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green-socks · 1 year

Text

(Do You) Share My Affection

Pairing: Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw (aka hangster)

Summary: Bradley and Jake end up on a date with each other through an anonymous dating app (because they are just a little bit idiots about each other). The date is the wakeup call they needed.

Words: 2.7k

Warnings: suggestive/mature language, making out, oblivious idiots to lovers, very vague IceMav in the background.

Notes: So, I saw a screenshot from somewhere of two people having a pretty random convo, but one of them said "Wow, there's way more sexual tension now that I hate you" and I went oh that's Bradley flirting with Jake. Thanks to those unknown people for inspiring the text exchange in this! This was supposed to be a quick silly/horny thing and it got a little more serious than originally intended but it is what it is. And yes, they use the app from Ted Lasso, because I thought it worked perfectly for what I wanted. Once again many thanks to @a-reader-and-a-writer for betaing (most of this), listening to my rambles, and for coming up with Jake's username <3 Same goes for @writeforfandoms with the rambles. Everything I write is for you two basically <3

MASTERLIST

CloudWrangler: Well, you know, I like long walks on the beach, getting flowers.. and blowjobs😉

CloudWrangler: That's the first date already planned right there. You’re welcome😘

Bradley hadn’t looked up from his phone all day, spending nearly every moment chatting with this nameless (unless you counted his username, which Bradley did not) guy. He was never like this. Normally Phoenix gave him shit for taking forever to answer her texts. Called him a grandpa for often calling her rather than texting.

Originally when Payback had suggested Bradley try out this new dating app, Bantr, he had been more than a little skeptical. He had never used a dating app before, having been content with finding his hookups the old-fashioned way – bars. Hadn't had any trouble with it either, so what did he need an app for? But this new app wasn't picture-based like many others, instead just having faceless people chat and try to connect that way. Bradley supposed that seemed less superficial than even his usual method, which is why when Maverick of all people had badgered him to get out there and make a profile, he'd complied. Mav and Ice had even helped set it up (came up with the username too), which Bradley would never admit to anyone, thank you.

Despite his initial wariness, the app seemed to have a point after all. CloudWrangler had messaged him the day before, and they hadn't stopped talking since. Bradley thought the total anonymity was actually kind of freeing, and found it really easy to talk to the other person, even without knowing what he looked like. Bradley didn't even know how old the man was, but based on some things they'd talked about, he assumed they were roughly the same age. They had talked about mostly superficial, casual stuff like movies, but sometimes the conversation derailed to downright weird nonsense with them arguing over something inconsequential, making Bradley laugh out loud even. He was honestly having fun flirting and, well, bantering with this random man.

Which was why Bradley had asked if they should actually go out and see if they'd have fun in real life too. Sure they could have continued getting to know each other better by texting, but Bradley was still holding on to his ways of preferring a face-to-face conversation. Since Bantr was more of an honest to god dating app and not just for hooking up, Bradley hoped his wanting to meet so soon didn't scare the other man away. Even if their messages had gotten progressively more suggestive too.

Chuckling to himself, Bradley wrote a reply.

Gosling84: 🙄

Gosling84: Yeah well I don’t know, I like nice tits. That’s about all I need

Gosling84: Let me know if you’re up for it

CloudWrangler: I’ll have you know I’ve been told I have very nice tits indeed. But you’re gonna have to give me a bit more if you wanna get to know them, so you let me know if you’re up for it

So yeah, CloudWrangler seriously had no filter, but neither did Bradley. They both shared equal blame in escalating the flirting, which also had turned into a one-upping contest. Bradley was particularly proud of asking the other man if he was a fitted sheet since he was complicated and infuriating but Bradley needed him on his bed.

Gosling84: Fair. But I’m honestly having a hard time coming up with more requests for our date right now

CloudWrangler: And they call me easy…

Gosling84: Wait

Gosling84: How do you feel about baseball?

CloudWrangler: Eh. I can watch a game every now and then. More enjoyable if I go to the game instead of watching at home. Much more of a football kind of guy🤘🏻😎

Gosling84: Ugh

Gosling84: There’s somehow more sexual tension now that I hate you

CloudWrangler: Hate sex is fun sex babe, let’s go

CloudWrangler: I do have one last question though

CloudWrangler: Pineapple on pizza, yes or no?

Gosling84: Hell yes.

CloudWrangler: jfc. Hate sex it is

CloudWrangler: You free tonight?

Bradley snorted to himself slightly. It was nearing eight on a Saturday evening and he'd been talking to the guy all day. Yeah, he was free.

