Archive of Our Own

[1]

The carrier hallways are silent when Bradley exits the med bay after over 14 hours of being kept under observation. The watch that sits on his left wrist tells him it's just past 1 a.m., so it's not surprising to see the corridors empty. The ship sways lazily on the calm waves, but it's large enough for the tilting not to be noticeable to the people that are on the inside, long used to the constant subtle motion of being at sea.

Rooster allows himself to lean against the wall for a few minutes before he gathers the remaining strength and makes his way toward his bunk. He doesn't pass anyone on the way there. His only company is the buzz and the occasional flickering of the overhead lamps, which does nothing to ease his headache.

The medical staff ruled out the concussion but he's still sporting several injuries that remind him of their existence with every move he makes. Fortunately for him, there's nothing that could be considered a major trauma and leave him tied to a hospital bed for the next few days.

Finally, after a walk much more straining than anticipated, Bradley stands in front of the bunk that he shares with Bob.

Or so he thought.

Dragging a hand down his face, Rooster presses the door handle and walks inside, scaring a surprised yelp out of a person that's already inside. The voice that he hears makes him jump and take a step back, bumping into the metal door frame.

He presses his eyelids shut and hisses through his clenched teeth as he feels the pain traveling down his shoulder. His opposite hand shoots up to massage the aching joint. It takes him a moment to recover and when he opens his eyes again, he has to fight the urge to check if he's in the right place.

Instead, he frowns and opens his mouth to ask when-

"What are you doing here?" Hangman stares at him, standing in the middle of the small cabin.

"Kayaking. But it seems like the river has dried out," deadpans Bradley, but the expression on his face betrays that he's as confused as his companion.

The blonde man rolls his eyes at Rooster and crosses his arms as he straightens his back to appear taller. Like he’s trying to scare off a predator, Bradley thinks, amused in his weary state.

"Very funny. Aren't you supposed to be in the medical right now?" Something akin to concern flashes through Hangman's green eyes when he gives Bradley a once over.

"Apparently, I won't die if they let me out of their sight for the night so they’re allowing me to sleep in a bed that is marginally more comfortable," Rooster doesn't have the energy to bicker with his teammate. He walks into the room and closes the door with a loud click, drowning them both in darkness.

There is a commotion and a soft curse coming to the right from where Hangman was just standing. It’s all followed by a triumphant hum and a small lamp brightening the room.

"Your turn," Bradley says, crossing his arms against his chest. He tries to suppress a wince at the pain, but something in Hangman's face tells him it wasn't a successful try. "What are you doing in my bunk and where is Bob?"

The man shifts under his gaze, his posture stiffens and he looks to the side, avoiding Rooster's eyes. He's hesitant but he quickly realizes that his teammate won't let him off the hook if he doesn't explain himself.

"I- Javy kicked me out of our bunk," the blonde lifts his hand to rub the back of his neck as he shoots Bradley a quick look. "I kept waking him up so he made me switch with Bob. We didn't realize they were letting you out today so we didn't think it would be a problem."

Bradley opens his mouth to ask more questions but Hangman startles him by grabbing a hoodie from the top bunk and moving toward the door. He already has his hand on the door handle when Bradshaw takes a step to the side, blocking his way out.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Jake seems surprised when he turns to face Bradley "Leaving?"

"Why?"

The look that Hangman gives him next suggests that he thinks Bradley hit his head a little too hard the previous day.

"What do you mean why?"

The eye-rolling makes his headache worse but Bradshaw decides to ignore it.

"I'm not going to sleep anytime soon so you might as well stay," he shrugs and presses on the door with his hand until the lock clicks back in place.

Silence falls between them as they stare at each other, neither wanting to be the first to break eye contact. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the blonde purses his lips and takes a step back, surrendering.

"You need rest," he murmurs, barely audible.

Bradley just sighs, passing him on the way to the bottom bunk. A loud groan escapes his lips when he sits on the edge of the bed and leans down to get rid of his boots. There is a sharp pain piercing his chest that knocks a breath out of him and brings out the dark spots that dance in front of his eyes. A split second later there is a hand on his back, rubbing it gently, as he straightens up and tries to even out his breathing.

A few beats pass before the other man speaks and this time he's not hiding the concern that laces his tone "Are you okay? Do I need to get someone?"

"I'm fine," Bradley shakes his head, still a little breathless.

Hangman doesn't look convinced but he doesn't press. Instead, he drops to his knees without a word and makes quick work of untying the other man's shoes. Once that's done, he gets them off Bradley's feet and helps him lie down in the bunk.

Bradley lets his eyelids fall as he fights off a sudden wave of nausea. Moments later he feels a blanket covering him and opens his eyes to see Jake frowning down at him as he chews his bottom lip.

"I'm fine," repeats Rooster but his weak voice only makes the frown line deeper.

"Sure," the answer is strained and the eye contact is cut short.

There's a scraping of metal legs against the floor that makes Bradley grimace, followed by a "Sorry" barely louder than a whisper. The chair that Hangman dragged closer to the bunk beds creaks a few times, as the man shifts in it trying to find a comfortable position. Eventually, he rests his elbows on the edge of the stiff mattress and starts to play with the corner of the scratchy blanket.

Despite the rising annoyance, there is something in the blonde's face that stops Rooster from voicing his irritation. Instead, he reaches out and covers Jake's trembling hands with his.

"You're really going to sit there all night?" he smiles, aiming for humor but it doesn't seem to have the intended effect as the only reaction is a quick shrug.

They let a few minutes pass in silence.

"I'm okay, Jake," Bradley tries once again, giving Seresin's hands a short squeeze. "I'm a little banged up but I'm still here. Thanks to you."

Some of the tension seems to leave Hangman's shoulder as he lets out a shaky breath and nods his head. His eyes seem a little watery but he starts to blink rapidly before Bradshaw can open his mouth to comment on it.

"Yeah," he sniffs softly and gives Bradley a shadow of his usual cocky smile, "and don't you forget that, Bradshaw."

Rooster can't help but laugh at this, even if the action jostles his bruised ribs enough to cut it short. He shakes his head, giving him an amused look, and gets himself more comfortable in the cramped bunk. His eyelids start to feel heavy, even though not long before he felt like he wouldn't be able to fall asleep for hours. He can't suppress a yawn that escapes his lips and makes his eyes water.

"You should try to get some sleep," notes Jake in an unusually gentle voice.

A noise of protest Bradley makes is interrupted by another yawn.

"So should you," rebuts Bradshaw once he gets rid of the tears fogging his vision. "I don't see you getting ready for bed."

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me."

Another wave of tiredness rolls through the man's body as he watches Hangman rest his head on his folded arms. His green eyes stay trained on Bradley's face as he shifts in his seat, seemingly trying to get into a more comfortable position.

"Have it your way," sighs Bradley, accepting that this is a fight he's not going to win. "But don't complain tomorrow when your back is killing you."

"Okay."

The softness in Jake's look is something that Rooster had never experienced before but he's too tired to think about it. He finally lets his eyes close and drifts away as he feels Seresin's thumb slowly stroke the back of his hand.

A loud crash startles Bradley out of his deep sleep. He lets out a soft groan and lifts himself up on his elbows, looking around the room to figure out what happened. Once his eyes get used to the light and he's able to think straight, he starts to put things together as he fights off a sudden wave of nausea.

Coyote is standing in the doorway. He's clearly amused as he watches Hangman rub the top of his head with a grimace on his face. The metal chair that was dragged closer to the bunk is now on the floor. It was probably a source of the noise that woke up Bradley.

