Work Text:
Two months after the mission, the Navy decided to make the Daggers a permanent squadron. Everyone had had enough time to decompress and process the events of those few weeks, so there wasn’t a more perfect time to announce the decision.
The announcement was well-accepted by everyone, but even more so by Bradley and Jake, who had started seeing each other not long after the mission. After a couple long discussions about their past and desires for the future, they both decided they wanted to be in each other's lives for the long haul. Two days after that, they had their first kiss and it’s been smooth sailing ever since.
It’s fitting that something would go wrong somewhere.
--
Bradley and Jake have been dating for four months now, and they’re happier than they ever thought possible.
While the Navy breathing down their necks is still a big part of their lives, the most important thing to them is that they’re still together and able to give each other the love they deserve. It may have taken ten years to get here, but now that they’re here, they’re not going to give it up for the world.
But understandably, they’re not ready to entwine their lives completely yet.
Bradley and Jake both live in off-base housing, about ten minutes apart from each other. This means that they see each other pretty frequently both at work and when they have days off.
Today is one of those elusive days off, and they haven’t made any plans to see each other, but there’s always the potential. It’s the start of spring; one of those days where the nip in the air is beginning to fade, and Jake wants to take full advantage of it. He fixes a few things around the house before opening one of the windows in his living room. The fresh air hits his face and it feels so good.
He can afford to sit down for a few minutes and enjoy the blissful feeling.
Jake flops down onto the couch and stretches his legs out. He rests his head on the throw pillow against the arm of the couch and closes his eyes. He’ll just rest for a moment.
--
He wakes an indeterminate amount of time later to a deep-seated itch in his nose and rubs at the appendage with his knuckles. His tactic at combating it clearly doesn’t work, because after a few seconds he’s forced to direct two sneezes into the crook of his arm.
Ugh.
Jake rubs his hands over his face and stills for a moment when he hears the telltale sound of wind outside. He glances over at the window and remembers he left it open to get some fresh air… however long ago. He needs to close it before the temperature drops again.
With a sigh, Jake pads over to the window and presses his thumb against the button that allows him to slide the window closed, but it doesn’t push inward. He frowns and tries again, but the button won’t budge. Fuck. He needs to… his thought is interrupted by another intense urge to sneeze.
Jake brings his arm up to his face and directs another small fit into the crook. After this set, his eyes are beginning to water. One of the tears even manages to slip out and slides down his cheek. He wipes the tear away and tries to close the window again, but it still won’t budge.
Fuck.
He really needs to get this window closed, especially because it seems like his allergies are beginning to bother him. Jake didn’t think it was possible for the pollen to be out in San Diego already, but apparently it is given his reaction to the window being open. And now it won’t close and he really needs to close it before his attack gets any worse.
There’s only one solution Jake can think of: texting Bradley to see if there’s any way his window can be fixed as soon as possible.
I guess it’s the only option , Jake thinks as he rounds the couch and grabs his phone from the coffee table.
Jake: Is it a problem that my window won’t close?
He doesn’t have to wait long for a response, because his phone begins buzzing in his hand less than a minute later. Jake swipes the call open with his thumb and almost immediately sneezes off to the side, trying to save Bradley from the loud noise.
Bradley chuckles. “Jesus, Jake. Bless you.”
“Sorry,” Jake mumbles.
“It’s okay. What’s going on with your window?”
Jake sniffs tentatively before speaking. “I opened it a little while ago, but now it won’t close. I keep trying but it won’t--”
“Won’t what?” Bradley asks.
Before Jake can respond, he’s sneezing off to the side again. Three times, this set. His reaction is getting worse, and he doesn’t know how to stop it if he can’t close this window in the next few minutes.
“Bless you again, baby.”
Jake hums in response. He puts the phone on speaker mode and sets it down on the arm of the couch before trying to close the window again. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t close. He groans and runs a hand through his hair.
“Why don’t I come over and see if I can help, hm?” Bradley’s voice is soft, as if he’s talking to a wild animal. Jake can be like that sometimes -- unpredictable, and he thinks Bradley’s afraid of that part of him (or at least that’s what it sounds like).
“If you--” Jake clears his throat. “If you want.” Bradley’s never seen him like this before, but he needs to get over it quickly if he wants to sleep tonight without knocking himself out with benadryl.
“I’ll be there in ten.”
Jake mumbles out an incoherent response before Bradley hangs up and he’s left in silence except for the sound of the wind outside.
--
He’s lying on the couch dejectedly when the sound of a key fits into the lock on his door and the door handle twists open. The door opens and Bradley’s voice filters into the house.
“Jake?” There’s the sound of footsteps on the floor for a few moments, and then Bradley comes into view. His eyebrows pinch together in worry as he looks at Jake. “Baby, are you okay?”
“‘m fine, Roo,” Jake says, pushing himself up onto an elbow. “Just--” He’s interrupted much like earlier, turning his head to the side and sneezing twice into the general area of his shoulder. The sound is more drawn out than even just over ten minutes ago. His body’s getting tired, and it’s getting harder to keep the bursts contained.
Bradley makes a beeline for the couch and crouches down to Jake’s level. “ Bless you . Are you sick?” He presses the back of his hand to Jake’s forehead.
“‘s just allergies…”
“But you don’t have any allergies.” Bradley frowns. “At least I thought you didn’t.”
“Mm,”
Bradley hums softly and cards his fingers through Jake’s hair. “You really don’t look so well.” He glances over at the window before focusing back on Jake again. “Do you want a benadryl before I try to fix the window?”
Jake closes his eyes at the feeling of Bradley’s fingers in his hair. He mumbles what he hopes comes across as “please…” and feels both satisfied at Bradley having understood him and sad at the loss of Bradley’s comfort while he finds the pill bottle.
Bradley comes back a few minutes later, holding two pink pills in one hand and a glass of water in the other. He hands the pills to Jake who accepts them gratefully and brings the glass to Jake’s lips, helping him drink so he doesn’t accidentally drop it in his tired state.
Once Jake has taken the pills, Bradley heads over to the window to figure out what’s going on. He tries closing the window just like Jake had, but it doesn’t budge. However, after a few more tries and practically pounding the button in, Bradley manages to slip the window closed.
Jake’s nearly asleep by the time Bradley returns to the couch, so he crouches down again and cups Jake’s cheek in his hand.
“The window’s fixed, baby. Let’s get you to bed, hm?”
Jake's eyes open ever so slightly, and he nods. His bed sounds like the best thing ever right now; he just needs to make it there first.
Bradley helps Jake up and practically drags him into the bedroom, laying him down on the bed without too much difficulty. He removes his shoes and jeans before crawling into the bed beside Jake and pulling the smaller man into his arms.
Jake’s head rests against Bradley’s chest, and he’s asleep within what feels like seconds, breathing deeply.
Bradley sighs softly and presses a kiss to Jake’s head before closing his own eyes.