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Rooster laughed at the end of the bar, downing the rest of his beer before slamming the empty glass down and waving his hand for another. The giddy excitement in the atmosphere was lowering his inhibitions more than he cared to admit, especially with Hangman shooting him looks all night. Perhaps Rooster was reading too much into it, but he couldn’t stop the way his stomach flopped when he looked across the bar at him.
“Rooster!”
Rooster turned his head to see Phoenix staring at him, arms crossed over her chest. “Jesus, Rooster. I’ve been saying your name for almost a minute.”
A blush crept on Rooster’s face as he ducked his head down, sniffling as another beer was set in front of him. “Sorry. I was just thinking.”
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
Rooster gave Phoenix a playful shove. “I thought you said you were skipping out on tonight to get somethings done.”
“Yeah, well, these idiots talked me into it.” She pointed her thumb back over to Fanboy and Payback, who were chattering on excitedly with Coyote and Bob. Beside them, Hangman would periodically nudge them with his pool cue until they took their turn. He made a show of rolling his eyes, but there was no real threat behind his actions. “Don’t you want to play?”
Rooster blinked his eyes to clear his head once more. “Naw. I’m seeing how this plays out.” He pointed across the bar to Maverick, who was sitting at a table in the corner of the bar talking to Savant. Rooster had no idea what the two older men were discussing, but whatever it was seemed important as they hadn’t left the table in nearly an hour.
Phoenix’s brow furrowed. “You don’t think—“
“No!” Rooster spun on Phoenix immediately. “Ew, no! I mean....you know that Mav and Iceman....” He suddenly trailed off when realization dawned on him.
Sure enough, Phoenix’s eyes widened as she pulled a stool over and sat down beside her wingman. “Wait, back up. Are you telling me that Iceman and Maverick were a couple? Like they were in a relationship?”
While this certainly wasn’t the conversation Rooster thought that he was going to have with Phoenix, he couldn’t stop himself now. He just hoped that this wasn’t something that Maverick had wanted to keep a secret still. It had been decades though, which was Rooster’s saving grace, or so he hoped.
“Yeah...um....I guess it wasn’t well known because—you know how the military was about same sex couples for the longest time.” Rooster thought back to when he was little how he would have to come up with elaborate answers as to why Ice would sometimes pick him up from school or when only one of them would come to school functions, or switch off halfway through an event just so no one said anything. Nearly everyone knew about Maverick and Ice, especially after what happened to Goose, and Rooster didn’t want to give any curious ears or eyes any ambition they would need to make a scene. The world, and the military, had come a long way, but it was far from perfect.
Phoenix grasped his forearm and gave it an excited shake. “That’s so cool! I mean, you know the stories about him and Iceman.”
Rooster couldn’t help but give her a blank look. “Yes, because I went through them.”
Embarrassment momentarily shown in Phoenix’s eyes before disappearing just as quickly with a quick shake of her head. “Right....that makes sense. I guess I should’ve guessed that from the funeral too. Mav was.....different.”
Just the thought of the funeral, and having to bury the uncle that he saw as another father had Rooster reaching for his drink and chasing the threat of crying away with a few deliberate sips. He set the mug down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “But, I still wonder what he’s talking to Savant about.”
“Savant is a physician right?”
Rooster nodded. “Yep. Chief medic or is it Flight Surgeon? I’m not really sure but he’s generally on cruisers, but he’ll have his deployments on base and such too. Really wherever the Navy needs him to be.”
Phoenix hummed to herself as a sever brought a platter of chicken wings and set them in between Phoenix and Rooster. They exchanged a confused glance before Rooster raised his hand slightly. “Um, we didn’t order these.”
The waitress that had set them down gave Rooster a smile. “Someone else already covered ‘em. Said you like things spicy.”
Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh while Rooster immediately felt self conscious. He looked around the bar before his eyes landed on Hangman momentarily. Hangman instantly looked away, through Rooster could see a smile on his face when he leaned over to whisper to Coyote.
“Well, I’ll leave you to that,” Phoenix stated as she pushed the wings closer to him. “Use a condom.”
