Work Text:
First Love...
The discount bar lights illuminate the stranger’s bronzed skin every so often, making him glow bright and warm - Bradley thinks this is what being alive is supposed to feel like. He takes a sip of whiskey and revels in the burning sensation. It’s far too cold in Washington and his California tendencies are showing.
When he finishes his drink he looks over and the stranger catches his eyes, nodding. Bradley is taken by surprise with how fast he’s drawn to the stranger’s from across the bar, his body craving the warmth; but when the stranger puts his arms around him and murmurs a silken “howdy” in his ear, Bradley’s whole being is set ablaze.
Bradley’s lost enough people in his life to know this one’s going to hurt.
“Are you going to keep staring or are you gonna say something?” The man breaks Bradley out of his trance and he gets his first up-close look. His eyes are dangerous.
“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch your name,” Bradley muses.
“Hangman. Yours?”
“Hangman?” Bradley questions with a raised eyebrow.
“Wow I didn’t realize there were two of us,” Hagman smarts. The smirk on his face is playful and relaxed, but Bradley can see the tension just below his eyebrow. They’re both military men, Bradley knows how this goes - they’ll stick with callsigns for now.
“Rooster.”
The tension from Hangman’s face leaves immediately and is replaced by a smug look.
“Rooster, huh? Now why’s that?”
“Come home with me and maybe you’ll find out,” Bradley can’t keep the smartass comment from slipping out, but Hangman’s eyes light up with unadulterated glee. He likes a challenge, it seems.
“You know, you were staring at me from across the bar for a while,” his voice was dangerously low, “I was beginning to think you’d never come over here.” Hangman slid his knee between Bradley’s legs, leaning in and nipping the bottom of his ear discreetly. Something hot coiled inside Bradley’s gut as he pushed down a groan.
Hangman whispered, “I’ve always wanted to know how a mustache feels wrapped around my cock.” Bradley sucked in his breath as Hangman pressed his knee up against Bradley’s growing erection. “Now c’mon Rooster, don’t tell me you’ve gone shy now?” Hangman’s grin was devilish.
“Who said I’d be the one on my knees tonight?” Bradley slid his hand down Hangman’s side and cupped his ass. His words had the desired effect, and Bradley straightened himself up as Hangman whined against him.
“Well what are you waiting for? Get off your perch, Rooster.”
Bradley nearly growled “I’m in the bronco out back. Meet me in five,” before stalking off.
He heard Hangman’s laugh over his shoulder as he walked away and he found that something sentimental was blooming in his chest. Bradley threw the thought aside and kept walking; he didn’t dare turn around for fear of losing their game. By the time the car pulled into Bradley’s apartment, he was practically vibrating. He had shaken the whole drive until Hangman put a hand on his leg. Bradley had no idea what the hell had come over him in such a short period of time, but he didn’t just want to soak in Hangman’s presence - he wanted to drown in it.
The door had barely closed before Bradley shoved Hangman back against the door, crashing their lips together. It was wet and messy and Bradley let out an obscenely filth groan when Hangman took his bottom lip between his teeth for a brief moment.
“Couldn’t even wait to get me in your bed, huh Rooster?” Hangman smirked at him between kisses.
“Shut the fuck up and let me suck your dick, asshole,” Bradley panted. Hangman’s eyes glassed over with lust and Bradley let out a dark chuckle. Well there was one way to shut him up.
Bradley slowly led them to his bedroom, stripping their clothes off and making sure to take plenty of time languidly placing kisses along any of Hangman’s newly exposed skin
“Fuck,” Hangman hissed in exhiliration as Bradley bit down and sucked over a bruise. “Fuck yes more of that darlin’,” Hangman dug his fingers in Bradley’s hair.
Bradley paused and met the other man’s eyes with an amused look. “Darlin’?”
Hangman rolled his eyes, “I’m from Texas,” but his smile gave him away.
Bradley’s eyes darkened. “I didn’t say I didn’t like it.”
