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tgmsunmontue · 3 days

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Season to Taste - 17/? WIP

Explicit Hangster - Celebrity Chef Bradley and Naval Aviator Jake Seresin who have a relationship spanning the globe before they realize how tightly bound they are to one another. Heading into this little world.

PROLOGUE/ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE

TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN FORTEEN FIFTEEN SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

While they travel together most people assume Vi and him are a couple, it helps a lot of the time. They end up sharing a room or bed as they move around. It does make hooking up difficult, but he either resorts to bathroom stalls, or going home with guys after letting Vi do her hard ass security routine where she insists on taking any guys photo before she lets Bradley leave with him. Annoying as fuck but he’s certain he dodges some real bullets because of it. On the rarer instances when he’s hooked up with a woman she’s done the same thing, although it had resulted in more than one awkward proposition for a threesome. He knows Vi doesn’t do casual, but she’s more than happy acting as his wingman, and telling him that in no uncertain terms she doesn’t find him at all attractive and never will.

Spending nearly every waking moment together for weeks and then months on end helps solidify their relationship. He’s never had a sibling, and while Vi has two sisters, they’re both quite a bit older though, so he can only think that this must be what it’s like. She knows him, has known him, for several years now and even though she never likens their relationship to that of siblings she definitely calls him cousin openly and consistently, treats him like he’s family in a way he can’t imagine having any other way without calling her sister. Cousin. Whatever.

… … …

He wakes up feeling the most well rested he has in ages, muscles pleasantly sore, blankets warm, air conditioning making the room cooler and he takes a moment to just burrow down further beneath the blankets and smiles to himself. This is what everyone wants him to do when they tell him he needs a vacation. If this is what it’s going to be like then he’s going to be much more easily persuaded. He stretches and reaches for his phone, surprised to see it’s after ten. He needs to ring Vi and check in and make sure the restaurant hasn’t fallen down, not that he doesn’t trust those he left in charge, but it’s his, and he’s been gone for a while and it doesn’t always sit right leaving it for so long. However he trusts Vi implicitly and she won’t hold back telling him if he needs to come home, no matter how much she thinks he needs a break.

“Come up for breath huh?”

“Hello to you too.”

“You’re having a sexcation, I’m surprised you’re awake.”

“Jake’s gone to see his family.”

“Oh. Right. Of course. I see how it is. You’re bored.”

“I’m…” he lets out a long calming breath, “I wanted to check in with you. See how it’s going in my absence?”

“I came back to a pile of ash and am busy filling in the insurance paperwork…”

“Vi…”

“Everything is fine. Everyone is fine. We created a well-oiled machine and it’s working exactly as it should. Calm down and enjoy you sexcation…”

“What if it’s… more than that.”

“What do you mean?”

Bradley bites his lip, wonders if he should just blurt out that he’s already asked Jake to consider dating him, having a long distance relationship and trying something, no matter how crazy or difficult it might be. If he tells Vi he’s already done it, she’ll support him, without question. However if he asks her opinion then he’ll also get it, honest and brutal and he’s terrified it might not be supportive but he still wants to hear it.

“So, I met his sister yesterday. One of his sisters. She invited me to dinner to meet the rest of his family tomorrow night… I really like him.”

“Yeah. Of course you do. He’s your Cinderfella.”

“Cinderfella was a fairytale, Jake is… a cocky asshole who adds sauce to everything.”

“And yet you like him anyway.”

“I do. I do like him.”

“Yeah. I could tell. You going to actually do anything about it other than just… sex?”

“Do you think I should?”

“I’m not making that decision for you. But… He was learning Italian. Maybe on the off chance that he might one day meet you again. I mean. Slim to zero chances if you were actually Italian, but he was doing it anyway. He makes you laugh. His stupid sauce thing. You think it’s fucking cute and funny. It’s like he’s made you loosen up a bit and that’s… it’s good to see. I want you to be happy and more relaxed and if you have to be with a guy that adds sauce to everything to be happy then I will make sacrifices…”

“Wow. Big of you.”

“What is the worst he can say? No, right? Thanks but no thanks?”

“Yeah.”

“And what’s the best he can say?”

“I love you, lets run off to Vegas and get married?” Bradley jokes, because he’s already had the conversation with Jake, and Vi is already pushing him to asking. And Maria had been doing the same, so having family also think that they might work together. Despite the distance and jobs. To try it.

