#divorced hangster au

[nonbinary-jakeseresin]

divorce arc my beloved

finally got the first 2/3 arc of my hangster divorce fic outlined. Here's a sneak peak at act 1 scene 1 & 2 & Act 2 scene 2 (my fav angst - ie the actual convo that leads to the divorce)

ACT 1 Scene 1 

from when they meet to when they fall in love

they meet in a bar in Tennessee when they were both running away from their pasts and towards something they wanted to be

They seduced each other and somehow it was an instant connection even as strangers.

then they hooked up and became vulnerable, telling each other their secrets not knowing they’ll be seeing each other again

they meet again in flight school. WHOOPS - now they know more 

they fucked around and fell in love 

they decide to say fuck it and be who they are, who they could be both in flight school and in their own personal lives (Renegades) Bradley being himself vs Goose Mav clone, Jake being someone other than a Seresin, the perfect son he left behind

they were great together in flight school. they didn’t mingle with the rest much, they only cared about getting through and getting deployed and being with each other

ACT 1 Scene 2

Jake takes Bradley home to meet mama seresin and sis + B proposing in malibu during vacation + small wedding + honeymoon somewhere 

first time Jake brings Bradley home is after flight school before deployment. He brings B to the Seresin farm. B gets Jake's sister to help him propose to Jake 

he proposes at Malibu on vacation (a couple of days), they get married next week in a chapel (only them and momma seresin and sis)

Jake tried to get Mav and Ice for the wedding but he didn't mention it properly and so it didn't even get to them personally, it just stopped at Ice's secretary who told Ice some random naval cadet sent an invite (this was pre TOP GUN so pre-Hangman being well known, before they were lieutenants)

B doesn't know Jake invited them. They get married.

They honeymoon wherever they get stationed (they get stationed together for a while and it doesn't matter if they’re in carriers a lot cuz like - they get days off on shore and they’re together so it’s fine)

And im going to skip a few parts (because Im not giving everything away) and go to the divorce hehe

ACT 2 Scene 2

the breakup and divorce

Jake comes back from deployment ready to talk but finds B drinking. Angry. Not talking. (they had a fight before this)

Jake asks what’s wrong, B doesn’t reply. Doesn’t say shit. 

They get into another fight. B throws out things like Jake can’t even be a good husband and be there for him, not be there for family

Jake tries to explain that he lost a wingman and he was not ok and that B wasn’t there for him either. That Jake needed time to fix himself first

Then B says something really stupid: that he should have known to expect Jake to not be there because ofc what else is he known for if not leaving people hanging out to dry. just like how he lost his wingman. 

“Too busy chasing a kill to be there for those that need you and it kills them. Why did I think you’d be here for me” (he’s projecting bc he just was so angry)

That was too far. “Then if you always knew you couldn’t trust me, then why did you marry me?” 

B can’t answer. He knows he can tell so many reasons, but he doesn’t know if all that applies to Hangman. Not now. 

Now they were trying to stay still in one place and build something and neither knows how to do it while still figuring out their careers.

J: Why did you marry me Bradley?

B: because it was easy. Don’t know if that’s true anymore. 

I have 2k outline done for everything pre-mission. please give me encouragement cus idk if I will actually end up writing all this o my own (motivation is hard to find lol) but ya if anyone wants to know more just hmu here or on discord :)

[tgmsunmontue]

Saga of Solitude 7/?

Nepo!Baby Bradley and his life at USNA and afterwards. DADT fully in force. IceMav AU. (Begun prior to 'It's not who you know' - the non-angsty version). (Side Hangster, which is ALSO angsty).

PROLOGUE (He remembers)

HANGSTER FIRST MEETING (Lonely Nights - set 2009)

Updating ~weekly (longer chapters).

PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

ONE (2000) TWO (2001) THREE (2002) FOUR (2003) FIVE (2004) SIX (2005)

CHAPTER SEVEN – 2006

                It takes some adjusting, having each other there all the time. He admits to himself that Maverick is likely more flexible when it comes accommodating others in his space, but Tom has had small children and Sarah, even if they’ve been divorced for over six years, feels he should be more accommodating when he wants Maverick there in his space so badly. It’s when Maverick is deployed and Tom misses him like a limb, that he realizes not only did he make the right call, but that he’s adjusted to having Maverick there just fine.

