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thesewordsareallihavetogive · 3 years ago

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ch. 3: A Safe Place to Land - Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x nurse!reader

Summary: 5k words. After an unexpected breakup with her long-term boyfriend, y/n had one goal: to keep her head down and finish her travel nursing contract as soon as possible. That was until Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw derailed her plan entirely. Just as y/n finished picking up the pieces of her broken heart, Rooster came along and showed y/n what it’s like to be loved again–if only she’ll let him in.

Warnings: so much is going on, buckle up y’all. descriptions of injury, medical situations, references to a shitty ex, fluffy domestic tingz, references to ~s*xual activities~ (but no actual smut), alcohol mention, violence/assault mention, guys being dudes, & cursing

a/n: hi hi hi!! once again–thank you guys so much for the feedback & support! i love hearing what you have to say & i’m so glad you’re enjoying this series with me 🥰 i took total creative liberty w developing coyote’s character in this chapter ngl. this man did not get enough screen time so i may or may not have modeled his personality after his wonderful actor, greg tarzan davis (beloved). sorry not sorry. enjoy y’all!

series master list | master list

The front desk staff at the base emergency room became pretty familiar with a certain lieutenant over the next few weeks. Rooster made a habit of dropping by the ER after trainings a couple times a week when he knew y/n was on shift. On the third time he came in in less than two weeks, the triage receptionist rolled her eyes.

“Let me guess, Bradshaw for nurse y/n?”

“Yes ma’am,” the pilot grinned widely.

y/n was almost always busy and had her hands full with patients, but she always made time for Bradley.

“What is it this time, Rooster?” y/n asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“I got a paper cut while passing out training schedules to the new students,” he groaned. His puppy dog face was pathetic and y/n was so glad he was never in a position where he’d have to lie for this job. He was a terrible liar.

y/n rolled her eyes and playfully swatted his arm with her clipboard. The butterflies awoke again at the thought that Rooster went out of his way just to see her. She was careful not to be too unprofessional at work, but she couldn’t help but walk the line with Rooster.

y/n was certain Bradley started stubbing his toes on purpose in the hanger so he’d have an excuse to come in. After the second time she refused to make sure his big toe was okay, she banned him from visiting for inconsequential injuries. That didn’t mean he stopped visiting altogether though.

On Rooster’s days off or the rare occasion he had a longer lunch break, he met y/n during her break. His favorite part about visiting her at the ER was the stolen kisses they shared behind the cover of vending machines.

The random visits weren’t one-sided. y/n suddenly took an interest in exploring the unrestricted zones on base and was ‘surprised’ when she bumped into her favorite aviator. There were downsides to venturing outside of the hospital while on base though. After the third time y/n got a glimpse of her ex from afar, she told Rooster she’d rather hang out at either of their houses rather than walk around base together. She didn’t tell him exactly why, but the aviator wasn’t blind. Bradley saw the way she tensed when a specific aircraft carrier team was in the vicinity and it bothered him that y/n’s ex still managed to get under her skin.

On the other hand, Rooster couldn’t complain too much. The trade-off meant that he and y/n spent far more time together off base, where they could both let loose. In the comfort of each other's homes, they didn’t have to stifle laughter or sneak kisses–which might’ve been Rooster’s favorite part of the arrangement.

For the first time in a long time, Rooster looked forward to going home. He was so used to sitting in silence by himself, nursing a beer while a baseball game droned on in the background. Now, his nights were often filled with dumb jokes, dancing in the kitchen, and having y/n sleep over at his house.

Rooster even passed on going out with the squadron to The Hard Deck a few times with the promise of spending his nights with y/n.

“Rooster, if you’re going to ditch us for a girl, you could at least introduce her to us,” Fanboy complained after Rooster declined a second invitation to The Hard Deck in less than two weeks.

“Maybe I will,” Rooster smiled, clapping his friend on the back before leaving the base.

It was totally an accident. Coyote was talking to an aviator from a different squadron between the F/A 18Fs that were parked just off the taxiway. He didn’t realize the particular jet he was closest to had been flown very recently, so when he casually rested his arm on one of the rear engines he was unpleasantly surprised by the burning sensation searing his arm.

That’s how Coyote found himself in the emergency room with a spunky nurse tending to his wound. He winced as she assisted him in running his arm under cool water. After gently patting his wound dry, she cleaned her own hands again. The nurse reviewed Coyote’s chart and led him back to the exam table to bandage his arm.

“You fighter pilots are so clumsy,” y/n chastised as she pulled out burn ointment and bandage supplies. She mostly said it for her own amusement, but Coyote gladly took it as bait and ran with it.

“Oh yeah? Who else do you know that can burn themselves on a jet engine?” Coyote teased, puffing out his chest. y/n snorted and focused her attention back on the aviator’s wound.

“I��m afraid that’s confidential patient information, Lieutenant Machado.” Between the painkillers Coyote took on his way to the hospital and y/n’s gentle touch, the ointment spread over his wound didn’t hurt nearly as much as he thought it would.

