? Minty said he hasn’t seen you Assigned to some base? Are you in the Red Cross? Are you a nurse? I don’t think you are because you might punch them once they touch you On the Pacific side of the war? Are you still there?

One morning, I thought I saw you in the base’s Red Cross clubmobile, giving away doughnuts and hot coffee. Same brown hair, pinned like the last time I saw you, alongside with red lipsticks the women wore.

When I blinked, I realized it was someone else. I hate it.

If you find yourself across the pond in England, I’ll be in Hammersmith, London from November 5 until 7. An officer recommended that I stay in Brooke Green so that’s where I’ll be. He also told me about the Hammersmith Palace Palais where he said they play jazz most nights.

I’ll meet you in Hammersmith Palais at 6 o’clock on November 5.

Please come. I want to see you If you could come, then great! If you don’t reply, I’ll never write again anymore. I promise. Tonight just felt like a good time to release whatever I’m feeling.

Yours,

Robert Rosenthal  

PS. I don’t know where to send this so I’ll send this to Minton’s. I hope this reaches you. If it doesn’t I’ll blame Minty. Or the postal service first.

The letter is similarly aged like the envelope. She inspected both envelope and letter and she found that it was resealed before it reached her. Probably there was another letter but it was for Minty. Either way, the history of the letter and how it reached her was fascinating. This may be the first time she received a letter from the past despite time traveling for quite some time. Has there been recent developments in the field of time travel? 

However, she considered Rosie’s invitation. It has been almost two years since they saw each other and yet, there’s a letter inviting her to London. Didn’t he think of her as rude after she left him with a note? She basically ghosted him without any chance of him reaching out. What is this, fate's cruel trick? For what? She left other people from the past like this as well, but how come her departure from Rosie seemed horrible? 

Elaine laid the letter on her lap and stared at the ceiling for a while. She listened to the slow hum of the AC and the sound of her breathing, wondering what her next steps would be. 

She took her phone and searched the address where the letter was written from. USAAF Station 139, she typed. 

RAF Thorpe Abbotts. She clicked on some photos and articles and found it was an old air base used by British and American forces during the Second World War. Was he a pilot? 

Then she typed his name in the internet search engine. Seconds later, a man in his uniform appeared, most definitely Rosie. His mustache was shaved, but his eyes had a certain twinkle in it. Bunny was right, he was handsome. He did become a pilot. A squadron commander, whatever that means! (But it sounds impressive.) Exhaling loudly, she clicked his name and read the concise version of his life. 

What a life you had, Rosie. 

Should I still be a part of this? 

Laying her phone on the couch, she walked to her window and lit up a cigarette. She observed the sunset, its various hues of pinks and oranges illuminating the city. People are rushing on their way home, while others are taking their lovely time. Elaine imagined him among the people, perhaps the man who was wearing a suit with a leather suitcase.

She continued smoking and letting tons of possibilities pass her through.

Elaine knows what she’s going to do.

[chernobog13]

The Spider Widow, Grandmother of Terror, was one of the stranger heroes to come out of the Golden Age of comics, an era that saw no shortage of bizarre characters.

Created by artist Frank Borth for Quality Comics, Spider Widow was actually a beautiful young socialite (weren't they all?) who somehow - it is never explained how - gained the ability to control black widow spiders. While many people would assume that was an ability more suited for a villain, Borth made her a superhero. And he doubled down by having the beautiful, strawberry blonde Dianne Grayton (the colorist messed up in the panels above) don a hideous mask and witch's outfit as her costume.

Debuting in Feature Comics #57 (June, 1942), an anthology book where she didn't even get a cover mention, the Spider Widow's feature ran until Feature Comics #72 (October, 1943).

During the Spider Widow's short run, she managed to get her own sidekick, and eventual love interest: The Raven. The Raven was Anthony Grey, a guy who just happened to have a thing for the Spider Widow and a bird suit that allowed him to fly. He rescued the Widow from a Nazi trap during his first appearance in Feature Comics #60 (September, 1942), and the two share a kiss at the end. This issue the strip is also re-titled The Spider Widow and The Raven.

Towards the end of the strip the Spider Widow and the Raven meet Phantom Lady (a strip Borth had also drawn for Quality). At first there' is a minor rivalry's a feud between Spider Widow and Phantom Lady for the Raven's affection, but eventually the two women become good friends and work together to fight crime. Their meeting marked Quality's one-and-only crossover between characters, and ran in Feature Comics #69-71 and Police Comics (home of Phantom Lady's strip) #20-22.

