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missathlete31 · 1 year

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Nowhere to Run Chapter 5

The Prequel to the Wedding of the Season

Notes:

Okay, so first I owe you all an apology for not getting this chapter out in a timely manner and then I owe you another because unfortunately you are stuck with this little teaser filler chapter. I am posting another dramatic chapter today which features a huge Hangman-Maverick confrontation so I hope you’ll stay tuned for that!

Also I did make a OC for this story. Her name is Naomi, she is Javy’s pregnant wife and her role is important in future chapters for the wedding so I hope you like her!

Despite their last conversation ending on good terms, Jake was still hoping he would be deployed when Payback's wedding came around. It wasn't that he didn't want to go per say but given how things had escalated with him and Bradley before he had left Miramar that last time, Jake was a little nervous to see the mustached pilot again. The last thing he needed or wanted was to cause a scene during Reuben's big day, a sentiment shared by Mickey when he left Jake no less than four messages begging him to keep his distance from Bradshaw. Jake had rolled his eyes seeing that it was him being warned when each time Rooster was the one who started it, but that sounded immature in his head, much less written back in a text message so Jake just promised Fanboy he would behave.

In spite of his concerns about potential fights, Jake was a little excited to see the team again. He had been on his carrier non-stop for almost seven months at this point and unfortunately his contact with the rest of the world had been basically non-existent. They were running stealth recon so the carrier's communications were mostly blacked out and besides a few calls to Coyote over the first few early weeks, Jake was literally in the dark. It didn't help that half way through his stint, Hangman dropped and broke his phone, not allowing him to fix it until he docked back in California yesterday morning.

As everyone else on his team hugged and reunited with their family members, Jake left the docks and headed to a Verizon store, getting a new phone in time to see that despite being away for all that time he barely had any calls or texts to come home to. There were a few from Coyote of course, until Jake had borrowed a buddy's phone to let his best friend know about the loss of his, and check in's from some of the others in the Machado clan, but nothing from Jake's own parents or family. Some of the Daggers had reached out, funny memes sent or just a general 'how's it hanging' but those were few and far between, the most dedicated being Fanboy and that was only to give Jake warnings about the wedding, nothing really asking about how he was in general.

It shouldn't have been surprising, he had left them first after all but Jake would be lying if he said it didn't hurt. Things had felt different during those weeks in North Island, and even though he had blown it all up spectacularly in the hangars that day, Jake had selfishly hoped some relationships could survive the blast. Jake couldn't help wondering, as he sat in his hotel room on the night before Payback's wedding, if maybe the team did stay together and just alienated him. Hangman was a hard person to be around, he knew that, and the others might have felt he wasn't worth the effort. He couldn't blame them and he certainly couldn't hate them for it but it still hurt just the same.

The conundrum of Jake Hangman Seresin: constantly pushing people away to avoid being hurt, only to be hurt all alone instead.

But Hangman was trying to fix that.

Jake had learned a lot during the Uranium mission and not just in the air. Hangman softened himself, smoothed some of those rough edges that he was known for and rejoined the Vigilantes almost seamlessly. He took back his spot as unofficial leader, still with his same cavalier attitude but a little less condescendingly. When he showcased some of the moves he had learned from Maverick, he didn't tease the rest of the team when they watched wide eye and in awe but taught them, showing off like he loved to do but with more of a purpose. Of course Hangman was still Hangman, and he smirked and winked and proclaimed loudly for all to hear about how he had swooped in and came to the rescue of two pilots, ultimately saving the day but he also swallowed some humility when it leaked he was only chosen as spare. The news of his second air-to-air to kill had reached his old team's ears, and Hangman had first played his part with flaunts and bragging until a few of his good friends on the team noticed the nightmares he started having again, the winces when the topic was brought up and the loss of the usual glint in his green eyes. The others in the squad noticed too and soon everyone on the team, his team, ended up supporting him in his struggles, helping him to work through his thoughts, feelings, and most importantly his guilt. It was foreign to a man like Jake Seresin to show such emotions and self-proclaimed weakness to anyone, let alone to men and women he was flying with but to his immense surprise, instead of being chastised or ridiculed, it earned him friendships. He was looked at beyond his call-signs and his accomplishments for once and just looked at like a teammate and friend.

It just hurt that it took so much time before Jake had learned such a rewarding lesson. He had missed so many opportunities of having similar relationships and interactions with the others, too hardheaded and stubborn to let his mask down and be genuine.

