Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nat stares at Bradley’s leg as the nurse changes the wrappings, Jake hovering near the poor woman’s shoulder as she does, though she seems more amused than annoyed by it. It looks better already, and they’ve been able to confirm that Bradley’s blood work came back fine. No word yet on if he’ll be able to attend the wedding.

“How did you even sleep with that thing like that?” Nat frowns, crossing her arms.

“Jake,” Bradley says simply. Nat squints at him before she wrinkles her nose at Bradley’s dopey smile.

“Ew.”

“We’re all adults here, Trace,” Jake grins, coming back over to Bradley’s side as the nurse finishes up and leaves. “Besides, over the counter painkillers only did so much. Had to tire him out.”

“Ew, ew, ew. Shut. Up,” Nat groans, putting her hands over her ears.

“Jake,” Bradley breathes, smiling up at him. Jake looks down and snorts.

“You look so stupid right now,” Jake grins. Bradley reverently reaches up and presses his hand into Jake’s cheek. Nat frowns.

“What’s his problem?”

Jake sighs, kissing Bradley’s palm and lowering his hand back down. “They gave him morphine. Ever since the other blisters ruptured, no amount of burn cream or aloe has been helping with the pain.” Jake stares as his fiance’s eyes wander the room, not really taking anything in. “He couldn’t sleep at all, so they’re giving it to him in controlled doses. He’s supposed-” He grabs Bradley’s wrist out of the air. “-to be sleeping right now.”

Bradley smiles up at him again. “You come here often?”

Jake groans as Nat barks out a laugh. “And then there’s the unfortunate side effect with the pick up lines.”

“Are you an angel? Because-”

“Bradley, I will kill you.”

The pilot reaches up to Jake again and this time Jake lets him cup his cheek. “You won’t. Because you love me. God, I love you too,” he sighs, leaning back against the pillows, eyes finally drooping. “My Jake… come lay down with me.”

Jake flushes a little, hating that Nat is watching all this with raised eyebrows. “No room, Bradley.”

“Call me sweetheart again,” he mumbles.

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because you haven’t earned it.”

“Oh,” Bradley sighs again, looking genuinely sad even as he accepts the answer. Jake’s brow furrows in annoyance as he feels guilt hit him at wiping the smile off his face.

Pointedly not looking at Nat, he leans over and kisses Bradley’s nose. “Go to sleep, sweetheart.”

It’s almost worth it to see the way Bradley’s face lights up again before the morphine finally pulls him under. Jake shakes his head. “Need to get this guy a horse tranquilizer.”

When Nat doesn’t respond, he looks over to see her amused expression. “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“He’s injured. We’re allowed to be gross when he’s injured.”

“Didn’t say you weren’t.”

“You’re so annoying,” Jake snorts, both of them knowing he doesn’t mean it. His and Bradley’s break up had crushed him even further when he knew he would lose her too, her and Javy loyal to the end. It’s nice to have her back, to get on each other’s nerves again.

“Wedding’s tomorrow, Mr. Best Man,” Nat says casually, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. “What’s your plan?”

Jake sighs, scrubbing a hand down his face. “I’ve pretty much conceded everything to Boone. Not without a fight, of course, but he kept using Bradley against me.” He grouses at a sleeping Bradley. “Why do you have to be injured? Now I’m losing pretty much every bet me and him had.” He turns back to Nat. “I’ll still be there for the ceremony, doing my best man stuff, with or without him.”

Nat frowns. “You think you two can handle that?”

Jake rolls his eyes. “Despite what it may look like, we are grown men who can be apart for a few hours.”

Nat raises her eyebrows at him. “Best man is supposed to be there all day.”

Jake huffs. “I know. That’s what Boone’s for.” Despite his bellyaching about giving up his best man bets, Nat can tell there’s guilt there.

“Boone seems like he’ll be fine. He was practically shoving us out the door when we said we were gonna come see you guys,” she grins. “Handed us the van keys and everything. I think he’s enjoying being double Best Man a little too much.” At Jake’s snort, she continues, “Plus, he’s just a nice guy. I’m sure he doesn’t want you trying to do this while worrying about doing best man stuff at the same time.” Sarcasm enters her voice. “It’s almost like, you’re his best friend’s brother, and he cares about your well-being.”

Jake laughs mockingly. “You’re so witty and smart, Nat.”

“I know. But I’m also not joking.”

Jake watches her for a moment. “Boone and I… it’s complicated.”

“Doesn’t seem that way.”

“That’s because you don’t know the full story. And yeah, like you said, Boone’s a nice guy.”

She waves for him to continue and Jake hesitates. “C’mon, you can’t be that cryptic and then not tell me.”

“Fine, fine,” Jake sighs. “Well… I don’t know if Boone has mentioned it at all, but he was a foster kid. He grew up in a home the next town over. He and Tyler met in seventh grade. He never got placed with a family, he had to age out.”

Nat frowns. “No, he hasn’t. Damn.”

Jake nods. “Yeah, well… we got along fine, but we were never friends. Then me and Ty started having problems in freshman year, and he had Boone over all the time. He heard everything, but he never got involved. I know it’s because Ty asked him not to. Then one day, I said something during one of our fights. I can’t even remember what it is now, it was that stupid. But Boone just lost it on me. Completely chewed my ass out.” Jake huffs a laugh. “Worst part is, he felt bad afterwards. He apologized.”

Jake stops and Nat frowns, already knowing. “And what did you say to this apology?”

Wincing, Jake reaches out and grabs Bradley’s limp hand. “Told him I don’t care what he thinks anyways. And that he should stay out of it next time because how could he understand when he doesn’t have a family.”

At the silence that follows, he looks up at Nat, who’s giving him a blank look. “I know, man. I know, okay? I’ve tried to apologize to him so many times since I got Ty back, and he’s just waved it off. Patted my back and said, ‘No hard feelings.’ When I brought it up to Tyler, he just shrugged it off too. It doesn’t even bother them anymore.”

“But it bothers you.”

“Of course it does. Who even says something like that?” Jake snaps, familiar self-loathing building in his throat. He squeezes Bradley’s hand to calm himself. “God, I was such a self-absorbed little shit.”

Nat goes quiet for a while, thinking, before she shrugs too. “You were. But you were also a kid who was losing your brother, and realizing you never had a real mom. Boone probably just figured that out quicker than most.”

Jake blinks at her. “What?”

“I have friends back home who were foster kids. You’d be surprised how easily they can pick up on shit, especially family dynamics. Boone makes a lot more sense now, why he’s always so good at people’s emotions.” She shakes her head, smiling. “All these realizations you and Tyler have had since reuniting. I guarantee he had so much of that figured out before you guys ever fell out, and just had to watch it happen.”

Jake stares at her, stunned. “Wh- then why wouldn’t he say anything?”

Nat raises an eyebrow at him. “Would you have believed him?”

Jake slumps back in his chair, processing. “Well, shit.”

“That man deserves a $100 Dave and Buster’s gift card,” Bradley croaks, barely awake.

Jake barks out a laugh, leaning in again and kissing his knuckles. “Better make it $200.”

***

“Okay, we got you guys the honeymoon suite because obviously, and everything you need is already there, but we’ll be by around noon tomorrow to help you get ready. Don’t forget. Seriously, I do not need to be flashed by you three for the fifth time.”

Tyler laughs as Kate and Javi turn to stifle their own, taking the keys Boone holds out to him. “Sorry, man. Did make you learn to knock, though.”

Boone sighs, putting a hand over his eyes. “I maintain that the barn incident was not my fault. That’s supposed to be public domain.” He drops his hand and can’t help but smile at their amused looks. “Shoo, go. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Tyler pulls him into a hug that Javi and Kate join immediately, Boone laughing as he hugs them back. “Love you, Boonie,” Kate says softly, squeezing him tight before letting go.

“Love you, man. Thank you,” Javi smiles.

“Love you too, of course, the best Best Man around,” Tyler grins.

Boone feels emotion hit him hard, and he struggles away from them. “Aw, shucks, y’all are gonna make me cry.”

They laugh as they pile into Kate’s truck, waving and shouting out some more goodbyes as Kate turns it around to drive away, Boone waving and shouting right back.