"Are you okay?" asks Javy in a low voice but there is something in his tone that suggests he's not that concerned.

"Fucking peachy, you asshole," mumbles Jake, rolling his shoulders back.

"You hit your head pretty bad," chuckles Coyote, involuntarily filling the blanks in Bradley's head.

"Because you scared me," accuses the blonde, frowning at his best friend.

"I didn't expect you to be asleep by his side like you're waiting for him to wake up from a coma," there is another laugh spilling from between Coyote's lips.

There's an annoyed huff that escapes from Hangman when he gives his friend a dirty look.

"Hey, I'm just glad that you got some sleep," Javy puts his hands up in a mock surrender but despite the humor he's clearly going for, the genuine tone is obvious in his voice.

"You're going to wake him up if you kee-," Jake turns to look at Bradley for the first time and freezes as their eyes lock. "I- hi," his cheeks turn a light shade of pink as he looks around, visibly embarrassed.

Rooster just shakes his head and lies back down, throwing his arm across his face. He's still not fully awake and he can feel another headache looming on the horizon. It seems like a couple of hours of sleep on a hard mattress only worsened the pain. Even the smallest move makes him wince and it almost makes him want to be back in the medical, so he can ask for painkillers.

"Are you okay?" Jake's soft voice makes Bradley lower his arm so he can look at the blonde.

The man can only groan in response and, instantly, there is guilt creeping its way into his chest when he watches as his teammate's concern grows bigger.

"Want me to get you something? Or someone?"

Rooster swallows and takes a deep breath, ignoring the way it makes his ribs ache. It only seems to make things worse so he switches to shallow breathing. He slowly gets himself up to a sitting position and bends his knees so he can lower his head between them. A split second later, the mattress behind him bends under Hangman's weight and there is a warm hand rubbing Bradley's back.

It takes several minutes for the feeling to pass but Bradshaw waits a few more beats to make sure it doesn't come back before he straightens up and croaks a "thank you." His throat is dry but before he can even ask, there is a water bottle being pressed into his hand.

"Sorry about that," he murmurs after taking a few sips.

"It's all good. You're good, Bradshaw," the words that come from Jake's mouth are so quiet, Bradley wonders if it's just his imagination playing games with him.

[2]

The corridor in the barracks is dark and silent when Bradley walks out of his room, gently closing the door. It’s nearly 3 a.m. and he can’t sleep. He went to bed shortly after midnight and spent the next two and a half hours alternating between tossing in bed and staring at the ceiling. It’s been eight days since he and his team stepped off the carrier after completing the suicide mission and he’s yet to get some good night’s sleep.

He doesn’t expect anyone else to be awake at this hour and he’s so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t realize he has company until he steps into the kitchen. Hangman’s sitting at the table, staring at a coffee mug in front of him. It appears to be nearly full so it looks like he got there not long before Rooster does. He’s wearing gray sweatpants and a burnt orange crew neck with “Texas” written across the chest. Bradley thinks to himself that Jake looks good in this color and immediately feels his cheeks heat up.

Not wanting to startle the other man, Bradshaw clears his throat and finally enters the kitchen.

“What are you doing up?” he asks, making his way to the fridge.

“Could ask you the same thing,” mumbles Hangman, not even looking at him, and slowly raises his mug to take a sip. “We’re out of milk.”

“I’ll make sure to pick it up at the grocery store tomorrow, honey,” Bradley rolls his eyes, not even trying to hide the sarcasm in his tone, and grabs a half-empty bottle of orange juice. He doesn’t bother with a glass before he sits down at the table, ignoring the disgusted look on Jake’s face.

Something was going on with Jake and everyone started slowly noticing it over the last few days. Rooster was one of the first people that realized that the circles under Hangman’s eyes were getting darker and his temper was getting shorter. He always liked teasing his teammates - Coyote claimed this was his way of showing affection - but recently it was less about friendly teasing and more about picking fights wherever he could.

Fortunately, at this point, the team knew Jake well enough and no one was scared to call him out on his bullshit. The thing is, it seemed to have an effect different than they anticipated. Everyone expected Hangman to snap out of whatever bad mood he was in and start acting more like himself again. But what happened was Jake slowly withdrawing from them.

And after that came the avoidance. It seemed like Hangman always had somewhere else to be and something better to do. He was always the last one to show up to countless debriefings and the first one to leave the room when they finally got dismissed. He didn’t spend more time with them than was strictly necessary and only answered questions directed to him.

Bradley noticed that the only person he still talked to was Javy. It wasn’t a huge surprise because they were friends for several years now but they did spend noticeably less time together. Hangman stopped accepting invitations to go out and celebrate surviving the suicide mission, always having a good excuse not to go. And on top of that, he kept declining Coyote’s offers to stay behind with him.

This unexpected run-in in the kitchen is the first time in nearly a week Bradley sees more than the back of Jake’s retreating head. They stay silent for a few minutes, with Rooster staring at Hangman and Hangman doing everything to avoid eye contact.

“Cut the shit, Seresin. What is going on with you?” snaps Bradley as his patience runs out.

Jake shrugs, still not looking him in the eye, and starts rotating his mug on the table like he needs to do something with his hands. Finally, he gets up from his seat and walks over to the fridge. He opens it but doesn’t make a move to take anything out. Rooster knows that he’s stalling.

Bradley looks at him for a while before he gets up and forcibly closes the fridge door, cornering him against the counter at the same time.

He takes a deep breath before asking calmly “Do you want to try that again?”. He tries to catch Jake’s eye. “What is going on with you?”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” says Jake quietly, but doesn’t attempt to get away from him.

“Oh really? You’re in luck then, because I’m more than happy to tell you,” Rooster crosses his arms and straightens his back, still staring the other man down. He has maybe two inches on him but at this moment, he seems to be a lot taller.

He waits for a few beats, giving Jake a chance to say something, and presses his lips into a thin line when he realizes that it’s not going to happen.

“You’ve been avoiding everyone. Even Javy, and he’s getting really worried about you. We all are.” Hangman rolls his eyes at that like he doesn’t believe Rooster’s words, but keeps his mouth shut. “You’re barely talking to anyone and that, my friend, is a dead giveaway that something is wrong because up until this point you seemed to love the sound of your own voice.”

This time Jake opens his mouth to protest but doesn’t get a chance before Bradley speaks again.

“You’ve had your chance, now it’s my turn to talk. I don’t think I’ve seen you eat anything since we got off the carrier and yet you constantly look like you’re going to throw up. Probably because you’ve been drinking coffee like your life depends on it. You don’t even pretend to take care of yourself anymore.” Rooster shakes his head with a heavy sigh. “Do you want me to keep going? Because there’s more.”

“I’m fine. Everything is fucking fine,” spits out Jake just as the other man is opening his mouth to continue. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Oh, sure. If everything is fine, then why do you keep picking fights over every single fucking thing you can?” Rooster tries and fails to keep himself from raising his voice. He doesn’t want to get into an argument with Hangman, but it seems like both of them are on the edge and don’t need much to tip over it.

“Maybe you’re just really annoying.” Jake curls his hands into fists, finally looking up to meet Bradley’s eyes.

“Or maybe you just need to get some sleep before you faint from exhaustion!”

“How can I sleep when you die every time I close my eyes?!”

The silence that falls between them is heavy and suffocating. Jake immediately looks away from Bradley’s face, looking like he’d do anything to get out of this situation. He makes a move to get past Rooster and out of the kitchen but is stopped by a hand that gently grabs his arm.

