Work Text:
2007
May
-
“He’s going to be thrilled, he has no idea!”
“Are you sure he wants to go all out for his birthday? He doesn’t seem like the type of guy who has huge parties.”
“It’s also because he never celebrated getting his Navy ship mechanic job last year, he was so excited- hold up.”
Dee paused on the street corner, spotting Bradley in the post office. His shoulders were hunched over, making himself small, so Dee hung up without giving Jade an explanation. She opened the door and made her way to her partner. He had his back to her so she wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
“Hey, hot stuff- woah, you’re- you’re shaking.”
“I- I... I gotta go-“
“-wait, hold up. Bradley, stop.”
“Dee, not now.”
“B-“
Bradley pulled away, holding the letter he’d been reading to his chest, and made an abrupt exit. Dee looked to the postal worker, who shrugged.
“It had a Navy stamp on it. Looked important, considering it was marked private and confidential. I can’t say much more than that, privacy and all.”
“Yeah, I know. Thank you, I should- I should probably go and find him.”
Dee swallowed her confusion and spun on her heel.
-
“Bradley.”
“You couldn’t have fucking called, Slider? I had to find out in a letter that’s been sitting at the post office for almost a week?”
“From what I hear, your phone has a habit of going to voicemail these days.”
Bradley stopped dead on his feet, the pacing making them hurt. The only thing that hurt more was his heart.
“How bad is it? Is he going to be okay?”
“The odds aren’t great, but he’s strong. We’re all here... it would make him really happy if you wanted to swing by, I’ll buy the plane ticket-“
“-fuck you, Slider. I said I wanted no contact, I thought I made that very clear, and now you’re trying to get me to come back to California?”
“Bradley,” Slider sighed, firm but calm. It was more unsettling to Bradley than hearing him yell; if Slider yelled, it meant everything was going to be okay because Slider was always yelling. Bradley’s chest constricted and he reached for the wall, leaning his head against it.
“It’s bad, isn’t it?”
“He’s going under the knife in a couple days, they wanted to get the surgery done as soon as possible. Improve his chances.”
“Slider, I-“
“-kid. He’s not going to be mad, not about you coming here and not about everything that happened. It’s okay if you want to come home, I could make a couple calls to the admission office-“
Bradley hung up, throwing his phone to the other side of the room. It shattered against the wall into a million pieces and it didn’t come close to being enough for what he was feeling. He turned and bolted out the back door, on to the back porch. He knew Dee was due home in a couple of minutes; undoubtedly she’d put aside whatever her plans for the rest of the day were to check on him. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he heard the front door open.
“Hey, bubs?”
“Dee- don’t come out here.”
“Okay.”
The back door opened and Bradley glanced over his shoulder.
“I told you not to come out here.”
“I can feel the pout from here. Kick over the trash can or something and come back inside when you calm down.”
Bradley could hear her going back inside and flopping on to the couch.
-
Dee glanced up, book in her hand, and she sent him a small smile.
“I feel like I’m about to get dumped.”
In the past, when lovers got too close, Bradley had called it quits. He didn’t like the idea of getting overly attached only for them to betray his trust, or worse, for him to betray theirs. This was usually the point when he tried to make excuses, it’s not you it’s me, but when he tried to start nothing came to his mind. Dee sighed, getting up.
“I’ll go and get my stuff.”
“Dee, wait- wait, please just- hold up.”
Dee paused in the doorway to his bedroom (their bedroom, more often than not recently) and she looked devastated.
“Y’know, Jade told me she heard some shit about you. You love ‘em and you leave ‘em, get them in the sack and then when you’ve had enough you move on.”
“I-“
“-and you know what makes it better? I knew it was true, I knew I’d heard your name around campus. I knew about your exploits. I was naïve enough to think that maybe you’d stay and give me a chance to get through those walls you built around yourself.”
Dee turned her back and Bradley swallowed. He usually started a fight now, one bad enough that she wouldn’t want to hear his apologies or come crawling back to him for a decent quickie. Instead, his gaze caught on the crumpled up letter sitting on their kitchen counter and all he could think about was what Ice would say if he was there.
“My uncle has cancer!”
Dee continued packing, so Bradley bit his pride and stepped into the bedroom with her, leaning against the wall.
“I haven’t spoken to my family since I found out they made an irrational decision on my behalf when I was eighteen, then held on to that secret until I was twenty.”
