#mav is never going to forget he was the first one to say it

[therealplaguedoctor]

Love at first bite

Max Verstappen x fem!reader

Summary- Y/n is a professional protection dog trainer, and an ex bodyguard. What happens when an old friend of hers calls in a favor: getting his friend some protection. The fans seem to love her, others not so much. Especially not her clients father. Her client enjoys her company maybe a little more then he thought after the first bite.

TLDR- a collection of series of events that ends with two people who didn't really know they were in love with each other until one confessed

Warnings- dogs and dog bites, mentions of aggressive fans, cursing, google translated dutch, Jos Verstappen, stupid warnings: author is a dumbass and pretends she knows shit(she doesnt), American spelling, I never spell check, also y/n is very badass and is kinds just built different, sorry I like writing badass characters/people, also this might be a bit ooc I'm sorry for that :/

A/n- AHHH okay so I kinda hate (hate as in thinking I could do better) and love this(?) I wish it was better written ngl but it is a oneshot so I wasn't able to go into more detail so I feel like the writing is a bit rushed sorry about that I promise I will get better in the future :,)

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

BREAKING NEWS: Fomula one driver Mav Verstappen got injured after crazy drunk fan attacked him.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

BREAKING NEWS: Max Verstappen revealed that he is looking into more security in an interview

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

"We're sure you've seen the questions around what happened immediately after qualifying. Can you add anything to that situation? Like with your current security?"

Max picked up the mic wanting to be anywhere but here "well I will be looking for personal security. As all the security that is normally seen around me is provided via the FIA." He said "But to speak on that manner any behavior like that should not be tolerated" he put down the mic as the interview turned to ask Lewis a question.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

After the interviews were over Max just wanted to relax and forget about the crazed fan. But before he could disappear into redbull hospitality he heard his name from a familiar voice.

"Max!" Lewis called stopping in front of him "Hey mate I think I know someone that I can call to help you with your security" he smiled

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

"Stellen" (bite) you yelled at Goose, which sent him barreling towards the man with the bite sleeve. Goose launched himself up and bit down on the sleeve. The man, Tony, aggressive, shook his arm.

You felt you phone in your pocket buzz with your familiar ring tone. You pulled it out and looked at the caller ID: Sir Lewis Hamilton. You answered the call before yelling "Loslaten" (out) to Goose who immediately let go of his arm.

"Hey Lewis what's up?" You asked as you waved off Tony telling him he's good to leave.

"Hey Y/n" he said dragging out your name a little

"Lewis" you said in a warning tone "what did you do?"

"Okay one rude, I didn't do anything." He huffed "but I do need a favor?" He asked

"What's up?" You asked again "it's not like you to ask for favors"

"Well: my friend, another driver, he had a fan attack him and he needs protection cause he doesn't really have a security team"

"Lewis I can't get him a trained dog in a day" you sighed

"I know" he said "but you're still a certified body guard aren't you?" He asked hopefully

"Lewis." You said

"I know it's a big ask" he said "but I was talking with him earlier and he's willing to pay big bucks for you to be protection for him AND train him a dog." He said

You sighed knowing that he'll continue until you say yes "fine" you said "when can I set up a meeting with him?"

"Uhh I can say next week tuesday? We can do whatever time" He said "cause after this race we have a small break then it's actually race week in Miami"

"Okay Lewis, I'll find a dog for him before then, and start training" you said "if you say he's serious about this then I'll belive you"

"Thank you so much" Lewis said "I'll let him know"

"Yeah yeah, bye Lewis"

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

You sat in your small office. You didn't use it much only for meeting with clients about protection dogs or getting their dogs trained, you wanted to have a atleast semi professional space due to your clientele.

A knock at the door cause you it sit up and stop spinning in your chair.

"Come in" you called.

The door slowly opened revealing a happy Lewis. Goose didn't move from his bed next to you instead looking up at the man.

"Hey Lewis" you smiled

"What's up?" He asked rhetorically as he sat in one of the chairs across from you.

Another man walked in behind him, he looked around the room as if taking it in, this must be Max the guy Lewis was telling you about.

"Hello its nice to meet you" you smiled as you stood up and extended you hand "my name is Y/n L/n"

He shook your hand "Max Verstappen" he said before sitting down

You did the same sitting in your chair "so I have been made aware that you're looking for a personal protection dog" you said "along with the fact in the mean time you're looking to hire my bodyguard services" you said as you pull up the contract you had drafted earlier on the computer.

"Uh yes that's right" the Dutch man said

"Okay" you said as you quickly checked over the document spinning your screen around so he can read it-

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

After discussing the contract along with pay you both sign it. Solidifying the deal.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

"Okay so now that we have that settled" you said as you stood up "we should have you meet your new dog" you smiled "Hier" (come) Goose got up and followed you out if the room the two men behind him.

You took out the keys and unlocked the kennel for a German shepherd pup "he's still a bit young, just under a year actually" you said "but he has the basics down so it's now just bite training" you explained

Both men nodded as they watched the pup and your dog Goose interact.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Media day, the day Max wished didn't exist. He finally got out of his car as you approached him with Goose to your immediate left.

"Good morning" you smiled "large crowd at the gates, mostly photographers only a few fans, I recommend staying on the right side as you walk into the paddock" I explained "it's mostly photographers on that side and no interviewers"

Max nodded as you talked he followed your instructions. You put on your sunglasses to block the flash of the cameras.

Max made it past the hectic paddock entrance with you right behind him Goose walking by your side.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

As Max walked through the paddock he wasn't approached by any interviewers. He could get used to that.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Max sat down ready to record some content for the redbulls media team. You positioned yourself out of the way but with a good view of everything as well as all the entrances.

Daniel soon arrived and noticed you almost immediately sitting down he leaned over to Max and asked "who's that? With the dog?"

"Oh that's, Y/n" Max explained "She's my new bodyguard"

"She looks badass" Yuki comments scaring the shit out of both Daniel and Max "where the fuck did you come from?!" Max shouts

You quickly looked over and watched the interaction, Yuki had been up there the entire time.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

As the recording came to an end you stood from where you were leaning. Watching Checo leave, followed quickly by Daniel and Yuki who look like they needed to be somewhere. Max started towards the exit you quickly followed him.

Begrudgingly Max sat down in front of a mic that had a big 'sky sport' on it. You stood just off to the side of the camera, completely out of frame and able to watch to one side of Max as you had Goose watching behind yourself.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

As Max answered the repeat questions he finally heard the one he's been dreading:

"So Max this morning you walked in with a lady who had a dog. Care to comment about that relationship?" The interviewer asked.

"She's my bodyguard" he stated

"She's your bodyguard..?" The guy asked like he didn't just hear him

"Yes."

"If you don't mind me asking why her?"

"She was recommended by a friend." Max said nonchalantly

"Sorry let me clarify my question" the guy said. Oh no, you knew where this was going. "Why not a male body guard they're stronger no?" He asked

"Are you insinuating that just because she's a women she wouldn't be a good bodyguard?" Max asked

"Well no-"

"No it's exactly what you're doing" he said "you media people always ask the stupid questions" he hissed "that is so fu-"

He was cut off by you "Max de camera staat nog aan" Max the camera is still on.

Instead of continuing he just gets up and leaves, cutting the interview short. You follow quickly, commanding Goose to walk next to Max as you figured Max didn't want to be approached by anyone. Scary dog privileges are the best.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

He opens the door to his driver room.

"Hier, blijf" (come, stay) you quickly rattled off to Goose who quickly went to your side and stopped next to you

Max also stopped in his tracks.

"Sorry" you quickly apologized "he's trained in dutch"

Max shook his head "no need to apologize" he said and then motioned you inside "but I don't want him out in this heat please come inside" he said

You weren't gonna argue with your boss "Volg" (heel) you commanded Goose as you walked into his driver room. Max walked in right behind you.

You stood off to the side as Max sat on the couch. He quickly motioned for you to sit down. You did just that.

Goose sat at your feet between you and Max. Max was obviously still pissed at what the guy said, you could see it on his face.

"You know" Max started "I've never been a dog person" he said "I like cats more"

"Huh," you said "I've always been a dog person" you said "started with the herding dog on my family's farm"

Max nodded as you talked before asking "can I pet him?" motioning to Goose

"Oh yeah of course" you smiled "as long as we aren't in a camera shot give him all the love you want" you chuckled "gotta keep his image up of a cold blooded killer, until the media finds my insta" you chuckled.

Max smiled as he ruffled Gooses head earning a lick from the dog.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

BREAKING NEWS: Max's new bodyguard, Y/n L/n has a trained protection dog named 'Goose'. Click here to read more!

One image attached!

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

You and Max finally left his driver room as he had another media appearance with another interviewer.

Max walked in front of you Goose to his left. You grabbed the door opened it for him. You followed him inside "volg" (heel left), you told Goose who then fell in step beside you to your left.

You followed Max till he sat on the couch opposite of the interviewer. Instead you stood against the wall out of view of the camera.

"Okay" the interviewer said giving the signal to start rolling "so before we start with the questions: would you want to have your bodyguard sit down?" She asked, she sounded genuine

Max then turned to you "wil je gaan zitten? ze kunnen je vragen stellen..." (do you want to sit down? they might ask you questions...)

You responded "Ik vind het niet erg om vragen te beantwoorden. Wil je dat ik ga zitten?" (I don't mind answering questions, do you want me to sit?)

"Ik vind het prima als jij dat ook bent" (I am okay with it if you are) Max said

You gave a quick nod before walking over and sitting on the couch, next to Max. Turning to Goose you said "Bewaken" (guard), causing him to lay down in front of Max.

Turning to the camera the interviewer started "Hello everyone it's Stella here!" She smiled "and I am joined today by Max Verstappen and his bodyguard..."

"Y/n" you said "and Goose" motioning to your dog.

She smiled "and today we are asking the new, the old, and the frequently asked questions." She turned to Max "okay to start off, Max we'll start with frequently asked questions: do you think you'll win the 2024 world championship?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"Of course I will" Max said "if I don't have that mindset then I have no chance"

"Moving onto the old news: China after quali" she said "most fans just do wanna know what happened and are you okay"

"Well obviously I'm okay," he said "but the fan was drunk and belligerent after I was able to take the win," he said "knowing that he was outside of the paddock I shouldn't have left but I'm lucky at the security near the entrance was able to quickly get him away" he said "he surprised me honestly" he shrugged

"Okay now onto the new: your bodyguard Y/n" she said "everyone wants to know more about her" so that's why she wanted to have you on the couch.

Max quickly turned to you "Vind je het goed om te antwoorden?" (You good to answer)

You nodded grabbing the mic he held out: "it's a bit of a story but: I was actually the dog trainer for Roscoe, Lewis Hamiltons dog," you said "I'm a well known dog trainer in Miami I have trained several dogs for a lot of celebrities. Some for protection others just to have a trained dog" you said "but anyways Lewis called me I think the day of the incident" you thought "and we talked for a second and he asked if I still had my bodyguard certification" you said "which is really just a formality but for my job before I started training dogs I was security for a large club in Miami and we needed it" you explained "so after a meeting with Max we signed a contract that is basically me being his bodyguard with Goose until I have trained a dog for him" you finished, handing the mic back to Max.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

The drive to his hotel was relatively quiet besides the soft hum of the radio.

"When we arrive at the hotel do not get out" you said "keep the door locked till I have my hand on the handle" you explained "people are crazy here especially where your hotel is located"

Max nodded as you pulled the car up

You quickly got out shutting the door opening the door for Goose then opening the door for Max. People were everywhere, people shouting, some where drunk others just crazy. You quickly led Max to the entrance of the hotel and bid him a goodbye.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Friday and Saturday were uneventful. But Sunday was race day, the day the MOST amount of people all week.

Walking next to Max, "rechts" (heel right), Goose moved to the right side of Max you walked on his left side. You were able to easily enter the paddock.

Finally its race time you placed the dog ear muffs over Goose to protect his ears. The had just finished the formation lap. The lights turn red one by one, then all go out hearing the infamous "lights out and away we go"

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Lando Norris had won the Miami grand prix. His first win. Max was really happy for him. Wanting to go out to celebrate but not wanting to get attacked he turned to you:

"Y/n do you mind coming out tonight?" He asked "I don't want to miss Landos first win celebration, but I you know need protection" he joked

"Sure I'll baby sit you" you joked back. Little did you know that was basically what you ended up doing.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

As it was Landos first win they were going hard. You stood off to the side watching them all carefully making sure nothing happened to Max specifically. They decided to leave this bar going to the next. You follow them out walking just behind the group.

"Verstappen!" A drunken voice called, "why the fuck did you let that fuck boy win" the man slurred

Stepping between the two quickly "step back" you said firmly to the drunken man.

"What are you gonna do about it?" The man slurred

"Blaffen" (speak) you called, causing Goose to start barking aggressively grabbing his collar as he started going manic as he barked.

The man quickly backed away before almost bolting down the street you shook your head "foei" (no), Goose immediately stopped "Bewaken" (guard) he stood next to Max ready to start walking again

"We're good" you said to him and the group

─⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Luckily nothing else happens that night. But not as lucky Max was beyond wasted. You were able to get him into the car and buckled him up shutting the door. You open the back door for Goose having him jump in. You got in and started driving realizing that you only knew where his hotel is and not his room you decide to drive to your house.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Getting him into your house was an adventure. He was basically a dead weight, after an insane amount of effort you got him onto the couch in your living room and threw a blanket on top of him. Placing some advil and water on the coffee table next to him.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

As the job progressed and Max's new dog got trained many races were uneventful. The media attention on both of you had died down to what it was before Max got attacked. You are featured in some clips and interviews just answering the odd question or pulling Max away to get him out of range of anything dangerous. That is your job anyways.

The only big changes was social media: you stopped posting after getting a substantial amount of followers. People still comment on your old posts asking when your next post is. And the edits.. People are making edits of you and Goose being badass and it honestly makes you happy seeing all those cool edits. You'd take it to your grave but you love watching them in you bed late at night when you can't sleep.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

It was the Austrian grad prix. Lando and Max had gotten into it on the track causing Lando to get a dnf, and Max to drop to 5th place. He stormed off disappearing before you could catch up to him.

You eventually find him sitting in one of the chairs looking at the ground, with his helmet still on. As a man you don't recognize yells at him.

"Hey!" You shout storming over "back away from him"

The man with anger in his eyes glanced at you but went back to yelling at Max. Ypu quickly said "Blaffen" (speak) to Goose, he started barking at the man

"Get back" you commanded again

Finally he looked at you "Do you know who I am?" He asked all proud

"I don't fucking care who you are" you snapped "step away from my client" you said firmly

He turned back to Max and began yelling in Dutch to fast and angry for you to make it out. You were about to intervene again until the man raised his hand as if to strike Max

"Stellen, stellen" (bite, bite) you quickly commanded Goose letting go of his collar. The dog jumped up and bit the raised arm the force sending the man to the ground.

As this is happening Max watched it, he looked up just as you called for Goose to bite his father.

You followed your dog holding the man to the ground before commanding "Loslaten" (let go) Goose dropped the now bleeding arm. "Bewaken" (Guard), Goose stood in front of Max now defensively.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Security arrived with medical and as they treated the dog bite you explained to them what happened pointing the the cameras around as well as a fan that recorded the entire interaction on his phone.

After a bit of talking and reviewing security bid you a goodbye and left. Citing that you were doing you job.

You then sat down next to Max who still hadn't taken off his helmet. "Who was that anyways?" You asked him as you quickly cleaned the blood off of Goose.

"My dad" he said muffled from the helmet

"Oh" you responded

"Yeah" Max said

The air filled with awkward silence before you said "let's get you back to the drivers room to cool down you still have interviews" Max just nodded making his way to his drivers room. You follow him inside Goose quickly settled by the door as you went to Max who sat on the couch with his helmet still on.

Reaching over you unclipped it and took it off, placing it on the table. Max took off his balaclava throwing it next to the mask.

"Sorry" you said "about your dad"

"I- no- uh" he groaned frustrated "You're fine you were just doing your job" he said a little snippy. He didn't want it to come out like that but it did.

You just nodded as he talked listening before saying "okay we gotta have you head to the media pen before someone yells at us and you get a fine" you said standing up

Max just nodded and followed you out if the drivers room.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Media was done and all Max wanted to do was go back to the hotel. You don't blame him you'd want that too.

After the media pen Max was almost a shell of himself. So just to make sure he's okay you walked inside the hotel and got him to his room, you also needed to talk about earlier. When he opened the door to his hotel room and motioned you inside you were quick to oblige.

The room was nice it was similar to one of those one bedroom apartments just minus a kitchen.

Max settled down on the small couch letting out a sigh.

You just stood a bit awkwardly as Goose sat down next to Max's feet earning a few pets from the Dutch man.

"We gotta talk about today" you said breaking the silence

Max groaned "Do we have to...?" He asked

"I mean yeah" you said "Goose bit your father" you said "I'm sorry I didn't-" before you could continue he interrupted you

"You were doing your job" he said "you had no clue what he could have done or actually what he was going to do" Mac explained "you did what you thought was best to protect me. Which is your job" he leaned back on the couch and then muttered to Goose "thank you"

You ran through the situation in your head again. Jos, which you learned was the man's name, was actually going to hit Max.

"He was actually going to hit you wasn't he?" You asked him

Max stayed silent that's all the answer you needed

"Well now I wish I didn't tell Goose to let go"

Max cracked a smile, "thank you" he said this time looking up at you.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Both you and Max were in his driver room. It was media day for the British Grand Prix, but Max had been waiting to hear back about his next interview as the time.kept changing. You thought that they just wanted to keep him here as long as possible.

Max was watching the small TV as he sat next to you on the couch. You were on your phone just scrolling through some random social media apps. Goose was laying down by the door.

While both of yall were waiting Max fell asleep next to you. Because of the way he was sitting when he fell asleep he was leaning against your shoulder. Eventually you fell asleep too.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Later you slowly wake up but are held in place by some strong arms. You blink awake adjusting to the light. You laid on your side on the couch and where held in place by a sleeping Max. You tried to move to get up but were just pulled right back down. Giving up rather quickly you went back to sleep.

Max gently shook you awake. "Hey Y/n" he said softly, "we should head back to the hotel" he was blushing but it was kinda hard to tell in the lighting

You just nodded as I slowly got up and stretched quickly gathered you items.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

BREAKING NEWS: Max and Y/n seen leaving the drivers room late at night. What does this say about their relationship: Professional? Friendly? Or is there more?

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

"Mate you're all over the news" Lewis said to you on the phone as you got ready

"What do you mean?" You asked as you got ready

"You and Max were spotted leaving his drivers room late last night, together." Lewis explained

"Fuck."

"Yeah" he said "I'm at the track already and people are asking me about it"

"What have you been saying?" You asked leaving the hotel room Goose at your side

"I've been saying: I don't know the relationship, and that uh you're his bodyguard so whatever he was doing in the room you have to be there cause when he leaves you have to make sure nothing happens and shit"

You sighed "thank you Lewis" you said as you opened the car door for Goose and shut it before getting in yourself, and starting the car.

"It's no problem" the brit said "but are you two...you know..?"

"God Lewis!" You said "no we're no fuck buddies"

He just laughed "come on you knew I had to ask"

"I'm hanging up now" you said ending the call.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

After collecting Max from his hotel and you started driving.

"You seen the news?" You asked

"I have yes" an uncomfortable silence filled the car before you spoke

"Lewis said that he's been telling media that cause I'm your bodyguard I have to be with you basically 24/7 so we can just stick with that" you said "I mean it is the truth"

"Yeah" he nodded quickly, he didn't know that you knew he was cozying up to you on that small uncomfortable couch.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

Media was lovely that day and respected both of you- said no one ever.

Several times you had to yell at people to back up or even push a few people away. And media was eating it up:

BREAKING NEW: Y/n L/n 'defends' Max Verstappen from media is it more than just bodyguarding?

BREAKING NEWS: Y/n L/n pushes away journalists, bodyguard or overprotective girlfriend?

BREAKING NEWS: Y/n L/n thought to be more than just a bodyguard, is Max taking the 'body' out of bodyguard?

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

The last title made you gag how does that get approved? It doesn't actually bother you to much but it's gross.

You sat on that uncomfortable couch reading the news, almost every single station had something about you two leaving the drivers room late, or about you pushing away journalists.

You let out an annoyed huff tossing your phone on the small coffee table. Max leaned over a bit to look at it.

"Why are you looking at that shit?" He asked

You just shrugged

The last articles name caught his eye he double checked "what the actual fuck" he hissed "this is bullshit, why the fuck would the title an article this" he was pissed. You don't know entirely why they weren't saying anything about him.

"I don't know" you just shrugged

"You aren't mad at this?" He asked before continuing "It doesnt matter, I'm going to go punch the fucker who wrote the article" not wanting him in any legal trouble, mostly cause you knew he would punch the guy, you stood up and quickly blocked the door.

"Nope" you said simply "the article title is just that: an article title. I know it's not true you know it's not true so why does it matter" you asked

"It's disgusting" he said "they shouldn't talk about you-"

You cut him off "exactly! Me they are only talking about me in a bad light so why do you car so much?" You asked a little ticked that he was still trying to get passed you

"Because I care about you okay!" He confessed "I know it's dumb, you're my bodyguard and I-" he was cut off by a kiss.

You didn't know how but you ended up kissing him. He quickly reciprocated grabbing your chin pulling you closer.

As you both broke the kiss catching your breath you rested your foreheads against eachother looking into his eyes you smiled.

"When did you fall for me?" He asked

"When we cuddled on that uncomfortable couch" you smiled he blushed

"I didn't know you were awake for that" he said softly

You chuckled softly "when did you fall for me?" You asked

"It was love at first bite" He said "when you were protecting me from my father."

Then they fu-

Fin.

──⭒─⭑─⭒────⭒─⭑─⭒──

[mothdruid]

Concerned Neighbor

pairing: bradley “rooster” bradshaw x fem!reader

summary: Bradley and you are neighbors, sharing a duplex owned by Mav. But Bradley never realized how paper thin the walls really were until one night. He learned the difference between your moans, from true pleasure and fake pleasure. He makes it a point to show you true pleasure when with someone.

wc: 4.5k

warnings: 18+, smut, mdni, protected sex, penetrative sex (p in v), oral sex (male and female), vaginal fingering, jealousy, listening through the walls, possessive!Bradley, degradation and praise kinks

a/n: this idea was brought to you by @emerald-chaos and it's also unbeta'd, so don't mind my mistakes pls. and yes, I'm using the same Bradley gif I use for all my Bradley fics.

When Mav first brought up renting out the other half of the duplex, Bradley was hesitant. He had been reminded that it was Mav’s decision and to 'play nice' with the other tenant. And how could Bradley not 'play nice' when you were the person he was sharing a wall with. He would never forget the first time he met you, your smile bright as you awkwardly tried to open your door while carrying a box. That's where Bradley came in, offering to help carry the box. And that was where your friendship began.

Bradley did admit it was nice having you there. You watched his cat while he went on leave, making you its mother practically. Him mowing your side of the lawn, you collecting his mail while he was gone. It created this odd relationship, which created your now bi-weekly dinner date the two of you had. Sharing your company for a little while every so often made him not feel as lonely. Reminding him he still had the proper skills to interact with more than just fellow aviators.

Everything was just going swimmingly until he heard it one night. That's when he started to curse the fact your bedroom was next to his. Only a thin wall separating the two rooms. Bradley assumed that his room lined yours, but this was a confirmation. At first he wasn’t sure if it was all just in his head. He hadn’t been physical with anyone for a long time, so maybe it was his brains way of saying he needed to get a fuck in. But then he heard it again. And again.

It was the sound of you, moaning in pleasure. Bradley wasn't quite sure when his hand had drifted down to his grey sweatpants, palming his growing erection. He hadn't realized how paper thin the walls were, your breathing was almost audible to him. Hearing every moan and gasp you had to offer.

The thought of you touching yourself, vibrator on your clit, or maybe even a dildo inside of you had Bradley biting back groans. It wasn't like he never thought of you as attractive, cause God you were to him. The image of you laid out for him, touching yourself or eagerly taking his cock had him fisting his dick. Your mouth would be hanging open, those moans he was hearing falling past your lips.

It was obvious when you crept closer to your orgasm, moans getting louder and more frequent. So he timed it perfectly, thrusting into his hand and groaning when eventually he heard you hit your climax. He followed suit shortly afterwards, hot spurts of cum covering his stomach. Bradley laid there staring at the ceiling with his hand still wrapped around his cock, wondering how he would ever face you again.

A few days passed and he didn't see you, not really leaving the house in all honesty. Even though he wasn't seeing you, he was still hearing you. Every night he would hear your moans. Bradley couldn't help but take advantage of them every night, fucking his hand and wishing it was you instead. Then one day, he was greeted by a new car in your driveway. He assumed it was a friend, until later that night.

It was almost like a schedule. He would get in bed at 8pm every night, wait about ten minutes, then hear your moans, signaling it was time for him to shuck off his sweatpants. But tonight wasn't like that. He didn't hear anything from your side of the wall until about 8:40pm. He knows because he checked his phone. And the noises he heard tonight weren't the same.

The sounds he heard tonight were a different pitch, not sounding like you. They sounded forced, fake. Bradley even got out of bed to check the driveway, still seeing that unfamiliar car in your driveway. He honestly couldn't bear the thought of it. You fucking someone was fine, but not being pleased and full of pleasure? Hell no, you deserved more than subpar sex. He hadn't even heard the usual climax ending you had every night.

Bradley didn't know how to approach the situation though. It's not like he could just bring it up to you, explaining that he could hear you through the walls. You would definitely move out after that confession he figured. So, Bradley decided not to ignore you anymore. He would come over daily and ask how you were and if you needed my help around the house. Hell, he even mowed your half of the yard. But it got him nowhere.

Bradley was yearning for your bi-weekly dinner, only a week away. He wanted something to happen that night, hoping you'd give him some form of opening. He saw that same unfamiliar car five days before your dinner, making him irritated. Bradley knew he wouldn't be able to take another night of your fake moans, so he left and went to the local bar for a few hours.

When he came home the car was gone and the lights on your side of the duplex were still on. Bradley slipped into his own side, finding his way into bed quickly. He laid there for a few moments, ruminating on the idea of you getting fucked by some random man that didn't even know how to please you properly. After a few more moments he heard it though. Heard you.

It was those soft and pleasure filled moans he loved to hear. They immediately went to his cock. His hand palmed at the front of his boxers, as he listened. Every moan was something angelic yet sinful. Bradley craved to hear them without the barrier of the wall so bad. His hand pumped his cock as he heard your moans pick up.

A heat was rising in his chest and cheeks, his mind thinking about how good you would look splayed out. Legs spread wide, one set of fingers working your clit, while your other hand pumped a dildo in and out of your greedy hole. Bradley bit back a groan, thinking about what it'd feel like to be inside of you. Bradley paced himself with your moans, waiting until the last moment to follow you over the edge. As he laid there on his bed with his spent cock resting against his abdomen, he wondered how he was going to face you at dinner.

The bi-weekly dinner came faster than what Bradley expected. Five days passed in the blink of an eye. But he had heard you every night, and that car never showed back up. He hoped that the car would never show back up again. He wanted you to be taken care of, hoping he would be the one to do it.

You were currently on his living room floor, twirling a stick with ribbons attached to it across the floor for his cat. His cat, Twix, aggressively chased the blue curled up ribbons back and forth on the floor. Twix was a stray that Bradley had found, the short haired tabby keeping him company and not completely lonely. Bradley watched the two of you play as he continued with dinner. He wasn't sure when you noticed him watching, but he couldn't help but smile when he caught your gaze.

God, you were going to be the death of him.

Bradley got out a can of cat food, distracting Twix from the toy you had. After Bradley plated Twix's canned food, he made up both of your plates and took them to the table. There was just small talk through the entire dinner, Bradley not wanting to ruin it with the main topic on his mind.

"You okay, B?" Bradley nodded with a small smile.

"Yeah, I think so." You tilted your head.

"Think so?" You shot him a questioning look. "You know you can tell me." Both of your plates were empty, signaling to Bradley he could finally bring up the subject.

"Who did you have over this week?" Bradley didn't mean for it to come out so demanding. But it did, and there was no way of taking it back.

"What do you mean?" You narrowed your eyes at him.

"There was a car in the driveway."

"Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't matter."

"I can see who I want to see."

"I know you ju-"

"Sorry, I'm not like you." Bradley's eyebrows knitted together, his hazel eyes staring at you intensely.

"I'm sorry, what?" You knew you ticked a nerve.

"Bradley, you know what I mean."

"No, not sure I do. Explain. Now." The tone in his voice sent a chill down your spine. You straighten your posture, interlacing your fingers and placing your hands on the table.

"Well you just. All because you don't bring anyone home doesn't mean I don't have to." You thought it'd be awkward, but it wasn't. Something in his stare had changed, it wasn't intimidating anymore. It was something more playful. A smirk pulled at one side of his mouth.

"Even if he can't get you off." Your eyes grew wide.

"Wha-"

"You think I don't hear you?" You stared at him. A heat started to rise in your cheeks, as well as between your thighs. Bradley had been listening to you? The thought of him fisting his cock while listening to you fuck someone else plagued your mind. "Hear your little moans every night?" That's when it dawned on you. Your room shared a wall with Bradley's.