“Why didn’t you say anything? Did you talk to the therapist about it?” Bradley asks softly, trying to read something from Jake’s face. He feels a flood of relief rushing through him when the second question is answered with a short nod. “You could’ve told me,” he stops for a moment to take a deep breath. “You should have told me. I’d…”

“You’d what?” Jake interrupts him sharply, ripping his arm from Rooster’s hold. “You’d offer to hold me while I sleep or what?” he laughs bitterly, shaking his head.

Jake clearly didn’t expect to say a soft “yeah” that makes him freeze. Maybe Bradley didn’t either.

“If that’s what it takes to give you peace of mind and a good night’s sleep?” Bradley shrugs, scanning his face carefully. “You look like you’re about to pass out at any given moment. Do I have to remind you that you saved my life? Spooning you for a couple of hours during the night is the least I can do as a thank you.”

Jake crosses his arm across his chest and waits for Rooster to say something more. He looks at a point just above Bradley’s shoulder with a stubborn look on his face, avoiding eye contact. Rooster was mostly joking when he mentioned sleeping in the same bed. But now that he knows it’s an option, he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want it.

“So what do you say, pretty boy?” Bradley asks as he puts his hand on Jake’s hip and squeezes it gently. “I really don’t mind,” he adds after a moment when he doesn’t get an immediate answer.

“Y-yeah, fine,” comes the choked answer from Hangman, who’s still avoiding his eyes.

Not wasting any time, Bradley turns to leave the kitchen, pulling Jake after him by his hand. They walk in silence, passing doors on both sides of the corridor until they reach the right one.

“I’m sorry about the mess. I wasn’t expecting company,” Rooster shoots him a smile that only gets bigger when it’s met with an eye roll.

Jake enters the room and stops next to the bed as he watches Bradley lock the door. He opens his mouth to say something but quickly shuts them when Rooster circles the twin bed while getting rid of his white t-shirt.

“You good sleeping on the right side?” The bed is small enough that it probably won’t make a difference, but Bradley wants to offer anyway.

Hangman only nods and removes his crew neck, but leaves the gray sweatpants on. They’re slung low on his waist, and Bradley can’t help but notice the newly exposed skin. He quickly slips under the covers, facing away from Bradley. Behind him, the other man folds his t-shirt and puts it on a nearby chair before joining him in bed.

Rooster turns off the lamp on his bedside table and gets comfortable, listening to Hangman’s breathing. They stay like this for a while, laying in silence and trying to fall asleep until Jake starts shifting uncomfortably on his side of the mattress.

“It was a stupid idea,” he sighs, sitting up. “I can’t sleep and I’ll just keep you up.”

“Wait,” Rooster holds out his hand and puts it on Jake’s wrist, shuffling closer to him. “I was serious about the cuddling so we can see if that helps,” he offers, stroking Jake’s skin with his thumb. “If you want,” he adds quickly, thankful that in the darkness no one could see the blush spreading from his cheeks down to his neck.

When he doesn’t get an answer, he lays down on his back and gently tugs on Hangman’s arm until he relents and puts his head on Bradley’s chest. Not wasting any time, Bradshaw raises his hand and slips his fingers into Jake’s hair. He hesitates for a second but then starts rubbing small circles on the back of his neck.

“My mom used to sing to me when I couldn’t sleep,” whispers Bradley, surprising even himself. He doesn’t talk much about his parents because even the happiest memories make his chest hurt, ache with longing that he still can’t outrun. But for some reason, at this moment - holding Jake in the darkness - he feels safe enough to offer him this piece of himself.

The silence falls between them and for a moment Rooster thinks that Hangman fell asleep, but then he hears the quiet “Please” coming from him. He lets out a shaky breath that he didn’t realize he was holding. He tightens his arm around Jake to bring him closer as he clears his throat.

“You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain,” starts Bradley and immediately stops when he feels Hangman shoot up from his chest. He can’t see his face but imagining what it looks like is enough to make him laugh.

“Sorry, sorry,” he laughs again and pushes on Jake’s back, prompting him to lie down. “I couldn’t resist.”

“Don’t make me regret this, Bradshaw,” says Jake, trying to sound annoyed, but it comes off as amused.

He eventually returns to his previous position on Bradley’s chest. The other man waits for him to get comfortable in his arms, before taking a breath, and starts to sing softly.

“Highway run… into the midnight sun. Wheels go ‘round and ‘round… You’re on my mind…”

The song goes on for a while before Bradley feels Jake’s breathing slow down as he relaxes in his arms. He keeps singing for a bit longer, wanting to make sure that Hangman’s sleeping deeply enough. He eventually stops and closes his eyes but not before pressing a soft kiss into Jake’s blonde hair.

When he wakes up the best morning, he’s alone in his bed. For a second, he thinks it was all a dream but then his eyes fall on a familiar orange crew neck, hanging on his bed frame, and smiles to himself.

[3]

The next few days are filled with debriefings, physical evaluations, psychological evaluations, and even more debriefings. The pilots finally find out that they’re required to stay in barracks for the foreseeable future, as they wait for the higher-ups to make decisions about their next deployments. They’re looking at at least a month of living together on base. In the meantime, they all have to go through obligatory therapy sessions to discuss recent events with professionals who can help them deal with the mental repercussions in a healthy way.

Some days are better than others, but ever since he opened his eyes this morning, Rooster has a feeling it’s going to be one of the bad ones. For the last few days, everyone seemed to be on edge and it only got worse as the days went on. The mission took a toll on all of them, and, as a result, they’re all grounded for the time being. The pilots and their WSOs are getting restless and the tension among the whole group is nearly palpable.

The day starts as it usually does, with Bradley waking up to an empty bed even though he fell asleep holding Jake.

They did it for the past few nights and it seems to be working for both of them. Rooster finally got some sleep and feels well-rested. Hangman stopped snapping at everyone and picking fights; he’s slowly starting to spend time with them again. He doesn’t seem as tense as before and the circles under his eyes start getting lighter. Rooster noticed all of this two days ago and felt like a heavy weight was lifted off his chest. He didn’t even realize that he cared about Jake that deeply, but now there was no point in denying it.

After staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, Bradley decides it’s time to get up and get some breakfast. He sighs heavily and throws the comforter to the side, taking this opportunity to stretch out.

The pain he feels makes him wince, but it subsides as quickly as it started. He’s still sporting several large, yellowing bruises and a sprained wrist. His stitches were taken out the day before and he’s grateful that he doesn’t have to watch his every move anymore in fear of ripping them out by accident.

The alarm clock on his bedside table shows it’s just a few minutes past 6 a.m. which gives him plenty of time to get ready and eat something before his therapy session. With that thought, he heads to the small bathroom attached to his room to take a quick shower and brush his teeth.

When he gets back to the bedroom, he notices a gray t-shirt folded neatly on the small desk that’s tucked into the corner of the room. He picks it up for a closer inspection and realizes it’s the same t-shirt that Jake was wearing the previous evening.

It happened a few times already. Hangman leaving pieces of clothing laying around Bradley’s room. Usually, he returns them without saying anything, but this time he hesitates for a split second before pulling it over his head. It’s tighter than his usual t-shirts but he doubts anyone’s going to notice, let alone comment on it. He won’t be wearing it for a long time anyway because he wants to change into his uniform right after breakfast.

Humming a random song, Bradley exits the room and turns to walk towards the kitchen. He nearly walks into Hangman, who looks like he just got back from his morning run, as he’s rounding the corner.

