rosiahills22

[rosiahills22]

Worth The Risk

Pairing - Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x Mitchell!reader

Word count - 14.5k

Warnings - swearing, angst, fluff, Mav is a wee bit overprotective, mentions of Goose and Carole, allusion to smut at the end

Summary - in visiting your dad in Miramar you rekindle your friendship with Bradley Bradshaw, which yields unexpected results

A/N - sooo... it's a bit of a big one here lads. I wish I could tell y'all how I achieved such a feat but believe me I have no clue how I did this. this was a request sent in by @talesofreading so I hope I did the idea justice (and I'm so so so sorry it took me so long to write it in the first place). I won't ramble so as per y'all please send in requests, feedback, and enjoy!!!

“Yes dad, I’m at the gate now and we’re due to board in ten minutes or so.” You say with a breathy laugh after your dad finishes asking you what feels like a hundred questions about your flight. You were visiting your dad, Pete Mitchell, in San Diego while you had some time off work. After completing your studies at college, you had landed a good gig working as a nurse in a hospital in Chicago. You had grown up sure you weren’t going to follow in your father’s footsteps and so found yourself studying medicine and making a career out of it. It was hard when your dad was constantly deployed after pissing off Admiral after Admiral, but he did make the effort to visit you when he could and now that he was settled in San Diego, you decided you’d give him a visit.

“I’ll be at the airport when you land. I’ll see you soon sweetheart.” Maverick says a smile on his face as he thinks about how in a few hours you’ll be here in person.

“I’ll see you soon, dad. I love you.” You say, smiling as you hear your dad bid you one last goodbye before you hang up. After hanging up, you look out the window, seeing the plane you’d soon be boarding. You wait patiently at the gate, passport and boarding pass in hand as you survey the people surrounding you, little groups of people, family or friends, excitedly chatting about their trip and what they’re going to get up to, couples discussing similar topics, and businesspeople, making last minute calls or typing hurriedly on their laptops.

Before long, the call for boarding to begin comes over the loudspeaker and one by one a group is called up to have their passes checked and board the plane. Eventually, you are able to board and find your seat, settling down in it and tucking your bag away while patiently waiting for the journey to begin.

Soon enough, the boarding process is completed, and the plane begins to crawl towards the runway, patiently waiting for its turn to go. Within a couple of minutes, the plane gets onto the runway, and speeds along until it’s able to take off. You watch the ground get smaller and the clouds appear. You knew you inherited a love of flying from your dad, but your love for it never pushed you to make a career out of it. You watched the clouds pass you by while you listened to your music.

After just over four hours, the plane touched down in San Diego and you couldn’t wipe the smile from your face as you saw the beautifully sunny weather. You disembarked the plane and made your way to baggage claim and waited with the rest of the people from the flight until your bag comes around on the conveyor belt. You grab your bag and follow the signs to where you know you’ll be able to find your dad.  You enter the spacious area, eyes searching the sea of gathered people, quickly locating your dad’s familiar jacket and you swear your smile couldn’t get any wider. You lock eyes with Maverick, and he waves before making his way over to you.

“Hey, sweetheart. Was the flight okay?” He asks, sweeping you up in a hug, holding you close as you reciprocate the embrace.

“Hey, dad. The flight was fine.” You reply, squeezing him that little bit tighter before releasing him from the hug, taking the handle of your luggage and following your dad to the car park and letting him lead you to his car.

“New car?” You ask, an amused tone to your voice as you take in the sight of the car.

“I wouldn’t say new. Figured the bike would pose a problem so I had to take the car.” Maverick says with a chuckle, unlocking the car and loading your bags into the back of the car before you get into the passenger seat, and he gets into the driver’s seat.

The drive back to Maverick’s house wasn’t long and the scenery was beautiful. You had spent a little bit of time in Miramar when you were younger, but you don’t remember much of it since you only spent a few short months there before moving away again. You were silently glad your dad had found a place to settle down and that you could finally visit him after the countless times he had come to visit you.

“You probably don’t remember much about Miramar, huh?” Maverick muses softly, glancing at you quickly, noticing your enamoured expression before returning his focus to the road.

“I don’t. But it’s so gorgeous.” You say with a grin, taking in the views, your smile widening as you take in the sight of the beach.

“I’ll make sure we go to all the best places.” Maverick says, a smile on his face as he begins to turn up the road he lived on and then soon parks in his driveway. You get out of the car and by the time you get to the back of the car, Maverick has already unloaded your bags and leads you into his house.

The house was small yet perfect for Maverick, he’d decorated it with pictures from his time at Top Gun and pictures of you growing up. He shows you upstairs and to the room you’ll be staying in.

“I’ll let you settle in. I’ll be downstairs if you need me.” Maverick says softly before excusing himself and heading downstairs while you stay put in the middle of the room. After a brief minute, you cross to the window, taking in the view and opening the window slightly so you can hear the breeze and birds singing while you got settled in. You unpacked some of your essentials before deciding you wanted to go and hang out with your dad while you had the time with him. You head downstairs and find Maverick sat on the sofa in the living room, smiling over at you.

“I’m still feeling pretty cramped from the flight. Are you okay if I go for a walk?” You ask, smiling as Maverick nods.

“Of course, do you want me to go with you?” He offers, already bracing his hands on either side of him ready to push himself up off the sofa.

“It’s okay, you can relax.” You say, watching as Maverick stays put, thinking to himself before speaking up.

“Don’t get lost, okay?” He says with a chuckle.

“I’m not as old as you so I can rely on my phone to keep me from getting lost.” You say with a cheeky grin, pulling your phone out of your pocket and waving it to emphasise your point, laughing at your dad’s expression of mock shock.

“You cheeky shit.” He says, breaking into a laugh and rolling his eyes as you pocket your phone.

“You know I love you.” You say with a grin, starting to head towards the front door.

“I love you too. Text me when you’re on your way back and I’ll start on dinner.” Maverick says, waving you off and you grab a spare key before exiting the house and letting your feet dictate where you go.

You find yourself wandering until you reach the beach, and you find yourself smiling as you see the families on the beach, lying on towels or playing in the sand and sea. You wished you could remember the times you had spent on that same beach but all you had was photos and stories your dad had told you. As you walk alongside the beach, take in the gorgeous sights as the golden sun starts to lower in the sky.

Eventually, you find yourself near a bar, it looks like a Navy bar to you just judging by the amount of people in khaki uniforms going in and out of the bar. You stood still for a moment, watching the people going in and out, wondering if your dad or anyone on his new squadron visited that bar. As you watch the bar, you catch sight of someone in a Hawaiian shirt standing on the decking just outside the bar. You didn’t mean to stare at the stranger, but you hadn’t seen anyone since Goose wearing a Hawaiian shirt so clearly this man had good taste and you couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh at the sight.

Before too long, the stranger caught sight of you, and you could’ve sworn your heart stopped when you realised, he was looking in your direction. Truthfully, you had no idea if he was actually looking at you or at something behind you because of his aviators hiding his eyes but the idea of this guy catching you looking at him was enough of a scare to get you to turn tail and begin your journey back to your dad’s house, shooting him a text to let him know you were on your way home.

In about twenty minutes, you enter Maverick’s house and are immediately greeted with the smell of cooking food, and you immediately know he is making you your favourite meal.

“Smells good.” You say with a wide smile, finding the kitchen and standing in the doorway, watching as your dad diligently works on the food.

“I had to make you your favourite.” Maverick replies, glancing over at you with a smile before returning his attention back to the food. You decide to help your dad out a bit and set the table and get drinks out. By the time you’ve set the table with cutlery and drinks, Maverick has finished the food and begins plating up the meals, handing you a plate with a smile. The two of you sit down at the table and eat your meals, chatting throughout and enjoying each other’s company. When you finish your meals, you help clean up, putting the dishes in the dishwasher despite Maverick’s insistence that you don’t have to. As he tells you what felt like the thousandth time to let him do it, the doorbell rang.

“Let me clean up, you answer the door.” You say, pointing towards the front door with a chuckle before turning back to the dishwasher, loading it carefully and wiping down the surfaces while you hear the muffled voices coming through from the hall.

“y/n, look who it is!” You turn and look through the doorway to see your dad entering the living room and behind him is a man sporting a shirt that looks incredibly familiar.

“I thought it was you I saw by the beach!” You couldn’t believe it. You were standing face-to-face with Bradley Bradshaw. Someone you thought you were never going to see again after that night he had screamed in your dad’s face about never wanting to see him again and leaving your house with the door slamming behind him. But here he was, standing in front of you with a huge smile and bright eyes. He’d changed a lot in the time that’s passed, he was definitely more muscular, and he had some new scars decorating his face, but above everything, he looked much more attractive than you remember him being.

“Bradley, I didn’t even recognise you!” You exclaim happily, accepting the offered hug instantly, clinging to Bradley and relishing in how gently he wrapped his arms around you, his chest rumbling with a gentle laugh.

“I almost didn’t recognise you. If I hadn’t of caught you staring, I probably wouldn’t have known you were here at all.” Bradley replies, both of you pulling apart when you hear Maverick’s amused scoff.

“Staring?” Maverick asks with a raised eyebrow.

“I wasn’t staring. I just noticed the Hawaiian shirt and it made me think of Goose.” You explain, rolling your eyes at your dad as both men laugh softly.

“Well, I’m happy to report that my dad’s impeccable fashion sense did in fact get passed down to me.” Bradley says, shrugging with a chuckle.

“So, what brings you by? Or was it just the fact you thought you saw me, so you came here to test your theory.” You ask, folding your arms across your chest as you raise an eyebrow with an amused smile.

“Maybe I was testing a theory, but I wasn’t exactly wrong.” Bradley admits, grinning as Maverick rolls his eyes jokingly.

“You could’ve called or texted if you wanted to know if she was here.” Maverick says, looking up at Bradley.

“I know but I haven’t seen her in a while, so I wanted to swing by.” Bradley says unapologetically.

“I’ll give you that one.” Maverick admits, nodding his head in approval as he turns to head into the kitchen to grab himself a beer.

“Hey, tomorrow would you like to grab a drink with me at the Hard Deck?” Bradley offers, a soft smile on his face as he awaits your response.

“Sure, it would be great to catch up after so long.” You say with a smile, more than happy to spend some time with Bradley now that you know he’s in the area.

“Great! I’ll swing by tomorrow and we’ll head down together. Is six, okay?” Bradley asks, offering a time.

“Six is perfect.” You say, your smile widening by the second, excited at the thought of spending the evening with Bradley.

“I’ll see you then.” Bradley says, giving you another hug before he leaves you and Maverick, closing the door behind him and signalling that he has gone. Once he’s gone you turn to face your dad, shocked to see his raised eyebrow.

“Don’t date an aviator.” Maverick says simply, making your jaw drop in shock.

“Dad, what?” You stammer, feeling your cheeks quickly heating up at the simple statement your dad said.

“You heard me. Don’t date an aviator. It won’t go well.” Maverick repeats himself, making you even more flustered.

“Okay, firstly, me and Bradley are going out for a friendly catch-up, we haven’t seen each other since we were eighteen. Secondly, I’m not a child so I can date whoever I want, aviator or not.” You retort, folding your arms over your chest as you stare down your dad.

“I’m just trying to protect you, sweetheart. I am an aviator, so I know what they’re like. It’s better if you steer clear of dating them. I saw how you were looking at Bradley and it’s best you don’t even try.” Maverick says, sticking to his guns and trying to explain himself.

“I appreciate that, dad. But I am an adult now, let me make mistakes and figure things out for myself.” You argue, raising an eyebrow as you continue to argue your point with your dad. Instead of responding, your dad just smiled softly before walking past you and heading upstairs. As his footsteps grow quieter as he disappears upstairs, you let out a soft sigh. You weren’t even going on a proper date with Bradley. It was just a friendly catch-up between two people who hadn’t seen each other in years. Right?

Six pm the next day couldn’t have come sooner for you. You had spent the day visiting some of your dad’s favourite spots with him. You had lunch together and he even managed to coerce you into taking a quick tour of his hangar. When you had got home you had spent way too long deciding on what you wanted to wear, trying to find something that was cute but didn’t make you look like you were trying to impress Bradley. Eventually, you find an outfit that fits what you’re going for and you put it on, smiling as you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. You knew it wasn’t a date but the mere thought of getting to spend time with Bradley after so long was making you giddy. Just as you finish freshening up, you hear the doorbell ring and just by checking the time you knew it was Bradley and you immediately began to make your way downstairs. As you were heading downstairs you could hear a muffled conversation between Bradley and Maverick, but they stopped talking as soon as Bradley caught sight of you.

“y/n… you look… wow.” Bradley stumbles over his words, not knowing what to say.

“I’m hoping that’s a good wow.” You say with a soft laugh, smiling up at Bradley.

“It’s definitely a good wow, you look beautiful.” Bradley says, a sheepish smile covering his face as he looks at you and you feel your cheeks heating up at his shy compliment. The moment was then disturbed by Maverick clearing his throat.

“So, I’ll see you when you get back. Keep her safe, Bradley.” Maverick says, softly smiling at you before turning to look at Bradley who straightens up ever so slightly at Maverick’s gaze.

“Of course, I will, Mav.” Bradley says as you both move towards the door, bidding your dad one last goodbye before you exit the house, stepping into the warm evening air and beginning the walk to the Hard Deck, making small talk on your way to the bar.

The walk that had been twenty minutes the day before felt like it was five minutes when you were walking with Bradley. You were having so much fun spending time with him again after so long. Eventually, you reach the Hard Deck and Bradley guides you to a table, finding the quietest corner in the bar and pulling the chair out for you to sit down at, making you smile shyly.

“Thank you.” You say softly, sitting down on the chair.

“I’m going to grab us some drinks. Do you want some fries as well or something?” Bradley says, still standing as he looks down at you.

“I’ll take a beer if that’s okay and fries sound nice.” You say with a smile as Bradley nods, turning and making his way to the bar.

“Hey Penny, could I get two beers and put in an order for fries?” Bradley asks, leaning up against the bar and smiling at Penny as she approaches.

“Of course, am I starting a tab?” Penny asks, handing Bradley two beers and taking his card in return, watching as he nods in response.

“Yes please.” Bradley confirms as Penny nods, tucking his card away someplace safe for the duration of his time at the bar.

“And what table am I taking the fries to when they’re done?” Penny asks as she hands the order to one of her employees before turning back to Bradley.

“Just that one over there.” Bradley says, pointing out the table and Penny leans over the bar slightly, following where Bradley was pointing before her eyes widen in shock slightly.

“Is that y/n?” Penny asks, remembering how she’d seen you a few times when you were younger.

“It is. She’s visiting Mav for a bit, and I haven’t seen her in years, so I figured we’d catch up over drinks.” Bradley explains, unable to wipe the smile off his face as he briefly glances over at you seeing you entertaining yourself on your phone before turning his attention back to Penny.

“A catch-up, huh?” Penny asks, an amused smile on her face as Bradley blushes slightly his gaze flicking down to the bar counter before looking back up at Penny as he licks his lips nervously.

“Don’t you start. I’ve already had Mav warn me away from her.” Bradley says with a joking roll of the eyes as he takes the beer bottles and heads back over to the table placing a beer in front of you and then sitting down in the chair opposite you.

“I was beginning to think you’d run away or something.” You say with a laugh, putting your phone away and holding the beer bottle in between your hands loosely.

“Never. I was just catching up with Penny.” Bradley says, lifting his beer bottle and tipping it lightly in Penny’s direction.

“Penny’s here?” You ask, turning in your seat and looking over at where Bradley had been pointing, smiling as you catch sight of Penny working at the bar seeing her catch sight of a patron and smiling as they approach.

“She was pretty excited when she realised you were here, so I’d imagine she’ll come over soon enough.” Bradley says, taking a sip from his beer bottle as you turn back around to face him.

“I don’t doubt it.” You say with a chuckle, taking a sip of your own beer as the two of you fall into a brief silence.

“So, how have you been? What have you been up to in these last few years?” Bradley asks, head tilted slightly in his curiosity.

“Well, the Navy wasn’t really my thing, so I just went to college and ended up pursuing medicine and now I’m a nurse over in Chicago. What about you?” You say, explaining what you’ve been up to since you last saw him.

“You’ve probably figured out I’m an aviator now, but I did go off to college after the whole thing with Mav. But I’m finally where I want to be and now, I’ve got a permanent squad and a place to call home.” Bradley explains, smiling softly to himself as he thinks of how far he’s come.

“That’s incredible. I know Goose and Carole are so proud of you.” You say, reaching over and gently resting a hand on Bradley’s arm, fighting the growing heat under your cheeks at the contact yet completely missing Bradley’s slight blush too.

“Thank you. You’ve done well for yourself getting a job in Chicago. I’m proud of you.” Bradley says, getting the bravery to rest a hand on top of yours, encapsulating your hand with the warmth emitting from his.

“Thank you, Bradley.” You reply softly, unable to contain your smile.

“So… have you got anyone back home? Any partners or anything?” Bradley asks, flushing a bit redder at the boldness of the question and fights to hide his relief when you shake your head with a slight chuckle.

“No. I’ve been single since college. What about you Mr. Aviator? You’ve surely got girls throwing themselves at your feet.” You say, retracting your hand from underneath Bradley’s both of you trying not to show any upset at the lack of contact.

“Throwing themselves at my feet? Well, you’re not entirely wrong with that. But I’m just waiting for the right girl to come along.” Bradley says with a soft shrug, making your heart pound just that little bit faster at the revelation that he is single.

“Here’s your fries.” You look up at the familiar voice and can’t stop your smile from widening when you see Penny placing the small basket of fries on the table and you instantly get out of your seat to give her a hug.

“Penny it’s been so long!” You exclaim happily, grinning as she wraps her arms around you, reciprocating the hug.

“It really has, hasn’t it?” Penny says with a laugh, pulling away to hold you at arm’s length.

“If I had known you were here, I would’ve swung by sooner. Somehow dad neglected to tell me that you worked here. He had mentioned you were in the area though.” You explain as Penny shakes her head with a laugh.

“I know what your father is like so don’t worry. I won’t interrupt your time with Bradley, sweetie. Enjoy your night and if you need anything, let me know.” Penny says, giving you one last hug before making her way back over to the bar to continue serving customers. You and Bradley then dig into the fries, continuing to chat as you eat.

You had no idea how long you were at the bar with Bradley, but it felt like mere seconds when you were with him. You knew you had a slight crush on Bradley way back when you were teenagers, but it had been pushed to the back of your mind in the last few years with how life had been. But just seeing Bradley and spending time with him had brought all those feelings back and they were stronger than ever.

What you didn’t know was that Bradley felt the exact same way. Only he was struggling with the warning Maverick had issued him when he turned up to pick you up. Maverick had warned him away from you, saying he didn’t want you dating an aviator. But for you, Bradley was more than willing to go against Maverick’s warnings and risk angering him.

“I’m going to close up my tab and I’ll take you home, okay?” Bradley says after clearing his throat and you nod, waiting patiently as he crosses to the bar and closes out his tab with Penny before he crosses back over to you. When you noticed Bradley coming over you got up, following him through the bar, bidding Penny goodbye as you passed.

Exiting into the cool night are you were suddenly aware of how long you had spent at the bar with Bradley now that the moon had replaced the sun. However, you didn’t even mind. With the evening now much quieter than the previous environment of the bustling bar, you and Bradley were able to walk and talk quietly, feeling like your conversations were much more private now.

Much earlier than you would’ve liked to, you wound up at the end of the driveway to your dad’s house and you felt your heart sinking at the finality of the end of the night.

“I had a great night tonight.” You say, turning to look up at Bradley with a smile, grateful for the evening you had with him.

“So did I. It was great to catch up.” Bradley replies with a soft smile of his own.

“It was. I just wish it never had to end.” You admit softly, eyes flicking to the ground before looking back at Bradley.

“Me too. But what if we did this again sometime before you go back to Chicago? Maybe like a date?” Bradley says, biting the bullet and deciding to just go for it instead of losing his chance. But when Bradley saw the hesitation on your face, he began to second guess himself. Had he completely misinterpreted how the night had gone?

“I’d really like that, Bradley. But…” You begin, glancing over at the front door before looking back over at Bradley who softens.

“Mav told you not to date aviators.” Bradley says, nodding in understanding.

“I’m not fussed about that rule, he can’t control me. I just don’t want this to ruin your relationship with him. You just made up after everything that happened, and I’m scared I’ll ruin it.” You admit, wanting to do what you can to protect Bradley from your dad’s protectiveness.

“You won’t ruin anything. I’ve never really been one for listening to Mav’s rules anyway. I think it’s worth the risk.” Bradley says quietly, as if your dad was nearby and listening in to your conversation, while he also reached out and interlocked your hands gently smiling so softly at you that you were sure you’d melt into a puddle right there and then.

“I think it’s worth the risk too.” You admit with a smile, blushing slightly as Bradley squeezes your hand softly at your agreement.

“How about in a couple of days’ time, we have our date? I’ll find us a nice spot and I’ll text you the details.” Bradley says, growing quieter near the end of his sentence.

“You don’t have my number.” You say with a giggle, digging in your jacket pocket for your phone, unlocking it and finding your number before holding it out towards Bradley who hurriedly digs in his pocket for his phone, almost dropping it at the speed at which he pulled the phone out before typing your number into his phone and creating a contact for you.

“Done.” Bradley says with a large smile as you turn your phone off and put it back in your pocket while Bradley mirrors your actions.

“I’ll see you around.” You say softly, knowing you should head into the house and let Bradley get home himself.

“I’ll text you. Goodnight, y/n.” Bradley says softly, extending his arms for a hug which you accept almost instantly, silently loving the way Bradley’s arms wrap around you and make you feel safe.

“Goodnight, Bradley.” You whisper before pulling away from the hug and heading up the path to the front door and unlocking the door, glancing over your shoulder and smiling at Bradley for one last time that night as he smiles back and offers you one last wave before you disappear inside. Maverick had clearly left the hall lights on for you so you could navigate the house and you made your way upstairs to your room, making sure you turned off the lights as you went. Once you reach your room, you change into your pyjamas before heading to the bathroom to clean up and get ready for bed. Then you return back to your room and climb into your bed, pulling the covers over you and grab your phone, smiling at the text that displayed as an unknown number, but you knew it was Bradley.

‘Thank you again for a great night. I’ve not had this much fun in a long time.’

‘It’s Bradley by the way.’

You couldn’t help but giggle at the second text, imagining the brief panic on Bradley’s face after he hit send on the first message without clarifying it was him.

‘Me neither, it was nice to catch up :).’

‘Let me know when you’re home safe.’

You found yourself double texting Bradley in return, wanting to make sure you know when Bradley gets home safe. While you waited for Bradley to text you back, you texted one of your closest friends from Chicago and told her about how your evening had gone and as you expected, she was very eager to hear everything and demanded to know what Bradley was like and whether you liked him. While you were explaining how the evening went, a text from Bradley came through.

‘I’m happy to say I made it home.’

You couldn’t stop your thumbs from typing a speedy response to Bradley’s text.

‘I’m glad you made it home safe. Although I’m sure being a big strong Navy man means you’re safer than most when walking home.’

You knew calling Bradley a ‘big strong Navy man’ was probably a bit of a step too far but your thumbs were typing quicker than your brain could comprehend and you only realised what you had typed when you had hit send on the message. Just as you were beginning to type an apology, a text came through from Bradley.

‘Oh, I’m a big strong Navy man, am I?’

He knew what he was doing, and you did very little to fight back the heat growing under your cheeks.

‘You know what I meant.’

You had no idea how long you had been texting Bradley that night. You had woken up the next morning with your phone under your hand as you woke up to Maverick knocking on your door, asking if you wanted any breakfast. After responding to your dad, you flipped your phone over, unable to stop the smile from crossing your face when you saw the good morning text from Bradley. You replied to the message as you kicked your covers back, stretching before throwing a hoodie on over your pyjamas and heading downstairs to where your dad was preparing breakfast for you.

“Morning, dad.” You say with a smile, sitting at the table as Maverick places a plate of pancakes in front of you.

“Morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep?” Maverick asks, pressing a quick kiss to the top of your head before returning his attention to his own food.

“I slept well thanks, how about you?” You reply, beginning to dig into your breakfast as Maverick finishes plating up his food, crossing to the table to sit opposite you.

“I slept well. How was your evening with Bradley? Penny mentioned she saw you.” Maverick asks, glancing across at you as you smile.

“It was nice to catch up with him. And yes, I did see Penny. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me she worked there.” You say with a chuckle, hoping your dad doesn’t read between the lines too much and instead focuses on Penny.

“Well, I didn’t anticipate you going to the Hard Deck so soon. I was going to invite Penny and Amelia over at some point.” Maverick admits with a light shrug and a grin as you roll your eyes jokingly.

“I’d love to see them and have a proper catch up.” You say in agreement before eating another mouthful of food. You continue to chat with your dad until you both finish your food, and you tidy everything away before you feel your phone buzz in your pocket and you pull it out, smiling when you see the text from Bradley.

“What’s got you all smiley?” Maverick asks with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

“Oh, just a friendly text from Bradley.” You lie, acting as if you hadn’t just read the text from Bradley confirming the time and place of your date tomorrow.

“Just friendly? Good.” Maverick says turning away and missing you rolling your eyes at his statement.

“Yeah, we know your rule.” You say, wishing your dad wasn’t as stubborn as he was, but you were also a Mitchell and held that same stubbornness, hence why you were so adamantly going against his rule. You typed out a hurried reply to Bradley’s text, telling him that the time and place he had picked sounded great and that you couldn’t wait to have your date.

You spent your day on the beach with Maverick, getting in some tanning time as you read. Penny ended up coming out to meet you with Amelia in tow. You spent time catching up with the mother-and-daughter duo, unable to believe how much Amelia had grown since you last saw her, and you loved getting to hear what she had been up to in recent years. Amelia even managed to convince you into going in the sea with her and you couldn’t help but smile and laugh with her as she attempted to splash you.

When you tired of the sea you returned to your towel, drying yourself off and sitting back down to join in with your dad and Penny’s conversations. And you didn’t miss how both your dad and Penny were acting around each other. You could tell they liked each other, they just needed to act on it.

Eventually, you and Maverick headed home after bidding Penny and Amelia goodbye, promising to keep in touch even after you head back to Chicago. And when you get home you open your phone to see messages from Bradley and you reply to them as quickly as possible, apologising for how long it had taken you to respond and picking up the conversation right up from where it had been left off. You loved texting Bradley; he could make you smile and blush like he was right there in front of you having a proper face-to-face conversation. You didn’t like that you had to lie to your dad about what you were talking about with Bradley, but he had chosen to come up with this stupid rule that had you and Bradley sneaking around like a pair of teenagers. But Bradley was worth the risk.

The next day you were in serious planning mode, you had to figure out a way to get out of the house without your dad asking too many questions or catching on to what you were going out to do. You knew the restaurant Bradley had picked wasn’t super fancy so you could get away with a nice, cute outfit that wouldn’t arouse too much suspicion from your dad and maybe you could get away with saying it was another friendly hang out. Maybe you could talk Penny into hanging out with Maverick to distract him and also potentially give them the opportunity to confess their own feelings after seeing the way they skirted around each other. You had conversed with Bradley about this dilemma, and he had offered to meet you at the end of your road instead of coming to the door and you knew that was more than likely the best option you had. If this date went well and there was another, you knew your dad would get suspicious about Bradley constantly turning up at the door. After some careful planning, you and Bradley had come up with the most effective plan to ensure that Maverick did not catch on to your evening plans.

By the time the evening came around, you had already planted seeds with your dad, telling him you wanted to go on an evening walk because you promised your friend a video tour of the sights of Miramar. With that in place, you had changed into the outfit you had picked for the date and texted Bradley that you were on your way out.

“You’re heading out then?” Maverick asks, smiling at you from where he was sat on the sofa and you smile over at him, grabbing the spare keys.

“Yep! Don’t worry about waiting up for me. Katie and I can chat for hours once we get going. Maybe you could invite Penny over or something?” You suggest, fighting the urge to smirk when you see your dad blush slightly at your question.

“You figured that out quickly, huh?” Maverick asks with a soft chuckle.

“You think I’d miss something as obvious as that? Nice try.” You say with a laugh, feeling your phone buzz in your pocket and you pull it out to find a message from Bradley, letting you know he was at the end of the road waiting for you.

“Look, I have to go. Call Penny.” You say, pointing at your dad with a joking warning finger before leaving the house, looking up and down the road until you spot a figure waiting at one end of the road and head towards them, knowing instantly that it was Bradley. You make your way towards him, your smile widening when he notices you, revealing a bunch of flowers he had behind his back.

“Hey.” Bradley says softly, smiling as you take the flowers.

“Hey.” You reply, admiring the beautiful flowers Bradley had picked out, he had assembled a bouquet of red carnations, it was simple but so beautiful and you couldn’t help but love Bradley just that little bit more because of it.

“I hope those flowers are okay.” Bradley says sheepishly, offering an arm out for you to take which you do so happily, letting him lead you to where he had parked his beloved Bronco nearby and opening the passenger side door for you, letting you get in the car before closing the door, rounding the car and getting in the driver's seat, starting up the engine and beginning the drive to the little restaurant Bradley had picked. The drive wasn’t too long, and you chatted the whole way. When you reached the restaurant, Bradley insisted you stayed put while he went and opened your door for you, telling you that you could leave the flowers on the seat for now before closing the door behind you and leading you into the restaurant.

“Hi, I have a reservation, should be under Bradshaw.” Bradley greets the host with a smile who consults the list in front of him before instructing you to both follow him. You follow him through the restaurant with Bradley by your side. You were shocked to find that Bradley had managed to reserve a table by a large window so you could overlook the beach and ocean, able to see the sun beginning its descent over the horizon.

“Bradley, this is amazing!” You say, unable to keep the excitement from your tone as Bradley yet again pulls your chair out for you, waiting for you to sit before tucking the chair a little closer to the table before going to his own seat.

“I wanted to make sure we had a good first date.” Bradley admits with a light shrug as he eases himself down into his seat, both of you picking up your menus in tandem, letting out a soft chuckle as you do so. You both scan the menus, talking about which meals sounded good before you both eventually came to a decision on meals and a drink. When the waiter comes around asking if you’re ready to order, both you and Bradley nod and ever the gentleman, Bradley lets you order first before ordering his own food and drink. The waiter writes down your orders before dismissing himself with the promise to return with your drinks, so you and Bradley pick up your conversation, both of you overwhelmingly happy with how the evening is going even if the date had only just started. Soon enough, the waiter returns with the drinks, placing them in front of you before dismissing himself again to serve other customers while your food is being prepared. By the time the food had arrived, you were sure that had you been on a date with anyone else, you would’ve run out of things to say but since it was Bradley, the conversation flowed naturally, and you never seemed to have a lull in the conversation even once and before too long your food arrived, and you both began to dig in.

“I never asked the other day. But how are you finding Chicago?” Bradley asks after a mouthful of food.

“It’s good. Obviously, I’ve been out there a while but I’m enjoying myself. I have some great friends out there, but I do feel quite far away from dad sometimes.” You admit, eyes flicking down to your plate before looking back up at Bradley who smiles in understanding.

“I get that. It’s hard to be away from family.” Bradley says, a soft understanding tone to his voice which makes you feel awful. You knew he had lost both his parents before he even reached the age of eighteen.

“Bradley, I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to-”

“No don’t worry, honestly. It’s good. The more I talk about them the easier it gets.” Bradley says with a gentle smile, letting you know there were no hard feelings about it. With the topic settled, you were able to start a new conversation and the rest of the night ran smoothly. When it came to paying the bill, you went to get your card out, hand reaching to hand it to the waiter, but Bradley was quicker, gently taking your card from your hand and giving his card to the waiter instead.

“Bradley, come on I can pay.” You insist, your pleas in vain as the waiter begins to process the payment with Bradley’s card.

“I asked you on this date. It’s on me.” Bradley retorts with a grin, thanking the waiter as his card is handed back to him, finally giving your card back to you, chuckling as you huff lightly. Once everything is confirmed to have gone through, you’re given the freedom to leave and Bradley gets up first and you follow, letting him guide you through the bustling restaurant until you reach the cool night air of the outside world. You head back to the Bronco, of course letting Bradley open your door for you again. On the journey back, you both continue to talk with each other, even singing along lightly to one of the songs that come over the radio. By the time Bradley pulled up on the end of your road you couldn’t help but feel your heart sink at the realisation that the date was over. You had the best time with Bradley, and you wished you could spend more time with him. Once again, Bradley made you wait for him to open your door before you got out of the Bronco, this time you brought the flowers with you.

“I had the best night, Bradley.” You admit softly, smiling as Bradley smiles in response.

“So did I. Do you think we could have a second date?” Bradley asks, a slight sheepishness to his tone as he asks.

“I’d love to. This time, I’m picking the place and I’m paying.” You insist, pointing a joking finger at him as he laughs and shakes his head.

“Alright, you can pick. I’ll still come by and pick you up though.” Bradley replies, raising an eyebrow as you let out a soft sigh and nod.

“Deal.” You say, holding your free hand out for Bradley to shake which he does so.

“Deal.” Bradley agrees, squeezing your hand ever so softly before letting go.

“I’ll text you the details.” You say as Bradley nods.

“Got it. I can’t wait.” He replies, smiling as you nod in response.

“Good night, Bradley.” You say softly.

“Good night, y/n.” Bradley replies, his voice matching yours in softness. Just as you turn to head back to your dad’s house, you decide to turn to face Bradley and then kiss his cheek softly before whispering one last good night and heading back to Maverick’s house. As you head back to the house, you missed Bradley flushing a deep red with an awestruck smile on his face, watching as you walked down the road, unaware of the effect you had on him.

When you reached your dad’s house, you noticed that his bike was absent which made you tilt your head slightly in confusion before just deciding to shrug it off and enter the house. You were surprised to find none of the lights on, you flipped them on and found a note on the little shelf where the key bowl was. You opened the note and saw your dad’s scratchy handwriting, informing you that he’d gone to Penny’s house, making your eyebrows raise slightly in shock.

“Didn’t think he’d actually listen to me.” You mutter to yourself, heading through the house to try and find something in the kitchen that could act as a vase for the beautiful flowers Bradley had gotten for you. After searching for a few minutes, you were able to find something that would work and you filled it with water, putting the flowers in before heading upstairs to your room. You place the flowers on the bedside table before getting changed and then heading into the bathroom to clean your face and brush your teeth before getting into bed. You chose to stay up for a while to text Bradley before you both eventually decided to go to bed with the promise of talking in the morning.

The next morning, you woke up and were somewhat unsurprised to find that your dad was still out, so you looked around in the kitchen and found some food to make yourself some breakfast. As you prepared your breakfast, you texted Bradley a good morning message, smiling to yourself when he replied not long after you had sent your message. You continue to text him as you eat your food, unable to rid yourself of your smile as he continues to send you texts. In between messaging Bradley, you find yourself looking online for things to do that could potentially make an interesting date night for you and Bradley. You had decided that you weren’t going to actively look for a restaurant as you wanted to branch out a little and find something different for the two of you to do and as you searched you eventually found a nice-looking mini golf place along the beachfront and when you sent some pictures of the place to Bradley and proposed it as the location of your second date just for a little bit of fun he was more than onboard with the idea. The two of you decide on a time to meet later that day. You knew it was probably a bit soon to have a second date the day after the first, but you weren’t permanently in Miramar, and you were both aware of it and wanted to make the most of you being here.

Just as you finish cleaning up after yourself after finishing your food, you hear the front door open and Maverick call into the house, letting you know he has returned. You called back to Maverick, letting him know that you were just in the kitchen. It didn’t take him very long to head to the kitchen and you could tell from his face that he had a good night.

“So… how was Penny’s?” You ask with a raised eyebrow and smirk as your dad rolls his eyes at your words, heading to the coffee machine, grabbing a mug and filling it with coffee.

“I’m pretty sure you can figure it out for yourself.” Maverick mutters, silently willing his mug to fill up with coffee quickly.

“I’m sure I can.” You say with a soft chuckle, focusing on cleaning up after yourself.

“Did you have a good time calling your friend last night?” Maverick asks, finally picking up his mug and taking a sip of coffee.

“Yeah, she loved seeing the beach. She couldn’t stop talking about how jealous she was of the beach sunsets.” The lie came quickly and easily and thankfully your dad didn’t think much of it, just nodding lightly and continuing to sip on his coffee. It didn’t look like your dad was awake enough to hold a functioning conversation, so you quietly dismissed yourself, heading upstairs to shower and get changed so you’re ready for the day.

After showering, you enter your room to get changed and you smiled when you caught sight of the flowers on your bedside table. You couldn’t wait to spend another evening with Bradley. You don’t know how you were going to keep lying to your dad, especially if your next date went as well as the last and you were going to come back to Miramar in the future. You wished your dad could be okay with the idea of you and Bradley being together. You valued your dad’s opinion so much and you thought he of all people would be okay with you potentially dating Bradley. Bradley was an aviator, but he wasn’t one of the aviators your dad was talking about when he enforced the rule. Shaking yourself out of your thoughts, you finish getting ready for the day and head back downstairs and find your dad fast asleep on the sofa.

“You are the only person I know who could drink coffee and fall asleep right after.” You mutter quietly to yourself, picking up the empty mug and taking it to the dishwasher as you reminisce on all the times your dad would doze off so soon after having a cup of coffee. After the brief tidy up you debate your next move. Part of you wanted to go and hang out with Bradley, but you didn’t know where he lived, nor did you want him to get sick of seeing you before your second date. So, you ended up deciding to just entertain yourself, you had a book, and the beach was nearby so you decided to take yourself down to the beach to read and soak up the sun while you could. You packed up a small bag with your book and a couple of other little things you figured you’d need while you were out before leaving a little note on the coffee table in front of your dad so he wouldn’t panic when he eventually woke up.

After you left the house, you slowly made your way towards the beach. It had so quickly become one of your favourite spots in Miramar and it made you happy that your dad had finally been able to settle down somewhere as beautiful as this. You sat yourself down on the towel you had brought with yourself and opened your book, eyes beginning to scan the pages, getting immersed in the world you were reading about. There were a few times when cocky Top Gun trainees would whistle to get your attention and then flex and show off in front of you, all of them unaware of you rolling your eyes beneath your sunglasses. Those were the type of aviators you had vowed to avoid. And they didn’t know that your heart had already been stolen by a much kinder and gentler aviator. One who was more than likely their superior. Once you stopped paying them any mind, they grew bored in trying to get your attention and instead found someone else who would give them the attention they wanted. You were able to get through a good chunk of your book with the sounds of the beach surrounding you. Just as you decided to pack up and head back home, figuring you had been out long enough, you caught sight of a family playing on the beach, the father scooping his son up and holding him close as the boy giggled and hugged his dad. The sight made your heart melt, and it made you wish all the more that you could remember the time you had spent in Miramar when you were little.

After tearing your eyes away from the sight, you started to make your way home, still finding yourself admiring your surroundings with every step you took. It didn’t take you long to make your way back to your dad’s house and just as you entered the house, you heard the tv playing in the living room, letting you know that your dad was now a bit more awake. You then head into the living room, greeting your dad as you enter the room, smiling at him as he greets you in return.

“Did you have a good time at the beach?” Maverick asks as you ease yourself down onto the armchair, nodding as you sit down.

“It was nice to just relax and read my book. I don’t get to do that much back in Chicago.” You say, glad you took the time you had to take care of yourself and relax at somewhere as beautiful as the beach.

“I’m glad you got a chance to relax. It must get pretty busy with your job, huh?” Maverick muses, realising he’s never truly sat down and thought about how busy your life can be.

“It’s a lot of long hours. But I knew what I was getting myself into when I pursued this career.” You admit. You had inherited a lot from your dad, one of which was your willingness to put in the hard work to get yourself where you wanted to be in life.

“I probably don’t say this enough but I’m so proud of you.” Maverick says softly, smiling over at you which makes you smile at his words.

“That means a lot, dad. Thank you.” You say softly, both of you standing from where you were sat and crossing to each other, hugging each other tightly. It wasn’t that your dad didn’t tell you he was proud of you, even if he thought he didn’t say it enough, in fact, he had said it to you a lot growing up. When you graduated college, you were sure he said it a hundred times just at the ceremony alone. Every time he told you that he was proud of you, it made your heart swell. All you ever wanted to do was make your dad proud.

You decide to spend the day spending time with your dad, talking about things and even coercing him into telling you a few stories from when you were little and lived in Miramar. It was nice to hear some stories from your childhood, especially when Goose, Carole, and Bradley were involved in the stories. You knew your dad missed his friends, and that was part of the reason you didn’t want your potential relationship with Bradley to drive a wedge between them. They were both the last thing left they had of Goose and Carole, and you’d never forgive yourself if you ruined their relationship after they had just mended it. When it grows close to the time you agreed to meet with Bradley, you begin to excuse yourself, getting up from the sofa.

“Where are you off to tonight?” Maverick asks, watching as you get up and begin to cross to the doorway so you can freshen up.

“I found a mini golf place down by the beach and Bradley kindly agreed to come with me for a friendly match.” You say with a grin, hoping your dad doesn’t think too much about Bradley being mentioned.

“You’ve seemed so much happier now you’ve reconnected with Bradley.” Maverick says, clearly not missing the effect Bradley had on you since you started talking with him again.

“I didn’t realise how much I missed him until we started talking again.” You admit with a light shrug, trying not to give too much away about your feelings for Bradley.

“Well, I’m glad you two have been able to be friends again.” Maverick says with a nod, silently dismissing you and you take the chance, heading upstairs to change and freshen up for meeting Bradley.

