Jake Seresin Fanfiction - Tumblr Posts

Today's Fic Rec is the ongoing Parking Spots Universe by talented writer @withahappyrefrain

Focusing on Jake "Hangman" Seresin and fiesty Venus/Reader, a series of one shots draws you into the Top Gun fandom from the get go with great dialogue, humor, and personality. The series includes the entire Dagger Squad so if you're a fan of Top Gun Maverick fics or need help learning how NOT to park a car, check them out. Bonus mention of a certain character's pornstache...

Parking Spots Universe (18+)

**Remember if you enjoy the fics you read, PLEASE REBLOG THE FICS YOU READ. That is the best way to discover new fics for yourself and others!**

through the storm (jake "hangman" seresin x reader

word count: ~0.7k

synposis: hangman's partner has gone mia, and he's prepared to tally whatever's weighing them down.

warnings: vague allusions to depression?

a/n: this is very barely proofread or edited. i haven't had any writing inspo and lost the singular request i got months ago, but i've also been going THROUGH IT. so this is yet another result of my self-indulgence (where hangman is taking the reins!) enjoy :D

Grey skies weren't common in California. The bright sunlight always broke between the clouds cresting overhead. Today, though, the thicket of white above turned the world monochromatic. Jake sighed as he drove, knowing it would only hinder his efforts.

He pulled into the quaint cul-de-sac and parked. One hand swept up the few bags cluttering the passenger seat floor while the other fumbled for his keys and phone. A last ditch effort was made to check his notifications, another soft sigh leaving him as only your picture filled the screen.

Jake swiftly exited his truck. His feet felt light as air trailing the way to your front door. The key you'd given him lifted to unlock it, and was promptly tossed onto the small console table.

"Babe?" he tried calling. The warm timbre of his voice rumbled down the hallway. It muffled against your shut bedroom door, not creaked open as it normally was.

The aviator stopped off in the kitchen to settle the bags and refrigerate the few items that needed it. His heavy footsteps groaned into the hardwood floors, continuing to alert you of his presence. You did nothing to warn him of your own. Jake's frown grew in further realization.

He lifted a wavering hand to the doorknob. Privacy was a value of yours, he knew; part of the reason you had insisted to keep your own place until your rental agreement was to expire. But he also knew when that same valued privacy was a cover for your hyper-independence.

Jake settled on one last warning call, a soft rapping of his knuckles against the wood. "Babe, I'm coming in now."

A thought froze him: he had no idea what he was walking into. He had seen his partner in all kinds of vocal states, overexcitement and fury and even deep despair. The sudden quiet terrified him. How could he soothe a numbness, a void?

He would have to learn on the fly, as it was. No way in hell was he going to let you down now.

Another breath and Jake crossed the threshold of your room. Fern eyes flitted over the dark space to observe its state. The curtains were drawn closed, blocking out the little amount of light the clouds permitted. Everything was in its right place and tidied away, as if you'd spent hours decluttering to try and do the same with your mind.

The only thing in disarray was your queen bed, where you laid in a comforter strewn lump in the center of the mattress. Your breaths were silent, yet rose the bedding up enough to settle the worst of Jake's fears. He shut the door behind him as to not shock you any more than he intended to. Every step he took toward you was careful, still uncertain whether you were aware of him.

Sinking down onto the bed was a gamble Jake took hesitantly. Your face was still hidden beneath the blue fabric, your hair fanning out in messy strands. "Darlin'?" His voice was barely above a hum, but it was enough. You slowly peeked your eyes above the comforter to meet his. Jake greeted you with an award-winning smile, one that always turned your insides to putty. "I've been looking all over for you, darlin'. Really know how to run your cowboy ragged."

Tears lined your eyes at his words, guilt flooding you. "I'm sorry," you croaked. Jake's face immediately fell.

He leaned down to lay at your side, facing you and reaching up to cup your cheeks. "No, no, baby; don't you apologize, okay?" It ached his heart to see you feeling so small. Your vibrancy changed the colors of his life for the better. At present, they were all muddled and shirked away from your own view. Even if Jake couldn't bring those hues back to you himself, he would do everything he could for you while you awaited their return.

Jake thumbed away the few tears that started to roll down your cheeks. "C'mere," he cooed with an arm outstretched. You shuffled towards him in your mess of blankets for him to slide beneath. One arm snaked around your torso, drowning in one of his old tees, while the other cradled your head to his chest.

"There we are," he hummed as your bodies settled into one another. Jake pressed a kiss to your forehead as he felt the damp spots soak into his shirt. "I've got ya now, darlin'. I'll always hold you through the storms." After all, they were much easier to weather together than alone.

🏷️: @avengersfan25, @roosterforme

🥹 i wanted to keep it as vague as i could so that everyone, no matter what they’re going through, could relate and feel comforted

through the storm (jake "hangman" seresin x reader

word count: ~0.7k

synposis: hangman's partner has gone mia, and he's prepared to tally whatever's weighing them down.

warnings: vague allusions to depression?

a/n: this is very barely proofread or edited. i haven't had any writing inspo and lost the singular request i got months ago, but i've also been going THROUGH IT. so this is yet another result of my self-indulgence (where hangman is taking the reins!) enjoy :D

Grey skies weren't common in California. The bright sunlight always broke between the clouds cresting overhead. Today, though, the thicket of white above turned the world monochromatic. Jake sighed as he drove, knowing it would only hinder his efforts.

He pulled into the quaint cul-de-sac and parked. One hand swept up the few bags cluttering the passenger seat floor while the other fumbled for his keys and phone. A last ditch effort was made to check his notifications, another soft sigh leaving him as only your picture filled the screen.

Jake swiftly exited his truck. His feet felt light as air trailing the way to your front door. The key you'd given him lifted to unlock it, and was promptly tossed onto the small console table.

"Babe?" he tried calling. The warm timbre of his voice rumbled down the hallway. It muffled against your shut bedroom door, not creaked open as it normally was.

The aviator stopped off in the kitchen to settle the bags and refrigerate the few items that needed it. His heavy footsteps groaned into the hardwood floors, continuing to alert you of his presence. You did nothing to warn him of your own. Jake's frown grew in further realization.

He lifted a wavering hand to the doorknob. Privacy was a value of yours, he knew; part of the reason you had insisted to keep your own place until your rental agreement was to expire. But he also knew when that same valued privacy was a cover for your hyper-independence.

Jake settled on one last warning call, a soft rapping of his knuckles against the wood. "Babe, I'm coming in now."

A thought froze him: he had no idea what he was walking into. He had seen his partner in all kinds of vocal states, overexcitement and fury and even deep despair. The sudden quiet terrified him. How could he soothe a numbness, a void?

He would have to learn on the fly, as it was. No way in hell was he going to let you down now.

Another breath and Jake crossed the threshold of your room. Fern eyes flitted over the dark space to observe its state. The curtains were drawn closed, blocking out the little amount of light the clouds permitted. Everything was in its right place and tidied away, as if you'd spent hours decluttering to try and do the same with your mind.

The only thing in disarray was your queen bed, where you laid in a comforter strewn lump in the center of the mattress. Your breaths were silent, yet rose the bedding up enough to settle the worst of Jake's fears. He shut the door behind him as to not shock you any more than he intended to. Every step he took toward you was careful, still uncertain whether you were aware of him.

Sinking down onto the bed was a gamble Jake took hesitantly. Your face was still hidden beneath the blue fabric, your hair fanning out in messy strands. "Darlin'?" His voice was barely above a hum, but it was enough. You slowly peeked your eyes above the comforter to meet his. Jake greeted you with an award-winning smile, one that always turned your insides to putty. "I've been looking all over for you, darlin'. Really know how to run your cowboy ragged."

Tears lined your eyes at his words, guilt flooding you. "I'm sorry," you croaked. Jake's face immediately fell.

He leaned down to lay at your side, facing you and reaching up to cup your cheeks. "No, no, baby; don't you apologize, okay?" It ached his heart to see you feeling so small. Your vibrancy changed the colors of his life for the better. At present, they were all muddled and shirked away from your own view. Even if Jake couldn't bring those hues back to you himself, he would do everything he could for you while you awaited their return.

Jake thumbed away the few tears that started to roll down your cheeks. "C'mere," he cooed with an arm outstretched. You shuffled towards him in your mess of blankets for him to slide beneath. One arm snaked around your torso, drowning in one of his old tees, while the other cradled your head to his chest.

"There we are," he hummed as your bodies settled into one another. Jake pressed a kiss to your forehead as he felt the damp spots soak into his shirt. "I've got ya now, darlin'. I'll always hold you through the storms." After all, they were much easier to weather together than alone.

🏷️: @avengersfan25, @roosterforme

MY HEARTTTTTT

Don't Blame Me (J. Seresin)

Summary: Based on Taylor Swift's Don't Blame Me, it's the story of yours and Jake's relationship, over the course of three years.

Author's Note: Is my writer's block finally gone? Maybe? Hopefully, but then again, maybe it's just the effect that Hangman has on me. Here are way too many words where I basically confess my love for Hangman. I hope you enjoy this!

Warnings: explicit!female reader, alcohol, mentions of nudity, heartbreak, those infamous volleyball and football scenes

Word Count: 10k (including song lyrics)

Note: We’re assuming that Jake was at Top Gun after Penny bought the bar. This is roughly based on Penny and Maverick’s relationship, and I’m assuming that Coyote and Hangman went to Top Gun together. Italics are flashbacks.

*gif made by me*

Don't blame me, love made me crazy If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life

"Dude, your watch is flashing and ringing," Coyote points out. "From the looks of it, you need to slow your heart rate down." 

Hangman wasn't listening. No, Jake's thoughts were far from the alert his smartwatch was giving. His mind was far from his friend's words. His thoughts were far from the game of pool they were playing. His mind was wandering away from the beer bottle in his hands. No, Jake was astutely aware of the woman walking out from the back kitchen of the bar. He hasn't seen her since he graduated from Top Gun, and even then, his heart rate acted the same. 

"I'll be right back," Jake states and pushes away from the group. 

It's been years since he saw her, saw you, but Jake knows that whatever feelings you both proposed not to act on were still there. Who could blame him? For months and months, you were all Jake thought about. 

He thought you moved away, but it turns out, maybe you're back, too. 

"Can I get another round, please?" he asks Penny. He's hoping to use this unneeded round of drinks to inquire about you. 

"Do you want me to get the drinks or her?" Penny asks, flipping her head toward you knowingly. 

"Whoever's available," Jake responds, a gentlemanly smile on his face. However Jake responded, he knows without a doubt that Penny would ring the bell on him, and he wasn't ready for that to be the moment you first noticed him. 

"Did you not know she was back in town?" 

Jake shakes his head. "We lost touch a few months after I graduated and she moved for work." And moved on from me, Jake thinks to himself. 

Penny smirks. "There's no time like the present to catch up."

"Yeah," Jake murmurs, giving you another glance. He can still remember it like yesterday when he first met you. Well, more like, he can remember the first time he saw you and knew he loved you. He'd deny it, but both events happened at the same time. It was love at first sight for Jake, but then life got in the way. Was it possible the universe gave you two a second chance? 

I've been breakin' hearts a long time And toyin' with them older guys Just playthings for me to use Something happened for the first time In the darkest little paradise Shaking, pacin', I just need you

It was his second day at Top Gun, and he finally made it out to the Hard Deck. It was infamous to be the place where Naval pilots hung out but were also highly respected. It also helped that each Top Gun pilot knew they could get lucky at said bar with one smile and wink. 

That was most definitely the case for Lieutenant Jake Seresin. He knew how to work a room and wasn’t worried about finding an enjoyable date for the night. 

Jake was in his element up until the point his favorite song came on on the jukebox. He saw the antique in the corner, but he wasn’t aware that anyone could use it. He made a mental note to play around with it the next time he came in. What caught Jake’s attention, though, was the woman who was walking away from the jukebox who most definitely played the song. Everything from her confidence to her smile to her hair to her eyes. Within seconds, Jake was gone. 

“I’ll be right back,” Jake says to some of his fellow pilots before sashaying over to where you were walking towards the bar. He’s about to greet you when he watches you continue walking behind the bar. You work here; it appears. 

“What can I get for you, tonight?” you ask, a gratuitous smile on your face. The smile falters a bit, though, when your eyes land on Jake. It wasn’t a reaction that Jake was used to. Normally, when Jake catches the attention of other women, he tends to arouse flustered looks, not the look you were giving. He didn’t even know how to describe it. Your customer service smile turned into a genuine smile as if you and Jake were old friends, but your eyes were wide. He couldn’t tell if you were flustered or confused by him walking up to you. 

“I was going to ask for your name, but I didn’t want to give you the wrong pretext,” Jake answers, still confused. Jake was good at talking to women. It came as easy as flying, but talking to you and trying to figure you out was starting to feel like the Olympics. “I guess another beer, please.” 

“You guess? Did you want something else?” you ask, a cocky tone in your voice. That reeled Jake in, quick. He was hooked in seconds. 

“I would like to get to know you, but I’m not sure how comfortable you are with it.” Normally, Jake would just get right into his normal routine when talking to girls, but this time, it feels a bit different. He can’t just jump right into it. He didn’t want one night with you. He didn’t want two nights with you. He wanted every night that you’d be able to give him. He wanted every night with you for the rest of his life. He wanted every morning with you for the rest of his life. He wanted every afternoon with you for the rest of his life. And, he wanted every evening with you for the rest of his life. You were the one in a million that Jake’s mother always told him to be on the lookout for because the ones in a million don’t take nonsense, and sometimes, Jake gave that nonsense. You couldn’t mess that up with you. 

“Why don’t you give me your best pitch, and we’ll see if you get my name?” you ask, a confident smile on your face. “Of course, I need to have the liberty to help the patrons in this bar, too.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to neglect any of your duties,” Jake responds, his Southern tone coming out. 

“South Carolina?” 

“Texas.” 

“Ah, I see.”

“Lieutenant Jake Seresin.” 

“Call sign?”

“Hangman.” 

“Do you like to play the namesake game?” 

“Do you like to play the game?” 

“Yes, sometimes.” 

“Then, yes, I like the game, too,” Jake replies, a cocky grin on his face. 

You smile and playfully shake your head. “You’re good. Keep going.” 

With that, Jake slowly gave his life story and how he happened to end up in this bar talking to you. When he finishes, he asks, “Was that good enough?” 

“Maybe.” 

“Was it good enough to get your name? If not, I can just call you pretty girl.” 

You chuckle under your breath, and by the way you wipe a bead of sweat from your forehead, Jake knows he’s got you flustered. Jackpot! Slowly, you tell Jake your name and stare intently into his eyes. “Don’t make me regret this.” 

Jake bites back a cocky “no girl regrets talking to me,” because that’s the nonsense his mother warned him to hold back on when it came to the ones in a million like you. “What’s your story?” 

Slowly you give your life story and conclude with, “So, when I moved here for work, my aunt Penny, the lovely lady who bought this place a few months ago, asked if I could help her out, so I agreed. Besides, I could use the extra money and tips. Speaking of.” You tilt your head to the tips jar a few feet down with a smile on your face. “Let’s see if you pass this test.” 

Jake chuckles to himself. “Oh, you’re good.” He places forty dollars in the tip jar and retakes his seat. “Pass?” 