Bradley took notice of the way your face changed. It wasn’t shocking, more akin to something else. He watched as you took your lower lip between your teeth, gaze looking away from him for a moment. You took your hands from the table, placing them in your lap. Your thighs squeezed tightly as you felt his eyes crawl over you. You had always found Bradley attractive, but never considered the possibility of him coming on to you. The thought of him jerking off to your sounds plagued your mind, showing you just how desperate he actually was for you. Your eyes flicked up to meet his blazing hazel orbs. A surge of courage ran through your veins.

“How many times did you hear me?”

“All of them.” A heat blazed through your body like a forest fire. “You should fuck someone who actually makes you feel good.” Bradley leaned across the table, playful smirk on his lips. “Someone that has you moaning like when you finger fuck yourself.” Your insides clenched at his words, thighs squeezing together once more.

“Is that what you want?” A tension was swirling between the two of you now. The both of you knew exactly what each other wanted.

“Just a concerned neighbor is all.”

“If you’re so concerned about this problem, then fix it.” You emphasized the T at the end of the sentence. Bradley quirked an eyebrow. The two of you stared at each other for a while, only the small bell on Twix’s collar filling the silence.

“You sure you want that?” Bradley asked. “Want me to ruin you for anyone else? Make you come crawling back?” Bradley stood up, taking a few steps until he was standing next to you. You turned and looked up at him, eyes unwavering as you answered him.

“Show me what a ‘concerned neighbor’ can do.” Bradley’s hand moved to your chin, taking it between his thumb and pointer finger. A smirk adorned his face, eyes scanning your face.

“God, you’re so fucking pretty.” Bradley’s fingers started pulling on your chin, hinting at you to stand up. You made your way to your feet, a fire surging underneath your skin. His fingers drifted down your jaw, hand moving to cup the back of your neck. Bradley leaned down, lips barely touching your earlobe. “I can’t wait to hear those pretty moans. The ones you make while you touch yourself.”

Teeth and lips clashed together, neither of you sure who kissed the other first. Bradley’s fingers tightened around the nape of your neck, pulling you closer towards him. His hand grabbed at your hip, kneading the flesh underneath your t-shirt. One of your hands threaded into his honey locks, tugging lightly. They were softer than you had ever imagined.

“Fuck.” Bradley whispered, his hot lips traveling down your jawline to your neck. The hand on the back of your neck disappeared, ghosting down your side to your hips. Rough hands grappled with your waist, kneading at the flesh under your shirt. The tiny hairs of his mustache prodded at your skin, urging you to keep up with him. It was as if Bradley wanted to consume you, know everything your body had to offer.

Bradley needed to know the exact things that made you moan. One of his hands grabbed your ass, pulling you flush against him. A hardness pressed against your abdomen and pelvis, letting you know Bradley was enjoying this. Your hips rocked against his, the hand on your ass trailing to the small of your back. He kept you pressed against him like that as he backed you up towards the wall.

A hand was now pressing on your core, rubbing you over your pants. Bradley pulled back to watch you, listening to your gasps and moans while he provided you with minimal pleasure.

“Must have thought about this for a while, with the way you’re moaning.” Bradley sneered. It wasn’t a lie, ever since you had moved in he plagued your mind. He was your main source of masturbation material, the idea of him being more than just your neighbor.

“What if I have? Thought about this before.” The words were like honey to Bradley, sweet and just what he wanted. Both of his hands went to the front of your body, one moving to work at the button of your pants while the other kneaded your breast.

“Is that what you thought about when you fucked yourself? Wishing it was me deep inside of you?” His hand slipped down the front of your pants and panties, fingers slipping between your folds. A groan tore through Bradley’s throat. “Fuck, how are you this wet already? This wet and we still have our clothes on.”

“It’s been a serious problem.” He covers your neck with hot and wet kisses, fingers circling your clit. They were tight and quick circles, ones that made your abdomen tense up. You knew you would last long, especially at this pace. It’s like Bradley already had a map of your body, with each sensitive spot marked with an ‘x’.

“Should have let me fix it sooner. Not have those useless dudes try to fix it.” Bradley’s tone had your insides melting. All you could do was stare at him, lips parted while moans fell from them. Without warning he removed his hand from your pants, turning you around and pressing you against the wall. His hands hooked into your pants and panties and pushed them down to your knees. His hand returned, this time his fingers tracing your entrance.

“God, this hole is so needy for me.” Bradley pressed two fingers into you, filling you up just the way you needed. He draped his body over yours, pressing your chest to the wall. His mouth nursed at your neck, nipping at the tender spot below your earlobe.

“Only for you, Bradley.” A soft growl came from him, his fingers thrusting in and out of you, stretching you open. A wave of pleasure ran over you as his fingers brushed that special spot inside of you. “Fuck! Ri-right there.”

Bradley added another finger at your words, zeroing in on that one spot inside of you. He could feel your walls clenching, tightening around his digits. He knew you were close and so did you. The tightness in your abdomen was almost unbearable, waiting for the tension to snap. A mix of swears and his name were pouring out of your mouth.

“You sound so fucking good moaning my name.” Bradley’s cock twitched every time you moaned his name. He never realized how much of an effect it would have on him. “Only my name, nobody else's. Nobody can make you feel like this, only me.” Bradley whispered in your ear.

“Only you, Br-Bradley!” You stuttered at his name as you came. The tension in your abdomen finally snapped. Your walls tightened around his digits and he helped you ride out your high. A groan came from him, his forehead pressing tightly to your shoulder as he just felt and listened to you.

A shaky breath passed your lips when he removed his fingers from you. Bradley’s hands found your pants and panties that were still around your knees, pushing them down and helping you fully remove them. He pressed kisses all the way up the back of your legs, biting at the meat of your ass eventually. As your legs regained consciousness, he gestured for the two of you to go to his bedroom.

“If I’m fucking you right, I’m fucking you in my bed.” You nodded, still a little blissed out from your first orgasm. You took the hand he had held out and followed him.

You immediately climbed onto his bed, not waiting for him to direct you. He shucked his shirt off once reaching the bedroom, just in time to watch you. Bradley stood at the foot of the bed, watching you put on a show for him. The skin of your back slowly became more exposed and you dragged your shirt up your body. His eyes scanned your skin, taking it all in as territory that he finally was able to claim. He couldn't help his hand drifting towards his pants, rubbing at the strained fabric covering his cock. He saw the bubblegum pink bralette, making him wonder if your panties were matching. He didn’t pay much attention to them when he took them off you. Your hand trailed up your sides, grabbing at the band of your bralette and tossing it to his floor.

Bradley bit his lower lip, coming around the side of the bed to see you. You turned to him, letting him see you completely bare. Bradley started to kneel at the edge of the bed, his hands moving out to grab your legs. He pulled you closer to the edge, pushing your legs apart and putting your cunt on full view for him.

“Look at you.” Bradley said as he dove between your thighs. He drug his tongue up and down your slit, flicking it against your clit. He brought a hand around your thigh, using his fingers to open your folds even more. You propped yourself up on your elbows, moaning and whining as he feasted on your cunt.

It was as if he was a mad man and this was his only purpose. His mustache rubbed against your clit as he licked lower, your hips stuttering at the sensation. Your back arched when you felt his fingers prod at your entrance again, pushing inside of you while his tongue worked over your clit. Shivers ran through you as the tension in your abdomen returned. Bradley groaned against you, the vibrations making your legs shake. You brought a hand to his locks, threading your fingers through them.

“You taste so fucking good.” Bradley groaned as you tugged at his hair. The tension in your abdomen was tight, threatening to snap at any moment. His lips wrapped around your clit, sucking just enough to push you over the edge. His tongue never left your clit, flicking as your body shook with pleasure.

“Bradley! Fuck!” Your legs went to squeeze shut, the sensation becoming too much. But Bradley stopped them, grabbing the inside of your thighs and forcing them open. Your entire body was tight, your orgasm feeling like it was never going to end. “It’s too much! Bradley, please!”

Bradley pulled back after you begged him to stop, letting you finally catch your breath. You laid on the bed, chest heaving from each breath. This was the first time you had ever felt like this, this blissed out from a man. You had enough trouble getting off once during sex with most men, let alone twice. But here was your neighbor, easily pulling to orgasms out of you because he was jealous. That’s when you heard the sound of a zipper, pulling you back from your post-orgasmic thoughts.

Bradley was standing up now, jeans low and open on his hips. His hand was pushed down past his waistband, working his cock through the fabric of his boxer briefs. Steadily you sat up, legs draping down off the side of the bed. You reached out, pulling at the waistband of his jeans. You pushed them down his legs, him kicking them off to the side. Next your fingers trailed around the waistband of his boxer briefs.

“Don’t get all shy on me now.” Bradley joked as he watched your fingers slip into the waistband. You flicked him a glare as you pushed them down his legs. His cock was red and angry, standing at full attention. You had always assumed he was big, but this just confirmed your suspicions. You wrapped a hand around the base stroking lightly. Bradley watched with his mouth agape, tongue running over his lips.

You pressed your lips to the tip, licking softly before taking the tip into your mouth. Bradley let out a deep groan as he watched your lips part, taking him into your mouth. He let his head fall back, trying to focus on the feeling of your hot mouth wrapped around his cock. This was a moment he had dreamed of since hearing your moans. But he didn’t know if it was enough. He wanted to be in you, fucking you until you couldn’t take it anymore.

“I can’t.” You gave him a curious look, pulling off of him. Before you could ask him he spoke, “I need to be in you now.”

Bradley pushed you up the bed, draping his body over yours. He reached over into his bedside table, grabbing for a condom. You watched as he tore the wrapper with his teeth, tossing the wrapper to the floor. He rolled the condom down his cock, running his cock between your folds. Every time his head rubbed your clit you quaked, shocks of pleasure rolling through you.

“God, you’re gonna look so good taking me. Letting me ruin you for everyone else, making sure you only want me.” Bradley settled between your legs and lined up, pressing the head of his cock in your entrance.

A moan fell from you as he pushed in you, stretching you with only the head of his cock. Inch by inch he eased into you, rocking his hips slowly. He nuzzled into the crook of your neck, kissing at your clavicle. When he was fully seated inside of you he paused, listening to your breaths. He pulled back to look at you, a look asking for permission on his face.

“Fuck me, Bradley. Make me yours.” Bradley groaned. His hips pulled back, slamming back into you in an instant. He set a brutal pace, heavy deep thrusts as he filled you. He kissed down your neck and chest, kissing at your breasts before taking a nipple into his mouth.

“You’re so fucking dirty, fucking other men while wishing they were me.” His words were intoxicating, speaking truth that you didn’t know he knew. You clenched around him at his words, letting him know he was right. “What a fucking slut. But that’s okay, I have you now. Gonna fuck you so good.” Bradley continued to babble on, talking about how you were made for him and that he was made for you.

“Bradley, you- fuck!” Bradley adjusted, changing the position slightly. He sat back on his heels, grabbing the underneath of your knees and holding your legs out. He thrusted inside of you, immediately hitting that spot inside of you. Your back arched hard, walls clenching around him. Bradley didn’t like to be a two minute man, but the way you were squeezing around his cock was making it hard.

“You feel so fucking good! Fuck! It’s like you’re sucking me in.” Bradley pushed your legs together, leaning over you. He practically had you folded in half as he pounded into you. “Say it, please say my name.” It was almost like a plea when he asked.

“Bradley! Please!” Bradley knew you were close, he could feel how close you were. He was close too, had been close for awhile but was trying to hold out for you. It was all becoming too much for you. You were on the edge of your third orgasm, the spot inside of you being hit over and over again. Bradley let your legs fall apart, finding your clit with his fingers and rubbing it. That was it.

His name was all you said as you came, clenching his cock impossibly tight. Bradley held out for a bit longer, helping you ride out your orgasm. He leaned down and captured your lips with his, a small taste of you still noticeable. You moaned as he pounded into you a little bit more, your arms wrapping around his shoulders.

A groan ripped through him as he came, his thrusts stuttered as he unloaded into the condom. He rested his head on your chest, the both of you trying to catch your own breath. You started tracing small circles on the expanse of his back. A comfortable silence settled between the two of you for a moment. Bradley was the one to break it as he shifted, pulling out of you.

“So, problem fixed?” He asked. You rolled your eyes and rolled onto your side.

“I think so.” You responded while yawning. “But I would like to keep it fixed.” Bradley smiled as he stood up, taking the condom off and tying it. He leaned over, placing a kiss on your temple.

“Good, cause I don’t think I can give you up now. Plus, I think Twix would be mad if you stopped coming around.” He helped you stand, the both of you making your way to the bathroom. You sat on the toilet as he cleaned himself with a wet washcloth, leaving it sitting in the sink when he was finished. Twix mingled in between your feet, meowing at the both of you. You gave him a small scratch on the head before leaving the bathroom. You went back to Bradley’s bedroom, crawling into the bed and under the covers. Bradley followed shortly afterwards, cuddling you from behind.

The next thing you knew you were waking up, a heavy weight on your chest. You looked up to find a cat on you, Twix specifically. You didn’t remember falling asleep, but you and Bradley must have. Which made you look over, seeing your neighbor in bed next to you. His eyes were closed, mouth slightly open as he slept. A warmth spread in you, knowing that all your problems were fixed.

[sometimesanalice]

In a Place Just Right

Summary: It's your first year hosting Thanksgiving in San Diego for the Daggers and Bradley can tell you're a little nervous about it. But he already knows it's going to be one for the books, because any holiday spent with you better than anything he could have imagined.

Pairing: Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw x Female Reader

Length: 5K

Warnings: fluff and allusions to smut (minors dni)

(author's note: this fic is set in the 'Like I Can Universe', but can be read on it's own! Happy Thanksgiving, friends!)

For the last six years Penny has been the one to host Daggersgiving, but this year hostess duties had fallen on your plate. Needless to say, Bradley knew you were more than a little stressed about it.

When you had asked him about his opinion on the merits of canned cranberry sauce versus homemade he’d blinked at you a few times before asking, “Is this a thing people care about?”

He’ll never forget how adorably aghast you looked to learn that he had no preference on the matter. And maybe if you had asked him when the sun was up instead of at 3 AM he might have known better than to give you such a noncommittal answer.

“Both, we’ll have both,” you’d stated resolutely.

“Whatever you want, kid," he’d murmured as he’d pulled you to his chest and wrapped an arm around your stomach. His smart and beautiful wife. "Now go back to sleep, you’re supposed to be dreaming of sugarplums not cranberries."

“Wrong holiday, Bradley,” you’d sighed contentedly, relaxing against him. And it hadn’t taken you long to fall back asleep with that cranberry crisis having been averted.

But now people were due to show up in less than an hour and you are frantically fluttering and huffing around the kitchen like a madwoman in a very pretty green dress, "I knew that quickie was a bad idea. You're never quick, Bradley."

He’d been away and missed many holidays over the years due to his career.

Your mom had always made it clear that he had an open invitation to join in whatever merry festivities were happening with your family, but more often than not it rarely aligned with him being stationed all over the world. But he’d always been happy to get to have a phone call with you and eat the homemade cookies you’d sent him on those years spent apart.

But now Bradley got to look forward to spending every holiday with you in the home you shared with him.

Over the last week the house had slowly but surely transformed into something that was straight out of a magazine.

There was a display of pumpkins, ribbons, and a garland of strung dried orange slices that decorated the fireplace. And overpriced candles from your favorite store flickered cheerfully on every surface that wasn’t a fire hazard to a bunch of enthusiastic Naval aviators. The dining table was dressed up to the nines and everyone spot with their names painstakingly written in your pretty script on a place card sitting in a pinecone.

You had even made some oversized confetti in the shape of oak leaves out of some old books, the copy of ‘Why Men Love Bitches’ that Nat had given him years ago as a joke was finally repurposed and recycled into something more festive over where the beverages had been set up.

The whole house smells amazing. Warm cinnamons and nutmegs mixing with bright citrus and rich vanillas. The kitchen island and countertops were filled with various plates and platters and bowls of dips, charcuterie, fruit and vegetables, nuts, and other savories. All the other dishes were being kept warm in the ovens for when everyone arrived and was ready to settle around the dining table for dinner.

Bradley was positive that no one would leave feeling hungry. He also wasn’t entirely sure where the things his friends are bringing were going to go, but there were worse problems to have.

Penny had taken Amelia with her to visit her family on the East Coast. They’d decided it would probably be better for Mav to hang back in San Diego for the holiday, those tensions with her dad were still a bit strained even though they’d been married for almost four years now.

Which is how the Bradshaw’s were hosting their first Thanksgiving for everyone.

This morning had been organized chaos. Some of the last minute-things had only managed to be checked off with the assistance of strong coffee and a good playlist.

However, he’d still managed to sneak in the opportunity to spin you around the kitchen to your wedding song when it came up on shuffle. After all the cranberries were still popping and boiling down; there was time for it, he'd always make time for it.

But that was then.

Now, you are glaring at him like you’d been personally victimized by him and his cock.

“You complaining, sweet girl?” he asks with a smirk, leaning his hip against the kitchen island watching as you briskly stir the gravy heating up in the copper sauce pot on the stove. “Don’t think that’s what I was hearing thirty minutes ago when we had that pretty green dress of yours bunched around your hips. Sounded something like ‘more, Bradley, more’ to me.”

You shoot him a look that would make a weaker man wither, but he’s built up an immunity to it over a lifetime of having it directed at him.

“I think that’s quite enough out of you,” you reprimand, but he sees the amusement in your eyes even as you fight to keep the annoyed façade on your face. “We’re behind schedule now. I thought I buffered in enough time, just in case-”

“Just in case you begged me to give you an orgasm to, and I quote, ‘help me chill out’?”

“I was kidding,” you say, stopping your agitated whisking to go fluff the stuffing instead.

“All I’m saying is that if my beautiful wife is begging for me, I’m certainly not going to say no. I’m only human,” he says with an all too pleased shrug.

Bradley grabs the can opener and works on opening the canned cranberry sauce. He reaches for a couple plates, holding them up for your approval and you point to the one on the right, the scalloped white one with gold rim.

“For the record, I certainly did not beg,” you say primly, glowering into the homemade stuffing that you’d had him get the bread from the nice bakery across town for.

“Sure, sure,” he drawls, the smirk growing wider on his face as he sets to freeing the jelly from its rippled container.

He knows he shouldn’t tease you right now, but you’re so cute when you get huffy that he can’t help himself. He’s known that petulant raise of your chin his whole life. And sometimes when he looks at you he can so clearly see the little girl he’d been forced to entertain for hours when your moms were hanging out.

You went from being his favorite nuisance to his best friend to his everything.

“Do I still look ok? Or do I need to do a quick refresh before everyone gets here?” you ask. You turn to fully face him, tilting your head one way and then another for his inspection.

He would happily stare at you all day if you’d let him. He loves your pretty eyes and what you’ve done with your hair.

“You’re beautiful,” he grins, “And if anyone asks, we can just say you’re flushed from all the cooking.”

“Bradley,” you whine setting down your wooden spoon down on the counter with a sharp thwack.

“Ok, ok. I’m done, I promise,” he says putting his hands up in surrender with a chuckle.

He pushes off the counter and grabs a glass off of one of the floating shelves and fills it with some ice water.

“Good,” you tut haughtily, as you fiddle with the white and orange striped kitchen towel hanging on the oven door, “I was about to threaten to make you sleep on the couch tonight.”

“You wouldn’t.” Even the thought of it makes his stomach feel unsettled.

After nearly two decades of hard beds on foreign bases and on lumpy carrier mattresses, he’s never slept as well as he did since the two of you found your way to each other.

His peace was found under a fluffy green duvet on a wooden canopy bed with you tucked under his arm.

“No. No, I wouldn’t,” you agree, leaning in to place a soft kiss to his cheek in thanks when he presses the cold glass into your hands.

Bradley tugs you away from the warm stove and you reluctantly follow and sit on the barstool he’s pulled out for you on the other side of the kitchen island.

He runs his hand up and down your back comfortingly as you take a few sips, “We’re in a great place, sweet girl.”

“Mhm, yeah. Sure, of course.” You couldn’t sound less unsure if you tried. “It’s just… I’m nervous about the mushroom and leeks bread pudding. I’ve never made it before. And what if we run out of wine?”

“What’s been our motto?” he asks, taking over the helm at the stove whisking the gravy together as it begins to thicken.

“‘In Ina we trust’,” you say with a serious nod of your head. 

“Atta girl, we sure do. And Nat said she’s is bringing a few bottles she picked up from when she went to Napa, the good shit. It’s going to be great. Trust me,” he says giving you a warm smile. “Will it make you feel better to go over everything again?”

“Yes, please,” you say, anxiously drumming your fingers along the side of your water glass.

He’d stepped up where he could like making sure the house was pristine and cleaning up the yard by blowing off the wrinkled remainders of the yellow Tipuana flowers. He’d even been able to source and rent some more chairs to make sure that everyone would have a seat at the table.

Bradley wasn’t a schlump in the kitchen. He knew his way around a cookbook and a stove. His knife skills were pretty damn good too, if he did say so himself. But he also knew when somethings were out of his wheelhouse. So he’d taken to being your sous chef, and had taken to washing and prepping the ingredients for you so that all you had to do was toss them in whatever shiny pot they were destined for.

He even made his mom’s favorite pie. It had been years since he's had it, and he was excited to share it with everyone.

Your mom had mailed the copy of the original recipe she had that was written in Carole’s rounded, flourished script. You had made a photocopy of it to use so that the original didn’t get ruined, and then pointed out a spot on the wall where you said you’d thought it would look nice in a frame hanging in the kitchen. And he'd fallen a little more in love with you.

“Ok, hit me with it,” he says turning the heat to low for the gravy and putting the lid on.

This was a partnership through and through, he was going to give you all the support you needed.

“The turkey?”

Bradley picks up the fancy digital meat thermometer he’d bought for the occasion to check, “Big Bird has an hour and twenty more minutes to work on his tan and then he’ll rest for another thirty. Giving people time to graze and mingle and get some drinks in them, just like you wanted.”

You nod and hum contemplatively, “I’ve been thinking we need a salad. I don’t feel like we have enough vegetable options.”

He knows better than to point out that you’re currently snacking on snap peas from not one, but three, of the veggie platters the two of you had put together the night before.

“We’ve got the crispy brussels sprouts, the garlic and hazelnut green beans, and the honey glazed carrots with lemon. We’re more than fine on the fiber and beta-carotene. Michelle Obama would be proud, kid.”

That gets a little laugh from you.

“Well, as long as you think Michelle would be happy than we’re probably fine,” you say with a smile around your water glass that tells him you know exactly what he’s doing invoking your favorite First Lady.

“What else are you thinking about?” Bradley asks peering in the lower of their double ovens, where foiled covered dishes are lined up in perfect symmetry are warming away having been prepared in advance.

“Do you think two bags of rolls will be enough? Or should I text Mav and ask him to grab one more?”

He doesn’t miss the way your eyes dip down to his ass in his gray slacks. So he might linger as second longer than necessary to let you enjoy the view, since it’s for the female gaze and all.

He’s never understood wearing the most restrictive clothing on the holiday that involves the most eating, but that was Penny’s tradition to have everyone dressed in their nicest and you had insisted on keeping it going even if she was on the other side of the country.

You’d teased him earlier when you’d seen him emerge from the bedroom wearing the short-sleeved green cashmere polo you’d gotten him a couple years ago. It fit a little more snug that he remembered it, but he thought he still pulled it off well.

“When did we become the couple that matches?” you’d asked gesturing to your dress as you gave him an appreciative onceover.

If the past was anything to go off of, you would be running your hands over the soft material covering his chest and back all night.

“I just like reminding people who I belong with, sweet girl.”

He might have had something else in mind to wear for the evening before he saw you in that dress, had ironed the shirt the night before and everything, but last-minute pivot it was well worth it when you looked at him like that.

When he stands back up, he gives you knowing wink.

And in return you throw a baby carrot at him with a laugh.

Bradley isn’t surprised in the least to hear the quick clack-clack-clack of nails on the wood floors as their fluffy black and white Portuguese Water Dog rounds the corner. Having been summoned by the sound of food hitting the floor from where he had been dozing near the fireplace in the living room.

The carrot is gone in an instant and he comes to sit at Bradley's feet by the stove, looking up at him from under his curly eyebrows clearly hoping he'll get another snack.

“Nah, bud. You’re barking up the wrong tree over here,” he says leaning down to scratch his floppy ears.

“Ah, come here, Duck,” you croon, calling him over to your side of the island. “He’s so mean for a man who claimed he just saw God not too long ago, isn’t he?”

Bradley snorts and shakes his head at you amused.

He still doesn’t know how he ended up with a dog named Duck.

At the dog park, more often than not people mistook it for ‘Buck’. And you were usually off to the side more than happy to let him take the lead, biting your lip to keep from laughing at his less than enthusiastic expression when he’d have to warily explain yet again It’s Duck like quack.

You’re not even subtle about the piece of cheese you pull from the charcuterie board to feed him.

“I saw that,” he says, giving you a pointed lift of his eyebrow, “You know Bob is going to be spoiling him all night.”

“It was just a little piece of cheese. Plus, I don’t know who you think you’re fooling. I saw you go over there and deliver him his own little veggie platter with some of the leftovers we had while I was making the apple cider sangria.”

“That’s different, that’s good for him,” he says rounding the island, reaching over and snagging his own slice of cheese to snack on.

“And cheese is a protein. He’s just a baby, Bradley, what am I supposed to do? Not give him a piece of swiss?” You slide off your chair to squat down and rub Duck’s belly, you’ve always been his favorite.

“He’s almost five,” he replies flatly.

“A youth!” you exclaim, “He’s a growing boy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bradley says affectionately with a little roll of his eyes. He knows a losing battle when he sees one.

He offers you his hand to help you stand back up, but you wave him off and pull yourself up using the edge of the island. You take a moment to readjust your dress before making your way to the sink by the big windows that look out into the backyard.

“Speaking of Bob, do you know if he’s bringing his fiancée?” you ask from over your shoulder as you wash your hands.

“Not this time, sweetheart. I guess she volunteered to cover a shift in the NICU when she heard they were short staffed.”

“Oh that’s too bad, I was excited to see her ring in person,” you say drying off your hands and heading to the pantry.

“It’s all he can talk about at work. I guess they’re thinking about a Spring wedding next year. They don’t want to wait too long to get married.”

“I’m so happy for them,” you say, digging around for a moment and then emerge with a stack of some sturdy plastic plates and set them on the last free spot on the countertop. “Don’t let me forget to make them up a couple plates that he can bring home for her, before Fanboy declares it time for ‘second dinner’ and eats all the yams like he did last year.”

“I won’t forget, promise,” he says fondly.

If you were facing him, he knows you’d probably tease him for the look on his face and just how gone he is for you.

You’ve always been so generous, it’s one of the things that he loves most about you.

You were always good about hustling him out of his well-earned money from is part time job scooping ice cream in high school, like with the fundraiser you did for the local soup kitchen and the one for the elementary school summer arts program.

He’s always been wrapped around your finger, it just took him awhile to realize why.

It’s the same reason why there’s been a donation that comes out of his bank account every month for the last five years for one of the San Diego animal shelters.

Bradley had made a rather sizable donation and then set up a smaller reoccurring monthly one after the chaos that was the time Bob had set you up with his friend who worked at the shelter, back before the two of you had gotten together.

Even after all these years, he still can’t help but get a little irritated every time he sees that guy’s face in the monthly newsletter that comes to his email. He’s pretty sure Casey still might have a little crush on you, but Bradley can’t blame him. He’d have a hard time getting over you too, so it’s a good thing he’ll never have to.

On newsletter day, Bradley always finds himself giving Duck extra treats.

You are his wife. And Duck is his dog. Ridiculous name and all.

He couldn’t wait to surprise you with the golden tennis ball that the shelter sends out as a thank you after a decade of donations.

Only five more years to go.

You’re over by the bar that’s been set up off to the side, straightening the already very straight rows of gleaming wine glasses when he hears you suck in a sharp gasp.

Bradley drops the dish cloth he had in his hands as he attempted to give what little counter space there was left a final wipe down and is in front of you in half a heartbeat. Was there a fluke with some faulty stemware? Are you bleeding? There’s a reason Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days at the hospital.

“The butter!” you cry out as you whirl around, your pretty eyes welling up with tears, “I let you fuck me and I forgot to pull the butter from the fridge. It’s going to be too hard for people to spread now!”

He knows it’s more than just hosting jitters that’s got you like this, but it still catches him by surprise sometimes.

“Woah, woah,” he says as he catches you on the way to the fridge and pulls you to his chest, “C’mere, my sweet girl.”

You make a distressed noise but allow him to keep his hold on you, “But the butter…”

“I already pulled the butter, see?” He points to the sticks that are already softening away on the counter. “This place looks and smells amazing. We did good, baby. Will you take a couple slow breaths for me, please?”

Bradley takes in a couple measured breathes with you, and feels the moment your body relaxes into his.

He presses a kiss to the side of your temple as he smooths his hands down your soft, pretty green velvet dress and the warm, firm curve of your rounded stomach soothingly.

“Ugh, I’m sorry. It’s the hormones,” you sigh, as you lean your head back against his shoulder.

He hums empathically as he sways gently side to side with you in his arms.

“I would like to go on the record saying that I like pregnancy hormones, especially the ones from earlier,” he jokes lightly.

“That makes one of us,” you say with a watery laugh, “Just wait until I am waking you up at 4 AM because I am craving something from a drive-thru that’s not open.”

“Mm, can’t wait,” he murmurs before dropping a few kisses along the soft line of your jaw.

Bradley still can’t believe he gets to be this lucky in life.

