pretty boy • bradley bradshaw

07

"Kazansky!" Hangman shouted from across The Hard Deck, moving to stand from where he leaned over the pool table.

Luke rolled his eyes, before turning around to face the other man.

He had no solid evidence to warrant dislike toward Hangman. He didn't have a fierce rivalry against him like Rooster. He only found himself at the butt of a few jokes that everyone who served were all too familiar with. Sure some were distasteful, but that's how it was. Luke decided that the perfect way to describe Hangman was by comparing him to a thorn. He caused discomfort and some slight pain, but he was harmless.

And when the jokes weren't directed at him, Luke found them rather hilarious.

The other pilot beckoned him over in an exaggerated gesture, and Luke complied.
"Seresin," Luke greeted easily, eyeing the man with a raised brow.

"One on one, what do you say?" Hangman smirked, nodding his head to the two men nearby who were too enthralled by their conversation to notice Luke's arrival.
"Coyote and Payback are no competition. The question is whether you," He lifted his pool cue, the tip of it moving to rest at the center of Luke's chest. "Will be able to take me on."

Luke scoffed, batting the cue aside, before a hand gripped his shoulder from behind. He turned around to Phoenix, Rooster beside her.

"What're you doing hanging out with these losers." Phoenix jeered with a smile, moving to stand at Luke's left while Rooster silently moved to his right.

"Hey!" Payback reprimanded before almost immediately delving back into his conversation with Coyote.

"Just a friendly game of pool. Maybe you two can join?" Hangman offered before smirking. "I've been needing some simple, unchallenging practice." Rooster scoffed immediately as Phoenix rolled her eyes.

"Do you ever think maybe you're a little too confident?" Luke tilted his head, raising his brows in question.

"Nope." Hangman smirked.

"Huh," Luke shrugged innocently. "Maybe it's overcompensation." Rooster sputtered as he sipped his beer, coughing loudly.
"Not while I'm drinking, Pretty." He reprimanded, still laughing as grabbed at Luke's shoulder to mutter "good one" in his ear.

Luke's entire body burned as soon as the warm hand held onto his shoulder. He felt like a teenager again, and it was humiliating yet thrilling all the same. It didn't help that the other man decidedly didn't remove the grip he had on him after he pulled his face away.

"All right, all right." Hangman chuckled, smirk never leaving his face. "If you really want to know, strip poker will be the only way to find out." He winked before beginning to set up the billiard balls.

"Yeah, I'll pass." Phoenix spoke up, crossing her arms over her chest with a smile.

"Not it." Rooster quickly raised his finger to touch the tip of his nose.

"Alright," Hangman moved to wrap both his hands around his cue, leaning into it. "Looks like Pretty Thing will take one for the team." He smirked, wiggling his brows suggestively in Luke's direction.

The hand at his shoulder tightened, causing Luke to wince, shying away from the source of pain. Rooster immediately dropped his hand, taking a step away from Luke.
"Yeah, not too sure about that, Bagman." Luke murmured, shaking off his disorientation.

"Well," Hangman shrugged. "Guess y'all will never know."

"Yep." Phoenix began, moving to the dartboard that Bob and Halo occupied. "A mystery that I very much don't want to solve."