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Hangman has to set his beer bottle on the table as to not shower his uniform with the liquid it contains as he throws his head back, laughing.
Phoenix, on the other hand, is frowning holes into his giggly face, "Seriously? For someone with your intelligence, you're as dense as a brick and as blind as a bat."
Jake pulls himself together, shaking his head, "No offense, babe, but I think you read too many romance novels as a teenager." He takes a casual swig of his beer, masking the small but oh so dopey smile that paints itself across his lips when he sees her annoyed eyeroll. It used to be a sign of him gaining points on her composure. Now it's just cute, makes him smile every time he sees it. "The only way this will end is with one of them in jail and the other in a hospital."
Luckily for him, he does still score some points when he sees the smile his comment provokes on Nat's face, "That, or a much-needed hate fuck to give them a spiritual awakening."
Hangman's face immediately twists in displeasure and discomfort at that, "No, no, no. Housing walls are too thin for me to be able to take that shit."
The two conversing aviators have gotten so engrossed in their chit-chat that it's flown right past their radar: the fact that the subjects of their verbal analysis have long freed themselves from their sights, having disappeared from the Hard Deck in its entirety.
Truth be told, many members of the squad would find this an eerily concerning occurrence if we take Hangman's former prognosis in consideration. But, dramatics aside, they'd have a reason to be worried when the pair in question is Rooster and Dragonfly. These two take the early days of Phoenix and Hangman rivalry to a whole new level that has often times dipped its toes into genuine enemies territory.
It took one too many jabs at Y/N's former career amongst the Marines for the sparks to officially start twinkling around her and Bradley. The real wildfire broke out when she bit back with a blow so low, it shouldn't have stricken him the way it did.
"At least I'm not a nepotism baby, Bradshaw. I got here all on my own."
Cruel, yes, but he had it coming.
And after storming off following their interaction, he had time to come to that realization as well. That he did, indeed, kindle the fire, she just added fuel to it. Worst of all, his little self-check confirmed that he was very much acting like Hangman the entire time, earning himself nothing less than an appropriate response.
To his credit, he did intend on apologizing.
He really did.
And he would've...
Had this back and forth not become to sweet to pass up on
That and the fact that Y/N was far more aware and acknowledging of his existence now rather than she would've been if he'd simply apologized so they could close that uncomfortable chapter of their acquaintanceship.
The majority of the squad have become all too familiar with this banter that they often times feel the need to break apart or interrupt in any way they can. In short, no one's very comfortable with it. They all have a very Hangman view of it, one that reads: 'this shit's not gonna end well'
And then there's Phoenix...
She's heard both sides. Their lengthy complaints and curses aimed at the other, the insults they'd never say to each other's faces.
But also the compliments they'd never dare inflate the other's ego with.
She, unlike the others, sees the mass of respect and admiration clouded behind both Bradley and Y/N's eyes when they rant about one another as if they're bloodborne enemies. She sees the way they look at each other when the other's distracted or caught up in their own element, doing their own thing. She's witnessed a dopey look on Bradley's face few too many times as he observes Y/N from across the room. She's caught Y/N in 4K full-on checking Rooster out, not that she can blame the girl for it.
But bottom line is: these two fuckers may have everyone fooled, but Phoenix isn't just everyone.
"Wanna bet?"
Jake's eyebrows shoot up, his hand stopping inches away from bringing the bottle to his lips, "Huh?"
Natasha shrugs, "I say that by the end of the year, these dipshits will be a full-on power couple. You say....otherwise. Are you gonna put your money where your mouth is or not, Bagman?"
As if he could say no to such proposition.
Yet he still yanks her chain in an attempt to create suspense, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Depends. What's in it for the winner?"
Phoenix cockily tilts her chin, eyeing him the same way she sized him up when they saw each other on the first day back, "You mean, what's in it for me?"
He rolls his eye, a rare occurrence for the tables to be turned like this, "You can't be so certain, Nat."
She takes a swig of his beer, hers having long been emptied, before boastfully replying: "Yes, I can."
He quirks an eyebrow, feeling a tad bit like he's missing out on something that's very blatantly obvious to her - a feeling he's always hated. But it's all to his own fault here, she has, in fact, been trying to enlighten him to no avail. Now it's time for him to reap the consequences of his ignorance.
"How so?"
"We're here, aren't we?" She motions to his arm which has been sitting around her shoulders all night, his hand holding hers.
The way his eyes widen tells her he's finally been enlightened, in the literal sense. Hell, the realization hits him like a ton of bricks and he's suddenly not so sure he wants to put his money where his mouth is.
Because they are here.
They once were exactly where Bradley and Y/N are, but now they're here, like this.
They used to spit the ground the other walked on, call each other names, glare, flip birds on one another.
And now they are joined at the hip.
Little do they know, the aforementioned couple is on the road to that very destination too. A height commonly referred to as cruising altitude. The phase of a flight that's widely considered the safest. The least amount of plane crashes occur during cruising altitude.
The problem is the take-off.
"You think they'll be mad we ditched them?"
"Nah, if anything, they'll be glad we gave them some privacy."
Despite the San Diego heat, chills still run their course over Dragonfly's exposed skin. Feeling her shudder under his touch prompts Rooster to pull her even closer, draping more of the thin sheet off his and over her naked body.
This is by no means their first tango in the bedroom, it's actually one in a long line of many like it. By now they've worked out a sort of routine to it.
Unfortunately for Bradley, it always ends with him watching the door to his apartment close behind Y/N as she makes her departure back to her own place.
Little does he know, she's just as displeased with that ending. Yeah, certainly, it's an ending she has great impact on and can bend it to her will, choosing to stay like she actually wants to, but the pride weighs her bones too heavy to bear.
That being said, Rooster rightfully feels a tinge of disappointment jab itself between his ribs as she shifts in his embrace, which he unwillingly loosens.
To his surprise, however, the shuffling stops as soon as it started with her now even closer, just in a more comfortable position.
One she can comfortably fall asleep in.
"Night, Rooster."
Albeit tongue-tied with astonishment and childish gleefulness, he manages to whisper back: "Night, Dragonfly."
His lips ghost over her forehead, placing a gentle kiss on her tanned skin before he too starts sinking under the weight of some much-needed sleep.
I've got a set of good news for them: cruising altitude is nearing.
Needn't worry, Lieutenants. Despite the rough take-off, your plane isn't crashing.