                “Ice! I can’t find the oil.”

                Tom sighs, pushes himself back from his desk and heads for the yelling voice coming from the direction of the garage. Because he knows exactly where it is, however if he ever needs to hide something from Maverick on purpose all he’s ever going to have to do is put it about eighteen inches above his sight-line and he’ll be golden. He reaches up and picks up the bottle easily, handing it to Pete and giving him a quick kiss while he has him there, pressed up against the work bench. Pete in jeans, white t-shirt, hot, sweaty and streaked with grease is definitely up there with views he likes to appreciate. And it’s finally where it belongs.

                “What’s it doing all the way up there?”

                “Because I have children who are curious and it’s easier to keep it up there than put child-locks on all my cupboards.”

                “Oh. Yeah that makes sense. Thanks.”

                Tom turns around and his eyebrows go up.

                “Are you changing my oil too?”

                “Yeah, of course. Only made sense to do everything at once. You said you didn’t have any plans to go out.”

                “No, no, I don’t, it’s fine. Just… thank you.”

                “You’re welcome.”

                It’s small things like that which make him appreciate how Maverick just envelopes Tom into his life, like the way he has a hot drink waiting for him at ten every weekend morning. How his uniform now gets to and from the drycleaners without him actually doing it. The first time he’d worried it had been lost, but instead Pete had just said he’d dropped it off. Then he’d picked up groceries. Now they either cook together, or he comes home to a cooked meal, or he cooks when Mav is running late and it’s so domestic and novel and he never thought he’d get to have this. Not with someone he loves as much as he loves Maverick.

                He goes back to his study, still has too much paperwork to read through but his car is getting its needed oil change, a cup of coffee will appear at ten without him doing anything, the girls will be here before lunch and to spend the night and he feels so lucky, that he’s somehow managed the impossible. The doorbell rings and he stands to go and answer it, opens it to find Admiral Paul Dawkinson standing there and he smiles blandly. There goes his good mood.

                “Paul, hello. Can I help you?”

                “Tom. Sorry to bother you at home,” Paul says, and Tom knows he’s not sorry at all. “I was wondering if you had the folder about the Iranian and Russian uranium deal?”

                “Yes. Finished reading it last night actually. Come in and I’ll get it for you,” Tom says, wondering if he has to offer him a drink as Paul follows him back to his office. He’ll give him the file and then offer, see if he really wants to linger. Of course that’s when Maverick walks in with his cup of coffee, his face going from soft to brittle as he takes in Dawkinson and Tom can’t even roll his eyes, just keeps his expression impassive as he thanks Mav for the cup of coffee.

                “Did you want a cup Admiral Dawkinson?”

                “No, thank you. I just came for a file.”

                Maverick leaves and Tom wishes he could follow him, instead fishes out the file from his locked briefcase and passes it over.

                “Captain Mitchell is here.”

                Tom’s immediate response is to stiffen, which is probably the worst thing he can do and he forces himself to relax and remain indifferent.

                “Yes, he’s currently tinkering away in the garage on his bike and my car. Was there something I could help you with?” Tom asks, because he is not at work right now, is not in uniform, and he doesn’t actually respect Admiral Dawkinson as much as people likely think he does.

                “Is Captain Mitchell here often?”

                “Maverick has a house he shares with his godson, however with both of them often away they both prefer to stay here, rather than stay alone,” Tom states, which is a slight stretch, because this is Bradley’s home, maybe more than the other house. “He does stay here most nights. Easier to cook for two,” Tom states. He will outright lie if he has to, but he’s also been making contingency plans and collecting his own information for years. He knows exactly what he can and cannot say around this subject.

                “Hmm. Interesting.”

                “Daddy!”

                Oh thank fuck. He doesn’t say the words out loud of course, but he feels the little body of Petra collide with his side, followed by the much taller body of Tamsin, both hugging him tightly and he places kisses to the tops of both their heads.

                “Is Papa here?” Petra asks and Tom smiles and nods.

