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To everyone’s surprise, Jake wasn’t drinking at the Hard Deck that night. He was convinced his liver hated him more than ever and was trying the whole Dry July (October) thing in an attempt to earn back its respect. Rooster and Phoenix definitely were not. They were sitting at the bar together with Payback, giggling like children. Jake suddenly understood why Bob didn’t always stay super late, being the sober friend in a group of drunk people was not fun.
He frowned and put down his pool stick, glancing around confusedly at the thought of Phoenix’s WSO. Usually he was glued to her side, still a little shy with the rest of the team except for maybe Fanboy, but he was nowhere to be found. Jake did a quick head count, finding Fanboy and Coyote by the dart board. They weren’t playing, too tipsy to see straight, but they looked like they were having a great conversation. Sighing, Jake wandered over to Penny and tapped on the bar.
“Hey, Penny, have you seen Bob?”
“Uh… no, I haven’t. He grabbed a Sprite like fifteen minutes ago but I haven’t seen him since then.”
“Thanks, Pen. Would you mind keeping an eye out for me?”
“Sure thing, Jake. Hey- Pete might know where he is.”
“Where is he?”
Upon inspecting the bar, Penny spotted her partner and pointed him out in a back corner.
“There he is. Go, I’ll let Bob know you’re looking for him if I see him.”
“Cheers, Penny. Hey Mav!”
Jake disappeared back into the crowd, stopping to swap Phoenix and Rooster’s tequila shots out for bottles of water.
Bob spat into the toilet and staggered back, swiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. Of course he was sick, at the Hard Deck, no car because he’d carpooled and the Uber service in town was dangerous at best. He wracked his brain, trying to remember who was staying sober. Briefly he considered going to find Phoenix or Rooster, the two people the squad’s collective brain cell bounced between, but those two had been so excited to get smashed that night and last he’d seen they’d been downing cocksucking cowboy shots and laughing. Something about flight school and old times? Bob didn’t really want to know what they’d be doing tonight once the bar closed. Coyote was tipsy before they’d even left base, and Fanboy wasn’t far behind him. That left Payback, Mav if he could find him… and Hangman. Jake. Bagman. Fuck.
Hauling himself up to the sink, Bob managed to rinse his mouth and send a text to the group chat.
Bob: who’s sober?
Coyote: I am!
Fanboy: definitely NOT you lmao
Rooster: me and Tash are smashed
Phoenix: dude that rhymed guess it’s your shout for the next round
Rooster: fuck
Payback: oh man I cannot see straight
Fanboy: how do u type like ur sober?
Payback: text to speech butch
Phoenix: he said bitch 👀
Rooster: autocorrect censoring Payback since 91
Payback: dude I was born 88
Fanboy: lmao
Bob: where’s Jake?
Phoenix: hopefully getting some
Rooster: amen dude’s tense
Bob: never mind you’re not gonna remember this in the morning
Payback: lmao Rooster your dad’s here
Rooster: fuck if he asks I’m sober
Phoenix: you’re literally 39
Rooster: oh yeah
Rooster: fuck him
Coyote: that was a wild ride and I’m here for it
Fanboy: may we all be as Rooster at Rooster’s age
Coyote: wish I was like Rooster at Rooster’s age
Fanboy: rip
“Hey, Mav! Pops, hey!”
Ignoring his buzzing phone Jake made his way over to Maverick who smiled at him, patting the seat beside him.
“Jake, having a good night?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. Have you seen Bob by any chance?”
“No, not since he got a Sprite from Penny fifteen minutes ago. Why, everything okay?”
“I was just doing a head count and realised I couldn’t find him.”
“Ah, sorry I have no idea- is Bradley- I better go get him. Penny didn’t appreciate the streaking when he was seventeen and she won’t now. Bradley Bradshaw!”
Maverick leapt off his chair, jogging into the crowd. When Jake found Phoenix and Rooster she was cheering him on as he stripped his shirt. Jake frowned, grimacing as he looked away when Mav tackled him to the ground. Despite his small stature he pinned Rooster to the ground easily.
“Streaking?” He muttered to himself, followed by “again?”
He couldn’t remember ever seeing Rooster streak whilst drunk (or sober, just so we’re clear) and he’d spent a lot of time with drunk (and sober) Rooster over the years. Maybe he’d had a rebellious phase before his military days. It would make sense, considering his mom died when he was sixteen.
