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katsu28 · 14 days

Note

hi Kait! congrats!! ☕️ "Why are you mad?” “I’m not mad, I just think you can choose better people to kiss.” with bradley bradshaw please!! ily

thank you! this is unbelievably late so i apologize but you know what the french say! soo la voo, or whatever (that's from tiktok, french tumblr girlies (gn) pls don't come for me)

bradley "rooster" bradshaw x roommate!reader (2k)

“I had a really nice time tonight, Jake.”

“Yeah?” Jake smiled, letting your joined hands swing between the two of you as he walked you to your front door. “Me too.”

“We should do this again sometime.” Was it too bold of you, asking for a second date when you were only moments away from the end of your first? Probably. But Jake was nice and charming and made you feel special all night.

“Can I kiss you right now?”

Your smile grew even bigger at his words. Of course you wanted this very sweet, very handsome man to kiss you. You were hoping he’d do it this whole night. “Please.”

Jake slid a hand around the back of your neck, bringing you closer and closer until your lips connected. The kiss was everything you’d hoped it would be, but before either of you could deepen it, you faintly heard the sound of the locks unlatching from inside your apartment. Before you could warn Jake, the door swung open with a gust of wind.

“Well hello there, you crazy kids!”

You fought the urge to scream at your roommate’s smug as shit voice, pulling away from Jake with what you hoped was an extremely venomous glare aimed at Bradley. The smile on his face matched his tone of voice, shit eating and absolutely enjoying it.

“Rooster.” Jake nodded awkwardly. He stepped back like he’d just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, rubbing at the back of his neck. He avoided Bradley’s gaze, looking to you for any ounce of comfort you could provide, but there was little you could do when Bradley got like this.

You’d been living with Bradley Bradshaw coming up on a year now, and for the most part it had been smooth sailing. He was a great roommate and tidy to a fault, always keeping his space neat and the shared space even neater. You probably had the Navy to thank for that. In addition to that Navy instilled tidiness, as a person he was kind and funny and a little bit of a dork, but you loved that about him.

Something you didn’t quite love about him, however, was the way he acted whenever you went on dates.

You couldn’t even really call it jealousy because you’d never been together—not that you hadn’t thought of it occasionally. With someone as perfect of a person as Bradley, the thought was bound to cross your mind sometime. It wasn’t quite territorial, but definitely more than him just looking out for you.

“Hangman.” Bradley responded coolly. He mirrored Jake’s crossed arms, leaning against the door frame. “Getting back a little late, aren’t we?”

“Shut up.” You said, words a near hiss through a tight smile. You turned back to Jake, splaying a hand across his chest. “Ignore him.”

“He can’t ignore me, he’s standing on my doorstep.”

“Bradley, I swear to god—”

Jake patted your hand, giving it a squeeze before stepping away. “No it’s fine, I can take a hint. I’ll be on my way.”

“Okay.” You sighed, trying hard not to sound too defeated. “Text me when you get home?” Jake nodded, but judging by how quickly he walked back to his car, it was safe to say there would be no second date. You stormed into the apartment without waiting for Jake to drive away, shouldering past a madly grinning Bradley with a frustrated huff.

“You’re an asshole, Bradshaw.” You scowled, throwing your sweater at him. He dodged it easily, tossing it across the back of the couch with a snort.

“I don’t like him!”

“He’s from your squadron. He’s your friend.” You deadpanned, raising a brow. “You’re the one who introduced us to each other, and now you don’t like him?”

“I don’t like him for you.” He corrected himself, crossing his arms over his chest. “He used to be a playboy, you know that, right? I don’t want him playing with your feelings!”

You whirled around on your heel, fixing him to the spot with a glare. “Then why did you set me up with him?”

Bradley’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, like he was searching for any excuse to answer your question. He could say he just wanted to help. He could say a whole lot of completely bullshit things, anything but the real reason. Bradley couldn’t give an honest answer to your question, not without exposing his own feelings for you. So he just shrugged, letting his hands slap against his thighs helplessly.

“Don’t act like you did me any favors, Bradley. I don’t know what you have to gain from messing with my love life, but however funny you think you are, you’re not. So just stop it, please.”

“Y/N, I—”

“I’m gonna head to bed. See you in the morning.”

You left him behind at that, hurrying to your bedroom before he could get in another word.

-------

Bradley’s knuckles rapped against your door, echoing through the empty hall.

He wasn’t used to you being upset with him (not that he didn’t deserve it this time, because he definitely did). There was usually some sort of noise coming from your room, whether it was music or the show you were binging, or even just you having a conversation with yourself in the confines of your own space. Things that annoyed him a little at first, but soon grew to love about you.

The silence right now felt weird. Foreign. Just another sign that he’d massively fucked up.

“Hey. It’s me.” No answer. He knocked again, a little more insistent this time. “I’m sorry for being a dick.” Still no answer. “C’mon, Y/N. I hate it when we fight. And I really am sorry. Feel free to open the door and kick me in the nuts or something.”

The door swung open with a creak, and Bradley squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation for a foot to the nether regions that thankfully never came. He cracked one eye open to see you retreating over to your bed.

You’d changed into your pajamas in the time that it took him to formulate an apology in his head. Showered too, judging by the whiff of your citrusy shampoo he got when he came to settle at the edge of your mattress.

“Thanks. For not actually kicking me in the nuts.”

“I was thinking about it.”

“I deserve it.”

“You do. You were petty earlier, Bradley. Kinda mean too.”

He bobbed his head quickly, agreeing. “I was. And I’m sorry.”

“You set me up with Jake only to sabotage any chance of a relationship with him. And you can’t even tell me why.”

“It doesn’t matter why.” Bradley blurted. He cleared his throat, composing himself despite the disbelieving look you threw his way. “I know it was wrong of me to do what I did, but Hangman wasn’t right for you.”

“That’s none of your business though!” You said shrilly, rising from your seat with anger. You all but stormed across the room, putting enough distance between Bradley and yourself so you wouldn’t feel tempted to strangle him. He was being impossible and way out of line. “My love life—who I date, who I like, it’s none of your business!”

Bradley was growing angry too, but not at you. At himself, for letting his feelings for you get to this point. “It is! It is my business when I know there’s someone better out there for you. Someone who understands you and supports you and loves you—who would never even think about treating you like anything less than the amazing person you are.”

“You’re not making any sense. Why do you even care so much?”

“Of course I care! I care about you, Y/N, you know that!”

“I know you do, but that’s not—” You let out a frustrated huff. “Why are you so mad?” You exclaimed, genuinely exasperated at the way he was acting.

“I’m not mad.” Bradley scoffed. “I just think you can choose better people to kiss.”

“Like who, Bradley? Who’s this someone better you keep talking about?”

“Me.” He said simply. It was blunt—maybe a little too much so, but maybe it was necessary. Dancing around the fact hadn’t done any good, so maybe this unexpected approach would give a different result. A better one.

All your anger dissipated in a flash, replaced with hurt. He had to be kidding. This had to be some sort of fucked up joke, because there was no way Bradley Bradshaw had feelings for you. Not in the same way you felt about him. “Bradley, that’s not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be.” He insisted, shaking his head. “I mean it. I saw you from the side window, him walking you up to the step, and when I saw him kiss you, I just—there was this feeling…like I’d been kicked in the chest. And when I see you, every morning, every night, every day, I feel like I—”

“Stop.” You whispered, barely audible. Bradley’s voice died mid-sentence, brows knitting together at the sight of your seemingly pained expression. “What are you doing? What do you want from me, Bradley?”

“I want you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. All I still want.”

You didn’t reply for a scarily long time, and when you did, your voice shook. “If you cared about me like you say you do, you wouldn’t have done what you did earlier.”

Bradley’s stomach dropped, tendrils of guilt creeping their way up the back of his neck like vines. He hadn’t even thought of it that way. He’d been so preoccupied with his feelings, he hadn’t even stopped to consider yours. From your perspective, Bradley was doing this all out of spite. (Which wasn’t at all true, but things weren’t looking too good for him.)

“It was stupid. A mistake, I know. One I’ll try my damndest to amend.” He insisted, reaching out with a reassuring hand on top of yours.

The moment his hand touched you, you stiffened. Didn’t pull away, didn’t retreat like you’d been burned, but it had the same effect. Oh, he’d definitely fucked up. You’d never reacted to him like that before, never had any reason to. Now you did, and the reason for it was entirely his own doing.

“I think you should leave.”

“...The apartment?”

Your shoulders crept up to your ears, dropping in a haphazard shrug. “No. I don’t know, just—let me be alone right now?”

He murmured out a soft okay, rising from his seat. He knew when to leave things be. Or he did now, at least.

What he really wanted to do was to reach out as he passed you, to hold your hand or brush along your cheek or something, anything, to make you understand that he hadn’t told you to hurt you. But he didn’t, because he knew it would only make things worse. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen, I—yeah, I’m just…sorry.”

You didn’t respond, just kept your eyes trained on your socked feet like they were suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. It made his guilt grow a thousandfold. He lingered at the threshold of the room a moment, hoping you’d garner one last glance at him and see just how sorry he was.

You didn’t.

Bradley let the door click shut behind him on his way out. He let out the biggest, heaving sigh, letting his head tip down towards his chest, because seriously, he was such an asshole.

He’d never been good at the whole “talking about his feelings” thing, and it was clearly showing, bleeding into his words and actions as if it were some sort of excuse for him to be acting the way he did.

He hated how it made you feel like he was trying to sabotage your love life. It had never been his intention, but intentions didn’t matter in this situation.

How could he even begin to try and make this better? Would you even let him have the chance?

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#kait's 2k!#bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw fic #rooster bradshaw angst #bradley bradshaw angst

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intricatechaosofyou · 6 months

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I have a request for you

TW: mentions of being sick (like a cold)

Hey I'm feeling a bit sick so I was wondering if you could write how Mickey "Fanboy" Garcia,Jake "Hangman" Seresin, Robert "Bob" Floyd and Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw would do that or something?

You don't have to I was just wondering

Sick Days

Pairing: x gn!reader

Fandom: Top Gun: Maverick

Summary: You’re not feeling well. Luckily the Navy’s best is a pretty good nurse. Just some headcanons about how our favorite flyboys react to you being sick :)

Request: yes

Warnings: being sick (symptoms similar to a head cold), medicine

Author’s note: this is my first request???? Wtf?? And I hope you feel better hun!! <3 this is actually a little late cause I got sick too so perfect timing haha. Also first time writing for most of these characters! I hope you enjoy!!

━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━ ━

Robert “Bob” Floyd:

My guy gets so worried

Does a quick little Google search to make sure he’s giving you the best medicine for your symptoms

He will make sure you’re so comfy in bed

You’re surrounded on all side by pillows and blankets and tissues

It’s a glorious nest

He’ll make you tea with honey to soothe your throat and help you drink it

Constantly checks in on you to make sure you’re still doing okay

Barely leaves your side

When he does, he’s texting you constantly

Like seriously, he’ll be in the kitchen and text you

[are you feeling alright?]

[Robby, you saw me thirty second ago]

[just checking]

Not to mention he cannot say no to you while you’re sick

You wanna watch that horror movie he despises? Anything for you

You wanted to know if he’d make his mama’s famous biscuits? Say no more

Literally pampers you

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw:

Mama Carol taught this boy the ✨best✨ soup recipe

Like it cures all

The second you sniffle or cough, he’s racing to the store to get the ingredients

Rooster is such an acts of service person, so he’d totally make this soup to show his love

He’ll do everything within his power to make you better: soup, make sure you get plenty of sleep, get your medicine, and if you claim a kiss will make you better? How can he resist

Definitely goes a little bit overboard in his caring

The softest, sweetest voice while he’s talking to you

“Hey, chicken. You gotta eat. I made my mom’s famous soup”

Will rub your back as he sings you to sleep

While you sleep, he gets the soup put away and makes dinner

Except to pampered, you will not be lifting a finger

No cooking, no cleaning for like a month after you get sick

Rooster’s taking care of it all (and if he misses his training, he’ll get Mav to understand)

Jake “Hangman” Seresin:

He’s a complicated man

You mention you’re sick and his immediate response is “don’t get me sick”

You cough or sneeze and he’s out of bed in an instant

And it’s hurts, like does he really prioritize not getting over your well being

You wallow in self pity for ten minutes until he comes back in with a box of tissues, cough medicine, some water, and a large glass of orange juice

“You were out of orange juice so I went to get some, babe”

He left to get you some “sick supplies” to get you better faster

Cause he’s a sweetheart when he wants to be, and he’s gotta make sure his sweetheart is good to go

He makes you stick to Navy routine:

Medicine every few hours, drinking a glass of water every hour, taking your temperature intermittently

It’s funny honestly, cause he’s never cared for the rules but the second you’re sick he’s the biggest stickler for the rules ever

“No, baby, you gotta take the medicine. It’ll help you feel better”

“Jakey, I don’t want to”

“C’mon, sooner you’re better, sooner I can kiss you”

You think over his words for a second before holding out your hand and letting him hand you the pills

He’s gonna get you better as soon as possible (he really misses your kisses)

Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia:

He’s the type to try to distract you

You aren’t feeling well? Time to break out the jokes

Dances like an idiot when he delivers you soup or juice or anything like that

And don’t get me started on how intuitive he is (that’s what he gets from being a backseater)

You want soup? Stove’s already on

Need some water? Full glass is already ok the nightstand

Out of tissues? Where’d that new box come from?

Literally anticipates your every need

And if you just want cuddles? This is your man

He will cuddle your sickness away

“Babe, I don’t think that’s how it works” “shhhhhh”

He will let you lay your head on his chest as your watch dorky shows and he really earns his call sign as “Fanboy”

Definitely the one to subtly try and slip you medicine so you don’t notice and won’t taste it

One of the bestest boys to have with you while you’re sick 10/10

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topguncortez · 8 months

Text

Truth Hurts || Whumptober Day 1 - J. Seresin

whumtpober masterlist || whumptober taglist form

synopsis: You never imagined sharing your deepest darkest secrets in front of two monsters and your best friend. Loosely based on the book “Still Beating” by Jennifer Hartmann.

@ailesswhumptober whump prompt: drugging @ailesswhumptober

word count: 4.5k

warnings: kidnapping, mentions of sexual abuse, physical abuse, mentions of miscarriage, murder, character death, truth serum, drugging, forced proximity.

You liked to think that when you were to die, it would happen quickly.

A car accident, a gunshot wound, a failed ejection, ingesting too many sleeping pills.

You wanted it fast. You didn’t want to suffer. You didn’t want your death to be one that would be talked about twenty years from now and people’s eyes would automatically fill with tears when it was spoken about. You didn’t want to meet the same fate as your husband, Bradley, had met nearly a year ago.

It’s funny how things don’t seem to work in your favor.

Six days. Six long, excruciating days of pain, starvation, and abuse. That’s how long you had been locked in this dungeon of horrors, alongside your best friend, Jake. You always thought that these sorts of things only happen in the movies. You didn’t think that you would be dumb enough to fall for a woman on the side of the road who claimed her baby was choking. You didn’t think that you would be dumb enough to make Jake stop the car so you could run out and go help her. You also didn’t think Jake was dumb enough to get out of the car and try to rescue you from the man dressed head to toe in black who held your passive body.

But, here you were. Chained like animals in some psycho couple’s basement, waiting for them to come down and do whatever horrible things they had on the dockette for the day.

“They’re probably sending out a search party,” Jake said, from across the room in his own cage. Whoever had taken you had done this before. They had a whole set-up down here with chains and cages that resembled jail cells. You looked over at Jake, giving him the same glare you had been giving him every day since day one. He, somehow, was hanging onto his optimism, while yours had left almost instantly.

That’s how Jake has always been. He’s always been this bright light in your life, and you should appreciate it. You really wish that you could appreciate it, but something had died inside you a year ago when you had buried Bradley. You weren’t the same happy-go-lucky girl who grew up with an amazing family and got to do the coolest job in the world alongside her husband and her childhood best friend. Instead, you were just the shell of the person you once were.

“I-I know they are. I know they would have the best-”

“Jake,” You sighed, closing your eyes. He knew better than to continue on. He had never been on the receiving end of your anger before being trapped down here. You could be volatile, and spit venom when you needed to. You had already apologized profusely for the words that you had said to Jake after what was now probably the worst day of your life, but Jake forgave you.

The silence between you stretched on for a moment, the only sound being the steady tapping of dripping water from the leaky faucet in the corner of the basement. You had never been so envious of concrete before.

“Do you miss him?” Jake asked quietly. You turned your head over to him, raising your eyebrows in a silent way to tell him to elaborate, “Bradley.”

Your eyes went from Jake’s forrest green ones, down to your dirty feet.

Of course, you missed Bradley.

You missed everything about him.

You missed his laugh. His horrible dad jokes. His honey-brown eyes. His loud, off-key singing. His sunkissed, warm skin. His awful dancing. His soft and sweet kisses. Hell, you even missed yelling at him about leaving the toilet seat up.

But most of all, you missed his strong, comforting hugs that could make a grown man cry. Bradley Bradshaw had always felt like home to you, and you missed your home.

“Every single day,” Your voice was barely above a whisper as you spoke.

Every single day, you wished that you could turn back the clock. That you could’ve been the one who was at home that night. The detective told you that it was a “home invasion gone wrong”. A horrible case of wrong place, wrong time. But you always believed that there was more to it. That the detective with the large belly and graying hair just wanted to move on to a bigger, worse case than this. You had pushed and pushed them to look at the case just a little bit more.

“Sweetheart, no one would want to kill one of America’s finest. The case is closed. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

But he wasn’t in the wrong place at the wrong time. You found his body in the kitchen of your shared home. Those words bounced around in your head on the darkest nights, as you sat on the ground in the room that was supposed to be a nursery. Bradley had been so excited about starting a family with you. The way his eyes lit up every single time he’d see a baby on the street or would look at baby clothes at Target. All you had wanted was to be able to give him the child he longed for.

“I was going to tell him,” You said, leaning your head back against the cold cement wall. Jake looked up at you. Your face was dirty, and the grime of being without a shower for nearly a week starting to show. Your eyes, the ones Jake used to think resembled the earth, were dark. Your hair was limp and greasy around your shoulders, “I was going to tell him that I. . . That I was pregnant, that night.”

Jake sucked in a breath and looked down at the ground. He had been with you, cramped in a small bathroom at the post exchange on base as you took the pregnancy test. You had been so happy, he swore he had never seen a brighter smile on your face before. Jake held you tightly as you cried tears of joy, and immediately called your mom to tell her.

Jake had also been by your side, picking you up off the ground as blood ran down your thighs, just a mere days after Bradley’s death. He never wanted to hear the sounds of pure anguish again. The sound of your wails as you stood in the kitchen, haunted Jake at night. The sight of all the blood made him sick, and the scent of copper was forever engrained into his mind.

“He would’ve been so excited,” Jake said, looking up at you.

“I imagine it was a girl. He was always meant to be a girl dad.”

Bradley had a small pocketbook that he would keep with him, jotting down names that would come to him throughout the day that he liked. They ranged from names of famous rockstars to biblical names.

‘What do you mean Jebbidiah isn’t a good name?’

‘Jeb Bush. . .’

‘You got a point.”

You chuckled at the memory, shaking your head lightly. You and Bradley had narrowed his list of nearly a hundred names down to at least two, one for a boy and one for a girl.

“Lennon,” You smiled, “Lennon Dhani Bradshaw. Dhani, spelled like how George named his son. You know how much I love-”

“The Beatles, I know,” Jake nodded.

You gave him a quick glance and then went back to your little glimpse of happiness, “My favorite song was-”

“Here Comes the Sun and In My Life, I know,” Jake said again.

The silence stretched back over the two of you. You used to mind the silence between you and Jake. Before, it was that comforting silence that signified the strong bond between the two of you. You used to be able to sit in the same room, on opposite ends of the couch, reading books or scrolling through your phones, neither one feeling the need to fill the air with conversation.

Now, you feared the silence.

You let out a sigh, before going to speak, “Jake, I-”

The sound of the large door at the top of the stairs cut you off. The sick feeling of dread filled your body, as thudding footsteps made their way down the crikey wooden stairs. Your body started to tremble as your kidnappers came down for their daily routine.