They ended up agreeing on a dive bar far enough from base that Bradley felt comfortable he wouldn’t be running into people he knew all night. He was glad the other man – whose name he still didn’t know – had suggested it. Not that Bradley had a problem with people knowing if he went on a date, it was just easier to avoid a) someone giving him shit for going out with a man, or b) one of his squad mates just giving him shit for going out in general. Like Hangman, who seemed to live for being a pain in his ass, and had essentially cockblocked Bradley the couple of times a girl had approached him at The Hard Deck. Not that Bradley had truthfully minded very much, since he had still been in no condition to do anything anyway. But now it had been months since he'd last gotten laid, what with deployment, the mission, and the healing after the mission, so he was ready to be getting back in the game. Maybe going on this date wasn't such a bad idea.

He decided on his usual attire of nice jeans, a white tank top, and one of his father’s old Hawaiian shirts. It was casual but still nice, and most importantly it made Bradley feel confident. He knew he looked good, but it was still kind of nerve-wracking to go on what was essentially a blind date, since the other guy didn’t know what Bradley looked like any more than Bradley knew what CloudWrangler looked like. Besides that he apparently had nice tits.

Shaking his head, wondering if he was insane for doing this, Bradley grabbed the keys to his Bronco and set off.

Jake was nervous. And when he was nervous he was early. Only Bob was as bad as he was about being early everywhere, and somehow Jake managed it even when spending a good amount of time on his hair. He'd been sitting at the booth for 15 minutes now, watching the door like a hawk for every person who walked in, wondering if they were his mystery man.

Would they have the same chemistry in person too? Would there be a physical attraction? Usually he could count on there being that (often only that). This was his first ever Bantr date. He was much more used to Grindr hookups, but this was different. He never talked to guys on Grindr for this long before meeting up, and usually it was just straight to fucking anyway. Not much talking was required there. This was the first time he didn't have just his good looks to rely on. It was new for him in many ways.

He decided to leave one more message to the guy.

CloudWrangler: I'm at the second booth from the back, left side of the counter. Wearing an orange shirt. Come find me😉

Now he just had to wait for the guy to arrive. At least there was no one important to witness it if he got stood up or something. Trying to get his nerves under control, he stuck a new toothpick in his mouth, just as the door opened once again.

And then the toothpick fell out.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" he croaked to himself as none other than Bradley fucking Bradshaw walked in, strutting like the rooster he was.

What were the chances that Rooster would arrive at the same bar as he was?? What the fuck?

Rooster had frozen a few steps from the door, looking down at his phone and then looking up straight at Jake. And then repeating it three times, shock and recognition warring on his face.

No. No way. No fucking way. This was not real.

Jake buried his face in his hands, groaning at the mess that was his personal life, as the mustached menace sat himself down at the booth opposite him.

"Bradshaw. Whatare you doing here?" It was more of a rhetorical question, since the answer was becoming quite apparent.

Bradshaw answered anyway, "Well, as I understood it, I think I was supposed to give you a blowjob in exchange for getting to see your tits, or something like that."

Jake's mouth dropped open as his hands finally fell back into his lap.

"First of all, I should have asked why did this happen to me, and second of all, who said you were blowing me? I just said I like blowjobs."

Jake didn't know what possessed him to say that, but he thought it may have served its purpose when Rooster's mouth dropped open as well. At least they were now even.

He felt like he was slowly gaining back his footing in this bizarre situation, so he continued teasing, "Besides, you didn't even bring me flowers."

Rooster's eyes shot open (when had he closed them?) and inexplicably, his face flushed red.

"Now, don't laugh," the brunet started, "but I actually did."

"What?"

"You said you liked getting flowers, so I stopped to get some. That's what took me so long," Rooster mumbled.

There was a faint buzzing in Jake's head. Was this real life? Had he hit his head? Had Rooster?

"Wh- Well, where are they?" Jake asked, bewildered.

Rooster blushed even harder, positively scarlet now.

"They're still in the Bronco. I chickened out on actually bringing them inside."

Jake was going to die, here at this booth. Yes he was.

"Same old Rooster," he chortled. "That's… goddamn adorable. What did you get me?" he couldn't help asking.

"Uhh.. It was just a bouquet that I thought looked nice. I don't really know much about flowers, and I didn't know what he – you, that is – liked. There were some daisies I think. Reminded me of mom a little bit," Rooster admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh."

Jake was sure he would have loved the flowers. Who doesn't love getting flowers? They make you feel special.

An awkward silence settled at their table. Jake had no idea how to continue from here. Would they still have the date? Would it be weird? If he was honest with himself, now that the initial shock had worn off, he was kind of relieved. He already knew Rooster, was already attracted to him (obviously), he already..... liked Rooster.

Shit. This was his opportunity to have it all, only Rooster probably wouldn't want to…

"Do you–"

They both started at the same time and then cut off, motioning for the other to go on, chuckling awkwardly. Jake groaned internally. Why were they like this?

For all Jake's jokes about Rooster's perch, he was the one to actually take the leap this time.

"Do you want to maybe go for a walk? I feel like we should talk, and it's getting louder in here," the brunet asked.

It wasn't really that loud at the bar, but Jake admitted that it might be easier to have whatever conversation they were about to have in a more private setting, so he agreed.

