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roosterforme · 7 months ago

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Covering the Classics Part 7 | Bob Floyd x OC

Summary: Just when Anna starts to feel settled, a simple cookout at her friend's house turns everything upside down. Her jealousy shines through, and there's nothing she can do to try to take it back.

Warnings: Fluff, angst, adult language, masturbation, eventually 18+

Length: 4800 words

Pairing: Robert "Bob" Floyd x Female OC (this story is part of the Beer Boy/Sugar and Jake/Jessica universe)

Covering the Classics masterlist. Check my masterlist for more! Thank you to @mak-32 for the beautiful banner!

Things with Bob felt like they shifted back to normal again, and Anna was thankful for that. Every book she let him borrow was returned with a note folded up inside. Some of them were short and simple. When he handed back Love Letters of Great Men, the note simply said The dog eared pages are going to make me cry. But some of them were longer and more elaborate.

She was running a little late to meet him at the usual coffee shop, worried he would already be there. He seemed to end up paying for her drink every single time, which was honestly really sweet of him, but she felt like such a nuisance. When she walked inside, he was there, at a table with two steaming mugs in front of him and his nose buried in a book. In one of Anna's books. In her copy of Wuthering Heights.

Her whole body felt too warm as she thought about how much she would love to have Bob read every single one of the hundreds of books she owned. Maybe even read some parts out loud in that deep, soothing voice. She would love to hear his take on each plot and watch him blush as he called her the expert and asked for her opinions. She would love to take the book from his hands and pull him down into bed with her.

But she couldn't do that. They were just friends. So instead, she dropped down into the empty seat across from him and said, "Hi, Bob," with a smile she hoped wasn't as sad as she felt.

"Anna." Her name sounded like golden perfection when he said it, and she shivered. "This book... I can't stop reading it. I read it twice already," he said with a little laugh. "How in the world do you always know exactly what I'm going to like?"

Because she felt undeniably drawn to him and his preferences and everything about him.

"Because I'm a professional."

He laughed a little more as his pretty lake-blue eyes followed her cup as she brought it up to her lips. When the ceramic touched her, he looked away as his cheeks grew pink. He pushed the book across the table, and when she reached for it, he said, "Uh, just read that note later, okay?"

When she saw the edge of white paper sticking out from the worn pages, she said, "Sure, Bob."

He cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "Did you hear about the change of venue for tomorrow?"

Anna ducked her head. "Yeah, the girls told me about it at lunch yesterday. A cookout? Bradley wants to show off his new grill?"

Bob nodded and said, "Could be a nice change from the Hard Deck for once."

While he wasn't wrong, Anna hated that she still barely had enough money to make ends meet. San Diego was expensive, and when she asked Advanced Calculus what she could bring with her to their house to contribute to the meal, her friend said to bring hot dog and hamburger buns. Anna was already trying to figure out how to scrape together the ten dollars that would be required when Jessica said she already bought some along with chips and pretzels. When she didn't quite meet Anna's eyes, she knew for a fact that Jessica had figured her out.

"Yeah. I suppose," Anna told Bob. But at least at the Hard Deck, Penny didn't usually even charge her for the three dollar ginger ales. And if she did, one of the guys just put it on their tab like it was nothing. When she showed up empty handed to the cookout, she was going to feel awful that Jessica had covered for her.

"You want another coffee?" Bob asked, standing with his own mug, but Anna shook her head. She couldn't let him pay for another thing. Perhaps deleting multi millionaire Dev Borah's phone number wasn't her best move. Not that she would ever take advantage of someone for their money. Not after what Kevin did to her.

"No. But thank you. I actually can't stay very long today."

Bob nodded before saying, "No worries. I have dinner plans with Suzanne before Mickey picks me up for D&D anyway."

And there it was once again. The reminder that Bob didn't think about that kiss nearly as much as she did. "I hope you have a great time."

------------------------

It was late on Saturday night, and he should have been in bed, but Bob had his computer out. He reasoned that he could sleep in as late as he wanted tomorrow before heading to pick up the burgers Bradley asked him to bring for the cookout. He could stay up as long as it took for him to finish this poem and finally post it on PoetsAmongUs after looking at it for weeks.

If anyone knew he was writing about Anna, he would probably die on the spot. But nobody in his life knew he wrote anything in his free time, let alone the fact that he wrote poetry. And this poem was getting close to needing a 'mature' label if he was going to post it online.

"What are you doing?" he asked himself softly. Somehow he believed that writing about her specifically would cleanse him of these thoughts, but now he knew he was wrong. He proofread and posted his poem anyway while his skin prickled with need. He'd never experienced the kind of love his friends had, and in spite of all of her hesitations, he could imagine it happening with Anna. If anything, he liked that she seemed cautious and contemplative, he just wished she wasn't still that way toward him.

She made him want to keep leaving her notes in the books he borrowed from her, but she also made him feel like an idiot for wanting to do that. It was maddening. He needed to sleep, but he was too warm, imagining Anna once again in place of his faceless lover while he touched himself. He almost couldn't wait until the day when someone else would take her place in his mind, even if it meant settling.

The next day, he drove his old pickup toward the coast with the burgers and a six pack of ginger ale in tow. The Spanish revival style house that Bradley purchased before he and his wife made things official again was cute with desert landscaping, but she was the one who really made it a home. There was art hanging on the walls in every room, including a panoramic watercolor of the scenery of Virginia. The front bedroom had been turned into her home office, and for some reason, she had Bradley's fraternity paddle hanging in there. The house seemed more lived in now, and Bob knew Bradley was much happier for it.

"Hey, thanks man," Bradley told him, taking the bag of burgers when he got there. He was wearing his hideous Grateful Dead shirt and holding two cans of beer on one hand, but he still managed to give Bob a quick hug. "Sugar's out back, setting up some snacks and just generally looking hot. You want a beer?"

Bob held up the ginger ales in response and said, "Thanks, but I'll just have one of these for now." The last thing he wanted was a hangover like he had after their New Year's Eve party.

"Hi!" Jessica said as she and Jake walked inside, and she made a beeline right for Bob. "Have you given any more thought to how I should paint my barbarian?"

He just smiled as she started to push him through the kitchen toward the back door. "We just played yesterday. I didn't know you'd still be in the mood to talk about your ridiculous D&D character."

"Please," she practically whined. "You know how sensitive my barbarian is."

Bob snorted; truly he never would have expected he and she would have had so much in common, but even Jessica couldn't keep his attention once he saw who Bradley's wife was talking to. Anna had some freckles on her thighs. Her cutoff denim shorts went high enough up her legs that he was treated to the sight of freckles everywhere. And that wasn't all. Not even close. The deep "V" of her shirt revealed that there was a pretty good chance the freckles even trailed down inside her bra.

He wasn't going to survive the cookout if he had to look at her all afternoon. Her red hair was clipped up on top of her head with some sort of claw-shaped thing, and her skin was just everywhere. Her neck and her legs and the swell of her breasts. Her fingernails were burgundy again, just like the first day he saw her. She hadn't even noticed him yet, which was terrible, because if she had, he would have looked away by now. Instead he was given ample opportunity to memorize the way her legs looked as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, shuffling her beat up sneakers a bit along the patio.

"Oh," Jessica whispered, squeezing his bicep gently when he stopped responding to her. "Yeah, that'll do it." Her tone sounded slightly sympathetic, and it made Bob so self conscious. "Let's go say hi."

He shook his head jerkily and muttered, "In a second." Anna was currently laughing, head thrown back in delight, and Bob got the briefest peek at the strip of skin above her shorts and her bellybutton, and his brain actually stopped functioning. When she tipped her head forward again, an overjoyed smile still on her lips, she met his gaze. His brain jump started again as her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and he took a step in her direction before he could reconsider.

"Hey, Bob." She sounded a little breathless as she said his name while Bradley's wife smirked at the two of them. But he and Anna were just friends, and he needed to remember that.

"Anna," he replied softly, slipping his hands into his jeans pockets. His palms were sweaty, and he knew he was blushing. He'd never make it out of here alive. Not when she was looking at him like that.

She smiled and said, "I came up with a few, slightly more obscure book recommendations for you. I was thinking maybe we could go back to the bookstore and look for some of them that I don't currently own? I might be fun to-"

Bob was already about to agree with whatever she said, because it sounded exactly perfect to him, then he heard someone screeching his name.

"Bob!" There was a brunette flash streaking across the small backyard, and then Natasha Trace was in his arms. She was giggling next to his ear where she kissed his cheek three times in a row, knocking his glasses askew.

"I didn't know you were coming home today," he said in surprise.

"I didn't tell anyone except Bradley. Did I surprise you?" she asked.

"That's an understatement, Nat," he replied, hugging her tighter when she refused to let go. "I missed you."

Her familiar laughter was comforting as she said, "You have no idea how much I hate flying with anyone other than you." When she finally started to pull away from him, she added, "Now we can pick up where we left off before my deployment."

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Anna couldn't believe how incredible her friend's house was. It was huge and beautiful, and she had a yard. A yard! In California! There was colorful art on the walls, which appeared to be a collection of things that she and Bradley enjoyed. Her office was something Anna could only dream about, and the kitchen was bigger than her whole apartment.

After a tour of the interior, she stood on the patio in the autumn sunlight in a pair of shorts, something she would have never been able to do in New Jersey. Every day seemed to get better than the last, assuming she could keep the intrusive thoughts about Kevin away. And also assuming she could figure out what she was supposed to do about Bob and the growing collection of feelings she seemed to have for him.

"You have to hear what happened in my Differential Equations lecture on Friday afternoon," her friend was saying as they stood near the new grill that would soon be the centerpiece of the afternoon. "You won't even believe it."

Anna listened for a minute to the wild story, bursting into laughter when she learned how her friend thought she was going to have to call the fire department while she was teaching. Then she saw him. Bob was here with his tidy hair and his adorable glasses and his big hands, and like always her brain filled up with the beautiful poetry she loved so much. Somehow it seemed to go together with him. Those stunning words matched the way he made her feel.

She had to bite her lip in an attempt to calm herself down. "Hey, Bob," she managed to say as his cheeks flushed pink.

"Anna."

Oh, she was a mess. She thought about him way too frequently, even taking the time to compile the titles of some books she had read and loved, convincing herself he might like some of them too. "I came up with a few, slightly more obscure book recommendations for you. I was thinking maybe we could go back to the bookstore and look for some of them that I don't currently own? I might be fun to-"

But she stopped mid sentence when she heard some excited chatter behind Bob, and then a woman came running out through the back door. A beautiful woman. Calling his name. Jumping into his arms. Anna was treated to the sight of the woman's lips brushing against Bob's cheek while he held onto her like he was just reunited with the only person he ever cared about. She had to watch as this other woman ran her fingers gently along his skin in exactly the way Anna fantasized about. And when she looked around, nobody seemed concerned by this turn of events, rather they all acted like it was perfectly normal that Bob and this woman were whispering intimately to each other.

Then Anna heard her say, "Now we can pick up where we left off before my deployment."

Oh. Well. There was a sour taste in her mouth as she took a step backwards as the rest of the group greeted this mystery woman. Anna was going to have to have words with Advanced Calculus and Advanced Physics after this. Maybe they tried to set her up with Bob, because they didn't like this other woman? That idea vaporized as soon as she saw Jessica embrace her with a bright smile on her face.

Anna felt like her chest was growing tighter by the second, and then Jessica started to pull the pretty brunette toward her. "You have to come meet the newest faculty member from the English department! Dr. Anna Webber."

The woman looked her up and down with dark, appraising eyes and a little smirk set firmly on her lips. Then she stuck out her right hand and said, "I'm Natasha Trace."

The last thing Anna wanted to do right now was shake hands, but Jessica was looking at her with concern, probably wondering why she was just standing there. "It's a pleasure," Anna said with as much conviction as she could muster, shaking hands as briefly as she could.

"You teach at San Diego State too?" Natasha asked as her smirk bloomed into a bigger smile. When Anna nodded, she laughed and added, "What the hell do they put in the water at that school?"

Jessica was beaming now as she said, "Anna gives book recommendations to Bob all the time."

"Really? Is that so?" Natasha asked, still eyeing Anna like a predator would their prey, when Bob appeared with two cans of ginger ale. He gave one to Natasha and then tried to hand the other one to Anna as Natasha said, "I actually read a phenomenal book last month, Bob. I'll write down the title for you."

He kind of smiled, still holding out the other can toward Anna who felt like she was on the verge of screaming. "No. Thank you," she told him, taking a few steps away as she clocked the hurt expression on his face. "I don't want any."

The uncomfortable feeling was overtaking Anna's whole body now when Natasha leaned a little closer to Bob and softly muttered, "Let me guess... you have a little crush? This happened in my absence?"

Anna turned and went inside, searching for the bathroom she'd seen on the house tour. That woman was mocking her. Anna didn't want to hear any more of that conversation, because it was making her skin crawl. And worse still, she was finally able to identify this feeling as she closed and locked the door and leaned on the sink vanity.

Jealousy.

She was more jealous of this petite brunette who seemed to think Bob's personal space was hers for the taking than she ever was about Kevin and Alyssa. She was beside herself at the idea of another woman giving Bob book recommendations and making fun of his stupid little crush on her.

This was exactly why she should have never let herself have feelings. When she looked in the mirror, she saw tears in her eyes. "Shit," she whispered. She didn't have a car, so she couldn't just discreetly leave. Plus she'd been looking forward to eating something other than one of her sad sandwiches for days.

The jealousy gave way to anger as she wiped her eyes with a tissue and dropped it in the trash can. Her new friends invited her here, and she was going to stay. She wasn't going to let her feelings for Bob Floyd dictate her mood or what she felt she was allowed to do. She wasn't going to let another man run her life like that ever again.

With her head held high, she walked back outside, making it a point to avoid Bob and Natasha at all costs. She willingly had a thirty minute conversation with Jake and Mickey about the Marvel Cinematic Universe as an excuse to keep her distance. Then she and Bradley discussed the extensive musical catalogue of the Grateful Dead while she slowly sipped a beer to try to take the edge off. Then he turned on the grill, and the smell of food cooking had her excited enough that it was becoming easier and easier to ignore Bob.

When she accidentally looked his way, he was already eyeing her with a confused expression. She could pretend all day long that she didn't care what he thought and that she wasn't jealous at all. She could be so stubborn about this. At least all they had between them was that one awkward, fumbled kiss in his truck. It wasn't like she'd slept with him before he ditched her for the much better looking Natasha.

She was still doing a fine job of ignoring both of them when Bradley announced that dinner was ready. Anna took a plate of food and scooted all the way to the end of the rectangular patio table, snagging the spot across from Jessica. She was willing to talk about anything right now, even her friend's physics curriculum that she could barely comprehend, but then Bob was right next to her.

"Mind if I sit here?" he asked cautiously, setting his plate next to hers. Anna just shrugged, and then she was enveloped in his clean scent as he eased himself down in the seat with his knee hitting her thigh. She quickly crossed her legs before scooting her chair a few inches to the side away from his. "Are you okay?"

Anna almost laughed as Natasha found a spot on the other side of the table. "I'm just fine," she said before taking a huge bite of her burger and avoiding looking at either of them.

"Right," Bob whispered, frowning down toward his plate as she gave him side eye. "I just... feel like I did something to upset you."

Anna shook her head, and when she was done chewing the delicious food, she said, "Not at all. You're free to make the decisions you want to make. And I'm free to keep my books to myself since you've got other ones now."

Bob looked at her and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

But Anna was well on her way to starting a conversation with Jessica that could probably last for hours. She ignored him as she asked, "Hey, Jess, what's up with that physics professor who just started wearing a toupee?"

"Dr. Leeland!" she screeched before launching into an animated conversation on the topic of her colleague's hair piece just as expected.

------------------------

Bob was so confused. He had been about to jump at the chance to hang out at the bookstore in North Park with Anna when Natasha arrived. At that point, he honestly thought this was going to be the best day he'd had in a while. Anna seemed happy to see him, and one of his best friends was finally home from deployment. But as soon as that thought entered his mind, Anna started acting like she wanted nothing to do with him. So much so that she asked Jess about some guy's fake hair? Bob sat there and listened to the conversation while he ate, trying to interject, but Anna just wasn't having it. She had even rejected his ginger ale.

What the hell did he do wrong? All he wanted to do was talk to her about books and look at her freckles. She was sitting right next to him, but he may as well have been on Jupiter with the way she seemed convinced that he wasn't even there at all.

As everyone started to finish eating, Bob washed his food down with the rest of his ginger ale. Maybe he should just head home early. He'd be spending all week at work with Nat, so it wasn't like he was going to miss out on much there. And being around Anna when she wasn't even looking at him made him feel like an idiot for secretly writing poems about her. He sat at the table alone for an extra minute with his head cradled in his hands, then he took his trash inside the house.

Of course Anna was the only other person in the kitchen, helpfully washing the grilling utensils and other things Bradley left in the sink. She glanced his way briefly before continuing with her task, and Bob headed for the trash can. He had the perfect view of the freckles on the backs of her thighs, but he didn't feel like he should be looking now. He stood quietly for a few seconds before deciding that he'd give this one last try before heading out.

"Anna," he said just loud enough that he knew she could hear him over the running water. "Can we talk? I just feel like I did something to upset you? When you started to invite me to the bookstore, I was going to say yes. Obviously I'd love to go with-"

She looked at him over her shoulder, and he went silent at her glare. "Why don't you just go with Natasha instead?"

His brow furrowed in confusion. "That's not the kind of thing she and I usually do together."

"Oh?" she asked, her voice dripping with something that made Bob's skin tingle with goosebumps. "Does she usually recommend books while you're out to dinner? Or do you take her to see her favorite movies?"

She turned off the water and faced him without bothering to dry her hands. His lips parted as he watched the furious looking blush that crept along her chest, up her neck, and to her cheeks.

"I don't really do those things with her either," he said slowly, trying to puzzle his way through this. She sounded almost jealous of Nat, but that couldn't be. That didn't make any sense at all. Anna made it clear she didn't want to be with him.

"Well, you're free to do whatever you want, Bob," she said with a shrug, chin held high. "This is why we're just friends. You've already got plenty of women to choose from, like Suzanne and Natasha, and I'm not about to get caught up in another attractive man who seems too good to be true."

She started to duck past him, but Bob blocked her path. "Whoa, whoa! No, you've got it all wrong." She doubled back the other way, but he stepped to the side until she bumped into him. "Suzanne is my elderly neighbor. And Natasha and I are friends," he said quickly, and he was rewarded with Anna's brown eyes snapping up to meet his. "I've known her for years. She's the pilot I usually fly with."

Anna took one stumbling step backwards toward the sink. Her teeth sank into her lip like earlier before she whispered, "Oh." She swallowed hard, drawing Bob's gaze back to the freckles on her neck as her blush grew deeper. "So you're not... into her?"

His voice sounded deep even to his own ears as he promised, "Not even slightly. Not like I'm into you."

The kitchen went so silent that Bob could hear laughter filtering from the patio through the open door, and Anna's expression softened as she took a tiny step forward. Then another one. Then one more before she was launching herself into his arms. Bob could feel her damp hands in his hair as their lips met, and it was nothing like the way they kissed in his truck. She wasn't tentative, and he didn't pull away as she kissed him harder. This time her body was pressed to his, and she moaned softly when he let his hands settle on her hips.

Anna coaxed him impossibly closer with her fingers in his hair and on the back of his neck, and soon he had her pinned against the edge of the counter. He could feel denim rubbing against denim as she parted her lips and wiggled slowly against him. When Bob swiped his tongue along her bottom lip, Anna let him taste her before her lips drifted along to his neck.

"Fuck," he grunted, squeezing her hips in his hands as his index finger met the soft skin of her lower back. She was sucking gently on the spot just to the left of his Adam's apple, and there was no way she couldn't feel how hard he was getting for her right now.

Those burgundy fingernails were scraping gently along his scalp as he rolled his hips one time against her body. When Anna licked his neck, he forced himself to ask the question that was fluttering around the peripheral of his aroused brain. "Are you going to tell me this is another mistake? Like that night in my truck?"

Anna pulled her lips away from his pulse point long enough to whisper, "It wasn't even a mistake last time. I just couldn't help myself."

Then Bob kissed her lips until she was clinging to him with her back arched against the counter and her hips held tightly in his hands. When he could tell someone was coming inside, he pulled himself away, panting as she tried to chase him for more. He could see the questioning look on her face as he stepped aside just before Mickey and Jake walked inside, arguing about who ate the last hot dog.

Anna turned back toward the sink as she blushed, and Bob was aching to kiss her again. Dying to confirm that she wasn't going to write him off again. He cleared his throat and asked, "Will you let me drive you home later?"

Bob heard her soft laugh and whispered, "Yes." Then with a smile, he took the last can of ginger ale from the refrigerator and set it on the counter next to her. She looked up at him, eyes filled with need as he excused himself back out to the patio where he started to count down the minutes until he could suggest it was late enough to leave.

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Anna, you are living the dream, baby! Let him love you the way he wants to! And once again, in Natasha we trust. Thanks @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 8

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ohtobeleah · 1 month ago

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Day Two: [An Angels Discretion]

Summary: When Bradley gets a call to say you’ve been involved in a major car accident, his whole world is turned upside down.

Warnings: Death, Bradley Bradshaw x wifeF!reader. Car Accident. Injuries sustained from a car accident. Pregnancy, Bradley in a state of existential crisis. Premature birth. Hurt/comfort. Goose cameo.

Whumptober Prompt Day Two: Unfortunate Fall, Car Accident, “Don’t move. You’ll be okay.”

Word Count: 4.4k

Author Note: THIS IS AN ALTERNATE ENDING TO AN ANGELS DISCRETION ~ Please make sure you read the warnings provided. Disclaimer: I do not condone nor endorse the actions that are written about during the month of October. These works of fiction are just that, fiction and should be treated as such. Thank you to @ailesswhumptoberfor this year's prompt list.

Whumptober Masterlist | Main Masterlist

It felt like time stood still yet had sped up all at the same time. Your entire world had been flipped on its head in the blink of an eye—you felt like your entire life was flashing before your eyes. A Rolodex of memories played out before you as you spun out and rolled down into the embankment. You didn’t know exactly how it happened or why it happened - but regardless of that, it still very much happened and you were still very much in trouble.

It had been god-awful weather recently, so much so the Daggers had been grounded for the better half of a week. Bradley had been home for a change, pottering around the house baby-proofing sharp edges and making sure the crib was set up just like the instruction book had said.

It seemed that people truly believed that the car you were trapped in for nearly half an hour had flipped and rolled hours ago. An empty mangled car on the side of the road—nobody stopped to see if there were any occupants. Nobody stopped to snoop. Nobody heard your cries— the cries of a woman in unimaginable pain. Hoping, praying, as you remained helplessly tangled in your seat belt. You had blood gushing from wounds you didn’t know what exactly had been caused by and had bones that shattered from impact.

“Don’t move. You’ll be okay.”

You stayed there, trapped in a mess of broken glass and twisted aluminium, whimpering as you rubbed your swollen belly. Seven months. Seven beautiful months carrying your child. Bradley’s daughter. You’d spent seven months promising to keep her safe - keep her sound. You didn’t know the gender but the feeling was there and it was strong, you were having a little baby girl.

Bradley wanted to keep the gender a surprise, but you knew deep down with every fibre of your being that you were having a girl, that he’d be a girl dad till his dying day. But as you slowly brought your hand up to cup over your belly button? You knew something was utterly wrong.

“We’re okay, aren’t we spud.” You mumbled as your vision blurred and your head became far too heavy for you to keep it lifted. “Mama’s gonna take ca-care of you.” You struggled out before succumbing to the feeling of emptiness as you drifted into unconsciousness—the sound of your shattered phone playing your doting husband's ringtone. Replay by Iyaz. One final smile appeared on your bloodied broken face as you heard the all too familiar sound.