He doesn’t want to forget a single moment of this. With you, with his family.

“We did a really good job with this one,” he whispers into your ear, still stroking your stomach and enjoying this moment of calm with you.

“We really did, da--” Bradley groans and cuts you off with a kiss. He can feel the impish smile plastered on your lips as he kisses you. His favorite menace.

He knows you’re pretty sure it was the spontaneous hook up in the storage closet at the Hard Deck on the Fourth of July that’s responsible for the noticeable bump you’re sporting. Call him a romantic, but he likes to think it was that night in the Bronco overlooking the ocean when he’d taken the long way back home.   

You pull away all too soon for his liking to grab his left hand. He sees the flash of the two diamonds on your engagement ring, one from his mom and one from yours, as you take it and press it to a spot near your bellybutton.

The feeling of the fluttering under his palm will never get old. He’s not too proud to say he’d shed a tear or two the first time he’d felt it.

You hum in contentment, your finger lightly tracing over the shiny gold band of his wedding ring.

Bradley lets himself bask in this moment as the two of you stand there in the kitchen of your dream house.

There are a few pops from the wood in the fireplace, the refrigerator is humming away in the background, and he can just hear the sounds of a melodic piano from the playlist he queued up earlier playing over the speaker.

Of all the delicious scents that waft through the house, the smell the floral and musk notes in you perfume is still his favorite.

There are times in the soft quiet of night, usually when you are asleep and his mind won’t quite settle, that he sometimes thinks he was put on this Earth to hold you.

It’s the only reason he can think of that explains why you fit so perfectly against his body.

Why his palms can fit so perfectly over your rounded stomach.

Why it’s his hands that you have trusted to protect your heart.

And he’s still holding you in the warmth of the kitchen when he hears the front door open.

Bradley knows he’s going to have to play host soon and he just wants to keep you in his arms for just a little longer.

“Hey kids, I brought the turkey,” Mav calls out from the entry.

You spin in his arms, looking at him wide eyed and confused as you two exchange a look. He presses one last kiss to your cheek before letting you go.

“Thought you were going to bring the rolls, Mav,” Bradley calls out just in time to see him round the corner.

Pete stands there proudly grinning holding a few bags of bakery rolls in one hand and a turkey in the other.

The sound of your delighted laughter makes his heart swell in his chest as he takes in the sight.

“Cooper Mitchell Ford Bradshaw, you are without a doubt the cutest turkey I have ever seen,” you gush as you go to greet Mav with a warm hug and a kiss on his cheek. Your son’s chubby arms reaching out for you.

Mav has dressed your almost two-year-old son in a soft, plush turkey costume that is complete with tailfeathers and a beak. He’s clearly a fan of the outfit too because he is grinning widely, showing of the more of the baby teeth that have come in over the last few months.

Mav had swung by early this morning to take him off your hands to get ready for Daggersgiving without chasing an almost-toddler around. While it was nice to have some time just the two of you while you got the place in order and took care of the last-minute things, like that homemade cranberry sauce, but he’d missed not having his son around.

The sweet sound of Cooper’s giggles and your coos fill up the kitchen as he watches you pepper his face with kisses. You bounce him a little and do a little spin, making the little boy laugh even more. The two of you in your own little bubble.

“You doin’ ok over there, kid?” Mav asks. A soft, knowing grin on his face as he sets the rolls on the counter to pull him in for a hug.

The two men had made their way back to each other over the last few years, just another thing that Bradley was grateful for in his life. The man had always been his father in everything but name. That is until he’d seen the man who helped raised him hold his son for the first time.

“Yeah, Dad,” Bradley says, clearing his throat a bit, “Everything’s perfect.”

From there it’s a flurry of activity as people start to arrive.

Nat comes with her longtime girlfriend and the extra bottles of the fancy Napa wine she promised to bring. Only handing it over once he promised to give her the name of the contractor the two of you had worked with and the exact shade of green that was used on the lower cabinets during your kitchen renovation.

Payback and Fanboy and their wives show up wearing oversized turkey hats on their heads each carrying a bakery box of pie.

Bradley isn’t surprised when Duck ditches the attention that Coyote was giving him the second Bob shows up with the famous Floyd family scalloped potatoes. Bob has always been a sucker for a pair of puppy dog eyes.

And in between checking on people’s glasses, swapping out empty appetizer trays for fuller ones, and making sure Jake doesn’t tamper with his perfectly cooked turkey, he’s got his eyes trained on you.

There are no words for the pride and love that washes over him every time he looks over and sees you with his son propped up on your hip and the way your pretty dress stretches around your growing family.

He had missed this stage of your pregnancy when he was deployed and you were pregnant with Cooper. He was determined to savor every second of this one. Every butter related freak out and every late-night milkshake run.

Being in his house surrounded with all the people he loves, minus a couple who are here in spirit, isn’t something he could ever take for granted. It’s more blessings than he ever hoped to receive in this lifetime.

You look over your shoulder at him and everything about the way you’re looking at him is picture perfect.

Your smile sunshine gold and just for him as you hold his gaze for a moment as time ticks on around the two of you. You send him a little wink before turning back to Mav who has his phone held up for a FaceTime call with Penny and Amelia.

Bradley sees his son peek his head up from where it had been nestled into your neck. Cooper grins when he sees him, his tiny hand reaching out for his dad. For him.

As he makes his way over to the two of you with his heart full, he makes a mental note to ask Mav later where he got that costume. He’s already planning on running out tomorrow to see if they have any more in stock now that it seems they have a new Bradshaw tradition on their hands.

He’s going to have three little turkeys running around this time next year and he couldn’t wait.

Twins.

Bradley sometimes still couldn’t believe it. When the tech has announced that you were cooking not one, but two future Bradshaw’s, his heart had nearly burst from his chest from the shock and joy. A gift from his late father’s side of the family.

Cooper and him were going to be outnumbered soon.

The two of you had found out earlier in the month that Everly Wren Bradshaw and Millie Lark Bradshaw were going to be the newest members to join your little family.

His girls.

It was an announcement the two of you were excited to share later tonight with everyone else when the slices of pies were being passed around.

He scoops up Cooper from you with one arm, dropping a kiss onto his little boy’s perfect curls as his small fist clutches as the soft fabric of his shirt. And then Bradley kisses the crown of your head as he wraps his other arm around you, his thumb stroking the swell of your belly.

With you- because of you- he gets to have it all.

The wife. The family. The house. The dog. The life. The dream.

He’s right where he wants to be.

He’s right where he’s supposed to be.

Happy Thanksgiving! This was such a joy to write, thank you for reading!

It might not be Carole Bradshaw's famous pie, but it's one of my favorites! And who better to share it with than you! Cranberry-Lime Pie

If you haven't read the 'Like I Can' series you can read it here!

You can read my other stories here!

Taglist:

@gretagerwigsmuse @sehnsuchts-trunken @notroosterbradshaw @tongue-like-a-razor @laracrofted @bradshawsbitch @starryeyedstories @top-hhun-main @startrekfangirl2233 @callsign-viper @teacupsandtopgun @shanimallina87 @angelbabyange @oneelleandaneye @mizzzpink @cornishkat @alana4610 @20th-centu-fairy-girl @pono-pura-vida @donttouchmycarrots @eg-dr3amer3 @whaledots-blog @a-beaverhausen @hangmanscoming @mandolin22 @theweekndhistorybook @lilpeekabooze @high-bi-imgonnacry @ahintofkiwistrawberry @ruewrote @spiderman-stilinski @jayniebop @my-soulmate-is-mycroft @imaginecrushes @keyrani @chicomonks @artemissunn @mayempress @eddiemunsonreader

[callsign-dexter]

Maverick's Little Co-Pilot

Request: hi

I was wondering if you could write a mav x daughter where he took her to work with him (maybe the second movie but it is up to you) and she falls asleep in the control tower and bradley finds her and brings her to mav. maybe she didn't sleep that good the night before so mav doesn't want to wake her up so he just holds her and carrys on with his day but with a sleeping child. everyone on base thinks it is hilarious so no one takes him seriously lol. also maybe she wakes up at one point but he is able to help her back to sleep very quickly and the admirals think that it is funny how such a reckless pilot can be such a good dad.

100% your choice thank you for your time

Pairings: Maverick x Daughter!Reader

First Installment: Maverick's Little Co-Pilot

Second Installment: A Father's Fury

Warnings: Fluff

Masterlist

Maverick loved his little spitfire of a daughter. His little girl was the spitting image of him right down to her attitude. Once she set her mind to something forget about trying to change her mind. Her eyes were the same color as his, whatever color they may be.

In all honesty, if it were up to Maverick he would bring his little girl to work with him every day. Everyone loved his 3-year-old little girl. She was in preschool, the one on base, and it only went half a day so she was preoccupied during the morning and she usually went to Penny and Amelia during the afternoon. But the preschool called early Friday morning saying that they were closed due to a bug going around the school. It was too late for him to try and get a babysitter and Penny was gone with Amelia on a sailing trip. So when he got ready to go to work he got her ready to go with him but it was nowhere a peaceful night for either of them.

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

It was a Thursday and Maverick had just picked his daughter up for school. As he went in to get her, her teacher stopped him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Mitchell. I wanted to raise some concerns with you about your daughter." Ms. Lake said to him and that surprised him, she had never given him any problem before.

"Oh?" Maverick questioned.

"She has been very irritable and had been refusing to do anything we asked. Is there anything that could cause her to be like this?" Mrs. Lake asked and Maverick stood there to think.

"None that I know of. She was fine when I got her ready and dropped her off this morning." Maverick told the teacher and the teacher nodded.

"If there is anything that I can do, please don't hesitate to call." She said and Maverick nodded. She left him to go and greet some other parents, Maverick stood there watching his daughter and after a few minutes walked over to her. He bent down to her level.

"Hey, Sweetheart." He said to her and she instantly perked up.

"Daddy!" She practically yelled out to him and launched herself into his arms and thanks to his quick reflexes caught her. "Miss you." She said and Maverick smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He needed to get to the bottom of her attitude.

"You ready to go?" He asked her and she nodded frantically. As they were walking Mrs. Lake looked at them and shrugged her shoulders and Maverick did the same back to her, this was a complete 180 from the girl just a few hours ago. He felt her nod her head and buried her face into his neck. He grabbed her backpack off of the hook and slung it over the shoulder that she wasn't occupying.

Maverick walked out of the building and to his blacked-out Chevrolet Silverado. He unlocked it and opened the back door to where her car seat sat. He still had his motorcycle but now that he had her it got used less and less. He still had his hanger but also had an actual house close to the base. When she came into his life his living situation and car situation changed... dramatically. He buckled her into the car seat and put her backpack beside her and got into the driverside, he buckled in and started the engine, and started his 40-minute drive home, more if there is traffic. "How was your day, Sweetheart?" Maverick asked her and she was quiet for a minute and he looked in the review mirror.

"It ok." She said in a quiet voice not looking at him and fidgeting with some of her hair. This worried her father. She was never like this. She was normally outgoing and for her to shut down and lash out was not right.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" He asked her. He was stopped at a stoplight so he could look at her longer and she shook her.

"No, Daddy." She said after a minute she added "Nothing wrong." She said and finally looked up at him. He nodded and then the light turned green and he paid attention to the road, something he started doing since he was driving with precious cargo.

Finally, they arrived home. Normally he would take her to Penny and go back to work but since it was actually raining for once in California they grounded all jets until the storm let up. He pulled into the driveway opened the garage and pulled in and killed the engine. He shut the garage as he was getting out and shut his door and then opened the driverside back door and unbuckled his daughter and they carried on into the house and grabbed her backpack. "Ok, Sweetheart. What do you want to eat?" He asked her as he put her down on the ground along with her backpack and toed off his shoes and helped her take hers off.

"Mac n' cheese." She said in a quiet voice this was not his energetic little girl he dropped off this morning.

"Ok. Do you want to help me make it?" He asked her and she shrugged her shoulders. "Do you want to go and watch some cartoons while it's being made?" He asked her and she nodded her head. "Ok, Sweetheart go ahead and sit on the couch I'll bring it to you when it's done." He said and she nodded and hurried off to the living room. She was fine leaving him since she knew he was just a short amount of feet away.

Once the food was done, he grabbed two bowls and filled them, and brought them to the living room. Y/N was lying down when she heard her dad come into the living room she sat up and he handed her a bowl, and sat down next to her. They were silent as they ate while watching reruns of Tom and Jerry. He needed to get to the bottom of this. "Sweetheart, your teacher said you were acting out. Why is that?" He asked her, noticing she was done eating, and so was he. He took the bowls and sat them on the coffee table.

"You in accident. You leave me." She said and the realization hit him hard.

"Sweetheart, where did you hear that?" Maverick asked her.

"Roo and Jakey." She said not looking at him with tears in her eyes. His heart melted. He was also going to have a talking to those two men.

"It's ok. I'm not going anywhere." He said and opened his arms and she crawled into them and snuggled into him. But he knew she wasn't listening and it was going to be a long night.

Throughout the rest of the day, they hung together and did some inside activities due to the rain. Each time he left the room she would panic and call out for Maverick. It was supper time and they were having her favorite, chicken strips and fries.

They had sat down at the dinner table and she was quiet. This really wasn't like his energetic 3-year-old. "Sweetheart you hungry?" He asked her and she shook her head no. "Can you at least eat something?" He asked almost pleading. She nodded and slowly ate her dinner once she had her fill she pushed her plate away. Maverick had long finished eating. "You done?" He asked her and she nodded her head. "Ok. Ready for a bath and bed?" He asked her she stayed quiet.

"No bath." She said and shook her head as Maverick got her from her seat and headed towards the bathroom. She started to squirm. "No bath, Daddy." She said and Maverick sighed.

"Please for me." He said and she looked into his eyes.

"Otay." She said with an eye roll. He reached the bathroom and sat her down while kneeling in front of her. He started to run the bath and found the right temperature and plugged the tub. Maverick watched it fill up while undressing her with little help from her. Once it was the right amount he stopped the water and sat her down in the tub. She didn't play much which made it easy for Maverick but also worried him. He washed her hair and gently cleaned her.

"Ok. Bedtime." He said and started to get her towel he unplugged the tub and let the water drain "Stand up." He said gently and she did. He stood up and wrapped the towel around her he dried her off some and picked her up and attacked her neck with kisses and she giggled. Once she was somewhat dry he carried her to her room and started to get her dressed. He sat on the bed and had her stand while he brushed out her hair.

Maverick got off the bed and pulled the covers back and picked up his daughter. He laid her in her bed and tucked her I'm. He grabbed a book and sat down leaning against the headboard and started to read to her until he was finished. He started to leave "Ok, Sweetheart. Have a goodnight and sweet dreams." He said and kissed her forehead but her brow furrowed.

"Daddy no leave." She said and started to cry. He stopped in his tracks.

"Sweetheart, you have to go to sleep." He said and she shook her head.

"No." She said and be sighed.

"I'll stay just until you fall asleep." True to his word he did just that. He got into the same position as he did when he read her a bedtime story. She snuggled into him and 20 minutes later she was out like a light... for now.

Once her breathing evened out he carefully got up. He quietly crept to the door and opened it, walked out, and cracked it. It was only 9:20 PM so he decided to do something work around the house until 10 PM.

9:30 PM rolled around and he heard little patters of feet coming out of his daughter's room. Maverick sighed. Y/N appeared in the living room where he was folding clothes. "Sweetheart. What are you doing up?" He asked and she looked at him and rubbed her eyes.

"Me no sleep without you." She said and he walked over to her and picked her up.

"At least try for me." Maverick asked and she shook her head.

"No." She said and pouted.

"Please?" He asked her.

"Na-uh." She said. He was getting frustrated but took some breaths and calmed down.

"You're going back to bed." He said sternly and walked to her bedroom with her in his arms. When he got there he gently laid her down and tucked her in, again, and walked out of the room. She stayed there for 10 minutes just enough time for him to put away some clothing of his. Then he heard little patters of feet, again. He turned to find her at the entrance of his bedroom. "Y/N." He warned and she gave him a look like 'What are you gonna do about it?' He picked her up and walked to her bedroom again and laid her down and wordlessly walked out of her room.

Maverick went back to his room to finish up and when 9:50 PM rolled around here came his daughter. He turned to greet her "Y/N Carole Mitchell. Bed now." He said sternly not raising his voice and picked her up and walked her back to her room once again.

10 PM rolled around he didn't hear anything so he got ready for bed and laid down. He was just about to go to sleep when he heard his name being called in almost a panic.

"DADDY!" Y/N yelled out and that had him shooting out of his bed and into her room. He flipped on the light and saw his daughter with tear tracks down her cheeks.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" He asked.

"You gone." She said and Maverick sighed.

"Oh, Sweetheart." He said and walked over to her and hugged her. "Do you want to go sleep in Daddy’s bed?" He asked and she nodded. He picked her up and walked to his room. When he got there he tucked her in and cuddled her. He fell asleep when he felt her breath even out.

They might've slept for an hour before she was tossing and turning and calling out to Maverick. He would wake up startled and then wake her up.

This kept happening each hour on the dot. Let's just say neither of them got any sleep. 7:30 AM rolled but both of them were already awake. They were in the kitchen, Maverick was nursing a coffee leaning back on the counter watching his daughter eat breakfast. They both had a tired look on their face and bags under their eyes.

Maverick zoned out and when his phone rang it started him. He picked it up and before he could say hello the automated voice of his daughter’s preschool came through. "This is Miramar Navy Preschool. Due to the flu going around the school will be closed for the day. We'll let you know when classes resume. Thank you and have a good day." Well, it looks like Y/N would be coming to work with him. "Sweetheart, it looks like you're coming to work with me today." Maverick said and she looked at him and smiled. He grabbed her backpack and started filling it with things he needed.

"Me like going to work with you." She said and that caused him to smile. After he had his coffee and she had her breakfast. Maverick got them both ready to go to work and headed that way.

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

When he got to work he pulled into his parking spot labeled Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, parked, killed the engine, and got out. He then got Y/N out and carried her along with her backpack filled with food, books, and toys to work with him. He walked into the building and into his office and closed the door. "Ok," he said and got down on her level after setting her down "If you can't be with me then you go to Rooster or Hondo. Understand?" He asked her and she nodded her head.

"Yes, Daddy." She replied as she looked into his same-colored eyes. He nodded and started to set her up next to him. He sat her on the chair and he got to work. The door was shut so anyone that needed to come had to knock. There wasn't much going on that morning until he needed to be up in his jet at noon.

Noon rolled around quicker than anticipated. He called Hondo in and a few minutes later he was strolling in. "What can I do for you Mav?" He asked then he saw Y/N.

"I was wondering if you could take her while I'm up in the air. Rooster is going to be up there with me along with most of Daggers. Also, new students are coming in." Maverick said while being preoccupied but aware of the conversation. He looked up when he was done talking.

"Of course Mav. Anywhere you want me to take her?" He asked and Maverick shook his head.

"Just keep her entertained." Mav said.

"What about the control tower?" Hondo asked Maverick.

"That's fine." He said and then turned to his daughter, who in turn looked at her father. "You stay with Hondo and if he leaves you in the control tower you stay there. Understood?" He asked her and she nodded her head.

"Yes, Daddy." She said and Maverick nodded and then stood up and picked her up. He brought her over to Hondo and handed her off. Once he started to leave she started throwing a fit and Maverick stopped.

"Sweetheart, I'll be back in a little bit. You'll get to see me up in the air in the control tower. I promise." Maverick said and she seemed to think it over and then rubbed her eyes, a sign of her being tired, she nodded her head. They went off their separate ways.

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

As Hondo was walking he got stares but nobody asked. Once he arrived at the control tower he walked inside and sat her down. "Remember what your dad said right?" He asked her when he bent down to her height and she nodded her head.

"Uh-huh." She said and he nodded.

"Good. Do you want to go and sit up front?" He asked and she nodded enthusiastically and he smiled so was so a Mini Maverick. He took her up there and sat her down next to the person in control and boy did she ask a lot of questions.

She got really excited when the jets began taking off, of course in Maverick fashion he buzzed the tower and she squealed excitedly. "Daddy!" She yelled out and looked out into the air with big round doe eyes.

After a few more rounds of questions, and the person in control answered patiently, the lack of sleep was getting to her. In no less than 20 minutes she was out like a light snoring softly.

Hondo walked up to them and saw her asleep. He didn't want to wake her so he quietly told the person next to her that he got called away and that she needed to stay here. Really what happened was that the young hotshot students made a bet just like the Daggers did and now had to do 200 pushups.

♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎♠︎

After everyone landed Maverick and the others did a post-flight check. Maverick walked to Hondo. "Where's Y/N?" He asked him.

"She fell asleep in the control tower." He said

"She should be good up there while I go and lecture these students. But I don't want her to overstay her welcome." He said sounding conflicted then Bradley walked over having heard the conversation.

"It's alright Mav. I'll go and get her. I'm done with everything. " He told him and he nodded.

"Jut don't wake her up. She didn't have a very good night last night." Maverick said and Bradley nodded.

"You got it Mav." Bradley said and headed towards the control tower. Once he got there he took the stairs two at a time. He opened the door and stood there for a minute and spotted her. He walked over to her and she was sound asleep.

"She wasn't too much trouble was she?" He asked the person in charge and they shook their head.

"Not at all." They said and Bradley smiled and nodded. He carefully picked her up without waking her and got her situated. She wiggled a little bit but stayed asleep snuggling into Bradley's neck. He began to move and tightened his hold as he began to descend the steps when he took the first step she woke up for just a moment.

"Roo?" She asked as she sleepily looked up at him.

"Yes, MJ?" He asked, he was the first to give her the nickname Maverick Jr. which than got shortened to MJ.

"Where we go?" She asked already leaning her head back onto her shoulders and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We're going to your dad." He said and she hmmed and went back to sleep. He chuckled and started to descend the stairs once again. Bradley was the older brother she always wanted. He walked to Maverick's office but he wasn't there. Bradley continued to walk around the building with a sleeping 3-year-old until he found him in a classroom having just finished teaching. He walked in and Maverick lit up with a smile.

"Did she wake up?" He asked Bradley.

"Once but went right back to sleep afterwards." He told him and Maverick nodded. Maverick carefully unwrapped her arms from Bradley's neck and then transitioned her over to him and she clung to him like a koala. They both started to walk out of the room to Maverick's office when they got stopped by Cyclone, Warlock, and another visting Admiral.

"Captain Mitchell and Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw." Admiral West started "Maverick I must say it's interesting to see such a reckless pilot being a dad." He said in a teasing manner but they didn't take it like that. When the Daggers had successfully completed the mission they were prompted.

"As reckless as Maverick is in the skies. He's an even better dad. He's taken care of Y/N ever since she was a newborn." Warlock said taking up for Maverick. Admiral West scoffed.

"It is very true that he is a very good father. I respect him for that. I know it's not easy to balance a 3-year-old and a demanding job." Cyclone said as if Maverick and Bradley weren't there. Warlock turned to Maverick.

"How was training?" He asked him.

"It was good. If you want we can go to the conference room and discuss the training." Maverick suggested and they did just that. Bradley offered to take Y/N but Maverick didn't want to move her again since she was sleeping, and sleeping well.

The debriefing on the class and training was going well but Maverick and Bradley could tell that Admiral West was not taking him seriously. "Sorry to interrupt but is something wrong?" Maverick asked directing his attention to the visiting Admiral.

"How can I take you seriously with a child in your arms?" Admiral West asked and Bradley just about had enough and he didn't care if he got in trouble.

"You should take him seriously anytime no matter if he has his daughter in his arms or not. He's a great pilot and a great father." Bradley said and the Admiral looked at him with a shocked expression on his face.

"Excuse me Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw that is no way to treat your higher up." Admiral West said and before he could anybody else speak.

"I think it's time for you to leave, Admiral West. If you're not going to respect a Captain who successfully returned all aviators and WSOs home, then you need leave. Now." Cyclone said, and Admiral West scoffed and got up and left the room. Maverick was shocked that Cyclone would stand up for him.

Cyclone turned to Maverick and nodded. "You are dismissed. You can go back to your office and let that little girl sleep. We'll let you know when you're needed." Cyclone said.

"What about the other classes?" Maverick asked still shocked.

"Rooster will be taking care of those along with the other Daggers." Warlock said and Maverick nodded and both Cyclone and Warlock got up and left. Maverick looked at Bradley.

"That was brave of you." Maverick said

"Well, he had no right to speak about you like that." Bradley said.

"Thank you." He told Bradley

"Anytime, Mav." Bradley said to him. They got up and started in their own direction. Maverick arrived at his office where he sat down with his little girl in his arms, who hadn't moved even with all the talking.

Every now and then she would move in her sleep but wouldn't wake up. She would just snuggle into him deeper and that brought a smile onto his face. Maverick was just glad to have her in his life. Nothing could take her away from him, not now and not ever, she is his everything. Y/N was his mini co-pilot. He started on his plans for his next class that was going to be taught by Bradley and the others. It was just him holding his little girl in silence with the sounds of the occasional jet flying by. That was his paradise.

Tag list:

@kmc1989

@els-marvelvsp

@atarmychick007

@nyx2021

[sushiwriterhere]

in a heartbeat

summary: "Maybe he just didn’t need the fanfare, maybe he needed to ditch the plans and just hand the rock to you over Chinese takeout and let that be it."  rating: explicit (no minors!) pairing: bradley 'rooster' bradshaw x f!reader word count: 3.9k warnings: very fluffy, PiV (unprotected), no use of y/n.  notes: this is my first fic in a while and im fighting writers block something awful. this is not proofread :( pls lmk what you think <3! my other works are here part of the coming home to you universe

four days before.

“I’m gonna go out for drinks with the girls Saturday.”

“Uhhh, you can’t.”

Did he need to loop your coworkers into the proposal plan too? Phoenix having dragged it out of him so they could all help was bad enough. Bradley could feel his headache building behind his eyes. He tried to avert eye contact to make the conversation feel natural, instead focusing his gaze on the onion he was trying to caramelize. 

“I can’t?”

Bradley’s never been controlling, never tried to tell you who you can and can’t hang out with, and certainly never with that particular tone in his voice. He heard the mail you were inspecting drop onto the granite countertop as you turned your full attention on him.

“Why?”

Fuck.

He could hear the way your eyes were narrowed from the uncharacteristically steady tone of your voice, the way one eyebrow was raised expectantly. 

In the back of his mind, Bradley also saw the picnic blanket, candles, and bottle of your favorite wine stashed at Mav’s. There were the flowers he had to pick up and arrange on Friday while you were working, the homemade meal Javy promised him that he needed to grab on Saturday around midday. 

“I made dinner reservations at this new place down by the beach, and the only time they had was Saturday evening.”

“And you forgot to tell me until now?”

Bradley didn’t forget. Not about these types of things. Ever since your first date, Bradley had been nothing but proactive. He planned dates, cooked meals, doted on you. Forgetting just wasn’t like him. 

“Made the reservation this morning and you seemed busy.” He finally met your eyes and he watched as your gaze softened and you turned back to the stack of mail.

“Bradley Bradshaw you are a sap.”

And the moment passed. 

You and Bradley had talked about marriage, you have. You’d talked about it enough for him to know what kind of ring you wanted, that you wanted a small, intimate ceremony, and that you’d lost more than enough sleep over whether to invite your parents. You’d talked enough to know Bradley would probably have the Dagger Squad as best men (people?) and that he’d let Phoenix be part of your bridal party if you wanted, that he wanted Mav right there next to him, and that there would be an empty chair for Goose and Carole. That was one thing. 

Getting down on one knee and actually going over that line? That was another. 

The rational part of his brain had always insisted that you would say yes, that you also knew from very early on, if not the beginning. The unhelpful part of his brain kept telling him the ring was the wrong size or that a seagull would swoop down and steal the shiny thing right from his fingertips before you could even say no.

three days before.

Bradley’s checked the ring at least six times since he, Javy, and the other guys came into the shop. The sound of the velvet clicking back against itself then sliding open again was starting to grate on his nerves, but he wanted to give Bradley the benefit of the doubt. He remembered what it was like, that lump in your throat, the way his brain tended to keep him up about every disagreement, every time he should’ve apologized instead of stewing on his anger. 

Javy, instead, choose peace. He watched calmly as Bradley opened the box again, and brought a finger up to trace the gems before deciding against it.

Doesn’t want to smudge it.

There was clearly something on his mind, because the ring had been paid for months ago and the re-sizing and adjustments were included in the price. But there Bradley was, stuck to the shop floor, looking like he was trying to decide between getting sick right there and maybe saving it for the trees outside the shop’s doors.

“What’cha thinkin’ about there, Rooster?” Jake sidled up to Bradley’s side, voice a low murmur, as if trying not to startle the man. 

Regardless, Bradley jumped slightly, jostling the open box and the sound of the box snapping shut echoed harshly around the showroom. Bradley looked like he might’ve decided on getting sick inside. 

“Should I get a second one? What if she doesn’t like this one?” 

Across the room, a sales associate perked up just slightly, clearly looking to score on another guy so nervous he looked like a ghost. Vultures.

“Bradley, my man, we’ve been over this a thousand times. Phoenix got her Pinterest, it’s all a certain style, and it��s definitely the perfect ring.” 

Jake and Bradley had begun to get along, rather begrudgingly at first, then very amicably, after the mission and Jake saved Bradley’s life. Seeing him comfort Bradley was something else though, Javy acknowledged. It was kind of nice to have that tension dissipate from within their team.

“But what if I need another perfect one?” 

