Work Text:
She’s not entirely sure how they got here but they did. Ok, she knows how but she still can’t believe it.
She looks over at Rooster as he drives his Bronco with one strong arm draped over the steering wheel, and studies his serious profile. His beautifully tanned skin, golden brown curls, the hint of that ridiculous but sexy as sin mustache, like hello - when the hell did she start thinking those were sexy - only Rooster. That’s who. No one else can pull it off like him without looking like some second rate porn star. Ok. Maybe porn star isn’t such a bad thing thinking back to this morning…
“See something you like,” Rooster asks giving her a side eye and smirk.
Damn him. So much for being discreet. But with sudden realization and butterflies - mention this to no one because she doesn’t do butterflies and shit - she no longer has to guard her feelings. They’ve been doing this dance for years and FINALLY had that super vulnerable but necessary talk that made her feel like an after school special. You know - the are we really boyfriend and girlfriend one. Honestly the label isn’t as important as the intention to truly trust, confide, love, communicate, and always try to come home to each other (they are fighter pilots after all). Hence, they are giving this “fully committed” and “I love you’s” were exchanged relationship a go, and to prove just how serious they are, she’s officially taking him home to her family farm. Tampering her aforementioned but nonexistent if anyone asks butterflies, she can’t believe they are really doing this.
Sure, Rooster has met her parents informally over the years at various events and times they’ve come in to visit Phoenix, but this is different. It certainly feels different in her heart and she’s excited.
Ok, so maybe she’s also terrified. What if it’s too much for him? She knows he hasn’t had the most conventional and easy childhood. Don’t get her wrong, Phoenix wholeheartedly loves her family, but they can be A LOT. Her parents are sweet but have super old school midwestern principles. Her brothers are total asshats, but still lovable dipshits in their own way.
Thank god for her sister in law and little niece. Two of the best things to happen to her family, the same thing she hopes to add to the family one day by introducing Rooster.
Woah. Ok girl. Where the hell did that come from.
Her cheeks flame and she steals a glance at Rooster. Thankfully he can’t read minds and call her out on her total white picket fence with 2.5 kids chick moment.
He turns to her at the red light and winks.
Son of a bitch.
Her mouth drops open and she hears him let out his deep laugh.
Grabbing her hand he tells her, “Come on Nat, this will be fun.”
Right. Fun.
They eventually pull up to her parents gate. She gets out to enter the code and hops back in. She gives Rooster a saucy smile as she saw his eyes on her ass in her cutoffs. She reaches over and grabs his collar giving him a kiss that she’s been holding in since the last rest stop. He always has a way of bringing out the flirt and tigress in her.
Thankfully they’ve got a few miles until they arrive at the front door to the main house to get herself back under control.
“Best ass in the business,” he drawls with a wink that causes her to blush.
Leaving her window open she props her feet on the dash, leans back, and closes her eyes while inhaling the clean mountain air. She’s missed this.
Rolling her head to the side she sees Rooster taking it all in. Relaxed, Hawaiian shirt and aviators on, he’s never looked sexier.
She bites her lip anxious to know what he’s thinking. Phoenix has talked about her life growing up here in small town America, but this will be the first time he’s seeing it. Hell, it’s the first time she’s EVER brought a guy home.
Rooster wordlessly and without looking reaches over and pops her lip out of her teeth, giving her chin a little tug before returning both hands to the steering wheel. He’s always watching.
Sure she had flings in high-school but they were always more friends with benefits types. She never saw the need to get too emotionally attached given her desire to go into the Navy. It had been a dream of hers since she was a little girl sitting on her Grandpas knee hearing of all his old Naval stories. Little did he or her family know, it was shaping the life of their little tomboy, who would one day finish at the top of her class at TOPGUN and become one of the best fighter pilots.
When she casually brought the idea of going home during one of their joint leaves, she half expected Rooster to laugh her off. But in this new realm of “we are really doing this” he didn’t waver at all. In fact he seemed almost giddy at the prospect.
Pulling up to the house she sees the front door swing open and the whole Trace family descends. Good god people, couldn’t they have tried to appear a little less desperate she internally groans.
“Here we go,” she mutters and hears Rooster laugh.
“Breathe Nat,” he whispers.
Hey. That’s her line she grumps as she exits the Bronco.
“Oh honey! You’re here! And Bradley. My word, you get more handsome every time I see you,” her mother gushes.
“Ma’am, it’s so…ooof,” Rooster starts and before he can finish his sentence he’s being bent in half and having the life squeezed out of him by her tiny mother.
Wow her mom mouths over his shoulder with big eyes.
Phoenix cringes.
“Mom, let Rooster breathe,” she pleads. Phoenix can’t blame her though. He IS an incredible hugger. And that body…
As if her mom comes to that same realization while being engulfed in his big strong frame she lets out a, “Woowee,” and pulls away with a blush coloring her cheeks, “is it just me or is it unseasonably hot already.”
“Really, Mom,” Phoenix mutters while looking at her father to please step in.
Rooster coughs and blushes as he disentangles himself from her mother. Huh. How about that Phoenix smiles with a shit eating grin.