Hangman chose that moment to push Bradley back onto the bed and straddle him, causing Bradley to flop down onto the mattress.
“I thought you wanted me to suck you off?” Bradley questioned.
“You can do that later. On the drive I changed my mind - I want you to fuck me,” Hangman looked at him hungrily.
Bradley’s tongue went slack and he could only nod. “Yeah. Yeah, okay I can do that.
Hangman brought their lips back together and finished off the rest of their clothes while Bradley maneuvered them around so he could reach over and grab the lube and a condom out of his nightstand drawer. Hangman took the opportunity to latch onto Bradley’s nipple and Bradley sucked in a breath, throwing his head back and moving to let him get a better angle. He planted one arm on the mattress to support himself and reached his other hand downwards, giving Hangman a few test pumps. Bradley grinned as it earned him a throaty whine.
“This is fun,” Hangman groaned at him as Bradley continued stroking him, “But I’m going to need you inside of me in the next minute.”
“Someone’s pushy,” Bradley winked and rolled off of him, sliding down Hangman’s hips. “Here, flip over.”
Bradley knew Hangman wanted to do this as quickly as possible, and there was no way he was going to let that happen. There was something gnawing in his chest telling him to savor this - a primal sensation, urging him to take his partner apart slowly. It was then that Bradley decided was going to rip Hangman to pieces, inch by inch, until he was begging him to fuck him.
He wanted him to remember this.
“Hey Hangman?”
“Hmm?” Hangman looked over his shoulder.
“Did you shower before you went out?”
“Hmm yeah, why-” Hangman cut himself off with a guttural noise as Bradley dug his face into the other man’s entrance. “Holy shit,” Hangman managed to choke out between moans as Bradley licked into him.
“You said you wanted to find out what my mustache felt like,” Bradley feigned innocence.
Whatever smartass comment Hangman was going to throw his way disappeared as Bradley left a wet strip from his balls to his opening. They stayed this way for a few minutes, with Bradley painting stripes on Hangman’s ass with his tongue until Hangman was nearly sobbing.
“Fuck, please fuck me,” Hangman whimpered out as Bradley’s tongue whipped in and out again.
“What was that? I didn’t hear you,” Bradley grinned against his ass.
“For fuck’s sake Rooster, I said fuck me!” Hangman growled in annoyance.
“Hmm… I’m not sure that was it,” Bradley slipped a lubed up finger into him without warning and was rewarded by Hangman nearly crying out.
“I said please- please fuck me,” he whimpered again with his head buried in the pillow.
“There we go - was that so hard?”
“I absolutely hate you,” Hangman gasped.
“I can live with that,” Bradley scissored into him, stretching him out and opening him up. After a few minutes of prep, Hangman flipped himself over and lifted his ass to get into better position. Bradley slid the condom on and lined himself up.
“Let me know if I need to stop or if-”
“I get it, you’re sweet as a peach and I really appreciate that Rooster - but for the love of Christ get your dick in me now,” Hangman glared and pushed down onto Bradley.
Bradley’s laugh was cut off by a yelp as he slid into Hangman with ease; they both let out groans as he bottomed out inside of him. Despite his protests, Bradley did give the other man a minute to get adjusted before he pulled back and slammed into him again.
“Fuck, yes,” Hangman keened and arched his back. Bradley couldn’t help himself from grabbing onto his hips.
The inhuman sound Hangman let out when Bradley hit his prostate finally diminished all of the willpower in Bradley’s body; he let himself go, fucking into Hangman with reckless abandon. Bradley knew he wasn’t going to last long - he was too worked up and it was going too quickly. He didn’t want it to end, but they were both desperately chasing release and it was already the best sex he's ever had. Hangman was tight around him, clenching in time to perfectly frame Bradley’s cock everytime he thrust his hips.
It was too much.
“Rooster, I’m going to come,” Hangman was frenzied now. Looking back, Bradley doesn’t really have an explanation for it, but he wanted Hangman to know exactly who was fucking him. He wanted Hangman to know him.
“Bradley.”