“You’re a smart man.” 

“Well, you can thank my mother for the way I turned out.” 

“Oh, a mama’s boy. Now, sometimes, those are good, and sometimes, those are bad. Which are you?” 

“The one who knows when his mother gets appropriate credit and the one who knows when his mother should stay out of the conversation.” 

“Where does that response fit in here?” 

“My mother raised me to be a gentleman, so she can get credit for that if you believe I’m being a gentleman. If you don’t, then you can blame me for not retaining anything my mother said. But, my mother gets no credit for how attracted I am to you right now. Well, she gets the credit for telling me what to look out for when I see someone who’s one in a million.” 

“And what did you look out for?” you ask, trying to hide how warm and flustered Jake is making you. 

“To put it simply, you,” Jake responds, a grin on his face as bites the inside of his cheek. Endearing. 

“You’re good at this, Lieutenant Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin; I’ll give you that,” you reply, a wide grin on your face. “I work Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Maybe I’ll see you around. Alas, I have to get back to work, but have a great rest of your evening.” 

As Jake watches you walk away, there’s only one thing he knows for sure. You could either be his biggest heartbreak or his greatest happiness because, ultimately, Jake was already head over heels for you. 

For you, I would cross the line I would waste my time I would lose my mind They say, "She's gone too far this time"

Following that first night when you and Jake first met, he always showed up on the nights you were working. It was a constant for the next few weeks. When you wouldn’t see him, you’d have to hide the disappointment on your face from Penny. She seemed to think that there’s something going on between you and Jake, but you’re just friends. It was a flirty relationship; that’s all. 

“Jake is incapable of having any conversation with anyone without it being just a bit flirty,” you say, defending your friendship. It was two hours before opening, and you offered to come early to help Penny with the inventory. 

“I don’t think he’s ever flirted with me,” Penny contradicts, knowing there’s more to the story, at least on Jake’s end. “And, I don’t think he’s flirted this much with anyone ever.” 

“He hasn’t flirted with you out of respect for your daughter and because he doesn’t want you ringing the bell which forces him to buy the entire bar a round of drinks,” you defend. 

“Speaking of the lover,” Penny mutters which has you rolling your eyes. “Hey! He just walked in.” 

Quickly, you whip your head to the door, and you pretend your heart doesn’t flutter when you see Jake walk in. 

“Hi,” he says, nervous. “I know I’m early, but I wanted to ask you something.”

“Oh, yeah?” 

He nods. “We’re doing this volleyball tournament at the beach tomorrow, and I was wondering if you wanted to go? We can grab drinks or something after.” 

You smile. “I’d like that a lot.” 

And this now leads to Jake looking for you amongst the small crowd and hiding the sinking feeling in his chest when he doesn’t see you. You were coming, right? You’d be there, right? 

Just as Jake is about to step out onto the sand court, he spots your familiar head of hair sitting among the crowd on the makeshift bleachers. He stares for a few moments before you sense his staring and turn to look at him. You send him your signature smile, and Jake’s knees wobble. Would that smile ever cease to make Jake’s entire body warm and pliant? 

Quickly, though, Jake recovers and sends you a cocky grin before walking out onto the sandy court to start the game. He’s going to win. Not because Jake always wins but because you’re here. He needs to impress you and show you he’s the best. Sure, the need to impress you and prove he’s the best might be a bit primal, but whenever he’s around you, he can’t help but revert to those primal senses and insecurities. Jake can’t mess this up with you even if he’s not sure what it is. He keeps calling it a friendship, but was it truly a friendship when he knows he’d give you the world if you asked? Was it truly a friendship if Jake would drop everything if you called? Was it truly a friendship when Jake knows he’s in love with you even though he’s only known you for a few weeks? Whatever this relationship was, it was intoxicating, and Jake can’t get enough of you. 

As the game begins and continues, Jake settles into the primal urge to show off. He’s serving and hitting harder than this friendly game ought to have. He’s digging and sliding to get the ball much more than he needs to. Sure, his reputation at Top Gun is also at stake if he loses, but it’s losing your attention that he’s worried about. He doesn’t want you to get bored because he’s losing. Once he thinks that, though, Jake immediately feels guilty because he shouldn’t think you’ll get bored of him if he’s not the best. He wants to be the best because he knows he’s the best, but he also wants to be the best to prove to you he’s worth it. He wants to prove that he’s worth the effort despite his former womanizer tendencies. Despite it being primal, he also wants to prove to you that he’s the best Top Gun pilot for you. 

Jake unapologetically wants you, and he’ll do anything he can to show you that he’s worth the hassle. 

Unsurprisingly, Hangman and Coyote win. 

When they’re named victorious, the spectators and other pilots gather around the pair to congratulate them. Jake doesn’t want to be rude (and because he likes soaking in the glory), so he takes the hugs and handshakes, but he really, really, really wants to find you. He wants to see you and to ask you how entertained you were. He didn’t want you to have hated every second you were at the game, especially considering it was your day off from both working your day job and at the Hard Deck. 

Despite looking very hard for you, he can’t find you. He’s scanning the crowd, and when it dissipates and you’re not there, his heart begins to beat wildly in fear that you found someone else who’s better than him (you were the only person that makes Jake realize that there are people better than him). 

“She’s behind you,” Coyote says, nudging Jake and giving him a wink.

“Shut up,” Jake murmurs and turns to see you. “You made it!” 

“You know I made it,” you tease. “You saw me before the tournament started.” 

Jake’s face burns. “Did you like the game?” 

“Yes, it was very,” you say but don’t finish. Jake can tell you’re searching for the right word to encapsulate what you’re trying to say.

“Very?” Jake asks, a shit-eating grin and a raised eyebrow adorning his face.

“Entertaining,” you breathe out, eyeing up Jake. He’s got you flustered. 

Oh, right, he’s not wearing a shirt, and his shorts are fairly short, giving you a perfect look at Jake’s toned chest and muscular legs. 

“Entertaining, huh?” Jake flirts. “Did you want me to turn in a circle slowly so that you can get a full picture of the entertainment?” 

“That would be great, actually, thanks.” 

Jake laughs and turns. He stops when his back is to you so that you get a look at his back. He can hear heavy breaths coming from you. Jake knows exactly what he’s doing, and if he’s lucky, so do you, and maybe he’ll finally have the guts to make a move. 

Once Jake is facing you again, he says, “Besides this amazing entertainment, did you enjoy the game?” 

“Most definitely,” you reply. “You’re pretty good.” 

“I mean, with this body, it’s kind of hard not to be good at anything athletic,” Jake responds, his Texan voice coming in deep. 

“I’d congratulate you with a hug, but I’m all sweaty.” 

Jake shakes his head, hiding how much he’d love to hug you. “I’m probably more sweaty than you are.” 

“Fair enough.” You noticed all his sweat. It most definitely didn’t accentuate all the muscles across his chest. In a quick motion, you wrap your arms around Jake and congratulate Jake on his win. Whispering in his ear, you say, “You played really well, and I’m proud of you.” 

Jake can feel the vibrations of your voice deep in his stomach, and he has to stop himself from kissing you right there. His life depended on him kissing you right then and there, but it didn’t feel like the right moment. 

“Did you want to grab a drink later?” he asks, not pulling away. 

“Are you asking if I want to grab a drink at the place where I work?” you tease, also not moving to pull away despite the sweat on Jake’s body soaking through your shirt. 

“I was going to say we can go somewhere else. I can pick you up in a few hours?”

“A few hours?” You pull back slightly and glance at his face. 

“I’d like to head back to base to shower because, as you can tell, I’m all hot and sweaty.” 

“I, um, live five minutes from here,” you begin, nervous. “You can come over and shower at my place, and I can make us dinner, or we can order something. I probably have beer in my fridge.” 

“Are you okay with that?” Jake asks, not wanting to put you out. 

“Yeah, I’m okay with that,” you answer, your hands running to his hair at the base of his neck. You tug on it slightly as you feel Jake’s hands tighten around your waist. 

“Let me grab my stuff; I’ll be right back,” Jake all but growls. Primal instincts are strong in this one. 

“Okay,” you whisper, wishing that Jake didn’t let go of you. 

Once you and Jake are back at your small beachside house, you lead him to the bathroom. 

“I only have one bathroom with a shower in it, so you’re going to see all of my products lining the bathroom,” you awkwardly explain. You mentally face plant. That was way too much information. Why did you give him all that information? 

Jake can sense your nervousness, and it makes his heart beat faster. You’re just as nervous as he is right now, and it, somehow, made the whole situation more cozy and comfortable. 

“You can go ahead and get in the shower, and I’ll grab you some towels. Feel free to use whatever products you want.” 

“Thank you,” Jake tells you and watches you walk out of your bathroom and close the door behind you. He turns on the water and waits for it to get warm. Once it’s at the temperature he wants, Jake turns on the shower head and begins to undress. You must have thought that Jake was already in the shower because just as you open the door to place the towels on the bathroom counter, you see Jake step out of his boxers. 

He’s naked. 

His back is to you, but even his naked back is stupidly attractive. 

As if sensing your presence, Jake turns his head. His face grows warm 

“Sorry,” you apologize, before rushing out of the bathroom. 

“Don’t be,” Jake yells through the bathroom before chuckling and hopping into the shower. 

Jake Seresin was going to be the death of you if you couldn’t figure out how to handle yourself around him. 

Don't blame me, love made me crazy If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life Don't blame me, love made me crazy If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right Oh, Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life 

Being the great bartender you were, you could sense someone approaching you for a drink despite your back to them. “Just one second, please,” you say, sorting and replacing some new glasses. 

“I can wait,” the person says. “I could wait forever if you needed me to.” 

Your head whips up, and a sly smile overcomes your face. “Lieutenant Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin.” 

Jake smiles as you say his name and turn around. He cockily says your name before throwing you a grin. 

“What brings you back to the area?” you ask, pouring Jake a glass of beer, still knowing exactly what his order is. 

“I could say the same to you.” 

“Work,” is your response as you slide the drink to Jake. “It’s on me.” 

“I’ll take it,” Jake says, grateful. Once he takes a sip, he continues. “So, when you say work, is it the Hard Deck, or is it your other job?” 

“Other job,” you respond. “I got transferred back to the office in the area, and my dear Aunt Penny asked if I could take over my old shifts because she needed the help, so here we are. Did Top Gun call and invalidate your graduation, and are they making you redo the program?” 

“You and I both know that I’m one hell of a pilot,” Jake says, cockily. 

“That didn’t answer my question, Hangman.” 

“We’ve reverted to my callsign, now? I’m hurt.”

“You keep deflecting, so I’m going to assume you’re here to redo the Top Gun program.” 

“The opposite, actually. I’m such an amazing pilot that they’ve asked me to come to fly a super important mission.” 

“A dangerous mission, I take?” you ask, nervousness and fear lacing your voice. Your worry is a slap across the face for Jake. Were you worried for Jake, or was it just the normal amount of worry you’d exude when you heard what Jake just told you? Did he want you to be worried? If you were worried, was it a sign of something else? Was it possible that you still loved Jake? 

No, he wouldn’t let himself go there. It would undo all the work Jake’s done over the past few years to forget about you and his love for you. He couldn’t undo all that progress. 

“Yeah, you worried?” 

“Believe it or not, I actually care about you.” 

“Do you now?” Jake asks, a small smile on his face. He couldn’t help it. He was elated to hear that you still cared about him. 

“I’m offended that you think I didn’t care about you.” 

“I’m going to circle back to this point at a later date because I’m not in the mood to ruin this great reunion.” Jake didn’t want to tell you that when you rejected him on his graduation night, it broke him into pieces. Looking back, he understood why you did it, but it didn’t feel like you cared at the time. It felt like someone took his heart, slaughtered it, and didn’t bother putting the broken pieces back in his body. For the longest time, Jake was numb. His life consisted of flying and sleeping. He couldn’t allow himself to have a single ounce of time to think or else he’d throw himself into a depressive episode. 

Jake wasn’t ready to delve into all that pain right now, and from what he could tell, it looked like you went through something similar and weren’t ready to delve into it either. 

“Are you seeing anyone?” Jake asks, not sure if he wants the answer. 

“I’m looking at you right now,” you say, knowing exactly what response Jake wants. 

He snorts. “Are you romantically seeing anyone right now? Like, dating?”

“I’m not an idiot, Jake; I know what you meant.” 

Jake’s heart gallops when he hears you call him by his name. He’s dreamt of it for years, and to hear you say it again seems too good to be true. 

“Say it again,” he whispers. 

“What?” you ask, confused. 

“My name. Say it again. Please.” 

“Jake.” 

Just like that, all the wounds were healed. Everything was right in the world. You called him by his name, and suddenly, everything in the world was right. Somehow, you were back in his life, and everything made sense. Even if he never got to have the life with you that he always imagined, it was okay because you said his name again. He got to hear his name fall from your lips. 

You were still his one in a million. 

And he still loved you. And that wouldn’t ever change. That love isn’t going anywhere. 

“I’m not seeing anyone, by the way,” you tell him. 

“Neither am I, by the way,” Jake replies, slightly victorious to hear that you’re single. Maybe there was still a chance? 

“I have to get back to work, but did you want to come over for dinner sometime?” you ask. 

“Are you at the same place as before?” 

“Yes, I am.”

Jake smiles. “I’ll be there.” 

There’s nowhere else he’d rather be than right there with you. 

My name is whatever you decide And I'm just gonna call you mine I'm insane, but I'm your baby (Your baby) Echoes (Echoes) of your name inside my mind Halo hiding my obsession I once was poison ivy, but now I'm your daisy

“I brought you a lemon tart,” Jake says when you open the door to your beachside house. The same one you were living in before you moved all those years ago. 

“Hello to you, too,” you say, stifling a laugh. 

“Hi,” Jake replies, embarrassed. You lead him into your house and take the lemon tart from him as he takes off his shoes. He quickly looks around and sees that it’s exactly the way it was when he was here the first time around. He points it out to you.

“Yeah, I actually didn’t sell this place when I moved,” you explain. “I couldn’t get a buyer to buy with a good price, so I just opted to rent it out, thinking I’ll eventually sell or move back.”

“And you moved back.” 

“Yes, I did.” 

“Was that always the plan? To move back?” Jake asks as you lead him into the kitchen. 

“It wasn’t always the explicit plan, but I’ve always thought about it, yeah.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were back in the area?” Jake asks. “I’ve been in the area for a while. I’m at the same place I was after I graduated from Top Gun.” 

“Did you want me to call you, Jake?” you ask. This wasn’t how you wanted tonight to go, but you guess Jake has a lot on his chest he wants to let out. It made sense considering how the conversation went the last time you and Jake spoke. Well, the time before the previous night. You basically broke his heart. If he did to you what you did to him, you wouldn’t have wanted Jake to call you if the roles were reversed. Well, that was a lie. If the roles were reversed, you would have realized that it was for the best. You would have wanted Jake to call you because, after all, you never stopped loving him. How could ever stop loving someone as amazing to you as Jake? He always was your only one. 

“I always wanted you to call,” Jake murmurs. “You just stopped calling me one day, and you have no idea how much that broke my heart.” 

After Jake’s admission, neither of you says anything. You look away from him, knowing that if you keep looking at his heartbroken face, you’d start to cry. Instead, you opt to just continue making dinner. Jake, too, it seems doesn’t want to talk to you at this moment, but he picks a counter-stool to sit on and rests there. You can feel his eyes on you as you dice the onions. 

