Tagged by @smallangrychildbean and @stars-of-nixie.
I haven't done one of these for a while. Employment has really stalled any writing from me... I have lots of ideas, but no time to flesh anything out... This one's something I wrote a while ago, hoping to kickstart writing again.
Rooster is different from a lot of people Javy’s met. It’s not that everyone else is an asshole, though Jake certainly loves to play the part. There’s just a gentleness to Rooster, a quiet, deliberate kind of care that sets him apart.
It’s a strange contradiction. He keeps his distance, but cares too much.
It has a strange effect on their newly formed squadron. Javy notices the way everyone gravitates towards Rooster after a hard day, like his mere presence offers comfort.
It’s on one of those days that Javy notices an exchange between his best friend and Rooster.
They're both sweating, flight suits hanging around their waists. Jake's black shirt is cut at the sleeves as usual, exposing the bulging muscles of his arms. He's leaning back, eyes closed, and Rooster looks at him from the corner of his eye.
"I thought I’d be used to the hard days," Jake murmurs, his accent thicker—a sign of bone-deep exhaustion.
"You're lucky if you're not used to it," Rooster says, still looking at him. "Means you don't have many of it."
Jake turns toward him then, and from where Javy is standing, he can’t see his expression. There’s something in his voice when he replies, though. Something less tired. Lighter. "You should do TED Talks with advice like that."
"I’d probably make more money."
"Maybe then you can afford a car from this century."