Author's Note: Prompt by Ralphlover2012.


N is for Nostalgia


There were nights when the sky was stormy and nearly all of the members of the Piston Peak Air Attack Team were deployed to fight fires…these types of nights were rare, but they did exist. And on nights like these Maru knew it was best to give Blade his space.

As the rain poured down from the heavens, Blade would often find himself driving down to the main hangar and pulling a few worn videotapes from the media shelf. None of the covers on the tape match the contents inside. He knew that this was because his crew thought they were being sneaky…what they failed to realize was it was awfully hard to hide things when Avalanche practically broadcasted what they were doing to the heavens every time the dozer opened his mouth.

Allowing his eyes to scan across titles he let memories wash over him. Even after all of these years, he could still remember the scene blocking, he could feel his lines on the tip of his tough…and if he held his breath, he could imagine for just a little bit that he wasn't alone. That a comfortable presence was practically pressed against his side, scarfing down donuts while Blade tried to prepare for their next scene.

But then he would open his eyes again, and instead of Nick's smirking face, he would be met by the hulking darkness of the main hangar and droning patter of the rain on the metal roof. It took everything that Blade had not to break down in those moments. To open up just like the clouds above him and let his tears pour out. But he would breathe, pick one of the tapes, and just remember.

When morning once again came and the sun came peeking through the drizzle, Blade would still be looking red-eyed at the blank screen when Maru and Patch finally rolled in for their coffee. The two tugs would quietly start putting together breakfast giving Blade enough time to collect himself and rejoin the land of the present.

It was an unspoken rule that no one would ever mention the events of the previous evening...that they would pretend that Blade was unaware of the contents of the tape hiding in the 'Howard the Truck' cover…that he was blind to the fact that the members of base often gathered to watch CHoPs in the main hangar. They would pretend that Blade didn't know because Patch and Maru knew it was better this way. Better for Blade to face his memories on his own terms, to explore his nostalgia with no audience, then roll out into the sunlight without having to carry the baggage of the past.


End Note: So what are your prompt suggestions for O?