Bonnie and Earl, are two odd, sick ducks that somehow, some way met each other and fell in love. Bonnie had gone on and on the first night, while Earl acted out his vile assaults on you, about their “love” story. Apparently, it was love at first sight, and the two got married within a month of knowing each other. They also kidnapped their first couple within that same month.

“Rise and shine!” Bonnie’s chipper voice sounded out like nails on a chalkboard. Your throat felt tight as Earl’s eyes locked directly on you. Bonnie walked over to you, grabbing your chin with her cold, dainty hand, “Are you ready, Bunny?”

You shook your head, tears welling up in your eyes as you looked in her cold blue irises. After the first night, you had hoped to maybe reach out to Bonnie, to break through to her and get her to let you go. What sane woman would be okay with the monstrosities her husband acted out on women? Apparently, Bonnie.

“Too bad,” Bonnie chuckled, grabbing you by the arm and pulling you up to stand. Earl replaced Bonnie by standing in front of you, his hand already down his pants, jerking himself off. At this point in time, the routine was basically burned into the back of your eyelids.

Earl takes Bonnie’s spot. Bonnie undoes Jake’s cuffs. Bonnie sits Jake down in a chair across from you and Earl. Jake hurls insults and threats at the two of them. Earl commits his heinous crimes. Earl and Bonnie leave the two of you alone in complete silence.

You were starting to wonder if it would ever end.

— — —

“You know hanging is the worst way to go?” Jake said, cutting through the silence.

It was day twenty-one, and you had officially lost hope of ever making it out alive. Bonnie and Earl had been feeding you less and less, only a sandwich every two days instead of every day. You made sure that when you brushed your teeth, you took extra gulps of water, savoring the taste of it down your throat.

“You don’t die instantly,” Jake continued, “You struggle, your lungs aching for air, you know what’s going on until the moment your neck snaps.”

You looked over at him, seeing the dull look in his eyes as he stared off into space. You knew Jake started to come to terms with your current state. It made your heart ache to hear and see the optimism slip from his body. You weren’t sure when it happened, probably after day fourteen.

Day Fourteen.

The second worst day of your life.

First, was losing Bradley.

Second, was watching as your friend stood defenseless and was forced to commit an act he’d rather take a bullet for.

You had hardly ever seen Jake cry, but as he stood in front of you, emptying himself in you, he had broken down, whispering apologies into your dirty skin. His light green eyes had grown dark and dull as he was dragged away from you, leaving you cold and broken. Jake had refused to even look at you, turning his body to face away. You had told him several times throughout the night that you weren’t upset or mad, that you understood what he had to do.

“I’m not mad at you. I understand it, I do. You did it to survive, Jake. I forgive you.”

You thought for sure that you were going to lose Jake after that. He didn’t speak for a whole day. After twenty-four hours in silence, the only sound was the occasional creak of the floorboards and the drips from the leaky pipe. You thought for sure that you would wake up and see Jake’s lifeless body on the floor. But instead, you woke up to his gentle, soft voice, singing.

‘In My Life… I Love You More…’

“I’d say being stabbed to death is worse,” You said softly, “Yes, hanging is awful, but it only lasts a matter of seconds. Being stabbed? Can last for hours. Painful, agonizing hours, where you lie alone in your own blood, and can’t do anything but wait for someone to either find you or for the reaper to take you.”

Jake felt a sudden rush of nausea run through his body at your words. His body felt hot as he looked over at you, sitting on the ground, absent-mindedly moving your foot back and forth over a crack in the cement. You always used to be the one who got sick at even the thought of blood. Now, to hear you talk so frankly about death, made goosebumps arise on Jake’s skin.

“You think he struggled?” Jake whispered.

“He fought back,” You sniffled, “The detective said he defense wounds on his arms. He always said he’d find a way to come home to me.”

Jake could remember sitting in the stale, white-walled room with you as the detective handed you the manila folder that held the official autopsy report. Why you wanted to read it and see the photos of Bradley’s mutilated body, was beyond Jake. It was bad enough that he had to see the blood trail and stained red hands. But you stared at the pictures for hours. The pictures of the man you loved and the house that was now an active crime scene.

The morning faded into day, as the shadows of the sun coming through the basement windows began to move. On day three, Jake taught you how to estimate the time by the position of the shadows on the cement wall. He guessed that the house faced towards the west, and every night as the sun began to set, your hair would have a certain warm glow to it. The two of you were playing your usual game of twenty-one questions, trying to pass the time until the inevitable happened.

You were trying not to think of whatever horror could unfold today. It seemed that on every seventh day, something worse seemed to happen. Day Seven was the first day you were assaulted. Day fourteen was the day Jake was forced to hurt you. And now, you were waiting to see what day twenty-one had in store.

Every time the sound of the basement door would open, a cold shiver would go down your spine, and you pulled your knees up to protect yourself. It was a futile chance at hopefully keeping Earl and Bonnie away from you, but it never worked. There seemed to be some charged energy between the two of them as Bonnie happily skipped down the stairs and stood outside of your cell as if you were an animal at the zoo.

“Today is gonna be great!” She cheered, a sick smile on her face, “I want the girl first, baby. I know she’s got secrets to confess.”

“Anything for you, honey bunny,” Earl cooed at his wife and placed a kiss on her lips. He then turned, digging the keys to your cell out of his pocket, “You must be waiting for today, bunny,” Earl said to you, a sickening smirk on his face. He undid your cuffs like he always did, and led you over to the open space between yours and Jake’s cages. Instead of chaining you up to the post in the middle like he usually would, he sat you down in a chair. He chained your cuffs behind the back of your chair and chained down your ankles.

Earl took a step back, admiring you like you were some type of animal he had just hunted down. You felt bile rising in your throat as he stepped towards you, his disgusting scent invading your senses. He smelled of sweat and blood, and his hands were dirty as he grabbed your chin in his hand, “You’re so beautiful, you know that, bunny?”

You clenched your jaw tightly, keeping your eyes down at the floor, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of looking at him, “I bet that’s why that boy of yours loved you so much.”

You snapped your head up, “What?”

Earl roared with laughter as he let go of your face and took a step back, “That’s what got your attention! Whew, and I was here thinking you were an idiot.” He wiped a tear from his face, stepping back to you and running a finger down your face, “That boy, what was his name? Bradley, was it? Handsome young man, so sad what you did to him.”

“You know nothing,” You shook your head, tears welling up in your eyes.

“Everyone will know all, very, very soon, bunny. . . hold still.”

“Wha-Fuck!” You cursed as you felt the pinch of a needle being injected into your neck. Your heart began to race as you looked in terror at Earl and now Bonnie who stood in front of you, “What did you do? What was that!?”

Bonnie giggled and held up a vial in her hand, “Truth Serum. Made it myself!” Earl put his arm proudly around Bonnie, her face resembling a kid who just had sugar for the first time.

“Is that going to kill her?” Jake yelled at Bonnie, who simply shrugged, “Hey! Y/N, look at me!” Jake rattled the chainlink that had been keeping you apart, “What the fuck did you do?!”

It felt like you were being suffocated as you looked over at Jake. Your head began to swim, and your limbs felt like you could hardly hold yourself up anymore. Your body began to feel warm and tingly as a thin layer of sweat started to cover your body. The only thoughts in your head were that this was it. This was the moment in which you were going to die. In this dirty, dingy basement with your kidnappers watching and your best friend trying to fight his way towards you.

Then, everything seemed to change. Every muscle started to contract, making you shiver violently. Every fiber of your being felt like it had been lit on fire, and a small scream left your body at the pain. You were scared your heart was going to explode from the sheer force of it beating in your chest.

“It hurts!” You cried, pulling on your cuffs, “Help! It hurts!”

“It’s working,” Bonnie clapped her hands in excitement, “Ask the question!”

Earl chuckled, holding his wife against his front, “Not yet, sweets. We gotta start off slow. First question, bunny, have you fucked anyone else since your husband?”

The words felt like hot lava trying to escape you, but you fought against them, pushing them down in your body, “No.”

Earl’s eyes narrowed at you, “It’ll feel better if you let the serum do its thing. Keep fighting, and it’ll kill you.”

“I’d rather die,” You grit your teeth, your nails digging into your palms.

“Don’t worry sweetheart, I can make that happen,” Earl said, “Now answer the question, have you fucked anyone else since your husband?”

You shook your head, scared that if you were to open your mouth, the truth would come spilling out. You never knew that the words “truth hurts” could be real until you found yourself in utter agony trying to hide the truth. Bonnie had her jaw clenched tightly as she watched you fight off her experiment. You wondered how many other people had been in your position. How many other people tried to fight and ended up dead? Or worse, ended up dead before they even got the chance to fight.

“I love him,” You choked out, “I would never hurt him.”

Jake shook his head, a scoff falling from his lips. Earl looked over his shoulder at him, a smirk forming on his lips, “You know something.” Jake instantly went quiet, not daring to look at you, but his body language was enough of a giveaway. You looked up at Jake, tears in your eyes as you begged him not to say anything. But Bonnie always prided herself on being a problem-solver, and a gasp fell from her lips. She waltzed her way over to Earl and whispered in his ear.

Earl stood up tall as he looked at you with a menacing smile on his face, “You cheated on him, didn’t you,” You groaned in agony, tears streaming down your face as you tried to fight off the effects of the serum. Earl huffed as he pulled the gun out of the waistband of his pants, and pointed it at Jake’s head, “Answer the question you fucking bitch! Or, I’ll blow his brains all over the wall!”

“Y/N. . .” Jake called out softly as you let out a scream.

“I cheated on him!” You admitted. The feeling of sweet relief filled your body, as the words came tumbling out, “It was a mistake! A total and complete, stupid mistake!” You cried, tears and snot running down your face as you looked at Jake, “I-I. . . it was stupid! And I told him, I know we promised no one would know, but I couldn’t lie to him. I felt awful. It was killing me!”

“And he forgave you?” Bonnie asked, letting out a guffaw, “What an idiot!”

“He loved me!” You snapped, pulling on your chains, “He forgave me, and it made us stronger.”

“So you don’t love, puppy over there?” Earl asked, turning to glance at Jake like he was fresh meat.

You clenched your jaw, feeling the painful truth rising up in your chest, but you fought it. Your nails dug into your palms as you shook your head, and you willed your voice to stay calm as you spoke.

“I don’t love him.”

Earl chuckled, walking up to you, and undoing your chains. You fell into a heap in his arms as he helped walk you back to your cell. You felt utter disgust as he ran his hand over your filthy hair, whispering how good you did in your ear, but your eyes never left Jake. His jaw was clenched tightly as Bonnie grabbed him and pulled him over to the same chair you were just chained up to. His green eyes bore into yours as Bonnie injected the same truth serum into his neck.

The serum felt hot as it made its way through Jake’s body, making his nerves tingle. It was a dull ache that he felt and did his best to remain upright on his own two feet. He wondered to himself if you wouldn’t have fought so hard to hide the truth it wouldn’t have caused you so much pain. He could feel his heartbeat start to rise in his chest, and sweat pool on his brow. Taking a deep breath, Jake looked over to Earl and Bonnie;

“Do your worst,” He sneered.

Bonnie shrieked in excitement, “Finally!”

Earl shushed her with a grin on his face, “Since the bitch won’t tell the truth, I guess the puppy will. . . You fucked her, didn’t you?”

“Several times,” Jake’s face was stoic as he answered truthfully. The guilt in your body seemed to weigh you down like cement stones. You hated what you did to Bradley, and the lies that you kept from him, but you couldn’t help your attraction to Jake, “And she loved every moment of it. Even begged me for more.”

“Whew! So she is a slut after all!” Earl looked over at you with that disgusting hunger in his eyes you’ve seen before, “I knew it. So tell me puppy. . . did you feel bad about it? What was it that she said? Oh, did you think it was a mistake?”

Jake clenched his jaw and looked over at you, “Never.”

“And why’s that?” Bonnie asked.

“Cause he was screwing someone else,” Jake admitted.

You gasped, holding your hand to your mouth, “That’s not true.” Bradley would never hurt you the way that you hurt him. He loved you too much to do that and it killed you to know how much you had hurt him.

“It is! I saw him, Y/N!” Jake yelled, “I saw him with that girl at the bar. Do you remember the one he told you was some annoying junior pilot with a crush? He was screwing her,” Jake spat. You shook your head, eyes wide, refusing to believe the words that Jake had just spoken.

“That’s a lie. He would nev-”

“It’s the truth, Y/N. They were doing it everywhere. At work, at the Hard Deck. . . at the house. Remember when he went to Virginia for a week? He went home with her to meet her family.”

“No!” You screamed, “He wouldn’t do that to me!”

“So what did you do?” Bonnie asked. Jake’s eyes bore into yours as he took deep breaths. Bonnie looked between the two of you, before yelling, “Say it!”

“I killed him,” Jake whispered.

“What? What was that?” She instigated, leaning into Jake and holding her hand to her ear.

“I killed him.”

“Louder! I can’t hear-”

“I killed him!” Jake yelled, his eyes never leaving yours, “I. . . I just wanted to scare him, to let him know that I knew what he was doing, and to get him to either come clean to you or stop. I-I don’t know what happened. But he. . . he started fighting back and I just. . . I lost control.”

“It felt great didn’t it?” Bonnie asked, walking over to Jake, putting her hands on his shoulders, and running them down his chest, “You felt that release. That sweet, sweet release,” You wanted to kill her as she placed kisses up and down Jake’s neck. He couldn’t help but flutter his eyes closed at the gentle feel on his skin, “You let out all that pent-up need that someone was depriving you of. It felt like the best orgasm ever, didn’t it?”

Jake looked away from you, guilt swimming in his eyes. You let out an anguishing cry as you collapsed to the ground, sobs racking your body as you dry-heaved. All Jake could do was sit in the chair and watch you. Earl walked over to you and picked up your body as if you weighed nothing. You thrashed in his arms as he grabbed your chin and forced you to look at Jake.

“You’d do it again, wouldn’t you?” Earl asked. Jake was silent as he looked down at the ground. “Answer me!” Jake looked at him, still keeping his mouth quiet. But you knew. By the look on his face, you knew what he was fighting.

“Answer him, Jake,” You said quietly, “You’d kill Bradley again, wouldn’t you?”

Jake couldn’t help the smirk that grew on his face as he looked at you, “I would kill anyone who hurt you, sweetheart.”

taglist: @a-reader-and-a-writer @seitmai @cassiemitchell @topgun-imagines @xoxabs88xox @sarahsmi13s @els-marvelvsp @ohtobeleah

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roger-that-cap · 7 months

Text

delicate

bradley bradshaw x fem!reader

warnings: cheating (it’s not bradley who does it but it is on the reader), slight emotional cheating, alcohol use, uh that’s it really! unedited as always!

word count: 4.4k

summary: bradley bradshaw has a best friend. he is also in love with his best friend. it’s a shame that everything’s just a little too delicate to mess with.

the way that i’m actively participating in this fandom is literally so funny to me considering i swore off posting my work in any fandom in like 2022 but here we are. my obsession with the white man with the mustache cannot be thwarted by words of the past. or the man with the cute glasses. or the cocky one with the toothpick. but we’ll take it one day at a time

also this is inspired by delicate by taylor swift ofc 🤪 this is for all my lover girls/boys/friends who want hot guys to dream of them. we are cut from the same cloth and we are two sides of the same coins.

Bradley Bradshaw was an outgoing guy. He was the guy that stopped the music just so that he could put on a show of his own. He was the guy that walked in late, expected attention, and got it. He was the guy that took other people out of their shells. He was confident in a way that was endearing. He was steady on his feet and he never faltered.

Until he met you.

The first time he saw you at the Hard Deck, he was intimidated. You were having so much fun on your own with your little group, clearly civilians who ended up in a bar full of sharks in uniform. That first night, all he did was look from afar.

The second time he saw you, your group was a little smaller, but you were still sporting that same smile. He was close enough to hear you turn a few men down over the course of the night, and that was enough to throw him off again. If it was meant to be, he’d see you again, he thought to himself.

And then he saw you again.

It was the night Penny finally put a karaoke machine in the bar. Bradley managed to convince all of the squad to come, simply because he scheduled himself for at least 3 songs. So they all showed up, and just as he was about to start thinking of what his opener was going to be, the bar music stopped and the karaoke machine started playing, accompanied with girly laughter.

There you were. Standing right at the front of the room with sunglasses over your face and a mic to your lips, fighting a smile as you started a one woman rendition of “End Game” by Taylor Swift.

It was clear by the grin on your face that you were doing it purely to make your friends laugh. He watched you in awed silence, dancing all over the small space and laughing when you took a misstep.

“She’s more ballsy than even you, Bradshaw,” Hangman said, nodding up to you dancing. “Or maybe the word is obnoxious.”

“She’s so cute,” Natasha said, laughing. “I love it.”

“Big reputation, BIG reputation,” you were saying into the mic, leaning halfway over.

“I’d have to be so drunk to do that,” Bob muttered to himself, but even he couldn’t deny the guts it took to go up there even as a joke.

The song ended, and you kindly handed the mic to the man standing at the machine, a sheepish look on your face until you were surrounded by your laughing friends.

“You gonna top that, Bradshaw?” Jake asked, and then Bradley looked over at you again, still smiling.

“I’ll let the bar cool down and prepare for me,” Bradley said, still looking over at you. It was then that Jake caught him.

“Why don’t you go talk to her?”

“Huh?”

“You should talk to her,” Jake repeated, and Bradley frowned at him. “She's pretty. Looks nice enough.” There was a pause, and then that ever-mocking smirk that came to haunt everyone’s dreams. It meant Jake was up to something. “Or I will.”

So, he did. He walked up to you, thinking it couldn’t possibly be that bad. The worst thing you could do was say “no”, and he would take that in stride. He never had to before, but he would if it meant he could just talk to you. Just see.

He was walking up to you, coming from behind, and then it was like you knew he was coming, because you whipped right around. And then he caught your eyes and all he could say was, “I love your hair.”

He kicked himself in that moment, but he realized afterwards that was probably what saved him. It was a strange comment, but it was better than a sleazy one. It was probably the only reason you didn’t tell him to leave you alone right away.

“Thanks!” You looked him up and down, but it wasn’t super flirtatious- you were just looking, like you were searching for a genuine compliment to give him. You just looked so sweet. “That mustache and shirt combo is awesome. I wish I could pull off colors like you.”

And that was the story of how you and Bradley became close friends. In the beginning, he told himself that he was okay with being just friends with the pretty middle school teacher. He was totally okay with you having a boyfriend, because he was your friend, and only that. But every time he saw you smile and laugh or how passionate you were while creating your lesson plans, he couldn’t help but know that he was lying to himself.

It didn’t help that your boyfriend was a piece of shit. Originally he wasn’t one outright, it was just the little things. He walked on the wrong side of the sidewalk. Bradley witnessed him make you split the tab at the bar. He had a wandering eye. He touched you only when another man got close, almost like he was guarding a treasure rather than protecting the love of his life. It was all wrong, and it all left a sour taste in Bradley's mouth.

The sour taste only got worse when five months into knowing you, that same good for nothing boyfriend of yours got another girl pregnant.

Bradley could have sworn that he was going to get discharged for beating up an enlisted man the first time he heard the news. You were crying, bawling your eyes out over the phone in the middle of the night, crying so hard you were nearly throwing up. You told him that you were calling him because you had nowhere to go and you had to get out of your house. He didn’t blame you. In fact, he had never driven so fast.

So, you stayed at his house that night. One night turned into three, and then three nights turned into a week, and it snowballed from there. At first, it was easy to hide his feelings. You were sad, and making a move was the last thing on his mind. All he wanted was for you to feel better, and soon you eventually did. But his selfish mind almost wished that you never had, because the second you started smiling again in his house, in such close quarters to each other, he felt his resolve slipping.

He felt the words coming on the tip of his tongue every morning. You left earlier than him to go to your classroom and set up, and you always left coffee out for him. Sometimes you made his eggs if you had enough time. You made dinner more often than not, insisting on doing that if he wasn’t going to charge you for staying with him. And then you would pick the best movies and you liked the ones he picked, too. You sang in the shower and the bathroom you used always had makeup and face wash and a comb in it, but you still kept it neat. The words were close to escaping his mouth, but when he clamped his teeth down and held it in, it made that same sour taste that your boyfriend did.

That very sour taste in his mouth was there at the bar when he realized he was watching you far too often for it to be friendly. The last thing he wanted to do was make it seem like he was trying to make a move on you while you were clearly still trying to get over what your ex had done.