Right; back to finding Bob. Hangman didn’t like the thought of Bob on his own in the bar; he was perfectly capable of handling himself but he also struggled with large social situations like these and the last thing Jake could see himself handling was Bob having a freak out. That was Phoenix’s job and she was pretty smashed, giggling into the bar as Maverick dragged Rooster out by his ear. He’d gone completely Daderick Mode ™ and the entire bar cheered as they watched.
Hauling himself from the bathroom to the rest of the bar, Bob politely pushed through the crowd and made his way to where he’d left the group earlier, spotting Jake back in his chair texting... or maybe watching TikTok; he’s kind of an addict. When Bob stumbled over Jake’s eyebrows shot up and he stood, wrapping an arm around Bob’s waist. His other arm leaned on Bob’s shoulder, leaning in closer to drown out the crowd.
“Are you okay?” Jake yelled against the roar of the rest of the bar.
“I need to go home, I don’t feel good,” Bob replied as loud as he dared, a hand protectively curling around his sensitive stomach. Jake watched him, a frown crossing his features briefly, before he nodded.
“Okay. Hold on to me and whatever you do, don’t look at Rooster.”
Hangman grasped Bob by his shirt, taking the lead on weaving his way through the crowd. As he walked he was composing one hell of a text message according to the frown on his face, Bob hanging on to his arm. They finally got outside and Hangman used his body to cover Bob’s gaze from the rest of the beach, but it wasn’t enough to block his ears when someone threw up nearby. Bob doubled over, holding a hand to his lips.
“Jake-“
“-shit buddy, okay, get it up.”
Hangman moved quickly, guiding Bob to a bush nearby. His hand moved in slow circles over Bob’s shoulders as the WSO gagged. His hand smacked out to catch himself against the wooden railing bordering the carpark at just the right time, heaving on to the poor, unsuspecting plant.
“Oh hey, Jake, you found Bob- ooh, yeah, okay, I’m just gonna- nope.”
Fanboy, as quickly as he’d come outside, disappeared back into the bar. Jake chuckled, rolling his eyes as he focused back on Bob.
“You doing okay, man?” He asked. Bob gave him the thumbs up and it felt like the first day of learning acrobatic manoeuvres in flight school all over again. Jake didn’t know he could hurl as much as he did that day, but Admiral Kazansky (who found him in the bathroom of all places, how humiliating) had taken one look at him, wiped his mouth with a paper towel, and whispered puke and rally. Jake had taken that one with him everywhere; he’d done a lot of puking in his aviator career. Come to think of it, maybe it wasn’t something that should be crossing his mind at that time considering Bob was still losing his dinner into the bush.
“Jake,” Bob groaned. Hangman focused back on his colleague- no, his friend- and moved to help Bob straighten.
“Come with me,” he said gently, hand slipping under his shirt to support him on the walk back to Hangman’s truck. Helping Bob into the passenger side Jake paused to put a hand to his forehead, finding warmth, and promptly decided even drunk Phoenix would have a better idea of what to do than him.
“Wait here,” he said to Bob who grimaced, nodding.
“Don’t think I can go anywhere.”
Jake found Mav and Rooster outside on the sand first, deep in conversation and Maverick had a hand on Rooster’s shoulder. Jake figured that was none of his business and jogged inside. Natasha was drinking whiskey straight, and she beamed when she saw him.
“Hey, Bagman!”
“Tash, maybe it’s time to go home. Roo is outside, puking his guts up.”
Natasha shook her head solemnly.
“He will be missed. Ah well, he’ll be back to three drink Roo. Maybe I can get him to kiss someone.”
“Bob’s sick.”
“That sucks.”
Jake opened and closed his mouth multiple times, trying to figure out the correct answer. Natasha snorted.
“Go find Mav.”
“Wow.”
“And stop assuming I know everything.”
“You do know everything,” Jake said. Natasha patted his chest.
“I taught you well, grasshopper. Now go away, I gotta go find Payback and Fanboy.”
She stumbled off of her chair, disappearing into the crowd. Hangman snorted, glad she was having fun. She deserved to have fun.
Finally out of the bar and in Jake’s truck, Bob curled around his stomach protectively and wondered if Jake was going to get water or help. Preferably both. His stomach twisted, nausea spreading through his body, and he swallowed as he stared straight ahead at the beach ahead of him. The waves, usually relaxing, only made him more uneasy and he shoved the door open to throw up on the pavement.