                Oh fuck. Dawkinson is watching everything with a shrewd eye, and Tom has to admit it is pretty damning right now. But he cannot snap at his daughter, not for something which is not her fault in the slightest.

                “He’s out in the garage making a mess.”

                Petra runs off, whereas Tamsin makes a beeline for the piano, immediately starting to pluck out a tune because she wants to impress Bradley next time he’s home.

                “Tom? The door was open… Oh, hello.”

                “Hi. Sarah, this is Admiral Dawkinson. Paul, my ex-wife Sarah Kazansky.”

                “Mrs Kazansky.”

                “Sarah, please. Nice to meet you Admiral. Did I hear you say that Pete’s here? That’ll save me a trip to his place if he is. I have some of his and Bradley’s things in the trunk of the car.”

                He loves his ex-wife so much right now, her reading of the situation and immediate improvisation. He needs to send her and Melissa out for a romantic dinner.

                “Do you want a hand? Pete can take them home later.”

                “Yes please. I stupidly offered to fix one shirt of Bradley’s. That somehow ended up changing to hemming four pairs of pants for Pete and seven shirts. I think Bradley chews his buttons.”

                “Bradley is twenty-three. He should be fixing his own damn shirts.”

                “And Pete should probably be hemming his own pants. But it’s a fair trade if I never have to pay someone to change my oil.”

                He starts following Sarah back out to her car, and Dawkinson follows.

                “Sorry Paul. Family. You know how it is. Was there anything else I could help you with?”

                “No. Nothing else. Thank you Tom.”

                Unease prickles in his gut, but he has contingency plans in place, and he has friends in high places, friends who he is pretty sure know exactly the nature of his relationship with Maverick and simply do not give a fuck.

…             …             …

                Sure enough Monday morning he’s called into Admiral Austin’s office and he looks resigned but also a little annoyed.

                “Tom, have a seat. I just wanted to run something by you. As a hypothetical situation.”

                Okay, so that’s how it’s going to play out. He forces himself to relax and unbuttons the bottom button of his jacket before he sits down. The fact that David has called him Tom makes him feel a little more confident that while he’s effectively been called into the principal’s office, the principal is actually on his side. Dawkinson is sitting there looking very fucking smug and Tom keeps his expression completely impassive and uncaring.

                “How can I help sir?”

                “Just seeking your guidance on what you would do if you found out, or suspected, that someone in the Navy was homosexual.”

                “Sir?”

                “Just humor me. Run me through what you would do.”

                “Well, I’d have to be very certain sir. I’d either have to have had them admit it outright, or caught them in a situation that was irrefutable to my own eyes.”

                “And if someone came to you with such a belief?”

                “Well sir, it’s a very serious allegation to throw around. I would be very hesitant to take anyone else’s word. I would need to see the evidence myself, not second hand at all.”

                “Go on.”

                “This is because it will be a case of he said, she said,” Tom states calmly, but there is ice in his veins as he talks. People talk about burning bridges and salting the earth, but he knows his approach can be just as terrifying. “You need to consider what evidence you have. Years of service of the person concerned, who you’re going to accuse. Credible information needs to be ironclad, otherwise you’re in danger of reprisal. Or a court case.”

                “The policy is not just don’t ask, don’t tell. But also don’t harass and don’t pursue. If I were to attempt to gather information I would be in breach of that policy. I would also be asking myself if I have all the information at hand. Are there extenuating circumstances which might be going on which I have no knowledge of? If the information has been brought to me second hand I would also need to consider if there was a personal vendetta between the accused and the person accusing them. Also I’d want to know if the person identified is doing irreparable damage to the Navy. Because for me the reputation and protection of the people are paramount.”

                “Interesting points. Anything else?”

                “While considering their years of service I would also consider the potential possibility that their commanding officers have been or are aware and have simply ignored it due to how the person does their job. Or other people higher up in the chain of command might have knowledge. Then it would be my own job on the line if they were deemed more important than me.” He takes a quick chance then to glance across at Dawkinson and the man is staring at him, looking paler than he was and Tom settles into his chair a little.

                “Do they do their job well, Admiral Austin?”

                “Exemplary.”

                “Have they ever acted in a way which would bring the Navy into disrepute?”

                “No. Never.”