“Lieutenant Machado?” Coyote tsked at y/n’s use of his official title. “Miss me with that formal shit, homegirl. Call me Coyote,” he grinned, waving his eyebrows with a mischievous glint in his eyes. This time around, y/n was able to piece together by herself that Coyote was her patient’s call sign. With a raised eyebrow she met the pilot’s eyes once she finished securing his bandage.

“Homegirl, huh?” The interaction was rather amusing to y/n, especially since Coyote wasn’t trying to make a move on her like all her other patients did. All of their lewd comments fell on deaf ears, especially after y/n met Bradley.

“Yes ma’am,” Coyote said with a friendly smile. y/n rolled her eyes playfully but returned the smile with one of her own before reciting aftercare instructions. When she left Coyote at the discharge desk, she had a moment to breathe in between patients. She checked her phone and saw a text from Bradley.

5:01 p.m. How does dinner and a movie at my place tonight sound? I’ll cook :) - Rooster 🐓

5:33 p.m. That sounds great! I’ll make sure the fire department is on stand-by - y/n

5:34 p.m. Haha, very funny. - Rooster 🐓

y/n smiled to herself and pocketed her phone as she made her way towards her next patient’s room. The prospect of spending the evening with Rooster after a 12-hour shift was enough to power her through the final 2 hours.

After a brief stop home to shower and change out of her scrubs, y/n showed up at Rooster’s door with a six-pack of their favorite beer. When Bradley opened the door, y/n was greeted with a sheepish smile and a burning smell wafting out from the kitchen. y/n gave him a pointed look before she handed over the beer and stood on her tiptoes to give him a peck on the lips.

While Rooster placed the beers in the fridge, y/n glanced around the kitchen. She noted the smoky aroma and recently dismantled fire alarm, but most of all, the charred remnants of something in a casserole dish sitting on the stove caught her attention. Rooster quietly watched y/n take in the surroundings and scratched the back of his neck nervously.

“‘Good with my hands’, my ass,” y/n teased, giving the aviator the side-eye. Bradley’s nerves were suddenly gone and a mischievous grin spread across his face as he moved to stand right in front of y/n.

“Baby, you know first hand that I’m very good with my hands,” Rooster’s grin spread wider across his face while he looked down at y/n, towering over her. y/n concealed a heavy swallow–Rooster’s comment reminded her of some fun memories they made the other night.

“Hush, Bradley,” y/n said and swatted his chest. The pink tinge on y/n’s cheeks was enough of a victory for Bradley.

The pair flitted around the kitchen and worked on resolving their dinner, or lack thereof, issue. Rooster opened the window and turned on the ceiling fan before working on repairing the fire alarm. The tall bastard hardly needed a step stool to reach it. y/n took it upon herself to call in a Chinese take-out order.

“Get me some shrimp lo mein, please. And some spring rolls. And some General Tso’s chicken,” Rooster requested, focused intently on the tiny screws holding up the fire alarm.

“Are we feeding the Navy or just you, Brad?” y/n teased. Rooster rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at y/n.

An old ‘80s album played in the background and a candle that y/n was 90% sure was left by the last tenant burned as the pair debated which movie they should watch. Their discussion about whether or not Shrek 2 was an appropriate date night film was tabled when the doorbell rang. Rooster beat y/n to the door and handed the deliveryman cash before y/n could pull out her wallet. Chivalrous asshole.

They settled on watching Ferris Bueller's Day Off after eating. Halfway into the movie, y/n fell asleep with her head on Rooster’s shoulder. He didn’t mind at all, of course; after y/n worked two 12-hour days in a row, Rooster was surprised she agreed to come over in the first place. By the end of the movie, y/n was completely cuddled against Bradley’s side, with her legs tucked against his and her arm draped over his abdomen.

Rooster smiled softly and gently traced invisible patterns on y/n’s exposed skin. Though they’d kissed and held hands countless times, physical intimacy was hard for y/n. She was still guarded in some ways after her breakup–hesitance to cuddle was unfortunately one of those ways. The pair had only cuddled a few times in their six weeks of seeing each other, all of which occurred after hooking up.

Bradley sat on the couch with y/n against him long after the movie ended, simply content to have her by his side. With y/n in his arms, his house felt like a home. Being in the Navy meant that Rooster always had something to die for. Now? He had something to live for. That realization scared the shit out of him.

Rooster cursed the hands on the analog clock as the time ticked closer to midnight. The gentle rise and fall of y/n’s chest brought him a peace he hadn’t felt in years. Freezing time to stay on the couch with y/n by his side sounded like a pretty good idea to Bradley at that moment.

But, the lieutenant had an early morning training session ahead of him. From past experience after nights out partying, Rooster knew that if he wasn’t asleep sooner rather than later, his 6:00 a.m. alarm would be especially brutal. With a resigned sigh, Rooster moved to wake y/n up. Softly rubbing her shoulder didn’t seem to be doing the trick, so he resorted to planting gentle kisses on her forehead instead. Once y/n’s eyes fluttered open and she let out a groan in protest, Rooster knew she was awake enough.