“Shit.”
Jake appeared out of thin air, holding Bob’s shoulder to steady him. Bob leaned into his touch, only to lose the battle with his stomach again.
“Here, hold on. You’re okay, it’s all good. Thanks for not puking in my truck.”
Jake hauled him back upright, tucking his legs into the footwell of the passenger seat. He presented a bucket, and Bob frowned at him but Jake just waved him off.
“Penny’s used to people getting shitfaced at the bar. Relax, it’s clean. I’ll return it tomorrow if you’re feeling better.”
He ducked around the truck, hopping into the driver’s side.
“If I start the truck, are you going to hurl again?”
“Probably,” Bob admitted, “sorry.”
Jake’s eyes softened, the green dark against the harsh interior lights of the truck.
“You’re sick, can’t help that.”
He tentatively started the vehicle and the gentle rumble of the engine wasn’t great on Bob’s stomach but it was also slightly soothing. His eyes fluttered shut and he knew the base was only five minutes away but a part of him just wanted to see if he could sleep. He could hear Jake humming to the radio in the background, tapping his fingers against his steering wheel.
Jake pulled up beside Bob’s truck in front of his base housing, pausing as he glanced over at Bob’s sleeping form. He’d had to explain to the base guards why Bob was asleep, and they didn’t seem entirely convinced, but they’d let them through anyway. It was nearing curfew but Bob was the only one still living on base. Everyone else had bought properties or found rentals close by. Rooster’s place, when they’d cleaned it out, had felt like a time capsule; his mom had been gone for nearly twenty years and there was still medical equipment everywhere from her last days. Jake’s place was a lot smaller, and he was working on making it his own by repainting and adding touches that only he would have- for example, a longhorns Jersey was frame and hanging up in his living room now. It hadn’t been there before then.
“Hey, we’re here.”
Jake reached over, gently touching Bob’s arm. He startled awake, eyes darting to the other man.
“What?”
“C’mon, let’s get you into bed.”
Jake got out of the truck and jogged around, opening the passenger door. He jumped back just in time for Bob to throw up again, splattering on to the pavement by Jake’s boots. Jake grimaced, rubbing his back.
“Should have seen that coming,” he muttered to himself. When he was done feeling like an idiot he could hear Bob whimpering, apologising to Jake frantically. Jake hauled him out of the truck and helped him into the base housing, frowning as he listened to Bob whisper to himself. Putting his hand to Bob’s forehead Jake got the idea he was in for a long night and reached for another blanket to get comfortable beside Bob.
“Okay dude, bucket’s there. Water is on your nightstand, and your phone. I’m here, wake me if you need me.”
Bob continued to mutter to himself but there was nothing Jake could do for now.
“Jake, wake up.”
Jake stirred, scrubbing at his eyes when he felt a hand gently nudging his shoulder. In the moonlight he found Maverick’s face, frowning as he took in two of his Daggers.
“You alright?” He asked Jake, who nodded and glanced over his shoulder at Bob.
“He’s sick. Got a fever, been puking. Shouldn’t you be with Roo, or- or Tash? What about Mickey and Reuben? Where’s Javy?”
“They’re all okay. Bradley’s passed out in the recovery position on my brand new couch so we’ll see how long it stays brand new, Tash is asleep in his bed, Fanboy and Payback are camping in my bathroom, and Javy asked me to look for you. He’s okay, not even that shitfaced really. Could still walk a straight line if he could lean on me.”
“Looks like you found me. Keep it down, I only just got him to sleep.”
As if on cue, Bob stirred and groaned, curling around his stomach. Maverick was on to him immediately, talking in a gentle tone as he coaxed Bob over the bucket.
“Oh, Bob, I’m sorry kid…”
Jake grimaced as Bob tried to throw up, but he was out of things to get up so he was reduced to pitiful dry heaving. Maverick winced, glancing over at Jake.
“Take a minute,” he suggested softly. Jake bailed, closing the bedroom door behind him as he stepped out into the hallway.
Bob let Maverick wipe his mouth, whimpering softly as he reached for the Captain.
“It’s okay, you’re safe. It’s okay,” Maverick whispered to him, brushing a hand through his hair. Bob reminded Mav of Bradley before he left home; strong, resilient, independent, but also still soft. Cupping the back of Bob’s neck, Maverick found a fever and sighed.