                “Do you trust their judgement?”

                “With regards to everything for the Navy and United States? Yes.”

                “Now, after you have taken all of that into consideration and still wish to move forward, then you need to consider your own situation. Often when someone starts casting stones, they themselves are then looked at more closely. And gambling debts or extra-marital affairs need to be… carefully hidden from view to ensure that you yourself aren’t dragged into anything. Hypothetically of course, sir.”

                “Of course,” Admiral Austin says, and his face is calm and unmoving but Tom has known him for years and the slight twitch of his eye tells him he’s hiding his amusement very well. “Well Admiral Dawkinson, I hope you found that helpful getting a third set of eyes on the issue.”

                “Yes sir.”

                “You’re both dismissed.”

…             …             …

                “Hey, you’re quieter than usual. Everything okay?”

                “Yeah, just a really rough day at work. I love you.”

                “Love you too.”

…             …             …

                Bradley graduates from flight school and he can’t help smiling every time he glances down and sees the wings. Which is pretty often, because he can’t believe that they’re finally there. Like when he graduate from USNA, there are a handful of people there to watch him, all in uniform and with them are also Ice and Maverick, and he introduces them to the friends he’s made, the very small handful who he’s let into his inner circle. Natasha, Sandy, Callie and Billy. They either don’t care about who Bradley’s family is, or they care and it just doesn’t factor into how they treat Bradley.

                By share luck of the draw he’s home for Tamsin’s tenth birthday. She’s opinionated and serious with it, she despairs of her parents and he wonders if she’s hitting the teenage years early or if she’s going to become even more despairing and rebellious. He loves it, the conversations he can have with her now, because she at least thinks that he’s cool and worth her time. Sometimes Maverick falls into that category, but at twenty-four Bradley is definitely the cool older brother. He drops her and Petra off at school, walks them in and introduces himself to the teachers. Petra has started copying Tamsin, saying she’s old enough to do certain things by herself, and sometimes Bradley has to wonder if it’s just Mav’s blood running true because she is an absolute firecracker, to put it nicely. Hellion would be another word. He’s very glad he’s not got any desire to have kids, although Ice’s lips twitch when he voices that opinion out loud.

                He enjoys every moment with them though, he has his first deployment at the beginning of December and he won’t be home for Christmas and he will never take his loved ones fore granted when he knows how easily they can be taken from him. Or him from them he realizes, and he thinks back to the conversation he had with Mav and Ice, about how his mom didn’t want him to become a pilot and…

                Oh shit…

                If he dies then he’s going to leave behind Mav, and Ice, and Tamsin and Petra.

                The people he wants to protect but will hurt the most if he fails.

CHAPTER EIGHT

[mintcaramelhazel]

I’ve watched again the ocean’s eleven saga what means a top gun au and spoilers for oceans twelve specifically

Bc I’m dying imagining Danny bein ice and his wife being mav and the scene in the hotel w Bruce Willis, except that mav is being Tom Cruise and Bruce willis is Val Kilmer lol

Goose and Carole are alive and divorced. Bc goose is still a criminal and Bradley has followed his steps (yeah, Bradley is Linus), and also, Carole is an important chief at the FBI and it doesn’t look good if she is married to one of the best art thieves ever

She remarried Slider, that isn’t better but at least Slider hasn’t got any pending warrant with his name lol

(Also, slider x goose x Carole all the way)

Carole bailing them from jail in Italy and she scolding Bradley in the car *chef kiss*

But also I want icemav to be Danny and Rusty bc those two give off so many ~vibes~

But also, if Jake is Isabel? And Bradley tempting him as Rusty??

am I the only one seeing the possibilities and all the different scenarios??

Oceans 11 when mav (Danny) wants to rob cyclone (terry) bc he stole his wife, ice (tess)

Mav recounting Bradley bc he used to deal w his father???

Hangster being Debbie and Lou from oceans eight?? Bc Jake has big cate Blanchett energy and you cant deny that!

[jakes3resin]

Hangster criminal au snippet:

Jake thinks he was fairly nice in the divorce settlement. Sure he took the Texas house, but Bradley wasn't even from there what was he going to do with it? And he took Javy Bradley’s best lieutenant, but Jake was the one who brought Javy into the fold so that's moot. Javy was always loyal to Jake before his husband anyways, and if he'd stayed Jake would have used him as a mole.