It’s distracting. You want to know what he’s thinking. You want to know if he hates you for what you did (this was an absurd thought because you know he could never hate you and vice versa). You wanted to know how dangerous his mission was because after reconnecting, you know you never want to lose contact with him. You wanted to know if he was going to be in this area permanently. You wanted to know that even if he wasn’t in the area permanently if he’d be open to you going with him. You never wanted to lose Jake again, but it seemed like all you ever do when it comes to possibly have a relationship with Jake was ruin it. 

“Shit,” you mutter when you feel the knife slice into the skin of one of your fingers. Jake’s eyes instantly bolt up to look at you, and his eyes bore into you as you rush to the kitchen faucet to run the cold water. In seconds, he’s up and by your side. 

“What happened?” 

“I was distracted and cut myself. I’m fine,” you say. 

“You don’t look fine,” Jake points out. “Where are your bandaids?” 

“Medicine cabinet in the bathroom,” you direct, and Jake’s sprinting to the bathroom. You can hear him rifling through your medicine cabinet; you want to tell him not to mess up your neatly organized cabinet, but you know he’d yell at you for worrying about the organization when you were basically bleeding out (he was always one for dramatics when it came to you). 

“I can’t find them,” Jake yells. 

“I’ll come to help you,” you yell back and turn off the faucet. You think you can make it to the bathroom without any blood dripping, but you’re wrong. “Actually, I’ll just stay here.” 

Within seconds, Jake’s back by your side. “Do you have a dishcloth or something?” 

“They’re all in the dryer,” you mutter and internally curse yourself for wanting everything to be clean for Jake. 

In response, Jake rips off his shirt and hands it to you, and you go dizzy. You sway for a few seconds before Jakes wraps his arm around your waist to steady you. “Careful.” 

“Then, maybe you should put your shirt back on,” you mutter. Yeah, it wasn’t the loss of blood making you act like this. It was the half-naked Jake Seresin standing in your kitchen. 

“Shut up,” he mutters, embarrassed. He takes your hand away from the faucet and turns off the water. He wraps your finger in his shirt before ushering you to the bathroom. “Now, you can help me find your bandaids.” 

“You do know I have paper towels, right?” you tease. Jake chuckles, and just like that, everything goes back to normal. You know Jake isn’t mad at you for the decisions you made, and Jake knows you regret your actions. 

“I wasn’t thinking,” Jake defends. “I just thought you needed to have something to wrap your finger in, and my shirt was the first thing I could think of you.”

“You’ll do absolutely anything to get shirtless; won’t you?”

“Actually, you’ll do anything to get me shirtless,” Jake teases. “Not that I mind.” 

You roll your eyes. “Yes, because I planned to hurt myself. That makes so much sense.” 

Jake playfully shoves you and opens the medicine cabinet. 

“Jake.” 

“What?” 

“My bandaids are right there,” you say, deadpanned. 

“Oh,” he says, softly. “Again, I wasn’t really thinking. I was worried about you.” 

“Well, now you know how it feels,” you say as Jake takes a bandaid from the box.

“What do you mean?” Jake’s eyebrows are scrunched together as he opens the bandaid and begins to wrap your finger. 

“Every time you’re in the air, I worry. Somehow, even if you don’t tell me when you’re going to fly, I know and get worried. Before, when you used to tell me about when and how you flew that day, I’d know that the sudden burst of anxiety and worry I felt at the exact same time was about you.” 

“I’m sorry,” Jake murmurs, finishing up placing the bandaid on your finger.

“Don’t apologize. It’s your job. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry if what I said and did all those years ago hurt you. I didn’t mean to, and I just thought it was what was the best.” 

“Don’t apologize,” Jake echos. “At first, I didn’t see why you did it, but eventually, I realized you did the right thing in terms of us despite how much it hurt and how hard it was to get over you.” 

“Mhm, same,” you echo, knowing 100% that you never truly got over Jake. 

“And, now we’re friends, so it all worked out.” 

You nod and don’t meet Jake’s eye. Friends. You’d pretend you didn’t love Jake. It couldn’t be that hard considering you’ve been doing it for the past three years. 

“Now,” you say, feigning cheerfulness in hopes of changing the subject. “Should I do a load of laundry so that I can wash your shirt, or do you want to walk around half-naked for the rest of the evening?” 

“Half-naked,” Jake responds, his Texan drawl coming out, and you can’t help but burst into laughter. 

You’d figure out how to be friends with Jake and co-exist with how much you loved him because you weren’t letting Jake walk out of your life again. 

And baby, for you I would (I would) fall from grace Just to (Just to) touch your face If you (If you) walk away, I'd beg you on my knees to stay

“Congratulations on graduating, Lieutenant,” you say, a soft smile on your face. Turning around, Jake slowly breathes out your name. “You have no idea how proud I am of you.” 

“Thank you,” he whispers, a shy smile on his face. “Hey, um, I want to talk to you later tonight about something.” 

“Oh, yeah?” 

He nods, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. He’s nervous. He’s never been nervous before. 

“Okay,” you tell him before pushing him towards his family. “Now, go celebrate, graduate.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” he responds, his Texas features coming out. You can’t help the giddy smile that overcomes your face when he says that two-worded response. 

Later that night, the Top Gun graduates and their families and friends are piled into the Hard Deck, celebrating. You’re talking to someone’s fiance as they tell you about how very soon the pilots would be getting their assignments and would be dispersing across the country. 

“Do you plan on moving with your Navy partner?” she asks. 

“I’m sorry?” 

“Will you be staying where you live or will you be with going with them? If you guys get married before they’re due to base, then you can live off base with them.” 

“I think you miss understood. I’m not with anyone here. I’m celebrating my friend’s graduation.” 

“Which pilot?” she asks, eyes crinkling with confusion. 

“Jake. Hangman.” 

“That’s what I thought! Are you sure you’re not dating?” 

“I think I’d know if I were dating someone.” 

“True, but think about the benefits—” she’s interrupted by someone wrapping their arms around your waist. 

“Is this a bad time?” Jake asks. You can hear his cocky grin as his mouth is low on your ear as he talks. 

“Not at all,” she responds, smiling and giving you a curt goodbye. 

In one swift movement, Jake turns you in his embrace and pulls you flush against his body. Your hands go to his chest, instinctively. His hands rest on your waist, and you feel his fingers comfortably rest against the curves of your waist. 

He leans his head down and whispers in your ear, “can we go outside and talk, now?” 

“Yeah.” 

Jake places his hand in yours before pulling you out towards the beach. When you’re both far from the loud atmosphere of the bar, you and Jake stop walking, but he makes no moves to take his hand out of yours. 

“So, I got my assignment, and I’m going to be staying pretty close by,” Jake tells you. “About a few hours drive.” 

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Jake responds, nervously. “Because of that, I was hoping, before I leave, I could take you on a date. Maybe we could test the waters? I’ve been crazy in lo—”

“I’m moving to Chicago,” you blurt out. 

“What?” 

“At work, I got transferred, and the opportunity is just too good to pass up; I leave in a month.” 

“I leave around the same time, so maybe we could—” Jake persists, but you shake your head. 

“No, Jake, we can’t.” 

“But, I lo—”

Your eyes begin to water. “Please don’t finish that sentence. It doesn’t matter how strongly we feel for each other; it’s not going to work. We’re going to be on opposite ends of the country, and who knows if this position for you is permanent. I can’t do that to our friendship.” 

“But, you can do this to our friendship? You can tear us apart and not let us try?” 

“I’m sorry, Jake. It’s what’s best for the both of us.”

“No, you’re doing this because it’s easy. Don’t tell me you actually want to do this.” 

“Good luck with this new assignment, and remember, I’m always proud of you. I’ll see you around, Jake,” you say, tearfully and walk away. In terms of logistics, it wouldn’t ever work. You couldn’t start something with Jake that you couldn’t ever finish. You wanted everything with Jake. You wanted the rest of your life with Jake, but in this situation, it just wouldn’t ever work. 

It only sucked that you had to break both your and Jake’s hearts in order to come to this conclusion.

Don't blame me, love made me crazy If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life (Yeah, ooh) Don't blame me, love made me crazy If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right (Doin' it right) Oh, Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life

“You’re here pretty early, Lieutenant Seresin,” Penny says when she sees the pilot walk in. 

“Yeah, um, is—?”

“She’s in the back,” Penny answers, knowing exactly the reason why Jake was here. 

“Thanks, Penny,” Jake responds and walks to where Penny said you were. 

“Why, hello there,” you tease when you watch Jake walk in. 

“Penny said I could find you in here,” he responds, his usual smile overcoming his face. 

“So you’ve found me. What can I do for you?”

“Maverick wants us to do a football game thing tomorrow, and it’s going to be on the beach outside the bar, and I was wondering if you were going to be there?” 

“Do you want me there?” 

“I’d love for you to be there,” Jake responds, a teasing smile on his face. 

“Then I’ll be there,” you respond. 

This is how you found yourself sitting at one of the picnic tables outside of the Hard Deck with your computer open. The game happened to be while you were at your day job, so you opted to work remotely instead of going into the office. 

It was all silly, watching them play, but you understood the motive behind the game and why Maverick asked them to do it. 

As hard as you tried to watch all of the pilots, it was hard when Jake wasn’t wearing a shirt and his pants hung very low on his waist. The sun and sweat glistening on his body weren’t helping. Eventually, you closed your laptop, put on your sunglasses, and walked down to where the pilots were playing and sat on the sand and watched. Penny, at some point, joined you, too, but she seemed to be watching all the pilots whereas your eyes were completely on Jake. 

Just like volleyball game all those years ago, he excelled at this variation of football. It made me wonder what other athletic strengths Jake had. 

Once the game was over and everyone was chatting and drinking water, you and Penny made your way up to the picnic table. You haven’t had the chance to speak to Jake yet, but knowing him, he’ll find his way up to where you were. 

As if knowing you were thinking about him, Jake runs up to you. “Hey.”

“Hey, back,” you reply, a wide smile overcoming your face when you see Jake. 

“Did you have fun?” he asks.

“Eh, it was okay,” you say, feigning boredom. 

“Is that so?” Jake asks, a cocky smile covering his face as he thought about his next actions. 

“For pilots, I guess you guys were okay,” you say, committing to the charade. 

“Oh, you’re so full of shit,” Jake says and picks you up. 

“Jake Seresin, put me down right now!”

“I don’t think so,” Jake says as he begins to saunter down to the water as if he weren’t carrying another human being. 

“Jake,” you warn.

“Yes, sweetheart? Is there something I can do for you?”

“Yeah, put me down, babe.” 

“Not happening,” Jake says and throws you into the water. 

When you come up to the surface and catch your breath, you grab Jake’s arms and pull him into the water next to you. For the next few minutes, you and Jake are splashing around in the water. You can’t help the laughter and smiles that overcome your face. It was so easy being around and with Jake. It made you realize just how easy it could be to have him like this all the time. You could so easily tell Jake just how much you love him. It could just slip right out, and everything would just fall into place, you know it. 

“Okay, okay, I surrender,” Jake says when his stomach hurts from all the laughter and his pants are fully soaked. 

“I accept your surrender,” you say and take a step towards Jake. You’re about to push him into the water when Jake grabs both of your hands and holds them up in mid-air.

“Don’t you dare think about it,” Jake warns, a twinkling overcoming his green eyes. 

“I wasn’t!” you lie. 

“Mhm, I know you better than that.” Jake takes your hands that are still in his and rests your hands around his neck before he places his hands on your waist and pulls you against him. “I think I like this better.” 

“Me too,” you whisper, suddenly losing all ability to speak. Jake just has that effect on you.

You’re staring deep into his eyes, and it seems like he’s wrestling with something. What could he be thinking so intently about? Did he want to kiss you as much as you wanted to kiss him? It would be so easy to just lean your head up and close the space and kiss him. It would be so easy to finally get your lips on his; all it took was just moving your mouth a few centimeters—that’s how close you were to him. 

You move your hand to brush the hair on Jake’s forehead to the side, and on instinct, your head moves closer to him. He was so close to you right now. It’s the closest you’ve ever been to Jake. You’re breathing in sync, and your eyes haven’t left each other. He’s right there, and if you nudge your head just a small centimeter closer, you could kiss him. 

You’re about to kiss Jake when someone interrupts you two, causing you and Jake to pull your heads back from each other and break the intense eye contact. 

“Hey, love birds, we’re heading back to base,” Rooster yells. 

“Fucking, Rooster,” you hear Jake mutter to himself before Jake yells, “We’ve got plans, but I’ll see you back at base later.” Jake turns his head back to you, praying that you both could get back to where you were just seconds ago. 

“Did you just invite yourself to my house?” 

“Your water pressure is better than the Navy’s,” Jake begins, a grin on his face. “Your towels are softer, and your soap smells so much better. Your house is so much nicer than the Navy barracks.” 

“So you’re friends with me for my household amenities?” 

“I guess the homeowner is pretty neat, too,” Jake says, sincere and full of love. “Even when she’s walking in on me while I’m naked.”

“That was one time!”

“If you want to see me naked so badly, you can just let me know, and we can find a time and place that work for the both of us,” Jake flirts, joking but also slightly serious. 

“Oh, shut up, playboy,” you say and lead Jake towards your car. 

Jake wouldn’t admit it, but he’d do anything to hold you and have you as close to him as he did just moments ago. 

I get so high, oh Every time you're, every time you're lovin' me You're lovin' me Trip of my life, oh Every time you're, every time you're touchin' me You're touchin' me Every time you're, every time you're lovin' me

“Are we all up for the Hard Deck, tonight?” Phoenix asks the group of pilots. 

A chorus of yeses and cheers erupt from the room, Hangman’s being one of them. 

“I’m surprised you want to go, Hangman, considering your girlfriend isn’t going to be working tonight,” Fanboy teases. 

“It’s Thursday,” Hangman says. “She always works Thursdays, and she’s not my girlfriend.”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re fiance,” Phoenix corrects and elicits a round of laughter. 

“She’s not working tonight,” Bob informs Hangman. “She told me it’s her job’s half-year, so she’s caught at the office trying to meet all her quotas and everything. She’s probably not working at the bar for the rest of the week.” 

“Oh,” Jake says, pretending to sound indifferent. How come you told Bob your plans and not him? How come he didn’t know? 

“Dude, you need to wife her up, like, now,” Rooster teases. 

“We’re just friends,” Hangman growls. He never liked being the butt of the jokes, especially when it came to how much he loves you. 

“Yeah, friends who’re in love with each other,” Phoenix adds on. “Dude, there’s literally no way in hell you two are ‘just friends.’ There’s definitely something else there between you two.”

“What?” Hangman asks, confused. As far as he was concerned, the love was one-sided, and you didn’t feel the same for him. 

“Oh, yeah, she’s madly in love with you, too.” 

“Mm, I don’t know.” 

“Mm, we definitely know,” Rooster says. “Tell her you love her and then go to the chapel and get married. It’s obvious that’s what you want to do.”

Sure, that’s what Hangman wants to do, but he knows that you wouldn’t want a chapel wedding. You’d want something bigger and have all your family there. When Rooster mentions chapel and marriage, Hangman’s mind immediately goes to what it would be like to watch you walk down the aisle in a wedding dress. That right there sounds like what dreams are made of.