“Phoe,” Rooster hissed.
“What? Just want you to be safe, Roo.”
Rooster struggled not to show his embarrassment as Phoenix went off to join Bob and Yale.
The smell that came from the wings had Rooster’s mouth watering. The barbecue sauce that was drenched over them seemed so succulent, not to mention the heat that he was sure they were packing. Chicken wings were one of his favorite foods, and the hotter the better. He hadn’t remembered ever saying anything to Hangman about it, and briefly wondered if this was just something that Hangman had observed in him.
Either way, Rooster wasn’t about to let the wings go to waste.
He picked one up and took a huge bite, the spice kicking him in the back of his throat while the tender meat almost melted on his tongue. The sweetness with the spice was enough to make him ponder taking another bite, but the flavor wooed him back. He polished off one wing and was halfway finished with another when he felt his lips begin to tingle. That wasn’t unusual with spicy food for Rooster, though something seemed different about this time.
Rooster set down the half eaten wing and licked his fingers clean, hoping that chasing it down with some beer would help. He finished half of his beer before setting it back down and coughing, quickly realizing that something was wrong. He looked down to his hands to see them beginning to turn blotchy and red. A deep rooted itch seared into his skin as Rooster dug his nails into the back of his hand to scratch.
The coughing came back with a vengeance, sending him almost gasping. Itchiness plagued his throat as though it had grown hair and everything was being caught in it.
Breathing turned into wheezing and he suddenly slammed his open palm down on the end of the bar, feeling his throat constrict even more.
“Rooster,” Coyote questioned as he walked over. “You good, man?”
Rooster looked at him with round and tear filled eyes, hands coming up to his throat as he choked out an answer. “Can’t....breathe.”
Suddenly, Rooster’s body slipped from the stool, and Coyote had to rush forward to catch him. “Hey, I need some help over here,” he cried, gingerly slumping to the ground with Rooster still in his grasp.
Despite the loudness of the bar, Maverick heard Coyote instantly, and he and Savant were the first ones over at his side.
“What happened,” Maverick gasped in alarm as Savant instantly pulled Rooster from Coyote and set him on the floor.
Coyote shook his head fearfully. “I don’t know. He just suddenly said he couldn’t breathe.”
“He’s going into anaphylactic shock.” Savant undid the buttons on his polo and instantly started to pat Rooster’s pockets. “Does he carry an epi-pen?”
“I do.” Maverick reached into his own pocket and held it over.
Savant took it without hesitation and popped off the cap. “Pull his pants down so I can get at his thigh,” Savant ordered, voice stern and steady.
Maverick did as Savant asked, unbuttoning Rooster’s jeans and pulling them down just so that his left thigh was visible. Savant didn’t waste anytime in stabbing it into Rooster’s leg, giving it a few minutes for the medicine to enter his bloodstream before removing it.
A few moments passed only for Rooster to buck upwards, coughing and gasping with tears freely falling down his cheeks.
“Kid, kid, it’s okay,” Maverick chided as he leaned forward over Rooster’s line of vision. “I’m right here. You’re okay.”
“Mav,” Rooster rasped as he reached out for him.
Maverick lowered down and gave Rooster a hug, letting the younger man cling to him for dear life as he cried between painful breaths.
“You’re okay. Don’t work yourself up again. That’s only going to make it worse,” Maverick soothed with a look to Savant.
Savant turned back to Coyote, who was still watching in alarm with the rest of Dagger squadron clustered around. “Call 911. We gotta get him to a hospital and I don’t want him crashing on the way there.”
Phoenix fumbled to take out her phone, but Hangman beat her to it. “I got it,” he announced, alarm ringing through his voice in a way that none of the people in the bar had ever heard.
Maverick took Rooster’s hand and gave it another squeeze, fingers brushing over his knuckles. “Just keep breathing. It’s going to be okay.”
Savant took Rooster’s other hand and felt his racing pulse at his wrist. He hummed to himself, checking his watch and doing the mental math in his head.