Frank Borth was drafted in 1943, which according to many accounts is the reason why the Spider Widow strip ended with Feature Comics #72. In fact, Borth did not draw the story in Feature Comics #71 (the last part of the crossover with Phantom Lady), or Feature Comics #72, wherein the Raven is neither seen nor mentioned. The replacement artist(s) are/were not credited, but whoever it was their work was far inferior to Borth's, so it's a good thing the Spider Widow ended when it did.

DC Comics purchased all of the Quality Comics characters when Quality called it "quits" in the 1950s. To my knowledge, neither the Spider Widow or the Raven have made an appearance in any DC comic books since then, not even in Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron, which seemed to utilize every Wall-era superhero in DC's stable. The Spider Widow was supposedly the inspiration for a character in the JLA: Destiny Elseworlds mini-series, but I'd have to hunt that down and re-read it to be sure.

Years and years ago I was acquainted with Frank Borth, as he was active in local politics in the town where I was deputy mayor. Even though we were on opposite sides of the political fence, he was always very friendly and jovial when we met. At the time I had absolutely no idea he had been a comic book artist back in the Golden Age (I only found out after he passed away) or I'd've set up residence in his house bugging him for art and reminisces from the old days.

[chantalstacys]

Old movies for bookish, nerdy girls that already need a break from studying? 😓

here are a bunch of movies i like that give me bookish, rainy, cozy, watch at midnight vibes~

♡ the big sleep (1946)

♡ the maltese falcon (1941)

♡ laura (1944)

♡ mildred pierce (1945)

♡ notorious (1946)

♡ out of the past (1947)

♡ it's love i'm after (1937)

♡ old acquaintance (1943)

♡ the ex-mrs. bradford (1936)

♡ star of midnight (1935)

♡ ball of fire (1941)

♡ funny face (1957)

♡ twentieth century (1934)

♡ camille (1936)

♡ rebecca (1940)

♡ all about eve (1950)

♡ a letter to three wives (1949)

♡ the last time i saw paris (1954)

♡ leave her to heaven (1945)

♡ grand hotel (1932)

♡ the bad and the beautiful (1952)

♡ peyton place (1957)

♡ who's afraid of virginia woolf? (1966)

♡ dead poets society (1989)

enjoy your break!!!

[thienvaldram]

Forgotten Lives Omnibus Lore Dump

Just a bunch of lore related observations from FL1 and FL2

Christopher Barry

The Doctor moves an aberrant era of human history into the Cretaceous era, resulting in at least one ancient human civilisation (Aurelia) existing in that era.

He's married to a woman named Zodin, she is most likely Gallifreyan

He has an enemy known as the Abbot, who is also presumably a Gallifreyan (Described as 'Like the Doctor') who either expended all rejuvenations or was killed with no prospect of rejuvenation at the gallows only to return as a spirit and try to steal the Barry incarnation's body, he is defeated him at the cost of the Doctor’s own life. Causing a renewal.

He is most likely not the first incarnation of the FL cycle, as a newly renewed Banks Stewart expresses familiarity with the difficulties of retaining relationships 'across such a change'

Robert Banks Stewart

He established his bookshop shortly after renewal, and is earthbound there though he seems to also travel in the TARDIS whilst based there. He seems to have done so shortly after the start of the build-up to World War II, definitively pre-Dunkirk.

He has an acquaintance known as ‘The Magus’ who claims to serve ‘The Unity’, The Magus is definitely a Time Lord.

He’s on Earth for at least five years (1938-1943)

There’s a species that lives within the Earth called the Vril. They predate humanity and the Earth Reptiles.

We have yet to see his Rejuvenation as of FL2.

Christopher Baker

This Doctor has two kids, Cedric and Jilly. They seem to think the Doctor is slightly over 35 years old. They would be Thirty Five in 1975 so they were born in 1940.

The First Venus mission was returning to Earth in 1975, the third was underway by 1980.

The Doctor is well known for defeating the moon-men invasion as of 1975, building the Bot-u-tron robot and melting all the snow in Britain on Christmas 1974. The Doctor also helped repel the Magma Men in 1978, fought the Mighty Mole and “Hitler’s Robot”.

The Venusians were wiped out in a nuclear war, they had some form of Christianity

The British Government was performing time travelling Paleo-archaeology as of 1980. Piltdown Man is real… apparently.

By the time of his rejuvenation, Jilly now went by ‘Jill’ and was a teenager (adult by some standards). Cedric and Jilly seem to age 1:1 with their school friends on Earth. The year is between 1953 and 1955.