Before.....nothing.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

“Baby seats shouldn’t be this complicated to fit!” Bradley groaned as he tried to figure out how to secure the baby seat into the backseat of the Bronco. Jake was too busy trying to reread the instructions. “Nope, I can’t do this right now I need a break.” The pair of naval aviators had been off work for the better half of the week and while you were out grocery shopping, Jake had come over to lend a helping hand at putting together some flat-pack furniture. “Good thing this baby isn’t coming for another few months.”

“Ah, you’ve jinxed it now!” Jake teased, clicking his fingers at Bradley to grab his attention. “Also, apparently it’s meant to face the other way round.” Jake grinned ear to ear as Bradley deadpanned him. Giving up in entirety before he turned back to the house with a huff. “Oh come on! Where are you going, Rooster? we almost had it!” Jake laughed, jogging after his wingman up to the house.

“I need a beer!” It had been a long afternoon for the two men who had done nothing but unpack and organise the nursery. Bradley was in his own nesting phase. He’d read in a bunch of parents’ books that nesting was something you’d go through in preparation for the little spud on the way. He was now finding that he was doing it too.

“Oh, I’ll take one too.” Jake trailed behind Rooster into the kitchen. “Job well done deserves a bevy.” Just as Bradley opened the fridge and passed Jake the Budweiser, his phone began to ring out on the kitchen counter. “Oh—unknown number man,” Jake announced.

“It’s probably Y/n.” Bradley twirled his wedding band as he stood to answer his phone that was sitting on the kitchen bench, not recognising the number lighting up his screen. For a moment he wasn’t going to answer because why would you be calling from an unknown number? But he just had a gut feeling. He’d called you a few times beforehand but you never answered, maybe this was you calling him back?

“Hello?”

“Hello? Is this Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw?” A woman who sounded more panicked than calm spoke—needing a confirmation before continuing with her call.

“This is he?” Bradley responded, turning back to Jake with a confused look on his face, eyes glancing up at the time. Five thirty in the afternoon. You should have been home an hour ago.

“Lieutenant Bradshaw, we’ve just had a one Y/n Bradshaw admitted.” The woman on the other end of the phone call Bradley almost didn’t answer, explained. “Your wife, she’s unfortunately been involved in a severe accident and—“ Bradley didn’t hear the rest of what the nurse had to say as he dropped his phone, it clunked and clambered from the kitchen bench to the tiled floor below. “Hello? Mr Bradshaw?” Unable to process the news he’d just been told Bradley began to panic as his vision tunnelled and his mind went numb.

“Jake—“ Was it Bradley’s fault? Was he a terrible husband for not noticing how long you’d been gone? Was there something wrong with your car? You’d mentioned a time or two that the air conditioning had been making a funny noise. “Jake I can’t breathe—“ Bradley clutched at his chest as he groaned, it felt like his entire world was collapsing around him. “I can’t fucking breathe.”

“Oh-okay, yeah we’re leaving right now,” Jake confirmed as he spoke to the lady on the phone. Hangman had picked up the phone Rooster had dropped, he listened to what the woman on the other end of the line had to say as Bradley started to sob, losing his grip on reality.

Jake reached out to touch Bradley’s shoulder in an attempt to confront the aviator whose world had just shattered into a million pieces, the moment he did though Jake Seresin witnessed his best friend collapse down to his knees in unimaginable pain at the thought of losing you. His girl. His wife. His best friend. The love of his life. The mother of...oh god the mother of his child.

“Rooster we gotta g—“

“I can’t lose her!!” Bradley screamed as warm tears drenched his flushed face. “Can’t—won't lose her. I can’t!” Jake knew Bradley was hyperventilating, he’d seen a panic attack a time or two before when Bob had stayed in his spare room while his house was being painted. Jake also knew a panic attack when he saw one because he got them too. But this? This was a panic attack shrouded in heartache, one Jake would never understand.

“Hey, hey Rooster.” Jake crouched down before his wingman— knowing he needed all the strength he could get. On the inside, Jake was a mess. If Bradley lost you that meant Jake lost you too. Holding the back of Bradley’s head as he leaned in. “Listen, man, this is so fucked up but she needs you, Y/n needs you to be there for her because she can’t do this alone? Alright? We gotta go— you’re her husband Rooster.” Jake reminded him. “Y/n needs her husband to be there for her okay? In sickness and in health you promised her.”

Bradley sobbed uncontrollably—but he got up. Knowing Hangman was right. You needed him, and like fuck was he gonna let you slip through his fingers.

“Okay, okay let’s go.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~

It’s needless to say Bradley Bradshaw was a mess—a sobbing, shaking, totally exhausted figment of his former stoic self in the private waiting room nurses had told him to wait in. Jake contacted your mum and dad, he called Mav and Penny too who were already on their way over to the Miramar Base Hospital because hell was Mav somewhat sob going to go through this alone.

“We don’t know what’s going on.” Bradley could just faintly hear Jake on the phone with Phoenix as he sat and twisted his wedding band around his ring finger. It kept him grounded but the tangible reminder of your love did nothing to stop Rooster's mind from thinking of the very worst.

“We haven’t been told a single thing—“ Jake sighed as he ran his hand through his sun-kissed hair locks. “No, no he’s not in a good way.”

Bradley could hear only Jake's voice and only his answers. But he knew Phoenix would be going stir-crazy not knowing what had happened or what was going on, they all would be. Every single member of Bradley’s naval squadron had become like family to you both. Extensions on the small albeit perfect family you were just starting.

Bradley thought he knew heartbreak, thought he’d been through pain. He’d lost his dad when he was just shy of three years old and his mother just after his seventh birthday. But nothing—nothing, compared to the heartache of not knowing what was happening to you. If you were alive if your baby was okay? If Rooster had just lost his young family before it had a chance to grow old.

“Lieutenant Bradshaw?” An older-looking woman in scrubs asked as she knocked. Both Bradley and Jake looked up—both just as desperate for answers. “Hi,” She cooed. “My names Jannette, I’ve been with your wife since she came in—“

“H-how is she?” Bradley could barely speak at this point, he was too afraid to know but needed answers. Although he’d stood from the chair he’d been perched in he still twirled his wedding band around his finger. He still needed that tangible reminder. You loved him, no matter what the outcome was you would always love him. To the moon and back and twice over you’d say before he left for deployments.

In all Bradley’s years, he always thought he’d be the one leaving you behind—he never once thought his wife who cut and arranged flowers for a living would leave him, the naval aviator who flew super hornets for a living. But here he stood in some twisted parallel universe that felt like a plot ripped straight from an episode of The Twilight Zone.

“She’s critical, my colleagues are still working on her as we speak.” The room went silent as Bradley forgot how to breathe. Jake was by his side in seconds. “It's touch and go.”

“My baby? How’s my baby?” If anything mattered to you, it was your unborn child. Bradley knew if anything happened to them that you'd never forgive yourself. You’d rather die than live a life without your baby. You’d done everything in your power to make sure they had the best chance of being strong healthy and safe. You’d been the perfect mother.

“She” The nurse smiled. “Is okay, we did, however, have to do an emergency c-section because your wife was unfortunately not able to carry her to full turn due to her uterus filling with blood.” It was a whirlwind of emotions. Bradley Bradshaw was suddenly a father, he had a baby girl.

“Rooster, you have a little girl.” Jake helped Bradley take a few agonising steps as he took in the news. You’d given him a baby girl. A tiny little you. How could he ever thank you enough? How could he ever begin to repay that debt of gratitude, of love?

“You can see her if you’d like? She’s in the NICU.” Jannette explained. “But you won’t be able to touch her without protection until she’s used to the new environment, premature babies can catch infections and colds despite our best efforts, so it’s best she says in the incubation chamber.”

“C’mon Bradshaw, let's go meet your little girl, yeah? You know Y/n wouldn’t want her left alone.” Jake was right. Bradley could hear everything going on around him but he couldn’t speak. He was still taking all this in. He was a dad, a girl dad. He was the father to your daughter and you weren’t here to see him start this new chapter.

God, it was bittersweet.

“When will I know how my wife is?” Bradley asked as he followed the nurse he towered over—she had a little waddle that Jake couldn’t help but notice.

“You’ll be the first to know her updated condition, Lieutenant, but from what I’ve seen so far your wife is one hell of a fighter, not a lot of people in her condition would’ve come out of that alive.”

Braduheld onto that tiny shred of hope, clung to it for dear life as he followed the nurse to meet his baby’s girl—way too early. How do you introduce yourself to a baby? Jake was right beside him. Do you think Jake Seresin would ever let his wingman walk alone through such a tragedy?

Absolutely not.

“Bradley, this is your daughter, obviously she doesn’t have a name so we called her Jane as protocol - short for Jane Doe.” The little girl was so incredibly tiny. She was dwarfed by wires and tubes connected all over her tiny body helping her little lungs breathe. Bradley couldn’t distinguish if she looked more like you or him. But fuck he wished she looked like you. He took a seat next to the incubator that held his bundle of joy. The joy he’d been blessed with by you. The joy and light of his world he’d helped create, a blend of you and him.

“H-hey little one.” Rooster struggled to talk. “I’m your Dadda, your mums in a little bit of a situation right now but I’ve got you yeah?” Tears ran down Bradley’s face as he placed a fingertip against the glass. “I’m not gonna let anything bad happen to you, ever.”

Rooster always said he’d never love anyone more than he’d love you—but this little girl? God, she was already Bradley’s entire fucking world. For a single second, he forgot you were in surgery. Watching as your daughter's tiny lips curled into a soft smile for a mere second. Bradley liked to think it was her acknowledging his presence.

“Bradley?” Jannette interrupted, Bradley had forgotten all sense of time as he sat with his baby girl. “It’s your wife—she’s stable, sleeping but stable. She’s being moved to the ICU for around-the-clock observation.”

“When can I Uh, when can I see her?” Bradley let out a sob as he thanked the heavens above, his little family was okay—not great, not thriving with heath, but okay. Stable. Jake finally allowed himself to breathe for the first time all night.

“We can go up there if you like?” Bradley nodded in response—looking over at Jake who already knew what his wingman was about to ask.

“I’ll stay here, keep her company, go get your girl Rooster.” Jake hugged Bradley as tight as he ever had before. “You’re a dad man, congratulations.” Being the big brother Bradley needed but didn’t have. “I got you brother.”

Bradley didn’t know what to do when he first saw you—he stood at the doorway just staring at the woman who had given him everything. So injured, so hurt. And he couldn’t do anything to help ease your pain. Even through all the injuries, tubs and wires, much like the little girl you gave precious life to, you still look beautiful. So gorgeous, so at peace.

A soft “oh god” escaped Bradley’s mouth as he held back sobs walking towards you. Nurse Jannette giving him the space he so desperately needed with you. Bradley took in the sight before him. His beautiful wife, the mother of his daughter, lying so lifeless in a hospital bed. He wished so badly you could be at home with him right now, tangled in the warm sheets, smiling and being your “happy-go-lucky” self instead of here. He wished so badly he could take you anywhere else in the world.

Anywhere but here—like this.

“Hey beautiful,” Bradley whispered. Biting his bottom lip to stop himself from breaking down for what felt like the one hundredth time tonight. “You don’t know it yet but you’re a mama, and dammit baby you’ll be the best fucking mum on earth.” Bradley grabbed the nearby seat and pulled it close. Once his hand was in yours there was no place else Rooster wanted to be than right by your side. Although he wished the two of you could be anywhere else together.

“You’re gonna be okay baby, maybe not today or next week? But you’ll be okay. I won’t let you be anything but okay.” Bradley mumbled through soft sobs as he took notice of every injury that plagued your body. Every cut, stitch, wrap and blood-stained patch that littered the soft and supple skin he loved so much. Bradley especially noticed the gash on your cheek—stitched.

As Rooster sat with you, he could see your eyelids moving. He knew you were conscious, just sleeping. Heavily medicated, he knew you could hear every word he spoke. But soon Bradley Bradshaw watched in awe as you placed your hand over your stomach. Checking to see if your little spud was alright. When you noticed how small your stomach felt you moaned.

“My—my baby?” Your eyes weren’t even open yet and you already knew something was terribly wrong. Even if your entire body was in agonising pain you needed to make sure your baby was alright.

“Hey shh, shh, shh, I got you.” Bradley cooed, his hand gently reaching out to cup your cheek—the side without any noticeable injuries that would bring you discomfort. “She’s alright mama, she’s here a little early but she’s okay—j-just like you yeah.”

“She?” Your eyes opened slowly at the sound of your husband’s voice—your neck killed as you turned to face him. Giving up quickly. Bradley was quick to notice the wince you let out.

“She mama, our little girl. Both of my girls gave me a pretty big heart attack this afternoon huh? Are you trying to kill me, honey?” Bradley smiled. Noticing how you smiled back for a brief moment before the muscles in your cheeks gave up.

“I’m so sorry” You whispered—eyes closed again as you couldn’t stand the light of the room. “I don’t know what happened— no one came though.” You started to cry. “No one came when I called for help for so long.” Bradley leaned in to place a gentle kiss on your forehead.

“I’m here, I came, I’m not going anywhere my love.” Rooster sobbed back, sometimes being strong meant crying along with the ones you love. “God, I thought I lost you.”

“He said it wasn’t my time to go.” You sighed, clearly fighting off the urge to fall asleep. So groggy from the medicine that even the thought of being a mother hadn’t truly set in yet—all you cared about was that your baby was safe. She was alive.

“Who did bub? One of the paramedics?” Bradley asked, a little confused as he pushed some hair away from your face and made sure the oxygen tube was sitting just right.

“He was in the car, said I couldn’t leave you yet, that you’d be lost without me.” You softly grinned while your eyes rested. “Had a moustache just like yours.”

Bradley sat back in shock as he watched you drift back to sleep. Holding your hand thinking how the universe worked in mysterious ways. Bradley had promised to love you in good times and in bad - through sickness and in health. He’d live in the damn hospital if he had to—anything to be by your side.

“God I hate it when he does this.” Goose groaned as he watched his son’s name appear on the shattered phone on the floor of your busted-up car. “You’re not ready, it’s not your time so why bother even putting you through this crap.” The man spoke as you fell unconscious. “It’s not your time my dear and my son certainly needs you by his side or he’ll go crazy.” You listened, tried to nod, smile, anything to let him know you heard him. “You’ll be alright kid.”

Bradley Bradshaw had his family. He had his daughter, he had you. Going back and forth with Jake from room to room watching as both his girls slept. Both of you were still so unaware of the turmoil Bradley had been through. He nearly lost you. Without you? Bradley would’ve been helpless.

But someone watching over him knew that as well as he did. A guardian angel not only watched over him....

But over his girls too.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

Life always seems to be far too good at throwing unexpected curve balls at unsuspecting victims. It has a way of being able to knock the wind from your lungs all the while ripping your heart from your chest. Unimaginable pain and sorrow seemed to be the universe's favourite seasoning. Like msg or garlic salt. Whatever God or deity that was at the wheel needed its kicks, needed that morning fix of watching its human puppets experience the worst of what the world had to offer. It needed that rush of adrenaline while watching those who trained in medicine try to solve the issues occurring in your hospital room.

Like ants, they watched everyone rush around as all kinds of bells and whistles rang out in the early morning. The sun had yet to kiss the horizon, you had taken a dramatic turn. And while you stood by the edge of your hospital bed watching doctors and nurses alike try to bring you back from the precipice of death, you knew this was it.

“The worst part about it is the people we leave behind, my dear,” Goose, Bradley’s late father explained as he stood beside you. You could only describe him as your guardian angel, a guiding light through this experience. He’d already tried his best to keep on in the living realm for the sake of his son who’d already lost too much. But unfortunately, it seemed as though it may have been your time after all.

“Am I dying?” You asked softly as you watched the team of medical professionals try everything in their power to bring you back. “I thought–” Your voice broke as tears began to stream down your face. “I thought I was fine, they said I was fine?”

“Sometimes it just doesn’t go according to plan, my dear.” Goose sighed as he watched with you. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to watch. His son’s greatest love was dying right before him and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

“What about Bradley, my little girl? What are they supposed to do without me?” You asked as the panic set in. No. this couldn’t be happening. Things like this don’t happen to good people, right? “No, no I don’t accept this, I need to go back!” You cried out as you tried to move forward. Goose tried his best to stop you, but you were quick to shrug him off. “I need to go back, no no no no no–”

“I know it’s hard Y/n,” Goose tried his best to give you the comfort you so desperately needed right now. “But if it’s your time, then it’s your time, we have to accept that it’s a part of the plan.”

“Well FUCK the plan!” You shouted as you turned back to your husband’s dad. “I’m not dying on him, or my baby girl! I won’t do that to them! Not now! I can’t, I can’t do that to him please!”

“Time of death–” Everything went quiet. The room felt so still like not a person in the room was breathing or thinking a single thought. “03:24 am”

“No!!!” You fell to your knees in utter agony as you watched yourself lying lifeless in that damn hospital bed. “Bradley–” You sobbed as you felt an ache in your heart you’d never felt before. “No–”

“I’m so sorry my dear,” Goose held back his own tears as he watched on. He knew what this agony felt like, the pain of feeling like you let the love of your life down. “I’ve got you–”

“My baby girl–” It was hard to hear, the turmoil of grief set in, but Goose knew this was all a part of the process. Time would hopefully heal the wounds of death and one day, soon enough, the three of you would be reunited.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~

It was the most heartbreaking to bear witness to. You couldn’t leave without seeing Bradley, without seeing your husband. No one was expecting you to take such a dramatic turn so quickly. The doctors and nurses who had worked tirelessly to save your life thought you had a fighting chance. But as fate would have it, he had other, more heartbreaking plans for you.

“It’s okay little one–” Bradley sobbed as he softly played with his baby girl’s tiny hand through the glass of the NICU bassinet. “I’ve got you.”

You weren’t ever sure if those words would stop echoing through your husband’s mind. The words that changed his life forever, the words that made him feel like his mother did when she had lost his father. The words he would remember throughout this lifetime and the next.

“Unfortunately Mr Bradshaw, your wife didn’t make it through the night.” Bradley had been with your daughter when it all happened. That’s where you wanted him to be.

“We’re gonna be alright, mum would want us to be okay,” Rooster cooed as he watched the tears that he cried splatter against the glass. “I’ve got you for this lifetime baby girl,”

“I’m right here Roo–” You sobbed as you watched your little family begin their life without you. Goose stood right by the door, he knew you would come, just not right now. “I’m right here.” As you reached out to touch your husband’s cheek, he felt a cool breeze against him, and he knew.

“Mamma loves you so much beautiful girl.”

******************************

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icyg4l · 5 months ago

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PAC: Is This Your Last Reincarnation?

Hello beautiful people! Today’s reading is all about information that you will need to survive your *possible* last reincarnation. It comes with the main question answered as well. If you would like to receive a reading, please don’t be afraid to message me privately. Without further ado, choose the picture that resonates with you most!

Top Left-to-Bottom Right: (1-3)

Pile One: When I was feeling out the vibe for your pile, I felt this feeling of celebration. I heard the term “homegoing”. I feel like your spirit still has a lot to learn in this lifetime, specifically to do with your creative abilities. You need to learn to let loose. I feel like your spirit/soul will have struggles with learning to let loose, but by the end of your life, you will have learned your lesson. I can proudly say that this is your last reincarnation, lol. I also think that during this lifetime you will have to be more proud of your desires. You have to be comfortable with showing off your creative side to the world. You remind me of the tortured artist trope. Your soul recognizes that it’s time for you to be free, but you need to learn how to lean into that relaxed version of yourself.

Cards Used: 3 of Discs, Prince of Swords, Princess of Wands, 3 of Cups, The Hanged Man, Strength, Page of Cups, 9 of Cups, 9 of Swords.

extras: wedding gowns. pretty ricky. “on the phone.” oil. banker. the notebook crier. pillow soft.

Pile Two: For you, I heard prized possession. Currently, you are going through some things that have turned your life upside down. But remember, life can always change. You have this mentality where you are sensitive towards everything, and because of that you have the tendency to beat yourself down. You need to master your emotional intelligence and self-compassion before you leave this earth. I think it will take you a while to get a hang of this, so I don’t think this is your last lifetime. I feel like you’re gonna sigh when you see this but it’ll be okay. Your soul is not ready to go yet because of the attachment that you have to the 3D realm. You have to learn to detach. Learn to face your fears baby, you got this.

Cards Used: Ace of Discs, The High Priestess, Wheel of Fortune, 6 of Swords (RX), 9 of Discs, 7 of Discs.

extras: robotic. grits and greens. ruler. “size me up.” beautiful gowns. fuming. inside out (2015).

Pile Three: I would absolutely say that your soul is ready to go for sure. But you have to master the balance of caring for yourself and caring for others. Once you do that, I don’t see why you couldn’t be someone’s permanent ancestor. I feel like you’re a gentle person but you need to be less forgiving. It’s holding you back. You also need to start doing something that is going to say “I was here”. What do you want to leave behind on Earth when you leave” It’s great to still be alive, but are you really living? Also, stop people pleasing tendencies. It’ll lengthen your life. Intentionality is key.

Cards Used: The Devil, 6 of Discs, The Empress, Ace of Discs, 7 of Discs, Strength.

extras: coke bottle. gym socks. religious. captain hook. fried wings. carnival. charles barkley.

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missmarveledsblog · 11 days ago

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All my life with all my heart ( Bradley Bradshaw x reader )

summary : tale as old as time man loves woman , woman love man both idiots and blindly obvious til one night it all blows up and truth comes out

warnings : none not really goofy fluff romcom feels , picture again not description of reader just a sort of chapter , story cover i made .

ever since they were kids when he loved her , his six year old self told pete mitchell that he was going to marry her which got a ribbing and laugh out of all the adult . as they got older that love was more friend like ,she was six years his junior .one stage both hit different milestone drifting apart than later life reunited she was working in san diego as a medic when he came back to top gun reuniting in the fact they were both pissed at her father yet when she stood listening to the fact the two men in her life were now gone , jake seresin almost begging to go and her world turned upside down and throwing up as hondo held her in his arms after she almost got herself discharged for nearly pulling cyclone apart.

then when they came back both not expecting her to slap them in the face to the crowds audibly “ oof” that rang out or nearly hitting the ground when she dived on two hugging them tightly once the anger of giving her a heart attack dissipated . things improved with her dad , she and bradley became roommates giving he wanted to live off base and she needed one so kinda worked ..sort of .

once again the love he had shifted no longer innocent love was held when he would come home to see her cooking dinner for them both , the domestic bliss of it all during the day til night would come both departing to their own rooms . staring at ceiling wishing she was there , wishing he could wrap his arm and hold her close . that love had always been there just constantly growing and evolving in away . so here he stood gripping the pool cue watching some asshole trying to flirt with her , trying to put the moves on her .

“ you know if you break that it’s going to make the teams so hard to play” phoenix whispered.

“ maybe if ya grew a pair would help hell if you don’t i might “ hangman called .

“ don’t know what your both talking about” he grumbled , pouty forcing himself to turn away .

“ course you do chicken , the fact you’ve been drooling over mini Mav since y’all were kids , i mean i don’t blame you she is something else especially when …” .

“ you wanna shut that mouth before i shut it for you “ he spat , storming head to head , chest to chest with the blonde.

The ringing of a bell and cheers all over the bar pulling them apart to see her standing proudly ringing the bell as the asshole stood shaking his head.

“ thanks honey “ she laughed, heading victoriously with the beer in hand handing them out to the dagger squad . “you guys thirsty” she smirked, holding them up like tickets at the arcade. Seeing how close the two were standing . “ what you do ?” she sighed looking at hangman.

“ head why is my fault?” the smug grin on his face that didn’t sell any ounce of innocence he was trying to portray in his words.

“ don’t abuse the bell darling” jake drawled.