The other man opens his mouth and then promptly shuts them when his eyes travel down to Rooster’s chest. There’s a frown line forming between his eyebrows as he realizes what he’s seeing.

“Is that my t-shirt?” he asks, confused, his eyes flickering back to Bradley’s face.

“No,” Bradshaw can’t help but smirk, “I found it laying around in my room.”

He wants to say something more but is interrupted when one of the doors opens and they’re joined by one of their teammates. Omaha gives them a curious look and nods in place of a greeting but doesn’t say anything about how close they’re standing.

Bradley’s eyes follow the man as he disappears before looking back at Jake. He’s a little surprised to see an annoyed look on the blonde’s face. He doesn’t get to ask about it because before he can even gather his thoughts, Hangman pushes past him and slams the door to his room shut.

Confused about this whole interaction, Bradley finally walks into the kitchen and grabs a coffee pot. Thankfully someone got there before him and brewed a fresh one so all he has to do is fill a cup with delicious, steamy liquid. He makes some toast to go with that and joins Neil at the table, chewing slowly on his breakfast.

They get about 10 minutes of peace and quiet before Jake walks into the kitchen and immediately starts slamming every cabinet door. It seems like Bradley was right about it not being a good day.

“Do you maybe want to tone that down, buddy?” he sighs, leaning forward in his chair to rest his elbows on the table. “What crawled up your ass this morning?”

Hangman throws him a dirty look over his shoulder but keeps his mouth shut.

Bradley observes him for a moment, weighing his options, but decides he does not have the energy to deal with it right now. He gets up from his seat, quickly washes the dishes he used, and exits the room, without looking at Jake or saying anything to him.

The hours seem to drag the entire day and by the time it’s the evening, Bradley’s exhausted. His therapy session brought up some events he tried to forget and feelings he tried to suppress for a long time. Talking about his dead parents and strained relationship with the one person he always thought he could count on wasn’t his favorite pastime. Bradley didn’t realize how much all of this still hurt and now it feels like the old wounds got ripped open again. He just feels drained and all he wants to do is go to sleep.

He strips from his uniform, mustering the remaining energy to put it away properly, and crawls into bed. His eyelids feel heavy and he’s more than happy to let them close so he can get some rest. He’s sure he’s going to fall asleep within minutes but much to his surprise the sleep doesn’t come. He tries different techniques, from counting sheep to relaxing every part of his body from his feet to the top of his head. But the result is still the same.

Groaning, he turns to his back and reaches somewhere to the left to turn on the lamp. There’s a soft click and the room is brightened by a soft yellow light that makes him squint. He rubs his eyes for a moment, hoping it’ll help them adjust quicker, and sits up straight, putting a pillow against the hard headboard.

Not wanting to spend the entire night scrolling on TikTok, Bradley reaches for a book that he always keeps on his bedside table. It’s his mom's favorite book and she got that copy from his father at the beginning of their relationship. It’s clearly well-loved with dog-eared pages, comments, and love notes crammed on nearly every margin. It traveled with Bradley across the world, always bringing him comfort when he needed it the most.

He has read it many, many times before and by now he knows it by heart. He doesn’t remember the last time he decided to read it from the beginning, instead of flipping to his favorite parts. Exactly how he does right now.

“My fingers,” said Elizabeth, “do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women’s do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault—because I would not take the trouble of practising. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman’s of superior execution.”

Bradley smiles to himself, remembering the first time his mother tucked him in bed and grabbed the book to read as a bedtime story. It took them weeks to go through the entire book, but it’s one of his most cherished memories.

Darcy smiled and said, “You are perfectly right. You have employed your time much better. No one admitted to the privilege of hearing you, can think any thing wanting. We neither of us perform to strangers.”

Rooster keeps turning the pages, letting the story capture him like it did many times before, until the knock on the door startles him. He knows it’s late, without looking at the clock, and he knows there’s only one person that could want to see him at this hour. He gets up from bed without hesitation, placing the book on the comforter.

He thinks that maybe he should have ignored the knock and pretended he was asleep. Hangman has been either avoiding him all day or giving him a cold shoulder, but he can’t bear the thought of leaving him alone. Or being alone.

Instead, Bradley unlocks the door and returns to bed, without looking back. He can hear Jake sneaking inside the room and turning the key, before lifting the covers and slipping under them. There’s hesitation in his moves as he shuffles closer.

“I’m sorry about today,” comes an unexpected apology that makes Rooster look down at the blonde who’s making himself comfortable at his side.

He wants to tease Jake about the apology, but something about his behavior makes him ask, “Do you want to talk about it?” instead. Unsurprisingly, the answer comes in the form of a head shaking.

“Okay,” sighs Bradley and reaches to grab the book and put it back on the bedside table.

Hangman shifts and wraps his fingers around Rooster’s wrist. He then takes the book out of his hand and looks at the cover, frowning when he realizes that the letters are no longer readable, having faded over the years. He turns it back to inspect the open pages and there’s a glint of realization in his eyes.

“Pride and Prejudice?” he asks, looking up at Bradley with a raised eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Why? What’s wrong with Pride and Prejudice?” Rooster frowns down at him.

Jake shrugs, handing him back the book, “Nothing. It’s just that Jane Austen has better books.”

“Like what?”

“Like Emma.”

Bradley can’t help but snort when he hears it and the look on Jake’s face makes him laugh even harder. “I should’ve known that your favorite is the book about a pretty, blonde know-it-all who always has to have the last word,” he shakes his head, a small smile still playing on his lips.

“She’s not blonde,” huffs Hangman, corners of his lips already curling upwards.

“That’s the part you decided to focus on?”

“Would you rather have me focus on the pretty part?” fires back Jake, now openly smiling at Bradley.

Silence falls between them as they keep looking at each other, both blushing deeply. Neither of them says anything and finally, Hangman averts his gaze, letting his head fall back on Bradley’s chest. Instinctively, Rooster wraps his arm around his shoulders and pulls him closer.

They stay like this for a moment, breathing evenly, before Bradshaw speaks again. “It’s my mom’s. She gave it to me before she…” he stops, unable to continue.

Jake only squeezes him tighter, offering comfort in the only way he can think of. He doesn’t press any further, allowing Bradley to collect himself, but still letting him know he’s there for him.

Rooster sniffs quietly, rubbing his arm. “We should probably go to sl-”

“Could you read to me? Just for a minute,” Jake’s pleading voice interrupts him mid-word.

Bradley can’t find it in himself to deny the request. He brings the book up, closer to his face so he can see the tiny letters. As he’s opening his mouth, he realizes which part he’s gotten to before Jake knocked on his door.

Having no other choice, he clears his throat and begins reading out loud “Elizabeth was surprised, but said not a word. After a silence of several minutes he came towards her in an agitated manner, and thus began,”. As he’s doing this, he slips his hand under Jake’s t-shirt and feels him shiver at the light touch. It seems like it’s not unwelcome so he proceeds to drag his fingers across his skin, drawing random shapes.

His voice trembles slightly when he gets to the next part “In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

It doesn’t stop Bradley when he feels Jake still against him for a moment before he relaxes again. He continues to read until he feels the other man’s breath slow down and even out, indicating that he fell asleep.

Rooster turns off the light and closes his eyes.

The next morning he wakes up alone.

[4]

Over the course of the next few days, they get into a comfortable routine. Jake stops waiting until the last possible moment and knocks on Bradley’s door as soon as the corridor is empty. And Rooster doesn't lock the door, knowing that Seresin’s going to show up sooner rather than later.