It takes practically no time for you to freshen up and get ready for your second date with Bradley. You were silently thankful that you had the sense to pack some cute outfits for your visit because now you didn’t feel like you had to panic and find clothes that might work. When you finish getting ready, you head back downstairs after checking your phone and seeing a text from Bradley saying that he’s on his way, grab your key, and bid your dad a quick goodbye as you make your way out the door.

Once more you make your way down the road, realising that you beat Bradley to where you agreed to meet. You waited patiently for but a couple of minutes before Bradley walked up alongside you.

“Funny seeing you here.” Bradley says jokingly, both of smiling as you turn to face him.

“I never could’ve expected to run into you here.” You say, a joking sarcastic tone to your voice as you let out a breathy laugh before giving Bradley the hug he offered. After greeting each other, you both begin the walk to the mini golf place. It wasn’t too far from your dad’s house, and you enjoyed getting to walk with Bradley, especially when you had no shortage of conversation topics. It didn’t take you long to reach the mini golf course and as you got closer; you began to take longer strides to get out in front of Bradley to ensure you could pay for it. Thankfully, Bradley stuck true to the deal and patiently waited for you to pay, only stepping closer when the employee at the booth handed you two golf clubs and two golf balls, taking one of each from you.

“Let’s play.”

As you make your way around the course, taking it in turns while making light conversation with each other each step of the way. As you get ready to take your first shot on the course you had moved on to, Bradley quickly steps forward.

“Hey, do you mind if I just do something that might help you really quick?” Bradley asks, making your focus shift from the golf ball to him.

“Yes, of course.” You say with a smile, waiting as Bradley takes a step closer to you.

“Do you mind if I touch you?” Bradley asks, his voice soft as he studies your expression, not wanting to make you uncomfortable.

“Yes.” Your voice is just as soft as his. Bradley then gently rests his hands on your hips, missing how your breath hitches in your throat at the gentle contact.

“Is this okay?” His voice was soft against the shell of your ear, making your heart pound ten times faster.

“Of course.” You mumbled, fighting the feeling of your cheeks heating up as Bradley carefully adjusted your body, his hands remaining on your hips even after he had finished adjusting your body.

“There, try taking a swing now.” Bradley says, removing his hands from your hips and taking a small step back, making you hold back a frown at the sudden lack of contact. You try to focus yourself after Bradley had stepped away, focusing on where you needed to aim for, and not shifting your body from where Bradley had carefully placed it. You took a deep breath before swinging your club, hitting the golf ball with just enough power to bag yourself a hole-in-one.

“I did it!” You cry out triumphantly, holding your hands up in celebration.

“There you go!” Bradley praises, pulling you into a hug, and carefully avoiding your golf club.

“You’ve given away your best trick. Now I’m going to kick your ass.” You say smugly, laughing as Bradley shakes his head jokingly.

“You’re definitely a Mitchell with that competitive attitude.” Bradley jokes, making you roll your eyes before you and Bradley begin to move on to the next part of the course. It doesn’t take the two of you much longer to get through the remainder of the course and by the time you had finished, you had practically stopped keeping score, instead just focusing on having fun with each other. After returning the clubs to the employee at the booth, you took a little walk further down the beach, finding a wall to sit down at to watch the waves crashing gently against the shore. You and Bradley continue to converse quietly, taking in the beautiful sights the San Diego beach has to offer. At a lull in the conversation, Bradley turned to face you, making you mimic his actions.

“Are you okay, Bradley?” You ask softly, analysing his expression, trying to anticipate what he might say to you.

“Can I kiss you?” Bradley’s question took you off guard, yet you couldn’t stop your heart from pounding in excitement.

“Yes.” You replied breathlessly, and at your response, Bradley gently cupped your face in his hands, inching closer before his lips met yours, your eyes fluttering shut at the contact. The kiss was perfect, it was like putting together two pieces of a puzzle. You didn’t want the moment to end at all but eventually, the need for air became too much and you both gently pulled away from each other, smiling as you locked eyes.

“That was… wow.” You say breathlessly.

“I’m hoping that was a good wow.” Bradley says with a grin and a raised eyebrow.

“It definitely was.” You reply, leaning in for another kiss which Bradley is more than happy to reciprocate.

“Do you think we could make this official? Will you be my girlfriend?” Bradley asks, watching you with the gentlest gaze.

“I’d be a fool to say no to you.” You say happily, pulling Bradley into a hug, your grin widening further than you thought possible, especially when Bradley pressed a soft kiss to the top of your head as he squeezed you ever so slightly closer. You had never been happier than you were in this moment with Bradley. The two of you continue to chat, embracing each other as you watch the sunset across the horizon.

“We should probably get you home, huh?” Bradley muses softly when he feels you shiver against him, instantly shedding his jacket and wrapping it around your shoulders. You get up wordlessly, waiting for Bradley to follow suit and then you begin to slowly walk back together, hands interlinked as you quietly converse, nothing able to wipe the smiles from your faces. When you eventually reach the end of the road leading to your dad’s house once more, you turn to face Bradley.

“Tonight was amazing.” You say, squeezing Bradley’s hand softly.

“It was.” Bradley agrees softly.

“Looks like we have an excuse to see each other more before I leave then?” You muse softly, looking at Bradley as he nods.

“Absolutely.” Bradley says, his smile gentle.

“We can meet at the Hard Deck tomorrow. My squad will be there, but I won’t make you introduce yourself if you don’t want to though. We can find a quieter part of the bar to hang out.” Bradley then continues, carefully picking his words in an attempt to not scare you off.

“I wouldn’t mind meeting your team. I believe I owe one of them a thank you for saving you and dad on that mission you went on.” You say, more than happy to meet Bradley’s team.

“Don’t thank him, it’ll go straight to his head and then he won’t be able to shut up about it for ages.” Bradley says with a laugh, thinking about how Jake would react to being thanked.

“Well, I at the very least owe him a drink for what he did.” You say with a light shrug and a smile.

“I won’t stop you but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Bradley says with a soft shake of the head, making you roll your eyes with a light scoff.

“I can handle egotistical aviators any day of the week.” You say, folding your arms across your chest and raising your eyebrow as if accepting a challenge.

“You know, I’d pay good money to see you put Hangman in his place.” Bradley admits, chuckling to himself at the mental image of you taking Jake down a peg or two.

“If I need to, I will.” You say with a soft laugh, both you and Bradley knowing that you can absolutely handle yourself. You then both fall silent for a brief moment before Bradley clears his throat softly.

“I should probably let you head back.” Bradley says, nodding in the direction of Maverick’s house, not wanting to keep too long.

“Thank you again. Tonight was amazing.” You say, taking Bradley’s jacket off and handing it to him.

“I should be thanking you.” Bradley says, slipping his jacket back on.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Bradley.” You whisper, stepping closer to Bradley and placing a quick, soft kiss on his lips, pulling away with a smile.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.” Bradley whispers in response, smiling sweetly as you take a small step back offering him one last smile before turning around and making your way back to your dad’s house with a wide smile that you were sure could never fade.

When you entered the house, you were unsurprised to hear the tv on in the living room. After all, you and Bradley hadn’t been out too long, so it made sense that your dad was still up and about.

“Hey, dad.” You say, standing in the doorway to the living room, smiling as he looks over at you.

“Hey, sweetheart. How was the mini golf?” Maverick asks, his focus completely on you.

“It was great. We had a good time. I kicked Bradley’s ass of course.” You say, jokingly bragging even though you had no idea who had won or lost between you and Bradley.

“That’s my girl. Want to finish watching this movie with me?” Maverick offers, patting the sofa to encourage you over. You nod and cross the room to the sofa, easing yourself down on the sofa next to your dad, relaxing back against the cushions as you watch the movie. You loved watching movies with your dad, you had similar tastes in movies, and you made funny comments to each other during the movie, commenting on a character’s choice or how you would’ve handled a situation. Partway through the movie, your dad decided to order some food given that the two of you hadn’t had any dinner. The two of you perused a menu and picked some food before Maverick placed the order. You both continue to watch the movie until the doorbell rings, giving away that the food has arrived, and you go to pick it up from the delivery driver while Maverick grabs some plates and drinks. Once all the food is plated up, you focus back on the movie, still exchanging comments and enjoying each other’s company. It felt like forever since you had been able to spend time with your dad like this and you were so grateful that you took the time off to come and visit him.

By the time the movie had finished, the food had been eaten and you were feeling the excitement of the day catching up to you, so you stood up, stretching your arms above your head as you stood.

“I might go and start winding down. I’m exhausted.” You say, a yawn spilling past your lips as you talk, emphasising your point.

“I believe you. You go and get an early night, sweetheart.” Maverick says as you pick up your plate and cup, nodding lightly at his words, heading into the kitchen to put your things away before returning to the living room just as Maverick was standing up himself.

“Night, dad.” You mumble, reaching out to hug your dad which he happily reciprocates, holding you close.

“Night, y/n.” Maverick replies, squeezing you a little tighter before releasing you. When he lets you go, you head up to your room and quickly get ready for bed, clambering under the covers and texting Bradley. You had a back-and-forth chat with him, telling him about how excited you were to see him next and how you couldn’t wait to meet his team. You also confessed that you would like to tell your dad about your new relationship with Bradley before you went back to Chicago, but you wanted Bradley’s thoughts first and he let you know that whenever you were ready, he’d be there to help you tell Maverick.

Eventually, you fell asleep and when you woke up in the morning, you remembered that you’d be meeting with Bradley at the Hard Deck, and it kicked you into high gear. You knew you wouldn’t be meeting him until the late afternoon, but you wanted to ensure that you had sufficient time to prepare for the evening. You got up and once you were showered and dressed, you headed downstairs to make some breakfast for you and your dad. As you prepared the breakfast, you put the radio on quietly for some background noise and you hummed lightly to the song playing.

When Maverick came down for breakfast, you had just begun plating it up and you handed him a plate just as he began to sit down. You then poured him a mug of coffee, placing it down on the table with a smile before focusing on plating up your own food. You then sit down opposite your dad and the two of you have a chat over dinner. You decided you’d spend the day with your dad before heading to the Hard Deck, so you laid out a plan with your dad since you knew you didn’t have much longer left in Miramar. You were excited to do some more things with your dad, especially given the number of times you’d been disappearing in the evenings to hang out with Bradley. You go with your dad to various places around Miramar that you haven’t seen yet. He even took you to Top Gun, showing you around his workplace, and even able to show you some of the jets he flew. Stepping back into Top Gun felt familiar to you, you didn’t have any concrete memories of the building, but the familiarity was overwhelming, and you were so happy your dad found himself back at Top Gun, so he not only had the familiarity but because he also had the stability of working in one place without having to move constantly. By the time you had finished the tour of Top Gun, you became aware of the time and turned to your dad.

“Hey, dad. I promised Bradley I’d meet with him at the Hard Deck to meet his team in like an hour or so. Is it okay if I head home to get sorted?” You ask, turning to face your dad.

“You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with Bradley. Is there anything you should know about?” Maverick asks, eyebrow slightly raised as he watches you.

“Dad, it’s not like that. He just wanted me to meet his friends. Besides, I do owe one of them a drink at least for saving you and Bradley.” You reply, shrugging lightly as you explain yourself. You longed to tell your dad, but you knew it wasn’t the right time, not without Bradley to support you through it.

“Well, that’ll go straight to his head.” Maverick says with a chuckle gesturing with his head for you to follow him which you do so, trying to hide your smirk when you realise your dad has said practically the same thing that Bradley had when you mentioned buying a drink for the aviator who saved both your dad and Bradley. You followed your dad out to his car, finding it a little bit funny at the number of times he’s used the car in the duration of your stay when you know he’d much rather be riding around on his motorbike. You both get into the car and Maverick begins the drive back to his house.

Once he pulls up and parks the car, you both get out and you make your way into the house and up to your room so you can freshen up. After you’ve made yourself a little more presentable for the evening, you head back downstairs to spend a little bit more time with your dad before heading down to the Hard Deck. Just before you leave to head down to the bar, you bid your dad goodbye, promising to be back before it’s too late.

The walk to the Hard Deck was quiet without Bradley around to keep you company, but you knew you’d be seeing him soon enough. Besides, as you made your way down to the bar, you were able to appreciate the beauty around you before you had to go back to Chicago.

By the time you make it to the Hard Deck, you feel your phone buzz in your pocket making you stop in your tracks, pull your phone out of your pocket to read the message you had received from Bradley, letting you know that he was in the Hard Deck and that you could just head in whenever you were ready. Taking a deep breath, you head into the bustling bar, glancing around and quickly locating Bradley just by his Hawaiian shirt, seeing him standing with a group of people who you could only assume were his team. As you cross the room, Bradley turns around and catches sight of you, eyes lighting up as he smiles and crosses to meet you in the middle, instantly capturing your lips in his for a sweet kiss.

“Well, that’s one way to say hello.” You mumble with a smile as you both pull away slightly, smiling at each other.

“I’m just happy to see you.” Bradley confesses softly, pulling you into a gentle hug, and pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“That makes both of us.” You reply happily, eyes fluttering closed in the embrace for a brief moment before you pull away.

“Let’s get you acquainted with the team, shall we?” Bradley says, wrapping a gentle arm around your waist and guiding you over to the group of people he had just been standing with by the pool table. As you approach the group, Bradley is quick to introduce you to everyone, making sure he made it known that you were his girlfriend before he introduced everyone by name. Once you had been introduced to everyone, you turned to address the group.

“Alright, so which of you is the one I owe a drink for saving my dad and Bradley?” You ask, making the group exchange looks at the realisation that you’re not only Bradley’s girlfriend but Maverick’s daughter as well. Once they get over the initial shock of the revelation, a blond man steps forward, a cocky smirk on his face as he smiles at you.

“Well, sounds like you owe me a drink then.” He says with a smirk, leaning back against the pool table with an eyebrow raised.

“I’m a woman of my word.” You say simply, shrugging with a laugh before going over to the bar to order a drink for both you and Jake from Penny, greeting her happily as you do so. When you’ve grabbed the drinks, you return to the group, handing one of the beers to Jake which he takes happily, making sure everyone saw the special treatment he believed he was getting.

“You weren’t lying when you said it would go to his head.” You muse with a laugh as Bradley winds an arm around your middle, pulling your back to his chest as he lets out a soft chuckle.

“He’s just warming up.”

Unbeknownst to you and the others, Maverick entered the bar while you were all occupied with your conversations and sat himself at the bar, smiling at Penny as he did so. As he received his drink, he glanced over at you with the Daggers, and his eyebrows furrowed as he saw the embrace Bradley had you in, and he certainly didn’t miss Bradley pressing soft kisses to your cheek as you laughed, looking up at him with all the love in the world.

“Did you know about them?” Maverick asks the next time Penny stops in front of him, gesturing over in your direction with his head.

“No more than you did clearly. But it was obvious they liked each other the moment they had that little meet-up when y/n first came back. Bradley did mention you warning him away from her though.” Penny says, focusing her attention on a stain on the bar top and wiping a cloth along it.

“I just didn’t want her to get hurt. I know what aviators are like.” Maverick says, eyes fixed on the drop of condensation running down the beer bottle in his hand.

“Pete, she’s not a child and I’m sure she’s told you as much. Besides, Bradley looks at her like she holds the entire world in her hands. Bradley’s not like the others. Give him a chance.” Penny says softly, watching the man in front of her softly, seeing how he silently processes her words. Instead of responding, Maverick looked back over to where you and Bradley were, and he could see the look of love evident on both of your faces.

Suddenly, a patron at the bar who was clearly already much too drunk stumbled in your direction and Maverick was convinced he had never seen a quicker reaction from Bradley until right now. Bradley, with one of the arms he had wrapped around your middle, carefully manoeuvred you so that you were now behind him, and he took the brunt of the patron falling on him, immediately steadying him while shooting him a warning look. Once the guy had wandered back to his friends, Bradley turned around to face you, placing gentle hands on your hips and giving you a soft kiss, pulling away with a gentle smile before inaudibly chuckling at something you said.

“They look happy together.” Maverick says softly, thinking of how Goose used to look at Carole the same way Bradley was looking at you.

“They do. Give Bradley a chance.” Penny reiterates, looking down at Maverick who nods sheepishly.

“I’ll speak to them in a bit. I don’t want to disturb them yet.” Maverick says, turning his attention to Penny, smiling softly at her before striking up a new conversation with her.

Across the bar, you were talking to the Daggers, finding out some more stories from when Bradley had first come back to Top Gun.

“Should’ve seen him. He was a menace when he found out Maverick was teaching. Damn near got themselves killed during training with the stunts they pulled.” Jake explains, beer in hand as he leans up against a nearby table as you watch Bradley and Natasha play a game of pool against each other.

“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me. Bradley was pretty pissed at dad when everything went down, and dad’s stubborn as anything.” You say with a gentle roll of the eyes.

“I’m just glad they got past their issues by the time they went on the mission. I hate to admit it, but they’re our best solo aviators.” Javy admits with a chuckle, making you smile as Jake gawps in mock shock.

“I’m right here you know. I’m the one who saved their asses.” Jake shoots in retaliation, making you and Javy laugh to yourselves.

“What are you two laughing about?” Bradley asks with a smile, sidling up alongside you.

“Javy admitting that you and dad were among the best two pilots for the mission seemed to be a bit of a hit to Jake’s ego.” You explain, making Bradley chuckle as he reaches out to clap Jake on the shoulder then holding out the pool stick for him to take.

“Let’s step outside for a minute.” Bradley mumbles, his voice low as he dips his head near your ear so you can have a semi-private conversation with the bustling volume of the bar. You nod and let Bradley lead you towards the front door of the bar, both of you instantly stopping in your tracks when you see your dad standing near the door, a soft smile on his face.

“Can we talk?” He asks the two of you, eyes flicking between you and Bradley as you both nod lightly. Maverick then gestures for you to follow him outside which you do, stepping out onto the deck and watching the waves crash against the beach.

“Mav I-”

“Bradley, I think it’s best I do the talking here. Look I was wrong to tell the two of you to stay away from each other. Just seeing the two of you earlier was enough of a wake-up call for me to realise that I was being a dick and that you both clearly love each other. I won’t get in your way.” Maverick says, making you and Bradley exchange a look before looking back at your dad.

“Dad…” You mumble, heart softening at your dad’s gentle smile.

“Bradley looks at you the same way Goose looked at Carole.” Maverick then continues, making you look at Bradley who has a slight blush painted across his cheeks at the revelation.

“Thank you, Mav. I promise I’ll look after her.” Bradley promises, holding a hand out for Bradley to shake, instead being pulled into a hug by your dad.

“I know you will.” Maverick says reassuringly before pulling away from the embrace, patting Bradley on the shoulder, and taking a step back before you hug your dad gratefully.

“I love you dad, thank you for giving us a chance.” You whisper, only audible to you and Maverick.

“I love you too, sweetheart. Now, enjoy the rest of your evening.” Maverick replies, squeezing you a little tighter and planting a kiss on the top of your head before releasing you and heading back into the Hard Deck. After the door closes behind your dad, Bradley turns to face you with a grin and slightly raised eyebrow.

“Would you like to come to mine?”

It took practically no time for you and Bradley to get back to his small house, the two of you head into the living room and settle down on the sofa. As you sit down, Bradley wraps an arm around you and pulls you into his side gently. At the shift of embrace, you look up at Bradley, a soft smile on your face that matches his. Before you knew it, you started to lean up to press your lips to his softly, pulling away for a brief moment to adjust yourself, turning yourself more towards Bradley and cupping his face in your hands before kissing him once more. Bradley was quick to reciprocate the kiss, bracing a gentle hand on the back of your head in an attempt to hold you closer while his other hand winds around your waist, pulling you closer in that way as well as your eyes and his flutter closed. When the need for air becomes too much for both of you, you pull away but only enough to press your foreheads against each other, eyes opening again as your hand drifts up to play with Bradley’s hair.

“I know your dad pointed it out earlier but… I love you.” Bradley murmurs, a shy smile on his face as you smile back.

“I love you too.” You reply quietly before Bradley reconnects your lips for another kiss. Pulling you impossibly closer until air is needed once more.

“I know I’ve already asked you to be my girl, but what if you stayed? Is there a way you could stay here, with me?” Bradley asks, knowing that it was probably a long shot to ask you such a question, especially when the two of you had not long got together but he couldn’t just sit by and let his chances slip by again. To his surprise, you smiled, and gently ran a hand through his hair.

“I was actually visiting for more than just seeing dad. I actually got an offer to transfer to a hospital here in San Diego. I wanted to see the area before I made a choice and… I think I have a reason to accept it now.” You say, barely able to finish your sentence before Bradley kisses you again, gently pushing you back until you are lying back on the sofa with him hovering over you.

“Well looks like we have some good news to celebrate then.” Bradley says after breaking the kiss, smiling down at you as you smile back.

“Sounds like we do.” You mumble before grabbing the lapels of Bradley’s Hawaiian shirt to pull him back down for another kiss.

“I think we should take this to my room.” Bradley mumbles against your lips, making you loosen your grip on his shirt slightly so he can pull away, pulling you up with him yet still unable to keep his hands and lips off you as you make your way upstairs to his room. Just as you reach the door to his room you begin tugging his Hawaiian shirt off, carelessly discarding it on the floor as Bradley braces himself against the door, pushing it open behind him as you stumble in after him.

You couldn’t wait to make the move to Miramar now you had Bradley. You knew he was worth the risk.

[rosiahills22]

The Younger Kind Part 61 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: The wedding day itself wasn't all that important to Bradley. He just wanted to get to the point where you and he were officially married, and the details didn't much matter. At least that's what he thought before he saw you step out of the house. Then he realized that these were the exact moments he'd never planned for but desperately needed to experience.

Warnings: pregnancy topics, swearing, smut, fluff, and age gap (18+)

Length: 5400 words

Pairing: Single dad!Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x babysitter!female reader

Check out my masterlist for more! The Younger Kind masterlist.

Bradley must have been able to tell that you were anxious on Friday evening. It was just a normal day, really. He went to work and dropped Noah off at preschool on the way. You used a vacation day to clean up the house a little bit with the promise that you wouldn't overexert yourself. And you made some snack trays for Saturday afternoon along with a lasagna for dinner.

But to you, it wasn't a normal day at all, because you were getting married tomorrow. Whenever you started thinking about it, you had to stop what you were doing and sit down for a few minutes. When Bradley left with Noah this morning, he kissed you goodbye like he always did, seemingly unfazed by the weekend plans. But now it was hitting you hard. You were getting married.

When the boys got home, they ran inside while Skittles barked at them. "Hi, Mommy! I painted a wedding!"

Bradley scooped Noah up with one arm before he got to you, and Noah brandished a colorful painting that looked absolutely nothing like a wedding, but you took it and exclaimed, 'It's perfect!"

"I know," he replied as you kissed him on the cheek. Then he started to squirm to the floor, and after that, Bradley's lips were on yours.

"It smells good in here," he whispered. Then he really looked at your face and asked, "Everything okay?"

You nodded and kind of half shrugged. "Yeah."

"You and the baby feeling okay?"

"Mmhmm."

He gave you a skeptical look. "We're getting married tomorrow, Baby," he murmured, holding up a cup from the coffee shop. He'd written Princess across it like he always did, and you looked up at his earnest eyes as tears filled yours. "If you've got cold feet, then I-"

"No!" you gasped, reaching for the cup and pressing your body to his. "No," you told him with all of the conviction you had. "I love you." His arm wrapped around your back, and you felt instantly better. You tried not to jostle the coffee too much as you ran your fingers along his cheek and up into his hair. "It's just hard for me to believe I was just your babysitter earlier this year."

Bradley smiled and said, "You were never just my babysitter. God, I wanted you bad. Right from the start. In my bed, and in my life."

You let your cheek rest against his shoulder as you inhaled the scent of French vanilla coffee, and Bradley traced your spine with his fingers until you shivered. "I wanted you just as bad, Daddy."

He kissed the top of your head. "Nothing's changing. You know that, right? We'll just have a little piece of paper saying we're legally married, but nothing is really going to change. We can take a honeymoon next year. We can eventually tell your parents we got married if you feel like it, or not. We can talk about combining the rest of our bank accounts if you want to. But it's still just me and you. Us and Noah and the baby."

"And Skittles."

"Obviously Skittles, too," he said, and of course the dog came running into the room.

As the kitchen timer started going off, you tried to slip out of his grasp, but he held on. "Tell me what's bothering you first."

You buried your face against his neck and inhaled deeply. Bradley smelled like home. "I'm a little nervous. I wrote my vows, and now I think they sound stupid."

"Nothing you say could sound stupid to me."

You groaned and added, "And I'm exhausted by eight o'clock every night now, and we have all these people coming over for the wedding. I look tired all the time."

"You're beautiful all the time. And I'll kick everyone out after dinner. I'm not going to want them here after that anyway."

When you laughed, Bradley started walking with you held against him. The kitchen timer was still beeping, and you didn't want dinner to burn, but you didn't want him to let go of you either. "I just want to adopt Noah and have a million more nights like this one," you whispered, still holding Bradley's hand and the coffee as he pulled the meal out of the oven.

You took a sip of your drink and it was delicious, and so were Bradley's words as he told you, "Then that's what you'll get."

So maybe it was kind of a regular night after all. You cut up Noah's dinner into bite size pieces for him, and Bradley was drawing lazy shapes on your pregnant belly with his knuckles while he ate. Then he cleaned up after he sent you and Noah to the couch to watch Mickey Mouse cartoons.

"Mommy, do you remember when we met Mickey? With Aunt Natasha?"

"I sure do," you said with a yawn. "That was the best day." Then Noah yawned, too, and it didn't take much coaxing to get him into his pajamas and into bed.

"Will you lay with me?" he asked as you tucked him in.

"Just for a minute, because I need to finish a few things for the wedding tomorrow."

You climbed into his bed, and the next thing you knew, Bradley was waking you up with a kiss. "Come on, Baby. Let's get in our bed."

You groaned and let him help you stand, and you ran your fingers through Noah's hair. "What time is it? I still need to vacuum and wash the kitchen floor."

"I already did it," he whispered as he led you out of the room.

You yawned. "I wanted to shower and shave my legs."

"Do it tomorrow. Or don't. I don't care."

"But it's our wedding day."

You let him tuck you into bed, and he slipped in next to you. "It is, Baby. Our almost-Christmas wedding since I couldn't wait until next year. And all I need is my exhausted Princess with her hairy legs for it to be fucking perfect."

You stifled your laughter as he curled up behind you, keeping you warm while you dozed off again with his big hand resting on your belly.

----------------------------

When you woke up the next day, Bradley and Noah were already gone. You knew the plan was for them to get ready at Natasha's place while she joined you here to help you with your makeup, but tears stung your eyes as you walked around the empty house. You missed them already, and you wanted them to come back home so you could make Bradley your husband. You decided to take that feeling as a pretty good sign that the wedding was going to be perfect. 

The kitchen smelled good, and you found that Bradley left the fancy coffee maker on for you, but you gasped at what else you found. There was a light blue bakery box, and you opened it to find crown shaped donuts with icing that spelled out I LOVE YOU. You moaned softly and picked up the letter I donut and took a bite. You also found the bag from the jewelry shop, and you immediately remembered how sneaky he was the night you picked out the wedding bands. 

You shoved the rest of the donut into your mouth and dug inside the bag. Your eyes went wide when you pulled out a tiara. An actual tiara with some purple gemstones adorning it, like an upgraded version of your paper crown. Now you really wanted Bradley to come home so he could see it on. He probably spent a fortune on it, like he did everything else for you, but you were already imagining that it might make its way to bed later.

"It's me!"

Natasha's voice pulled you from your wedding night daydream, and you rushed into the living room where she was already wearing a simple blue dress and holding several bags. "How are my boys?" you asked.

"Great. Excited. Noah already looks adorable. I guess Bradley looks okay."

You were cracking up as she wrapped you in a hug, and that's when you realized you were wearing an old TOP GUN sweatshirt and your underwear. "I need to start getting ready."

"Yes," she replied with a smile and a quick kiss on your cheek. 

"And I really need to shave my legs."

"You should do that first."

"Yeah," you replied, laughing as you made your way to the bathroom. "I'll do that first."

Once you were clean from the shower, Natasha helped you into your new set of purple lingerie. You appreciated that she treated it like a business deal, simply saying, "Bradley will lose his mind later," instead of making a big deal about your growing belly. You were sure you'd be marrying him even if you weren't pregnant, but maybe it wouldn't be happening so soon. "Let's get your hair and makeup settled before we get your dress on. Go grab your tiara."

"You know about that?" you gasped, excitement filling you up.

"Please. I know about everything."

-----------------------------

Perhaps you were a little nervous last night, but now Bradley was the one who could barely handle himself. You were inside the house, but he wasn't even allowed to go in there, and it was killing him. He wanted to see you in the worst way and make sure everything was okay, but instead he and Noah were stuck on the back patio as everyone else started arriving. All he managed to get was a text from Nat with a thumbs up emoji.

"You look adorable!" Bradley turned around to see Penny kneeling in front of Noah, making a fuss over him. "You match with your dad!" It was true, because you had been the one to find the light gray suits and floral purple dress shirts. Bradley simply ordered them and got himself and Noah dressed.

He hated to say it, but the wedding wasn't that important to him. Not really. He would have done a big, overpriced ceremony if that's what you said you wanted. But this was fine as well. All he really wanted was to make it official. The Bradshaws. His family. He didn't need anything else.

As Maverick pulled him in for a hug, Bradley saw some more of his friends from work arrive. Not that he'd ever really consider Jake Seresin a friend, but after he took the seven hundred bucks in tip money, Bradley said it was fine if he wanted to stop by. You were with Bradley now, and you were never going anywhere. He'd see to that. He'd had a lot of time to come to terms with how young you are and how guys were always going to be looking and hoping. If Bradley were less confident in himself or your love, he'd have never made it this far. But here he was, waiting for you to walk outside in your wedding dress so he could take the wedding band out of his pocket and slip it on your finger. 

Nat came strolling casually through the back door as Bradley hugged Tracy and Noah played with Amelia. Bradley broke away from his lawyer who congratulated him and assured him that all of the paperwork he needed was in perfect order for today and for the adoption. When he pulled Nat aside and asked, "Is she okay?" he got an eye roll in response. 

"She's great. She ditched you and ran away with another man and his adorable son not five minutes ago." Nat smirked at his deadpan expression and said, "You need to learn how to relax. I was just coming outside to tell you that we're ready to get started, okay?"

"Yes," he replied, already scrambling to locate Noah and Skittles. "Let's fucking do that."

Bradley knew the ceremony was going to be short; you and he had designed it that way. Ten or fifteen minutes, and you'd have it in the bag. It would be a done deal. But when Natasha screamed at everyone to be quiet and Javy started playing the song Bradley asked him to, it all felt very real. The music was just the right volume, flowing through the speakers as Bradley held Noah and Skittles in his arms, and it washed over him when he finally saw you. His favorite song, the one you knew immediately back in your babysitter days, had him remembering the way he fell for you. How you picked on him in the best way about all the old music he loved. The way this song made him think only of you ever since he heard you singing it in his kitchen.

And now you were stepping out of his house wearing a wedding dress and the tiara he picked out for you. Your glossy lips only made your smile brighter as you walked across the deck, purple shoes peeping out from the bottom of your dress. It wasn't a long walk along the path to where he was standing, and he'd remember every step you took for the rest of his life. 

He grunted softly as he noticed the way your dress was snug enough to hug your bump like you were showing it off, allowing everyone to see what he'd done to you. He knew that the bouquet of purple wildflowers you held in one hand smelled as sweet as you always did, and you waved your fingers at him as you got closer. 

"Hi, Daddy," you said with a smile just for him, and he rushed forward a few steps, closing the gap to get to you sooner.

"Princess," he whispered, leaning down to kiss you while Nat balked behind him.

"You're already doing everything out of order!" she said. "The kiss is literally supposed to be the last thing!"

You just laughed and kissed him again before also pressing your lips to Noah's cheek and patting Skittles on her purple bow. "It's okay, Natasha," you told her as you wrapped your free hand around Bradley's bicep and guided him to where she was standing. The song faded away, but you remained next to him as you smiled and said, "It doesn't really matter what order we do this in just as long as I end up married to Bradley."

"Okay, fine," Nat said, opening her notebook in a huff as Bradley set his son and his dog down. Skittles ran off toward Amelia, and Noah stood with his arm around your thigh looking up at you. As you ran your fingers through his son's curls, Bradley leaned in to kiss you again. "Stop kissing. Seriously. Or there won't be a big climax at the end."

The guys all hooted with laughter at what Nat said, including Bradley. "I don't think that will be a problem," you said, lacing your fingers with his.

"It certainly won't be," he whispered. "You gonna keep that tiara on all night?"

You looked a little bashful, but you said, "Of course, I'm a Princess."

When he tried to kiss you again, Nat started snapping her fingers in his face. "Enough. I need to read all of this shit that I wrote down so you can get married, okay? Just stand there for a minute, and keep it in your pants."

You were laughing now as you said, "This is already the best wedding I've ever heard of."

Nat cleared her throat and started reading from her notebook. "Hi everyone. You all know me, and you all know these two idiots who decided they wanted to marry each other, so I'll make this quick. Bradley Bradshaw is my very best friend, and I don't even know why. He's not particularly funny, nor is he the wittiest guy around, and he absolutely can't cook anything."

"Jesus," Bradley said. "Why did I ask you to officiate?"

She chuckled and said, "Because I also have a couple nice things to say about you.... Bradley is a lost cause in many ways, but he's loyal, and he has a cute son. Hi, Noah."

"Hi, Aunt Natasha."

Bradley was shaking his head as you squeezed his hand, and he gave Nat the signal to keep going. "Right, well, here's the other thing about Bradley: he's been there for me for a long time, so any time he needs something, I'm always going to help him. It was easy to see that he was lonely and ready to start dating again at the beginning of this year, and when he said he was falling in love with his babysitter instead of the women he was meeting from the dating app, I told him to go for it. I'd never seen him happier than he was on the days when he got to see you," Nat said, smiling at you.

"Really?" you asked, looking at her before looking up at Bradley in wonder.

"Really," he and Nat said at the same time, and he had to fight the urge to kiss you again. Instead, he ran his fingers along your cheek and didn't take his eyes off you as he asked, "Nat, can I say my vows now?"

You kissed Bradley's thumb as Natasha said, "Clearly you're just going to do whatever you want, so go right ahead."

"Great," he whispered. He had everything he wanted to say written down on a note card in his pocket, but he didn't really need it. With Noah standing in between the two of you, he knew he had everything he needed right here with him. "You still never told me how you did it, Princess."

You looked up at him as he held your hand, a puzzled look on your face. "How I did what?"

He ran his thumb in slow circles along the back of your hand and said, "How you walked into my crumbling life and made everything better."

Your lips twitched as tears filled your eyes, but you were smiling as you said, "There was nothing to fix, really. You and Noah just made me fall in love with you." 

"Mommy, I'm hungry," Noah whispered, tugging gently on your dress as Bradley tried to contain his own tears.

"I know," you told him with a watery laugh. "I made you a snack tray, but you need to let Daddy finish talking first."

"See, Baby? We are pure chaos," Bradley told you, reaching down to scoop Noah up again. "We were so much worse before you, though. Thank you for falling in love with us. Thank you for putting up with me. Thank you for being more patient than anyone else I've ever known. Thank you for taking care of us, and for letting us take care of you. All I want is to be with you forever. The four of us," he said, his knuckles grazing your belly. "It's perfect, really. But I can't promise we will ever be less chaotic. All I know for sure is that I'm always going to love and appreciate you. And that it was worth going through all the bad stuff to get to this point. You were the missing piece. You were always the missing piece that we needed."

You nearly dropped your bouquet of flowers as you threw your arm around his neck and snuggled in against Noah. "I love you both so much," you sniffed. "And I don't even think you're chaotic at all. Being around you is the calmest I've ever felt. Like I know you'll protect me and make sure I'm comfortable. I started falling in love as soon as I met you both, and I keep falling in love a little bit more all the time. And I will never take this for granted, because I never expected anything this good to happen to me."

"I'm still hungry," Noah whispered loudly, clearly concerned everyone had forgotten about him. 

"I know, sweet Noah," you said as you laughed and cried at the same time. "And I'm going to take care of you forever, okay?"

Bradley watched you kiss his forehead as Noah said, "I got you a coloring book. It's Princesses."

"Of course you did," you told him as your voice cracked. "You're the best." You were crying more now, but you looked so happy. 

Even Nat was wiping at her eyes as she said, "Are we ready for the rings then?" When you both nodded at her, she pulled Bradley's wedding band out of her dress pocket and handed it to you. "Just put them on each other. Oh my God, I didn't think I would cry." 

Javy handed Nat his handkerchief as you took Bradley's hand in your smaller one and slid the thick band into place. Then he kept his eyes on yours as he and Noah did the same with your diamond wedding band. You let your hand slide up Bradley's arm and settle on his chest. Your eyes were focused on his, and the purple gems in your tiara were catching the sunlight. You were flawless. You were his wife. Almost.

"Nat?" he asked, covering your hand with his own and pressing it against his heart. "Are we married?"

"Oh, right," his best friend replied as you laughed softly and bit your glossy lip. "Yeah, according to me and the state of California, you're married. You already kissed and messed that entire part up, but you can kiss again, I suppose."

He handed Noah to her, and your lips came crashing to his as he wrapped one arm around you. This other hand settled against the side of your belly where the baby was growing, and he heard everyone cheering in the backyard. You were right, this was the best wedding he'd ever heard of as well. "I love you, Princess," he murmured against your lips, the sweet smell of wildflowers everywhere as you deepened the kiss again.

Then you pulled away and whispered, "I'll love you forever, Daddy."

------------------------------

With two rings on your finger and your husband standing behind you, kissing your neck to the point of distraction, you tried to pull Noah's tray of ants on logs out of the refrigerator. "Daddy!" you gasped when his hand slid up from your belly to your breasts which did look pretty great in your wedding dress.

"Hmm," he hummed, giving you a little squeeze. When you whimpered softly he made a suggestion that you almost agreed to. "Let's sneak off to our bedroom for a few minutes. I want to play with my wife."

That word made you giddy, and you could feel every inch of Bradley's strong body pressed against yours. When you glanced outside, you saw your handful of wedding guests, dancing and playing with Noah. It was very tempting. Nobody would miss you, but everyone would know where the two of you went and why. "How much longer until you can kick everyone out?" you asked softly. 

You felt him shrug behind you as he said, "The caterers will be here shortly, so probably about two hours before I can demand everyone leaves."

"Damn it," you said, pulling the snacks out of the fridge and unwrapping them. "I just want to take you and a slice of wedding cake to bed." You thought back to Noah's birthday party and the horny kitchen sex with the leftover cake.

"I'll feed it to you, and then I'll fuck you so good," he crooned, and you were about to tell him to send everyone home now when dinner and the cake arrived.

"Mommy!" Noah shouted through the back door, apparently no longer worried about his healthy snack since the sweets arrived. "Come look at the cake I picked out!"

You turned around in Bradley's arms, and he looked delighted to be presented with your baby bump. "You let Noah pick out the wedding cake?"

He winced in response as he ran his hand along your belly. "Yeah... about that. I'm really sorry."

You grabbed his left hand, his wedding band smooth against your skin where his fingers were usually a little rough, and you pulled him back outside with Noah's snack. "I don't know if I should be scared or-" You gasped when you saw it. "Oh my god, Bradley. It's perfect!"

The cake had two tiers. The bottom was decorated with white buttercream and a bunch of green and brown dinosaurs. The detail was amazing. There was even a volcano. The top tier was decorated with purple flowers and topped with a knight holding hands with a princess that looked a lot like you. The two layers looked pretty ridiculous together, but it was beautiful.

"I love it!" you squealed, making sure Amelia took some pictures of it for you. Actually, everyone had been doing a pretty great job of capturing the afternoon on camera. After dinner, when you cut into the cake and fed a bit to Bradley, Nat took a video of you smearing some of the purple icing all over his lips and mustache. He looked startled as you started laughing before kissing him. 

"You'll pay for that later," he promised, holding you close while someone queued up his favorite song again for you both to dance to. But he wasn't complaining when your mouth was on his for most of the song, tasting all of the sweetness on his lips. 

The afternoon was kind of crazy, and Bradley held onto you the whole time, only releasing you so you could dance with Mav and then Javy. And then all it took was one yawn out of you, and your husband was clearing everyone out of the backyard. Noah was all pumped up with too much sugar, but luckily he was going home with Penny and Amelia for the night. And lucky for you, your husband was as sweet as the wedding cake.

"Let me help you out of your dress," he whispered, setting butterflies off in your belly as he carried you inside the kitchen. "And I'll get your tiara out of your hair so you can get some rest."

"But I don't want to rest," you said, licking at a bit of icing that still clung to his mustache. "I want my husband."

He paused in the middle of the kitchen, eyes closed as you dragged your fingers through his hair. "Say it again, Baby."

"Husband," you whispered, kissing the prickly stubble on his jaw. "Please?"

Bradley just grunted in response, slid the door shut with his foot, and carried you all the way to bed. Once he had you spread out, you watched him make quick work of removing his suit coat and purple shirt. "Did you pick out this dress on purpose because of the way it shows off your bump?" he asked, kicking off his shoes. "That sounds like the kind of thing my wife would do to make me go insane for her."

"Maybe." You felt silly there in your tiara and high heels, but oh... the way he was looking at you. Bradley climbed into bed where you were being careful not to put your feet on the bedding, but you didn't need to worry for long. He took your ankles in his hands and placed them over his shoulders, stroking his hands up and down your thighs.