“Are you gonna propose to her twice?” Bob had popped up on Bradley’s other side, silent as ever. “Usually there’s a second one for the wedding, but I’m here for a bit of a new tradition.”

At that, Bradley deflated a bit. The box in his hands clicked open, then shut again.

“No, no new tradition.” He murmured, before slipping the box into his pocket.

two days before.

Bradley knew Mav loved him, but he wasn’t sure how much he would after this whole ordeal. They must’ve run over the schedule at least a thousand times, forward and backward, even while flying over their comms. At this point, Bradley was sure he had the entire Dagger Squad reciting the plan in their sleep. He hoped he at least wasn’t, he didn’t need you to be clued into anything. 

“Nothing has moved since the last time you were here. Go home, Bradley.” Mav’s voice carried through the house as Bradley unceremoniously burst through the door. 

He’d started leaving work fifteen minutes early last week, just to double check that everything was in its place, that nothing had broken or spontaneously combusted. It was just enough time for him to stop at Mav’s place on the way home, do his round, and make it home around the same time as usual so as not to rouse suspicion. 

“I’m just–”

“Just checking yeah, get outta my house Bradley and go be with your fiance.” Mav had rounded the corner into his back room, all bathed in sunlight and a picture-perfect reminder of why people loved living in California. 

He was the picture of relaxed domesticity, dish towel over his shoulder, spatula in one hand that he was clearly thinking about hitting Bradley with as he paced the room and ticked things off on his fingers as he murmured to himself. 

“You’re gonna wear a hole in my carpet, and I happen to really like that rug.” Bradley stopped walking but the way his fingers twitched at his sides clued Mav into the way he was clearly still running through the run of show in his mind. 

“She’s not my fiance yet.”

“And she never will be if I murder you for breaking into my house and giving my wife a heart attack.”

“Penny’s not even home at this hour.” 

Mav had never seen Bradley like this. He’d missed graduations and recitals and all the shit you don’t get to see as an estranged god-father, but he’d done enough wondering about what he was like in those moments to have come up with this scenario. Bradley truly was the perfect mix of Goose and Carole–all Goose’s easy romantic energy, ever creative, ever attentive, and just as much of Carole’s eye for detail and desire for things to go right. 

“Bradley.”

Mav watched as the fight eased out of Bradley’s shoulders and his hands relaxed at his sides, “Right. Sorry.”

“Look son, you don’t have to be sorry for wanting this to go right. And you’ve only got a little of sorry to be about starting to drive me insane.” At that, Bradley cracked half a smile and Mav considered that a small success. “You like this at home?”

A sharp laugh echoed around the wood-paneled room, “Oh absolutely not. She’d know in a heartbeat.”

“Well, then you have your answer.” The gears were turning at a million miles an hour as Bradley tried to decipher what he meant. “She knows you in a heartbeat, which means she knows how she feels about you. And we both know what that means for Saturday.”

Bradley nodded, the picture of relaxation and ease all at once. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

one day before.

Bradley was starting to think the gash on his finger was some sort of awful omen, something terrible that had been awaiting to reveal itself until the last moment. He’d arranged flowers for you probably a million times at this point, had even done it blindfolded (only cheating a bit so he didn’t lose a finger) just to amuse you. Now, as he stared at the blood bubbing up from his middle left finger where he’d just stabbed himself with the scissors, the entire thing felt like some sort of cosmic joke.

He’d never doubted that he wanted to marry you, not even when you’d argued or insisted on shoving your ice cold fingers and toes up against him in the dead of night. Not once had he wavered since that initial thought in his brain, and he was even more sure when he went to open that fucking bank account that he’d been diligently adding a sizeable portion of his paycheck to. (What? He wanted to be sure he could afford exactly what you wanted, DeBeers advertising campaign be damned.)

Maybe he just didn’t need the fanfare, maybe he needed to ditch the plans and just hand the rock to you over Chinese takeout and let that be it. 

The only thing keeping him going despite all his nerves, aside from his deep love for you, was the way you’d once leaned against him when the two of you were spending a week away in the mountains. Overlooking something that felt like it was right from a postcard, you’d told him exactly how all the little romantic things he did made you feel. 

“Every time you buy me flowers, I get this little feeling in my chest, like something curling around my heart.” Bradley remembered keeping himself from making a joke, something about heart attacks, trying not to break the moment as the fog hung low over the trees. 

“From the moment you picked me up for our first date and insisted on opening the car door, bringing me flowers, they all make me get that little squirmy feeling that no one’s ever given me before.” You had pressed yourself to his side but not met his eyes, as if your confession was too powerful, too heavy to make when looking at him, “And some of it’s because I’m a sap at heart and you somehow know what I want before I do, but some of it’s just because it’s you Bradley. Always has been, always will be.”

The words said next would keep him going in his darkest moments, kept him together on long deployments, kept him pushing through every moment of doubt in the planning process.

“So if you ever decide to propose to me, even if it’s just you asking me over coffee, just know I’ll get that feeling, just because it’s you.” 

At that, you’d turned to face him, shifting so you could hook your chin over his shoulder where he turned his face to yours. He could see every lash, every spot on your face that he loved to press his lips to when you were too sleepy to protest. You’d graced him with a tiny smile, somehow just a bit melancholy, but all too loving. 

Bradley shook his head, clearing the memory as he scrambled to keep his blood from spattering on the countertop. He was going to have to grit his teeth through the pain of using a liquid bandaid so the pictures weren’t ruined by a regular bandaid. 

You’d compromised on drinks being Friday, so he had the evening to himself. All the time in the world for flowers, for a barbecue at Javy’s (home cooked meal to be picked up that night instead of Saturday morning), and for waiting up for you to text that you were ready to go home. 

the day of.

Bradley thought he’d be blinded by panic, or doubt, now that he was counting down hours and minutes in place of days or weeks. Instead, all he felt was a sense of serenity, almost like he was floating through the motions. 

The day started like every Saturday he’d had since you moved in and he’d been granted a relatively permanent station at Top Gun with Mav and the rest–you pressed up against him, your hair tickling some part of his bare skin, and the type of bone deep satisfaction with life that came with going to bed with a full belly and the love of his life at his side. He stared up at the ceiling fan as it made its lazy rotations and thought about how today was marking the difference between two parts of his life. 

After today, there would always be a time before the proposal, and after. 

The morning was lazy as you insisted you didn’t have a hangover but let Bradley cook you a plate full of turkey bacon, gently scrambled eggs, and a few hashbrowns. He knew you would be fine by afternoon, and after that excited to hang out at the beach before dinner. 

He was sort of counting on it. 

Apparently he’d underestimated your ability to bounce back because the way you draped yourself across his bare back was a little less than innocent as your hands smoothed over his shoulders and down his stomach. He slowed the way he was chewing the last of his hashbrown as you pressed a kiss to the sensitive spot under his ear. 

“Good morning, Bradley,” You crooned lowly.

“Mornin’.” 

His stomach jumped as you ran a nail over one of his nipples, and kissed at his shoulder. Tilting his head to the side to give you more room to work with, he took a slow drink of his water. 

Maybe he wanted you to work for it just a little, what with how badly he’d been stressing these last few weeks. 

And work for it you did. The light drag of your nails just barely there on his stomach and arms had him getting hard faster than he thought was humanly possible. But there was just something about the warmth of your chest at his back, the thinness of some shirt you’d stolen from him doing little to hide the swell of your breasts, that did it for him. Hell, it was really just that it was you that got him going. 

“I missed you last night.” You whined, just a bit, as he finally turned around on the barstool and gathered you into his lap. 

You could definitely feel the way he was hard against the soft give of your thighs, but somehow in that moment, all he wanted was you near. Sensing that somehow the moment had maybe passed, you curled in his lap and stretched your arms around his shoulders, apparently just content to be touching him.

“I missed you too.”

The way your lips met his was almost as natural as breathing, and then the moment wasn’t so innocent anymore. Your lips slotted against his as you kneaded at his arm muscles and part of Bradley was incredibly satisfied that you were enjoying just how much effort he put in at the gym. Sure, he had to be fit for his physical, but how hard he went on his biceps and shoulders was purely for your benefit. 

When the two of you finally stumbled back into the bedroom, Bradley thought he might pass out from how hard he was. Everything about you was amplified somehow. Your skin was softer and the gentle scent of whatever perfume you’d worn last night filled his nose. The give of your hips and thighs was easier and all he wanted was to sink his teeth into you and never let go. You might even let him.

Sprawled underneath him you looked like a goddess, bathed in the rising morning sun, nipples gently peaked as your chest rose and fell. 

“I love you.” 

It was so tender in comparison to the way you sat up and worked a hand inside Bradley’s boxers to grab firmly at his cock. He groaned as you shoved at the little clothing the two of you were wearing and in a moment, your skin was a beautiful contrast to the crisp white of the sheets. 

Bradley made to go down on you but you kept his face in your hands, “Been ready to go since I watched you scramble those eggs.”

He couldn’t hold back the way he barked out a laugh, that one was new. “The way the white and yolk were combined really do it for you?”

You smacked at his chest indignantly as he propped one of your thighs over the crook of his elbow, “Your back and arms look nice when you whisk, you asshole.”

You weren’t so huffy as he slid into you, gentle as ever. Bradley knew he wasn’t the biggest ever, but he also knew he wasn’t anything to scoff at either. He kissed away any discomfort he could see on your features til you rocked your hips up against his insistently.

“Give it to me like you mean it, babe,” Grinning all cheerfully, Bradley cursed under his breath as he felt you bear down on him.

After that, there was little to be said beyond whispers of I love you and the occasional swear word. Sometimes sex between the two of you was raunchy and heated, and other times it rounded out his Saturday mornings in a way that left him sated like nothing else. Sometimes he thought it might be better than flying. 

You came first, digging your nails into his shoulders and breathing his name in repeat. The feeling of you squeezing around him did little to keep him from coming and besides, the way you scraped your nails down his chest and begged him to let go definitely did him in. 

Clean up was quiet kisses and gentle shoves in the direction of the en-suite bathroom, Bradley making sure the water wasn’t too cold for you as you peed. (It was the little things.)

-

Fuck what Bradley had thought earlier about being serene, he thought he was going to crawl out of his skin. Holding your hand as the two of you made your way down the beachfront towards the space behind the Hard Deck, you were chattering on about some coworker’s baby shower and Bradley was focusing way too hard on not absolutely eating shit with the way the sand was shifting under his feet. 

In the distance, he could see the candles and the picnic blanket like a homing beacon. He couldn’t see Mav or Javy or anyone else, but he knew they were all hiding somewhere, ready to burst from the shadows in excitement. Harvard was also brandishing a camera even though Bradley couldn’t see any hint that he was around–turns out he was a more-than-amatuer photographer and had volunteered to capture the moment. 

“Bradley, what’s all this?” Your voice reached a winded sort of pitch as the two of you finally reached the set up.

It was perfect, and part of Bradley finally exhaled. The picnic blanket from your fourth date, the little tea candles doting the beach, and the bouquet of flowers resting at the corner of the blanket, right within Bradley’s reach.

Gently dropping your hand, Bradley picked up the flowers and pressed them into your hands. By now, you’d clearly caught on that something was happening because your eyes were wide and slightly teary, and there was a ghost of a wobble in your lower lip. 

Tan suit be damned, Bradley dropped to one knee and pulled out the velvet box that had been burning a hole in his pocket since before the two of you had gone out to dinner. (The dinner reservation had actually been real, to his credit.)

“Oh my god,” you whispered, bringing a hand to your mouth in a way that betrayed the way your hands were shaking. 

Bradley inhaled deeply, before popping open the lid of the box and letting his eyes flick down to where the ring was sitting, nestled right where it was supposed to be.

As if unable to stop yourself, you opened your mouth and blurted, “If you’re about to ask me what I think you are, the answer is yes. A thousand times yes.” 

Blinking up at you, Bradley didn’t move a muscle as you kept going, “Oh my god wait you probably have a whole speech, I’m so sorry, I’ll shut up now.”

Distantly, Bradley heard a shutter clicking but neither of you broke eye contact as his face broke into a huge smile. He kept going according to his plan, the unspoken understanding passing between the two of you that you’d never live that down.

He said your first name like a prayer, before launching into the speech he’d rehearsed for months now, “I have loved you since I met you. I love every part of you–your laugh, the way you’re passionate about your work, the way you love everyone around you with such intensity. I love you when we argue, I love you when we’re together and apart. You consume my every waking thought, and grace me with your presence when I dream. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. I want to bicker about how we go through junk mail, the right way to parallel park, and what show we’re going to watch on Thursdays for however long you’ll let me. I want you by my side for the good, the bad, in sickness, and in health.” He said your name again, before asking the question he already knew the answer to, “Will you marry me?”

“Yes, oh my god yes.” 

Miraculously, Bradley slipped the ring on your finger without incident, then gathered you up into his arms and pressed your lips together. His cheeks were wet with your tears. 

“I love you so much, Bradley Bradshaw, you are my everything,” You choked out when he set you down unable to stop yourself from sticking your hand out in front of you and crying harder when you saw the ring of your dreams adorning your hand. 

“I can’t believe you said yes before I asked,” He breathed before pulling you into him to kiss you fiercely one more time.

-

“She said yes before I even opened my mouth,” Bradley chuckled as you giggled by his side, hands never leaving the new ring on your finger.

“That’s not nearly as bad as you were for the last three months,” Javy crowed, and the crowd was in uproar as Bradley attempted to defend himself. 

Above all the noise and the lighthearted teasing, Bradley knew one thing–he was happy. And you had said yes.

----

tagging: @sebsxphia @roosterbruiser @bradshawburner @gretagerwigsmuse @sometimesanalice @joaquinwhorres @roosterbruiser @roosterforme @bradshawsbitch @seresinsweetie @notroosterbradshaw @kmc1989 @peachystenbrough @rhettabbotts @theharddeck @wkndwlff @waklman @blue-aconite @thedroneranger @bibitches-r-us @sunlightmurdock @laracrofted @jupitercomet - tagging ppl either by request or whom i feel like are luv <r bradley. pls lmk if you'd like to be added/removed

[tgmsunmontue]

Season to Taste - 24/? 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 FIFTEEN SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN EIGHTEEN NINETEEN TWENTY TWENTYONE TWENTYTWO TWENTYTHREE

CHAPTER TWENTYFOUR

                He loses his temper much easier when he’s tired and he’s tired a lot the first year the restaurant is open. He knows the saying burning the candle at both ends, but he’s found some way to hollow himself out and also burn the candle from the middle as well. Of course he’s a hard worker, expects those around him to put in just as much and expects the best from them, but when Vi calls him a thoughtless and heartless bastard in Italian while the film crew are still rolling he knows he’s gone too far but his brain is so fried he doesn’t even know what it is he’s done wrong. He crashes for sixteen hours and then has to go and make several apologies. Especially to Vi.

…            …            …

                “This is Admiral Kerner.”

                “Hello Admiral, this is Bradley Bradshaw.”

                There’s a pause on the other end of the line and Bradley bites his lip. He has no idea if the man he called Uncle Sli growing up will remember him. It’s been over fifteen years since he left, and longer since he’s seen him or spoken to him. But he knows how to sweet talk people and enough people to get Slider’s work number.

                “Baby Goose?”

                “Yeah. Hi Uncle Sli… you do remember me huh?”

                “Holy shit… of course I remember you kid. And as if I could forget your face on my TV every time the misses puts it on when I’m home.”

                “Oh. Sorry?”

                “No. Don’t be sorry. It’s nice to see you doing so well. Wait. Why are you calling me?”

                “Uh, I’m really sorry to ask, but I sort of have a favor to ask. Maybe a couple of favors.”

                “Okay. So you’re calling me out of the blue, after not talking to me for years… What do you need?”

                “Uh. It’s probably available to family, I was just wondering if I could know when and where your ship will be calling into port and for how long."

                “Uh. Okay. That’s… all fine. It’s information I can share. Can I ask why?”

                “My, uh, my boyfriend I guess? He’s going to be on your ship for seven months.”

                “You have a boyfriend?”

                “Yeah. So if I could know when and where I might be able to see him, I’d really appreciate it…”

                “I’m helping you organize booty calls!”

                “Uh, yeah, sorry if that’s too – ”

                “Oh no, this is perfect. Your dad would be so proud. Using all the resources available to you so you can get your dick wet!”

                Bradley rolls his eyes and pulls a face, glad he can’t be seen. Because while he’s not wrong it’s not the only reason why Bradley wants to see Jake. He hasn’t heard things like this about his dad in a long time, not since he left Mav’s. He barely remembers his father, but considering his best friend was Maverick, Ice and Slider also considered him friends speaks enough to the joking kind of personality he can imagine him having, coupled with what his mom told him. He remembers warm laughter the most, along with music. Strong arms picking him up.

                “Also, it’s kind of romantic. Your dad was always doing sweet stuff for your mom, making the rest of us look bad.” Oh. He’s never heard that before. Never imagined what kind of partner his dad might have been like and he adds it to the little list he keeps tucked away in his head. “Of course, he was also a terrible flirt, ladies flocked to him. Lucky for the rest of us all he did was flirt and he’d send them our way.”

                Okay, maybe more than he wants or needs to know about his dad.

                “Yeah, anyway Uncle Slider, thank you so much for this. Let me know what I can do to repay you… maybe come and cook you and your wife dinner?”

                “Well, I wouldn’t say no to that, she’d kill me if she found out you’d offered and I turned it down. But I have to ask… does Ice not know about this boyfriend? He could have got you the same info.”

                “Yeah, I know, but… No. He doesn’t know. I kind of want to keep it on the down low for now. We’re only just starting out… Very early days.” God, he doesn’t want to say it’s literally only weeks old, can only imagine how crazy other people might think he is.

                “No no, wait, go back. You mean I know something before Ice? Not only that you have a boyfriend but that he’s a good Navy boy…”

                “Actually he’s one of your aviators,” Bradley says, because there’s no point in not sharing that information. As soon as he sends the care packages and asks Slider to deliver them, he’s going to know exactly who it is. Fuck. He really needs to give Jake a heads up.

                “Jesus kid. Seriously?”

                “Yeah.”

                “Wow. You really couldn’t escape even when you tried huh?”

                Bradley laughs, because yeah, he guesses it might look like that from the outside, but Jake’s career doesn’t actually matter to him, other than the fact that he’s now got the background niggling worry that he’s in a dangerous profession. He finds that there’s no longer any bitterness about not being an aviator himself.

                “Well, I didn’t exactly go seeking him out. Just happens to be what he does, and well… you’re right. I’m not above using any contacts I might have to keep an eye on him and keep him in some comforts of home.”

                Slider snorts at that.

                “I’ll send you all the dates and locations. Plans change of course, but I can keep you updated.”

                “Thanks. I’ll send you some cookies or biscotti next time I send a care package. You still partial to pistachios?”

                “Oh, this just gets better and better. Yeah kid, send me something to keep me on your good side. I am all open to bribery from you.”

                “Oh, there’s one more thing. He calls me Leo. Leonardo. We met in Italy and that’s how I introduced myself, he knows my name is really Bradley Bradshaw, and what happened to my dad, but uh, he’s either completely oblivious about who I am exactly, or he’s really good at pretending he has no idea. So uh… yeah.”

                “Right. Got it. So keep it on the down-low that you’re Bradley Bradshaw.”

                “No. Not really. Just don’t announce it over the PA system?”

                “Got ya.”

…            …            …

                “Lieutenant.”

                “Admiral Kerner sir.”

                “Relax son, I’m not here for work. Just. Turns out we have a mutual friend.”

                “Sir?”

                “Bradley Bradshaw.”

                “Oh! Leo.”

                “Ah. Yes. He did say you called him that. Anyway, I flew with his old man. Was at Top Gun when the training accident happened.”

                “Oh. Yeah. He told me about that. I didn’t realize he still knew people in the service.”

                “Oh, he knows a few,” Admiral Kerner says dryly and Jake wonders who else might pop out of the woodwork. “He was forced onto a different path, and while it might have worked out for the best there are still some deep hurts there.”

                Jake keeps his mouth shut.

                “Anyway, he sent me a care package, because I get mail more regularly. However he sent this to you, care of me. So. I’m now apparently his delivery man.”

                “I’m sorry sir, I’ll ask him not –”

                “It’s fine Lieutenant. He did ring and ask first. Just… he sounded happy. It was good to hear.”

                “Yes sir,” Jake says, not really sure how he can take part in this conversation safely, if this is somehow a weird sort of semi-shovel talk given the reference he made to knowing Leo’s dead father. Does he consider Leo a sort-of son?

                “Enjoy your care package. I know I’ll enjoy mine.”

                “Oh, yes. You too sir,” Jake says, suddenly understanding that Leo must have also sent Admiral Kerner something to his liking, and yeah, if it’s going to keep his CO happy then Jake’s all for it. He takes the package and nods his farewell as he watches Admiral Kerner stride away. He’s going to look up Bradshaw in the database, have a look at whatever Top Gun class Leo’s dad was in, because it might pop up again and he’d rather not be taken by surprise again. He suspects that the whole class might be keeping tabs on Leo, whether he knows about it or not.

                “Why was Admiral Kerner talking to you? What did you do?”

                “Phoenix. Always a pleasure. Why do you automatically assume I’ve done something?”

                “Because you’ve usually done something?”

                “Haha. No. He just, uh, introduced himself I guess. He flew with my boyfriend’s old man,” Jake says, rolling the word boyfriend around in his mouth, because that’s all he can think of calling Leo. He’s never had a boyfriend before, and he finds himself smiling at just the sweet gesture of Leo sending him a care package via the fucking Admiral of all people. Stupidly sweet.

                “You have a boyfriend?”

                “Yeah… You?”

                “More trouble than they’re worth.”

                “Not my one. He sent me a care package.”

                “Through Admiral Kerner?”

                “Yeah. You want to see what he sent me?

                “Do I want to?” Phoenix asks, pulling a face and Jake laughs, in too much of a good mood to get smart.

                “Live dangerously Trace. You might get lucky and I’ll share with you…”

                “Again, do I want that?”

                “He’s a chef. I know you have a sweet tooth.”

                “A chef? Well. Why didn’t you lead with that?”

                Then they’re opening the box, and there’s several carboard boxes, written on the top what they’ve got inside. Cranberry and pistachio cookies. Chocolate chip cookies. Almond and dark chocolate biscotti. Pistachio biscotti. He shouldn’t be surprised, Leo going overboard a little seems very on brand and he has to stop himself from just smiling so widely at the gesture. God, what did he do to deserve such a sweet man doing things like this or him? His sisters are definitely right to be envious.

                “Holy shit these are good…” Phoenix says, and he looks up to find she’s already opened one of the boxes to reveal a resealable plastic bag containing the baked goods. It’s the chocolate chip biscuits and he bites one, crunchy outside, chewy inside, milk chocolate chips and there’s so much sugar he thinks he hears his teeth squeak.

                “Yeah, they’re not bad.”

                “Not bad? These are like… crack.”

                “Hmm. Maybe I just need a glass of milk for the full experience.”

                “Does he sell these? Do you think he’d make me some? I’d suck his dick if he sent me cookies like this.”

                “Well, lucky for you I’m sharing.”

                “Are you sure? If these were mine I’d be hoarding them.”

                “They’re a little too sweet for me.”

                “Your boyfriend is a chef and you critique his cooking?”

                “Everyone has room for improvement Trace.”

                “Even you?”

                “Well, no. It’s hard to improve on perfection.”

                “Perfect asshole maybe…”

                “To your perfect bitch…”

                “What’s his name, this boyfriend of yours?”

                “Leo. Funny story actually. I met him in Italy years ago, like a decade. We… uh, exchanged names, then went our separate ways. Then I was home and there he was at the farmers market my sisters sell their stuff at…”

                “Wow. That’s actually kind of sweet and romantic and nothing like how I imagined your love story might go…”

                “Aw Trace, you imagined my love story?”

                “Yeah, usually it involved conjugal visits.”

                Jake laughs.

TWENTYFIVE

[hangmansgbaby]

Hi!!! Can I request a one shot where reader is mav’s daughter/Bradley’s “sister” but she doesn’t have a good relationship w either because she’s always been in Bradley’s shadow. Instead of her moving around w MAV she was sent to boarding school and Bradley always says that Mav just didn’t want to deal w her and things like that. Reader and Jake are dating (bonding over daddy issues lol) and it’s apt of angst between Mav Bradley and reader and fluff between jake and reader 😭

Always Darling | 1 | J.Seresin

Summary: No one was prepared for what was going to happen walking into the Hard Deck that day. Maverick wasn’t prepare to see in daughter and nephew for the first time in 20 years nor the memories seeing them would bring up. Bradley wasn’t prepared to see the girl he saw as a little sister, let alone see her all over Hangman. Willow was not prepared to see both of them in class that next morning, let alone how small she’d feel like she was back in perfect Bradley Bradshaw’s shadow all those years ago. But when she finally confronts him? Their mission may be in jeopardy.

Pairings: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x OC!Willow "Vixen" Seresin, brief mentions of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell x OC Daughter!Willow "Vixen" Seresin and Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x OC God Sister!Willow "Vixen" Seresin

Warnings: angst, fluff, daddy issues

Note: none :)

Apr 2024 note: I did end up updating this into an OC as I dont write my series as a reader insert anymore.

Word count: 1.4k

Masterlist | Always Darling Masterlist

"What do we have here?" Hangman shouts smugly. "If it ain't Phoenix!" Hangman leans against the pool table as the Phoenix walks up to him.

“I missed you!” Willow hugs her.

“I missed you too.”

"And here I thought we were special, Coyote. Turns out the invite went to anyone." Willow elbows her boyfriend's ribs, walking straight back over to the table.

"Fellas, this here's Bagman." Phoenix introduces him to the boys behind her.

"Hangman."

"Whatever." Phoenix smiles sarcastically. "You're looking at the only naval aviator on active duty with a confirmed air-to-air kill."

"Stop." Hangman acts humbled, causing Willow to laugh.

"Mind you, the other guy was in a museum piece from the Korean War."

"Cold War. Different wars, same century."

"Not this one." Willow smiles, pulling the pool cue from Coyote’s hands.

"Who are your friends?" Coyote asks.

"Payback."

"Fanboy." There's a brief pause before he questions, "Who’s she?”

"Vixen.“ Jake answers, pulling her around the table to stand in front of him. He positions her to where her back is against his chest. “My beautiful girlfriend.” Jake kisses her temple as she laughs, pulling away from him.

"Hey Coyote." Phoenix greets.

"Hey."

"Who's he?" Phoenix asks.

"Who's who?" Coyote questions before the attention is turned to the man sitting in the barstool nearby.

"When did you get in?" Coyote asks.

"Oh, I've been here the whole time."

"Man's a stealth pilot." Hangman chuckles.

"Literally." Coyote chimes in.

"Weapons system officer, actually."

"With no sense of humor." Hangman sighs, handing Phoenix his pool cue, walking to the bar.

"What do they call you? Willow questions.

"Bob.”

"No your callsign." Payback asks.

"Bob."

"Bob Floyd? You're my new backseater? From Lemoore?"

"Looks like it. Yeah." Bob nods.

"Nine ball, Bob." Phoenix hands him the pool cue. "Rack'em." She takes the extended cue from Willow who walks after her boyfriend.

“Penny my dear. I’ll have 4 beers on the old timer.”

“Better be getting one for me too.” Willow bounces up to the bar top.

“I could never forget my best girl.” Jake’s southern drawl flutters out. Willow leans into his side as Penny returns with their drinks.

“Hey Willow! You back too?” Penny questions, wiping down the bar as they pick up the bottles.

“Yea. How have you been?” Willow smiles.

“Good, ya know I just saw-“

“Willow?” Willow glances behind Penny to see none other than her father sitting on the other side of the bar.

“Maverick.” She nods curtly.

“Sweetheart-“ Maverick tries but she shuts him down.

“Don’t. Not here.” She shakes her head, turning away from the bar. “Let’s go Jake.”

"Bradshaw!" Phoenix calls. "Is that you?" Willow snaps her head around.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” She groans. The pornstache and tacky Hawaiian shirt caught her eye.

"This is how I find out your stateside?"

"Yeah, I just thought I'd surprise you." Bradley smirks, walking up to the pool table just in time for Phoenix to pull back on the pool cue causing Bradley to double over in pain from the impact.

"I guess I surprised you back." Phoenix says, turning around.

"It's good to see you." Bradley smiles, as he stands up.

"Good to see you too."

"Bradshaw, as I live and breathe." Hangman says, returning from the bar. He hands out the beers he brought back before removing the pool cue from Bob's hands.

"Hangman. You look good." Rooster nods at him, already annoyed.

"Well, I am good, Rooster. Real good. In fact, I am too good to be true." Hangman answers looking around at the group. Willow groans, sitting in one of the barstools nearby.

"So, anybody know what this special detachment is all about?" Coyote asks.

"No, mission's a mission. They don't confront me. What I want to know: Who's gonna be team leader? And which one of y'all has what it takes to follow me?" Hangman says, making a couple shots on the pool table.

"Hangman, the only place you'll lead anyone is an early grave." Rooster retorts.

"Well, anyone who follows you is just gonna run out of fuel." Willow snarks.

Hangman leans against the pool table. "But that's just you ain't it, Rooster? You're snug on that perch, waiting for just the right moment, that never comes." Hangman says, stopping when he is inches away from Bradley's face. "I love this song." He smiles, walking away.

"Well he hasn't changed." Phoenix says.

"Nope." Bradley eyes Willow, offering her a smile. She just scoffs and walks towards the door.