He gave Bradley freaking Europe. That's fairly generous of him given their line of work, so he has no idea why the hell Bradley's people are trying to hunt him down, and presumably kill him as well.

Jake hadn't even been doing anything, not really. He'd been on a job in San Diego. Bradley can't possibly be angry at Jake for working a job. He shouldn't even know Jake was working anything. He'd left very careful clues to suggest that he was sulking at some mountain spa in the Rockies for the next two weeks. He'd been playing the dutiful spurned ex facade for months now, perhaps less playing than he's willing to admit, and Bradley chooses now to send the hit squad? Disgusting. His ex was always slow to react, preferring to think and take it slow, but this is ridiculous

[nonbinary-jakeseresin]

Bradley Bradshaw's song for when he's regretting divorcing Jake. Also my go to Bradley Song.

[tgmsunmontue]

More than movie magic... 22/24

Hangster AU. Explicit (eventually). Jake is a Hollywood actor and Bradley is a stunt coordinator. Jake's about to make a few self-discoveries. So is Bradley.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FOURTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN NINETEEN TWENTY TWENTYONE

CHAPTER TWENTYTWO

                They’re silent with one another and Jake doesn’t know how to break the quiet. Doesn’t particularly want to break the quiet, not to rake through his relationship history, although he knows it’s a topic usually covered during a date. Except all their dates have either been around his parent’s dining room table, or in the barn, which definitely wasn’t conducive to conversation. He looks up from where he’s leaving his boots to see Bradley stripping off his shirt, but then pulling on a loose soft-looking shirt.

                “Wh – what are you doing?”

                “Changing into something more comfortable. Figure if I’m going to feel uncomfortable internally the least I can do is be comfortable externally.”

                “Oh. Huh. Okay.”

                “Feel free to join me, looks like you’ve got more clothes here now…”

                Bradley then proceeds to shut the blinds, casting the entire space into a dim half-light, the setting sun making it feel warm and Jake strips down to his underwear, not really wanting to put anything else on and he’s comfortable in his own skin.

                “This okay?”

                “Yeah, of course. Whatever you’re comfortable with… Come here…”

                He crawls into bed, let’s Bradley wrap his arms around him, body pressing along the length of his back and legs.

                “Figure it might be easier to not be looking at each other for this.”

                Jake’s stomach squirms with unease.

                “That bad?”

                “No. Not really. I don’t have a dark shady past, or a pile of angry exes. I do have… well. One isn’t even a relationship, but it’s definitely the reason Pete jumped on a plane. Then there’s a very ill-advised relationship, which probably doesn’t help the whole thing, but they’re both over ten years ago. Pete is just… overly dramatic.”

                “Oh.”

                “You want me to just lay it all out?”

                “Yeah, like ripping off a Band-Aid right? You said that we should talk. About what has Pete and Tom flying out here. About… why my mom thinks she needs to play matchmaker.”

                He can feel Bradley’s breath, warm against his neck, forces himself to relax, that this is a sharing of information, that neither of them are looking for reasons to not be together, just maybe, hopefully, understand each other’s families a little better, because apparently they each have their own brand of crazy.

                “So… interesting that your mum wants to play matchmaker, because the two times Pete tried to match me with people it ended in divorce and a restraining order respectively.”

                “What the fuck?” Jake asks, trying to twist to look Bradley in the eye, see if he’s joking, but Bradley is holding him tight, throwing a leg over Jake’s thighs and he realizes he’s effectively being pinned. Knowing Bradley he’s probably got a fucking black belt in some obscure martial art. He forces himself to relax.

                “So, what? Do they think you need protecting? From me?”

                “No. Just… Pete matched me with both people and it ended in disaster. So despite him joking about third time lucky, he hasn’t ever tried again. Gone too hard in the other direction. He second guesses when he thinks someone might be good for me. The fact that he didn’t ever try and introduce us when he was working with you, that he brought Tom to meet you… that’s him second guessing the fact that he likes you.”

                “Tell me what happened?”