"Tell me what you want to do instead of resting, Princess."

The fabric of your dress was bunching up around your hips, and you knew the moment he saw your purple lingerie, because his knuckles connected with your core through the lace as you moaned, "I want my Daddy."

Bradley kissed the inside of your knee and caressed your thigh until you shivered. "Want me to do what?" he crooned, leaning down to kiss your lips. You could still taste the icing from the wedding cake when you ran your tongue along his mustache, and even though you knew what you wanted, you still felt shy asking for it. 

When Bradley reached back to gently take your shoes off and toss them aside, you whimpered his name. He worked the zipper down the side of your dress and helped you shimmy out of it, and then you had your legs spread before him in just your tiara and purple lingerie. He looked sinful in his suit pants with his erection bulging and his wedding band on his finger as he said, "You're my wife. You get anything you want. Especially when you're wearing this."

You coaxed him closer so he was on top of you, and his length was resting on your core as you whispered, "I want you to make me squirt."

He groaned as he got to work like it was absolutely at the top of the list of things he wanted, too. "My pleasure, Mrs. Bradshaw," he murmured against your lips, and you were already clenching as soon as his fingers tucked inside the front of your underwear.

--------------------------

Bradley let you be as loud as you wanted. In fact, he was trying his damndest to get you louder and louder. You were his wife now, and Noah was gone for the night. Skittles seemed to have retreated to the kitchen for some solace as Bradley buried his face in your ass and pussy, legs spread open wide and shaking. 

You cried out, "Daddy," over and over again as he changed his tempo from luxuriously slow to rough and fast. You wanted to squirt? Well he wanted you to soak the fucking bedding until you were crying. Every time he looked up at your face, he saw the swell of your growing belly, and he couldn't stop himself from grinding his cock against the bedding. 

"Fuck," he growled, watching the rings on your fingers as you grasped at the pillow beneath your head. He could tell you were getting close as he brought you to the edge and then let his pace slowly fade away one more time, and when he slipped two gentle fingers inside you while sucking on your clit, you screamed his name. You soaked his face and hand, and he was afraid he was going to cum in his suit pants as your thighs clamped around his head, riding him through your orgasm.

"Oh my god, oh my god," you panted, sitting up in a bit of a daze even as your legs went limp. Your tiara was crooked, and your makeup was smeared, and Bradley couldn't get enough of the sight of his sated, pregnant Princess. Your eyes met his, and you smiled through your daze, sitting there on the wet bedding with your left hand resting on your belly. Meanwhile Bradley was a different kind of mess, trying to get his zipper down and alleviate his aching cock.

"Let me help you," you whispered, putting your hands on his wet ones before taking over for him. "Want me to go down on you?"

Bradley shook his head as you eased his pants and underwear down his legs and took his cock in your hand. "Baby, I want to fuck you. It's our wedding night, and I want to be inside you."

A soft yet determined look settled on your face, and somehow he ended up sitting in the wet spot with you straddling his hips. You didn't seem to care that his forehead was covered in a sheen of sweat and that he wasn't going to last very long. You just sank down around him, rocking gently as he whispered, "I don't want to hurt you. Either of you."

"I know," you replied, kissing him and brushing his hair back from his face. "I know, Daddy." He came with you just like that, your lips and hands gentler on his body than any touch he'd ever known before you. Your voice as soothing as his favorite song. It was no wonder he was so in love with you. It was no wonder he and his son couldn't live without you.

After he got you cleaned up and carefully removed your tiara, you fell asleep in his arms as he reminded you that in a few days, you and he would be finding out the sex of the baby after you adopted Noah.

"You're already the best wife and Mommy. I can't wait for number two."

"I love you."

----------------------------

It's official! Bradley married his babysitter! Noah is on his way to officially having Princess as his Mommy, and we will learn more about the baby so soon! Two parts of this series left! Thanks for reading and interacting and making this so much fun to write! Thanks @beyondthesefourwalls

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[rosiahills22]

Angel by the Wing - THIRTY-THREE

chapter warnings: vomiting, morning sickness

Series Masterlist (Mobile Masterlist)

It was an average morning.

Rock music floated through the house coupled with the sounds of pots and pans banging around and you were bent over a toilet, breathing deeply through your nose and out through your mouth as nausea wracked your body.

“That’s good. Nice deep breaths.” Jake had popped his head into the bathroom to ask how many eggs you wanted when he found you bent over the sink with your hands clutching the sides of the counter. At first he thought you were in pain, but then the murderous glare you shot him when he asked if you were okay answered that question.

Now your hair was pulled away from your face, a cool washcloth pressed against the back of your neck, and a soothing hand ran along the length of your spine as you dry heaved over the rippling water.

“I fucking hate this,” you bit out. Tears pricked the backs of your eyes and you tilted your face to press against your forearm so he wouldn’t see you tearing up. Jake adjusted the washcloth so it wouldn’t fall off and scooted closer to you.

“I’m sorry, angel. I wish I could fix this for you.” If there was one thing Jake had learned since entering this relationship, it’s that he couldn’t stand to see you or Bradley like this. He hated being helpless. He was a fixer. He wanted to soothe your aches and remove anything that made you feel gross.

But he had also helped put you in this situation.

“Hey, hey,” he shushed you as you let out a pathetic whine. “Rooster is making some ginger tea right now and then we’re going to move to the couch. Set you up with some toast and applesauce and a bucket.”

“What if I puke on you?” you moaned dramatically.

“Darlin’, you’ve seen me and Rooster violently hungover. A little throw up won’t faze me.” You nodded in agreement with his statement and he took that as a good sign. Jake tentatively scooped you up and cradled you to his chest. Despite feeling sick as hell, you savored the feel of his warm skin under your cheek and pondered the possibility of them going shirtless every morning.

“How’s the patient doing, doctor?” Bradley asked when you emerged from the bedroom.

“‘M not playing sexy nurse right now,” you mumbled. Bradley chuckled and moved to help move some blankets over on the couch while Jake lowered you down onto the soft cushions. Jake hurried off to grab a bucket to place next to the couch while Bradley tucked one of the blankets around you and adjusted the washcloth to keep you cool. Skipper poked his head up over the back of the couch and then crawled over the pillows before he gently landed on the space between you and the cushion. The little cat curled up next to your stomach and laid his head on his paws, lazily flicking his tail while staring at Bradley in what some might call a threat.

“I’m trying to help her, dude,” Bradley muttered. The cat merely flicked his tail once more and extended a paw to lick at his fur.

And maybe show off his claws.

“Bucket,” Jake announced. “Plus tea and toast and whatever you want to watch on television. Please, please, don’t let it be Titanic.”

“Fuck you, it’s a masterful film.” But despite your protest, you settled on another classic. The boys knew better than to argue when the opening titles of Mamma Mia began. Jake instead settled in next to the bucket on the floor with his plate heaped with breakfast balancing on his knees. Bradley took up the rest of the couch by your feet. You nibbled on the toast that Jake handed you and absentmindedly pet Skipper with your other hand.

“Any plans for today?” Bradley asked once he was done destroying his mountain of food. Feeding two aviators was like turning on a garbage disposal and letting it run. You nudged his thigh with your foot and he put his plate on the coffee table so he could rub your feet.

“I was going to do laundry but I think I’m just going to rot instead,” you said. “I work at five so hopefully I feel human by then.”

“I got it,” Jake assured you. “I was going to mow the lawn and weed the garden but I can also make Roo do it too.”

“I’ll do it shirtless and everything,” your boyfriend said. He wiggled his brows salaciously and you pretended to gag.

“Thank you.” You ran your fingers through Jake’s fluffy hair. You loved it without the gel he typically wore. It stuck out in all directions thanks to the fact that he hadn’t brushed it after rolling out of bed and you appreciated how it made him look so soft.

“Our baby,” the boys intoned. They had taken to answering your thanks with a reminder that you were growing a baby inside of you. A baby that they had been very enthusiastic participants in creating.

Bradley grabbed Jake’s plate and his own and headed towards the kitchen to clean up after breakfast. You were transfixed with the movie on screen as the bachelorette night came on. Something sparkled in your gaze and Jake felt such a surge of want that it could have knocked him off his feet. Instead, he headed towards the bedroom where three overflowing hampers of laundry cluttered up the closet.

Dumping the clothes into one large pile, he set about sorting them into different piles so he didn’t end up with pink shirts from one of your stray red socks. He also made sure to check every pocket of pants and jackets thanks to the infamous “washing Bradley’s keys” incident. He found quite a few different packs of mint gum and ginger chews in your pockets and created a little pile for the future.

He picked up your jean shorts from a few days ago and heard the crinkle of paper. He tugged it out and flipped the paper. It was an envelope and he knew he should just place it on the dresser and let you deal with it but the hospital’s address was written in the corner. He shouldn’t read it. He knows better. But you had been avoiding talking to him and Bradley about something. They both could tell.

His fingers were extracting the letter before he could stop himself.

He unfolded the paper and found a bunch of letters filling the page. Jake didn’t understand a single word written except for two things.

Alleged Father: Seresin, Jacob

Probability of Paternity: 0%

Bile rose in his throat and burned along his tongue but he pushed it down. There was another paper behind it and he extracted the second page with numb fingers.

Alleged Father: Bradshaw, Bradley

Probability of Paternity: 99.99998%

Did Rooster know? Was that why he asked about leaving this place? Was that what you two whispered about? Was that why you shared smiles over Jake’s head, like he was outside of a joke?

What happens if the baby isn’t his? What happens if the baby isn’t his and you two decide you don’t need him? That you don’t want him? Can he handle that? Can he handle this dream being shattered?

His mom was just trying to help. Jennifer saw the possibility when he couldn’t. He was so fucking stupid.

Jake tossed the papers onto the dresser and headed into the closet to grab his duffle bag. He needed space. He needed time. He needed to figure things out.

You couldn’t push him out of your life if he walked out first.

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[rosiahills22]

it's a slow build, baby, until afterburn (65/?)

Story banner by @bettycooper!

Pairing: Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x Female OC (original character) StorySummary: Some things were inevitable. Living, dying. Flying. Bradley Bradshaw never doubted he'd sit in a cockpit one day. It was inevitable. He hadn't counted on colliding with Maddie Maitland over and over for the better part of a decade until, eventually, he realized the inevitable wasn't the sky; it was her.

MDNI banner by @cafekitsune Overall story Rating: Mature to explicit. Spicy, vulgar language. Violence. Mature themes (war, sex). Minors do not interact. (18+ ONLY you have been warned. Back out NOW if these make you uncomfortable. You are responsible for your own content consumption.)

Notes: This story is a giant Work In Progress, and absolutely, purely, entirely self-indulgent, full of tropes, full of cheese, and a self-insert OC who I wish I could be as cool. I make no apologies. I also haven't written it in chronological order (haha sob), so hopefully, I can fill in the blanks soon so we get to the good (sexy) stuff.

Warning: VERY SLOW BURN, VERY LONG (so many words!), spoilers for Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick

Previous Chapters: Master List

____________________________________________________________

Chapter Summary: They're husband and wife, and it's time to party!

Chapter Rating: 🚨Explicit for sex and language. Minors back out, back away, leave. 18+ only.🚨

Warning: War, combat, PTSD. Men being sexist/misogynist. Parental emotional neglect/abuse. D/s situations (soft domination), unprotected p-i-v sex between a married couple. Alcohol consumption. Consensual sex after drinking. Chapter Word Count: 16,167

Notes:

Hello, fam. I keep saying it: it's been a while, huh? Sorry for the delay. AGAIN. I was sick for two weeks, then was in a job interview cycle (four interviews and an assessment, gosh), but—good news!—I got the job, and am starting this week! A huge relief. In fact, as soon as I got the job offer, a huge weight was lifted, and—bam!—and the words came back to me! I wish I could promise a more consistent schedule, but I'm at the mercy of my words and my executive dysfunction. I do plan on keeping up with the story, though, because I've got a DOOZY of a deployment/combat arc planned.

After this, honeymoon, then back to the Boat! Thanks, everyone!

—Rooster—

This was the best day of Rooster’s life.

As soon as Mav had given him the go-ahead to kiss his bride, Rooster practically pounced on her, so damn happy that it was finally official: Madusa was his wife (WIFE!), a fact he would announce regularly as the day went on. After they shared their first kiss as a married couple, they walked back up the aisle to ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ naturally, and laughed together as they dodged celebratory paper airplanes. Madusa didn’t want the guests to toss rice, so instead, they’d had their wedding programs folded up into paper airplanes for the guests to toss around. It was pretty on-the-nose for a wedding between two pilots, but it delighted all the aviators (and present kids) greatly.

After taking a few big group pictures, the bulk of the wedding guests piled into the Hard Deck to start off with appetizers and drinks while the wedding party and families stuck around outside on the beach for pictures. They posed for all of the traditional style pictures in all sorts of compositions. Rooster got a nice shot of him and Mav, and then of him, Mav, and Slider. Madusa got a big shot with her family, and one with just her and her nieces. All the friends wanted combinations together. Everyone looked happy and glowing.

Rooster wanted a million pictures with Madusa. It was so romantic out here, on the beach, with her. There were pictures of Rooster gazing into Madusa’s pretty hazel eyes. There were some of the couple kissing sweetly, some of Rooster kissing her bare shoulder as he stood behind her, and some of them with their eyes closed, foreheads touching. He also wanted a few with them and the Bronco.

Once all the traditional lovey-dovey pictures were out of the way, Rooster called for the photographer to capture some funny ones.

“Flex for me, Darlin’,” he prompted, flashing her that crooked smile he knew made her knees weak and made her eyes go brown.

Shaking her head and laughing, Madusa flexed and rolled her eyes at her man. Rooster stepped right in, pulled up his sleeve, and flexed with her. The photographer was on it, taking a few snaps of the two newlyweds flexing and joking around. Both Rooster and Madusa had quite a set of guns on them. The posing then morphed into the entire wedding party and family members joining in for a group flex picture; Ariel was really into it with the gusto of a five-year-old and a big ‘grrrr’ face.

Afterwards, they checked some of the previews on the photog’s camera screen. All the flexing pictures amused Rooster, especially the first one with him and Madusa alone. While it was a favorite pic of his, Rooster’s absolute favorite of the day was the one where they were looking into each other’s eyes while the soft ocean breeze danced around them. He was stroking Madusa’s cheek with his knuckles and she cupped his with her hand, showing off her wedding band and engagement ring. He knew this picture was destined for his phone lock screen for a while (probably forever).

Once the pictures wrapped up, Maddie announced she had to go change before they joined everyone inside for the receiving line and dinner.

“Change?! What?! No! I love your dress!” Rooster may have even pouted a little.

His wife (WIFE!) took his face in her hands and pulled him down so she could kiss his pouty lip. “Don’t worry. I’m only changing the skirt. It’s the exact same one but shorter so I can dance and not trip over the train.” She explained that, since it was an ‘off-the-rack’ dress and so cost-effective in the grand wedding scheme of things, she was able to pick up two skirts and have one shortened for all the reception dancing action. His wife (WIFE!) thought of everything! Rooster shouldn’t be surprised. She was an organized woman who kept her squadron running like a well-oiled machine, after all. 

“Can I get changed with you?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively, hoping she’d pick up what he was laying down (Rooster desperately wanted to sneak off with her for sexy times).

Since his wife (WIFE!) was so smart, she understood immediately. Madusa poked him lightly on his side. “You can join me but we’re not doing it in Penny’s office.”

“Why not?!”

“Because it’s Penny’s office! I’m not going to bang on her desk.” Rooster pouted again. Madusa knew exactly how to handle him. She reached up to cup his ear; Rooster melted like butter instantly. She pushed up onto her toes to whisper, lips brushing against his earlobe. “You will get to fuck me tonight,” she promised, her voice deep and husky. Rooster only managed to keep himself together by sheer force of will (and because Maverick was staring at them from twenty feet away with a quirked, knowing brow and a smirk; nothing like your godfather’s presence to solidify the cock block).

“Okay,” Rooster told her sounding a little breathless and probably a lot desperate.

They went through the back door and down a hallway to Penny’s office where Gretzky intercepted them. Madusa’s best friend slapped a coin in her hand. “Don’t forget the sixpence.”

“I won’t forget the sixpence,” she confirmed, closing her fist around the coin.

“Because it’s bad luck if you do.”

“Don’t anger the juju. Got it.”

“I mean it!”

“I know! I’ve got it handled!”

Gretzky rounded on Rooster. “You gotta make sure she sticks it in her shoe. It’s your duty as her husband,” he told Rooster very seriously. He even poked Rooster’s shoulder to make his point.

“Yeah, I’m not going to waste any good husband capital I have so far by doing any of that,” Rooster said as he swiped Gretzky’s pokey finger off his shoulder. Gretzky was nuts if he thought Rooster was going to start off his marriage to Madusa by telling her what to do.

Before Gretzky could protest any further, Madusa stepped in. “Stop picking on my husband,” she told her best friend. “You’ve done your Best Man due diligence so let it go. I’ve got the sixpence thing handled.”

Rooster made eyes at his wife (WIFE!) because she swooped in to protect him from an unreasonably superstitious Marine and called him her husband (HUSBAND!). He loved her so much.

“Fine,” Gretzky relented in a grumble. “You’ve got it handled.”

“Thank you.”

“Lemme know when you’re ready for the reception, shithead,” Gretzky told Madusa before turning to Rooster. “You too, fuckface.”

Rooster blinked and did a double-take. Did…did Gretzky just call him fuckface? When he quirked a questioning brow at the big Marine, Gretzky just smirked. So did Madusa.

“We’ll be right out, dipshit; I just need to change real quick,” she confirmed over her shoulder as she walked into Penny’s office with a confused Rooster in tow.

He didn’t have a chance to ask her why Gretzky was calling him names because as soon as he closed the door and turned around, Madusa had already unzipped her skirt and was stepping out of it. Immediately, her perfect ass mesmerized him and he forgot all about Gretzky’s existence entirely. “You sure we can’t sneak in a quickie?” Rooster loved her ass, especially in those pretty white lace panties.

“I’m sure,” she replied with a laugh. Her reception skirt was already hanging and pressed nearby, ready for deployment.

“Okay,” he said, still entranced. He’d give her anything she wanted, even if it meant denying him for a while. When she stepped into the knee-length shorter skirt, Rooster mourned the sight of her amazing lace-covered ass but felt a warmth bloom in his belly because, once again, his bride was in her wedding dress. “You’re so beautiful.”

She had been concentrating on fastening herself up and looked up quickly when he complimented her; Maddie beamed a smile so bright and pretty, Rooster wanted to bottle it up and keep it by his heart forever. “And, you are very handsome,” she praised, still smiling.

“Yeah? You think so?” He loved it when his wife (WIFE!) praised him.

“Oh yes,” she confirmed with a nod and approached him. Madusa reached up to run her fingers in his hair; Rooster leaned right into the touch. “I like your hair like this. It’s all windswept and curly.”

“Mmmm.” He loved it when she played with his hair like that.

“I’m also quite fond of the Bradshaw mustache.”

“The Bradshaw mustache is very fond of you,” he teased, waggling his eyebrows. Her laugh soothed his soul. They kissed.

After caressing his cheek and kissing his lips, she pulled away to announce, “I better get this sixpence in my Converse before Gretzky has a nuclear meltdown.” She grinned. So did Rooster.

“While you fix your shoe situation, I’ll post some wedding pictures on social media,” he told her before kissing her nose.

“You don’t have to do that,” she assured.

“I know! I want the whole world to know that you’re my wife.” He really did. Rooster spent a few minutes picking the best pictures Phoenix had taken for him with his phone and settled on one where he and Madusa were kissing (he loved that one!), and a second one that looked like they were flipping the camera the bird but, upon a closer look, it was clear they were showing off their wedding bands with their ring fingers up and not actually flipping anyone off; Madusa had her nails painted white. To cap it off, he added another silly picture where he had asked Madusa to pick him up in a buddy carry like the one the Marines did during their Combat Fitness Test. In that picture, she had Rooster up across her shoulders, holding him up in a fireman’s carry, while Rooster grinned wide because his lady was so damn strong. He topped off the pictures with the hashtags: #pilotsinlove #marriedAF #thatsmyWIFE.

When Madusa was done with her shoe, Rooster showed her the post. She laughed out loud. “I’m surprised you didn’t include a clip of me doing squats with you on my back,” she teased. She had absolutely done that, much to Slider’s amazement. Rooster’s lady had assured his uncle that she wouldn’t have been able to do that if she’d selected a mermaid-style dress instead of this one. “I wanted a full range of motion,” she had said.

“In case of what? An invasion at your wedding?!” Slider had asked her incredulously.

“A Marine’s always prepared,” she quipped with some sass and a smirk. Rooster and Maverick both snorted at the exchange.

Once Rooster was satisfied his post was up and that Madusa approved, he slipped his phone into his pocket and placed a hand at the small of her back. “Ready to party?”

“Ready to eat,” she corrected. “I’m starving.”

“Let’s get some food in you,” he promised.

As they left the office, the besties greeted them. Rocksteady squealed and threw herself at them for the millionth time that day. Rooster didn’t mind; he appreciated that their friends were so happy for them. “You’re MARRIED!!!!” Roxanne yelled, arms thrown around each of their necks. Then Phoenix got in on the action and it became a big, original Girl Squad cuddle pile with Maddie, Roxanne, and Natasha. Rooster and Gretzky watched the women fondly. “I’m surprised you two came out so fast. That must have been a lightning round of a bang session,” Rocksteady said, making Gretzky snicker.

“We didn’t bang,” Madusa confirmed.

“What?! Why not?! I’d have thought you two would be hot for each other right now!”

“We are,” Rooster assured. “We’re definitely hot for each other.” Madusa rolled her eyes at him but was smiling. “Madusa didn’t want to do it in Penny’s office,” he supplied.

Before Rox could even ask her why the hell not, Madusa explained, “I’m not going to have our first bang as a married couple with my ass on accounting ledgers. We’ll wait until later.”

“Alright, I guess that makes sense,” Rocksteady said. “But, I know you two did some kissy face because your makeup needs a touch-up.” They all went back into the office so Rocksteady could reapply Madusa’s lip gloss. “Now, Madusa,” Rox started as she worked. “When it’s time for the bouquet toss, make sure that you aim that baby right at me so I can catch it.”

“I hadn’t realized you and Coyote had gotten that serious that fast. Just a few days ago, you were worried because your Granny loved him so much,” Natasha pointed out.

“Did I say he and I were serious? No, I did not. We’re getting there, but that’s not the point. The bouquet is just for the universe to recognize me as next in line; there’s no timeline. It doesn’t mean I’ll get married tomorrow, just that I’d be next.” Rooster couldn’t really argue with that bouquet logic. Rocksteady was about to swipe Maddie’s bottom lip with the lip gloss wand before pointing at Phoenix. “So, you better not try to tackle me for the bouquet.”

“What if I want the bouquet?” Phoenix challenged. “If I want it, I’m going for it, and I always get what I want.” Rooster’s best friend cast a little side glance at Madusa’s best friend and smirked. Gretzky’s eyes went wide and his whole face and neck went from pale ginger to tomato red in an instant. It was truly impressive. Rooster grinned at Phoenix, who seemed quite pleased with herself. Madusa grinned at Gretzky; the man looked a bit shell-shocked from the revelation that Phoenix might want to catch the bouquet, which was understandable since they both still kept insisting they were just ‘casual’ even though everyone knew it was bullshit. Phoenix’s pronouncement might’ve surprised him, but he didn’t seem to mind; despite Gretzky’s red face, Rooster spotted the small, pleased smile.

“Girl, no!” Rocksteady whined at Phoenix. “I called dibs!”

“All’s fair in love and bouquets,” Phoenix replied saucily.

“Okay, both of you stand down,” Madusa interjected with a laugh. “You’ll both get two tries to catch something. We’re not segregating the bouquet or garter toss to just women or just men. Everyone who wants to try for it can.”

“What?! Does that mean I’ll have to fight Tofu for the bouquet, too?!” Rocksteady threw her hands up.

“Yes and Hangman,” Madusa replied simply. “Because we want everyone to have a chance.”

Rocksteady thought about that for a second, hand on her hip as she considered. “You know what? That’s a great idea because Halo and her girlfriend have been together forever and they deserve a chance to have the universe bonk them over the head with a bouquet and garter.”

“Why are you okay with Halo catching the bouquet and not me?!” Phoenix asked incredulously.

Rocksteady looked her bestie right in the eyes when she said, “Because Halo doesn’t go around saying her relationship with Samantha is ‘casual’ when it’s not.” Madusa snorted real loud. Ironic statement coming from the woman who insisted not thirty seconds ago that she and Coyote were not serious.

 Phoenix and Rocksteady stuck their tongues out at each other like siblings before laughing. Madusa laughed right along with them. Before they headed out into the bar, Gretzky stopped Madusa and asked, “Is it done?” Rooster suspected it was about the sixpence to ward off bad luck.

“Affirm, Knight-1,” Madusa confirmed. “Sixpence deployment complete.” When Gretzky crossed his arms over his chest and quirked a brow at her, she elaborated. “I taped it to the back of my shoe’s tongue right here,” she explained, pointing to the top of her foot. “That way, the laces will strap it down in addition to the tape securing it to the inside of the shoe. Should avoid it floating around while I’m dancing later.” Gretzky seemed satisfied with her answer because he relaxed into a big smile. “Can I go eat now?”

“Affirm, Knight-2,” Gretzky answered, mirroring her radio call out from a moment ago. “You’re cleared for tacos.”

“Finally!”

Maverick was ready for them. Not only had he been tapped as ‘Reverend Maverick’ (“You need to call me that forever, now.” “That is never happening.” “But the internet—“ “No.”), he volunteered to be the reception MC. He called everyone to take their seats for dinner, and once everyone found their tables, Maverick introduced the wedding party, who entered to the tune of ‘We Are Family’ (Rooster’s suggestion). Rocksteady, Phoenix, and Tofu danced into the reception like their lives depended on it, while Payton looked mortified that the grown-ups were being so cringe. Jackson slung an arm around her to cheer her up; it only served to embarrass her further. Gretzky, for his part, swaggered in wearing aviators because that’s how the man rolled.

Madusa reached over to take Rooster’s hand in anticipation of Maverick announcing their arrival. Rooster beamed at his bride, loving it when she publicly showed her affection for him. “I love you so fucking much,” he whispered to her. She bit her bottom lip and smiled.

“I love you so fucking much,” she agreed, her eyes a deep, pretty chocolate brown. He knew she meant it.

After the wedding party had danced their way to their seats and the music died down, Maverick introduced the newlyweds. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Naval Aviators of all ages…introducing, for the very first time as a married couple: Lieutenant Commander Rooster Bradshaw and Major Madusa Maitland, husband and wife!!”

The wedding guests hooted and hollered as ‘We Will Rock You’ (Madusa’s suggestion) blared through the bar speakers. Before they stepped out into the reception, Madusa squeezed his hand and pulled him down to say something to him first. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For understanding. About the Maitland thing.”

Maddie had agonized about whether or not she would take his last name since they had decided to get married. He knew it had been a difficult decision for her, balancing societal expectations with her own sense of identity. He had reassured her that the only thing important to him was marrying her; the name was something he could live without. He meant it.

“I fell in love with Madusa Maitland; I’m happy to love Madusa Maitland forever and ever.”

She nodded, smiled at him, wiping an errant tear away, and nodded toward the reception. “Let’s do this thing.”

As soon as they stepped into the bar’s spotlight, Rooster lifted his and Madusa’s joined hands up in victory (much like he had right after the ceremony), basking in the cheers and whistles and applause and pure joy emanating from the family they had gathered here with them to celebrate this day. Rooster pointed at her, and roared (much like he had after the ceremony; it was a theme, now), “That’s my WIFE!”

“Guys, I can’t be entirely sure, but I think Rooster’s excited that Madusa’s his wife,” Maverick sassed from the front of the room.

“You’re damn right I am!”

Madusa was laughing the whole time.

—Madusa—

Dinner was in full swing and, finally, Madusa was able to sit down with some tacos. Of course, her taco peace only lasted barely thirty seconds before people were calling for her and Rooster to kiss, as was usual during wedding receptions. What wasn’t usual was the method by which everyone requested said kiss; usually, the guests would clink their glasses but not their guests. Oh no.

“Cock-a-doodle-doo, baby!” Moose called out, setting off a whole damn chain of cock-a-doodle-doos throughout the bar. “Now, kiss!”

“Oh my god,” Madusa lamented. “Are you guys serious?!” When she spotted Gretzky grinning like a loon, she knew he was responsible for this bullshit.

“You heard the man! Cock-a-doodle-doo, baby! Kiss your husband,” her best friend heckled.

“I will end you,” she heckled back, though not seriously. She couldn’t be too annoyed with the catchphrase. How could she when Rooster looked so absolutely delighted? His joyous smile caused the butterflies in her belly to barrel roll at Mach 3. The couple stood so everyone could see them; Rooster wrapped his arms around Madusa, dipped her, and they kissed to raucous cheers. The whole ‘kissing during the meal’ tradition should’ve annoyed her but (despite the catchphrase) it didn’t, probably because she knew how much Rooster loved it when she showed him public affection. Plus, he looked so damn happy every time someone crowed a cock-a-doodle-doo that she couldn’t help but soak in how much she loved him.

“You’re being a good sport about my catchphrase,” he whispered in her ear between bites of her carne asada taco.

“Yeah,” she agreed. “Because it makes you smile and that makes me smile.” Probably for the millionth time that day, Rooster’s eyes teared up a bit. He cupped her nape and kissed her temple before asking her if she wanted him to get her more tacos. She did.

 Once her belly was full of tacos and beer, Gretzky came by with champagne flutes and a bottle of bubbly so that everyone would be prepared for speeches and toasts. “Are you about to roast me with your Best Man speech?”

“Woman, I’m gonna roast you like a marshmallow at a bonfire,” Gretzky quipped, making Rooster snort.

“Just remember that I’ll make a speech at your next birthday bash and I won’t hold back,” she challenged.

Gretzky waved her off. “Like you don’t always roast me every day anyway. I’m immune.” It wasn’t entirely true—he wasn’t always immune—but Gretzky could take a good roast like a champ. He handed her a full champagne flute. “Here. You better fortify before Rocksteady’s go.”

“Oh god.” Madusa pinched the bridge of her nose, then asked her Best Man, “Tell me it’s not as bad as I’m imagining.” Look, Madusa loved Rocksteady, but the girl could be spicy (she had been the mastermind behind Truth or Dare, after all). While most of the guests were adults, there were a few under eighteens present (and some Admirals), and Madusa didn’t want to have to explain to their parents (or to the Admirals) why they were exposed to whatever shenanigans Rocksteady was up to. When Gretzky only responded with a grin, Madusa asked again, “Gretzky. Tell me it’s not that bad!”

Her best friend took pity on her. His grin softened to a fond smile. “It’s PG-13,” he assured. “You can unclench a little.” Rooster rubbed her back as tension in her shoulders released.

It didn’t take too long to find out whether or not Gretzky’s rating was accurate because once everyone had finished up their tacos and had their champagne glasses topped up, Rocksteady took to the stage where the wedding party had set up a laptop and screen in preparation for the first dance later. She was a bit nervous about Rocksteady’s potential shenanigans, but Madusa decided that if she trusted Rocksteady with her life, she could trust her with a wedding speech. Madusa and Rooster’s names and their wedding date were up on the screen surrounded by little hearts.

“Most of you who know me know that I love to take pictures. I’m, like, the unofficial official archivist of our little group. I have folders and folders of pictures backed up on clouds and drives and phones; hell, I even printed a few because—let’s face it—I need pictures of Madusa wearing dumb shirts in my life!” Madusa facepalmed. Rooster grinned. The guests laughed because, apparently, Madusa wearing dumb shirts was a crowd-pleaser.

“Since I’ve always got a phone or camera practically surgically attached to my hand to document these glorious moments, it made sense for me to have been elected to walk us through Madusa and Rooster’s relationship from day one—in pictures!” That was when Rocksteady pressed a button on her laptop and began a slideshow?! Madusa grumbled because she’d been the one to teach Rocksteady how to use PowerPoint in the first place and now, Rocksteady was using her PowerPoint skills against Madusa! Oh, to go back to college days and refuse to teach Rocksteady the power of a slide deck!

The guest let out a collective ‘aw’ when the slide changed to a picture of young Madusa, Rooster, Rocksteady, Phoenix, as well as a bunch of other young aspiring aviators. Maddie recognized it as their first day at indoc, the very first day she met Bradley.

“Now, y’all know Phoenix and I knew Madusa from college, but this, here, is the first day we met Rooster. Look at this baby!” She clicked on a button and the next slide was a big zoom-in on Rooster’s younger face. “And this one!” Then, a zoom on Maddie’s younger face before moving on to a different version of the same picture, except Rocksteady had cropped out everyone except Rooster and Madusa. Maddie had been in the front row of the group shot while Rooster was standing right behind her because he was a giant. She remembered how he had tried to stand with her in the front but Maddie had vetoed it right away.

“Tall people in the back!”

“It doesn’t matter if I’m up front,” he’d countered. “I’m on the end. There’s no one behind me!”

“Because you’re tall and blocking the second row position with your giant body! Second row, Navy,” she ordered, hooking her thumb over her shoulder to point him toward the back. She could tell he wanted to protest but others agreed with her so he moved back. She hadn’t realized at the time that he still stayed close by choosing to stand right behind her, and now, they had a recorded memory of them, together, on the first day they met. She was so very glad for Rocksteady’s photography obsession as Maddie studied the shot of her and her now husband.

When she looked in the mirror every day, Maddie didn’t really see the differences in her features as she’d gotten older, but looking at the picture now, she could see how her face was fuller, a bit rounder back then. She saw hope for the future in that smile and sadness in those eyes because she thought, at the time, that her father didn’t care about her. Only people who knew her well would recognize it.

Rooster, on the other hand, had been grinning like a damn loon, looking like he’d been walking on air. To be fair, he seemed to always look like that to her. Rocksteady had been right; he did look like a baby! He still had the goofy mustache (that Madusa had grown rather fond of over the years) but he looked softer and less rugged than he did now. Madusa always thought the saying ‘aged like fine wine’ was such a cliché, but damned if it didn’t apply to Rooster because he had. She looked over at her husband and basked in how handsome he looked in his bright deep blue Hawaiian shirt, Bradshaw mustache, and crooked, cocky smile. Madusa was weak for that smile.

“That was the first time I ever got a picture of those two together, but it definitely was not the last. From that first day, Phoenix and I knew—we knew!—from the bottom of our hearts that these two were destined to be together. Didn’t think it would take so long,” she grumbled in a way that made it clear she was teasing, “but we got there eventually!” The assembled friends and family chuckled.

“Now, when I say that Phoenix and I knew they were meant to be, I mean it because these two?” Rocksteady nodded her head toward the newlyweds. “They were not subtle.”

Rocksteady tapped a button on her laptop. The slide changed to a picture of Maddie as she was holding flashcards during one of their group study sessions. There were about a handful of aviators gathered around her—some sitting on chairs while others were cross-legged on the ground in the common room. Maddie had become the de facto study group leader because she was the most organized (and, she suspected, because she was the most bossy). While Maddie looked focused as she led the study group, Bradley had his chin in his hands and was making eyes at her. There was laughter when everyone spotted how absolutely obvious it was (to everyone but Maddie at the time) that Bradley was smitten.

“Look at this man!” Rocksteady guided. “If he were a cartoon character, he’d have hearts popping out of his eyes!” To punctuate her point, she pressed a button and then cartoon hearts appeared with an audible ‘pop’ over Rooster’s eyes on the picture, earning a round of laughter that persisted when the hearts kept appearing over the picture until they covered everyone except Bradley and Maddie. Maddie laughed along with Bradley with every heart pop.

“Don’t think he was the only one pining,” Rocksteady told them all. “Because Madusa did her fair share.” What was Roxanne even talking about? Maddie hadn’t even realized she had feelings for Bradley until almost a decade later! Then, Rox pulled up a picture of Rooster looking like he was doing some sort of dance? He looked to be gyrating his hips and twirling his arm over his head like he was about to throw a lasso. The people around him in the common room were laughing and looked to be having a great time. Maddie, in the picture, was sitting slightly apart from the group, but it looked like she was peering over her book at Rooster. She was even smiling a little. “See?!” Rocksteady prompted.

Madusa wasn’t buying it. “I wasn’t pining,” she pointed out. “I was studying.” Sure, she might’ve been glancing at Rooster but there was no real way to discern mild amusement from pining, at least in her opinion.

“You gonna sit there and look me in the eyeballs and say you weren’t pining for this man? Girl, you were eyes locked and weapons hot on his derrière!”

“What?! I wasn’t!” Madusa protested.

“See, I knew you’d say that so I came prepared,” Rocksteady told her smugly. She tapped a key on her laptop and a big, red, cartoon arrow appeared, starting right from Madusa’s eyes and stretching out all the way to Rooster’s butt. The whole crowd burst into laughter. Madusa’s cheeks burned pink because that was pretty damning evidence. Before Madusa even opened her mouth again, Rocksteady interrupted her. “And, before you say I’m wrong, I’d like to remind you that most people in this room understand ballistics trajectory so take the loss and admit you were staring at his behind!”

Rooster rubbed her back and kept his hand on the small of her back. Without even realizing she was doing it, Madusa leaned back into the touch. He moved into her personal space to whisper in her ear, “You were staring at my ass!”

After Rocksteady’s slam dunk on trajectory, Madusa couldn’t really deny it. “You’ve got a great ass,” she admitted, much to Rooster’s delight. He smiled, kissed her cheek, and growled his approval in her ear. “Yeah, okay; I was staring,” she finally admitted out loud earning everyone’s cheer.

“I thought so,” Rocksteady grinned with a nod. Madusa laughed and shrugged because there was no point in denying any of it any further, not when he was right there with her, fingers stroking up her lower spine gently while his other hand held hers, their shiny new gold wedding bands glinting in the setting sun rays beaming through the large picture windows at the back of the Hard Deck.

Rocksteady spent the next five minutes walking everyone through a couple dozen pictures of Madusa and Rooster taken at various times throughout their friendship and eventual relationship. There were a lot of pictures from indoc and a few of the couple all shined up in whites at their winging ceremony. There were a few pictures she recognized were ones sent to Rocksteady by Rooster himself, like the ones from that time he visited Madusa for a week; there was one of them with surfboards and wetsuits, of them climbing at an indoor climb, and of them at a baseball game where Madusa was dressed up in Padres shirt and hat while Rooster was wearing Phillies regalia (Madusa was facepalming in that one). There were quite a few pictures of them during their TOPGUN training and one of their graduation celebration. That one caused a cascade of hoots, hollers, and wolf whistles because Madusa had been a total smoke show in that suit and heels. Rocksteady even included an eyeline ballistics trajectory arrow, but for Rooster this time; it traveled from his eyes right to Madusa’s cleavage. The crowd laughed at Rooster who didn’t even seem to mind one bit.

“I definitely was staring at your tits,” Rooster whispered in her ear. She felt his smile against her ear.

“I know you were,” Madusa told him smugly. Plus, he’d admitted as much the night of.

There were even pictures of them during their deployment. Madusa’s favorite was one of her throwing eggs at Rooster. That one also seemed to be Maverick and Slider’s favorite, too, judging by the laughter. The Marines’ favorite seemed to be the one of Moose with the couple where Madusa wore Rooster’s traffic cone shirt, only to have the one with Moose and the two wearing their Truth or Dare shirts to surpass it in laughter minutes later. Madusa in dumb shirts was the bane of her existence. The whole slide show culminated with a two-picture split screen of the lovebirds slicked up for a night of clubbing taken just recently. That one also earned catcalls due to how good Madusa looked in those boots and how hot Rooster looked in that unbuttoned shirt and gold chain. In the first picture, Rooster had his arm around her waist proudly; in the next, the couple kissed. With a click of a button, a cartoon outline of a heart drew itself around their heads on screen with the caption: ‘True Love.’

Madusa was the first one up to hug Rocksteady for the lovely trip down memory lane. The two women hugged tightly and fiercely, exchanging gratitude, love, and friendship. Rooster threw himself onto the two women for a group hug. Rocksteady loved a good group hug.

Phoenix was up next with her Best Woman speech. “The minute I met Rooster, I knew we’d be great friends. He was one of those people that could instantly brighten up your day. Always smiling, always joking, always good for a laugh. But, I knew for sure that Rooster was a good person right from the jump because Madusa liked him,” Phoenix started, smiling at both her friends while holding a champagne flute. She explained further. “You see, Madusa doesn’t really like anyone.”

The guests laughed, and Madusa laughed, too, because generally, it was true. Growing up with the type of mother she had, Madusa learned real quick how to size up people and could do so in an instant. Madusa trusted her gut more than anyone’s words. If you passed the Madusa gut check, she liked you. If you didn’t…well, you were gonna have a bad day with her around. “But she liked Rooster, and I learned over the years not to question Madusa’s good person radar. With Rooster, her good person radar hit a bullseye.”

The little stage that’d been set up for the speeches was a bit off to the right of where Madusa and Rooster were seated at the main table. The couple had shifted in their chairs to face their friends as they spoke. Madusa was sitting sideways in the chair with her back to Rooster while Rooster had scooted as close as possible, and rested an arm atop Madusa’s chair back, practically hugging her. They were still holding hands. Madusa stroked her thumb over Rooster’s knuckles.