“Okay, lay here. I’ll get you some Gatorade and medicine. Do you want anything else?”
“Where’s Jake?” Bob asked.
“He’s just taking a second. He hasn’t left.”
“Oh. Okay. Um, can I- can you… pass me the water?”
Maverick handed him the bottle of water that had been left on the nightstand, Bob rinsing his mouth out into the bucket before tentatively swallowing a mouthful.
“Better?” Maverick asked. Bob shook his head.
“I feel sick. Really sick.”
“You’re shaking. Are you cold?”
“No…”
Maverick felt his forehead and hummed.
“Try and go back to sleep, I’ll be back in a moment. Jake’ll come in when he’s ready.”
“Is he mad? M’made a mess.”
“Why would he be mad? He’s worried about you.”
“Oh.”
Maverick had a feeling that was something he’d have to pick up later when Bob was able to focus a little better, standing with the soiled bucket.
“Yell if you’re gonna be sick again.”
“Hmmm…”
Maverick left Bob to clean the bucket and Bob scooted to lie down properly, burying his head into his pillow. His stomach flipped uncomfortably, a warning shot of what could happen again if he wasn’t careful, and the water was freezing in his empty stomach. Closing his eyes, he tried to go back to his sleep. He was just drifting off when his bedroom door opened. When he cracked open an eye he realised there were two figures coming toward him and he whined.
“Mav?”
“Jus’ me and Jake, Bob. You’re okay, it’s all good.”
Bob watched Maverick place the bucket back on the floor and a bottle of Gatorade beside the water on the nightstand, pausing to feel his forehead.
“What we really need to do is get some fluids into you.”
“Pops he’s just gonna hurl it up again. Can’t it wait?” Jake said. When Bob followed the sound of his voice he realised Jake was sitting on the bed beside him, a hand moving softly on his back.
“I suppose so, I just don’t want him dry heaving. It’ll tear up his throat, make it worse.”
“My throat hurts,” Bob croaked hoarsely. Maverick popped the top on the Gatorade.
“Small sips to start.”
Maverick knelt by Bob who was now being propped up by Jake, glancing between the two Daggers.
“I think I should stay tonight,” he said. Bob’s eyes darted blearily, considering he wasn’t wearing his glasses, between Jake and Maverick before he felt tears start falling. His cheeks flushed, and the shame made him cry harder.
“Hey, hey, what’s going on? Do you feel like you’re gonna be sick again?” Jake asked. Bob shook his head.
“M’okay, it’s okay. I- m’just- I…”
“Take your time,” Maverick soothed, brushing a hand through Bob’s hair. The shaky sobs eventually died down and, utterly exhausted, Bob fell asleep against Jake.
“What the hell just happened?” Jake hissed to Maverick who shrugged.
“I have no idea. Look, keep an eye on him. I’m going to check on Bradley and Natasha then I’m coming back here in the morning.”
“You got it. I’ll watch his fever too; if it gets worse I’ll start cold compresses.”
“Okay, Doctor Bagman,” Maverick teased. He squeezed Jake’s shoulder, carefully hauling himself back on to his feet. He winced, rubbing his knees.
“Let’s see if Bradley kept his pants on this time,” he muttered to himself as he walked away. Jake gaped, then promptly decided it was better not to question it.
He was going to get Rooster drunk again if only to witness that side of him. All the missed opportunities… Javy was going to be so disappointed.
The next time Jake woke it was because Bob was shaking his shoulder. Jake moved at the speed of light, grabbing the bucket and hauling Bob up just in time for him to be sick. He grimaced, scrubbing at his eyes.
“Is it morning yet?” He joked. Bob groaned, one arm resting on the bucket while the other braced his stomach protectively. He threw up again, coughing so hard it made him gag.
“Hey, hey, slow down your breathing. You’re going too fast. Feel the way your chest is going a million miles an hour? You need to focus on something else.”
Jake took the hand Bob had on his stomach, placing it on his chest.
“Feel the way I breathe in… and out… and in… and out. Yeah, there you go.”
Bob gasped, swiping furiously at his eyes. He wasn’t throwing up anymore, more occupied with the sobs threatening to escape.
“Let it out, you’re safe. I’m not going to tease you. It’s okay.”
Bob burst into tears, abandoning the bucket to bury his head against his arm.
