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Naval Academy – PT Field, Mid-June - Plebe Summer
Javy was sweating through his shirt, lungs burning from sprints, when the instructor finally called for a water break. The plebes scattered like they’d been shot out of a cannon, grabbing their gear off the sidelines.
Javy patted down his pack—twice. No water bottle.
He muttered something under his breath, already bracing for the dehydration headache that was sure to hit by evening.
“Missing something?” came a voice beside him, too casual for the setting.
Javy looked up to see a tall, smirking blond. “First week, man. You’re already slacking.”
“I’m not slacking,” Javy said defensively, “I just forgot my water.”
Jake gave a half-shrug, turning to rummage through his own bag. “Rule number one: always be prepared.”
Jake Seresin, smug even when soaked with sweat, tossed a full bottle his way.
Javy caught it, blinking. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“Nah,” Jake said, stretching one arm over his head like he had all the time in the world. “Just don’t forget again. Hydration’s half the battle.”
“You always carry two?”
Jake smirked starting to walk away. “Always carry extra. For me or some dumb-ass who thinks he doesn’t need it.”
Javy laughed despite himself, jogging to catch up. “I’m Javy Machado. Florida”
“Jake Seresin. Texas.”
“Yeah, I got that from the drawl.”
“Don’t worry,” Jake said, slapping him lightly on the back. “Stick with me, Machado. I’ll make sure you survive.”
“You’re kind of an ass,” Javy said.
Jake laughed, unbothered. “Give it a week. I grow on people.”
“Like mold?”
“Exactly.”
And just like that, they were friends .
—-------------------
6 months later - Jake and Abby’s Apartment; Annolopois, MD
It was supposed to be a Sunday study session at the academy library but Javy had received a text about an hour ago asking him to meet at Jake’s place instead and bring coffee. No explanation so Javy had his notes, two coffees, and a dog-eared History of Politics textbook tucked under his arm when he jogged up the front steps of the small off-base apartment Jake had somehow scored. They were knee-deep in exam prep and Jake had finally admitted he needed help memorizing all the dates their history teacher wanted, which had earned Jake a startled “Fine, but only because I don’t want to find a new PT partner,” from Javy . Jake and Javy had become fast friends their first week at the academy, they just clicked but Javy still didn’t know Jake’s biggest secret.
But when the door swung open, it wasn’t Jake standing there — not really.
It was Jake Seresin, yes, but with white stuff partially dried on his shoulder, dark circles under his eyes that were not their when Javy last saw him Friday at class, and what could only be described as some type of cloth with colorful dinosaurs tucked into the waistband of his PT pants. What really threw Javy was that Jake was holding what looked to be a small baby.
Javy blinked. “Dude... is that a baby ?
Jake stared at him like he was stupid. “No, It’s a dog.”
Javy blinked once. “Huh.”
“Of course he’s a baby, his name’s Matthew.” Jake stepped back to let him in, cradling the four-month-old baby to his chest with the kind of casual instinct that only came from long practice. “Abby’s sick. Flu or something. I didn’t want to bring him to the academy and risk the dorms.”
Javy shut the door behind him slowly. “So… wait. Who’s Abby and whose baby is that? For real?”
Jake didn’t answer right away. He just adjusted the tiny form in his arms and finally, quietly, said, “He’s mine.”
There was a beat of total silence.
“Yours?” Javy repeated. “Like, you’re babysitting? Or—”
“No,” Jake said. “He’s mine. Mine and Abby’s. We got married in high school. Quietly. We’re both going to school out here while I'm at the academy.”
“You... have a baby ?” Javy’s voice cracked into disbelief. “Like a real, human, born-already baby?”
Jake didn’t flinch, he smirked at Javy. “He’s not imaginary, if that’s what you’re asking.”
Javy opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
“You’re nineteen, ” he finally said.
Jake nodded.
There was another long pause before Jake gave a sheepish, lopsided shrug. “We weren’t planning on it. But once we found out… I don’t know. It stopped being scary and just started being us. ”
Matty cooed softly, grabbing a fistful of Jake’s t-shirt with tiny fingers.
Javy let out a low breath and ran a hand over his face. “And you just… didn’t tell anybody?”
Jake’s jaw tightened slightly. “Wasn’t hiding him. Just didn’t know how to… you know. Bring it up.”
Javy asked. “You’ve been doing all this—school, training, a kid —and didn’t say anything?”
Jake shrugged, swaying with Matty. “Didn’t seem like it mattered. Still gotta show up on time. Still gotta crush the run. Still gotta pass every damn exam.”
Javy ran a hand through his hair. “Dude, No wonder you never hang out on weekends. You do night training. You complete PT like you’re possessed. You ace solo drills. And you go home and do diapers?”
Jake gave a crooked grin. “Not as fast with the diapers. But I’m working on it.”
Then, hesitantly, he held Matty out. “Wanna meet him?”
Javy froze. “I can hold him?”
“You break him, I break you,” Jake warned.
“Fair.”
Javy set the coffee, he just realized he was still holding on the battered coffee table next to a couch that looked like it had seen better days. Then Jake carefully transferred the baby into Javy’s arms. Matty blinked up at him, yawned hugely, then promptly drooled on Javy’s sweatshirt.
Javy stared down, stunned. “He’s… really small.”
“Yeah.” Jake’s voice went a little softer. “He always looks like he’s about to grow into his own legend.”
Javy glanced over, startled. “That’s the sappiest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “I haven’t slept in two days.”
Matty sneezed.
“Bless you,” Javy murmured, instinctively swaying back and forth the way he’d seen parents do.
Jake watched them for a beat, then smiled—truly smiled. “Thanks for not freaking out.”