“Rooster is real deal. He’s that friend you can always count on, no matter what. Rooster’s the guy you call at three in the morning because your date didn’t work out and you can’t find your keys and you’re locked out of your apartment.” Phoenix chuckled when she added, “Yeah, that happened.” With a little smile, she pressed on. “Rooster’s also the guy that always picks up the phone or answers your texts. He’s the guy who always listens when you need it, like when you’ve broken up with your boyfriend or girlfriend, or you had a bad day in the air. He’s the guy who’ll make you laugh when you’re sad and who’ll hop on a plane to fly across the country because you miss hanging out together after being stationed apart.” She paused and added, “That also happened. I’d been stationed at Oceana after the RAG. Rocksteady was at Yuma. Madusa was at Miramar. Rooster was at Lemoore. We were all scattered to the wind and one day, Rooster and I were talking on the phone; I was complaining about how far apart we all were. He immediately arranged some leave, and flew across the country because I missed my friend.” Phoenix smiled at Rooster softly.

“That’s the kind of guy Rooster is. He’ll hop on a plane for you, he’d give you the shirt off his back, he’d give you his last dollar…he’d sacrifice himself to find you behind enemy lines and bring you home.” Maverick sat up straighter, smiling proudly and fondly at Rooster because that last one wasn’t metaphorical at all. Rooster had done that.

Madusa heard Rooster’s shaky breath against her ear, and she knew that her sensitive, sweet man was feeling some feelings hearing his best friend speak so genuinely about him. Despite his gregarious and fun outward look on life, Maddie also knew that Bradley didn’t let many people in—really and truly in—and that Phoenix was one of the lucky ones who got to experience what it was like when Rooster considered you a part of his family.

“He’s also the kind of friend that isn’t afraid to call me out if I need a reality check, and—believe me—I’ve needed a few reality checks over the years,” Phoenix added, earning some soft laughs. “He’d hold my hand, hand me a pint of ice cream, let me cry or yell it out, and then he’d dish out some tough love because that’s what a friend does.” Phoenix smiled at Rooster. “Rooster is the best of us and as the best of us, he deserves the best, and that’s where Madusa comes in.”

Now, Phoenix smiled at her; Maddie felt her eyes sting with emotion a little bit. Rooster must have known somehow with his super-husband senses because he kissed the round of her bare shoulder tenderly.

“Rooster deserves someone who is loyal, who’ll support him and encourage him. Someone who’ll fight for him and challenge him. Most of all, he deserves someone who’ll love him unconditionally, and that’s you, Maddie.” Phoenix was talking to Madusa directly, now. “Rooster has never been happier than when he’s with you. It might’ve taken you a decade, but it was a decade well spent because you two are the strongest, most solid people I’ve ever met, made even stronger together.” Maddie sniffled just a bit and nodded at Phoenix, a silent acknowledgment. “As Best Woman, I want to thank you both. Thank you, Rooster, for always being that solid presence in my life. And, thank you, Madusa, for making Rooster so damn happy.” Phoenix swiped at her eyes before lifting her champagne flute. “So, before Rocksteady starts throwing tissue boxes at me—“

“I’m armed and ready, girl!” Rocksteady assured, lifting up a box to show it was locked and loaded. It looked like she’d already gone through a few tissues of her own. Phoenix laughed softly.

“I’d like to raise my glass to Rooster and Madusa. May you both continue to find love, laughter, and happiness with each other for decades to come. Congratulations, you two. I love you both.”

Rooster and Phoenix shared a long, tight hug. They spoke to each other quietly for a few moments before hugging again. Maddie wouldn’t ask him what was said because that was between them but she suspected it was sweet and heartfelt. Once Rooster parted from their latest hug, he motioned Madusa over and stepped aside so the ladies could hug as well.

“Thank you for being Rooster’s best friend,” Maddie whispered.

“You’re his best friend,” Natasha insisted. “But, I’m happy to be best friend XO.”

Maddie’s laugh was a little wet with sniffles and tears she fought real hard against. “I love you, you know?”

“I know. I love you, too.” She squeezed Madusa. “Get ready for Gretzky.

“Oh god.”

Phoenix grinned and took her seat, switching places with Madusa’s Best Man for his turn. Madusa braced for roasting.

“A little over seven years ago, my life was a mess,” he started. “I’d lost my wingman, Tater, the year before and my marriage not long after that. I wasn’t in the best place, mentally, and I took it out on everyone around me. I was going through wingmen like they were a dime a dozen, not able to keep one more than a few months at a time before they got sick of my shit and requested a transfer. Then one day, a woman, with the biggest chip on her shoulder I’d ever seen, walked into the ready room. ‘That’s your new wingman,’ Moose told me. ‘She won’t last the week,’ I said. Moose sized me up, then said, ‘Bottle of whiskey says she lasts.’ ‘Done,’ I said.”

Madusa smiled fondly. Moose and Gretzky had told her this part of the story more times than she could count and she never tired of hearing it.

“I had this ritual for FNGs whenever they joined the squadron. I got in their face and channeled my best Drill Instructor. I figured it was a good measure of a person. See how they handled the pressure. I lit her up for a good twenty minutes, and she took it without flinching. She didn’t move a muscle. Stayed at attention the whole time. By the end, I was hoarse and and maybe a little worn out—I’d been slacking on my cardio, so, I was a little out of breath from all the yelling,” he said with a shrug, earning some laughs. Madusa grinned.

“Anyway, after I wound down, she looked at me and said, ‘You done? I’ve got work to do.’ She kinda caught me off guard with that response but, mostly, I was a little impressed. I spent the rest of the week doing my best to get her to quit. I was an absolute asshole to her. A bottle of whiskey was on the line! No matter how much shit I gave her, she handled it and then handed it back. If I pushed, she pushed back. If I snapped, she snapped back. I brought her to the gym with me, thinking I’d get her in a headlock and make her tap out of the squadron altogether, but damn if she didn’t fight me for every damn inch on the mat. I did get her in that headlock but she never tapped out. Moose had to step in before she blacked out because the woman is stubborn and doesn’t understand the word ‘surrender.’”

Madusa smirked crookedly, remembering that week. Gretzky was right: he had been an asshole to her all week, but she’d been warned. Moose had told her about Tater, and how Gretzky couldn’t keep a wingman after that. She’d never lost a wingman, but she could imagine how hard it would be if she had. She figured he was being such a dick because he felt guilty for surviving and maybe even like accepting a new wingman was a betrayal. She decided it was okay; she could handle whatever Gretzky dished out. She grew up a Maitland, after all.

“No matter what I did, she took it in stride. Every time she handed me my ass right back, it solidified my respect for her. She made it the week, obviously,” he said to some laughs. “So Moose told me to get some drinks with her, get to know her. I didn’t want to, so Moose ordered me to.” Moose laughed the loudest. “At the end of the day, I tell her to get in her civvies, we’re going get some drinks. ‘I don’t wanna,’ she said to me.” This time, Madusa laughed. “If Moose ordered me to go, then I was gonna order her to go. Shit rolls downhill and all that.” More laughter.

“We go to this dive bar and it’s packed and dirty and rough. Neither of us is good at small talk so we didn’t even say a word. We had some shots and drank some beers, all in silence. She didn’t try to get me to open up and I didn’t patronize her with useless talking. It was nice, actually, not to have someone try to get me to talk. Then, at some point, I was coming back from taking a leak when someone bumped into me and, honestly, I don’t even remember how things escalated to the point they did, but it didn’t take long for fists to start flying. Out of the corner of my eye, I see this one guy wind up to sucker punch me. I knew it was gonna hit because I was tangled up with this other dude and couldn’t defend, but the hit never came. I look over, and there’s Madusa, right up in the damn melee throwing right hooks. She clocked the guy and was dodging incoming like Mohammad Ali! Didn’t take long after that for the bouncers to break up the fight and kick us all out.”

“Did that really happen?” Rooster asked in a whisper.

She looked at her husband over her shoulder, smiling, and nodded. “Yeah. I got a lot of Gretzky stories like that.”

“I’d like to hear them someday.” He kissed her shoulder with a smile.

“I’ll tell you all my stories.”

On stage, Gretzky wasn’t done. “After getting thrown out on our asses, we were in the car and I asked her why she threw herself into the fray like that after I was an asshole to her all week. ‘I’m your wingman,’ she said. ‘I’ll always have your back, no matter what.’  And from that moment—that exact moment—she became my best friend. Whether I’m in the air with her or on the ground in a foxhole, I know I’ll see the other side because she has my back. She has my back and I have hers. And, it’s because I have her back that I’ve given her so much shit about Rooster over the years.” Rooster’s laugh warmed her heart.

“I knew Rooster was good dude—and the guy for Madusa—the first time I ever met him at Tailhook because Madusa blushed.” On cue, Madusa felt her cheeks flush hot. Gretzky smirked. “Not only did she blush, she blushed and she laughed at his dumb jokes!” Rooster grinned against her ear. “That’s true love, in my book, because I’d never seen Madusa blush or laugh at anyone’s dumb jokes; she only ever heckles my dumb jokes. Hell, Rooster’s still the only person who can fluster her which is great for me because that means I can bust her ass about it.” Madusa facepalmed but was smiling despite it all.

“I knew, for sure, they were both in love with each other when she and I were in Telan. We’d come back from a long, grueling patrol, and she got a text from Rooster. It was a serenade of one of her favorite Pearl Jam songs and she was speechless. Even then, she said she wasn’t sure if he had feelings for her, which was a trip to see—Madusa’s usually so sure about everything. I told her, ‘No man serenades a woman in a war zone unless he means it.’ I was right because here we are today. I love being right.” Both Madusa and Rooster laughed along with the crowd.

Holding his champagne flute aloft, Gretzky faced the happy couple. “Rooster, you’re a good dude. There’s no one else in this world who can make Madusa smile and laugh at dumb jokes and blush the way you do. Keep doing it because—God knows—Madusa needs more of that in her life.” She felt Rooster nod firmly, taking Gretzky’s request seriously. Her best friend addressed her, next. “Madusa, from the bottom of my heart: you’re a pain in the ass.” Madusa laughed the loudest. Gretzky tipped his flute slightly in salute. “Semper Fi, my friends.”

All the Marines in the room called out, “Hoorah!”

Gretzky approached her after hopping off stage. She bounced out of her chair to give her best friend a strong, solid hug. “I thought you were gonna roast me,” she pointed out. Sure, he called her a pain in the ass, but that was endearment.

“Nah,” he said, waving her off with a somewhat bashful shrug. “I’ll roast you any day of the week, but not on your wedding day. You deserve a good day.”

“Thank you, asshole,” she told him fondly.

“Thank you for putting up with me, shithead.” They hugged again before he moved on to give Rooster a firm, manly handshake. “You too, numbnuts.” Rooster blinked.

“Numbnuts?!”

Gretzky grinned and walked off, leaving Rooster hanging.

Madusa bit back a laugh. Poor Rooster. He’d figure out why Gretzky was busting his balls eventually.

—Rooster—

Food was demolished, drinks were drunk, speeches were speeched, and it was finally party time! But first, cake.

Madusa had ordered very simple sheet cakes of varying flavors, not having seen the need for anything elaborate and fancy. “We’re all just gonna eat it anyway!” There were three cakes in total: one vanilla, one chocolate, and a red velvet option. The chocolate cake (both Rooster and Madusa’s fav) sat in the middle with the cute mini-Rooster and mini-Madusa Tofu had made for them, perched right on top. Naturally, Rooster and Madusa smashed the cake in each other’s faces because his lady was aggressive and competitive! He liked that.

After the couple cleaned themselves of icing—Rooster did take the opportunity to lick some frosting off his wife’s (WIFE!) face—Maverick invited the happy couple to take to the floor for their first dance. On the already-set-up screen, the video Rooster had sent Madusa when she was in Telan of him serenading her with Pearl Jam played for everyone to see.

‘Hey,’ on-screen Rooster rasped. ‘Just learned this and wanted to show you since you were on my mind. I hope you like it.’

Madusa smiled up at him at the collective “Aw!” Rooster wasn’t shy about it; he wanted the world to know he worshiped this woman.

As the sweet and slow guitar riffs sounded through the speakers, Rooster slid an arm around Madusa’s waist and held her hand close to their bodies. She slung her free arm around his neck and let her fingers play the hair at his nape. He sighed happily as he dropped his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. Immediately, the world around them disappeared, leaving only Rooster and Madusa.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you,” he whispered back.

They spent the rest of the song slowly dancing in a circle, enjoying their closeness. Rooster did everything he could to commit this to memory forever, their first dance as husband and wife. Funny enough, they were dancing in almost the exact same spot they had their first-ever dance together that night of their ‘platonic’ drinks. He loved this place. Every inch of this bar would forever remind him of the love of his life; that was when he knew he’d make a permanent move to San Diego and that, if the Navy ever tried to station him elsewhere, he’d leave the Navy in his rearview mirror without hesitation. Nothing mattered more to him than Madusa.

When she looked up at him, Rooster tucked a wisp of hair back behind her ear gently. Maddie was so damn beautiful. Her mood ring hazel eyes were brown and her smile knocked the wind right out of him. She radiated happiness. What blew Rooster away was that she was so happy because of him; he was the source of that brightness. He’d said many vows today; he decided to tack on another, one where he promised himself he’d always make her happy, no matter what it took.

She pushed up on her toes to brush a soft kiss against his lips as the song’s final notes sounded. As the crowd cheered, she spoke softly, for his ears only, “Thank you for dancing with me.”

“I’ll dance with you every single day, Sweetheart.”

Next, Maverick invited Master Gunny to approach for the Father-Daughter dance. He extended a hand to Rooster, who took it, shaking it firmly. “Maddie did good, picking you. You’re a good man, Rooster.”

“Thank you, Master Gunny. I’m lucky she did.”

Rooster winked at his wife (WIFE!) before stepping off to the side to allow father and daughter to share the spotlight. The two danced to ‘Landslide’ by Fleetwood Mac, a favorite of Maddie’s. It had taken her a long time to settle on this one, complaining that most father-daughter songs were too sugary to properly fit the tumultuous relationship she’d had with her father over the years. Sure, they were better now, but Maddie felt it would’ve been disingenuous to pick something overly bright. Rooster felt this had been a good choice.

‘Well, I've been afraid of changin', 'cause I've built my life around you, but time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I'm getting older too,’ Stevie Nicks’ distinctive and melancholy voice sang. It was a bittersweet melody that really reflected Maddie’s relationship with her father, one that was filled with sadness, but allowed for some hope, too.

He watched them sway to the music; it seemed like they were talking as they danced, and, from here, Master Gunny seemed almost teary-eyed. Honestly, so did Madusa. Just a few days ago, Rooster was insisting she cut her dad out of her life because of the home movies they’d watched. Rooster had never been more glad she called him on his shit about it because, as he watched father and daughter, he realized how much he missed his own parents right then. He felt Maverick park himself next to him, reaching up to squeeze his shoulder.

“Missing your mom, huh?”

“Yeah.” His heart squeezed painfully tight.

“She’s here, kid. I can feel her and your dad looking down and they’re real proud of you.”

The thought made Rooster smile. “I hope so.”

“I know so.” Maverick paused and added, “And, I’m proud of you too.” Rooster looked at him, eyebrows all the way up. Maverick never shied away from telling Bradley he was proud of him, but it surprised him as an adult, probably because of how they left things after Maverick had his papers pulled from the Academy. Sure, they’d made up since then, but, during their years apart, Rooster had internalized that, maybe, Maverick wasn’t proud of his decisions. “I know I don’t tell you that enough—“

“You do,” Rooster insisted, aware that his thinking that Maverick wasn’t proud didn’t stem from their current reality; it all went back to his late teenage years, filled with grief, anger, and disappointment. It was a feeling from long ago, not now.

“I don’t,” Maverick insisted right back. "I feel like I lost that right when I pulled your papers.”

“You only did what my mom asked you to do, man.”

“Yeah.” Maverick nodded. “But, I could’ve said no, and I didn’t.”

“Telling my mom ‘no’ was hard on a good day; I don’t blame you for not saying ‘no’ on a bad day,” Bradley soothed. “Plus, maybe you were right; maybe I wasn’t ready then. I would’ve washed out during ejection training and that would’ve been worse than being held back four years.”

Maverick smiled sympathetically. “Because Madusa wouldn’t have been there to talk you through it,” he observed, referring to the vows Rooster spoke earlier that day. Bradley nodded.

“Exactly.” He offered Maverick a sympathetic smile. “I don’t blame you anymore, Mav. I know I did for a really long time—hell, even Slider told me I was being a dick about it, that you had your reasons, and I should trust you—but I was so messed up from losing my mom that it was easier to be angry with you.”

“You’ve gone through more loss than anyone deserves, kid. It’s not fair that you lost both your parents so young; if you being angry with me helped you through it, I’m okay with that.”

That was Maverick for you: loyal to a fault, even if it meant his own misery. Mav felt so guilty about Rooster’s dad, was so damn devoted to Bradley’s mom and Bradley himself, that he’d sacrifice his own happiness if it meant Bradley made it. “When are you and Penny getting married?” Rooster asked so suddenly that Maverick blinked.

Laughing softly, Maverick cut a glance toward his lady, who was wiping away some happy tears watching Madusa and her dad dance. “Soon,” Maverick replied. When Rooster quirked a brow for him to elaborate, he added, “I already told you: after deployment.”

“Why not now?” Rooster asked.

“Well, it’s your wedding right now,” Maverick pointed out unnecessarily.

Rooster snorted. “I mean now, as in before we head back out to the Boat,” he clarified.

“Because. I want to take Penny on a long honeymoon and we have to wait until Amelia’s out of school for the summer. She usually spends it with her dad. He’s stationed in Hawaii.”

“You can still get married now and go on a honeymoon later,” Rooster reasoned.

“I know,” Maverick laughed. “Why are you so adamant about this?”

“I just want you to be happy, man.”

“I am happy,” Maverick confirmed. He studied Rooster carefully, likely suspecting there was more to it, and Bradley squirmed under the scrutiny.

“It’s just something Slider said earlier,” Rooster confessed.

“Oh boy,” Maverick replied, rolling his eyes. “What did he say?”

“Just that guys like you and him have the itch for adventure—“

“Well, he’s not wrong about that,” Maverick replied. He patted Rooster’s shoulder. “Lucky for me, I’m in love with a woman who loves adventure, too; when there’s a kid involved, you have to be more strategic about your adventures, that’s all. Penny and I will be fine; you can stop worrying about me, kid.”

“I don’t think that’ll ever happen.” Bradley had been worrying about Maverick his whole life. “Are you going to stop worrying about me?” Rooster challenged.

“No, probably not,” Maverick acquiesced. “I guess that’s part of being a family, huh?”

“Yep.”

Maverick blinked real quick and swiped at his eyes; every time Rooster called him ‘family’ it seemed to hit Maverick right in the feelings. “Alright, fair enough. You can worry about me on one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“Later, during karaoke. You and me.” Maverick motioned between himself and Rooster.

The newlyweds had decided they were going to wrap up the reception evening with some group karaoke, as was tradition with the Black Knights (Moose was a karaoke fiend, apparently). Honestly, reception karaoke hadn’t been a hard sell for Rooster at all since he loved performing and belting out tunes; he even tried to convince Madusa to go for a full karaoke-only reception, but she really wanted some dancing first. (“Please, don’t make me listen to Moose’s off-key singing the whole night!” she had pleaded.) They compromised with dancing and then karaoke for the last hour or so of the reception.

Rooster sized up Maverick’s request. “I’m guessing she’s lost that lovin’ feeling, huh?”

“She has. She’s lost it,” Maverick answered solemnly.

“You know, I usually hate it when she does that, but today? I think she needs two wingmen to hit the high notes because it’s always a bullseye.”

Maverick grinned real big before the two men hugged it out.

Once Maddie and her dad finished up their dance, it was time to get down. They started the reception off with ‘Celebration’ from Kool & The Gang and boogied their way through the 70s, 80s, 90s, the millennium, and present-day contemporary jams. The crowd did everything from the Macarena, to the Dougie, to Party Rock, to the Cupid Shuffle, to Soulja Boy, to Cotton Eyed Joe. They even joined in for the Chicken Dance!

Rooster danced with his wife (WIFE!) the whole time, though did scoot over to give Ariel some room to twist and shout with the two of them; the kid loved to party! It was far more difficult for Maddie to coax Payton to dance because, Rooster suspected, Payton thought all the old people (meaning anyone over the age of twenty) were super embarrassing. Eventually, Maddie convinced Payton to hit the dancefloor with her at least once however, the teenager didn’t do more than just sway in place and cover her face with her hand in mortification. It was cute, though, when Tommy also managed to convince Payton to dance with him, their own version of a father-daughter dance. Madusa smiled fondly as the two Maitlands swayed together in a circle during the slower-paced song.

It also allowed Rooster and Madusa to slow dance together again, something Rooster loved. A lot. He nuzzled her temple before kissing her. She smiled against his cheek. “Looked like you and your dad had a pretty intense talk during your dance,” he observed.

Madusa nodded. “Guess it’s a big deal for a dad to watch his daughter get married.”

“That all?”

“He apologized. You know, for my childhood. Again,” she added. Rooster’s thumb stroked the small of her back. “I told him he didn’t need to do that anymore.”

Rooster let out an understanding breath. “I kinda had the same kind of conversation with Maverick.”

“About the Academy?” Rooster nodded. “You think he’ll ever forgive himself for it?”

“Probably not. You think your dad will ever forgive himself for your shit childhood?”

“Probably not,” she agreed. “I guess, in a way, it shows they’re good men, in the end. Feeling guilt about what they did, wanting to atone…”

“I didn’t think I’d ever forgive him. You know?” Rooster admitted.

Madusa blew out a sharp breath. “Oh yeah. I get it. I was very angry at my dad, for a really long time. I built my entire adult life around being mad at him.”

“Same with me and Maverick.”

“I think I’m ready to let it go.”

“Yeah? How come?”

She cupped his cheek. “Because I’ve got you to help me through it.”

“I’m glad you want me to.” Madeleine was not the most welcoming when it came to help; the fact she voluntarily sought his made Rooster feel things, deep in his soul. He turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand gently.

“You having fun?” she asked after being quiet with him for a moment.

“Yeah, I am,” he told her with a genuine smile. “This is the best wedding I’ve ever been to!”

Madusa laughed. “I should hope that our wedding’s your favorite!”

“Definitely! I don’t think any other wedding’s ever gonna top this one.”

“What if we decide to renew our vows someday?”

“Vow renewal is its own category. I’m sure that’ll win top spot there, too.”

Maddie laughed again. “You’re goofball,” she teased.

“That makes you Mrs. Goofball,” he teased right back, earning another laugh. “You ready for karaoke later?”

“Oh my god,” Madusa lamented. “I’m gonna need a couple of shots of tequila first because Moose always drags me and Gretzky up there with him.”

Apparently, karaoke had been Moose’s preferred team-building activity (something that amused Rooster immensely), which was how it became a Black Knight tradition at squadron weddings. The man even had his own professional quality karaoke machine and set-up; Moose offered it up (gleefully!) for the reception. Listening to Madusa talk, Rooster had expected a karaoke disaster, but he soon found out that, when it came to karaoke, the Black Knights went hard. Rooster could respect the karaoke hustle.

But first, they needed to help fate along with a bouquet and garter toss.

Maverick called for all single people who wanted a chance at glory to take strategic positions on the floor. Madusa was up first with the bouquet toss (she’d made sure to retrieve the pinned wings for safekeeping). She surveyed the steely-eyed competitors—Rooster noted Rocksteady right up front shoving Hangman on one side and Phoenix on the other—probably committing all positioning to memory before turning around and launching florals over her shoulder like a Boat cat-shot.

Rooster thought Hangman might have the advantage, due to his college football skills, but he should’ve known not to count Rocksteady out; she’d played basketball, after all, and was almost as tall as Hangman. The two duked it out but Rocksteady was the most determined of them all and snatched that bouquet from the jaws of defeat (Hangman’s hands).

“I GOT IT!!!” Madusa grinned at her friend. Rooster cast a glance Coyote’s way; the man was smiling at his woman. Rooster liked those two together.

Then, it was Rooster’s turn. He pulled up a chair for his wife (WIFE!) to sit on in the middle of the dance floor. Rooster pointed at Maverick to hit the music. Madusa laughed out loud when ‘Eye of the Tiger’ blared through the speakers. He did a few exaggerated stretches, making everyone laugh, before sinking to his knees in front of his lady.

“I’m going in,” he told her with a grin.

“Don’t get lost,” she sassed.

“Oh, I know my way around.” Rooster definitely knew his way around. He slid his hands up her smooth, bare leg until they disappeared under her flowy, blue skirt. Rooster’s eyes were locked in with hers the whole time his fingertips grazed her skin all the way up to her thigh. Around them, the squadrons cat called and wolf-whistled, but Rooster wasn’t paying any attention to them, entirely focused on his lady. He could’ve been naughty and teased her further, but he kept himself in check. Their families were watching, after all.

With fingers coiling around the stretchy, silky fabric, he slid it off her leg, and emerged victoriously, holding it aloft for the world to see. The singles were all ready and positioned across the dancefloor, ready to catch the garment. Rooster deliberately slingshotted it at Coyote. Cool and collected, Coyote snatched it out of the air easily, much to Hangman’s lament.

“Come on! You aimed it right at him!”

“His lady caught the bouquet; it made sense.”

“You’re my favorite, boo,” Rocksteady told him before snagging Coyote for the subsequent victory dance before they delved into the weird and wonderful world of karaoke.

Moose kicked karaoke time off by pulling both Madusa and Gretzky on stage with him to be his backup singers for Moose’s rendition of ‘Ice Ice Baby.’ Moose’s wife cheered the loudest. Moose’s kids looked like the wanted to die from mortification; Payton was there with them as emotional support. Moose, for his part, had a great time as karaoke opening act. He was really into it and doing a great job laying down the beat, dancing like a typical middle-aged dad, but what made the whole spectacle were Madusa and Gretzky deadpanning the backup lyrics, each looking like they wanted to spork their eyes out. Madusa even facepalmed through half the song.

“I hate this song! Why did I have to sing it at my wedding?!” she lamented after a rousing round of applause.

“What?! Of course, we had to do this one! It’s our song,” Moose insisted, motioning between him, Gretzky, and Madusa. “We always do this one! Plus, I outrank you both.”

“And if I have to look like a dumbass, you have to look like a dumbass,” Gretzky added.

“I know! I know! Shit rolls downhill.”

After that strong opener, Rooster rallied the Daggers because there was no way he was gonna let the Marines win at karaoke. Thankfully, the Daggers had their own secret weapons: Rooster and Maverick. At first, he thought they should keep their showstopper for the end to really slide home with the win, but Maverick convinced him to start off strong to scare off their opponents.

That was why they started off with The Song.

And it was a fuckin’ hit.

At one point, Rooster fell to his knees in front of Madusa as he belted out the tune, earning a delighted giggle. Maverick was working Penny for all he was worth, making his future bride smile and shake her head at his antics. Slider got in on the action and then, the whole crowd joined in.

“Whoa-o, whoa-oh, whoa. Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Ba-bum. Bum, bum,” everyone sang together.

After the whistles and applause, Rooster sided up to Madusa. “So? How’d you like my performance?” he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her.

“I liked it,” she told him, looking very amused. “It’s not the first time you sang that one to me.”

“It’s always a crowd-pleaser,” he agreed with a solemn nod.

“I’m definitely pleased.”

“Are you gonna go up again?”

“Yep.”

Rooster perked up real bright. “Yeah?!”

“I’m gonna be up there singing quite a few times, actually,” she told him. “Seems like a bunch of people are cashing in Madusa Favor Vouchers.” She showed him a handful of vouchers before slapping them back onto the bar.

“Do I have to cash in a Favor Voucher?” he teased.

“No,” she laughed. “You’ve got husband privilege. All you gotta do is ask, Baby.” She called him her husband!

“Will you sing with me, Sweetheart?”

“Yes.” She smiled up at him so brightly, his heart tripped.

“I’ll pick a good one, promise.”

Slider and Maverick were giving Moose a run for his money with some classic Bon Jovi, but the Black Knights showed they weren’t messing around when Gonzo absolutely killed it with ‘Gasolina.’ He got the whole place up dancing and singing along with him. Payback was smooth with a rendition of ‘My Girl’ for his wife, while Gretzky absolutely surprised the hell out of Rooster with his slick and very in-character recitation of ‘Short Skirt/Long Jacket.’ Phoenix loved it, grinning the whole time Gretzky ‘sang’ to her.

At some point after his go at the mic, Gretzky sided up to him at the bar. “What’s up, jerkface?” Gretzky greeted.

Okay, this was getting out of hand; Rooster figured this was the best time to figure out what the hell was up with Madusa’s best friend. “Are you—?” Gretzky quirked a brow at him. “Are you mad at me or something, man?” Rooster’s voice did a little awkward squeak at the end there because the thought of Madusa’s best friend being mad at him made Rooster feel a bit queasy.

“Nope.” Gretzky grabbed his beer.

“Then, why are you calling me names?!”

“I call Madusa names,” he pointed out.

“Yeah.” Rooster nodded. “But that’s, like, your thing with you two.”

“It is.”

“So, why are you calling me names?!”

Gretzky eyed him up and down for a good minute before smirking. “You don’t remember, do you?”

“Remember what?”

“For someone with a freak photographic memory, it’s pretty funny you don’t remember.”

“The freak memory has its limits. I have to know what I’m trying to remember, dude.”

Apparently, Gretzky decided to take pity on him because the amused smirk transitioned into a fond smile. “You remember that week you visited Madusa?”

How could Rooster forget? It was one of the best weeks of his life. “I slept on her couch.”

“Yeah. And, I came over to drop off my spare key for you to use while you were visiting.”

“I remember this.”

“As I was leaving, I told Madusa something like, ‘Bye, shithead’ or something like that.”

“Yes,” Rooster agreed.

“You asked me something. Do you remember now?”

Rooster replayed the scene in his mind. ‘Don’t I get a nickname?’ he’d asked Gretzky.

‘Not until you make an honest woman out of her,’ Madusa’s best friend had said.

That was when Rooster understood: now, that he and Madusa were married, Gretzky was giving him his own nicknames. He looked at Gretzky, wide-eyed and touched. Gretzky’s smile widened, spotting that Rooster figured it out. He slapped Rooster on the back like a bro. “I always keep my word, fucknut,” he said before retreating back toward his own lady’s table.

“What was that about?” Maverick asked.

“I pretty much just got the Gretzky stamp of approval. I think.”

“I sure hope so. I’d be real awkward if her best friend didn’t like you.” Rooster snorted.

When Rooster didn’t have an arm around Madusa’s waist as they watched the karaoke performances, he was with Maverick and Slider to cheer for his lady every time she went on stage. Madusa ended up in a duet with Hangman (‘The Chain’), Tofu (‘Shake It Off’), Moose again (‘Love Shack’), and Rocksteady (‘Telephone’). Rooster pulled his wife (WIFE!) up on stage for some fun with ‘I Got You Babe.’

But, the absolute cherry on top of the karaoke cake, the winning performance that solidified the Marines as karaoke juggernauts, was the group number.

“In the Navy! Yes, you can sail the seven seas! In the Navy!”

It was the best fucking thing ever. Rooster was in tears laughing, hanging off Maverick and Slider, who were red and wheezing. The group ended the song with a full Marine salute with Madusa yelling, “Go Navy!” Then, she winked at him. All of Navy present erupted in applause.

Rooster loved that woman so fucking much.

Eventually, the evening began to wind down. Madusa slipped her arms around Rooster’s waist, looking up at him. “Might be time to get going, huh?”

“I’m torn,” he admitted.

“You are? Why’s that?” she asked, smiling.

“Because I really want to take you home and let you have your way with me.” Madusa laughed and hummed her approval of that idea. “But, I also don’t want the day to end.”

“It’s been a good day.”

“It’s been a great day! I wish I could marry you every day.”

“You marry me every single time you smile, Sunshine.” Rooster swallowed hard, a lump of emotion stuck in his throat. She loved the sweet words he always said to her, making her weak in the knees, but his lady was quite the wordsmith herself because her words earned pleasant shivers up his spine and over his skin.

He took her face in both his hands gently, and leaned down to kiss her tenderly before saying, “I think it’s time I take my wife home.”

“Your wife very much agrees with that plan.”

This really was the best day of his life.

—Madusa—

When it was time for Madusa and Rooster to head out, they climbed into the decorated Bronco and had the flurry of guests send them off with hugs and some cheers, though not before announcing that—surprise!—Maverick had stamped off his final square in Madusa-Rooster Bingo!

“Now, I know why you kept pushing for The Song; it’s what won you the game!” Rooster accused.

“It did,” Maverick admitted without shame. “Thanks for doing me a solid, kid.” Maverick grinned brightly at his godson.

Twenty minutes later, they were driving off Coronado back toward home. Rooster had originally wanted to book a hotel for the evening, before heading out to their honeymoon the next morning, but Madusa convinced him that home was where the heart was.

“I’d like our first night as husband and wife to be in our own bed in our own home,” she’d told him. Rooster agreed immediately. The man was a big romantic softy at heart and Madusa loved him for it.

As Rooster drove, Madusa reached over and ran her fingers in the hair at his temples. “Madusa,” he purred. “I love it when you do that, Sweetheart, but I need to concentrate on driving right now and all the blood is rushing out of my brain into my dick.”

She chuckled, and tucked her hand under her to stop its errant search for him; all she wanted to do was caress and touch him right now. Usually, it was Rooster who was the most touchy-feely out of the two, but right then, as she studied his profile, it took all of Madusa’s self-control to temper the need to touch him right that second. It wasn’t even in a sexy way, either (though she definitely wanted to touch him like that); it was more of an intense need to be close to her husband.

Husband.

Madusa had thought it would take her a while to get used to the whole ‘husband’ and ‘married’ thing but apparently not. Calling and thinking of him her husband was as natural as breathing.

He spotted her watching him with a soft smile and offered her a soft smile of his own. “What are you thinking about?”

“That you’re my husband,” she told him truthfully.

Immediately, Rooster beamed, sitting up straighter with a smile so bright, she was surprised night didn’t shift into daylight. It didn’t take them more than fifteen minutes to get home, since they lived close by and traffic was lighter at this time of night. He backed the Bronco up into the garage that opened up in the back alley behind her backyard, and the newlyweds spilled out toward the back door of their little house. Rooster unlocked the door but paused.

“Can I carry you over the threshold?” he asked suddenly. They hadn’t really talked about this part because, honestly, it hadn’t even occurred to Madusa that this would be something to consider; she had so many other wedding and marriage things to think about that this had sort of fallen off her radar. Since she didn’t answer right away, Rooster kept talking, probably out of nerves or a desire to explain his request. “I know you’re a strong Marine who doesn’t need a man to carry her anywhere—which is something I love, by the way; I think it’s amazing how strong you are—but I’d just…I don’t know. I’d like it? Because I’d get to hold you in my arms when we walk into the house for the first time with you as my wife.”

The way he looked at her was—gosh—so absolutely hopeful and adorable and sweet that Madusa could only agree to his request. Sure, it was a tradition that was probably rooted in bullshit sexism or dumb superstition, but, as she was starting to realize with this whole wedding business, there was also power in reclaiming traditions and giving them your own meaning. That Rooster wanted to hold her as they crossed the threshold wasn’t because he believed in those sexist roots; it was—plainly and simply—because he wanted to be close to her. Because he loved her so damn much, he wanted her in his arms. The fact he asked before getting swept away was hot as fuck, too.

Madusa reached up, took his face in her hands, and gently pulled him down for a soft kiss. She smiled up at her husband. “Yes, you can carry me.”

Since getting together, Madusa and Rooster’s sex life wasn’t just steamy, it was fun, too. Often, they end up laughing and teasing. Sometimes, Rooster would pick her up like a potato sack. Other times, she would buddy-carry him around. Every time, there was laughter and fun.

This time, Rooster didn’t haul her up over his shoulder as she roared with laughs; he carefully tucked an arm under her knees and picked her up delicately, like she was most precious. Madusa easily wrapped her arms around his neck, not because she was worried he was going to drop her (he wasn’t; her husband was strong as fuck), but because she wanted that closeness, too.

They were both staring in each other’s eyes for minutes or maybe it was forever, before Rooster took a careful step inside, ensuring he didn’t bump her on the door frame or the hallway wall. Once they were officially, fully stepped inside their home, Maddie kissed his lips, then up his jaw all the way to his earlobe, where she whispered, “Take me to bed, Sunshine. I want to love you.”

Bradley let out a shaky breath, and closed his eyes for a moment, likely to soak it all in and lock all of this into his amazing memory. He kicked the door closed behind him without missing a step and carried her to their bedroom before gently setting her down on their bed and kneeling in front of her. Quietly, he picked up one of her feet to carefully unlace the cobalt blue Converse; it slipped right off easily once loosened. Rooster pulled her foot up and kissed the inside of her ankle, earning a soft, pleased hum on her part. He did the same with the other shoe and ankle. She’d never actually thought of ankles as erogenous zones, but every single time Rooster caressed or kissed her there, it drove her wild for some reason.

Maybe because it was so sweet and tender and intimate.

She reached out for his shirt; slowly, she unfastened each button all while gazing into his beautiful, dark eyes; the eye contact triggered a zing up her spine, especially when he licked his full lips. Bradley’s hands rested lightly on her wrists as she worked, his thumbs stroking her skin gently. They both smiled softly. Once his shirt was fully unbuttoned, she ran her fingernails lightly up his abs, causing him to suck in a sharp breath; his stomach flexed in response. Her hands traveled up his chest, up, up, tucking under the loose and open fabric of his Hawaiian shirt until her hands stroked up and over his shoulder, dragging the open shirt along with her; it slid off his shoulders and down his arms. Rooster tossed it off to the side to be forgotten about for now because his hands had accepted a new mission.

His palms slid up her calves and up her thighs, much in the same way as he’d done when fishing for the garter earlier tonight. Except, Maddie knew there was no garter to be found; Bradley had a far more interesting target in mind. She spread her thighs open wider, allowing his hands more room to explore. His thick fingers took advantage, as they grazed her inner thighs; this time, it was Maddie who sucked in a breath sharply, her abs clenching from the dizzying sensation. When his fingers brushed over her lace-covered pussy, her head fell back, her eyes closed, and she moaned sweetly.

“I love it when you make that sound,” he rasped deeply, earning another clench in her belly and between her legs.

As his fingers teased her, she braced herself with a hand on his shoulder while the other cupped his cheek. “That sound belongs to only you, Bradley,” she breathed. Her hips began to roll and writhe in slow, seeking circles, as the fire in her belly burned. She wanted to let it erupt into hard, fast passion, but as wild and contrary as Madeleine was, she also had tremendous self-control when it mattered, and it mattered now.

Madeleine liked it fast and hard and rough, but Bradley needed slow and loving and tender. When he slowed down like this, when he took his time to explore every inch, it was Bradley worshiping her, and her Bradley always loved worshiping his Madeleine, his touch and words and love so reverent and pure. Despite her molten, hot desire for him, she refused to deny him this. It was a deep act of love and a gift.

“Would you like me to take these pretty panties off you, Madeleine?”

“I’d like that very much.” She sounded breathless and happy.

Bradley hummed in appreciation when he received his answer. They held intense eye contact as his fingers curled into the panties’ waistband. She lifted her bottom up off the bed just enough for clearance; he took his time sliding the white lace down her thighs, past her knees, down her calves, and past her ankles and feet. Bradley carefully set them aside before returning to her. Maddie reached out to run her fingers through his curly, slightly disheveled hair. He kissed the inside of her wrist first, then gave her skin a soft lick, making her sigh happily.

“I’d like to taste you.”

“Yes, please,” she responded desperately. The fire in her belly burned so damn hot that she felt she’d die if he didn’t touch her soon. Bradley didn’t make her wait a second longer. He navigated beneath the pushed-up chiffon skirt and hit a bullseye on his target, moaning like he’d found heaven as soon as his tongue tasted her. She’d once confessed that she’d touched herself while thinking of him, something Rooster approved of eagerly. In all those moments when she allowed herself these intimate thoughts of him, never did she come close to how fucking amazing reality with him felt. The man ate pussy like it was his mission in life, full of skill, eagerness, and desire. The way he purred and hummed and moaned while sucking on her clit made her toes curl and made everything clench so hard that she felt his smug, pleased smile against her pussy. She didn’t begrudge him the cockiness; he deserved every accolade.

Maddie rested back on her elbows, let her head fall back and her eyes closed to savor the moment and enjoy the pleasure her husband so lovingly bestowed upon her. He hooked her knees up over his shoulders, arms wrapping around her thighs to keep her anchored. Everything felt so good, her entire body shaking so thoroughly, that she was having trouble keeping herself propped up; even though she wanted to watch him between her legs, her body gave in. Madeleine fell back onto the comfortable bed entirely, eyes squeezed shut to focus on the feel of his mouth on her. She rewarded his efforts with fingers in his hair, stroking softly at first, and gripping more tightly as she felt that fire in her belly threaten to erupt. Between gasps and moans, she praised Bradley with affirmation and love; he was so good to her and she loved him so damn much for it.

The praise earned a needy, rumbling groan against her pussy, and it was enough to ignite the eruption of pleasure that had been heating her up. Madeleine didn’t hold herself back, and didn’t try to be quiet. She cried out her pleasure to the heavens, unrestricted and without abandon. Bradley didn’t ease up until her entire body was so damn sensitive that even the softest, fleeting breath sent her into pleasure aftershocks.

He caressed her thighs with his big, thick hands, sliding up to her hips as he peeked his head up from between her legs; he smiled, wickedly pleased with himself, as he should be. Maddie felt flushed all over her skin which tingled deliciously. She stretched on the bed, arching like a lazy cat in a sunshine beam.