“ cause you rile him up and make that vein pop out on his Pretty head” she handed both men their beer, patting rooster cheek and instantly the man was melting under her touch, face softening , all anger a sudden distant memory .from tense and tough to a goofy puddle on the barstool goofy grin on his face . “ now be good boys or it’s overboard for you both “ .

“ hows that beer tasting bagman “ she quirked her brow .

“ she got a good point bagman , this does taste mighty good” payback fist bumped her.

“ god you need an ego check like your dad?” .

“ my ego is perfect cowboy i mean not big like texas but i’ll leave that to you “ she patted his cheek .

“ you know you might be only one around here that’s at my level mini mav “ .

“ oh honey passed that level long ago with my eyes closed , was like a walk in the park” she snorted as phoenix high fived her.

“ hey Bradley, you’re here?” a giggle and squeal as she turned to see them titering towards them and that stupid burn of jealousy hitting her stomach and her brow furrow . the part of the night she hated when the tag chasers came to stake their claim and build that personal collection of theirs . they hung around jake and bradley giggling and twirling their hair . god it made her sick well she didn’t if they pushed their tits in jakes face it was the brunette she had a problem with . their stupid dainty hands all over him , feeling her blood boil and her hand clenching the beer bottle.

“ loosen the grip we can’t have our best medic out with injuries now can we “ phoenix smirked.

“ ohh rooster your muscle are so big let me feel them blah blah blah i love your stupid mustach like me lick it ohh pretty blah blah “ she mimicked as they snorted .

“ ask him out then stop being jealous jesus you’d swear it was one sided “ bob scoffed the usually shy WSO starting to reach his limit with the pining. just for her to turn and see a woman leaning up and whispering in the brunettes ear nipping the skin before she pulled back .

“ i think i’m going to go home suddenly i don’t feel so good night “ she stood as they all booed walking off . “ night rooster , bagman don’t catch herpes “ she waved walking out the door giving penny a quick wave.

He didn’t want her to leave , he didn’t want these hand all over him . her hand where the ones he wanted , it was her body he wanted hugging up against him .

“ OH MY GOD … go after her , she jealous , you love her , she loves you now come on “ bob yelled completely done , so over it all . “OOWW don’t hit me we’re all thinking it even jakes trying to get him to ask her out even if he’s been a dick about it “ he yelped as phoenix pinched him .

“ rooster come lets get out of here” the woman cooed ignoring his friends .

“ yeah i do need to get out of herebbut not with you “ he stood in a panic trying to grab his things in as quick as possible ignoring the woman trying to stop him , her whining his name .

“ go i got your tab but you chicken out shit i’m charging you triple “ jake called as bradley nodded rushing out the door. He didn’t know what he was going to say or do but he did know it was along the line of he was completely in love with her , shit hangman may of said it to goad and taunt him but she had him hooked on her since forever. This was probably the scariest thing he would ever do , this was gonna be his scariest mission to date.

“ ugh stupid feeling , stupid roo and his ridiculous mustache and hawaiian shirts “ she muttered pacing wondering why this was her life would of been easier being in love with ice man's son he was ok she guessed although their dads had more chemistry than they did .

God she was an idiot , she was stressing her out over something that was her fault . Standing toe to toe with any man in the navy , any rank easy breezy , telling her best friend she known all her life well scared her more than anything on gods green earth . hell it was easier to chew cyclone out when he wouldn’t send back up for her dad and rooster to point the man was still a little nervous around her. She was gonna spend her life watching other woman doing what she wished she could do and more , one day she was going to be at his wedding drinking being the crazy aunt to his and lovely little wife kids all cause she is a chicken shit to take a risk but hell it would be better than losing him all together.

“ what did my shirts and mustache do to you “ the voice called halting her internal berating .

“ why you home “ she cringed how more pitchy it came out than intended .

“ why you home “ .

“ i asked you first” she winced how small she sounded . “ jesus get a grip “ she internal groaned.

“ cause you here” he spoke easily . it shouldnt have but it snapped something inside her making her pissed at the man before the stupid man that wanted to make her scribble their names in her note book cute little heart.

“ don’t say that jesus christ you are killing me man , your stupid puppy dog eyes and everything how am i not meant to fall for that shit … or that combo shouldn’t look good on anyone not even tom sellak pulled it off that good that drives girl in drones towards you in stupid high heels that no one should be able to walk in those” she paced yelling it was all too much and flowing out she couldn’t stop it even if she tried . “ now i ruin it all, i’m going to be smiling at your wedding with some bitch … but she not gonna be a bitch but she is and then i’ll get the pity invites for christmas and holidays while I'll be that aunt to your bitchy kids too ughh why did i have to fall in love with you “ she groaned as he stood trying not to smile what worst was the laugh that broke out as she stood glaring. “ don’t laugh i’m baring my heart and soul here two things i didn’t know i had til your goodness gracious great balls of fire ass came into my life” .

“ ok one you’re crazy and an idiot but i’ve been an idiot too . if i wasn’t so scared to lose you or push you away by telling you i’m bat shit insanely in love with you since before i knew how to spell the damned word .. that every time you touch me i am liquid and a solid in my spot ..properly too much but fuck am i’m so in love with you all i wanna do is kiss your face and hold you , that only woman i want holding me is you too high heels or not and your maybe bitchy but shit don’t need to call our future kids bitchy “ he pulled her infront of him , his hand holding her face , her breathe hitching , like she couldn’t breathe nor believe this was happening til couldn’t help laughing .

“ i mean they will be bitchy “ they both laughed as she finally spoke . “ you love me too bob was right?” she asked .

“Did he yell at you too .. but yeah i guess he was so can i kiss you now or you gonna yell at me some more” he asked cocky shit eating grin and yet she loved it , she loved him .

“ sorry i called your mustache and shirts ridiculous … please kiss me before more shit comes out of my mouth “ she laughed .

Every fear both had melted away , being pulled like a magnetic force to each other both realizing how stupid they were not to see it before then when their lips touched it wasn’t strange , usual . it felt right like it was something they should of been doing long time ago . every second til now seemed like it was wasted time , their lips slotted together perfectly like two pieces of a picture perfect puzzle . never in life could either of them find it in another like fates seal and made for them alone . only would help if fate gave the lung more air capacity is why the stopped pulling back felling his had caress her leaning into the tough of the rough skin yet it was softest touch .

“I can’t believe bob yelled at me” he said making her laugh.

“ we confessed our love to each other and kissed and that’s the first thing you have to say “ she snorted .

“ i mean ok bad time but bagman been goading me too jesus he’s never gonna let me live it down he knew the whole time.. But it’s worth it because if i’m ever gonna stand at an alter baby it’s gonna be with you joining me because i love you , i have done all my life with all my heart” he smiled pulling her closer kissing her softly know he had a lot of miss time to catch up on .

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tgmsunmontue · 2 months ago

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Season to Taste - 15/? WIP

Explicit Hangster - Celebrity Chef Bradley and Naval Aviator Jake Seresin who have a relationship spanning the globe before they realize how tightly bound they are to one another. Heading into this little world.

PROLOGUE/ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE

TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FORTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

He laughs as he enters the restaurant, Leandro and Silvia’s voices calling out to him and he’s very aware that they’ve arranged a party later for his birthday and also his new residency visa. He hadn’t been paying attention, hadn’t thought about it, until Ice had raised it last year in one of their phone calls and told him that his passport was going to expire and he needed to maybe consider coming home. Except he’d been gone for nearly a decade and it didn’t feel like home anymore. He hadn’t been able to fathom it.

Then Ice had brought all the paperwork to him, walking into the restaurant himself and Bradley had hugged him so tightly because the anger has long since faded but the pride at not wanting to apologize for running away was still there. He has no regrets about running away, or how his life has turned out so far. He’s happy and has found a big family that has just enveloped him and made him one of their own and he can’t imagine his life being better in any way. Vi is his best friend, along with Giacomo, the three of them doing a road trip to Roma to the American Embassy to apply for his new passport in the summer.

“What are going to do to celebrate?”

“Well, I know it’s maybe a little dramatic, but I thought of getting a tattoo.”

“Yeah? What of?”

“I’ve got some ideas.”

… … …

Bradley watches as Jake dips every single piece of potato into sauce before eating it. He can’t believe how comfortable and happy he feels right now. They clear away the plates and wash up, before settling on the sofa, Jake’s head in his lap. They’re going to watch documentaries, because that and movies are apparently the only thing Jake likes to watch, which explains why he’s never seen Bradley on TV if this is what he prefers. Bradley himself doesn’t usually have time to watch anything, so it’s nice, just the novelty of sitting there and enjoying being close to someone else. He doesn’t even notice he’s snuck his hand beneath Jake’s t-shirt and been rubbing his thumb back and forth softly over his stomach until Jake’s hand covers his and he stills, goes to almost apologize and move his hand but Jake’s hand is firm, holding Bradley’s hand in place.

“You’ve already ordered off the menu tonight, are you that insatiable you’re going back for seconds?”

“Technically I think it’s thirds. And you did call yourself an all you can eat buffet,” Bradley jokes, but he really hadn’t been aiming to start anything, had simply been enjoying touching and being close.

“Well, this buffet is closed sorry. Maybe after I’ve had a couple hours sleep we can reassess.”

Bradley shakes his head like he’s somehow disappointed despite it not being the case, and he grins down at Jake’s upside-down face.

“Mmm… it’s okay. If it gets bad enough I can always go self-service.”

Jake snorts and Bradley can’t help but grin, it’s easy and fun and while a little part of him is worried it’s going to burn fast and bright before crashing and burning he can’t find it in himself to care. He doesn’t want to miss out on the right-now because of something that might happen.

“Oh no… no no no. Hmm, wait. Maybe I wouldn’t mind watching that. Was going to say I could take care of that for you, but maybe I’ll just be lazy and watch.”

“Well, it’s all hypothetical anyway, I wasn’t actually angling for anything more than a kiss…”

“Ah, well, I am always happy to kiss you. You know, sticking with your food and sex philosophy… for me sauce is like kissing. No one needs sauce to make the food taste better, sometimes the food can be amazing without it. And I can eat it without it. But I’m always going to want to add sauce…”

“And you’re always going to want kissing too huh?”

“I wouldn’t say no.”

“Come here then…” Bradley says, and he’s smiling as he bends down and presses his lips against Jake’s, his entire body thrumming with happiness as Jake’s nose bumps his chin and he pulls back, a sudden thought occurring to him.

“You wouldn’t have sauce with dessert would you?”

“Leo, babe, dessert is all the hand-holding, and cuddling and gentle touches. Of course I want sauce with them.”

Bradley blinks, shakes his head.

“No, I mean actual real literal dessert, like brownie or… ice cream.”

“Oh. Huh. Well… I haven’t tried sauce with any desserts, but also I don’t have the biggest sweet tooth. Maybe because I can’t add sauce.”

“Mmm. You are pretty sweet already.”

“Oh, I know dozens of people who would disagree with you there but I’m glad you think so. Don’t mind being sweet with you…”

… … …

Other than their serious conversation about starting a relationship, they haven’t had any deep and meaningful conversations. Yet. Until yesterday afternoon when he’d picked Leo up from Maria’s and then… found himself dating the guy. They’ve spent four nights out of five together, nearly every meal, and he’s well aware that he’s pretty much living with Leo in his not-so-little rental accommodation for the duration of his stay. He likes that it’s a neutral space for the time being, which has been good. Especially as he doesn’t exactly have a place of his own, his bedroom in Nicola’s apartment not exactly the most useful of places when he wants to hook up with someone, mainly because the apartment also usually contains Nicola herself.

But if he’s going to date Leo, try having a relationship with distance between them, then he wants to share his little piece of home in his sister’s apartment. Show Leo the farm properly, because he’d actually seemed pretty interested in that yesterday when he’d mentioned it. He already knows that Leo’s parents are a minefield, but he’s going to ask because he’s going to gut himself in return. He knows he’s going to have to share bits that don’t make him happy, if they’re going to actually going to make a serious go of this. But he’s going to start small.

“So, want to tell me about why you have a giant fuck off rooster tattooed on your leg?”

“You don’t want to make a couple of guesses first?” Leo asks, rolling in the bed and giving Jake a mischievous grin and eyebrow waggle. God the man is a giant dork.

“Because you’re a cock?” Jake asks, trying to make his expression sweet.

“Close…”

“Well, you’re not doing any false advertising.”

“It’s my family name.”

Jake frowns, because okay, he knows Leo’s name is Bradley Bradshaw, but he answers to Leo just as easily, which he knows is short for Leonardo…

“My Italian family name. It’s Gallo, which means… well, direct translation is rooster.”

“And a non-direct translation?” Jake asks. Leo grins again, looking smug.

“Strong voice… good in bed…”

“Oh, so you are a cock.”

“I did say you were close.”

… … …

He has to leave Leo in bed, which sucks for so many reasons but Leo looks fucked out and happy, already half-asleep and Jake presses a kiss to his bare shoulder.

“I’ll be back in a few hours. In time for lunch. Let me know if there’s anything you need from the farm or grocery store…”

He gets a muffled grunt for his trouble and Leo just shoves his head further into the pillow. Jake grins and heads for the door. He should be gone for about four hours to help his sisters on the farm. They have workers, but there’s always more work to be done and while many of them have other jobs they’re all still local and he gets to leave for months on end, and not have to deal with the realities of… home. He still needs to talk to Leo about that. Try and have a conversation that doesn’t lead to them immediately fucking. It’s a tall order. Maybe that’s where the distance might be a good thing.

He pulls his truck into the yard and looks around at the assembled vehicles and rolls his eyes. Fucking great. They’re all here, the Seresin-sister grapevine clearly working as intended. God, he hopes Leo was serious about not getting scared off easy. He’s never introduced someone to his sisters before. Not someone that he’s actually serious about, and for all the shaking up that Leo has done in the last week it’s like a snow globe slowly settling and revealing the scene. He likes the view so far.

He sits in his truck and drums his fingers against the steering wheel, wonders if he should maybe just start it again and drive away. He wouldn’t put it past them to drive after him, although Sandra and Amanda probably have their kids with them, so they might not chase after him. He sucks in a breath and throws his shoulders back. He can do this. His sisters love him and it’s just going to be embarrassing and maybe he can get the worst of it out of the way now and tomorrow night, when they actually meet Leo, they’ll manage to not humiliate him.

He won’t hold his breath.

SIXTEEN

#Season to taste #Hangster #Sereshaw #Top Gun Maverick fanfiction #AU

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the-authoress-writes · 2 months ago

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Safe and Sound Chapter One

Or: It’s the Great Karmic Bitchslap, Jake Seresin!

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Seresin OC

Safe and Sound Masterlist

Synopsis: After leaving her violent and abusive husband, Anastasia Seresin has known nothing but fear for months.

Always looking over her shoulder, wondering if he’s found her and their son, Luke, again.

With nowhere left to go, she turns to her younger twin brother, Jake, hoping that finally, she’ll have fled far enough.

But when she meets Bradley Bradshaw, her world is turned upside down, and she’s left wondering…

Will she have the courage to love again, and to let herself be loved?

Series Warnings: Mentions and descriptions of domestic violence and abuse, mentions and descriptions of sexual abuse, stalking, PTSD, character(s) of faith (Catholicism), warnings will be updated as the series progresses.

This is a story dealing with very serious and sensitive topics.

Please be careful, and protect your own peace.

Chapter Warnings: Mentions of triggers, mentions of past domestic violence and abuse, mentions of Catholicism, mention of gaslighting, brief mention of assault, discussion of eating habits, stalking, and of course, military and legal inaccuracies.

Author’s Note: This story is one that is special to me; this was one of the first Top Gun stories I came up with, soon after I watched TG:M.

I’ve been keeping this to myself, because this is going to be intense and hard, but I know that if I don’t put this out there, I’ll never finish it.

So here we go.

Title is from the Taylor Swift/Joy Williams & John Paul White song of the same name.

Not breaking my habit of naming my stories after songs, it seems!

How had her life come to this?

Constantly on her guard.

Watching the way the shadows shifted.

Breaking into a cold sweat whenever she smelled anything that reminded her of his cologne, and when she saw or smelled red roses.

Living out of motels with her son.

How had she been so deceived?

How had she given her heart, mind, and body to the maniac she called her—thankfully—ex-husband?

All the things she gave up for him…

All the things he did to her…

All the things she let him do to her…

She shuddered just thinking about it.

All these thoughts swam through Anastasia’s head as she stared up at the ceiling, listening to her son, Luke, breathe.

Luke.

The only thing she didn’t regret about her marriage.

The only truly good thing Derek ever gave her.

Her beautiful, brave boy.

How she wished she could give him a better life than this.

A better life, the life he deserved, where he could just be the happy eight-year-old he was, instead of quiet, grave, and much-too responsible.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she pressed her hand to her mouth, not wanting to wake Luke and burden him even more than he himself was taking on.

She should have listened all those years ago when her twin brother Jake told her Derek was bad news, but Derek had fooled her so well, and she’d been so in love with him, or maybe she was just in love with love.

She would never know, now.

Regret burned in her heart as she remembered her last argument with Jake.

“Stash, I don’t like him.”

“God’s sake, not this again; you haven’t liked anyone I’ve been with, Jake.”

He rolled his eyes, “Not like this.

I have a bad feeling, Stash, he—something’s just plain wrong.”

“He loves me, Jake,” she defended.

“He says he does, but I don’t think he does; I don’t like the way he looks at you, why can’t you see it?” he said, voice rising.

“You know, I think you’re just jealous that I’m in a committed relationship, and you’re not!” she pointed.

“This isn’t about that!”

“Then what the hell is it about, Jakub?!”

Her younger brother inhaled and exhaled evenly. “I am concerned about you, Stacia.

You have to break up with Derek.”

Frustration flared in her chest. “See?!

You can’t even give me a straight answer about why I should!

And for another thing, why should I listen to relationship advice from you, when you have such a fantastic track record in your relationships?

You couldn’t keep one in high school to save your life, so why would you know the meaning of the word commitment?

Oh—sorry, not sorry, you wouldn’t know it, even if it hit you over the head!!”

Jake clenched his jaw. “I don’t want to get into an argument with you before I go back to Annapolis, Stash, but if you know what’s good for you, you’ll end it with him,” he said, voice shaking.

She scoffed, “You don’t want to get into an argument with me?

Well, too fucking late; I’m not going to break up with him, I love him, and he loves me, end of story.”

He threw his hands up, “You’re so fucking stubborn, you know that?!”

“Pot, meet Goddamn kettle!

I’m not breaking up with Derek, and that’s final, so you can go back to Annapolis, and while you’re at it, get the fuck out of my life, Jake!” At the shock in his eyes, spite sparked, hot and furious, in her heart. “And you know what?

If you hate Derek so much, I don’t have a brother anymore.”

Jake’s face fell. “Stacia—”

“No, I love him, and you’re wrong about him, so do me a favor and stay the hell out of my life, Jacob, because clearly, you can’t be happy for me, so you’re dead to me.”

That was the last thing she’d said to her brother almost ten years ago.

One year after her and Jake’s argument, she walked down the aisle without her brother on her side of the church, trading Anastasia Seresin for Anastasia Malloy.

And still, despite everything she’d said, Jake sent her a letter, that she read despite herself. “Dear Stacia,

I pray that you had a great day.

I pray that you have a happy marriage.

I’m currently in Pensacola for the next two years for flight training, and while I will respect your decision to cut me from your life, I just want you to know that you will always be my sister and I will always love you, Stacia.

With all my love,

Kuba”

She kept that letter, even though she initially wanted nothing more than to throw it away, eventually moving it to her Bible, between the cover and the paper lining, once Derek became abusive.

Over the next ten years, Jake sent her cards every time his duty station changed, something she only discovered while taking out the trash five years ago, finding his card detailing his assignment to VFA-151 in Lemoore, which mentioned the other cards he’d sent.

When Derek found it hidden in her dresser, he threw the card again, and she got a sprained wrist and slammed against the bedroom doorframe for it.

Unable to escape her memories and regrets, she lay restless in bed until it was time to get up.

The routine was just that; after washing up, she woke Luke, so the two of them could eat breakfast before she looked for jobs in the area—since it’d been four months since Derek last found them, she felt it was safe to start looking for at least a part-time job—and because it was a Sunday, they would go to church for Mass at noon.

The church was nice, and the homily was decent, but it just made her miss her old parish church.

She especially missed Father Janusz.

The grandfatherly priest was the one who encouraged and exhorted her to leave Derek; he and his sister, Bożena, his housekeeper, were the only ones who believed her when she first said she was being abused.

Because Derek hadn’t just fooled her, he’d managed to fool the whole community into thinking she was crazy and a cheater, and that he was a salt-of-the-earth Sheriff’s Deputy, suffering an unhappy marriage for the sake of his son.

Father Janusz and Bożena kept her anchored to the world, even through Derek’s relentless gaslighting.

She remembered the night she left.

“Go, my daughter,” Father urged, pulling her into a warm embrace.

“I’m scared, Father.”

“Be not afraid, Stacia.

Just drive; get away from here.

We’ll handle the rest, and cross the bridges when we get there.

Here, take this.”

Father drew back, and pressed a cellphone and a credit card into her hand. “The cellphone is one of the administrative phones paid for by the parish; don’t worry about the charges—and this is the card to a savings account in Bożena’s name.

I placed some money there for you from my personal savings.”

Tears welled in her eyes, “Father, I can’t take all this, you’ve already done so much for me and Luke,” she gestured at the ‘97 Toyota Camry Father had given her.

“You will—you must.

Do it for your boy, hmm?”

She nodded wordlessly.

“Now go, Stacia—I’ll file the annulment with the Diocese, as well as the divorce papers, request for custody of Łukasz, and restraining order, in the city tomorrow, first thing in the morning.”

“Okay—thank you so much for everything, Father—I can’t thank you enough.”

“No thanks needed, child.

Niech Bóg będzie z tobą, Anastasja.”

The divorce and annulment went smoother than she thought it would, but somehow, even with the testimonies of Father Janusz and Bożena, she still managed to come out the bad person, with the request for a restraining order denied, and Derek cleared on his charges of domestic and child abuse.

She comforted herself with the fact that at least she somehow got sole custody of Luke, and together, they ran to the other side of Texas.

She and Luke were beginning to settle down three months after the whole thing, when she got a call at half past midnight from Bożena.

“Hello?”

“Stacia, it’s Bożena.

You have to run.”

“What?” she frowned, sitting up.

“Janusz was attacked in the rectory.

He couldn’t identify who it was, but we both believe it was Derek.”

“Is Father alright?” Anastasia gasped.

“He’s as alright as he can be.

But he’s in surgery right now for a broken arm and leg.”

“Did they arrest Derek?”

“No.

There’s no proof it was him, and you know what they think of you and him in that stupid town, córka,” the elderly woman bitterly muttered.

How Sheriff Lackman and the other deputies could be so blind was truly astounding. “But they have to investigate!

Father was badly hurt!”

“And they will, but I have no doubt that “whoever” did it will never be caught and prosecuted for it.

Which is why you have to run.

I’ll put more money in the account Janusz gave you tomorrow.

Take Luke and go, fast,” Bożena urged.

And that conversation was what triggered her packing her life into bags and taking Luke, praying that Derek wouldn’t come after them.

But he had, and he’d found them nearly half a dozen times, to her terror.

“Mama, can we get waffles again for lunch?” Luke’s voice broke her from her thoughts as she stood in front of the door to the church’s parking lot, can of Mace in the hand which wasn’t holding Luke’s.

“Sure, sweetheart,” she absently said, intently scanning the parking lot and checking the corners before she opened the door and they stepped onto the sidewalk.

After checking the backseat and trunk of the car, she buckled Luke into his booster seat, and drove them to the local diner, where she barely ate, wanting to save as much of the money Father Janusz and Bożena gave them, keeping her head on a swivel, ironically using a saying her ex-husband was fond of throwing around with his fellow deputies.

“Mama, I can’t finish, can you help me?”