The only thing that stays the same is the empty bed that Bradley wakes up to every morning. He tried telling Jake that he does not need to leave the room at the first crack of dawn, but it didn’t have any effect.

This morning starts the same and the day only continues to get worse from there. Rooster breaks his favorite mug, loses his sunglasses, and on top of that is a witness to at least three different arguments. He’s not even sure what they’re about, but he’s pulled into each one the same, asked to mediate or name a winner.

But the worst part comes when he least expects it.

The day is slowly coming to an end as Bradley decides to spend some time in the rec room, hanging out with a few members of his squad. He’s sitting on the couch and laughing at Fanboy and Natasha’s intense game of charades when he spots a movement near the door. He instinctively turns that way and what he sees knocks the air out of him.

In the corridor, right outside the room, Jake’s talking to Coyote. And it wouldn’t be a bad thing if it wasn’t for the way the blonde looked. Right away Bradley notices that his eyes are red like he just stopped crying and that his hands are shaking, despite the fact he’s trying to hide it. And as if that’s not enough, there’s something in his eyes that makes Bradley’s heart break into a thousand pieces.

Before he can overthink it, Rooster gets up from the couch, ignoring the looks a few people throw his way. In a matter of seconds, he’s standing in front of Jake reaching to put a hand on his shoulder. He does not expect the blonde to take a step back and look away, pressing his lips into a thin line.

“Hey, wait. Is everythi-” he doesn’t even get to finish the sentence when Jake shakes his head and walks away.

Bradley’s first instinct is to follow the retreating figure, but he only takes one step before a hand on his chest stops him in his tracks. He looks down, surprise painted on his face, and then to the side where he meets Javy’s eyes.

“He had a rough session,” explains Coyote with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Give him space, okay? He’ll come to you when he’s ready to talk.”

It takes everything in him to stay where he is when his heart is screaming at him to follow Jake.

Knowing that he won’t be able to resist the temptation to go and find him if he’s on his own, Bradley turns on his heel and returns to the rec room. He sits back down in his previous spot, pretending not to notice the look Phoenix is giving him. He doesn't move from his seat for the next few hours, even as everyone starts to slowly filter out of the room.

Realizing that he’s been sitting in the room alone for the last 15 minutes, lost in his thoughts, Rooster gets up and slowly walks to his bedroom. Once he’s inside, he starts to feel like the walls are closing down on him. He suddenly feels restless and like he’s suffocating.

He knows himself well enough to know he won’t be getting sleep anytime soon. There’s one thing he likes to do when he feels this way so he quickly changes into some jeans and throws a Hawaiian shirt over the t-shirt he’s already wearing.

Grabbing car keys from his bedside table, he throws the door open and nearly runs into Jake who freezes with his hand raised to knock.

“Do you want to go for a drive?” Bradley cuts in as the other man opens his mouth to say something. He doesn’t wait for the answer; he knows it’s a yes when he hears the footsteps following him as he makes his way to the parking lot.

The streets are empty when they drive around in relative silence interrupted only by the whirr of the engine. There’s a tension between them that hasn't been there since they shook hands on the carrier after Jake broke the orders to save Bradley and Maverick. It’s making Rooster feel uneasy.

He wants to ask what happened that put Jake in such a bad mood but he knows better than to press.

His patience is rewarded soon enough when he hears a soft sniff to his right, followed by a nearly inaudible, “I’m sorry.”

Bradley frowns, keeping his eyes on the road. “About what?”

He does not expect to hear “About what I said about your dad and Mav back in training.” It startles him enough to make him slam the brakes. Luckily, they’re the only ones on the road right now.

Closing his eyes, Rooster drops his head to rest his forehead on the steering wheel. His fingers grip it so hard they turn white. It takes him a couple of minutes and several deep breaths until he feels calm enough to sit back up and look at Jake.

The blonde man sits on the other end of the bench, pressed against the car door. His hands are curled into fists, resting on his knees that are bouncing lightly. His eyes are fixed on the glove box in front of him and filled with tears threatening to spill out with every blink.

“It was fucked up of me to say,” whispers Hangman, tensing like he’s bracing himself for a punch.

“Then why did you say it?” It's hard to keep his tone level when he’s finally ready to speak. This wound has just barely started healing and Jake ripped it open once again.

“That’s not imp-”

“It is. You want me to forgive you? Then talk, Hangman.” He hates the fact his voice is full of venom, but he can’t stop it once it starts spilling down his tongue.

Jake looks at him from under wet eyelashes and nods his head, before turning his gaze away. “Just… let me say it then, okay? It’s hard enough as it is and it’s going to be harder if you start interrupting.”

It makes Rooster huff with annoyance and roll his eyes, but he does agree to those terms. Despite the anger that’s bubbling in his chest, he’s curious to know what was the motivation behind his teammate hurting him like that.

“I was scared,” admits Jake, twisting his fingers together in a way that has to be painful. “I’d been watching you fly and, fuck, Bradley. You were too slow. You know you were,” there’s a pain in his eyes when he turns to look at Rooster. “And I was afraid that was going to get you killed out there.”

He lets out a deep breath before picking up where he left off. “I thought to myself that maybe if I make you angry if I get you to snap you’re going to get out of your head and stop second-guessing your every damn move.”

“And you decided to bring my dad into it?” Despite his promise, Bradley can’t help but ask.

“I’m sorry. I really am,” Jake looks at him pleading as his voice breaks. “I’ve been terrified of losing you, but I regretted what I said as soon as I did it.” A few tears roll down his cheek but he’s quick to wipe them off.

It’s not a confession Bradley expected. He stares at the other man, with his heart hammering in his chest and blood rushing in his ears. It’s overwhelming, to say the least, and leaves him speechless as he puts the car into gear. His hand is shaking a bit when he changes gears but the act of driving helps him calm down and collect his thoughts.

He spots an empty, well-lit parking lot out of the corner of his eye and makes a sharp turn, making Jake yelp in surprise and wrap his hand around a door handle. Rooster’s still silent when he stops the car in the middle of the lot, not bothering to park neatly between the lines. He can feel Hangman’s curious stare on him as he reaches for the radio and fumbles with the knobs for a moment before he’s happy with the station he finds.

“Get out of the car,” orders Bradshaw, throwing his door open.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You heard me.” He does not offer an explanation as he exits the car and stares at the blonde expectantly.

Still frowning, Hangman does what he’s told and closes the door before circling the vehicle to stand next to Bradley.

Bradshaw reaches inside to turn the volume up and soon Lionel Richie’s voice floods the empty parking lot. Pleased with the song that’s playing, Bradley takes a step back from the car and puts an arm out toward Jake.

The other man looks down at it, visibly confused, and then looks back up.

Rooster rolls his eyes and reaches to grab his wrist. “Dance with me, Jake.” He takes another few steps back, leading them further away from the car before he pulls harder to have the blonde fall into his arms.

It’s awkward at first. Hangman’s moves are hesitant and uncertain, his whole body stiff as he tries to follow the lead. Bradley doesn’t let it discourage him, he keeps twirling the other man and pulling him closer so they can sway their hips together. At some point, he lifts Jake’s chin to look him in the eyes and tells him to relax and stop looking at their feet.

By the time the next, faster song rolls around Jake’s moves are looser and there’s a smile lingering in the corners of his lips. For a moment there, Bradley forgets how to breathe when he notices the pure joy in the green eyes. They get lost in the moment, laughing together and screaming the lyrics as they dance around the parking lot.

“My mom said you can’t hurry love. No, you just have to wait. She said love don’t come easy…” sings Bradley, holding Jake close as they swing together under the flickering light of the street lamp.