***

Kate pokes around in the closet as Tyler throws himself onto the bed, smiling at the various self-care items and sleep clothes their crew put in there for them. She places the small pocket square Jake had slipped her for Javi into her own bag. They had pit stopped at the hospital to check in on him and Bradley before making their way here.

“This place is huge,” Javi marvels. “Too bad it’s only for a night.”

Kate snorts. “We’re going on our honeymoon tomorrow.”

Javi shrugs. “Yeah, but I have nothing I can picture there because someone refuses to tell us anything.” Kate turns to see Javi narrowing his eyes at a perfectly content Tyler, who grins at him and opens his arms. Javi stares at him for a moment but gives in with a sigh, climbing onto the bed and into his lap, flopping down onto him and making Tyler let out an ‘oomph.’

“Don’t you trust me, darling?” Tyler teases, holding a hand out for Kate, who walks over.

“Yeah, I guess,” Javi sighs, shifting his weight so Kate can join him on Tyler’s chest.

“You guess?”

“Oh, lord,” Kate sighs.

“Yeah. I guess,” Javi repeats, fighting back a smile. Kate resigns herself to listening to them bicker, tucking herself under Tyler’s chin.

“Ya know, it took a lot of planning-”

“Can we try something?” Javi asks suddenly, sitting up enough to look at both of them. They both blink at him. “In bed, I mean.”

“Obviously,” Kate teases. “You’ve been making an awful lot of requests lately. Maybe the roster’s full.”

Javi huffs as Tyler laughs. “Fine, you don’t get to hear it.”

Kate hums in amusement as he drops back down onto Tyler, running a hand through his hair before tracing a finger along his ear and across his cheek down to his jaw, eventually letting it rest under his chin to tilt his face up to look at her. “What do you wanna try?”

She grins at the already flushed face and slightly increased breathing. “Both of you. At once.”

The simultaneous record scratch of Tyler and Kate’s brains almost makes him laugh, but he manages to bite back a smile, waiting. Kate blinks, recovering first.

“Javi, where do you even come up with this stuff?”

Javi shrugs. “Before you guys, I hadn’t been with someone for… two and a half years? Had a lot of time on my hands. And a laptop.”

Kate lets out a ragged breath. “Christ. Yeah, okay. In your space or…?”

“Uh, maybe not the first time. But when we’re more used to it, yeah.” He looks at Tyler, who’s still staring at him. “Ty? Thoughts?”

“Horrible ones. Deranged, even.”

Javi and Kate laugh, Tyler breaking out in a smile as well. “So, you’re game?”

“Of course I’m game, darling. I’d have to be crazy not to be.”

Javi smiles, sitting up fully. “Cool. Can we try it now?”

They stare at him some more, and he explains. “I was pretty sure you guys would say yes. I’ve been… practicing.”

“When have you even found time to, we’ve been all over each other lately,” Tyler balks.

Javi hums as he thinks, pulling his shirt over his head. “When you guys are asleep. I go into the bathroom.” Tyler makes a strangled noise that makes him giggle.

“You’re gonna have a limp tomorrow,” Kate frowns. Javi shakes his head.

“That’s part of what the practice was for,” he grins. Their eyes widen.

“How long have you been practicing for, exactly?” Tyler asks, a little breathless.

“A month.”

Tyler groans and sits up, Kate scooting off him and heading for the closet, switching their positions and pinning him to the mattress, Javi laughing.

“You planned this, you-”

“To be fair, I didn’t know a month from then would be the day before our wedding, but it’s pretty perfect, don’t you think?” Javi interrupts.

“Javi, you had a limp when you let me and Ty be rough with you last week, and I do not want you limping down the aisle,” Kate calls as she digs around in the closet. Despite her words, she fishes around in her bag and triumphantly pulls out the lube.

“That's different, I strained my leg,” Javi huffs.

“You what?!” Tyler says, eyes widening. “Javi-”

“It was just a regular one that I could've just as easily gotten from sleeping funny,” Javi soothes. “It was gone with a few stretches. I just wanted to see the look on Jake's face when I came limping out of the room.” He laughs at Tyler's disgusted face.

“Brother talk is banned.”

“Sorry,” Javi smiles, not sounding sorry at all as Tyler huffs and dives back down to press kisses along his collarbone.

Kate returns with a towel, lube, and her strap, Tyler blinking at it.

“The crew put that in here?”

She shrugs, a small smile on her face. “Probably Dani.”

Tyler looks at her and breathes out a laugh. “You told her to.”

Kate grins, and Tyler sighs, dropping his head onto Javi’s chest. “You are both gonna kill me.”

“I didn’t know about Javi’s request, I just figured I would get lucky,” she giggles, laughing harder as Tyler sits up and pulls her down onto the bed.

“Lucky, you will be,” Javi grins, kissing at her neck as she lies down next to him. “Should probably get you off first, though. This might take a while.”

She pushes away his hand with a shake of her head. “I like the wait.” A loud laugh escapes her at her fiances’ matching flushes.

***

Javi groans as Kate pushes inside him, holding onto his hips tightly. Tyler coaxes him into a kiss to distract him from the dual stretch of him and Kate, Javi whining into his mouth as she sinks deeper.

“Easy, darling. We want an intact husband-to-be tomorrow. Don’t break him now,” Tyler teases, Kate smiling back at him over Javi’s shoulder. They have him on his knees over Tyler, chest pressed to his, and Kate taking him from behind, running a soothing hand along his back as he pants.

“Not unless he begs me to,” she assures, Tyler chuckling. Her hand moves to run down his side, waiting for him to adjust. When he doesn’t respond for a while, she scratches gently at his spine to get his attention.

“Javi? You okay?”

“More,” he says weakly. She obeys, sinking in another inch and waiting again. After a few more times of this, Javi manages to let her bottom out, and his breathing picks up. Kate feels him clenching, and rubs a soothing hand down his back.

“Don't cum, baby. Not yet.”

“You're both right against- I can't- oh shit.” He clings to Tyler as he shakes through an orgasm, cumming in between them. Tyler curses and shuts his eyes, breathing through it as Javi tightens and moans into his ear.

“Fuck. Sorry,” Javi pants, open mouthed against Tyler's shoulder, trying to steady himself.

“That good, huh?” Kate smiles, pressing kisses down his spine. Javi makes an approving noise, and she bites at his shoulder blade, giggling at the huff he lets out.

“Tell us when you're ready,” she says softly, peeking over Javi's shoulder at Tyler looking completely unfocused underneath Javi's weight.

“You okay there, cowboy?” she chuckles.

“That just took years off my life trying not to cum early.”

She laughs and Javi giggles, looking up at him. “Sorry.”

“You are playing a dangerous game knowing I'm one-and-done, my love,” Tyler chuckles, running a hand through his hair. “Take it easy on me.”

Javi hums, leaning into his touch. “There's no way you're one-and-done. Your sex drive is as bad as ours.”

Tyler shrugs, feeling Javi's erection start to fill out again. He grins, Javi's cheeks starting to redden. “Speaking of.”

Javi puffs out a breath, pushing himself up on his hands. “Please. Move.”

Tyler grabs his hips and looks at Kate, and she very happily makes the first move, pulling out and roughly thrusting back in. She watches as her fiances both moan, Javi pushing back against her.

“Please. Please, Kate. Ty. More.”

Tyler groans and bucks up into him, though he doesn't have much leverage, at the same time Kate thrusts back into him, and Javi cries out.

“Yes, just like that. Oh god, don't stop,” he begs, reaching a hand down to touch himself. “Faster, please.”

Kate reaches around and grabs his wrist before he can reach his erection. “You know the rules.”

Javi whines but drops his hand back down to the mattress. He eyes Tyler, his eyes shut as he pushes up into Javi.

“Ty,” he whispers, hoarse. The phrase that comes out next is probably ill-advised, knowing exactly what it does to the both of them, but he doesn’t stop it either. “Ty, I need you.”

Tyler forces his eyes open, and praise is immediately spilling out of his mouth. “So good for us, darling. Taking us so well.” Javi can feel his breathing pick up, excitement coursing through him. “So beautiful, the way you look right now, you have no idea. So perfect.”

Javi can feel his dick twitching between them. Almost there. “Unh- please, Ty.”

Tyler gives a breathless laugh. “Not my permission you need, darling.”