“Huh?” Hangman barely managed to open his eyes, but his head was still titled back.
“My real name’s Bradley,” it came out rushed and too sincere. Bradley was going to lose it too, and soon. “I want to hear you say it when you come,” Bradley leaned forward and bit down on Hangman’s neck, just above his collarbone.
“Oh fuck ,” Hangman’s eyes rolled into the back of his head at the new sensation. “Fuck Bradley, I’m coming. Holy shit I’m going to-” Bradley cut Hangman off with a bruising kiss. Just hearing his own name tipped him over the edge.
He thought his orgasm had lasted for hours, though it couldn’t have been more than a minute. The release felt like liquid gold coursing through his veins. Bradley rolled onto his back next to Hangman and let out a long, contented sigh. A comfortable silence settled over them and Bradley had honestly thought Hangman had fallen asleep until his voice broke the stillness.
“I’m Jake, by the way.”
Bradley rolled over onto his side to see Jake had turned to face him.
“It’s nice to meet you Jake,” Bradley grinned at him; Jake’s smile in return was open and genuine, and from the twinkle in Jake’s green eyes - Bradley instantly knew he was in trouble. They stayed up smiling and talking until six in the morning, neither moving an inch.
When Bradley woke up the next morning, the bed was cold.
Jake was gone.
_____________________________
...Late Spring
None of them could sleep.
They were all wired and about to go on a suicide mission, facing an enemy that they knew nothing about; at least this time Bradley’s sleepless night made sense. He had finished counting every bolt in the ceiling above his bed for the third time when he decided he would just have to survive on adrenaline and caffeine the next day.
Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the heightened emotions that led him to knock on Jake’s door at one in the morning. Or maybe old habits die hard. Bradley would be a liar if he said that his stomach hadn’t flipped when he realized Jake wouldn’t be in the air with him - his presence focused him, sharpened him in some way.
He still wasn’t sure how he had gotten there. He remembered getting out of his bunk and shuffling his feet, but it was like his brain went on autopilot and his natural GPS took over. Bradley tried not to overthink it, but he was overanalyzing everything tonight; he didn’t want to ruin whatever bubble of peace he and Jake had finally created.
Jake answered after the first knock.
“You look like hell, Bradshaw.”
“Right back out you, Bagman.”
“I’m not dumb enough to ask why you’re up right now,” Jake sighed and took a step back to let Bradley in, “well come on.” Bradley tried not to smile. Jake’s tone was more fond than annoyed, and he couldn’t quite help the warmth that took root in his chest.
“Sorry if I woke you up,” Bradley managed to at least fake being apologetic. No one was sleeping tonight except Bob - that man could sleep through anything.
“Like hell any of us were sleeping anyway,” Jake rolled his eyes. Bradley did let himself grin then.
“What’s got you up?”
“Hmm, I dunno. Maybe the suicide mission we’re flying tomorrow,” Jake’s sarcasm dripped through his accent. “Or the fact that none of y’all except Maverick has been able to fly fast enough to successfully complete it.”
“Yeah,” Bradley grimaced. The except me was left unspoken, hanging in the air. He knew Jake really should have been Dagger 2; Jake knew it too, but he was being polite enough not to say as much. Bradley was grateful for that.
“I also just get anxious when I’m grounded,” Jake admitted quietly.
“If you tell anyone this, I will make sure they dump your body in the ocean, but… I wish you were flying too,” Bradley admitted.
“Aww, Rooster. That’s the kindest thing you’ve ever said to me!” Jake smirked at him and Bradley rolled his eyes. They both leaned back against the small desk in the corner of Jake’s room, half leaning-half sitting. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, but after too much time still Bradley’s mind began swirling again.
“I can hear you thinking. Talk to me, Bradshaw,” Jake bumped him with his shoulder.
Bradley sighed. “I’ve just been thinking about my dad.” Jake hums in his throat, so Bradley continues. “I just feel like a coward. All I can do is keep thinking I don’t want to die like he did. ”
Jake side-eyed him. “You aren’t a coward, Bradshaw.”