“You’d better get your girl, Bradshaw,” Jake drawled, and Bradley rolled his eyes.

“She’s not my girl and she’s a grown woman, she can do what she wants,” he said tiredly, his voice so monotonous that the words sounded rehearsed. He knew that all his friends knew that they were, and it seemed like everyone but you had caught on to the hopeless romantic act he was hiding.

“Well, she never drinks and she doesn’t look like she’s handling it too well.” And then Bradley’s head whipped to the side, just where he knew you were.

Just as Jake said, you were walking up to the karaoke machine, an equally drunk Natasha by your side as you looked through the selection, no doubt about to pick something obnoxious. You weren’t as alert as you usually were, and it worried him. You hated being out of it, that’s why you never drank. He walked up to you quickly, knowing that if you started a song there was no taking you away until it was over.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Bradley said from behind you, and he saw your shoulders tense. “I think it’s time to wrap it up.”

“Wrap it up?” You slurred, looking up at him with those pretty eyes that always made his heart skip a beat. “Wrap it up?!” Natasha grimaced at you and then at him, already knowing exactly where it was going. “You know who didn’t wrap it up-”

“It’s okay, that’s not what he meant,” Nat rushed out, turning to look at Bradley. Natasha was one of those that could be four times over the legal limit and no one would no. He envied her in that regard. You were clearly the opposite.

“I just wanted to sing a song,” you said, poking Bradley’s firm chest. “You gonna let me sing a song, Rooster?” There was something about the way you said his callsign that had his cheeks going red. You always called him Bradley, except for when you had that one look in your eye, the one that really had him biting his tongue. “You gonna get off that perch and sing with me?”

“I think it’s time to drop you off at your place,” he assured you without even thinking, but he immediately wanted to swallow his own words when Natasha shook her head rapidly.

“I got kicked out,” you hiccuped, giving him a pointed look. “I sleep in your bed, remember?” You had no idea how much he wanted that to be true.

“Not in my bed,” he corrected quickly when Natasha’s brows shot upward. “In my house.”

“Well, you should probably take her home before she starts a song,” Nat whispered. “She was about to pick “Cowboy Casanova”, that was going to be a disaster.”

He chucked a bit as he touched your arm, his heart fluttering as you looked up at him with your pretty, expressive eyes. His laugh died in his throat. “A-are you ready?”

“Do I get a Bronco ride?”

“You sure do,” he said, and then you two were walking out in the night.

It was easy to get you in the car. You were an easy drunk, just loud. He buckled you up easily and shut the door as you started your own rendition of some Taylor Swift song you had probably told him to listen to.

After your song ended, the ride was quiet. He was happy with the quiet. He was happy because that meant he didn’t have to open his mouth to talk, which meant that he could physically roll his lips shut. Closed lips meant that there was no possibility of him saying something and fucking up a good time. But he couldn’t ignore the fact that you were grinning from ear to ear.

“You’re all smiles now,” he couldn’t help but point out, and he saw you turn towards him.

“You make me smile,” you said easily, still drunk, but it made his heart skip regardless.

Once again, the ride was quiet besides the purring of his Bronco and the occasional blinker noise. Even the music was turned down, but your head was bobbing to some imaginary beat. He couldn't help but make himself see this as a nicer moment than it really was, as a sweeter moment. In reality, he was taking you home because you were about to drunkenly sing a Carrie Underwood song that was going to have you feeling humiliated by the morning. In his mind, he was simply taking you home and making sure you got inside safely. In his mind, it was a simple night, free of drama. There was certainly no cheating boyfriend and no tears.

“What do you dream about?”

Your quiet yet certain tone broke the tension in the atmosphere of his Bronco. “What?”

And then you spoke again, somehow sounding completely sober. “What do you dream about, Bradley?”

“Uh,” he said, feeling his cheeks get a little pink. “I guess it depends.”

“Sometimes I can’t help but wonder-” a small burp escaped your lips— definitely drunk—, “do you ever dream of me?”

His heart stopped. He was so glad you were drunk. There was no way you were going to be able to remember the way he uncharacteristically stuttered or didn’t respond for a few seconds. There was no way you’d remember the flush of his cheeks under the bright light.

“W-what?”

You seemed deadly serious. “Do you ever dream of me?”

“I…” almost to his place. Almost to his place. “I think about you a lot,” he settled on saying, his voice much higher than usual.

“Thinking is nice. I can take thinking as the answer. At least thinking is on purpose,” you reasoned with yourself, seemingly to have forgotten he was even there to begin with. “But dreaming is different.”

He was intrigued. His heart was racing, and his hands felt sweaty on the steering wheel. “How so?”

“Dreaming is you being unable to escape a thought,” you said, and he wondered just how you were managing to get your point across so easily while being so smashed. “Dreaming of someone would mean that you think of them even when you’re not thinking. Your subconscious mind lies with them. It’s deeper.”

You were right. He hadn’t thought about it that way, but you were right. There were plenty of things that he swore he was over that he still had nightmares about and every time they happened, he had to face the music.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I really hope you think about me enough to see me in your dreams.”

He couldn’t say anything. What was he supposed to say? That he certainly did, and that every free moment his mind had meant that it was a free for all full of you and everything about you? Hell, he had once even thought about what your next classroom theme could be. You were that embedded into his mind.

“Wait, is it cool that I said all that?” You asked, blinking up at him slowly as the car came to a stop in your driveway. “I just get really in my head sometimes, sorry if I ruined tonight,” you said, shaking your head with a huge smile, as if you didn’t just rock his entire world in a ten minute drive. “Okay, goodnight.” And then you were jumping out of the car.

“Woah,” he called, racing around from his side and picking you up off the ground. You were laughing, clearly not aware that you had just fallen all over the cement of his driveway. You held onto his arm as he walked the both of you up to his front door, and you almost tripped on a crack in the cement.

“My keys.” You had them in your hand, and for a second, he just watched you calmly struggle with that stupid little smile on your face, like you had all the time in the world as the key kept missing the hole that it didn’t even belong to. “Maybe it’s the wrong door.”

He couldn’t help but laugh when he took the keys from you, already halfway forgetting your conversation from earlier. He held onto your keys as he unlocked his door with his own. He opened the door easily and let you in, prepared to tell you goodnight and go right to his room and try to forget the other was right on the other side of the wall, like you two had done so many times before.

“Where ya going?” Before he could even answer, you frowned at him. “You’re ditching me?”

He turned back around. “Do you need help?”

“I’m a big girl, I can take my dress off,” you said with a grin. “But I- I don’t know. I don’t wanna be alone yet.”

“Okay,” he breathed out. “Okay, you don’t have to be alone.”

And so you weren’t. He stood at the doorway of his guest bathroom, the one that had the makeup and pink towel and even a pink rug. He had given up the space to you without second thought, and as he watched you dart around in it and start to take your hair down and take your makeup off, he couldn’t help but feel his heart swell. You looked so comfortable in his house. It was all he ever wanted wrapped up in just one moment.

“Do you wanna know what broke me the most?” You asked out of the blue as you started to wipe your lipstick off, eyes connecting with his in the mirror. You took a deep breath to wind up for the next round of words even without his response. He knew that you were going to talk regardless. It was one of the things he loved about you.

“I wasn’t even sad about the fact that he cheated. I was happy.”

He was thrown on his ass again by you. You had a habit of taking his breath away more than once a day, probably once every two hours or so to be exact, but this was different. You were pulling no punches. You were throwing hand grenades in the form of words tonight, and he wasn’t even sure you were aware of it.

“It gave me an excuse to leave him. But then there was three or so moments and I realized the reason I was okay with it was because I was finally free of guilt, because the whole time I was with him- I’m an awful person,” you started sobbing and you let yourself sink to the floor, sitting on the pink rug. His brows lifted to his forehead for a split second before he went right down to the ground with you, and his hand found your skin and your back soothingly.

“You’re not a bad person, not even close.” He shook his head. You were an angel. He was genuinely convinced of that.

“I wanted you the whole time.” you slurred, eyes wide but not as present as he wanted them to be. Not while you said the exact words that he had been harboring since what felt like the beginning of time. “Almost ever since I met you. And I can’t help but feel sick when I think about how what he did is my karma.”

He was in shock. He didn’t know if he was more surprised about the fact that you were being so open about something that he was so hush-hush about, or about the fact that you said you wanted him. You wanted him. This was something out of his wildest dreams- just as you had predicted. And then he crashed back down to reality and realized you were drunk off your ass in a party dress, so fucked up that your legs were going every which way and your lipstick was smeared.

“Nothing happened, you didn’t do anything wrong,” he said quietly, ignoring the fact that his stomach felt like it was doing a Simone Biles level floor routine.

“But I would’ve,” you admitted, “if you had given me the sign.” Your bottom lip wobbled, and then you were full on sobbing. “I’m a disgusting person. Awful. Oh my god,” you whined, hands over your face as you hyperventilate on his wooden floor.

You were fucked up.

You were so gone, there was no denying that. He forced himself to let the words go in one ear and out the other, and when he took a few deep breaths of his own, he realized that you were still crying.

“You’re not a bad person, I promise.” You didn’t say anything, but after a few moments, he was sure you weren’t going to change your mind. “I think you’ll feel better if we cleaned you up.”

Your mascara was running, your lipstick was still smeared, and you kind of looked like a hot mess, but you were still gorgeous to him. You always would be. You didn’t say anything, and he took a makeup wipe from the counter and without a word started to wipe your face.

It was a silent exchange. Probably because the both of you were too scared to say much else. You let him wipe your face off and then he helped you stand. You let him take your heels off for you. He left for a few seconds and came back with some of your clothes, the nice pajamas he knew you liked to sleep in, and then started the shower and left. You were in and out.

When you were all done, he was sitting at the table. It was late, but he was drinking a beer with his back turned to you. He heard you clear your throat, and he had to stop himself from jumping.

“Goodnight,” you said quietly, and when he said it back, he heard you turn around and walk back to the room he had given you, and the door hut.

He wasn’t going to sleep well at all.

§§

It was Sunday morning. The worst morning for this situation to be happening. If it was a weekday, you would’ve already been gone, at least. He would have had the whole day to think about how to go about it. But it was Sunday morning, and neither of you went to church. You were stuck.

He didn’t expect you to be up. He knew that he could probably walk to the kitchen and be in the living room for most of the morning without you coming out. Your hangover had to be awful. So, he padded out of his bedroom, rubbing his face and going straight to the coffee pot.

That already had coffee in it.

“Hi.” His entire posture changed.

How he had entirely missed you sitting at the table, he didn’t know. But there you were, a cup of coffee in your hands and a small smile on your face.

You were beautiful. He didn’t know how you didn’t look like you were hit by a bud considering how messed up you were last night, but how could you ever? You always looked so out together and so cute. Of course you could smile with a hangover.

“Good morning,” he said, his raspy voice coming out surprised. He was looking at you cautiously, not quite sure if you remembered what happened. “How’d you sleep?”

“Like a baby,” you said, now you were grinning. “It was so nice. Peaceful.” He decided that you definitely didn’t remember a thing, and he relaxed.

He ignored the wave of sadness that came with the loss of tension.

“What about you?” You asked, genuinely wondering, and he sighed. “You have any dreams?” He took a look at you from over the coffee mug he was drinking from. “You know I minored in psych, I love dreams.”

“No, no dreams,” he said, trying to shut out that whole conversation from last night. “I just can’t believe you’re waking up so… happy. Everyone but me and Bob was so drunk.”

“I had a rough night? I cried a lot, huh?” You asked, and he almost laughed in wonder. How did you not realize that he was literally in love with you? How could you forget that the words you said last night were probably the most important ones he had ever heard?

“Yeah, but it’s okay. Everyone has a rough night every once in a while. I’m surprised you don’t have a headache or anything.”

“Yeah. It’s probably canceled out because of the lack of stress I feel now,” you said, and he nodded his head when he assumed that you were talking about shedding the skin of the man that was holding you back. “It was real nice to get all that off my chest.”

He froze.

You were just drinking from your mug, making annotations in your book. He was staring at you with wide eyes as he tried to understand what to make of what you just said. “Thanks for taking my makeup off, too. That would have ruined my skin progress.”

Holy shit, you remembered everything. “What?”

You had to be playing with him. There was no other way. You finally shut your book, and then you leaned forward on your hands and looked at him with your eyes, one of his biggest weaknesses. “I meant everything I said, Bradley.”

“You remember?”

“Yeah, I always do,” you said, shrugging your shoulders. “That's why I don’t drink. I do things I normally wouldn’t but I never have the luxury of forgetting, so I always wake up embarrassed.”

Did you realize that you were holding his heart in your hands? “Are you embarrassed now?” Please don’t be embarrassed that you said those things. Please don’t be embarrassed because they’re not true. God, let it all be true.

“Only if you want nothing to do with me,” you said softly, looking at him with such vulnerability that it made his heart skip a beat.

“Are you kidding?” He finally said, and he knew then that you were right about letting the feeling lift off of his chest. “You’re in my dreams almost every night, that’s gotta count for something.”

You made the first move to get to him. He realized then that you were a master at making the first move- he had only done it once (after striking out twice) but you had done it twice in two days. And then you were all in his space, breaching it with a certain confidence that made him weak in the knees. It made him want to hold you and hold onto you.

“Almost?” you asked, and as he looked down at you from so close up, he knew what he had already suspected to be true; he was a goner. “I want every dream.”

“Who would I be to deny you?” And then he made a move of his own, kissing you and effectively tying the score 2-2.

*******

#bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw fic #top gun maverick #tgm fanfiction #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #bradley bradshaw fluff #hell yeah mfs #surprised i’m doing all this again especially bc i’m in nursing school so very busy #but here tf i am #my fics #i was not even gonna post this i have a 9 am and it is 12:16 am #please enjoy as best as you can lmao

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waklman · 1 year

Text

Princess Treatment

summary: moments in your relationship with rooster where you give him the princess treatment.

pairing: bradley bradshaw x female reader.

warnings: none, but this is an 18+ blog.

a/n: independent gf x princess treatment bf trope is cute but i present to you independent bf x princess treatment gf. fluff. this is for my fellow bradley girlies!!

word count: 1.4k

read the epilogue of princess treatment here.

something ‘bout you masterlist.

Not only did Bradley inherit his father’s ruggedly handsome looks, but he had also developed his manners as well. And so, being a gentleman was what Bradley prided himself on—because it was a direct reflection of his father.

When he first met you, he made sure to that keep up–treating you like royalty just as Goose did with Carole.

There was nothing Bradley didn’t do for you. You needed a ride? He’ll pick you up. It’s raining? Don’t even think about stepping on that wet cement, because he’s carrying you.

And Bradley’s not sure when it exactly happened but along the course of your relationship, the roles began to switch. But to be fair, he should’ve known when what started as a joke, became a regular thing–you calling him baby girl.

“Oh, shit.” Bradley calls out.

It doesn’t take much for the entire car of men to pause their conversation, redirecting their attention onto Rooster’s ringing phone—which unfortunately sits on display, attached directly onto the pastel pink phone mount you bought for his car.

“Your girl is calling you.” Hangman points out the obvious.

“Yeah, No shit buddy.” Fanboy claps back from behind him.

Coyote leans in, eyes squinted at Rooster’s buzzing phone. “Cute.” he comments, referring to the contact picture he has set for you. Rooster is grinning ear to ear while you’re latched onto his bare back, sinking your canines right into his broad shoulder.

Hangman watches as Rooster’s frantic eyes are switching between the road in front of him and your incoming call.

“I got you man.”

Thinking he’s doing Rooster a favor, Hangman lunges forward to tap the green button, making sure to hit the speaker option right after, as well.

“No, wait-”

It’s too late. Rooster’s fate is sealed.

“Hey babygirl,” your bright voice rings out, hitting the ears of everyone seated inside his Bronco.

And it’s as if Bradley is stuck in a car full of elementary school children. Slowly but surely, he hears snickering coming from his right and obnoxious chortling coming from the back row.

“Honey, you’re on speaker.” Bradley speaks up, making an effort to cover up the giggling—coming from four grown men, in the background.

“Oh.” you exclaim.

“It’s alright baby, what’s up?”

“I was just calling to ask, if you wanted me to set up a bath for you?” you shly ask.

Bradley clears his throat, ignoring the various grinning faces pointed in his direction.

“Yeah, lavender bath bomb please.” he assures you.

“Okay, bye babygirl–wait—I..” you completely give up.

Bradley’s lips tug into a soft smile, envisioning the embarrassed expression you’re probably wearing right now.

Fully willing to take on the embarrassment instead, he decides to greet you goodbye too, “Bye babybear, see you at home.”

And almost immediately, everyone screams in laughter, upon hearing Bradley Bradshaw–the stoic six foot tall pilot call out the cutesy pet name in his gruff tone of voice.

From the driver’s seat, Bradley proudly soaks in the embarrassment that’s now thrown at him.

But the group of pilots makes it quite difficult for him to act unbothered. Annoyingly enough, Coyote shakes Bradley’s headrest, unable to contain himself while Payback and Fanboy cling onto each other for dear life–heaving for small pockets of air.

And worse of all Jake’s abnormally thick tears of laughter are falling onto Bradley’s shiny leather seats.

“Oh shut up, this is why you’re all single.” Bradley sneers, eyes fixed on the rear view mirror to watch everyone’s face fall flat.

“Oh come on dude.”

“Seriously?”

“That’s not funny.”

“Man..”

Upon hearing the chorus of whining and complaints, Bradley calls out to you over the phone.

“Laugh with me honey,”

Now, Hangman, Coyote, Payback, and Fanboy are forced to sit silently while you and Bradley sarcastically laugh at them for the next minute and a half, as a punishment.

“Bradshaw, you need a ride?” A woman’s voice calls out for him, from across the parking lot.

Snapping his neck in search of the familiar voice, Bradley sees Phoenix through his sunglasses, waving at him—relaxed against the hood of her car.

“Nah. I’m good, you go ahead!” He yells back, politely returning her wave.

“Alright. Suit yourself!” She gives him one final wave goodbye, before throwing herself inside the vehicle.

Rooster waits until she drives past him to shoot her a goodbye nod in return. In exchange, Phoenix sends him a look of acknowledgement, before she finally drives out the lot.

And not long after Phoenix drives off, you’re pulling up in his blue Bronco.

He instantly smiles seeing you waving him over, not wasting a second to jog up to where you’re parked.

“Hi, my passenger princess,” you greet him cheerfully, watching him sit after strategically climbing inside the truck.

“You know, this is my car, right?” he puckers his mouth, waiting for a kiss.

“I’ll do you one better,” you lean over to peck his eager lips.

“You know you’re sitting in the passenger seat right?” you smirk at him.

“And do you know what that makes you, Bradley Nick Bradshaw?”

“Your passenger princess.” Bradley sighs, sullenly. You won, as always.

“That’s right, baby.” you gloat, hand slapping down on his left thigh.

“When did I end up becoming the passenger princess?” Bradley whispers, looking up towards the sky as if he’s asking for guidance from his guardian angels.

“Don’t act like you don’t like it,” you jokingly scold, pinching at his inner thigh.

You swiftly change the topic, “Now, do you need help putting on your seatbelt?”

“No.” Bradley grumbles.

“Okay,”

You don’t give him a chance to react–already reaching over to pull the seat belt snugly over his chest, and snapping it into place.

“Now, let’s get you home, princess,” you smile, ignoring the astonished look on his face.

“You two out, we’re officially closed for the night.” Penny shoos you and Bradley towards the door.

Almost instantaneously, an idea pops up in both your heads at the exact same time.

You slowly turn your head to gauge if he has the same plan, and you’re met with the all knowing Bradley side eye—which gives you the go to dash forward first.

Bradley’s sure he’s going to make it towards the door before you, his naval training preparing him to act quickly.

But to his surprise, you’re already flying past him—determined look on your face as you reach to open the door first.

“How the fuck did you do that.” Bradley stops by the door, trying to catch his breath.

“Never underestimate the power of a gentlewoman,” you comment, holding the door open for him.

“I thought it was ladies first,” he points towards the open door.

“Technically, the lady already got here first,” you counter.

“Now, get your butt out the door, Bradshaw.”

“No,” he refuses.

“Would you two get the hell out my bar?” Penny shouts, not amused by the sight of you two still here.