She looked down to see Luke looking up at her pleadingly. “You barely ate, Kaszek, and you finished the plate last time.”

“‘m not that hungry,” he muttered, tapping his thumb on his opposite palm, his tell that he was lying.

“Lucas Tymoteusz Seresin Malloy, we just came from church.”

He sighed, “Please just help me, Mama?

We can both eat.”

A dagger plunged into her heart; of course he’d noticed that she wasn’t eating much of anything—she’d finished her plate of fries ten minutes ago. “I’m okay, honey, you can finish it.”

The rumbling of her stomach gave a different answer.

“Please, Mama, let’s both eat, please,” Luke pled.

Tears welled in her eyes; her beautiful boy was so loving and considerate, despite all the abuse he’d been raised around. “I don’t want you to be hungry, Luke.”

“I don’t want you to be hungry either, Mama.”

With a sob, she pulled Luke into her arms, running her hand through his dark golden blond hair, the exact same shade as her own. “I don’t deserve you, sweetheart.”

“I love you, Mama.”

“Are you sure, you’ll get hungry later?”

“Mm-hmm.

You’ll be even hungrier than me later if you don’t eat.

Please, Mama.”

“Okay, I’ll eat a little.”

Luke’s smile lit up the room, and it reminded her of Jake’s smile, twisting an old knife in her heart.

She ate less than Luke probably would have liked, but her stomach was glad for the little extra food, and they even managed to enjoy the day, going to the library and the dollar store, where she let him pick out three things, the two of them later deciding to splurge on McDonald’s for dinner, where Luke managed to get the toy he’d wanted in his Happy Meal.

She had an almost optimistic outlook on things when they arrived back at the motel for the night, and she was maybe, just maybe, beginning to hope that she could finally start over.

“Okay, honey, get your clothes for tomorrow,” she said, doing the same and rummaging through her own bag, making use of the system she’d come up with months ago: they kept their clothes and important belongings in the car, just in case they had to make a quick getaway, that way, they would leave as little as possible behind if Derek found them again.

“You good, Kaszek?” Anastasia asked, shoving her clothes in her tote bag.

“Yes, Mama.”

“Okay, let’s go!”

She held Luke’s hand in her left, her can of mace in her other hand, carefully sweeping the parking lot and the motel building with her gaze.

She was just about to step up onto the sidewalk running along the motel building, when her eyes landed on the ground just before their room door.

She stopped in her tracks as fear shuddered down her back.

Because just there, lying innocently in front of their room door, was a single red rose petal.

Red roses.

Those were the flowers he’d always give her after he hurt her, as an apology, to show that he was a “loving and caring” husband.

“Mama.” Luke’s voice was heavy with warning, having obviously also seen the rose petal.

“Look behind us, Luke.

Is he there?” she breathed, trying to keep her voice from shaking, as she gripped her Mace tighter.

“No.

There’s no one, Mama.”

“Good.

We’re going back to the car,” she whispered, glad she’d already paid for the night yesterday, and they wouldn’t have to worry about local police coming after them for the motel room fee.

“Run, Mama?”

“Yes—go.”

They ran back to the car, Luke buckling himself into his booster seat, and she mentally cursed as her trembling hands dropped the key, the sound as it hit the car floor ringing like a death knell, but she managed to pick it up and insert it into the ignition.

To her horror, the car didn’t start, and it could be a figment of her imagination, but she could swear the shadows at the corner of the building were beginning to coalesce into an all-too-familiar figure.

The ignition cranked and cranked, but the car still refused to start.

“Oh God, please,” she cried, turning the key yet again.

The sound of the engine starting was like the most heavenly music, and she threw the car into reverse, speeding towards the highway—she had to stay off the back roads, especially now.

Once they made it to the highway, she felt the tension in her shoulders ease minutely, glancing back to see Luke’s frightened eyes on her.

“You okay, sweetheart?”

“Yes, Mama.

Daddy found us again,” he despairingly breathed.

“I know, I know.

I’m so sorry, Luke, you shouldn’t have to live like this.”

“I’d rather run with you than live with Daddy, Mama.”

Anastasia bit her lip to keep her sob from escaping. “Ja cię kocham, Luke.”

“Ja też cię kocham, Mama.”

“Try to get some rest, okay, sweetheart?”

“I’ll try, Mama.”

An hour later, he was finally asleep, and she allowed the tears she’d been keeping down, to come.

Was this what she’d be doing for the rest of her life?

Always running, always looking over her shoulder, wondering if Derek had found them again?

All she wanted was to be able to breathe, to live, to raise Luke in peace, but where would she be able to do that?

Because Derek had found them, every single time.

Suddenly, as she drove, a wild hope seized her, her thoughts turning to the card in her bag, which she received after Father Janusz was able to convince the mailman to deliver any letters addressed to her to the rectory.

“Dear Stacia,

I don’t know if you even get these, at this point, but since none of them ever get sent back to me, I’m going to keep sending them.

I’ve been assigned to NAS North Island in San Diego for the foreseeable future; I’m part of a new special, elite STRIKFITRON, VFA-223, called the Black Cloaks.

(You’ll never guess what our squadron callsign is)

God, I wish we were on speaking terms, Stash, I want to tell you all about my new squadron.

Without disclosing classified information of how we came to be, we’re the best of the best’s best, forged as a team through one of the toughest missions I think will ever have to be flown, under the command of the best officer I’ve ever met.

And I’d dare to say that we’re a real team… maybe even a family.

I wish I could introduce you to everyone.

I even have a real wingman again.

He was a bit of an acquired taste; we first met in Pensacola for flight training, but he’s not a bad guy, I’m actually happy to fly his wing.

You’d love Phoenix—and Mav, my CO, he’s the second-most charming bastard I know, after yours truly, and the best naval aviator I’ve ever seen.

He handed me my ass all through training for that mission I talked about, and he’s even better than the legendary reputation that precedes him.

He’s taught me so much, and he actually cares about us, not just because we’re valuable to the navy for our skills.

He cares about us as people, and I’m honored to serve under him.

Fuck, there’s so much I want to tell you, all the paper in the world wouldn’t be enough to write it all out.

I pray you’re happy, that I was wrong about everything—there’s nothing more that I want for you, Stacia.

You’ll always be my sister, and I’ll always be your brother, no matter what, even if we never speak again.

Ja cię kocham, Stacia.

All my love forever,

Kuba”

She could go to Jake.

There was no possible way that Derek could bullshit his way onto a Navy base without a military ID.

They could be safe there.

But her mind flashed back to the argument she had with Jake all those years ago, to the horrible things she told him.

Could he forgive her for what she said, for the years of silence, first voluntary, then forced by Derek—could he forgive her for all of it?

Anastasia suddenly shook her head; that was her pride talking—from all the letters he’d written, there was clearly nothing that he wanted more than for them to speak again, so why would he turn her away?

At any rate, she thought, looking at Luke’s peaceful face in the rearview mirror, even if Jake did turn her away, maybe California would finally be far enough away from Derek, and she pulled over to look up the address for NAS North Island.

It felt like it took forever, but finally, after hours and hours of driving, she pulled up to the gate of NAS North Island.

The guard peered into the car before looking expectantly at her. “Good evening—ID?”

She handed over her driver’s license, and the guard took one look at it, before saying, “I need your USID, ma’am.”

Anastasia mentally facepalmed.

The very requirement which would keep her and Luke safe from Derek, would be the same thing which kept them out.

“I… I don’t have one.”

“Then I’m afraid you can’t enter.”

Her heart sank. “Please, sir, my brother is assigned here, I need to get in—”

“Ma’am, without a USID, I can’t allow—”

“I need to see my brother,” she pled. “Please, sir, we haven’t spoken in years, so I don’t know his number, but I know he’s stationed here and living on base, and I need to see him.”

“Ma’am—”

“If you call him—surely his number is in some sort of database—he’ll tell you I’m his sister.

Please, I have nowhere else to go, sir,” she breathed, tears welling up against her will.

The guard stared at her for a long moment, and then turned to face the computer in his station. “Alright, I’ll call him, but if he says you can’t come in, or he doesn’t know you, you have to leave, ma’am.

Does your son have any ID?”

“No, sir.”

He ambivalently hummed, before typing something into his computer. “What’s your brother’s name?”

“Jacob Seresin.

He’s a pilot.”

He typed some more, then picked up a phone, the sound of the buttons seeming so loud in the night air, before the longest silence she’d ever heard deafened her, and she prayed that Jake would answer the call.

Blessedly, finally, the guard perked up. “I’m very sorry to wake you, Lieutenant, but I have a kid and woman here at the gate asking me to let them in, she says they need to get to your house,” the guard replied.

A short silence.

“The young man has no ID on him, but the woman’s driver’s license says Anastasia Malloy.”

This silence felt like an eternity, and Anastasia held her breath, praying that Jake wouldn’t turn his back on her, that her hope in him wasn’t unfounded.

“Alright, sir.

I’ll escort them to your housing.”

She sobbed in relief, leaning her forehead against the steering wheel.

“Alright, ma’am, your story checks out.

I’ll be escorting you to your brother’s housing, just wait here.”

Once the guard came back with someone else to man the gate, he drove up in a black Charger, instructing her to follow.

“Mama, we’re going to see Uncle Jake?” Luke asked.

“Yeah, we are, baby, hopefully, he’ll let us stay with him, at least for a little while,” she replied, trying to keep her voice even as the emotions were coursing through her.

“Do you think he’ll like me?”

“Of course he will, Kaszek, he’ll love you.”

Her brother had a soft heart under all the bravado he liked to show the world, and if he was still the Jake she remembered, he would love Luke, even if only because he was her son.

“I hope so, Mama.”

They drove past score after score of cookie cutter houses before stopping, and her breath caught in her throat.

Shadowed by the exterior lighting of his house, Jake stood on the path leading up to his house.

From what she could see, he looked much the same as a decade ago, but maybe with a slightly more muscular build, like he’d finally grown into the figure given to him by their father, his hair was disheveled as if he’d run his hands through it repeatedly, and there was a taut line of tension in his body, which she instinctually prayed was not going to lead to anger directed at her.

“Wait here, okay, sweetheart?”

“Yes, Mama.”

She stepped out of the car on shaking legs, walking to her little brother.

He looked her up and down, the tension seeming to pull tighter throughout his body, a furrow carving its way between his brow as he took her state in, and she fearfully looked into his eyes, their mother’s eyes, as tears she could no longer contain, traced down her cheeks.

The fear practically drained from her as she registered the look of warmth, love, and concern in those green eyes, and she murmured, voice trembling and breaking, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Oh, Stacia.”

And as he opened his arms to her, she launched herself forward into his embrace, sobbing, feeling safe for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

To be continued…

Previous Part Next Part

There is actually a sizable Polish community in Texas, and in fact, one of the oldest churches in the state is a Polish Catholic Church.

Which is just perfect, because here, the Texas-born Seresin twins have Polish ancestry and nicknames, since I headcanon that Jake has Polish ancestry, like his actor, Glen Powell’s supposed ancestry, so—

Polish Glossary

Disclaimer: this is all taken from Google—please don’t hesitate to correct me if I’m wrong, which, odds are, I am.

Jakub (pronounced YAH-coohb): Polish version of Jacob

Stacia (pronounced StAH-shuh): Polish nickname for Anastasia (the Polish version is Anastasja, pronounced AHNA-stAH-sheeya)

Kuba (pronounced COO-buh): Polish nickname for Jakub

Janusz (pronounced YAH-nuush)

Bożena (pronounced Boh-zhEHna)

Łukasz (pronounced WOO-kahsh): Polish version of Lucas

Niech Bóg będzie z tobą, Anastasja: May God be with you, Anastasia

Córka (pronounced TSOO-rkAH): Daughter

Kaszek (pronounced KAH-zheck): Polish nickname for Łukasz

Tymoteusz (pronounced TEA-moh-tAY-uush): Polish version of Timothy

Ja cię kocham: I love you

Ja też cię kocham, Mama: I love you too, Mommy

(Yes, Mama is Polish for Mommy)

NAS Pensacola is “The Cradle of Naval Aviation”, where all Naval Aviators and WSOs go for their flight training, and training can go from eighteen months to as long as two years.

I played it safe with two years.

VFA-151, the “Vigilantes”, based out of NAS Lemoore, is Jake’s squadron in TG:M, according to his flight suit patch.

STRIKFITRON stands for Strike Fighter Squadron.

Gee, I wonder what VFA-223’s squadron callsign is… 😉

USID: Uniformed Service Identification

It is highly unlikely someone could pull an Anastasia and get on base the way she did, but it’s all for the ahhhht, dahhhling.

My subtitle for this story was the working title this story was under until I came up with “Safe and Sound” as the actual title.

It’s derived from the classic Peanuts television special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”.

I thought about not putting it, but giving Jake the biggest karmic bitchslap was the entire reason I came up with the plot, so I’m putting it.

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sunlightmurdock · 2 years ago

Text

My Future in You | 1.9 | Bradley Bradshaw x Reader

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Masterlist

Synopsis: Bradley’s twenty-two years old and not where he’s supposed to be. He’s supposed to be out of the academy by now. Instead, he’s retaking his senior year of college and praying to god that he gets into flight school. Mav’s gone, his mom’s gone. He’s mad at the world. Then, a hook up at a Halloween party changes his future even more than he could have imagined.

Warnings: accidental pregnancy, references to abortion in a few chapters, angst, will be fluff eventually, will be smut so 18+, enemies to lovers kinda thing, kind of a filler )):

…

Back and forth, back again. White socks padding along the floor, his eyes following you like he’s in the crowd at a tennis match. Bradley watches in silence. He’s sitting back against the wall behind his bed, since he doesn’t have a headboard, arms folded over his chest.

Asking about the future has clearly triggered some kind of meltdown, and at this point, he knows better than to intervene. Instead, he grabs the baseball on his bedside table and tosses it upwards, catching it again.

Each time it lands in his palm, you turn. Pacing from one side of his room to the other, ranting about the logistics of his question. It’s been around fifteen minutes now, Bradley’s sitting in his boxers and a t-shirt, paying less and less attention.

You’ve moved on to the second phase of your rant now. Phase one was about you and him — barely knowing each other, not even liking one another. That kind of thing. He had tried disagreeing, but you’re better at rationalizing than he is.

This is more about the financial side of things.

“I have money.” Bradley shrugs his shoulders calmly, the ball bounces off of the ceiling and ricochets — he leans off of the bed and catches it. Without looking back at you, he continues to toss it up and catch it again. You stare at him.

The boy sitting on the cheap mattress, tossing up a baseball he had taken from this year’s freshman orientation. The father of your child.

You scoff incredulously. Beige walls, plain navy sheets and football banners on the walls. Like this is the kind of home you’d like to raise your child in. “Real money. Babies aren’t cheap, and I’ll be working — do you know how much daycare costs?”

“I have real money.”

You inhale sharply. Everything’s hitting you all at once. You had been putting off this conversation for a reason and now you’re freaking out. You’ve got less than twenty weeks to get your shit together. Stopping by the door, you prop your weight up against it and breathe out hard.

“Real real money, Bradley — I barely even have a credit score, there’s no way we’re getting approved for an apartment.”

“My credit score is good and I’ve got money from the house.” He shrugs again, spinning the ball around in his hand and tossing it up. Too hard, once again. It bounces from the ceiling and ricochets. You catch the ball.

He looks up at you, finding you staring at him now. He raises his eyebrows.

“House?”

“Yeah, my parents’ house.” Bradley replies, settling down and tucking his arm behind his head now that you’re squeezing his only source of entertainment so hard that he’s somewhat concerned you might crush it. He was certain he had mentioned this to you before. “I inherited it after my Mom died.”

The house, the two life insurance policies. There had to be some kind of upside to losing both of his parents before he had turned twenty. You stand by his door, dumbfounded.

“I’m sorry… so, you own a house?” You squeak out.

He shrugs his shoulders again, glancing down at the baseball in your hands and sighing. “Yeah, it’s by the base in Norfolk. My dad was stationed there for a bit in the eighties. I was going to sell it, but my cousin’s staying there. He pays me rent.”

You take a small step towards him. He runs his fingers through his curls, tilting his head, smiling softly. Those stupid, big brown eyes stare into yours. He lifts his hand and reaches out for you.

“I’ve got this,” He nods, curling his fingers for you to come closer. You swallow softly as you step towards him. He sits up and swings his legs over the edge of the bed, parting his thighs. You step between his legs. Bradley rests his hands on your hips.

He leans forwards, pressing his lips gently to your stomach over your sweater. “We’ve got this. You’ve been saying it since the beginning.”

You soften slightly, pushing your fingers through his auburn curls. He looks up at you, lips quirked up into a smile. Suddenly, his brows furrow.

“Wait, so — when I offered you money in December… what did you think I meant?” He frowns slightly, stroking his hands along your sides. Thinking back to it, you shrug.

“A couple hundred, I don’t know. You were being a dick.”

He chuckles and pulls you forwards so that you’re perched on his knee. His perpetually warm skin pressing flush against yours. He wraps his arms around you and nods his head. “I’m sorry.”

Bradley has successfully bypassed your first two protests to moving in together, leaving you to sit and think about your options now. Graduation is two months away, the baby’ll be here a few months after that.

You look at Bradley, trailing your fingers through his curls tenderly as you think about your future with him.

Sitting, rolling, crawling. Experiencing all of that with your son, taking him to the park and to the pool — all while Bradley’s a couple of hundred miles away, on his own.

Could you do this without Bradley? — Probably. It’s just that you’re starting to question whether you want to anymore. This morning, you had a boyfriend — not Bradley. Now you’re sitting here discussing moving in with him.

“But my job is going to be here.” You say quietly, frowning at him.

He nods his head. “I thought about that. There are offices near Pensacola, it’ll just be a case of calling them up and asking to switch. Which, your dad’ll be able to organise for you.”

“Did you forget that he kind of disowned me?”

Bradley shakes his head, “No, I remembered, but he spoke about how proud he was of you for getting that grad scheme at a couple of events, it’s on google. People would probably ask questions if you suddenly dropped out of it, right? — It’ll be easier for you to work if we’re together, so it’s in his best interests to make a phone call.”

Once again, he renders you silent. This is not the same idiot you’ve been putting up with for the past few months. He skims his hand along your thigh and shrugs his shoulders.

“So, yes?”

Your lips quirk softly at the edges, that thundering beat in your chest finally slowing. He grins, leaning forwards and pressing his lips to yours. He knows that his parents would be proud of him, using his money for this.

It beats blowing it on alcohol and new cars. He’s happy with his bronco and cheap beer. He knows he’d be even happier getting to see his son grow every day.

“Where’s all this coming from?” You murmur softly, pulling back and trailing your fingertips back down his arm.

Jake makes it home a little after 9am the next morning, his head pounding as he tries to close the door as quietly as possible. He stumbles forwards into the kitchen, needing water urgently before he blacks out. Eyes closed, he turns on the sink and sticks his head under the stream of water, mouth wide open.

A soft giggle to his left draws his attention. He lifts his head and squints. You’re sitting on Bradley’s lap at the table, both of you looking over the top of a laptop at Jake. He stares at the two of you, blank-faced.

“Morning, sunshine.” Bradley teases playfully. You laugh softly and nudge your elbow into his ribs. He kisses your jaw tenderly, wrapping his arms around your middle.

If Jake didn’t feel sick before, staring at the two of you is certainly getting him there.

“What are you two so chirpy about?” He mumbles tiredly.

You open your mouth to answer. You’ve been awake half of the night, figuring out how to delicately break this to Jake. He’s not going to take it well, and you know you need to approach this with some sensitivity.

“We’re moving in together.” Bradley answers, smiling.

You close your mouth quickly as Jake’s gaze turns towards you. The look on your face tells him that it’s true, and that’s as much as he cares to hear. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

There’s something about knowing that there’s nothing he can do to intervene that really just makes his hangover that little bit worse. Knowing that his little sister is planning to move to the other side of the country, with a baby and that idiot — and there’s nothing he can do about it.

He turns away from you both, shaking his head as he leaves the kitchen without a word. Bradley scoffs, shaking his head and turning his attention back to the apartment listings.

It’s three days before Jake speaks to either of you again. The only thing that gets him to cave is hearing you crying in Bradley’s room. He’s halfway up the stairs, stopping in his tracks. The walls here are paper thin, he can hear the bass in Bradley’s voice as he murmurs to you, trying to get you to calm down.

He finds himself equal parts angry and confused with you. Jake understands that you’re scared of doing this alone, but he’ll never understand how you can give Bradley so many chances. He has hurt you time and time again, and Jake can’t stand the thought of him not being there to protect you.

You flinch as the door to Bradley’s room swings open. Jake second-guesses it as the door’s halfway opening, relieved to find that you’re both fully dressed once it’s fully open. He folds his arms over his chest. Bradley sits up, unwrapping his arms from around you.

You whimper softly, trying to stop the stream of tears as you push yourself to the edge of the bed.

“Pensacola.” It’s all that Jake manages to say. Bradley’s brows furrow in confusion, he nods slowly at your brother. Jake exhales. “Fine. I’ll come too.”

“Excuse me?” Bradley scoffs. It’s not exactly what he had in mind — you, him, your son… and Jake.

“Flight school, can’t be that hard if they’ll let you in.” Jake replies. You sit up and wipe at your cheeks, sniffling softly. Bradley turns his head towards you, then back towards Jake. You push yourself up and throw yourself at his chest, wrapping your arms around your big brother. Bradley’s lips quirk amusedly.

It might not have been what he had planned, but then again — none of this is. Leaving his future in the hands of Seresin’s hasn’t worked out badly for him before, and he knows that you’ll like having Jake nearby. But Jake’s got another thing coming if he thinks he’ll be a better pilot.

…

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#bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #miles teller #bradley bradshaw smut #rooster x you #rooster bradshaw imagine #top gun smut #bradley bradshaw x reader

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ereardon · 2 years ago

Text

That Summer || Part Three [Bradley Bradshaw x Reader]

A Bradley Bradshaw AU

Summary: One night during the summer you turned eighteen, you woke up to a surprise. Your father, a retired Navy Admiral, had posted bail for the son of a former colleague who was now orphaned and had gotten himself mixed up with the law. Instead of letting him get lost in the judicial system, your father signed himself up as Bradley Bradshaw’s guardian to prevent him from going to juvie. You were explicitly told to stay away from the boy in the attic room. But as the summer went on, you and Bradley struck up an unlikely friendship that turned into a forbidden relationship. Bradley tipped your world upside down, challenging everything you had once thought you knew. How could the two of you think it would end any differently than it did when your father called the cops the night he found the two of you in bed together?

Pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Reader

Warnings: Cursing, angst

Wordcount: 3.2K

Series masterlist here; Part Two here; Part Four here

Texas was unlike California in every way possible.

In California, you were free. You were what the Texas housewives would have called a wild child. You went barefoot on the boardwalk and you let your hair grow long and tangled and you had even smoked a few cigarettes before your father retired and upended everything.

A part of you wondered if you had ever met Bradley before. Top Gun wasn’t small, but it wasn’t large either. If he was the son of another aviator, chances were you had run into him at some point. But maybe the fact that his father had died when he was so young meant Bradley and his mother were no longer part of the social circles of the Navy.

Either way, you couldn’t shake the feeling that in another life, you might have known Bradley. That you might have known him before, when he was the boy he so desperately wanted to be, but the current situation wouldn’t allow for him to be.

You heeded your parent’s whims. For the most part. Your mother’s less so. Your father’s to a tee. You couldn’t afford a slip up.

That’s why there was a certain level of exhilaration when you found yourself climbing the stairs each night to Bradley’s room. The two of you would sit and talk. You were three floors away from your parent’s master bedroom on the main floor. It was the only time of day you had full privacy.

“Tell me about the dance,” Bradley said.

You groaned. “I’d rather eat my left foot than go, let me tell you that.”

