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Getting his head out of his ass and asking Bradley Bradshaw to go on a date was the best decision Jake had ever made. It beat leaving his parents and joining the navy and could only be paralleled by his choice to defy orders and launch his jet to save Maverick and Rooster in the nick of time. So, when Bradley asked Jake to officially meet his dad and pops for the first time he was nervous but excited to take what felt like a big step. Despite his mind telling him he wasn’t good enough and that he was too selfish for a man like Bradley, he pushed through and got ready for dinner.
Desperate to put the best possible foot forward, Jake agonized over what to wear in his mirror. Warm arms wrapped around him from behind. “You will look great in whatever you wear” whispered Bradley into his ear. “I want to impress your parents Roo, what if they cannot stand me? I don’t have a callsign or reputation that makes it seem like I should be dating someone’s son.” rushed Jake. “Jake, sweetheart, dad already loves you and pops can be a hardass, but he is soft under it all.” Bradley encouraged. “Yea they are like that with you,” muttered Jake the not me was left unsaid. Despite his charming and arrogant exterior, Jake was just a guy who just wants to protect himself from others. So, he put on his most charming smile to cover how vulnerable he really was.
Bradley could see how scared Jake was about the entire idea of meeting his parents and eating dinner with them. When they pulled into Mav and Ice’s house, his legs started bouncing faster than an F-18 shooting off the runway. Bradley placed and hand on his knee to try and calm the racing leg. Once Jake felt like he could finally take a deep breath he hopped out of the car and marched to what felt like certain doom. Bradley catches up to him and gives him a final hug, a kiss on the head, and grabs his hand before knocking on the door.
To say that the dinner was a disaster would be an understatement. While those looking in couldn’t tell that something was wrong, Jake could feel the icy resentment from the Iceman, no no sorry Admiral Kazansky from a mile away. It went downhill as soon as the front door was open. Jake was greeted to the site of Mav and Ice warmly greeted Bradley. Then, they turned their attention to Jake. Maverick stayed his loving self, but the change from Ice to Admiral Kazansky could be felt for miles. He coldly turned to Jake and nodded at him. Jake reached his hand out to shake and introduced himself. “Hello sir, it is great to finally meet you. Bradley talks about you a lot.” Ice glared at his hand until he dropped it slowly. “Well, I have heard some things about you as well Hangman. You can call me Admiral Kazansky.” Everyone was visibly uncomfortable after the exchange. Maverick tried to break the silence with an announcement that dinner was ready. Throughout dinner, Ice kept glaring at Jake and answering questions with a pointed look or a barely contained sneer. The food could not be eaten and cleaned up fast enough for Jake who was ready to leave before he even stepped foot into the house. Finally after what felt like days but could only have been a few hours, Jake and Bradley left and headed for Jake’s apartment.
As soon as the two boys had left the house Maverick turned on Ice fast as lightning. “How could you treat Jake like that? Not only did he save my life and our son’s life, but he is a good man and he makes Bradley happy,” Maverick uttered angrily. “Hangman is known for leaving his wingman behind during training. He is in no way good enough for our Bradley. He abandons people when they need him,” Ice muttered back. “I understand that you have read his file, but that is all you know about Jake Seresin. Bradley is a grown man and can make his own decisions about his life, something I happen to know a lot about. You do not have to like Jake, but Bradley does and so do I, so that should be enough for now while you get to know the real him,” Maverick stressed. “You need to start trying to be more accepting before you end up seriously hurting both of them,” finished Maverick as he trudged up the stairs to their room.