“Honey, I gotta get you home. We both have work in the morning,” Rooster whispered with a bittersweet smile as he watched y/n stretch her arms and rub the sleep from her eyes.

“Roos…” y/n whined and flopped her head back against the couch. Despite having washboard abs and rock-hard muscles, Bradley made a damn good pillow. Hearing y/n near moan her new nickname for him did things to Rooster. His willpower was weakening by the minute.

y/n stood from the couch with a huff and gathered her things. She slung her purse over one shoulder and held one of Rooster’s hoodies that she claimed after a midnight tryst in Rooster’s bronco. She was halfway to the front door before she noticed Rooster was behind her.

“Why are you following me, hot shot? You have training tomorrow morning,” y/n yawned around her words and gently punched his bicep for emphasis. Rooster took her fist and kissed the back of it, before entwining their fingers together.

“I’m driving you home,” he said, as if it was obvious. y/n’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She drove herself to Rooster’s house, she didn’t see any reason that she wouldn’t be able to drive herself home. Bradley playfully rolled his eyes as he watched the metaphorical cogs spinning behind y/n’s tired eyes. She was stubborn as hell, but that was one of the things he liked about her.

“You can hardly keep your eyes open and are yawning every 10 seconds. I’m not letting you drive like that,” the pilot said firmly, though his tone was tender. y/n would’ve typically taken that as a challenge, but before she could argue back Rooster cut her off.

“Or, you could just spend the night here,” he suggested, waving his eyebrows with a grin.

“Ha, nice try, Bradshaw,” y/n snorted but accepted the ride. He was right about her being on the verge of falling asleep standing up, but she wasn’t going to admit defeat that easily.

Rooster followed y/n out to the driveway and opened the passenger door for her. “What a gentleman,” she cooed and accepted his steadying hand as she climbed up into the vehicle. y/n nearly fell asleep again in the short ride to her house. Bradley pulled y/n from her sleepy haze by gently rubbing his thumb along her inner thigh–his hand had been resting there during the entire drive and his resolve was growing impossibly thin.

“What time do you want me to pick you up in the morning?” Rooster asked and cleared his throat. Sleep was starting to pull at his tired eyelids too. y/n shot him a quizzical look and muttered a soft “huh?” in between yawns.

“For work tomorrow morning. I’m leaving you stranded without a car, so the least I can do is give you a ride to the hospital,” Rooster spoke lowly and squeezed y/n’s hand. Maybe it was her tired brain fog or the way y/n got caught up in Bradley’s moonlight-illuminated features that caused her to pause and simply stare at the man before her. The ridiculously handsome, intelligent, funny, but most of all kind and considerate man before her.

y/n leaned forward wordlessly and delivered a tender kiss on Bradley’s lips. Unlike the passionate kisses they shared during their trips to the beach or in secrecy at work, this kiss was sweet and slow and perfect.

“I’ll see you at 6:40, lieutenant,” y/n whispered against Rooster’s lips once she pulled away. y/n left him with a final peck and a soft “goodnight, Roos,” before sliding out of the car. Bradley sat in the driveway for a few minutes until he was sure y/n made it inside okay before heading back towards his own house. Sleep came easy that night for both of them, especially with the promise of seeing each other again in the morning.

Sure enough, Rooster showed up at y/n’s front door at 6:40 a.m. the following morning with two hot coffees in hand.

The Hard Deck was just as lively as y/n remembered it being when she and Rooster entered with their hands intertwined. Oldies music pumped out from the vintage jukebox, making the bar feel like a walk-in time capsule. y/n might’ve actually believed she was right back in the ‘80s if it weren’t for the significant portion of female sailors and pilots in the bar.

Penny smiled from across the bar to Rooster and y/n. She was busy tending to the patrons–especially since Pete “Maverick” Mitchell had her attention–but always made a point to greet Rooster, and now y/n too. His visits to The Hard Deck had become less frequent over the past two months and Penny saw that he had a pretty good reason why.

y/n and Rooster waded through the crowded bar towards a pool table in the back corner. It was hidden behind the countless energetic bodies packed into the bar, but Rooster was sure he could find it if he were blindfolded with how many times he’s hung around it over the years. When people got too close to y/n for Rooster’s comfort, he let go of her hand and wrapped an arm around her waist instead, pulling her closer to his body. She could hold her own, he knew that, but he still felt protective.

Bradley was nervous about bringing y/n to meet his friends. He liked hanging out with them, but they weren’t always conscious of boundaries and were relentlessly nosy. To top it all off, he and y/n still hadn’t put any kind of label on their relationship yet. He was sure their lack of title would draw up its own line of questioning from the aviators.

“We can go if you want,” Rooster spoke against y/n’s ear to be heard over the rowdy crowd. He warned her on the drive over that his friends might be a little overbearing, but she laughed and brushed it off.

“Brad, I’ll be fine,” y/n reassured him for the second time that night. When the pool table and the pilots around it finally came into view, y/n smiled at the sight of a familiar lieutenant.

“Homegirl!” Coyote shouted, drawing the attention of those around him. y/n waved in greeting, amused by Coyote’s especially enthusiastic nature after he had a couple drinks.