He chuckled. It was throaty and deep and you adored it. The more time you spent around Bradley the more you realized that if this were any other situation, if he were a guy who went to your school or someone you met in the dorms at Stanford, that you would be all over him in an instant. All of the girls would.

But this was a different situation. He felt a little cagey, like an animal on display at the zoo. You didn’t want to spook him. You didn’t want him to feel like he owed you anything. Because the truth was, he didn’t. If anything, you owed him. He was the first person you felt like you could truly open up to. Ivy was your best friend, but talking with Bradley was different. He had depth. He knew tragedy. He was solid.

Bradley smiled. It warmed his entire face. “Why are you doing it then?”

You shook your head. “You’ve met my parents. This is their world. I’m just living in it. I just have to keep my head down and make it until the middle of September and then I’m gone. Back to California.”

“Do you miss it?” he asked.

“Every day.” You paused, looking over at him. You had gone upstairs every night for three weeks straight. Bradley had finally warmed to you. So much so that the two of you were now laying side by side on top of the covers of his bed, a light breeze wafting across the room from the oscillating fan in the corner. “Do you miss California?” you asked softly.

You were still trying to piece together Bradley’s life. He was quiet for a moment. “Yes, and no.”

You nudged his hand gently. “Elaborate, B. Please.”

He smiled up at the arched wooden ceiling. “Up until a month ago, I didn’t know anything else. But the truth is, there’s nothing left there for me. There’s nothing for me anywhere.”

Your hand found his and the two of you laid there in silence, everything that needed to be said communicated silently through your joined hands.

Sometimes the two of you stayed up half the night talking. There was always a moment when you thought about what if you didn’t go back to your room as the light started to creep over the horizon. What if you just stayed? What would it be like to wake up with Bradley’s strong arms wrapped around your body?

Sometimes you crept up the spiral staircase of the tower and Bradley was in the midst of a nightmare. And you would have to ease him awake gently, tell him it was OK, it was just a dream.

Once, you had to wrap your arms around him, rocking him slowly, because it was the only thing that would make his nightmares subside. Everything melted away when you had Bradley in your arms. Suddenly, it no longer felt like such a divide between the two of you. When you were alone together in the tower room under the cover of night, you weren’t the wealthy Admiral’s daughter, bound for Stanford. The perfect girl. And he wasn’t the criminal orphan, set for a life of discontent.

The two of you were the same. It was even ground.

All you wanted was to help him. All you wanted was for him to know that he was not alone.

***

You were sitting at the breakfast table, eating a fried egg on a piece of toast, drinking a cup of coffee, skimming a newspaper. Bradley sat in the seat next to you, pushing some scrambled eggs around his plate, staring out at the ocean.

It was getting increasingly more difficult to pretend you didn’t know him, that you weren’t friends, when your parents were around. The moment they left the room, along with Louise the maid, you would turn to Bradley with a grin on your face.

Your mother entered the kitchen, glancing over at the two of you. “Big plans for today, Y/N?” she asked.

You set your toast down and wiped your fingertips with a napkin. “Volunteering at the animal shelter in the afternoon.”

She nodded approvingly. “Isn’t that nice.”

“Mother.” She turned, eyes wide.

“Yes, dear?”

“I was wondering, what if Bradley came with?” Both of them looked at you in shock. “I think it would be nice for the community to see him doing some volunteer work.”

You knew how to play your mother. She was a simple woman. All she needed was to be told that by doing this, you would be building Bradley’s social qualifications. She nodded. “Well isn’t that a nice idea, Y/N.”

She chatted for a few more minutes before excusing herself for a yoga class. You turned to Bradley once she was safely out of earshot. “So do you like dogs?”

***

You looked over at Bradley as he scooped out a dirty blanket from the kennel into a laundry bag. Most people would be grossed out by the work you did at the animal shelter. Cleaning out cages. But then again, Bradley wasn’t most people.

And he didn’t know that there was a surprise at the end.

You sprayed cleaning solution into the cage and wiped down the inside of the metal box, making sure to reach every corner.

“Doing OK?” you asked.

Bradley looked at you. “I’m fine.”

You watched as the muscles in his arms flexed as he reached up to clean a cage. You found yourself biting your lip and you had to turn away, blushing.

He turned to you. “Gotta say. I didn’t expect someone like you to do a job like this.” He paused. “No offense.”

You knew what he meant. You were prim. Proper. You were a socialite for all intents and purposes. You didn’t have many friends in your social circle who would want to get their hands dirty. Their volunteer roosters included meals on wheels, babysitting at the church, organizing bake sales.

You picked the dirty activities. The ones nobody wanted. Cleaning kennels. Picking up trash on the beach. Cooking meals at the homeless shelter on the mainland.

“No offense taken,” you said. “I think you underestimate me, Bradley Bradshaw.”

He looked at you and you felt the heat of his gaze searing your skin. “I definitely have,” he whispered.

The two of you cleaned cages for the next two hours. By the end of it you were tired and sweaty. The supervisor came in and clapped her hands. “Wow, you two have done a great job!” You smiled at her weakly.

Bradley washed his hands in the sink by the window and turned to you. “Should we head out?”

The supervisor raised her eyebrows. “You’re leaving now? What about recess?”

You shook your head. “We’re staying for recess, don’t worry. We’ll meet you out there, Shana.”

She smiled and turned, disappearing down the hallway. Bradley frowned at you. “Recess?”

You grabbed his hand, dragging him after you. “Come on, don’t be scared.”

“I’m not scared,” he sighed as you dragged him down the narrow hallway toward a plain gray door at the end of the hall.

You stopped at the door, hands on the bar to release the door, and smiled. “Ready?” You pushed the door open, sun blinding you momentarily as you stepped out onto the grass behind the building. Bradley followed behind, one hand raised to cut the sun from his eyes.

You turned to him with a grin. Once the sun shifted under a cloud he squinted, taking in his surroundings. You watched his face light up.

Recess was your best kept secret about volunteering at the shelter. If anyone else knew, you’d never get a slot again.

Bradley looked around, mouth pulled back in a wide grin. All around the green yard, the shelter’s dogs were running, playing, fighting, napping. Recess was the time before they went back to their kennels after adoption days. Just you and a few of the staff members. And now Bradley.

“Hey buddy,” you said, leaning down and petting a labrador mix that was circling your legs. He panted greedily in the hot Texas sun and you smiled, crouching down and giving him a good scratch. Five more dogs ran up to you, sensing the attention, and one ran right into your leg, bumping you to the ground. You toppled over in a laugh. Bradley rushed over, eyes wide, but you looked up at him with a giggle. “Sit down!” you urged him and he took a seat next to you. A small corgi made its way over to him, plopping down in front of his crossed legs and you watched Bradley scratch the dog under its ears, his face glowing.

The two of you pet, scratched and played fetch with the dogs for what could easily have been an hour. By the time Shana blew her whistle, you noticed the sun had shifted from high in the sky.

You looked over at Bradley who had his hands on either side of a plump pitbull mix, whispering to it quietly with a smile before letting the dog go. The pitbull scrambled toward the far end of the fenced in field where all of the dogs were getting corralled back inside.

He turned to you with a smile. “Wow.”

“Right?” you said, wiping your hands on your denim shorts. “Don’t tell anyone. Or else this whole place will get overrun with junior debs trying to fill their philanthropy credits.”

“Is that why you do it?” he asked as the two of you walked out the side gate. You waved a hand at Shana and she waved back.

“No.” You unlocked the Jeep and slid into the driver’s seat. “Just a fringe benefit.”

Bradley laid back. “You’re not at all what I expected.”

“What did you expect?”

He smirked. “Someone vapid, I guess.”

You laughed. “Yeah, sounds about right.” “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be.” You waved one hand in the air, brushing it off. “I had to teach myself to stop caring so much about what people think of me. It’ll ruin you. That’s all people care about here. Optics. It doesn’t matter what you do or say, only if it looks good.”

He nodded. That was the thing about Bradley. He listened. Truly listened. It was like he was storing every word you ever told him and planning to use it to write a novel. You appreciated that about him.

The sun started to slide slowly toward the horizon. You leaned one hand out the window, letting the breeze roll off your fingertips, the silence in the car calming instead of anxiety inducing. Being with Bradley was easy.

You found yourself wishing he would never leave.

***

“Pumpkin, have you thought more about who your escort will be?” Your father shoved a spoonful of peas into his mouth and looked up at you expectantly.

You sighed, taking a sip of ice water. “No.”

He frowned. “It’s coming up. All the good ones might be spoken for soon and you’ll end up with a dud who drools while he eats.”

“Daniel!” Your mother shot him a death glare before turning her chilling gaze to you. “Your father is right, Y/N. If you don’t choose soon then we will choose for you.”

“What is this, 1962?” you asked. “Girl needs her parents to find her a suitor?”

“It’s not for your lack of looks, sweetheart,” your mother said. “Think about that.”

“We want what’s best for you,” your father added.

You grimaced. “What’s best for me is doing the dip until my ankles almost break and eating chicken picatta with some guy named Harry who thinks the only good cars are American made and who has never stepped foot outside of Texas? So I can grow up to be some kind of human incubator for the next generation of Texas inbreds?”

Your mother practically choked on her salad. Your father sighed and took a deep sip of bourbon from the rocks glass in front of him.

But it was Bradley’s snort that sent them over the edge.

He tried to cover it up immediately but it was too late. Your mother’s eyes started to bulge out of her head. Your father turned his cold gaze on Bradley. “Son? Have something to say?”

Bradley shook his head. “No, sir. Choked on a piece of carrot is all.” He waved around his fork with half of a carrot bitten off. “Sorry.”

You turned your gaze down to your plate, unable to help the grin spreading from ear to ear. Underneath the table, Bradley’s foot knocked against yours silently.

***

It was a full moon, soft yellow light spilling everywhere. You crept up the stairs like normal only to find Bradley already sitting up in bed, waiting for you. It went without saying. You hadn’t spent a night apart in weeks.

He smiled. “Hey Bird.” Bradley had taken to calling you Bird. He didn’t say why, but you knew. You were a flight risk. And he knew it.

You smirked at him. “Grab your swimsuit.”

The water was still warm as you waded in up to your knees. You held out a hand, grabbing Bradley, pulling him in next to you.

“Scaredy cat,” you murmured.

He gritted his teeth. “You woke me up for this?”

“You were already awake.”

“Oh, right.”

You chuckled, wading in deeper until you were waist-deep, turning to look back at the house. It was dark, only the lights in the tower that the two of you had left on glowing in the distance.

Eighty days left. Eighty more days of nighttime swims and oppressive Texas heat and having to dress up to go to the grocery store so people wouldn’t call your mother and complain that you were a slob. Eighty days until you could figure out who you really wanted to be in life.

Eighty more days with Bradley.

He had somehow become the best part of your day. You waited all day for the sun to sink below the horizon and for your parents to retreat to their room so you could sneak up into the attic room and talk to Bradley. He was kind. He was nice. He was lost. And you stupidly had it in your head that you could save him.

“Bradley?”

“Yeah?”

You slipped further into the water, up to your chest, and he followed suit. “Where will you go from here?” you asked. “When you leave.”

He looked up at the house. It was your fortress, your prison.

It was all he had. And leaving it, leaving you, terrified him.

“I don’t know,” he said softly. “Guess I have to figure it out.”

“He can’t make you go,” you said. “I won’t let him.”

“Bird, you can’t stop him,” Bradley said quietly. “I’m not his kid. I’m not his responsibility. I really shouldn’t even be here.”

“But you are here,” you said. “And I don’t care what Daddy says. You’ll always have a place with us.”

He shook his head. “You’re cute.”

You squinted. “You mean naive.”

“You said it, not me.”

You frowned, stepping closer. You reached out softly, dragging one finger along Bradley’s exposed shoulder, over a scar. “Who did this to you?” you whispered. Your eyes met his. “Why don’t you ever talk about what happened before you go there?”

Bradley reached out and grabbed your hand, holding it firmly in his. Your intertwined hands were hovering between your two bodies. “Why do you want to know, Y/N? What am I to you besides the charity case your parents stashed in the attic?” You shook your head vigorously. “You’re not a charity case. You’re my friend.”

“Friend?”

The way he said it made you ache. You had kissed boys before. Hell, you had fucked Ethan Turner the summer before on the beach. But nobody had ever made you feel the way Bradley did when his brown eyes were locked on yours. Like the entire world was at your fingertips. Like you could say the dumbest thing to ever flit through your mind and he would think its genius.

He looked at you like he knew all of your secrets. Your desires. Your hesitations. Your fears. And he didn’t care. He knew what you were made up of. And he accepted you.

“Bradley,” you whispered, your hand slipping out of his, crawling back to his chest, your bodies so close that only a small sliver of water separated you.

“Bird,” he murmured. “We shouldn’t do this.”

You shook your head. “This is the only thing I’ve ever done that feels remotely right.”

He reached out, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear, letting his large hand fall to your neck, thumb pressing on the pulse point along your jaw. “There’s no going back from this,” he said. “I’m not good enough for you. I’m a nobody. I’m a vagrant. And you’re perfect. I'll ruin you.”

You lifted both arms, looping them around his neck, closing the gap between your bodies so your legs were wrapped around Bradley’s waist and he groaned as you slid your hips forward across his. “Don’t say that,” you whispered. “You’re someone to me. And that’s all that matters.” And then you leaned forward, pressing your lips to his, feeling his hand tighten in your hair, dragging you closer.

In that moment, you tied yourself to Bradley Bradshaw.

In that moment, you left everything else behind. It was just you and Bradley and the infinite space ahead.

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redfurrycat · 1 year ago

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🐓👨‍👨‍👦👨‍👦👨‍👨‍👧🤠Kid Fic - Single Dad & Parents Fic Recs🤠👨‍👨‍👧👨‍👦👨‍👨‍👦🐓

Check the Top Gun Masterlist post for the latest updated version. 💕

Ao3 Authors: AnadoraBlack, Aphroditedany, Barnes_Brain, Bradleybirdshaw, Broke_Traveler, Cryinginthebronco, Emilyandthecat, FabuMazX, Flyingfightingfishy, Hockeyandfootballismyish, HoneyWhatever, Jeston17, JuliaBloodyMeow, LadyLanera, Lemqnie, LoveMadeThemDoIt, Nickies_Nonsense, Nimuetheseawitch, Ofguttersandstars, Pado_hyuck, Perishablealex, PVB, Quantumoddity, Ravens_Words, Renai_chan, RoseFlavoredLatte, SerenaLight17, Sleeping_maple, Slowridesr, Smallestwriter, SunMonTue, Winterbucky.

> Big Brother Bradley Bradshaw

my dads are better than your dad by smallestwriter {G}

period trouble

their daughter gets her first period and Bradley and Jake lose their minds

spinning out (waiting for ya)

“What if we borrowed Mav’s plane? You said it’s ready to go, right? It shouldn’t take long for us to drive out to Mojave and start that sucker.” Bradley stared at him. Dear god, he married an insane person. “You’re not serious, right?” “Nevermind,” Jake huffed. “There’s no landing strip at the school.” “Right, ‘cause that’s the only problem with your idea.” or, the one where Kinsley gets stuck at school and Bradley struggles trying to calm Jake down.

Teen trouble by Aphroditedany {T}

It was an ordinary day. A day like all others. Go to Top Gun, finish today's lessons with your husband and then you both pick up the kids from school. A normal day. Right…???

Love Nest series by AnadoraBlack {T} {E}

Bradley Bradshaw and his son throw Jake Seresin's life upside down, but he's willing to follow them for the ride… Love Nest Series [Podfic] by ReformedTsunderePodfics

Forever by Renai_chan

Is Forever Enough {T}

Jake is shot down on a mission, and Bradley keeps vigil at his bedside until Jake's family fly in from Texas to visit him. There, Bradley meets Jake's parents, his sister... ...and his daughter. He was already half in love with his wingman. She sent him head over heels.

Forever and a Day {T}

A collection of drabbles exploring Bradley's relationship with Jake and his daughter.

To Save a Horse {E}

Jake and Bradley spend some time in Texas on the Seresin farm with Elise. They find a bit of time in the afternoon for themselves and enjoy... erm, the outdoors together.

All Around the World is Sleeping {E}

It's Christmas morning, and Bradley's feeling a bit frisky, despite Jake's firm insistence that it's five am, Bradley. Like, why?

He's My Sugar Cookie Kind of Sweetness {T}

Jake and Elise bake cookies and turn their kitchen into a huge mess. Luckily, Bradley is there to help them clean up after.

I Gave You My Heart {G}

Jake gives Bradley a present.

Hangster Parenting by sleeping_maple

Shaving the 'Stache {G}

Rooster is forced to shave his mustache after an injury. It's the first time that anyone's seen him without a mustache in years. And the first time ever that his daughter does, to some mildly hilarious results.

Broken Arm {G}

Jake swore that his back was only turned for five seconds, but now his daughter was screaming and crying about a broken arm. Jake blames himself but hugs from Rooster and little Caroline remedy his self-doubt.

Come Home {T}

Caroline has a nightmare that Hangman doesn't come back from his deployment. Rooster comforts his daughter.

First Word {G}

Rooster and Hangman try to get Caroline to say her first word. Hangman wants her to say 'Dada' and Rooster wants her to say 'Papa.' When she says 'Ma,' their hearts sink a little, up until Rooster realizes that 'Mama' isn't the only name that starts with 'Ma.'

Take My Breath Away {T}

Baby Caroline refuses to sleep. Rooster and Hangman try everything. They discover that one song seems to lull her to bed successfully every time. Too bad it's a S-E-X song.

New Addition {G}

Rooster and Hangman welcome a new baby, making their family a family of four. But Caroline isn't fully convinced. Luckily, Uncle Javy's there to sneak her a snack.

Great Balls of Fire {G}

Rooster teaches Caroline and Nickie how to play 'Great Balls of Fire.'

Scare {T}

Bradley has to go in for an additional cancer screening and doesn't tell Jake, who reacts accordingly.

The Parent Trap by Broke_Traveler {T}

Annie and Hallie had no clue they had a twin or who their other dad was, but a chance encounter has these two mischievous twins hatching a plan to get their dads back together.

“come on, roo, you’re gonna make us all cry.” by inspgadgetz {_}

rooster and hangman finally meet their baby.

it's lily's world and sereshaw are just living in it by pado_hyuck {T}

Little Chick

It was supposed to be a normal exercise. Well, to be fair, it was a normal exercise. They got their asses kicked by their instructor, who Hangman (oh so conveniently) dragged out of the Hard Deck the day before being introduced, as they prepared for their new mission that brought “the best of the best” back to Top Gun. Only the aftermath changed everything he ever thought about Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw. -a single parent au

cuz i'll be in love maze

“Love is like a maze,” his mom said while scooping ice cream into two big bowls for the two of them. “You run in and hope that the person you choose will stay with you to the end. Today, you entered that maze, but she wasn’t your match to take you to the end. You will meet many people in this maze, but there will be one fit for you.” - a prequel to "little chick" through bradley's point of view

Life Still Goes On by Renai_chan

Got to Make It on My Own {E}

Jake and Bradley spend one night together under the heavy, heavy influence of alcohol. It does not go well. But it goes worse for Jake than it does for Bradley because he wakes up with a bonding bite and his new alpha nowhere to be found. When they're recalled for a special training detachment eight years later, Jake finds out that Bradley doesn't remember giving him the bite at all and Bradley finds out about it for the first time. It still does not go well.

This Time I Know It's for Real {E}

This takes place two years later when Jake and Bradley's bond has settled down and Jake's heats have turned regular again. Or so they think. On Bradley's first deployment away from Jake, Jake suddenly finds himself in the throes of an unexpected heat, and with Bradley halfway across the world, he has to again deal with it without his alpha. Except this time, he's already gotten used to having Bradley to help him through them, and not even Javy can suffice as a substitute anymore.

I Can't Get Over the Way You Love Me Like You Do {T}

Bradley reflects on being a dad and a husband.

O, I Love You by FabuMazX {E}

No One Can Find The Rewind Button

It was only one night. But that's all it takes, isn't it? Bradley and Jake are on good terms since the mission. Friends even. But they're not together, not like that. So why the universe decided to force them together with an unexpected surprise is anybody's guess.

Even When I'm Hard To Love

Nicholas "Tommy" Bradshaw-Seresin. He wasn't planned. But damn if he isn't loved.

Hangster + IceMav Alphabet Challenge

A-Z Alphabet challenge with Bradley/Jake and Tom/Pete.

When the Feeling Sinks In. by RoseFlavoredLatte {E}

Pete feels like he's hit again with a flashback to the past, looking at the mini Bradley bouncing on Hangman's hip.

A Life With Blondes by Aphroditedany {T}

Two years after the events of Top Gun : Maverick and an ugly accident involving Jake, Bradley and Maverick, the Dagger Squad members discover an interesting fact about Jake's personal life.

of a feather by dracculaura {G}

jake and his three-year-old daughter, sophie, run into bradley while trick-or-treating

Brought To Light by perishablealex {G}

Bradley is officially introduced to Jake's son, Sam, in a night of trick or treating.

Practice makes Perfect by Barnes_Brain {T}

In 2027, Bradley Bradshaw’s season is going to be painted in Gold, Silver and Platinum too, but first, he’s gotta practice, a little guy comes to help.

You're a Bad Habit I Can't Shake Off (but I still want more) by HoneyWhatever {E}

They don't date, they are not even friends, what they have is similar to a bad habit you want to quit. And now they have to figure out how to be parents together.

Jack Bradshaw-Seresin and the Downfall of the Tooth Fairy by cryinginthebronco {G}

It’s just a few weeks after his 8th birthday when Jack Bradshaw-Seresin starts to suspect that his dads are lying to him.

The Perfect Lemon Cookies by quantumoddity {G}

Ice and Mav would say they're pretty good at keeping their little granddaughter, Poppy Carole Bradshaw, occupied. So when they're asked to watch her, just like any other day, they say yes. But this isn't just any other day. And as he and his granddaughter make lemon cookies, the same way he made cookies with his babushka, he thinks about how they got here.

Adventures in Babysitting by sleeping_maple {T}

Bob and Phoenix leave their daughter Amy in Rooster and Hangman's care for the day. Amy learns a new word.

I’m so in love with loving you, that's all I do by hockeyandfootballismyish {M}

Jake Seresin has never had an easy life. From being his father’s punching bag after his mother died to bouncing around in the foster care system until eventually his foster father took it upon himself to mate him because after all, who would want a troublesome omega? Much less one who was pregnant. Or that’s what Jake thought until he met Bradley Bradshaw.

Valentine's Surprise by LadyLanera {T}

Hangman and Rooster are preparing for the birth of their first child while navigating life post-Navy and all the ups and downs that have occurred in their family since October 2019. They have lots of time, though. . . or not.

Caroline Bradshaw by Ravens_Words {T}

been you all along

Somehow, in a truly horrifying twist of fate, Bradley's mortal enemy became his daughter's favorite person. Or Five times Jake was his daughter's favorite person, and the one time he was Bradley's too.

if my heart was a house, you'd be home

Jake gets hurt. For the first time, when he wakes up in the hospital, he's not alone.

many happy returns

Jake's birthday is a little (a lot) different this year.

little love

Jake is deployed. He, Bradley and Caroline try to deal with it.

Valentine's Day at the Bradshaw-Seresin's by JuliaBloodyMeow {T}

Before he even opens his eyes, Bradley’s brain is rushing with the list of all the things he has to do today...

I will come back to you by slowridesr {G}

"Would you... wouldn't you mind if... if something happened between me and Bradley?" "No! Then he would be with us more often and we would eat pizza, and…" "Okay-okay, I understood, am I really that bad?" Ginnie raised her head and frowned while Jake was still smiling widely at her. "You're the best dad in the world," Ginnie whispered half asleep after Jake put the book aside. "And you are the best child. I love you," Jake leaned over and kissed her hair. "I love you too," Jake turned off the lamp and headed to his room, thinking about tomorrow. Maybe he has a chance? * Jake have a beautiful daughter, and still in love with Bradley.

