Today is Christmas. Everyone was up at seven this morning to open gifts and eat breakfast. After an entire of celebrating and eating, it's now around six thirty. I love spending time with my dad and the Kasansky's, but I'm so used to moving fast paced at the academy, that I'm getting bored. In a good way though. My dad and Iceman are currently sitting in the living room watching some college football game in their matching pajamas while Sarah shows the baby all of her new toys. I've just taken my Christmas cookies out of the oven when I get a phone call from Bradley. We haven't talked since the day we both left, and to be honest I've kind of missed him.
I eagerly set the tray down on the stovetop and turn off the oven. I peer over into the living room and see everyone still in their exact spots just like last year, and the year before, and the year before that. The sun is just starting to set as I slip out the back door and answer the call from the porch.
"Helloooo!" I say as soon as I click the green button.
"Merry Christmas, Mitchell!" He says through the phone.
"Merry Christmas! How's it going in Virginia?"
"Good, but kinda boring. How's the fam?"
"Pretty great. They've got a baby and everything now."
"Really? Sick!"
"Yeah, you should fly on over and meet her." I do really wish Bradley was here. He is family after all.
"I knew you would miss me too much." He jokes.
"Well this is the longest I've gone without seeing you since last summer. And I honestly do miss everyone from the academy. Especially Nat." I just talk without thinking.
"I miss Nat too. There's no one here to bully me." He laughs.
"Oh my god, I forgot to tell you something!" I remember my phone call with Natasha on the way here.
"What?"
"Nat called me when I was driving here from the airport and was saying all this weird stuff. She thinks I like you and she keeps teasing me about it." I fill Bradley in, because what else do we have to talk about.
"Wait really? That's funny cause Nat thinks I like you. She was teasing me about it the night before we left." He tells me. What kind of game are you trying to play, Natasha?
"Really? That's so weird." I laugh. "I guess she ships us, I dunno." Act oblivious. Nooo, I totally don't like like Bradley.
"Yeah it is. Oh, you know who I don't miss?" His train of thought shifts. I'm glad we can switch the topic before it got awkward.
"Let me guess..." I figure we're thinking of the same grumpy man.
"Captain Rhodes!" We say at the same time. Since me, Bradley, and Jake's little fight, Simpson and Rhodes have been on our asses nonstop. We had a rough conditioning workout the day after, and he says he has higher expectations for Bradley and I now. So much fun.
"Literally! It feels nice not having someone yell at me for existing." I lean against the wooden railing of the wrap around porch.
"His voice still replays in my head I swear. At random times I just hear-"
"Mitchell! Bradshaw!" We say at the same time in our best Captain Rhodes voice impressions and I almost double over laughing.
"That sounds familiar." I hear a voice to my left and whip around to see Iceman standing in front of the now open door. Not even hearing the door open, I jump at him suddenly appearing.
"Shit, you scared me!" I feel my heart beating in my chest.
"Sorry about that. I'm guessing this is Bradshaw on the phone?" He walks over to me and looks at the screen.
"Yeah, it's me." Bradley confirms.
After a few minutes of talking, me and Brad hang up the phone. The sun if fully set now, leaving me with Iceman and the porch lights. I start towards the door, but he quickly stops me.
"Shel." Is all he says, causing me to turn on my heal.
"Yeah?"
"You and Bradley? And I mean seriously. No bullshit, do you guys like each other?" He catches me completely off guard with his question. Ice has always shipped us and joked about us dating, but I never knew he seriously thought we liked each other.
"We're just friends. Really." I shake my head but give him a soft smile.
"I know you, Shelby. Your dad may not realize it, cause he doesn't want it to be true, but you and Bradley belong together. You can deny it all you want, but you do like him, don't you?"
"I...I don't know. It's confusing. He's been my best friend since the day I was born. I don't want anything to change." I open up finally. I never would actually admit to Iceman that I have a crush on Bradley, but I'm not gonna deny it. He's right.
I look over and see him nodding in response. "I get that. I just don't want you to miss an opportunity. I think you may regret not trying." He advises.
"Or maybe I'll regret trying. Do you really think it's worth it? Risking our friendship? Like I'm almost a hundred percent sure he only sees me as a friend." I start to vent. Tom may not seem like the heart-to-heart type, but when you need him to, he gives some great advice.
"I think it's worth a shot. I don't want you to miss a chance to have something great. But what do I know? I'm just happily married to the best woman in the entire world, celebrating Christmas with the baby we just had." He chuckles at his old man joke.
"How did you pull off that gig?" I smile at him.
"I told my best friend I had feelings for them. You should try it some time."
Authors note
Hey guys so I went back and edited chapters 10-12 cause they made no sense, but now they do! And we have a plot forming so that's fun. Yay.
CZYTASZ
Through The Fire
Fanfiction"You said 'through the fire'" "And I meant it." Shelby "Mustang" Mitchell never knew what to think of her father pulling Bradley Bradshaw's papers from the Naval Academy. The two of them had been best friends their whole lives despite him being two...