“I feel like one,” Bradley shrugged. “Like, how fucked up is that? He’s supposed to be a hero and all I can think about is his death. I have dreams about him dying and then it’s my face, or Phoenix, Bob, Maverick - hell, even you sometimes,” he blows out a breath and runs a hand through his hair. “I barely even remember him. My entire personality is a visage, based off of someone I don’t even fucking remember him.”
He feels Jake’s hand around his bicep.
“Bradley,” Jake’s voice is low, stopping him from his rambles. “You aren’t a coward for being scared of death. We’re all scared of it - we launch ourselves into the air in giant flying death machines,” Bradley huffs a small laugh at that and is repaid with a genuine smile. “We’re all scared of dying, Bradshaw. But we still choose to wake up and get in the plane. That’s the bravest thing you can do.”
“Wow,” Bradley clears his throat to get the lump out. “That was oddly philosophical of you.” Jake laughs and pinches his arm where he was holding it, causing Bradley to yelp.
“I’m not just a pretty face you know. I mean, I am a pretty face. A very pretty face,” Jake wiggles his eyebrows and grins and Bradley shoves him. He hopes he hid the blush on his face.
“But um,” Jake coughs awkwardly, “I can’t take credit for that one completely. It’s something my grandpa used to tell me before he passed.”
“Oh,” Bradley’s one-worded syllable doesn’t feel right, but it’s what he could come up with at the moment. Jake had never talked to him about his grandpa before; family had always been strictly off-limits throughout their meetings.
He recovers quickly. “I’m sorry for your loss, Jake.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it,” Jake waves him off. “He smoked about three packs of Marlboros a day and died of lung cancer at age eighty-six. He lived a good life.”
“Still doesn't make it any better. It doesn’t have to be some tragic death for it to matter,” Bradley looks at him, knowingly.
“Yeah,” Jake breathes out.
They don’t talk about Bradley’s experience with grief. They don’t have to.
“You never talked about your family,” Bradley muses. It’s a statement - not exactly a question; he’s leaving the door open for Jake to exit this conversation if he wants to. He meets Jake’s eyes and they both smile.
“I never really had any reason to. My dad’s a homophobic asshole and my mom doesn’t stop him,” Jake shrugged, looking away. “If I ever have shore leave I always go to Javy’s. There’s just nothing left for me in Texas except my sisters - but they’re both in college at this point so if I ever want to see them I just go to Austin.”
“I,” Bradley reached to him and then stopped his movement. “Jake, I’m really sorry.”
“Don’t be - it’s not your fault,” Jake brushes him off again. He’s not bristling, but Bradley can tell by his wooden stature that he’s uncomfortable.
“I know. I can still be sorry, though. Both of our lives can suck, you know,” Bradley grins at him and Jake finally laughs, breaking the mood.
“Yeah,” Jake chuckles, “yeah they can. My grandpa was the only one that really cared about me. He raised me,” Jake’s smile was fond and Bradley wanted to hold him so badly that his body ached. “He would take me to football games and threaten boys.” Bradley laughed at that one.
“He sounds like a great guy.”
“He was. He would have liked you,” Jake finally looks up and Bradley finds something intense in his eyes that wasn’t there before.
It’s so honest and vulnerable that Bradley has to look away. It’s at this moment that Bradley decides to take his chance.
“Do you,” Bradley paused as he considered his next words. This was a dangerous hill, but despite everything surrounding them, it was the calmest he had felt all day. “Do you ever think about it?”
Jake looks at him with a careful glance. “About what?”
“About us.”
He felt - more than heard - Jake’s breath from across the room.
“Do you ever think we could have made it?” Bradley pushed, finally meeting Jake’s eyes. They were a swirl of emotions, as unreadable as ever.
“I think,” Jake licked his lips, “that we should probably talk about this another night.”
Bradley smiled slightly. “I don’t think I have another night, Jake.”
“Bradley,” his jaw was set, but Bradley wasn’t budging.