By the time Jake and Bradley arrived home, Jake was spiraling into a place he didn’t like to be. His thoughts were overrun by a voice, sounding suspiciously like Admiral Kazansky and his own parents telling him he would never be good enough for a man like Bradley. He was too selfish, stubborn, and broken to deserve the love of someone else. As they pulled up into the driveway, Jake practically sprinted inside the house and jumped into the shower. As he tried to scrub away the pain and rejection from his boyfriend’s dad he cried for who he was and who he could have been with a family that loved him like Ice and Mav loved Bradley. To say Rooster was worried about Jake would be an underplaying his concern. He had honestly thought that the meal would go well and that Mav and Ice would love him just as much as he did. His pops acting like his callsign with cold eyes and words that could kill was not something he expected. He knew that Jake would want space, but that his brain was probably telling him all sorts of lies that did nothing but hurt him. Slowly he slipped into the bathroom and then the shower wrapping his arms around Jake to try and help keep the demons at bay. “I am so sorry that he treated you like that. I love you more than you can imagine and no matter what you are thinking you are perfect for me,” uttered Bradley reverently. Jake’s sobs got louder as Roo’s grip got tighter and tighter around his abdomen.
Jake should have known that hoping the Iceman would warm up to him was a useless endeavor. Admiral Kazansky seemed to have no problem with anyone else on the Dagger squadron just Jake who could never possibly be good enough for his precious Bradley. Jake didn’t disagree that is not the problem. No, the problem is how much he agrees. Every time Ice tells people to stop calling him sir or any official title, Jake’s heart breaks a little. Every warm hug for Tasha, Bob, Javy, Reuben, Mickey, and basically everyone except for Jake, reminds him that he would never be accepted by Ice. His father was right he was just a waste of space who was not worthy of love from those around him. After one final and utterly painful barbeque at the Mitchell-Kazansky house, Jake realized he had to let Bradley go. He could not hold on to the man if he would only drag Bradley down with him. So, he told everyone he felt sick and went to hug Bradley goodbye. “Do you want me to drive you home?” Bradley asked. “No, I can just get an Uber I don’t want you to have to leave just to get me home,” muttered Jake. “Okay, I love you and I will see you for breakfast tomorrow right?” questioned Rooster. “Yep” came Jake’s short answer.
As Jake got into the back of the Uber he struggled to control his breathing. His eyes were blurry with unshed tears and his phone shook in his hands as he tried to think of a way to break off a relationship with the best man he had ever met. It was the absolute last thing he wanted to do, but if Admiral Kazansky and his own father believe that he is no good then how can he possibly be the right man for Bradley. So, as he pulls himself out of his Uber he begins to draft a message in his head to send to Bradley. Jake knows that breaking up with someone over text is pathetic, but how can he see the love of his life in person and say that they cannot be together. His heart ripped in two as he finally send the message. Jake felt like he couldn’t breathe; he had to get out of this suffocating house that only reminded him of someone he could never have.
Bradley was worried about Jake, he left the barbeque early after pops was once again treating him like he was less worthy than the rest of the Dagger squad. After everyone had left, Bradley decided to talk to his pops. “Hey, you cannot keep treating Jake like that!” Bradley exclaimed. “How am I treating him,” Ice asked “I treat him exactly how he should be treated, Bradley. He is not good enough for our baby goose.” “That’s not for you to decide pops!” Bradley screamed, “I love Jake and that should be enough for you to accept him as part of my life.” As Bradley walked out to the Bronco, Ice thought about everything that had happened and sighed deeply while sitting on the couch. Mav walked up behind him and gently wrapped his arms around his neck. “You are way too hard on that boy Ice. I know you love Bradley and so do I but he gets to make his own decisions and Jake makes him happy so that will have to be enough for you.” Maverick whispered.
When Bradley got home he realized his phone had died, so he placed it on the charger and went to change into one of Jake’s t-shirts and some boxers. He grabbed his phone so he could text Jake and at least try and make sure he was okay. Instead, he found a message already on his phone.
Jake: 18:00
I don’t think we should see each other anymore. I do not want to bring you down any more than I already have. I am so so sorry.
Bradley can feel his heart beat faster as his breath started coming quicker and quicker. He tried to call Jake but it just kept going to voicemail no matter how many times he called. Finally, Bradley called the only other people he could think of. Mav looked down at his phone and was surprised to see Bradley’s name on the screen. He brought the phone to his ear and before he could even say hello he heard crying and harsh breathing. “What is going on baby goose what happened, are you okay,” Mav rushed out. “He’s gone, Jake left me and he won’t answer his phone,” Bradley gasped. “He said that he was bringing me down so we couldn’t see each other anymore. “Fuck, kid. We will be right there.”