Cowboys and Motorcycles by bradleybirdshaw {G}

How Long Does It Take? by HoneyWhatever {T}

A passionate goodbye leads to long lasting consequences for Jake.

Two-Way(s) Forward by Barnes_Brain {M}

Jake Seresin was the LA King’s best two-way forward, leading not only his line, but his team with the coveted C on his chest. But when an injury sends him to Bob Floyd, PT extraordinaire, in hopes of getting back on the ice, he finds a little more than a path back to his career.

New Beginnings by Nickies_Nonsense {G}

Bradley swallowed hard, “do you think I can do this?” he whispered. Slider’s hand landed on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze. “Never doubted you for a second kiddo,” he said. Or, being a new Dad is HARD. Good thing Bradley’s husband Jake is there along with the dozen other aviators they call grandparents. Fluff, cuddling, and dubious child-raising follow.

the fox you feed by lemqnie {M}

It is 1885. Bradley Bradshaw undergoes the worst thing in the Wild West: a three-month long journey with his enemy (Jake Seresin) and a 13 year old (Maddie Whitman). or they're cowboys travelling west to deliver a 13 year old girl to her parents.

Years of Salt and Sunshine by PVB {E}

His whole life, all Bradley Bradshaw has ever wanted is to join the Navy. But his mother kept him shielded from the darker side of the Navy - especially its conservative views of omegas. Bradley finds this out first hand at twenty-two years old, when he goes to a party at his new CO's office and meets his omega - Jake Seresin, Bradley's summer camp crush. Only it's Jake Prentiss now, with three small kids and another on the way, held captive not by laws but by the oppressive weight of his family, his duties, and the Navy's idea of a good omega.

Treat by Jeston17 {G}

Jake has babysitting duty for his nieces on Halloween, getting roped into trick-or-treating. While taking the girls around the neighborhood, they find a lost boy named Nick, and help return him to his father. Jake just might end up getting a date out of the whole ordeal. Or: in this au, Jake meets SingleDad!Bradley on Halloween and they hit it off.

Baby Talk by flyingfightingfishy {T}

“Are you reading him the big NATOPS? As a bedtime story?” Mav asked incredulously. Ice shrugged. “I have a NATOPS check coming up, he wanted a bedtime story, so I asked him if he’d like to help me study and he said yes.” OR Ice doesn't know how to baby talk. He didn't when Bradley was little, and he still doesn't when Bradley has a child of his own.

Girl Scout Cookies by nimuetheseawitch {G}

Second Hand News

It seemed like every conversation he walked past on base was about Hangman. Bradley kept hearing the callsign paired with words like “cute” and unenlightening statements like “I had no idea, did you?” People who he heard just yesterday bitching about Hangman’s ego were gushing about the man, and Bradley was starting to feel like he’d entered the twilight zone. Bradley overhears people talking about Hangman, and he can't make sense of it, or how it makes him feel.

Take Your Daughter to Work Day

As he was about to leave and head back to his own office, Bradshaw called out, “Wait! When did you want to bring her by? Ice wants to pick up his cookies in person and give her a tour.” Jake was barely able to hide his surprise that not only was Admiral Kazansky buying an absurd number of cookies, he also wanted to give his daughter a personal tour of the base. How did Bradshaw just say this stuff casually, like he wasn’t talking about a Navy legend? But he pulled himself together and answered him. “Belle’s staying with me for her spring break, and I got some leave approved. I was planning on helping her deliver cookies on one of my days off. I’ll shoot you a text with possible dates.” “I’ll share that with Ice.” Bradshaw smiled warmly at him. “We’re all looking forward to meeting her, Jake.”

Baby Bird Learns to Fly by SerenaLight17 {M}

"Baby Bird Learns to Fly" takes off in the aftermath of Jake's turbulent break-up, where an unexpected twist of fate grounds him, leaving him to grapple with life's uncertainties. In an unforeseen turn, two Navy legends become Jake's steadfast anchors, offering him stability and a surrogate family. Fast forward a couple of years, and Jake is summoned back to Top Gun for a covert mission that thrusts him into a world of high-stakes aerial maneuvers, fierce aviator rivalries, and unresolved emotions. Hangman, driven by an unwavering resolve to become the best aviator, finds himself rattled when face-to-face with the man who shattered his heart. Amidst the adrenaline-fueled skies and prideful aviators vying for supremacy, Jake is torn between protecting a long-held secret and the prospect of reopening old wounds.

into bright and happy future by winterbucky {G}

Alexandra Seresin is a delight to have in class, and Bradley has never been so happy to be a substitute teacher. She's bright, funny, mischievous, and just so happens to have a Dad exactly like that - with the added benefits of being a firefighter. It takes Bradley a while to warm up to the idea of the mysterious Mr Seresin, but their first meeting goes better than expected. It's hard to dislike a man who's such a good, loving dad for his daughter or parent/teacher with smitten (if a bit suspicious) bradley, hot and sweet jake, and the sweetest little girl in the world. girl dad hangman ftw

If you need me call me, you don‘t have to worry by LoveMadeThemDoIt {_}

Jake sighs, squeezing the phone between his ear and shoulder to get the laundry out of the dryer. “Your daughter is fine,” he reports. “I, however, officially got my Cool Dad card revoked.“

Can't buy me love by SunMonTue {E}

Jake doesn't need help around the ranch, but he's not going to turn down cheap able-bodied labor either. He's not stupid. The fact that Bradley knows nothing about ranching doesn't exactly help his case, but he's a fast learner.

it runs in the family by ofguttersandstars {M}

swamp boy

Ness Seresin is born on Caddo Lake, split between Texas and Louisiana. He comes a month too early. (Or, a brief look into the childhood of Jake Seresin, who wasn't always Jake, and the five kids he raised).

hell’s comin’ with me

“You don’t want kids?” Jake repeats, a broken record at this point, as he sags down further in his seat. It’s a slight motion really, but he does it; he can't help it. In the same way he can't help the burn of rejection in the back of his throat. They're done. They have nowhere else to go from here, and the thing is — Bradshaw doesn't even know it. (Or, five times Jake put his kids before himself and one time he didn't have to).

The Sunrise Found Me With You by Emilyandthecat {T}

“You looking for any of that?” he says, trying for causal and only just saving it from being smarmy. “Any what?” “Any, uh…trouble?” As if he’s in a jet, Bradley can feel himself losing altitude in the conversation, there’s a robotic voice in the back of his head telling him to pull up. “I mean, uh. Well, would you maybe ever want to – “ Jake looks good here too, something secret and keen about the way his eyes can’t seem to rest on one spot for too long. First looking up into Bradley’s tamed down curls, then admiring his arms, then down to his waist and back up again. “Get into trouble with you?” Jake says, quiet between them. If Bradley didn’t know any better, he would say that Jake was batting his lashes at him. He really, really hopes he doesn’t know any better. Or: Jake and Bradley are asked to demo the Uranium Mission to the newest batch of Topgun pilots.

#Kid Fic Single Dad & Parents Recs List #hangster #sereshaw #hangaroo #bradley rooster bradshaw x jake hangman seresin #bradley rooster bradshaw #jake hangman seresin #🐈red🐈furry🐈cat🐈tag🐈

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lovingbradshawafterdark · 2 years ago

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Feel me up (Bradley Bradshaw miniseries) part 1

Bradley Bradshaw x Fem!Reader

Warnings: lap dances and dry humping followed by shitty business practices and slight abuse (take care of yourself) minors DNI

summary: Jake thinks Bradley has lost his touch and leaves him a strip club where he meets a lovely stripper.

Word count. 2.0k+

Series masterlist

Taglist: @lovelybucky1 @discoseal @marchingicenotes7 @cyrene-world @rafemcameron1 @itmejado @harper1666 @hangmandruigandmav @uwiuwi @iluvweasleys

Bradley didn’t know why he went along with this dumb plan. According to Jake, Bradley needed to reconnect to his roots, so he was dumped off at a strip club and told to have fun. Jake even made him be right out front. Bradley was hardly paying attention to the strippers. He likes a good pair of tits; nothing did it for him. Bradley was about to call an Uber until a new stripper came out. He saw you come out clad in a beautiful white dress. He only stared, mouth agape. Bradley heard your heels click as you walked towards the pole. There was a certain confidence you had, you weren’t new from what he could tell, but he wouldn’t know. He heard many hoots and hollers from drunk men that made Bradley cringe. He couldn't even imagine what you or the other dancers endured.

“Take the dress off, sweetheart!” One of the men yelled whole. You played it off and giggled.

“You're going to have to be patient for me, baby” That made the blood start flowing down lower and lower. Bradley loved the sound of your voice already; he wanted to hear more of you. He was memorized watching you dance slowly and teasingly. Bradley's mouth went dry as you swung around the pole. He could see your small smile from where he was and reached for his wallet. He hadn't thrown out any bills all night. He watched as you elegantly began to take your dress off. It fell from your shoulders majestically. Of course, you still had a bra and lacey panties to remove. Many men had thrown dollar bills your way. Bradley had to have you if there were some way he could have you.

“Whoever my eyes land on first gets a lap dance free of charge,” You yelled ed looking at the ceiling. Bradley didn't stop staring, and he couldn't as your white lacey panties fell delicately between your legs. He was enthralled by anything you did. He felt like a teenage boy watching you. He was getting so hard. You still weren't looking out towards the crowd making Bradley wait with anticipation. He watched your folds closely, so closely his hand immediately going towards his crotch with flushed cheeks. Bradley forgot what you said earlier. As he watched you glance at him, you smiled. His face went even redder when you stopped and pointed at him.

“Looks like we have a winner,” You said, reaching behind your back and walking towards him. He watched every sway of your hips, and you gracefully removed your Bra with ease bending down to look at him, “what's your name, honey?” Bradley was bright red now, only gawking at your chest and tits. You chuckled before tilting his chin so he would look upwards at you.

“Eyes up here, Baby,” You whispered. Everybody was staring at you both now, many slightly upset.

“Sorry,” he said softly, his voice husky. You only giggled and gently caressed his cheek.

“Gotta give me a name Mr. Pornstar” you teased, which he assumed was because of his mustache.

“Bradley...Bradshaw,” He said so breathlessly and desperately that it made him want to cringe again.

“Well folks, guess Bradley Bradshaw is getting that lap dance” You stood up excitedly. Bradley heard many Boos, yet some cheers. A man aggressively patted him on the back.

“Good luck, son,” The man said with a whisper. He only watched your ass as you walked back to the pole. You were swinging yourself upside down now, a smile on your face. The lights turned off, and a new dancer came on stage. Bradley missed you already.

***

You couldn't stop smiling as you went backstage, the otter dancers looking at you funny as you sat down and redid your make-up.

“You seem excited. You usually hate giving the lucky guy a lap dance,” Cheryl said, crossing her arms and looking at you curiously.

“He's cute, The shy type,” you said, applying a soft blush to your cheeks, making them look more rosey. Bradley Bradshaw had a nice ring to it.

“He only gets you for ten minutes,” she reminded you, adjusting her skimpy red outfit. You giggled again, making sure your mascara was perfect.

“He’ll pay for more time. He's the type,” you said bluntly. Cheryl was about to repeat something before Jason came running in.

“Where is my little stardust?” He cooed as he laid his eyes on you. He shuffled over, a cigarette still in his mouth, and he slapped a big wad of cash next to you, “biggest payout honeycakes” You hesitantly smiled at him as he looked at the other girls. You didn't like the special attention from Jason at this point.

“Can't help being a star,” you laughed while blowing a puff of smoke. You closed your eyes as the smoke hit your face.

“Can you do me a favor, sweet thing?” your stomach churned while he asked. If he called you sweet thing, that usually meant trouble, “I got a buddy who'd like a private session after closing time.”

“You know I don't do that kind of thing, boss,” you sighed while he looked at you disappointed, lowering his sunglasses.

“But baby girl, I promised him you wouldn't want to let me down would ya?” you knew the game, and you hated it. He was going to guilt trip you til he said yes.

“I got a lap dance to give,” you stood up, adjusting your thong, “you’re going to have to ask another girl here. You hated springing this on someone else. The private sessions after hours didn’t enforce the rules as much. You walked out of the dressing room. One of the other workers was standing next to Bradley and going over the rules, and he looked half disgusted at what was being described to him.

“You’re going to scare the poor thing, Hank!” You joked, walking towards the both of them. Bradley sooner noticed your outfit or lack thereof. His face went that pretty shade of red you liked. He seemed quite buff and kuscualrbif his tight black shirt was anything to go by.

“You know I have to tell him the rules” Hank crossed his arms as you smiled at him.

“I'll be sure to call if anything goes wrong. You won't be trouble, Bradley, right?”

“N-no,” Bradley stammered. Hank only sighed before nodding, letting you move on. You giddily grabbed Bradley’s hand and guided him down the long hallway. He was trying to look above your waist and not at your exposed ass.

“You did something like this before, Pornstar?” You asked as you reached the small room.

“Not since I was twenty-one” he was nervous. You hadn't had someone anxious for a long time. You gestured to the chair. Bradley slowly moved towards it and shakily sat down.

“What do you do for a living, Bradley?” you turned around and locked the door. He could only look at your ass now, his eyes refusing to look away.

“In the navy,” Bradley huskily said, his hand death gripping the sides of the chair. You turned around, and he watched the slow sway of your hips. Bradley hadn't noticed your makeup; a soft blue eyeshadow and rosy pink blush.

“You're gorgeous,” he exclaimed and immediately blushed again, “I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to,” you giggled, walking closer to him.

“I'm flattered you think that” you got down to his level, looking right into his eyes, “do you want this dance?” your voice was so soft and sweet he felt his cock pulse. He could only nod, a lump in his throat. You straddled him, wrapping your arms around his neck. You smiled so sweetly at him, “I'm going to guess Hank told you the number one rule of no touching,” you whispered into his ear. His whole body tensed.

“Yeah…” it was hoarse and filled with need. You smirked before you slowly started to move your hips. He gasped as you slowly swayed your hips in a circle. You were going in best to the music. Bradley was trying to contain himself, sweat dripping from his forehead. His hands were shaky as his cock throbbed for some attention. Every little ghost you did over him made him want you even more. He didn’t even feel his hands go toward your waist. You froze for a moment. Bradley instantly retracted his hands and was about to apologize while you shushed him. You like having him hold you, his hands big and warm.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” you whispered. Bradley slowly nodded while you winked, “feel me up, big boy” Bradley groaned at that, his head thrown back. You ground yourself into him, moaning at the feeling of the denim on your clit. Bradley’s hands moved upwards slowly, and you could feel his Jeans tenting.

“You seem big. I like when they’re big,” you sighed, hearing him moan and start to spew curses from Bradley’s mouth, “what do you do in the navy?”

“Naval Aviator,” he hissed out, his hands making their way up to your breasts. You knew they never looked at the camera’s really, not unless someone paid extra for things that would get the club shut down. He gripped the material of your lace bra tightly.

“I like pilots,” you mewled, closing your eyes as you practically humped him now, desperate for a release like he was. He listened as his name softly fell from your lips. You looked down at him, and if they knew what you were doing, you’d get a harsh talking to Jason or maybe fired. That didn’t matter; you wanted this to get your mind off so many things. You were both close until a loud knock was heard at the door.

“Times up!” Hank yelled. You and Bradley both panted. His chest was flush and cheeks pink. You don’t know what got into you as you softly pressed his lips to yours. Bradley moaned loudly before his body spasmed. He squeezed your breasts as he orgasmed. Breathing heavily and looking up at him, you smiled, pressing your forehead against his. The knocking persisted until you yelled.

“He paid for more time!” Bradley hadn’t paid for more time, but he was considering it. He watched you bite your lip nervously.

“Boss wants you. Says it’s urgent” you frowned before standing up, Bradley’s hands finally leaving your waist.

“One second,” you whispered and opened the door, and closed it behind you. Bradley only heard chattering before a loud, angry man yelling, followed by a slap. Bradley stood up immediately and opened the door, and he found you rubbing your cheek.

“I told you I can give a better payout, and this what you’re arguing about? You wanna get this guy off still?” Bradley saw you begin to cry, “who got you off the streets? Who gave you a secure life, huh?” Bradley felt his blood boil, and suddenly, there was a gasp. He didn’t even know he had punched the man to the floor, and he looked at you, confused, as you held a hand over your mouth. Hank grabbed you and pushed you away from him. You hurriedly ran over towards him, a small piece of paper in hand. He was about to look at it, but you stopped him. You shook your head before he was grabbed by hank, who took him away. You looked sad at him before helping Jason up. He was still yelling at you. Bradley was thrown out in the street.

“Never come here again! The door slammed, and Bradley groaned loudly before looking at the piece of paper you had him.

Call me Pornstar xoxo

Your number, followed by it, made Braldey smile. He stuffed it in his pocket before taking his phone out. First, he immediately went to his contacts, he realized he never got your name, but he'd text you later and make sure you were alright. He then proceeded to text Jake.

“Thanks” was all he said, not looking to see if he responded. He only wanted to change out of his cum stained underwear and jeans.

#top gun #top gun maverick #bradley bradshaw #top gun smut #bradley bradshaw x reader #top gun x reader #rooster x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #top gun fanfiction #rooster bradshaw x reader #rooster

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film-in-my-soul · 11 months ago

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seresin ranch by lightwoodsisabelle / @nicogayngelo

2 Part Series | Unrated - Rated G | Total Words: 19,946

Part 1 Summary: if you want, family ranch has an extra bedroom and mama seresin is always looking for more mouths to feed. how long can i stay? Between the rush of packing, saying goodbye to Mav and his girls, and pointedly ignoring the messages in his group chat with Tasha and Bob, there wasn’t much time to reflect on the fact that he was actually going to to stay with Hangman and his family for two weeks in the Middle of Nowhere, Texas

gotta let you know somehow by dracculaura / @dracculaura

2 Part Series | Rated T | Total Words: 3,455

Part 1 Summary:They’re always in each other’s faces, but right now, Hangman’s back is against the wall and Rooster is leaning over him, hand on the wall beside Hangman’s face, using those few extra inches of height he has over Hangman. From this angle, he’s practically towering over Hangman; Phoenix can’t even see the younger pilot’s face, just the tilt of his head and his hand balled into a fist at his side. “Jesus. They look about five seconds from fucking right there,” she says.

It Looks Like Love Has Finally Found Me by tianasplace / @dickiemoltisantigf

2 Part Series | Rated T | Total Words: 3,470

Part 1 Summary: Even in Hangman’s moments of cockiness, Rooster had found himself unable to stop thinking about him. Now Hangman made him feel…well. He groaned. What the hell was he doing?

Please see below for more recommendations!

summer heat and fireworks by yanak324

2 Part Series | Rated T-E | Total Words: 4,172

Part 1 Summary:“Sometimes it’s just nice to sit back and watch the sunset, Seresin. Nothing else to it.” “Seresin? That’s new.”

Sweet Tooth by xo_em / @jakeseresins

6 Part Series | Rated T-E | Total Words: 14,040

Part 1 Summary: “Here,” Bradley says, thrusting the candy into his sight line. “You look like you could use this.”

Jake Seresin Is A Mother Hen by tellxmebby

2 Part Series | Rated T | Total Words: 10,445

Part 1 Summary: “Gives you time to finish your food,” Jake’s muffled voice comes from the bed across and to the left of his bed. Bradley glances at Tasha who is smirking at him with raised eyebrows. Javy looks up and turns slowly towards Jake’s back with his brows furrowed. "Are you literally mother henning a Rooster right now?”

like california gold by zaskiaz / @zaskiaz

2 Part Series | Rated T| Total Words: 13,885

Part 1 Summary: He swallows and looks away. It’s not a good day. Regardless of how many years pass, Bradley thinks the 29th of July will never be a good day for him. or, a little something in honor of goose's death anniversary

low key in love by iridescent

2 Part Series | Rated T | Total Words: 14,407

Part 1 Summary: Bradley runs warm by nature, always has. Today, half an hour after exercise, he’s practically a radiator. He figures he can be generous enough to share the surplus heat rather than suffer through the nuisance of watching Seresin gradually edge closer to hypothermia. (In which Hangman is often freezing and Bradley, who is a human furnace, notices and starts feeling begrudgingly obliged to do something about it.)

Love Nest series by AnadoraBlack / @anadorablack

4 Part Series | Rated T-E | Total Words: 19,456

Part 1 Summary: Bradley Bradshaw has been hiding something from Maverick for a while now. He decides to come clean with it. Mav's world - and later, Jake's - is turned upside down by that revelation...

if you don't remember by attolians / @maroonmorons

3 Part Series | Rated T-E | Total Words: 20,412

Part 1 Summary: “Captain Mitchell, thank god! Can you get me out of here?” Bradley looks between them, trying to hold up a hand as if to stall any of this. “Jake,” he says, breath trembling, “the mission was two years ago.” “No it wasn’t,” Jake says, lips tilting in that infuriating smirk. “It’s next week.” Bradley sags back into the chair, covering his face with both hands. “Captain?” Jake scoffs, apparently dismissing Bradley completely now. “It’s not Captain anymore, Jake. I’m retired.”

so sorry mama by drh0rrible / @betanoiz

4 Part Series | Rated T-E | Total Words: 23,953

Part 1 Summary: Rooster finally gets called up to attend Top Gun. He is determined to outfly his ghosts and graduate top of the class. There are a few obstacles in his way.

on the other side by bottledyarn

2 Part Series | Rated T | Total Words: 30,998

Part 1 Summary: Five times the dagger squad thought they knew what the deal was with hangman and rooster + the one time they got answers

When we go crashing down, we come back every time by Starry_Daze

2 Part Series | Rated T-M | Total Words: 3,047

Part 1 Summary: "It was always the same with them. They’d argue, fight, first with their words, then with their fists, and then finally with their tongues." Jake's starting to have a change of heart about his and Bradley's on-again-off-again relationship.

in the lonely cool before dawn, you hear their engines roaring on by xmeesh

5 Part Series | Rated T-M | Total Words: 9,627

Part 1 Summary: Their game of mutually satisfying one-upmanship continues on and off based on their overlapping assignments, and each time sparks a new game that starts with a compliment and lack of personal space, middles with them fucking each other’s brains out when they have any modicum of privacy, and never really ends.

flight path by res_judicata / @res-judicatas

2 Part Series | Rated T-M | Total Words: 10,302

Part 1 Summary: Rooster’s plane goes down on a Tuesday. Jake remembers that it’s a Tuesday because he had been out grabbing a quick bite for lunch with Javy and the little chalkboard on the wall of the cafe had proclaimed that Tuesday’s special was linguine in white wine with fresh mussels.

slow ride by ladybundle / @ladybundle

10 Part Series | Rated G-E | Total Words: 15,502

Part 1 Summary: Jake has always been the best. Always will be. Because he doesn’t let himself be anything else.

Still Building And Burning Down Love by martian_potato

2 Part Series | Rated M | Total Words: 29,928

Part 1 Summary: Jake Seresin is the best of the best. He’s always been, because he hadn’t ever let himself be anything else. In high school, that meant being the varsity swim team captain and graduating top of his class. At the Naval Academy, that meant being the fastest 200 meter freestyle swimmer they’d ever seen, meant being Valedictorian of his class and graduating with an aerospace engineering degree. At the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, it meant getting the top scores, it meant being sent to Top Gun. In the Navy, it meant being the only current generation Navy pilot to have a confirmed air combat kill since Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. He’s worked hard to be where he’s at today and he’s never been afraid to flaunt it. Even if it means that his only constant, his only comfort, is the ghosts of the people he’s lost that dog his every move.

to the place i belong by davidbyrne / @katiesharms

2 Part Series | Rated M-E | Total Words: 37,083

Part 1 Summary: “Are you sure you want to do that? With me?” There are a million things Rooster could say in response. He could tell him about how the idea of getting a plane, even a commercial one, still makes his blood buzz in the most uncomfortable way, even after all these months. He could tell him about how, when his mom died, she told him to see the world and he hasn’t even been able to see America, except through Navy-mandated stations. He could retract his offer right now, say he’s actually not sure and doesn’t want to spend three months of his life with his ex. He could tell Jake he loves him, still loves him, and beg him to love him back just the same. He says none of that. Instead, he says, “I’d go anywhere with you, Jake. You know that.”

waking up in vegas by ginnydear

2 Part Series | Rated G-M | Total Words: 49,045

Part 1 Summary: In the absence of anything better to do, and the decision being made while all of them are shitfaced, they decide to go somewhere with their month off.

