Work Text:
“Are you free this weekend?” Asked the golden haired man who was sitting on a couch like a big fluffy fox laying inside its den, eating a mash potato freshly out of the microwave. Both of his cheeks filled with the golden buttery potato, his lips too were filled with it.
Asked the golden haired man who was sitting on a couch like a big fluffy fox laying inside its den. Eating a mash potato /golden buttery mash potato freshly out of the microwave, both of his cheeks were filled with them.
Down to the front table right in front of the TV, packs of chips and chilis were placed next to his toe which lies on the edge of the table. A VF-151 Vigilantes crested Yeti tumbler was put next to the other of the toe we have mentioned earlier in the scene, it was full of ice and coke zero, his favorite of all time.
You might wonder if he eats all of this stuff like that everyday, wouldn’t he be a fatso before the winter? The answer is, NO.
It was easy to say that Jake Seresin or Hangman was a foodie guy at home and an athlete guy at work. Since his line of work was extremely full of testosterone and wieners party, he couldn’t not only enjoy eating meals alone but also enjoying working out too. But today was his cheat day so he had all the rights and excuses to swallow all of this unhealthy meal in one afternoon without having anyone complaining to him (‘cos they can not!).
Next to him on this cozy couch was his boyfriend aka Pete Mitchell or Maverick or Rooster’s somehow-dad or whatsoever. They had been together for a while now, if he had to estimate, it would be around five or six months, if he remembered it correctly. Even though most of their love life would be stucking between him going on deployment and Mav going to do the newest coolest secret aircraft technology pilot testing in Lake Tahoe so far and so on.
This was the first time in three months that they had a chance to be together and watch some stupid late night TV shows with endless seasons that had been running long before he was born and aired for the first time when Mav was still in highschool. He thought this show was sooooo sooooo stupid but Mav liked it so he would still watch it anyway.
“I’m free, what’s the matter?” The green-eyed man raised his eyebrow, curious.
“Bob invited us to join his Betsy’s little chaps' birthday that’s coming this weekend in Montana” He answered and reached to the nightstand to grab a spoonful of vanilla ice cream, which his boyfriend had commented, that this brand of ice cream used to be his favorite when he was a child but he dropped out of it after he had it too much one day and pooped a big pile of shit later that evening.
“English”
“He’s throwing a baby shower party for his cow.”
“Oh… baby shower… for a cow???” The old man looked surprised, he looked so confused and Jake can understand why since Mav did not come from a cowboy background. It was reasonable to be so confused as hell in this situation. “I didn’t know Bob had a cow.”
“He HAVE herds of cows,” Jake added. “his family owns a ranch in Montana and an orchard in California, he’s pretty loaded.” He had seen lots of Bob’s pictures of his places before in text messages for the last five years after they had become friends after that extreme mission. The Daggers usually had video calls together at night whenever they had a chance to be in the same time zone or the time zone difference is not that extreme.
Like that one time where everyone was living in the past and Rooster just reached his new day beforehand, and they don’t even know how the hell to contact Rooster because Bradley was being a boomer who can’t use mobile phone to keep in touch with his fellows.
“I didn’t know that before.”
“Me neither, until one day he got drunk and sent us a selfie of him with shit tons of cows in the background at night. Fucking scary” If he had to think about it again he would describe it as a very bizarre scene going on in the picture. Millions of pairs of luminescent eyes staring at the flashlight of the drunken WSO’s phone like fireflies.
One, we did not know Bob could get drunk. He looked like a baby doll who didn't know how to smoke and drink and was not supposed to do it at all because it might break the circuit. Second, we did not know he had that many cows, he always told us he had cows, but not this many cows. And last, the landscape was new to them and then later Bob revealed that it was his family’s ranch, another herd of cows area out of herds and herds they have there.
“That’s really scary.”
“And we’re going to that place this weekend, you and me.”
“Plus the Daggers?”
“Yeah, the Daggers.” nodded, “and their families too, Payback said that he will bring his wife and kids to the party. Also Fanboy is taking his mama to the ranch too, Bob loves Mickey’s mama’s enchiladas so much so this time he decided to take her with him. Imported straight from southern California.”
“Oh! Is Bradley coming too?” Mav asked with his eyes sparkled, he had been wanting to see Rooster for so long but the Oceana’s deployment time was pretty lame this time of year so they don’t have much time to spend together in the Mojave desert. “I got something to give him.”