“Kate,” he whines, and Kate hums consideringly as she snaps her hips into that spot inside him, Javi letting out a choked gasp.

“Ty, how close are you?”

“Very.”

“You can cum after Ty.” Javi breathes a sigh of relief. “And me.”

He groans, dropping his head in defeat. “Kate-”

“Don't argue or it'll be not at all,” she says firmly. Ty chuckles as Javi looks at him pleadingly.

“Sorry, beautiful. Captain's orders.” Javi groans and lays down on his chest. Kate picks up the pace, focused now on getting Tyler there as the dildo rubs against him inside their fiance. Javi clenches rhythmically to assist, resigned to not cumming again for now.

Kate's thrusts get harder and his erection starts getting thrust against Tyler's stomach and his own release each time. Javi buries his face against Tyler’s throat, panting hard as the pressure of both of them against his prostate starts to bring him to the edge again, pairing with the stimulation. “Kate. Kate, slow down. I'm gonna cum.”

“Don't.”

Normally, this would be an order easily taken, but Javi genuinely can't stand it. He rises back up on his hands to try and relieve the pressure with a broken “ah wait-,” but it's too late. Tyler blinks at him.

“Kate. I think he really-”

And that's as much of a warning as they get. Javi cries out, loud, into the room as he spills onto Tyler's stomach, clenching tight around them again.

Tyler lets out a “shit” and grabs his hips, spilling into him with a moan and making Javi whine. Kate patiently continues moving, gentler, letting them both ride it out, and waits until Javi collapses back onto Tyler before pulling out. Tyler wraps his arms around him and presses a kiss to the top of his head as Javi pants.

She doesn't say anything, waiting some more, and Javi finally brings himself back enough to manage a “S-sorry.”

“Aw, be nice to him, darling,” Tyler chuckles, still catching his breath, as Kate opens her mouth. “He didn't know he would like it that much.”

Kate sighs, rubbing Javi's back and making him melt against Tyler further. “I guess I can forgive you this one time.”

Javi doesn't say anything, tracing Tyler’s pec. Kate frowns and leans over him, seeing the guilty look on his face.

“Javi, it's just play, baby. I'm not actually upset with you.”

“I've never disobeyed an order before,” he mumbles. “I didn't mean to.”

Kate frowns, looking at Tyler, who seems equally confused. “Javi? Look at me.”

When he does, she sighs in understanding. “Ty, you need to stop doing that.”

“What?”

“Praising him when he asks. It sends him into subspace every time,” she huffs.

“Hey, you're the one who started barking orders! As if that doesn't do it too.”

They start bickering over Javi's head and he settles back down, content between their body heat and voices. Eventually, a hand runs through his hair and he looks up at Kate again.

“Forget the order, baby, we'll just blame it on Ty.”

“We will not blame it on Ty,” Tyler argues. Javi smiles at her.

“I did good?”

She kisses his temple. “You did great. Right, Ty?”

Javi turns to look at him and Tyler smiles. “Yeah, darling. You did amazing.”

Javi breathes easier almost immediately. He lets the fuzzy feelings linger for a moment longer before gently pushing them back down, letting Tyler and Kate's continued bickering bring his normal state back.

“That might've been my fault.”

They pause to look at him, and he grins up at them. “I knew what asking would do, I just didn't care.”

Kate smacks his arm. “Ow!”

“Javi, that is so not cool. I thought I had just emotionally gutted you.”

Javi laughs, sitting up as Tyler lets him go and wincing when he realizes Tyler's still inside him, but making no move to pull off. “Nah, I just went down a little bit. Needy, not fully there.”

“You're always needy,” Tyler teases, laughing at Javi's glare.

“It's true,” Kate nods, finally unclipping the strap. “Let me guess, you want Ty to clean you up and me to get you water?”

Javi goes quiet and they both laugh. “Whatever.”

Tyler rubs his thigh. “It was good, though, yeah?”

Javi nods. “For you guys?”

“Oh, that was great,” Kate smiles, Tyler nodding along with her. “Also, I came already.”

They both turn to her and realize she is definitely more wet than normal between her thighs.

“How-?”

She shrugs, casual as ever. “It was a nice view up there, and I only needed one hand.” She grins at their stunned expressions. After a moment, Tyler drops back down to the bed with a groan, arm over his eyes.

“I'm gonna die,” he sighs, ignoring his fiances’ giggles. “They're gonna kill me. Lord save me.”

***

“I’m sorry, Mr. Bradshaw, but it’s highly doubtful you’ll have recovered enough to be discharged, especially at something like an outdoor wedding. There’s too many risks involved.”

“But it’s not a discharge. It’s just- like- like a day pass,” he argues. Jake and Nat aren’t here to advocate for him, having stepped out to go eat, and Bradley can admit he’s panicking.

“An entire day is still a huge risk, and your leg has been risked enough,” the nurse frowns. “I’m truly sorry, really I am. But the specialist won’t clear it.”

Bradley feels a pit of anxiety in his stomach. He knows everyone was hopeful he would get out in time, reassuring him in the group chat non-stop. Now he’s gonna miss the wedding. Miss his proposal.

“No. Where is he? Let me talk to him,” Bradley demands. The nurse sighs.

“He’s not here anymore, I’m sorry.”

“So he’s just gonna deny me and then go home?” Bradley snaps, immediately feeling bad at the exasperated look on her face. “Sorry. I’m sorry. This isn’t your fault, I know. Is there anyone I can talk to?”

She frowns, thinking. “I can get him a message, but there’s no guarantee he’ll respond.”

“Please.”

She nods, and leaves, Bradley slumping back in his bed. Shit.

He turns and reaches for his phone, thumb following the familiar pattern of button presses that he could do in his sleep, bringing it up to his ear. It only rings once before it’s answered.

“What’s wrong?”

Bradley smiles. “What happened to ‘hello’? ‘How are you’ even?”

“What’s wrong?”

Bradley sighs. “They’re not letting me go.”

Jake makes an annoyed noise, the sound of skin smacking and Javy’s distant “ow, asshole!” making Bradley grin. “Why not?”

“Said it’s too risky.”

“What are the risks?”

“Infection, compromised bandaging, circulation problems, fatigue, someone or something bumping into me and making it worse,” Bradley lists, frowning. Well, it sounds bad when he puts it like that.

“So, basically what we were dealing with when you were lying to me?”

Bradley winces, falling silent, guilt eating at him.

“Bradley?” Jake prompts, voice softening. “I was just kidding. Mostly.”

“Yeah, what we were dealing with,” Bradley mutters.

“Bradley,” Jake says sternly. “I was kidding. Don’t do that.”

“I know.”

Jake sighs. “Why are you being pissy? Do you want me to come back?”

“I’m fine.”

“That’s a yes. Alright, I’m on my way.”

“Okay… I snapped at a nurse.”

Jake sighs again, exasperation clear. “Of course you did. Yeah, I’ll handle it.” Bradley smiles when he can hear the grin in Jake’s voice. “One of us has to be the charming one.”

“I’m charming!”

“You wanna ask the nurse you just snapped at if she agrees?”

“...okay, you can be the charming one this time.”

Jake laughs, and Bradley relaxes into the bed, smiling. “I love you.”

“I can tell. Your sappy voice is in full effect right now. It sounds just like Ty’s.” Jake pauses before he fake-gags. “Ugh, Elena was right.”

“Right about what?”

“Things I do not want to examine right now.”

“Weird. Say you love me back.”

“Haven’t earned it.”

“Please?”

“Nope.”

“Okay,” Bradley agrees, leaning back into the pillows as he hears a car door slamming, an engine starting up. “I’m sorry again.”

“So you’ve said.”

“I love you.”

“You’ve said that too. Twice now actually. Catch a hint, Bradley, he’s just not that into you.”

Bradley laughs, pulling the blanket over himself as the A/C kicks on. “I really am sorry. About the doe-eyes.”

Jake’s quiet for a while, though he hears what sounds like a window being rolled down and Jake rifling around in his bag. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah,” Bradley says quietly. “I know… I know they make you feel bad. I really did try to hide them. You deserved to be mad at me.”

“Well, unlucky for you, I still am.”

“Yeah,” he breathes, eyes going distant as he stares straight ahead. Still mad at him. Right.