“I mean it, Jake. I don’t know if I will be alive in twenty-four hours.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Jake face deflated as he sat down on his bed. “Don’t say shit like that.”
Bradley shrugged. “Look, I’m just being honest.”
They were both silent for a few moments, listening to the dull thud of waves on metal. It was fitting in a way - the waves kept crashing into the hull, and the hull kept slashing through the waves in a never ending cycle. Bradley kept that thought to himself.
“Yes.” Jake’s tone was even, though his eyes betrayed him when he looked up from his hands. Bradley felt the world start spinning and he dug his fingers into the cold, metal desk to center himself. “Yes, I think about what would have happened if I stayed,” his voice softened. “I thought about staying every time.”
“Why didn’t you?” Bradley met his gaze.
“I,” Jake hesitated. Bradley waited. “I was scared that if you actually met me you would be disappointed.”
“Jake,” Bradley starts, but the other man waves him off.
“No, don’t do that Bradshaw. I don’t want any of that shit. I was young and I was stupid, but I was right. I wasn’t ready for you then - neither of us were.”
Bradley was caught off guard by his honesty. “Why didn’t you just tell me that? We could have… talked or something, I don’t know.”
Jake smiled. “Because I knew if I told you that, you would try to talk me out of it.” Bradley managed to let out a small laugh. Jake was right about that. “And,” his face softened, “ I would have probably let you.”
The oxygen left Bradley’s lungs like he had been sucker punched. His next words were incredibly fragile and overly sincere but he couldn’t stop himself.
“Would you let me now?”
Jake stilled. “Bradley, you know that’s not a good idea.”
“Why not?” Bradley’s eyes hardened and his stomach steeled itself.
“Because I’m not going to be there tomorrow. And if I can’t be there tomorrow, then I can’t make sure you come home.”
“Jake-”
“And what if you don’t come home?”
“Jake, I will come home. I promise I will come home,” Bradley was pleading now.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Bradshaw,” he pointed a finger towards Bradley.
“Stop fucking running from me god damn it!” Bradley’s voice reverberated through the metal room. “I have been chasing you for years and you keep fucking running and the one fucking time we can talk about it is when I’m about to go on a god damn suicide mission and you won’t even fucking consider me!” Bradley could hear the blood pumping in his ears.
“That’s not fair and you know it - don’t play that card on me,” Jake’s voice was hard now. It slashed through Bradley’s anger and brought him back down. Bradley took a few breaths.
“I’m not trying to play any cards here. I’m not playing games, Jake,” Bradley’s voice was ragged. “I’m done playing games. I’ve lost too many rounds against you.” He winced at the hurt in his words, but he didn’t apologize for the truth. “I just don’t know what else to do Jake.”
Jake didn’t respond for a while and Bradley turned his back to the wall to give him some space and to clear his own head. A few moments passed and Bradley wouldn’t have been surprised to turn around and see that Jake had left, quickly and quietly into the night like usual. What he did not expect was to find Jake standing up, nearly nose to nose.
“Did you mean it, when you said you would still be willing to talk me out of it?” Jake mused, softly.
Bradley chuckled at that and his gaze softened. “I would talk you out of it eight years ago, I would talk you out of it four years ago, and I will talk you out of it tomorrow if I need to. It’s you, you asshole. I’ve-”
“Don’t say it,” Jake nearly begged as he put his hand up to physically ward him off. Bradley opened his mouth to respond but Jake beat him to it. “You can’t tell me you love me and then die tomorrow,” Jake’s voice was scratchy. “That’s not fair - you can’t do that to me, Bradley.”
Jake’s normal composure was shattered, and in its place was a broken shell of the face Bradley had seen the night they met. Bradley took a few steps and sat on the edge of Jake’s bunk, wide-eyed. He wanted to say more; there was so much he needed to tell him, but they didn’t have the time.
Jake was also sitting there looking at him - in the flesh - and Bradley realized something.
“You’re still here,” was the dumb thing Bradley managed to croak out.