“Holy shit, you’re thinking about marrying this guy.”

“What? No I’m not.”

“You literally just mentioned running off to Vegas to get married!”

“It was hypothetical!”

“And if he asked?”

“I’d… I’d say yes,” Bradley says, but he has to hold back laughter, because he wouldn’t, but god does he want Vi to think he would.

“Oh my god, you’re serious.”

“He’s not going to propose marriage Vi.”

“Well, still more likely than him saying no to whatever it is you’re going to ask him… Bradley. You’ve met his family. Well. A sister. He’s met me, which is as much family as you have and talk to on the East Coast. You’ve shoving several months into two weeks… But do not, under any circumstances run off to fucking Vegas and get married. Aunt Silvia would kill you as soon as she caught wind of it.”

“Well, I’m not going to ask him,” Bradley says, grinning, because god he loves winding her up.

“Why not? You have to take a risk sometime…”

“I’m not going to ask him, because we already talked about it yesterday and we’re… dating. Going to try the whole long distance th-”

“Mamma Mia! Stronzo!” Vi snaps out, followed by further strings of insults in Italian and Bradley laughs at her annoyance, feels accomplished in a way that only annoying her brings.

“Yeah yeah, think of me tomorrow when I’m meeting his entire family. For the record, he has five sisters.”

“Oh… oh that’s beautiful. That’s what I call karma. Stronzo.”

“Yeah, laugh it up. Can’t be any more intimidating the Nana and Nonna.”

“True. Think you’ll take him to Italy?”

“It’s been six days. How about we just… slow it down. Take it easy.”

“Hmm. From the guy who has already decided to date him and try long distance. And yet I’m the one suggesting crazy shit.”

Bradley groans, and he knows what he’s going to ask next isn’t going to help at all in terms of making Vi think he’s not rushing into things.

“His sister clocked me as soon as I walked in by the way. She’s a fan.”

“And?”

“Jake has no idea who I am…”

“Oh… oh shit. That’s not going to work.”

“He knows my name. But he doesn’t like watching reality TV. He saw one of my recipe books, that Maria owns, and he didn’t even blink. Was just… oh, good for you. You’ve done a cook book.”

“Okay. So maybe he’s just very chill about it?”

“Maria thinks he’s oblivious and will remain oblivious.”

“Maria is…”

“His sister. She invited me to dinner. To meet everyone else. Said that Jake can be pretty blind to things even when it’s right in front of him. And that she’ll… maybe help him remain in the dark a little?”

“That’s not a good idea.”

“Not in a bad way. Just… she’s warning all of Jake’s other sisters, so they don’t make a big deal and are prepared when I turn up. She was not prepared for me to turn up, Jake had been calling me Leo the whole time. I’m lucky she just rolled with it. We’d met at the market as well, so…”

“He knows your name though right?”

“Yeah. And Maria calls me Bradley.”

“Oh. So… he knows you’re a chef, that you’ve done some books and what…?”

“That I work in a restaurant in New York. But also that I travel a lot for work. Sometimes.”

“You do travel a lot.”

“Yep.”

“Okay. Well, for the record I think you should maybe try and spell it out for him.”

“It’s kind of nice having him like me for just me…”

“Leonardo…” Vi says, and he can hear the reproach in her tone. “He already likes you. Don’t think he’s going to care about your very limited claim to fame.”

“Yeah, but you know people think of me differently when they see the TV version of me, and then meet me in person.”

“I don’t think Jake is going to be one of them.”

“Yeah? Why do you think that?”

“Because of the way he adds sauce to fucking everything. If there was a guy who cared less about what you do for a job I challenge you to find him. Salsa scandalo.”

… … …

“So… want to tell us about him?”

“Why bother? You’re just going to grill him tomorrow.”

Again silent looks are exchanged and Jake realizes that maybe Olivia is also an owner of Leo’s cookbook.

“Are you a fan of his?” Jake asks.

“I…” she starts, looks to Maria. “Yes.”

“Great.”

“Okay, you guys cannot make a big deal or embarrass me, okay?”

“This is the first person you’ve ever brought home. It’s kind of a big deal.”

“If you guys screw this up for me, he’ll also be the last guy I ever bring home.”

“Okay okay, we’ll be on our best behavior. We promise.”

Jake doesn’t trust that statement at all but it’s not like he has much choice in the matter.