The music slows down, smoothly transitioning into the next song. They stay like this, pressed against each other with one of Bradley’s arms wrapped around Jake’s back. The other one lifted slightly to hold his hand. They make small steps, swaying slowly in a circle and Bradley starts humming softly, his cheek pressed against Jake’s.

They stand still as the song fades. Jake shifts slightly so his forehead is now pressed against Bradley’s and lets out a shaky breath. He opens his mouth to say something when…

“There you have it, folks! Eternal Flame by The Bangles!” The radio host’s loud voice is startling enough to make them spring away from each other, their cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

Knowing that the bubble burst and they’re left with the awkwardness of it all, Bradshaw clears his throat before speaking carefully, “We should probably get going.”

Jake nods shortly, avoiding looking at him, and makes his way to the car. He doesn’t bother with opening the passenger door, just gets in from the driver’s side and simply slides down the bench. Unlike last time, he doesn’t escape all the way to its end. Instead, he stays close enough that their shoulders brush, every time Bradley reaches to change the gears.

Neither of them speaks again until they drive out of the parking lot.

“You have a fucked up way of showing that you care,” says Rooster, feeling the other man tense next to him. “I’m not saying that I forgive you. I don’t think I’m ready to let it go entirely, but I’m getting there,” he continues, focusing his eyes on the road.

“Okay, I understand,” Hangman sniffs quietly. “But… we’re okay, right?”

“Yeah, we’re good, Jake. We’re very good,” he can’t help but say and there’s warmth filling his chest when he sees the corners of the other man’s lips curling upwards.

Not long after, Bradley notices out of the corner of his eye that the other man lifts his hand to cover up a yawn.

“Don’t fall asleep yet,” he puts his hand on Jake’s thigh and gives it a short squeeze, feeling the way a breath hitches in the man’s throat. “We’re nearly there.”

He pulls to the stop just a few minutes later and turns off the engine.

“Come on, pretty boy. Let’s get you to bed.”

Bradley gets out first and holds the door open as Jake follows him clumsily. They quietly enter the barracks, ignored by everyone that’s still awake, and turn to reach their bedrooms.

Jake slows down when he’s near his room and lets out a surprised yelp when Rooster pulls him along by the sleeve of his shirt to a few doors down. Without making a fuss, Jake walks behind him into the bedroom and kicks off his shoes, tight jeans following closely behind. He crawls into bed, still yawning, and only waits for Bradley to wrap his arms around him before falling asleep.

He looks so peaceful and content that Bradley lets himself hope that he’ll wake up to this view the following morning. But when it comes, he doesn’t even have to open his eyes to know his heart’s going to get broken.

[5]

The rec room is filled with easy chatter when Bradley strolls in, wearing his flight suit. The excitement is buzzing through the room filled with pilots. It's been nearly three weeks since they came back home and it's the first day they're allowed to go up in the sky. Like the rest of the group, Rooster’s been itching to fly for days.

He's immediately greeted with a cheerful chorus of "hellos" coming from everywhere all at once. He answers with a smile and a short nod as he scans the room. Finally, his eyes find the blonde head he's been looking for. Before he can even take a step in the right direction, someone steps in front of him, making him halt.

"In a hurry to get somewhere?" A knowing glint in Natasha's eyes makes blood rush into his cheeks.

"No, not really."

Bradley glances over Natasha's head into the room, trying to be subtle. But the look he gets from her confirms that he wasn't convincing. He tells himself it was worth a shot, even though it's an obvious lie. Giving her an awkward smile, Bradley rubs the back of his neck as he tries to think of a good explanation.

The thing between him and Jake is still so new and he's not entirely sure what to call it. They've been sharing a bed almost every night since the kitchen incident. And on the nights the other man doesn't knock on his door, Bradley feels lonelier than ever. Those are not good nights; he spends them staring at the ceiling and waiting for the hinges to creak as the door is pushed open. It's not a common occurrence, sleeping alone, but it did happen a few times, making worry settle deep in Bradley's stomach.

He knows he's been taking too long to give Natasha an answer when he sees a smirk forming on her lips. Laughter bubbles in his chest and he can't help letting it out, drawing attention to himself. There are a few whistles and teasing comments asking what put him in such a good mood, but he shakes his head, not letting the smile fade, and shrugs them off.

"You've got it bad," mutters Phoenix, but she's smiling too.

Rooster winks at his best friend and claps his hand on her shoulder before crossing the room to get to the couch that's tucked in the corner. When he gets there a pair of green eyes is looking at him with a silent question.

"Hey," he greets Jake and sits down in the free spot next to him.

"Hi."

Bradley didn't see the other man in the morning. Just like every time before, Hangman quietly slipped out of the room without waking him up. If he stayed, Bradley would have noticed the tiredness painting his features and dark circles under his eyes and he would have been able to interrogate him about it in private. But right now, he can only sigh and shoot him a concerned look that's answered with a short shrug.

"Did you sleep at all?" he asks quietly, shooting a quick look around them to make sure no one is listening. "I thought I was helping with the nightmares." The frown line between his eyebrows deepens as he watches Jake give him a sad smile.

"I'm fine." The terse response does nothing to ease Bradley's concern. "It's not the nightmares, I promise. It's just," the blonde gestures vaguely towards his head and drops it back so it rests on the back of the couch, "too much going on."

Bradley hums quietly and involuntarily lifts his hand to brush his fingers through Jake's hair, running his hand up the back of Jake’s head. He freezes almost immediately. It's nothing he hasn't done before but normally there is no one else to witness it. The other man doesn't seem to mind as he lets out a soft hum and lets his eyelids drop for a few moments.

"I'm excited to get up there again," Jake murmurs hesitatingly, fighting a yawn, "but right now I just want to take a nap."

"Go ahead," Bradley scratches Jake’s scalp lightly, just the way he knows Jake likes. "Everyone's going to be at each other's throats to get the first turn. We can go last and you can get some sleep in the meantime."

Jake opens his eyes to look at him and hesitates for a moment before straightening up. The other man immediately yanks his hand back and opens his mouth, ready to apologize.

"Move over a little bit," orders Jake, already shifting in his seat.

Rooster frowns, a tad confused but does what he's told. It makes sense a moment later when the blonde lies down on the couch with his head falling into Bradley's lap. A content sound escapes his lips as he makes himself comfortable and lets his eyelids drop again. Once he stops moving, Bradley takes a shaky breath and lowers his hand again to gently thread his fingers through Jake's hair.

Bradley spends the next few moments watching Hangman's chest rise and fall evenly as he slips into a dream. The blonde looks younger once he relaxes into Bradley and the tension leaves his shoulders. His features become softer and he looks so peaceful it makes Bradley's chest ache with a kind of deep longing.

A quiet cough somewhere to Bradley's right draws his attention and makes his head snap upwards. Only then he notices ten pairs of eyes looking at him with varying levels of curiosity. For the second time since he entered the rec room, he can feel his cheeks heating up as a blush spills down his face and neck.

"This is new." Omaha is the first person to speak up as he crosses his arms, looking at Bradley with a shit-eating grin on his face.

He can only roll his eyes in lieu of an answer before another person starts to tease him. Soon everyone joins and the room is filled with people talking over each other and gradually raising their voices.

"Hey, you're going to wake him up,"Bradley urges quietly, trying, and failing, to keep the annoyance out of his tone.

