Work Text:
Bradley’s four drinks in and far too sober to be around Jake. It’d been six months since they’d seen each other last. He’d spent months on a boat with the blonde man out of sight and out of mind and out of his life entirely.
Things had finally been looking up for them, after the Dagger mission and all. Then they’d fought, and Bradley got his mission deployment. They hadn’t spoken since.
Except now, suddenly, Bradley’s in some new bar up in Pacific Beach, watching the man’s broad shoulders from across the bar. There was a shout of dismay from Javy and Jake stood up straighter cocky grin on his face even as he turned and caught Bradley’s gaze. Even as something in his heart ached, he rolled his eyes at the blonde man and, with his, Nat’s and Bob’s beers in hand, made his way to the group.
He barely noticed the a wall of a man in his peripheral. That is, until the man walked straight into him. Bradley took a step, regaining his balance even as the beers spilled all over him. Bradley turned, shooting the man a glare.
“Oops,” the marine said without an ounce of remorse. “Better clean that up.”
“Right,” Bradley said, tone polite, channeling his High School years spent in costumer service. The several marines shot him scowls as they stalked past and he fought to keep a calm smile on his face.
“Hey, Roo, what the hell just happened?” Nat asked, jogging over, Bob striding behind her.
“Are you alright?” Bob asked, surveying Bradley’s beer-soaked shirt.
“Yeah I’m okay. The marine ran into me, made me spill.”
“What?! And he just walked away!” Nat looked ready to fight someone.
“It’s not a big deal, my shirt will wash out.”
“You let things go too easily!”
“Hmm, maybe I do.”
“You always just give up! Whenever things get hard you just run! Every time this gets difficult you just leave!” Jake’s words echoed in his mind, and he forced them away, downing the half a glass of beer he had left in favor of thinking.
“What the hell happened to you?” Jake asked as they made their way over.
“That Marine almost bodied Rooster and didn’t even apologize!” Nat said, hands on her hips. “Or pay for the beers!”
“It’s fine, chill out Phoenix.”
“You’re always so soft, old man,” Jake teased. Bradley scoffed.
“Better than being a hardass, Bagman.”
“RIP to your shirt man, that shit’ll smell forever,” Javy cut in before the pair could start getting meaner.
“Nah, I’ll just run it through the wash on cold when I get back, should be fine.”
“The beer might get out, but hard to loose the stink of marines,” Nat let out an undignified snort and elbowed Javy.
“Speaking of beer,” Bradley said with a sigh, handing Nat’s half-full glass to her, and doing the same with Bob. “Apparently I’m spending my whole paycheck on the stuff.”
“They should pay for it, Roo,” Bob called after him.
Bradley sighed and made his way to the bar, leaning against it, as he dropped his empty glass onto the counter and waited for the bartender. He felt the marine’s presence and groaned.
“Can I help you fellas with something?” He asked, irritation creeping into his voice.
“This bar ain’t that quiet, old timer, don’t you dare come in here with that mightier than thou bull shit.”
“So you think trouble is a good way to make up for your own actions? You walked into me, you should be thankful I’m not going to force you to buy me new ones,” Bradley snapped back.
“Who the hell you think you are?” Another one growled.
“A man who doesn’t want to spend his paycheck.”
“You know what, fine, you can cash? I’ll give you cash, let me just go grab it.”
“I’ll wait,” Bradley said, suddenly unnerved.
“No, I think you’ll come with,” suddenly two marines were flanking him, something dark in their expressions.
“Where?” He asked carefully.
“At our table where the fuck do you think? What’re you, slow or something?”
“I’m a lot smart than you are, meat shield, but please do lead the way.”
“Hey dickface, I’m the one trying to be nice over here!”
“You let this little ‘pay me back’ bullshit go and we can all it even.”
“It’s your fault to begin with!” Bradley said, straightening to his full height.
“Woah there, I’m doing you a favor!”
“You’re threatening me.”
“Yeah? You get off on that asshole?” The man shoved Bradley whose back knocked into the counter, and he let out a ‘oof’
“Hey asshole!” Jake is there, throwing a punch before anyone can react.
——
In no particular order, the bar fight included; Nat kicking a marine in the balls, Bob holding her back from clawing a man’s face off, Javy barely ducking a thrown bottle before stopping Jake from breaking a nose.
It wasn’t all win though. Jake came out with bruises and a credible threat about a lawsuit. Nat had a busted lip, and Bob had a bruised eye from a marine as he was trying to separate the two. Bradley unfortunately came out the worst.
Somewhere in the chaos, between him stomping the leader’s foot and throwing elbows into the ribs of the two marines still at his sides, he was once again shoved. (What was with marines and shoving people around?) this time, it was his head hitting against the counter.
The world spun and he felt a little bit like vomiting, and then, just like that the fight was over. The marines dragged the three troublesome ones away, making a mad dash for it, Bradley supposed. Bob had calmed Nat and Javy had been able to pull Jake away. It was Jake who noticed Bradley still on the ground, where he’d slumped in pain.
“Let’s get you up,” he said, his voice painfully soft as he offered his hand. They both groaned as Bradley was pulling to his feel. The older man fought a smile at this as Jake rolled his shoulders.
“What happened?” He asked. Bradley raised an eyebrow. He’d expected Jake to know.
“I didn’t give up,” Bradley said, his voice a little weak. His hand went subconsciously to the back of his head, pain making him wince. Suddenly he looked down and found his fingers tinting red with blood.
——
“Thank you so much, we’re very sorry about what happened tonight.”
“Yeah, yeah, now get the hell out of my bar, every single one of you is banned for life. I don’t care who started it.”
The group nodded to the manager, who scowled. The man had been nice enough to pull security footage and, along with the bartender working that night, to tell the cops the marines had started it. Although only after a sobering Jake had pulled out his award winning smile and started collecting glass shards, and insisting he pay for the few broken glasses.
With the cops gone, appeased that no charges would be pressed and deciding that it was a military matter, they were finally allowed to leave. Or really, kicked out for good.
“Rooster? You sure you’re okay to drive?”
“Huh?” Slipped out of his mouth eloquently. Jake rolled his eyes.
“Your head? That thing’s givin’ you trouble isn’t it?” Jake asked, arms crossed. Nat suddenly looked worried, and a frown crossed Bob’s face.
“Wait, what? Rooster are you okay?”
“I’m alright.“
“Nat, you and Bob are heading back together right? I know your car’s tiny, I don’t mind giving Roo here a ride. It’s outta your way, and I think we all wanna get home.”
“Sure. Bradley? Good with you?” Jake stared him down, and Bradley had a feeling that if he didn’t agree Jake would tell everyone about his slightly bleeding skull.
“Yup.”
——
“Damn it Bradley.”
“What, is it that bad?”
“I mean it looks bad, you should’ve but pressure on it, your stupid curls are all matted together in blood, it’s nasty as hell.”
“Wow, great thanks. Can you tell if it’s still bleeding?” There’s a pause before Jake’s hands drop from Bradley’s hair.
“It’s done bleeding. You’re okay.”
“Told you.”
“Fuck you.”
“This is your fault, actually.”
“What?”
“First off, you insisted on checking my wound, and second off, you started that fight!”
“Did not! You’re the one riling up those marines!”
“Why are you mad?!? You’re the one always talking about how I run away from all my problems!”
“You know I meant from our relationship! You always leave any time anything goes wrong! You just give up and leave!” Jake shot back, hand banging on the steering wheel.
“Well, I didn’t give up,” Bradley said back, softly. “I got sent away Jake, but I don’t want to give up. I really don’t.”
“I don’t want you to.”