But he wasn't giving up.

Jake naively hoped this wedding could fix things that were broken, could fix the Daggers. They might not be able to be a team, but they could be friends again. Jake missed Phoenix's teasing, Fanboy's impressions, Omaha and Fritz's impromptu songs. He missed Bob's stealthy entrances, Halo's ballerina twirls on the way to her plane, the Ivies crazy conspiracy theories. Hell Jake even missed Rooster's piano playing; he could never hear "Great Balls of Fire" without thinking of Bradshaw and how many nights throughout both their careers that a bar of strangers came together to sing the notes of that damn catchy song.

Maybe this wedding could be the start of better times.

Jake planned on taking an uber to the wedding, not knowing much about the Florida town that Payback and his soon to be wife Jacqueline lived to rent a car, but that was immediately nixed when Coyote and his wife Naomi arrived at the hotel. Javy and Naomi had been married for three years already and Jake had found out the day that Coyote had succumbed to G-Loc that the young family of two were soon to be a family of three.

Hangman had never hugged his best friend harder than when he heard the news.

Now Naomi was due in just a few short weeks, waddling into the hotel lobby to envelope Jake in the biggest hug she could with her swollen belly. There were very few people in the world as sweet as Javy's wife; Javy's mother being the only other one that came to the blonde's mind. Jake was forever teasing his best friend that he was spoiled by getting the two nicest people in the world as such prominent figures in his life. To which Coyote mocked back that that meant Jake was just as spoiled since they were a part of his life as well, loving him just as much and perhaps in the elder Mrs. Machado's sake more than Javy. If Jake's eyes happened to look a little watery after his best friend's words, Javy was a saint for ignoring it.

"Look at you" Jake smiled, pulling out of Naomi's hug to take a look at the woman. She was still as beautiful as ever, even more so with that pregnancy glow, though Jake could see some exhaustion in her brown eyes. She wore a simply black dress that flaunted her bump, but it was classy just like the woman always was, "You looked beautiful" he told her.

"I look like a whale-"

"But a beautiful whale-"

"Hey" she laughed in faux outrage, smacking Hangman lightly on the arm, "you were supposed to say I look slim" she chastised playfully, a smile on her face.

"You're carrying my godson, you need to be huge so he can be big and strong and the greatest Quarterback in Texas University history."

Naomi shook her head with an eye roll, "Wrong football" she warned the blonde, "his Abuelo already got him a soccer net and goal."

"Yeah well wait until Jakey Jr. starts tossing that pigskin, he's going to fall in love." Jake tilted his head mischievously, "Jake Jr. is still on the top of the baby name list right?"

"It was never on the list" a voice came from his right and Jake turned to see his best friend striding towards them. Javy looked good, happier than Jake had ever seen him, and the blonde couldn't help the grin that widened on his face as the two best friends shared an embrace. "Welcome back man" Javy spoke, a touch of emotion in his tone, "we missed you."

"Missed you guys too, can't believe how much has happened since I left, look how far along you guys have gotten."

Coyote beamed as he looked over at his wife, "t-minus 41 days" he shares giddily, overjoyed at the impending arrival of his new addition.

"Jesus" Jake looked at his two oldest friends with a scrutinizing gaze though it held nothing but true fondness, " you're actually going to let him be a Daddy Naomi?"

Javy's face scrunched up indignant, "Hey screw you, I've been raising you for the past decade."

"That does not help your case-"

"Okay children" Naomi cut in as the boys moved in to play fight, "we should head out if we don't want to be late."

"You got it DD."

"DD?" Jake questioned, his eye brow raised. Coyote met his gaze with a wide grin, "DD- Designated Driver."

"Nice" the two pilots high-fived as Naomi rolled her eyes, "yes, yes, now you both can act like the dumb frat boys you are."

"Awww baby" Javy wrapped his arms around his wife from behind, "you know you found my frat boy ways irresistible, it's what made you fall in love with me!"

"No that was tequila-"

Jake chuckled as the couple continued to squabble, taking a moment to fix his hair in the mirror before they departed. Behind him he heard Javy groan, "oh my God, it's fine" he moaned as though he found his friend's actions insufferable, "God, you're like a woman- ow" Jake looked up to see his friend nursing his arm that his wife clearly just smacked. "Sorry some of us want to look good tonight," the blonde winked through the mirror, "you never know what single ladies could be in attendance."