Knowing you’re more stubborn than he is, Bradley stiffly walks out the door first.

You glow in satisfaction, following closely behind him, not forgetting to swat his butt in the process.

Bradley snaps his head over his shoulder, giving you a warning look.

“What?” you feign innocence, looking around to see what he’s so mad about.

“You know what.”

“C’mere baby.” you reach for Bradley, urging him to lay down on you.

“Honey, I’ll squish you like a bug.” Bradley tiredly voices the concern.

“Sounds like a great way to go out.” you tug at him, and he instantly falls right onto you.

“Long day?” you softly ask, digging your fingers into his field of curls.

“Mmhm.” Bradley can’t even bring himself to say words, too engulfed by the way your fingers expertly play with his hair—and his mind begins to wander off.

Though he loves taking care of you like how his father did with his mother, Bradley also learned to love how you looked after him in equal care. And in this moment, he wishes that they could’ve met you. They would love you almost as much as he does.

“You remind me of my dad.” Bradley gently speaks up, cheek pressed against your collar bone.

“Yeah? So I’m like Goose?” you smile, at the thought.

“Yeah. And I’m like my mom, cause my dad always treated her like a princess—just like how you do with me.” He draws the comparison.

“We’re like Goose and Carole.” you confirm.

“We’re just like Goose and Carole..” Bradley mumbles back, slowly drifting off.

“I love you, Bradley,” you whisper, catching him before he knocks out completely.

“I love you more, babybear.”

update- happy to announce that this blurb turned into a series, read more on babybear and bradley here.

thank you for reading, and as always-reblogs are greatly appreciated!

gif credits.

taglist: @pono-pura-vida @teaminator @alana4610 @angellwingsss @nataddz @deliriousfangirl61

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mynameismckenziemae · 3 months

Text

In Case You Didn’t Know

Part 8

(previous part here, next part here)

Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x You

Summary: Bradley greets you at the airport and you find something interesting while packing up Jake’s apartment.

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, this one gets a bit kinkier 😏🥴smut, mutual masturbation, toy use, ass play

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

“How much stuff do you have in San Diego?” You ask as you towel-dry your hair.

“Not much, mostly just clothes. The apartment came with furniture and never felt like getting my own. Guess even my subconscious knew I wasn’t planning on staying there long-term. I asked because I really just want you to come with me and meet the crew.”

“Good, your clothes should fit here, unless you have more than me. I wasn’t sure how we’d fit furniture though. And of course, I’ll come,” you smile. You’ve seen pictures but were excited to meet the people you’ve heard so much about.

He’s stuck on the first part of your reply. “You want me to move in?”

You nod. “I do, if you want to. I love waking up to you every morning. Even if you do hog the covers.”

“Do not,” he argues, snapping you with his wet towel.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

Jake: I told her about the job and moving back home. She asked me to move in…like fully move in since I’m already basically living here.

🐓: Nice! Is she coming with you to get things settled here?

Jake: Yes. I ordered the ring today, it should be here by Tuesday. Are you sure you don’t mind recording? My ma will kill me if she doesn’t see it. She’s already mad she won’t be there. 🙄

🐓: I’m sure. I love your mom already.

🐓: Almost as much as your sister 🥵🤤

Jake: 🖕🏻

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

Jake brings you a beautiful bouquet of flowers on Wednesday, the day before you leave when he comes for his last appointment to be cleared with Dr. Hayes.

“Oh they’re beautiful, thank you,” you say, kissing him on the cheek, smiling at the blush that spreads over his face.

“Beautiful flowers for my beautiful girl,” he replies. You roll your eyes but smile.

“I think Hayes is ready for you,” you say, leading Jake to his office.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

“Everything looks great, Jake. You’re cleared to get back to it,” Hayes tells him as he signs the forms. “Char told me you’re moving back though?”

“Yeah, after I get everything taken care of in San Diego. I took a position as an instructor in Kingsville, so I should be home most nights, other than short trips for training. The accident not only scared me but made me realize what’s really important,” Jake answers as he puts his shoe back on.

“I’ve never seen her happier. She hasn’t been herself since her mom got sick and then passed away. It’s so good to see her smile again.”

“Yeah, I agree. Can you keep a secret?” Jake asks as he gets off the exam table to sit in the chair by the desk.

“Yes, unless it’s something bad. My loyalty lies with Charlie,” Hayes says seriously as he continues working on the endless forms, but his lip quirks.

“It’s not. I’m gonna ask her to marry me when we’re in California,” Jake smiles.

Hayes drops his pen. “Oh man, that’s great! Congratulations!” He grins, clapping Jake on the back.

“She hasn’t said yes yet, but thanks,” Jake laughs.

“She will.”

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

The flight to San Diego is uneventful and the first thing you see by the baggage is the uniformed man with a mustache that you’ve heard so much about holding a bright pink sign that reads, ‘Welcome Home from Rehab Jake! Your Sex Addiction Doesn’t Define You!’

“For fucks sake, Bradshaw,” Jake mutters when he’s close enough to read it.

You laugh and meet Bradley in a hug. “I’m Bradley or Rooster. Nice to finally meet you, Charlie.”

“Nice to meet you too, thanks for helping him get to me,” you reply. “I love the sign.”

“Yeah. Real funny. Did you manage to think of that one yourself?” Jake says, cracking into a smile before he hugs him too.

“Nah, good ol’ Google helped me with it,” he grins.

Bradley drives the two of you to Jake’s apartment, helps get your bags inside, and opens the windows to air out the stale space while Jake changes.

“He looks so much better than when I dropped him off at the airport. Not just the injuries, he looked haunted almost. I would’ve flown with him had I known the idiot was going to take an Uber to your house,” Bradley says with a sigh.

“He sure does, I’ve never seen him look the way he did when he showed up on my doorstep. It’s not your fault, thanks for getting him as far as you did,” you smile.

“So tell me about Emma. Jake won’t give me anything, I think he’s just trying to be a protective big brother, but-“

“He’s not. He’s protecting you,” you laugh. “Emma is an amazing woman, but she’ll eat you alive. She’s a large animal vet. She’s wild, fun, incredibly smart, and a fiercely loyal friend but has no interest in relationships,” you smile sadly, remembering how gutted Emma was after her breakup with her high-school sweetheart. Something more had happened but she never would talk about it.

“Hmmm,” Bradley hums as if he’s undeterred.

“I’m good to go, you’ll be okay here for a bit? I’ll ride with Bradshaw but my truck’s in the garage if you want to go anywhere,” Jake says entering the living room.

“No problem, I can start packing for you…” you trail off as your mouth goes dry when you see him in his service khakis.

He smirks when he watches you look him over, eyes lingering where his biceps strain against his sleeves.

“I’ll uh, meet you outside. Not to be a cockblock but Cyclone’s expecting us in 20 minutes. See ya later, Charlie!” Bradley says as he shuts the door, noticing the heat in your gazes.

Jake grips the back of your neck and drags you to him in a rough kiss. “You looking at me like that does things to me, Charlie,” he murmurs against your lips.

“Like what?” You smile at his growl.

“This,” he groans as he brings your hand to palm his erection.

“Mmmm, I’ll take care of this later, I promise. You better go though, don’t want to leave on a bad note,” you say, pulling back from his lips and giving him a final stroke of your palm.

“Yeah, you’re right. Fuck,” he sighs, combing a hand through his hair before adjusting himself and heading to the door. “Love you.”

“Love you too!”

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

It doesn’t take you long to get his belongings into boxes before you move to the bedroom to pack his clothes. You smile, even though he’s been gone for several weeks, it still smells of his cologne and a hint of leather.

After you have his clothes put away, you check the drawer of his nightstand. You laugh (and blush) at what you find; a half-empty bottle of lube, tissues, expired condoms, a stroker toy, and a picture of you. It’s from a few summers ago when you went with your mom and his family up north fishing. You’re standing with your back to him at the edge of the dock, in a cheeky bikini, laughing at something he said.

It’s a cute picture, but the crinkled corner and the fact that it was hidden with those other items tell you exactly what he was doing while looking at it.

You take a picture of it, along with the other things you found, and send him a text.

Charlie: Found this picture of me hidden in your nightstand with some other interesting items. Did you use a PG-13 picture of me to jerk off? You do know PornHub is free, right? 😂

Jake: …no comment.

Charlie: I want to watch you use the toy. Like right when you get home.

Jake: Jesus. Okay. How do you even know what that is? From your sex books?

Charlie: You do know PornHub is free, right? 😏

Jake: Thanks for that visual. I’m hard now.

Charlie: 😘

Jake: We should be wrapping up here shortly, see you soon.

Charlie: I’ll be here waiting on your bed, touching myself.

Jake: Fuck. Don’t you dare stop before I get there.

Charlie:🫡

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

Jake bursts through the front door exactly 23 minutes later, and you’re nearing your second orgasm as he enters his bedroom, nearly tripping when he tries to get out of his pants.

“Don’t break your other leg,” you smile, sighing when you circle your clit faster, bringing yourself to the edge again quickly as you feel his eyes on you.

“Fuck!” You cry, arching your back as he leans forward, pushing your hands out of the way to lick your arousal, flicking his tongue over your clit. That’s all it takes for you to come apart with a drawn-out moan.

You have to stop him from going back for more. “I want to watch you now.”

His eyes close with a shudder. “Okay.”

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

“You are so fucking hot, Jake,” you breathe as you watch.

His eyes fall shut with a grunt at your words. His back is against the headboard, his hand fisting his cock. You’re kneeling between his legs, running your fingers over his thick, muscular thighs.

You lean forward like you’re going to kiss him but duck your head right before his lips touch yours to flick your tongue over his nipple. You smile at his frustrated sigh.

You tease his nipples, alternating between them with your fingers and mouth; pinching, biting, twisting, sucking. You commit to memory what elicits the best sounds before pulling back to hand him the lube and the toy.

“Do you want to see my collection when we get back? I haven’t needed any of my toys since we’ve gotten together but I think it’s only fair since I get to watch you.”

“Hell yeah I do,” he pants before he pushes into the lube-slicked toy with a groan

“Feel good?” You ask, biting your lip.

“Not even close as good as you, but yeah.”

Excess lube slides down his shaft, giving you an idea as you collect some on your finger.

“Can I try something?”

“Anything your kinky heart desires, sweetheart,” he replies.

You encourage him to scoot down further and bend his knees. Your left hand cups his sack as your right brushes the sensitive skin below and he jolts when your lubed finger finds his hole.

“This okay?” You ask when you lightly circle the tight ring of muscle.

“Mhmm, just surprised me,” he chuckles, but it turns into a moan when you lightly press.

You continue for a few minutes, circling and pressing, circling and pressing. “Still okay?” You ask as you push your finger in, letting him get used to the feeling.

“Yeah, still-holy shit!” He gasps, gripping the base of his cock to stave off his orgasm. “Wait-just…give me a second and do it again.”

“Found your prostate,” you smile, kissing his knee and rolling his balls in your left hand again until he relaxes.

His back arches when you press brush over it a second time, “Fuck! Please, again?” He rasps, tears are beginning to leak from his eyes.

His head drops back against the headboard as he jerks himself faster, the toy making lewd squelching sounds when you press gently once more. You whimper as you watch him cum with a broken sob.

•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•.•*•

A/N: no comment 🥴

As always, any interaction is appreciated but I love hearing what you think in comments/reblogs.

Tagging:

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#top gun maverick #jake hangman seresin #jake hangman seresin x you #jake hangman seresin x reader #jake seresin #jake seresin x you #jake seresin x reader

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callsign-magnolia · 10 months

Text

Undiagnosed // Ch. 13

Jake Seresin x Neurodivergent OC

Summary: Katie Blair grew up trying to be the perfect daughter. She always struggled to be the prim and proper little girl her parents wanted. Big personality as a kid, but now at 25, she's the shy admiral's daughter who just keeps her head down and tries to get through law school. So what happens when she's had enough and with help from a certain Lieutenant, she gets out.

Warnings: Emotional abuse, trauma response, abusive parents.

Word Count: 6.3k

Chapter 12 | Masterlist

I scheduled my interview for exactly one week from the day I got my email. I actually had two interviews that day, and I had my interview for United States University the same day I had my call with Bradley. “They asked you that?” He asked and I nodded. “Yes! Like, what does how many friends I have have anything to do with my ability to do my job?” It was the truth. They asked me if I was the type of person to have a small group of friends or a large group of acquaintances. “Maybe they’re trying to see if you’re the type of person who gossips, stirs the pot.” I raised an eyebrow and tilted my head. “Maybe.” I said. “Don’t disregard it. They may offer you a spot and you have to take it if they do.” He said and I nodded. “I won’t.” He grinned at me. “How do you feel about the other two?” He asked. “Pretty confident. I’ve found that I interview well.” I said with a grin. “You weren’t nervous?” He asked and I shook my head. “I guess because I was so sure of my answers but that also seemed like a pathetic interview. None of the questions had anything to do with why I want to do nursing or who I am as a person.” I said, flopping back on the couch.

“That’s probably good because I don’t think I really know who I am.” I said quietly, almost a whisper. “You don’t?” Bradley asked and I sat up. “No.” I said. “That’s funny. I think you’re… strong willed, you’re caring and ridiculously smart. All the things that make up a good nurse in my opinion.” He said. “You think?” I asked and he nodded. “Definitely. Especially since you’ve gotten away from your parents. You may not feel sure of who you are but you know what you want.” My bottom lip poked out at him. “Since when did you get so wise? I guess it’s cause you’re an old man.” I said and his jaw dropped. “Okay that’s crossing the line!” He said but the smile on his lips told me he found it funny like I did. “You really think I’ll get in?” I asked and he nodded. “I do.” I smiled at him and sighed. “I guess I’ll have a little faith in myself then.” I thought about my next question. I didn’t want to ask but I wanted to know. “How’s Jake?” I asked and Bradley chuckled. “Still wondering why you’re angry. He cornered me on the ship the other day.” My eyebrows shot up. “He did?” I asked. “He wanted to know why you were mad and cornered me because he thought I knew.” He said. “But you do know.” I said and he laughed. “Yes. But that doesn't mean I have to tell him.”

“I think you’re getting too much pleasure out of him not knowing.” I said and he laughed. “No, not too much. Just enough.” I laughed at his words. “He’s taking it hard, huh?” I asked and he nodded. “It’s bugging him majorly, and apparently his call with Kelly earlier didn’t go so well.” My eyebrows raised. “Really?” I asked and he nodded. “Let’s just say I heard a lot of yelling coming from our bunk.” I worried my lip between my teeth, gnawing on it. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that would you?” He asked and I sighed. “You cannot let Jake know that you know.” I said and he pretended to zip his lips and throw away the key. “Kelly showed up and she basically told me I’m ruining her relationship, Jake wants me out of the house and then she actually tried to get me to leave.” I said. Bradley was quiet for a moment, his hand covering his mouth. “She really did that?” I nodded. “Something’s always been off about her to me. I liked her well enough but she always struck me as the jealous type.” He said and I sighed. “And now that I’m living here-” “You’re seen as a constant threat.” I nodded, lips pursed. “Guess that’s why he was screaming and I don’t blame him.” I nodded. “He… he begged me to stay.” I said and he seemed baffled. “Jake Seresin? Hangman? Begging? No way.” He said.

“That’s what it seemed like to me.” I said as I looked down, picking at the polish on my toes. “Well even if he does want you gone you can always come live with me.” He offered and I smiled at him. “Thank you, Bradley. I appreciate that.” He smiled back. “Well I better get off here. Almost time to go to bed.” He said and I smiled at him. “Goodnight, Bradley.” I said and he smiled. “Good luck with your interviews and let me know how they go.” I nodded. “Bye, Katie!” He said and the call ended. I flopped back on the couch, taking a deep breath. It was hard to think about how far I’ve come in the last two months. Since leaving my parents I’ve found out a lot about myself, one of those things being, without a routine I can’t keep myself straight. I was running late all the time for just about everything!

I was determined to not run late for my two interviews so I woke up that morning and immediately got ready. I curled my hair, did light makeup, pulled on a navy knee length pencil skirt and a white tie neck puff sleeve blouse. I looked cute and thankfully I felt that way. I took my shoes downstairs and sat on the couch. I set an alarm on my phone and opened Twisted Love back up. I hadn’t opened it since I read it last week. I blushed simply opening the book but thankfully read on not coming across any other point that made the space between my legs ache. When my alarm went off I stood and slipped on my nude heels, set my book in my bag and went out to the truck. The drive to the University of San Diego was a quiet one. I kept thinking about my last interview and I was hoping and praying this one would be different. I want to really show these people that I want this. I sat in the lobby of what seems to be the administration building and waited with two other girls. My leg bounced and bounced as I sat there. I considered pulling out my book, but what if someone here has read it and knows what’s inside? I’d be mortified if someone knew! One of the mahogany doors opened and a man poked his head out. “Blair?” He called and I stood, immediately walking over. “Good morning, Miss Blair.” He said, holding out his hand to shake. “Good morning.” I said, gripping his hand firmly as I shook it. He smiled at me and opened the door wider.

“Just take a seat at the end of the table.” He said. I sat at the end of the long conference table and set my purse next to me on the floor. Everyone was silent for a minute as they looked over some papers and we sat like that until everyone went around and introduced themselves, ending with the director of the program. “Well, you have quite the resume.” She said, setting her papers down. “Why the change from law to nursing?” She asked. I knew this question was coming and I had decided the moment I got this interview I would be honest. “Law was what my parents wanted me to do. Nursing is what I want.” I said and she nodded. “And why did you do what your parents wanted you to for so many years?” I hesitated. “Well… my parents were very manipulative. They skewed my view of the world, they made me see the world only one way and they did it from a young age. Only within the last few months did I realize all this. So I decided it’s time I do what I want with my life.” I said and she smiled at me. “Do you have a good support system?” She asked and I nodded. “I do now.”

Once the interview was over and I stepped out of the conference room I let out a sigh of relief. A grin sat on my face the entire walk out to the truck and once I was inside I squealed. I stomped my feet and banged my hands on the steering wheel. I felt like I could explode! That interview went a thousand times better than I expected. “One down, one to go.” I muttered as I cranked the truck and left. I headed towards San Diego State and stopped for chicken nuggets halfway there, less messy and less chances I’d get something all over my clothes. I sat in the parking lot of their Allied Health building and ate, finishing up with an hour to spare. I was so worried I would get distracted by my phone in the truck I got out and went ahead and went inside. I sat there, waiting what I thought was patiently but apparently it was impatiently according to the guy across from me. “Will you stop?” He asked rudely and my eyes snapped to him. “Your leg bouncing is annoying me.” He declared.

“Then good thing it’s my leg and not yours.” I said, ignoring him. “You’re a bitch aren’t you?” He asked. I could only think of Coop, seeing as that sounded like something he would ask. “I can be when I want to be.” I said, still not looking at him. “Uppity bitch.” I snorted. “I’ve been nice. But I’m over that. If you’re going to get your feelings hurt because someone is doing something you don’t like, then maybe nursing isn’t for you.” I said and he gawked at me. “And don’t get your ego hurt when you get beat out by a bunch of women.” I said. His holier than thou attitude will probably keep him from getting in. Most people who have that attitude can’t hide it and these people conduct so many interviews, they’ll probably notice it before he even opens his mouth. “Miss Blair?” As soon as my name was called I stood, walking towards the door without a look behind me. “Hi.” She said and I nodded, shaking her hand. “Hello.” She closed the door behind us and once again I was sat at another conference table. I was asked why the switch from law to nursing again, but the director caught me off guard with her next question.

“Why apply to this program?” She asked. I hesitated, wondering how I would answer this one. "We'll, it wasn't one that I was originally going to apply to." She raised her brows, surprise taking over her features. "Oh really?" I nodded. "I applied to a few smaller schools but I was encouraged to apply to this one. I honestly didn't think I'd get an interview." I said and she smiled. "Well we were impressed with your transcripts. You did all your prerequisite law classes as well as the nursing classes. That takes dedication." I smiled at her. "I also feel like specializing in medical law gave me a leg up, at least in medical terminology." She nodded and gave me a large smile. Once everyone asked their questions I was allowed to leave and was told I would know something within the next two weeks. Jake and everyone else would be home within two weeks. The past four weeks have dragged on, and now that I was waiting on news from school, the next 2 weeks are gonna feel longer! I talked to Bradley just two days ago, so other than email, I would have to wait and talk to him.