“You two know each other?” Rooster asked, confused. y/n’s lips were sealed when she looked up at Rooster. The pair was pretty good at reading each other’s faces–sneaking around the hospital and base hallways made sure of that–so he had a feeling that y/n wasn’t at liberty to tell Rooster exactly how she knew Coyote. His feeling was proved right when Javy loudly told everyone how y/n treated his burn wound in the ER last week.

While Payback, Hangman, and Fanboy busted Coyote’s chops for the umpteenth time for burning himself on a jet engine, y/n gladly accepted the bar stool Phoenix offered to her. The nurse knew some of the group’s call signs from the stories Rooster shared, but she couldn’t attach names to faces yet. Phoenix, however, was a pretty easy guess considering she was the only other woman sitting with the group of Navy men. Brave girl.

When the boys were finished making fun of Coyote, Rooster introduced y/n to the group. He started with Phoenix and Bob, moved onto Fanboy, Payback, and Coyote, then reluctantly finished with Hangman.

“So, Rooter has a hen?” Hangman said with a cocky smile. The man oozed confidence, which was pretty typical of the Navy men y/n met while working at the base hospital. His smirk was mischievous, maybe even flirty, but y/n saw right through him and read him like a book. Rooster smirked to himself as he watched y/n politely smile. She was totally psychoanalyzing the bastard.

The night went smoothly, especially after y/n and Rooster both had a beer or two in them to loosen up. The laughs were loud and their smiles were wide as the aviators shared stories from their various deployments and missions–the details that weren’t classified, anyway. Eventually, the conversation devolved into a pissing contest about who could do the trickiest in-air maneuvers, who completed the most precarious missions, and who was the best aviator. y/n was biased, of course, so she sat back and watched with a smile as the pilots debated animatedly.

When there was a lull in the conversation, Bob spoke up, much to everyone’s surprise. Bob told y/n in between conversations earlier that his sister was a nurse and they briefly discussed their common ground before they were pulled in opposite directions.

“I bet y/n probably has more hand-to-hand combat experience than all of us combined,” Bob joked in response to the recent discussion about which pilot was a better fighter. y/n let out a chuckle before clinking her beer bottle against Bob’s with a knowing glint in her eye.

“What does he mean by that, homegirl?” Coyote was the first to speak up once the group of aviators focused their attention on y/n. They were a little lost, not quite sure what to make of Bob’s comment. y/n sighed and took a swig of beer, managing to keep a soft smile on her face through her next words.

“I’ve been working in hospitals for about eight years now, so I’ve had my fair share of aggressive patients,” y/n answered simply with a shrug. She subconsciously pulled a piece of hair from behind her ear to cover a scar she’d received from a particularly violent patient. Bradley watched y/n intently through the whole exchange and his heart ached when he noticed the small faded scar.

Rooster’s jaw clenched when he thought about anyone putting their hands on y/n, especially the patients she cared for. Despite the simmering rage brewing inside him, the aviator’s touch was gentle as he rubbed soothing circles on y/n’s hip where his hand had been resting. When Rooster looked at her again, seemingly lost in his thoughts, y/n squeezed his hand under the table and sent him a reassuring smile.

The group of aviators knew their jobs were dangerous–the understanding that each time they took off into the air might be their last served as motivation to push harder and take risks. The possibility of life-threatening injuries and death were simply an occupational hazard. The decorated pilots were so immersed in their own line of work that they often forgot about what work looked like for people on the ground, much less civilians. y/n sitting in front of them casually mentioning she’d been assaulted on more than one occasion while at work was almost humbling for them.

After a brief moment of silence, Fanboy realized the group of aviators hadn’t really shut up about themselves the entire night, so he asked y/n more about her work. The nurse absolutely lit up at the opportunity to talk about her job. Sure, she had some not-so-pleasant experiences while on the clock, but the good outweighed the bad by far. y/n went on animatedly about how she got into nursing, the different units she worked in over the years, and how she decided the ER was where she belonged. y/n didn’t have quite the travel stories that the naval aviators did, but she did have an impressive travel nursing resume–13 cities in the span of 4 years, to be exact.

y/n also treated them to some of her grossest case stories. The grimaces and groans from the macho pilots made her laugh and only spurred her on further. When she was certain her face might crack in two from smiling and laughing at their disgusted reactions, Hangman changed the subject. The blonde aviator hoped to spare himself from another horrifying open fracture or maggot-infested wound story. He did get a kick out of the baby-mama-drama stories though.

“I think y/n deserves a call sign,” Hangman grinned. He was slightly buzzed at this point, but fully cognizant of his words. y/n barely finished her half-assed protest about it not being necessary before Phoenix piped up with a name idea.

“How about ‘Patches’, since she’s always fixing you bozos up,” Phoenix said, shooting pointed looks to Rooster and Coyote in particular. The two of them grinned while the group mulled over the nickname. Nothing better came up, so Patches it was.