                “So,” Bradley sucks in a big breath and he feels it brush past his neck and he shivers involuntarily. “Obviously if I’m divorced I’ve been married before.” Jake doesn’t bother saying anything, figures Bradley is trying to get his thoughts in order.       “He, Pete, introduced me to my ex-wife, which, is something of a mindfuck to have to explain when you figure out you’re gay. It was very short-lived. Like. A couple of days. I was young. Nineteen. It was in Vegas, which is a cliché, but she thought she could make a quick jump into Hollywood when she found out exactly who Pete and Tom were to me. We could have been friends probably, but she just went a little… power hungry. Um. She drugged me. Needless to say I ended up pressing criminal charges and getting an annulment.”

                “Oh shit,” Jake says, because he’s starting to feel like his dating history is nothing compared with this. It actually makes him feel a little better.

                “I mean, hindsight is great, I did nothing wrong, but… this happened over fifteen years ago. I got therapy. Pete didn’t, but probably should have. Then I figured some shit out, came out, and then Pete introduced me to someone else…”

                Silence pools between them and Jake waits, feels Bradley shift against him slightly and the softest of kisses pressed between his neck and shoulder.             

                “The second person, a guy, he was a little controlling… Ugh. He was emotionally abusive. I was still young, didn’t really think his requests were too much. Until they started to be. Again, Pete had introduced us. I thought it was normal. It’s not like I grew up seeing a lot of healthy balanced relationships, but I did eventually figure out it wasn’t right. Anyway. Broke up with him, he tried to become even more controlling and hence the restraining order. He lives in New York now, and Tom made his life very difficult before that move. So… I took a break from dating, or any relationships, for about two years.”

                “Oh.”

                “Yep. Since then I’ve had three relationships, two of those were good and ended amicably and I’m still friendly with them. The other didn’t end so well, they cheated on me. I’m away for work a lot apparently. Anyway, guess which one of those three Pete liked the most?”

                “The cheater,” Jake sighs, not sure who to feel worse for.

                “Yep. Three for three. So… yeah. Pete’s happy for me. But he’ll also be second guessing everything he’s ever thought about you. So try not to take it too personally if he blows hot and cold for a while.”

                “Oh. Tom said something earlier… about hearing a lot about me from Pete.”

                “Yeah, that’s probably right.” Jake hums under his breath, not sure what to think. He’s only been with Bradley a matter of days. “Tom will make up his own mind. But yeah, there you go… once Pete comes to grips with the fact that him liking my boyfriend doesn’t end up cursing the relationship he’ll be fine.”

                Jake can’t help the snort of amusement.

                “God that is so dramatic.”

“Well, takes one to know one right?”

                “Hey!” Jake objects, and he can feel Bradley’s smile against his shoulder, his body shaking with quiet laughter, and god it feels good, despite the seriousness of the conversation, to still be close and laughing together. “I get family wanting to protect you though.”

                “Hmm. See I think of it as family not trusting me to make my own decisions. Everything else was so long ago.”

                “I guess. Nice to know they care about you so much they drop everything and fly across the country to double check anyway.”

                “Dramatic,” Bradley says, voice deadpan and Jake laughs, but his gut is churning, knows it’s his turn now to share the details of his own past failed relationships and he doesn’t have people wanting to use him and his connections, or control him or even people that have cheated on him… He’s just failed every single one of them in different ways and he doesn’t want to fail Bradley.

                “You okay?” Bradley asks, his voice a whisper against the shell of his ear and Jake just wants to curl in upon himself and hide away for a bit longer.

                “I… I’m not good at relationships.”

                “What makes you think that?”

                “I’m just, I’m not good enough,” Jake says, and he thinks Bradley was right in doing this with the blinds pulled, no lights, the darkness slowly covering them like a quiet blanket and allowing them to feel less exposed. “I thought I’d found my person. You know when you think you’ve found them and you plan your life out, and then… it’s all pulled out from under you?”

                Bradley doesn’t say anything, doesn’t need to, just hums encouragingly and hugs him a little tighter and he takes a couple of slow deep breaths.