“Let’s get this off you?” he suggested, nosing her skirt. Maddie agreed. She wanted both of them naked because their wedding night was meant for naked exploration. Lifting her hips up off the bed slightly, allowed him to pull the chiffon skirt off her. Sitting up, she reached behind her to unfasten the pretty, sparkly, beaded halter top and handed it over. Bradley took great care to hang up each piece of her dress. She watched him the whole time as she lay naked and comfortable atop their bed. Rooster could’ve simply tossed the skirt and top aside—especially since she knew he was eager—but he didn’t; seeing him take such good care of her wedding attire, all because it was special and belonged to her, made her heart squeeze in that good way. Madusa never thought she’d ever find a man so attentive, loving, and considerate. Rooster wasn’t perfect—God knew she definitely wasn’t perfect, far from it—but he was perfect for her in all the ways that mattered.

She was stretched out on her side, head propped up on her elbow as she admired his diligence with her dress. When he turned around, satisfied the dress was hung up, safe and sound, he caught her staring at him; she hadn’t been hiding her admiration, anyway. When he realized she’d been watching him so openly, she saw his abs jump in that way they did when desire hit quickly.

“Like what you see, Darlin’?” he drawled in a rasp, clearly pleased with himself.

“I do,” she replied truthfully.

“I love it when you say those words to me.”

“Won’t be the last time I say them to you, promise.” Her eyes met his boldly before flicking down south to the obvious bulge down front. “Take your pants off for me, Sunshine.” 

He breathed in a shaky, sharp inhale, as their eyes locked again. Bradley licked his lips. “I’ll give you anything and everything you want, Sweetheart.”

“I know,” she purred. “You’re so good to me, Bradley.” He let out a soft, needy growl. Bradley was such a slut for praise, and Maddie was happy to oblige. When Bradley reached for his belt, Maddie instructed, “Slowly, please. I want to savor you.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Those words shot electricity straight up her spine.

Bradley did exactly as told, and took his time, watching her as he did. He pulled on the strap near the end tip to slide it out of the loop as the other reached for the buckle to angle the prong out of the holes to free the buckle from it’s leather restraint. Once unfastened, the buckle clicked metal on metal as he let it fall open and loose around his waist. There was no rush when he pulled the belt entirely out of his belt loops and coiled it to set down on the dresser. He took equal amount of time and care to unfasten his pants, first popping the button, then slowly pulling the zipper down. He wore a tight, form-fitting pair of boxer briefs beneath, visible now that his pants fell open to tease her. Her eyes trained on the treasure trail of hair pointing south and disappearing beneath the waistband of his shorts. She hummed her approval.

He kicked off his shoes and socks, kicking them off to the side; he definitely didn’t take as much care with his clothes as he had with her dress. She suspected he was too focused on his naked wife. The pants came off next but before he could rid himself of his boxer briefs, Madusa couldn’t contain herself any longer. She reached out for him; before she touched, her hand hovered over his very prominent bulge. “Can I touch you, Sunshine?”

“Yes,” he pleaded. “You can touch me anytime you want, Sweetheart.”

Maddie smiled, pleased, and cupped his cock boldly over the fabric. His head fell back as she caressed him tenderly and intimately. He looked blissful, his hips pressing forward slightly into her palm. She released him to a needy whine; her fingers grazed up his belly, then back down, following the treasure trail beneath his navel, and tugged on the elastic waistband with purpose. “Naked, now,” was all she said. He obliged immediately.

She settled back onto the bed, her head cradled in her fluffy pillow, as he climbed in next to her, stretching on his side to mirror her on hers. From her knee, his hand slid up slowly, over her leg, then hip, following the dip of her waist and up her ribcage. Bradley cupped her breast tenderly before dipping his head down to pull her nipple between his lips. Maddie whimpered softly, fingers flexing in his hair sharply to hold his head there for a few moments longer. She shifted onto her back, pulling him atop her, framing his hips with her knees. He released her nipple with a new target in mind. Bradley’s lips found hers; her tongue explored his. They kissed deeply, slowly, and passionately, only parting when air became a dire necessity.

Usually, he was the one who brushed hair from her face, a sweet gesture she’d grown to love (and need); this time, it was her turn. There was an errant curl dropping down his forehead that Maddie found absolutely adorable. She wrapped the short curl around her finger before brushing it aside. Bradley was eyes locked on her the whole time.

“You’re my wife,” he rasped sounding absolutely awed, like he couldn’t believe it was real.

“I’m your wife,” she confirmed. Maddie leaned up to brush a soft, barely there kiss against his lips, then whispered, “I think it’s time you made love to your wife.”

Bradley groaned desperately, burying his face in the crook of her neck to steady himself. He kissed that spot she loved, right where her shoulder and neck met, then nibbled because he knew any attention to that area drove her wild. He was right; her hips bucked up off the bed, pressing herself to him, a silent plea for more.

A moment later, wife and husband joined as one for the first time.

Bradley moaned softly against her skin; Maddie gasped happily, always enjoying the feel of that first slide. They moved together slowly, taking their time to enjoy each other’s bodies deeply. They caressed. They kissed. They licked. They moaned. They whimpered and gasped. They wrapped around each other so thoroughly, it was impossible to tell where one began and the other ended. Maddie didn’t keep track of the time, too engrossed in her husband’s sounds and touch. Bradley focused on her entirely. He begged her to let him take care of her, to let him focus on her pleasure. She happily submitted to his worship.

Being the subject of Bradley’s adoration was intoxicating and, honestly, humbling. His fingers mapped every inch of her skin. His lips learned every part of her by heart. His words of love and appreciation enveloped her body, and his deep, loving gaze anchored her soul. She crested with pleasure twice more before he even entertained his own gratification; Bradley loved making it last as long as possible, edging to the brink, pulling back, only to find that pleasure’s edge again and again until, eventually, his body succumbed to hers. He came with a deep, guttural groan against her ear, as she held onto him tightly. He stayed wrapped up around her for a long, long time; Maddie loved every second of it.

After they’d both caught their breath and had come down from the heights of bliss, they settled quietly, skin warm and flushed, with a fine sheen of sweat covering their bodies. Madusa’s legs were still loosely hooked over his hips, her arms up around his neck, playing with his curls. Rooster pushed himself up slightly to gaze down at her then chuckled. He reached up, plucked something up between his fingers, and held it up for her to see.

“You’ve got a petal in your hair,” he declared, amused.

Madusa laughed softly. “The flower crown disintegrated at some point during ‘Cotton Eyed Joe,’” she giggled. “I guess I didn’t catch all the petals.”

Rooster laughed with her. “I like it. I’d planned a whole bed covered in petals for our first night, but Phoenix talked me out of it. Joke’s on her since you brought your own.”

Her laugh deepened as did his. Madusa hoped the sound of their laughter would fill their house forever. “Thank you,” she told him after her giggles faded to a smile.

“For making you cum? That was just the appetizer, Baby! We’ve got a whole main course of a honeymoon on the horizon,” he teased.

There he went again, making her laugh. “I mean: yes, thank you for making me cum. A lot,” she added with a grin. Rooster wiggled his eyebrows, making her giggle again. “I meant, thank you for all of this. Thank you for loving me.”

Rooster’s expression softened; the way he was looking at her then made her heart backflip. “Loving you’s the easiest thing in the world for me, Sweetheart. Even more natural than flying.”

Madusa hadn’t always believed she was easy to love; hell, she still didn’t think she was easy to love.

But, when Rooster looked at her like that, spoke to her with that voice, and touched her so tenderly, Maddie believed her husband. With all her heart. 

[rosiahills22]

through the hourglass 390. brb x oc

a/n: we're nearing the end ;~; aaaa(comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

/316/317/318/319/320/321/322/323/324/325/326/327/328/329/330/331/332/333/334/335/336/337/338/339/340/341/342/343/344/345/346/347/348/349/350/351/352/353/354/355/356/357/358/359/360/361/362/363/364/365/366

/367/368/369/370/371/372/373/374/375/376/377/378/379/380/381/382/383/384/385/386/387/388/389

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-

Beatrice chewed the sandwich as she sits next to Rooster,who was now lying on his back with his hands behind his back, completely relaxed in this little clearing, the water rippling in the distance, “This is so nice.”

Rooster nodded in agreement, his gaze fixed on the canopy of trees above as he enjoyed the peaceful moment with Beatrice. "Yeah, it really is," he replied, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "Sometimes, it's the simple things in life that bring us the most joy."

Beatrice smiled back at Rooster, she leaned over to place a gentle kiss on his cheek before settling back against the blanket, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin. Albeit it was still fall, it was warm enough for her to wear a dress.

"I couldn't agree more," she murmured, her voice soft, "...I like Virginia.”

‘Yeah?”

‘I mean, not only is it where you are from,” she smiles “But…I like it here, I’ve never visited before meeting you.”

"I'm glad you like it here, Bea," he replied warmly, his voice filled with sincerity, "Virginia holds a special place in my heart, and knowing that you enjoy it too...well, it just makes it even more special."

Beatrice smiled at Rooster, her eyes shining with affection as she squeezed his hand gently. "I can see why," she murmured softly, "It's such a beautiful state, with so much history and charm. And being here with you just makes it all the more magical."

Rooster's heart swelled with love for the woman beside him, feeling grateful for the opportunity to share his home with her. He leaned in to press a tender kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin as he whispered softly, "You make everything more magical, Bea."

Beatrice blushed at Rooster's words, her cheeks flushing pink as she met his gaze with a shy smile. "You're too sweet, Roos," she replied softly, her voice filled with warmth, "But it's true. Being with you...it's like being in a fairy tale."

Rooster chuckled, feeling a rush of happiness wash over him at Beatrice's words. He brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, his touch gentle and tender. "Well, if this is a fairy tale, then you're definitely my princess.’

"And you're my knight in shining armor," she shot back, her voice filled with laughter, "Rescuing me from the monotony of everyday life."

“Monotony?Gorgeous.” he scoffs “Your life wasn’t monotone.”

She gives him a look.

“...it wasn’t that monotone.” he smirks “You were just dealing with your own stuff,baby.”

Beatrice rolled her eyes playfully at Rooster's teasing, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Fine, maybe it wasn't all monotone," she conceded with a chuckle, "But you did bring some excitement into my life, that's for sure."

"Well, I'm glad I could be of service," he replied with a wink, "And I'll make sure to keep the excitement coming."

Beatrice laughed, squeezing Rooster's hand gently as she leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you," she murmured against his lips.”You are great at it Lt.Commander.”

His pupils enlarged immediately and he smirked, “I do try.” he tucks a strand of hair behind her ear “...coming here wasn’t so bad.”

“It wasn’t.”

“...kinda crazy.” he chuckled, rubbing her bare thigh as he lies back down, “...I didn’t wanted to come here and…I ended up coming anyway.”

"Yeah, it's funny how life works out sometimes," she agreed softly, her voice filled with nostalgia, "But I'm grateful that we ended up here together."

Rooster nodded in agreement, his fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on Beatrice's arm as he gazed up at the sky. "Me too," he murmured, "Thanks, by the way.”

“For?”

“Giving me the push to come here.” he huffs softly “...I feel better…before we go though…can we visit my parents?”

She smiles softly, she had a feeling he’d ask that. She leans on a hand, tilting her head at him, “...honey, you don’t have to ask me, you know I don’t mind going to the cemetery with you.” she says, rubbing his cheek “If you want, we sure can go…we’ll leave tomorrow anyway, I don’t see why not.”

And he lets out a breath he had no idea why he was holding, “...thanks,gorgeous.I know, I just want to ask anyway.” he purses his lips “Tell them the news and all that,you know.”

“Of course I know.” she smiles, “They’ll be proud to hear about your promotion,Roos. You know that.”

Rooster smiled gratefully at Beatrice, he leaned in to press a tender kiss to her lips, his lips lingering against hers as he whispered softly, "Thank you, Bea. You always know just what to say."

Beatrice returned Rooster's kiss with equal tenderness,he cupped his face in her hands, her fingers tracing the contours of his jaw as she looked into his eyes.

"You don't have to thank me, Roos," she replied softly, her voice filled with warmth, "I'll always be here for you, no matter what. And if visiting your parents will bring you peace, then I'm always all for it."

After a while, Beatrice broke the silence, her voice soft and tentative. "Roos," she began, her voice tinged with curiosity, "Can I ask you something?"

Rooster looked down at Beatrice, his gaze filled with warmth and affection as he nodded. "Of course, gorgeous," he replied, "You can ask me anything."

Beatrice took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest as she gathered her thoughts. "I was just wondering...would…it–I don’t know, be odd-hah.” she clears her throat “To…maybe…get a place here?”

He blinks at her, slowly pushing himself on his elbows, “...what?”

“In the future! N-Not now!I mean–” she smiles “The kids might like that, the dogs too and…” she shrugs softly “I-If that’s okay,I mean.”

Rooster's eyes widened in surprise at Beatrice's question, his mind racing with thoughts of the future. He sat up slowly, his gaze never leaving Beatrice's face as he considered her words.

"A place here?" he repeated, his voice tinged with astonishment, "In Virginia?"

Beatrice nodded, her cheeks flushing pink as she met Rooster's gaze with a shy smile. "Yeah, I mean...if that's something you'd be open to," she replied softly, her voice filled with uncertainty, "I just thought...since you have roots here and all, it might be nice to have a place of our own. Like…we’d still have our house in California–I-I am I making sense?!!"

He reached out to take her hand in his, his fingers intertwining with hers as he met her gaze with a tender smile.

"Bea," he began softly, his voice filled with warmth, "You always know how to surprise me. And I mean that in the best possible way."

Beatrice smiled back at Rooster, her eyes shining with affection as she squeezed his hand gently. "I just…really?”

“Baby,yes. I mean,if it’s possible for us to have,maybe a vacation home here,why not?”

“...Oh.”

He smirks “Oh?”

“OhI,I mean…I just,I don’t want you to be overworked? I mean,I know we might have to move but…I just, you know–”

"Hey, listen," he said softly, his voice filled with reassurance, "I appreciate your concern, I really do. But...if having a place here is something that would make you happy, then it's worth it to me. And besides, it wouldn't be just for me, it would be for us. To have a place where we can come and relax, and make memories together."

“...oh.”

“You surprised?’

“I…” she shrugs “A little?I guess.”

Rooster chuckled softly at Beatrice's admission, a warm smile playing on his lips as he reached out to gently brush a strand of hair away from her face. "Well, get used to it, gorgeous," he teased, "Because I have a feeling there will be many more surprises in our future."

"I can't wait," she murmured against his lips, smiling.

Rooster smiled against Beatrice's lips, feeling a sense of contentment wash over him in her presence. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as they shared a moment of pure bliss.

"To us," he whispered softly, his voice filled with warmth, "And to all the beautiful moments we'll share together."

Beatrice nodded in agreement, her heart swelling with love for the man beside her. "To us," 

–

Beatrice stood quietly as Rooster approached his parents' resting place, giving him the space he needed to grieve and pay his respects. She watched him from a distance, gently wringing her hands together.

As Rooster knelt beside the grave, Beatrice felt a wave of sadness wash over her. She wished she could take away his pain, but she knew that grief was something he had to face on his own.

After a while, Rooster looked back at her, then nodded forward, “Join me?”

Beatrice's heart clenched at the vulnerability in Rooster's eyes, but she nodded and stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She knelt beside him, feeling the weight of their shared sorrow pressing down on her chest.

Silently, they sat together, their hands intertwined as they gazed at the gravestones in front of them. The air was heavy with emotion, filled with the memories of the loved ones they had lost.

After a while, Rooster broke the silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "I think they are happy.” he smiles “About everything.”

“I think so too,Roos…how do you feel?”

Rooster took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the gravestones as he tried to put his feelings into words. "I feel...sad," he admitted softly, "But also...grateful. And...hopeful, too. Hopeful for the future, for what's to come."

Rooster smiled at Beatrice, and he leaned in to press a tender kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin as he whispered softly, "Thank you, Bea. For being here with me."

Beatrice returned Rooster's kiss with equal tenderness, her heart swelling with love for the man beside her. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close as they shared a moment of quiet solace. “You are welcome,Roos.”

They sat together in silence for a while longer, lost in their thoughts as they processed their emotions. Eventually, Rooster stood up, offering Beatrice a hand to help her to her feet.

"Ready to go, gorgeous?" he asked softly, his voice filled with warmth.

Beatrice nodded, her eyes shining with affection as she took Rooster's hand in hers. "Yeah, if you are," she replied, “You sure you are okay?”

Rooster smiled reassuringly at Beatrice, his gaze soft and filled with gratitude. "I am," he replied sincerely, "Being here with you makes everything better. Thank you for coming with me."

Beatrice returned Rooster's smile, feeling a sense of relief wash over her at his words. She squeezed his hand gently as they turned to leave the cemetery behind.

When they reached the car, Rooster held the door open for Beatrice, his actions filled with tenderness and care. She climbed into the passenger seat, laughing softly at him

As Rooster got behind the wheel, Beatrice reached out to place a hand on his arm, offering him a reassuring squeeze. "Thank you for letting me be a part of this, Roos," she said softly, her voice filled with sincerity, "It means a lot to me."

Rooster glanced at Beatrice, his eyes shining with emotion as he reached out to cover her hand with his own. "You are part of my life, of course I’ll have you with me,gorgeous."

They shared a smile, a silent understanding passing between them as they drove back to the hotel. The weight of grief still hung heavy in the air, but somehow, they both felt lighter.

"It's been a tough day," Rooster murmured softly, his gaze fixed on thehorizon, "But I'm glad we came here. It feels like...closure, in a way."

Beatrice nodded in agreement, "I'm glad too," she replied softly, "It was important to pay our respects."

They sat together in companionable silence, lost in their thoughts as they watched the sky change colors. After a while, Rooster turned to Beatrice, his eyes soft with affection. "Hey, Bea," he began softly, "I've been thinking...about what you said earlier, about getting a place here."

Beatrice looked at Rooster, her curiosity piqued. "Yeah?" she prompted gently, "What about it?"

Rooster took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before speaking. "I think it's a great idea," he said earnestly, "Having a place here in Virginia...it feels right. Like a second home, you know?"

Beatrice's eyes lit up with excitement at Rooster's words, her heart pounding with anticipation. "You really think so?" she asked eagerly.

Rooster nodded, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Absolutely," he replied without hesitation, "...thank you, really.” it meant too much for him to even put in words, so all he did was cup her thick thigh in his hand, “...Thank you,Bea.”

[rosiahills22]

Short love: Chp 14

Summary: The is about widowed father Bradley Bradshaw who enlists his brother-in-law Jake Seresin and childhood best friend Robert Floyd to help raise his three daughters, eldest Donna Jo Margaret (D.J for short), middle child Stephanie and youngest Michelle in his San Diego home. 

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Warning: Fluff, flirting

My apologies for the mistake. Let me correct that for you:

As Y/n stood in the kitchen, trying to prepare breakfast for herself and Michelle, she felt a sudden tickle in her nose. Before she could react, a series of sneezes erupted, catching her off guard.

"Ah-choo! Ah-choo! Ah-choo!" she sneezed, her nose tingling with discomfort.

Michelle looked up from her toys, a concerned expression on her face. "Bless you, Aunt Y/n!" she said sweetly, reaching out to pat Y/n's arm.

Y/n smiled weakly, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over her. She knew that sneezing fit all too well—it was the telltale sign that she was coming down with a cold. With her wedding just three days away, the timing couldn't have been worse.

Taking a deep breath, Y/n tried to push aside her mounting worries. She couldn't afford to get sick now, not with so much left to do before the big day. But as another sneeze threatened to escape, she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that she was in for a rough few days.

Despite her best efforts to ignore her symptoms, Y/n couldn't shake the feeling of impending sickness. As she continued to sneeze intermittently, she couldn't help but worry about how it would affect her ability to prepare for the wedding.

With a sigh, Y/n decided to prioritize her health and take proactive measures to combat the cold before it worsened. She made herself a warm cup of tea with honey and lemon, hoping it would soothe her throat and ease her congestion.

As she sipped the comforting brew, Y/n made a mental note to rest as much as possible in the coming days, knowing that her body needed time to recover before the wedding. Despite her concerns, she remained determined to push through and ensure that nothing would dampen the joyous occasion she had been eagerly anticipating for months.

Bradley's footsteps echoed down the staircase as he entered the kitchen, a look of surprise crossing his face as he saw Y/n's state.

"Y/n, are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice as he approached her.

Y/n sniffled and rubbed her nose with a tissue, offering Bradley a weak smile. "I think I'm coming down with a cold," she admitted, her voice sounding hoarse. "But don't worry, I'll be fine."

Bradley frowned, placing a hand on Y/n's forehead to check for signs of fever. "You're burning up," he observed, his worry deepening. "You need to rest and take care of yourself, especially with the wedding so close."

Y/n nodded, feeling a pang of guilt for allowing herself to get sick at such a crucial time. "I know, but there's still so much to do," she replied, her voice tinged with frustration.

Bradley shook his head, his expression firm. "Your health comes first," he insisted. "I'll take care of things here. You go lie down and rest. We can't have you walking down the aisle with a red nose and watery eyes."

Y/n couldn't help but smile at Bradley's concern, grateful for his support. With a nod of agreement, she headed upstairs to her room, determined to heed his advice and prioritize her well-being in the days leading up to the wedding.

As Y/n attempted to protest Bradley's recommendations, a wave of dizziness washed over her, causing her to sway unsteadily on her feet.

"Bradley, I'm fine, really," she insisted, her voice wavering as she clutched onto the countertop for support.

But before she could finish her sentence, another dizzy spell hit her, leaving her feeling disoriented and weak. She closed her eyes tightly, willing the room to stop spinning.

Bradley rushed to her side, his hands steadying her as he guided her to sit down at the kitchen table. "Y/n, you need to listen to your body," he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're in no condition to be running around trying to prepare for the wedding."

Y/n reluctantly nodded, realizing that Bradley was right. She had been pushing herself too hard, ignoring the signs of illness until it was almost too late. With a sigh of resignation, she allowed Bradley to take charge, knowing that she needed to prioritize her health if she wanted to be well enough to enjoy her special day.

As she sat at the table, feeling drained and defeated, Y/n couldn't help but feel grateful for Bradley's unwavering support and guidance. In that moment, she knew that she was in good hands, and that with his help, she would be able to overcome this setback and emerge stronger than ever for her wedding day.

Stephanie's sudden entrance startled Y/n, her heart racing with alarm as she watched her niece's panicked expression.

"Uncle Jake!" Stephanie called out urgently, her voice tinged with fear.

Y/n exchanged a worried glance with Bradley, her concern mounting at Stephanie's distress. Before she could ask what was wrong, Jake appeared in the doorway, his eyes widening in alarm as he took in the scene.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice laced with concern as he rushed to Stephanie's side.

Stephanie pointed to Y/n, her eyes wide with alarm. "Aunt Y/n is sick!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with worry.

Jake's heart sank at the sight of Y/n looking pale and unwell. Without hesitation, he crossed the room to kneel beside her, his hands reaching out to gently grasp hers.

"Y/n, are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he studied her face for any signs of distress.

Y/n managed a weak smile, grateful for Jake's comforting presence. "I'm just feeling a bit under the weather," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jake's expression softened with concern as he placed a hand on Y/n's forehead, checking for signs of fever. "You need to rest," he insisted, his tone gentle yet firm. "We'll take care of everything."

Y/n nodded weakly, feeling a sense of relief wash over her at Jake's reassurance. With Jake and Stephanie by her side, she knew that she would be okay, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

Stephanie's sudden entrance startled Y/n, her heart racing with alarm as she watched her niece's panicked expression.

"Aunt Y/n! Uncle Jake!" Stephanie called out urgently, her voice tinged with fear.

Y/n exchanged a worried glance with Bradley, her concern mounting at Stephanie's distress. Before she could ask what was wrong, Jake appeared in the doorway, his eyes widening in alarm as he took in the scene.

"What's going on?" he asked, his voice laced with concern as he rushed to Stephanie's side.

Stephanie pointed to Y/n, her eyes wide with alarm. "Aunt Y/n is sick!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with worry.

Jake's heart sank at the sight of Y/n looking pale and unwell. Without hesitation, he crossed the room to kneel beside her, his hands reaching out to gently grasp hers.

"Y/n, are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he studied her face for any signs of distress.

Y/n managed a weak smile, grateful

for Jake's comforting presence. "I'm just feeling a bit under the weather," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Jake's expression softened with concern as he placed a hand on Y/n's forehead, checking for signs of fever. "You need to rest," he insisted, his tone gentle yet firm. "We'll take care of everything."

Y/n nodded weakly, feeling a sense of relief wash over her at Jake's reassurance. With Jake and Stephanie by her side, she knew that she would be okay, no matter what challenges lay ahead.

As Y/n rested against Jake's comforting presence, she couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for his unwavering support. Despite her initial reluctance to admit her vulnerability, she knew deep down that Jake was right—her health had to come first.

With a deep breath, Y/n allowed herself to let go of the worries and stresses that had been weighing her down. In Jake's arms, she found solace and reassurance, knowing that she didn't have to face this challenge alone.

As the minutes passed, Y/n felt herself drifting off to sleep, the sound of Jake's steady heartbeat lulling her into a peaceful slumber. In that moment, surrounded by love and warmth, she knew that everything would be okay.

With Jake by her side, Y/n felt ready to face whatever the future held, knowing that together, they could overcome any obstacle that came their way. And as she drifted off into sleep, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the unwavering love and support of her fiancé, who had stood by her through thick and thin, always ready to lend a comforting hand and a reassuring smile.

As Y/n slept peacefully in Jake's arms, she felt a sense of calm wash over her, the worries and stresses of the past few days melting away. She dreamed of their upcoming wedding day, imagining herself walking down the aisle towards Jake, surrounded by their loved ones and bathed in the warm glow of happiness and love.

In her dream, Y/n saw herself exchanging vows with Jake, promising to love and cherish him for all eternity. She felt a surge of emotion as they sealed their commitment with a tender kiss, their hearts overflowing with joy and gratitude.

As the dream continued, Y/n envisioned their future together—filled with laughter, love, and countless happy memories. She saw herself and Jake growing old together, hand in hand, facing life's challenges with courage and resilience, and celebrating life's joys with boundless enthusiasm and love.

When Y/n finally woke up from her dream, she found herself still wrapped in Jake's comforting embrace, the morning light streaming through the window. She smiled up at him, feeling a sense of peace and contentment wash over her.

With Jake by her side, Y/n knew that their love was strong enough to weather any storm, and that together, they could conquer anything life threw their way. And as they prepared to embark on the next chapter of their journey together, she couldn't help but feel excited for all the adventures that lay ahead.

As Y/n and Jake shared a tender moment together, they were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Bradley poked his head into the room, a concerned expression on his face.

"Hey, guys," he said gently. "How's everything going?"

Y/n and Jake exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them. Despite their initial worries, they both knew that they were in good hands with Bradley by their side.

"We're doing okay," Jake replied, his voice filled with gratitude. "Y/n's resting now, and I'm keeping an eye on her."

Bradley nodded, a reassuring smile on his face. "That's good to hear," he said. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

With a grateful nod, Y/n and Jake watched as Bradley quietly left the room, leaving them alone once again. As they settled back into their comfortable embrace, Y/n couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the love and support of her family.

With Jake by her side and her loved ones rallying around her, Y/n knew that she could overcome any obstacle that came her way. And as they prepared to face the challenges of the days ahead, she felt a renewed sense of hope and determination wash over her, knowing that together, they could conquer anything.

In the following days, Y/n took the time to prioritize her health and well-being. Jake, Bradley, and the rest of the family rallied around her, ensuring she had everything she needed to recover. Despite the initial setback, Y/n began to regain her strength and energy, thanks to the care and support of her loved ones.

As the wedding day approached, Y/n couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and gratitude. She marveled at how the people she loved had come together to support her during a challenging time. The wedding preparations continued, albeit with a more relaxed pace, and Y/n found herself appreciating the simple moments of joy and connection with her family.

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[rosiahills22]

new perspectives // part eleven // jake 'hangman seresin x reader

boy oh boy -- I've been working on this part since I posted the last one (and mind you... this version of it I wrote and completed within the last three hours - there's about 10,000 additional words with different versions of this) - I just could not figure out how to continue it and I don't know if I'm happy with it fully but here it is !! this one is more focused on Rooster and Jupiter and their friendship because I haven't gone as in depth with it as I would have liked in past chapters. as always - please let me know what you think !!

new perspectives // part eleven // jake 'hangman' seresin x reader

prologue - one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine - ten

add yourself to my taglist

word count: 4.1k

warnings: mentions of war (but nothing too detailed), mentions of gunshot wounds (again, nothing too detailed), slight suggestiveness at the end

The stars above Rooster, twinkling and shining, served as some kind of mockery as he sat on the beach and looked for constellations, though he wasn’t finding any because he wasn’t trying very hard. He wished he could be in his jet right now, wished he could feel the controls in his hands and see the earth below him because maybe then this wouldn’t be so scary, maybe he wouldn’t feel so helpless. 

There was just enough alcohol coursing through his veins for the weight of his emotions to get on top of him, but not enough to forget what he’d heard entirely. He knew what his job was right now. Your last request of him, bestowed not too far from where he was sitting with that sweet smile of yours and eyes full of stars, had been replaying on a loop for the past few hours. Take care of them for me, take care of him. You knew they were equipped to handle this, their lives weren’t all that different from the one you were currently living but there was one key difference that was not lost on anybody… while they were too high above the chaos to truly see, you were down in the middle of it all. While they may have been equipped to handle a friend's deployment, they weren’t all that prepared to think of you as the boots on the ground.

Take care of them for me, take care of him. You knew eventually things would catch up, that the reality of your absence would set in and that when it did they’d need you… and the next best thing was Rooster. You were always thinking eight steps ahead, it’s what made you a good friend and a good doctor, but right about now Rooster found it infuriating. You saw those eight steps ahead, you saw this getting on top of everyone at one point or another, and you made it Rooster’s problem. You knew Jake wouldn’t be able to offer much through his own worry and you wouldn’t have expected him to, but you expected it of Rooster.  

He found himself wishing you’d never connected, never bonded. He wished he hadn’t played Drops of Jupiter that very first night, hadn’t harmonized with you and pulled you out of your shell simply because he couldn’t help himself. He wished he hadn’t offered to tour houses on your behalf, hadn’t spent countless hours working alongside you to bring your vision to life. He wished you’d never looked his way because you saw him in a way that was terrifying, you understood him and you pushed him. You pushed him further in his rekindling with Maverick, and you pushed him right into Eliza’s arms because you knew what he needed and what he wanted.

He wished he’d never realized his infatuation with you wasn’t romantic, because maybe if he’d chalked it up to being an asshole with secret feelings for someone who belonged to the man who saved his life he wouldn’t be sitting here right now with worry eating a hole through his stomach. Maybe he would have distanced himself from you, kept things cordial and casual to protect his own heart, but he did realize. He did see that it wasn’t romantic and it never was, he was simply misreading his own emotions because he’d never had a friend like you before. He’d never admit it in the light of day because he found such terms ridiculous but you were his platonic soulmate, through and through. And right about now he wished he’d never figured that out.

He wished none of it had ever happened, because here he was sitting on the beach feeling so utterly helpless because you’d bestowed an impossible task on him and he couldn’t even be mad at you because he’d heard it. One minute he was telling you he loved you, on his way back into the bar to give you space with the man you really needed, the next you were under fire… and you seemed calm. In the face of it all, your tone hadn’t changed, your disposition hadn’t changed. You’d told Jake you loved him without an ounce of fear or apprehension in your tone and hung up, because this was a common occurrence for you now. In the face of it all, you were fine, and here he was sitting on the beach struggling to keep it together.

Except, he didn't wish any of those things at all because you were you, and he couldn't imagine not having you in his life. And so he was trying, because that’s what you’d asked of him. If you could do the impossible, if you could save lives with those two little hands of yours under gunfire or worse, he  could keep it together. He could do what you asked of him. He’d remain calm and collected, his usual goofy self to keep the anxiety at bay the best he could, because that’s what you needed. You’d asked for them, but really you’d asked for yourself. You needed to know Rooster was looking out for them so you didn’t have to worry, because you had enough to worry about. 

And that’s exactly what he did… he went back into the bar and got Jake a fresh drink, set him up in front of the dartboard with Coyote. He’d filled everyone in on what happened. She’ll be fine, this is her life now and she’s Jupiter. She’ll be fine and so will we because she doesn’t want us spinning out, she wants us here having fun with each other so that’s what we’re going to do.

And then he’d lingered, made sure everyone made it home safely and wandered out onto the beach to look at the stars and feel everything he knew you didn’t want him to. “There’s only so much you can ask of me, JJ,” he whispered to himself as he took in the mass of twinkling lights above him because he was choosing to believe you were under this sky too, and though you couldn’t hear him, maybe you could feel it. You could feel that he was keeping up his end of the promise, and that you needed to keep up yours. 

“I know I haven’t talked to you in a while dad, but… well, if you’ve been paying attention I don’t need to fill you in,” he started, openly talking into the night air because this was what he did. When it all got to be too much, when things started to get on top of him he looked to the sky and talked to Goose. “I don’t know if you’ve got any connections up there, I hope you didn’t use them all up sending Hangman after me and Mav but… she needs to come home. Please don’t let what happened to mom happen to Jake,” he said, choking on his words before clearing his throat. “Please don’t let what happened to Maverick happen to me. She’s my best friend, and I… I can’t lose her. Jake can’t lose her. None of us can.”

He was pleading because he knew he was right, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to uphold his promise to you if you didn’t come home. He wouldn’t be able to take care of Jake, or Coyote, or Phoenix… he wouldn’t be able to take care of himself. You swooped in as this mysterious old friend of Hangman’s and won everyone over in the course of an evening, and you only grew more important with each passing day. They’d all been friends before you, but in the wake of you they became a family. You were the glue, you were the last to join the group but you became the nexus, and if they lost you he didn’t know what would happen. He didn’t want to find out.

So he let himself cry, let a few tears slip before saying goodbye to his old man and packing it down. He couldn’t let himself spiral any more than he already had, and he couldn’t have you coming home to realize he hadn’t kept his promise when you’d kept yours. He spent the next day and a half being Rooster, he was goofy and borderline annoying but he kept everyone together, he made sure everyone kept their spirits high and their worry to a minimum, and he made sure Jake got out of bed. He did what he could, and in the end it was everything because there the squad was with beers in their hands and smiles on their faces as they watched Jake kick Coyote’s ass, because even though he was falling apart and he didn’t know if you were even alive, he’d never give anyone the satisfaction of ousting him at his own pool table.

“Any word?” Bob asked quietly to Phoenix who shook her head and when he let out a relieved sigh the few people in hearing distance snapped their attention to him, varying degrees of disbelief and disgust on their faces. “If she were dead we’d know by now.” he supplied, and while his lack of tact was surprising, Bob was always mindful of what he said and how he said it, this served to ease people’s nerves. He was right. If you were dead, Jake would have been notified by now and none of them would be standing around the bar.

“We’ll know when we know,” Rooster said before walking down to the bar to get a fresh drink but something stopped him in his tracks, a brief flash in the distance beyond the windows that had him questioning his grip on reality because it was gone just as quick as he’d seen it… but he could have sworn he saw you. He tried to push past it, blame it on fried nerves and too much on his plate but he couldn’t. He had to be certain so he pushed past those doors and tentatively stepped out onto the beach, “way to go, Rooster. You’ve officially lost it,” he muttered to himself as he peeked around the side of the building but he hadn’t lost it. He saw what he saw, and he stood there gobsmacked as he got full sight of you, your body facing outwards towards the ocean with your hair messily strewn across your shoulders and donning a standard issue uniform… minus the top which left you in a tight tank with a concerning amount of gauze wrapped around your arm.

“JJ?” he asked, approaching slowly and you startled, jumping as you turned to face him and he could see it clear as day. You were scared, and while the appropriate assumption would have been everything you’d gone through, maybe the story linked to those bandages, he knew you well enough to know that wasn’t it. There was something else keeping you outside the bar instead of reuniting with your family.

“Roo,” you started, but you didn’t have anything else to say so it fell flat. There were tears in your eyes and you looked relieved but that fear was just under the surface and his steps were fast to close the distance, wrapping you up in his arms as carefully as he could and he was almost taken aback by the way you gripped onto him, latching on with seemingly no intention of letting go.

“How long have you been out here?” he whispered into your hair and he felt you shudder beneath him.

“A while,” you answered, and he realized that shudder was a humorless laugh. “I didn’t… I don’t know why, I just couldn’t-” you tried but your voice was thick and you didn’t need to say anything more. He understood. He knew coming home would be difficult for you, especially under these circumstances, and he didn’t need you to explain that you weren’t out here because you wanted to be, but because you felt like you couldn’t go inside.

“I know. You’re home and that’s what matters,” he pulled back to look at you but he didn’t go far, keeping his grip firm on you because he had a feeling it was what you needed. Much like the way you’d loop your hand through his when you were telling a story, so animated and excited you could barely get the words out fast enough, because you needed the physical tether. You needed to feel grounded so you didn’t get swept away by whatever it was you were saying or thinking. 

“I uh…” you shook your head and cleared your throat. “I got evacuated, by the time this healed and I was cleared I’d be going home anyways,” you said, nodding to your shoulder. “I didn’t call and I-”

“Stop, you had bigger things going on,” Rooster said, cutting you off entirely. He had tears in his eyes looking down at you, your hands gripping his arms so tightly and your features so soft and vulnerable in stark contradiction to the khaki pants and clunky boots and suddenly he felt selfish. “Let me go get Jake,” he started, beginning to pull away from you but he stopped when your brows furrowed. “You don’t want me to?”

You shook your head, “no… no I do, I just… god, I keep doing everything wrong,” you sighed. “I signed up to go to war without so much as a heads up, I told you first, I… I couldn’t even call to tell him I was okay before just showing up and standing out here lost in my own thoughts for half an hour,” you let out another humorless chuckle. “I keep doing this wrong.”

“You’re doing the best you can. You know he doesn���t expect anything from you, right? He doesn’t have some grand idea about how this would go, he knows this isn’t going to be like your reunion at his tap out or at your match day,” he said and you smiled sadly.

“I forgot I told you those stories,” you said. 

“That’s not what he’s expecting, he’s… you know, he handled it better than I thought he would but he hasn’t been okay and that’s just because all he wants to know is that you are. He wants to know that you’re mostly in one piece, and he wants to hug you the way I am right now- well, okay… maybe not the way I am because it has been several months since you left and I would imagine-” he started to joke and you let out a laugh… a real one, and you went to push his shoulder, disentangling yourself from him but it only served to make you wince.

You shook your head when his eyes widened, “it’s okay, just sore. You’re right… will you- will you go get him? And be cryptic,” you said, referencing the way Jake had called Rooster out minutes before your call disconnected. “I don’t know if I’m ready for everyone yet.”

“On it,” he replied, already moving to head inside.

“Wait, Rooster?” you called and he stopped, turning to face you. You gave him one of those blinding smiles, one that felt like a glimpse of the you before you left, the one that didn’t wear standard issue khakis and clunky boots, the one that wasn’t harder and shaper, and the one that hadn’t confessed to him you didn’t know if you were okay. You gave him that smile that was so you as you ran and jumped into him, squeezing him so tightly it sucked all the air from his lungs and he laughed as he caught you, twirling you around. “Thank you.” 

“What for, JJ?” 

“For being my person.” 

“Thanks for coming home,” he replied and you gave him one more squeeze before dropping down to the ground and he gave you a nod before disappearing inside. You resumed your earlier pacing, already feeling lighter after seeing Rooster and for as selfish and awful as you felt for always getting this wrong with Jake, it took the edge off. It made seeing him feel less daunting, and while you’d spent the previous half hour working yourself into a tizzy about how he would react or what he would say you now felt silly. Rooster was right, all he wanted right now was you, just like you wanted him. He wouldn’t be mad at you for not calling, he wouldn’t be mad at you for having a reunion with Rooster first, he would simply be your Jake. 

“What the hell is so urgent with your precious truck? I don’t even want to be here but you made me and now you’re ruining my streak,” you heard Jake complaining as the door to the bar opened and you couldn’t help but chuckle as you waited for them to round the corner.

“Okay, first of all, it’s not a truck, it’s a Bronco,” Rooster corrected, “and once again you might not want to be so hard on me when you see what it is,” he added and you couldn’t fight the smile on your face. You weren’t okay and you knew that, but you would be because you had them. You had your people and you were home, and that’s all that mattered.

“What does that- what the fuck?” You’d walked closer, not wanting the distance to be any further than it already was when he rounded the corner and he nearly walked right into you. “Jupiter?” he asked, blinking in surprise and simply staring at you because he couldn’t be certain what he was seeing was real. 

“Hey you,” you replied, ignoring the single tear that streamed down your cheek and you let out a laugh as he crushed you in a hug, lifting you off the ground and forcing your legs around him to keep your balance. 

Rooster stood and watched for a moment, soaking in this moment of unbridled joy between his two best friends before taking his leave. “So much for it not being like the tap out,” he said and you mouthed thank you to him over Jake’s shoulder as he went back inside. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” he asked, one hand firm on your waist and the other cupping your thigh as you pulled back slightly to look down at him, to commit that beautiful face of his gazing up at you with pure adoration to memory.

“It’s a long story and I… I’m not ready to talk about it yet,” you answered and he nodded, slowly lowering you to the ground to cup your face and press a kiss to your forehead.