He always knew he wanted to be with you forever, but he never thought about marrying you. It was just you and Hangman would be together. It would be like two puzzle pieces fitting together and never separating, but now that the idea of marrying was there, Jake wanted it all. He wanted to “court you” and propose to you with the ring of your dreams, and he wanted to plan the wedding of your guys’ dreams, and he wanted to write vows about how much he loved you, and he wanted to have that first dance at the reception with you, and he wanted to do that thing where the couple smashes cake on each other, and he wanted to have the honeymoon with you. He wanted to buy a bigger beachside house with you and make memories in it together. 

Jake wanted every single thing with you that it made his heart burst. 

What would happen if he never got any of that with you? 

Oh, Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life (Usin' for the rest of my life, oh-woah-oh-oh)

“Put the blanket down over here,” you tell Jake. “I’m going to go inside and convince Penny to let me steal some beers.” 

“Don’t get her mad at me, though,” Jake asks, a smile on his face. “I don’t need Penny not letting me get any more drinks. We like the Hard Deck over at the Navy.”

“I wouldn’t worry.” You pat Jake’s shoulder, teasingly. “I’ll tell Penny to open a tab for you.” 

“Oh, come on!”  

“Relax, babe,” you tease. “Penny loves me, and you’re one of my greatest friends, so I’m sure you’ll always be in her good graces as long as you’re in my good graces.”

Jake’s going to dive into the “babe” pet name in a bit, but for now, he’s going to let his heart grow at your words. “Do you want to shake on it or something?” 

You kiss his cheek, gently. “I’ll be back in a few, so put out the beach blanket.” 

“Yes, ma’am,” Jake answers, his signature Texas drawl coming out. You’d be lying if you said his Southern accent didn’t instill butterflies in your stomach. In fact, the truth is, those butterflies are just as strong as they were on day one. 

Playfully, you shake your head and walk towards the bar. When Penny watches you walk away from Jake with a wide smile on your face, she knows she’s going to have to interrogate you about it. 

“So, you and Jake are getting pretty serious,” she teases. 

“What?” you ask, confusion raking your body. You were still trying to get over the effects of having your lips on Jake’s cheek. Whenever you were around Jake, the haze he’d put over you was incomprehensible. Who gave this man the right for you to lose your sanity with just one smirk or two words? Right, your heart gave Jake the right to make you giddy. 

“You guys spend almost every single free second together,” Penny points out. “When you’re taking up shifts here, Jake takes up shop wherever you plan to work that night. If I give you the night off, then you’re either seated next to him, between his legs, or on his lap. He never takes his eyes off of you. Have you two rekindled what you had before you left for Chicago for work?” 

Your smile fades. You’ve still felt guilty about not trying a relationship with him. If these past few months have taught you anything, then it’s that you and Jake could have been so happy together. You and Jake could have so easily built a beautiful life together. You could have loved Jake and told him you loved him all this time instead of imagining what it would be like. 

“I don’t know,” you say, voice fading. “We’re just friends.” 

“Sure.” 

“All those years ago, I told Jake that we couldn’t be together.”

“But?” Penny asks, wanting to pull all the information out of you. 

“I love him,” you admit, forlornly. It’s a few moments before you say anything. “I thought I stopped and that I got over him, but seeing him at the bar a few months ago made me realize just how much I missed his stupid smirk, his stupid voice, his stupid, loving eyes, his warm hugs, his stupidly handsome face—”

“You missed him.” 

“And, I love him. I never stopped, and I don’t know what to do.”

“I think you should tell him.” 

You snort. “How about this? You tell Maverick you love him, and I’ll tell Jake I love him.” 

“So, four beers?” Penny sidetracks, a smile wide on her face. 

“Take it out of my paycheck, please,” you respond when Penny gives you the beers. 

Holding the beer, you walk back out to the beach where Jake is sitting on the blanket. 

“Does she hate me?” he asks as you sit. 

“With a pretty face like yours, no one could ever hate you,” you tease. 

“So you think I’m pretty?” Jake smirks. 

“Oh, shut up. You know you’re pretty.” 

Jake bursts out into laughter. He lifts his arm up, so you sit in the crook of his body where his shoulder and arm meet. He holds you close to him as you let yourself soak in his warmth. You’d never get tired of this. 

For the next few hours, you and Jake sit like that, drinking and eating and hanging out. At some point, though, you and Jake ended up laying down on the blanket. Your head was resting on his chest as Jake’s arm was wrapped around your mid-abdomen and making small patterns with his hand. 

“Well, anyway, yeah, when I was bored during spring break in middle school, I stared out the window for hours looking for woodchucks,” you explained, and Jake burst into laughter. “I even kept a log.” 

“You’re so cute; I can’t with you,” Jake says amidst more laughter. 

“Don’t laugh. I shared this in confidence; you’re not supposed to be laughing.” 

“Okay, I’ll stop,” Jake says, eyes still crinkling in laughter. He tries, but within seconds, he’s laughing again. “You’re adorable, just remember that.” 

Eventually, after your mortification dies down and Jake stops laughing, silence overtakes you and Jake. Your eyes are growing heavy, and as you listen to Jake’s heartbeat, you know you could easily fall asleep in Jake’s arms. You feel so safe in his arms that you know that as long as you’re in his arms, you’ll have the best sleep of your life. It’s so comfortable in his arms that you let your eyes close. 

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Jake murmurs. “If anything, it only makes me love you more, if possible.” 

Your eyes shoot open. “What?”

“You’re awake?” Jake asks, fear in his eyes. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.” 

“Jake—” 

Quickly, he stands up, brushes off the sand on his clothes, and says, “I’m going to go.”

“No, Jake, wait!” 

He shakes his head. “I can’t take you breaking my heart again, so just spare me, please.”

With that, he walks away and back towards his car. 

“I love you, too,” you murmur, tears prickling your eyes. Maybe you should have taken Penny’s advice and told Jake you loved him. That way, maybe your heart wouldn’t be breaking and shattering into pieces.  

Don't blame me, love made me crazy If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right (Doin' it right, no) Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life, oh-oh Don't blame me, love made me crazy (Oh-oh-oh) If it doesn't, you ain't doin' it right (You ain't doin' it right) Oh, Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life (I'll be usin', I'll be usin')

“Do you know if Jake’s coming tonight?” you ask Coyote when he comes up to you to grab a round of drinks. 

“No,” Coyote replies, wishing he wasn’t the go-between between you and Jake.

“May I ask why not?” 

“Because you’re working,” Coyote replies, bluntly. “Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of you two. I’m not sure what happened between you two, but if it’s anything like last time, then Jake’s absolutely devastated.”

“Yeah, and I’m not?” you say, incredulous. How dare he avoid the bar where you worked just because you were there? Then again, you’d probably have done the same thing if you were in his footsteps. 

“I didn’t know you could break your own heart.” 

“Okay, I’ll admit that the first time around, I ruined things, but this time, it’s on Jake.”

“What happened? Hangman won’t tell me anything.”

“He told me he loved me when he thought I was asleep,” you begin. “And when I was about to tell him I loved him, too, he walked away, thinking I was going to reject him.” 

“I’m going to tell him that you’re not working tonight to try to get him to come out,” Coyote proposes. “Maybe you can finally admit it to him.”

“You’re the best, thank you! This round is on me, okay? Thank you!” 

Coyote nods and takes the drinks back to his table before texting Jake. Within the half-hour, Jake’s at the Hard Deck and making his way towards his friends. When Coyote told you that Jake said he was going to come to the bar, you decided to hide away in the back so that he wouldn’t see you and leave immediately. Coyote gives you the go-ahead to come out and confront Jake. Nervously, you walk out from the back and over to where Jake and his friends were playing a game of pool. 

“Can we talk?” you ask when you’re standing behind Jake. He freezes in place when he hears your voice. 

“I thought you weren’t working tonight,” Jake spits out when he finally looks at you. The anger and pain directed at you make you falter. He deserves to be angry, but you’re only trying to fix what happened. 

“Please, Jake,” you plead. 

“I’m not in the mood for you to ruin my life again.” 

“Oh, for goodness’ sake!” you mutter and grab Jake’s wrist and pull him towards the back door to the beach. You keep pulling him until you’re quite away from the bar. “What the actual fuck is your problem?” 

“What’s my problem? I’m not in the mood for you to tell me you don’t love me again!” 

“Again? When did I tell you I didn’t love you because as far as I can tell, I loved you from the moment I first met you!”

Jake takes a step back. “What?” 

“I love you, you idiot, and I never stopped loving you,” you admit, your voice low. 

“But what about three years ago? What was that?” 

“You were right. I was taking the easy way out because I didn’t think the long distance was going to work, and I’m sorry for that. If these past few months taught me anything, then it’s that I’m a complete idiot, and we could have been so happy if I let you tell me how you felt all those years ago.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me you love a few nights ago?” 

“Because you basically ran away from me!” 

“Fair enough,” Jake admits. He takes a step closer to you. “So, if I love you, and you love me, does this mean I finally get to kiss you?”

“Yeah,” you whisper and close the space between you and Jake. You wrap your arms around him and pull him towards you. Your lips crash onto each other’s as you both finally show the other how much you mean to each other. His hands roam the expanse of your body as you tug on his hair and move closer and closer to him. 

Jake can’t get enough of you, and you can’t get enough of him. It’s going to take a comet falling from the sky to separate the two of you because, finally, after years of being absolutely in love with each other and many obstacles later, you and Jake finally figured it out. 

Thankfully, though, you and Jake have forever to figure it all out because Lord knows neither of you is ever letting the other go. 

I get so high, oh Every time you're, every time you're lovin' me You're lovin' me Oh, Lord, save me, my drug is my baby I'll be usin' for the rest of my life

THIS IS SUCH A GOOD STORY!!!

Ch. 2: Two weeks and Counting Down

Warning: Mention of miscarriage. Some chapters have sex.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Top Gun: Maverick world, trademarked by Paramount Pictures Corporation. I do not claim ownership of the characters and the world that I am borrowing.

The story and situation I am creating are a work of my imagination and I do not ascribe them to official story canon. This work is for entertainment only and is not a part of the storyline.

I am not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story, but I do hope it gives you happy thoughts.

These stories are my own, so please do not take them and use them for yourself without my permission. If you see them somewhere else, please let me know. :)

You steered the Expedition off the main road, guiding it onto the lengthy driveway leading to your home.

Jake looked around, his curiosity piqued. "Where is this?"

"We're on the driveway to our house," you explained.

As you continued, trees bordered both sides of the driveway, creating a secluded path. Gradually, the tree line began to thin, revealing fencing on the left side as the landscape opened up to your property.

Jake's eyes widened in amazement as the log cabin emerged into view. You directed the vehicle toward the garage, which automatically opened, allowing you to smoothly park inside. As you switched off the engine, the garage door began to lower behind you. Opening the truck's door, you were greeted by the sight of Chuck standing in the doorway to the mudroom.

Turning to Jake, you offered a gentle, "Welcome home." Then, you stepped out of the truck, and Jake, taking in his surroundings, opened his door to follow suit.

In his early to late fifties, standing about 5'8" tall and dressed in Wrangler jeans paired with a flannel shirt, Chuck approached the Expedition. His white hair was just visible beneath a well-worn baseball hat. As he neared, he announced, "Dinner's ready, Y/N."

"Thanks, Chuck," you responded with warmth in your voice. Turning to facilitate the introduction, you said, "Chuck, meet my husband, Lieutenant Jake Seresin. Jake, this is Chuck." You made the introductions as Jake walked over to join you.

Chuck extended his hand, offering a respectful greeting, "It's nice to finally meet you, Sir."

Jake accepted the handshake. "Likewise," he said, his gaze briefly wandering around the garage.

"Chuck, there are 4 bags in the truck. Could you grab them and bring them to," you started, glancing at Jake for a moment. He met your gaze.

"The master bedroom," Jake concluded.

"The master bedroom," you repeated, directing your attention back to Chuck. "I'd like to give my husband a quick tour of our house."

"Of course, Doc," Chuck replied, ready to assist.

As Chuck busied himself with retrieving the bags from the back of the truck, you focused on Jake, seizing the opportunity to share more about the home he was returning to.

"The place is heated," you mentioned casually, then gestured towards a section enclosed by a barn-style door. "Over there's the workshop. Chuck's pretty handy with repairs, too."

Jake followed your gaze to the workshop area, his interest piqued. "That's good to know. I might have a thing or two that needs fixing," he said, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

You smiled, walking closer to the barn-style door to give him a better view. "We've got a decent setup. Anything from vehicle repairs to some basic carpentry. Chuck has been invaluable around here."

As you slid the door open, revealing the organized chaos typical of a well-used workshop, Jake stepped in closer, inspecting the array of tools and machinery. "Looks like you've got everything you need."

"Yeah, Chuck likes to keep things organized. Says it makes the work go smoother," you explained, watching Jake as he ran his hand over a workbench, inspecting the tools laid out.

He turned to you, a thoughtful look on his face. "I used to help my uncle in his workshop back when I was a kid. Taught me a lot about fixing things, making do with what you have."

"It's a valuable skill to have," you agreed, closing the distance between you two. "Especially out here. It's not like we can just run to the store for every little thing."

Jake nodded, his gaze lingering on a half-assembled engine on one of the benches. "Maybe I can help out around here, too. It's been a while, but I'm sure it'll come back to me."

"I'm sure he'd be into that," you said, catching the direction of his gaze which had settled on a partially assembled engine. "I believe that's from the tractor."

"Come on. There's so much more to see, and tonight you'll only get a glimpse of it." You began to lead the way towards the door that opened into the mudroom.

Jake followed you, his steps mirroring your own anticipation. As you reached the door to the mudroom, you paused, hand on the knob, and glanced back at him. "Ready?"

He nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Lead the way."

Opening the door, you stepped into the mudroom, a well-organized space that immediately spoke of a home lived in and loved. The aroma of the outdoors mixed with the scent of clean laundry filled the air. You pointed out the various features, "Here's where the magic happens after a long day's work. Laundry, pet wash station, and plenty of storage. That bathroom is attached to the guest bedroom."

Jake's gaze wandered over the room, taking in the practical yet cozy setup. "I like it. It's... homey."

"That door over there takes you down the back porch steps and out towards the stables," you explained, moving towards the sliding barn door that would lead into the kitchen and living area.

The kitchen, living room, and dining room flowed together in an open concept layout, imbuing the space with a rustic charm.

Jake surveyed the surroundings, visibly mesmerized. "You built and planned all of this?"

"Yup," you confirmed with a sense of pride. "It was a lot of work, but worth every moment," you continued, watching as Jake absorbed the details of the space. "I wanted a home that felt welcoming, where every corner had a story or a purpose."

Jake walked over to the dining area, running his hand along the back of one of the chairs before turning to face you. "It's incredible. It has warmth, character… It's a reflection of us."

You couldn't help but blush at the compliment. "Thank you. I hoped to create a place that felt like a sanctuary, somewhere we could find peace and comfort."

He nodded, understandingly. "You've succeeded. It's more than just a house; it's a home."

Chuck descended the stairs, interrupting the moment with a practical inquiry, "Are you ready for dinner?"

You glanced at Jake, giving him the opportunity to respond.