“Yes of course, everyone is coming.” Jake nodded again, Bradley will be early too, “He’s taking his kid with him too. You remember that little kid that used to mock me for having whipped cream hair? Billy will be in middle school this year.” Salt and vinegar chips loaded into his big mouth. He enjoyed the salivating sour flavor of the snack.
“Oh” Mav looked surprised a bit, like a father who forgets his child’s birthday. “That’s good, Billy is thirteen now, isn’t he?”
The reason why Rooster would come early this time was because his child was having a term break right now, and our father-in-honor was assigned to pick his child up from an all-boy Catholic boarding school in Virginia Beach for the first time in 3 years, without involving any of his colleagues to pick the boy up instead.
Well, it’s Harvard and Yale who usually picked him up for Rooster and let him stay there with the Lees’ place for a week, then the father himself would come to pick him up. Jake even had picked up Billy once with Coyote and then they took him to New Orleans to stay there with Machado Mama for most of the winter break. Until the last week of the break, Bradley would come to take him back to Virginia.
Jake touched his boyfriend’s shoulder and squeezed it. “Actually twelve. But it’s okay, this December he will be thirteen” He laughed a bit. “We should think about what we’re taking with us to Montana right?”
“Are we allowed to eat beef in the ranch? I don’t wanna give the cows in Floyd’s ranch nightmares that most of them would have to face this fate when they reach puberty” Questioned the younger man.
“Are you suggesting that we have Texan grills in Montana’s soil?”
“Depends on how loyal Bob is to his states.”
“He’s bi-state boy, he can handle that.” They laughed after Jake finished his sentence. “His parents really enjoy having a nice community bonding with their fellow ranchers”
“Yeah, you’re right.” - “He can handle that”
As the night went on without any problem, they packed their belongings. Mostly it was Mav who did the packing while Jake took the responsibility of ruining the scenery by taking clothes by clothes out from their nightstand and dresser.
Yes, Mav really complained to him about that but he honestly didn't care.
Jake was responsible for driving to the airport tonight, he booked their flight from Austin to Montana in a night flight so that they can arrive in Boulder Valley in the early morning to surprise Bob and his family as the first batch to come. It would take around 7 to 8 hours from here to Bob’s so he is pretty sure he can have a good sleep during his airborne period.
“Did you pack the spice I noted on the suitcase?”Asked Jake who was starting his Ford car while Mav loaded his backpack to the backseat.
He nodded “Yup, hundreds of spices I won’t know exist until you sticker the name on it.”
“You’re dating a Texan” The golden haired boy stared at his lover. “One day you will have to remember all of it to prove to my mum that you're ready.”
“Ready for what?” Pete was curious a bit when he heard what Jake said, the only thing he knew beforehand was salt and pepper, and the other thing was Mav never cooked. He didn’t even know how to properly boil an egg to get a perfect golden yolk that Jake liked. Even back when he was raising Bradley, Mav still chose to order a delivery meal to serve at their place rather than to practice his skill on boiling instant noodles.
But for the last part Pete never told anyone about that, not even Sarah and Ice, he hopes Bradley doesn’t expose him for doing that and making the boy fat when he was young too.
“Ready to be my husband.”
“We have been together for six months.”
“But we have been flirting for four years! My parents got married when they were in their twenties and they only flirted for two years!” That puppy eye look attacked the older man's heart hard as the golden boy cried of how he wanted them to tie the knot this fast. “I just want to tell my mum that I’ve got this wonderful husband back in California so she doesn’t have to worry about me banging random girls again.”
“I’m not ready. You’re too young.” Mav warned Jake to stop his whining.
“I’m 35, you’re 62, aren’t we old enough to have booked an elderly housing already?”
“That’s called senior housing.”
“It’s still described in the same definition” The dark haired man clicked his tongue, cannot deny the fact that they’re both in the age of marriage already and for a 62-year-old man like him it might even pass that point. But he just felt like he’s not ready to have a ring on his finger for the rest of his life.
Jake, on the other hand, was ready to give up anything for his family and we all know how much Jake Seresin was devoted to his family. He never missed any thanksgivings with his family for his entire life. No matter how busy he was at that moment, he would always find himself at the table with a big chunk of rib roast and Seresin’s stuffed turkey ready to be eaten in the end.
“Okay, Okay…”
…
The scenery of Floyd’s ranch was wide and spread to the edge of your eyes of the mountain and grass field of American prairie, the smell of greens fill your lungs with fresh air and the coldness chills you through the bones in and out from the tip of your head to your toe.