“I mean, I am freaking out,” Javy said. “But you’re still my boy. Just… my boy with a tiny, spit-covered sidekick.”
Jake chuckled, shoulders relaxing a little for the first time since opening the door.
“Come on,” Javy added. “Let’s study. I’ll hold the baby, you memorize the dates.”
“You just want to use him to cheat.”
“Don’t judge me. He looks smarter than you.”
“I’m gonna grab a snack real fast while you got him. Want anything?” Jake offered.
“Whatever is fine.”
A couple hours later, they had notes spread out all around them and Javy had just gotten Matty to settle in his lap with a bottle with a quick tutorial from Jake when he heard the soft shuffle of bare feet against the hardwood floor. He turned and found a tired woman standing in the doorway, one hand braced on the frame, her other rubbing sleep from her eyes.
She looked surprised to see him.
“Oh,” she murmured. “You’re not Jake.”
Jake, sprawled on the couch with his history textbook balances on his chest, sat up with a wince. “Hey Sunshine’. How ya feeling? You should’ve stayed in bed.”
Abby blinked blearily. “A bit more human and not about to hurl. I heard talking. And laughing. Thought maybe the baby was hosting a party without me.”
Javy, still holding Matty — now milk drunk, cheeks pink and warm with drooping eyes — raised a sheepish hand. “Hi. I’m Javy.”
Abby squinted at him, “Abby”.
Jake cleared his throat, already sounding guilty. “We were gonna study at the library, but I didn’t want to cancel, so I figured…”
“…you’d finally tell someone you’re a dad?” Abby supplied gently, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
Jake winced again. “Yeah. That.”
She gave him a fond look before padding over and curling up carefully beside Jake on the worn couch dropping her head on his shoulder. Her eyes dropped to the baby nestled in Javy’s lap, then back up to him.
“He’s good with new people,” she said with amused curiosity. “Especially guys. I think he imprints on whoever’s tall and warm.”
Javy gave a breathless laugh, still looking down in awe. “He’s perfect.”
“Don’t let him fool you,” she said. “He’s also sticky and stinky..”
“I’m in the Navy,” Javy deadpanned. “I’ve been thrown up on in rougher places.”
Jake groaned. “You two are going to gang up on me. I can already feel it.”
Abby leaned up and brushed a kiss across Jake’s cheek. “You’re the one who picked a best friend who folds like a lawn chair around a three-month-old.”
“Hey!” Javy said, but he was smiling. “For the record, I’m a cool uncle. I’ll teach him how to fight and how to talk back politely.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “Perfect.”
Abby gave him a sleepy grin, reaching out to gently take Matty from Javy’s arms. The baby barely stirred as she pulled him to her chest and stood.
“Well,” she said, already swaying gently in that automatic mother rhythm, “if you’re staying, Jake owes you actual food, make sure he feeds you and I expect good grades on that exam” she teased.
Javy laughed again. “Yes, Ma’am!”
As Abby disappeared down the hall, Jake flopped back against the couch cushions and let out a slow breath.
“She still looks tired.”
Javy snorted. “But she sounds like she runs the whole damn house.”
Jake nodded, eyes closed. “Yeah. She does.
The apartment had gone still, the kind of hush that only comes after a baby has finally gone down for the night. Javy was nursing soda Jake had gotten from the back of the fridge, and Jake was leaning against the kitchen counter, barefoot and tired.
“You really didn’t tell me,” Javy said after a minute, not angry—just thoughtful.
Jake let out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. I know.”
“Why not?”
Jake shrugged, but it didn’t hide the tightness in his shoulders. “Didn’t know how to explain it. I mean… we’re nineteen. Everyone’s out getting drunk and skipping lectures. I’m over here figuring out what kind of diapers don’t leak at night and whether it’s safe to warm a bottle in a microwave.”
“You could’ve said something.”
“I didn’t want to be that guy.”
“What guy?”
Jake gave him a sideways glance. “The one who becomes a cautionary tale.”
Javy leaned back in his chair, arms crossed loosely. “Dude. You’re not a cautionary tale. You stepped up for your family. You’re a husband. A dad. And somehow still the best damn student in our class.”
Jake huffed a laugh, but it sounded brittle. “Doesn’t always feel like it. I’m holding it together with duct tape and three hours of sleep. Abby’s the one doing the real work. I’m just trying to keep up.”
Javy nodded slowly. “She sounds amazing.”
“She is.” Jake’s voice softened. “When Matty was born, I thought I was gonna fall apart. The second I held him… everything just changed. I didn’t care about parties or grades or what anyone thought. I just—wanted to be better. For him. For her.”
Javy was quiet for a second. “Well… mission accomplished.”
Jake raised a brow. “You think?”
Javy grinned. “Yeah, man. You’re exhausted and half-feral, but you’ve got this… settled look about you. Like, no matter how nuts everything is, you know who you are.”
Jake blinked at that, a little thrown. “That’s weirdly deep.”
“I have layers.”
Jake snorted. “Don’t make me say thank you.”
“You already did. With your eyes.”
They shared a tired laugh, and then a comfortable silence settled between them.
“You’re sticking around, right?” Jake asked after a moment.
Javy looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“You met my kid. My wife. That’s not small stuff.”
Javy rolled his eyes. “I just became Uncle Javy. You’re not getting rid of me now.”
Jake’s lips twitched. “Good. Because Matty already likes you better.”
Javy grinned. “He has taste.”
Jake opened the fridge and grabbed another soda.
“To the weirdest study session of all time.”
Javy raised his can. “To Matty and you learning to function on three hours of sleep.”
Jake groaned. “Don’t remind me.”