“...Bradley?”

“Hm?”

“They give you morphine?”

“No.”

“Why are you being like that?”

“Like what?”

“Spacey.”

“Oh. Am I? I don't know.”

Jake’s quiet again, and Bradley frowns. “Sorry.”

“Quit saying that.”

“I am, though. I’m really, really sorry. We are a team, Jake.”

“Why are you talking like that? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just upset about the wedding.”

“No, it’s something else.” He hears muffled voices and briefly catches a snippet of a “...-ive faster, Ja-...”

“Jake?”

“I’m here. Bradley, what happened between you and the nurse exactly?”

Bradley frowns, but recounts the interaction in detail.

“Okay,” Jake says simply. “I’m in the lobby. Be up in a minute.”

As the phone hangs up, Bradley frowns some more, confused, trying to go through why Jake asked. Maybe he has something else to chew Bradley out for now. Bradley drops his head back against the pillows, purposely slamming it hard enough to move through the cushion and smack the back of his head against the bed's plastic frame. A dull streak of pain goes across his skull and he doesn't move to soothe it, thinking of the stress lines he's put on Jake's face lately.

Jake walks in a minute later, determined. “Bradley, I need you to focus right now,” he says firmly, barely past the door frame as he shuts it. “Why did you snap at her?”

Bradley blinks. “What?”

“Why did you snap at the nurse? Keep up.”

Bradley stares at him, automatically reaching for his hand. Jake eyes it for a moment before taking it, sitting down in the chair next to him. “Why?”

“I was mad about my leave being denied.”

“Your discharge, Bradley,” Jake corrects, voice strained.

Bradley blinks. Then blinks again. “Oh.”

“Jesus, will the mental problems ever stop with all of you?” Jake sighs. “Busted ass leg on top of PTSD, huh?”

Guilt fills him at the thought that he’s just become a hell of a lot more of a burden. “Yeah.”

“Doe eyes,” Jake warns.

“Sorry.”

Jake stares at him. “Ya know, you didn’t used to be so… pitiful.”

Bradley recoils at the word, pulling his hand away in hurt. He knows he deserves that, but it doesn’t cut any less.

“I’m not… fuck. I’m not saying that as a bad thing. Well, actually, yeah I am. But because I’m worried, Bradley. Jesus, you worry me sick, you know that? And now you’re doing the tears and the doe eyes and staring at me like I’m the greatest thing you’ve ever seen, and… I don’t know.”

Anxiety fills Bradley’s stomach. “I’m… I’m sorry?”

“And that, the apologizing, the ridiculous amount of I love yous, the pet names. They started before you even left. They started after I gave you that ring...” Jake’s leg is bouncing. Oh no. “Maybe… maybe we’re rushing into this marriage thing too fast. Maybe I did. I mean, it has only been a little over a year. We have time.”

Bradley feels the tears starting. No, please no. “You don’t… you don’t want to anymore?”

Jake frowns. “Not that. I’m just thinking maybe we should wait. Go back to partners, ya know?”

Instead of fiances. Jesus, what kind of sick role reversal is this? Jake suddenly wanting to go slow, be patient, worrying about the details. But it hits Bradley then. He’s forced Jake into this role, with all the shit he’s caused. He’s done enough damage. “Okay.”

“I want to, Bradley, someday. That ring is still yours. I just think we should wait.”

“I understand.”

Bradley doesn’t see the way Jake’s staring at the side of his face, watching him slip back to Rooster. Flying back up to his perch. Fuck. Fuck. No, not again. “Bradley-”

“It’s okay, really.” Bradley turns back to him finally, calm smile on his face. Jake feels sick at the teary shine to his eyes. “I get it. This was just too much shit at once. I get it.”

“Sweetheart-”

“I think I want my morphine drip now,” Bradley says quietly, clicking the nurse call button. “The A/C is hurting my leg.”

A nurse appears before Jake can think of something to say, some way to fix it, so he blurts out the truth. “I love you.” Fuck, wrong truth.

Bradley’s expression twists with hurt, and he looks away, Jake’s stomach sinking. “I love you too.”

***

Boone: yall why did i just get a $200 D&B e-gift card from Jake 😭

Lily: you better share that, tf

Boone: back off

Dani: from JAKE??? someone call him, is he having a crisis

Dex: Not it.

Lily: not it

Dani: not it

Boone: thats not fair im literally adding it to my rewards account rn

Dani: he has a rewards account 🫵🤣

Boone: ur not invited

Dani: wait hold up

Lily: nah but fr, someone call him, I need to know. We don’t have a powerpuff girl on hand right now

Dani: boone lost

Boone: ugh fine

Boone: he didnt answer lemme try thing 2

Dani: that man is def hopped up on morphine, don't bother

Dex: Just call phoenix.

Dani: yeah, STUPID, just call Phoenix

Lily: as if you thought of that

Dani: whose side are you on

Lily: ❣️

Dani: that is the most passive aggressive heart i've ever seen

Boone: yall smths up

Dani: ?

Boone: nat answered but she sounds stressed as hell. asked if she could call me back

Lily: what the

Dani: mad ominous

Boone: yeah idk

Boone: should one of us go over there? i know we got a lot to do but…

Lily: i’ll go. Dani’s got most of our stuff anyways

Boone: cool thx

Dex: Should we tell Ty? You know how he worries.

Boone: lets find out what it is first if we can. i dont wanna freak them out for no reason literally the day before

Dani: they prob wouldn’t see the message until tmmr anyways

Boone: its 1 pm??

Boone: …

Boone: 😷🤚 disgusting never imply that again

Dani: LMAO

***

Lily walks into the waiting room and finds a stressed Javy and Bob sitting on either side of a completely exhausted-looking Jake.

“You guys okay?” she asks, brow furrowing, making them look up at her. Her eyes widen. “Is Bradley?”

“He’s fine,” Javy cuts in quickly. “Leg’s good.”

She nods, unsure. “We were all worried.”

Jake sighs. “We’ll be fine. Did you need something from me?”

Lily frowns. “No. Just checking on you.”

No response comes from that, and she considers him. “Should I call Ty?”

“No!” Jake says immediately. “No, I- he doesn’t need to worry about this.”

“Right. What is ‘this’?”

Javy and Bob glance at each other, then look back to Jake. Javy nudges him.

“Tell her, man. You see the way she is with Javi.”

Lily smiles a little, but then frowns. That could mean a lot of different things. “Huh?”

Javy smiles at her. “I just mean that you’re good with the whole ‘I’m having a crisis and I need advice but I’m bad at taking it’ thing.”

A laugh escapes her. “Oh yeah, that’s Javi. Surprised you picked up on that. I didn’t know he had a lot of those these days.”

Javy grins. “Group chat.”

Lily nods in understanding, thinking of Javi’s weird messages that came with his mood swings, her and Jake always quick to tease him. “Yeah, that’s fair.”

“C’mon, Jake,” Bob urges gently, and Jake tenses but gives in after a moment.

“I broke off our engagement.”

Lily blinks, sitting down hard in the plastic chair across from them. “What?”

“He’s just been so weird lately,” Jake huffs, suddenly on a roll. “I mean, I know I’m weird about him leaving, but he’s been weird. Ever since I proposed to him-”

“You what?!”

Jake pauses, looking at her stunned expression. “Oh. I forgot you guys don’t know. Yeah, I proposed to him in private and then was gonna do it again at the wedding. But after I did… He started acting different. Pet names, hanging all over me, ridiculous amounts of I love yous, completely sappy declarations, those fucking doe eyes.”

Lily shoots a confused look at Javy, who shrugs, equally confused.

“And then it made him manipulate people to come home early, made him ignore his leg to get- Jesus, this whole fucking engagement was cursed from the beginning,” Jake growls. “It’s because I rushed it. I wanted him to belong to me before he left me, in case he didn’t come back.”

Javy blinks in surprise, Bob puts a hand on his shoulder, and Lily looks worried. “So, why exactly did you break up with him?”

“I didn’t break up with him.”

“I mean, that’s how I would take it,” Lily mumbles. Jake stares at her.

