Chapter Text
Bradley waits outside the diner scrolling through his phone when he hears someone calling his name. He looks up to see a smiling Javy walking towards him. The other man envelops him in a hug, and Bradley realizes how much he had missed the other pilot.
“It’s good to see you, man,” Javy greets him, pulling back slightly to look at him, “You look like you’ve been getting some sun.”
“Yeah, been spending a fair amount of time in the garden, and got a little burned,” Bradley says with a laugh. “How’s your leave been?”
“Good, I went home for a week and spent some time with my family. So, we just going to stand out here or we going to eat?”
“Let’s go,” Bradley replies, and the two men enter the diner.
They sit down at a booth and order. Bradley knows Javy means the world to Jake, and he knows how important his opinion is to his boyfriend. That’s the whole reason he had invited the other pilot to lunch, but he still can’t help but feel nervous. After catching up on what’s been going on over the last few months, Javy leans back and looks at Bradley.
“So, what’s up, Bradley? It’s nice to catch up and all, but we don’t usually do this kinda thing just us. Not that I’m complaining, just curious,” Javy questions.
Bradley looks down and fiddles with the napkin in his lap. He hasn’t told anyone what he’s about to tell Javy, not even Natasha, and he’s nervous as all get out. It’s been eating him up inside, and he can’t keep it a secret any long. He needs to tell someone.
“Well…” Bradley says, rubbing the back of his neck, “when Jake gets back from his next deployment…I’m going ask him to marry me.” He looks up at Javy and sees his shocked face.
“Shit, really? That’s amazing, Bradley. Jake is going to flip, but like in the best way possible,” Javy says with a huge grin on his face.
“You think so? I just…I don’t want to wait any longer. I love him so much, Javy, and I can’t imagine not spending the rest of my life with him. Like if I could hijack a jet and fly out to the carrier and ask him tomorrow, I would.”
“You really are just like Mav aren’t you? Does anyone else know?”
“Um, no you’re actually the first person I’ve told.”
“Wow, really? I’m honored.”
“Yeah well, I know how much you mean to Jake, and your approval means a lot to me. I know it’s stupid and old fashioned, but you’re the closest thing to family he has, so I just wanted to ask for your blessing.”
“Seriously? I mean yeah that’s hella old fashioned, Bradley, but you have it, man. Jake is the happiest I’ve ever seen him when he’s with you, and I knew the second I laid eyes on you two together, you were gonna be it for him.”
Bradley feels himself start to tear up at that. “Thanks, Javy. You don’t know how much that means to me.”
“Wait, do you have a ring picked out?” Bradley smiles and nods his head. “Do you have a picture? Let me see, let me see!”
Bradley grabs his phone and pulls up a picture from the jeweler, showing Javy the ring he’d been looking at for the last two months.
“He’s gonna love it, Bradley. It’s perfect,” Javy tells him, setting the phone back down on the table.
“You think so? I’ve been looking for a while now, but when I saw it, I knew it was the one. I’m also planning on getting it engraved on the inside.”
“You two are the biggest romantics I’ve ever met,” Javy says with a chuckle. “There are going to be so many tears at your wedding.”
“Well, that’s as long as he says yes.”
“Bradley, he’s going to say yes. He loves you more than life itself. Trust me on this.”
Javy places his hand on top of Bradley and gives it a tight squeeze. Bradley looks back at the other man and knows that he means every word. The two order dessert and spend the rest of the night brainstorming ways Bradley might pop the question.