"Yeah, I'm actually pretty hungry," he admitted, his attention shifting from the house's interior to the matter of dinner.

"Great," Chuck responded, his tone amiable. "I thought, considering the nights have been getting chillier, we'd have chili tonight." His suggestion seemed to perfectly suit the cozy, rustic atmosphere of the house.

"That sounds perfect," you agreed, pleased with the idea. "Chili is always a great choice for a chilly evening." You smiled at the unintended pun.

Jake chuckled. "Sounds good to me. I can't remember the last time I had homemade chili."

Chuck nodded towards you, "The dining room is all set for you."

"Thank you, Chuck," you replied, appreciating his attention to detail.

He then shifted his attention to Jake, "Is there anything in particular you'd like to drink?"

Jake gave a casual shrug. "A beer is fine," he responded, settling into the homely atmosphere.

"Coming up," Chuck acknowledged, before disappearing down a staircase to fetch the drink.

"Come on. This way to the dining room," you beckoned Jake, leading him to another area nearby.

As the two of you entered the dining room, the ambiance immediately struck you. Candles flickered softly, casting a warm glow in the dimly lit space, creating an intimate and welcoming atmosphere.

The centerpiece of the dining room was a large pine table, accompanied by matching chairs, all contributing to the room's rustic appeal. The wood's natural texture and the room's subtle, earthy tones created a sense of warmth and coziness, enhancing the intimate atmosphere set by the candlelight.

"You can sit wherever you like," you offered, gesturing to the table.

Jake looked around, then asked, "Where do you normally sit?"

You pointed to a specific chair. "When family is here, I sit at the head of the table."

"Then I'll sit next to you," he decided.

As you moved to navigate around Jake, he unexpectedly stepped in front of you, prompting you to stop and look up at him.

"Y/N…" Jake began, but his words were interrupted as Chuck re-entered the room, prompting you both to step apart.

"Here's your beer, Sir," Chuck said, extending the beverage to Jake.

Jake took the beer with a nod of gratitude. "Thank you."

"Dinner will be served shortly," Chuck announced, ready to bring in the meal.

"Great, thanks, Chuck," you replied, appreciating Chuck's help and timing as you sat down in the chair.

The interruption had momentarily paused your conversation with Jake, but as Chuck went back to the kitchen, there was a brief moment of silence between you two.

You looked at Jake, sensing there was something he wanted to say. "You were about to say something?" you prompted gently, encouraging him to continue.

Jake took a sip of his beer, gathering his thoughts. "I was just going to say… it's really nice here. You've done an amazing job with this place. It feels like a real home," he responded as he sat down in the chair to the left of you.

You smiled, touched by his words. "Thanks, Jake. That means a lot. I wanted to create a place that felt welcoming and comfortable."

The conversation was interrupted again as Chuck returned, this time with bowls of chili. The savory aroma filled the room.

"I'll leave you two to catch up," Chuck said and left.

Jake's gaze lingered on his wife, a mix of emotions swirling within him. Guilt crept in as he remembered how upset he had been when she chose not to quit school after their loss. It was a difficult time, and the distance that had grown between them in the past four years felt more profound in this moment of reflection.

He sighed, his eyes wandering over the dining room. Despite everything, he couldn't help but feel impressed by what you had accomplished in their time apart. The home you had built was a testament to you resilience and dedication. It was clear you had considered both their tastes and needs in its design, creating a space that was both a reflection of your strength and a potential haven for your shared future.

Jake's internal struggle was evident as he continued to observe his surroundings. The home spoke volumes about the person you had become in his absence. It was warm, welcoming, and meticulously crafted—a stark contrast to the empty spaces he had grown accustomed to in his military life.

Realizing the gravity of his past decisions and the impact they had on your relationship, Jake turned to you with a newfound sense of understanding and humility. "Y/N," he began, his voice carrying a hint of vulnerability. "I've been thinking about everything...about us. I know I haven't been there for you like I should have, especially after...after our loss."

You looked at him, your eyes reflecting a mix of surprise and cautious hope. You could sense the sincerity in his voice, something you hadn't felt from him in a long time.

Jake continued, "I was wrong to expect you to put your life on hold. What you've done here, it's incredible. You've built a life, a home, and I... I want to be a part of it, if you'll have me."

There was a long pause as you processed his words. The pain and misunderstandings of the past few years hung heavily between them, but so did the love and shared history they couldn't deny.

Finally, you spoke, your voice soft but steady. "Jake, I've missed you. I've missed us. But we can't just go back to how things were. We need to rebuild, to learn about each other again."

Jake nodded, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I agree. I want to do that. I want to understand you, to support you. I want us to be a team again."

You took a moment, collecting you thoughts before asking, "When do you have to go back?"

Jake answered, "I have two weeks until I have to go back."

Hearing this, you met his gaze with a determined look. "Then we'll make it the best two weeks we've got." Your voice carried a mix of resolve and hope, signaling a willingness to make the most of the limited time you had together.

Tags:

@buckysteveloki-me

@bellyliveslife

@tgmreader

@callsign-barbell

@86laura11

@dizzybee03

@kmc1989

I can’t get over how well written this series is!! It feels like something straight out a movie!

i can’t wait to find out what happens between Jake and Brewer!

i’m heartbroken after reading this chapter 😪

Secret Sacrifices // Jake Seresin

Chapter Four: [Like Father, Like Daughter]

Summary: You receive news from your case worker about a family member, its sends you into a spiral. Bob is awol from the Hard Deck and Jake is constantly up to his old tricks.

Warnings: Death, mentions of witness protection. Jake Seresin x F!reader

Word Count: 3k

Author Note: Been trucking along at this series. Really trying to spend a little time each day writing a few paragraphs for some projects. And I really do LOVE these two.

Series Masterlist | Main Masterlist

Throughout history, there has always been a superstition that expands across many belief systems. Mirrors can be seen as a portal to another dimension; the reflection staring back at you is another version of yourself. Another version of you from another timeline or realm. 

If that were true, you’d give anything to trade places with the reflection staring back at you as you caught a glimpse of yourself in the small hallway mirror that hung for aesthetics. 

“What do you mean?” Your voice shook with confusion, this couldn’t be real. This couldn’t be happening. “Roger, what the fuck do you mean my dad died?” 

Roger Spague was your case agent. He had been assigned your case right after the funerals of your husband and son. Soon after everything occurred, you were encouraged to enter witness protection to safeguard your testimony. As the only witness who could help bring the men who murdered your family and organised a multilevel drug syndicate to justice, your word was more valuable than gold itself. 

“We couldn’t tell you,” Roger has always been a rather hard nut to crack. He took no bullshit and smiled very rarely. He saw the world for black and white more than he ever did grey. Morals were good or bad, nothing could be in between. “He, unfortunately, passed away a month ago, we’ve been informed of the burial site, Hollow Hills. However, we really advise against you visiting anytime soon,” Rogers’s monotone voice echoed in your head as you struggled to hold your composure. 

“Why? Why would I not run out this door right now to visit my father’s fucking grave you asshole!” You hissed into the phone. Surely this was all some sick joke or a nightmare that never ended. You couldn’t think straight, couldn’t breathe properly. You were almost certain your heart was breaking apart yet again. The shattering pieces would surely slice into your arteries, causing you the bleed out and be at peace with the pain you’d carried for over three years. 

“Because they could be monitoring the site, do you really want to risk everything you’ve worked so hard to protect?” Roger reminded you through the phone. At this stage, you were sure that all the tears you’d cried over the years had permanently stained your cheeks. Maybe one day you’d wake up with no more tears left to cry. 

“Roger–” You sobbed as you made your way into your bedroom. You slumped onto the side and crumpled in on yourself. The only support system keeping you up was your elbows digging into your knees “I can’t do this anymore.” 

“You don’t have a choice to quit this,” Roger, with his little sympathise and tunnel vision, reminded you. “You don’t get to leave this until those bastards are behind bars, and we’ve put too much work into this to have you throw it all away now.” 

“But he’s my dad,” You never got to say goodbye. You never got to tell him how much you loved him, how much you still and always will. You never got to hold your mother or comfort your sister. Everything you’d missed, everything you’d sacrificed was starting to outway the idea, the pipe dream of justice. You were, at the very basic explanation, tired of this life. “I need to visit his grave.” 

“Not until we know for certain that there isn’t anyone monitoring his grave just waiting for you to show up.” The reality was hard to accept, you didn’t want to accept it. But the fact of the matter was, that you have just lost another member of your family, and there was absolutely nothing you could do to help yourself forgive that loss. 

“Fuck you,” You spat as tears spilled over your lower lash line. “Fuck you and fuck all of this do you hear me?” 

“No skin off my nose there, just remember why you’re doing this, who you’re doing this for, Y/n.” Just hearing your real name, and hearing those syllables leave someone’s mouth made you feel real. That you were still a real person with real emotions and valid feelings. “Remember what’s a stake here, they get the chance to kill you now? Then what’s all this been for?” 

“I hate you–” Was all you were able to get out before you broke down completely, deciding that the floor was the best place to be. You hung up the phone and made sure to throw it as far away as you possibly could. 

The carpet soaked up as many tears as possible before you fell asleep crying, sobbing until your eyes could no longer remain open and a steady rhythm took over in your chest. Sleep….it never came easy, but you needed it. 

By the time you slowly opened your eyes again, the sun had risen higher in the sky and the ice cream you’d brought in your weekly shop was melted into a puddle of liquid. You knew as you slowly peeled yourself off the carpet that you had to get yourself together before you lost the plot. So you trailed out into the hallway and made your way back to the kitchen to put away your groceries. The bags still sat where you and Jake had left them on the island bench. 

“You’re okay,” It was two simple words, but the lies that read between the lines were big enough to make them seem like a whole novel of untruthful affirmations. “You’re okay,” Again you repeated the same two words as you unpacked your groceries. “You’re okay.” Hoping that if you said them enough……

You’d hopefully start to believe them. 

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

Cutting lemons was one of those mundane tasks you actually enjoyed. It gave you something to do while zoning out. You’d only been at work for roughly an hour before the patrons started to pile in after work. Naval men and women from all walks of life all heading to the local watering hole. It wasn't too long after you started on your fourth lemon that Jake made his appearance in your peripheral vision. There was no doubt that his proximity to you was the cause behind your palpitations. 

Jake stood on the other side of the bar, smiling his signature shit-eating grin at you while he watched your knife skills. 

“What's a guy gotta do to get you to handle him like that lemon?” Trust Jake to lead with the unorthodox hello. When you looked up and met your gaze, you knew you were in deep water. The smile that smeared itself across your face was as genuine as it could ever be. 

“I didn’t know you were into knife play Seresin?” You saw the way Jake's eyes slightly widened with promiscuous enlightenment at your reply. “You just after the usual?” You asked as you placed the knife you’d been using into the sink. 

“Yes ma’am, and to see the pretty barkeep,” Jake replied as he sat down on one of the empty barstools. He looked far too handsome in his flight suit, but you’d never tell him that. His ego was already inflated enough. 

“Penny! Hangman here to see you!” You called out as you washed your hands from all the lemon juice. Jake wouldn’t deny it if you asked that his eyes had dropped from looking at your hair to your ass as you turned around briefly to dry them on the rag that sat nearby. 

“I was talking about you–” He smiled as you turned back around to face him. His elbows were resting against the top of the bar, casually, like he was truly at home. 

“Bet you say that to all the ladies–”  You added as you picked up a glass, going about making Jake his usual order. 

“Nope, just you.” It was quiet, a little more serious with an underlying sense of admiration. Jake meant it, he thought you were gorgeous. From the moment he first met you, he saw all the beauty and grace that seamlessly radiated from your aura. “I think you’re beautiful, Brewer.” 

Jake's complement knocked the wind from your lungs as you held the glass at an angle and watched the amber liquid pool at the bottom. Slowly but surely filling the glass to the top with a perfect head of froth. 

“What did I tell you about flattery?” You sighed as you placed the beer down in front of the aviator who was slowly capturing your whole heart in the palm of his hands. Completely unaware that he was falling in love with a complete stranger. 

“That it won’t get me anywhere–” Jake grinned, reaching into his pocket for his wallet. “But if I remember correctly, it did.” The sensation of having Jake’s lips pressed against yours came flooding back as the heat in your cheeks rose. “Let me take you out to dinner?” 

“Jake,” You had to sigh. “Not this again?” Playing a little hard to get wouldn’t hurt the man, would it? 

“Or come over to mine then?” Jake proposed with a cheeky Serein grin you assumed he got from his mother. 

“Oh yeah?” You chuckled as you let your hands rest on your bar, leaning in a little closer to Jake. “So I can contract whatever deceases you’re harbouring in that petri dish of a bachelor pad?” Jake pretended to be wounded as he placed a hand over his chest at your remark. You shook your head as you let out a small laugh. “I don’t think so, Seresin, but I’ll give you points for trying.” 

Jake sat there momentarily, just drinking in the sight of the woman who had slowly become his favourite person to be around. This was his favourite part of the entire day. Getting to come to the Hard Deck, sit on his stool by the bar and talk to you. He thought about you all day long. About all the ways you did our hair and those mom jeans that hugged your waist just right. He’d catch himself thinking about the way you humbly count your tips at the end of each night, or the way you laugh with Fanboy over the most insane things. He would often daydream about your smile, your eyes, and your ability to captivate the entire bar. 

“Fine,” Jake knocked his knuckles on the wood of the bar as he rose to his feet once again. “Suit yourself, but just for the record, I like my bachelor pad very much.” For as much as Jake truly did love his quick, tidy and rather put-together home, he sure wouldn’t have minded the slightest bit if you lived there too. 

“I think the local community of gonorrhoea would say the same.” You took the card Jake was handing over. “Starting a tab?” 

“Depends, what’s Bradshaws looking like?” Jake was always the first to add an extra beer or three onto Bradley’s outstanding tab. You were always the first person to turn a blind eye then doing so. As you looked up Roosters name in the system the number was much higher than you originally expected. It seemed as though the boys had well and truly been taking advantage of Rooster’s current love-hate relationship with the Hard Deck barkeep. 

“Eh, he owes me a couple hundred.” You smiled softly back at Jake as you placed his card in the draw. 

“Yeah, start a table angel, gives me more of an excuse to linger,” Jake replied with a genuine smile, his eyes were soft and swirling with ease. He’d never felt this way about a woman before. You gentled him to a point where if you asked him tomorrow to run away with you, he’d follow you to the end of the world.

“I’m sure that’s called stalking–” You sighed as you turned around momentarily to pick up your knife and head back to cutting your lemon slices. 

“Consider me your biggest fan then, Brewer.” Jake grinned ear to ear as he took a sip of his beer, heading off toward the pool table where you knew he’d be for the next few hours.

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

The Hard Deck was rather busy for a Monday afternoon. The bar was in high spirits as you manoeuvred yourself around the floor collecting empty glasses and cans. You could feel Jake’s eyes burning into you as you spoke to patrons and cleaned up tables. But there was one person you hadn’t seen yet that you needed to talk to desperately. Bob. 

“Where’s our resident underage drinker this evening gentlemen?” You cooed as you made your way over to your favourite group of aviators. “And Nix.” You added as you gave Phoenix a side hug. 