Maverick fought to keep Rooster’s attention off of Savant, already seeing the fear creep into his eyes. “Rooster? Roo, focus on me.”
Rooster groaned, chest still aching and throat feeling like it was on fire. “Mav?”
“Right here, kiddo.”
Before Rooster could say anymore, exhaustion took over and the whole world went black.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Rooster finally came to, he felt something cumbersome over his face. His eyes narrowed in brief discomfort as he lifted a hand to try and push whatever it was off of his nose and mouth.
It was only when gentle hands took both of his wrists and held them down that Rooster opened his eyes wide to see a blurry person standing in front of him.
“Doctor said you have to leave that shit on,” a familiar voice told him.
Rooster coughed lightly in surprise. “Bagman?”
The man in question rolled his eyes and brought the chair he had been sitting in closer to Rooster’s bed. “I’ll let that one slide because you’re not feeling well. But, yeah, it’s me.”
Momentary panic rose inside of him as he looked around frighteningly. “Mav? Maverick!”
“Shhh,” Hangman chided as he squeezed Rooster’s hand. “Him and Savant are just outside talking to the doctor. No need to work yourself up over him.”
Despite Hangman’s words, Rooster couldn’t talk himself out of his panicked thoughts, instead practically trying to sit up, pulling at the wires and tubes that were attached to his body. His heart rate spiked as well as his blood pressure, the screen beside him flashing numbers that Hangman didn’t fully understand, but definitely knew that the frantic beeping coming from it wasn’t good.
“Okay, I’ll get him.” He left the room quickly, not wanting Rooster to work himself up anymore if that was even a possibility.
Rooster was left by himself for a few brief moments. Panic rose even more inside of him as he lifted his hand and began to scratch at the hives on the back of his hand and forearm, nails momentarily snagging the IV. Impulse took over and he gripped the IV, deadest on ripping it out until the door to his room swung open with a very tired and concern ridden Maverick standing in the doorway.
Maverick saw what Rooster was about to do and rushed over, pulling Rooster’s hand up and toward his chest. “Damn, can’t leave you alone at all, can I?”
“Mav,” Rooster rasped before coughing in his oxygen mask.
Maverick pursed his lips together and shook his head. “Don’t try and talk. Your throat is still super irritated and it’ll take a little longer for all the swelling to go down. You’re lucky it didn’t completely close.”
“Lucky.....me.”
Maverick swatted him good naturally. “Thank God you had your epi-pen. I wasn’t even sure you still carried one with you.”
Rooster shrugged. “Sesame seeds and extract are used in a lot of stuff now. I wanted to be prepared.” Rooster winced as the words scraped his throat and he leaned back against the pillows, chest heaving with each breath he was forced to take.
“Either way, you were lucky this time. It’ll could’ve been a lot worse.” Maverick couldn’t stop a shiver from washing over him at the thought of what could’ve happened. He had seen Rooster have allergic reactions before, but not quite this bad.
“Wait,” a voice croaked from the doorway. “Rooster is allergic to sesame seeds?”
Maverick turned to the man in question and motioned him closer. “Yep, among some other things, but nothing is quite as severe as his sesame seed allergy. Why do you ask, Hangman?”
A lump forced in Hangman’s throat as he started to pace around the room, hands in his pockets. He wasn’t one to ever drop his cocky facade, yet now he couldn’t calm himself as the realization dawned on him.
“I sent those wings to you. They must’ve had sesame seeds in or on them or something. How could I have been so stupid?! I didn’t even think to check if you had an allergy before I did that,” Hangman rambled, hands clutched into fists at his sides.
“You couldn’t have known. Besides, it’s not that common of an allergy,” Maverick pointed out as Rooster nodded in agreement. “It’s not your fault.”
Hangman rounded on both of them. “I could’ve killed him! And you just want to fucking ignore that?”
Maverick’s eyes darted to the door where Savant was still talking to the doctor, though the two medical professionals instinctively looked to the door when they heard the commotion. Maverick shook his head, relieved when Savant resumed talking, keeping the doctor from heading inside Rooster’s room.