“Doesn’t Patches sound like a cat’s name?” y/n wrinkled her nose as she pondered the name. She wasn’t strongly opposed to it, per se, but it was definitely… unique.

“Maybe, but you’re stuck with it now, babe,” Rooster said, pressing a kiss to y/n’s forehead.

Conversation flowed easily within the squadron. It was more like a chaotic overlapping of two or more discussions at a time, but y/n appreciated it nonetheless. She had moved around quite a bit in the past several years, so it was tough to make friends, much less keep up with a large group. Rooster relished how y/n relaxed into his side and leaned her head against his shoulder. PDA was tough for her given her rocky romantic history and guardedness, so his heart swelled at the small gesture.

Unfortunately, the peace only lasted for so long. A few of the aviators clocked a burning stare being sent their way from across the bar.

“Why is Captain Richards staring at us?” Payback asked with all the discreteness a tipsy Navy man could muster. Most of the squadron didn’t know who the higher ranking officer was personally, but there were murmurs around the base of the decorated Captain and how he ran a tight ship—literally. After all, the only thing that spreads faster than STDs in the barracks was rumors.

A few of the aviators did know Ethan Richards from their abundant time spent on aircraft carriers, much to y/n’s chagrin. She glanced over her shoulder and visibly stiffened when her eyes locked with her ex’s. The bastard had the audacity to smirk at y/n. Something about Ethan’s nonchalance and cockiness lit a fire under y/n’s ass. She was tired of covering for him. She owed him nothing.

“-because he’s an ass.”

“-because he’s my ex.” Rooster and y/n answered at the same time. Bradley sounded agitated, but it didn’t spread to his face. For a terrible liar, he had a decent poker face. y/n on the other hand answered with a flat tone but smirked at Rooster’s remark.

Payback and Phoenix both choked on their beers and the rest of the group dropped their jaws in shock. Hangman was impressed, judging by the smirk that spread across his face. He took a break from toying with the toothpick between his lips to mutter “Damn, Patches.”

Rooster’s hardened face and y/n’s annoyed look wordlessly let the squadron know that it was in their best interest not to ask any questions. y/n thought she’d be bothered or upset when she saw Ethan for the first time in almost a month, but she felt oddly grounded. She suspected her confidence was sourced from the brooding aviator next to her. Rooster put on a tough guy act—hell, it was second nature to him now after all his time in the navy—but y/n was slowly learning how he ticked. Over time, she figured out that he was just an extremely guarded and protective teddy bear. Her teddy bear.

Rooster and y/n took a break from drinking at the table top and moved towards the squadron’s long abandoned game of pool. y/n told Bradley she didn’t know how to play when he handed her a cue stick; whether or not that was true was beside the point when Rooster moved behind her and started ‘teaching’ her. y/n couldn’t remember whose benefit her white lie was for once Bradley’s chest was pressed against her back and they leaned over the pool table, but she couldn’t have cared less. He helped her line up a perfect shot and sure enough, she hit a three-in-one.

Goosebumps erupted on y/n’s neck when Bradley whispered pointers and tips into her ear throughout the game, his breath hot on her neck. y/n shivered and looked up to see Rooster grinning. The bastard knew exactly the effect he had on y/n. Later on in the game, it became very apparent that y/n bluffed about her lack of pool skills. The game was fair, but y/n was mopping the floor with Rooster, especially after he showed her his tricks.

An excruciating hour of pining, not-so-innocent touching, and innuendos passed while Bradley sobered up to drive y/n home. His fellow aviators left the bar one by one during the pool game, each one making sure to say goodbye to y/n before they left. Hangman even managed to pull y/n into a side hug, not that she minded. The wink and devious grin Jake sent Rooster’s way earned him a subtle jab to the ribs from y/n. Oops.

After three games, Rooster and y/n had worn themselves out and were ready to leave. When y/n looked back towards the spot she’d seen Ethan before, he was nowhere to be found—just how she liked him. By the end of the night, y/n beat Bradley 2 to 1 in their unofficial pool tournament. Rooster tried to tease y/n by saying he let her win, but she wasn’t having it.

“Take that back, Bradshaw!” y/n lightly shoved Rooster’s arm, her jaw dropped in offense.

“Okay, okay, damn! You won fair and square, Patches.”

y/n paused to think as they walked towards Rooster’s bronco in the parking lot.

“Patches totally sounds like a cat name,” y/n decided with a pout. Rooster led them towards the parked car with y/n’s hand in his own.

“I think it’s perfect for you. Since you’re cuddly. But also sometimes a bit of an assho-“

“Rooster!” y/n exclaimed, on the verge of delivering another swat to his arm.

“I’m kidding, baby. I like the call sign, but I like you even more,” Bradley stopped them in the middle of the parking lot to wrap his arms around y/n’s waist and press a kiss to her lips. y/n hummed contentedly and gave up the argument.

“We can’t tell anyone about this conversation. It’ll fuck up my scary ER nurse reputation,” y/n stated, sticking out her pinky for Rooster to wrap his own around.

“Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise.”

a/n: it's my AU and i'll do what i want to (to the tune of Lesley Gore's "It's My Party"

lmk what y'all think!! xx

#rooster x reader #bradley bradshaw x reader #top gun: maverick #bradley bradshaw #nurse!reader #rooster x y/n #bradley bradshaw x y/n #a safe place to land #tw: alcohol mention #tw: description of injury #tw: medical situation #tw: violence mention #tw: assault mention

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thesewordsareallihavetogive · 2 years ago

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ch. 3: A Safe Place to Land - Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x nurse!reader

series master list | master list

“Let me guess, Bradshaw for nurse y/n?”

“Yes ma’am,” the pilot grinned widely.

y/n was almost always busy and had her hands full with patients, but she always made time for Bradley.

“What is it this time, Rooster?” y/n asked with a quirked eyebrow.

Rooster even passed on going out with the squadron to The Hard Deck a few times with the promise of spending his nights with y/n.

“Rooster, if you’re going to ditch us for a girl, you could at least introduce her to us,” Fanboy complained after Rooster declined a second invitation to The Hard Deck in less than two weeks.

“Maybe I will,” Rooster smiled, clapping his friend on the back before leaving the base.

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240 notes - Posted July 26, 2022

ch. 1: A Safe Place to Land - Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x nurse!reader

Summary: 3.7k words. After an unexpected break-up with her long term boyfriend, y/n had one goal: to keep her head down and finish her travel nursing contract as soon as possible. That was until Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw derailed her plan entirely. Just as y/n finished picking up the pieces of her broken heart, Rooster came along and showed y/n what it’s like to be loved again–if only she’ll let him in.

Warnings: descriptions of injury, medical situations, cursing, alcohol mentions, cheating (previous relationship), very self-indulgent for yours truly

a/n: hi y'all! this idea has been bouncing around in the back of my mind (read: it lives rent free in my head & i constantly fantasize ab it) for almost a month now & i'm finally ready to start sharing it whoop whoop :) i hope you enjoy, please lmk what you think!

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Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw had gone three months without winding up in the hospital since returning from the mission that originally called him back to Top Gun. Three whirlwind months in which he’d finally been able to plant some roots after making the Top Gun base his home base—or really, as much of a home as a naval aviator could find. He was constantly being called away for missions all over the world, but for once he had some place to call home.

In the past few months, he’d defied death more often than not and pushed himself to his limits, things that could’ve led him to crash and burn right into a hospital bed. So what was it that brought him back to the hospital?

Routine F18 maintenance.

The irony of it all wasn’t lost on Bradley as he waited in an ER exam room at the on-base hospital. The bleeding from the deep gash on his arm had mostly stopped, but there was no doubt that he needed stitches. The gauze from the poorly stocked first aid kit in the hanger he’d been working in wouldn’t be sufficing for much longer, so he hoped someone would be in to stitch him up soon.

His prayers were answered by a short y/h/c nurse knocking on the exam room door before she entered. The woman immediately drew Rooster in, the attraction was practically magnetic. Carole Bradshaw raised her son to be a gentleman, but he couldn’t help the way his eyes trailed up and down the stranger’s body as he checked her out. Maybe it was the way the fluorescent hospital lighting highlighted her features and gave her a natural glow, something Rooster thought would be impossible given the clinical coldness of the room’s fixtures. More likely, it was the way she carried herself. Tough but soft, friendly but guarded, hardy but not hardened.

“Bradley Bradshaw?” she asked rhetorically as she took in the man. Even though he was sitting, she could tell he was tall. His khaki uniform did little to cover the way his golden tan skin stretched over his large biceps. “My name is y/n. I’ll be your nurse today,” she introduced herself as she pulled medical supplies out of a closet.

“Rooster,” he corrected with a smirk.

“What?” her brow furrowed and she paused to look at the Navy man.

“My call sign is Rooster,” he said proudly. The characteristic naval aviator confidence oozed off of the man; y/n had seen this attitude countless times before, but Bradley made it look sexy. She hummed lightly as she approached his bedside to place gauze and isopropyl alcohol she had retrieved down.

“Ahh, Navy lingo,” she said simply. Rooster let out a confused chuckle.

“You say that like you’re not serving as well.” y/n looked over her shoulder from the sink where she was watching her hands.

“I’m not, actually. Civilian travel nurse contract,” she clarified as she walked towards Bradley once again.

“How’d you end up here, then?” Rooster winced at the sting of the antiseptic on his open wound. y/n let out a humorless laugh.

“That’s a long story.”

“I’ve got a little bit of time, sweetheart.” y/n rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach from the pet name. y/n was a professional, but she’d have to be blind to not notice how attractive Rooster was.

“It’s not a story I can tell sober either,” her eyes briefly met his before her focus returned to cleaning his wound.

Rooster was never one to be shy or nervous around women, much less one he just met, but he found himself needing a mental pep talk before he spoke again.

“Let me buy you a drink then,” his cocky grin and the aviator sunglasses perched on his nose gave him the illusion of confidence he typically felt. y/n loud out a laugh. It wasn’t from a place of malice, but more shock than anything else. This Greek God of a man wanted to buy her a drink??