I was ready for everyone to come home, but also, I didn’t want to face Jake. He says he doesn’t want me to leave, but what if he gets mad during our argument and changes his mind? I thought about it the entire way home and came to the decision that if he did want me gone, I’d figure it out. I’d make it work. The next few days I found anything and everything that could take my mind off my interviews and Jake coming home. I finished Twisted love and started A Court Of Thorns and Roses which sucked me in and I felt like i couldn’t finish it fast enough. “He told you to stay away from Calanmai, Feyre!” I yelled out and set the book down. “I think if a high fae told me to stay in my room I would listen.” I said as I stood and went to make dinner. I knew as soon as I finished this book I would have no choice but to go buy the others. That’s what I did as soon as I finished the book. In order to pace myself I only bought the second book, hoping it would slow me down so I didn’t finish as fast. I was so engrossed in it I almost missed Bradley’s call. I heard a buzz and glanced up, my phone was lit up with Bradley’s name and I dove across the couch to answer it. “I was starting to think you wouldn’t answer.” He laughed out. “Sorry! I’ve been so engrossed in these books.” I looked at the time and gasped. “I’ve spent the last four hours reading this book.” I said and he laughed. “You really can get engrossed in those stories can’t you?” He asked and I nodded. “Oh, yeah. It plays out like a movie in my head. I see everything.” He raised his eyebrows. “Really?” I nodded. “I guess that’s why I love books.” I said.

“Next you’ll be telling me you have a voice in your head all the time.” He laughed and I furrowed my brows. “You don’t?” I asked and he shook his head. “You do?” I nodded. “Everything I do, read, say. It all runs through my head. There is always a voice in my head.” He chuckled. “You just keep surprising me.” He said. “So you don’t think it’s weird?” I asked, worried that maybe something was wrong with me. “No. Everyone is different in some way, guess that’s one of yours.” He said and I nodded. “Is it your voice at least?” He asked, with a goofy grin and an eyebrow raised. “Yes, it’s my voice.” I said and he chuckled. “Before I forget, I’ve heard some talk that we may have to go dark.” He said and I sighed. “So no communication at all.” I said and he shook his head. “At least there’s only a week and a half left.” He said and I nodded. “How’s everyone else?” I asked. “Good. Except for Hangman.” He said. “What’s wrong with him now?” I asked. “Well he’s still racking his brain about why you’re mad.” He said. “God, it’s not that hard to figure out.” I said and he chuckled. “I know. He still asks me from time to time.” He paused, chewing his lip for a second. “You can’t tell anybody what I’m about to tell you.” He said and I looked around. “Who am I gonna tell?” I asked and he chuckled. “Right.” I nodded. “Yeah, all my friends are in the middle of the ocean.” I answered snarkily. “What about Kelly?” He asked. “You think I consider her a friend after her little hissy fit she had? Hell no!” I said.

“Well good, because what I’m about to tell you is about her.” He said with a grin. “Bradley.” I said and he nodded. “You’re worse than a woman when it comes to gossip.” I said and he grinned. “I know! Anyway, of course when Hangman called Kelly, it was a yelling match.” I raised my brows at him, a little surprised. “I think they broke up.” He added and guilt settled in my chest. If I had never moved in they wouldn’t have had any problems. “Don’t blame yourself.” Bradley said, breaking me out of my thoughts. “I never thought they’d work out.” He said. “Why not?” I asked and he shrugged. “She was needy. If they weren’t together she would blow up his phone and if he didn’t respond soon enough, damn did she get mad.” He said. “Is he upset about it?” I asked and he shrugged. “I think he’s more upset that you’re mad at him.” He said. “I can’t say I’m that mad anymore. I want to be but I’ve never been able to hold onto anger too long, unless it involves my parents.” I said and he chuckled. “I’d be very surprised if you weren’t mad at your parents.” He said. The rest of our conversation flew by and before I knew it we were saying goodbye. I hoped this wasn’t our last conversation till they got home, but I knew it very well could be.

By the weekend I was bored out of my mind. I stopped reading, trying to pace myself. I couldn’t find anything on tv I liked, the house was squeaky clean too. So, I took to the kitchen. I could cook pretty well, but I figured I would figure out some new things to cook. So I decided to try a twist on the pasta Kelly made my very first night here. I used Italian sausage, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and heavy cream to make a creamy Italian sausage pasta. By the time I finished I was starving and moaned as I took the first bite. “Holy shit.” I said. I easily could’ve eaten all of it but I restrained myself. Then I turned to baking. Mom had never been the best at baking, and I was sure I wouldn’t be. I was right. I first attempted a simple chocolate cake recipe and apparently used too much flour. I quickly learned baking was an exact science and made sure to stick with it. After that I was pretty successful. I managed to make pumpkin bread, which was so good. Then I made cookies, freezing half the dough because I apparently made a lot. I eventually had to stop because there were so many leftovers and baked goods in the fridge I had no room for anything else in the fridge. So I went back to reading.

I checked the mail the morning everyone was due to come home and found two letters in the mailbox, one from the University of San Diego and another from San Diego State. I rushed inside, ripping them open and giving myself a papercut in the process, but I didn’t care. I read them both before I squealed, jumping around. Both schools requested me to take their entrance exams, the very last thing to do before I find out if I got in or not. I could’ve exploded from the excitement and I threw myself on the couch, kicking my legs on the cushion. Once I calmed down, I was surprised that no one called the cops because of all the screaming I did, but I sat and stared at the letters, reading them over and over again. But finally I pulled myself away and went back to reading. I was curled up on the couch with a blanket over me, totally lost in the story when my phone rang out loud. I had my volume turned up that way if anyone called when they got home I wouldn’t miss it. I expected Bradley to call at some point, but when I picked it up, my heart felt like it would beat out of my chest. Jake’s name and picture flashed across my screen and I hesitated on answering, but I finally did. “Hello?” I asked, bringing the phone up to my ear. “Hey, darlin’.” I wanted to simply melt at the sound of his voice. I didn’t realize how much I really missed him till I heard it. “Um a-are you docked yet?” I asked knowing it was a stupid question and that they docked an hour ago. “We are.” He said, almost breathlessly it sounded like.

“When will you be home?” I asked and he sighed. “Well, I was gonna ask you about that.” He said and I raised a brow. “Oh?” Why would he be calling me? “Would you come pick me up?” He asked.”What about Kelly?” I asked, a hint of annoyance in my voice. “She’s apparently staying late at the office and can’t get away.” He said. “So what do you say? Come get me, darlin’?” I smiled at the name. “I guess. Since you so desperately need me.” I teased. “You have no idea.” I giggled. “I’ll be there soon.” I said. “See you soon, darlin’.” I hung up and changed into a floral sundress and brushed out my hair. We still had to talk when we got home and I was still a little angry with him, but a part of me still wanted to look good. I slid on my shoes, grabbed the truck keys, my purse, and the letters before making my way out of the house. I was nervous the entire drive there, and I was practically shaking as I turned into the parking lot. I got out, looking around in the sea of white uniforms, hoping to spot him. But I knew I never would. I kept my head low and leaned against the front of the truck, not wanting anyone to spot me, especially anyone who would tell my dad. I sent Jake a text, telling him I was here and where I was parked. I would’ve called him but if he was having any conversations I didn’t want to interrupt. It was another twenty minutes before I heard a voice calling my name. “Katie!” I looked up seeing Natasha waving at me. I waved back and she rushed over, Bradley and Bob not far behind her. She yanked me into a hug which caught me off guard, but I quickly returned it. “I'm so glad y’all are home!” I said as she let go and I hugged Bradley. “So you did miss us.” He said and I scoffed. “More like you keep me entertained. A girl can only read so much.” I said and they laughed before I hugged Bob. “How was it?” I asked. “We all came home alive, that’s all I really care about.” Natasha said.

I noticed some scratches on her face as well as Bob’s but I didn’t say anything about it. “Well I’m glad everyone is okay.” I said. Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement and spotted Jake making his way over. “Alright, let’s let Romeo have his moment with her.” Bradley said and they all said goodbye before walking away, leaving me with a blush on my face. As he came closer I could see the smile on his face and once he got close enough he dropped his bags and his arms went around my waist. My arms wrapped around his neck as a reaction and he lifted me off my feet. I could feel his breath on my neck and I was worried he would feel my heart beating rapidly. His face was buried in his neck as he squeezed me tightly. “Fuck.” He muttered. “I missed you.” I was caught off guard by his words but I couldn’t deny that I missed him too. “I missed you too.” I said as my fingers gently messed with the hairs at the base of his neck. I didn’t think he would ever let me go, but after a few minutes he put me down, grinning at me. “How was it?” I asked. “Hard, but we’re all alive and I’m finally home.” He said, smiling brightly. “Anything interesting happen while I was gone?” He asked. “Actually,” I started, grabbing the two letters and handing them to him. He read over both of them and smiled. “Congratulations!” He yelled, sweeping me into another hug, making me laugh. “I interviewed for both of them two weeks ago and I guess they thought I was good enough for their entrance exams.” I said. “Hell yeah you’re good enough! Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked. “I didn’t really tell anyone except Bradley and Natasha. I wanted to keep it to myself for the most part.” I said and his face fell slightly. “Oh well… that makes sense.” He said. “Well, I’m sure you’re ready to go home.” I said and he nodded. “Yeah and uh, I guess we need to have that talk.” He said and I nodded. “Yeah. We do.” I said quietly. “Well, come on then.” He tossed his bag in the backseat before opening my door for me and helping me in.

The ride home was quiet and the awkwardness was growing. But I was a little annoyed as well. He left without a word and comes home acting like nothing was wrong. Hell, when he mentioned having that talk he was grinning like a fool. It unnerved me, him acting like nothing was wrong and this was going to be a little friendly chat. When we got home I let him set his bag down and take care of some stuff before he came back down stairs in a white t-shirt and jeans. “So…” He said as he walked past me, heading for the fridge. “Why did you- holy shit.” He said as he looked inside. “Were you cooking for the entire Navy?” He asked, looking at me with a grin. But when he saw my face, not smiling, his fell. He grabbed a water and closed the fridge, leaning on the counter across from me. “Why did you think I wanted you to leave?” He asked. “Kelly was pretty convincing when we got into it.” I said and he huffed. “Yeah, we talked about it.” He said. “Look, we need to be really open and honest here. I feel like every time I turn around I’ve pissed you off or upset you.” I told him, hoisting myself up onto the counter. “No. I just don’t know what to say to you sometimes.” He said and I felt bad. “I don’t know how to deal with someone being so nice to me.” I told him. “Well I don’t really know how to tell you to deal with it.” There was no venom in his voice, he was sincere and for some reason that bothered me. “I don’t want you to tell me how to deal with it.” I snapped. “I can figure that out myself.” His eyes widened in surprise.

“That’s one thing we need to talk about. I am so nice to you, but sometimes you get so angry at me and I did nothing. You just blow up out of nowhere!” He said, his voice growing louder. “I blow up because sometimes I don’t know what else to do!” I said, my voice leveling with his. “Then figure it out!” “It’s not that fucking easy!” I yelled back. “Then what? Do you want me to walk around and tell you I’m not mad every five minutes?” “No! I just need you to not ignore me! Don’t stomp around the house after we’ve had a conversation!” I could feel the heat in my face, blood rushing to it from anger. “I do not stomp!” My eyes widened at his words. “Oh yes you do! Like when I came in late from Natasha’s the night before you left!” He slammed his water bottle down on the counter, making me jump. “Because I was woken up in the middle of the night!” He said. “I didn’t force you to sleep on the couch! You didn’t have to wait on me!” I said, hopping down from the counter.

“Of course I did! Do you know what I’ve been doing the past six weeks? WORRYING ABOUT YOU!” He yelled and it felt good. This is what I was used to. “I NEVER ASKED YOU TO WORRY ABOUT ME!” I screamed. “WELL TOO DAMN BAD! BECAUSE I FUCKING DO!” We were nose to nose at this point, both of our faces red in anger. I stared up at his face, his green eyes shining and I watched as they flicked down to my lips and mine did the same. “You’re acting like a child.” He said quietly. “WELL I WONDER WHY!” I yelled, a step back. “ME TOO! BECAUSE I CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HELL HAS HAD YOU PISSED AT ME FOR SIX FUCKING WEEKS!” “YOU’D BE PISSED TOO IF SOMEONE YOU CARED ABOUT LEFT FOR A MONTH AND A HALF WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE!” My words seemed to send him reeling, so much so he leaned back, eyes wide. “What?” He asked. “You asked if I wanted you to wake me up the morning you left, and I said yes.” Tears formed in my eyes and I felt stupid for it. I’ve been mad about this for this long and now I cry? “I woke up the next morning, alone, and you were long gone by that time.” I said, wiping my cheeks. “Oh, Katie.” He said, stepping closer. “No, darlin’. I was gonna wake you up, but you never answered when I knocked on the door, and when I opened it, you were dead asleep and I hated to wake you.” He said.

“I was gonna wake you but Kelly said since you got in so late you were probably exhausted. She said she’d go into work late and come back here to tell you why. But I guess that didn’t happen.” He said. “No. It didn’t.” I said. He reached up, his hand resting on my cheek as he wiped the tears from it. “Darlin’. I’m sorry. Is that why you thought I was mad?” I nodded and he sighed. His hand moved from my cheek to the back of my neck, pulling me into him and his lips landed on my forehead. I immediately relaxed into him and my arms went around his waist. “I’m sorry, darlin’.” He muttered against my forehead. We stayed like that for a few minutes before he released me. “Is that the only reason you were mad at me?” He asked and I nodded. “Good. Now, I’m starving so what all is in this fridge?” He asked and I laughed. Of course he was hungry, he’s probably hardly eaten all day. We fixed some leftovers and sat down at the table to eat. “So, what do you need to do before these entrance exams?” He asked. “Need to study?” I nodded. “Well SDSU sent me a word document with a study guide and USD sent me a link to a study book. I guess I just need to review them both.” He nodded. “I have two weeks off, but if you want, you can send them to me and I can print off physical copies on base.”

“I don’t wanna make you go to base during your time off.” I said and he shook his head. “I have to go tomorrow for a mission debrief, so I can do it then.” I nodded. “Okay. That’ll work.” I grinned at him. The next day he came home from base with stacks of paper. “How many pages were there?!” I asked in shock. “Not a lot. I just made multiple copies.” I took a few from him to lighten the load and set them on the table. “Well thank you.” I said as he sat the rest down. “Want some help studying?” He asked and I shook my head. “No, I do my best studying alone.” I said and he nodded. The next two weeks I spent almost every waking moment studying. Bradley and Natasha quizzed me one day when they came over and I felt like I was doing good. “Hey Jake?” I asked, peeking my head into his bedroom as he grabbed his laundry. “Yeah?” He asked. “Do you mind helping me study on Thursday night?” I asked. “I just wanna make sure I know everything before Friday.” Both of my exams were on Friday but thankfully I could take them here on Jake’s computer. “Yeah. I don’t have any plans.” He said with a grin. “Awesome! I’m pretty comfortable that I know it all, but I just want to make sure.” He walked by, nudging me as he did. “You’re pretty smart, I think you’ll do great.” His words of encouragement made me grin and I leaned against the doorframe, watching him head downstairs. What the hell am I doing? I have to get my feelings in check.

Come Thursday I took a break from studying, giving my mind a rest before the tests tomorrow. I slept in, and spent most of my day curled up on the couch or my bed reading. But just around dinner time I gathered all my study materials and went downstairs. I set everything up on the dining room table and grabbed a water and some watermelon I had cut up yesterday. I found when I study, I constantly want to eat and it helps with keeping my attention. “Hey, Jake!” I called up the stairs. “Yeah?” He asked as he came downstairs. I was a little surprised at his attire. Grey slacks, black button up and dress shoes. “What’s got you all dressed up?” I asked. “Date with Kelly. I’m running late and I still have to grab flowers.” He kissed my forehead before rushing off towards the door. “I’ll probably be home late. Don’t wait up, darlin’.” With that he dipped out, locking the door behind him and leaving my standing between the dining room and living room. Tears immediately started down my face as I saw his headlights flash in the window and his truck tear down the road. He forgot. He had a date with Kelly and forgot that he said he’d help me study. “God!” I yelled. “Quit fucking crying over everything.” I told myself before I sat at the table, pulling my papers closer. I don’t fucking need him to help me study, I’ve done just fine on my own for two weeks so far so I don’t need him now.

I sat at the table and attempted to study but I could hardly pay attention. I huffed and tossed my pencil onto the table before standing. Just as I did that the rain started to pour outside, thunder with it. Maybe now with the constant noise of the rain I’ll be able to focus. I sat back down and was able to get a lot of studying done until suddenly the power cut out. I let out a yell as it did, and sat up straight. “Dammit.” I groaned. I grabbed my phone and turned on the flashlight on my phone before standing and going into the kitchen. “I swear he told me there were some candles in here for emergencies. I rooted around all the drawers and cabinets before climbing onto the counter and looking in the cabinet above the fridge and found some. “Thank god!” I yelled before grabbing a few and getting off the counter. I lit two and put them in the living room, one at the dining room table with me and one in the kitchen. I sat back down and started studying. “Guess I gotta do it the way my parents did.” I remarked. My parents seemed old enough to have done everything by candlelight. I sat there for about half an hour, the storm raging on when I thought I heard the front door. I looked up, attempting to see through the dark but was startled by a voice. “Hey, darlin’.” I jumped slightly at the voice but instantly relaxed when I realized it was him. I just glared at him for a second before turning back to my papers.

“C’mon, darlin’. Just hear me out?” He asked and I sighed, deciding I might as well hear him out. “What?” I snapped. “I realized as soon as we sat down at the restaurant what happened.” He said. “And what was that?” I asked. “That I forgot I’d help you study.” He said quietly. “But as soon as I realized, I ordered our food to go. Then I stopped and got that wine you like, and some flowers.” He held up a beautiful bouquet of roses. “Please let me make it up to you?” He asked. “When you said ‘our’ food?” I asked. “Mine and yours.” He said. “And Kelly?” I asked. “She was pissed when I told her, and my mother would shoot me for this, but I kind of left her stranded at the restaurant. I got our food and left.” He said. “She tried to argue with me. Telling me that if I left it was over.” A part of me felt bad for Kelly but the other part of me, the immature part wanted to laugh in her face. “But I didn’t care. I’m tired of being given ultimatums.” He said. “She’s done it before?” I asked and he nodded. “Not with you but with other girls. She even tried it with Natasha.” He said. “Can you forgive me?” He asked, a soft smile gracing his face. “Help me study and maybe I’ll consider it.” I said, taking the bouquet from him. “Thank you.” He said and I leaned over, kissing his cheek. “Now let’s eat. I can’t seem to study on an empty stomach.” I said and he grinned before jumping up. He got the food ready, poured the wine and sat down with me. It was hard to not find some romance in this. Eating Italian food together by candlelight, some wine and roses? I just hoped I could keep my hopes down. Because if I didn’t the heartbreak was inevitable.

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#undiagnosed #jake seresin #jake hangman seresin #hangman #top gun maverick #jake seresin top gun #jake seresin x oc #neurodivergent oc #jake seresin x neurodivergent oc #adhd oc

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disturbedbeautywrites · 1 year

Text

They call you what? - Jake Seresin and Bradley Bradshaw x Roomie! Reader

A/N: So this is part of the new beginnings universe and I have loved getting to explore this universe with these three!

Read the first part here

Living with two naval aviators was proving to be a pretty steep learning curve. Their terminology, jargon, and abbreviations were usually lost on you and more often than not you ended up googling things to keep up with conversations.

You were sitting in the living room reading a book when one of these conversations were going on, Jake and Bradley walking in the front door both still clad in their uniforms from work. “Can you believe the new guys call sign? That’s just brutal.” The words came from Jake’s lips as Bradley shook his head in return, both their eyes falling on you.

“What’s a call sign?” You never took your eyes off the book as the words left your lips, eyebrows just scrunching up in curiosity as you tried to place why what they were talking about was so funny. They spoke navy, as you liked to tell people, and it felt like a foreign language to you. You had been trying, you really had. But, there’s only so much a girl could do.

The silence in the air was palpable as you looked up from your book, awe-struck looks on both of the pilots faces. They were frozen in shock, Jake’s look more exaggerated than Bradley’s as was his dramatic tendency.