"It's not really a walk on the beach but," Rooster shrugged, "we can walk as long as you'd like at least."

Jake arched an eyebrow at him. "You're really angling for that blowjob, huh, Roo?"

"No, it's not that! I mean, I just–" he broke off with an exasperated sigh. "If I'd known it was you, I would've planned a proper date."

"What? Why?"

"Well, you know. You deserve a proper date."

He did not know. In fact, Jake was very much not in the know right now.

"Besides," Rooster continued, unaware or uncaring of Jake's confusion, "I'm probably not what you were looking for tonight."

Alright. Here went nothing.

"Are you kidding me? I mean yeah, I didn't expect you, but I was on that dumb app trying to forget about you in the first place," Jake said, trying to sound a lot cooler about it than he felt. "Javy said I was being stupid, that I should at least try shooting my shot with you first before assumi–"

Jake suddenly noticed that Rooster had stopped a few paces ago.

"Well, why didn't you?" Rooster demanded, as if he was personally offended by this revelation.

"Well, I thought you were straight for one thing!"

"Oh." Rooster blinked. "Well, I'm not."

"I kind of got that now, yeah," Jake rolled his eyes.

"What's stopping you now then?"

Jake froze. Rooster was calling his bluff, but Jake could do that right back. Trying to look unaffected still, even with his heart hammering wildly, he threw back as cockily as he could muster, "The fact that you're standing over there and I'm over here?"

What he hadn't anticipated – even though he probably should have – was Rooster taking those few steps to come stand right in front of Jake, so close that he had to slightly tilt his head up to meet Rooster's dark eyes. And damn if that didn't thrill him.

"What about now, Jake?" the other man asked in a low voice.

At the sound of his first name coming out of those lips, Jake let out a sound that was purely plosives.

Bradley – because yeah, this was getting way too intimate for callsigns – reached out and cradled Jake's jaw in one big hand.

"In case there's still something stopping you, let me tell you what was stopping me. I was just the dumbest man alive. I didn't even realize it before the moment I saw you tonight, that the reason I was having so much fun talking to the guy on the app was that it reminded me of you. I was having fun because I was talking to you, and not some stranger."

Jake blinked. Oh. Okay then.

"I guess we're both a bit dumb," he said, huffing out a laugh. "I should've known it was you. Who else loves pineapple on pizza?"

Bradley rolled his eyes, smiled as if that was the best joke he'd ever heard, and leaned in to kiss him.

Bradley really didn't know how he'd been so dumb. Kissing Jake felt so right he wondered how he had ever kissed anyone else. And Bradley liked kissing. This was just.. different somehow. Better.

He moved his hand to cup the back of Jake's neck just as the blond let out the tiniest, breathy little moan. Bradley wanted more of that. All of it. He felt Jake step even closer so that they were pressed together from head to toe, Jake's arms coming around Bradley's waist, running across his back.

His tongue had wandered off to explore Jake's mouth a good while ago, and Bradley vaguely thought that he might never pull it back to his own. He'd just have to live like this, his face plastered to Jake's. Didn't sound like a bad idea.

Jake evidently disagreed. He pulled away just a little bit to catch his breath, but Bradley didn't mind. He could continue his project of inhaling every piece of the other man he possibly could, instead bending down a little to kiss and nip at his jaw, down toward his neck.

"Br– Bradley?" Jake panted. "D'you wanna.. maybe go somewhere? You know, somewhere more private?"

Bradley blinked a few times to clear his head. "Yeah, yeah that sounds good."

Then he remembered they were more than a half an hour's drive away from their homes. Shit. That was a long time in a situation like this. In separate cars.

"Is the back of my Bronco private enough?" Bradley asked, hoping Jake knew this was just to take the edge off and that he would treat the blonde like he deserved when they got home. And talk. They'd talk more, later.

"Shit, yeah, that's good enough for now," Jake grunted and grabbed Bradley's hand to drag him back toward the bar's parking lot.

"As long as we don't destroy my flowers. I still want them."

"Of course, sweetheart," Bradley murmured, pressing a kiss to Jake's knuckles, and enjoyed the way his cheeks went a little pinker.

[end]

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Bonus: telling you how it went when IceMav helped BradBrad set up the profile, courtesy of Vee. Cause Mav and Bradley were in the kitchen while Ice was in the living room, occasionally intervening because he had to. As his voice wouldn't carry that far, he texted Mav his opinions instead.

*ding* "Geez, Ice! I said we won't say it!" *ding* "I said fine!" *ding* "Then you come do it!" *ding* "Oh. That is better."

thank god for Ice

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tagsies: @wildbornsiren @mayhem24-7forever @callsign-phoenix @hederasgarden @lt-natrace @marvelousmermaid @luckyladycreator2 @alexxavicry @blue-aconite @writercole

#hangman x rooster #hangster #sereshaw #i still don't know what i'm doing #top gun: maverick #top gun fic #hangy and roo

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