                “My high school girlfriend left me. We’d been together for eight years. Said she didn’t sign up to be famous. Didn’t want to have to deal with the hate mail, or the fans… It was horrible. She was a big part of my life. My family loved her. I’d picked out a ring. So yeah, the pressure and attention, it was just too much for her. And I thought, okay, I’ll date people who are also in the public eye, but…”

                “You’re a country boy at heart.”

                Jake laughs but doesn’t disagree.

                “I’m not… I.” Jake pauses. “I’m not used to being the more interested party. Person. I’m used to people asking me out.”

                “Pretty sure we asked each other out…”

                “Is that what we’re calling it?” Jake asks, feels Bradley give him another squeeze and he smiles into the dark, presses back against his body and squeezes his forearm where it rests across his stomach.

                “Yep, definitely reciprocal asking each other out. Anyone else you want to tell me about?”

                He sighs, because there are only two others, anyone that he didn’t bring back to meet his parents isn’t worth mentioning. Wasn’t around long enough for Jake to feel emotionally invested enough to bring them home to meet his family and see where he grew up. It’s dawning on him that he’s sort of done things a bit backwards with Bradley, and that might be the best thing he’s ever done.

                “I dated Gabriel for three years. He was great. Lovely and sweet. He wasn’t ashamed of being with me. Our life together in Hollywood was great. We had a lot of similar interests and our friend circles overlapped. He met my family and it was fine. Then we came home to visit, he seemed to like it here; couldn’t ride, but that was okay. I don’t care about that, even if my mom seems to think it’s a prerequisite. He was learning, wanted to learn. What wasn’t okay was every time my parents or one of my siblings would walk in on us, he’d jump away from me, like he wasn’t allowed to touch me without their permission. Even if we were just sitting side by side.”

                “What?”

                “I know. It was fine when we were around friends, in LA, but he just got so keyed up around my family. So the visit home was the beginning of the end and he broke up with me about six months after.”

                “That sounds like a him problem, if he had issues being affectionate with you in front of your family. It’s not your fault.”

                “I know.”

                “Do you?”

                “What do you mean?”

                “It wasn’t on you to fix his issues. Did you talk to him about it?”

                “I tried,” Jake says. “I tried to not let it bother me as well.”

                “Did he try?”

                Jake is about to say yes, of course, but then thinks about it, because Gabriel hadn’t been one to face his own flaws or consider self-improvement, unless it would have made him look better. They’d left the ranch early to return to LA, cutting their vacation short, but Gabriel had made a comment about it not being much of a vacation anyway.

                “No… I guess he didn’t.”

                “His loss,” Bradley says, whispers and Jake swallows against the welling up emotion, because he doesn’t feel like he’s a treasure worth keeping, not usually, but Bradley is definitely making him think that maybe he is.

                “Then there’s Alicia. My last girlfriend. She is terrified of horses, hated seeing me ride. My mom was glad to see the back of her. She never said she didn’t like her, but she was always so polite it was almost frosty with it.”

                “Huh.”

                “Yeah. She made you do the dishes. That was her way of subtly screaming that she already considers you family.”

                “Oh.”

                “Yeah.”

                “Your parents were checking I was up to scratch…”

                “Yeah. Apparently. Mom doesn’t like the glossy façade people put on in LA. Dad even less so. They both like you.”

                “Jake… did you plan this whole movie just so you could get me to meet your family and ask me out?”

                “No!”

                “I mean, I’m okay with it if you did. It’s one hell of a gesture.”

                “No. I didn’t. Not consciously, anyway,” Jake mutters.

                “Well, either way, I’m here and I like it. Especially with you.”

                “Yeah. Feels too good to be true though doesn’t it? A little bit?”

                “Nope. There’s enough bad shit going on that I don’t need to go second guessing what feels like something good. Something amazing.”

                “Oh,” Jake says to the room, the word quiet on his exhale and he feels Bradley’s arm tighten around him again.

                “I am going to tell you every day that you’re too good to be true until you believe me…”

                “Yeah?”

                “Yeah. I can be very persuasive.”

                “I bet you can,” Jake says, and this time when he tries to turn to face Bradley he’s allowed to shift, face him and take his lips with his own until he can no longer tell where his body ends and Bradley’s begins.

TWENTYTHREE