“You really don’t know what a call sign is?” Jake wasn’t even trying to hide his amusement and clear disappointment as he leaned against the wall, eye brows raised in his cocky and arrogant fashion. “Nope, not everyone knows your secret navy language.” You shrugged and put your bookmark in your pages, being able to tell this was going to be a long conversation.

You sat the book down as Bradley sank down into the couch beside you, looking over at you. “Think of it as nicknames that we go by almost exclusively.” He shrugged, making it sound super simple. The answer made you nod, looking at both of the men as you waited for them to tell you what their call signs were.

“Mine is hangman.” Jake looked pretty damn proud of himself and you tried to hold in a laugh, which earned you a scoff in return. “Hangman? Like the child’s game?” You finally let out the laugh you were holding in, covering your mouth. “D-does that mean people think about strangling you when they say that to you daily?” You were uncontrollably laughing now, getting a glare from Jake as Bradley cracked up beside you as well.

“Well, rooster. Why don’t you answer that for her? And I swear to god if you play the dead dad card.” Jake’s voice was sharp and cold as you slowly stopped laughing, your face softening at the end of Jake’s words. “Yeah, mine is because my dads was goose. But at least I gave mine to myself. Hangman here, wasn’t so lucky.” Bradley deflected the conversation back to a fuming Jake, who walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer. He immediately brought it up to his lips, taking a long swig. “Well, I’m still the only aviator with 2 confirmed kills, so it doesn’t matter. Clearly I’m the best.”

You just scoffed at his words as you sat there deep in thought, looking between the two boys. They were best friends and yet they bickered like an old married couple; it was very amusing to you. You waited out the silence and the dramatic fuming before speaking up, your voice thoughtful and hopeful. "Can I have a cool call sign?"

Bradley smiled and immediately nodded as he went to work thinking of one, Jake smirking and chuckling to himself. "What's so funny?" You huffed as you looked at him, his cockiness practically oozing out of his pores. "AAR; that's what it is." Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion as you tried to decipher what on earth that could mean, "Annoying ass roommate." You huffed and threw a pillow at the blonde, making him yelp quietly before Bradley spoke up.

"You know, I think it's time we let the professionals pick out her call sign. Y/N, it's time you meet our squad. They're going to be the ones who pick it out for you. You meet them tomorrow." Bradley patted you on the shoulder before he stood up off the couch and walked towards his room, hangman frowning in the kitchen. You were not supposed to be integrated into his life like this. This is not how it was supposed to happen. But, now, you were slowly starting to take hold.

#bradley bradshaw x female reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #top gun maverick one shot #top gun maverick imagines #top gun maverick imagine #jake hangman imagines #jake hangman seresin x reader #jake seresin x reader #jake hangman imagine #bradley bradshaw angst #jake seresin angst #top gun maverick x you #top gun maverick x reader #jake seresin x y/n #bradley bradshaw x y/n #;new beginnings

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fandomxpreferences · 1 year

Text

You Did What to my Bronco?!

Pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x female!reader

TW: none I can think of besides swearing

Word Count: 500+

Summary: Jake and Natasha convince you to pull a prank on your husband.

You press your finger to your lips as the phone rings, urging Nat and Jake to stifle their laughter.

“Hey, sunshine. How’s my best girl?” You hear your husband’s voice and compose yourself before answering.

“Hey handsome, I’m good. I have a question though.” You chirp and you can almost see Bradley’s smile on the other end of the call.

“Shoot.” He says and you glance at Nat and see she’s leaned against Jake, struggling to keep it together.

“I took the Bronco to get gas and the handle I usually use was out of order so I used the green one and now the truck won’t start.” You manage to keep your voice even and your heart rate speeds up when you realize he bought it.

The line is silent for a few seconds before you hear his voice again. “Wait, run it back. What did you just say you did to the bronco?”

You can tell he’s trying desperately not to sound angry and raise his voice, ever the respectful gentleman.

“I used the green gas pump and now the Bronco isn’t running right.” You reiterate and you hear him take a deep breath.

“Please tell me you’re fucking joking.” He bites, his resolve quickly slipping.

“Why would I be joking?” You feign innocence and Nat completely falls out and crashes to the floor, gasping for air.

“Jesus Christ, Y/N! You put fucking diesel in my Bronco! You just completely fucked the truck. Do you have any idea how much it’s going to cost to fix if it’s even possible?!” He shouts with clear horror in his voice.

“Oh my god.” He continues, spiraling further every second. “What the fuck would possess you to do that?!”

You cover your mouth with your hand as you hear him mumbling to himself. “What should I do?” You ask and he’s quick to respond.

“Nothing! Don’t touch anything, if the truck is refusing to start the diesel is already in the fuel lines. Just set the keys down and stay away from them.” He informs you and Jake has tears in his eyes at his teammate's overreaction.

“So I shouldn’t try to turn it on?” You clarify and you’re sure he’s seconds from ripping his hair out.

“Fuck, no! How far did you drive it already?” He questions and you ponder what a good distance would be.

“I don’t know, like 5 or 6 miles?” You reply and he lets out a sound similar to a wounded animal. “Fuck me, I’m going to have to replace the whole engine.”He sounds like he’s on the verge of tears and you decide to end his suffering.

“I’m just kidding, baby! Jake and Nat thought it would be funny.” You explain and the line goes silent.

“Hang up the phone, Y/N.” His voice is deathly calm and your brows pinch together. “What? Are you for real?” You ask and he repeats himself.

“Hang up, I’m so serious. I need to calm down and I don’t want to take it out on you.” He insists and you hit the red button to end the call.

As soon as the three of you hear the beep indicating the call is over, your burst into hysterics. Nat can barely speak and has to wheeze out her words.

“You are so going to pay for that later!” She cackles and you shrug. “Worth it.”

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#top gun maverick #bradley bradshaw #rooster top gun #bradley bradshaw topgun #rooster imagine #bradley bradshaw imagine #top gun imagine #bradley bradshaw x reader

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glcnpowell · 11 months

Text

I’ve wanted to write this drabble for ages, but the pics of Glen & his new lil pup just made it worse

hangster + becoming dads

“I’ve never held a baby before.”

At the sound of Bradley’s voice cutting through the silence in the waiting room, Jake glances over, eyebrows nearly hitting his hairline. “You — what?”

Bradley’s leg has been bouncing next to his for the last — however long. Jake doesn’t know for sure. They’ve been waiting for hours, he thinks. But now, Bradley goes eerily still, his eyes widening slightly as he meets Jake’s gaze. “I’ve never held — oh, Jake. Jake, what the fuck.”

Jake’s laughing before he can stop himself. “Jesus, Bradshaw. Our kid’s actively being born and that’s just hittin’ you now? You and your fucking timing.”

“It’s not funny!” Bradley insists, swatting the back of his hand against Jake’s thigh. “I should’ve, like. Practiced. We practiced all that swaddling and diaper changing shit, but I never just — oh my god. I’m gonna swaddle my baby and then just have to leave it there because I don’t know how to hold it. Christ.”

Jake doesn’t laugh this time, but he does grin. Squeezes his hand over Bradley’s knee as he quietly says, “We’ve faced scarier things, honey.”

Bradley swallows at that, sliding his hand beneath Jake’s on his knee so their fingers can tangle together. “I just. It’s — I just wanna be good at this.”

Jake knows. He gets it. Wants this just as badly as Bradley does, maybe more. And now, after months of hoping and wondering, it’s finally happening. He squeezes Bradley’s hand and bends to press a kiss against his shoulder through the thin cotton of his shirt.

“You already are,” he promises, voice warm. “And hey, I’ve gotten rave reviews on my baby holding skills from my nephews. I was their favorite uncle pillow when they were little.”

“Their only uncle pillow,” Bradley mutters, but he’s grinning now.

“Still counts. I’ll teach ya. And, y’know,” Jake continues, voice softening. “Kinda special, ain’t it? The first baby you ever hold is gonna be our miracle.”

Bradley hums at that, the tension finally bleeding from his shoulders. “Yeah. One of many.”

“Yeah,” Jake agrees. “Probably gonna be our favorite one so far, though.”

“Probably.”

It’s silent between them for a moment after that, their hands still clasped together tightly. Eventually, Bradley inhales and breathes out a soft, disbelieving laugh.

“We’re gonna be dads today, Jake,” he rasps, looking over to him. “Holy shit.”

“Holy shit,” Jake agrees, nodding. “Holy shit.”

When their daughter’s placed on Bradley’s chest for the first time that morning, he immediately lifts his hands to cradle her like he’s always known how. He’s a natural. Jake knew he would be.

Jake brushes a kiss against Bradley’s cheek, reaching a hand out to thumb gently at the soft hair on their little girl’s head. Her dark eyes are already blinking closed as she snuggles in closer to Bradley’s skin.

“Rave reviews,” Bradley murmurs, shooting Jake a wink. The shine of tears in his eyes makes it a little less teasing than he’d probably like it to be.

Jake snorts out a laugh, running his finger over their daughter’s cheek. “Told ya you’d be fine. Not so scary, is it?”

Bradley swallows, smiling a little. “You kidding? Scariest thing in the world.”

“Yeah,” Jake agrees, corner of his mouth lifting in a grin. “But the best thing, too.”

“Yeah,” Bradley replies, hiding his smile against their daughter’s head. “Yeah, she is.”

#hangster #sereshaw #top gun maverick #hangman x rooster #rooster x hangman #tgm #bradley rooster bradshaw #jake hangman seresin #hangmanrooster #hangman #rooster #mywriting #*tgmfic #*sereshawfic

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tongue-like-a-razor · 1 year

Note

Hey my family out the Christmas decorations up today and it made me think of a cute little request for roosters brood? Like one where the kids tell the squad that they say mommy kissing Santa thought it would just be funny and cute 🥰

Aww that is super cute! I’m totally getting into the holiday spirit despite it being my busiest season, work-wise 😫 Hope you like this little drabble which may or may not have somehow turned into a Hannix thing.. I don't even know haha I've just been in a Jake mood lately 😅

The Secret

Rooster x Wife!Reader

Summary: One of your children confides in Hangman after he sees you locking lips with Ol' Saint Nick.

CW: just a tiny drabble, fluff, Christmas, kids, hints of Hannix

WC: 400+

“Guess what?” you hear your son say excitedly as he pulls on Jake’s pantleg while the latter is hanging a string of lights above your window.

“Chicken butt,” Jake responds without looking down.

“No!” Your son cackles. “I have a secret!”

Jake glances at him with a smirk. “Let me guess,” he says. “You’re not planning on keeping it.”

“Keeping what?” the boy asks in confusion.

Jake’s grin widens and he steps down from the stool to sit on it instead. He leans forward and gives your son his undivided attention. “Alright, go ahead.”

Your son brings his face to Jake’s ear and starts saying something when Jake jerks away from him. “Buddy!” he exclaims. “When you’re talking into my ear, whisper. You’re gonna burst my damn eardrum.”

“Bagman!” Phoenix tosses a garland at his back. “Language.”

“Phoenix!” he responds, glancing over his shoulder at her. “Can you save the violence for when we’re alone?”

Natasha’s eyes widen and her mouth curves into an outraged grin. She goes back to her poinsettia arrangement in silence.

Jake returns his attention to your son, who starts whispering feverishly into his ear.

“Oh, really?” Jake says, his mouth stretching into a wide smirk. He glances up at you with a roguish smile.

“You can’t tell daddy,” your son warns.

Jake nods, still watching you. “I agree.”

…

“What was that about?” you ask Jake later that evening after Bradley goes to put the kids to bed.

Jake turns to you with a laugh. “Apparently, you’re on the naughty list.”

“What?”

“Little Pete –”

“It was Nick,” Natasha interrupts Jake, rolling her eyes.

“Whatever, they’re practically the same person.” Jake waves his hand. “Little Nick saw mommy kissing Santa Clause.”

You clap a hand over your mouth, gasping. “Oh no!”

“What happened?” Bradley asks, coming down the stairs.

“Bradley was trying on the new Santa costume he bought,” you say with a slight whine. “I can’t believe they saw us!”

“I don’t know what’s worse,” Natasha muses. “Finding out that Santa isn’t real or thinking that your mom’s having an affair with old Saint Nick.”

You cringe. “Both are terrible!”

Bradley makes a face. “Someone saw us?”

Jake nods. “Yeah, Pete –”

“Nick,” Natasha corrects him again.

Jake sighs in exasperation. “How can you even tell them apart?”

Natasha shrugs. “Pete is shorter.”

Bradley chuckles, taking you by the waist and kissing your cheek. “Don’t worry, darling,” he mutters. “We’ll just tell the kids that Santa kisses everybody.”

Jake glances at the two of you sourly and then reaches over to take Natasha by the arm. He pulls her toward him possessively. “As long as Santa doesn’t demonstrate it,” he comments with a grimace.

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Please feel free to let me know if you no longer wish to be tagged in my Rooster fics <3 Sorry if I've missed anyone who has asked to be tagged!

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ohtobeleah · 1 year

Text

Boundaries // Bradley Bradshaw

Summary: A call comes in on your day off about a hostage situation. Dragging your husband Bradley and his best friend Hangman into an active crime scene, the situation could not have turned out any worse.

Warnings: NCIS x TopGun Cross over. Bradley Bradshaw x F!reader. Gun violence. Shooting.

Word Count: 8k

Author Note: Holy shit we made it bois!! Here’s another instalment of to the NCIS Bradley Bradshaw series. If you haven’t read anything to do this this series—where have you been? The Masterlist is linked here for you and a special shout out to @belowtheharddeck300 for concepting with me the other day and inspiring this whole fic. Please also don’t forget about Minimal Losses which is another series intertwined with this! But for Jake Seresin. xx

“Are you enjoying that?” DiNozzo hissed from his seat in the back of your car, peering over into the front as he eyed off Bradley who'd been obnoxiously sipping on his green smoothie the entire car trip.

“Oh, you mean my smoothie?” Rooster had been waiting for someone, anyone to bring it up. “Funny you should mention it because I really feel like it's missing something.” Inspecting the cup as if he didn't know what it was that was missing. He knew, oh boy did he know, and he was pissed.

“He’s just upset because I finished his protein powder last night–” You were currently in the middle of moving boxes out of your townhouse into a storage facility. The process of moving across the country wasn't as easy as you originally thought it would be. But you knew it would all be worth it.

“You put it on your ice cream!” Bradley countered, oh he’d been waiting for this argument to kickstart. You could see it through the rear view mirror, the perplexed look of amusement Jake was giving you as he sat quietly in the back of your car.

“Yeah and you left a tub of it at my house?” Your thought process had been this, surely Bradley had another tub of protein at his house in California. Whatever food or clothing or hygiene products he left behind whenever he came to stay with you in D.C, became fair game once he was gone. That was the unspoken rule you both had. It was hard being married and living separately, hence why you were in the process of a transfer out to California. To be closer to home. Your home. Bradley Bradshaw. “I didn't think you’d mind?”

“I wrote my name on the lid!?” Bradley had slightly turned in his seat to face you a little more. He was seething. His smoothie tasted weird without the vanilla protein powder he always used. He thought he could trust his own wife to keep his things safe. Turns out you were just as bad as the rest of the people he chose to willingly surround himself with on a day to day basis. All vultures to some extent.

“Who writes their name on things they then leave at their wife's house?” Your tone had changed, more annoyance than comic relief now shining through. That's what had drawn Jake Seresin into the conversation. He’d been trying not to get too heavily involved in whatever quarrel was going on in the front seat.

“Do you still write your name on your underwear?” Jake finally intervened in the argument that was slightly getting out of hand. He came to Washington with Rooster to help him clear out the townhouse you'd been living in since well, since you first moved out of home really. It was a pretty big task, but Jake was just grateful to have a full week off work.

“Only to mark my territory–”

“Poor choice of words there Bradshaw.” DiNozzo snarled at the thought. Shaking the imagery of roosters tighty whities out of his head. You chuckled softly as you stopped at a red light. Sighing because you didn't really want to continue the conversation but in a desperate attempt to preserve your personal beliefs on the matter, you ventured on strong headed.

“The bottom line is you're just really bad with personal boundaries.”

“Oh!” Bradley exclaimed to the heavens above as DiNozzo and Jake burst into laughter they couldn't control. Sending the two men who sat with a box between them a look they'd never forget.

“Is something funny?”

“You two? Having a discussion about boundaries?” DiNozzo mocked as you sat back with a groan. His lumbar had been acting up. You liked to tease him about the fact his hair was going grey and his bones were probably in early stages of osteoporosis. “Isn't that a little ironic?”

“Mind explaining that?” Rooster smirked as he sipped his protein-less smoothie so obnoxiously you were about five seconds away from throwing the damn thing out the window.

“Most people bring their work lives home, you two bring your home lives to work.” Jake added as he backed diNozzo up. “Boundaries get blurry.”

“Uh, no–Rooster and I keep our work lives and our personal lives incredibly separate– you didn't even know me until like two years ago.” It had been a code you both lived and breathed by. For the longest time Bradley Bradshaw kept his private life with you just that, separate. And you did the same, never mixing work with pleasure until it just seemed to melt. “I have a rule about that.”

“Really?” DiNozzo challenged your theory, your hypothesis was about to be diminished into nothing.

“Yeah–”

“What about that little display of affection the other day over on Lincoln at the stop light?” Crap, he had you with that one– remembering the way Roosters hands seemed to glide up your shirt as you kissed him with nothing but a centre console stopping you from jumping his bones right then and there.

“Ha!--” Rooster cheeks had turned a nice shade of crimson red. Flushed with embarrassment. “I didn't know you guys were behind us.” For the past couple of months, Rooster had been registered with the Naval Criminal Investigative service as a liaison officer for the Fighter weapons school, also known as TopGun. There had been some odd going on with the newest class currently going through. Rooster was just happy to give whatever intel he’d managed to gather over to the right people. That particular car trip you'd both been on the clock.

“And what about the fight about who gets the side of the bed closest to the bathroom?” Jake added as he yawned with a gaped mouth. He was used to thin walls from when he used to bunk in the dorms but it seemed as though the walls at your home were ten times thinner. Or maybe he just wasn't all that interested in hearing his best friend moan like a needy bitch for his wife. “Oh!” Jake snapped his fingers. “Or Rooster here telling us how Gibbs likes to hang dry her underwear in the living room?”

“Okay, one it’s Bradshaw to you and two you hang-dry your underwear too!” Although you’d been married for six months now– everyone was still getting used to calling you Agent Bradshaw or even just Bradshaw. To Hangman, you’d always be a Gibbs. His Gibbs.

“Yeah, in the bathroom where things are supposed to hang dry.” Rooster couldn't help but to laugh after he held your gaze. He was just waiting for the slightest smirk to creep across your beautiful smug face. The second he saw it, that ever present glint of love in your eyes, he knew he was off the hook. “I hang them over the rail! I don't display them like a taxidermist pinning moths to a dart board like you do!”

“And there it is, boundaries obliterated.” DiNozzo clapped, “More stuff I can never unhear.”

It had been your phone ringing through your bluetooth that interrupted the eyeroll of the century as you drove. Rooster saw the caller ID showing and immediately pressed answer on your behalf, not wanting you to be distracted for even a second.

“Hey Mcgee what's going on?” You greeted him with a soft smile you knew he wouldn't see but he would indeed hear in your voice. Both hands still on the wheel of your Sante Fe. The back was completely stacked with boxes, after a quick drop off, the four of you were going out for a small lunch break.

“Hey Gibbs I just–”

“It's Bradshaw Mc-know-it-all”!” Tony shouted, any chance he got to mess with his partner he took it no hesitation.

“Right sorry, anyway, Uh listen I know you guys aren't working today but Gibbs and I just got a call about a hostage situation going down at Benny's cafe’” Mcgee explained through the phone. He must have already been on the scene because all four of you could hear sirens in the background. “It's all hands on deck gang.”

“We leave you unattended for one day and look what happens.” Tony quipped again as he stretched his arms above his head as high as he could. “Be there in twenty, we’ll drop the kids to daycare and be round as soo–”

“Uh, yeah no.” Mcgee sighed as the slap he’d just copped to the back of the head echoed through your car. “Uh Gibbs says come now.” There was no time to drop Bradley and Jake back home. “Bring the kids.”