“You don’t have to, not until you’re ready, I just…” he pulled back to look at you again and the emotion in his eyes cracked your heart wide open, and with it the flood of anxiety and uncertainty you’d pushed aside. “I was so worried something had happened.”

“I’m so sorry, Jake,” you started, that single tear giving way to an onslaught and his face crumpled at the sight. “I should have called, I should have-”

“Hey, no no no… that’s not what I meant,” he said, trying to reassure you as he smoothed his hands along your back. “I’m just so happy you’re home,” he said, trying to quell your tears but it was no use. He finally got a chance to really look at you, to soak you in and his heart broke when he noticed the bandages around your arm and you started to shake your head.

“Come on, come sit with me?” you asked and he nodded, catching one of your hands as you walked further out onto the beach and sank into the sand and he looked at you expectantly, waiting for you to find the words. You didn’t know if you were ready to talk about it yet but you needed to, and you knew he wouldn’t be able to let it go no matter how hard he tried to be supportive. “What you heard… we got ambushed, I’m still not entirely sure what happened but uh… it wiped most of the camp out,” you said, voice shaking and Jake tried to keep his feelings off his face as you spoke. “My call to Rooster saved my life, anyone that was near the command center-” you cut yourself off with a shake of your head and he squeezed your hand in reassurance. “I did what I could, I tried to get to as many people as I could but there wasn’t enough time, or enough hands and I got caught in the crossfire,” you said, gesturing to your arm. “It was a lucky shot, if you could even call it that. I’ll be okay, just not cleared to work yet which is why I’m home. It’ll be another few weeks before I am and at that point my deployment would have been over.”

“J, I’m so sorry…” he started, his hand gently cupping your arm just beneath the bandages. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” he said, pulling you into him and you moved into his lap to wrap your arms around him more easily, not paying any mind to the way you felt your stitches tugging.

“I’ll be okay. I can’t… I don’t think I can tell you any more, not right now.” You pulled away to look at him seriously, “it’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just… things are different over there, I was different over there. I did things and I saw things I can’t begin to unpack right now but I want you to know that I plan to set something up at the hospital, a specialist to talk to so I can sort it out. I just… right now I really need everything to just go back to normal.”

“There’s no rush, sweetheart. You’ll tell me when you’re ready and if you never do, well… that’s alright too, as long as you talk to someone. All I cared about was you getting back home to me, even if Rooster had to get the first look at you,” he teased and you pouted.

“In my defense he wandered out and found me, that wasn’t intentional,” you protested.

“Yeah sure, whatever… the pornstache is your person and I just have to deal with that.”

“He might be my person but you’re the love of my life, you know that right? You are who got me through everything over there, and you are who I thought about day in and day out.”

“Oh yeah? And what exactly is it you thought about?” he asked, that famous smirk of his playing on his lips and you rolled your eyes.

“The audacity to call Rooster pornstache when you are trying to put the moves on your wife who just got back from war!” you laughed and he shifted you in his lap, pulling your leg to the side so you were straddling him and the contact on your core elicited a reaction that completely undercut the way you were trying to tease him.

“You did say you wanted everything to go back to normal,” he muttered, letting his lips trail along the column of your neck and he was right… you did want everything to go back to normal and this was something you’d thought about every moment you could while you were gone. 

“This is utterly indecent,” you sighed, feeling him growing hard beneath you and you pushed him back because if he kept going you’d scandalize the beach. “And mind you we are both in our uniforms right now,” you added.

“Yeah, by the way? This is super hot,” he said, letting his eyes trail over you appreciatively. “You’ve got a real Lara Croft thing going on right now and I’m into it.”

“Lara Croft!” you laughed, “she never even wore pants.”

“Please let me objectify my super hot, super tough wife in peace, thank you,” he said, and as you stared down at him you realized you hadn’t kissed him yet and you couldn’t believe you’d overlooked it. You pressed your lips to his softly, all pent up love and emotion but quickly it turned hungry… all tongues and biting lips as you gripped his biceps. 

“Take me home then, objectify me all you want, Lieutenant,” you said, pulling away to catch your breath and his eyes darkened as he was quick to stand pulling you up with him and you couldn’t help the squeals and laughter falling from your lips as he hurled you over his shoulder. You felt everything in your life right now was unsteady, you had no idea to come back to civility after what you’d been through but you had the tools to do it the best you could, and more importantly you had Jake who was everything you needed him to be and more. 

There wasn’t any sort of guidebook you could follow, and you didn’t know if this was how your return should have gone. You thought maybe you should be more damaged, you shouldn’t be laughing as your husband ran across the beach with you in tow, or maybe that’s exactly what you should have been doing. You didn’t really know, and you didn’t really care because you were home, and whatever came next you’d handle as it came with Jake by your side.

taglist: @mamaskillerqueen @clancycucumber230 @the-romanian-is-bae @alldaysdreamers @zzsloth @emma8895eb @novagreen04 @classyunknownlover @purplevortexx @mamachasesmayhem @ohgodnotagainn @smoothdogsgirl @swiftsgirlfriend @memoriesat30 @the-fandom-ness @midnightmagpiemama @charles11700 @angelbabyange @wildxwidow @sp1rit-realm @alluringshawn @taytaylala12 @starcatcher48 @buck-nasty @misshoneypaper @4evinlovewithfictionalmen @devil-angel-winchester @mamamaystbr @callsignspirit @thegodessc @failuretothrivestuff @olliepig @cruelmissdior @underaveragefangirl @grxcieluvr @amatswimming @camilaricci @nolita-fairytale @dempy @pinkpantheris @aviatorobsessed @tiredqueen73 @pona-pura-vida @binnieslove @nik2blog @waklman @abaker74 @halstead-severide-fan @percysaidnever @memeorydotcom @eli2447 @dumb-fawkin-bitch @toobouquet @a-v-a123 @rae-you-gotta-be-kidding-me @86laura11 @justenoughmadnesss @yoonbutterfly @mariaenchanted @boisewaffles @shanimallina87 @djs8891 @Genius2050 @stargazer-88 @chloeforde @kmc1989 @casa-boiardi @lostinwonderland314 @elenavampire21 (if your name is struck through, it means I couldn't tag you - so sorry!)

[rosiahills22]

I’m always so out of the loop in this fandom, I feel like when all the drama is happening, I’m the person 50 feet away staring at clouds

😅

#top gun maverick #top gun #jake seresin #hangman seresin x reader #jake hangman seresin #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x reader #payback #coyote #fanboy top gun #natasha pheonix trace #iceman #robert bob floyd #what the fuck #is happening

[rosiahills22]

through the hourglass 389. brb x oc

a/n: MOE FLUFF, they deserve it(comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

/316/317/318/319/320/321/322/323/324/325/326/327/328/329/330/331/332/333/334/335/336/337/338/339/340/341/342/343/344/345/346/347/348/349/350/351/352/353/354/355/356/357/358/359/360/361/362/363/364/365/366

/367/368/369/370/371/372/373/374/375/376/377/378/379/380/381/382/383/384/385/386/387/388

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2

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@lyn-js

-

“There must be some other place you liked to go.”

He hums, burying his face in the pillow, barely awake when he hears Bea’s voice, “Hmmm,what?’ he asks, they got back from the beach a while ago and they just flopped on the bed…amongst other things, honestly, and now Rooster was happily spent, watching his wife wander around wearing nothing but the robe the hotel had given them.

“You showed me the beach, are there any other places?’ she smiles sweetly, tilting her head at him.

Rooster blinked, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep as he propped himself up on his elbows to look at Beatrice. Her smile was infectious, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth in his chest at the sight of her.

"Oh, uh, yeah," he replied, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, "There's this hiking trail not too far from here. It leads to a secluded waterfall. It's...really beautiful."

Beatrice's eyes lit up with excitement at Rooster's words, her curiosity piqued by the prospect of exploring another hidden gem with him. "That sounds amazing," she exclaimed, "I'd love to check it out. When do you want to go?"

Rooster grinned, feeling a sense of anticipation building within him at the thought of sharing another adventure with Beatrice. "How about tomorrow morning?" he suggested eagerly, "We can pack a picnic and make a day of it."

Beatrice nodded enthusiastically, her smile widening at the prospect of spending the day exploring with Rooster by her side. "Sounds perfect," she agreed, "I can't wait."

“We never hiked together.” he mutters “I dunno why.”

She shrugs “Time? Perhaps. Maybe that’s a reason, we are both really busy and with the kids now, time is of the essence.”

Rooster nodded in agreement, a hint of regret tugging at his heart as he considered Beatrice's words. "Yeah, time seems to slip away from us sometimes," he admitted softly, "But I'm glad we're making the effort to spend more time together now."

Beatrice smiled at Rooster's sentiment, her heart swelling with love for the man beside her. "Me too," she murmured, reaching out to take his hand in hers, "Our time together is precious, and I want to make the most of every moment. Especially now that you are calmer"

Rooster squeezed Beatrice's hand gently, his gaze softening as he looked into her eyes. "You make me calmer.”

She smiles more,kissing his forehead ‘...are you okay now? Are you feeling better than before?”

Rooster sighed contentedly, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders at Beatrice's gentle touch. He leaned into her hand , relishing the warmth of her presence as he took a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm feeling better," he replied honestly, his voice filled with gratitude, "Being here with you, it's like...everything else just fades away. You have a way of calming me like no one else can."

Beatrice smiled, her heart swelling with love for the man beside her. She brushed a strand of hair away from Rooster's forehead, her touch gentle and reassuring. "I'm glad," she murmured softly, "You mean everything to me, Roos. I just want you to be happy."

"I am happy," he assured her, his voice filled with sincerity, "Because I have you. You're my happiness, Bea. Always."

She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his palm before snuggling closer to him."I love you, Roos," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper, "And if you are okay, then i am okay.” she says softly, letting her bare chest touch his equally bare arm.

Rooster pulled Beatrice into a warm embrace, he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead, his heart overflowing with gratitude for the woman who had captured his heart in a way he never thought possible.

"I love you too, Bea," he murmured, his voice filled with emotion, “And ditto.”

And in that moment, as they held each other close, Rooster and Beatrice knew that their love was a force to be reckoned with - unbreakable, unwavering, and eternal. And as they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

The next morning dawned bright and clear, the promise of a new day stretching out before them. Rooster and Beatrice woke up early, their excitement visible as they prepared for their hike to the secluded waterfall.

They packed a picnic basket with sandwiches, fruit, and snacks, along with a blanket to sit on by the waterfall, just a little grocery run outside the hotel. Rooster checked the weather forecast one last time, ensuring that they were prepared for whatever nature had in store for them.

"Ready to go, gorgeous?" Rooster asked, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips as he held out his hand to Beatrice.

Beatrice grinned back at Rooster, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she took his hand in hers. "Ready as I'll ever be," she replied eagerly, "You think we’ll need anything else?”

Rooster shook his head, a smile playing on his lips as he squeezed Beatrice's hand gently. "Nah, we've got everything we need right here," he said warmly, his gaze softening as he looked into her eyes, "Just you, me, and the great outdoors."

"I couldn't agree more," she murmured, her voice filled with anticipation, "Let's go then.”

And with that, they set off . It wasn’t that long until they got on their hike, the sun warm on their faces as they followed the winding trail through the forest. The air was alive with the sound of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the breeze, the scent of pine filling their lungs with every breath.

Rooster pointed out different plants and animals along the way, his enthusiasm infectious as he shared his knowledge of the natural world with Beatrice.

Beatrice listened intently, hanging on Rooster's every word as she marveled at the beauty of their surroundings and him. She couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder at the world around them, grateful for the opportunity to explore it with the man she loved by her side.

“...I love seeing how passionate you are about this,Roos.”

Rooster's smile widened at Beatrice's words, a warm glow spreading through his chest at her appreciation. He reached out to take her hand in his, his fingers intertwining with hers as they walked along the trail.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Bea," he replied softly, his voice filled with warmth, "I've always had a deep connection to nature. It's where I feel most at peace."

Together, they walked in companionable silence, lost in the beauty of their surroundings as they made their way deeper into the forest. The sun dappled through the canopy of trees, casting a warm glow over the forest floor as they followed the winding path.

After a while, they came to a clearing in the forest, the sound of rushing water echoing in the distance. Rooster's eyes lit up with excitement as he led Beatrice towards the sound, his heart racing with anticipation.

"We're almost there," he exclaimed eagerly, his voice filled with excitement, "Just a little further."

Beatrice smiled at Rooster's enthusiasm, her heart pounding with excitement as they approached the secluded waterfall. She could hear the sound of water cascading over rocks, the air alive with the scent of fresh water and damp earth.

And then, they emerged from the trees, and Beatrice gasped in awe at the sight before her. The waterfall tumbled over a rocky cliff, its crystal-clear waters sparkling in the sunlight as it crashed into a pool below.

"It's beautiful," she breathed, her voice filled with wonder, "Absolutely breathtaking."

Rooster grinned at Beatrice's reaction, his heart swelling with pride as he watched her take in the beauty of the waterfall. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as they stood together on the edge of the pool, feeling the spray of water on their faces.

"I'm glad you like it," he murmured, pressing a tender kiss to Beatrice's temple, "It's one of my favorite places in the world."

“After the beach?”

“Close.’

She smiles, ‘How did you find this place? There’s no one here either.”

Rooster chuckled softly at Beatrice's question, "Ah, now that's a story," he replied, "You remember I told you I was a boy scout,right?’

“For a short while,yes.”

Rooster nodded, "Yeah, well, one summer camp, we went on a hiking trip through these woods," he explained, "And our scout leader showed us this hidden waterfall as a reward for completing the hike. I never forgot about it."

Beatrice's eyes widened with interest, captivated by Rooster's story as she listened intently. "So you've known about this place since you were a kid?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Rooster nodded, his smile widening as he looked down at Beatrice. "Yeah, it's been a secret spot of mine ever since," he admitted, "I used to come here whenever I needed to clear my head too, to be alone with my thoughts. But now, I'm glad to share it with you." he pauses “Stopped comin’ here after mom got sick, it was too far from the hospital…”

Beatrice's heart ached at Rooster's words, her eyes filling with sympathy as she reached out to take his hand in hers. She squeezed his hand gently, "I'm sorry, Roos," she murmured softly, her voice filled with compassion, "I can't imagine how hard that must have been for you."

Rooster smiled gratefully at Beatrice's words, and he squeezed her hand back, his gaze softening as he looked into her eyes. "It was tough," he admitted quietly, "But …it’s nice, to share this with you. It makes me happy to.”

Beatrice's heart swelled with love for the man beside her, her eyes shining with emotion as she leaned in to press a gentle kiss to Rooster's lips.  After a moment, Beatrice pulled away, her gaze lingering on Rooster's face as she spoke. "Thank you for sharing this place with me, Roos," she said softly, "It means more to me than you'll ever know."

Rooster smiled, his heart swelling with gratitude for the woman beside him. "I'm just glad I get to share it with you," he replied warmly, "You make everything better."

With that, they settled down by the pool, spreading out the blanket and unpacking their picnic basket. She was gentle as she set everything up and his heart was just so…filled.

He leans up on a fist, smiling at her as he sits down. She smiles confusedly, “What?”

Rooster shook his head, his smile widening at Beatrice's adorable confusion. "Nothing," he replied with a chuckle, "You are just fucking beautiful."

Beatrice blushed at Rooster's compliment, her cheeks flushing pink as she met his gaze with a shy smile. "You're not so bad yourself," she teased, her voice tinged with affection, "Pretty handsome for an old man."

Rooster laughed, the sound echoing through the clearing as he leaned in closer to Beatrice. "Old man, huh?" he teased, "Watch it, or I might just have to show you how much stamina this old man has."

Beatrice's eyes widened in mock horror, a playful grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "Is that a threat or a promise?" she shot back, her voice filled with amusement.

Rooster chuckled, his heart swelling with love for the woman beside him. He reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Beatrice's ear, his touch gentle and tender. "Take it however you want, gorgeous," he replied with a wink, "But either way, I'm not letting you leave this waterfall without a proper kiss."

Beatrice laughed, the sound music to Rooster's ears as she leaned in to press her lips to his. They kissed softly at first, their lips moving together in perfect harmony as they lost themselves in the moment.

And then, the kiss deepened, becoming more passionate as Rooster wrapped his arms around Beatrice and pulled her closer. They melted into each other, their bodies pressed together as they shared a moment of pure bliss.

As they finally pulled away, Beatrice rested her head against Rooster's chest, her heart pounding with love for the man beside her.

Rooster pressed a tender kiss to Beatrice's forehead, his heart overflowing with gratitude for the woman who had captured his heart in a way he never thought possible. “This is kinda romantic, ain’t it?”

‘Kinda?”

‘Well,yeah, the waterfall and such.”

She smiles up at him, “Everything you do is romantic, Roos.”

"Well, I aim to please," he replied with a playful grin, "But I gotta admit, Mother Nature deserves most of the credit for this one."

Beatrice chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she snuggled closer to Rooster. "True," she conceded, "But you know what they say, it's not where you are, but who you're with that makes the moment special."

Rooster's grin widened at Beatrice's sentiment, feeling a rush of warmth flood his chest at her words. He leaned in to press a tender kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin as he whispered softly, "Keep doin’ that and you just might make me blush.”

“Good.”

He chuckles,kissing her forehead"Care for a sandwich, gorgeous?" he asked, his voice warm with affection.

Beatrice smiled back at Rooster, accepting the sandwich with a grateful nod. "Thank you, Roos," she replied, her voice soft, "You always know how to take care of me."

He smiles even more, “Always,gorgeous.”

[rosiahills22]

hands to yourself | dilf bradley bradshaw x nanny!reader (18+)

surprised with an afternoon to himself, bradley takes advantage of the alone-time, thinking about the woman he can’t have.

warnings: shameless pwp, bradley is down bad for his nanny and hasn’t touched himself — or anyone — in a long ass time. masturbation, pining, swearing, fantasising about oral and such. voyeurism, kinda, he gets walked in on. I may write a part two for this but idk yet. I just needed to write a lil smth about him touching himself. Wc: 3k

this is the lingerie set I was thinking of but imagine whatever ya like x

…

Bradley drops his keys into the bowl by the door, they land with a stark rattle. The faint tan-line between his brows disappears into the crease that caused it as he frowns. He looks towards the stairs, and then wanders in the living room. His boots tap softly against the floor.

“Kids?” He calls out into the unfamiliar quiet.

Nothing. His eyes widen in slight panic, pushing his sunglasses up into his hair as he looks around him. The floor is spotless — their toys are stored neatly in their bins, there aren’t any new stains on his rug, and there aren’t any cartoons on his television.

The sound of his boots on the ground are unnerving; he can’t bring himself to admit that he misses the sounds of chaos he usually returns to. He wanders through the house, making a beeline for the backyard. Sunny day like this, he figures that’s where he’ll find them.

Nothing. The yard is completely empty beside the laundry hanging out to dry. His mouth feels dry.

Once the mid-day mind fog dissipates, Bradley’s panic starts to, too. That birthday party. You’d mentioned it twice this week already, and once this morning. He’s just forgetful at the minute — — you know how crazy work has been for him.

He pauses, standing in his unusually clean living room, and purses his lips. His hands come to rest on his hips while he looks around him. He isn’t used to this.

Usually, within seconds of him walking through the door, he’s got a kid attached to his leg or a fight to break up or a permission slip to sign.

There’s nothing that he needs to do.

Nothing urgent.

Nobody else home.

Lifting his wrist, he takes a quick glance down at his watch and considers what to do with his sudden freedom. Birthday parties take a couple of hours, right?

He takes one final look around him, his eyes catching on the laundry drying outside. Clipped to the line is a power-blue balconette bra. He’s seen it before. The day he accidentally walked in on you.

Since you moved in four months ago, Bradley has been especially careful about knocking first. He wishes he could say it’s because he’s a gentleman. Really, it’s just because it made it hard enough for him to keep his hands to himself the first time.

There had been a heatwave that week. You had the afternoon off but Bradley hadn’t been able to find the sunscreen, and his kids are damn near impossible to keep out of the sunlight. With them arguing downstairs and trying to figure out the lock to let themselves out, he just wasn’t thinking and he hadn’t knocked.

“Hey, do you know where you put the—“ He’d stopped, frozen, taking in the sight of you sprawled across your bed. His bed. The bed he gave to you when you got the job of living here. A red popsicle between your lips and a book propped open in front of you, wearing nothing but a powder-blue set.

“Oh—“ Your eyes had gone all wide and surprised, too shocked to move, just like him.

The only thing that reminded him that he even had the option to move was the sound of his son running up the stairs to hurry this process along. He had slammed the door shut, blushing furiously, and turned to face his eldest.

“Found it, dad! It was in my backpack.” Grinning, he had held up the bottle of sunscreen and Bradley had just been forced to continue with his afternoon like he hadn’t seen anything at all.

When he finally peels his eyes away from the line of drying clothes outside, his gaze lands on the basket of dried and folded laundry sitting on his kitchen counter ready to be put away. Sitting right on top, is a glossy looking pair of blue panties that match the bra on the line.

Bradley’s already been kicking himself for his behavior since you got here. It’s downright shameful, the things he lets himself think about you. You’re half his age, first off. Second -- he’s your boss. You live in his house. His kids think you’re their best friend.

They think you’re just here because you love hanging out with them so much, not because their mommy and daddy couldn’t get along for the life of them and daddy works too much.

His mouth waters. Staring at some blue lace in a laundry hamper and his mouth’s practically watering. He’s pathetic. His guy friends keep telling him he needs to get back in the game, start moving on — he hadn’t been so sure. But then, he’s never almost popped a hard-on over a thong in a pile before.

He can picture you so perfectly in them. Your round ass barely covered by the material, legs kicked up behind you and your ankles crossed. When he closes his eyes, he can picture you facing the other way. Your face toward the headboard, your ass right in front of him.

His slacks grow tighter as his neglected cock stirs to life. It occurs to him that he can’t remember the last time he jerked off. Maybe sometime before his middle kid got the flu? — Around a month ago, maybe. His nights since then had been primarily spent clearing up puke.

The sad part is, the thought only tends to occur to him when he’s at work. Home is always far too hectic. For a while now, he’s been stuck working late into the night with a boner while he’s flicking through candidate paperwork and flight logs.

Well, he’s thinking about it now, and he’s got the place all to himself. No locking himself in the bathroom and letting the shower run, trying to think of anything but the growing list of chores he has to do to keep this house functioning.

He swallows thickly.

He’ll tell the guys that they’re right. He needs to get back into the game; get his head on right, stop pining over his nanny. Tomorrow. For now, he lifts his hand and takes the underwear, smoothing the sheer mesh between his index and thumb. Closing his eyes, he hopes that you won’t notice they’re gone before he can return them.

He twists the cap off of an ice cold beer, leaves his boots neatly by the door and walks calmly upstairs. From there, he clicks his bedroom door shut and steadily takes himself out of his uniform, dropping it into his laundry hamper.

Finally, he settles down against his headboard with his phone in his hand and your panties in his lap.

Porn will make this better. It’s less weird if he’s not necessarily picturing your face. It’s not — but he might have a better chance at looking you in the eye later if he tells himself that.

Not that any of this feels exactly regular.

He inhales and shifts, and scrolls. Birds are still tweeting outside, singing early afternoon songs. His teeth nip at the inside of his cheek as he scrolls aimlessly until he finds a thumbnail that looks halfway doable.

All alone, the house feels especially quiet when the first moan spills from the speakers. He flinches at the sound and scrambles for the volume button, then hesitates. He doesn’t have to be quiet. He doesn’t even have to be ashamed. Shit, it’s a little late for that.

His brows knit together a bit, cocking his head as he examines the babbling girl on the phone screen. His hand stirs to life from where it had gone limp on his thigh, finding his cock through the grey fabric of his boxers. With one last cautious glance to his closed bedroom door, the silence beyond it confirms to him that he’s okay.

Wetting his lips with his tongue, he strokes himself over the material. The video isn’t particularly interesting, not when Bradley’s head can fill itself with far more interesting material at whim. His mind starts to wander back to that dream he’d had of you in the nurses outfit— that one had hit him hard, literally. He could barely look in your direction without getting hard for two days.

Soon enough, he’s hard and straining against the briefs. But that’s thinking about you, and that’s not allowed. He shifts restlessly and goes back to scrolling, palming himself absently. Finally, he comes across a video that sparks something. The thumbnail is of a girl with swollen lips and a cock in her mouth. It’ll do.

There we go. He huffs, that red-hot desperate feeling spreading down his neck and covering his shoulders. Making like it’s going to swallow him whole. Bradley lifts his hips to shuck down his boxers, tucking the waistband under his balls, still prepared for a hasty recovery at the sound of the garage door opening or something. He glances down at himself, remembering the days his thighs were narrower and more taut and he wasn’t noticing grey in his pubes.

If he wanted this done quick and fast, he’d spit hard into the centre of his palm and get to work. It’s been a long time since it hasn’t had to be quick. He thinks he has— he turns a bit and pulls open the drawer of his bedside table, rummaging blindly at the back until he comes up with what he’s looking for — lube. It’s practically full, not like he has been using it much.

A drop in the middle of his hand is enough, he figures. Turning his attention back to this new video, he settles, cupping the weight of his shaft in the palm of his hand. He gives it one slow pump, following the length, coating himself a bit. Real slow, his eyes study the screen, working the lubricant against his skin.

The actress bobs her mouth around the on-screen cock enthusiastically, moaning around him, raking her fingertips along his thighs. He locks his fist around himself, warm and tight, wet. It’s not a mouth but it’s the closest he has felt in a long time. If he closes his eyes, it could be your mouth.

You’d take him slowly, at first, ease him into it with that taunting nature you’ve let him glimpse at. He wouldn’t close his eyes; wouldn’t take ‘em off you. His hand steadies into a lazy rhythm, picturing the way you’d look up at him through your lashes.

The way you’d suck, and flick your tongue across his swollen tip. He shivers as he swipes his thumb through the precum beading there, stroking it all the way back down, stuck on imagining what it would feel like with your saliva joining the mix.

A pleased, feminine hum of approval comes from his phone and Bradley’s body responds just as eagerly, his hips twitching into the thrust of his palm. Sweat beads at his forehead as he slows to the point of almost stopping, dragging this out — making a point of exploiting his time alone.

He blinks hazily and finds a glimpse of blue, remembering suddenly the souvenir he had taken. The pitiful scrap of fabric he’s so wound up over sits against his thigh, looking suddenly small in comparison to his cock. He lets himself go and grabs hold of the fabric firmly, balling it tightly in his fist.

The soft lace bristles at his palm. Freshly laundered, they don’t smell of anything but detergent. It plays to the weaker side of him, gnawing at him, leaving him desperate to have something beyond what’s in his head. To know your smell, your tastes, your sounds. He shudders as he wraps a hand snugly around himself once more, this time, with an added layer of lace and soft mesh.

His head falls backwards, mouth hanging. Like this, it’s even easier to pretend. The image of you straddling his thighs, rocking your pussy against him while wearing nothing but these has him finally relaxed. Zen, even. A groan dies in his through, coming out more as a deep and baited sigh. He lift his hips, fucking into his fabric tangled fist.

Sometime between picking up your panties and now, the video has moved on without him, the blowjob forgotten. If he was to open his eyes, he would find that she’s on her back, being fucked into a mattress. He doesn’t need to. Stars burst behind his eyelids as he steadies up to the rhythm of her moans, skin hitting skin.

You’ve been living here four months now and you haven’t stayed out once. He wonders if you’re as wound up as he is. If you’ve thought about him the way he thinks of you. How downright desperate you’d sound moaning against his pillows while he finally gets to feel you. His left hand jumps, grabbing a firm fistful of the sheets beside him.

The shame he feels has been checked at the door, he lets himself think that you might have looked at him, that you might want him. He chases the feeling, his chest heaving with heavy breaths. Pumping the blue mesh around his cock, imagining you rocking yourself on him. Something gentler, more spry. It feels good. You’d feel good.

His imagination is better than he gave himself credit for.

His wrist twitches and he slows, feeling his thighs tighten as his heels press into his mattress for leverage. He chokes out a sound that he won’t admit is closer to a whimper than anything else, panting hard as he lets the rush ebb a bit. Pursing his lips, he draws out a slow exhale.

His mouth hangs open, eyes dipping to watch himself loosen up with the material, finding himself with just his bare palm once again. He takes the blue fabric in his left, opening it up and examining the dampened marks of his precum and the lube.

Just like that, he’s back in the guest room — your room — and you’re wearing that blue set. It’s dampened like this, but not because he has made a mess of it, not yet. Because you have. You’re soaking through it, looking up at him with that awe-struck look on your face. Your mouth open wide but this time there’s no red popsicle.

“Fuck.”

“Shit.” You whisper, catching the diaper bag that had almost fallen from your shoulder as you cradle the sleeping infant against your chest. Quiet as a mouse, you click open the front door and toe off your shoes.

She’s dead-weight in your arms, probably drooling on your shoulder. Her two older siblings will be causing all kinds of mischief and consuming sugar in all of its forms at their cousin’s birthday party for the next three hours. Given that the party lines up almost exactly with the fifteen-month-old’s nap routine, you figured you would take her home to rest so that you could get around to putting away that laundry you had started.

You’ve got a thousand things on your mind. A million things to do before Bradley gets home that evening. Truthfully, you’re a thousand miles away as you stroll upstairs and walk to the far end of the hall to the nursery. You lay her down and adjust the baby monitor, setting up her white noise machine routinely.

Her bedroom door clicks shut behind you and you take a moment to consider your priorities. Laundry takes precedence, even though you want so desperately to crawl into bed and sleep for an hour. You huff, groaning to yourself as you walk back downstairs to find the basket you had abandoned.

As you round the stairs and walk through the hallway, a choked sound spills from under the wood of Bradley’s door, something deep and breathless. Already halfway to the kitchen, you don’t hear a thing.

The video stopped a while ago but Bradley had stopped watching it even earlier. His head is thrown back and his lips are parted, his features creased in concentration as he chases his high. He thrusts into his fist, white-knuckling your panties with his free hand, his heart thundering in his chest. “God, fuck.”

He doesn’t have a clue that he isn’t alone anymore. He didn’t hear the minivan, he didn’t hear the front door. He doesn’t hear you rush back up the stairs with the hamper hiked against your hip.

He walked in on you. He stopped, and he stared. You were interrupted, so you can’t blame him for slamming the door shut. He’d missed, or ignored the signals since. The looks, the touches, staying up with him until your eyelids are so heavy that they’re barely open because he’s kind of an insomniac. Nothing. You’ve been beyond curious, desperate to know if he has been blowing you off on purpose or if he’s just clueless.

Clueless yourself, armed to put away freshly folded t-shirts, you grab the door handle and push it open. He works late, always. He’s rarely home before bedtime on work days. He told you this morning that he’d try not to wake you when he came in. And yet — there he is.

You get a glimpse of him before he registers the click of the door, before he spots you. Brows furrowed, eyes screwed shut, his curls dampened and hugging his forehead. Sunlight catches on the beads of sweat as they trail his glistening middle, spilling across his strong, softened middle. Broad shoulders flexed, the veins in his right arm straining through the skin, fucking his palm.

He reacts quickly, but there’s little that can be done. His eyes spring open and his hand releases himself, his body flushing a deeper shade of red at once. Thighs spread, he doesn’t have much time to cover himself before the door whips shut again.

You press your back to the door, staring at the ceiling. On either sides of it, you each have a moment of silent consideration.

“… are you okay?” He asks weakly.

He gets a soft squeak of acknowledgement as an answer and starts to wonder how you’ll ever be able to talk to him again. God, he hopes you don’t quit. The kids love you, and you’re incredible, you make his life liveable. His mind races, trying to come up with some kind of way to fix what you just saw. Everyone masturbates, it’s normal, it’s healthy—

“Was— Was that my underwear?”

Shit, Bradley thinks, he’s done for. There’s no coming back from this. You’re going to tell every nanny in the state that he’s a creep and work is going to eat him alive while he tries to juggle three kids alone. He curses breathlessly, fixing his underwear to cover himself and pushing himself out of bed.

He’s stuck for a second, considering if it would be better to give you time or to go after you. His eyes widen as the door clicks again, and pushes slowly open.

Your eyes rake over him, standing tall at the foot of his bed in nothing but his boxer-briefs. Still, regrettably, balled into his left hand, is your underwear. Powder-blue. He follows your gaze and looks down at the fabric, cursing his own stupidity, wondering if it’s too late to drop them.

You wet your lips with your tongue as your gaze flickers across. He closes his eyes and wills it to go away — he had just been so close, so caught up in it. It’s still rock hard, straining against the grey fabric, dampened at the tip with a spot of precum.

All of those signals and efforts come to a head. After four months of pining, you can’t just wander downstairs like this never happened. Laundry can wait. “You want a hand?”

…

tags: @royal-sunflower @redbarn1995 @atarmychick007 @jessicab1991 @seitmai @bellaireland1981 @roosterbruiser @tenderly-hopeful-collection @bradshawsbaddie @tgmavericklover @cevansbaby-dove @lyn-js @mynameismckenziemae @perpetuelledaydreaming @diorrfairy @sparklehippie17 @heatherbabees @prettiewittie @forgiveliv @oleksiak-pettersson @illegalxhood @fantasticpeacestarfish @rockstxr-x @d0main-expansion @diorsmores @mydarlingrose @sticksticklettuxe @alrightyyaphrodite @bowchickawowowww @aquafairy777 @eternallyvenus @maxwell-era @devil-angel-winchester @roosterishot @rosiahills22 @literally-iconic @brinaaa10 @foggyturtleknightangel @a-serene-place-to-be @aragorn-02 @sunflowercharlie13

If your name is here but isn’t tagged, it may be your settings that won’t allow me to tag you fully!

[rosiahills22]

Aim for the Sky Part 2 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Somehow the timing was just right, and Bradley's arrival meant he could join you for your appointment. He'd find out if he was having a son or daughter in person, with you. The enormity of Bradley's affection seemed to grow every day now, just like the Nugget he loved so much.

Warnings: Fluff, smut, swearing, pregnancy

Length: 4900 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

Aim for the Sky masterlist. This was written to accompany my series Is It Working For You? along with a bunch of my one-shots and other series, but it can be read on its own! Check my masterlist for the reading order.

"Bradley," you gasped, head tipped back against the pillar that was pressing into your shoulder. "Your duffle is here. I can see it." Actually, it was just going around and around on the conveyor belt while Bradley sucked gently on your neck and slowly bunched the fabric of your dress in his hand over your bump. And just like that, once again, your focus drifted away from the bag as soon as he spoke.

"I'll get it in a minute," he murmured next to your ear. "I'm a little busy."

You were getting side eye from a woman, and a random man was outright gawking at you, but you didn't really care. The airport was busy, but it wasn't enough to make you pull your fingers from Bradley's soft hair or tell him to stop kissing his way back to your lips. His bristly mustache made you sigh when he reached his destination once again, and you let him taste your tongue before you pulled away slightly.

"Roo. We're kind of on a tight schedule." When he just grunted in response and headed for your lips again, you laughed. "Daddy! Let's go see the Nugget."

He seemed to snap out of it a little bit, the desire in his eyes giving way to excitement. "Right. Let's go. I can taste you everywhere at home later."

When he took you by the hand, you had to dig your heels in. "We need your bag!" you said with a smile. Then he led you in the opposite direction and snatched his massive duffle up like it was nothing and tossed it over his shoulder. You had to hustle along next to him as he exited the airport through the sliding doors and headed for the parking garage. It was like he knew you parked near the spot where he totaled your beloved little Honda when he finally got you pregnant on his birthday. You felt your cheeks grow warm as you recalled the details.

He must have seen his blue Bronco in the last row, because he picked up his pace a little bit more. "I don't think we have time for reunion sex yet," he muttered, glancing at you and letting his gaze dip down your body. "But I'll take care of you later. You got along okay without me?"

You let out a little squeak as he tossed his bag in the back and headed for the passenger side door so he could unlock it for you. "Honestly? I haven't been as insatiable since the first trimester ended," you told him, leaning closer to inhale the scent of his deodorant. "At least... I wasn't until right now."

He pulled you close again and tilted your chin up so you were looking at him. "Listen, I'm a little keyed up, and I don't think I can be quick. Can you wait until later?"

"Oh, God," you whined, your skin tingling at the thought of how long he might last for you and how good he would feel. "This is just as exciting as when I felt the baby moving on Halloween."

His brown eyes went wide, and his lips parted in surprise. "You felt the Nugget?!" When you nodded, he asked, "Why didn't you tell me before?"

You just gaped at him. "Seriously? You had your mouth all over mine! How was I supposed to tell you anything?"

"Shit," he hissed and handed you the keys before his hands settled on your belly, drifting around, trying to feel something. "You drive," he said, slowly guiding you to the other side of the Bronco. "I need to work on feeling a kick." 

As he buckled you in behind the wheel, you didn't have the heart to tell him that the baby wasn't even moving around much right now, or that it would probably be weeks before he'd be able to feel anything externally. He was too adorable when he was this excited, and you watched him run around the hood and jump inside like an overgrown golden retriever who had been offered a treat. His eyes were wide as he got himself buckled before placing both hands on your belly.

"Okay. I'm ready to go," he informed you with a nod.

"You sure?" you asked, smirking as you put the key in the ignition. "A minute ago, you looked like you were ready to have parking garage sex again, and now you're all over me and the Nugget."

You shifted into gear, and he whispered, "I'm ready, Baby Girl. I'm so fucking ready to learn what we're having, and if I feel a little kick on the way, it'll be like a cherry on top of the best day."

You paid the parking fee and pulled out onto the main road as you realized you only had about twenty minutes to get to Dr. Morris's office on time. "Don't get your hopes up," you said while Bradley felt you all over. "You probably won't be able to feel anything. It's still early for that."

"Hey, not to be rude, Sweetheart, but I'm actually going to need you to stop talking."

"What?" you asked, so startled you laughed a little bit. "Did you just ask me to be quiet?"

He kissed your cheek while you drove and whispered, "It's just that I can't tell if it's the vibrations from your voice or the baby moving. Please? I love you." Now you were laughing even harder as his big hands moved all around on you. "No, no, that's- see you're actually moving more when you laugh though." He kissed your cheek again as you rolled your eyes and smothered your laughter. "That's better."

When you pulled into the parking lot of the medical complex, your husband's fingers were stroking your belly gently, and when you parked again and looked at him, you saw a few tears in his eyes. "You okay?" you asked softly. 

"Yeah. I'm good. Like really fucking good."

--------------------------

Bradley was forever wondering when his luck would run out. His life just seemed too good to be true. He was holding hands with his hot, pregnant wife in the waiting room, just buzzing with excitement. In a few short minutes, he was going to find out if he was having a son or a daughter. He wondered if this was how his dad felt in 1984. He wondered if Nick Bradshaw ever wanted to randomly get on his knees for his wife for no reason.

"They called us," you whispered, kissing his cheek before you stood up. Bradley jumped to his feet as well, so deep in thought, he hadn't heard anything. He'd never admit it to you, but this was probably more exciting than the day the two of you got married.

He pressed his sweaty palm to yours and walked past the reception desk at your side. Three short hallways later, and a nurse led you into a large, dimly lit room with huge computer monitors on one wall. "I'm so fucking excited, I might pass out," he said, voice deep and raspy. 

The nurse eyed him cautiously. "Perhaps you should have a seat while Dr. Morris performs the scan?"

He nodded, intercepting the cotton gown before you could take it from her. "That's a great idea. I'll do that."

Once she was gone, Bradley turned to you and started unfolding the gown while you stepped out of your boat shoes. "Are you really going to pass out?" you asked him as you started to pull your sinfully snug dress up your legs.

"Let me do that," he grunted, kneeling on the floor and pushing the fabric up and over your belly. He kissed your tattoo through your underwear, and then he kissed the spot next to your belly button where he always imagined the Nugget was hanging out. "I love you," he whispered before getting to his feet again and pulling the dress up and over your head. You weren't wearing a bra, and your breasts looked so fucking incredible, he wanted them in his mouth.

"You're staring at me," you said, reaching for the gown as you shifted back and forth in place like you were getting cold. "I know I look different. I gained like eight or nine pounds while you were gone once I stopped throwing up all the time."

Bradley let you take the gown from his hands. "Jesus Christ, maybe I really should sit down," he muttered, dragging a chair over next to the table where you'd be sitting in a moment. "And I was just staring at your tits, Baby Girl. You don't look different, you look fucking hot pregnant. God, this is more exciting than when you let me fuck you in the ass."

And that was the exact moment when Dr. Morris entered the room and cleared her throat. "Lieutenant Bradshaw," she said, reaching out to shake his hand as he hovered awkwardly over the chair before standing up again. "It's so nice to have you back with us." You were cradling your head in your hand in embarrassment as he shook hands with your obstetrician.

"Dr. Morris," he murmured. "I only missed the last appointments, because I was deployed. There's nothing else that could have kept me away, I swear."

She laughed and looked between the two of you and said, "Well, we do like a supportive and adventurous partner."

"Roo," you groaned softly as you started to climb up on the table. Bradley turned to help you, and you let him.

"She's a doctor, Sweetheart," he whispered. "She's heard it all."

"That's true," Dr. Morris said as she washed her hands, and you gave Bradley a bland look as you settled back on the table which was bent at an angle that would let you see the monitors. He was so excited, he just kissed your forehead a bunch of times while Dr. Morris asked, "Are we ready to get started?"

"Yes!" he practically shouted while you responded in a much calmer tone. He eased himself down into the chair and looked up at you as he reached for your hand.

"This is it," you told him with a nervous smile. "Any final guesses?"