“Darlin, where are you going?” Jake calls, pulling her to a stop.

“I…” she struggles with the words, hearing the piano radiate through the room. “Fuck.” She groans, glancing behind Jake as Bradley starts singing. “Can we just go home? Please?”

“Yea, baby of course. Let me go pay off our tab. I’ll meet you at the truck.”

“Okay,” Willow nods, quickly walking out of the Hard Deck.

“Willow! Wait up!”

Willow glances behind her to see her father following behind her. “No. I’m not doing this with you now.”

“Willow, come on. You can’t still be mad.”

“You sent me to boarding school!”

“You were a trouble stu-“

“Right, troubled.” Willow scoffs, laughing lightly. “I just wanted my dad to see me. Treat me just like he did perfect little Bradley Bradshaw.”

“I didn’t treat you any differently.” Pete defends.

“Oh really? ‘Bradley’s going to state champs,’ ‘Bradley got straight A’s,’ Bradley this and Bradley that!” Willow shouts. “But did I get any praise? No! I get one B and immediately it’s ‘well when Bradley took that class!’ I am so sick of you comparing us! He’s not even your son!”

“He’s been through a lot.” Mav says, but it only makes Willow’s anger worse.

“So have I!” Willow shouts. “I lost everything. Mom! Uncle Goose! Aunt Carole! You! I lost people too!”

“Me?” Mav questions.

“Yes you! You left as soon as you dropped me off at boarding school and never came back!”

“I did what was best for you!” Mav retorts, yelling.

“Yea, whatever helps you sleep at night asshole.” She mutters, turning away from him. “Go back to perfect Bradley.” Mav had since walked away but only to be replaced.

“You think I’m perfect?”

“Piss off Bradshaw! I am not in the mood.” Willow groans, still walking towards Jake’s truck.

“Come on! You seemed to have plenty to say a minute ago.”

“You know what? I am so sick and tired of you thinking you’re better than me!” Willow shouts. “Always telling me how I should feel, or act. You’re nothing but a spoiled ass little orphan who can’t take no for an answer.”

“Same old Willow. I don’t blame your dad for leaving you at that school. You were always too much to handle.”

“Oh that's it!” Willow goes to charge him but is interrupted by Jake walking up.

“Everything alright out here?” Jake asks, jogging up to Willow.

“Yea, let’s just go home.” Willow pulls him with her to the truck, immediately climbing inside.

“You okay?” Jake questions after about 5 minutes, halfway to the condo they rented.

“Yea, just… can we not talk about it?”

“Of course.” Jake smiles, his hand rubbing circles into her thigh.

Willow retreated to the master as soon as Jake parked the truck.

“Darlin?” Jake followed her in. He quickly dropped their things by the door and followed her into the room. “Darlin what’s wrong?”

Willow immediately curled into the bed. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” She sighed, willing herself not to cry.

“That's fine. We can just lay here, okay?” Jake sits on the bed, opening his arms for Willow to slide into him and she does. Her cheek resting in his chest, one arm over his torso while both of his wrapped around her. “You know I love you right?”

“Of course. You know I love you?”

“Always darling.” He plants a kiss on her forehead as she slowly drifts to sleep. “We’ll get through this detachment. Together like everything else.” Be gently kisses her head again before drifting to sleep himself.

[lostdreamr-blog1]

That's My Goddaughter

Summary: Bradley might have told you he would back off if you started dating Jake, but what happens when he tells Maverick? Second part of Bradshaw’s Date

Word count: 2k

A/N: Here is part 2 of Bradshaw’s date! I hope you all enjoy this one as much as the first!! Thanks for reading!

The look of bewilderment on Jake’s face was something Bradley would never forget. Maverick had been hounding Hangman all day to the point where others were starting to feel bad for him.

The group of them were sitting in one of their debriefs, where Mav was currently picking apart Jake’s near perfect run. Phoenix leaned over to Rooster and asked if he knew what was going on. The smug look on his face told her everything she needed to know. “What did you do, Bradshaw?”

Bradley was enjoying every second of today and would continue to enjoy it for many days to come. “I didn’t do anything. Hangman decided it was a good idea to take my sister out on a date last night.”

Bob choked on his water when he overheard what his teammate had said, drawing attention to the three of them. Hangman turned in his seat to see what was going on, but the second his eyes landed on Rooster, everything clicked. Phoenix leaned back in her seat and shook her head, “You’re in for it now.”

Bradley didn’t care in the slightest how Hangman felt. He was getting everything he thought he deserved. Mav dismissed the group but asked Jake to stay behind. The others walked out sending him looks of encouragement, knowing whatever conversation they were going to have, wasn’t going to go in his favor.

Jake remained in his seat in the front row, waiting for Maverick to explain what was going on. The look on Bradley’s face gave him a small insight to what this was going to be. He had hoped his teammate would leave personal business outside of work, but clearly that was asking for too much. It was karmas way of slapping him in the face.   

“I’m going to come right out with it. Just because Bradley can’t do anything about it, doesn’t mean the same rules apply to me. That’s my Goddaughter and you better treat her a hell of a lot better than you cover your teammates out there. That girl is something special and you best believe I won’t be the only one keeping close tabs on you.”

All Jake could do was nod his head. He didn’t know if he was talking to his captain or Pete Mitchell and any comment he wanted to say wouldn’t go over well.

“For as long as you date her, expect every day to be like this. You will see no special treatment and will continue to be pushed harder than everyone else until I see you are good enough for her. Do I make myself clear?”

Jake let out a slow breath, “Yes, sir.”

Maverick dismissed him, but called out when he was near the door of the room.

“Oh, and Lieutenant, Admiral Kazansky sends his best.”

Just as Jake thought it couldn’t get worse, his body seemed to freeze at those last words. He had always wanted admirals to know his name, strived for it, but not like this. This was an abuse of power and there was nothing he could do about it but swallow his pride.

Jake was fuming as he made his way back into the locker room. While most of his teammates figured it was because of how Maverick made him look today, it was actually for a whole different reason.

The moment he walked through the door, all conversations stopped. Word had gotten around of what happened and opinions were formed because of it. But no one was dumb enough to say those opinions out loud to either guy.  

Jake looked around the room until he spotted the one guy that was slowly pushing him over the edge. The cocky smirk was normally seen on the blonde pilot, but in this case, the roles were reversed, and Bradley was racking in every ounce of discomfort that was coming from him.

It didn’t take a genius to know Jake was furious. His usual slicked back hair was sticking up in a few places where he had run his hand through it. His cheeks have a slight pink tint to them that for once wasn’t because of the California heat. But what really stood out, was the silence. Jake was always quick to run his mouth and had a comeback for everything. So, when the pilot stood there and stared at Bradley, the others knew things were about to get ugly.

“Do you get off on the fact that you’re messing with your sister’s life?” Bradley’s smirk quickly fell when he heard the question directed at him.

“Excuse me?” Jake took a few steps towards him, making Coyote and Bob shift towards them in case they needed to break anything up.

“Because your sister told you to back off, you went and ran to Maverick about it, knowing he would be pissed. Well congratulations pal, Maverick is going to keep pushing me until I walk away. But for once did you ever think how your sister would feel if she found out what was going on?”

Bradley stood up now, fists clenched as he tried to keep his anger in check. “Are you threatening me?”

Jake let out an unamused laugh, “And here I thought I was the most self-absorbed person in the room. This isn’t about you. Hell, this isn’t even about me. Your sister told me last night that it was one of the first times where she felt happy and could let go of the past for a few hours. Being back here hasn’t only affected you, she lost her dad too. Her mom lost her husband in the same damn house ya’ll are staying in. While you went off into the Navy, she was the one who stayed back and took care of her.

“Did she ever tell you the number of stories your mom shared with her about your dad? About Top Gun and how much he loved flying with Maverick? Those memories have stayed with her to this day, making the move out here so damn hard for her. But now you have some personal vendetta to make sure my life is nothing but hell. Did you stop and think about how she would feel if I walked away because I didn’t want to deal with all this bullshit?”

Jake’s face was now red with rage, whole body tensed. He kept trying to put himself in Bradley’s shoes, but he couldn’t see himself doing this to one of his sisters. Not when the price was this high.

Bradley on the other hand had lost most of his color. He had zero idea his sister was unhappy following him out here and had only wanted to look out for her. He knew how ruthless Hangman was in the skies, but he didn’t think to separate that from his personal life. Yeah, the speech he gave that night had him second guessing a few things, but Jake was known to be a smooth talker. How was he supposed to know if he was telling the truth?  

“And I hate to tell you this but I’m not giving up that easily. It’s going to take a hell of a lot more than Maverick telling me how to be better or Admiral Kazansky making his position known. Your sister is worth putting up with all of this and more. So do us all a favor and get over yourself.”

Jake grabbed his stuff out of his locker and slammed the door, not sparing anyone a second glance. The room was silent. Nothing could’ve prepared any of them for what just happened. Natasha glanced over at Bradley and saw how defeated he looked. The once gloating man was long gone as he processed everything that was said. 

Bob went over to him and gave his shoulder a quick pat. A small show of support but he then proceeded to walk out of the room. Everyone slowly followed, not sure what else to do. Jake Seresin was always the villain of the story. No one ever questioned that. But today, roles were reversed, and the once golden boy of Bradley Bradshaw had now been painted as the new antagonist.

His phone started to vibrate, and he looked down to see that you were calling. After a few breaths to calm himself down, he answered.

“Hey, so I know you weren’t too thrilled about me going on a date with Jake. But I really appreciate you at least letting me leave the driveway last night. I promise he was the perfect gentleman. Even let me talk him into stopping for ice cream on the way home. Something you never let me do. Also, he told me how great of a teammate you are.” He snorted when you said that last part.

“Good try. I know he would never say that.” Your laugh on the other line confirmed that.

“It was worth a try. Anyway, I made dinner if you want it. I thought maybe we could stay in and watch a movie tonight. My way of saying thank you for not being psycho about all this.” Bradley shook his head knowing he was in fact acting like that.

“Yeah, that sounds good. I have to talk to Mav really quick and then I’ll be on my way home.” He had grabbed his stuff and slowly made his way out of the locker room to Maverick’s office.

“Oh, tell him I said hi and that he owes me dinner. I convinced Penny to give him a second chance. Tell him not to mess this one up. I can only work so many miracles.” Bradley smiled as he sat across from Mav.

“I’ll let him know. See you in a few.” He hung up and sighed. Mav was sitting at his desk with a knowing smile on his face, making Bradley feel even worse about the situation.

“A few things. First, I’m going to need you to lay off on Hangman. I appreciate you making him sweat a bit, but Y/N seems to really like him, and I don’t want to ruin that.” Maverick nodded his head and sat back in his chair.

“Are you sure? Ice and I had a whole good cop bad cop thing planned out. He was going to be the bad cop because he just has this stare that seems to pierce your soul. Used to give me nightmares back in the day.”

Bradley couldn’t help but chuckle, “Yeah, Mav. Thanks though. Also, she said you owe her dinner. Convinced Penny to give you a chance or something.” He watched Mav’s whole face light up.

“I owe that kid a whole lot more than dinner.” He watched as Bradley stood up and make his way to the door.

“I know you may not like this, but she has to grow up some time. I’d rather it be here where we can help her if she falls than halfway across the country. Seresin has his work cut out for him, but I think he’s a good choice for her. Cut yourself some slack though. She’s a lot like your mom in the sense that no one is going to stop her from doing what she wants.”

Bradley offered him a small smile and walked out. Maverick waited a few minutes to make sure he was gone and pulled out his phone to text Ice.

“The kid said to lay off, but what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”  

A/N: Thoughts? Likes or dislikes? I love to hear back from you all! I have tagged some of you who wanted a part 2. Let me know of you want to stay on the tag list for the future :)

Tag List: @rosiahills22 @sunlitsunflowers @dempy @mamaskillerqueen @luckyladycreator2 @atarmychick007 @angelbabyyy99 @bobfloydsgf @my-soulmate-is-mycroft @topguncultleader @alilstressyandlotdepressy @avengers-fixation @chaoticassidy

[sunlightmurdock]

My Future In You | 2.2 | 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, enemies to lovers kinda thing, requited love but they’re idiots your honour, smut, pinv, unprotected sex, mentions of pregnancy / birth complications

…

A little past 1am, legs stretched out ahead of you, draped across Bradley’s legs. Some old straight to TV movie playing, giggling like a couple of teenagers. Bradley loudly voices his complaint as he picks up a m&m that had been thrown at his forehead.

He’s in just a pair of shorts, his hair dry now and his curls a little shorter than normal. Navy regulations. You kind of miss the length that he used to have on the back and sides, but this look suits him too.

“I’m just saying, you’re the one who fucked my roommate.” You shrug, mock-nonchalantly, and pretend to focus back on the movie in front of you. It’s some dumb story of a small town cowboy.

In the mood for dramatics tonight, Bradley throws his head back and groans.

“Before I even met you!” He chides, sitting forwards and snatching the candy from you before you have opportunity to turn any more of them into projectiles.

“Then you texted her after you’d already knocked me up.” You remind him, playfully calm.

“Ah, ah — She texted me, it’s not like I would’ve fucked her again — and let’s not forget that you had a whole boyfriend until you were in your second trimester.” Bradley points out.

“And stop saying knocked up. Makes me feel weird.” Grumbling like a discontented teenager, Bradley nudges your leg with his so that you have to look at his face and see his little frown.

All of that seems so far away now. Ryan. Your roommates, who you’ll probably never see again. Christmas with your family. You’ve barely even thought about it all since you got here.

“I’m sorry, Bradley — how should I be phrasing it?” You tease.

His lips tug at the corners, threatening to disrupt his dramatic frown and disarm his little act. A small shrug of those broad, tanned shoulders.

“All those couples at the parenting class keep saying ‘when we found out we were expecting’. That works.”

“Mm, but when I found out I was expecting I cried for three days and when you found out you implied that I was a whore and offered me money. Our story doesn’t really sound like theirs’.” You remind him. He presses his lips together in a line. That feels so far away now too.

He remembers the anger he felt towards you back then, which is a complicated thing in itself. He remembers why, and how — and everything about that first week, actually. He remembers being so furious at you for making that choice without him. A complete stranger, complicating his future when he had just stepped out of his complicated past.

The anger still makes sense to him. He doesn’t feel it anymore, he isn’t proud of the way he acted, but he can look back now and know that it was all just fear.

Going from being a scared little boy and looking after a sick mother, to being an adult and having nothing to care for but himself, to then meeting you. It hadn’t felt fair to have that all stripped away before he had started it.

But now, when he thinks of this living room being empty, or that small room being an office instead of a nursery, it makes this all seem so much more bleak.

The movie credits roll, leaving you even more confused about what the plot was supposed to be. Bradley sits up and pushes himself onto his knees, then parts your legs for him to dip between. You’re sighing softly now, contented as he presses his lips to yours.

“I don’t think you’re a whore,” He mumbles against your mouth, making you chuckle softly against him. “And I’m glad that I knocked you up, for the record.”

Another soft chuckle. He presses his lips warmly to your skin. Cheeks, jaw. A gentle tour of your face.

“You are?”

“Yeah, you’re hot pregnant,” Bradley beams at you, earning himself another little laugh. “And — y’know, I’m excited for the kid too.”

Looking up at him, your fingers circle over his smooth, freckled shoulders. A few moments of silence pass between the two of you before a commercial comes on and disturbs the bliss.

“Time to put the baby to bed, don’t you think?” He asks. You glance down at your swollen stomach and back up at your new boyfriend. Smiling at him, you give a defiant shake of your head.

“We aren’t tired.” You decide.

A soft groan and he cups your belly in his hands, feeling soft fluttering kicks to unfortunately support your claims. Smile growing into an embarrassingly amused beam, you watch Bradley as he pushes your shirt up and peppers kisses across your stomach.

“Tell him to give his old man a break, some of us have to be up in a couple hours,” Bradley murmurs into your skin, earning himself an applause of his new favourite sound. He looks up grinning at your laughter. “What?”

“You, being somebody’s old man,” A quick scrunch of your nose and a shake of your head, laughter still bubbling through you. “Weird to think about.”

His cheeks redden like the tops of his ears, then he grins. Sitting back on his heels, his hands slide along your stomach to rest at the very bottom. Again, he feels a soft little kick against his palm.

“Y’know, I think he’s nocturnal. I barely felt him this morning and now he’s wide awake.” You explain.

Another shrug, smiling as he leans down and kisses your stomach once more. “Wanted to stay up and watch a movie with his folks.” Bradley muses, making you smile. Absentmindedly, you card your fingers through his fluffy, air-dried curls. His lips press warmly to the underside of your belly, “No harm in that.”

Fingers trailing from his auburn curls, down over the tanned muscles in his shoulders as he peppers kisses across your stomach.

“He’s got you wrapped around his finger already. Old man.” You tease, nudging at his leg with your foot. He chuckles softly, cool breath tickling your skin. Another kiss, then he looks up at you.

“Me? — Mama’s the one letting him stay up late.” Bradley prods, sitting up and bringing his mouth to yours once more. The kiss is slow, lazy, his hand cupping your hip. When he leans over you now, your stomach always bumps into his middle. He’s going to miss it when it isn’t there anymore.

Turning his head, he presses his face into your neck and nips softly at your skin. You hum, keening towards the feeling. It becomes growingly tender, lips replacing teeth, tongue soothing over the warm spots left behind.

Finally, he sits back up and kisses your lips chastely. “Will you come to bed with me?”

“You can go ahead, I won’t wake you up.” You promise.

“I know, but I like falling asleep with you.” He squeezes softly at your hips, remembering to be gentle with your sore joints these days. He sits forwards and kisses your mouth again, then again after that. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that he isn’t going to stop until you agree.

Pushing against his bare chest, he sits back on his heels and raises his eyebrows at you.

“Fine…” You huff, extending your arms for him. Slipping his hands into yours, he’s on his feat with an annoying level of ease that you can no longer manage. He tugs you up with him.

“I’ll lock up.” Ducking around you and kissing your neck, he leaves you with a gentle pat on the ass and then moves to make sure all of the doors and windows are locked and that the lights are off. You pad along the hallway to your shared bedroom and peel your shirt over your head.

Over the past month, you seem to have really popped. The kid is really making himself known in there. Enough so, that you’re well into the stage now of wearing exclusively maternity clothes or stretching out Bradley’s old gym clothes. Tonight, given the lingering heat, you opt for an old basketball shirt that Bradley hasn’t fit into since high school. Before he grew a foot and lost eighty pounds in his junior year.

It’s not huge on you at this stage of your pregnancy, but gives you the reprieve of a waistband pressing into your stomach.

Bradley’s chest hits your back before you even feel him approaching, turning his face into the crook of your neck, almost knocking you over with his weight.

His hands skim under the shirt and up over your stomach, making an all-too-familiar beeline for your breasts. He groans softly into your skin, growing half-hard against your back.

“Mm-mm,” You’re smiling and shaking your head at him all at once. “You need to go to bed, remember?”

“Fuck,” He breathes out, eyes closed, soft skin under his palms. If he pressed any harder into your back, he would knock you onto your front. “I do.”

Your palm slips between the two of you, reaching back to cup him over his shorts, stroking just loosely over the length of his hardening cock.

“Would be pretty difficult to sleep with that, though.”

“You’re such a tease.” He mumbles into your neck, kneading softly at your breasts. He rolls his hips forwards slightly, using your hand for friction on his increasingly hard cock.

“Are you flying tomorrow?” Your head falls back to rest against his shoulder, his lips sucking softly at the curve of your neck. His realization courses through him like relief, you can practically feel it.

His head shakes quickly. “In a classroom all day.”

Your palm squeezes softly around the tent in his shorts, a quiet hum, mock consideration, leaving your lips. His hands push at the shirt, slowly dragging it up your middle and tugging it over your head.

His eyes feel heavy on you, hands trailing featherlight along your sides. Bradley reached out slowly, pressing a soft kiss to your shoulder as he takes hold of the band in your hair. He’s especially gentle as he takes it down and turns his face towards your hair.

Illuminated by the soft light of the bedside table, Bradley’s becoming increasingly gentle with you — each time that you’ve slept with him recently, you can feel that he’s being more careful than he would normally be. He knows that you’re sore and more tired than you would normally be, but he never once declines the opportunity to have you.

Today is no exception as he turns you towards him, palms skimming along your back, squeezing at your ass as he holds you against him. Laying you down slowly on your shared bed, he notices your lips quirk softly as he covers your body with his.

“What?”

“Nothing.” You give a small shake of your head and lift to kiss him, still smiling when you pull back. He squints at you, studying the amusement on your features. It just makes you want to smile, is all. Him being so wordlessly soft; knowingly gentle. It doesn’t take a conversation or a warning. He knows your limits.

He knows you so well these days. The kind of shampoo or deodorant to pick up. Exactly which spots to press his fingers harder into when he’s giving you a foot rub. Exactly how to make you scowl at him and melt into his arms moments later when he’s being annoying. Your chest heaves with a particularly deep breath.

Bradley’s lips are on your chest, his hands skimming along your thighs, kneading at the flesh.

“Tell me you want me.” It’s a pant, really, just breathless. He rocks himself against your core, sitting back on his knees and squeezing at your hips. He takes that plush, pink bottom lip between his teeth and just stares down at you with the prettiest mahogany coloured eyes you’ve ever seen.

Teasing at an almost smile, you bite the inside of your cheek to contain it. A soft shake of your head and he smiles back at you. You glance down, watching him palm over the tent in his shorts. Finally, you meet his gaze once more. “I don’t think your ego can handle being any bigger than it already is.”

“It can take a little more,” Bradley hums. He exhales, adam’s apple bobbing in his throat as he watches his ring and index fingers dip through your folds, gathering your excitement on the digits. “Tell me you want me.”

You do. So badly that it makes you hot. Makes your muscles go tense. Makes your chest tighten.

“I want you,” It’s an admission that you never would’ve given him months ago, weeks ago even. There’s a lot about you now isn’t the same as it was a few months ago. It’s right on the tip of your tongue. I love you. It’s insane — terrifying, actually. You swallow and stick to what you know, “I want you.”

It would slip so effortlessly off of your tongue. When he’s buried into you, breathing hard into your ear, your face buried into the curve of his neck and god — he still smells exactly like him, now mixed with your body wash that he’s adamant he doesn’t steal. So natural, just another breathless, meaningless exhale in the middle of sex.

“You feel so good,” Bradley groans out, his thick fingers sliding along the nape of your neck and up into your hair. He curls them into your roots and flexes his fist just softly. Just the right amount of tug, a gentle pull that has you moaning against his jugular. “Fuck, baby… you…”

He turns his head, lips grazing your jaw and working lazily along to your lips. When he gets there, finally, it feels like your heart is going to explode out of your chest. He kisses you slowly, his tongue in your mouth and his hand in your hair. In your shared bed.

The mattress is softer here and he never wakes up with a sore neck because of the shitty pillows. Sometimes he wakes up with a sore neck because of how his body is wound around yours, but he doesn’t mind that as much. Moaning into his mouth as he fucks into you slowly.

“You’re so fucking hot.”

A breath catches in your throat and you aren’t sure whether it’ll turn into a laugh or a cry. Ultimately, it settles into a soft moan, your breath tickling his earlobe and making him shiver. Then, it becomes a laugh. He sits back on his knees to get a good look at that grin on your face.

Stretching out his shoulders, he guides your thighs over the tops of his. He gives them a soft squeeze and slows down a little, giving a breathless nod. “I mean it. You’re so fucking perfect, just like this.”

He wets his lips with his tongue, eyes trailing ever so slowly along your body, rocking his hips forwards tenderly. Briefly, you think that he’s going to say it. It doesn’t happen. Just more expletives, shallow breaths, eager grunts. More kisses, his hands on your skin.

After, when you’re settled into his old basketball shirt, under your sheets, and he is wrapped around your body from behind, his big palm sprawled out over your stomach — you’re okay with it. The silent knowledge that he must be on the same page.

The next morning, he has to be up before the sun is even halfway risen. He’s growing proficient at doing it without waking you. Showering silently and dressing in the bathroom, laying his clothes out the night before. It always makes you stir when he slips back into the room and leaves you with a chaste kiss on the lips, and a soft peck at the top of your rounded stomach. Still, you’re okay with that too.

You squirm a little, laying back against that perpetually uncomfortable plastic-leather mix exam chair. The gel is a lot more uncomfortable when you’re still hot from the mid-day Florida heat than it had been on those snowy mornings back in Virginia. Still, it’s all routine by this point. The cold jelly on your stomach, comfy pants that can easily be pushed down a little, warm sweater to combat the always high air conditioning.

You’re missing the part of your routine that has always made you comfiest: Jake sitting outside in the waiting room. He’s states away, Bradley’s stuck in work, you’re all on your own. It’s just a routine check up — just to check if he’s breach. You’ve been telling yourself that all morning. It hasn’t stopped you from sitting on the carpeted floor of his nursery and staring at his crib, still in the box.

Your heart swells at the idea of meeting him. You’ve been picturing him a lot recently. Your nose, Bradley’s lips. Soft morning cuddles, sleepless nights, constant diaper changes — it’s easy enough to tell yourself that you’re ready, it’s just more of a complicated thing to be certain that you are. Even if you’re not ready, he’ll be here in a few short weeks. You need to remind Bradley to pick up screws for his crib.

The doctor’s brows knit together, she adjusts her glasses and wiggles the wand a little bit, then looks back to you. “Hm, have you been experiencing reduced movement at all, Miss Seresin?”

The question throws you. Blinking at her, chilled from the whir of the air conditioning, you shake your head. Your throat squeezes. “No, not at all. He was kicking a lot last night.”

Both of you look back to the screen. He’s moving now. Little legs just kicking softly in that familiar black and white hue. A quick glance across, you stare at your sweater on the chair where Bradley should be sitting. It’s too cold in here. You’re not sure if you’re allowed to move to get the sweater.

“Hm,” She nods her head slowly. Her face is calm enough, her tone doesn’t give you any clues. The thought that crosses your mind hits you like a speeding semi. Blunt force, speeding — out of left field. Six and a half months of no contact and all of a sudden, sitting alone in this exam room, too cold, you want your Mom.

It’s clear that you’re panicking, and the doctor continues with as much caution as she can. She speaks to you like she’s trying to soothe a crying child, but it isn’t patronising. Her neatly groomed brows raise at you, “Any fatigue, bleeding, stomach pains?”

“I’ve been tired, I guess.” You squeak. She softens, reaching out and placing her hand into yours. Your throat tightens. “Is he okay?”

“Yes, he’s just looking a little bit smaller than we would have expected for this stage in the pregnancy,” Your heart sinks, and the side of the exam table suddenly feels especially empty without Bradley there. The doctor continues on as comfortingly as she can. “I’d just like to run a few tests while you’re here — just to make sure that we’re prepared to make the end of your pregnancy as safe and comfortable as possible.”

As she turns and leaves you trapped in that little grey room with the closed blinds, shutting out any semblance of sunlight, all that you can think about is the first appointment that Bradley ever came to with you. Everything going on back then and how badly you had wanted him to not even show up. How confusingly nice it had felt to have him holding your hand through it. Your head falls back against the exam chair and your eyes burn with tears.

You leave the office with a pamphlet on fetal growth restriction, potential causes and side-effects. It might not be that, she tells you, some babies are just smaller and that’s just fine. They just want to keep a close eye on you these last few weeks. Early delivery is a possibility.

You’re dialing the number out of pure instinct. Flowing tears, running to Mommy — there’s a natural link there. Some kind of hardwired impulse, probably. Chest heaving, blinking back searingly hot tears, you listen to it ring and ring. It’s just a Wednesday morning, maybe she’s at the office. It just keeps on ringing.

Bradley frowns as he listens to the busy dial tone, pulling back and checking his phone. You’d promised to call him when you got out of the appointment. He checks down at his watch. Maybe Jake got a couple of minutes to call you. He has to be back in class. He texts you that he’ll catch you at home and turns.

If his mind were clearer, he might have noticed the stare on him as he turned. The familiar blue eyes, blown wide open. Maverick pales at the sight of the boy at the end of the hallway. Familiar sandy brown curls, a brief look at Bradley’s face. The mustache he had been trying to grow when Mav saw him last has grown in now. Maverick swallows.

He hasn’t seen this kid in almost two years. Not a single phone call or text. He hadn’t even known where Bradley was living after he moved out of the house in Norfolk. And now he’s here, standing at the end of a hallway in a random Navy base that Mav wasn’t even supposed to be at this week. Dressed in his khakis, he’s a kind of familiar that makes Pete Mitchell’s stomach churn.

“Bradley?”

…

@chaoticweirdogeek @alanadetigy @itsmytimetoodream @oldnatgwenaccount @khaylin27 @bioodforbiood @luckyladycreator2 @mizzzpink @cherrycola27 @unordinare @shanimallina87 @marvel-f1-and-more @heli991113 @pauv-0414 @ghxst-heart @momc95 @asteria33 @lilyevanswhore @diamond-3 @galaxy-moon @jostyriggslover96 @forgiveliv @shawnsblue @little-wiseone @lovemesomevesey @alm334 @averyhotchner @diorrfairy @thedroneranger @batdanceq @wkndwlff @littlemissobsessedwitholdermen @sunflowerziva @cassiemitchell @himbos-on-ice @bradshawseresinbabe @damrlovq @fudge13 @xoxabs88xox @mak-32 @slutfordw

[fryingpansareswag]

Welcome back to the annual yap session about hangster! :)

So I listened to I Bet You Think About Me by Taylor Swift featuring Chris Stapleton for the first time the other day and absolutely fell in love with it and immediately thought about Bradley and Jake (Miles Teller is also in the music video).