He picked up an infection of some kind from the Violet Moon of Bellerophon. Jill and Cedric got over it but the Doctor did not, and it eventually resulted in his renewal.

The Doctor at some point lived through World War I due to being stuck on Earth for 20 years, it is loosely implied to have been this incarnation due to the statement about him becoming human and falling in love with Joan Redfern in FL1, and prior to Cedric and Jilly’s births.

After letting Jill and Cedric leave in ~1955, he lay back in a chair and renewed into his next incarnation.

Phillip Hinchcliffe

He picked up his first companion, Rue, very shortly after renewal, during his first adventure.

He’s working for the Order of the Spheres and seemingly has been doing so since before his most recent renewal. He came to Idrotha looking for one of them. He is being led to their bodies.

The Demons of Dog Street is set in 1956 at first. This is presumably intended to be his ‘contemporary’ time.

The Doctor tried to help a young lady called Nelly Rosethorne who absorbed an artefact from a dead member of the Order of the Spheres, only for Nelly to become ‘The Witch of the White House’ with whom he would eventually later scuffle with, resulting in his rejuvenation.

He’s the incarnation who married Patience according to Cold Fusion.

We have yet to actually see the event of his renewal, but we know he ‘met a premature end’ suggesting he's the shortest lived of the Morbii.

Douglas Camfield

His early life was coloured by Space War II between two major powers that the Time Lords seemed to be loosely involved in. Space War II was very technically a Time War due to one of the opponents use of Time Travel tech.

This Doctor is willing to make people disappear, he does so to a cabal of war criminals from Space War II.

He says that the destruction of Dattany City is sixteen years in the relative past and claims its ‘Not much different for him’.

The Vidocs are a time sensitive species with wings, researching time travel. The Time Lords seem threatened by them and are trying to prevent them from engineering a star for time travel. They are in communication with a time active species called the Mey.

The Camfield Doctor is actively working for a sect of the Time Lord government to, among other things, prevent races from having both the intent and means to alter history.

The Time Lords have leverage over his Gallifreyan Family, who are later killed in Cold Fusion.

Dattany is 147 by Trail of a Time Lord, she joined the Doctor when she was a lot younger. She’d met Patience and the Doctor’s children. The Doctor’s eldest son could regenerate.

The Doctor gets out of trial from the Time Lords for hunting down the cabal by proving Space War II was a Time War. But he is convicted of consorted with aliens due to bringing Dattany to the Homeworld. He is executed as a result of this.

Graeme Harper

This Doctor is only referred to by they/them. They have a psychic beard and have at some point masqueraded as Martin Jurgens, an Earth Adjudicator whom the Roger Delgado Master would steal the credentials of.

The Captain is a conventional superhero, they claim that ‘One hundred and twenty years’ doesn’t look as good on them as it does on the Doctor, implying this incarnation is also at least one hundred and twenty by the events of Valhalla Must Fall! Which is considered ‘early days’ in the conflict.

The Doctor and the Captain were in battle with a species called the Outsiders, who were immortal and tried to take over the Universe in order to feel something. By the time the Doctor met with a dying Nimh, they had convinced the Outsiders to never become immortal in the first place.

This Doctor promised Death a week of servitude, but never said when and never returned to play that out. Possible link to Master (Where he makes a new deal with Death to make the Master Death’s Champion)

The Usher runs the Fountain Theatre, it is ‘on the same street’ as the Celestial Toyroom run by the Toymaker, the Usher uses it to link the Doctor to an early event from shortly after Event One.

The Doctor tells a story that, in the ancient past, under the influence of ‘A madman’ the people of Gallifrey split into two civilisations. Each comparing themselves to the other. The Doctor and another from the other civilisation, Hazel, devised a plan to switch places and disguise themselves, forgetting their true natures for a while. Upon remembering the two were able to use their positions to broker peace between the two sides. The two now have tattoos that prevent them from infiltrating or being unknowingly mind altered again.

He reacted in shock and worry when told 'The Other' was here

We do not see this Doctor’s renewal as of FL2.

Robert Holmes

Coming to a deal with the powers that be this incarnation was given the ability to travel the Universe in exchange for fulfilling his duty to the homeworld, though that deal has grown stricter over time and he has grown to resent the situation.

Early in his life he suffered an injury as a result of a failed mission for the Time Lords, that results in him walking with a cane.

He’s indirectly responsible for the creation of the Krotons, Sontarans, Autons, Drashig and Kroll.

The TARDIS is described as ‘bluer and boxier’ than it was under the Hinchcliffe Doctor.