“Haven’t seen him actually?” Fanboy replied, his answer wasn’t one you wanted to hear. Usually, if someone wasn’t here by this time of the night then they weren’t coming at all. You really needed to speak to Bob. 

“Do you think he'll be in?” You questioned as you let go of Phoenix and went about collecting empty glasses. You knew Bob had annual leave coming up, he'd been talking about it for weeks now. 

“Why the sudden obsession with Bob, Brewer?” Rooster chimed in. “You guys on the down low or something?” That very question had Jake's blood boiling. You could see the jealousy clear as day smeared across his face from across the pool table.

“I’m uh—” It came out before you knew what you were saying. “I'm seeing someone, casually, it's really new.” Your eyes very quickly glanced over at Jake who now wore that same smug grin that he normally wore. Only this time his eyes were swirling with administration. “It's not Bob, but I appreciate your interest in my love life, Bradshaw.” 

“Lord help the man who ends up under your control,” Bradley rolled his eyes with a deep resentment you couldn't quite understand. The feud between the pain of you was something that formed from a mere misunderstanding. Surely the two of you could let bygones be bygones and move on. 

“An apology will wipe that ever-mounting tab clear Bradshaw, you know that.” You teased as you made your way back to the bar. You could feel the back of your throat growing tighter, and the sting of holding back tears that had become an all too familiar sensation began to grow. You couldn’t keep yourself busy enough to forget your dad was dead and no one, not a single soul had told you of his passing until he was six feet under. No amount of work could keep your mind from trailing to all the memories that played aloud in your mind, drowning out the mundane chatter from patrons. 

“Can I get another beer sweetheart?” You hear one of the men say as he held his head up with the palm of his hand. He was using his elbow as an anchor, keeping him from slumping over onto the bar. 

“Sure, what are you drinking?” You facked a smile so easily readable that Jake saw right through it from across the Hard Deck. He could sense that you were off, something wasn’t right. One minute you were happy, the next he didn't recognise the look in your eyes. 

“Whatever you don’t mind tasting after you finish your shift.” The man said with the confidence of a much taller man. It made the damn burst inside you. Fuck this and fuck everything. 

“Careful, the succulent reminder of your own inadequacies walking this way might cause a scene real quick if you don’t back off.” The problem was simple, you’re doing it all on your own. Choosing to stay all closeted in your own little bubble, longing for love, friends and family. Scared of death, scared of life, taking it out on those who tried to get close. But as Jake walked towards the bar, you felt like you could rely on him. He made you feel safe even if being around you put him in unimaginable danger. “That’s what I thought too.” You chuckled to yourself as the man nodded and sighed. 

“You good?” Jake asked as he decided against following the first of many of Penny’s rules for the residence group of aviators. Mavericks rag-tag team of adopted children. The first and most important being no aviators behind the bar. Jake, however, didn’t care. 

“I feel like I’m rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic here,” You growled as you poured the man his beer. The last one you were going to pour him for the night. “My life is falling apart around me and here I fucking am pouring beers for America’s best and brightest tax-guzzling fighter pilots.” 

Jake could very much sense that something was wrong, this wasn’t like you. He thought, however, since your shared moment in your apartment yesterday, that he had some sort of upper hand here over all the others. 

“You need to take a break, just pause for a second.” Jake placed his hand softly on your shoulder as he stood behind you. Whatever was going on inside your head was bleeding out into reality. 

The feeling broke you. Jake’s touch, it wasn’t your husband’s. The man you got killed. It was Jake’s touch that broke you from whatever restraints you had tangled yourself in. The barbed wire that cut you right to your bones. 

“No, you can’t just pause, because in real life the trauma doesn’t just stop,” You broke as you spun around into Jake’s chest. He was quick to look around as people from all walks of life looked around to bear witness to your impending mental breakdown. He caught Bradley’s gaze before anyone else's. Even the man who had unintentionally started a war with the new Hard Deck manager was worried about you. 

“Penny–” Jake sighed as he looked over at the woman who still ran the show from behind the scenes. She nodded in agreement, a silent one. One where it was now Jake’s responsibility to get you out of the Hard Deck before you could draw any more attention to yourself. 

“Let's go outside alright? Get some air–?” Jake tried to reason with you as you shook your head and balled your fist into his white cotton T. Your eyes swirled with a pain he’d never be able to process. A pain so unfathomable it sounded fictional. 

“God doesn’t work that way or whoever the fucks in charge of this godforsaken hell I’m living!! You can do absolutely everything right and still…. Good, people, die.” 

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

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Hangman’s First Rodeo

MASTERLIST PINNED

Warnings: NONE

WC: 2.1k

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I put my car in park and let out a long sigh. After a quick check in the rear view mirror, I wonder if I made the right decision wearing no makeup and letting my hair be wild and free. Bradley heard from someone in administration that I got asked to arrive earlier than expected to the North Shore, so he extended an invite to the Hard Deck. When he texted me, I immediately felt bad seeing how often he had reached out just to be left on read. It was nothing personal, he has been one of my closest friends for a decade, I just needed space. I finally decided it was time to stop stewing in my thoughts and take the key out of the ignition.

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The bar is crowded with patrons in khakis. Loud music and chatter fill the room. I scan the room and find Bradley, he motions me over to the back of the bar where there are pool tables and dart boards. He immediately wraps me in a hug, “Rodeo! It’s been too damn long.” I smile up at him, “I know Rooster, I know.” He starts pointing out people in the group and listing names, “This is Bob, that’s Phoenix, Coyote is over there, there’s Yale, and where is .. oh there.. that’s Bagman.” The blonde turns around with a smirk, “It’s Hangman, Bradshaw. And who is this?” Bradley stiffens, “This is Rodeo.” The blonde looks me up and down with the same little smirk, then turns back to his game of darts. I stand near the pool table and watch as Bradley starts a game with Phoenix. Since I regularly work with aviators, making small talk was easy. Once the blonde wins the game of darts, he walks over and stands beside me. He smells like jet fuel and sandalwood. I look at his arms, toned and tan. I tell myself to calm down. I am here for work, nothing else. “Bradshaw here didn’t get you a drink?” I turn to him, “I am fine, but thanks.” His eyes narrow slightly and he smiles, “I am not hitting on you, darling. But I am about to go get another beer from Miss Penny up there.” I chuckle and stare right back into his bright green eyes, “Well I am happy we cleared that up, darling. You aren’t my type and I don’t drink.” I do a very large and obviously fake smile. Hangman furrows his brow and walks away, looking flustered. Bradley walks over and is giggling uncontrollably, “What did you do to Bagman?” I shrug, “I just told him he wasn’t my type and that I don’t drink.” Bradley put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side, “Man, I missed you. He annoys the shit out of all of us and somehow you put him in his place within 30 minutes of meeting him.” The rest of the group laughs and chimes in, agreeing with Bradley.

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The night continues on with countless games of pool and darts. We all end up outside, some sitting in the sand and some with their feet in the water. Bradley plops down next to me and bumps me with his shoulder, “Dude, I missed you. You gonna tell me why they moved you here?” I stare at the waves crashing on the sand, “You too, Roo. I am not even completely sure. Thought you had something to do with it because it was Mav who called me.” Rooster raised his brows, “He didn’t say anything to me.” I shrug again, staring at the group of aviators standing by the ocean. Bradley can see the concern on my face and pats my back, “Hey, don’t worry. They’re good. Well, except Bagman.” He chuckles and I hear a familiar voice shout, “Senior Chief Rodeo? Now why is Rooster keeping you all to himself?” I turn and see Maverick walking down from the Hard Deck, smiling big as can be. “Mav!” I run and give him a big squeeze. What I didn’t notice was the group walking back from the water, or that they heard him yell to me. As they reach Bradley, Pheonix asks, “Senior Chief Petty Officer? How the hell old is she?” Rooster faces her, “She is not old. She just works her ass off.” I walk back to the group with Mav, wondering why they are all looking at me. Hangman breaks the silence, “So Senior Chief Rodeo, can you clue me in on your skincare routine? I coulda sworn you were the same age as all of us.” I roll my eyes, “Y’all’s age? No way. I’m 28, what are you .. 40?” I take a moment to watch their eyes bug out, and then start walking back inside with Mav and Bradley. Bradley slaps my back, “You haven’t changed a bit. Still an absolute asshole. Love it.” We pay our tabs and head back to get some sleep. I lay in bed, staring at the blank walls of my little bungalow, wondering what the morning will bring.

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Once I jumped out of my truck on base, I could feel eyes on me. The group from last night were all chatting by the hangar, in their flight suits and aviators. I was in civies and a Longhorn baseball cap. Bradley parked beside me and jumps out, “You are so damn lucky. I swear y’all are never in uniform.” I chuckle, “I know, but hey y’all don’t look too bad in your onesies.” He sighs and throws his bag over his shoulder, “10 bucks they shit themselves when Mav tells them your job.” I put my hand out to shake on it, “Deal. It’s nothing special. I am pretty curious to know why I am here anyways.”

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The aviators are all seated when Mav and I walk into the hangar. Mav claps his hands, “Okay ladies and gents, I’d like to introduce you to my friend. This is Senior Chief Petty Officer y/l/n, callsign Rodeo.” There’s a few “Good morning”s and “Hello”s in response. I wave. Mav continues, “As you know, we have had quite a few missions recently with the SEAL teams. As you also know, we have some areas where we need to green up when it comes to working with the SEALs. So, Coronado was nice enough to lend us Rodeo for a bit. As we go through this training session, she will be your point of reference.” I scan the room and shake my head at the shocked look on everyone’s face. Hangman clears his throat and smirks, “So .. she is some kind of liaison? Works with the SEAL teams?” Mav narrows his eyes, “No, she IS a SEAL and she will be helping us learn how to work better with them.” I meet Bradley’s eyes and pull out a $10 bill. Walking over to his seat, I set it on the table in front of him. I turn back around, “C’mon y’all. I am just a female SEAL, I don’t have three heads or snakes for hair.” There is scattered laughter and Mav clears his throat, “Okay people, get to work. Rodeo will be in the hangar or my office if you need her.” The pilots disperse and I follow Mav to start looking over training procedures and past mission optics.

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The first couple of weeks were exhausting. Work was extremely busy and when I was home, I was unpacking. The bungalow was coming together nicely. It is right by the beach, so I can take daily strolls down by the water. I open up another box and my phone dings.

Bradley: Y/N! No excuses. Bonfire. My house.

Less than ten seconds later it dings again.

Bradley: I am serious. You can literally walk here. No excuses.

I sigh and write back.

Y/N: Okay, but only for a bit. I still have a lot of shit to build.

I walk into my bedroom and do a once over in the mirror. Jean shorts, white tank top, and a baseball cap. I grab a hoodie just in case and head down the street.

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I hear music playing and smell smoke as I get close to Bradley’s house. I open up the back gate to the whole squad in the backyard. Hangman smirks, “Well howdy Rodeo. Fancy seeing you here.” Bradley runs up and wraps you in a hug, “You actually came! What do you need help building?” The squad all starts chiming in before you can respond. “Oh I can help!” “Where do you live?” “Did you walk here?” I wait for the chatter to die down, “I’m right up the street. Only have a few of the bigger things left. Bookcase, bed frame, that kinda stuff.” Bradley throws his arm around your shoulders, “I’ll come over tomorrow and get it all built.” I look up at him, “No! It’s the weekend! You should relax. I’ll get it all done eventually.” The rest of them start offering to come help and before you know it, everyone is planning on coming to your house. The house that is littered with boxes. I cringe and think about all of the tidying I need to do before they arrive. I head inside and grab a coke from Bradley’s fridge. The floor creaks and I whip around to see Hangman. “Sorry darling, didn’t mean to scare ya.” “What do you want, Hangman?” “Well I was just thinking that maybe we got off on the wrong foot. Thought maybe we could start over.” You laughed, “And what had you thinking that?” He shrugged, “I was a total jerk. You can ask around, I am THE unit asshole. But I honestly didn’t mean to be disrespectful. Wasn’t raised that way.” You look up at him, “How were you raised?” He smiles real wide, “In Texas. Yes sir and yes ma’am. Two sisters that dragged me around and told me what to do. You from Texas? Or just a Longhorn fan?” He asks while motioning towards your baseball cap. “From Texas. No college for me, though. Enlisted, boot camp, prep, BUDs. Nothing too exciting.” Hangman chuckled and shook his head, “Yeah, totally, nothing too exciting at all. How long have you been in?” “10 years. How about you?” “Got in right after college, 16 years ago. Remember? I am old.” He winks and I feel heat in my cheeks. He steps a little bit closer, “So are you and Bradshaw.. you know?” I laugh so hard that I snort. The back door opens up and Bradley looks between us, raising his brow. I finally stop laughing, “No. We met at my first duty station. He is the annoying older brother I never asked for.” Bradley rolls his eyes, “Hangman, leave Rodeo alone.” I walk towards Bradley and playfully nudge him with my elbow, “It’s fine. We are just getting to know each other.” Bradley shakes his head, “I know. That’s exactly what I am worried about.” I laugh and follow Bradley back to the bonfire. Hangman comes out a few minutes later and I say my goodbyes to the group. I am met with groans and “No please stay”s. Hangman clears his throat, “Let me walk you back, it’s getting pretty late.” Pheonix whispers something to Bob and they both crack up. Bradley turns, “Bagman, I think she will be just fine.” I nod my head, “Yeah I think I can handle myself, but thank you.” Hangman shakes his head and stands up, “Darling we already talked about this, I am a southern man. Can’t let you walk back all by yourself. Even though you are a big, bad SEAL.” He smiles and opens the gate, motioning for me to walk ahead. Bradley is noticeably angry and I smile at him, “It’s okay, I’ll see y’all tomorrow.”

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Hangman follows me until we reach the front porch. He scans the little bungalow, “Cute place. I’ll see you tomorrow .. wait I just realized I only know your callsign.” I chuckle, “Same. Unless your mother named you Hangman.” He laughs and puts out his hand, “Jake Seresin.” I shake his hand, “Y/n Y/l/n.” I grab my keys and unlock the front door, “Well, thank you for walking me back Jake. See you tomorrow?” He smiles so wide you can see every one of his perfectly straight teeth, “Yes ma’am. You sure will.” He turns and starts back up the street. I walk inside and shut the door, leaning my head against it for a second. I shake my head in attempts to get rid of the thoughts of him. His smell. His annoyingly perfect smile. I text Bradley to let him know I got back safe and head to bed.

Hangman’s First Rodeo part 2

MASTERLIST PINNED

Warnings: Fluff; angst

WC: 2.3k

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After a night of tossing and turning, I roll out of bed at 05:00. I throw on some running shorts and a sports bra. The rhythm of my feet hitting the sand calms me down. After a few miles I am completely drenched, so I decide to jump in the water. I swim against the current, focusing on my breath. “Y/N! Fancy seeing you here!” I swim back to shore to see none other than Jake Seresin standing there. As I walk up, I notice him looking me up and down. Suddenly, I feel self conscious and wish I had picked a matching outfit. “Howdy Hangman, out for a run?” He raises his eyebrow, “Yes, and my friends call me Jake.” I smirk, “Oh so we are friends now?” He nods, “I’d very much like us to be.” “Well Jake, I am usually not friends with dinosaurs but for you I will make an exception.” He laughs, “So you SEALs really do love the water, huh?” I shrug, “It’s quiet in there. Helps me turn off my brain.” I check my watch and gasp, “Oh I need to get back. Y’all are heading over soon and I need to try to make the house look presentable.” He chuckles, “Don’t worry about that darling. We aren’t gonna judge ya.” I wave and start running back to the bungalow, “See ya soon Jake!” He yells back, “See ya, darling!” My cheeks are red and it’s not from the workout.