I had to tell someone or would actually start tweaking out about it so you guys get to hear about it! I’ll be analyzing the whole song based on hangster (I will be including my own headcanons btw). This was also from Jake’s point of view with some lyrics more about Bradley.

Get a nice blanket and some hot chocolate (its a long one)

3 AM and I'm still awake, I'll bet you're just fine

Fast asleep in your city that's better than mine

After they broke up, Jake moved back to Texas and Bradley moved back to Philadelphia (I personally think Bradley lived in Philadelphia in his early childhood, moved to California after Goose died, and moved back after his falling out with Mav [just stay with me okay?])

And the girl in your bed has a fine pedigree

After they broke up (B was the one who broke the relationship up), Bradley started to just get with people to fill the hole he lost when he broke up with Jake.

And I'll bet your friends tell you she's better than me, huh

Well, I tried to fit in with your upper-crust circles

Yeah, they let me sit in back when we were in love

Pheonix was always nice to Jake when he and B were dating but when Bradley broke it off she never talked to him after. He texted her but left him on read.

Oh, they sit around talkin' 'bout the meaning of life

And the book that just saved 'em that I hadn't heard of

But now that we're done and it's over

I bet you couldn't believe

When you realized I'm harder to forget than I was to leave

And I bet you think about me

Even though Bradley is getting into a new relationship every week, Jake knows that he can never forget about him. They went through so much together and experienced so much together. How could Bradley forget and not think about him?

You grew up in a silver-spoon gated community

Glamorous, shiny, bright Beverly Hills

Bradley never got into detail about his childhood with Jake and from only seeing his childhood home in San Diego, he believed B came from a pretty wealthy, happy family. Jake knew nothing about Carole, Goose, or Maverick.

I was raised on a farm, no, it wasn't a mansion

Just livin' room dancin' and kitchen table bills

Jake's childhood consisted of living on a farm in Texas, he was a Mama's boy. Sometimes when he was little he would sneak downstairs to watch his mom and dad dance in the living room together after they thought all the kids went to bed.

But you know what they say, you can't help who you fall for

And you and I fell like an early spring snow

When Jake and Bradley first met, they almost immediately fell in love. There was nothing "casual" between each other. Even though Bradley was pretty reserved and timid with being in a romantic relationship, they connected easily and said they loved each other pretty quickly.

But reality crept in, you said we're too different

Bradley broke up with Jake stating that he was not ready for a relationship, he wasn't ready to open up, and--of course-- they were too different and would never make it.

You laughed at my dreams, rolled your eyes at my jokes

Mr. Superior Thinkin'

Do you have all the space that you need?

Bradley: "We need space. This isn't going to work."

I don't have to be your shrink to know that you'll never be happy

Jake watched from afar as Bradley dated other people (he stalked his Instagram account). Bradley never looked truly happy like he did with him.

And I bet you think about me

I bet you think about me, yes

I bet you think about me

Bradley thinks about Jake 24/7. Everything he does is for Jake.

Oh, block it all out

The voices so loud, sayin'

"Why did you let her go?"

Bradley regrets it every day that he broke up with Jake. They could've made it work. Bradley just couldn't open up like Jake wanted him to. He couldn't explain to Jake his past. He feared that Jake would leave him because of how miserable he actually was. Jake made him feel safe and loved for once.

Does it make you feel sad

That the love that you're lookin' for

Is the love that you had

Bradley really thought that he would eventually get over Jake. He'd find a nice girl he could settle down with, have a family, and live a happy life. Now he's thirty-six.

Now you're out in the world, searchin' for your soul

Scared not to be hip, scared to get old

After he lost Jake, Bradley became self-conscious and scared that everything he did would eventually lead to his downfall.

Chasin' make-believe status, last time you felt free

After Bradley and Jake broke up, Bradley put all of his attention into his work. Work would at least distract him from breaking the love of his life's heart.

Was when none of that shit mattered 'cause you were with me

Nothing mattered when Jake and Bradley were together. They were happy and that's what mattered.

But now that we're done and it's over

I bet it's hard to believe

But it turned out I'm harder to forget than I was to leave

Jake nor Bradley never forgot about each other. They always think of each other. Even when doing the most mundane tasks.

And, yeah, I bet you think about me

I bet you think about me, yes

I bet you think about me

I bet you think about me when you're out

At your cool indie music concerts every week

I bet you think about me in your house

Jake practically lived at Bradley's house at the height of their relationship.

With your organic shoes and your million-dollar couch

I bet you think about me when you say

"Oh my God, she's insane, she wrote a song about me"

I bet you think about me

Jake and Bradley never forgot about each other. They'd eventually see each other again, a mission that would change both of their lives.

Also here's the song if you'd like to take a listen :D

[demxters]

—𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑, 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢

jake ‘hangman’ seresin x f!aviator!reader

series summary: “there’s no place like home for the holidays,” is a saying you loathe with a passion.  you didn’t hate the holidays. you just wished you had a place to call home when the winter days are lonely and the nights are long and cold. little did you know that home was a lot closer than you think, and came in the package of a charming green eyed pilot with a surprising amount of love for the holiday season. 

wc: 3.9k

warning(s): fem!reader, idiots in love, some self deprecating thoughts, mentions of anxiety, implications of bad family relationships

part of the ‘through the seasons’ universe 

next

𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊, 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐄𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃!

“this heart that glows like an ember, longs to be loved just by you…” warm december, julie london  

You are not a Scrooge. Not in the slightest. In fact you loved the holidays—being bundled up in the coziest of fleece sweaters, Christmas music, and hot chocolate were amongst your favorite winter activities. However, that’s not to say the holidays were your favorite time of the year. 

The air of The Hard Deck warms your cold cheeks as you enter the bar. A content sigh escapes you as you send Penny Benjamin a small grin and a wave. Bouts of familiar laughter steal your attention away to the two pool tables towards the back of the bar, already surrounded by your favorite people. 

Fanboy is the one who catches a glimpse of you first as you make your way through the sea of people. He perks up, shoving his pool cue into Bob’s vacant hands. 

“It’s about time you showed up, Thumper!” Fanboy chortles, throwing his arm around your shoulders. “We were getting a bit worried that you bailed on us.” 

You laugh and give his hand a soft squeeze as the two of you make your way back to the squad. “On Secret Santa day? I could never!” You shake the gift you're holding as emphasis. “Besides, if anyone was going to bail, it’d definitely be Mav.” 

Fanboy nods in agreement before pulling you towards the pool tables. A chorus of dramatic ‘hellos’ and cheers erupt from the aviators as you approach. Of course they started causing a scene. It was ever the Dagger way. 

On birthdays, anniversaries, hell even for an everyday appearance, it was a squad tradition to make the small things a huge deal. 

You will never forget when Rooster got the whole bar to sing Can You Feel The Love Tonight the first time Fanboy drove a girl home. 

Despite being regulars, you can’t help the heat that sets your cheeks aflame. Everyone is looking at your rowdy little group and worst of all, you were the center of attention. You hated it and they all knew it. 

They chant your callsign and fist pump while you turn your head, and tuck your chin into the crook of your neck in a lousy attempt to hide your embarrassment. The weight on your shoulders releases as Fanboy makes his way back to the group with the same mischievous grin the rest of them have. 

You catch Hangman’s eye and he sends you a sly grin that has your heart running a hundred beats a minute in your ribcage. Your friendship with Jake Seresin was one of the few that you held close to your heart. You love each member of the squad equally, however you had to admit the Jake shaped hole in your heart was a tad larger than all the rest. But you wouldn’t tell any of them that. Especially not him. 

He reaches you with an outstretched hand. His brows are raised as if to say, “Well?” So you begrudgingly take his hand in yours, knowing he won’t let up until you do. 

Jake lifts your intertwined hands and the way he instantly lights up flies right over your head, but doesn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the aviators. 

“There you are, darling. Give us a twirl,” he drawls with a wink. 

You let out a sigh of feign annoyance, before doing a small spin. The group lets out a second series of chortles and obnoxious noises. Another round of heat settles on your ears and the apple of your cheeks. Hangman shakes his head with his hand still in yours as he drapes his arm around your shoulder. They finally settle down when you drop your wrapped gift onto the designated wooden table and unravel yourself from Jake’s hold to greet everyone else individually.  

The fall of his smile and shoulders catch Coyote’s eye and he gives Jake a subtle pat on the back. “Could you be any more obvious?” Coyote teases his friend. 

Jake frowns, crossing his arms over his shoulders and watches as you move in to hug Payback. “Can’t you see I’m trying?” He really was. He didn’t know how much longer he could take the anticipation of being in your presence, of pining for you day after day. You were right at arm's length but so out of reach. He was sure it was going to kill him someday. 

Coyote scoffs taking a swig of his drink. “Well try harder because it clearly isn’t working,” he retorts. 

He smacks his friend on the arm and with a jerk of his head the two bring themselves back to the festivities. 

The next two hours are spent in tipsy splendor. Alcohol is drunk, gifts are exchanged, and jokes are told as the night continues to wind down. Accepting a bottle of water from Jake, you feel yourself sobering up as the normally crowded Hard Deck starts to empty. Penny is generous enough to let you guys stay even after she’s all ready to close up. Partially because Maverick decides to spend the rest of the night cuddled up with her in one of the corner booths, leaving the rest of you to your own devices. 

A soft sigh escapes your lips and your eyelids are heavy from the events of the night. You’re engrossed in your own conversation with Coyote as you rest your weight on Hangman’s chest, leaning back on the heels of your feet so your back is against him. There’s a light sheen of sweat on the back of your neck and you're too dazed to be able to tell if it’s from being so close to Jake or the alcohol that’s filtering through your system. One of his hands is respectfully on your hip while the other lays on the counter the two of you are standing beside. 

Jake’s chest rumbles against your back as he contributes his own comments to you and Coyote’s ongoing debate on whether or not Die Hard is considered a Christmas movie. He’s oh so warm against you and you have to fight off the urge to drift off right then and there. The name of one of your favorite movies catches your attention and you’re drawn back to the conversation at hand. 

“If that makes Die Hard a Christmas movie, then that means Mean Girls is too. And you know it’s not.” 

You turn to look up at Jake with an astounded look on your face. “Excuse me, Hangman, Mean Girls is a Christmas movie! And a Halloween one. That’s what makes it so great.” 

He looks at you with an arched brow. “So you’re siding with John McClane then?” 

You nod, biting your lower lip at your growing grin. 

“Unbelievable,” he grumbles, making you fall back into him with a giggle. Jake’s grip tightens at your hip. It sets the skin there on fire despite the fabric that blocks his touch from directly caressing your skin. An eruption of butterflies roam through your stomach. All because of him. 

The feeling was all too familiar when it came to the green eyed aviator. He had caught your eye on your first day at Top Gun and hasn’t left your line of sight ever since. After the two of you graduated, you still found yourself thinking of him when you were deployed overseas. It was just your luck that your paths would cross once again, right where everything started. Only this time luck was on your side, and the permanence of the Dagger Squad in Miramar gave you the opportunity to act on the heavy tug in your chest every time he was around. 

Prior to engaging in an actual friendship with Seresin, you have heard plenty of stories about the acclaimed pilot who “always left his wingman hanging.” Naturally, earning him his beloved callsign. His arrogance and slightly dickish attitude precedes him, for he acted as such when you first met him in the academy. Yet, you still found yourself drawn to him. To your surprise, he was drawn to you too. 

Gone was the boastful Top Gun pilot and in return you got to know him as both Hangman and Jake Seresin. It was a gift not many got to possess. One you wouldn’t dare take for granted. Which is why upon discovering your true feelings towards your friend, you hid it away. Buried it deep into the chambers of your heart. Never wanting it to be uncovered. 

You seem to have spent far too long with your head in the clouds because Jake is nudging you gently. Rooster is staring at you with an inquisitive raise of his brow and your palms sweat at the sudden awkwardness of the group’s silence. “Sorry, Roos, what did you say?” It wasn’t uncommon for you to get lost in your head. Your friends are used to it by now. In fact on more occasions than one you found yourself drifting away and surrounded in a sea of your thoughts. When this starts happening, Jake is always the one to reel you back in. 

“I asked if you had any plans for the holidays,” he repeated with a nonchalant wave of his hand. Don’t worry about it, his actions said. 

Despite knowing he was being sincere, it didn’t change the fact that you still felt guilty about pulling away again. “Nothing special, just hanging around here. I guess.” No plans, as usual, is what you had wanted to say. Your eyes dart to the window, staring at the dimly lit patio and the moon’s reflection on the beach waves. 

The tension that falls upon the group is palpable. The once easy going atmosphere dropped onto your shoulders, making you feel heavy inside. 

Phoenix sends you a look, one you could only describe as pity. Very few of the squad members knew about the complicated relationship you had with your family. Of them all, just Phoenix and Maverick had a clue to how messy things were. It was the look on Phoenix’s face that stopped you from telling anyone else about your predicament. You hated being on the receiving end of that look. You hated feeling weak. 

“You’re not going to go home and visit your family?” There it is. The f-word. Poor, innocent Bob didn’t know any better but to ask. 

The scoff that leaves you is harsher than you intended it to be as you step away from Hangman’s gravity. A chill settles over you from the loss of his warmth and you wrap your arms around yourself to shield you from outwardly cringing. “Oh, there’s no one waiting for me back home.” Your shoulders deflate and you keep your gaze towards the window, not wanting to see the same saddened looks on your colleagues faces. The tears that threaten to fall gather in the corner of your eyes and you brush them off with the back of your hand. 

Jake’s heart aches at your confession. How could someone as wonderful as you have no one to come home to? Sure, you’ve never talked openly about your family or a possible significant other, but he had just assumed that you had plenty of people back home who cared. He didn’t think you were all alone. A pang of guilt courses through him at the thought of his constant raving about his mother and father. His pride and joy for his hometown community was one he was never ashamed of expressing until now. Had he known it was such a sensitive topic, he would have never talked about it with you to save you from loneliness and heartbreak.

“No one should spend the holidays alone,” Payback frowns. 

Fanboy nods in agreement with his front seater. “You really have nowhere to go?” 

You shrug. “Really, it’s okay, guys. It’s nothing I’m not used to.” 

Those words are like a stab at Jake’s chest. A fleeting thought crosses his mind. It’s irrational and quite selfish but he always seemed to act that way around you. You could come home with me. 

He doesn’t even realize the offer had fallen from his lips until you look back at him in shock. 

“What?” The word falls breathlessly from your lips. 

Jake blinks before meeting Coyote’s amused gaze. He focuses back on you and with much more confidence repeats, “Come home with me.” 

_____

How he managed to convince you to come home with him for Christmas, Jake wasn’t sure. It was a miracle that you even said yes in the first place. 

“Are you sure this is okay?” You had asked him before boarding. 

“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” He sends you a charming smile. 

You look down at your worn out tennis shoes. The conflict stirring within you is evident and Jake wishes he could take it away. He could imagine why you were having second thoughts. You guys were friends but this…this felt a little too intimate for your relationship. If he could even call it that. 

“Hey.” He places a hand on your shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “If you’re worried about not being welcome, don’t. My family they’re…” 

“A little more than friendly,” Coyote having overheard your conversation butts in. “Trust me. I slept over practically every night in high school and they didn’t even bat an eye. ” 

You look at Jake who is already confirming his statement with a soft smile. “Seriously, I wouldn’t have asked you if it wasn’t okay. You trust me, right?” 

“Right,” you swallow. 

“Then trust me when I say it’s all good.” 

He was now sandwiched between you and Coyote on a flight back to their hometown. You were seated at the window and Javy had the aisle. 

Jake adjusted the belt across his lap as he patiently waited for the boarding process to be complete. He turned towards his friend and wasn’t surprised to see Coyote already knocked out. He laughs to himself before turning to you. 

You’re staring out the window and your leg is bouncing rapidly up and down, emitting soft thumps with each movement. 

He places his hand on your knee and you whip your head towards him. He cringes with an apologetic look. 

Once it settles in that the person who touched you was just Jake, the tightness in your muscles dissipates. 

“You’re doing it again,” he tells you gently. “Everything okay?” 

You sigh. “No. I mean, yeah. Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just…” You shake your head. “Never mind. You’ll think it’s stupid.” 

Jake shakes his head and a frown tugs at his lips. “I won’t think it’s stupid, Thumps. Promise.” He holds his free hand up as if he were taking an oath. 

“I’m nervous,” you breathe. “I don’t know what it is, but being a passenger and not having control of the plane, it scares me. And I hate it because I’m a pilot, you know? I shouldn’t be afraid of flying. Like I said. Stupid.” 

“Thumper.” 

You avoid his gaze. 

“Y/N,” he tries again. This time, the use of your real name gets you to look at him. “It’s not stupid. In this environment, you’re used to being in control. So used to it that your brain goes into overdrive when you’re not and that’s okay. Besides, flying commercial doesn’t really fulfill our need for speed, does it?” 

That pulls a dry laugh from your lips. “No, it doesn’t.” A soft chime over the intercom sends your heart racing again and you shut your eyes as the plane starts to move. The light pressure on your knee from Jake’s hand has you releasing a shaky breath. 

“It’ll be okay. Try and sleep, Thumper,” he tells you softly. “I’m here, just sleep.” 

“Lieutenant Jake Seresin.” His eyes are bright as they settle on you. He knew you knew his name. He definitely knew yours. The two of you graduated from the same Top Gun class. He remembers how impressed he was that you graduated third right behind him and Coyote. He didn’t have the guts to speak to you then. Jake didn’t have the bravado he has now. “Hangman.” 

“I know.” You hold your hand out to him. “Lieutenant-” 

“I know who you are, Thumper.” He winks, clasping his hand in yours. 

You eyed him suspiciously, still wary of why he decided to approach you and Phoenix as if he was unaware of the obvious tension amongst the group. 

“Hey Coyote,” Phoenix nods to the man beside Jake. 

Coyote nods back. “Hey.” 

You’re aware of the conversation carrying on around you but you are too taken by the blond haired pilot whose stare hasn’t left yours since you walked in. He was trouble. You didn’t need to hear any more stories about him to know that. But even as the alarm bells went off in your head, screaming at you to keep your distance and stay away, you couldn’t. He continued to capture your attention and eventually got a hold of your heart, body, and soul. 

You wake with a tap to your shoulder. Your gaze meets his and he’s looking down at you with an apologetic smile. 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you there. I just wanted to let you know that we’re here.” 

Your brows furrow, only to realize that you had somehow slept the entire three hour flight from California to Texas. You’ve never been able to sleep that straight, let alone sleep straight on a plane. Though you wouldn’t deny that it felt good. That you felt good. 

Ever the gentleman, Jake takes your carry on bag from the overhead bin. You feel your muscles stretch and your joints crack with every step you take until you’re off the plane and breathing the stuffy air of the Dallas Airport.

“Ah, home sweet home,” Coyote over dramatically exclaims, stretching his back with his hands on his hips. 

You giggle and Jake sends you a wink.

 “Home sweet home, it is, Javy.” He takes a deep breath and despite being inside, Jake feels deep in his bones the familiarity of his home. 

Jake grabs your hand and Javy hooks his arm with yours so you don’t lose each other in the holiday crowd. Jake tucks your joined hands into the pocket of his coat making a small smile cross your face. You follow the two men with an amused grin. The two babble like school children, naming off all the places and things you just have to see. You have never seen the two of them this enthusiastic about something that wasn’t flying or football. A warmth spreads through you at the sight of them so at ease, so at home. For a moment, you find yourself wishing you had a place this familiar. To feel this peaceful in your own hometown. However, it’s a fleeting thought. Just as quickly as it came, it vanishes as soon as you step out of the airport into the dry Texas air. 

“You call him?” Coyote asks from your left. 

Jake only grumbles a response, clearly not too fond of this “him” Coyote has brought up. 

You stare at Jake for clarification to which he sighs out, “He’s talking about my brother, Luke. He’s going to pick us up and take us home.” 

“Oh,” is all you say. Take us home. Us. The thought has your stomach doing backflips as you wait out in the cold. You are chastising yourself immediately. Jake meant “us” as in him and Javy. Not “us” as in you and him. The two of you are friends. There is no us. It was foolish of you to entertain the thought for even a moment more. 

Javy releases your arm as a black SUV pulls up to the white curb. You feel Jake tense and see his jaw clench as the car comes to a stop. 

A man in jeans, boots, and a brown flannel top steps out of the SUV with a megawatt grin. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t find him attractive but as you observed him closer, you understood why. He resembled the man beside you quite a bit. The dimple on his left cheek as he grinned and his dirt blond head of hair was an exact replica of Jake’s. The one thing that set them apart were their eyes. His were a dark shade of brown that rivaled those of his brother’s. Luke Seresin was broad and burly while his brother was muscular and lean. He had a couple more inches to him compared to Jake. He puffed his chest out a bit more as Luke approached him. 

“Well, if it isn’t my little brother.” His voice, you note, is different too. Slightly deeper and not as kind. The exchange feels rehearsed and unnatural. From the way he grabs his brother in his arms and pats his back in a way that looks a little too rough to be playful. 

Jake doesn’t say a word and just grunts as he’s pulled into his brother. One arm wraps around Luke’s shoulders while the other stays at his side with his hand still in yours. He rolls his lips inwards and nods in greeting. Jake turns to you with a softer look in his eyes. “Stay here. I’m going to go help Javy with the bags.” He reluctantly unravels his hand from your hold before glaring at his brother once more. 

You watch him head to the trunk and shove your hands into your own pockets. You rock back and forth on the balls of your feet, feeling awkward in his brother’s intense stare. 

“You must be the infamous Thumper.” Luke remarked. 

“Yeah, I guess I am,” you swallow, slightly confused by his comment. You didn’t like how he made you feel. He didn’t provide you the same comfort that Jake did. You really need to stop comparing the two, you remind yourself. “You must be Luke.” 

“Yeah, I guess I am,” he echoes. 

“Hey, Luke, you mind helping us out back here?” Jake shouts from the back of the car. 

Luke gives you one last look over before responding. “Yeah, I’m coming.” 

The wink he sends you shoots a chill down your spine and you find yourself tapping your foot and wrapping your arms around yourself for security. The feeling finally dissipates when Jake’s familiar scent of his laundry detergent and the cheap cologne he buys from Target floods your senses. 

He nudges his shoulder with yours. “You ready?” Jake opens the car door. 

You shake yourself from your stupor and feel yourself relax with Jake’s presence. “Ready as I can be,” you reply absently. 

He helps you into the back and Coyote sends you a comforting smile as you buckle your seatbelt. Jake climbs into the front seat with his brother and he takes off the second Jake’s door is closed. 

You catch Jake’s eye in the side view mirror as you cruise down the highway. His lips tug upward and you reciprocate before staring out at the scenery once more.

Safe. The word passes through you, surrounding you in a bubble of warmth. The nerves you were previously feeling towards the whole affair faded away, even if only for a moment. This entire time you wondered why you said yes to Jake’s proposal for coming home with him for the holidays. You grappled with the anxiety that didn’t seem to leave you despite Jake’s constant reassurance. Your worry thoughts tend to dwell on all the reasons that would make his family possibly hate you. Yet somehow, all it took was this moment to have all those thoughts seemingly disappear. This moment that made you understand everything. Jake Seresin made you feel safe. Jake Seresin felt like home. 

a/n: idk why i’m so nervous for this series, but i am. so please, please keep in mind comments, reblogs, and feedback do make a difference. i hope u guys enjoy!! <3

let me know if you want to be added to the series taglist!

taglist: @joaquinwhorres @bobfloydsbabe @t-nd-rfoot​ @gretagerwigsmuse​ @marantha​ @mountainrooster​ @gcidrvsh @smoothdogsgirl​ @pr3ttyboysmakemecry​ @steve--harrington--gal @marrianena @cdauni 

(i also tagged the ppl who were tagged in ‘fall’ so let me know if you don’t want to be tagged in this series)

[redfurrycat]

🤠💔💞🐓Getting Back Together (Part Two) Fic Recs🐓💞💔🤠

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

Ao3 Authors: 2manyf4nd0ms, Achillesfilms, All_InProcess, Alltherecklesshours, Bitter_Rabbit, Boobooblue, Booklover03, Charlie_mou, Contech00, Dalearden, Daringdrinkerofdreams, Davidbyrne, DraconisWing24441, Earthangel_44, Elwenyere, Greatea, HalbarryTrashcan, Highsmith, Hngstercity, Hushywushy, Indybob, JoAnna, Kateofspades, Kiddi, Mackwinnon, Marchrain, Nickies_Nonsense, Nocturnelight, Notchka88, Ok_thanks, PerpetualDusk, ReiverReturns, Sceld, Sky_of_starflowers, Spiritsontheroof, Theinsouciantknitter, Trinipedia, VarjoRuusu, Writteninwaves.

> Getting Back Together (Part One)

it's a bitter taste, it's a warning sign by writteninwaves {M}

I get so tired I can't sleep A thousand footstеps follow me Do you believе things that you can't see? Is this feeling real or just a dream? Billy Avalone and Jake Seresin are ... something. Bradley Bradshaw is an idiot in love. It hurts a lot before it gets better.

five long years (afraid of all my fears) by boobooblue {G}

It's the smile Jake directs at him when they're face to face after Bradley lands that seals the deal. Because that is not Hangman; it's Jake. His Jake smiling at him, his Jake that saved his and Mav's life. His Jake that Bradley should have never let go.

5 Times Bradley Calls Jake Sweetheart + 1 Time Jake Returns the Endearment by dalearden {M}

But there’s one thing above all Jake has really latched onto, that makes him literally swoon inside in such a way that he momentarily becomes a stranger to himself. It’s just a word and would mean nothing coming from anyone else but there’s something about the way Bradley says it, how it makes Jake feel to hear it coming from the older pilot. It makes Jake wish he could show his feelings so easily in return, makes him hate himself a little bit that he can’t.

(sometimes I feel) like a monkey pilot by charlie_mou {_}

Mav’s both eyebrows twitched. “That does sound like it’s going to be a problem.” “I didn’t mean it like that,” he said, making himself look straight ahead, avoiding eye contact. “He’s a shithead in the same way you are.” “Bradley,” Mav said, and he was using that tone, the one that made Bradley feel like he was fifteen again. “What? It’s true. He has the same lack of brain-to-mouth filter, doesn’t know when to quit, I can go on if you want,” he said, but Mav didn’t take the bait. They marched down the tarmac, getting closer and closer to the others’ hearing range, and Mav was still staring at him, expecting an explanation. He sighed. “He’s my ex-boyfriend.” “Your—” Mav exclaimed, falling a step behind Bradley, before catching up, striding inches away from Bradley’s side. “From before?” "Yep." “Why didn’t you say anything?” God, why was this tarmac so long? “As much as I’d prefer to avoid him, orders are orders, Mav.” Or, it's time for the special detachment and Bradley's decisions from five years ago are finally catching up with him.

I Lost You Once, But I'll Love You More Than That by PerpetualDusk {E}

As hard as he would love to forget about the time where Bradley, Javy, Natasha, and him, had all went to the same Naval academy- Bradley being two years older than them, but managing to stick to Jake's side, and make time for their friend group-, and had become familiar with one another, than their time at Top Gun shouldn't have been anything short of a friendly reunion. Except, it wasn't. Not in Jake and Bradley's case, for the most part. For them, it was a back-and-forth game of pushing each other's buttons, in which, most cases, Jake would be the first one to comment something that would rile Bradley and get him to fight back, to continue and escalate their verbal war where both of them were too stubborn to back down or admit they were both wrong. That was their thing, however. It was always about pushing the other's buttons- albeit light bantering when they dated-, and that worked for them. The bickering and the arguments happened occasionally, but they never got bad to the point where they plunged a knife deep into the other's gut and twisted it slowly, killing them from the inside. Perhaps, what worked for them was just bound to explode in their faces- and it did, which is why they are the way they are.

Don't let the light go out by JoAnna {M}

Jake doesn’t remember the route to the elevators or even what the rest of the ICU floor looked like, his only focus was to get to Bradley. They found room 309 at the end of the hallway. Jake paused before stepping into the room. He knew that when he stepped through the door his life would be divided into another epoch. Another before and another after and he’s so scared of what the after could be if it doesn’t include Bradley.

Homesick by theinsouciantknitter {T}

Bradley's been homesick for as long as he can remember.

Hangman Origin by Bitter_Rabbit {E}

When they first meet, they aren’t Rooster and Hangman. Not yet. They are just Bradley Bradshaw and Jake Seresin. ----- Strangers to Lovers to Exes to Lovers, because we all know they had history!

Old Habits by Sceld {T}

Jake shuts his eyes and wonders if Bradley knows he’s still here. Wonders if he’s lying awake and wishing with every fibre of his being that he was with Jake. Jake’s hand runs over the worn down fabric of the couch cushion directly in front of his face, letting himself believe for only a second that if he was face to face with Bradley right now he’d have the courage to stroke his cheek and slide into Bradley's embrace rather than making do with his own attempt at it. He'd finally find the words to say what his mind has been screaming for months every time he catches sight of the other. But maybe that’s just Jake. or; Jake has a system that steers him clear of rekindling old romances. It fails.