“Is this because you’re sick, or is it something else? Is it me, do you want Mav-“
“-please don’t go, whatever you do don’t leave,” Bob begged. Jake frowned.
“Okay, okay. I’m not going anywhere.”
When Bob could get air into his chest without immediately expelling it in a sob, Jake got up.
“I’m gonna empty this, then we can talk,” he said softly.
“I have two brothers; my older brother Perry is five years older, then my twin, Rhett.”
Jake frowned.
“I had no idea you had brothers.”
“I think sometimes I forget I have brothers.”
Bob stretched a little, burying his face into his pillow as he moved on to his stomach.
“Rhett was kind of a surprise. Mom didn’t know he existed until she was in labour part two. Apparently, they never thought to check for a second baby when she was pregnant with me- us.”
Jake hummed, putting his phone down.
“I feel like there’s a story coming.”
“Rhett is, uh, I guess he’s kind of the black sheep of the family. My parents wanted two kids, total. I think Rhett knew that, somehow.”
“Sounds like he had it pretty tough.”
“Yeah, well. When we were… I think we were seventeen? We would have been close to eighteen, because I was considering applying to the Navy and Rhett was working up the ranks on the rodeo circuit. One night, Rhett, he uh… I think he got sick. Mom made him stay home from school that morning because he was running a fever but she wasn’t sure if he’d faked it or not.”
“He wasn’t trying to skip,” Jake murmured. Bob hummed.
“I wasn’t feeling all that hot either, but Rhett- Rhett was not doing well. Mom kept telling dad she wanted to take him to the hospital but it was at least two hours away and dad didn’t want to waste gas if it turned out to be minor. Rhett got worse through the night and it was the first time in years mom and dad were really worried about him. I didn’t want to- he was- I couldn’t tell them-“
“-oh, Bob…”
“-we both ended up in hospital, Rhett with severe dehydration and I got some anti-emetics. Dad was pissed; something about the hospital bill? I think he was just trying to drive home the fact that this was Rhett’s third time in hospital in six months and I had to watch as he realised what they were saying- they kinda made him feel like a burden.”
Jake frowned. He reached over, hand on the back of Bob’s neck as he rubbed his thumb in gentle circles.
“What happened next?”
“Then they turned on me. I think they meant well, were just scared out of their minds because both of us went down at the same time and it was pretty messy, but- but I felt like a burden too and all of a sudden I got why Rhett acted out sometimes.”
“You couldn’t help getting sick, Bob.”
“I know that, deep down. I do. But- I dunno. I felt guilty for taking the attention away, and then I felt guilty because I cost them so much money-“
“-so you faded into the background… became a stealth pilot.”
“Look, I’m not telling you this because it’s tragic, I just-“
“-thank you for telling me.”
Bob frowned, glancing up at Jake in surprise.
“What-“
“-I haven’t exactly proven that I can be trusted with secrets, so… y’know. Thank you for telling me all that.”
Jake glanced at the clock, clearing his throat.
“Hey; how hungover do you think Tash and Roo are gonna be?”
Bob shivered, grimacing as his hand went back to his stomach protectively.
“Just the thought of it…”
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.”
They lay there in silence for a little while longer. Jake’s hand continued rubbing gentle circles on Bob’s back, and they drifted back to sleep.
Maverick pulled back into Bob’s driveway, glad he was only down the road from where he was crashing until he had permission to go back to his hangar. Rooster and Phoenix were asleep, safe for now, so Maverick had left them passed out together to go and check on his other kids. Jogging up the steps on to the porch he cracked open the front door and slipped inside, trying to be as quiet as he could. He jumped when he realised Jake was sitting on the counter in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee.
“Hey, kid,” Maverick called out to him. Jake hummed, scrubbing at his eyes tiredly.
“How is he doing?”
“Better, I think. I managed to get some fluids into him about an hour ago, think he’ll just sleep now. How are Roo and Nix?”
“They’re okay. Payback and Fanboy are already up, making breakfast. Javy wanted to come with me to check on you but I told him to hang tight. I needed someone responsible to supervise the bacon.”
Jake chuckled, hopping off the counter to wash out his mug. Maverick approached carefully, hesitating at the entry to the kitchen.
“Jake, it was a big thing for you to take care of Bob last night. I know it’s hard for you to let people in, let them see that vulnerable side you have.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about-“
“-yeah, you do. I’m really proud of you.”
And fuck, if that didn’t make his hands shake.