Anyone But Him // Jake Seresin

Chapter Eight

Jake Seresin
September

Two weeks later, Jake and Rooster had spent the first part of the work week in lecture halls with training materials. They had to also complete a course to become instructors, and that did involve some reading. Which meant he didn't see Margot as much in class, though he had outside. They had gone out twice that first week, and she had hung at his place some. She had brought over her own course work while they ate dinner. He never expected to like the casualness of this. He'd never dated anyone he also felt like he was friends with. He supposed his one, longer term girlfriend, but ultimately they had been more friends than anything. Ava hadn't been right for him, or him for her.

Margot had asked him recently if they could just keep things between them aside from Isla and Coyote. She hadn't met Coyote yet, but knew about him. She explained she wasn't ready for any other pilots to know they'd been seeing each other, and she had just started mending things with Rooster. A month had already passed since they met and started Top Gun, but in some ways felt like longer. Margot was easy to be with, like breathing. One positive was Rooster hadn't brought her up again at all, and they seemed to be working better together. Jake wondered if that would change if he found out Jake had been sleeping with his sister.

They'd had two more dates before they finally slept together again. Jake had wanted to on the second date, but hadn't wanted to pressure her in any way. He also wanted to show her he wasn't just interested in that. The sex was great, but he enjoyed their conversations too, and he loved continuing to learn things about her. She also challenged him, and didn't take any of his shit either. He admittedly thought the wait made it even hotter though when it came to sleeping with her. 

Since they were finally back in the classroom, he wanted to present an idea he'd had. Jake walked over to the table Isla and Margot were seated at. "Do you have any weapons systems training?" He asked Isla.

Isla was grinning, he suspected it had to do with Margot's cheeks heating when he walked over. She looked flushed. "Like a WSO?" Isla questioned, and Jake nodded. "I mean, I know a little, I've read on them before and was trained a little. I also briefly dated a WSO. A geek but a freak in the sheets." She told Jake. "Why?"

"You two are a good team." Jake said, "I think you'd do well to switch over to a WSO." He was looking at Isla. "Which I know is a big change, but spend the week studying, then we can reassign you. I think you two could kick ass as a paired team." He turned to Margot. "You're weak with watching your back. That's not to be a dick, but it's one of your weak areas. I think you could benefit from having someone in the backseat. Build on strengths both of you already have."

"I've got weapon systems training," Kazansky interrupted. "It's what I was trained on first."

Jake glanced at him. "I don't trust you, I trust her." He said, nodding toward Isla. "And your father would shit a brick if we didn't utilize you as a pilot." It was the truth. Jake wasn't overly fond of Kazansky, but he was better in the pilot seat. He'd grown over the last four weeks in a lot of ways, to Jake's surprise. But there was no way he was letting him be Margot's eyes and ears. Not. To mention, Isla was better suited for it.

"I'd be responsible for her." Margot stated. She glanced up as another group of pilots headed out to the flight line for an exercise. "That's a lot to take on." She said, "And asking her to give up being a pilot."

"You let yourself die on day on to save Kazansky. I think you can handle protecting you both." Jake pointed out. "I'm not your superior, so this is up to you, it's not an order. But my job here is to better you all as a pilots, and I think you'd be an asset together on a mission." He turned back to Isla. "Your callsign has to do with Greek mythology right?"