Papercuts [Hangman x Rooster]

Are you bored yet

Rooster
New York, Present Day

Bradley is in a bar in New York, two beers in and bored out of his mind with the sort of elevator music these places seem to favor when his phone lights up with a new email. Immediately, he sits up and clicks the notification. He doesn't get a lot of emails these days - wrong line of work for that, and even fewer to this particular address. So surely he doesn't need to check the sender to know exactly who this one's from.

Re: New job

Debrief Hard Deck. Aug 21, 1800.
Don't be late.
Cyclone

Bradley chuckles to himself at the sparse no-frills delivery. He isn't the biggest fan of Cyclone, god is his witness, but the man does know how to get to the point. Apparently he used to be a pilot in the Navy back in the day, which kind of checks out. When Bradley was a kid he was crazy about planes, used to swear he'd be a pilot when he grows up. His dad was real into the idea too, up until the day he died and the dream died along with him. For a second Bradley almost imagines what his life might've turned out like if his old man was still around...

He considers texting Nat, asking her whether she got the same email, but then if she did he'll find out soon enough and if she didn't he won't be the one who tells her. After what happened two years ago he'd rather she sat it out as much as possible, not that it's his call or anything. He opens up an airline app instead, buys an obnoxiously overpriced ticket for six in the morning, and gets up to leave. There's not much to pack in his hotel room, but he's done with the music and the beer - both equally diluted, and feels strangely anxious to go home.

San Diego, Two Years Prior

Bradley's been up for at least thirty six hours, and he's really starting to feel it as he gets off the plane in San Diego International Airport.

He was in Tokyo, wrapping up a slippery sort of business with some people he still isn't sure he can trust, even after making it out in one piece and with his payment complete in full, when he got a text from Iceman. Bradley has to admit, after how they parted ways he didn't exactly expect to hear from the man so soon, not to mention was more than a little wary about whatever he had to say, all the shit with Mav considered. To his second surprise, Ice didn't want him for a job - well, not directly at least. He had a recommendation for Bradley - someone named Cyclone, who was looking for a guy with his particular skill set. Not much in terms of details, but after the stress of the past several weeks, Bradley was willing to take a shot on someone Ice seemed to trust.

As it stands, he drags his duffel bag over to the nearest bench and plops down with gusto. There's nothing he wants more than to take an hour long shower and then get knocked out dead straight into next week to make up for the jetlag, but Nat's still an hour away and he offered to wait for her, so he just puts his head in his hands and tries to rub sleep from his eyes. It's then that he hears a soft knock against his armrest.

Startled, Bradley looks up so fast he nearly gives himself whiplash, only to find a flash of white teeth and perfectly coiffed dirty blond hair. He recognizes the face in a heartbeat - he's been looking at it off and on for the past hour and a bit. Impossible not to with the way the guy seemed to pull everyone's attention without trying, what with his impeccably fitting suit, constant flow of  'darlings' and seemingly endless supply of smiles. Bradley finds himself staring up at him for way too long without comprehension, mind blank as a sheet.

Finally, the blonde takes pity on him by dropping his eyes to a paper cup of black coffee and some packs of sugar sat on Bradley's armrest with purpose.

"What's that for?" Are the first words out of his mouth in at least a couple of hours, and he sounds like it.

"You look like you could use some." The other man shrugs with all the suave nonchalance in the world, finally slipping into a seat to Bradley's left. He's got a smooth voice, Texan accent, but he knew that much already.