Nevertheless, y/n had a reputation to uphold. While this by far wasn’t the first drink offer she’d turned down from a patient, it was the one she wished she would’ve taken the most. If she had met him anywhere else, she would’ve said yes in a heartbeat. A little flirting was harmless though.

“Mm mm, you’re gonna have to try harder than that, Bradshaw.”

Rooster lifted a hand to his chest, feigning as though he'd been wounded, only breaking character once he felt the sting of alcohol again.

“We’re back to Brashaw already? Damn, you’re tough to crack,” y/n tried to hide the amused smirk on her face, but Rooster caught it before it disappeared. A short-lived comfortable silence fell between the two as y/n worked on cleaning Rooster’s wound.

“For a highly trained fighter pilot, you sure are clumsy,” y/n teased, referring to the wound he received while working on his jet. A smug smirk of her own graced her face as she began disposing of the gauze and materials she used to clean Rooster’s wound.

“I’m very good with my hands, I was just off my game today,” Rooster replied without missing a beat. y/n didn’t miss the innuendo in his comment and she found herself blushing uncontrollably. The flush on her cheeks was confirmation enough to Rooster that he’d gotten through to her. y/n cleared her throat before addressing the aviator again.

“The doctor will be in to stitch you up shortly, they’ll give you aftercare instructions and let you know when you need to come back to have the stitches removed,” y/n explained, resuming her professional demeanor.

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451 notes - Posted July 19, 2022

A Safe Place to Land - Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x nurse!reader

After an unexpected breakup with her long-term boyfriend, y/n had one goal: to keep her head down and finish her travel nursing contract as soon as possible. That was until Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw derailed her plan entirely. Just as y/n finished picking up the pieces of her broken heart, Rooster came along and showed y/n what it’s like to be loved again–if only she’ll let him in.

chapter 1

chapter 2

chapter 3

chapter 4

chapter 5 - new!

epilogue

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one shots

broke down - coming soon!

465 notes - Posted July 19, 2022

a little preview of my upcoming rooster x airline pilot!reader one-shot:

“Good afternoon and welcome aboard, everyone. This is your Captain speaking,” a lively feminine voice crackled through the speakers throughout the airplane. Rooster’s head shot up at the sound. He’d recognize that voice anywhere.

“No way…” he whispered to himself with a smile.

Phoenix and Hangman shared a side-eye glance at the sudden change in Rooster’s demeanor. A wide grin spread across Rooster’s face while the pilot continued her introduction. As they taxied toward the runway, Hangman’s curiosity got the better of him.

“Rooster, what’s up?” the blonde aviator asked with a raised brow. The bastard couldn’t help but be nosy. Phoenix softly elbowed Hangman in the ribs, but she certainly wasn’t tuning the conversation out. Bradley confidently squared his shoulders before turning to look at them.

“That’s my wife,” Rooster stated proudly, his grin growing even wider.

edit: here's the full fic!

865 notes - Posted August 11, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

That's My Wife - Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x airline pilot!reader

Summary: 3.2k words. Rooster and his coworkers drew the short stick and ended up on a commercial civilian flight across the country for specialty flight training in Key West. A certain someone makes the flight and travel woes well worth the trouble for Bradley.

Warnings: none really, just tons of fluff! maybe some cursing & frequent usage of she/her pronouns for the reader

a/n: hi!! i posted a little snippet/preview of this fic last night and def did not expect it to get as much attention as it did. i'm so happy that so many of you were just as excited as me to see the finished product! i hope y'all enjoy it! <3

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An advanced specialty flight training at the Naval Air Station in Key West had the best aviators in the U.S. military flocking to the vibrant Florida island. This, of course, included Top Gun’s best graduates.

Rooster, Phoenix, and Hangman all had impressive reputations before the Uranium Plant mission led by Maverick. After that mission? They were nothing short of living legends in the Navy. So, naturally, they were among the pilots being sent out for the rigorous training.

The Navy couldn’t rationalize sending a private charter plane or wasting the fuel needed to transport just a few pilots to a base thousands of miles away, so the three aviators were sent on a commercial flight. Phoenix, Hangman, and Rooster got to experience the joys of civilian travel–long security lines through TSA, insufferably stressed-out travelers, and the overwhelming urge to get wasted at the bar conveniently located near their gate.

Hangman joked that if Rooster weren’t in uniform and instead wearing his typical Hawaiian shirts and jorts, he would’ve fit right in with the other passengers. Phoenix, who gave in and treated herself to a glass of wine, snorted before adding that Rooster was uptight enough then to blend in seamlessly.

Bradley would never admit it, but they were probably right. His one consolation was the smile his boarding pass brought to his face. The airline they were traveling with was familiar to Rooster to say the least.

The three aviators received priority boarding as active-duty military personnel. They sat at the very front of the cabin and Phoenix took the opportunity to people-watch as the rest of the passengers boarded. Hangman busied himself with looking into which Key West nightclubs and bars he could hit up after training while Rooster sent a quick text.