"They will take one whiff of you and run in the other direction."

Jake offered up a stealthly middle finger as the trio headed towards the parking lot, "just because you're fully embracing the Dad bod" Jake motioned towards Coyote's midsection jokingly, as it clearly looked as trim as ever in his dress uniform.

Javy gave a teasing shriek, "don't tell me I look fat?" he asked in a high pitch voice, "I thought this dress was slimming?"

"I mean how do you think I feel" Hangman deadpanned, "I chose the same one."

"As long as I wear it better."

"Well then prepare for disappointment-"

"Wow now I really feel like one of your dates-"

"That's not what your mother said."

Naomi, watching and waiting at the rental car, sighed loudly, "I swear if you guys are going to be like this all night, I'm ditching you both for a hot army ranger."

"But then who will be our DD?" Javy asked cheekily.

She squinted her eyes, "oh you think you're so funny and charming Javier Machado but you are not Sir."

"Oh I'm not am I?" Coyote reached for his wife and pulled her gently to his chest pressing a tiny kiss to the tip of her nose, "are you sure about that mi amor?"

"Positive" Naomi's smile widened though, "but that hot army rang" but she cut off as Javy leaned down for a more passionate kiss, his hand coming up and cuffing his wife's cheek as he leaned in. Jake felt like he was intruding on the moment but finally, seeing the time, he cleared his throat, "okay kids you're already pregnant so let's save some of that for later okay?" When he was rewarded with not one but two pairs of middle fingers the blonde laughed and snuck the car keys from his best friend's grip, "now I get to drive."

"Knock yourself out man" Javy moved to open the door for Naomi.

Once they were all settled Jake started the short drive to the wedding venue, not even bothered by the traffic on the roads. "God I miss driving" he told the others, "once I get back to base I'm taking a long drive in my truck to Texas."

"Your ass better be in New Orleans for the birth Godfather."

"Of course" he grinned over at Naomi in the passenger seat, "someone has to catch Javy when he faints."

"Ha-Ha" the other man mocked.

"I'm serious" Naomi continued, "I know you get a few months off now so come stay with us for a bit. You know we'd love to have you and Javy has a ton of furniture that he was supposed to have built already."

Jake's heart warmed at the offer, he truly was blessed to have Javy and Naomi in his life. Refusing to let his emotions get the better of him though he gave the others his trademark smirk instead. "For the sake of Jake Jr," he told them, "I'll have to help, I've seen Javy try to put together a bookshelf and it fell apart the next day-"

"THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE IN SWEDISH!" Javy cried out in indignation, "and what is this, make fun of Javy day?"

"It's always make fun of Javy day" Jake countered smugly, "you make it so easy."

The other man grumbled in his seat, "I prefer make fun of Jake day better" he complained, earning easy laughs from his companions.

The car fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Jake caught Naomi's face discreetly turning to glare at Javy. He watched his best friend meet his wife's eyes before mouthing, 'I know, I know' back at her. Jake felt a bit of unease in his stomach, "everything okay?" he ventured carefully.

Javy jumped like he was caught with his hand in a cookie jar, "uh, yeah, totally. Just um, was wondering how much you heard from some of the others recently?"

The blonde's brow furrowed, "like who?"

"Oh you know, " Javy answered carefully, gauging his best friend's response, "some of the Daggers."

"No" Jake shook his head, looking up and making eye contact with Coyote through the rear-view mirror, "I only got my phone back a day ago, why? What's up?"

"Nothing, nothing, I was just curious."

"Javy" Naomi warned sternly, "tell him."

"Tell me what?" Hangman cut in immediately, "what is it?" When he received no reply he waited until a red light to see the married couple having another silent argument. Jake frowned, "come on guys just spit it out already. I can take it, I swear."

"It's Mav" Javy finally relented.

Jake couldn't contain his confusion, "Mav? What about him?"

"He’s out" the dark haired man explained softly.

“Out?" Hangman was ready to kill his best friend for his indistinct answers, "Out where? What happened?”

Javy finally stopped his vagueness, “Out of the Navy," he informed Jake, "he was up in the air with two other planes and there was some sort of training accident. One plane went down bad, a fire and everything. There was supposed to be an inquest but he officially ‘retired’ and then they called it off. I heard they drove him out."