“What the fuck are you talking about, Bradshaw?” Jake’s eyes were wild. He was barely managing to hold himself together and one wrong word from Bradley would send him over the edge.
Bradley started laughing.
“You didn’t run,” Bradley heard Jake’s inhale, “I didn’t know you still cared. I didn’t think you still cared. For eight years you have been running from this conversation, from me, but the night before I’m about to die you’re standing here and we’re finally talking and you still care about me,” Bradley was stumbling through his words and repeating himself - but Jake still cared about him. More laughter burst from his chest. Jake still caring about him had left his realm of possibility the very first morning he woke up to an empty bed, and it seems his brain was finally catching up..
“Of course I care, you idiot.” Jake’s voice broke and he let out a wet laugh. “I always fucking cared.”
They launched themselves at each other, colliding with the force of two stars nearly burnt to the core. Jake’s lips were on his and Bradley’s body filled with energy for the first time in two years. His hands were tangled in Jake’s hair and their teeth were clashing - they were both a fucking mess but it was too late to backpedal and too good not to keep going.
“Jake,” his name flowing from his tongue like honey.
“Shh, I know,” Jake hushes him with another kiss, sweeter this time. They are both breathless as Jake leans him down on the bed and straddles him. Bradley shakes his head when Jake goes to take his shirt off of him; Jake stops, but his glance is questioning.
“Jake,” Bradley tries again, his voice rougher than he intended, “I need you.”
“I’m right here, darlin’,” Jake murmurs while pressing kisses to his skin.
“Mmm,” Bradley shakes his head side to side, frustrated at his inability to form words. “I need you to fuck me.” Bradley would be embarrassed at how needy he sounded if Jake didn’t look just as wrecked as he felt.
“Are you sure? We’ve never… I’ve never fucked you before.” Jake cleared his throat and met his eyes. Bradley could tell he was concerned, but he wasn’t shutting him down.
“If this is my last night, this is how I want to remember you.”
Jake’s face went absolutely unreadable for a moment until his expression was replaced completely by something so tender it made the deep pit in Bradley’s stomach ache.
“Bradley,” Jake licked his lips, but Bradley cut him off.
“I want you to remember me,” Bradley was nearly begging. “If I die, I want you to remember me like this.” Jake’s eyes glossed over and he shook his head.
“Bradley, I could never forget you.”
“Show me,” Bradley pulled him in and Jake obliged, licking into his mouth softly. Bradley moaned into him and Jake took the opportunity to slide off of Bradley and rearrange their body positions, wrapping Bradley’s legs around his waist.
Something was different this time - their kisses were slower, deeper, sweeter. They folded into each other, their limbs tangling to the point that Bradley barely registered where he ended and Jake began. Jake spread Bradley’s legs open slightly and ground down against him, causing them both to shudder at the sudden heat added to the exchange. In contrast to their slow and languid movements, Jake rid them of their clothes quickly and Bradley hissed at the loss of contact when Jake got up to grab supplies.
“Are you clean?” Bradley’s voice was soft.
“Yeah,” Jake’s eyes never left Bradley’s as he fished around in his pants pocket for a packet of lube. “But, Bradley are you-”
“Jake I need to feel you, please,” he pleaded and Jake nodded, leaving the condom and coming back over to him to slowly rub his chest.
“Do you trust me?” Jake searched his eyes for any hint of indecision, but Bradley was steadfast.
“More than anything.”
Jake leaned down and took Bradley in his mouth, which sent Bradley into spasms. It had been awhile, after all, and Jake was just as good as the very first time. Jake kissed the underside of his dick and flicked his tongue around the head, causing Bradley to let loose a sound that was way too open. Bradley was too far gone to care.
Jake massaged the space between Bradley’s entrance and his balls, his gentle hands making Bradley relax into his touch. His fingers worked their way down towards his muscled rim and Bradley tensed when he felt a single finger probe him.
“C’mon, open up for me baby,” Jake kissed the inside of his thigh and rubbed tantalizing circles into the flesh of his backside until Bradley relaxed back against him again. Jake slipped one slick finger into him and Bradley probably made an unholy face at the sensation, but Jake just murmured his praises over and over.