“Hangman, if you want to stay in here, you need to calm down. They won’t let you be worked up in here,” Maverick chided sternly.
Hangman looked to the door momentarily before looking back to Maverick shamefully. “Sorry.”
Rooster suddenly grunted and lifted his free hand to point at Hangman. He made a sound in the back of his throat, eyes squinting.
“Looks like he wants you.” Maverick stood and flicked his head for Hangman to come closer.
Initially reluctant, it took a few more pleading sounds from Rooster before Hangman relented and took Maverick’s place back beside Rooster. Maverick ruffled Rooster’s hair before seeing himself out, giving him a nod to Hangman in encouragement.
Hangman looked anywhere but at Rooster, right leg bouncing beside him.
“Jake,” Rooster rasped.
Hangman glanced up. “Maverick told you not to talk.”
Rooster couldn’t help but roll his eyes. He then lifted a hand and pulled down the oxygen mask so it hung around his neck. “Not your fault. You didn’t know.”
“Dumbass, put that back on!” Hangman leapt up and pulled the oxygen mask back up and secured it around Rooster’s head. He sat back down with a huff, arms crossed over his chest. “It’s like you have a death wish.”
“Wanted you to hear me.”
“I can hear you just fine with the mask on. Seriously, Rooster.”
Silence momentarily stretched on until Rooster found himself taking Hangman’s hand and running his fingers over the back of it until Hangman shivered. “Why did you get me those wings?”
“What?”
“Why did you get me them,” Rooster repeated deliberately.
Hangman lifted a hand to rub at the back of his neck. “Uhhh.”
“Was it supposed be a joke?”
“What? No, of course not. I wouldn’t send you them as a joke.” He coughed to clear his throat, squinting up at the light as though debating what he was going to say next. Rooster waited patiently as ever, wanting Hangman to work this out for himself before interrupting.
“I guess a drink felt too obvious, so food was the next option. Guess it was pretty stupid.”
Rooster’s head tilted ever so slightly to the right. “Were you trying to ask me out?”
“I...no...um....” Hangman gave his head a shake. “Maybe?”
Rooster pressed his lips into a fine line, seeming to take forever before responding. “Hard deck, Friday at 8pm. Don’t be late.”
It was now Hangman’s turn to look surprised. “Are you....?”
“Hey, if you’re not going to make the first move, I will. I mean I guess you did make the first move if you wanted our first date to be in a hospital.”
Hangman slugged Rooster on the shoulder, unable to hide his amusement. “That definitely was not my intention. Who the fuck is allergic to sesame seeds anyway?”
“I don’t know. Take it up with my immune system.”
The two started to laugh until Rooster began to cough, struggling and wheezing for breath.
Hangman instinctively helped him sit up even more, pillow wedged behind his back and neck. “Okay, we can finish this until you’re feeling better. Don’t want to break you anymore than I already did.”
“Don’t think you’re getting out of our competition on Monday. And you better not go easy on me,” Rooster told him sternly.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Hangman sighed as he leaned back in his chair. “Are there any other allergies that I need to know about so I don’t accidentally try and kill you again?”
Rooster chuckled. “None that would require use of an epi-pen if that’s what you mean.”
“I gotta learn how to use one of those. I know we had training on it and all, but that was a long time ago.”
“You don’t have to go to all that trouble for me.” Rooster coughed again, hand coming up to scratch at an angry red rash on his neck.
“Dude, do I need to hold your hands down for you not to cause yourself harm,” Hangman complained in exasperation.
Once Hangman took Rooster’s hand, his head rolled to the side and he gave Hangman a smile through his mask. “Maybe I just needed a reason for you to hold my hand?”
A smile spread over Hangman’s face as he squeezed Rooster’s hand. “This was your plan all along?”
“Perhaps.”
“You’re impossible!”
“Maybe,” Rooster breathed. “But I still got what I wanted.”
Hangman couldn’t argue that logic as he held Rooster’s hand tighter. “Just tell me when you want me to let go.”
Rooster looked at him in confusion, brow knit together. “I never want you to let go.”