He shook his head, his attention drawn to the monitors as they came to life. "I don't care one way or the other. I just want to know everything I can about the Nugget." 

Then he took your hand in both of his bigger ones and brought your fingers up to his lips as you said, "Me, too."

Bradley's heart skipped around as Dr. Morris spread the warm gel on your belly, and he had to press his lips together to keep quiet. He'd imagined himself holding a son, and he'd imagined himself holding a daughter. He had thought about names he liked for both. He considered what wild colors he might one day paint the bedroom walls, and he looked forward to it. He thought he'd be good at being a basketball dad or a dance dad or a cheer dad or a soccer dad. And that's why it didn't really matter what Dr. Morris said today. It didn't really matter what his kid was into or not into, because the Nugget was going to be an extension of the two of you. Somehow that equated to perfection in his mind.

"Let's count some little toes," Dr. Morris said, and then Bradley squeezed your hand as two tiny feet appeared on the screen.

"Holy shit," he whispered. There were ten perfect toes on his perfect baby, and he had to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand as you laughed softly in awe. The Nugget would be smart and confident just like you were. Bradley would get the attic taken care of, and he'd put together the jungle gym. He would do every single thing that needed to be done to make a perfect home for this child. He would take care of you every day right now until he was taking care of both of you.

"Now let's check on the fingers."

Ten tiny fingers, attached to the cutest baby he'd ever seen in his life. Bradley took a deep breath and let his forehead rest against your arm as he tried to get himself under control. "Oh my God," he whispered, knowing he'd be able to count those toes and fingers in person next year. He could tickle them and send piggies to the market. He could kiss them and watch them toddle across the living room floor after Tramp.

"Let's just get a look at the heartbeat and a few other things here." Dr. Morris was taking her time, which Bradley appreciated. He liked a thorough doctor, but the anticipation was killing him. 

The heartbeat on the screen had you mesmerized when he looked at your beautiful face, but then you turned to look at him. Once again, he had no idea how he ended up this lucky. "I love you, Roo."

His already blurry vision just got worse as he sucked in a deep breath. "I love you so much." 

This time you brought his fingers up to your lips and kissed him as Dr. Morris added a little more gel to your belly and smashed it down with the ultrasound paddle. "Are you sure you want to find out the sex?"

"Yes!" you said, smiling at Bradley like you fucking knew you were his whole world. Like you didn't mind sharing him with the Nugget from now on. "We want to know!"

Bradley watched your face as you watched the monitor. His fingers on your wrist told him your heart was racing just like his was, and you were licking your lips in anticipation. You were perfect. His life was perfect. His baby was going to follow suit, no doubt about that. A smile found its way to his lips, and his shoulders relaxed, knowing that the next words he heard were going to be perfect, too. How could they not be?

"Congratulations. It's a girl."

The feeling inside his body was something he never knew before. He felt as much love as he had when he listened to you read your wedding vows, but this was something more. He was going to have a perfect little girl. Tears filled his eyes as he realized he was going to get to love and take responsibility for raising a daughter.

"Roo!" you sobbed, reaching for him, and then he was on his feet and kissing you.

"A girl," he said even as he mashed his lips to yours. "A daughter."

He wasn't sure if he felt his own tears or yours on his cheeks as you pressed your forehead to his and asked, "Are you happy?"

It took him a few seconds to get control of his voice as he held your face in his hands. "I'm living the life of my dreams."

-------------------------

Bradley had tears in his eyes and ultrasound images clutched to his chest as you led him outside to the Bronco. His free hand was clasped tight with yours, and you'd never seen him look so happy in your life. "A little girl," he said, handing you his keys once again, and you already knew what he was going to do when he buckled you into the driver's seat. "We're having a girl," he whispered, brown eyes wide as he kissed your wedding rings.

You nodded and wiped your thumb along his cheek. "It just makes sense somehow."

"It does," he agreed, kissing your lips before leaning down to kiss your bump through your dress. "I love this Nugget," he whispered. "My daughter."

You whined his name as he said those words, and when he looked up at you, all you could say was, "You're going to be the best Daddy, Roo." You thought about it all the time. The way he'd carry the baby around and read bedtime stories. The way he'd always be patient and sweet. You weren't sure if you'd always imagined a little girl or not, but it made so much sense right now.

"Let's go home," he rasped, kissing his way up from your belly until he got to your tender breasts. Technically you were supposed to work this afternoon, at least that's what you'd told Bickel. As Bradley ran around to the passenger side, you dug your phone out and texted your boss, letting him know that the baby was fine, and you'd see him on Monday. 

"What's wrong?" Bradley asked as you tossed your phone aside and started the engine.

"Nothing. Everything is right. I'm taking the rest of the day off so we can spend it together," you replied softly as his hands found their way back to your belly. It had been too many weeks since you'd been touched, and it felt so good, you had to press your lips together to keep from moaning. "I want to spend it with you."

He grunted and kissed the side of your neck as you pulled out of the parking lot. "I'm not letting my girls out of my sight all weekend."

"Bradley," you whined, feeling so much desire for him. The two of you could start talking about nursery decor and girl names and when you wanted to break the news to everyone else. You could do all of those things this weekend now that he was home. But you were also just needy for him.

You made a little noise as you tried your best to go the speed limit, and you knew that your husband knew what you needed. "I'll take care of you, Sweetheart. Don't worry about that. I'll take care of everything." 

He was tracing hearts along your belly, and you turned to look at his slightly lovesick eyes when you stopped at an intersection. "I know you will." You delighted in the fact that you were having a little girl who would get to share all of his love with you. The enormity of Bradley's affection seemed to grow every day now, just like the Nugget, and pretty soon she would be showered in it too.

When you pulled into the driveway and parked in the tight spot next to your red Bronco, Bradley eyed the pallets of jungle gym pieces. "I can't fucking wait to build that thing. I've been dreaming about it for so long." Then he was jumping out the door as you shifted into park, and he was around to your side in an instant. "Been dreaming about this day for ages," he whispered as you climbed down and into his arms. His hands found your lower back as he added, "Been thinking about you and the Nugget since I left."

You smiled up at him. "You know what might be fun, Daddy?"

"What?" he asked, keeping his eyes on yours as he started to lead you up to the porch.

"If you start building the Nugget's playset tomorrow, and you get all sweaty and let me watch," you said, your voice turning into a soft whimper at the end. 

Bradley jammed the house key into the lock, and shoved the door open. He hooked one arm around your waist and pulled you inside with him as Tramp started jumping around like a maniac. "Hey, buddy," Bradley told him with a smile. "I missed you, too. But I need some time with my girls first."

"It's okay," you said as you closed the door behind you. "He probably won't calm down until you play with him a little bit."

But Bradley was pushing you back against the door even as Tramp ran around in circles. "Wait right here," he commanded softly, and lust rippled through you at the sight of his pupils blown wide. "Don't move an inch." 

You felt like you were barely even breathing as you stood very still and watched Bradley lead Tramp past the piano and out the back sliding glass door. "I promise I'll play with you next. I just desperately need to fuck my wife." Then he made his way back to you, his lips set in a determined smirk, and his movements beyond sexy. "I promised I wouldn't leave you hanging."

You closed your eyes as his palm came to rest on the wooden door just next to your head. His warmth was so close, but he wasn't touching you yet as you whispered, "You always take care of me."

His fingers started to pull up the hem of your dress as he crooned, "Why don't you go ahead and tell me how much you missed me."

You tipped your head back until it met the door, and you kept your eyes squeezed closed as you whined, "Couldn't go another day without you." When his lips met your cleavage, your eyes flew open. His lips grazed your nipple through the thin fabric as he slowly knelt in front of you, and you told him, "Your daughter and I missed you terribly."

When he looked up at your face, he pulled your dress up and said, "I'm so in love with you." He ran his lips along your bare belly. "And you." Then he pressed the bunched up fabric against your ribs, and when he said, "Hold this for me, Baby Girl," you did exactly as you were told.

"Yes, Daddy."

"Fuck," he grunted, rough hands on your thighs as he kissed your belly button. "Do you have any idea how perfect you are?" His eyes met yours again. "You asked me if I was happy. I've been happy since I met you. Since you gave me a purpose. Since you let me love you." His hands found the scrap of your white lace underwear and started to pull it down your thighs. "God, I missed this," he murmured, pressing his lips to your pussy as soon as you were free of the lace which slipped all the way down until your panties hit your boat shoes.

"Bradley," you croaked, the second syllable sounding much longer than the first as he licked his way up your slit to the patch of hair that you kept neatly trimmed. He licked along this same path again, this time pressing deeper with his tongue. The third time, he separated you a little more, and then he wrapped his lips around your clit and sucked gently. All the while he kept his big hands on the swell of your belly. "I really missed you."

He responded by kissing your dainty rooster tattoo and burying his face in your pussy. Bradley gently nudged your legs further apart so he could taste you everywhere, and each time you started to buck, he pushed your hips back. You were gripping your dress so tight in both hands, you were afraid you might rip the fabric, but he just kept going in a smooth up and down stripe until you could tell you were dripping wet.

"Yeah, you missed me," he grunted, kissing your tattoo one more time. "I can taste how much."

"Roo."

He got to his feet and cupped your pussy below the swell of your belly, circling your opening with the tip of one finger as he leaned in close. "Will you let me take you to bed and show you how much I missed you?"

Your voice shook as he pushed his finger inside you, just a promise of what was to come if you agreed. "Please!"

Barely ten seconds later, you were on your back in bed, your dress pushed all the way up, exposing your breasts and belly to him. Your soaked pussy was already clenching as the cool air hit your skin, and you watched Bradley wrench his shirt off and unzip his pants. But he didn't penetrate you yet. He pushed on the backs of your thighs so your knees got a little closer to your shoulders, and you whimpered his name.

His eyes were a little wild as he said, "Yeah, I'll take care of everything, Sweetheart." Bradley wrapped his hands around your thighs and leaned down to kiss at your furled nipples, his mustache leaving you squirming, searching for release. "Your fucking tits are huge. My God. And so warm." 

He nuzzled himself against your breasts which were in fact getting to the point where your bras were fitting a little too tight. He sucked and swiped his tongue along, and you let your fingers sink into his hair as he brought you close with his mouth wrapped around one nipple then the other. "Oh my God," you panted, just spurring him on. Because next, his mouth trailed back down to your belly where he whispered and worshipped you.

"I love my girls," he crooned, spreading your legs open wider as you tugged on his hair to keep yourself grounded. "I love you so much."

"Please," you begged softly, and he finally put that mouth back on your soaking wet core. You were about to come, grinding against his lips and his nose, his name falling from you like a depraved prayer. Eventually he paused before filling you with his cock instead. You cried out as he stretched you fully for the first time in so long, and almost immediately he was fucking you to completion. You came hard, your back arching off the bed as you grabbed at his shoulders, but you knew he wanted his share, too.

Bradley fucked you through your orgasm, lips pressed to your ear so you could hear every word he said and every deep rumble at the back of his throat. "You were made for me, weren't you, Baby Girl? And I was made to worship you."

-------------------------

By the time Bradley came, he was sweaty and babbling like a lovesick idiot. Everything he cared about most was right there in his arms as you took him deep, always welcoming him into your sweetness. The relief he felt was incredible as he finally rolled onto his back, pulling you a little closer as he went.

"I'm gonna be a girl dad," he said with a smile as he looked at the ceiling through his post orgasm haze. "I can't wait."

The slick friction from his cum teased at his leg hairs as your pussy rested against his thigh, and you snuggled up against his chest. "Me too, Roo. I'm so excited to meet her." 

Your fingers teased along his abs, lulling him ever closer to an afternoon nap. He knew that one of you needed to let Tramp back inside, and he was going to have to scrape together something for you to eat soon. But right now, he didn't want to move.

"What happened with your deployment?" you asked softly as he yawned. This was the last thing he wanted to talk about right now when he knew you were carrying his little girl, but he should have known you'd have questions. 

"It fucking sucked. Being away from you gets harder and harder each time now. They kept tacking on more weeks of these random bombing runs, and the weather was miserable. We had to fly in the rain half the time."

He listened to you hum, contemplating what he said. "It was so scary when you got called to action in the middle of talking to me over FaceTime. I couldn't stop crying. And then it was weeks before some random guy in personnel called me to let me know you were on your way home."

It was hard to believe he was on that flight back to San Diego just a few hours ago. "Honestly, in all of the excitement today, that already feels so distant in my mind," he told you, kissing your forehead as he thought about how long he had been away from you. "We didn't really know we were heading home until it was happening. And it was so late here when we got released, they told me they'd have someone reach out so I didn't have to wake you up again. Then there was only one seat left on the first flight home, and once Payback and I were being airlifted to Hong Kong, they told us to decide who was taking that spot. He gave it to me, no questions asked. Told me to get home to you and the Nugget."

You gasped and murmured, "Reuben is the sweetest."

Bradley chuckled as his fingers grazed along the side of your bump. "Yeah, well, you actually owe him three dozen chocolate chip cookies. That was the only stipulation for the deal."

Your laughter made Bradley's smile grow. "Totally worth it. Actually, since you made it home in time for my appointment, I'll make five dozen for him."

"No wonder everyone thinks I'm spoiled," he told you, tugging on you until you were straddling his hips and looking down at him with your hands braced on his chest. "Fuck. Just look at you." 

His sticky cum was matted in your pubic hair, and your tits looked delicious. There was no way he'd be able to keep his hands away from you now that he'd seen and felt your little bump in person. His daughter was growing in there. He smiled and ran his palm gently over your skin, stroking you with his thumb as your pretty gaze stayed transfixed on his.

"I'm happy you're home, Roo."

He nodded, eye lids growing heavy from jet lag and the time zones, and he simply didn't argue when you kissed his cheek and said you were going to let Tramp inside and then take a nap with him. Soon enough, Bradley was snuggled up in bed with his head resting next to your belly and your fingers tangled in his hair. Your sweet voice lulled him to sleep for the best afternoon nap of his life.

----------------------------

This has been a very emotional day for Bradley. He's home with his hot wife, and now he gets to start planning for the arrival of their daughter in a few more months! Thank you so much for reading about the Nugget! More to come soon, including the first wedding anniversary! Thanks @beyondthesefourwalls

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[rosiahills22]

Hi 👋☺️

I hit 4k followers a couple days ago so I just wanted to say thank you for all of the love and support over the last couple of years! You guys help me stay motivated to keep writing and it means so much to me 🥰🥹

- ❤️ Lauren

[rosiahills22]

Under Stadium Light * Jake 'Hangman' Seresin/OC (part 1)

Summary: When Casey applied to Texas A&M, she wanted an escape. A means of forgetting her godfather's illness, and the breakup that happened just after graduation, if only for a moment. Some things, though, are far more difficult to outrun than she might believe. Perhaps most especially when a stubborn jock all but refuses to allow her to do exactly that.

Warnings: angst, allusion to smut, past abusive relationship, mentions of cancer/illness, death of major character

Taglist: @djs8891 (please let me know if anyone else wants to be added!)

"Well—this is it."

The weight of her mother's arm winding around her shoulders to pull her close comes in tandem with the words, and Casey turns away from her cursory examination of the dorm room that will be her home away from home for the semester in favor of looking Penny Benjamin in the eye, instead. A task that comes with some difficulty, though Casey would be hard pressed to own up to such a thing out loud. She'd spent an entire summer convincing herself that she was looking forward to this. That the idea of starting college was nothing more than another new adventure.

By contrast, her mother clearly still harbors some reservations that she seems incapable of keeping to herself. It makes sense, inasmuch as Casey wishes it was not the case, given that this will be the first time she will be away from home by any significant distance for more than a few nights at a time.

When she'd first decided that Texas A&M was her number one choice for pursuing further education, it had been assumed she would change her mind. That her godfather's diagnosis in particular would persuade her to stick around. But neither of those things had happened. She had remained steadfast in her desire to attend college out of state as though her very life depended upon that desire becoming a reality.

Casey would be the first to admit she has a tendency to bolt when things get tough. When they get real. For all of her attempts at appearing steady, she still cannot entirely rid herself of the scared little girl that she always has been, more often than not. And now, here she is, attempting to don a reassuring smile for her mother, when on the inside, she is mere inches away from falling apart.

"This is it," She finally agrees, leaning slightly against her mother's side, just enough to be able to drop her head to rest on Penny's shoulder, "It's—"

"Nice."

"It is."

"Would've been nice to meet your roommate, though," Penny states, a surreptitious glance toward the still undecorated side of the dorm room causing Casey to emit a poorly muted laugh, "What? I'm allowed to wonder who you'll be living with for the next eight months of your life, aren't I?"

"You are."

"Alright then."

"I'm sure she's perfectly—"

"Nice?"

"Exactly," Casey assures, savoring the small tightening of her mother's arm around her shoulders, even if she hardly wants to make such a thing obvious to anyone else, "She's from Tacoma, Mom."

"That doesn't actually mean anything, you know."

"Okay, maybe not. But still, I'm sure she's fine."

The sigh Penny gives in response to the statement is hardly reassuring, given that Casey had been counting on providing her mother with some manner of relief. In truth, she'd been doing so in part as a means of attempting to find some of her own along the way. Her mother's lingering concern does nothing to waylay the twisting of something not all that far from apprehension in her gut, though. In fact, it only seems to make it grow.

Casey honestly hates the idea of being so nervous, her teeth digging into the skin on the inside of her cheek to try to do something—anything—to make the feeling go away. Her body seems to shy away from her mother's one-armed embrace at the same time. Before too long, she is hovering at Penny's side, her fingers knotting together for want of anything else to do. And that, of course, tips her mom off to the fact that something is wrong far quicker than anything she might say ever could.

"Listen, if you—if you're having second thoughts—"

"I'm not."

"But if you are. We can always figure out something else. Maybe you could take classes online, or—"

"Mom!"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to be fine."

"I know. I know you will be, sweetheart," Penny admits, reaching for her daughter's hand before Casey can fully avoid it, and threading their fingers together before offering a gentle squeeze, "I'm just—really gonna miss you."

"Don't let Amelia hear you say that. I think she might actually be looking forward to having you all to herself."

"Believe me, Casey, she's going to miss you too."

"Well I'd certainly hope so. Me being the amazingly cool stepsister that I am, and all."

Penny's laugh provokes a small smile from Casey in response, and for a moment she actually feels as though she can do this. As though when her mother walks out of the dorm and climbs in her car to drive away, she will remain steadfast. Confident. Strong.

She has to be that way. There is simply no other way around it. After all of the comparisons made over the years regarding how similar she is to her father, how could there be anything else for her to do but push forward? How can she do anything other than charge ahead, and hope for the best?

"Don't think. Just do."

Unfortunately for her, in this particular moment at least, that advice seems to be far easier said than done.

"You're sure you don't want me to stay around?" Penny asks then, glancing around the dorm room yet again, as though trying to come up with a feasible reason to stay, "Because Amelia's concert isn't until Friday night—"

"I think you and I both know that Hank isn't going to approve of you doing that."

"Case—"

"Come on, Mom. It's bad enough that you took extra time to drive me down here and you know it," Casey insists, her fingers tightening on her mother's hand for a fraction of a second before she is once again choosing to pull away, "I don't want to cause any trouble."

Penny frowns in response to the statement, but Casey is turning from her to shift one of her bags onto the bed she has claimed for her own, once again desperate to latch onto something to do. For another way of bolting from reality, small though it may be. She knows that her mother will have to leave, sooner rather than later, and the idea of appearing as unnerved by that fact as she truly is has become far too daunting to face.

For her part, Penny seems to sense this, just as easily as she has picked up on everything else concerning her daughter's moods and whims over the years. And although she hardly wants to leave Casey behind in such a state, she knows that insisting upon staying will only manage to make matters worse.

"You can call me anytime. You know that," She persists, watching her daughter carefully as she turns back to face her head-on, a tremulous smile pulling at both corners of her mouth while her eyes shine with something not all that different from unshed tears, "And you know your dad will be on the first flight out if I somehow can't make it myself."

"I know."

"And now it's time for me to stop talking, and go home?"

"Well I'm not about to actually tell you that," Casey quips, this time managing a more successful attempt at a genuine smile as she allows Penny to pull her in for one final embrace, "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not actually cruel, you know."

"You'll be fine if I allow experience to speak to me for a moment, before I just accept that statement at face value, won't you?"

"Yeah, no. Okay, you can—you can go now, Mom."

"I thought you might say something like that."

Sharing another laugh with her mother in response to the admittedly predictable retort, Casey follows after her as she exits the dorm room and heads through the hall to the door at its opposite end. She leans against the doorframe while Penny climbs inside the familiar Porsche, and draws a pair of sunglasses out of the glove compartment to guard against the evening light.

Casey manages to maintain her composure, even as her mother backs out of the parking spot and heads for the lot's exit a few feet away, her resolve only breaking when she is certain there is no chance that Penny will see it happen firsthand…

A fact for which she is immeasurably grateful as the first of the tears begin to fall.

…

[rosiahills22]

Yours Truly, Bradley Bradshaw Part 4 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: As you and Bradley start to blur the line between professional and personal correspondence, you feel yourself falling for him even more. He has charmed your students as well as you, and you decide to continue taking a chance on him.

Warnings: Fluff, language, Bradley sounding hot

Length: 3800 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female teacher!Reader

Check out my masterlist for more! Yours Truly, Bradley Bradshaw masterlist

Bradley spent an hour bundling up all of his letters to your students, getting them ready to be sent back to California. Sure, he wanted to impress you, but he also couldn't deny that he was attached to hearing from Oliver, Violet, Jayden and everyone else. And according to you, they were just as happy to hear from him.

Without giving it a second thought, Bradley went all in with your personal email address. An account where he assumed you could say and send anything you wanted to. One that nobody else was monitoring. His thoughts strayed constantly over the past few hours to what that might mean. What did you deem too personal for your school account?

You told him you were single, and you made it seem like you were into him. You said he gave you butterflies, and now he desperately wanted to see this thing through. When he closed his eyes, he could picture the photos of your smiling face, and he felt a little dizzy. He wanted you to tell him everything. He wanted you to wait for him so he could take you on a date. Or several. He wanted to know what your lips tasted like.

It sounded like your ex was a real tool if he didn't appreciate what you did and how hard you worked. You taught eighteen kids enough about aviation that they asked Bradley some pertinent questions and brought up information that was relevant to his job. He was impressed as hell, and he thought he could be better than what you had before. He already knew without a shadow of a doubt that you were better than Vanessa. It was obvious.

"Lieutenant Bradshaw."

He turned toward the voice calling his name as soon as he dropped the package with your name on it off at the mail center. "Hey," he called out to the mechanic who let him take those photos for your class a few weeks ago. He read his jumpsuit again just to be sure. "What's up, Marty?"

He jerked his thumb toward the main deck and said, "I just got around to unpacking some new engine components. You still writing to those kids?"

"Yeah."

"I'm about to do some repairs if you want to take some more pictures or a video for them."

Bradley had been planning on stalking his inbox for the rest of the day in the hopes that you'd write back and comment on his brief missive telling you he wanted the conversation to go further, but this seemed better than driving himself crazy. He could practically picture you and your kids flipping through some photos and watching a cool video he managed to snag for you. "Yeah, Marty. Let me grab my phone, and I'll meet you out in the shop."

---------------------------

After you read the email from Bradley where he called you Gorgeous, you were up most of the night. First, you screeched and almost spilled hot tea all over yourself as you rushed to set your mug down on the coffee table so you could giggle and kick your feet in the air. Then you read and reread the short email for about five minutes, curled up in a little ball with your phone right in front of your face. Then you sprawled along your couch and let yourself imagine what he might be like in person.

It was too early to get your hopes up about ever getting that far, but you couldn't seem to stop yourself from thinking about it. You hummed softly, because in your daydream, he lived in San Diego and asked you out on a date, and he was a perfect gentleman until you didn't want him to be any longer. You didn't even consider what reality might hold, because you were sure you wouldn't like it as much.

But for now, he was on board with going further. Your expectations of things included chatting about your likes and dislikes as well as learning more about him. "I'd like to take it further," you read softly, trying to imagine it in a masculine voice. But what did that sentence mean for him? You sat up on the couch. Surely he wasn't going to turn into a pig and start sending you anything too raunchy. Right?

You swiped out of your email inbox and looked at the photo of him standing in front of his jet and moaned. It was actually your mind heading for the gutter as you wondered what it would feel like to be wrapped up in his big arms. What it would be like to tug the zipper of his flight suit down slowly, enjoying the feel of the pull between your thumb and index finger.

It was like the fictional leading man in a romance novel came to life and told you that he thought you were pretty and that he liked your students. You flopped back down on the couch and screeched into the pillow so as not to alarm your neighbors. You needed to respond, but you didn't know what to say since you were probably past the point of playing it cool. You chewed on your lip while you typed and then deleted several versions before sending him something that you thought was okay.

Bradley,

I'd like to take it further, too. I don't usually do this kind of thing (oh, who am I kidding... I never do this kind of thing), but there's just something about you that made me feel like it was worth the risk. I hope I'm not being too bold if I say that I found the photos you sent me quite distracting. However, it's not just your looks that made me share my personal email address with you. I like the way you give me butterflies. There's something sweet that comes through in your writing, and I want to get to know you better. On that note, if you feel so inclined, please tell me three things I should know about you.

Yours Truly,

Your favorite pen pal

Once again, you had written back to him so quickly, it should have been embarrassing, but you had nothing to lose here. You tossed out the bait, and he took it in the most spectacular fashion. You didn't want to miss an opportunity like this, even if he did seem too good to be true.

But he still hadn't written back when you got to work the next morning. The ping of the email alert on your phone made you reach for it immediately, but it was just a reminder to pay your bills on time. As you unlocked your classroom door and flipped the lights on, you considered that maybe your message was a little bit boring. After all, you were the one to bring your personal account into play. Perhaps he was expecting you to reply with some sort of dirty picture. Your cheeks burned with mixed embarrassment. You wanted to take it further, but you didn't know how. You just knew that you wanted to keep him engaged without compromising yourself.

You tucked your bag and your phone away in your desk drawer and pulled out your lesson plans for the day. You'd start things off with language arts and then work your way through math and science before your kids had art class. There was no reason you had to think about Bradley at all right now; he could just wait until later with his big hands and his thick thighs and his mustache and cute smile.

Just before your students were due to arrive, you opened your laptop and logged in to see which parents had emailed you with questions or concerns about their child. You froze when you saw an email that was sent a few minutes ago from Bradley with the subject line A visit to the mechanic's shop. When you opened it up, you found that he had attached a video and a handful of photos. 

You were a little bit annoyed that he didn't respond to the message you sent from your other account where you asked him to tell you about himself, but that melted away as soon as you clicked on the video. His face flashed up on your computer screen, and all of the features you'd shamelessly memorized were right there in front of you. Cute smile, tidy mustache, brown eyes, wavy hair. But then you heard his voice.

"Hey. I just thought I'd take all nineteen of my favorite pen pals on a little tour around the mechanic shop aboard the Theodore Roosevelt. Sound good?"

You slammed your computer shut and moaned, thighs pressed tight together as your heart hammered. He was too much. It was just a video. He wasn't even really here, but he was an absolute assault on your senses. He called you gorgeous, but meanwhile it was hard to look directly at him for fear that you'd burst out into a fit of giggles. You shook your tingling hands out and slowly opened your computer again.

"Bradley Bradshaw. How are you this hot?" you whispered at the video paused on your screen. His face was frozen mostly in profile as he looked to the side, and for the first time, you saw some long scars on his cheek and neck. "Oh." They weren't new, rather giving the appearance that they had faded over time. You wondered how pronounced they would feel beneath your fingers. Would he let you touch them? Let you drag your lips across them while your hands found their way to his tousled hair?

After taking a few deep breaths, you let the video play again. Another man joined Bradley on the screen, and he was holding up a long, metal rod.

"This is my friend Marty. He's been a mechanic in the Navy for twenty-six years, and he specializes in aircraft repairs. He knows more about my Super Hornet than I do, and I'm not ashamed to admit that. So I'm just going to stand here and hold my phone still while we watch Marty do his thing."

The rest of the video was fascinating. It was still interesting the second time when you watched it with your class instead of doing your language arts lesson. The kids sat at rapt attention, eating up that little introduction that Bradley gave just as you had. He didn't talk to them like a bunch of little kids who didn't understand anything, which you loved. He and Marty explained what they were doing without making it too juvenile. Then when the video ended, your kids started raising their hands with question after question.

"You know what to do," you told them, holding out a dry erase marker for Jackie to take. She wrote down the list of questions that everyone had for Bradley while you tapped through the photos, once again imagining how warm and rough his hands would feel wrapped around your own instead of an intake manifold.

The impromptu aviation lesson lasted for two hours until your kids left for art class, and now you were a little concerned about all of the additional, more personal questions you had for Bradley besides the ones your class came up with. You wanted to know how old he was and where his scars came from. You wanted to know where he lived now, but you were too afraid of the answer. According to one of the notes he wrote back to Violet, he went to the University of Virginia. He even sounded like he was from the east coast.

You sat at your desk alone, digging your snack out of your drawer along with your phone. There was a new email. You smiled as you realized he must have sent it to you just after he emailed the video he took for your whole class to watch. The opening greeting once again had you kicking your feet beneath your desk, snack forgotten. 

Hey, Gorgeous,

I'm still having a hard time believing that you want to get to know me better. Full disclosure, I'm a little nervous you'll get bored talking to me. I don't have much family, and I know it's cliche, but flying really is my passion. I spend a lot of my time on aircraft carriers which makes it hard to maintain relationships and friendships with people on dry land. 

Talking to my nineteen new pen pals has been the most exciting part of my deployment. But you're right... you're my favorite one. I could tell from the first letter that wasn't even specifically meant for me that you were funny and sweet. And then I saw what you look like, and I kept going back to the photo for another look. You're just as gorgeous as you are funny and sweet.

Three things you should know about me? One, I'm afraid of spiders. Like so afraid of them that I might have a crisis on my hands if you tell me you have a beloved pet tarantula or something. Two, I loved taking piano lessons so much when I was a kid, I actually still take them. (Now I'm sitting here wondering why I'm telling you embarrassing shit.) My next door neighbor is a retired music teacher, and when I'm home, I trade yard work for piano lessons. Everyone wins. Third, I like giving Gorgeous teachers butterflies. That's a new one, but I thought you should know about it.

I'm giving you some homework, hope you don't mind. I want you to send me a picture of one of those San Diego sunsets where the sky somehow looks both blue and orange at the same time. If you happen to be in the photo, I'm not going to complain. I would also love to hear three things I should know about you. 

Please tell your kids they have mail on the way. I hope to hear back from them. And you.

Yours Truly,

Bradley

Oh. This crush was even worse than you thought.

-----------------------------

After days of running drills, Bradley was finally grounded because of a bad storm that was closing in, and he was given a few hours off. He stood out on deck, letting the first drops of hard rain hit his face. He was hoping to get a nice sunset photo to send to you, but the past few days had been terribly cloudy. And now he felt like he was being torn in three directions as his flight suit got wet: he was sweaty, hungry and curious. As a result, he couldn't decide if he should hit the shower, the mess hall or the lounge first.

He reasoned that he'd best appreciate an email from you if he was cleaned up and well fed. If you'd had time to write back to him, it would top off his night in the sweetest way possible. So he took a shower and unfortunately had to eat cabbage rolls for dinner. He chuckled to himself as he walked toward the lounge, picturing a bunch of fourth graders eating dinner in the mess hall and ranking the foods. They would probably love that, actually.

As Bradley logged in and watched his email inbox appear on one of the lounge computers, he muttered, "Hell yes." There was a new message from you, and he couldn't click on it fast enough. Before he started reading, the attached photo caught his attention, and he grunted softly. Fuck. 

There you were, on a stretch of beach in Coronado, not even a mile from his house with the sun setting behind you. Your features were in shadow, but your smile was a little shy and very pretty. You looked so soft, standing there on the windswept sand in denim shorts and an oversized sweatshirt with Mira Mesa Elementary printed on the front, and all he wanted to do was touch you. He could already imagine a picnic dinner on that beach, snuggling up with you as cooler temperatures moved in. Enjoying the blues and oranges until the sky got so dark, he'd lead you back to his house with your fingers laced with his.

Bradley,

I'm turning in my homework. I hope I get a passing grade. I'm not usually the student, so I'm a little out of practice. A Naval officer from Top Gun took this photo for me. Apparently aviators just like you are all over the beaches in Coronado.

I have some good news for you. While I'm not actually afraid of spiders, I promise I don't have a beloved pet tarantula. And I'm sorry, but the idea of you still taking piano lessons made me giggle for a solid minute. The mental image is just that adorable. 

You always seem to know what to say to make my butterflies go crazy, and that's just through the written word. As an educator, I always stress the importance of honesty to my students. So let me just say that honestly, I'm not going to get bored talking to you. I also can't lie about the fact that I watched the video you sent several times just to hear your voice. (Now I'm the one embarrassing herself.) And I really can't see how you would have a hard time maintaining a relationship while you're away. Maybe your previous partners didn't appreciate how rare it is to find someone who is willing to put in some effort. Or maybe they didn't find your arachnophobia oddly endearing. But I kind of do.

Three things you should know about me: 1. I graduated from college with a 4.0 GPA. 2. Sometimes I fall asleep during movies, especially if I'm snuggled up on my own couch. 3. I have a crush on you.

Hitting send before I can change my mind.

Bradley couldn't help the smile teasing at his lips as he tucked his hands behind his head and read your last few sentences again. He always wanted to continue talking to you, so maybe it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that you wouldn't grow bored with this. Maybe you'd care more about him than going out on dates, unlike Vanessa. He wasn't going to wait before responding to your email. What was the point? You were into him, and he was definitely into you.

-----------------------------

"We got mail!" you announced, holding up the package that was waiting for you in the school office when you refilled your travel coffee mug on your way to your classroom. Your students erupted into delighted conversation.

"Is it from Lieutenant Bradshaw?" asked Jayden.

"Of course it is," Violet told him. "It must be. He's our pen pal after all."

"Did he send us more notes?" Oliver asked, practically bouncing out of his seat in anticipation.

"He did!" you confirmed as you tore into the package and enlisted Harrison to help you hand the individual notes to their recipients. The room went silent as soon as they all started reading, and then one after the next, the kids started to get out their notebooks to start their responses.

You felt warm all over. Bradley was on your mind a lot, and you didn't really want him going anywhere. You watched the video he sent again last night before you went to sleep, and you dreamed about a strong man with a sexy voice curled up behind you in bed. You knew you had a new email from him, but you were waiting until you could sit quietly during your lunch break to read it.

At some point, you were going to have to taper off the aviation curriculum and focus on other things, but you just didn't want to have to do that yet. Not when your class was so engaged. Not when it made you feel connected to a man thousands of miles away who you had feelings for in spite of that fact that you never met him in person. In spite of the fact that you were too afraid to ask him where he lived.

After you eventually walked your kids down to the lunchroom, you were free to read your email from Bradley in peace. But the more you thought about opening it, you started to get nervous. You already admitted you were interested him, so there was really no going back. If he hadn't sent you something similar, you were going to have to crawl under a rock, but you got your phone out as you took a deep breath and started reading.

Hey, Gorgeous,

Now wait right there. I have some concerns. I'm going to address them in order, so please bear with me. First of all, you didn't just pass your homework assignment, you got an A+. I've never seen such a beautiful sunset in my life, and yet it was barely noticeable next to you. But here's my main issue. I can't have another aviator taking sunset photos of you and sweeping you off your feet. How about you just stay off that beach in Coronado for the time being? Give a guy a chance here?

I couldn't agree more about the importance of being honest. Honestly, I'm letting out the breath I've been holding, worried that you were going to send me a photo of you with your pet tarantula. And honestly, smart women really do it for me, so any time you want to bring up that 4.0 GPA, I'm going to need a minute. And honestly, nothing sounds better than watching a movie with you on your couch right now. Can't stop thinking about it, actually. 

Please, tell me in an overabundance of detail, what you would do if I promised I would take you out to dinner but then changed my mind and told you that I was tired from work and wanted to spend a quiet evening on my couch with some takeout instead.

You have a crush on me? Gorgeous girl, all I can think about is the couple days of leave I'm going to have once this aircraft carrier finally docks back in San Diego. Where you are. You and my eighteen other pen pals. I think I have a thing for fourth grade teachers. Or maybe it's just you. I can't wait to hear from you again.

Yours Truly,

Bradley

---------------------------

Okay. Some admissions have been made. Little bits of feelings have been established. She has seen him and heard his voice, and I think we're ready to keep taking things further. Maybe a phone call? Maybe another photo or two? We also can't leave the fourth graders hanging. Thanks @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

@hotch-meeeeeuppppp

@chassy21

@solacestyles

@daisyhollyxox

@wintercap89

@blog-name6996

@bcon24

@chaoticassidy

@avada-kedavra-bitch-187

@katiebby04

@marantha

@averyhotchner

@abaker74

@heli991113

@k-k0129

@noz4a2

@shanimallina87

@little-wiseone

@ccbb2222

@xoxabs88xox

@thedroneranger

@cherrycola27

@fanboyswhore9

@xomrsalliej4787xo

@desert-fern

@sylviebell

@wkndwlff

@horseslovers2016

@gennyanydots

@mattyskies

@hookslove1592

@blahehblah

@sadpetalsstuff

@local-spidey

@schoollover

@lex-winchester

@magicalmorg

@nicole01-23

@jessicab1991

@happyrebelruins

@samsgoddess

@ughthisisntright

@bellaireland1981

@sagittarius-flowerchild

@mygyn

@yuckosworld

[rosiahills22]

Short love: Chp 13

Summary: The is about widowed father Bradley Bradshaw who enlists his brother-in-law Jake Seresin and childhood best friend Robert Floyd to help raise his three daughters, eldest Donna Jo Margaret (D.J for short), middle child Stephanie and youngest Michelle in his San Diego home. 

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Warning: Fluff, flirting

Here's your fic with the names "Joey" changed to "Bob" and "Danny" changed to "Bradley":

Y/n smiled as she drove, the upbeat tunes of ABBA filling the car with joyous energy. DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle chattered excitedly in the backseat, their voices blending together in a chorus of anticipation.

"Are you excited to marry Jake, Aunt Y/n?" DJ asked eagerly, her eyes shining with curiosity.

Y/n glanced at her reflection in the rearview mirror, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I am, DJ," she replied, her voice tinged with warmth. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him."

Stephanie piped up from the backseat, her enthusiasm contagious. "What's he like as a fiancé, Aunt Y/n? Is he romantic?"

Y/n chuckled, her heart swelling with affection for Jake. "He's incredibly romantic, Steph," she admitted, her thoughts drifting to all the sweet gestures and loving moments they had shared together. "He always knows how to make me feel loved and cherished."

Michelle, ever the inquisitive three-year-old, chimed in with her own question. "Will Jake wear a fancy suit at the wedding, Aunt Y/n?"

Y/n nodded, smiling at her youngest niece's curiosity. "Yes, Michelle," she replied, her voice filled with excitement. "He'll look very handsome in his suit."

As they arrived at the boutique, Y/n's heart fluttered with anticipation. She couldn't wait to find the perfect wedding dress and accessories for her special day, surrounded by the love and support of her beloved nieces.

Together, they stepped into the boutique, ready to embark on the next chapter of Y/n's journey to happily ever after. And as they browsed through racks of beautiful dresses and sparkling accessories, Y/n couldn't help but feel grateful for the love and companionship she had found in Jake, and for the cherished moments she shared with her adoring nieces.

The boutique was a whirlwind of lace, silk, and tulle, with racks of wedding dresses in every style imaginable. Y/n's heart raced with excitement as she and her nieces began their search for the perfect gown.

DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle eagerly pulled dresses off the racks, their eyes sparkling with excitement as they imagined Y/n wearing each one. "How about this one, Aunt Y/n?" DJ exclaimed, holding up a classic ballgown with intricate lace detailing.

Y/n smiled as she examined the dress, running her fingers over the delicate fabric. "It's beautiful, DJ," she replied, her heart swelling with gratitude for her nieces' enthusiasm.

Stephanie held up a sleek, modern gown with a plunging neckline and beaded embellishments. "Or maybe something like this, Aunt Y/n?" she suggested, her eyes alight with excitement.

Y/n nodded, impressed by Stephanie's eye for fashion. "That's stunning, Steph," she agreed, envisioning herself walking down the aisle in the elegant gown.

Meanwhile, Michelle toddled around the boutique, her eyes wide with wonder as she explored the array of accessories on display. "Look, Aunt Y/n!" she exclaimed, holding up a shimmering tiara adorned with sparkling crystals. "You could wear this on your wedding day!"

Y/n laughed, her heart melting at Michelle's innocence and enthusiasm. "That's lovely, Michelle," she replied, her eyes brimming with love for her youngest niece.

As they continued their search, trying on dresses and experimenting with different accessories, Y/n felt overwhelmed with gratitude for the precious moments she shared with her nieces. With their love and support, she knew that no matter which dress she chose, her wedding day would be a celebration of love, family, and the beautiful journey she was about to embark on with Jake by her side.

Amidst all the excitement and suggestions from her nieces, Y/n's heart remained set on her dream wedding dress—a classic tulle A-line gown adorned with delicate beaded lace. As she browsed through the racks of dresses, her eyes lit up when she spotted it, hanging gracefully among the other gowns.

With a smile of anticipation, Y/n reached out to touch the soft tulle fabric, feeling the intricate lace appliqués beneath her fingertips. The dress was everything she had ever dreamed of—timeless, elegant, and utterly breathtaking.