I’d come back if you'd just call by spiritsontheroof {T}

Jake never thinks about Bradley as the one that got away. That implies that something happened, something beyond control and beyond reason and beyond their best efforts, and it just didn’t work out. But Bradley left. So he didn’t get away. He pulled Jake’s heart out of his chest and crushed it on the tarmac after their TOPGUN graduation, and drove away like Jake wasn’t in the rearview. That’s all they had. Eight weeks, something like ten years ago, that was it. And they spent more of it bickering than they did doing anything else, besides finding secluded corners and supply closets that locked to steal ten minutes alone in. They fought and argued and competed, and spent every moment they could together in-between. Eight weeks. It took less than half of that for Jake to be more than half in love.

Icy Heart (Warm Me Up) by VarjoRuusu {M}

They booked this vacation almost a year ago, and Bradley will be damned if he misses it, but when he pulls up to the remote cabin high in the Sierra's...Jake is there. Eight months after they break up, Bradley and Jake both go to the cabin they booked together, not expecting that the other will turn up. Cue fighting, blizzards, talking, making up, near hypothermia, sharing a bed, make up sex, cute fluffy nonsense, and getting back together.

hold the line (love isn't always on time) by davidbyrne {E}

“So I guess we have to stick together, then,” Bradley says after a beat. Jake raises an eyebrow at him but doesn’t respond. It doesn’t matter; Bradley knows it’s a request to elaborate. “At all these events,” he clarifies. “It gets old being the only single person. It would be nice to have someone to turn to when they make everyone pair up.” Or jake and bradley are the last single people in their friend group, and neither of them ever plan to settle down. it makes sense to stick together, right?

cowboy like me by Daringdrinkerofdreams {G}

The first time someone just assumes Jake is an all-American farm boy he is too baffled to correct them. Navy people are gossips, it turns out and before Jake knows it, it’s what everyone thinks. People view him differently, his supervisors think “Cowboy” before they think “loose cannon”, so he runs with it. The only person who knows the truth is Javy, who would never rat him out.

First Love/Late Spring by HalbarryTrashcan {E}

These memories are the scenes replaying in Bradley’s mind over and over again as his plane plummets towards the earth. He always thought when he died he would be thinking about his dad or his mom - hell, given his weird and fucked-up situation with Maverick even that could have been an option. This was the last thing he expected.

hold me through the shakes by spiritsontheroof {_}

Bradley spills hot coffee on his hand three days into their post-mission leave. It’s not until he can’t get the bandage over the blister that he realizes his hands are shaking.

I Am Yours by Booklover03 {_}

Being an Omega with a mating bite and a half-finished mating bond without his Alpha in sight is hard. Hiding the fact that he’s a mated Omega is even harder. What happens when years later he meets his Alpha again? Especially when the other man doesn’t seem to acknowledge the bite mark he left on the Omega years prior.

all our yesterdays by Notchka88 {E}

Everything that happens on the carrier is clockwork; there’s no variation that Jake has noticed in anyone’s behavior or actions unless he initiates something. The changes he effects are inconsequential and the end result is always the same: Bradley dies. And dies. And dies. (Jake gets another chance at the mission, and then another, and another. At a certain point they stop feeling like chances and more like foregone conclusions.)

if it's right, you know by spiritsontheroof {G}

Bradley never saw himself as the kind of guy who settles down. Not because he never wanted to, but in his line of work, it’s hard to get serious with someone he barely sees or find anyone who appreciates his love of flying and doesn’t see it as a liability. Standing at the bar in the Hard Deck two days after the mission, he meets Elizabeth. OR the speak now fic that nobody asked for

spreadin' out his wings tonight by dalearden {M}

He needs this now, because not even an hour ago he nearly lost it forever. Thought it was lost forever anyway, because it’s been years and somewhere along the way love turned to hate and after everything, after nearly dying, Rooster realizes how much that had devastated him all along.

will the teasing of the fire be followed by the thud? by davidbyrne {T}

“Then why do you have to act like such an asshole?” There’s an edge of desperation in Bradley’s voice. Like he’s trying as hard as he can to understand. “Because…you always are first,” Jake offers, shrugging. It’s the truth, as lame as it may be. “I think I have the right to be a dick to the person who broke my heart,” is Bradley’s abrupt response. 

If you find yourself thinkin' About that boy from East Texas by Kiddi {M}

“Funnily enough,” he decided to say, hoping he was reading the situation correctly, “this isn't the first sunrise we’ve had, is it?” Jake chuckled softly and made a small noise, “no it is not,” he agreed, “just as pretty though,” “No matter where I go,” he retraced old conversations, “the sunrise always feels like back home.” They settled in comfortable silence for a bit before Jake spoke, “it's been a while since we’ve seen each other,” he said, looking down at the sand, “Spain was it?” he looked over at Rooster, “the last time I saw you?” A little bit of shame and guilt rose in his chest, neither of them kept in touch after Spain but Rooster always felt like it was his fault, “yea, it was,” he nodded, “you haven't changed a bit though, still as annoying as ever,” he laughed, and so did Jake, “but you’re still one hell of a pilot,” Or Bradley and Jake haven't seen each other since running away from their feelings and now they have to realize that they never really went away in the first place

Speak Now by mackwinnon {E}

“Jake,” Bradley whispered his name but remained where he was, not reaching for the other man again. “Just tell me this. Do you love him?” Jake forced himself to nod. “Say it.” But he’d never loved anyone like he’d loved Bradley. “Bradley…” “Baby,” Bradley breathed, finally taking a step towards Jake, noting that Jake didn’t take a step back. “He might have more money than God, might take you anywhere you wanna go and buy you anything you wanna have, but he will never love you as much as I do.” Or: Jake's getting married. But it's not to Bradley.

We Were Something, Don't You Think So? by indybob {T}

Jake has too much to drink, leaving Bradley to take care of him and take him home. When Jake confesses that he still has feelings for Bradley, they’re left with no choice but to talk things over the next morning. Or: Jake gets drunk at the Hard Deck, Bradley rescues him from a creepy guy, Jake confesses he misses Bradley, and they work things out.

Maybe This Time Is Forever by theinsouciantknitter {E}

Jake hasn’t slept in days. Three days, to be exact. Everytime he closes his eyes he sees an outdated F-14 going down in flames into the ocean.

Heaven in Your Eyes by achillesfilms {M}

Maverick had been hit. Then, it was Bradley. “Dagger 2 hit. I repeat, Dagger 2 has been hit.” Maverick makes it back to the hanger without Rooster, and everyone thinks he is dead.

When We Collide (We Come Together) by ReiverReturns {E}

A one-two punch out, thick black smoke belching in ropes from the hills and scrub. He was sure, so sure that was it. So he left the base, aimless with momentum and frenetic without cause. Seeing Hangman is the only time Rooster’s felt like stopping.

I Love You More than Tongue Can Tell by Contech00 {T}

The Valentine's Day after the mission doesn't go to plan for Jake which sends him spiraling back to the old flame that used to exist between him and Bradley.

dust in the ground by kateofspades {_}

The only place you'll lead anyone is an early grave.

or: jake lost a wso

When the Time Comes by elwenyere {T}

Bradley remembers it the way his fingers remember a chord: by ear, like he’s an echo of someone else’s sound. ----- Or, 5 times someone held Bradley + 1 time he held someone else

lovers like to burn by nocturnelight {M}

Jake’s problem, though, is that he’s never really known what was good for him. Never had much of a self preservation instinct. And if the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results, then Jake might be the maddest man on earth when it comes to Bradley Bradshaw.

An Unexpected Visitor by DraconisWing24441 {T}

It's been a year since the mission, a year since Bradley and Jake have seen each other and decided to start over, but as friends. But when Jake decides to show up at Bradley's house one night, old feelings are rekindled and starting over, together, suddenly seems a hell of a lot more possible than before. ***** Unlocking the door, Bradley yanked it open with the full intention of ripping into the person pounding on his door for no good reason only to freeze as the open door revealed a soaking wet Hangman on his front stoop.  Frozen in shock – he hadn’t seen Hangman since the mission ended – Bradley found himself just staring at him as he tried to process the presence of the blonde aviator in front of him. Bradley asked, “Hangman?  Wh–what are you doing here?  And why are you soaking wet?”

This is me trying by Earthangel_44 {E}

Bradley tries to make things right before it’s too late.

One and Only by hngstercity {E}

“C’mon, Bradley.” Oh, now he’s using his real name? Fuck him. “You haven’t had anyone after him.” “I did. You know I did, Maverick. You’re the nosiest Alpha I know, and I know you know any time I’ve slept with someone. You can’t keep your fucking nose out of my business.” And he means it literally, because anytime Bradley had someone over, the next day Pete would always inflate his nostrils to process every single scent that came out of Bradley. Including his hormones, including Jake’s missing ones. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. You haven’t had anyone you loved after him. You haven’t mated. If I asked you to talk to me about love, would you tell me about someone that isn’t him?” No. And that’s the fucking problem. Jake is back in town, and Bradley is forced to face him, their past and their future.

Cool About It by hushywushy {M}

If Jake thought hard about it, it was almost inevitable that he would end up here. Freaking out in his car on his way to Bradley fucking Bradshaw’s housing assignment. And he was terrified.

I can hear it now like I heard it then (c'mon, I dare you) by davidbyrne {M}

He and Jake have been many things to each other, from rivals to genuine enemies to tentative friends to lovers. But they’ve never once, in their entire acquaintance, been awkward with one another. Even in those early days of a relationship, when the boundaries between friendship and something more were soft and blurry, Bradley never felt at a loss for words. They fight and they fuck and they whisper embarrassingly soft things and they banter inconsequentially, but they’re never silent. But they’ve never been broken up before. Or two road trips, four months apart

bad idea, right? by ok_thanks {M}

From: ABSOLUTELY FUCKING NOT!!! (AGAIN) No greeting for me? Don’t I get that Bradshaw hospitality?

A Line Dancing Rooster by 2manyf4nd0ms {_}

“How come you’re not dancing?” Bradley asks, and Jake finally looks at him. Sweat gleams on the former’s forehead in the bar lighting. It’s Jake’s turn to smirk smugly, albeit feign. “I wouldn’t want to embarrass you.” “Right,” Bradley chuckles and takes a sip of his drink. “I forgot you’re the master at line dancing because you’re from Texas. My apologies.” Hangman rolls his eyes, playfully scoffing. “Damn right, I am.” Or, When The Hard Deck hosts a line dancing event for a night, Hangman takes the Dagger squadron for shits and giggles. He just doesn’t expect a certain Rooster to be good at it and old feelings arise.

When you love someone, you tell them that they're the one by alltherecklesshours {T}

The bunk was much smaller than Bradley remembered, but he knew he wouldn't let Jake slip.  "Marry me."  Bradley's breathing hitched. He wasn't supposed to say it out loud. They had stopped doing that for a reason. 

flying against ghosts by sky_of_starflowers {G}

When Maverick's busy asking everyone why they didn't survive the training course, Hangman goes mouthing off. He touches a nerve, and Mav and Rooster have a little bit of explaining to do. “You fly against a ghost, Rooster,” he continues, undeterred, and it shakes Mav’s brain, rattles loose a memory of Goose telling Mav the same thing at TOPGUN. Goose asking Mav to let them graduate because he’s got a family to think about, a wife and a kid, Carole and Bradley, and all of a sudden, Mav’s 24 again and cocky, recently reprimanded for a flyby that his backseater asked him not to do. It steals his breath away, Goose’s voice ringing in his ears, and he’s staring at Bradley when his knees start to give out.

Second Time Around by All_InProcess {T}

With the way that everything ended, Jake knew that he had no right to start getting jealous now. The whole mess was on him in a way, anyway. That logic, however, didn't stop the jealousy from creeping into the back of his mind when he heard about Bradley moving onwards and upwards. And, just like everything else with the two of them, trying to figure out where to go from here wasn't nearly as easy as either of them wanted to be. They just had to hope that it was all going to work out in the end.

It's the only way we know how to rock by trinipedia {T}

Bradley and Jake, once deeply in love, separated for reasons now shrouded in regret. As they navigate separate lives, the echoes of their past leave them yearning for one another, while they grapple with the possibility of rewriting their love story.

Home for the Holidays by Nickies_Nonsense {G}

“Well let me know if you need a ride anywhere,” Rooster said. Jake did not think he was serious. “For real?” he asked, shoving the note of hope back down his own throat, “I might need to take you up on that like..soon.” Rooster gave him a little smile, “I mean it, it’s the season of giving and all that bullshit,” he drawled. “Plus you got me coffee so I owe you.” Or, how Jake and Bradley got back together just in time for the holidays with the help of one broken car, a scheming Maverick, and the spirit of Christmas to guide them. Featuring lots of Jake questioning his life decisions, his ideals, and why Bradley needs to consume unreasonable amounts of sugary coffee everyday.

my heart is a christmas tree farm by greatea {E}

It's not like going to your ex-boyfriend's family Christmas while pretending to still be dating is a common favor to be asked for. But he did agree to this, when Jake phoned him up. It hadn't even taken much convincing. First, Jake had expected an immediate no when he called Bradley one Thursday evening. That didn't come. After Jake explained the situation, Bradley had said that he'd think about it. He called back an hour later. Jake's unsure what he would have done if Bradley had said no. Called his mom back and said, "Hey, do you remember when you asked me if I was bringing my boyfriend Bradley to Christmas this year, and I said yes? Yeah, we broke up two months ago and I lied for no reason"? - or the one with the fake dating

C'mere by Highsmith {T}

Jake never starts shit. Not in the traditional sense. Shit is more like the eventual consequence with him a lot of the time. But he does his best to get the last word regardless. For that, he needs to not be scrambling at the last moment, clotheslined by forces outside his control.

It's not living, if it's not with you by marchrain {G}

i think about you (so don't let go)

Bradley turns his entire body to face Jake, his heels snugly dug into the poorly shovelled snow. He just looks at Jake, a soft and gentle look lingering in his gaze. He had missed this, being alone with Jake, seeing him under his gleaming armour of Hangman, acting as no one else but Jake Seresin. Jake, he thinks. Not Hangman. -- or: jake & bradley take a morning walk in the winter, and they talk about their feelings

it's the same damn thing that made my heart surrender

“You know, you can be honest with me, Jake,” Bradley says, tone like he’s talking to a small puppy, tone so gentle. Honest? He doubts complete honesty is possible when the need for Bradley as something more than friends gnaws at him with every waking moment. -- or: jake & bradley take a morning walk in the winter, and they talk about their feelings (jake pov this time)

[callsign-dexter]

First Huge Fight Pt. 1

Part of Our Little Girl Universe or it can be read alone.

Summary: Jake and Y/N have their first big fight. Hurtful things are said and regretted. Can they make up before it is too late? Or will the Seresin-Bradshaw household be turned upside down?

Pairings: Bradley Bradshaw x Jake Seresin, Bradley Bradshaw x Daughter!Reader, Jake Seresin x Daughter!Reader

Warnings: angst, wrist grabbing, bruising, blood, car crash, inaccurate medical talk, fighting, swearing. (PLEASE PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I MISSED ANYTHING!)

Masterlist

Our Little Girl

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

3 days before- Monday 6:07 PM

The Bradshaw-Seresin family, the Bradshaws, and the Kazansky-Mitchells were at dinner. This was a traditional family get-together. They all gather at the Kazansky-Mitchell household, each week it changes. Everyone was enjoying a good meal that they all contributed to. Friendly chatter was going back and forth. 

"I have a game this Friday. I was hoping you all would be able to make it." Y/N said in a happy go lucky voice. She knew they had busy lives but if they made a promise they usually kept it.

"Of course, we'll be there Chick! Your grandma and I wouldn't miss it for anything." Goose said with an equally happy voice. 

"Sunshine of course we're going to be there." Mav said and Ice nodded his head agreeing.

"Sweets, you know your dad and I will be there! We love watching you play!" Jake said.

"Pops do you promise to be there?" She asked knowing how busy he can get.

"Yes, Darling. I promise." Jake replies to her while looking at her with a smile.

"What time is it again?" Bradley asked just wanting to make sure.

"7 PM." She said looking at him with excited eyes.

Present- Thursday 6 PM

"I have a meeting tomorrow at 6 PM so I won't be home until late.” Jake said as he took a bite of his pot roast that Bradley threw into the crock pot before heading to work that morning, Y/N stopped eating and so did Bradley.

“Tomorrow as in Friday? Are you sure it’s this Friday?” Bradley asked knowing that Y/N had a game that day. Jake stops eating and looks at him.

“Yea it’s this Friday.” Jake said confused

“I have a game at 7 that night.” Y/N said a little heartbroken. Bradley looked at her and it broke his heart. He hated seeing her cry or get upset. It hits Jake full force.

“Aw, shit. It is isn't?” Both of the other occupants nodded their heads while he brought his hand up to his face to rub it and run it through his hair. “Well the meeting is at 6 PM, I can go to it and get to the field on time.” He said, sounding sure of himself.

“Jake, her game is at 7 and your meeting is at 6 and you know how long those meetings take. You’ll never get to the field on time.” Bradley says coming to defend his daughter.

“Would you just lay off of me for a second? I forgot about the game.” he replied angrily at Bradley.

“How could you forget? Are you stupid? It’s on the calendar on the fridge and everyone has been talking about it including Warlock. You promised!” Y/N said getting upset that her Pops had forgotten about her game. He never forgets about one.

“Y/N/N this meeting is very important to your Pops. Your dad can record the game and we can watch it later.” everything he was saying was just making her angry.

“What about me and my game, isn’t that important to you?” she asked, getting upset and Bradley could sense but knew to stay out of it and jump in when needed.

“Yes, Darling that’s even more important to me.” he replied getting frustrated but he needed to go to this meeting.

“Then don’t go to the stupid meeting.” she knew it wasn't stupid but she was angry and saying what was coming to her mind right then and there. Bradley could feel the tension between both of them but he supposes a fight like this was bound to happen, they were both too much alike and so stubborn.

“That’s enough young lady.” he said pointing a finger at her and getting to his boiling point. 

“You know what? Don’t come to my game. Go to your stupid meeting that is more important to you than me.” she said getting up from the table and storming off up the stairs to her room. Jake got up and started to follow her, leaving Bradley sitting at the table.

“Hey where are you going?” she stops briefly 

“I don’t want to be around you! I don’t want you to come to my game!” she yelled and continued up the stairs.

“Oh come on Sweets, you’re important to me and so is the game.” he said stopping at the end of the stairs and her in the middle. She huffed and turned around and he followed.

“Y/N, come back here. We’re not done talking.” he yelled, raising his voice. Meanwhile, Bradley had pushed his plate back and had his head on his arms trying to block it out since he hated when his little family fought.

“No! You can’t tell me what to do! I don’t have to listen to you!” Y/N yelled as she was at the entrance of her door and so was Jake. She turned around when he roughly grabbed her, a little too rough and wouldn’t let go but she was too fired up to say anything.

“Yes you do!” he yelled back, grip getting tighter on her wrist and she winced but he didn’t notice.

“Why should I!?” she yelled back trying to remove her wrist.

“Because I’m your father, that’s why you have to listen to me.” Fire was in his eyes and so it was in her eyes too.

“So what!?” she yelled

“Don’t you dare yell at me Y/N and I mean it!” He said as his temper was rising, so was hers.

“I’ll yell at you all I want! Go to your stupid meeting that’s more important than your daughter! I hate you! I wish I died instead of Dakota! I wish I wasn't your daughter!” she yelled, still trying to pull her wrist out of his grip. Jake’s temper was at the boiling point

“Well, I hate you right back, you little shit! You took my sister away from me, my friend for life and I just want her back! So, maybe they should’ve saved her instead of you!” he yelled and instantly regretted it once her face fell and that’s when the pain of him gripping her came full force and tears started to fall.

“Get off of me! You’re hurting me!” Once Bradley heard that he shot up from his seat from downstairs and took the stairs three at a time and came to a scene that he never wanted to see, his husband holding his daughter’s wrist in his hand with force and tears streaming down her face but he couldn’t see his. He quickly rushed to them and was trying to pry him off of her. “Get off of me! You’re hurting me!” she yelled again not noticing her dad there trying to help her.

“Jake, let her go. You are hurting her.” he said calmly knowing yelling wouldn’t help and that’s when Jake realized what he was doing and let go and instantly she cradled her wrist. His face showed a mortified look, he swore from the day she was born that he would never lay a hand on her like his father did to him.

“Sweets, I’m sorry.” he said any trace of anger was gone. He went to go and hug her but she stepped back and he was looking at her and she had a terrified look on her face with tears running down her face pointed right at him, he never wanted to see that look on her face again. He hurt his baby girl, his sweets, his little girl, and the light of his and Bradley’s life. She saw Bradley there but wasn’t looking at him; it was all pointed at him. 

“I hate you.” she whispered but they heard it, and knew she didn’t mean it but it knocked the wind out of Jake, with tears down her face. He tried to go towards her again but she just slammed the door shut and locked it but they could hear her crying.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Bradley asked and that’s when Jake turned to him finally noticing he was there. Jake didn’t answer, just simply turned around and walked downstairs and went to the couch and held a pillow with tears rolling down his face.

“Honey, can you open the door?” Bradley knocked on the door, no answer. He decided to try one more time “Please open the door. Pops is gone.” That did it and the door unlocked he walked in, he shut the door as Y/N sat on her floor in front of her bed, he went and joined her he opened his arms and she climbed into his lap and started to sob. Bradley just hugged her and stroked her hair “Shhh it’s ok. He didn’t mean it. You’re important to him and he loves you.” he said in a calming voice and pressed kisses into her hair. She just cried and cried until she fell asleep. He looked at her wrist and didn't feel anything broken and luckily no bruising either. Bradley got up and put her into bed, luckily she changed before supper after taking a shower, he tucked her in and kissed her forehead, and walked out of her room turning around to look at his daughter before turning off her light and cracking her door.  

He walked down the stairs and stopped at the bottom to look at his broken husband and his heart broke again. Bradley just leaned up against the wall.

"She said she hated me. I hurt our little girl." Jake said, staring at the blank TV screen. He had heard Bradley come down but didn't look at him. 

"She didn't mean it and you know it." He told him as he walked over to his husband and sat down and opened his arms as he did for Y/N and Jake practically fell into them. "I looked at her wrist and didn't find anything." He continued "Did some hurtful things get said? Yes. Are you both going to love each other any less? Absolutely not." He paused as he felt Jake grab his shirt. He looked down and noticed that the pillow had been knocked to the floor. 

"I grabbed her. I hurt her. I swore I wouldn't hurt her like my father did to me but yet I did." Jake said with tears falling down his face. He heard what Bradley said but it was coming in one ear and out the other. Bradley sighed and squeezed Jake just a little bit and then released and dropped a kiss to his head.

"Head up to bed. I'll be there in a minute. I'm just going to put the food away." Bradley said, giving him a little nudge. Jake was numb and nodded, not having any fight left.

"Ok. I love you." He said as he was getting up and started leaving.

"I love you too babe." Bradley said standing up and going into the kitchen to start cleaning up. He heard the door shut and then he began to relax knowing both of them were safe in bed. He stood in the kitchen for a minute and ran his hand down his face and then put his hands on his hips and looked around, once he saw everything cleaned and put away turned out the light and made his way upstairs. He checked in on Y/N and she was still sound asleep, once he was satisfied he walked into his and Jake's shared bedroom getting ready for bed not even bothering that both he and Jake forgot their phones downstairs, since their daughter was in her room asleep. He climbed into bed and Jake scooted back into him and they both fell asleep.

The thunder rolls and the lightning strikes are what woke Y/N up at 3:30 in the morning. She got up out of bed and headed downstairs but not before seeing if her Pop's and Dad's door was shut not a soul was in sight. The house was looking like a ghost town and she was ok with that. She went into the kitchen and it was clean, then the fight came back to her. She couldn't stay in the house, she just couldn't. She silently pulled on her shoes and was thankful neither of them set the alarm and grabbed the keys to her truck, well her Pops' old truck that she can use. She goes out the door and quietly shuts it, thankful that the bedrooms are upstairs and the garage is by the kitchen, she starts it up and heads out. It's pouring down which is unusual for California. The fight keeps playing in her head and starts to cry, in hindsight, she knows she shouldn't drive but she just couldn't stand to be there any longer. She wanted to be with her Grandma and Grandpa Goose.

Her eyesight is blurring with tears when she sees blinding headlights coming right at her before she can swerve. They hit her head on and made her truck spin out of control and hit a guardrail sending her truck tumbling down the road 4 times before coming and landing right side up. Her head had hit the window and now the steering wheel made her disoriented. Glass is everywhere and the truck is almost unrecognizable. Everything turns black.

[averagewriter-inthedark]

Daughter of Rock N Roll 🎸| Pete Mitchell Imagine/TGM Imagine

Takes place after the events of TGM

TGM Masterlist | Read ‘It’s A Long Way To The Top’ & ‘The Rockstar, Her Husband, & Their Dagger Ducklings’ first!

Characters & Pairings: Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell x 80s Rockstar!reader (romantic), Bradley Bradshaw x reader (mother/son-type relationship), Dagger Squad (platonic) Hondo (platonic)

Content Warnings: Fluff, slight profanity, flirtatious banter | female!reader (she/her) | wc: 3.3k

Requested 📨 yes/no (rules for requests)

Premise: when the squad discovered their former Captain was married to one of the most recognizable voices of rock n roll music, one could imagine the many questions they had. There’s always something new to learn about Y/n L/n-Mitchell. Or, how most of the world would know her by, the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll.

Note: Y’all I can not say enough how happy it makes me you guys love me famous!reader x dagger squad pairing works! The rockstar one was my first one and since then I’ve had so many requests to do more! I have I think four in my inbox with Rooster, Coyote & Fanboy so I’m so excited to get started on those. Again I just as you be patient with me if you sent in a request! I’m approaching my last quarter of school so finals are around the corner and I am focused on passing you know 😅 but once summer hits I should be posting more frequently! 🤍

————————————

“So you met Elvis?”

The question sounded the same as it always did when asked. Awe. Wonder. Amazement. All the words that were similar. Always was it met with a smile from Y/n, the memory surfacing in her mind as clear as though it had taken place yesterday.

“I did,” she thanks Pete as he hands her a beer, scooching on the couch to allow him space beside her. Scattered around the bonfire were the daggers either in chairs or couches, nursing their own drinks as the sun descended on the horizon. The dogs were with them too. Ice laid beside Y/n and Mav’s feet, Bella found a cozy spot within Javy’s lap, and Goose took claim to the spot beside Bradley.

“Long time ago. It was 1976–I was twelve years old and my parents had gotten all of us tickets to see him perform in Atlanta. It was a great show,” she smiled fondly at the memory, “then afterwards we left the venue and happened to run into him. I was starstruck as you can imagine. There he was dressed in his red outfit. Hair slicked back and dazzling smile. And I don’t remember asking him to sign my program but I guess I did. All I can remember is him asking what I wanted to be when I grew up—to which I said, “I wanna be a rockstar.’”

Chuckles echo around, the pilots all leaning in their seats with eyes full of fascination. Y/n brought a finger to her chin, deep in thought, “he laughed and handed me back the program saying, ‘Don’t lose that dream, little one.’ Like my mom I was devastated the next year when he died….but I always remembered those words. To never lose my dream.”

Fanboy gestured inside the house, “how’d you get his guitar?” He was referring to the one mounted on the wall of guitars with the icons signature. It was the only one on what the dagger squad liked to call the ‘Guitars of Fame’ to be either once owned by a renowned musician or signed by one. Y/n had one from Prince in her collection as well as a Stratocaster signed by all the members of Queen.

“Charity auction. Back in the late 90s I wanna say it was,” she looked to Pete to see if he could confirm if she was right. At his nod she added, “The reason I wanted it was because it was the one he used at the concert I went to. So when I look at it, it brings me back to that moment of meeting him and as a reminder I achieved that dream he told me never to let go of.”

Javy whistles, causing Bella to perk up in his lap. “That’s so cool.” Murmurs of agreement sound with him, Phoenix crossing her legs in her lap as she asks, “is there anyone you’ve met or worked with who’s been a mentor to you and the band?”

“Diana Ross and Dolly Parton,” the woman doesn’t hesitate. “Gosh I love those women. Not only were they some of our biggest inspirations but they pretty much took us under their wing when we first started out. Even though we were in a completely different genre than both of them, they were like our ‘moms’ in the industry.” She put quotes around the word mom. “You have to remember we were all 14-15 when we were discovered. Being that young made us very vulnerable. Producers would try to take advantage of us—by not giving us the proper cuts or working us like dogs. Artists who’d been in the game longer were envious of the recognition we were getting.”

“You must never forget who you are,” Dolly’s voice echoed, wiping away the lone tear that had fallen from a young Y/n’s eyes. “The media are always going to try to put out the worst image of you. And you must never give them that satisfaction of bringing you down. As long as you know who you are here—,’ she points to her heart, “then they can never take it away from you.”

Y/n paused to sip her beer before continuing, “Dolly and Diana, were and still to this day, the best supporters of our career and always made sure we knew they were there to help if we ever needed them. Whether it be confronting an executive for unfair treatment or if we were at parties or award shows and felt uncomfortable. Saints they are. Absolute saints.”

A few more minutes passed of Y/n praising the two legends of music before they ventured off into discussing moments of Y/n’s career. Rooster of course knew everything so he didn’t ask anything, but would offer insight from time to time. “C’mon Y/n/n,” he waved a hand dramatically, “y’all’s Super Bowl performance is considered one of the best halftime shows and you think it was lackluster? I beg to differ.”

“I have to agree on Rooster with this one, honey,” Pete leans back into the sofa, arm going round her back. The rockstar scoffs, playfully rolling her eyes.