Hangman blanched in surprise, “No shit really?" he questioned, watching as his best friend nodded in conformation. "Well who was in the training accident?" the blonde asked desperately, thinking of the four teammates he knew of that still was serving under Maverick and feeling his heart constrict at the thought of it being any of them, "Was it one of the Daggers?”

“No" Javy immediately moved to put his friend at ease, recognizing the concern on Jake's face, "it was some new guys," he explained. "But it's already been a few weeks and none of them are back in the cockpit.”

“Who told you all this?”

“Fritz," the dark haired man shared, "he’s still there with them." Javy's face fell a bit further, "he um," the man rubbed the back of his neck nervously, clearly not sure how to say the rest of what he wanted to say, "Fritz said things were bad before the mid air crash but ever since Mav left, the team is in shambles. Rooster is apparently taking it the worst, like one more outburst from real disciplinary action."

Jake couldn't contain his frustrated huff of annoyance, "not surprising."

"That's what I said" Javy concurred, "but I wanted to warn you since well, since everyone is going to be there and according to Fritz the Daggers aren't going to last much longer."

"What's that mean?"

"Group is finished, getting new assignments by the end of the month."

Hangman's eyes darted back up, "You serious?"

Coyote nodded, "it's all over man."

"Maybe it's for the best" Naomi interjected diplomatically, "they gave it a try and it didn't work out. Some things are just not meant to be."

"Yeah" her husband joked, "try telling that to Bradshaw-"

"Or his fists" Jake grimaced.

Naomi sighed wearily, "there better not be a fight tonight" she warned.

Coyote turned back to the window, his brows raised, "no promises" he murmured but the rest of the car heard.

"Jesus," Jake moaned, his mind still reeling. He couldn't help but worry about what this meant for the unsteady foundation he was on already with the others. He had come into today with the hope of fixing things with his old squad but it seemed that the Curse of Jake Hangman Seresin was still on and he was once more too late. Though it wasn't entirely fair, Hangman did have a role in everything that had happened to Mav and the others and that he was certainly going to get some flack and guilt thrown his way; if Bradshaw was pissed, maybe even some fists thrown his way. This was not how the blonde wanted this night to go and he wondered if it were too late to turn around and head back to California, telling Payback he actually got stuck on duty and couldn't make it after all. It was probably preferable to an altercation at his wedding reception. As though reading his mind, Jake felt a gentle hand reach for his arm, Naomi offering a tight smile, "we're on your side" she told him and Jake gave a short nod in return.

"Thank you" he whispered.

From the back seat Javy let out a low moan, "it's going to be a long night isn't it" he asked.

Jake and Naomi shared another glance, "Damn straight" they chorused but the car continued on. Whatever they would face tonight, at least they would do so together.

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whohasthecards · 1 year

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Hangman is touch starved and he knew that for a while know.

Parents never there, and with his siblings (if he had any), he would be the one initiating contact, comforting them, soothing them, but that was rare, and even then it never really soothed the aching underneath his skin.

It got worst when he joined the Navy.

Although, it took a while before he realized what the crawling aching feeling was.

Why he felt weird whenever Javy slung an arm around his shoulders.

Why he felt a sense of awe whenever an instructor clapped him on the chest when they passed by him, congratulating him on a successful hop.

Why he wanted to lean closer to the hand squeezing his shoulder when Admiral Kazansky congratulated him on a successful mission.

It all felt off, not bad, just off.

It made the ache underneath his skin throb.

As if it was shouting more, more, more.

One day they were getting off the ship, deployment finally over, families and sailors reuniting. Javy running off to his family, his ma and pa enveloping him in hugs, his siblings taking turns afterwards, his tiny nieces and nephews throwing themselves at him.

He saw the same scene over and over around him.

He felt his chest tighten and his throat clenched, a frown unintentionally tugging down on the corner of his lip.

He swallowed.

He should be happy.

Instead he tugged his cap down over his eyes and walked away.

Nobody noticed him leave.

He tried to shove the urge down.

He got used to it crawling under his skin.

Come on, Seresin, men like you don't deserve shit like this.

It got better.

He and Javy got closer, Javy who lightly punched his shoulder in greeting, who slung arms around his shoulders, who pulled him close against his side when they were celebrating.

He got closer to his shipmates. Bumping fists, lightly nudging each other away, roughhousing in other occassions.

He had lovers, all of them temporary, none of them stayed for long, but it was something for a while.

Then his first air to air kill happened.