Keeping Dreams Alive by miiichaaan

2 Part Series | Rated E | Total Words: 4,016

Part 1 Summary: After meeting Hangman at the bar, Rooster goes home to an empty room and a head full of memories...

pretty boy by dracculaura / @dracculaura

2 Part Series | Rated E | Total Words: 8,427

Part 1 Summary: Bradley knows that addictions don’t just happen like that, can’t really put his finger on why he likes it so much, but he’d made a vow to himself, right then and there, that he’d get Jake Seresin to blush like that as much as possible.

thirst trap fic by ginnydear

2 Part Series | Rated E | Total Words: 8,537

Part 1 Summary: “His name is Hangman and I think he sent me a thirst trap at 3 a.m.”

and all I see is you by attolians / @maroonmorons

2 Part Series | Rated T-E | Total Words: 12,526

Part 1 Summary: After the mission, Rooster's acting weird and Hangman struggles to adapt to the changes in their relationship. Maybe for the first time he doesn't want to leave another pilot hanging.

paper planes by attolians / @maroonmorons

3 Part Series | Rated E | Total Words: 17,164

Part 1 Summary: Bradley ends up stranded at a gay bar after forgetting he took muscle relaxers post mission - Jake is his knight in a shining lyft. Sort of.

Adrenaline Rush by Thee_Maxwell

2 Part Series | Rated E | Total Words: 19,051

Part 1 Summary: If they weren’t already breathing each other’s air, Hangman would have stepped forward. Instead, he smirked, cocking his head and narrowing his eyes while leaning his weight onto one leg. “Why didn’t you say shit about yours and Maverick’s history?” “It’s not your business.”

Top Gun Coffee Shop AU by Fuddlewuddle / @fuddlewuddle

2 Part Series | Rated E | Total Words: 19,880

Part 1 Summary: Jake Seresin only went into the coffee shop to get a drink. He didn't expect to meet the love of his life.

Life Still Goes On by Renai_chan

3 Part Series | Rated T-E | Total Words: 24,004

Part 1 Summary: Jake and Bradley spend one night together under the heavy, heavy influence of alcohol. It does not go well. But it goes worse for Jake than it does for Bradley because he wakes up with a bonding bite and his new alpha nowhere to be found. When they're recalled for a special training detachment eight years later, Jake finds out that Bradley doesn't remember giving him the bite at all and Bradley finds out about it for the first time. It still does not go well.

can't start a fire without a spark by phoebo

3 Part Series | Rated E | Total Words: 24,766

Part 1 Summary: What comes to Jake’s mind thinking about his his days in San Diego is a list of sensations, of feelings, short frames of his trainings shared with his teammates. This evening, yet, there’s something missing.

Daddy Rooster by Renai_chan

10 Part Series | Rated M-E | Total Words: 86,740

Part 1 Summary: When Rooster left Mav's at eighteen, he needed to make some cash to get himself through uni. So where would a newly emancipated orphan go to make some money? Why, porn of course. But this is not that story. This is the story of how Hangman--during their special detachment training--finds said porn and all the joys it leads to after he gets his head out of his ass and talks to Rooster about it.

Master Reclist · Personal Masterlist · Blog Nav.

#hangster #sereshaw #hangster reclist #reclist #top gun maverick reclist #fanfic reclist

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ofstoriesandstardust · 1 year ago

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on a dime, your whole life can change

or: Ice breaks the news of his cancer diagnosis to his goddaughter

like father, like daughter masterlist

warnings: swearing, cancer diagnoses, canonical deaths, this picks up right off of a piece i’m still writing, like father like daughter pieces are intentionally small, unedited

word count: 1.7k

Your godfather sighs as he sits down next to you on the porch swing, causing you to glance up from your book.

"How you doing?” He asks as you tuck your bookmark in between the pages, shutting the book softly. You shrug.

“I’m okay, I think.”

He hums. “You excited to be back home for a little while?”

You nod. “Shame it’s for this though.”

After your Dad’s accident, you had submitted a request for extended caregiver leave to care for your Dad as healed up. The request had gotten approved, no strings having to be pulled on Ice’s part. It would be unpaid, but honestly, at this point in your life, a paycheck was the last thing you cared about.

Your Dad would be a few weeks out from getting cleared to move back to Miramar from Pensacola so you and Ice had headed home, leaving him under Slider’s watchful eye to get ready.

It would be an adjustment, you being home with your Dad and uncles at the same time. But it was an adjustment you were willing to make and you were all too happy to be close to them again.

“I’m excited to have you here though. Gonna make this conversation a little easier knowing I don’t have to send you back out right after.”

You cock your head. “What do you mean? What conversation?”

He sighs. “Kid, I’m really sorry to have to tell you this on the heels of what has gone down with your Dad but we- well, really, I can’t hide it from you any longer.”

You shift, concern growing in your stomach. “Ice, what’s going on?”

Ice blows out a breath through his teeth, unable to meet your gaze. “I’m really sorry, kid.”

“You’re scaring me, Ice.” You whispered.

Ice’s got the same look on his face that he did when he had to be the one to tell you Carole wasn’t getting better, your Dad too distraught after Bradley’s reaction to the news.

It’s the same cautious look, like he’s going to do his best to keep his goddaughter from falling apart when her whole world has been turned upside down.

“Okay, just gotta rip the band-aid off.” He whispers.

It’s unusual to see him like this, which is making the pit in your stomach grow.

Had someone else been hurt? Was Bradley okay? Had something happened to him? What couldn’t he hide anymore?

“Kid, I have cancer.”

It feels like breathing has suddenly become impossible, all the breath being sucked from your lungs in that moment.

Part of you wants to bite out a bitter laugh, unable to fathom that this is happening again.

How much more unfair could life get?

“It’s up in my throat. The doctor’s are optimistic. Say they caught it early and that they’re...”

Ice’s voice drown out as you swallow, unsure of what to do.

When Carole had been sick, you’d turned to Ice, unwilling to burden your father or Bradley with your emotions about the loss of Carole. They’d needed your support more than they needed your tears and you knew you had to be a rock for them.

Ice had made you feel safe enough to break down, had allowed you to cry to him more than you ever thought you could. It was a needed support, one you wouldn’t have been able to get through without.

But this time, it was Ice who was sick. He’d have to go through the hell that is chemo, lose his hair and his appetite, suffer painful surgeries, wither away right in front of you. He couldn’t be there for you, living the diagnosis every day of his life.

Your Dad would be losing another one of his best friends, Slider too.

And this time, Bradley was gone. There was no comfort or support to be found in his hatred.

This time, you were all alone.

“How’d she take it?” Slider voice murmurs from the living room. They all thought you were asleep, no idea you were sitting on the stairs in Ice and Sarah’s house. You tucked your head into the fabric of your elephant-covered pajama pants. They’d been a gift from your Dad in high school, unsure of what to get you for Christmas. They were a little goofy, but the sentiment and thought was sweet and they still fit, becoming a pair you slipped on when needing a little extra comfort.

“Worse than I thought she would honestly.” Ice mutters back.

“What happened?” Your Dad says. He’d gotten back this evening, a bittersweet arrival. As much as you were relieved to have your Dad near, it’d been tamped down by the knowledge of the fact that he had to have known what Ice was going through.

How long had they all known and chosen to keep it from you, to walk on eggshells around you?

Wasn’t this something you deserved to know, that your godfather, essentially your second dad for all intents and purposes, was dying and there wasn’t a goddamn thing you could do about it?

“I thought for a minute there she might start freaking out or crying or get angry or anything but she was just...” He trails off. “She just shut down.”

“She didn’t talk to anyone for three days.” Sarah says softly.

“That poor kid probably thinks she’s going to lose everyone important to her by the time she’s thirty.” Slider’s voice sounds.

“With the way things are going, she might.” You hear your Dad say.

“Over my dead body are you leaving your daughter Mitchell.” Ice rasps out. “Hell will have to freeze over first.”

“Let’s be realistic here for a second, okay, Kazansky?” Your Dad snaps. “We can be optimistic all we want about the prognosis but she knows just as well as everyone else in this room does that it doesn’t fucking matter how optimistic the doctors are. She watched cancer destroy her only mother figure, who’s to say it won’t destroy you?”

“Mitchell...” Slider sighs, but it’s too late, the sounds of your Dad attempting to leave the room echo in the hallway. “Jesus Christ, Maverick.” Slider says and the sounds of someone helping your Dad back to the couch can be heard even from your position in the hallway. You can’t stand the thought of your still-injured father trying and failing to stand and leave.

“We’re all fucking struggling with this, Pete.” Ice snaps after a few moments. “This isn’t easy on any of us. In case you forgot, I was that girl’s main support when Carole passed. I didn’t forget all the nights she crawled into my bed and cried while she was over here.”

“She needs you Ice, you can’t leave her yet.”

“Oh, and you think she doesn’t need you?”

Ice’s words are harsh, full of heat, and you wince again.

Ice sighs after a few moments. “Pete, I’m going to do everything it my power to be with her. I know what I took on when I agreed to be her godfather. The last thing I would ever want to do is leave that kid alone.”

“I think we should let the two of you talk.” Sarah says softly, and the sounds of her and Slider leaving the room make their way to you.

You know you should move, not knowing what would happen if they all knew you had overheard this conversation but you can’t seem to bring yourself to move.

“Night Sarah.” Slider mutters to the woman as she disappears into her bedroom. Slider pauses as the foot of the stairs when he notices you sitting at the top step. “Kid-”

You stand up, walking back towards your room as Slider’s footsteps follow you. The bedroom door slams behind you, the lock clicking shut, just as Slider reaches it. You can hear him jiggle the doorknob before knocking on the door.

“Kid, let me in please? Talk to me.”

You plop down on the bed before anger thrums through you, propelling you off the bed and wrenching the door open.

“You want me to talk to you? Let’s talk about how it’s not fucking fair I have to lose my godfather over fucking cancer. Let’s talk about how I am in fact, terrified, I am going to lose everyone I love by the time I’m thirty. Let’s talk about the fact that I no longer have anyone I can turn to for support because everyone needs me to support them more than they can handle me being upset. Let’s talk about the fact that I have to be the one to keep it together because-”

You blink, realizing Slider isn’t the one in the doorframe.

It’s Ice.

He sighs. “Kid, you’re not alone in this. It’s going to be okay, I promise. You still have so many people in your life who love you and aren’t going anywhere, including me. I’m gonna fight like hell, I promise-”

You’re slamming the door shut before you even realizing it, the hollow promise striking somewhere deep in you.

Carole had said the same thing long ago. Look at what had happened. Look at all you had lost because of it.

A sob escapes your throat as you fall back on to the bed, hand flying up to silence it.

Your chest physically ached with all the weight you were carrying and there was nothing more than you wanted to hug Bradley in that moment.

The ache made you angrier, confused as to why he seemed to be appearing in your mind so much lately, how the anger was somehow drowning out underneath the knowledge that you missed him.

He should’ve been here to comfort you and somehow the thought makes you angrier, your chest heaving as you sobbed.

Lately, it all felt like drowning. You felt unable to carry the weight of your Navy service, becoming restless in the career you had chosen for yourself.

The career that had always been laid out for you.

You missed Bradley and that made you angrier.

And now, now who’s to say they wouldn’t all become a memory? That you wouldn’t end up all alone?

Would this ever be over? Would this feeling ever end?

Underneath the sobs and the heaving of your chest, through the sounds of the knocks on the bedroom door, you weren’t so sure.

#top gun: maverick fic #top gun: maverick #same mistakes #pete maverick mitchell #tom iceman kazansky #like father like daughter

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averagewriter-inthedark · 2 years ago

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When It’s Cold, I’d Like To Die 🌨 | TGM Imagine- Apocalypse AU

Set in an alternate world during a zombie apocalypse

TGM masterlist

Characters & Pairings: female!reader x Dagger Squad (platonic), slight Bradley Bradshaw x female!reader (implied romance), sister!oc x female reader (platonic/sisters)

Content Warnings: MAJOR angst & MAJOR character death (read at your own risk). Profanity. Emotional, sad, light fluff at the end (sorta a happy ending), apocalypse!au, light spoilers for TLOU (one scene is loosely inspired by one from Ep.2) | female!reader (she/her) wc: 7.5k

Premise: 2019 was the last year humanity could laugh and have fun without a care in the world. Then in November the world was turned upside down when a deadly virus swept though causing humans to turn into beings they only saw in movies. Seven years after the outbreak, the Top Gun special detachment have remained a team, but in the way they predicted obviously. They’ve survived things no training from the Navy could’ve prepared them for. Now years later, they’ve wondered to Seattle with hopes of returning to California by down….but for a couple of them, it’s their last stop.

Note: I’m sorry. Again. - Bee 🐝

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Date: 30 November 2026 –7 Years, 0 Months, and 20 Days since the outbreak

It’s been 12 hours. Another 12 and my brain will be consumed by the virus making me one of the things I’ve spent years fighting. No one knows. Everything happened so fast after the ambush that I rushed to get my gloves on before anyone could notice the bite mark just below my thumb. The veins have already started to appear, my muscles aching with light spasms I try to hide when no one is looking. So far they’ve only reached my elbow…but once they reach my neck It’s rapid from there. Then the foam will leave my mouth, my pupils will dilate to the point you can barely make out the white. I guess I should start figuring out what to do before I either lose my mind or end things before it gets worse.

I fear Maverick is onto me, but maybe he fears I’m onto him. His behavior has changed just as mine, becoming drawn away from the rest as we set sights on heading south for the winter. When he thinks I’m not looking I catch him fidgeting with his pant leg. Like he’s trying to make sure it’s covering his skin…..Maybe I wasn’t the only one to be bitten—not sure if I should find comfort at the fact I may not have to go through this alone, or just as hopeless with the fact it’s Mav. Once the others discover our my secret I’m scared they’re gonna lose faith. We’re so close to the rumored safe haven—so so close that we could get there by the end of the week…..but it looks like they're gonna have to continue without me.

We’ve been together as a team for seven years—before the outbreak even happened. I still remember the smell of the ocean and the feel of the felt on the pool table against my fingertips. The taste of draft beer that I once hated almost seems nostalgic since I haven’t had it in years. I can still hear the laughter from Bradley and Javy when Jake tried chatting up a pretty blonde who turned out to be married to an admiral. I wonder what happened to her….did she survive that night? Did she last a week? A year? Is she out there now wondering about the country like us?

With my eyes closed I can still picture the news coverage. The initial confusion filling my veins followed by a rush of anxiety that what I was witnessing was real. Then the panic erupting from everyone in the bar. Some rushed out immediately, likely rushing to get to their families. All of us who stayed did our best to board up the windows and doors with whatever we could find. Those of us with weapons in our cars were all so nervous about using them for the first time. Poor Bob didn’t know how to handle his gun and Mav being the saint he is, helped Bob when chaos was happening around them. Just picturing myself that night…shooting a person that didn’t even look human trying to break through the barrier. The revolver in my hand shook by how horrified I was and when I looked at Nat she mirrored my expression. I forgot what happened to my little revolver…it lasted me a good six months into the outbreak before we snuck on base and stole everything we could.

It’s crazy how everything changed in the blink of an eye. One second we’re all celebrating the success of an impossible mission, the Navy’s best fighter pilots. The next…we’re fighting for our lives in a war we only saw in movies. For the first year as humanity attempted to adapt to the new reality, we all traveled across different areas of the country to find our families. Radio and communications were lost early, with the only relying source was to go to our homes and see if they were there. Unfortunately, we never found most of the team’s loved ones. And those we did were already turned or on the brink of. I’ll never forget Javy’s face having to put his parents out of their misery. Same with Nat to her siblings. The only people we found who were healthy and joined our expedition were Bob’s cousin, Mickey’s brothers, and my sister, Jamie. While there was joy finding them, it came with heartbreak.

We lost Omaha first, then Harvard and Yale in one night. Fritz was shortly after marking one year of the outbreak when we thought a building was clear and turned out a stray was lurking underground. Every now and then I’m surprised Rooster and Hangman haven’t killed each other. In the beginning they were always butting heads on what to do, with a knife being pulled out one time that ended with Mav threatening to send them on their own if they couldn’t get their act together.

I’m still mad about losing Hondo, Halo, Penny, and Amelia—It wasn’t even one of the bastards who got them, the damn war between the army and these militia groups has taken more lives nowadays than the virus. The large cities are where most of it happens—and unfortunately we happened to be passing Vegas during turmoil. The conflict arose in the months after the outbreak. It’s understandable really—everyone was pissed that the government failed to prepare after it was revealed they had knowledge that a possible deadly virus would be on the loose. But it’s gotten out of hand. Too out of hand.

I know Mav hasn’t been the same since Penny died. Maybe that’s why he’s not looking too panicked at the idea he could be reuniting with her by the end of the day.

Nothing good came out of that night besides stealing military armored vehicles. That’s made traveling from coast to coast easier with the new jobs we’ve taken up. Fightertown, the once home of Top Gun, is now our base of operations. We’re currently in Seattle with the plan to leave for California tonight, but I won’t be making that drive. Not when I’m already feeling the changes in my psychological well being shift. Jaime is now 16 and I want nothing more than for her to survive this damn apocalypse—to go on and actually live the life she deserves. Not waking up every morning with the fear it would be her last. She’s been traumatized enough with everything she’s seen and I know it’s going to be difficult for her without me. But she’s the strongest girl I’ve ever met. She can survive this all. And I know the squad will take care of her. They’ll keep her safe until their final breath.

That last mission I’ll keep close to me even after I’m gone. They’re my family—my only family I’ve known for the last seven years. We’ve survived so much together. And I pray that whoever stands above all will keep them safe from here on out. Maybe one day they’ll see the world how it once was. That’s my last wish for them.

To find peace.

6 Hours later

Twirling the match box in her hand, Lt. Y/n ‘Pepper’ L/n, relished in watching the sun make its descent on her final day of life. The colors were beautiful, painting the sky an array of pinks and oranges. Sunsets in the Pacific Northwest were always beautiful. She was glad she got to witness another one last time.

She was sitting on the steps of a courthouse, the others inside behind her going over plans or packing the vehicles. Jaime was tossing a ball she found with Mickey’s brothers, giggling when it accidentally hit one of them in the head. Trying to remain composed, she closed her eyes and breathed in the air. It almost felt fresh and clean. Not the polluted with lingering decomposition of human flesh scent she was accustomed to.

No. Tonight it was nice. Actually comforting with the cool breeze of the wind.

“Twenty minutes we’re out,” Jake called from the doorway. “Pep, we need ya in her’.”

“Alright,” she signed, pulling herself up and putting the match box in her jacket pocket. Making sure the clothing was zipped all the way, Pepper cranked her neck to make it look like she was stretching, all while fighting the urge to twitch. Adjusting her gloves next she grabbed the canteen of water off the step and moved inside where the team were holding up. The teenagers behind her raced in after, only to receive some looks when they made a lot of noise.

When scouting the area for refuge the squad checked the surrounding proximity for any undead. Big cities were hives for them, and one loud noise such as an explosion or a simple blast of a shotgun could trigger a mob. Since they started their cargo transport ‘business’ they’ve mastered avoiding the undead when traveling to populated cities.

A moment passes, everyone glancing around for the sounds of disturbance. When nothing happened they visibly relaxed and signaled it was okay to talk.

“Sorry,” Ray, the oldest of Mickey’s two brothers, mumbled.

“It’s okay, buddy,” he told him, “Just remember to be careful next time. Okay?” The teen nodded, moving to sit next to Sammy, and Bob’s cousin Allison.

“What’s it looking like?” Nat was the first to ask, Bob coming to stand in front of the table with the large map displayed.

“The gas we have in the trucks will last us till the Oregon-California border. Portland is four hours from here, and then it’ll likely be another four or so to the border if we don’t run into any trouble. We’re gonna have to stop to refill the takes and then we can either decide to haul it to Sacramento— where I’ve already notified the base camp there we’re planning to stop so they’re getting stuff ready for us—or we can try to find a place at the border to rest.”

“I say we go to the base,” Javy said, rummaging through his pack for a snack. “I wouldn’t trust the border—could be scavengers hiding out for passerbyers.”

“Yeah, but Sacramento’s being hit with conflict,” Payback pointed out with a tired sigh.

“But if we haul for the long run tonight then it should die down by morning. You know how it is…It’s at night these things usually happen.”

“Both of you are right,” Rooster steps in, frowning down at the map with his arms crossed. “We stop at the border we could be ambushed, but if we go to Sacramento we’ll walk right into a war.”

None noticed how quiet Y/n was, fidgeting with her thumbs as they discussed. There was no need for her to give input. Not when she was gonna be likely dead within the hour.

“Well we need to decide,” Nat says sternly, the exhaustion evident in her tone. “I want us to be out of here in fifteen minutes—so either we vote, you two rock, paper, scissors it or we flip a coin.” Rooster almost considers it but then turns to the oldest member of their squadron.

“What do you think, Mav?”

The former pilot blinked several times, not realizing his name had been said and quickly recovered. Pepper’s anxiety rose…he was showing signs. “I-I yeah..I think you-we, we should go to Sacramento.”

‘Fuck,’ Y/n dropped her head in silent thought.

The others didn’t seem to notice the slip up and continued on. “Well that settles it,” Jake clapped his hands, “Let’s finish packin’ up and get the hell outta her’.” There was distress expressed by those who were worried about what lay ahead in Sacramento. For Y/n, her heart was racing by what she needed to do next.

“Jaime,” she called her sister over softly, the teen coming to stop in front of her. “How are you doing tonight?”

“Fine,” she drawled with a shrug. “Not looking forward to being cooped up in a van for the next eight plus hours…but I plan to sleep the entire time.”

“Good,” Y/n brushed some hair behind Jaime’s ear, letting her gloved hand softly liner against her cheek. It was shaking lightly, but Y/n managed to not let her sister notice. “Me too. That sounds like a good plan. I uh—,” she reached into her pants pocket, removing a small booklet. “I’ve been hanging onto this for a while and I thought you should have it. Maybe you can keep it safe since I almost lost it when we were in Denver.”

Jaime took the booklet, examining it. “What is it?”

“Open it and find out.”

Doing so, Jaime felt tears spring in her eyes when the booklet revealed Polaroid photos of not just the team from the past years, but ones of her and Y/n’s family. “W-where did you get this?”

“When we found you back at the house and after I….I won’t say,” she was referring to having to shoot their parents and brother who had turned. Jaime was hiding in the attic when they found her, malnourished and living off of rice cakes and water. “But I went through the house to find things that were sentimental. And well, I made sure to grab photos so we could always remember what they looked like.” Y/n felt a bile of emotion in her throat, swallowing it down. “It’s yours now. Take care of it.”

Jaime closes the book and wraps the thread around it to keep it together. Then her arms go around Y/n’s waist, causing her to stumble a bit, but hold her sister nonetheless. “Thank you,” she said. “I’ll keep it safe. I promise.”

The booklet was the last piece Y/n had of their family. All it contained were the photographs. Keeping their memory alive as a happy one rather than the painful last image of having to execute them to put them out of their misery. Only a few times a year Y/n would flip through the photos, and read over the handwritten notes of her mother and father she found. Now it was time to pass them to Jaime. So she could have them and also remember Y/n.