"Girls, look!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement as she held up the dress for her nieces to see. "This is the one."

DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle gathered around her, their eyes wide with awe as they admired the gown. "It's perfect, Aunt Y/n!" DJ exclaimed, her voice filled with admiration.

Stephanie nodded in agreement, her face lighting up with a smile. "You're going to look like a princess, Aunt Y/n," she remarked, her voice tinged with excitement.

Michelle clapped her hands in delight, her eyes sparkling with joy. "I love it, Aunt Y/n!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm contagious.

With her nieces' seal of approval, Y/n knew that she had found the dress of her dreams. As she slipped into the gown and looked at her reflection in the mirror, she felt a surge of emotion wash over her. This dress wasn't just a piece of fabric—it was a symbol of love, hope, and the beautiful future she was about to embark on with Jake.

With her nieces by her side, Y/n knew that her wedding day would be a celebration of love, family, and the incredible journey that had led her to this moment. And as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn't help but feel grateful for the precious moments she shared with her adoring nieces, who had made this day even more special with their love and support.

Y/n stepped out of the changing room, the soft tulle of her dream wedding dress billowing around her as she emerged into the boutique. Her heart raced with anticipation as she turned to face her nieces, eager to see their reactions.

DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle stood in awe, their eyes wide with wonder as they took in the sight of their aunt in her exquisite gown. Their faces lit up with delight, their smiles stretching from ear to ear as they admired Y/n's radiant beauty.

"Wow, Aunt Y/n, you look like a real-life princess!" DJ exclaimed, her voice filled with admiration.

Stephanie nodded enthusiastically, her eyes shining with excitement. "You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen, Aunt Y/n," she declared, her words sincere and heartfelt.

Michelle clapped her hands in delight, her face aglow with joy. "Aunt Y/n, you're so pretty!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm contagious.

Tears welled up in Y/n's eyes as she gazed at her nieces, feeling overwhelmed with love and gratitude. Their genuine excitement and adoration filled her heart with warmth, reminding her of the incredible bond they shared as a family.

With her nieces by her side, Y/n knew that her wedding day would be a day to remember—a celebration of love, joy, and the precious moments she shared with her beloved family. And as she stood before them in her beautiful gown, she couldn't help but feel blessed to have such wonderful nieces who had made this day even more special with their love and support.

Overwhel

med by the love and affection of her nieces, Y/n's emotions spilled over, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks as she stood before them in her stunning wedding gown. Without hesitation, DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle rushed forward, their arms open wide as they enveloped their aunt in a warm, heartfelt embrace.

Y/n wrapped her arms around her nieces, holding them close as she savored the sweet embrace of their love. Their hugs were filled with warmth and tenderness, a comforting reminder of the unbreakable bond they shared as a family.

"Thank you, my darlings," Y/n whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you for being here with me, for sharing in this special moment."

DJ, Stephanie, and Michelle squeezed her tightly, their own tears mingling with Y/n's as they held each other close. In that moment, surrounded by the love of her precious nieces, Y/n felt a profound sense of gratitude and happiness wash over her.

With her nieces by her side, Y/n knew that she was ready to embark on the next chapter of her life—a journey filled with love, laughter, and cherished moments shared with her beloved family. And as they stood there together, wrapped in each other's arms, she couldn't help but feel immensely blessed to have such wonderful nieces who had brought so much joy and happiness into her life.

After sharing a heartfelt moment with her nieces, Y/n wiped away her tears of joy and composed herself. She returned to the changing room to slip out of her wedding gown and back into her everyday clothes, a smile still lingering on her lips as she thought about the special bond she shared with her nieces.

Once she was dressed, Y/n made her way over to the assistant, her heart still fluttering with excitement. With determination in her eyes, she approached the assistant and spoke with unwavering confidence.

"I've made my decision," Y/n announced, her voice filled with certainty. "The dress I tried on earlier—the classic tulle A-line with beaded lace—it's the one I'm taking home."

The assistant smiled warmly, understanding the significance of Y/n's choice. "Excellent choice," she replied, her tone filled with approval. "That dress is absolutely stunning on you."

With a sense of satisfaction and anticipation, Y/n made arrangements to purchase the dress, knowing that it would be the perfect gown for her special day. As she left the boutique, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement for the future, knowing that she had found the dress of her dreams and that her wedding day would be a celebration filled with love, happiness, and cherished memories.

--

As Jake sat with Bradley and Bob in the living room, he couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness about marrying Y/n soon. Bradley and Bob, sensing his apprehension, exchanged knowing glances before Bradley spoke up.

"So, Jake," Bradley began, his voice gentle but curious. "How are you feeling about marrying Y/n soon?"

Jake took a moment to collect his thoughts, feeling a surge of emotions wash over him. "Honestly, I'm feeling a bit nervous," he admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "But mostly, I'm just excited to start this new chapter of our lives together."

Bob nodded in understanding, a supportive smile on his face. "It's completely normal to feel nervous," he reassured Jake. "But trust me, once you see Y/n walking down that aisle, all your worries will melt away."

Jake smiled gratefully at his friends, feeling reassured by their words of wisdom. "Thanks, guys," he said, his voice filled with gratitude. "I can't wait to marry Y/n and start our life together."

With Bradley and Bob by his side, Jake knew that he had the love and support of his friends as he prepared to embark on this exciting journey with Y/n. And as he looked forward to their wedding day, he couldn't help but feel grateful for the incredible bond he shared with both Y/n and his supportive friends.

As they sat together in the cozy living room, Jake opened up more about his feelings, feeling a sense of relief in confiding in his friends. "I've been thinking a lot about our future together," he admitted, his voice tinged with emotion. "Y/n means everything to me, and I just want to make sure I'm ready to take on this next step."

Bradley and Bob listened attentively, nodding in understanding as they offered words of encouragement. "You're going to make a wonderful husband, Jake," Bradley reassured him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "And Y/n is lucky to have someone as caring and devoted as you."

Bob chimed in, his trademark grin spreading across his face. "Yeah, Jake, you've got this," he said, his voice filled with confidence. "Just remember to stay true to yourself and to Y/n, and everything will fall into place."

Feeling uplifted by his friends' support, Jake felt a renewed sense of determination. "Thanks, guys," he said, a grateful smile on his face. "I know I have a lot to learn, but I'm ready to take on whatever challenges come our way."

With the encouragement of his friends and the love of Y/n by his side, Jake knew that he was ready to embrace the journey ahead. And as he looked forward to their wedding day, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation for the life they would build together.

As the conversation continued, Bradley and Bob shared their own experiences and advice, recounting the joys and challenges of marriage. They spoke of the importance of communication, compromise, and unwavering support for one another.

"It's not always going to be easy," Bradley admitted, his voice filled with wisdom. "But as long as you and Y/n are committed to each other and willing to work through any obstacles together, you'll come out stronger on the other side."

Bob nodded in agreement, his expression thoughtful. "And don't forget to keep the romance alive," he added with a wink. "Surprise her with flowers, plan spontaneous date nights, and never stop telling her how much you love her."

Jake listened intently to their advice, feeling grateful for their guidance. He knew that he had a lot to learn about being a husband, but with Bradley and Bob's support, he felt more confident in his ability to navigate this new chapter of his life.

As they sat together in the warm glow of friendship, Jake felt a deep sense of gratitude for the bond he shared with Bradley and Bob. With their wisdom and encouragement, he knew that he was ready to take on the challenges and joys of marriage with Y/n by his side.

The conversation drifted into reminiscing about memorable moments with Y/n, laughter filling the room as they shared stories of her kindness, humor, and unwavering love for her family.

"I remember when Y/n first joined our family," Bradley said with a nostalgic smile. "She brought so much joy and warmth into our home from day one."

Bob nodded, his eyes reflecting fond memories. "Yeah, and she's always been there for us, through thick and thin," he added, his voice filled with appreciation.

Jake's heart swelled with love as he thought about Y/n, his soon-to-be wife. "She's truly one of a kind," he said softly, a smile spreading across his face. "And I can't wait

to spend the rest of my life making her happy."

In that moment, surrounded by cherished memories and the unwavering support of his friends, Jake felt a deep sense of gratitude for the incredible woman he was about to marry. And as they laughed and reminisced late into the night, he knew that their love would only continue to grow stronger with each passing day.

As the evening wore on, the conversation turned to lighter topics, and Bradley, Bob, and Jake found themselves delving into deeper conversations, discussing their hopes and dreams for the future and reflecting on the journey that had brought them to this moment.

"I never imagined I'd be here, about to marry the love of my life," Jake confessed, a hint of awe in his voice as he glanced at his friends.

Bradley smiled warmly, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "You've come a long way, Jake," he said, his voice tinged with admiration. "And I have no doubt that you and Y/n are meant to be together."

Bob nodded in agreement, his expression serious. "You're both so lucky to have found each other," he remarked, his tone filled with sincerity. "And I know you'll build a beautiful life together."

Jake felt a swell of gratitude for his friends' unwavering support, knowing that they would always be there for him, no matter what the future held. With their encouragement and camaraderie, he felt ready to take on whatever challenges came his way, confident that he had a strong support system to lean on.

As they sat together in the comfort of their shared home, surrounded by the warmth of friendship and the promise of a bright future, Jake couldn't help but feel a deep sense of contentment. With Bradley and Bob by his side, he knew that he was ready to embrace the adventure of marriage and all the joys and uncertainties that lay ahead.

As the night wore on, the conversation turned to lighter topics, and Bradley, Bob, and Jake found themselves reminiscing about their favorite memories with Y/n.

"I'll never forget the time Y/n surprised us with a homemade dinner after a long day at work," Bradley recalled, a nostalgic smile gracing his lips. "It wasn't just about the food—it was the thought and effort she put into it that made it special."

Bob nodded in agreement, his eyes alight with fondness. "And remember when she organized that impromptu game night and we ended up laughing until our stomachs hurt?" he added, a grin spreading across his face.

Jake joined in the laughter, his heart swelling with affection for Y/n. "She has a way of making even the simplest moments feel magical," he remarked, his voice filled with admiration.

As they continued to share stories and laughter, Jake felt grateful for the bond he shared with his friends and the love they all felt for Y/n. In that moment, surrounded by cherished memories and the warmth of friendship, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible woman he was about to marry and the wonderful friends who had become like family to him.

tagging:

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[rosiahills22]

through the hourglass 388. brb x oc

a/n: aaaaaaaaa just fluff (comments and reblogs are super welcome and encouraged!)

pairing: plus size!oc x rooster

warnings: none

goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)

chapter

1/

/316/317/318/319/320/321/322/323/324/325/326/327/328/329/330/331/332/333/334/335/336/337/338/339/340/341/342/343/344/345/346/347/348/349/350/351/352/353/354/355/356/357/358/359/360/361/362/363/364/365/366

/367/368/369/370/371/372/373/374/375/376/377/378/379/380/381/382/383/384/385/386/387

(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist! )

taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @novastories @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix @lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls

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@lyn-js

-

They stay there for a while, just…enjoying the silence. It’s been a while since they stayed like that, just sitting together, watching the ocean. She hums, pressing her temple to his shoulder, looking at him from time to time - he cried for a few minutes ever since they got there and she couldn’t blame him,really. It was a lot that happened in…hours.

From seeing old friends to having some weird guy mention his mom…she doesn’t blame him. “Hey.” she calls softly and he looks down at her, a small smile on his face “You feeling better?”

Rooster nodded, his smile widening as he looked into Beatrice's eyes. "Yeah, I am," he replied softly, his voice filled with warmth, "Being here with you, it...it helps."

Beatrice's heart swelled with love at Rooster's words, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I'm glad," she murmured, reaching up to brush a stray lock of hair away from his forehead, "You deserve to feel at peace."

Rooster leaned into Beatrice's touch, closing his eyes as he savored the warmth of her hand against his skin. "Thank you, Bea," he whispered, his voice barely above a whisper, "For everything."

Beatrice smiled, her heart overflowing with love for the man sitting beside her. "You don't have to thank me, Roos," she murmured softly, "I'll always be here for you, no matter what, you know that."

They sat together in silence, the sound of the waves lapping against the shore serving as a soothing backdrop to their thoughts. Rooster felt a sense of gratitude wash over him as he basked in the warmth of Beatrice's presence, his heart filled with a profound sense of peace.

After a while, Beatrice broke the silence, her voice soft and tentative. "Roos," she began, "Do you want to talk about what happened back there?"

Rooster's smile faltered slightly at Beatrice's question, his brow furrowing as he struggled to find the right words. "I...I'm not sure," he admitted quietly, "It's just...a lot to process, you know?"

Beatrice nodded in understanding, her hand reaching out to squeeze Rooster's reassuringly. "I know, Roos," she murmured softly, "But I'm here for you, whenever you're ready to talk about it."

Rooster sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as he leaned back against the cliff. "It's just...seeing John and the others, it brought back memories that I'd rather forget," he confessed, his voice tinged with sadness, "And then him mentioning my mom...it just hit a nerve, you know?...a big one"

Beatrice's heart ached at the pain in Rooster's voice, her fingers tracing comforting circles on his hand as she listened to him speak. "I know.”

“She wouldn’t want me to lose it.”

“Well…you didn’t lose it. You just lunged at him, but you didn’t hit him.”

He pursed his lips “I wanted to though.”

Beatrice's heart sank at Rooster's admission, her own frustration bubbling up at the thought of someone mentioning his mother in such a careless manner. She reached out to cup Rooster's face in her hands.

"I understand, Roos," she murmured softly, "But you're stronger than that. You didn't let it consume you, and that's what matters."

Rooster nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips at Beatrice's words. "Yeah, you're right," he agreed quietly, "I guess I just...I don't know. It's hard to let go of the past sometimes."

Beatrice squeezed Rooster's hand “I know it is, Roos, don’t I know it" she replied softly, "But you are doing really well…therapy has been helping you a lot. Dr.Paulson would be proud of you.”

Rooster's smile softened at Beatrice's mention of Dr. Paulson, the therapist who had been instrumental in helping him navigate through his past traumas. "Yeah, Dr. Paulson has been a godsend," he admitted gratefully, "I don't know where I'd be without him."

Beatrice nodded in agreement, her heart swelling with gratitude for the compassionate therapist who had helped Rooster heal. "He's helped you  in more ways than one," she murmured softly, "I'm just grateful that he came into our lives when he did."

Rooster leaned his head against Beatrice's, "Me too," he murmured softly, "You know…”

“Hm?”

“I think this is what it is,right? This…” he arches his brows “I feel fulfilled.I got you,I got the kids…I got the job— now the promotion.I’ve been angry for many years and I never felt like I was doing enough. It was fucking empty.”

“...Roos…”

“When I met you, god.” his smile turns soft “I just felt–I wanted to be yours.”

Oh.

Oh.

Beatrice’s cheeks reddened. He never said that to her before. Her lips parted in surprise and her eyes widened “...w-what?”

Rooster's smile grew wider at Beatrice's flustered response, his heart swelling with affection for the woman sitting beside him. He reached out to take her hand in his, his touch gentle and reassuring.

"I wanted to be yours," he repeated softly, his voice filled with sincerity, "From the moment I met you, I knew that you were someone special. Someone I wanted to build a life with."

Beatrice felt her heart flutter at Rooster's words, her cheeks flushing even brighter as she met his gaze with wide eyes. "Roos," she whispered hoarsely, her voice thick with emotion, "I...I don't know what to say. You did mentioned you wanted me to be yours but…"

“I know…I know…” Rooster smiled, his thumb gently caressing the back of Beatrice's hand as he leaned in closer to her. "You don't have to say anything," he murmured softly, "Just know that you've changed my life in ways I never thought possible."

Beatrice felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, her chest tight with overwhelming emotion. She leaned into Rooster's embrace, resting her head against his shoulder as she allowed herself to revel in the warmth of his love.

"I love you, Roos," she whispered softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "Gosh,I can’t believe you are making me cry!!”

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, his voice filled with concern, "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Beatrice smiled through her tears, her heart overflowing with love for the man sitting beside her. "I'm more than okay," she replied softly, "I'm just...overwhelmed by everything you've said. you are so sweet, Roos."

Rooster's smile widened at Beatrice's words, his heart swelling with affection for the woman who had captured his heart. "I'm glad," he murmured, "Because you mean the world to me…Do you want to stay here a little longer? We could watch the sunrise together."

Beatrice's eyes lit up with excitement at Rooster's suggestion, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I would love that," she replied eagerly, "It sounds perfect. I don’t want to get back to the hotel yet."

Rooster grinned, his heart swelling with happiness at Beatrice's enthusiasm. He squeezed her hand gently before rising to his feet, pulling her up with him.

"Then let's stay," he said, his voice filled with excitement, "I want to watch the sunrise with you by my side."

It doesn’t take long for the sky to begin to lighten with hues of pink and orange, Rooster felt a sense of peace settle over him. He leaned his head against Beatrice's, his heart overflowing with love for the woman who had become his everything.

"It's beautiful," Beatrice murmured softly, her eyes fixed on the horizon, "Absolutely breathtaking."

Rooster nodded in agreement, his gaze never leaving Beatrice's face as he watched the sunrise reflected in her eyes. "Not as beautiful as you," he whispered, his voice filled with reverence.

Beatrice blushed at Rooster's words, her heart fluttering in her chest at the intensity of his gaze. She leaned into him, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips as they watched the first rays of sunlight break through the clouds.

They sat together in silence, lost in the beauty of the moment as they watched the sunrise together. And in that moment, Rooster knew that he was exactly where he was meant to be - with Beatrice by his side, watching the world awaken with a sense of wonder and awe.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, casting its warm glow over the ocean, Rooster felt a sense of renewal wash over him. He knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, as long as he had Beatrice by his side, he could face them with courage and strength.

"Thank you for being here with me," he whispered softly, his voice filled with gratitude, "For everything."

Beatrice smiled, her heart overflowing with love for the man sitting beside her. "Thank you for loving me.”

“You are easy to love,gorgeous.”

“So are you.”

He chuckles softly, “You never had any doubts about me?”

Beatrice shook her head, a soft smile playing on her lips as she looked into Rooster's eyes. "Never," she replied, "From the moment I met you, I knew there was something special about you. Something that drew me to you like a magnet."

Rooster's heart swelled with affection at Beatrice's words, his gaze softening as he reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah?”

“Of course.”

“...I mean,I know you were attracted to me and if we weren’t such chickens we’d be together before but…” he hums, “I dunno,it just makes me happy. Y’know, seeing you working at the bar was always great.”

She grins, kissing his cheek, “You wanna know one of my favorite memories at the bar before we dated?”

"Tell me," he urged softly, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips, "I'm all ears."

Beatrice chuckled, her cheeks flushing with excitement as she recounted the memory. "Okay, so remember that night when  you and the guys showed up, being pilots and all.” he rolls his eyes with a smile, “And then– gosh, feels weird now, but I was like,admiring you.”

“Oh?How so?”

Beatrice blushed at the memory, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment at her own admission. "Well," she began, "I may have been...checking you out from behind the bar. You know, admiring the view."

Rooster's grin widened at Beatrice's confession, a playful glint in his eyes as he leaned in closer to her. "Is that so?" he teased, his voice filled with amusement, "I never knew I had such an admirer."

Beatrice rolled her eyes playfully, swatting Rooster's arm with mock indignation. "Oh, hush," she scolded, her laughter bubbling up between them, "You know you liked the attention."

Rooster chuckled, pulling Beatrice closer to him as they shared a moment of shared laughter. "Maybe I did," he admitted, his tone softening as he looked into her eyes, "But you always ran away from me, I had no idea then.”

Beatrice's laughter faded into a warm smile as she leaned into Rooster's embrace, her gaze meeting his with affection. "Well, I…just was nervous, you know….

Rooster chuckled, his arm tightening around Beatrice's waist as he pulled her closer. "I always knew there was something special about you."

Beatrice's smile softened into a tender expression as she looked up at Rooster, her heart swelling with love for the man beside her. "And I always knew there was something special about you too," she murmured, her voice filled with sincerity.

As the sun rose higher in the sky, casting its warm glow over the beach, Rooster felt a sense of gratitude wash over him. Gratitude for Beatrice, for their love, and for the countless moments they had shared together.

"Gorgeous view.” but he wasn’t looking away from her “Sunrise too,but.”

“Roos.”

“What? I’m serious, why look at that when I can look at you?”

She scoffs softly, shaking her head and gently shoving his shoulder “You remain relentless.Lt.Commander.”

Rooster chuckled at Beatrice's playful retort, his heart swelling with affection for the woman beside him. He leaned in closer, pressing a tender kiss to her cheek before pulling her into a warm embrace.

"I can't help it," he replied with a grin, "You're just too beautiful to look away from."

Beatrice laughed softly, her heart fluttering at Rooster's words as she leaned into his embrace. She gazed up at him with adoring eyes, feeling a rush of warmth flood her chest at the intensity of his gaze.

"You're not so bad yourself, Lieutenant Commander," she teased, her voice filled with affection, "I guess I can tolerate your relentless charm."

Rooster grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he leaned in to capture Beatrice's lips in a tender kiss.

[rosiahills22]

The Younger Kind Part 60 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Your bachelorette outing and Bradley's bachelor party are both hosted by the same person, but they couldn't be more different. Spending an evening at home with Noah is reminiscent of your babysitting days, but now he's asking you some pertinent questions.

Warnings: pregnancy topics, swearing, smut, drinking, angst, fluff, and age gap (18+)

Length: 4500 words

Pairing: Single dad!Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x babysitter!female reader

Check out my masterlist for more! The Younger Kind masterlist.

Natasha was outside in her SUV on the driveway, ready to pick you up for your bachelorette outing. You refused to call it a bachelorette party since it was just the two of you going out for the evening, but Bradley made sure his best friend knew to spare no expense when it came to anything you wanted.

"It's just pedicures and pottery," you whispered against Bradley's lips with a smile as he held you close so he could feel your round belly against his body. "I'll be home in a few hours."

He grunted softly, kissing you a little deeper before releasing your lips. "We'll still miss you," he murmured, letting his hands roam along your hips while Noah sat on the area rug and worked on one of the new coloring books you picked up for him. "And don't overdo it." When Natasha started honking her horn, he let his forehead rest on your shoulder. "She's the worst."

You just laughed and kissed his cheek as you said, "She's the best, and you know it, Daddy."

It would have been impossible to dispute that fact. She was the one who took care of you when Bradley wasn't stateside. "Go have fun."

"Bye, Mommy!" Noah said, popping up to give you a hug when Bradley released you. He scooped his son up since he didn't want you lifting anything, and you gave Noah a kiss on the forehead.

"Have fun with Daddy," you told him, kissing him once more before heading outside to Nat's idling SUV. 

Bradley stood on the porch with Noah and waved until you were out of sight, and then Noah asked, "Can we get Mommy a coloring book?"

"Hey," Bradley said, nudging the door open while also making sure Skittles didn't get outside without her leash on. "That's a great idea, Bub. Maybe a Princess coloring book? You can give it to her for the wedding?"

His son looked so much like a tiny version of himself, and he had to stifle his laughter as Noah nodded stoically and said, "Yeah, she'd like that. I have so many great ideas."

Bradley took him back inside, and they ended up stretched out on the floor together. Noah continued with his masterpiece while Bradley started searching for options on his phone. After a few minutes, he found an independent shop that made coloring books with different themes based on photos that you send to them. "Do you like this?" he asked his son, holding up his phone.

Noah looked at the sample pages as Bradley scrolled through them. He nodded and said, "Mommy is prettier than that."

"She absolutely is," Bradley replied as he realized the wedding was in a week and didn't know if a custom book could even be completed in that short amount of time. "Let me see if we can get something like this for her. If not, we can always save it for her birthday."

His son started to pout at the mere mention of having to wait longer for it, so Bradley started typing up a message to the owner of the shop, hoping that he'd be able to explain that it was for his wedding. Once that was done, he checked the time and asked, "Do you need a snack before dinner?"

"Ants on logs," Noah replied without missing a beat. Bradley had no problem with the healthy snacks you somehow tricked the two of them into eating, but he was always told he never got the peanut butter proportions right.

"Yeah, okay. I can try to make them the way you like-"

"Mommy left some in the fridge."

Bradley chuckled as he stood up, coaxing Noah to abandon his coloring project for the time being. "Of course she did. She's the best." Somehow even when you weren't here, you had everything covered.

-----------------------------

"Okay, so if you could ditch Bradley and marry a celebrity, who would you pick?"

You burst out laughing in the pedicure chair next to Natasha with your hands resting on the roundest part of your belly. "Who said I would? Even if I could?" She gave you a look followed by an eye roll before you said, "You'll laugh at me, so I don't even want to say my answer."

"Just say it," she prompted as you dragged your foot through the warm water.

You groaned and said, "I like all the older, DILF-y actors."

Natasha started cackling as you covered your eyes with your hands. "You have a type!" she said amidst her laughter. "And your type is Rooster!"

You thought back to all the time you wasted with Greyson and other guys your age and grimaced. "I don't think that was always my type. It's a more recent development, and I'm not mad about it." You moved your hand on your belly and added, "Boy suck. Men are at least marginally better."

"Well," she said, leaning a little closer to you like she had a secret. "You found a good one. Or rather, I kind of found you for him. But regardless, he's a keeper. Kind of because he has Noah."

"Mostly because he has Noah," you told her, and then both of you were laughing.

After your nails were painted a vibrant purple, Natasha took you out for dinner and let you eat until you were full. You could tell your body and appetite were changing by the day, but you refused to feel self conscious about it in front of her. The two of you were sharing a slice of cake for dessert when you said, "He really did plan almost everything for the wedding. All I did was help him pick out matching suits for him and Noah to wear. And I picked out some flowers and my dress, but that's it."

Natasha hummed as she took another forkful of dessert. "I'm telling you, he'll always be good like that. He's a planner. Very responsible."

You felt silly telling her what was on your mind, but you said it anyway. "He pays my credit card bill. Not that I spend a lot! I try not to! I usually just buy groceries and things for Noah." She nodded like your words weren't as startling as you thought they were. "I kind of wanted to surprise him as a thank you, but if I buy something, he'll see it on the credit card statement."

Maybe you should have been wary of the smirk that found its way to her lips when Natasha said, "What if I rally the boys one night this week and take him out for a little bachelor party?"

"Oh," you said softly. "You'd do that? Just something lowkey?"

"Super lowkey," she agreed with a nod.

You could easily imagine them going to Top Golf or out for some drinks. "I think he might really like that."

"Or.... and just hear me out," she said, holding up her hands innocently after handing her credit card to the waiter. "Or, you let me absolutely roast him for the night."

You studied her face; how bad could it be? She was Bradley's best friend after all. Even if she was giving him a hard time, she'd probably make it fun. "What did you have in mind?" you asked as the two of you left the restaurant and headed for the pottery boutique down the block.

"A few things I'm going to need your approval for," she replied casually. And while you worked on making yourself a mug that said Noah's Mommy, you listened to Natasha's not-so-lowkey plans for Thursday night. By the time your mug actually looked like a mug, you gave her full approval.

"I almost feel bad about this," you told her with a laugh.

"I don't."

-------------------------------

The following evening after Noah was in bed, Bradley set you up for a nice shower while he cleaned up the kitchen from the chicken enchiladas you made for dinner. When Nat called him, he held his phone to his shoulder with his cheek and kept working.

He answered the call and asked, "Hey, what's up?"

"Your bachelor party with me and the guys starts at six o'clock on Thursday evening."

He laughed in response. "It's funny that this is the first time I'm hearing about it."

Bradley could practically feel her rolling her eyes through the phone. "Just be ready to go."

"Ready for what?" he asked, knowing better than to just trust her with this. The dating app was one thing, and that had turned out great in the end, but he wasn't going to blindly go with her on this.

"Uhhh... just some stuff."

"Natasha."

"Bradley."

"What did you do?"

There was a brief pause before she said, "Just be ready for dinner, booze and some strippers."

With a deep sigh, Bradley closed his eyes and said, "I'm going to have to check with my wife-to-be about the strippers, Nat." You had to know by now that you had nothing to worry about, and he wasn't even all that keen on going to a strip club, but he didn't want you to be upset.

"She knows the plan."

He froze as he loaded the dishwasher. "She does?"

Natasha laughed, and Bradley swore he felt his skin crawl. "She does. Be ready for six o'clock on Thursday."

"We have work on Friday-" 

She already ended the call. Bradley finished cleaning up when he heard you getting out of the shower. "God damn it, Nat," he muttered as he turned off the kitchen lights and made his way back to the bedroom where you were all wrapped up in a towel.

"Hi, Daddy."

He groaned at your words and your little smirk. "Hey, Baby. Can we talk for a minute?"

Your eyebrows shot up as you held your towel around you a little tighter. "What's wrong? Is it something about the wedding? Did the marriage license not go through? We only have six days."

"No, no," he promised, reaching for you. "It's not that. It's... I just got off the phone. With Nat."

You looked relieved as you leaned against him. "Good. I was worried for a second."

Bradley didn't quite know how to approach this topic now that he was here. Natasha would be as tenacious as a junkyard dog about her plans, so he had to say something. "You don't have anything to worry about."

You laughed softly. "That sounds nice."

He cleared his throat and said, "Nat called about my bachelor party night?" 

It came out more like a question than a statement, but you just nodded and said, "Dinner and drinks and the strip club."

"Yeah," he rasped. "You approved this whole thing?"

"Mmhmm. To be fair, it was all her idea. I just told her it was okay."

Bradley tipped your chin so you were looking up at him, your face fresh and perfect after your shower. "If this plan is not okay with you, then I'm not going."

"It's okay with me," you replied easily. "I trust you."

He studied your face. "I feel like I'm going to end up babysitting everyone on a work night. Two days before the wedding."

You snorted in response. "You'll have fun. And so will everyone else. You should go."

"Yeah, I'm going," he groaned. "Nat will just have the guys drag me out if I don't go willingly. But I don't really care about looking at strippers. I got you and your perfect tits right here at home."

You didn't stop him when he slowly tugged your towel from your fingers and pulled it open. And yeah, your tits looked perfect, but so did the swell of your pregnant belly and your soft skin. He was hard as soon as the towel hit the floor. 

"Daddy," you whined softly, shivering in his arms. It was December, and the nights were chilly in San Diego; you had taken to snuggling with him even more than usual in your sleep. "Now you need to warm me up."

"My pleasure," he replied, scooping you up and dropping you carefully onto the king sized bed that you picked out for the room. "Let me start right here," he whispered before he kissed you softly, covering your body gently with his. "Feeling warmer?"

You shifted beneath him, spreading your legs wider so he was nestled against your pussy, his cock straining against his jeans zipper. "A little bit," you whispered innocently. 

Bradley smirked, and when he brought his hand up to stroke your breast, he said, "I told you, I got these perfect tits right here."

"Bradley," you giggled as his fingers skimmed along your skin, but when he stroked his thumb across your tightly furled nipple, you arched your back and made a raspy gasping sound. Your eyes went wide as you looked up at him. "Oh my god," you moaned.

"Are you okay?" he asked, pulling his hand away, but you were already nodding vigorously. 

"It felt really good." The words rushed right from your lips as you rolled your hips up to meet his. "Different, I guess. I can't explain it."

When he rubbed your nipple between his thumb and index finger, he smirked. You were instantly squirming and moaning, reaching for his zipper with one hand and his hair with the other. Your eyes were wild even though he was being gentle, and he dipped his head down to whisper in your ear. "You're extra sensitive right now. It's the pregnancy hormones." He plucked and stroked as you started panting. "God damn, Princess. You like that?"

"Yes!" Your voice already sounded broken, and he'd barely touched you.

"Shh. Keep quiet like a good girl." But his words and hand seemed to have the opposite effect on you, because you just got louder. Bradley reached down to where you had his cock free from his zipper and pulled your hand up to his lips. He kissed your fingers before shoving them a little rough into your mouth. "You have to be quiet if you want me to play with you."

You moaned around your own fingers but nodded your head, and at least you were quieter now as Bradley kissed his way from your neck down to your tits. He didn't know how he was going to manage you when there were two kids in the house trying to sleep, but at the moment, he didn't really care. You were going to be his wife in a few short days. That thought alone had him bucking his cock against the bedding as he ran his mustache along your peaked nipple, inhaling your wildflower scent.

When he pulled your nipple into his mouth and sucked, he could tell your breasts were already a little bit bigger than before. Soon you'd be bigger everywhere. Getting even more sensitive by the day. He was painfully hard right now, listening to your muffled screams and tasting you. He licked and sucked until your tits were both damp from his mouth and overstimulated from his mustache. 

When you started bucking up, Bradley eased his hand down to cup your pussy and found that you were soaked. He couldn't remember Meredith getting quite like this as he dipped his middle finger into your slick and easing it down to your hole.

"Daddy," you gasped as you pulled your fingers from your mouth. "I'm going to come."

You looked shocked by your statement as you sank down around his finger. He could already feel your tight pussy fluttering around him as he whispered, "You want me to make it so good?"

His only answer was a whimper as you bit your lip, and he knew he'd make sure you were always taken care of in every way. Carefully, he added a second finger and started to circle your clit with his thumb. You were shaking a bit, your pretty tits bouncing softly as he ran his nose down the valley between your breasts. 

"Be a good girl. You know where to put those fingers, Princess," he coaxed, watching you slip them between your lips. Then he let you have his mouth on your tits again, while his hand worked at your pussy. He carefully drew a shaking orgasm out of you as you slobbered on your own fingers, not stopping until he was afraid you'd be too far gone soon.

"Daddy," you whined around your fingers as he ran his tongue flat across your nipple.

"Let me fuck you," he begged, realizing he was already close and needing to be inside you. "Please, Baby."

You reached for his cock and guided him home, and he fucked you with his jeans barely pulled down, coming inside you after just a few strokes. You were the picture of sated perfection with his cum oozing out of your pussy and your wet fingers skimming along your swollen belly and breasts. You were his young, pristine babysitter and his pregnant wife-to-be and everything in between. "I love you."

"Keep me warm all night, Daddy."

---------------------------

As you sent Bradley off with Natasha, you shared a conspiratorial look with her. You only felt slightly bad for keeping the bachelor party plans to yourself, and ultimately it made you feel good when Bradley went out for the night in an old pair of jeans and an uninspired shirt. He didn't look the part of a man who wanted to try to dazzle some strippers, and you loved him for it. 

"Bye, Bub," he said, kneeling to kiss Noah where he stood at your side. "Be good for Mommy." Then he stood and kissed you deeply. "I won't be out late, okay?"

"Stay out as late as you want," you told him, running your fingers along his cheek as he pulled away from you. "Just don't have a hangover on Saturday."

He smiled and focused on your face even as Nat and the guys yelled at him from Javy's car in the driveway. "Our wedding day. It'll be perfect. Like you."

"Go," you told him with a laugh even as you had butterflies in your belly. "Have fun. We'll be here when you get home."

With one more kiss, he was off and jogging down the walkway. You watched him climb into the backseat, then they all waved at you as Javy backed out of the driveway with Natasha in the front seat. You were wondering how long it would be until Bradley called you to tell you he had in fact been taken to see a bunch of male strippers. The guys had apparently all been so excited when Natasha mentioned the strip club, she had a hard time holding in her laughter. The plan all along was that she'd take Bradley and the rest of them to dinner and then to The Tiger's Cage- San Diego's premier male review.

But you didn't hear from them at all while you and Noah ate macaroni and cheese together. You still didn't hear a word as the two of you took Skittles for a short walk to look at Christmas lights. You even let Noah dip his hands in green paint to make a Christmas tree art project to hang on the refrigerator, but nobody called or texted you.

"Mommy?" Noah asked as you got him changed into his dinosaur pajamas. "Are you going to adopt me?"

You smiled and kissed him on his chubby cheek. "I am," you promised. But when you looked at his face, his brow was pinched with worry.

"Is it going to hurt?"

"Oh, Noah," you said with a surprised laugh, pulling him into your arms and holding him against his growing younger sibling. "Not at all! It won't feel like anything."

"Then why are you going to do it?" he asked, face muffled by your shoulder.

You soothed his back with your hand, considering his question. For all intents and purposes, you really were his mom. Bradley added you to his will; if anything happened to him, Noah was solely yours. "I kind of want to have a little piece of paper with an official signature that says we get to be together forever. Does that sound okay?"

"That's adoption?" he asked. 

"That's adoption."

"Yeah, okay," he agreed with a little shrug before climbing into bed. "Can I sleep with Skittles again?"

The pup appeared in the doorway, always excited to hear her name. "She can stay in here until Daddy gets home." You set the dog in bed with him and gave him a little kiss on his forehead as he yawned. "I love you."

"Love you, Mommy." He was half asleep as you turned on his night light and left the room. When you checked your phone, you smiled, having finally received the message you were waiting for. 

Bradley Bradshaw: Nat brought us to The Tiger's Cage. My name is on the marquee. It says CONGRATULATIONS DADDY BRADSHAW

You were doubled over in laughter, holding your belly and trying not to wet yourself. Because he also sent a picture. All of the guys were lined up under the marquee sign, and you were pleased to see that they all looked like they were being good sports about the entire thing. Bradley was the only one who looked slightly mortified.

You texted back Go have fun, Daddy Bradshaw!

Natasha sent you some random photos as you got ready for bed. You were surprised Jake was there, given your history with him, but even he looked like he was having fun. You laughed at a picture of Bradley drinking something pink and blended, and then the photos stopped. 

You wondered what was going on, but you kept yourself busy. Bradley told you not to clean up, promising to take care of everything tomorrow night before the wedding in the backyard on Saturday afternoon. Since you had the time and the privacy, you tried on your wedding dress one last time, sliding the fabric along your legs and zipping it up your side. You grabbed your purple paper crown, which was looking a lot worse for the wear now, and set it on your head. 

When you looked in the mirror, you smiled. The dress fit like a dream and hugged your bump. The crown looked fun at the moment, but you wouldn't wear it on Saturday; you were pretty sure Bradley considered it a 'bedroom' item at this point anyway. Mostly, you looked happy. Like someone who was accepted in this perfect place. Like a woman who was needed here. And you needed the Bradshaw boys to be your family.

You wore the dress around for a few minutes before carefully unzipping it and getting ready for bed. It was late now, but you requested the day off tomorrow, and you wanted to see Bradley when he got home from his bachelor party. After you checked on Noah and Skittles, you curled up on the living room couch. 

Every time you stopped to think about the wedding, you got a little anxious. When you asked Bradley what he had planned for dinner for the reception, he just told you he had everything under control. He said all you had to do was show up with some sort of wedding vows, but he didn't tell you anything that he had planned. 

You dozed off on the couch, somehow still exhausted all the time, and you had no idea how late it was when you woke up to the sound of laughter and a key in the front door.

"You smell like Axe body spray. I can't believe someone is marrying you."

"Jesus fuck, Nat. I smell like Axe because you took me to see male strippers."

"Well, I know I had a great time tonight," Natasha cackled as she guided Bradley inside, and you stood up with your hand clasped over your mouth. He was a swaying mess, and he was holding a huge wad of cash and a bag from a convenience store.

"Princess," he crooned softly when he saw you, and your heart skipped a beat at the look in his eyes.

"Hi, Daddy."

And then he was on you, so gentle in his overindulgence, it was almost surprising. He was looking around like he wasn't sure what to do with everything he was holding, trying to touch your belly.

"I'll see you on Saturday," Natasha said with a smile as she closed the door behind her, and then you were alone with him. 

"What's in the bag? Are why are you holding a roll of cash?" you asked as you guided him to the couch. 

He sat down hard and handed everything to you as you stood between his splayed legs. "The strippers were dudes. I made Nat and Javy stop so I could get you some Skittles. I'm really drunk. Can we get married soon?"

When you looked in the bag you found six packs of your favorite candy. "Wow, you must be very intoxicated if you bought a pack of Sour Skittles too."

"Did I?" he asked before stretching out on the couch. "Shit. I'll eat them. Come here."

You sat on the floor next to him and handed him the bag of Sour Skittles as you counted the nearly seven hundred dollars you were holding. "Bradley, where did this come from?" you asked in alarm.

But he just crunched on some of the candy in response. "Oh, these are fucking nasty. Baby, can we please get married?" he rambled, dumping more Skittles into his mouth.

You pushed his hair back from his forehead and kissed him there. "Were getting married in like thirty-six hours. Now can you please tell me where you got this money from?"

"Huh?" he grunted like he'd never seen it before. "Oh. Oh, that." Then he casually dumped the rest of the Sour Skittles and chewed them up while you laughed and shook his arm.

"Bradley!"

He swallowed and dropped the wrapper on the floor before pulling you up onto the couch with him. "Jake got tips for stripping, and Nat made him give me the cash."

"I'm sorry, what?" you asked with in shock as you tried to settle into a comfortable position on him.

"They tried to get Daddy Bradshaw up on stage. I pointed to Jake and said it was him."

You couldn't stop laughing now. "But you got the cash?"

"Yeah," he said, eyes drifting closed as he propped his arm behind his head. "A wedding gift. For the honeymoon."

Just as you settled your head on his chest, you popped back up again. "Are we going on a honeymoon?" You started to feel a little apprehensive about going away for an extended trip without Noah while you were pregnant, but Bradley brought his big hand up to settle on your back as he snuggled in a little more.

"Next year. After the baby's born. Anywhere you want to go."

He really did kind of smell like Axe body spray, and he definitely needed to take a shower, but you let him hold you for a few minutes while he slept.

------------------------------

Part 61 will be their wedding! Thanks so much for reading and letting me share this family with you! We're almost to the finish line. Thanks @caitsymichelle13 for the request about the coloring book; stay tuned. And thanks @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

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