“You’re doing so good for me sweetheart,” Jake kissed the spot where his hip met his abdomen before slipping another heavenly finger in and curving it up towards Bradley’s prostate, making him gasp. “So, so good for me. You are so beautiful like this,” Jake’s accent was thick with lust.
Jake continued massaging a slow, specific pattern in him with his fingers until Bradley was panting and he pulled Jake up for a kiss.
“Jake, please,” Bradley whined against his lips, causing Jake to chuckle. “Please, I need you in me. I need to feel you in me.”
“I’ll be right there, darlin’,” Jake’s eyes began to grow wet with an emotion that Bradley knew but did not name. “I promise, I’ll be right there.”
Bradley didn’t dare speak for fear of losing whatever semblance of dignity he had, but he lifted his ass up a tad so Jake could have better access. He felt Jake’s tip up against his entrance and he nodded in confirmation, before he felt Jake slowly enter him.
It was a new sensation for both of them and Jake didn’t move, letting Bradley adjust. He gave Jake the go ahead and Bradley nearly cried when Jake finally bottomed out in him. He was filled and Jake still cared enough about him to do this for him; he was overwhelmed.
“Hey, hey, shh,” Jake was trying not to quiver but he grabbed the side of Bradley’s face and made him look at him. “There’s those eyes,” he smiled down at him. Jake’s face was framed in the soft overhead lighting and created a halo around his head, causing him to appear seraph-like.
“Please, I need you, please,” Bradley’s voice was rough and Jake buried his face in Bradley’s neck.
“I got you sweetheart, I got you right here,” was all Bradley could hear of Jake’s muffled response before he nearly whited out. Jake moved out of him and slowly pushed back in, angling his hips to make sure he hit a bundle of nerves.
Bradley moaned and wrapped his legs around Jake’s hips, pulling him in deeper and causing them both to groan. Jake made a noise that Bradely thought sounded suspiciously like a sob, but he didn’t question it. Jake kept the pace dangerously slow; slow enough that Bradley could feel the way his hamstrings strained against his calves when he drug himself in and out of Bradley.
Bradley keened out expletives, digging his nails into Jake’s muscled back and made sure he left marks. In case he didn’t come back tomorrow, he wanted there to be physical evidence of his presence on Jake’s body. Jake’s shoulders wracked with each thrust, but - despite the pace absolutely ripping him to shreds - he was a never ending string of praise and encouragement, sending Bradley into even more of an emotional tailspin.
“You are so beautiful Bradley Bradshaw,” Jake whispered in his ear. “You’re doin’ so good for me sweetheart, you feel so fucking fantastic. I can’t wait for you to wake up tomorrow and know you’re mine.”
“Fuck, Jake,” Bradley let out a whimper and turned his head so their foreheads were back on each other. He was so close. “Fuck I want to be yours, please.”
“You already are,” Jake let out a wet sob and Bradley felt the tears slip down the side of his own face. “You always were. You never stopped being mine.”
“Wanna feel you,” Bradley mumbled almost incoherently, completely blissed out. “Feel you in me tomorrow.”
Jake finally picked up the pace once they were both on the edge of total collapse. He reached down and wrapped a slick hand around Bradley and bit down on his neck, just below where his collar would cover up and kissed the spot gently and Bradley felt Jake shoot inside of him. Bradley moans an obscene noise at the filling sensation and Jake is sobbing into his shoulder but keeps moving for him.
“Come for me sweetheart,” Jake drawls in his ear, strained and still fucking him through his own overstimulation. “You’ve been so good for me. So, so good. Taking me inside you so well. Come for me darlin’, let me take care of you.”
Bradley has never come so hard in his life.
He comes through tears and Jake kisses him open mouthed and wholly, shushing him gently as he comes down; Jake’s lips place small kisses over his skin wherever he can find it and he whispers sweet nothings every place he touches. Anything from “so good” to “perfect for me” slips out until they both manage to calm down enough for Jake to pull out of him. He whimpers at the loss, but Jake immediately draws him up into his arms and continues plastering kisses over his face like an artist would a canvas.