Hangman was not a name associated with his spelling mistakes when he was doing paperwork sleep deprived.

It became the name of an executioner.

To the eyes of the crew and his superiors, he was same old, Hangman. Head held high, nothing bringing him down.

He was a mess behind closed doors, though. Only Javy saw how he would stare and stare and stare. Looked down in his hands. He felt like he was under water.

Javy gave him space unsure how to deal with him the first few weeks after the kill. He tried, brought him food, talked to him even when he didn't talk back.

But when Javy made a move to sling an arm around his shoulder, Jake's breathe hitched, watching him.

Jake wanted.

Javy took the hesitation as a bad thing.

Javy gave him a small smile and pulled back.

Hangman can do mission debriefs, can make the crew relax, can calm down pissed off superiors.

Jake never really knew how to talk.

After that things were different.

His shipmates stared at him in awe, respect, fear.

If not, they only ever wanted to talk about his accomplishments.

He learned how to disarm them, flash a smile, talk shit, give them enough to satisfy them and move to a different topic.

It got better.

Eventually he could mostly get along with his shipmates again. He was showing Hangman more and more, but they got along.

Javy started coming around more, again. Jake made sure to act normal when he was near. He didn't want his best friend to pull away.

Then the mission happened.

He remembered Mav pulling him into a hug. It was quick, celebratory, yet tight and warm all the same.

He didn't want to let go, but by the time he thought that, Mav was moving on to the next member of the Dagger Squad.

He was surrounded by claps to the shoulder and other celebratory hugs that day.

At the hallway going to medical, Javy whirled around, stopped him and gave him a tight hug that he haven't gotten in a while.

"God, Jake, I'm glad you came back," he murmured.

Jake said nothing but grip the back of his friend's shirt tighter and bury his head on the older man's shoulder.

The hallway was empty, no one was there to see.

Javy made sure to shepherd him to medical where he was put in a room with Mav and Rooster. Mav raised a brow at him, quelling any protest that was about to leave his mouth.

He wasn't pouting.

Rooster gave him a fond smile, and patted him on the back. "Mav's not letting you leave medical if he can't leave too, buddy."

Mav had an annoyingly smug look as he settled in his bed.

It was when the room was dark and he could hear Rooster and Mav's snores that he realized that the crawling feeling was back.

It was soothed when he was surrounded by his crew, but it's back again.

He should really stop doing this. Stop the longing. The more he succumbs to it, the more he craves.

Dagger Squad became a permanent squad.

Javy has always been a fixture in his life ever since the academy, but there were times that they were away for months, even more than a year at a time due to conflicting deployments and leave schedules.

But now, daily, Javy was there slinging an arm around his shoulder, playing around with him, Jake tried stopping himself from leaning too much into it. He wasn't needy.

He wasn't expecting the others, though.

How Phoenix would nudge him on the shoulder when they would walk side to side in the hallway.

How Bob would knock his knuckles on Jake's back in greeting.

How Fanboy would offer him fistbumps, Payback close behind him patting his shoulder.

Rooster of all people, started following Javy's lead in slinging an arm around his shoulders. Unlike Javy though, Rooster was a little shit and would lean on him heavily, gravity's not working my ass--

It was nice, it was warm, he wanted more, more, more--

Admiral John Seresin.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

After that ordeal, Mav brought him home for dinner with Admiral Kazansky-- Ice, they didn't talk about it, not really.

Mav pushed his chair away from the table, Jake stood up trying to help clear the plates away, but he was so shaky--

Mav took the plates from his hands and turned Jake to face him. He didn’t say anything, but wrapped an arm around Jake's back, another around his waist, and held on tightly.

He felt his eyes burn, a sob bubbling out his throat, as he buried his face on Mav's neck, gripping the back of the older man's shirt, tightly."

"M-Mav," Jake sobbed out.

"Shh, I'm here, kid, I'm here," Mav said stroking a hand through his hair. "I got you."

"He wont get to you, son, I won't let him," Ice said clasping a firm hand on his shoulder.

Jake could do nothing, but nod on Mav's shoulder, hoping that would convey his gratitude.

Whenever he was with Javy, with the Dagger Squad, or with Mav and Ice, he feels warm and content.

The crawling feeling was still there, always will be, but whenever he's with his team, it never gets bad.

When Ice hands him a beer, ruffling his hair as he walked by, Jake thinks he could get used to this.

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