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There’s a knock on the door right as I finish wiping down the kitchen counter. In a half hour I had showered, picked up some, and turned on the radio. I open the door up to the whole squad, “Come on in y’all. Want some coffee?” There’s a chorus of “Yes”s and I turn on the pot. Everyone splits up and starts working. Pheonix and Bob are in the living room tackling the bookshelf. Payback and Yale head out back and start putting together the patio furniture. Bradley and Jake are in my room and reading the instructions for the bed frame. I pour everyone coffee and head into my room. Bradley motions to the mattress on the floor, “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were sleeping on the floor. Would’ve come over and done this weeks ago.” I shrug, “I’ve slept on much worse.” They both laugh. Phoenix yells from the living room, “We gotta get something on these walls. Your house is worse than Rooster’s.” I chuckle, “Not really the decor type, but thank you.” Looking around my room, I see what she means. Blank walls. Basic furniture. Plain comforter on the bed. No decorative pillows. No cute blankets. Bradley drops some screws and opens up the closet door to find the ones that bounced under. Gear starts spilling out, “Shit, I’m sorry!” I run over and start shoving it back in. He finds the screws and throws them to Jake. Just like that, the bed frame is finished. They put the mattress on top as I push my body weight against the door, finally getting it to shut. Bradley and Jake head to start building the next thing, while I go out back to add a screen to my back door. Figured it would be nice to let the ocean breeze in.

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I walk into the kitchen to see most of the squad chatting and drinking more coffee. The furniture is all built and I turn to them, “Thank y’all. Seriously. This would’ve taken me forever.” Bob pats my shoulder, “Hey, we are a team Rodeo. Always here to help.” I smile and notice that Jake is missing from the group. Walking down the hallway, I notice the office door is open. I walk in to see Jake rummaging through the only open box. “Hangman. What the hell are you doing?” He looks up with wide eyes, “I came in here to see if there was anything else to put together. This box was open. I didn’t mean to-“ I feel anger bubbling up inside of me, “You didn’t mean to what? Completely invade my privacy?” He shakes his head, “No, I really didn’t mean to. Y/n, this is so many awards. And medals. Why would they send you here?” The anger spills over, “It is one of your damn business, Hangman. Get out! Now!” He looks up at you like a wounded puppy, “Y/n, I-“ “I don’t want to hear it. Get out!” He walks away sheepishly and I hear whispers in the kitchen. I walk out once I hear the front door shut. The rest of the team is standing there, looking confused and concerned. Bradley walks up and pulls my head into his chest, “You okay?” I take a deep breath, “Yeah. He was going through my teams stuff. I should’ve never even opened that damn box.” Phoenix clears her throat, “I am sorry, Rodeo. He is an asshole. We will leave you be, but please let us know if you need anything else.” She smiles and the team hums in agreement. I smile back, “Thank y’all. See y’all later.” Bradley stays beside you while they file out. Once we are alone he asks, “Are you wanting to talk about it? I understand if you don’t.” I shake my head, “I really am fine, Bradley. I think they just sent me here for a moment to breathe. They couldn’t force me to take leave, but they could force me to come up here for a detachment.” He sighs and rubs his face, “I get it, okay? More than most people. But y/n, you have to have a life outside of the job. You will burn yourself out.” I shrug, “I’ll be okay, Roo. I promise.” He looks unsure but pulls me in for a hug, “I’ll get out of your hair, but come to the bar tonight. Live a little.” I smile, “We’ll see. Have a good day, Roo.” And just like that, the bungalow is empty and quiet.

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The sun is setting so I shut all the blinds and turn on a few lamps. Bradley has been texting me for the last two hours, asking when I am getting to the Hard Deck. I switch my phone to airplane mode and head into my office. Grabbing a deployment journal from the box, I sit down and start flicking through the pages. A knock on the door startles me. I jump up and check the clock, 22:00, I must have fallen asleep reading. I crack open the door to see Hangman standing there, looking down at his feet. “What do you want, Hangman?” He looks up, “Well for starters, I’d like you to call me Jake again.” I sigh and open up the door, motioning for him to come in. Grabbing the teapot, I start boiling some water. “Tea?” He sits down on the couch, “Sure, thanks.” An awkward silence fills the room. Once the tea is done, I hand him a mug. He smiles up at me and I join him on the couch. “Y/n, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have gone in there. I shouldn’t have looked through your stuff. I wish I could take it back.” I take a deep breath, “I am sorry, too. Shouldn’t have yelled at you. It’s just.. I don’t talk to anyone about that stuff.” He furrows his brow, “Never?” You shake your head, “Never.” He runs his hands through his hair, “I knew I shouldn’t have looked. Then you didn’t come out tonight and I felt horrible. Bradshaw was yelling at me, telling me how much I upset you.” I roll my eyes, “Roo is just protective of me. I was upset, but it is okay. Come here.” I grab his hand and walk back towards the office. He looks confused and I try to ignore what felt like electricity when we touched. I start pulling things out of the box and placing them around the room. Jake stands there like he is frozen, “You don’t have to do this. Not for me.” I shrug, “I want to.”

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Jake watches intently as I point out what the different piles are, “These are my journals, kept one for every deployment. Those are medals and awards. Right there are all the group photos. And those, those are my mementos. First shell casing, first pair of flippers, that kind of stuff.” He looks around as if he is in a museum. “Y/n, how the hell have you done this much in 10 years?” I shrug, “No family. Never really take leave. The job has always been it for me.” He looks at me with sad eyes, “Your parents?” “Long gone. Had me when they were older. Left me the ranch, but I only go a couple weeks out of the year. The ranch hand takes care of everything for me.” He shakes his head and sighs, “I am sorry, that must be lonely.” “It’s not bad. Honestly, I am used to it. The teams are my family. They’re all I need.” He raises his brow, “You sure about that? No boyfriends in the picture?” I chuckle and pick up one of the photos, “Only one. Years ago, right after I joined. He was with another team. Thought it would be great because he would understand the lifestyle. He left me for a fitness model. Said he needed someone who was around more.” I shrug and laugh, but Jake just looks sad. He sighs, “I am sorry. Same kinda thing happens to me. Pretty much every woman has told me they can’t handle the stress of my job. But you deserve so much better. He didn’t deserve you.” He leans in, just a touch but I notice it. I am hoping he doesn’t notice the heat that I feel rising in cheeks, or the way my heart is racing. His eyes flicker down to my lips and he tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. *BANG BANG BANG* “Y/N! Please? Your phone is going straight to voicemail! Are you okay?” I curse Bradley and walk to the front door.

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“What, Bradley?” He stumbles forward and I catch him, walking him over to the couch. He is drunk and rambling, “You weren’t answering. It went straight to voicemail. And you are always so alone. And you scared me and I-“ His eyes got wide and his face got red, “BAGMAN?!?!” I turn to see Jake standing at the entrance of the hallway. Bradley tries to stand up but is too drunk, “What the hell are you doing here? Y/n why is he here?” I fold my arms over my chest, “Jake came to apologize, Roo. We were having some tea and chatting.” Bradley’s eyes narrow, “So it’s Jake now, huh?” Jake walks towards the couch, “Oh c’mon Bradshaw. Grow the hell up.” Bradley glares at Jake, “No Bagman, actually how about you stay the hell away from Y/n! She is my friend! Leave her alone!” I clear my throat, “Shut up! Both of you, stop! Bradley, I am an adult and can choose my own friends. Jake, you don’t need to fight my battles for me. Now both of you, listen up. Bradley, your ass is staying on that couch. Go to sleep. I will take you to get your Bronco in the morning. Jake, you are sleeping in the guest room-“ They both try to cut me off and I put my hands up, “You will stay here because you are drunk and you will stay here I do not want to deal with this lightweight. End of discussion.” Bradley looks defeated and Jake smirks at me. Feeling flustered, yet again, I head back to my room and get ready for bed.

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I wake up hyperventilating and covered in a cold sweat. The clock on my phone says it is only 02:00. Sighing, I get up to grab some water. In the hallway, I run right into a shirtless Hangman. “Oh my gosh sorry!” I cringe looking down at myself, only in a large t-shirt and underwear. He follows me to the kitchen, “You okay? I heard you in there.” I shrug, “Sorry, nightmares.” He puts his hand on top of mine, “I get that. Want to talk about it?” I shake your head, “I am okay, but thank you. I am used to them.” I peek into the living room and see Bradley fast asleep. Jake throws his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side. The heat radiating off of him feels amazing. The scent of sandalwood fills my noise. I lean into him, not listening to the voice in my head telling me this is a horrible idea. I look up at him and he furrows his brow, “What’s wrong?” I nuzzle back into him, “Nothing. That’s the problem.” He pulls my face up to look at him, “What do you mean?” “I mean, I barely know you. Then, all of the sudden, I want to show you these things I have always kept hidden. I see you after a nightmare and you calm me down. I just don’t understand it.” His green eyes stay glued to mine and he does one of his big grins, “Maybe that’s the point darling. Some things just happen. It’s not for us to understand why or how.” He pulls me close to his chest and kisses the top of my head before heading back into the guest room. I stand there for a moment, completely frozen in what just happened. Leaving a glass of water beside Bradley, I head back into my room and try to go back to sleep. My nightmare is no longer what’s keeping me awake. All I can think about is how badly I want him to hold me in his arms again.

🌸cherryblossomcowgirl🌸

masterlist

Hangman’s First Rodeo

Part 1:

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Hangman’s First Rodeo

Warnings: NONE WC: 2.1k . . I put my car in park and let out a long sigh. After a quick check in the rear view mirror, I wonder if I mad

Part 2:

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Hangman’s First Rodeo part 2

Warnings: Fluff; angst WC: 2.3k . . After a night of tossing and turning, I roll out of bed at 05:00. I throw on some running shorts and

Part 3:

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Hamgman’s First Rodeo Part 3

Masterlist Pinned Warnings: Angst; Fluff; Injury; Traumatic Memory; Harassment; Bar fight WC: 2.1k . . The clock says 07:00 and I am sh

Hamgman’s First Rodeo Part 3

Masterlist Pinned

Warnings: Angst; Fluff; Injury; Traumatic Memory; Harassment; Bar fight

WC: 2.1k

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The clock says 07:00 and I am shocked. Waking up all throughout the night had become so normal to me. Tiptoeing into the kitchen, I start a pot of coffee. Jake comes down the hall, “G’morning darling.” I smile, “Goodmorning Jake.” He pours himself a cup of coffee and sits next to me. Bradley stirs on the couch and moans. He stands up and walks into the kitchen, “Morning Y/N. Bagman.” I sigh, “C’mon Roo. He helped me deal with you last night.” Bradley winces, “I may have had too much to drink.” I chuckle, “Oh honey, there is no doubt about that.” He runs his hands through his hair, “Mind if I shower?” “Go right ahead. Towels are under the sink.” Jake clears his throat, “I can drive you down to your Bronco after, if you’d like.” Bradley mumbles as he walks down the hall, “I’ll walk but thanks.” I look at Jake and roll my eyes. Jake smirks and takes a sip of his coffee, “How did you sleep last night? After the nightmare?” I meet his gaze, “Great, actually. I am sorry that I woke you up. But really, thank you. You didn’t have to do that.” He rests his hand on top of mine, “You didn’t wake me up, darling. Seeing you calmed me down.” I smile and rest my head on his shoulder, “Yeah, me too.” We stay like that for a moment, until Bradley clears his throat. “I’m gonna go. I’ll see you at work. Sorry about last night.” I wave, “Bye, Roo. No worries.” Jake just nods in his direction. Bradley walks out of the door, hanging his head.

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We both finish our coffee and Jake breaks the silence, “Do you want me to head home? I don’t want to mess up your routine.” I shrug, “I don’t really want you to leave.” He smirks, “Is it bad that I was hoping you’d say that?” I giggle and feel my phone start buzzing. I sent it to voicemail and Jake looks at me, “You can take that if you need.” It starts ringing again and I shake my head, “It’s okay. Don’t really want to talk to them.” He raises his brow, “Wanna talk about it?” I take his hand, “Why not? Already breaking all of my rules anyway.” He follows me into the office and I cut into another box. “Y/n, you know you don’t have to tell me anything that you don’t want to.” I smile, “I know. There’s just something about you. I want you to know.” He smiles so big. I start pulling things out of the box, files, photos, and a glass jar with two shell casings. His smile fades and his brow furrows, “What happened?” I take a deep breath, “4 months ago I was on a mission with the team. We had split into groups of 2, just like we have a million times. My partner, the person trying to call me, was ahead of me. Our comms started flickering in and out. Instead of pulling back and staying side by side, he decided to push forward and hope they’d resolve. Mine went down completely, but he didn’t know that. He was on a walkover about a story above me when he saw movement. They moved too fast and before he could yell to me, I was hit twice. The rest of the team immediately rallied and got me out, but it was our fault. We should’ve pulled back when comms were spotty. Now we know it was the target interfering with them.” Jake’s eyes are almost, watery? He seems upset. Finally he breaks the silence, “Where did they hit?” I look down at my feet, “Abdomen. Left side.” His eyes widen as I start to lift up my sleep shirt, “Y/n, only if you’re comfortable. Okay?” I nod my head and show him. He scans the scars. They are still a dark color, I have just been hoping they’d fade with time. I adjust so he can see my back, “Doctors said I was lucky. They went right through me. Woulda done a whole lot more damage if they stayed inside.” Now I notice that his eyes are definitely watery and he just keeps shaking his head. I take his hand and place it over the scars, “I am okay. Really. I’ve deployed since. I still love the damn job. I think they just sent me here for a change of pace. It has been a long 10 years.” He looks up at me and speaks in a low voice, “Y/n.. I am never going to let anyone hurt you ever again. I almost lost you before I ever even had you.” Tears sting my eyes as he stares at me. He kisses me for the first time, and it is soft and warm. He lays his head in my lap and I play with his hair. I smile and try to stay calm so he doesn’t notice the uncontrollable butterflies I feel. A comfortable silence surrounds us.

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A few weeks of work and quiet moments with Jake pass quickly. We haven’t spoken about this thing between us. Ever since that emotional night with Jake, there has been this unspoken understanding. Most days after work, he ends up on my front porch. I cook, we chat, he cleans the dishes (even though I always tell him not to), and we fall into this extremely comforting routine. He hasn’t stayed over since the night with drunk Bradley. Bradley has kept me at arms length and has barely texted. It’s upsetting to me that he would be this childish about Jake, but I am trying to give him space.