“I didn’t-” Jake stutters over his next denial. “Fuck, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m- I’m trying to protect him. All this shit is overwhelming m- him, and it’s… getting married is the last thing he needs to worry about right now. Whatever happened in his head when I proposed to him, it’s just making things worse. We just need to take a step back, regroup. Try again down the line.”

Javy frowns, grabbing Jake’s bicep hard. “Dude, breathe. Hold on, I'm confused. Did you do all that for Bradley, or for yourself?”

Jake's head snaps to him, incredulous and angry, and he stands abruptly. “How dare you-”

“I'm serious, man.”

“I've been doing everything for him-”

“Yes, so we’ve all heard. Jesus man, he sounds more like your kid than your fiance.” Jake’s nostrils flare at the sharp inhale he takes. “Jake… I've been rooting for you two, you know that. But maybe this is too much for you to handle. It's sending you off the deep end.”

“It is not-”

“It is. I have never seen you freak out or doubt anything as much in your life as you've doubted this relationship since you two got back together.”

“It hasn’t been since we got back together.”

Javy sighs. “Dude. Before he even went on his hop, you were always hovering near him. Like he was about to get plucked off the face of the Earth if you looked away for too long. I figured it was attachment issues after what happened, but it's more than that. Do you trust him not to leave you again?”

Jake's mouth is open in shock. What the fuck? “Shut up.”

“You broke up with him over it-”

“I’m slowing us down.”

“-and you're sitting here still mad at him. For what, Jake?”

“For lying to me!” Jake snaps. “We’re supposed to be in this together.”

Javy throws his hands up. “Like you've never pulled a dumb fucking stunt that almost gets you killed. Did you ask him for permission beforehand all those times you and I were on hops?”

“That's not the same. I didn't take it home with me,” Jake growls.

“So, what, you can’t handle his PTSD? Just say that then.”

Jake reels back, offended. “That is not what I'm saying. I’m talking about his leg.”

“Okay, fine, I get it. Not everyone can keep loving their partners through illness, mental or physical.”

“That is not- shut the fuck up, Coyote. Do not ever talk about my relationship like that. Why would you even imply that I don't-? I love him, that's not the problem.”

“Isn't it?”

“I swear to God, Javy-”

“You told him he was a burden. That you pity him. That all those signs of affection he was showing you? Nah, he's just overcompensating because he's a liar. A mentally fucked up liar.”

Jake grabs Javy out of his chair, yanking him out of the front doors as Bob and Lily run after them. He shoves Javy away from him once they're outside.

“You wanna say that again?” Jake snarls. “Go ahead.”

Javy glares. “Fine. Your complete fucking lack of self awareness has just sabotaged your relationship. I always have your back, Jake, and I will follow you away from this relationship-” They both miss Bob's alarmed and hurt look. “-but not for some stupid fucking reason like this. And you are not stupid, Jake. Breaking up with him was all you. And then I'm supposed to sit here and listen to you spin it as if you're protecting him?”

“He lied to me! Manipulated me, Nat, Ice!”

“Because he is in love with you. What he did was fucking stupid, but smarter men have done dumber shit for love. It's Bradley. I really, really doubt he was thinking any farther ahead than ‘get back to Jake.’ The man used to follow you around just to get a glimpse of you even when you guys were broken up. Jake, I need you to listen to me.” Javy takes a deep breath. “Please, for the love of God, do not sabotage your relationship with the one person who has always chosen you over everybody. Who is always trying to put you first. Even I haven't always been good at that.” Javy grimaces apologetically. “I know he lied. I know he manipulated people. Don't let him off easy for that. But give him a fucking chance before you start bringing the axe down.”

“He’s had his chances!” Jake shouts. “I’m done waiting for him to catch up!”

Silence rings out in the parking lot, and Jake eventually realizes what he just said. “I didn’t… I don’t mean that.”

“I think he heard you,” Lily says quietly, looking up at the hospital.

Jake turns to see Nat shutting a window three stories up. “Fuck.”

***

When he bursts into the room, it's to Bradley crying with Nat’s hand on his shoulder. His eyes widen and he quickly turns his face away, wiping his tears off with the blanket. Nat frowns, handing him tissues instead.

“Nat. Leave, please.”

She narrows her eyes at him, but doesn't argue, standing and walking out. She knocks his arm with her shoulder as she passes, but it's gentler than he deserves.

The room goes silent as she shuts the door, Bradley still looking away as he tries to clean himself up. Jake comes closer and reaches for his hand, but hesitates, dropping it back down to his side.

The two of them sit there in silence for a long time, and Jake can’t stop hearing his own words in his head.

“I didn’t mean it, Bradley,” he says softly, not even realizing he was going to speak. “I didn’t mean it at all.”

Bradley slumps back against the pillows. “I fucked this up again, didn’t I?”

“No.”

“I did. You’re tired of waiting for me to get my shit together.” Bradley squeezes his eyes shut, chin wrinkling as he tries not to cry. “God, I’m sorry, Jake. I was really trying to get it right this time.”

“You are,” Jake assures, finally sitting down next to him and taking his hand. “You are, sweetheart.”

Bradley shakes his head. “Please don’t call me that. I’m trying not to-” He waves vaguely at his own face.

Jake grimaces, bringing his hand up to kiss. “Okay.”

“Javy was right. You’re always my priority,” he sighs. “I wanted to come home to you so badly, but not because I wanted that ring. Although, I definitely wanted that too.” Jake hates the sad smile on his face, like it’s a distant memory. “I didn’t want you to worry. I wanted you to know you’ll always have me.” Bradley takes in a shuddering inhale. “After what happened with your mom-” Jake flinches, brow pinching. “-things about you made a lot more sense. Why you’ve always had to push yourself to accept my affection, to believe I love you. You’d never experienced that before. I was really trying not to overwhelm you while also still showing you I wasn’t going anywhere. I thought… I thought you proposing to me was progress. That you were finally ready for that.”

“I proposed to you because you were leaving,” Jake admits, wincing.

Bradley's eyes widen before he turns his head away from him. “So you didn’t actually want to at the time?”

Jake hesitates. “I did.”

“But you wouldn’t have if I wasn’t leaving?”

“...No. I would have just waited until the wedding.”

Bradley chokes back a sob. “And now I’m just nothing but a fucking burden,” he sniffles. “I stressed you out with the leg and now I have a fucked up brain, and-”

“Stop.”

“-you don’t trust me.” Bradley gasps in a breath, and Jake stands, still holding his hand. “I wouldn’t marry me either.”

“Jesus, Bradley, shut up.”

Bradley looks up at him, then immediately looks back down. Jake sucks in a breath.

“You are… so fucking stupid sometimes.” Bradley squeezes his eyes shut. “You’re so patient and thoughtful about everything else, but the second I’m not around, you start doing dumb shit like what you did. Bradley… I do it too.” Bradley’s eyes fly open to meet his in shock. “I can’t eat, I can’t sleep. I’m obsessively checking my phone all the time. I had three alarms set to make sure I didn’t miss our scheduled calls. I was so worried about you when you went down that I would sit outside in the cold for hours to keep myself awake in case Ice called.” Bradley looks heartbroken, but Jake presses on. “I’m so pissed at you because you’re doing shit I would do. That’s not our deal, Bradshaw. I’m the Mav, you’re supposed to be the Ice. You switched our roles without telling me and I had to get with the program real fucking fast. Except neither of us have their experience, Bradley. We’re still new at this. And I can’t just magically fix a fucking jet fuel injury.”

“I trust you, Jake,” Bradley says softly. “I knew you would take care of me. I’m sorry I put you in that position, but I… I just thought that’s- that’s what you do. You just… lean on each other.” Bradley looks away, taking a shaky breath. “I get it, I really do. Why you called off our engagement. Because of assumptions just like that. Because I fucked it up by doing stupid shit. I scared you off. I’m sorry.”

Jake stares at him. “...you… assumed I would take care of you because that’s ‘what you do’? What does that even mean?”

Bradley grimaces. “It was a stupid assumption. I just thought that’s what you do because that’s what I saw Mav and Ice do. My parents do. They never seemed to have to ask. I shouldn’t have projected that onto our relationship. I’m sorry.”