A chorus of quiet "sorries" answers him and most of the people walk away to busy themselves with something else, shooting him a couple of amused glances. The ones that decide to stick around sit down on other couches and start talking in hushed voices, not wanting to disturb the sleeping man. Rooster tunes them out. He lets his head rest on the back of the couch as he focuses on lightly stroking Jake's head. After a while, his thoughts start to drift and when he next looks down, he's met by a pair of green eyes looking back at him.

"Hi," he says with a soft smile playing on his lips.

Jake blinks at him a few times and opens his mouth like he wants to say something, but he quickly shuts them again and averts his gaze. His head stays on Bradley's lap for a moment but before he can say anything, Hangman is already up, mumbling something about getting coffee.

Bradley presses his lips into a thin line, suppressing a deep sigh that threatens to spill from his throat. He ponders if it's a good idea but before he can talk himself out of it, he gets up and follows Jake out of the room. He finds him in the kitchen, staring daggers at the coffee machine tucked into the corner of a countertop.

"It's not going to make it go any faster," he says, trying for humor but the hesitance in his voice is still noticeable.

To Bradley's surprise, the other man turns away from the counter to face him. He's still closed off with arms crossed in front of his chest, but it's a start. He can work with it, he thinks to himself as he takes a few steps, closing the distance between him and the blonde.

"Talk to me, Jake." Bradley's hand cups one of his cheeks and forces him to look up.

He can feel the shaky breath escaping Jake's lips as strokes his skin gently.

"It's okay, you can tell me." His words are barely louder than a whisper.

What happens next startles a gasp out of him.

Because one moment Jake is looking at him, visibly nervous, and the next his lips are pressed to Bradley's in a delicate kiss that doesn't last longer than a few seconds.

The blonde pulls back too soon for Bradley's liking, making him lean forward and chase his lips to lock them together again. Jake freezes, taken by surprise but he relaxes as soon as the other man's arm slips around his waist and pulls him closer. His lips taste sweet. Like coffee with caramel syrup and a creamer that he probably had earlier this morning, like he usually does. It's quickly becoming Bradley's favorite taste and he can't seem to get enough of it as he deepens the kiss. Soft gasps start to spill from Jake's lips as he slowly slides his hands up Bradley's shoulders and lets one of them tangle in his brown hair.

The time seems to slow down as they kiss lazily with Jake pressed against the countertop but eventually, they have to pull apart, gasping for air. They stay close, still holding each other with their foreheads pressed together as they wait for their breaths to even out.

Bradley takes Jake's face between his hands and gives him one more soft kiss. His luck seems to have run out because as he's opening his mouth, there's someone walking into the kitchen looking for them.

"Mav says we're about to st- " the rest of the sentence turns into a surprised yelp. "Sorry, didn't realize you two were busy," Mickey laughs awkwardly, shuffling backward toward the door.

Jake is the one to answer him, resting his forehead on Bradley's shoulder "Tell Mav we'll be right there."

Fanboy lets out a noise of agreement and quickly walks out, nearly tripping over his feet.

They stand there in silence until Jake lets out a loud snort that sends them both into a fit of laughter. Bradley buries his nose in Jake's hair as his body shakes with a silent laugh. It takes them a while to calm down because they start laughing again every time they share a look.

Eventually their breaths even out and they're able to look at each other with matching soft smiles on their faces.

"That was a nice surprise," says Bradley, playing with a zipper on Jake's flight suit. His voice is teasing but the affection in his eyes ruins the effect he was going for.

"Sorry it took me so long," mumbles Jake, a pink blush painting his cheeks, as he puts his hands on the other man's hips.

"It's all right. You were worth the wait."

The smile Bradley gets in return makes a breath catch in his throat. He realizes he'd do anything and everything to see this smile on Jake's face every single day of their life.

"We should probably go. Before they send someone else to look for us," sighs Jake, looking over Bradley's shoulder at the door.

Rooster nods in agreement and takes a step back but not before lacing his fingers through Jake's. They stay close, their shoulders pressed together and their hands joined, as they make their way back to the rec room where they join the other pilots. Unsurprisingly, they are welcomed with cheers and wolf whistles as soon as they cross the doorway.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bradley can see Jake roll his eyes and stick his tongue out at Javy, who's giving him not-so-subtle thumbs up. It doesn't go unnoticed by Jake, who pushes him lightly with his shoulder and gives him a mischievous look. He doesn't have any time to react before he's pulled into a heated kiss that makes the cheers even louder.

"What was that for?" he asks, a little breathless, when Jake pulls away.

"I just wanted to show them how it's done," the blonde grins at him, visibly pleased with himself. "Do you want to show those amateurs how to fly a plane?"

Bradley leans down and presses a soft kiss into his lips. "Lead the way. I'll follow you everywhere."

[+1]

Bradley steps out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a white towel around his hips, and smiles when his eyes land on a familiar figure lounging on his bed. Jake looks up from his phone and sets it aside, returning the smile. He's dressed in a pair of grey sweatpants and a t-shirt that Rooster suspects belong to him.

"Hi." Rooster leans down to place a soft kiss on Jake's lips.

The blonde man smiles into the kiss and places his hand on the back of Bradley's neck. He slowly leans back, dragging the other man with him until he loses his balance and falls right into Hangman's lap.

"Hello to you too," Jake grins, placing both of his hands on Bradley's hip, right above the towel that threatens to fall off any second.

"You're a menace," Bradley rolls his eyes at him and quickly gets up, making sure to hold on to the towel tightly.

Hangman laughs at that and watches as Rooster walks over to the dresser and opens the top drawer to get a fresh pair of underwear. Bradley's cheeks heat up as he feels Jake's eyes on the back of his head.

"You like that about me," muses Jake, very pleased with himself.

"That's still up for debate," Bradley sticks his tongue out and throws the towel on the blonde's face, using this as a distraction to get dressed. He pulls a t-shirt over his head and laughs when he pops out the other side and sees the expression on the other man's face.

The pout on Jake's face is an indication he didn't get a good look, but Bradley is more than happy to kiss it off when he joins him on the bed. They make out lazily for a couple of minutes until Bradley pulls away, fighting a yawn that escapes his lips, despite his efforts.

"Sorry," he mumbles, a tad embarrassed, and leans back down to kiss Jake who turns his head away making Bradley frown.

"Let's just go to sleep." Jake slips his hand under Rooster's t-shirt and strokes the skin right above the elastic of his boxers. "We'll have plenty of time to do that tomorrow morning after we get some rest."

"Promise?" asks Bradley, lifting his hand to brush the hair away from Jake's forehead.

"Promise," whispers Jake, squeezing his hip for emphasis.

Satisfied with the answer he got, Bradley reaches to the bedside table and switches off the lamp. It takes them a couple of minutes to settle into a comfortable position, but soon both of them drift away into a peaceful sleep.

***

Bradley slowly opens his eyes and immediately feels a breath catch in his throat. He can feel something heavy on his chest but for the first time in days, he feels like he can breathe. He looks down and smiles softly to himself. He lets himself bury his nose in Jake's blonde hair and kiss the top of his head. Bradley squeezes Jake a little tighter and lifts his hand to gently brush Jake's cheek with his thumb.

The blonde man shifts in Bradley's arms but stays asleep, drooling on his t-shirt. His mouth is half open, his hair is a mess and there are pillow marks on his skin but he's still the most beautiful man Bradley has ever seen.

Bradshaw reaches toward his bedside table to grab his phone and freezes when he feels Jake stir in his eyes. He doesn't move for a moment, waiting for Seresin to settle again, and only then lifts his cell to check the time. There are still over 40 minutes until his alarm is supposed to ring and he can feel the excitement bubbling in his chest when he realizes what that means.