The Doctor is told to ‘swing by in a hundred years’ though we never know if he does or not or in what incarnation if he does.

He has had fifty different handlers by the time of his rejuvenation.

He was shot and killed by an immortal during a confrontation. A Gallifreyan, Mountweazel, sacrificed themselves to trigger his renewal.

George Gallaccio

He experienced amnesia after his previous traumatic rejuvenation for most of his first story.

In 1970 there was a meteor storm that supposedly changed the course of human development. This was actually an arrival of the Nestene Consciousness and this incarnation gets embroiled in a brief adventure where he faces the Nestenes.

This incarnation was ejected from the TARDIS when it was taken over by an entity called the Nomad, resulting in a fatal injury that would lead to his inevitable renewal.

The TARDIS took a police box form in both his first and final adventures.

He believes he fused with the Nomad prior to his rejuvenation but that was in fact untrue.

Bonus – Retrogenesis

Timeline of the Kelda

Pre-Rome

The Kelda Stone arrives on Earth in what would become the village of Kellerston

1800s

The Squire tries to break up the Kelda Stone, but is stopped by the First Morbius Doctor, who partially awakens the Kelda in the stone.

1940s

The stone is taken from the village to the British Museum, the Second Morbius Doctor attempts to stop the Magus from awakening the Kelda. The Doctor learns the Kelda are a species, rather than a single being, as the Magus has had dealings with other Kelda whilst in service to the Unity.

The future

The Third Morbius Doctor first meets a living Kelda on a planet. By this point he knows the Kelda as a benevolent confederation who seed knowledge across the Universe to those that are ready for the privilege and hibernate on planets where they are not until they are ready. The Kelda are a form beyond the machine body which is implied by this Doctor to be the logical successor to the biological form as a species develops. The Doctor meets a Kelda named Aldorac.

The Distant Past

A Kelda has landed on a planet called Arkos/Orkos. This planet is very primitive, the Fourth Morbius Doctor is very confused by this. The Kelda reveals that this is their origin planet and it journeyed there from the far future, as a force from the future is aiming to change the Kelda timeline.

The Future again

The Kelda meet with their allotemporal counterparts, overseen by the Fifth Morbius Doctor. These counterparts are revealed to be the force from the future trying to interfere with their own history. Aldorac is part of the Kelda delegation. The peace deal is not completed, but the Kelda reveal they expected this and intended to negotiate with the Doctor, not their counterparts.

The Time Lords sign a deal to protect the Kelda Timeline.

The Distant Past Again

The Sixth Morbius Doctor Doctor abducts a child called Alylec, whom the Kelda’s opponents from the future are trying to kill.

The two factions of then planet, the Calendal and Zenithal are in an uneasy detente, both developing weapons of mass destruction capable of mutually assured destruction.

The Seventh Morbius Doctor causes a nuclear war that would lead to ‘the great separation’ that eventually leads to the creation of the Kelda as a species.

Alylec teaches the Zenithal survivors a peaceful way.

The Eighth Morbius Doctor surveys the planet, implying that the machinelike Calendal successors ‘Dals’ and humanoid Zenithal successors ‘Thals’ will eventually recombine to form the Kelda, but only if they’re kept apart and keep to their philosophies until they are ready.

The Eighth Morbius Doctor isomorphically locks the history of the Kelda, so no one but himself can ever interfere again, noting that “I’m hardly going to blunder in and undo all that hard work, now am I?”

The First Doctor arrives on Arkos, now ‘Skaro’ and accidentally causes the Dal survivors ‘Daleks’ to prematurely meet the ‘Thals’ and teaches the Thals a non-pacifist way of fighting back. This averts the Kelda timeline and instead creates the first Dalek Timeline.

[davisbette]

Old Acquaintance (1943)

— dir. Vincent Sherman

[autumncottageattic]

Old Acquaintance is a 1943 American drama film released by Warner Bros. 

The film was adapted from a screenplay by John Van Druten, Lenore Coffee and Edmund Goulding based on Van Druten's 1940 play of the same title.The film stars Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Gig Young, John Loder, Dolores Moran, Roscoe Karns and Anne Revere.

[girlactionfigure]

Kind German Widow: Johanna Eck

Took In Orphans

Johanna Eck was a German war widow who sheltered two young Jews in her home, putting her own life in grave danger to save them.