“Rooster, err, Bradley, it’s so nice to have you here,” her father interjects, trying to salvage his wife’s unconventional greeting. “I hope the drive wasn’t too much,” he says. Her dad has harbored the cutest little man crush on Rooster, always asking about him and gushing to anyone that will listen about his daughter’s “special friend”. She thinks he was the most excited to hear they were coming for a visit.
“It was great, Sir. Had the best copilot,” Rooster says with a wink her way. That man and his winks. You’d think with the ‘stashe and winking it would just be total old creepy manville, but with him it freaking melts her panties. Huh. Maybe she has an old man fetish…
Her nose wrinkles. Nope. Just a Rooster one.
Her brothers step up and introduce themselves. Being midwestern farm boys and taking after her dad they aren’t slight men, but Rooster has inches and pounds on them. Ha. Take that dipshits as she sees the white knuckle handshakes going down. They’ve always tried and unfortunately succeeded in intimidating any guy that sniffed around their little sister. Which was total bullshit because she’d have kicked any guys ass way before her brothers could’ve if there was even a hint of disrespect.
Rooster meets their eyes and stands strong. She sees them sizing Rooster up, and deciding he must be an ok guy to have not wavered or backed down under their scrutiny. She can already smell the bromance brewing. Huh. Miracle boy Rooster. Nice.
Next, Rooster squats down to eye level and asks her little niece her name. Hello ovaries. Prepare for impact. Bullseye.
Phoenix looks heavenward hoping no one caught that, but her mom jabs her in the ribs. Damn her and her mom spidey-senses.
Giving her his crooked soft, smile, Rooster takes her niece’s little hand in his big one and gives it a little shake. She looks a lot like Phoenix imagines she did upon her first encounter with Rooster; furiously blushing and completely in love with this real life sized GI Joe. She can’t blame the kid.
Rooster stands to shake the hand of her sister in law to introduce himself, and Phoenix can also see her start to blush. What in the ever loving hell - he’s like catnip for the Trace family.
Phoenix can’t help but bark out a laugh. Truer words have never been spoken. She knows what a catch Rooster is, it’s one of the reasons she fought so hard for this relationship. To be loved by him is like having the sun turn towards you and feeling nothing but warmth. Maybe that’s why everyone keeps blushing a fiery red and acting completely nuts?
She’s going to have to tell him to turn down that heated Texan charm, the free world can’t handle it.
Ok. Well. Ogle Rooster time is over.
Clapping her hands Phoenix motions to the house, silently happy to have these awkward introductions over.
Turning to gather their bags they follow her family inside.
“Now Natasha, honey, we made up the guest room for Bradley down the hall from you,” her mother says with a knowing look. “Why don’t you show him where he’ll be staying before we all sit down for dinner,” she hints.
Rolling her eyes Phoenix starts for the stairs, silently mimicking her mom and wondering why they just didn’t have him sleep in the barn. She’s a grown woman for crying out loud.
Phoenix already warned Rooster ahead of time that her parents old fashioned stance on cohabitating would suck. Hello, her parents have to already know they’ve slept together (many many times she snickers to herself) but under their roof it’s their rules. Rooster insisted they respect it. Kiss ass.
She proceeds to stomp up the stairs to show him his sell, er, room a little like a petulant child.
“Relax Nat,” he whispers behind her with the hint of a smile as he follows her up. She’s so damn cute when fired up, she’s sure he thinks. Asshole.
She puts a little extra sway to her hips to punish him, and hears him groan behind her. Take that.
Once in his room he puts his bag down and immediately takes her in his arms. She goes easily, craving his closeness after whatever the hell that was downstairs.
“You are wound tighter than Hangman’s hair gel. What’s going on?” Rooster asks.
Exhaling slowly and melting into his arms Phoenix reluctantly confides, “That was awkward as shit. Plus, I hate how my parents still treat me like an incompetent child. I’m a grown woman who’s a fighter pilot in the Navy for Christ’s sakes. It’s embarrassing.”
“Hey. It’s me. I know you and you don’t have anything to prove. I know what a little independent badass you are. One of the many reasons why I love you. Plus, I can see it’s coming from a place of love,” he tries to reason.
Sweet Rooster. Always the good-natured one between the two. Also, leave it to him to subtly point it out without really saying anything about her fortune to still have her parents earth-side and a family to come home to.
Dropping her head and feeling a little sheepish Phoenix mumbles, “You’re right.”
“I’m sorry, what was that? Can I have that in writing,” Rooster laughs and squeezes her tighter. Phoenix gives him a sock to the gut.
Rooster winces. “Ok Ok, Rocky,” he jokes. “But seriously, we got this babe,” he says.
“Dinner!” they hear anxiously called from downstairs.
“Geez Ma, it’s not like we could have sex in the 5 minutes we’ve been up here,” Phoenix whispers exasperated.
“I mean I’m willing to try if you are…” Rooster drawls while wiggling his eyebrows.
Shaking her head, Phoenix grabs his hand as they both laugh leaving the room to head downstairs.
As she descends the steps all she can think is it feels pretty damn good to have the warmth of the sun shining on her. Her Rooster.
To be continued….