Jake stares some more, thinking of Bradley encouraging him to text Tyler when he’d gotten that invite, who turned out to be Kate. Of him wordlessly making plans with Ice to get the two of them and Javy out here to Oklahoma. Of him sticking by his side, listening intently to every conversation and complaint in case Jake needed backup. Of him holding him while he cried over his mom despising his existence. How easily he agrees to anything Jake wants, nearly without question, purely because he likes seeing him happy. How Jake knows that, gloats about it even. How Jake hasn’t had to ask for his support or his love or his encouragement since they started dating, but Bradley constantly has to reach out, to work, for his.

What he did was wrong, undeniably, but…

‘Smarter men have done dumber shit for love.’

Man, fuck you, Javy.

Jake puffs out a laugh, and climbs onto the bed next to Bradley, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, careful of his still suspended leg, Bradley resting his head against him. “Look at me.”

“I don’t wanna-”

“I’m not asking.”

Bradley hesitantly looks up at him again and Jake sighs, leaning down to kiss him. The doe eyes aren't anything but Bradley's normal face, he’s realizing. Jake's just a sucker.

When they pull away, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the little velvet box. He opens it up and places it on Bradley’s thigh, ignoring the shocked inhale he lets out.

“That belongs to you,” Jake assures. “I’m not playing games with you, Bradley, I will kick your ass if you pull something like this again. But… I get it now, too. I think. We’re gonna get this right, okay? This-” He takes the ring out and holds it out for Bradley to take, letting it fall onto his palm. “-is a promise we can keep together. So let’s start there.”

Bradley sniffles, nodding. “Okay.”

“Bradley. I’ve never been good at letting people in. My parents royally fucked me up, and after Tyler told me they were better off without me, I was so sure that’s how the rest of the world must feel. Javy has been the only friend I’ve ever managed to keep long-term, and you were my first real relationship. I was so in love with you, it was embarrassing. Then you broke up with me, and I was convinced I wasn’t destined for that kind of love, that the world was right.” Bradley curls into his side as much as a six foot one fighter pilot can, and Jake recognizes it for the apology it is. He rubs his arm in acceptance. “Learning about my mom actually wasn’t that much of a surprise. It mostly just answered a lot of questions I had left. Having you and Ty back, it softened the blow a lot. I just… I didn’t know how to go from having what felt like no one to having everything I’ve ever wanted. Friends, family, someone to spend my life with. And then to have to deal with the possibility of losing it again… I chickened out. Me. Jesus, the things you do to me, Bradshaw.” Jake kisses the top of his head, Bradley making a broken noise. “But, well…” Jake takes the ring from Bradley and takes his hand, slipping it onto his ring finger. “Time to get off my fucking perch, huh, sweetheart?”

Bradley starts crying immediately and Jake can feel tears of his own start. He doesn’t care. He tilts Bradley’s head back to look at him. “Of course you can lean on me. You never have to ask. But if you ever make me worry like that again, I am going to tie you up in the basement and keep you there. There is a line, and we can now draw it. It’s called the Leg Incident.”

Bradley lets out a watery laugh, pressing up to kiss him. Jake sighs into it. “Can we call it the Jet Fuel Incident? That’s way cooler.”

Jake huffs. “Fine. But only if you save me from Nat. I think she has a spear ready to pierce me with the second I come out the door.”

“I’ll do my best, but no promises. Man, I can’t believe even Javy defended me.”

“I think he just likes to contradict me. Although, speaking of, I have to come up with a plan while he still feels bad about it. What do you think I can get out of him?”

“That fancy skillet you wanted?”

“Knew I liked you for a reason, Bradshaw.”

“That’s Bradshaw-Seresin to you.”

“Seresin-Bradshaw.”

“...fine.”

***

Later, when Jake has survived Nat, convinced Javy to order him and Bradley the aforementioned skillet, and officially announced their engagement to the Wranglers, he tells Ice everything, even shamefully admitting going back on the engagement. He fully expects a scolding or at least a disappointed sigh.

Again, Ice surprises him. He chuckles. “Oh, that’s nothing. Wait until I tell you about the Admiral’s Fish Incident. Silent treatment for three months.”

“That was not my fault, Jake! Don’t listen to his lies!” Mav calls from the background. Jake smiles, petting Bradley’s hair as he sleeps against him. Terrible role models, they really are.

*Wedding Day*

A knock at the door wakes Kate up first. Then the rapid knocking of multiple fists makes Javi follow.

“Five more minutes,” Javi groans, arm across Kate's stomach to keep her there.

“It's five past noon. They technically did give us five minutes,” she chuckles, moving his arm and pushing him towards Tyler so he'll cling that way. He goes easily and she shakes her head as she gets up.

She pulls the door open and immediately Dex and Boone turn away while Dani and Lily laugh. She looks down and realizes she's still in her underwear and bra. Sighing, she turns, leaving the door open, and grabs her robe from where it's lying on the dresser. “Ya know, if they were awake, they could've warned me. I'm gonna blame this on them.”

“Kate,” Boone says, voice strangled with panic as he looks again. “Please tell me he's wearing something under that blanket.”

Kate looks over to see Javi has tiredly settled on a still sleeping Tyler's chest, pushing the blanket low while also pulling it closer to him. Tyler's bare hip is now exposed to the room, a tiny sliver of blanket just enough to cover the side of his ass cheek while the rest of his bare leg dangles off the bed.

“No,” she says casually. “He's not.”

Boone makes a mournful noise and walks down the hall, Dani and Lily giggling and Dex sighing.

“Alright, get dressed. We'll be back in five,” Dex chuckles, pulling the two women away as they shoot Kate lecherous grins, Kate giving them a sly smile back as she slips them a duffel.

***

Kate: Thank you for taking the “supplies” out of the room before our mothers got here. We’re decent now.

Dani: always a pleasure to help a fellow deviant

Lily: yall nasty, it’s actually hilarious

Kate: Blame Javi.

Dani: i won’t actually, bc why is it always you making the requests of us? 🤔

Kate: Girls supporting girls?

Lily: 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

Kate: Sorry, taken.

Dani: boooooo

Lily: this is homophobic

Dani: ⬆️

Kate: My bad. I’ll just change my sexuality. Problem solved.

Dani: damn right

Lily: get on it, Carter

Lily: *Rivera

Kate: Thank you. Also, Dani, here’s my playlist finally.

Kate: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5bFtwfOvjndEcWz8MKK_JkKQoisiLgYk&si=N4BYSFQn8ZYtV-WO

Dani: LMAO WHAT IS THIS MIX

Lily: never thought lynyrd and rihanna would be on the same playlist

Dani: yeah, im gonna need the clean version of that. Kate, you are wicked, truly. ily for it

Kate: Nat approved it.

Dani: …

Lily: …

[Dani added Nat]

Nat: where am I

Dani: LMAO WHAT IS THIS MIX YOU APPROVED

***

“Jake’s gonna be here in a few with Elena to get you ready, Javi. And Cathy is downstairs finding parking, she and Dani and Lily are gonna take you back to the house, Kate. Ty, we'll head to the RV in a minute. Dex is at the house getting the guests sorted,” Boone reports. Tyler smiles fondly at his rare serious demeanor.

“Have I told you lately that you’re the best Best Man there is?” Tyler grins. Boone nods once, firmly.

“I know. I have Jake beat by actual continents by now.”

“That is not fair, my fiance was hospitalized.”

They turn to see Jake pushing the hotel room door open with Elena close behind. Jake pauses as Elena quickly swarms the throuple with excitement, looking around the room. He meets Tyler’s eyes and wrinkles his nose at his pleased grin.

“Please tell me you guys got housekeeping in here. I do not want to stand in my brother’s sex den.” Javi chokes on his spit and turns bright red while Kate cackles, Tyler bursting out laughing at his fiances’ reactions. Boone fake-retches and slaps a hand down on Tyler’s shoulder to get his attention.

“Say goodbye to your lovebirds, we’re leaving.” He dashes out the door without another word, Jake snorting.

“Ah, young love,” Elena sighs, shaking her head as she rifles through Javi’s things. Tyler sweeps both his fiances up in his arms and smatters kisses all over their faces, Javi and Kate laughing before he finally meets each of them in a real kiss.

“I’ll see you later, my darlings,” he murmurs, planting one last kiss each to their foreheads. “I love you.”

They pull him back for another kiss and echo his sentiment, Jake rolling his eyes.