Pulling away from the hug, Y/n places her hands on Jaime’s shoulders and looks deep into her eyes. “Promise me something, kiddo.” The teen gave a short nod and Y/n took a sharp breath. “Promise me that whatever happens to me, you’ll always fight. You’ll move forward and continue to survive. Promise that you won’t give up no matter what happens okay?” Jaime appeared taken aback by the request, not liking the idea she may have to one day continue without her sister. “Promise, kiddo. I need to hear you say it.”

“Why are you asking me this now, Y/n?”

“Because It would bring me peace knowing you are going to be okay,” Y/n offers a small smile. “I want reassurance you would never give up just because I’m not there. You’re stronger than that. And I need you to promise me you will be.”

Eyes still watery, Jaime sniffs and gives her sister a nod, “I promise I’ll try.”

“That’s all I can, kiddo. For you to try,” she brings her into another hug, feeling eyes on her and looks up to see Maverick with a sympathetic expression.

He knows.

“It’s you and me against the world, right?” Y/n holds her close, resting her head on top of Jaime’s, who then repeats, “You and me against the world.”

“Go wait in the van with the others while we finish up here,” before sending her off, Y/n places a comforting kiss on Jaime's head with the soft whisper of ‘I love you.’ The teenager wanted to question her sister’s behavior, but followed the order anyway despite the feeling in her gut starting to form.

Once Jaime, Sammy, Ray, and Allison were outside, leaving just the squad, Y/n’s voice echoed against the silence, “I can’t go with you.” Everyone stopped what they were doing, Maverick off to the side with his hands on his hips and all of them waiting for the former pilot to say she was joking. Holding her hands together, she keeps her gaze on the floor.

Jake scoffed, “Now’s not the time to joke, Pep. We’re leaving in five—.”

“I’m not going,” she snaps, “I can’t go.” Her arm twitches, catching the attention of Rooster, who unconsciously takes a step forward causing her to move back. “Don’t get close to me, please,” she falls to a whisper, letting her eyes drift up to find the mixed reactions from her friends. Some were ashen—already understanding what she was trying to say while a couple appeared confused, not yet catching on.

“Y/n…” Nat’s tone becomes strained. Not wanting to accept the possibility.

“I’m sorry,” she looks at each of them, but Jake just shakes his head and demands, “Show us.” Removing the gloves first, Y/n’s hand trembles as she reaches up to unzip her jacket, shrugging it off her body to reveal the veins taking up the entire right side of her body. Her tank top showed where it was heading. They crept just halfway up her neck, meaning she was far into the infection that she only had a few hours before she fully succumbed.

“Fucking hell,” Jake turned away as Mickey and Bob immediately went distraught. Rooster and Nat simply remained frozen.

“When did this happen, Pepper?” Payback gently asked, trying to contain his reaction. All of them were already feeling the impending loss, and were all thinking the same thing: Who’s gonna be the one to do it?

“Eighteen hours ago…”

“During that ambush at the Hospital?” Javy was next to question her.

“Yeah,” she sadly replied, moving her hand a bit to show the bite. “Fucker that tackled me from the side got me as I was knifing him.”

“And you kept it from us?” Jake shouted, anger in his eyes. Y/n remained calm, knowing his reaction was justified. “This whole time you knew you were infected. And you didn’t say a word until now. Why?”

She tilted her head like it was obvious, “what the hell was I supposed to do, Jake? What would have you done? Shoot me right there?” She saw him still, making her scoff, “Forgive me for wanting a few more hours of peace with you guys and my sister before I end things.” Now that had everyone, minus Mav, eyes to go wide. Again she scoffed, “You really think I was gonna let it consume me? Or put one of y’all in the position to kill me? No,” she shakes her head, “no, I wanted you guys to be off to California before that happened. Honestly I would’ve just left hours ago with no word to spare you all, but…you probably would’ve searched for me.”

Some had to look away at that. She was right, they would have come looking for her. Even if they feared she had turned they’d at least want closure instead of wondering what happened.

“Seven years though,” she tried to laugh. “Not bad when you think about it. Would’ve hoped to make it to ten but life surprises you in mysterious ways. Now I’ll just have to root for Y’all on the side lines. I’ll kinda be pissed though if they somehow find a cure within the next month.”

No one knew how to respond. Quite frankly they didn’t want to. They were all dealing with having to adjust without Y/n going forward. Some didn’t want to accept it.

“Pep, we can try to figure something out—,” Nat tries to say, but Y/n spins to face her.

“What? figure out what, Nat?” She gestures to her arm. “I’m too far gone, okay? I have less than six hours at most—I won’t make it to Sacramento. And even if I were to….they’ll shoot me the second they see me. I’m not letting Jaime see that.” Y/n faces Rooster with a desperate look, tears threatening her eyes. “She doesn’t know,” she could see the heartbreak in his gaze.

Over the years Rooster and Pepper had grown close. At first it was just solely due to the connection they formed in the Navy which grew more at Top Gun. But when the end of the world is happening and there’s not many people in your life….things tend to happen.

They never put a label on it. At no point referring to the other as their ‘partner/significant other,’ but at night they’d bunk together. Rode in the same trucks. Had each other’s six. Sometimes they’d get involved in more intimate scenarios….. Maybe one can call it love, but they had a deep respect and admiration for each other.

“Take care of her for me,” she tells him. “Promise me you will.”

Rooster doesn’t hesitate, “I will.” Y/n swallows, nodding with thanks before adding, “She may fight you when she realizes you’re leaving without me. Sedate if you have to. Keep her from trying to come back.”

They had just gone to an abandoned hospital to retrieve supplies. It was where Y/n, and possibly Mav, got bit. In their search they got plenty of medical equipment including sedatives.

“I’ll do it,” Nat says, bringing a hand up to wipe her eyes. There were tears already escaping. The woman goes over to one of the backpacks and pulls out a bottle with a syringe to prepare it just in case she had to use it. Her hands were shaking, and before she knew it Mav was crouching beside her to take the syringe and do it himself.

“Here,” he hands it back to her, now full of the liquid. She thanks him softly before placing it in her jacket pocket.

At that moment an ugly screech fills the space, many reaching for their weapons in time to light up the undead that wandered in. Another one followed, and lastly a third, all dropping to the ground with bullets filling them. The rapid fire of the sound had Ray come rushing in to which Mickey yelled, “get back to the truck now!” They could hear faint noise in the distance, coming from the direction the three had run in from.

“There’s gonna be more. They must’ve snuck in from the sewers and came through the back,” Payback said in a rush, scanning for any more that could be lurking. “We gotta go.”

“But—,” Bob raised a hand to Y/n, who cut him off by saying, “I can hold them off. Buy you some time,” she paused a bit, looking at her shotgun and then said, “Leave the diesel.” She was referring to the large containers of diesel gasoline that had been on the streets. They didn’t know what to do with them since none of their vehicles took that type of gas. Y/n saw them and instantly thought of a plan.

“What the fuck are you on about?” Jake asked when she started to cut into the containers to let the liquid leak onto the floor.

“I’m gonna drown them in diesel,” she says sarcastically, making him glare. “I’m gonna fucking blow the place up, Jake. Do you want to sit and watch or are you gonna get your ass in that truck and make it tomorrow?”

He doesn’t answer, instead he marches up to her and pulls her into a near bone breaking hug. “I’m gonna miss you, Pep. You’re the best fucking wingman I could’ve asked for.”

Y/n’s lip quivered, hugging him back. “Don’t get sentimental on me now, Seresin,” she attempted to joke. “We both know you’ve been wanting to get rid of me for a while.” She feels him shake his head, though he chuckles.

“Never. You’ve been the glue of this team. I don’t know how we’ll get through this hell without ya, but we’ll try.”

“Thank you,” she pulls away, seeing a stray tear fall from his eyes. “Take care of each other.” He squeezes her shoulder that’s not covered in veins, patting it before stepping away.

“Let’s get a move on.” Everyone takes turns saying goodbye to Y/n and gathering their packs. There’s not a dry eye in the room, Nat holding onto her tightly and not wanting to let go.

“C’mon, Phee,” Y/n’s tone is soft, “you rise from the ashes. You’ve been doing it since I’ve known ya. You’ll get through this. I know you will.”

Nat whimpers, wiping her face as she says, “You better save me a drink up there. Because we’ll have a lot to discuss when I join you.”

“That’ll be years from now,” she assures her, pulling away from the hug, “But I’ll have your favorite ready to go when that happens.”

It was hard with each goodbye. Reuben and Javy understandably made theirs quick. Mickey said how he was gonna miss sharing the excitement with Y/n when he would find an old comic book. Sweet Bob’s face was bright red as the tears ran down his face unapologetically. “I’ll never forget you, Y/n.” She choked back a sob as she replied, “I would hope not, Bobby Boy.”

Rooster’s hug lasted longer than the others, kissing the side of her head lovely as he whispered into her ear, “Thank you for everything. I promise I won’t let anything happen to Jaime. You can count on it. And Y/n…I-I just want you to know that I lo—.”

“I know,” she cups his face, staring into the beautiful hazel eyes she adored. “I know, Roo. I’ve known for a while. And I feel the same, always have.” He wanted to kiss her one last time, but the infection had a chance of transferring through saliva and they couldn’t risk him getting it. It pained him that he couldn’t offer one last kiss to her.

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, making them narrow in confusion. “Mav, what are you doing?” The question came at the sight of the older man cutting into the containers and bringing the gas further out to the hall where they could hear the approaching noise increase. They had maybe less than two minutes before they had company.

Mav threw his bag down as he pushed away the empty canister. “I’m staying.” The reaction was immediate.

“The hell you—!”

“I’m infected too,” at the gasp from Nat and stunned looks from everyone, besides Y/n, Pete bent down to pull up his pant leg. When he did the same ugly veins coated his skin. Then he lifted the end of his t-shirt, revealing more. “I don't have much time either.”

The reaction from Bradley could best be described with one word: agony.

“No,” he rubbed his face before his hands went to his hair. “No. This can’t be happening.” He wouldn’t accept it. Losing Y/n was one thing, but also losing Mav—his second father, in the same night? His entire soul was being ripped apart.

“Bradley—.”

“This can’t fucking be real!” Rooster shouted, not caring the tears were falling from his eyes. “Not you too!” The sounds from the distant hallways were getting louder, Payback and Jake rushing to close the doors of the room they were in to block them off before pushing desks and tables in front of them. It wouldn’t last much, but it’d at least buy them some seconds.

“Guys we really need to go,” Jake rushed out, pushing Coyote to the door. “Now! We can’t stay here!” It was a scene of distraught. They were now faced with the reality of losing both Y/n and their team leader. Fear of the incoming undead is what made them not break down right then and there. Nat knew once she got in the van she’d would lose it.

Rooster was already starting to break down. His face was red and riddled with tears, breathing heavily as he tried to fight back against Payback and Bob’s grip. “Don’t do this to me, Mav! N-no! Fucking dammit-I’m not leaving them! Mav! Please!”

“I’m sorry, kid,” Pete removes his dog tags and tosses them to Bradley to catch. He doesn’t know how he caught them, but the action hurts him even more. “You’re gonna be okay. I’ll see you again one day.”

“Don’t fucking tell me that! I don’t want that, Mav. C’mon—we were supposed to survive this together!”

“I know,” Mav sighs, green eyes red from crying. “I’m sorry, Bradley. But you’re gonna have to do it without me.” The former pilot releases a heartbreaking sound, making Y/n put her hand to her mouth to cover her sobs.

“Rooster, we have to go!” Reuben tells him sadly, practically shoving his friend backward. “I’m sorry, man, but it’s over.”

“Don’t make us have to sedate you, Bradshaw,” Jake threatens with an unreadable tone. He hated doing so, but if they didn’t leave in the next ten seconds they were about to be sitting ducks for a mob of undead.

“Mav!” Bradley screams as they finally get him out the door and out from their sights. Y/n is having to catch her breath from how hard she was crying. Seeing the man she loved in such a state did absolute destruction to her heart.

“Give these to Jaime,” she removes her own dog tags that were around her neck. She passes them to Natasha, who was the last in the building and fighting back the urge to collapse. “I love you guys so much.”

“We love you too,” Nat sobs, glancing between Pepper and Mav. “Both of you. I-I’m so sorry. This shouldn’t—this shouldn't have happened.”

Y/n just sighs, trying to smile at her friend, “It was an honor serving with you, Nat.” She sees the woman let out a shaky breath, nodding before turning on her heel and racing out of the building. When the trucks started she felt some relief, feeling more of it when the sound of them driving off could be heard.

Now it was just her and Pete.

“When did you figure it out?” She hesitated to ask, finally looking up from the ground she had been staring at for a good five seconds.

“When I noticed you were quieter than usual,” he replied, then asked, “What about you?”

“When you kept messing with your pants and checking if someone noticed.”

“Yeah,” he cracked his neck, then said, “I take it you got something to light this place up?” Instead of answering, Y/n removes the match box from her pocket.

Together they pull two chairs into the middle of the floor, facing the doors the undead were currently running for. A loud bang indicated they breached whatever obstacle in their path. It would be maybe thirty seconds before they arrived. Sitting down, Y/n opened the match box to find two cigatters hidden with only one match.

“How fucking ironic,” she chuckled, removing one to place between her lips before offering one to Maverick. Though he didn’t smoke, the occasion called for it so he took the tobacco and allowed her to light it with the last match before doing the same to hers.

Leaning forward in her chair, Y/n inhaled deeply before releasing the smoke, “What do you think we’ll find?”

“Hopefully…peace,” he breathes out, smoke filling the air. “But I hope to find my parents, maybe Ice and Goose. Hondo. Penny and Amelia,” his voice turns softer at the last couple names. “But mostly I hope to find peace. You?”

“The same,” she gives a small smile, leaning back in the chair as the noise gets louder. Fifteen seconds. “I sorta hope to find The Hard Deck. Maybe that’s where everyone is waiting for us.”

“That would be nice,” Mav agrees. Ten seconds.

Y/n gulps, “Mav?” The growls and moans were closing in.

“Yeah,” he says calmly. Five seconds.

“It’s been an honor serving with you.” He takes her hand in his. Three.

“The honor is mine, Pepper.” Two.

The cigarette bud flicked from her hand at the same moment the doors busted open. One.

Nothing could describe the flooding of anxiety that filled Jaime L/n when she heard the commotion from inside the courthouse, followed by the guys practically dragging Rooster out. Javy, Jake, and Mickey hopped into the armored van in front of the one she was in where Mickey’s brothers were. Meanwhile Bob, Payback and Nat were coming to the one she and Allison were in, hauling Rooster who was in evident distraught.

“What’s happening?” She said aloud, receiving no answer as Bob and Payback threw Bradley into the back seat, with Nat hopping in after them. Payback immediately got into the driver's seat with Bob in the passenger. Turning around to the courthouse, Jaime awaited Y/n to run out with Maverick. But neither came and she realized Payback was starting up the vehicle. “Where’s Y/n? And Maverick?” When none answered, only hearing the light cries from the former pilots.

This time with her blood running cold, she asked in a more demanding tone, “Where’s my sister? Wha—what are you doing!” She shouted when the van started to move, following behind Jake and the others. “Wait!” She turned in her seat, still no sight of the two. “No! What are you doing!? Stop—my sister’s still in there!” When Jaime turned back to scream at Payback to stop the van, she was met with the heartbreaking eyes of Natasha, who simply extended her hand over the seat to hand over something. Snatching it, Jaime felt her entire world collapsed seeing it was Y/n’s dog tags.

“N-no,” she croaked, lifting her gaze to Nat to find she was shaking her head. “No…”

“I’m sorry, Jaime. She was bit—.”

“NO!!” Jaime screamed, turning to look at the courthouse in hopes it was a joke and Y/n would run after the van. “You’re lying! She would’ve said something.”

“Honey, she didn’t want you to know—s-she was gonna have to leave us eventually.”

The teenager wailed at the news. Not wanting to believe her sister would send her off without saying. Not without a goodbye. Now it made sense why she was asking her to promise her all those. It was because she knew it would be the last time they saw each other. Jaime cried at the realization.

She slapped the seat, “Go back! Go back now! I won’t fucking leave her there! Ple-ease!” She hiccuped, beginning to crawl over the seats so she could get to the doors. Immediately Rooster was taking a hold of her, causing her to thrash. “No-fuck you! Let me go! That’s m-my sister! Please, Rooster—we have to go-oo back!”

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” he shot Nat a look when she removed the syringe, mouthing, ‘not yet.’

“No-no-no-no-no-nooo,” she cried, fighting against him but to no avail. “Please! Don’t leave her—go back!

They were some distance away, but still in sight of the courthouse when an explosion rattled the ground. Jaime got enough away from Rooster’s grip to look up and see the building was on fire. “NOOO!!!!” She broke down in despair, falling against the man who just held onto her as his own tears rolled down. Everyone in the van was in the same state, Payback was gripping the steering wheel so tight and Bob had his head in his hands.

Jaime just kept screaming and crying, occasionally fighting against Rooster and at one point her panic attack became too much that Nat had to sedate her when she actually threw a punch at him. He wasn’t angry or upset of course. He understood exactly what she was going through.

Both of them just lost the only family they had.

It would be an image that would haunt them forever. The ablazed courthouse where their friends layed. They didn’t want to picture what they looked like, instead focusing on their final days. Where Y/n was dancing with Mickey to an old song that came on the radio. Where Maverick was showing the teenagers how to change a tire in case the vans were to break down. The nights by the fires reminiscing on what it was like before the outbreak. Shooting pool and darts at the Hard Deck, before it became a graveyard to the undead.

Those things are what they would remember. The feeling of warmth and nostalgia from reliving those memories would help them in their grief. They were in denial at first, then angry, followed by bargaining as they asked, “it should’ve been me.” The depression lasted a long time. Mostly for Rooster and Jaime who had trouble adjusting to life without their loved ones. The nightmares were horrible, keeping them from getting sleep. Jaime went from an optimistic, bright, teenager to cold and detached. It took some time before she reached the final stage of grief: acceptance.

It was roughly two years after Y/n died that she understood why her sister didn’t tell her during that final conversation. Why she made sure she was out in the van before she realized Y/n was staying behind. It was so Jaime could remember her in a healthy, happy, light. So she wasn’t faced with the devastation of seeing her become undead.

Everyday she wore her dog tags, fiddling with them whenever she became anxious. The days she felt lonely and depressed she’d glance through the booklet with all the photographs Y/n had gifted her. Shortly after the incident Jaime discovered Y/n’s notebook with all her entries starting from the day after the outbreak, to the most recent being the one six hours before she died. Jaime felt her heart break and repair each time she read an entry. She cried a lot at the one detailing the day the squad found her, where Y/n spoke of how she had to execute their infected parents and brother. There were entries that made her laugh, some made her angry—especially one talking about the night they lost Halo, Hondo, Penny, and Amelia. It was so unfair how it happened. The team was just trying to get through Vegas and bombs were going off due to the conflict between the army and rebelled militia groups.

The last entry, Jaime trailed her fingertips over Y/n’s handwriting, hoping she would feel closer to her sister. Feel her warmth again, hear her laugh, see her smile. She wasn’t the only one. Every now and then Jaime would catch Rooster looking at his own Polaroids with Y/n and Mav.

Years passed. Summers turned to fall and then winter and spring. The tenth anniversary of the outbreak came and went, with their group losing Javy, Ray, Bob, and Allison along the way. Jake died around the fifteenth, with Mickey not too far behind due to an injury to his leg. They finally decided to stop their ‘transport’ business when that happened, no longer able to do the work they once were able to as Bradley, Nat, and Rueben were all approaching their fifties. Jaime was now in her thirties and had met a nice man on their travels, falling in love when she never thought it was possible.

She wasn’t the only one to find love. Nat married, so did Payback though neither had children. Rooster was the only one to not do so. Even when it was obvious men and women they met in their travels expressed attraction to him, Bradley denied their advances. When asked he simply said, “I had my love. There wasn’t anyone like her and my heart won’t belong to someone else. She took it with her when she left.”

Rumors started to spread around the twentieth year that the new generation of children being born were immune to the virus. Pregnant, Jaime felt a mix of fear and hope at the thought her baby was immune. Hope that maybe a cure could be discovered, but fear at what the government planned to do with the children. Surely they were ripping them from their families to be taken to testing locations. Immediately Jaimie, her husband and the remaining squad members with their loved ones they found and created all went into hiding in Fightertown.

Humanity began to rebuild in the 25th year. An announcement was made just shortly after the outbreak anniversary that countries working together were able to create an effective vaccine. It was to be distributed immediately, with no human being denied the access to be cured. Jaime had just had her second child when they got it. Within six months every remaining human had received the vaccination.

Finally, after 25 years. They could breathe a sigh of relief.

The team remained in contact despite going their separate ways. Rooster traveled back to Virginia where his parents rested, sending a vintage postcard to Jaime when he arrived. Nat and her husband remained in San Diego, Reuben and his wife traveled to Colorado. Jaime, having seen every inch of the country, ended up landing in Washington state. She didn’t go to Seattle, it was still too painful, but she went close to the Canadian border.

The reason: the sunsets.

“Look at how the sky just lights up. So many colors—a beautiful array of orange and pinks,” she heard Y/n’s voice when she closed her eyes the first time she sat on the porch steps of her new home, the sun descending on the horizon. “I’ve seen many sunsets in my days, kiddo. But nothing compares to the ones on the PNW. They by far are the most mesmerizing to look at.”

Breathing in the fresh air, the most refreshing she’d ever inhaled now that she was away from most of civilization as the cities were being rebuilt, Jaime felt the weight finally lift from her shoulders. “You and me against the world, right kiddo?”

“You and me against the world.”

Acceptance. It was finally here. Jaime thought she had accepted her sister’s death ages ago, but really she had pushed it to the back burner to focus on other things. Never did she truly accept Y/n’s death, she just adapted to it like everything else.

Being able to come back to Washington, the place she lost her sister, and watching the sunsets she knew Y/n loved is what really brought Jaime peace.

She finally reached the final stage of grief.

40 years later

The bright welcomed Jaime with warmth spreading throughout her body. Gasping, she opened her eyes and glanced down to find she was no longer sleeping in her bed with her children holding onto her hands. Instead she was wearing an old flannel she remembered she loved as a teenager, with light wash jeans and converse. Her hands were no longer wrinkled and rail, she felt like she was back in the body of her young self.

Ocean waves filled her ears, and when she turned around she found the sea ahead with a familiar building she only knew by the memories her sister would tell her.

The Hard Deck.

All around was a hue she couldn’t explain. It was bright, almost luminescent with the sun’s rays beating down. Something in the building was calling to her.

“Go,” a voice said. She didn’t recognize it, but it was telling her to go inside. “They’re waiting for you.”

Her feet carried her across the parking lot. No cars were there which made it unusual for a bar that read ‘open’ on its glowing sign. Still Jaime approached the door, hearing the faint sounds of conversation and music. When she pushed the door open, the music stopped and she was frozen at the sight before her.

The whole Dagger Squad were dressed in their service khakis looking the same as they did the night of the outbreak. Penny and Amelia were behind the bar, where Mav was seated with Hondo, Warlock, and Cyclone. Ray, Sammy, and Allison were by the jukebox, beaming at Jaime and her heart picked up at the sight of her husband of nearly 50 years beside them. The Dagger Squad were smiling. Especially Rooster who looked young and handsome again, throwing Jaime a wink as if to say, ‘about time you showed up. We’ve been waiting ages.’

Heart beating, she felt the emotion surge in her causing tears to prick in eyes. Jaime’s eyes drifted over, bringing a hand to her mouth when they landed on her parents and brother seated in a booth, her father standing from his seat.

She wanted to rush over to them but something was stopping her. Almost like she needed to see one last person before she could.

And there was only one missing.

Before the name could leave her lips, Jaime heard her voice. After years of wondering if she had found peace, the answer came with a simple greeting of, “Hey, kiddo.”

……………………….

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