“What kind of fucking explanation is that?”
Dee slammed her duffel bag to the ground, raising an eyebrow. For half a second, Bradley wanted to back off and let her leave, but he shrugged.
“My uncle- the one who has cancer- and one who was like a father to me pulled my papers to the Naval Academy when I was eighteen. My dad was killed in action so it should have been a formality right? It happens so often they have a term for kids like me- kids who lose their parents in active duty. I mean- my dad wasn’t active duty at the time, it was a training accident, but-“
Dee crossed her arms.
“And you couldn’t have told me this sooner?” She asked, but the anger was fading. So was the furrow in her brows. Bradley cleared his throat.
“I cut them out, and I have tried so damn hard not to think about them since. I didn’t- I don’t like talking about my past, even before I got to Virginia, so I guess I thought... I guess I thought if I didn’t mention it, it wouldn’t come up.”
“Bradley, of course I’m going to want to know your past, your childhood. It’s what shapes you, it’s part of what makes you who you are.”
Dee put down the shirt she’d been about to pack, taking a seat on the bed.
“It’s not everything, it’s not the be all end all, but it’s a big part of how we behave to the rest of the world. It might make you distant and bitter, or it could make you warm and funny and charming. Bradley, for the last year and a half, I’ve seen you be all of the above.”
Bradley refused to look at her, eyes firmly trained on the ground, and he could see Dee’s Converse coming toward him.
“Sometimes I can’t breathe,” he confessed, “sometimes I can’t breathe and I just want to run because that’s the only way I can.”
“You ran here, from wherever you were before this. Where were you born?”
“Tennessee. I moved to California when I was three.”
“After your dad died?”
“Yeah.”
While Dee kept Bradley distracted, she guided him to sit on the end of the bed. They sat, shoulder to shoulder, in silence for a moment.
“Tell me about your mom. What’s she like?”
Dead, Bradley thought grimly, but that made him nauseous so he cleared his throat. What was she like before she got sick? Sometimes it was hard to remember, because she’d been sick for so long, so he closed his eyes and focused on his younger years. He was flooded with memories of laughter and dancing in the kitchen, good night kisses and sneaking into her room when he missed his dad because he knew she was missing him too.
“She- uh... funny. Funny, and kind, but firm- she always kept me in line. Never missed a baseball game my entire career.”
Despite the cancer threatening to take her out at the knees, she’d made it through the entire season the year she died. It was also his last season.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, she- one time, she and my uncles, they all got together and they sang karaoke when they were drunk... who knew My Heart Will Go On could be done so many ways.”
Dee snorted.
“Sounds like it was a big night.”
“Sure. She also had this habit where when she met one of their girlfriends, she’d totally humiliate them. My uncle Ice- uh, Tom, when he met his wife Sarah... mom told her all about some incident at a work event years ago, yet she also told Sarah he was a good guy. They got married a year later.”
“Wow. Your mom really is quite the charmer, huh? I can’t wait to meet her.”
Bradley swallowed, hand moving to Dee’s back. He had done enough emotional shit for the day.
“Hey; are you hungry? Let’s get you some lunch.”
Dee raised an eyebrow but let Bradley pull her up, walking to the kitchen. As they moved to search the fridge Dee wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
“Thanks for letting me in.”
She rubbed her hand over his back, pulling away to scramble for the leftover pasta. Bradley snorted, carefully dodging her pointy elbows only to reach over her head.
“Bradley! Hey! You ass!”
Dee ducked around him, yanking the leftovers at the last minute. Bradley caught her by the waist and she burst out laughing.
“B! Don’t make me spank you!”
“Say please!”
“Why would I? I’m the one with the food!”
Dee cackled, putting the leftovers on the counter to throw herself into his arms. Bradley caught her, the tension leaving his chest when her legs wrapped around his waist.
“Baby,” he whispered with a grin, “we gotta stop meeting like this- ow! Hey!”
Dee had gently smacked his shoulder, but she kissed him shortly after so he wasn’t too pissed.
-
“Bradshaw!”
Bradley turned at the sound of his name being called, whipping around when he realised his superior officer was coming toward him. He immediately saluted.
“Lieutenant Harley, sir.”
“You better come with me.”
“Sir?”
“I was told not to tell you what it’s about because you’d probably run.”
Fuck, if it was Ice, or Maverick- he’d run, insubordination or not.