“It was raining the whole time!”

Rooster nearly stands from his seat, “That’s what makes it so iconic! You guys did that shit while it was raining down on you.”

“Yeah and I was shitting my pants the whole time thinking one of us was going to get electrocuted,” Y/n had to laugh. “And when I saw the same thing happen to Prince at his Super Bowl I thought, ‘Oh God I’m getting deja vu.’”

Payback shakes his head with a laugh, “Man I remember watching that live. I wanted to be there so bad—be in that crowd. You guys were phenomenal—and like Roo said, it really was the best performance of all time.”

Y/n gives a shy smile when they all agree, “You know one thing, I was really grateful I chose a black outfit to perform in. I was not going to have a repeat of 1992 with the whole white tank top scandal. Like it was even a scandal,” she makes a face, thinking back to that God awful interview with Diane Sawyer. “My goodness it’s not like I planned for the rain that night. And my tits were covered—,” she laughs at the wide-eyed expressions of some of the guys, “it wasn’t like I was letting them out free. But anyways you know how the media is when shit like that happens.” Y/n turns slightly to look at Pete, “You didn’t care, did you?”

He immediately shakes his head. “No. And even if you wanted to go topless it was your choice. Not my place to stop you.” His answer makes her let out a sigh of content.

“You’re just so perfect you know,” she pats his cheek before kissing it. The others watch on fondly, though Rooster makes a playful gag sound.

“Disgusting.”

“I’ll send you to timeout, Bradley.”

Eventually after some time the topic of Y/n’s name in the industry was brought up. The Daughter of Rock N Roll. All through her career people told Y/n how when she sang she sounded what an angel rebelling from God to be a rockstar would sound like. The epiphany of rock n roll, Y/n was dubbed it’s daughter by Rolling Stone magazine at the brink of the 90s after dominating the 80s.

“How’d you find out?” Bob’s eyes were wide with curiosity. They all were, leaning forward in their seats to hear better as the woman began to explain.

“We had just won our fifth Grammy,” she sets the picture, “the next day was the kickoff to the American leg of our world tour so we were barely paying attention to the press, tabloids, media, you know. I was running late that morning—can’t remember exactly why but when I got to the venue Ronnie was running at me with a magazine in her hand…”

“Oh my God, have you seen the news?!” Ronnie’s high pitched yell had the singer wince.

“Girlfriend, I woke up not even twenty minutes ago. What happened—who died?” Suddenly Y/n serious, fearful that someone they knew had passed. Being in the industry for over ten years made them face the loss of many friends they had accumulated along the way.

The face Ronnie makes sends relief, “no one died. But look—!” She pushes the magazine towards her friend’s face, Y/n scrambling to not drop her Walkman and coffee she was holding as she tried to grasp the object. “Look at what Rolling Stones have named you!”

Removing the sunglasses off her face lightening fast, no longer caring she spilled an entire cup of coffee she’d just purchased, Y/n let out a audible, “no fucking way,’ when her eyes read over the big letters on the cover of Rolling Stones Magazine.

“Y/n L/n is the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll—like Micheal Jackson as the King of Pop and Aretha Franklin crowned the Queen of Soul, the powerhouse and voice behind Y/n & The Romantics from Atlanta, Georgia has become widely associated among critics and fans across the globe as the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll right behind Elvis as its King.

“Did you ever think that would happen?” Payback’s question brought Y/n out of the memory.

“Never,” briefly she look into the house where the framed Rolling Stones magazine hung on the wall, “I was very shocked when I heard the news. Never did it occur to me I would have a title and I would say it’s the biggest honor I have as an artist in this industry. And nowadays you see titles being thrown around all the time, but back then it happened once in a blue moon. So when I heard the news I was like, ‘no fucking way,’.”

“See what I don’t understand is,” Jake cuts in with an odd expression. “How come they waited this long to induct you and the band into the Hall of Fame? To be honest y’all should’ve been in it ages ago.”

“Agreed,” Fanboy tips his beer.

Rooster raises his own, “amen to that.”

Y/n hesitates to answer, conflicted in her eyes that when she turns to look at her husband he could see she was unsure to answer. Pete gives her an encouraging nod causing her to exhale deeply.

“To, how do folks put it…spilling the tea?” Rooster snorted at the phrase, earning a scolding look from Y/n. “Don’t tease me. The whole thing with the Hall of Fame wanting this long is because they at one point—I think ten years ago—wanted to induct just me because of all the solo work I had done since we split up. But I wasn’t on board with that. If they were gonna induct me, they were gonna induct me as part of Y/n & The Romantics. All of us,” she emphasized. “We were a group for thirty years when we split. They have been my best friends since childhood—my ride or die. There was no way in hell I was going to accept an induction to the Hall of Fame without them.”

After a while of digressing that shocking news Javy decides to ask, “What was it like doing the USA for Africa? All those legends together—I still get chills everytime I watch the music video.”

Y/n lights up at the mention of ‘We Are The World’, “it was amazing. Nothing could really put into words what that day was like. When our manager approached us about it we were like, ‘Quincy Jones, Micheal Jackson and Lionel Ritchie want us on their song?’ We didn’t believe it. Then we got to the studio and oh my God,” she makes a gesture with her hands, “I was at a loss for words. Micheal was the first to greet us—it wasn’t the first time we’d met him but still, it was Micheal fucking Jackson. I met a lot of my close friends that day, Micheal included. Cyndi Laupher, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Diana Ross.” Y/n lists off more of the artists featured on the track, each one making the daggers jaws drop even more. “They had paired me with Cyndi and I’ll never forget us hitting that note together. We both high fived afterward just absolutely in awe of the other.”

“Weren’t you also in the one they did in 2010 for Haiti?” Bob adjusts his glasses when the thought pops into his head.

The woman nods, “I was. Jaime Foxx had reached out to me personally about it and I immediately agreed. It was hard—especially with it only being a year since we lost Micheal and then of course the reason we were doing it. But it was just as amazing as it was twenty-five years earlier.”

“Do you still keep in touch with a lot of them?” Fanboy asks.

“Here and there,” she answers truthfully. “Whenever I run into them at events we briefly catch up. Of course nowadays with social media it’s more accessible to send a direct message if you don’t have their number. Most of the time I’m in contact with old friends and colleagues when we collaborate or plan to meet up at shows.”

“Who are the people you talk with the most?” Jake pitches in.

“Oh, Cyndi, Janet, Kenny, Lionel,” she lists off. “Bono from U2 and I have been friends for ages so I talk with him a lot. Lenny Kravitz is also someone I try to see often—as well as Chili and Tboz from TLC. We bonded with them since they are also from Atlanta. ”

Phoenix tilts her head, curiosity in her eyes, “Are you and the band collaborating with anyone for your next album?” Instantly Y/n perks up, a smile threatening to form and give herself away. Nat catches it and teases, “I swear to secrecy if you tell us.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Y/n laughs when Rooster pouts, throwing his hands out as he whines, “C’mon. When have I ever leaked your songs or upcoming projects? I think I’ve done pretty good—my track record is going on thirty years, you know.”

Pete laughs with his wife as the daggers begin to tease their fellow aviator. “Better to be safe than sorry, Bradley.” This earns the Captain a light slap on the chest.

“Oh stop,” she playfully scolds. “I’m only teasing.” She returns her attention back to Nat. “I can’t say much because a lot is still in the works….but, I can confirm we’ll be doing a feature with Lenny Kravitz.” Gasps and ‘holy shit’ fill the patio, Javy and Danny on the brink of losing their minds.

“Lenny fucking Kravits!”

“Oh it’s gonna be a hit. Number one on Billboard I’m telling ya.”

By now it was getting cooler outside. The sky was dark with stars twinkling above. Instead of having someone go inside to grab drinks for everyone the group decided to migrate into the living room. Pete distinguishes the fire, Y/n hauls the dogs in with Nat and soon the couches and chairs are occupied.

Jake rubs his jaw, “what would you say is the best advice someone has given you? And who,” he adds, “if you’re open to saying.” Y/n takes a moment to think about her answer. To be honest, she’d received lots of great advice in the 40 plus years of being in the industry from an array of people. There of course was Dolly and Diana who always gave a second opinion whenever needed. There was Michael, who told her to always have fun no matter what life threw at her.

“A long time ago,” she humed, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling while caressing the bottom of her chin. “I wanna say early 90s, I met Tony Bennett at an award show. Probably Grammy’s or Billboard, but he had approached me just before the show ended and we got to talking. I can’t remember exactly what was said in the conversation but I this always stuck with me,” pausing Y/n places her hand back in her lap. “He said, ‘Cherish the big moments—the milestones, the accomplishments, the things that will leave a legacy long after you’re gone..but also cherish the small moments. The ones you will look back on and remember fondly. As a time you were living your life as if the day was your last.’”

The words hit each of the officers. All taking it in as though Y/n was the one offering them the advice. Something about it resonated with each of them—thinking about their lives and careers. Where often they forgot to cherish little moments because they were overshadowed by big ones. An example for Natasha would be the one time her father gifted her flowers for when she made Lieutenant. Or when Javy’s brother surprised him for his college graduation. The big milestones were the reason the little things even happened.

Then you had all those times the squad would meet up at the beach for dogfight football. Or when a late night drive turns into carpool karaoke. Those small specks of time where you’re truly living in the present.

As Midnight approached the daggers took their leave. Most of them were staying on base or had nearby hotels so they waited a few hours after their last drink to leave. Though Bob was DD so he took most of them home.

Goodbyes were said with promises to meet up again soon. A few of the pilots were expected to report for an upcoming mission that week so they were all on high alert. Y/n of course was worried and gave a pep talk to each of them as they left.

When the house was finally cleared with only the couple and their dogs remaining, Y/n discarded the empty cans and water bottles before rinsing off the dishes. A yawn escaped her, leaning into Pete when he came up behind her, arms going to her waist.

“You know that can wait until morning,” he kissed her cheek, making her smile.

“I know, but I like waking up to see it’s already done. That way I can relax by sleeping in.”

Pete chuckled against her ear, “I leave you to it then. I’ll get the dogs settled and meet you in the room.” With a kiss to her lips, Pete removed himself and whistled for the hounds to follow him down the corridor. Their patter got lighter and lighter, silence filling the room once they were gone.

There wasn’t much to do in the kitchen or living room. Y/n hummed the tone of ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ as she rinsed the plates and cups to put them in the dishwasher.

“I’ll be alone, dancing, you know it, baby,” she sang under her breath, nodding her head to the beat even though no music was playing. “Going to take you apart. I’ll put us back together at heart baby.”

“Don’t you, forget about me.”

After that was done Y/n took out the trash and placed it by the garage door to remind them in the morning. Next she wiped down the countertops and fixed the couch cushions. Finally the last thing to do was lock the doors and close the curtains.

Moving past the living room to head toward her bedroom, Y/n paused when she came to the wall displaying many photographs from her career milestones. “Don’t lose that dream, little one,” she could hear Elvis say to her as her eyes met the framed Rolling Stones cover in the center. The lighting of the image made it appear of just her silhouette, Y/n’s head tilted up with the echo of a smile on her lips. The microphone right beside her with Danny’s drums in the background.

“Y/n L/n is the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll.”

Dated February 1992. Thirty years since the issue was released. And boy had it been a wild ride for the rockstar.

Brushing her finger over the image and then lightly tapping her knuckles against the glass, Y/n grinned as Elvis' words to 12-year-old self repeated in her head.

“Hope I made you proud, King.”

……………….

TGM Tag List: @avaleineandafryingpan , @caitsymichelle13 , @poppyalice2001 , @cutelittlepotatofry , @luckyladycreator2 , @americaarse , @elenavampire21 , @back-tooo-black , @wildellaa , @artemissunn , @pinkpantheris

[compacflt]

Watched Marriage Story today, for the very first time, and had a lotta thoughts about EDTS Ice and Mav, especially their divorce-era. Wondered whether they would’ve genuinely gotten a divorce, if they’d somehow been married at that point. Charlie kinda reminded me of Ice: the benign belief in his own intellectual superiority, the self-pity, the willful blindness towards the reality of his relationship, the selfishness—not in the sense that Ice wasn’t kind or warm or loving, but in the sense that he really needed things to go his way (for them to not talk about anything). Of course Mav was no Nicole, he definitely shared his half of the blame, but I could totally imagine the two of ‘em having a huge fight that devolved into: “I can’t believe I have to know you … forever!” ‘Cause they kinda did: being in the Navy, moving around in the same circles, sharing an estranged kid they were both hoping to make-up with…

ok so part one of this ask not having seen marriage story: yeah i am 100% sure if they’d codified their relationship in words they would’ve broken up. like forever. letting all that anger simmer instead of boiling over is sometimes a blessing in disguise—if you say you’re together, you’re together. if you say you’re over, you’re over. no take-backsies on something like that. whereas if you don’t talk about any of it, the boundaries are a lot less definite. a blessing in disguise. i did (for mental torture purposes, and also for a prompt fill i [sorry to whomever sent it in] didnt hate myself enough to write) brainstorm that Bad Ending—if, say, Mav HAD been reckless and decisive and told ice “get the fuck out of my house obviously this isn’t gonna work you betrayed my trust & bailed on me at the second lowest moment of my life & conspired with a dying woman who is in love with you to ruin our son’s life in the exact same way MY life was once ruined and you blame me for turning you gay but you were already gay to begin with and You Fucking Killed My Best Friend And We Never Talk About It so fuck you we’re done” and went no-contact and threw ices shit out into the street and never went back to the hangar and changed all the locks and his phone number etc. and… say ice is like decimated for a few years straight, like numbingly and crushingly depressed, & then he meets not-his-sister-sarah and tells her the truth (that now he can realize with the benefit of hindsight & grief & loss—funny how loss always makes everything real clear all of a sudden): that he was in a long term relationship with a man with whom he was raising a child & with whom he was probably in love, and she marries him anyway, and obviously she’s not maverick and she doesn’t make him as happy as he did and she knows that but at least she stops him from being actively su*cidal and at least they can be open about their relationship in public and maybe they have a kid or two, and maybe he completely shifts his strategy and relocates to Virginia and moves his AOR to the atlantic instead of the pacific so he can get as far away from San Diego and maverick and home as possible, and maybe it works, and maybe there are some days he doesn’t even think about maverick or Bradley or goose, and when people mention the 1990s he grimaces and tries to forget, and he’s not ashamed of it so much as he is hurt by the memory of his own carelessness, and maybe he cries often and very very quietly, and maybe he gets his life back on track and before he knows it he has four stars on the opposite coast from the one he’d originally planned, and of course he’s not happy, but he’s never happy, so whatever.

Until. some event he can’t get out of. A mutual friend’s change of command ceremony or retirement ceremony or funeral. first thing he sees (like always) is captain Mitchell shining in his dress blues (like always). they avoid each other all evening, why bother trying? until someone forces them together, “weren’t you two at TOPGUN together? didn’t you guys kill all those soviets together?” and on and on, yes, we were, this is very very uncomfortable, until eventually they’re alone, and maverick asks, “can i buy you a drink sir?” but he’s staring at ice’s left hand and staring and staring, and it’s been over a decade but still ice doesn’t know how to say no to him, so they leave this joint and get a drink somewhere else, and maverick says, “how long have you been married,” and ice says, “eight years next march,” and you can see maverick doing the math in his head 2016-8=2008 okay, “what’s her name,” “sarah,” maverick laughs but feels bad for laughing, ice says, “we have a couple kids,” maverick stops laughing. “shit,” maverick says. ice says, “it was very difficult for me for a very long time;” maverick says, “what did you tell her;” ice says, “the truth;” maverick waits a second to respond and then says, “and what was the truth?” ice tells him the truth which is “well that i was in a long-term relationship with another man and we were raising a kid together and most likely we were in love with each other but it didn’t work out.” maverick takes a long time to respond to that and is blinking a lot and if you put your ear to his chest you’d hear that he is struggling to breathe. he says “and she married you anyway.” “she did.” he says “and You married Her anyway.” “i did.” Ice pauses then says “it was very difficult for me for a very long time.” he pauses some more and drinks and watches disinterestedly as maverick blinks and blinks. then ice says “so uh are you…?” maverick says “ive had a couple… a couple flings… nothing. nothing like.” and ice understands. maverick says, “why didn’t you tell me?” “tell you what?” “that you. that you and i were. that you felt that way about me.” ice says, “i did. i tried. i left you voicemails & sent you postcards & tried for half a decade to get in touch with the kid. did you not get my—did you not get my voicemails or my letters?” maverick blinks and blinks and says “i did get them but i didn’t open them;” ice says “well that’s that then.” and drinks. maverick says “how long after me did you meet her;” ice says “a couple years, i was deployed for O.I.F.” maverick says, “yeah, me too.” and he almost starts crying. he says “ice I’m sorry but you’re telling me ive completely wasted the last decade of my life and i don’t know what to do. do you love her? does she make you happy?” ice says “yes” and “yes.” maverick says “does she make you as happy as you were with me?” ice doesn’t care enough anymore to be dishonest and says “no. Of course not. but she made life easier when it was very difficult for me for a very long time.” maverick says, “run away with me. fuck it. let’s try again. let’s start over. no one else understands. come on. you and me. we always come back to each other. let’s try again.” and it is very very tempting. One of those watershed moments when life goes crystal clear and you can see through it. but only for a moment. ice is so tired and too old for that kind of adventure anymore. he says, i have kids, and i have a wife, and i have the navy and my four stars to think of, and i— he can be honest about this: “i want to. you know i do.” he pauses. doesn’t think he wants maverick to touch him. that can’t possibly end well and historically has not ended well. flinches away when maverick reaches out. he says “but i can’t.” maverick says, “i miss you more than anything. i want—even still!—i—please…I can’t…” another pause. ice says, “Let me get the bill, Mav.” so ice pays mavericks tab and they go their separate ways.

and maverick goes out to the desert to fly the sr-72 darkstar and pushes it beyond its limits on purpose and he doesn’t intend to survive but it’s his stupid too-good instincts that have him popping the cockpit escape pod ejection handle, and he lives by accident, like always, and destroys several billion taxpayer dollars in an instant, and without admiral Kazansky on his six backing him up admiral Cain has everything he needs to dishonorably discharge captain mitchell from the navy, so after 33 years of service to his country and 3 air to air kills maverick is unceremoniously dishonorably discharged and they kick him out without a second thought, and the Dagger special mission command goes to someone else and Bradley gets team leader and probably fails and probably dies, and atlantic fleet commander Tom Kazansky is offered the promotion to chief of naval operations and takes it, and doesn’t live long enough to meet his grandchildren, and that’s about all i have to say about that.

Now im going to go watch marriage story to answer this ask educatedly so hold on.

ok coming back the next day post marriage story and yeah you’re right i think it would look like that

[baby-girl-e]

Out Of The Woods

Characters - Iceman x Maverick

Summary - Maverick gets in an accident and Ice is there for him despite their latest fight. 

Word Count - 2.2k

Warnings - Angst, Hospitals, Motorcycle crash, injuries

A/N - This is my first fic of the year! Woo! I know I haven’t posted a work in a while, but it’s because I’ve been writing my debut Non-fiction book! I have to get a certain amount done to send to my review team by the 20th of this month so I’ve been hyper-focused on that! I promise you guys are going to want to read it (Even if I can’t talk about it yet, but I will hint that a certain actor we all love is at the center of it) Anyways, thank you for your patience and I really hope you like this one!! As always, this is based on a Taylor Swift song, particularly Out Of the Woods!

Ice was trying his best to avoid Pete at work. He really was. But when you’re co-instructors with someone and their damned wingman it’s hard. They had a fight a week back about something Ice can’t even remember but what turned into fucking Maverick thinking he didn’t deserve Ice. What Pete Mitchell deserved was sure as hell not up to him. He was saying some shit about “I’m setting you free.” and Ice was offended that he’d have the audacity to decide that for him. He loved Pete Mitchell for better or for worse and Pete Mitchell could do jack shit  about it. 

He avoided him for the week, just to get a piece of mind, but realized that it was exactly what Pete wanted. Pete wanted to mope around all sad and self deprecating. So Ice had every intention of only keeping it this way for a week and then forcing his way back in.

 He sat in his apartment for the first time in a few months, and couldn’t help but pull out the polaroid he kept in his nightstand. He knew it was risky to have literal incriminating evidence, but he allowed himself this. It was them sitting on Pete’s couch and Pete had insisted they take this picture, Pete holding the camera and then at the last second he turned his head to kiss Tom’s cheek. The photo perfectly captured Ice’s feelings for the man, his face lighting up and his smile wide, like the rest of the world was in black and white but they were in screaming color. 

Ice sighed as he put the picture down to mess with the necklace Pete had given him. It was a simple jet charm on a chain much like their dog tags, nothing special, but Pete later explained that it had once been a gift from Goose. He had immediately tried to give it back but Mav insisted, stating that he had plenty of Goose's things and he wanted Tom to have something he valued to show him how much he loved him. Tom cried that night when he was sure that Pete had fallen asleep. 

The night he gave Tom that necklace was one he wouldn’t soon forget. It was the night Pete had it in his head that they needed to dance to his old records but since space was limited it was obvious they had to move Pete’s couch. Obviously. As they danced to some Nat King Cole song Tom remembered wishing this was how it could always be. That one day they’d be dancing like this at their wedding. He knew they didn’t stand a chance, but he really wanted to believe it then. They loved flying as much as they loved each other and they’d never ask the other one to give that up. 

As he sat there, thinking about all of the best times he had with Pete, every kiss and touch that made what they were risking oh-so worth it, he realized that he needed Pete to breathe. To live. Just as he was about to get up to go grab his keys and head over to his boyfriends house, his phone started ringing from the kitchen. Had Pete physically known that he was about to go see him?

“Kazansky speaking.” He didn’t want to risk it if it were a work call. 

“Yes, am I speaking to Lieutenant Commander Thomas Kazansky?” That sounded too official. Too clipped. 

“Yes? Who is this?” 

“I’m calling on behalf of a Lieutenant Commander Pete Mitchell, it’s listed here that you’re his emergency contact?”

No. No this can’t be happening.

“Yes, is he okay? Was he hurt?” It was like 2100. What could he do at this hour to hurt himself? 

“Mr. Mitchell was in a motorbike accident and sustained some injuries, I can’t say much over the phone but he is stable. Would you be able to come to the hospital within the next couple of hours?” 

“I’m on my way, is he at the Naval Hospital at Miramar?” 

“Yes sir.” 

Tom hung up the phone and really sprinted for his keys. His hands were shaking uncontrollably and he wasn’t entirely sure he should drive. He considered calling Slider for a moment but then realized he was on leave and visiting family in Florida.

He tried his luck at driving the fifteen minutes to the base hospital and actually made it there in one piece. Storming into that hospital he must’ve looked like quite the sight, sweatpants, old Navy tee that was definitely Pete’s as it barely fit him, and sneakers with what he was sure were mixed matched socks. He had been running his fingers through his hair on the way there and he knew his hair was at an ultimate spike. 

“I- Uh, I’m looking for Pete Mitchell?” He was hoping he sounded at at least a little put together even if he was out of breath. 

“Your name and relation to the patient?” That one stung. All he wanted to say was boyfriend, Lover, Future Husband if he’ll have him, but he couldn’t say any of that. 

“Thomas Kazansky? I’m his wingman and emergency contact.” Wingman was as close as he could get to what they really were and it was socially acceptable, especially here at a Naval hospital. The bond between pilots was a deep one, running into the Naval hospital obviously upset and disheveled over a hurt wingman wasn’t unusual or suspicious. 

“Right this way sir, he’s been moved to a real room and it’s just him. Quiet night.” The nurse realizes what she said as the other nurses around her groaned. The word quiet in a hospital or any medical facility was a dirty one for sure. 

“Don’t worry I’ve been told I have good luck, maybe I’ll counteract your slip up.” The nurse seemed new and he didn’t want her to feel bad. 

“Yeah? Well thank you.” they had arrived at Pete's room and she took her leave. In reality at this moment he felt like he had the worst luck. His boyfriend was in the hospital and he had just spent the last week avoiding him like an idiot. 

Turning the handle he braved his way into the room, mentally preparing himself for what he might see. In hindsight he should’ve known that whatever it was would make him cry. Pete in any state of hurt made his heart fall. 

Pete was sitting up in bed, bandages around his bare torso, bruises on his shoulder and chest. He had road burn up his left side and a little on his face. He was still wearing his pants so that was a good sign that the leather heavy duty ones Tom had got him for his birthday had been worth the price. 

The door clicked shut and Pete looked up to see Tom with his hand over his mouth and tears in his eyes. 

“Baby.” his voice had never sounded so small in his life but he couldn’t help himself. It was like he was seeing Pete after Goose all over again. 

“Tom, I’m so sorry I-” Pete’s tears were actively falling now and he held his uninjured arm out towards his boyfriend. 

Tom was at his side in a second and gently set his hand over Pete’s. His other hand came up to wipe his love's tears as his own were falling. 

“No, no apologies. I’m just glad you’re okay. What- Pete baby what happened?” Pete had leaned into Tom’s touch, taking in the small comfort. 

“I was just riding around to clear my head and this guy came out of nowhere and I tried to swerve to miss him and hit my brakes too soon. Threw me a couple of feet.” The fact that this was the best case scenario freaked Tom out even more. 

“Pete, how are you not more hurt? That sounds terrible.” Maverick looked down again, uncharacteristically shy. 

“I don’t want to say.” Tom raised his eyebrow at that. 

“Oh? And why the hell not?” Seriously with this guy. Why did Tom love him again? 

“You’re going to get a big head about it and I love you but it’s big enough babe.” Oh, that’s right. That’s why. 

Tom gave him an amused but unimpressed look. 

“Fine, I was wearing the helmet you got me, okay? Happy?” He had bought Pete that helmet with the pants wanting to give him something for safety under the guise of ‘babe I think you’d look sexy in these.’ He even had the helmet painted exactly like the one he wore flying. 

“That you’re alive and your head is in one piece? Yes I am. I’ll save the gloating for when you heal more I promise.” Pete cracked a laugh at that. 

“Well there are twenty stitches so it’ll be a while.” Tom was okay with that. He would wait forever. 

Pete sat back slightly from Tom and looked uneasy. “Listen Tom, about what I said… I don’t really want you to leave. I don’t know why I said that.” 

Tom sighed and clicked his tongue, gently brushing hair away from Pete’s eye’s. 

“Because you were scared. I am too. What we’re doing here is dangerous, and we could lose the one thing besides each other that we really care about. What I didn’t like was that you think you don’t deserve me. Pete, I don’t know why you think you’re this terrible messed up person, but baby… you are worthy of love and respect and I sure as hell want to be the one to give it to you.” 

He knew he was rambling, but he also knew Pete’s attention span was extremely limited and he needed him to hear him. 

“Tom, I- I’ve been damaged goods for as long as I can remember. I was when I was in foster care, and that’s what Charlie said after what happened with Goose… It’s hard not to believe them.” Tom pulled Pete into a loose hug wary of his injuries but wanting to get his point across. 

“I want you to hear me now Pete. You are not damaged goods. You are the love of my goddamn life and I wouldn’t have you another way. What they said to you was false and plain terrible. Do you know how strong you have to be to lose your parents at a young age and then your best friend and brother and not turn into a raging douchebag?” Pete made a noise of argument but didn’t say anything. 

Tom pulled Pete to face him and held his face in his hands. “You are everything to me and I feel so lucky to be able to even be near you let alone have you love me. And if you’ll have me I’d like to be near you for the rest of my life.” 

Pete’s eyes went wide and those tears were back. 

“Tom, did you just propose to me?” Wait, did he? It sure sounded like he did. 

“Yeah I guess I did. What do you say?” he really didn’t know what he was saying, he really hadn’t planned this.

“Yes. I’m saying yes.” Tom couldn’t resist it any longer and pulled his fiance in for a kiss. It was chaste, because someone could knock and walk in at any given moment, but it was powerful nonetheless. 

“How the fuck are we going to get married Pete?” 

“You’re the one that asked Kazansky, no taking it back now. We’ll figure it out. Do something for us, maybe invite Carole, Bradley, Slider, and Merlin?” How did they start the day avoiding each other but now they’re planning their wedding? 

“Yeah that sounds nice. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll be able to make it legal.” Tom shrugged his shoulders slightly. Crazier shit had happened. 

“I’m not holding my breath Tom. You’re talking about a country that had to vote on whether or not they should consider another race of people actually human. Statistically their decision making on this stuff takes a while.” Pete was very passionate about human rights, it also made him unbelievably angry at times. 

“Well I’ll marry you in my own mind now, and then I’ll wait however long it takes to marry you legally. Either way, you’re going to be my husband.” It was one of the few things he knew for a fact, Pete Mitchell was his forever. 

Pete looked impressed, and teary eyed again. “Pretty determined aren’t you? You must really like me.” 

“Oh baby you have no idea.” 

Eventually Pete is discharged from the hospital and Tom drives him home. The sun is up by then, but they don’t care. Happy to be together and elated at their seemingly brighter future. 

Tom’s in their bedroom when he hears Pete dialing a number on the phone. “Carole? It’s Pete. Listen, you’re going to be really mad at me but then you’re going to be really happy at me.” 

Tom laughed at his words and later could practically hear Carole’s excited screaming followed by Pete’s equally joyed laughter. They spent a good hour discussing plans, and Tom doesn’t care what they are as long as he gets to be there. If he’s being honest? He’s just glad they’re out of the woods.