Jake could hear Mav pad his palm to his arm to give himself a warm touch, it was windy today, windier than both of them had expected.
“Jake! Mav!” The owner of the ranch ran towards them, waving with his whole right arm while the other was holding a little goat in his chest like a little doll, “Welcome, welcome! I’ll show you where you put your bags off.”
“Did we make it?” asked the younger pilot.
“Make it?” Bob questioned.
“To be the first to come.”
“Oh, that,” he giggled a bit. “Phoenix got here yesterday with Rooster and Billy, others are on their way from the airport. But I can say that you’re the first Vigilantes to come.”
“That doesn't make it any better.” His eyebrows tied like a knot showing how disappointed he is right now. Bob rolled his eyes a bit then laughed more of his joke like a dad who can’t tell a good joke.
“Come on Jake, don’t be so serious.” Pete touched his shoulder to calm him down a little, he knew how childish Jake is when he doesn't get what he wants when it comes to a challenge with time. “Where’s our place tonight Bob?”
“I arranged the plan here,” he drew out a folded piece of paper and gave it to Mav’s hand. When he opened it he found a little map of the Floyd’s ranch and next to it was a box of schedules from 14.00 until midnight. “Your place will be in the same house as others but on the third floor, it’s a king size bed room opposite Rooster's. I hope you’re okay with staying in the attic right?”
“Yeah, we’re good.” - “I used to live in an attic when I was a kid living with my old man too.” The older man smiled, his wrinkle visible from a glance but it didn't affect any of his good looking features like this crow’s feet was one of them.
The glassed man looked a bit brighter. “Great! Follow me, I will show you the way.”
As they walked through the area of the ranch, the scenery of it is more gorgeous inside when you look into it with your bare eye slowly. Bob said that his father planted an acre of wheat and barley to make flour and sell for local bakery shops with some name with a twisted tongue pun like ‘Floyd’s flower flour’ which is the main source of income from the ranch apart from their cattles and sheeps products.
The living area or what Bob called ‘House’ consisted of 3 wood log mansion, with rustic hillside paradise like vibing and few more barn houses at the back of the area as it was narrating the scene by Jake Seresin, our worst creative writing kind of guy. Their place this weekend is the second house or guest’s house that has two floors and one attic but Bob called it the third floor.
The room was very cozy and warm. They could even smell the scent of wood and fresh air coming out of the building as soon as they walked into the area. The king size bed lying on the waxed wooden floor was filled with warm and soft blankets alongside tons of goose feathers pillows. It even has its own private bathroom for each room and also a big round window which allows them to get the sunlight as much as they want to.
“I hope you like it.” the owner said, shy. “We don’t have many visitors in our ranch here.”
“What do you mean like it? We love it!” screamed Jake, his smile was big and bright turning to Bob. “Can I use your cart and shovel? I plan something special for you and others tonight.”
“Yeah sure.” he looked confused a bit, thinking why would Jake ask him like that all of the sudden. “The tools are at the cabin behind this house but please beware of a spider, this time of year they tend to hide in a warmer place like the tools cabin.”
The definition of a tool cabin shocked Jake a bit. How many buildings were there in this ranch?
His ranch back in Texas was huge enough to have a small mini animal park in it but since he got here it’s like the area of this freaking ranch is an area-51 combined with Jennifer Conelly’s Labyrinth but Bob and his parents were the Goblin King.
“Oh, I have to go now.” He moved his eyeglasses and checked his phone, the screen was remarkably clean and very new unlike Mav’s and Jake’s that scattered like glitter dust. “Fanboy and his mama are coming. Meet me at 1400, yard 5, I marked in on the map Mav’s holding already! See ya’!”
They waved at each other and then Bob’s footsteps sound fades away.
“Guess we can rest a bit before we start doing something.”
…
“Can I kiss you again?” Heard the sound of watery noises ramble in the attic room, ray of the sun shone on the couple kissing on their bed coiling each other in comfy embroidered blanket. Golden haired boy begged his boyfriend if he could kiss him again once they finished their kiss and their saliva line just thundered. “I wanna do it. Please, please.”
“Jake, it’s almost time.” He refused the begging, pushing the other man away from himself. “Don’t make that puppy eye. It wouldn’t help, you know.”
“I know but I want to kiss you.” The golden green eye shines to make him soft-hearted.
And he did.
They kiss again, deeply, soft, and tender. Just like a steak.
