automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

fifty-eight.

when skye turned to look at her father's face, she was met with a pride-filled smile and a nod of encouragement. she smiled back at him before turning and handing him her helmet, which was still at their feet. "can you hold this for a minute?" 

as her gaze turned back to rooster, skye noticed that his eyes also landed on her. the two began jogging towards each other until they had broken into a run, colliding into each other. skye's arms were immediately around his neck, his hands on her waist and their noses pressed into the other's shoulder. 

"you asshole!" skye said into his shoulder, holding onto him even tighter. "you could've gotten yourself killed." her feet were barely even on the ground at this point. "and you saved my dad, you.. you saved him. and.. you flew in an f-14?" she exclaimed. "how was it, was it everything i've always dreamed it would be? i'm so jealous, you were actually in an f-"

he pulled away then to look into her eyes, keeping his arms around her. "i love you." bradley said, watching as her eyes softened. "i.. god, i love you, skye. it killed me not getting to say it back to you, but i couldn't. because i.. i was so afraid of losing you. but i could've died today, and i.. all i kept thinking about was getting back here to you. because honestly, skye? i don't know who i am without you. i am your bradley. i have always been yours. i've been in love with you since you first sat down next to me on the piano bench at the hard deck. i loved you when we sat on the beach and watched the sun set, and when we went to that diner and you nearly choked on your milkshake from laughing. i loved you when we were cooking food together, when you'd smile at me when our jets passed each other. when you wore my jacket, when you got.. so so drunk and i had to take you home. i've loved you when you've laughed, and when you've cried, when you've threatened to kill a man, i.." he was at a loss for words. "i love you."

"i know." she said back, a smile on her lips at his confession.

rooster's brows furrowed. "what?"

"like princess leia and han solo-"

"no, what do you mean, you know?" he asked, his hands still on her back.

"my dad told me about two minutes ago." 

rooster was, truthfully, dumbfounded and at a loss for words. "i.. wow. okay, mav stole my thunder." he joked, a smile spreading onto his cheeks as the woman in his arms laughed. "but i will say it a thousand times over to make up for not saying it before." he promised. "i love you, skye. i love you so much. i love-"

skye raised her brow at him, moving closer. "are you going to keep saying that, or are you going to shut up and kiss me, bradshaw?"

he didn't need to be asked twice. 

bradley's hands still on her waist, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. skye had always heard people say that kisses felt like fireworks erupting, and she'd called them insane. she now understood. she could feel herself exploding with happiness at that very moment, her hands moving to his neck, her fingers laced in his hair. they were both smiling into each other's lips, putting all of the unspoken words and all of the time waiting into that one kiss.

when skye pulled away to breathe, rooster put his forehead onto hers. they were both still smiling like giddy children, their noses brushing against each other. "i changed my mind." she breathed. "i want to hear you say it again."

"i love you." he whispered, kissing her again. this one was just as passionate, yet shorter and more sweet. 

she smiled as he pulled away, putting a hand on his cheek. she ran her finger along one of the scars that ran down it, wanting to memorize everything about him in case it was all a dream. "i love you." she whispered back, feeling her cheeks start to hurt from how much she was smiling.