Hopping out of Bradley's Bronco, the three Naval Aviators made their way inside the Hard Deck which was beginning to become crowded with fellow pilots and civilians.
"Bradshaw!" A female voice called out, grabbing the attention of the Bradley and the girls. "Is that you?"
Bradley smiled and led the girls over towards the pool table at the corner of the bar - none the wiser to the pair of eyes that trailed after the brunette and tall pilot.
"This is how I find out you're state-side?" A female with a slim build and her black hair pulled back into a neat military-styled bun said as she approached the trio, her dark brown eyes focused on Bradley. She stood at roughly 5'7" in height and wore the tan uniform, her name tag displaying her last name of 'Trace'.
"Yeah, I just thought I'd surprise you." Bradley responded, and he removed his aviators and hooked them onto his tank top once more, nodding at a few fellow aviators that they knew.
The dark haired female had bent over and took her shot in the game of pool, only for the back of the pool cue to hit Bradley in the gut, which made him grunt and bend over.
Skye smirked in amusement as Emerson tried to hold back her laughter as she rubbed her best friend's back.
"Guess I surprised you back." The female said as she turned around to face the man that she had hit.
Bradley looked up at her with a smile, recovering from the pain. "It's good to see you." He said.
"It's good to see you too." She responded before a smile graced her lips at the sight of the two girls standing behind him. "Emerson, Skye."
"Hey Nat." The girls responded in unison, returning her smile before they gave her a hug.
"Who's he?" Emerson quizzed, nodding her head towards a young man with glasses, him too sporting the tan uniform - his name tag reading 'Floyd'.
"Bob." Natasha answered and quickly caught onto their follow-up question. "Just Bob. He's my new backseater from Lemoore."
"Hmm.." The brunette pilot hummed as she nodded her head slightly as she assessed the man. He had sandy blonde hair, blue eyes and stood at 6 feet in height but seemed slightly timid and shy.
The trio proceeded to greet the remainder of their fellow aviators that were present: Lieutenants Reuben 'Payback' Fitch, Mickey 'Fanboy' Garcia and Javy 'Coyote' Machado.
Conversation had broke out amongst them as they caught up on life since they had all last seen each other, although the conversation was short-lived when a voice called out to Bradley.
"Bradshaw, as I live and breathe." A smooth voice called out, a smirk clearly evident in his tone as he approached the pool table.
He was about 6 feet in height with light brown hair, striking green eyes, and had a sharp jawline with an athletic build. Just as the rest of his fellow aviators, apart from Emerson, Skye, and Bradley, he was sporting the tan uniform - his name badge reading 'Seresin'.
"Hangman." Bradley responded coolly. "You look good."
Both him and the pilot seemed to have constantly butted heads together with each other. As known by his callsign of Hangman, Jake Seresin was a pilot who took risks and had a tendency of leaving his wingmen hanging - hence the callsign as given by Bradley, himself. Bradley didn't like the pilot because of that very reason.
As for Jake, he found Bradley too slow and too careful when up in the air - like a rooster waiting for the sun to rise - hence his callsign.
And that was one way to get yourself killed up in the air.
"Well, I am good, Rooster." Jake responded, grabbing the pool cue from Bob and leaned down, shooting the white ball, making a hit before he straightened up and settled his green gaze on his rival. "I'm very good. In fact, I am too good to be true."
Emerson rolled her eyes at the cocky pilot's antics as Skye released a soft scoff, which seemed to have caught his attention.
"Skye." Jake said as his green gaze settled onto the short blonde woman.
"That's Siren to you." Skye responded back coldly, her own green eyes turning icy.
The aviators around the pool table looked between the pair with curiosity, but only one was brave enough to voice everyone's question.
"Okay, what is happening?" Javy questioned as the atmosphere had grown tense between his best friend and the daughter of the Admiral of the Pacific Fleet.
"You should ask your best friend." Skye responded, her cold green gaze not once removing from Jake's own as she tilted her head slightly, silently challenging him. "Considering he couldn't wait to 'get me out of there fast enough' because I am 'such a disaster.'"
Emerson quickly put two-and-two together and glared at the cocky pilot as Bradley stepped forward.
"You were the dick that insulted my cousin that night?" He questioned, his eyes heated. He always thought of Skye as his little sister, considering he grew up so closely with his cousins, so he had every reason to be protective over his baby cousin.
"It's okay, Bradley." The blonde aviator stated as she held a hand out to stop her cousin. "I've had my fair share of guys and their small dick insecurity."
"Nothin' small about me." Jake said and winked at her, only for Skye to roll her eyes in response and move back to her best friend's side; the brunette still glaring at the cocky pilot.
"Sooo.." Reuben drawled in an attempt to change the topic of conversation. "Anybody know what this special detachment is all about?"
"No, a mission's a mission, and they don't confront me." Jake answered, having torn his gaze away from the blonde aviator and towards the pool table where he assessed his next move before he leaned over took the shot. "What I want to know is who's going to be team leader."
Natasha turned shifted her gaze towards the trio and shook her head lightly in response at the pilot's cockiness.
"And which one of y'all has what it takes to follow me?" Jake added smugly as he straightened his posture after sinking a ball.
Bradley pursed his lips slightly and met Emerson's knowing gaze before he shifted his attention back onto his rival.
"Hangman, the only place you'll lead anyone is an early grave." He said, earning a soft chuckle from Mickey in response and a grin from the cocky pilot.
Jake slowly approached Bradley, but not before he stared down at Skye briefly on the way. "Well, anyone who follows you is just gonna run out of fuel." He replied, cocking his head to the side slightly as he leaned himself against the pool table and held the cue between his legs. "But that's just you, ain't it, Rooster?"
Bradley, who had kept his cool, simply smirked slightly in response to his rival.
"You're snug on that perch waiting for just the right moment." The cocky pilot continued as he pushed himself off the table and moved closer towards the slightly taller man. "That never comes."
"Oh my God, shut the hell up!" Skye exclaimed with a groan. "No one here wants to listen to you bitch about your 'Who's dick is bigger' contest."
The rival pilots stared at the short blonde in shock but Jake's shocked expression was soon covered up with a cocky smirk.
He had almost forgotten how feisty the youngest daughter of Admiral Kazansky was.
He chuckled to himself softly. "I love this song." He said and took a step back from Bradley as Foghat's 'Slow Ride' began blaring on the speakers, before he turned towards Skye.
"Drink, sweetheart?" He offered.
"I'd rather drink acid and chew glass before accepting anything from you, Seresin." Skye replied with a sweet smile and hooked her arm through Emerson's before making their way over to the crowded bar for a drink.
Bradley couldn't help but smirk at his cousin's response to the cocky pilot and allowed his eyes to linger after Emerson, as he sensed Natasha's presence come up beside him.
"Well, he hasn't changed." She mumbled.
"Nope." Bradley answered, his eyes still on the brunette. "Sure hasn't."
The dark haired pilot sensed that his attention was elsewhere and smirked slightly at him. "Seems like you haven't changed either." She said in reference to Emerson.
The tall pilot blinked and tore his gaze away from his best friend only to meet the teasing smirk of the female pilot beside him before he scoffed lightly in response.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said before he disappeared into the crowd, hearing Natasha's laugh in response.