When Mav told Ice what happened between Bradley and Jake, he knew he had royally messed up. He knew he would pull just about every string he had left to find Jake and try to make this right. Ice called in some slightly questionable favors and finally had a location on the beach where Jake’s phone was. Ice asked to be the one to go talk to Jake and while Bradley and Mav were skeptical they could see he was serious. So, Ice slowly walked up the beach to Jake. Ice could hear him muttering to himself about how he would never be good enough because he was selfish and a terrible man and son. “If Admiral Kazansky believes that I am going to hurt Bradley and that I am not good enough, then why should I make Bradley suffer my love,” Jake cried. Ice had never felt as guilty and sorry as he did at this moment. How could he not see that Jake truly loved his son? He was willing to leave because that is what he thought would be best for Bradley even if it was tearing him apart. Ice knew he had to fix what he broke.
Ice silently sat next to Jake and waited for a minute before quietly speaking. “I am so sorry Jake, the things I said to you and the way I treated you were so far out of line and simply untrue.” Jake started silently crying before speaking. “No Admiral Kazansky, you were right, I never have been and never will be good enough for Bradley. I need to let him go.” Ice cursed himself before trying again. “No Jake I wasn’t right, you make Bradley so happy and that means that you are good and worthy. You went against direct orders to save my husband and son which makes you one of the most selfless people that I could meet.” When Jake’s breathing finally slowed down, Ice spoke once more. “It does not matter what I, your father, or anyone else says. If you love Bradley and Bradley loves you then you two should be together. I am so sorry that I made you feel anything other than loved by me and Mav. I will work to gain your trust and no matter how long it takes. Oh and Jake, please call me Ice if you are comfortable with that.”
After Jake’s talk with Ice, he decided to go talk with Bradley. When Jake pulled into Bradley’s driveway, he was shaking with leftover anxiety and fear for the conversation he was going to have to face. However, when he walked up and knocked on the door, Bradley immediately pulled him into a crushing hug and whispered that it was all going to be okay. They both walked inside and sat on the couch for what could only be an emotionally taxing conversation. Bradley and Jake both started talking at the same time. “I’m so sorry” “I want to apologize”. Matching incredulous looks were on both faces as they tried to understand why the other was apologizing. Bradley started the conversation “You have no reason to be sorry. I cannot imagine what you must have felt with pops acting the way he did. He had no right and it will not happen again if he wants to see me anymore.” “You would choose me over Admiral Kazansky,” Jake asked surprised? “Of course, I would Jake, I love pops but I am in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you if that is what you want. I gave him enough opportunities to treat you how you should be treated and he refused to. If he does not want to fix it this time that is on him” Jake chuckled before speaking. “While I appreciate the sentiment, I don’t think it will come to that. Ice is the one who convinced me to come talk to you about this. I think it may take some time, but I think we will all be okay eventually.”
Ice knew that this conversation wasn’t enough to fix his and Jake’s relationship. Jake had too many self-esteem issues, and Ice was set in his way to fully accept Jake. However, slowly but surely they began spending time together and learning who each other were as people and not by their titles. It turns out that both men enjoy historical novels. While Bradley and Mav thought these types of books were just boring, they helped to bridge some of the leftover awkwardness and anxiety between Ice and Jake. They recommended each other books and talked about the ones they both loved. It was during one of these talks that Ice learned that Jake grew up with a physically and verbally abusive father. The day on the beach made and lot more sense to Ice after this and he was determined to make sure that Jake always knew he had a home with him and Mav. Exhausted from the day and emotional conversation, the two men fell asleep on the couch with their shoulders pressed together and heads leaning on each other. If later, pictures of this event ended up in the Dagger group chat and the 86 Flyboys group chat, then Mav and Bradley had no idea how it happened.