A Hangster exes, but a long time ago (during DADT, flight school, young and dumb, never talked). Now post-Mission, these two end up on a flight together, sitting side by side in commercial (both somehow going to the same place on leave – both travelling somewhere on their bucket list – let’s go with Hobbiton, New Zealand 😈).
There is definitely a joint “ugh, it's you” when they realise they're sitting beside each other on the plane. They both internally decide to just suck it up because it’s only a 75-minute flight. They can do this. They’re sort of tolerable friends now, but of course there’s those mutual mistakenly unrequited feelings. Also, they’re both trying to secretly compete against the other in being ‘okay with the other person’ while also trying not to inwardly spiral.
As the plane is heading toward the runway for take-off the pilot announces that due to fog at their destination it is a 50/50 call on whether they’ll be able to land or not, but they’re going to chance it. Bradley notices Jake white-knuckling during take-off, but doesn’t comment on it. They don’t talk to each other, just reading something on their respective e-readers and ignoring each other. (Totally ignoring where their legs are pressed against each other from hip to ankle and the warmth seeping through).
They get to the destination, and nope, not able to land, and it’s now the 75-minute flight back to where they started. They get back and find out they’ve automatically been rebooked on the flight the next day, which is over 24 hours away. They have to find accommodation and one of them suggests sharing a hotel room to save on costs. A shared cab back to town, getting meals together.
Now of course they do this, and they go out to dinner, and actually talk, which isn’t something they’ve ever really done before. And they drink, but they don’t drink that much, but they’re a little giggly and silly, and they definitely end up falling into a bed together (their room definitely has two beds, but they sleep in one). They don’t do anything, they watch a movie and fall asleep fully dressed and wake up snuggled together on top of the blankets.
“Can I take you out for breakfast?”
“What?”
“As a date. Can I take you out for breakfast?”
“Only if I can take you out for lunch as a date.”
“Deal.”
Of course, they end up spending the rest of their leave together and are a proper couple once they finish their leave. They have matured and gotten better at communication (mostly) and in addition to that Bradley has been dealing with his issues with anger and abandonment. Jake is more comfortable in his skin as well and also they don’t have to pretend that they aren’t attracted to each other anymore, like they used to do back when they were first together, which was a thing which didn’t help them at all back then.
yousharknotpass
izzy806
titsay
baratheonpilled
andulkaphoto
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
amandla
theartofmadeline
gummygunk