He followed his superior officer out of the classroom where he’d been learning about ship maintenance of all things, tracking through a door and into a long hallway he was familiar with, he saw it every day. A part of him wondered if Dee had somehow managed to get her way on to base; she wouldn’t keep it from him unless it was serious though. They went into Lieutenant Harley’s office and Bradley’s chest immediately tightened.
Oh, fuck.
“Sir, I- I can’t be in the same room as him-“
“-why? You think I’m gonna punch you? Goose would have my head for that.”
Slider was leaning against one of the back walls of the office, looking every bit the Captain he was in his flight suit and firm gaze. Bradley swallowed.
“Wait, I-“
“-no. Shut up for two seconds.”
He turned to Bradley’s superior officer.
“You can go now.”
“Sir-“
“-I’ll send him back unharmed.”
The officer looked between Bradley and Slider, then cleared his throat and made a hasty exit. Smart man. Bradley was considering doing the same.
“How have you been, Bradley?”
“Why do you care?”
“Because I do. I’m hearing whispers that everyone’s really impressed with you. Might even promote you soon, your work ethic is all they can talk about.”
Slider stood to his full height, raising an eyebrow.
“I wonder where you got that from.”
“Fuck you!” Bradley spat before he could even think about the implications of speaking out to a superior officer. To his credit, Slider didn’t even flinch. He approached Bradley in careful steps, waiting for Bradley to back away, but when he didn’t he caught the kid in his arms. A part of him was hoping- expecting- punches; as much as he knew Slider would never hurt him, or yelling. Instead he got a soft voice and soothing words.
“I’m sorry, kid. I’m so sorry.”
Seeing Slider brought it all back. The anger first, but then the grief. He couldn’t talk about it with Dee, she didn’t understand. She didn’t even know the full story. Slider knew it all. He’d been there the whole time, same as Hollywood, Wolfman, Ice, and- and-
“I know. It’s okay.”
Slider kept a hand firmly on the back of his neck, partially because he was worried Bradley would run but also to soothe him.
“Are you here to tell me I have to show up to another funeral?” Bradley finally croaked after a moment.
“God no, B, Ice is going to be okay. I’m here because I’m worried about you.”
“Worry about someone else.”
As much as Bradley was still seething, he couldn’t pull himself away from Slider. As they stood in that office, silent, Bradley could feel the anger dissipating, making way for the ache he’d felt since he left Cali.
“I can’t go home.”
“You can, B-“
“-no.”
Bradley made himself pull away, composing himself quickly. Before Slider could reach for him again Bradley was darting out the office door. Slider sighed. He’d known this was a possibility; he knew Bradley wasn’t ready, but Ice was really sick. Bringing anything illness-related up with Bradley after his mother died was difficult, but now that he was independent from the rest of the flyboys it was so much harder. He shook his head and made a quiet exit from the base.
-
June
Taping the final tab down, Dee took the wrapped present and put it on the couch with the rest of them. She quickly poked her head into the bedroom, glad to find Bradley still passed out on his stomach and made her way into the kitchen. In minutes she had bacon frying off, eggs scrambling, and toast... toasting. If she had it her way, she’d do breakfast in bed considering how hungover Bradley was likely to be. However, like every other man she’d ever known, Bradley appeared in the kitchen when he could smell food cooking. He rounded the counter to wrap his arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to her cheek. He smelled like cheap beer, sweat and the cigarettes he swore he didn’t touch unless he was drunk. Dee grimaced.
“Nope. You stink, go shower.”
“Not even a happy birthday?”
“Happy birthday; you stink, go shower.”
Bradley snorted.
“You know what smells really good?”
“Not you?”
Dee felt his shoulders shake as he laughed.
“Alright, okay, I got it. Operation Go Shower is in progress.”
He let her go, making his way into the bathroom. Dee smiled fondly, taking her time with breakfast. As she worked on making their plates, she couldn’t help but let her mind drift a little. Bradley was in a good mood this morning, but he’d also had a big night the night before; she wasn’t sure if now was the right time to ask, especially because it was his birthday and his party was later. With everything going on, she was wondering if she could convince him to go and see his family for a little while. He hadn’t mentioned anything since February when his uncle was sick, but she could see it was weighing on his mind.
“Hey, so, I was thinking; maybe we could go out later?”