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

The entire block had been evacuated as you ducked under cautionary tape strung up by on duty police officers. Flashing them your credentials, as you did so. It had gotten easier over time to wave people off–shrugging past with nothing but a soft “NCIS–” slipping past your lips.

“Uh guys?” Rooster shouted after you and DiNozzo as you kept walking, the police officers had stopped the two off duty naval aviators at the tape. Sighing as you held the bridge of your nose, you gesture at the cops to let your husband and Hangman through.

“They’re with us—“

“Ma’am this is an active crime scene.” One of the officers felt the need to remind you as you stared him down. Bradley placed his hand on your shoulder, shaking his head with pressed lips, scooting you along before you had a chance to shove your badge down the clearly just graduated beat cops throat.

“He’s not worth it.”

“Well I would’ve paid good money to see it.” Hangman smirked as he caught up. “So this is what a crime scene looks like?”

“Yeah, come on probie I’ll show you the ropes.” Tony teased as he roughed his hand on top of Jake's head, messing up his hair before making his way over to where your father stood with McGee. Taking in your surroundings as you followed DiNozzo over—your strides were smaller these days. Since becoming a married woman you were less and less inclined to be putting yourself in the line of fire if it could be helped. You’re ‘when’ still hopefully in the far distant future.

“Do I get a badge?” Hangman smirked as he followed curiously. DiNozzo just side eyed him in response. “Damn, was kinda banking on a badge here—“

“You can have a vest? If that’ll shut you up.”

“What have we got boss?” Bradley swore every time he saw Leroy Jethroy Gibbs he wore the same expression. Unimpressed and unimused. He was grateful though to see a glimpse of reassurance that his presence was justified. “I'm in the middle of moving across the country here, you concoct a whole ass hostage situation to keep me occupied or something?” As you crossed your arms across your chest and stood back a little, you were the spitting image of your father.

“Because I’d go to these lengths to keep you around?” Gibbs cracks. “No—no, it seems the universe is telling you that your job here isn’t quite finished.” Rooster just admired from a distance as you worked. He noticed just how invested Jake was getting, it brought a temporary smirk to Roosters face. Until the feeling diminished into nothing at the explanation of what exactly was happening.

“Able Seaman Theodore ‘Bomber’ Brown.” Mcgee started, fixing his own NCIS vest over his chest. Gearing up as DiNozzo handed one to Rooster. Gesturing for him to put it on before he put it on for him. For protection. A part of procedure. “For reason still unknown the guys walked in and has taken fourteen people hostage, only thing we might be able to see triggered the outburst would be the fact he was dishonourably discharged about three weeks ago, his attending officers said he was showing signs of mania, histeria–all claims Brown denys.”

“Doesn’t seem too outlandish now, does it?” Tony replied with a huff. “You don't just randomly take fourteen people hostage for no apparent reason– gotta be something triggering the guy.”

“Did you say Theodore Brown?” You knew your expression was one of concern as Bradley and Jake turned to listen to you more intently. Both wearing NCIS issued bullet proof vests. “I think I went to high school with him, yeah–his mother was a diagnosed schizophrenic.” You remembered the poor kid as clear a day, he didn't have all that much growing up but he had a decent smile and a heart of gold. “I remember him being heavily tormented by some stupid kids in the grade above us because of it.”

“That would certainly explain something like this–” DiNozzo sassed. You shot him a look of disapproval. His accusing eyes staring directly back at you.

“I wasn't insinuating anything, I'm just saying there's a high percentage of something like that being passed down through genetics. If it's underlying or even just undiagnosed he might be confused about what's going on.”

“Since when are you an expert in behavioural analysis?” You could barely hear the question Tony had asked over the sirens and loud as all hell fire brigade horns rolling onto the scene. “I say we send her in for mediation if she already knows the guy.” Like a little light bulb moment when off inside your head, you raised a brow Tony’s way as he spoke– perhaps he was onto something? Maybe it would be the best idea for you to go in if Theodore was the Theodore you had known in high school?

“I'm not an excerpt and I could be way off here, but if we’re already going off nothing, maybe DiNozzo has a valid point?” Shrugging your shoulders, you looked around all the men who stood around you. Two of which were quick to shut down the idea immediately.

“No!” Jake frowned as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. “As if you'd send the only women here into the line of direct fire are you kidding?” He didn't mean any malicious intent, you knew that. And you hadn’t taken the comment to heart because it was Jake. He cared enough about the people around him to want to protect them himself. In a situation like this though? He found himself rendered useless.

“Not a chance–” Bradley shook his head, his lips pressed together in a thin line as his fist balled briefly by his side. “Nope, not happening.” Bradley however, knew he didn't have a say. He’d been around this bloke enough times to know the second someone held you no you wanted to do it ten times more. Even if it was out of spite. “You don't know what this guys even capable of?” The only thing that filled the heavy silence that lingered in the atmosphere around you were the sounds of obnoxious sirens. Looking up at your husband with so much love and admiration, you took his hand in yours.

“I think you sometimes forget what I'm capable of too–” Bradley knew he was out of line. He knew better than anyone not to step between you and your job. He remembered how the whole Bob situation at the Hard Deck had gone down, but he couldn't help it, you were his wife. The woman he loved and was in love with. His best friend. The hopefully future mother of his children. He had his justified reasons to stand between you and something dangerous. If he didn’t? Who the fuck was going to? “Roos– todays not my when baby, I'll be fine.'' He knew you couldn't really promise that, with reluctance and a tight grip on your hand–squeezing three consecutive times, Rooster nodded in response. “We’ll stop by United Sports Nutrition on the way back and get you some more protein.”

“What, just so you can eat it all?” Bradley beamed as you chuckled softly. Resolving in his arms as you hugged him. Wrapping your arms around his shoulders as he wrapped his arms around your waist. Looking around your shoulder Jake saw the look of utter turmoil in his best friend's eyes. He’d never be able to handle this, your job title made his day job look like a hobby. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, so much more.” It was a moment you both treasured amongst chaos. Pulling away as you fixed yourself up and nodded to your dad. “Okay, where do you want me?”

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

“Earpiece fit snug?” Gibbs asked softly as he fixed his own. Pressing it further into his ear before fixing his NCIS issued cap. Never one for an overt display of emotion, Gibbs settled for a one sided smirk, tipping your chin up as he looked you over—a younger version of himself. “You keep your wits about yourself.”

“Always boss, always.” It was a gentle kiss to your forehead that had you closing your eyes and taking in the moment before you exhaled your nerves. Shaking your hands out before smoothing over your bullet proof vest. Hidden snuggly under your sweatshirt you had stolen from Bradley’s forever growing collection—this one? His favourite Phillies jumper. “If Bradley—“ You didn’t even need to ask, finish your sentence or explain anything. Gibbs already knew. Cutting you off with a hushed groan.

“I got him, you just focus on getting those people out of that building.” Everyone was situated around it in the gazebo style monitoring station. They were all huddled around radio equipment that had been set up in order to monitor you while you were inside the cafe.”

“No matter what happens you keep them clear, you’ll know if I need backup.'' It was always a weird feeling talking to your father like he was your boss. Well he was your boss but you get the point I'm trying to make. Keeping conversation light and away from what you really wanted to say was always the general consensus of your talks before any major take down or subsequent hostage situation or kidnapping. You always said things like ‘I'll be fine, don't worry, piece of cake.’ When in reality all you wanted to say was ‘Make sure I go home to my husband in one piece because if I don't he’ll never forgive me for being too reckless.’ Like father like daughter though right?

The two of you slowly but surely closed in on where DiNozzo sat babysitting your husband and Jake. Sitting between the two aviators who both looked far beyond their comfort zone. “Now I’m expecting Brown to be incredibly hostile at first so whatever you do, unless there’s a clear indication from me—don’t intervene, under any circumstances.”

“What would a clear indication be?” Rooster asked as he squinted up at you, the gazebo doing little to keep the sun out of his golden brown eyes.

“Hail of bullets a good enough indication?” Rooster could tell you were starting to compartmentalise, it was something you did to ensure rational thinking. You didn't like when emotions played a major part in your critical thinking process when you were on the job. Splitting your personality in half always seemed to be an easy way to process the idea of inevitable fate. Not if, but when. You and Bradley had discussed the when’s of life a million times, today you were sure it was not a when. Bradley however? Well he had a fear so primal lingering in the back of his mind that today would be the day he could taste it in the back of his throat. Undeniable heartache. But he wouldn't admit that, no. He couldn't. Not when you were gearing up to save lives and put the greater good before your own self. That would be a disservice to your own stability. “I know what i'm doing Rooster–”

“I stopped questioning your judgement a long time ago sweetheart, doesn't mean I don't worry.” Bradley cooed as he stood from his chair, headphone hanging around his neck because there was no way he wasn't going to listen to every second. Reaching out to draw you in by your slightly flushed cheeks. His palms pressed softly against you as he brought his lips against your ever so lovingly–Like it could very well be the last kiss he ever got the share with you. “Go be a badass–”

“When have you ever known me not to be one?” It was a simple answer, but a reaffirming one. You had always been a fierce woman, strong and independent. “United Sports Nutrition, my treat.” Changing the subject as you slipped through Bradleys fingertips. Nodding in response to what you'd promised him, Bradley committed to memory what it felt like to hold your face between his hands. Jake stood from his seat to keep his best friend grounded in reality, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“I dunno how you do it man, if I were in your shoes I never would have let her do this.” Bradleys eyes never left you as you finally turned your back on him, being escorted by two general duties officers closer to where the cafe was. Tears threatened to spill as he held himself together with what felt like scotch tape and PVA glue. Forever his girl, always his badass.

“I don't do it–” Bradley replied just barely under a whisper. It killed him a little bit more each time you worked a high profile case or put yourself in the line of fire more than was deemed completely necessary. He knew you knew what you were doing–but it didn't change the fact the bottom line was inevitably when. When would he get the house call that told him you weren't coming back? “Kills me every day man. But what good would it do holding her back?”

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

As you approached the front door of the small corner store cafe, you held in a deep breath–it almost felt like if you exhaled too fast your heart was going to fall out of your ass. You weren't a stranger to dangerous situations, but this time it felt different. There was an added layer of intensity to this particular situation. One part being you knew the suspect from highschool. The other part? Well, it wasn't every day your husband got to see you doing what you did best–being a menace to society only with a legal title that gave you a right to carry a weapon.

A small christmas like bell rang throughout the building as you slowly but surely opened the door. Stepping in cautiously, you met eyes with Theodore ‘Bomber’ Brown. You greeted him with a warm smile, trying to keep your own nerves under wrap as he held the gun directly at you. Your hands came up slowly beside your head as you took small almost undetected steps. The door slamming shut with a thud behind you.

The game had begun.

“Hi Theo.”

“What are you doing here Y/n?” He almost looked as confused as you were pretending to be. Shrugging as you continued walking closer to where he stood, you took a headcount of people cowering and hiding their children.

“Oh you know, I was just in the area and thought I'd stop in for a coffee.” Bradley had never rolled his eyes harder at you. For a brief moment he questioned if he could even listen to you, ripping the headphones off as he squinted his eyes shut and held the bridge of his nose warding off a headache.

“What's she doing? Is she being serious?” Jake questioned DiNozzo who stood trying to get a visitual through the cracks in the blinds of the cafe Theo had made his hostages shut.

“She's doing what she does best–” Gibbs responded with a smirk evident on his face. “She's getting the job done.” Rooster felt as if he had no other choice but to pull himself together and put the damn headphones back on. If something were to happen and he missed it? He’d never forgive himself.

“You want a coffee Theo?” You asked as you slowly lowered your hands, stepping behind the counter. “I used to work at this coffee shop down the street while I was in college, still make a pretty mean cappuccino if you ask me.”

“What are you some kinda cop?” Theo hissed, it almost felt like venom against your skin as he whizzed around the counter. Pressing the end of his gun against your back, just between your shoulder blades. “Because if are–”

“I'm not a cop.” Sometimes a sharp tongue could cut deep. “But if you feel the need to affirm your suspicions you can always pat me down.” It was probably the biggest bluff you had ever held. Of course you were wearing a vest, you didn't actually have a death wish. But if Theo were to pat you down? He’d feel it instantly. “Or you can just have a coffee with me and we can talk about what's got you so upset to the point where you think hurting these people will fix the issue?”

“You really just wanna talk? No bull?” Theo removed the gun from where it had been pressed between your shoulder blades. Watching curiously as you started to tamper a puck of coffee from the machine.

“I just wanna talk, but before we do–I reckon it would be really kind of you to let some of these people go?” Silence had never been so deafening before as you stood face to face with an active terrorist. “I'll stay as long as you wanna talk for, but come on Theo–there's children in here.”

“I keep them all.” Theo growled as you reached down to grab a carton of milk from out of the bar fridge. Shaking your head in disappointment.

“The Theo I know would never have harmed a soul, you cried when Lala Bigbe decided she was gonna be an underground Molly Grub fighter and was pinning them against one another on the oval at–” The jug of milk went crashing to the ground as you felt the back of Theos gun connect with your cheek. He’d pistol whipped you. Knocking you to the ground in shock before you could finish your sentence.

“Jesus fucking Christ–” Rooster hissed as he stood up, Gibbs was quick to shove him back down into his seat by his shoulders. “Gibbs she–”

“Knows what she's doing, Son–give her time.” Bradley didn't hear the word son enough in his life, and it was a word that always truly impacted him. Sitting with his father in law's hands on his shoulders—he wanted so badly to trust the process. “She’ll tell us when she needs us.”

“I'll give him that one for free, maybe she’ll try another angle now.” Tony tried to lighten the situation, noticing just how badly Rooster was holding it together. Maybe it was the wrong call bringing the fighter pilots along after all.

“I am not in the mood to play childish games.” Theo spat as he leaned in and over you, watching as you backed yourself into the corner. Covering your cheek. “You wanna talk, we’ll talk, but it'll be on my terms, about what I wanna talk about—”

“That's perfect, great plan of attack.” You quipped. Standing to your feet again as you went back to making your coffee. Fetching a new carton of milk from the bar fridge. “What’s on your mind?” Theo didn’t respond as quickly as you’d hoped. He looked around the cafe, taking in how everybody looked at you like some saving grace.

“I'm not crazy–” He mumbled as you steamed your milk. “I’m just—I wanted someone, anyone to hear

me.” Theo sounded as sincere as they come. A plea for help, crying out for someone to pull him out of whatever train wreck his life had become.

“Well considering I never asked if you were, it's awfully sad that you feel like you need to state that as a matter of fact.” You and Theo used to be quite close in high school—you’d eat lunch together more often than not, you’d stand by his locker most mornings because your presence alone would deter Frank Jackson and his bunch of goons from stuffing Theo into his locker. He was your science partner from what you could remember and he even helped you a time or two with some physics homework—but looking at him now? There was something behind his eyes that told you he was sick. “I don’t think you’re crazy—“

As if those five words broke down a barrier, Theo sauntered over to the front door. Deciding that your open mind was a good enough reason to let a few people out as a show of good faith. You scratch his back he’ll scratch yours.

“You three, go—NOW!” Theo shouted as he fired a single round into the ceiling as the three people he’d told to run ran for their lives with their hands above their head. At the sound of gunfire you ducked behind the counter, holding your earpiece.

“I’m good, he fired into the roof.” You mumbled just above a whisper, hoping Bradley had been one of the people who were listening in intently. He had been. At the sound of gunfire he jumped out of his seat, instantly panicking because what if you’d been shot? “I’m good—“

“Copy, standing by with backup.” McGee responded loud and clear in your ear as you peaked out from behind the counter. Catching a glimpse of what Theo might have been experiencing as you watched his gaze linger into a void as he mumbled something under his breath, almost as if he was shrugging someone off.

“I thought my commanding officer would be here this morning.” Theo explained as he made his way to you. His head hung lower as he almost gave off an ora of remorse. “I just wanted to talk, explain that I’m not crazy—I, I panicked when someone spotted my gun.” It was irrational behaviour, but you couldn’t help but to understand how Theo thought he was justified. Sipping your coffee casually as you kept Theo occupied and distracted enough so that two other hostages could slip out the front door. One had been clever enough to take the Christmas bell with him.

“Why do you have a gun if you were looking for your commanding officer Theo?” Your question must have made Theo feel a little caged. His defences coming back online as he closed the space between you. His eyes full of rage, anger bubbling to the surface.

“Because he had me dishonourably discharged, he ruined my life! It's only fair I ruin his no?”

“She’s losing him–” Gibbs groaned as he clicked at Tony. “Get ready to go.” Bradley and Jake continued listening as you tried to take control of the situation again. “I'm pulling the plug.” At the mere mention of the plug being plugged being pulled, you spoke back to Theo in a way you hoped your team would understand.

“I got it–” You paused briefly so that your team understood you were talking to them. “I mean I get it, I do, if someone had me fired from the only job I ever really enjoyed I'd be upset too.” you weren't sure when your hands had started to shake but they were.

“What do you do now?” Theo asked. You couldn't keep up with his very wiry personality changes. The Theo you spoke at this very second was not the same version of Theo who had shot a single round through the roof not a few minutes prior.

“Im a florist–” It had been a blatant lie, but a quick and believable one. Brandley scoffed to himself in amusement, his mother had been a florist. “Maybe you can come see the shop once this is all over huh?”

“Oh I dont think I'm getting out of here.” Theo softened his gaze. “Can't you hear the sirens?”

“They just wanna make sure these people get out unharmed Theo that's all, I reckon if you walked out with me, they'd lower whatever weapons they have and would let you explain why you felt the need to do this.” It was your way of telling everyone to lower their weapons and stand down if Theo were to come willingly. You knew your dad was smart enough to decipher that. “Doesn't that sound like the best way to get justice?”

“Y/n, what's in your ear?” Fuck. You froze as Theo reached his hand out, turning your head away–Theo got a good look at the earpiece that was in your ear, delivering your entire conversation to whatever authorities were outside. “You fucking bitch you set me up.”

“No no, I didn't Theo listen to me!” You were in the eye of the storm now. Rooster shot up from his seat yet again as his heart beat so hard against his chest he felt like it might burst through his sternum.

“Gibbs, get her out of there–” Jake had never heard his friend and colleague sound so panicked before. “NOW!” Holding the headphones against his ears as people rushed towards the building, Bradley’s stomached dropped when he heard the crackling noise of static. You weren't there anymore. “FUCK! Y/n–!!” Bradley Bradhsaw had never moved so quickly in his goddamn life before. But Jake Seresin? He’d never had to hold back a pleading husband before. Jumping up and after Rooster, bear hugging the six foot wide shouldered blonde as he struggled against him.

“You can't go in there Bradshaw–”

“She's my wife!” Jake had to clench his jaw as he struggled with Rooster, holding him back as shots rang out and hostages bolted from the front door, DiNozzo and Mcgee quick on the draw as they entered soon after with their guns drawn.

“But right now? She's a Federal Agent.”

“Jake I swear to fucking god if you don’t let me go right now you’ll be dead before you hit the ground, DO YOU HEAR ME?!!” Bradley shouted as he continued to struggle with Hangman who wasn't letting go for nothing. Holding back Rooster as people rushed the cafe. His eyes were trained on the front door, just waiting for you to appear.

But you never did.

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

“No no, I didn't Theo listen to me!” You were in the eye of the storm now. He’d ripped your earpiece from your ear, crushing it in his palm before shoving you backwards into one of the dining tables.

“You are a cop!”

“I'm not!” You pleaded, your hands coming up to protect yourself. “I'm not a cop, you just never asked if I was a federal agent, that's what I am, but I swear to you it doesn't change anything!” You tried to reason with Theo as his hand came down to around your throat. “I don't think you’re crazy!”

“I don’t fucking believe you!” That's the moment you knew you’d lost him, deciding against your better judgement before anyone else got hurt to rush him. Clawing at his hand before tackingling him around the waist back into the counter.

“RUN!!” You shouted. “Everybody out! Now, now, now!!!” Struggling with Theo as you tried to disarm him. He’d managed to gain the upper hand and throw you down onto the ground, pinning you down only for you to flip the cards and straddling him for a brief moment as you searched for his gun. “Theo, I promise, I can help you–” He wasn't listening. Scrapping around on the floor for dominance and his weapon.

You didn't even hear the gunshots.