Johanna was born in Germany in 1888. Not much is known about her life. She was married to a man named Eck who died in the beginning years of World War II. Mr. Eck was a veteran of World War I,and  for decades after the war he kept in touch with his Jewish army buddy, Jakob Guttmann. In 1942, Jakob, his wife and their children were arrested by the Gestapo and deported to a concentration camp. Somehow Jakob’s young son Heinz managed to escape the Nazis’ clutches, but he had nowhere to go. Desperate he approached every non-Jew he knew, but they wouldn’t to put their own life at risk by harboring him. He lived on the street, desperately hungry and sleeping in doorways, digging through garbage to find something to to eat. Finally he remembered his father’s war buddy Eck. 

The boy found Mr. Eck’s home, and learned he’d passed away. But his widow Johanna welcomed him in and assured Heinz that she would take care of him and keep him safe. She shared her meager wartime food rations with him, and spent her days away from home, trying to rustle up additional ration cards from her large network of friends and acquaintances. In November 1943, an Allied air raid destroyed Johanna’s house, but fortunately she and Heinz were unharmed. Before she figured out where she was going to live, she first made sure to find a safe place for Heinz with one of her friends. 

Johanna was assigned a one room apartment, and Heinz moved back in with her. Soon another young Jew, Elfriede Gutmann (no relation), showed up at Johanna’s door and begged for help. The Gestapo had raided her house and arrested the entire family while she cowered terrified under the bed. She was deeply traumatized and had no place to go, and Johanna welcomed her into the small flat. On line at the bakery one day, they ran into Elfriede’s former classmate, Erika Hartmann, a non-Jew who wanted to help her old friend. Erika gave Elfriede her own papers confirming her Aryan identity, and when Erika’s house was destroyed in a raid, Johanna took advantage of the confusion to get Elfriede registered as her official lodger under the name Erika Hartmann.

Johanna kept Elfriede and young Heinz safe until the war ended. Tragically, Elfriede died of a sudden stomach ailment in June 1946, the night before she was set to emigrate to the United States. Johanna nursed the girl until her final breath. Elfriede left no survivors, and Johanna purchased a gravestone for her friend, on which she also inscribed the names of Elfriede’s parents and brother. 

Thankfully Heinz survived the war, and stayed in touch with the woman who’d saved his life. When asked why she helped Jews despite the danger, she responded “If a fellow human being is in distress and I can help him, then it becomes my duty and responsibility. Were I to refrain from doing so, then I would betray the task that life – or God – demands from me. Human beings – so it seems to me – make up a big unity; they strike themselves and all in the face when they do injustice to one another. These are my motives.”

Johanna was honored as Righteous Among the Nations by Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in 1973.

For taking in two young strangers and keeping them safe from Nazi storm troopers, we honor Johanna Eck as this week’s Thursday Hero.

[citizenscreen]

Jacqueline Bisset and Candice Bergen in RICH AND FAMOUS (1981), director George Cukor’s final picture. This is a loose remake of Vincent Sherman’s OLD ACQUAINTANCE (1943). While RICH AND FAMOUS doesn’t stand up to Sherman’s movie, I like it.

[cakane463]

🎄🎉🎊“There comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne.” Old Acquaintance” (1943). #BetteDavis & #MiriamHopkins🍾🥂🍾 #HappyNewYears

[byneddiedingo]

Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins in Old Acquaintance (Vincent Sherman, 1943) Cast: Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, John Loder, Gig Young, Dolores Moran, Phillip Reed, Roscoe Karnes, Anne Revere, Esther Dale. Screenplay: John Van Druten, Lenore J. Coffee, based on a play by John Van Druten. Cinematography: Sol Polito. Art direction: John Hughes. Film editing: Terry O. Morse. Music: Franz Waxman. One of those actress pairings that you can't help being drawn to, no matter the quality of the movie: Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins. Fortunately, the movie, Old Acquaintance, is pretty good. (So was their earlier teaming in 1939, in William Goulding's The Old Maid, during which they are said to have had off-screen battles.) It's a story of two childhood friends who both grow up to be successful novelists, though Davis's Kit Marlowe is a critical darling while Hopkins's Millie Drake is a commercial success. They also grow up orbiting the same man, Preston Drake (John Loder), though Millie is the one who marries him and has a daughter with him. Eventually, Millie and Preston split, and the daughter, Dede, grows up to be played by Dolores Moran, and wouldn't you know it, to take Kit's much younger lover, Rudd Kendall (Gig Young), away from her. The central fact of the relationship between Kit and Millie, however, is that they represent opposite temperaments: Kit is solid and cynical, while Millie is high-strung and manic. All of this makes for some entertaining scenes, which is all that's needed in a Bette Davis movie, or a Miriam Hopkins one, for that matter.