Tight Quarters (Out of Uniform 6)

“Well, everything except coffee. Didn’t take the time to stop on the way here.”

“There might be some drinks for purchase on the flight. We’ll have to see what the loadmasters have.” Bacon did a quick calculation as to whether they’d have time to hit the mess hall on the way to the airfield and determined that the LT’s wrath wasn’t worth it. “Curly usually has caffeinated gum because he says it keeps him from puking on rough flights, so if you get really desperate, let me know and I’ll try to snag you some.”

Fuck. He wasn’t just being extra nice. Now he was talking too fast. And that stupid fantasy was going to haunt him all damn day.

“Appreciated.” Despite being shorter, Bryant easily kept up with Bacon on the walk across base to the airfield.

“You fly military before?”

“Not a flight this long. I took commercial flights in and out of the Middle East, but I flew in some helicopters and transports while there.”

“Well, LT says this flight is a C-40, which is basically a 737, but don’t expect an in-flight movie or anything like commercial comforts, although the flight crew will run extension cords down the aisle and I’ll try and find you a seat by an outlet if I can.”

“Appreciated.”

“You’re lucky. I figured they’d have us on a C-130J which is a cargo plane—huge, cold as fuck, and jumpseats only. We’ll have normal seats here at least, which is nice for a long flight.” Yup. Still rambling.

As they approached the airfield, Bacon spotted his team assembled near the terminal. The loadmasters and other flight crew would be responsible for getting them on the aircraft, but the LT had his own list of reminders before they loaded onto the bus that would drive them out to the C-40.

Curly looked particularly bleary eyed—he’d undoubtedly come straight from Rachel’s, and his pallor didn’t bode well for his stomach behaving during the flight. His bedraggled appearance had Bacon glad he’d forgone the bar scene in favor of helping his mother. At least he’d managed a few hours of sleep. Thanks to that fantasy...

But he couldn’t think about that right then. If ever. And he absolutely could not let such a lapse happen again. Rooster arrived moments before they boarded the bus, getting the evil eye from both the LT and the senior chief. He looked like he’d had about as much sleep as Curly, but was bouncing on his feet and couldn’t stop grinning.

“Someone got lucky,” Bullets observed as the bus took them across the runway to the plane. Beyond the C-40 was a giant C-130J that could easily fit Bacon’s mother’s small apartment building. Other planes and small vehicles darting about made the airstrip seem lively for how early the hour still was.

“Yup. And now we get to go kick some ass. It’s a fine, fine navy day.” Rooster smiled widely. “Worth giving up my day off for and everything.”

“There will be another chance to make your next video,” Curly assured him. Then seeming to remember Bryant’s presence, he turned toward Bacon and Bryant. “That’s off the record, man. We don’t need Rooster here going any more viral than he already has. His ego doesn’t need the inflating.”

“I’ll bet,” Bryant said dryly, then added, “I promise I’m not here to broadcast your personal lives. Human interest is part of what I do, yes, but Public Relations gave me very strict guidelines about what I’m able to share—no real names or identifying facts. So, yeah, your social media celebrity is safe.”

“Better be.” Curly looked like he be might be about to say more, but the roar of the planes as they got close drowned out their conversations.

“We board from the rear,” Bacon yelled at Bryant. “Stick close to me.”

“Will do,” Bryant yelled back as they exited the bus. Other personnel besides their team were on the flight, including a few space-A military family travelers. The flight crew made sure the families were seated together, then their team took the whole rear of the plane. As promised, Bacon found Bryant a seat near an outlet, but right as he was about to sit next to him, Curly called his name.

“Bake. Please come play cards with me. I’m too pumped to sleep and my stomach doesn’t want to let me read.” Curly was several rows behind them.

“Yeah, Bacon, you can ditch the babysitting duty while we’re in the air,” Bullets said, none too quietly. The LT and the rest of the team leadership were far to the front, though, and no heads swiveled. Still, it was rude as fuck and Bacon opened his mouth to tell him that.

“It’s all right,” Bryant said mildly before he could speak. “Go with your friends. I’ve got plenty to occupy me.”

“Thanks.” Bacon headed back to Curly, in part because he really didn’t want to spend the next ten-plus hours right next to Bryant, memories of that fantasy still lingering. He needed time to get his shit together. Leaving the middle seats open, he and Curly sat opposite Donaldson and Bullets, their usual card-playing partners. In front of them, Rooster and Shiny had somehow managed rows to themselves and looked ready to sack out.