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One night after Jake heads home, there is a knock at my door. I open it to see Bradley, running his hands through his hair. He looks at me and smiles, “Hey Rodeo. I was just on a walk and was thinking maybe you’d wanna join?” “Sure, Roo.” I slide on a pair of flip flops and follow him down to the shore. We make some small talk about work. I take of my flip flops and put my feet in the water. Bradley stands beside me and sighs, “Y/n, I am sorry. The last few weeks I have been a complete asshole.” I put my hand on his shoulder, “It’s okay, Roo.” He shakes his head, “No it isn’t. We have been friends for 10 years. I shouldn’t have let Bagman come in between us. We have just always been at each other’s throats. He is completely different around you. I can’t believe it, but he is.” Bradley pulls me into a hug and sigh, “Thank you, Roo. You had me scared there. I can’t lose you.” He squeezed me tighter, “You won’t. I promise.” He walks me back home and I head to bed.

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The sun is blazing down as I stand outside the hangar. We just got back from testing comms and I am exhausted. Exhausted and covered in sweat. Everyone is checking their planes. Jake is talking to his WSO and I can’t stop staring at him in his aviators. His flight suit is tied around his hips, displaying the fitted shirt underneath. I hear Mav, “Yes sir, she is right over there.” I turn around and feel the blood drain out of my face. Tall, dark hair, blue eyes, my old partner. “Rodeo! Had to drive up here for some paperwork, thought I’d check in since you haven’t been answering.” I take a deep breath, “Hey Playboy, all is good here.” He moves closer to me and his scent washes over me, taking me back to that mission. My heart starts racing and my scars start hurting. He places his hand on my shoulder and meets my eyes, “How are you healing?” I see Jake out of the corner of my eye and he can see the panic on my face. I put on a fake smile, “I am okay. How is the team?” “Not the same without you. When are you gonna leave this place and come back with us? You belong with us.” Jake’s hand lands on Playboy’s shoulder, “Well I can tell you right now, bud, no one here is going to let her go easy. Hangman, and you are?” “Playboy. Rodeo’s partner form the teams.” Jake smiles, “How nice. It has been great meeting you, but you should probably get going. Let the lady finish her work.” Playboy raises his brow, “Interesting Rodeo, I didn’t think aviators were your type.” I roll my eyes, “Playboy, shut up.” He looks at me, “This guy? Seriously? They send you up here to work and you find a booty call? Can’t believe they call me Playboy.” Jake’s face hardens, “I’ll say it one more time, you should probably get going.” Playboy scoffs, “Yeah. Fine. You guys should keep her. A real SEAL would never be okay just sitting around. You never deserved that title, Rodeo.” He turns around and starts walking towards his car. The anger boils over and I scream, “Oh I didn’t deserve that title! Coming from the guy that couldn’t sweep a fucking room and got me shot TWICE! You are a DISGRACE, Playboy. Everyone knows it! And I already heard you aren’t reupping! Everyone should be thanking their fucking LUCKY STARS!” He turns around with rage in his eyes, but one look at Jake and he gets in his car. I turn around and see the whole squad standing behind me. The embarrassment hit, “I’m sorry .. I didn’t mean .. I .. I ..” Bradley walks up and wraps me in a hug, “Screw that guy. Y/n, I am so happy that you are okay.” Phoenix speaks up, “You have helped us so much, Rodeo. We are lucky to have you here.” The group hums in agreement. “Thank y’all, I am going to head home.”

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Jake shows up on my doorstep with a smile that tells me he wants something. “Listen, I know today was rough. Let’s go out. Everyone is already there. You can take your mind off of everything for a bit.” I smile, “Okay.. It really isn’t fair because you know that I can’t say no to you.” He chuckles and I follow him to his truck. When we get there, we join the squad in their usual spot. Jake was right, this was getting my mind off of Playboy. I never had issues with anyone else on the team. Part of me wondered if everyone knew we didn’t get along, so they’d pair us together to try and force it. I tell myself to stop thinking about that and enjoy the night. Bradley has unplugged the jukebox and is banging away on the old piano. My arm is around his shoulder and I sing along with him. The song ends and we stand there, giggling. Then I hear an all too familiar voice, “Wait a minute.. I thought you liked blondie boy over there.. Aviator Ken Doll! So who is this? You must really be getting around up here, huh Rodeo?” I turn around and meet Playboy’s icy eyes, “Get the hell away from me!” He steps closer, “What? I am just saying, back when you were with the teams you always acted like you were too good for me. Now I guess anyone is good enough?” I can see Bradley fuming out of the corner of my eye. A fist connects to Playboy’s jaw. I turn to see Jake, who is jumping on him in a rage. Jake gets right in his face and practically growls, “You don’t talk about MY girl like that!” The squad pulls him off and Bradley starts to carry Playboy out because Penny is ringing the bell aggressively. Bradley comes back in and we all head down to the water. Phoenix giggles as she walks by me, “He called you his girl. That’s cute. He has never said that about anyone before.” I blush. No one ever stands up for me. Usually, they figure that I can handle things myself. Jake runs up beside me and grabs my hand, “I’m sorry. Was that too much?” “The punching him in the face or calling me your girl part?” He shrugs, “Both?” I shake my head, “No Jake, it wasn’t. These last couple of months with you have been completely new to me. The time we spend together means the world to me, I hope you know that.” He stops walking and spins me around, into his chest. I giggle as he pulls me in for a kiss. Gentle and curious, making the butterflies rise in my stomach.

Hangman’s First Rodeo part 4

Masterlist Pinned

Warnings: Fluff; Implied Smut; Angst; Loss of parents; Trauma; Past injuries

WC: 2.2k

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Jake drops me back home after the Hard Deck and walks me to the front porch. I turn the key and open the door, “Do you wanna come in?” He smiles and checks his watch, “It’s already pretty late, darling. Are you sure?” I nod my head, “Just stay the night.” He follows me inside and makes us tea. We chat about the night. I keep telling him I am okay, but he doesn’t seem to believe me. He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, “Playboy had no right to say any of that to you. Sounds like he had a thing for you and is upset that you don’t feel the same.” I nod, “Yeah. He was like that the whole time. I never brought it up to the other guys because I just wanted to focus on work. It felt so horrible to get so far in my career and then be treated like that. Like all I am is someone men find hot.” Jake pulls me in to his arms, “You are much more than that, darling. So much more.” I nuzzle into his chest, “Tell me more about you.” He smiles, “Well, we covered Texas. I got 2 sisters, who gave me 2 nieces. My parents are very involved. When I was younger that bothered me, but I like it now. They all still live in Austin. I try to go back as much as possible. They keep hounding me because it has been about 6 months since I’ve been home. Hmmm, let me think. I love college football. I am lactose intolerant. And I have no control around coffee. I could drink like 10 cups a day if no one is watching me.” I look up at him giggling, “You are actually adorable.” He grins, “Now you.” I shrug, “You already know mine.” He shakes his head, “No.. I only know about your career. Tell me about you, darling.” I look up at him, “Not much to tell. Only child. Older parents. They owned a huge cattle ranch outside of Marble Falls, distributing meat all throughout Texas. Now I “own” it, but I don’t really do anything. Just let the business people do everything and I sign off. I think they wanted me to go to college, but they passed before it was time to make all of those decisions. I felt, lost? I had always felt drawn to the military so I went down to the recruitment office. I was looking at Navy careers and saw the SEAL brochure. The recruiter laughed when I said I was gonna do it. I made up my mind then and never looked back.” Jake looks at me and carefully asks, “What happened to your parents?” I sigh, “My Dad bought a small plane and got his license. They were always flying somewhere for a vacation or business trip or just to fly. They hit weather. Plane went down. It was fast, you know? I had just turned 17.” Jake’s eyes water, “I am sorry, Y/n.” I shrug, “It is okay. I think they are proud of me.” He nods his head, “They are.”

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I look over at the clock by my couch and see it is 03:00. “Jake, we should probably go to bed. I think we could stay up all night talking.” He chuckles, “Yeah, I think so too.” We get up and he starts walking towards the guest room, “Where are you going?” He turns around with his eyebrow raised, “To bed, darling.” I laugh, “Jake, I know you are a gentleman. Get over here and cuddle me.” He smiles, “Yes ma’am.”

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We lay side by side in my bed. Jake’s arm is around me and my head is nuzzled into his chest. I haven’t felt at peace like this in.. I couldn’t even tell you how long. He plays with my hair and I can hear his heart beating. He clears his throat, “Y’know, I have never had anything like this before.” I look up at him, “What do you mean?” He chuckles, “Most of my relationships start off on the wrong foot. Meet them at a bar, take them home, maybe have a couple dates, then never see them again. This is new to me.” I smile, “Me too. And to think I thought you were bad news when I first met you.” He smirks, “Oh yeah?” I nod my head, “I have never seen Roo act like that. And he is very dramatic, so that is saying something.” “Bradshaw only sees work me.” “I am happy that I know Jake, not just Hangman. Or Bagman.” He kisses the top of my head, “Me too, darling.” I drift off to sleep, still in his arms.

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When I wake up, Jake is still holding me. I run my hand through his hair, “G’morning handsome.” He opens his eyes and grins, “Morning beautiful. I could get used to this.” I giggle, “I’m gonna go make us some coffee.” Jake meets me in the kitchen and I hand him a cup of coffee. “Thank you darling.” I sit next to him, “How much leave do you have?” He raises an eyebrow, “Too much. Why?” “Come to my ranch.” “When?” I shrug, “Next week?” He nods, “Deal.” I take a sip of my coffee and he smiles, “Any particular reason?” “I just.. I don’t know. I just want to.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders and kisses the top of my head, “I’d be honored, darling.”

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The week passes by quickly. Both of our leave requests were approved and I booked the tickets, even though Jake complained about that. Next thing I know we are at the airport, holding hands and walking towards the gate. I look over at Jake, “You packed boots, right?” He laughs, “Darling, I packed everything I usually pack when I go back to Texas.” I giggle nervously, “Sorry. I always overthink on travel days. Going back makes me a little nervous every time.” “I am here, okay? And I hope you know how much it means to me that you want me to come with you.” I squeeze his hand tight, “It means a lot to me that you are willing to come.”

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The flight lands and I can feel the Texas heat. We grab our bags and Jake asks, “Need me to order ride?” I shake my head, “Follow me.” He raises an eyebrow but grabs my hand and follows. I take him to the pickup area and right up to the bright red, lifted, diesel truck. He shakes his head and laughs, “You have got to be joking me.” I smile and slap the hood, “Not joking. Meet Truck Norris.” “Truck Norris?!” The driver side door slams shut, “Y/n!!” I run over and jump into the drivers arms, “Scotty!” Scotty sets me down and I turn to Jake, “Jake, this is Scotty. Scotty, this is Jake.” They shake hands and we throw our luggage into the truck bed. Jake jumps in the passenger seat and I hop in the back. Scotty looks at Jake and then looks at me, “So you never bring anyone home, ever, and then you bring back someone who looks like he stepped outta GQ?” Jake blushes and I chuckle, “Scotty, settle down. I told you about Jake.” Jake turns to me, “You told him about me? That’s cute.” I roll my eyes, “Scotty and I grew up together. His Dad was my parent’s first ranch hand, so they lived on the land. He kinda had to be my best friend. Scotty took over for his Dad when he retired.” Scotty points back at me, “Until someone had to go save the world and shit. Left me all alone on the land. You know I talk to the horses?” I look at Jake, “He’s always done that. He can’t blame that on me.” We pull onto the property and Jake’s eyes bug out, “Holy crap. Do y’all have your own zip code?” I shrug, “Kind of?” Scotty drops us off at the main house so we can unpack. We walk up to the huge front door and Jake turns to me, “When were you gonna let me know you were like.. Redneck royalty?” I laugh, “I guess now? We can drive around later. You need a shower?” “Yes please.” I point to the left, “There’s a hallway of guest rooms with attached baths there. Or to the right is the master bed and bath. Take your pick.” He rolls his eyes, “You have got to be kidding me. How many rooms are in this place?” “8 beds 10 baths. Then there’s a couple of guest houses on the property. I think it was supposed to be for when family would visit but we didn’t really have any extended family.” He grabs my hand, “I am sorry.” “Jake, it really is okay. Go grab a shower. I’m gonna do the same and then I’ll throw together some lunch.” Jake smiles and heads towards a bathroom, “Okay, darling. Thank you.”

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Jake comes into the kitchen wearing Wrangler jeans and a fitted white t-shirt. I whistle as I slide him his plate, “Looking good, Cowboy.” He winks, “Had to look good for my lady.” I raise my eyebrow, “Your lady?” “Yep. Don’t fight it. You’re my lady and there’s nothing you can do about it.” I walk over and kiss his cheek, “I like the sound of that.” He pulls me into his lap, “You do?” I hum as I kiss him. He deepens the kiss and his hand move along my back. I shiver as his fingers graze my scar. He pulls back, “What are you thinking?” I bite at the inside of my cheek, “Sorry. I just.. I haven’t been.. intimate since the mission. You are the only person besides the doctor that has seen the scars. And I just feel..” He touches my cheek, “Darling, you don’t need to worry about that with me. I promise.” I furrow my brow, “But they’re so-“ He cuts me off, “Don’t. You are perfect. You are perfect and you are mine. I love you.” He looks shocked at his last sentence and my jaw drops. He starts talking fast, “That wasn’t how I wanted to say that. I am sorry. It just came out. You don’t have to-“ I touch his cheek, “Shhh, I love you too.” He smiles and pulls me into a kiss that takes the air out of my lungs. “Y/n, I have been wanting to say that since that night in your kitchen.” I smile, “Me too.” He kisses me as he picks me up, carrying me towards the bedroom. I giggle, “Where are you taking me?” He smirks, “I am going to show you just how beautiful you are.” Jake carefully lays me down on the bed and looks at me with his bright green eyes. I take a deep breath as he lifts my shirt, revealing the thick scars. He caresses them gently and plants a kiss on each. As he begins to explore my body he looks up at me, “You are everything I have ever wanted, Y/n.”

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I wake up from our nap with a fluttering in my stomach. There’s a warm feeling in my chest and my head feels like it is in the clouds. Jake opens his eyes and smiles, “Hey darling, how are you feeling?” I kiss his cheek, “Amazing. How about you?” He chuckles, “Pretty damn good.” I playfully slap his arm and he pulls me into his chest. I listen to the familiar sound of his heartbeat. The past few months have been a whirlwind, but I want to freeze this moment. My eyes meet his, “I wish it could be like this forever.” He brushes a strand of hair behind my ear, “It can.” I giggle, “C’mon Jake, you know it can’t.” “Why not?” “You have to fly. I have to.. do whatever the hell it is I am going to do. Hopefully get back with the teams? I don’t know. But people like us don’t get lives like this.” Jake turns his head to the side and sighs, “You are going to go back? What about these last few months?” I sit up in the bed, “This assignment was always temporary, Jake. Eventually I will have to go back. I have to finish out this contract. It’s only a few more months, but still.” He turns around and looks at me, “Are you going to re-up?” My mind starts racing, “Jake, I don’t-“ He repeats himself, “Are you going to re-up?” Tears are threatening to spill over, “I don’t know. It’s such a big decision. This career is the only thing I have had for a decade. I don’t know if I can just give it up.” Jake shakes his head and starts to stand up, “You know there is always going to be a position at Top Gun. Comms are a top priority. We have both heard Maverick say it a hundred times. But if you need to go back, just go back.” He starts pulling on his shirt and my voice shakes, “What are you saying right now?” His green eyes scan mine quickly and then look away, “I am saying go back to Coronado. Apparently this was all temporary anyway.” He turns and walks out the door as I cry, “Jake! That’s not what I meant!”