Steak?
Steak.
Steak.
“Holy shit! Steak!”
The realization of Jake was sudden of how many things he has to do beforehand to make Bob and others to impress him. Shovel, cart, meat, coal, oh dear how many more he has to do in this one hour left to make everything right?
“Mav, I have to go now.” He stands up immediately, “Meet me at 1400 with Bob and the others okay?”
“O- oh- okay.” Replied confused. “See you.”
Jake rapidly grabbed the ice box he brought with him downstairs as fast as possible, if someone heard it, it would be one of the loudest footsteps they could hear in their life. Hurried by the time that running into, he ran straight to the tools cabin Bob told him earlier to grab the tools he needed for his plan to come to this cow cub’s shower.
“What do I need now?” He reminded himself from the deepest of his mind, looking around the scene to grab tools he needs. A nice cleaned shovel and a cart filled with coal and fresh hay to give the nice vibing of a southern steakhouse, rub a bit of oil on the shovel to seasoned it perfectly.
He has done it a million times, he can do it on time. He's the Hangman. How can he not do it right?
As he processed his progress the clock struck the time and told him that the deadline had come to an end, he finished it on time. Thank god.
“Jake, are you done? The party is starting.” He heard the familiar voice of a woman he has known for almost ten years, Phoenix, or Natasha Trace who was holding a cup of beer and a punch paper cup which he presumed was Billy’s.
“I am.” He replied. “Did I miss something?”
“Well, you just missed seeing Bob fall into a big bucket of gender reveal beetroot juice he prepared to surprise us.”
“He what?”
“He fell into a beetroot juice, Billy laughed so hard that he’s having a stomach ache right now.”
“I wonder where he got those evil traits from?” laughed Jake.
“From you.”
“Duh.” He rolls his eyes. “Come here, help me carry this.”
“I’m literally holding two cups of juice you know.”
“I know, now help me.”
“Fine, drink.” Nat handed him two cups of drinks in which he took it seriously and consumed it all in just a minute. He felt like his tummy was going to explode soon if he moves too fast because this water balloon is going to break.
As soon as both of them walked out of the tools cabin and headed to the main areas where Bob was appointed earlier, they could see the scenery of the Northwestern American baby shower kind of vibe coming out of the place. Jake can still see the puddle of beetroot juice Nat mentioned earlier laying around on dirt ground while a few cattles roaming in the area without hesitating to come and get some drink out of it.
“Bob is not here because he’s having a shower at the moment.” said the old man who look like fat and old Bob, assuming that this is Bob’s father, Mr. Floyd. “He's been a bit clumsy since he was a child.”
“Oh right, sir.” he laughed along with the old man, “Can I light fire here or I can not?”
“What are you going to do?”
“Texas steak, I prepared my family’s secret spice and the southern tradition way of cooking it for you and everyone to see today. I hope you're okay with me grilling steak in front of cows right?” Jake was a bit nervous, he hoped that he could do it or else he and Mav might have to perform a bad dance to impress them instead of grilling steak.
“Oh! Of course!” He cried happily, “We love steak, Bob sure will like it. Our cows would not be scared of it, they don’t know it’s their kind meat.”
Right after he got the permission, he started to clap his hand loudly so that everyone could hear him, “Okay then. Everyone! Eyes on me please.” - “I’m going to show you the secret art of Texas grill! The wild west grill by Seresins.”
Everyone screamed to cheer him up with a smile on their face, “Cool Jake!” they cried. As he lit the coal with his own lighter to the golden hay that had the same color as his hair, it became a bright red fire. As red as Rooster Golden Warrior’s helmet he wears everytime he goes airbond, Jake grabs the seasoned shovel and meat to sear it on the burning coal that’s hot and aromatic.
The smells of the steak went everywhere the wind could take them, the spice Jake added up boosted its capability to spread their smell to every corner of the living area of this ranch without any doubt that it’s going to be a good steak for sure.
And it was really delicious that he was glad he had marinated it for a few kilos prior to their travel, by this he meant an hour before the flight at the airport…
Everyone was very happy about it, he hasn't seen Mav eating a lot lately since he mentioned a week before that he gained weight after they have a shore leave period so he decided to go on a diet without cheat day.
“Jake, you did it great.” Mav complimented him, smiling. “Seems like I’m going to start remembering the spices you brought so next time I won't embarrass your parents.”
“Great!”
“Wait. You what??????”
end.