2:37 p.m. Hey, baby. Just boarded the flight to Key West. I’ll talk to you when we land 😘 – Brad

2:38 p.m. Have a safe flight, babe 😉💗 – y/n

Rooster chuckled at y/n’s use of a winking emoji before he turned his phone off and slipped it into his pocket. The flight attendants moved down the center aisle to begin their safety demonstration. Rooster was certain he’d sat through the same speech a thousand times, so he got comfortable and closed his eyes to take a nap.

A crackling from the plane’s speakers preceded what Rooster anticipated to be another relatively boring announcement.

“Good afternoon and welcome aboard, everyone. This is your Captain speaking,” an upbeat feminine voice floated through the aircraft’s speakers. Bradley’s eyes shot open wide and he sat up straight at the sound. He’d recognize that voice anywhere.

“No way…” he whispered to himself with a surprised smile.

Phoenix and Hangman shared a side-eye glance once they noticed the sudden change in Rooster’s demeanor. The man previously looked bored out of his mind and now he was hanging on to every word of the announcement. A wide grin spread across Rooster’s face while the pilot continued her introduction. As they taxied toward the runway, Hangman’s curiosity got the better of him.

“What is it, Bradshaw?” Jake asked with a raised brow. The bastard couldn’t help but be nosy. Phoenix softly elbowed Hangman in the ribs, but she certainly wasn’t tuning the conversation out. Rooster confidently squared his shoulders and turned to look at them.

“That’s my wife,” Rooster stated proudly, referring to the captain’s voice with a grin.

Hangman’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head and Phoenix leaned back with an impressed smile. Rooster’s fellow aviators knew he was married; hell, he wore his wedding ring like a badge of honor. He was quick to reject the frequent flirting he received and would simply raise his left ring finger whenever he was asked out at The Hard Deck–the man was nothing if not loyal. But Rooster was never the type to speak about his personal life at work, much less mention that his wife is also a pilot.

In fact, the only person Rooster worked with that knew anything about y/n was Maverick. Bradley introduced them to each other a few months after they started dating. The younger Navy man knew by the end of their second date that y/n was it for him. It took y/n a little longer to come to the same conclusion, but once she did she never looked back.

Actually, it was Maverick that helped y/n realize just how head-over-heels in love she was with Bradley. He brought y/n to meet his stand-in father figure at Mav’s hanger. In the middle of y/n and Maverick geeking out about all the memorabilia displayed in the hanger and trading flight stories, Rooster ran out to silence his Ford Bronco’s ancient and overly-sensitive car alarm. Pete took the opportunity to let y/n know just how whipped his godson was. “I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time, y/n. He’s bailed on our dinner plans at least three times in the past month just to get a chance to see you when you’re in the area.” Maverick smiled and clasped y/n’s shoulder. “You’re good for him. I hope he’s good for you too.”

And the rest was history. Just after their one year anniversary, Bradley got down on one knee in the middle of a crowded airport after they spent three full weeks apart. y/n flung herself into Bradley’s arms, foregoing the ring entirely and pressed her lips against his before she said “yes, yes, a thousand times yes.” Maverick was one of the few people at their wedding. It was small and intimate–just how y/n and Rooster liked it. Their relationship wasn’t a secret by any means, but they preferred things to be private.

Rooster returned from his trip down memory lane as y/n reached the end of her airline spiel. Her simultaneous light-hearted bubbly tone and professional manner had Bradley sporting a sweet smile.

“Before we take off, there’s an additional announcement I’d like to make.” Rooster perked up. y/n was going off-script. “A little birdie told me that some very special Navy aviators are on board with us today,” y/n’s voice came through the speakers, pride seeping into her tone.

Phoenix and Hangman exchanged amused smirks before staring right at Rooster. In a different scenario, the sudden attention focused on him might’ve made him uncomfortable, but he couldn’t care less right now. His wife, whom he hadn’t seen in over a week, was just steps away and he would be able to hold her in his arms again soon.

“Thank you for your service, lady and gents,” y/n finished sincerely. A polite applause filled the aircraft, bringing appreciative smiles to the aviators’ faces. Rooster wasn’t surprised that y/n somehow found out they were on her flight; he knew better than anyone that she was particularly skilled at getting what she wanted, evidently including private passenger information.

With their busy schedules and unpredictable jobs, y/n and Rooster would sometimes go weeks without seeing each other. y/n was gaining seniority in her airline, so she was able to pick and choose her flights sometimes–all of which she strategically planned to be able to visit her husband. When they were on opposite sides of the country, or even the world, it was harder to align their schedules for just a phone call.

A few nights ago, they had synced-up free time and they didn’t waste a minute. Despite the time zone differences, they talked on the phone for hours. Bradley told y/n about his upcoming week of specialty training at the Naval Air Station in Key West. Since there was no pressing mission or deployment, the Navy was opting to send Rooster and his coworkers on a commercial flight rather than coordinate Navy transport. y/n hummed and checked her schedule while they talked. Lo and behold, she would be piloting a flight from San Diego to Key West later that week. Specifically, Rooster’s flight.

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3,148 notes - Posted August 11, 2022

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