It's not even the promise of going further than kissing that makes him dizzy with anticipation. It's finally getting to enjoy a lazy morning with Jake by his side.

With his patience running thin, Bradley slips one of his hands under Jake's t-shirt and runs his fingers down Jake's spine, enjoying the way the other man shivers in his sleep. It seems to do the trick because soon Jake's eyelids flutter open and he lifts his head to look at Bradley.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Bradshaw closes the distance between them and joins their lips in a soft kiss. It takes Jake a moment to respond but soon he's matching Bradley's enthusiasm, pulling him closer until he's flat on his back with Bradley on top of him.

"Good morning," murmurs Bradley when he finally pulls away to catch a breath.

"Oh, it's very good." Jake smiles softly at Bradley as he threads his fingers into the hair on the back of Bradley's head and pulls him in for another kiss.

Bradley smiles into the kiss and slowly rolls his hips into Jake's, drawing a moan from his lips. Pleased with himself, Bradley moves his head lower and starts kissing and licking Jake's throat. He has to hold back so he doesn't leave any visible marks but what he's doing seems to do the trick anyway because soon enough, Jake is a whimpering mess under him.

"Still good, baby?" asks Bradley as he shifts to be able to get his hand under Jake's t-shirt and run it up and down his chest, cupping one of his pecs in the process. "Should we get rid of this?" He tugs on the t-shirt when Jake nods frantically in response to the previous question.

Bradley bites his lower lip as he helps Jake undress and urges the man to lie back down. He dives right back in, attaching his lips to Jake's collarbones as his hands play with Jake's nipples. The blonde man soon stops trying to suppress moans and other noises that now escape his lips freely.

Bradley smiles to himself, letting his lips and hands travel down Jake's body, enjoying the way Jake squirms under his touch, lost in his pleasure. He takes his time pressing kisses to the other man's skin, right above the band of his boxers. The light grey material is already wet and dark from the precum, straining over Jake's hard cock.

Humming softly, Bradley buries his face between Jake's legs, kissing and biting the sensitive skin on his inner thighs. He moans quietly when he feels Jake's muscles tremble as he struggles to keep them still.

"Bradley, please." A strangled sob spills from Jake's lips as he slips his hand into Bradley's hair.

"Please what, baby?" asks Bradley, running his nose up and down Jake's inner thigh. "Tell me and I'll give you everything."

Jake shivers under his hands and whines quietly, throwing his head back on the pillow. "I need your mouth," he says finally, his voice nearly breaking.

Bradshaw squeezes Jake's hips and presses a kiss to his hip, prompting him to keep going. When he doesn't get an answer, he looks up, gently stroking Jake's skin.

"Come on, sweetheart. Tell me."

"I need your mouth on my cock," stutters Jake, tugging Bradley's hair harder.

Bradley smiles again and pushes himself up to connect their lips in a sweet kiss. As he licks into Jake's mouth, he slips his hands beneath the band of Jake's boxers and squeezes his hips, urging him to lift them off the bed. Jake complies, desperately digging his nails into Bradley's shoulders.

Bradley presses one more kiss to Jake's blushing cheek and returns to his previous spot between his legs. Eager to get his mouth on Jake, he wraps his lips around the tip of his cock without any warning, making Jake cry out in pleasure. He lets his eyelids drop as he hums quietly, letting his tongue run along the slit, licking every drop of Jake's precum.

Jake gasps and yanks his hair harder, fighting to keep his hips still. Bradley decides to make it easier for Jake by pressing them to the mattress as he takes him deeper into his mouth. He sucks in his cheeks, drawing another moan from Jake. He takes his time, bobbing his head up and down until the tip of Jake's cock hits the back of his throat. He hums around it and squeezes Jake's hip lightly, telling him to stay still and letting one of his hands wander between his legs.

"Please, I'm-" chokes out Jake, the rest of this sentence drowning in a long moan, as he tugs Bradley's hair to get him to pull off.

Bradley only sucks him harder, letting one of his fingers brush Jake's rim and it's what finally tips Jake over the edge. Jake comes down Bradley's throat, loud moans spilling from his lips. Bradley swallows as much as he can and finally pulls away, but a moment later he covers Jake's body with his and kisses Jake's temple. He doesn't expect Jake to tilt his head and press his lips to Bradley's, moaning as he tastes himself on Bradley's tongue.

They make out lazily until Bradley pushes himself up with a sigh and gives Jake the softest look. "Come on. We have just enough time to shower and grab some breakfast before the briefing starts." He gets up from bed, ignoring Jake's whines, and holds out his hand.

"Fine," mumbles Jake as he grabs it and puts his feet on the floor. It takes him another moment to stand up but then he lets Bradley pull him toward the bathroom without further protest.

Jake slips into the shower first and busies himself with the knobs as Bradley takes off his boxers and t-shirt. Bradley tosses the clothes on the floor, not caring where they land, and joins the other man in the cramped cabin. There's not much room with the two of them but there's enough for Bradley to press Jake to cold tiles and kiss him deeply.

Bradley gets so lost in the kiss and so overwhelmed with Jake's presence that he doesn't even notice when Jake's hand wanders between his legs and closes around his hard cock. Bradley gasps into Jake's lips and squeezes his eyes shut. Moan after moan spills from Bradley and it only seems to make Jake more turned on.

"That's it, darling." Jake wraps one arm around Bradley's waist to steady him as his other hand moves up and down. "You're so good for me, aren't you?" Jake murmurs, his lips brushing Bradley's.

Bradley shivers and drops his head to rest his forehead on Jake's shoulder. Bradley's mind is fuzzy and the only thing he can do is let out sobs of pleasure. He knows the angle can't be comfortable for Jake but he can't help but press himself to Jake as he gets closer and closer to the release.

"Can you look at me, honey?" purrs Jake into his ear, rubbing circles on his lower back. "I want you to look at me when you come." His warm breath caresses Bradley's hot skin, making him tremble. "Can you be good for me?"

Bradley nods and forces himself to lift his head. The reward comes immediately as Jake joins their lips in a sweet kiss before he starts whispering praises again. Bradley drags his shaking hands up Jake's body, squeezing his chest for a moment before he rests them on Jake's shoulders.

"That's it, sweetheart, that's it." Jake gives him another soft kiss. "You can let go."

Bradley digs his fingers into Jake's shoulders when Jake twists his hand in just the right way. After that, it only takes a few more tugs for Bradley to spill all over Jake's fist.

"Oh my god," mumbles Bradley, nuzzling Jake's neck when he comes back to his senses. "You are-" he doesn't finish, just shakes his head making Jake bark out a joyous laugh.

"You like that about me, too" hums Jake. He wraps his arms tighter around Bradley and leans down to kiss the top of his head. They stay like that for a few minutes until the water starts to run cold and forces them to wash up quickly and get out of the shower.

Bradley steps out first, his legs still a little shaky, and hands Jake a towel. He grabs the other one for himself and soon they're both dry, standing in front of the bathroom sink brushing their teeth. There is something so domestic about it, it makes Bradley's heart swell in his chest.

Jake quirks one of his eyebrows, giving Bradley a questioning look when he finally notices him staring. "Do I have something on my face?" mumbles Jake with a toothbrush still sticking out from between his lips.

Bradley shakes his head with a fond look in his eyes and lifts his hand. He puts it on Jake's cheek and gives it a few gentle strokes, earning himself an eye roll.

For the first time in years, Bradley feels like he's home.