You just felt the two jolts of pain rush through you. You held your breath and counted to ten. You felt the earth move before your heart burst again. For this was your when, You’d drowned and dreamt this moment. So overdue, you felt like you owed them. The hands of time. Swept away, you were stolen as you fell to your side. Cupping your lower abdomen as blood stained your hands.

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

Bradley was by your side within seconds after first responders had brought you out, already working to fit you with oxygen and stop your bleeding. A paramedic sat straddling your legs as she applied pressure over your stomach as the gurney you laid on was wheeled up into the ambulance.

“Rooster–” You mumbled softly from under the oxygen mask, you couldn't train your eyes on him. Everything was blurry. But you knew he was there. “Bradley–”

“Im here, hey–I got you baby, I’m here.” The way Bradley held your hand broke Jake's heart as he stood back and watched with Tony and Tim. They were all as stunned as each other. Gibbs? He was still inside the cafe. As your boss he hated that he’d let the situation escalate to a point beyond saving. As your father? He was proud you’d managed to get every single person out of the cafe–his only wish was that you'd been one of them too.

“I'm okay–” You tried to promise your husband as he followed you up into the ambulance, there was no way in hell he wasn't going with you. “I'll be fine.”

“Oh I wouldn't doubt it baby, you did so good.” Rooster knew this wasn't good just by the looks that gave no ground for hope that paramedics shared between themselves as they worked around him. “But you gotta keep fighting yeah? Don't you give up on me now, today wasn't supposed to be your when.” You just shook your head softly in response as your hand slipped from your husbands. “Y/n? Hey, baby you open your eyes for me okay?” It took everything you had, but you did what you were told. Bradley beamed as he blinded away tears that fell freely down his cheeks. “There she is, hi beautiful.”

“Hi–” You mumbled back before all the bells and whistles rang out through the back of the ambulance.

“Okay we’re losing her.” one of the paramedics announced as she pushed Bradley aside. “Sir, we need all the space to work on your wife, please step aside.” Bradley did as he was told, he stood in the corner and watched as paramedics worked to save your life. His bottom lip quivered a little as he started to lose control.

“Don't you dare take her dad, I need her here, with me.”

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

Leroy Jethro Gibbs hated hospitals as much as the next guy. It had been a few hours since you had been brought into emergency for emergency life saving surgery. Jake sat beside a clearly not alright Braldey. His hands were still covered in your blood. At least his shirt was black so if there was any on him? It was at least discrete.

“Bradshaw, Your father in laws here.” Jake didn't think for a moment that Bradley would jump to his feet and rush at Gibbs. But that's exactly what he did. Leaving Jake Seresin in the dust completely dumbfounded. “Dude?” This was not how his annual leave would have gone.

“You son of a bitch!” Bradley spat. “Where the fuck have you been!?” Calmly and every so collected Gibbs raised a single brow at his son in law. He understood what it was like to lose his wife, so he accepted Roosters' anger.

“I was with Brown, making sure he was in custody.” Gibbs handed the obviously distressed husband the coffee he’d ordered him before stepping around where Bradley stood to hand Jake the same. “He’s with Tony and Tim now–charged they’re charging him with attempted murder of a Federal officer first and formost, everything else will be left up to whatever the phyc deems–”

“You should have been with your daughter!” Rooster interrupted with a hiss laced with venom as Gibbs turned back to face where Rooster stood seething in anguish and heartbreak. “She needed you–”

“Who she needed, was right with her.” Gibbs said calmly as he pressed his index finger into Roosters chest. “And you don't get to diminish her ability because it's hard to accept the fact things went wrong, she's a good agent–she knew what she was walking into, you accept the risk–”

FUCK THE RISK!!” Bradley shouted with enough gusto to catch the attention of the entire waiting room. “She’s everything I have! I can't lose her.”

“Since when is this about you Bradshaw?” Gibbs questioned as calmly as ever. “Are you the one on the operating table right now or is it your wife and my daughter?” It was a hard truth Bradley had to hear and accept. “You don't get to not be a solid foundation for her to lean on when she comes out of this, just like she doesn't get a choice to not make it through this.” For a split second, Rooster saw Gibbs clench his jaw tight, holding his emotions back as per normal. But for a moment? He saw it in his father in law's eyes. The guilt he felt for being the one who signed off on such a suicide mission.

“Uh, Bradshaw?” An attending was coming through the double doors in her scrubs, looking for Bradley. “Bradley Bradshaw?”

“Yeah? Over here.” Jake answered as he stood from the seat he felt like he’d been glued to watching the most daytime emmy scene play out before him.

“I have an update on your wife.” Bradley couldn't breathe as he nodded in response, swallowing the lump in his throat as he sat down. Theattending did the same beside him. Removing her scrub cap. “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

“There's good news?” Bradley let out a sigh of relief as the attending just smirked his way. She’d seen far too many husbands with chewed up nails beds to not know what Bradley was feeling right now. “That first, please.”

“She’s stable, for now–Doctor Daz is just finishing up now and we’ll let you know when you can come see her.” The attending Bradley didn't quite catch the name of paused briefly before continuing on. “However, unfortunately because of the specific type of bullet that your wife was hit with, it did leave a pretty big mess and she’s lost an ovary.” Rooster wasn't the best person when it comes to female anatomy. He carried a few tampons and liners around but that was about it. From the look on his face the attending knew he cared, he just didn't really know what she was saying. “Sir, your wife may find it a little harder to conceive if you were ever planning on having a family. Not by much, only around the thirty for forty percent mark but it's still something to be aware of.”

“But she's alive?” Bradley didn't care about what he did not have right now, all he cared about was that you were still earth side, his dad had heard his prayers. “She’s gonna be Okay?”

“She very much should be.”

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

The steady rhythm of your heart rate monitor was the first thing that you heard as you came to after surgery. The next thing? It was the gentle snores that escaped an exhausted Bradley Bradshaw as he sat beside your bed. His head in your lap as he snored away. Completely oblivious to the fact you had come to. Oxygen flowed through the little tube connecting up around your ears into your nose as your head felt heavy against the pillow that proped you up.

“Too much adventure for you huh Roos?” You smiled softly as you carded your fingertips gently through his sun kissed hair. Disturbing the clearly mentally and physically exhausted aviator who held your whole heart in the palm of his hand. “Hi–”

“You don’t know how good it is to hear your voice.” Rooster groaned as he came to, sitting up with a yawn. “Never again.”

“Bradley, I’m okay–”

“Yeah no this isn't the first time you've been shot on but it's gonna be the last.” You didn't want to start an argument right now, but you couldn't help but give Rooster the normal level or attitude you normally would.

“Okay Lieutenant Bradshaw, say that again when you aren't literally flying fighter jets for a living.” You had rendered Bradley speechless as you eyed him down with an all knowing smirk. “Yeah, think before you talk shit.”

In comfortable silence Braldey held your hand and read your chart as you went in and out of a light sleep. He wondered when the most appropriate time would be to bring up the whole ovary thing would be. Perhaps it would be less of a hit coming from him, or maybe it would be less confusing to hear someone explain it who actually knew what they were talking about. Regardless, Braldey stayed by your side all night, watching as you slept, keeping you company when you were awake.

“Hey Roos?” You mumbled as you lulled your head to the side. Yoru eyes were barely open as you caught his attention.

“You okay? Do you need anything?”

“You believe in life after death right?” He wasn't all that sold on the idea, but he liked to keep an open mind purely because of his parents and the way his mother would always say his dad was watching over them.

“Depends on the circumstances I guess? Why, what's on your mind?”

“I think I met your dad for a moment there, unless it was just a very vivid surgery dream.” Bradley believed wholeheartedly that if you had really seen his dad then he owed him everything he had for sending you back to him.

“Did you say hi for me?” Rooster smiled as he rubbed his thumb across your hand as you nodded.

“I did Roo, I did.” You cooed just barely above a whisper. Letting your eyes rest as you chuckled softly to yourself. “Do you think this obliterated our blurry line between work and home life?” Bradley Bradshaw knew he’d met his match with you all those years ago. But looking at you now? He honestly couldn’t imagine a life without you. He wasn't prepared for a when. You’d just have to settle for a never from now on.

“Yeah, oh yeah big time.”

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

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#ncis // bradley bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw imagine #top gun bradley bradshaw #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun rooster #bradley bradshaw x reader

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topguncortez · 1 year

Text

What to Expect | Chapter 11

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synopsis: Your greatest fear comes true as you rush to the hospital to hear the fate of your best friend and the father of your unborn child.

word count: 2.8k

warnings: pregnancy, cursing, canon character death, injuries, topgun shit, fighting, questions of paternity,

You had never met Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. You were born about three years after that fateful day in 1986. Carole and Bradley had shown you pictures and told you stories about Goose. How funny he was, how loveable he was, how he could light up any room that he walked into. Your father still had a picture of himself and Nick from back in the days at the academy. You had never asked about how Goose died, and you never really wanted to know. You knew it was tragic and you knew it was sad. To you, that was all you needed to know.

You knew that being with an aviator came with risks. You had a front row seat to all the risks that came with being with anyone in the military. You had been to a few servicemember funerals in your lifetime, and each of them was just as sad as the other. You had heard the cries of partners and spouses as the chaplain walked up to their front door to tell them the news that no one wants to hear. You had gone to school with kids who were called “Gold Star” kids.

Ice didn’t tell you a lot over the phone. He wasn’t really supposed to say anything, but he knew that he had to tell you. They were already planning on returning early when the accident had happened. He told you to meet with them at the VA hospital on base. Alyssa had to drive you because of how bad you were shaking when you walked back into the teachers lounge. Stephanie was worried that you were gonna go into preterm labor, and had called your mother to alert her. Sarah was already at the hospital when the three of you arrived.

“Where is he?” You asked your father as you saw him. Ice pulled you in for a hug and rubbed your back.

“He’s being checked out right now,” Ice said, “He’s okay. Just banged up and a little bit shaken up. He’s been asking about you and the baby.”

You nodded, “And what about Bradley?”

Ice sighed and tried to come up with the right words to say, “The ejection failed. He hit his head on the canopy.”

“Oh god,” You sobbed out and Ice had to hold you from collapsing to the ground. He helped you over into one of the nearby chairs. You knew how Goose died, Bradley had eventually told you a couple years ago. You knew it was one of his greatest fears when flying over the ocean was if his canopy didn’t open correctly, “I-is he-”

“He’s unconscious,” Ice said and you sucked in a breath, “He called out for you when he was going down.”

“I need to see him,” You said and attempted to get up from your chair but Sarah put a hand on your shoulder.

“You need to calm yourself first,” Sarah said, “You being stressed out isn’t good for the baby.”

“I’m not going to calm down until I see him,” You argued and then looked at your father, “I need to see him.”

Ice and Sarah shared a look. They knew how stubborn you could be and they knew that you wouldn’t relax until you saw Bradley Bradshaw with your own two eyes. Sarah nodded and walked over to talk to a nurse. The Kazanskys were on Bradley’s emergency contact list, being some of the only family he had left. The nurse gave Sarah Bradley’s room number and permission to go see him. She walked with you, making sure you safely got down to Bradley’s room.

“Do you want to go in alone?” Sarah asked you, as you stood outside of his room.

“Am I a bad person for wanting to see him first?” You asked and looked at your mother, “My baby’s father was also involved in the accident but I don’t feel the rush or need to go see him.”

“No, I don’t think you’re a bad person,” Sarah said honestly, “I don’t quite understand your relationship with Jake or what is going on between the two of you. But I do know that the love you have for Bradley is something that you have always felt. You love Jake, but not the same way you love Bradley.”

You nodded and looked down at your bump, “I want to be alone.” Sarah nodded and rubbed your arm. She kissed your cheek before leaving you alone to go see Bradley. You sucked in a deep breath before opening the door.

From afar, it looked like he was sleeping peacefully, but the closer you got the more you could see the small cuts and bruises all over his face. His head was wrapped up and you could see a plastic neck brace on his body. His hand was also bandaged up and you wondered if that was from the accident or if he and Jake got into another fight. You covered your mouth with your hand and tried to stop the tears from falling, but you couldn’t help it. You slowly walked closer to him, as if he was some sort of wild animal and you were afraid you might scare him off.

“Oh god, Buckles,” You said, sitting down in a chair by his bed, “What the hell happened?” You gently grabbed his hand in one of yours, and then brushed your fingers over a cut on his cheek, “For fucks sake,” You sniffled and looked down at your hand in his, “I am so sorry, Bradley. For everything. I-I never should’ve hurt you the way that I did. But, I can’t lose you. Not now, not ever. I need you, Bradley.” The tears were flowing down your cheeks at this point in time, and you laid your head on the side of his bed and cried.

Bradley wasn’t sure if it was the whisper of his name in his mom’s voice or the image of his dad standing in front of him that made him start to wake up. Or maybe, it was the sound of crying that made his brown eyes flutter open. He was a bit confused at first, his head starting to ache at the bright fluorescent lights and smell of antiseptic. His neck was stiff and he could hardly move it. Images of the accident started to come back to him. The sounds of Hangman yelling his name for extra coverage, the feeling of bullets littering the side of his jet, and then everything went black after that. Bradley lifted his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, before looking down at the source of the crying.

You were the last person Bradley expected to be crying at his bedside. He was taken aback, and thought that maybe he was still dreaming. He had seen this dream before, and it usually ended with his mom and dad walking in through the door telling him to wake up. Expect, that never happened, and you were really there, crying on the starchy hospital sheets. Bradley’s heart broke, as he gently raked his hand through your hair. You pulled your head up quickly, and looked at him.

“Oh my god,” You launched yourself at him, wrapping your arms around him.

“Ow, fuck,” Bradley groaned and you retracted your arms, “Sorry, my neck. . . I think they said whiplash.”

“I am so sorry. I uh- I’ll be right back,” You said quickly and stood up from his bed. Bradley watched as you waddled out of his room, more than likely going to get a nurse. He hadn’t seen you in about eight weeks, and you had really popped. He had said you had a waddle back then, but now you really were waddling around.

“Lieutenant Bradshaw,” A doctor said walking into his room, “Welcome back to the land of the living.” Bradley’s brown eyes looked back over to the doorway and noticed that you hadn’t come back. He sighed and tried to put on a smile as the doctor looked over his chart.

— — —

You had meant to go back to Bradley’s room, but you walked right past Jake’s on the way to get a nurse to go look at Bradley. You knew that you had to check in on Jake, he was after all the father of your child. Jake was sitting up in bed, flipping through channels when you walked in. He didn’t look nearly as beaten up as Bradley did, but you did notice a large cut above his eyebrow that was stitched up.

“Hey, stranger,” You said and Jake looked over at you. He smiled, and scooted over in bed. You crawled in next to him, and he wrapped his arm around you, his other hand going to your bump, “How are you?”

“As well as I can be after being shot out of the sky,” Jake said, “I don’t want to talk about it. Not with little ears around.”

“She can’t-”

“Yes she can,” Jake corrected you, “Hearing is one of the first things that is developed. How have you been? How was the end of the school year?”

You filled Jake in on everything that has happened in the final weeks of school and what happened at your last appointment. You felt very content being back in Jake’s arms and the soothing touch of his hand on your belly. You didn’t realize how much you missed him in the past two weeks. Jake talked a bit about what he was doing while on detachment, he made sure to leave out the details of the accident. He didn’t want to relive them and he didn’t want you to start worrying again. Even though you were laying in Jake’s arms, your mind was on Rooster and what the doctors had told him.

“You should go check on him,” Jake said, and you looked up at him, “I know he’s on your mind right now, and I don’t blame you. I-I was worried about him too. I even told him on the chopper ride back that he better not die cause I’m not sure how I can explain that to you.”

You giggled and leaned up to kiss Jake, “Thank you for understanding.”

“Of course. As long as I get cuddles with my girls afterwards.”

You couldn’t help but smile at Jake’s words as you walked back down the hallway towards Bradley’s room. You took a deep breath before knocking on the door and waiting for an invite to come in. Usually, you would’ve just walked right into the room, but it felt odd doing that. Everything felt odd between the two of you right now. Once you heard Bradley’s voice call out, you pushed the door open and peeked your head inside.

“My junk is covered if that’s what you’re worried about,” Bradley said and You scrunch your nose.

“I have seen it before Bradshaw,” You chuckled, walking over to his bedside. You sat down with a sigh, and looked at your belly. It was silent for a moment until Bradley spoke up.

“I’m sorry,” Bradley said, looking at his hands in his lap. You looked up at him, and met his baby brown eyes, “I-I,” He sniffled, “I never ever meant to hurt you in the way that I did. My mom would have smacked into next year if she knew what I was doing.”

“I’m surprised the ghost of Carole Bradshaw hasn’t come to rain down on you,” You said and Bradley chuckled.

“Oh trust me, I think she has,” Bradley said, “My transmission in the Bronco dropped the day after I stormed out of your house. I feel like her and dad were somewhat behind that one,” You broke out in a smile and felt the baby kick against you, “She kicked?”

“Can you see it?” You asked. The shirt you were wearing hugged your bump just right, and you could see any dramatic movement that baby girl did inside you.

“Yeah, I think I saw a foot,” Bradley looked at your belly, “But as I was saying before someone interrupted,” You giggled and rubbed your belly, “I am sorry for putting you in the position that I did. It was selfish and wrong of me. I was just so. . . blinded by my feelings. I guess the idea of finally having a family was just so appealing that I wasn’t even thinking of how much it was hurting you.”

“Bradley,” You shifted closer and grabbed his hand, “You have always had a family with me.”

“I know,” Bradley smiled sadly at you, “I guess when you started dating Jake. . . I thought that I was losing my family all over again. I was happy that you had found someone to make you happy. But you moved away with him, and I didn’t see you for so long. And then you came back so heartbroken, and I did everything that I could to pick up the pieces. I thought ‘yes, I am finally getting my chance to secure my family.’ Then little bug came along, and Jake came back, and I was losing my family all over again.”

You got out of your chair and sat on the side of Bradley’s bedside. You grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

“No matter what happens, Bradley, you will always be my family,” You said, and grabbed his face in your hands, “You have always been my family. You have always been the one who gets me, who is there for me. Buckles, you were my first love.”

“And you were mine,” Bradley said, grabbing your hands, “You were the last thing I thought about when I was going down. I was thinking ‘i’m going to die, and you still hate me.’”

“I could never hate you,” You said.

“I’m glad, because I hated not talking to you or seeing you,” Bradley admitted, “Can you give me a hug? I’d hug you but the whole-” He gestured to the brace around his neck. You giggled and leaned in to hug him carefully, “I love you, Bug.”

“I love you too, Buckles.”

You stayed in Bradley’s room until he fell asleep. The two of you had nearly two months of stuff to catch up on. You filled him in on information and development about the baby and showed him some of the sonogram pictures you had on your phone. He wanted to come over as soon as he could to help but the nursery together with Jake. Bradley had told you that he and Jake had somewhat reconciled while on the carrier.

But just like Jake, he left out details on the accident, probably to save you all the stress. Bradley’s doctor had come by and told him about his injuries. He had a concussion from hitting his head on the canopy, and it also gave him whiplash (hence the neck brace). The wrapped up wrist was from him trying to punch out but it had failed. The two of you watched Forrest Gump until he fell asleep. You kissed his cheek and pulled his blanket up, tucking him in.

There was a smile on your face as you walked back down to Jake’s room. You felt like everything was sort of working out for the better now. And even the baby inside you could tell things were starting to change. Jake had texted you for more saltines about an hour ago, and you snatched a sleeve from the nurses station.

You pushed open Jake’s door, “Jacob, I got your salt-“

“For the last fucking time, dad, I’m not getting a fucking paternity test done!”

You jumped at the sound of his voice. Jake was standing at the foot of his bed, and hung up his phone, throwing it with force at the pillows on the other end. He sighed and gripped the footboard, trying to settle his heart rate down.

“Jake?”

“Annie saw your snapchat the other day,” He said. You cursed yourself, you had been careful about posting on social media because his family didn’t know, “They want me to get a paternity test done.”

“Ohh… I mean, Doctor Carp-“

“I said I won’t do it,” Jake stood up straight, “I don’t care if that baby is biologically mine or not. . . that’s still my baby.”

You smiled as you walked towards Jake and hugged him tightly. He rested his chin on the top of your head, and rubbed your back.

“Your baby, huh?” You looked up at him and Jake smirked.

“My baby,” He kissed your forehead, “My girls.” He tilted your chin up and kissed your lips.

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