“Alright alright, you’re being separated for a few hours, not going off to war.” He and Javi pause, then shoot each other raised eyebrows and start snickering.

“I’d pay money to see how you are with Bradley when no one’s looking, if only so I have ammo of my own,” Tyler sighs.

Before Jake can respond, Cathy sweeps into the room in a flurry of motion, beelining for Kate. She stops long enough to pull Javi and Tyler in for a kiss on the cheek, then begins shooting rapid-fire questions that Kate easily keeps up with.

“Cathy!” Elena smiles as she looks over and recognizes her, Cathy turning to see her in the corner and immediately grinning.

“Elena goddamn Rivera, how have you been?” she laughs, pulling her in for a hug. “I haven’t seen you since Javi’s graduation!”

“I was so disappointed we missed each other when I visited in March,” Elena agrees. “And then they kept saying you have been busy since I got here…”

“Oh!” Cathy grins. “My dress, well Kate’s now, is more delicate than most. It's been an heirloom for four generations now. Kate makes five.” She grins proudly at her daughter, and Kate flushes a little. “My grandmother has always used the same family of tailors for alterations, and once I had Kate’s measurements, I went to go see him.”

Elena raises her eyebrows. “How far did you have to go?”

Cathy sighs. “New York City, my dear. I couldn’t just leave it there because he would occasionally need more measurements to check the fit, and Kate and I are the same size. And then it took even longer because he had to order extra fabric from a vendor in France.”

Tyler sighs dramatically, pulling Cathy into a hug and slumping against her. “You were gone so long.” Cathy pats him consolingly with a headshake to Elena, who laughs.

“Oh, he’s a flatterer with you too, I see.”

“Suck up,” Jake teases without thinking, and immediately freezes when Cathy turns her gaze to him.

“You must be Jake,” she says, tone neutral, and Jake almost wants to take a step back at Tyler’s smug grin. Cathy’s piercing look is familiar, and he withers a little as he realizes it’s the same one Kate fixes him with. Oh no, there are two Kates.

“Yes, ma’am,” he says stiffly.

“Tyler didn’t let me size you up when you last came,” she nods. Jake blinks. Oh, she’s even more blunt than Kate. Great. “Step into the hall with me.”

When he looks to everyone for help, Tyler snickers, Javi shrugs, Elena smiles reassuringly, and Kate gives him a blank look. He scowls at her, and a smile tugs at her lip before she turns to kiss Javi and Tyler goodbye.

“I’ll send your best man back to you intact,” she giggles, Javi snorting. “Also, Ty, you definitely should have been gone already. Boone’s probably about to start blowing up your phone.”

Tyler blinks before he curses, giving them each one last kiss before shouting, “I love you!” and disappearing out the door right as his phone starts ringing, his fiances laughingly shouting it back.

Kate turns and kisses Javi hard, Elena politely pretending to be busy by the window as she does. “I’ll see you at the altar,” she whispers, running a hand through his hair and pulling him back in briefly with a grip on his curls. “Love you.”

“Love you too,” he whispers back, flushed. She smiles and shoots a glance at Elena’s turned back before groping Javi’s ass and grinning at the way his jaw tightens suppressing the noise he almost makes.

“Take good care of it for me.” With a pat, she releases him finally, viscerally pleased at his flushed appearance. “See you, baby.”

She leaves without even a glance back, and Javi stands there stunned and embarrassed, blush darkening at his mother’s fond repetition of, “Young love.”

*Javi*

“Oh my god, you’re like a toddler. Elena, how did you handle this his whole childhood?” Jake grouches, forcing Javi still again while Elena fixes his suit cuffs for the tenth time.

“I gave up, usually. Or put on Scooby-Doo,” she chuckles. “Putting him in nice clothes never seemed to work out well for either of us.” Jake turns to Javi with an amused look.

“Want me to put on Scooby-Doo?”

“Shut up, Jake.”

Javi starts pacing again the second they let go of him, and Jake glares at his hands to make sure they don’t start drifting towards his sleeves again.

“Papi,” Elena calls, digging around in her purse. Javi pauses and turns to her. “I have something for you.” She cups something in her palm and holds it out to him. Javi sucks in a breath.

“Is that… Jose’s-”

She shakes her head. “No. It was mine,” she smiles. Javi gently takes the Taíno pendant from her, running a thumb over it.

“Mami-”

“It’s not quite as ancestral as Jose’s is. If I remember right, his has been traced to as old as a few hundred years,” she chuckles. “I got that from my mother before she passed, and she got it from a vendor at a street fair the very last time she was home. So maybe… forty-five years old.”

His mother hasn’t had her parents in her life for a long time, since before she even met Jose. Even with the pendant’s clearly mass-produced, somewhat generic design, “ancestral” suddenly means very little in the wake of his mother giving him one of the only pieces she has left of her own parents. Javi feels emotion build in his throat and he looks up at her, pulling her into his arms. She laughs, patting his back.

“It’ll be ancestral someday,” he says softly. “When I give it to my own kids. And they give it to theirs, and it keeps going.”

Elena squeezes him hard. “I think you’re calling me old.”

Jake barks a laugh and Javi grins, pulling back. “Never.”

“Oh, here,” Jake pipes up, pulling out the pocket square that Kate had stashed for him. “I have a boutonniere in the car too.”

Javi blinks and smiles softly as he’s handed a white pocket square embroidered with today’s date. “Jake…”

“Don’t get sappy about it, Rivera,” Jake scoffs. “It was Bradley’s idea.”

Javi pulls him into a hug and Jake sighs loudly, but returns it. It’s his wedding day after all.

“You two are so sweet. Pero vamos. We have a wedding to go to,” Elena squeals excitedly. Javi grins, letting go and turning to his mom as elation fills him.

“I’m getting married, Mami!” he cheers, grabbing her and spinning her around the room, Elena laughing brightly.

Jake smiles and shakes his head from where he’s standing with his arms crossed. An unbidden thought of his own mother on his wedding day crosses his mind, and his smile dims just slightly. Though it’s hard to be completely morose around the Riveras’ joyful laughter. The thought fills him with a dull ache, like an old injury in the cold, but it’s tempered instantly by the thought of the people that will be there. His real family.

“Let’s put something on. Set the festive mood,” Javi laughs.

Elena gasps. “Suavemente.”

Jake barks out a laugh and Javi flushes bright red, shooting him a scathing look that promises retribution if he says anything. Jake seriously considers chancing it, but decides he’ll be nice. It really is his wedding day after all. He can’t wait until he’s on his honeymoon.

“Jake! You know it?” Elena smiles.

“Oh, yeah. I’ve heard it around,” he grins, Elena already distractedly pulling it up on her phone. Javi huffs as the opening notes ring out over her phone.

“Don’t sweat into your shirt, Javi,” Jake frowns, looking at the white button-up under the cream colored suit top.

“Well, I’ll guess you’ll have to dance with me then,” Elena laughs, Jake’s eyes widening as she grabs his hands from where his arms are crossed, pulling him to the center of the room, both Riveras laughing uproariously at his protests.

*Kate*

“Is the blindfold really necessary? I can just close my eyes.”

“And risk you peeking? Absolutely not. You’re a sneaky one,” Lily snickers, Kate huffing and elbowing her before her mom catches on to what she’s implying.

“Katie, honey, you’re not fooling anyone,” Cathy snorts. Kate sighs as Lily and Dani break out into laughter.

The blindfold gets wrapped around her head and she’s guided out of her mom’s truck, vaguely feeling like a kidnap victim. She saves that joke in her head, knowing it’ll make Javi laugh and Tyler sputter when she tells them about this later.

There are sounds coming from near the barn, Kate listening carefully just to be nosy. There’s the distinct timbre of Dex’s voice as he seems to be giving orders, and Kate has a feeling the low din of conversation is likely the vendors as they set up. No guests have arrived yet, then.

Except for a familiar English accent. Kate brightens immediately, turning her head towards the voice. “Ben!”

A laugh is heard and they let her stop long enough for him to come over. “Kate! I always seem to find you in the oddest situations.”

Kate huffs out a laugh. “Yeah. This is…”

“Suspect?”

“Mm, very.”