Dee jumped, realising she’d drifted so far off that Bradley had managed to shower and change, and the food was starting to go cold where she stood blankly in front of their plates. Dee smiled, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, I’m down; what were you thinking?”
“Let’s get out of town for the night; I’ve got a buddy who has some camping gear, we could take the Bronco, find a quiet spot-“
Dee smiled, leaving their plates on the coffee table to kiss him. He leaned into it immediately, grinning as he wrapped her in his arms.
“That good of an idea, huh?”
“I would love to, but I actually set something up for tonight. How about tomorrow night, weather and your subsequent hangover depending?”
“That would be great.”
Bradley kissed her again then gestured to their plates.
“I’m starving, let’s eat. Thank you.”
“Don’t sweat it, we can do presents when you’re ready.”
Bradley’s eyebrows shot up and he looked mildly surprised. They’d only been together for a couple months last year so she’d gotten him a gift card, a bottle of cologne and a handjob in the Bronco; he thought he was the luckiest guy alive.
-
“Hey, B, I almost forgot; did you have any birthday traditions growing up? Anything you wanted to do today?”
Bradley glanced over at Dee, straightening her hair on his bedroom floor. She smiled at him, careful not to burn her fingers (again). He shrugged.
“My mom said my dad used to take me to this fair, but I dunno, I don’t remember it and she didn’t do it after he was killed. Ah, my... uncles, I guess, would take me to an arcade, spend a ton of money and I’d come home on a sugar high. Mom swore black and blue she wouldn’t let them do it again but every year they came through.”
Dee laughed, clipping up another section of her hair that was now straight.
“I love that. You want me to take you to an arcade, get you on a sugar high?”
“Babe; you don’t need to take me to an arcade to get me high.”
“Oh?”
“You do it all on your own.”
Dee turned off the straightener, suddenly a lot more interested in another type of heat.
“Hurry up, we have people coming over.”
She pulled her shirt over her head and Bradley’s eyebrows shot up, already reaching for his belt.
“Fuck yeah, happy birthday to me.”
Dee burst out laughing, scrambling up to straddle his lap. Her boyfriend caught her hips, pressing kisses to her neck.
-
Now dressed and ready, sitting on the back deck with a beer in his hand and Dee on his lap, Bradley was completely relaxed. He heard the side gate open and glanced over Dee’s shoulder, raising an eyebrow.
“Seresin, I don’t remember you being invited.”
“I’m the life of the party man, I’m always invited.”
Jake walked across the back yard, extending his hand to Bradley and then smiling at Dee.
“Dude, Bradshaw, you didn’t tell me your girlfriend was hot.”
“Of course I’m hot, I’m dating him.”
Jake raised an eyebrow, shaking her hand too.
“Bradshaw!”
Natasha rounded the corner, Javy in tow, and Dee got up to hug her.
“I’m so glad you could make it!” Dee exclaimed. Natasha Trace smiled into her shoulder, glancing around her to wink at Bradley.
“As if I’d miss the old man’s birthday, I wouldn’t do that to you,” she teased. Bradley frowned, nudging Dee’s side.
“Wait, you invited them?”
“Javy’s still on his way, he got out of Jake’s truck on the side of the road and decided to walk.”
That snapped him out of his trance, and Bradley burst out laughing at the same time Dee snorted and Jake huffed.
“Yeah well, he shouldn’t have started it.”
Natasha and Bradley exchanged a look; they both knew it wasn’t Javy that would have started it. Running his hand down Dee’s back, Bradley got her attention and then pressed a kiss to her lips.
“Thanks, baby. That was really thoughtful.”
“You know me, bub; full of thoughts.”
He blinked, and then a soft smile crossed his face.
“Hey, that thing we talked about earlier... let’s do it.”
Dee’s eyebrows shot up and she squeezed his hand.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
Whilst they basked in the glory of their little moment, Javy arrived and promptly tackled Jake to the grass of the back yard, yelling and laughing while Natasha cheered them on.
Dee couldn’t take her eyes off of her boyfriend, hand on his back as they watched the other three fuck around.
“I do have one request, for tonight,” Bradley whispered. Dee smiled.
“Anything, honey.”
“Let’s not get drunk. I want to get out of town first thing tomorrow morning and that’ll be hard to do if we’re hungover.”
She nodded.
“Yeah, of course. Is there somewhere you want to go in particular?”
Bradley swallowed.
“Anywhere but here.”
-