It doesn’t take him very long after that, and Bradley finally manages to fall asleep to the sounds of Jake’s humming.
_____________________________
These memories are the scenes replaying in Bradley’s mind over and over again as his plane plummets towards the earth. He always thought when he died he would be thinking about his dad or his mom - hell, given his weird and fucked-up situation with Maverick even that could have been an option. This was the last thing he expected.
As his death becomes more imminent with each passing second, Bradley desperately claws at his brain for answers. He has milliseconds left to make a move and it feels like something is screaming inside of him, begging to understand what his brain is telling him. He knows he is wasting limited oxygen and time, his lungs laboring back and forth under the weight of gravity pressing down… but he can’t keep himself from laughing when it clicks.
It’s basic human nature to cling to life while facing death; they say when you die, your life flashes before your eyes. But the only thing - the only person - that has ever made him feel alive is hundreds of miles behind him on an aircraft carrier.
Get off your perch, Rooster.
Bradley ejects from his plane.
_____________________________
“Don’t you ever do that to me again Bradley Bradshaw or I swear to God I’m not going to survive it,” Jake’s voice breaks on the last syllable as he pulls him into his arms.
Bradley can’t tell which one of them is shaking, but he realizes after a few moments it’s probably both of them. Jake slides down the door, bringing Bradley down with him. He goes down with him.
“You saved my life,” Bradley whispers out.
“Don’t remind me,” Jake grits and Bradley feels Jake’s tears on his cheeks.
They stand there holding each other in Bradley’s quarters, content with the silence and the acknowledgement that the other is still alive. Time seems to slow in Jake’s arms and Bradley makes a solemn vow that he will never go back to the real world.
After a few more beats listening to their breathing, Bradley feels Jake’s chest begin to shudder. He reaches a hand up and cups Jake’s cheek.
“Shh, it’s okay babe, I’m right here,” Bradley murmurs in his ear.
“I almost lost you,” Jake croaks. His breathing becomes heavier, his tears falling faster.
“You saved me. I’m still here. Hey, Jay, look at me,” Bradley sits up and gently moves Jake’s chin so they are making direct eye contact, the old nickname slipping out. “I’m okay, sweetheart - it’s me. I promise, I’m right here.”
Jake’s eyes are wild as he finds Bradleys and Bradley brings their foreheads together, keeping eye contact.
“You’re here,” Jake whispers.
“I’m here. I’m here, Jake. I’m still here,” he grabs Jake's hands and runs them over his face.
This seems to calm him down, so he intertwines their fingers together and begins to run Jake’s palms over other parts of his body. He moves their palms over his neck and down his shoulders, feeling Jake’s breath catch and even out when he stops with their hands over his heart. He stays there a while longer and then moves their combined hands slowly down over his own sides, resisting the urge to laugh at the tickling sensation. He finally brings Jake’s knuckles to his lips, ghosting his breath over the smooth skin before kissing each one gently and warmly.
“I’m still here with you, babe. Thanks to you, I’m still here. And I’m not going anywhere - I promise,” Bradley’s intensity is gentle, but firm.
The haze finally clears from Jake’s eyes and he brings his hands up to the sides of Bradley’s face and moves their faces closer together. Bradley gives him a smile for the first time since they landed their planes on the carrier and small, nervous laughter bubbles up from him. Jake’s smile breaks like sunshine in a storm and he’s the most beautiful thing Bradley’s ever seen.
“Can I tell you I love you now?” Bradley grins at him. Jake’s eyes go wide before he dives at Bradley, bringing their lips together.
“Well if I’d known this would be the reception I would have done this a long time ago-” Bradley is cut off by another kiss coupled with Jake dragging him up and steering him towards the bed.
“Shut up and tell me you love me, Bradshaw,” Jake’s voice is breathless and his cheeks are flushed, but his gaze is soft.
“I love you.”