Ben laughs and she grins back in the direction of it. “Well, I’ll let you get ready. I can’t wait for the ceremony! Oh, and thank you for paying for my ticket. You three really didn’t have to.”

She waves him off. “We wanted you here.”

“Alrighty, Ben, stop monopolizing the bride,” Dani teases.

“I think the bride was monopolizing him,” Lily mumbles as she continues guiding Kate towards the house.

“See you later, Ben!” Kate calls.

“Yes, you will!”

Kate is led to where she knows the throuple’s bedroom is, Dani and Lily chattering away about things to do. Her mom’s hand is around her wrist, and Kate slides her hand down to hold hers.

“I’m so excited for you to see it, Katie-bell. You’re gonna love it.”

Kate smiles, turning her head towards her voice as the sounds of curtains being pulled and lights being flicked on fill the room. “I already did before the alterations.”

Cathy squeezes her hand, Lily coming back over with a triumphant, “Done!” and finally untying the blindfold. “I wish your father could be here.”

Kate smiles sadly. George Carter was a brief but bright spot in her childhood, and there are so many reminders of him in their home. Often at the insistence of her fiances.

When her mom had found the little wooden windmill in the back of Kate’s closet after the pipe burst, it had been Tyler who brought it back home in the box of items they had salvaged. One of the first things he’d done was cut and shape a length of wood to attach to the inside so it could be staked into the ground, proudly showing it to her in the future flower beds, just a plot of empty dirt at the time, the next day as a surprise. The love and affection for him that had hit her in that moment had been so strong that she nearly cried.

Their bar stools at the kitchen counter had also been a George Carter original, sturdy after all these years but lacking cushions. Javi had glanced at the set of four in the Carter barn one afternoon, dating them only a week at that point, and then did a double take, eyes scanning over them and already planning in his head. He had dragged them to thrift store after thrift store trying to find the perfect cushions for them, eventually settling on a rich green and finding matching fabric at a craft store so he could sew his own strings to tie them onto the stools. Her and Tyler had realized about five minutes into his cushion search that he didn’t actually ask for their opinions, he just wanted their company, and had promptly stopped jokingly complaining.

Knowing he’s woven into the fabric of their home brings her peace that prevents grief from taking over. Her mom’s matching smile tells her she feels the same.

“Me too. He would be balling like a baby right now,” Kate giggles, Cathy giggling with her.

“That he would. Oh, do you remember him crying during Fox and the Hound?”

“And it made me cry that he was crying, and you laughed at us?” Kate chuckles, Cathy fully laughing now.

Quiet contentment settles over them as they let themselves get lost in reminiscing, the sound of Dani and Lily rummaging around in the bathroom and bickering making her sigh.

“They’re about to find something they’re not gonna-”

Lily shrieks and Dani gasps before cackling. A drawer slams closed. Cathy shuts her eyes and sighs loudly.

“I definitely don’t want to know, do I?”

Kate shakes her head, red with embarrassment. “Definitely not.”

*Tyler*

Tyler lounges back in his seat, completely content as he watches Boone flit about making things tidy.

“Boone. I’m pretty sure it’s my wedding day, why are you nervous?” he chuckles.

A mumble is all he gets and Tyler snorts.

“Sorry we had to do this here,” Boone says suddenly. “I wanted to get a proper hotel room-”

“It’s fine,” Tyler shrugs. “You know I’m not very high maintenance. Plus, I’m pretty sure this RV is bigger than most of the rooms around here.”

“You got your vows with you?” Boone asks for the third time, abruptly changing the topic. Tyler sighs.

“Yes, Boone. I have my vows, you have my ring, my suit is on, the sky is blue, the birds are chirping. Seriously, are you okay?”

A knock at the RV door makes Boone straighten and Tyler frown. “Someone need us to move?”

Boone goes over to the door and pauses as he grabs the handle, turning to Tyler. “Jake set this up. Said it’s okay.”

Before Tyler can ask anything, Boone pulls open the RV door to reveal a suited Elijah Owens.

“Pop?!” Tyler gasps, standing abruptly.

“Tyler!” he grins, immediately stepping into the RV and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug, Tyler returning it, still in shock. His eyes drift to behind him, but Boone shuts the door without anyone else appearing.

“Pop, wha- you-”

Elijah pulls back, beaming. “Don’t you look spiffy? Who dressed you? I know you didn’t pick this,” he chuckles at Tyler’s charcoal gray suit. “No wait, let me guess. Javi.”

Tyler chokes out a laugh. “Yup.”

Elijah smiles, softening at Tyler’s stunned expression. “Jake asked me to come.”

Tyler can feel emotion lodge in his throat. “He did?”

“Said it would mean a lot to you,” Elijah nods. “Asked me not to tell Mama.”

Tyler hesitates. “Did you?”

Elijah sighs, looking sad. “No. She thinks I’m at Auntie Linda’s.”

Tyler frowns. He knows exactly what secrets do to a relationship. “I’m sorry, Pop.”

For a moment, the sadness lingers, but Elijah waves it off. “Cross that bridge when I get to it. I couldn’t miss my boy’s wedding, not for anything in the world,” he beams, squishing his cheeks. “I expect a full retelling of the proposal. With foley effects.”

Boone and Tyler laugh. “That I can do,” Tyler grins. “But first, nature calls.”

Tyler retreats to the bathroom while Boone and his dad chat amicably, immediately pulling out his phone to call his brother.

“What?” Jake answers. “If you’re calling to talk to or about Javi, I’m hanging up.”

“Pop,” is all he manages, and Jake sucks in a breath.

“...he actually came?”

“Yeah.”

“Is Mama-?”

“No. No, he didn’t tell her a thing,” Tyler smiles. “Jake. Thank you.”

Jake’s quiet for a long time, and Tyler checks to make sure he didn’t hang up. It wouldn’t be the first time. “You don’t have to- it’s not really a thing you thank. The only reason you don’t have them both here is because I’m here-”

“You are infinitely more important to me,” Tyler insists. “To all of us.”

Jake goes quiet again. “Ya know… I almost broke off my engagement with Bradley yesterday.”

Tyler’s eyes widen. “What?!”

“I did, technically,” Jake sighs. “But I took it back like an hour later.”

“Jake, what the hell? I was gone one day,” Tyler groans.

“Chill, dude. It was a… misguided attempt. And Ja- Coyote set me straight. Though I’m sure I would have come to the same conclusion, just in much more time.”

“Misguided attempt at what?”

“To spare myself being abandoned again.”

Tyler freezes, tears pricking in his eyes immediately.

“Tyler? You better not be fucking crying.”

“I’m not!”

“Oh my god, you’re as bad as Bradley. No, as bad as Pop. Ooooh my god, Elena was right.” Tyler frowns as he hears him groan.

“Wha-?”

“Not important. What is important is that I figured out that our dear mother left me with some parting gifts that include self-sabotage. Who knew?”

“Everyone. Everyone knew. You blew up at me twice when we reunited for that exact reason.”

“...anyways, what I’m saying is that I’m not… used to being cared about like that. Loved. It’s overwhelming.”

Tyler makes an agreeing noise, but then says smugly, “Not me. I love love. That’s why I got two fiances.”

“You’re so disgusting, but I’m gonna give you a wedding day pass.”

Tyler chuckles before sobering. “So you almost broke it off with Bradley because he loves you too much?”

“Because I didn’t believe him.”

Tyler hums, thinking of Javi. “You two really are alike.”

Jake processes who he’s talking about and scoffs. “Don’t compare me to that nerd.”

“You love that nerd like you love your own brother,” Tyler grins.

“So not at all. Sometimes, when you’re lucky, it is a tentative enjoyment of your company. Which you’re always quick to ruin.”

“I love you too.”

Jake is once again quiet on the other end and Tyler waits patiently. “Yeah. Love you.” He sucks in a breath. “Now leave me alone, I have a groom and his mother to wrangle. Why did you not warn me that she’s a complete party animal? I haven’t heard this much Spanish music since high school Spanish class.”

Tyler laughs. “Javi was raised by a single mom. Your fault for not realizing sooner where he gets all his traits from.”

Jake sighs. “Yeah, you can have that one. Don’t get sucked up.”

Tyler grins when he can tell he’s saying it out of habit. “Don’t get shot down.”