After spending many, many hours reading, I have decided to write my own piece. This is my first story and I hope that you all enjoy it. Constructive criticism is welcomed and I do plan on further chapters to follow.
All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Nick Woods is 27 years old, 6'1, tanned and toned Airman with brown eyes and close cropped brown hair.
Jason Murphy is 25 years old, 5'11, equally well build with blue eyes and similar cut dark blond hair.
*****
I sat at the bar with my usual in my hand, the first one of the night. It was Friday night and as precedes most days off I found myself at Jackson's Tavern. Close to the base, cheap drinks, and owned by a retired airman made it the mainstay for personnel like myself. To keep things short, I'm in the Airforce, currently stationed at Lackland in Texas, and currently single. While I relax the week away the new guy walks on in. He's scanning the bar, looking for a spot, I wave him over.
"Hey Murphy!" I holler over the music. He sidles up and takes the seat next to me. Its only his second week on base, it can be tough to break into a new unit when everyone else has been around for months or years. It's even harder when rumors and stories follow you about why you transferred in the first place.
"Evening Sir." He sounds tense.
"Call me Nick," I clap him on the shoulder and take a sip from my glass.
"Sorry sir, force of habit," He gives a slight smile, "Call me Jay I guess."
His shoulders let go a little bit, he's been so quite the last two weeks and I really wanted to get him out of his shell. Hopefully a few drinks would help. I wave down Jess, the bartender. He orders a beer, Blue Moon, and I get one more round for myself.
"Really? Jager and coke?" It's not the first time I've had my drink choice questioned.
"I spent some time in Germany, Ramstein AFB. Developed a taste for it out there drinking locals under the table." He chuckles as I knock back the last of my first. Jessica saunters over with our drinks. We clink our glasses together and start knocking them back.
I switched to beer two drinks back and we've been talking steady. Jason had finally relaxed and opened up. We talked about past posts, funny barracks stories, and a little bit of our lives pre service.
"So if you don't mind my asking, what made you transfer out here?" I ask plainly.
He suddenly locks up a bit in his seat, "I uh, just personal stuff. I'd rather not get into it." He takes a big gulp of his beer, eyes shifting to not meet mine.
"No problem man, sorry I brought it up." I try to reassure him.
"No need to apologize, it's just something I'd rather keep to myself." He's settled a little but I can see it's a pretty sore subject.
"I can respect that, after all I have my own things I keep only to myself." We sip our beers and after a few more moments of tension, we get back to casual conversation. A few hours later we close out the bar. As I take in the night air Jason asks if I want to split a cab back to base.
"Hehe, sorry man but I live off base, I usually just walk it." I'm not sober but I could still catch that flash of disappointment. I understood how he felt, it's not like we'd never hang out again but when you're having a good time, you don't want to see it end.
"If you want to save a couple bucks I got a comfy sofa. Just two blocks over."
"Sure, that'd be great." He had a goofy grin on his face, which I shared with him. It was weird, we we're like kids again, planning a sleep over. We had a lot in common but even then, I've seldom clicked with someone like I did with Jay.
We shuffled along down the street to my place, seldom a break in our conversation. Before too long we were at my apartment. I got a pillow and blanket out for Jay and showed him where the bathroom was.
I yawn, "Well that's about it man. If you get thirsty, glasses are in the cabinet on the left above the sink, help yourself. I got to get some shuteye, I wiped."
"Ok cool." He plopped down on the couch, as I turn to head to my room, "And Nick, thanks again."
"No problem." I give him a wave over my shoulder as I head down the hall.
I roll over to see what time it was, the clock staring back says 10:42am. As late as last night got I was surprised to find myself conscious before noon. It was the smell of food, bacon for sure. I rolled out of bed and hit the bathroom. After tossing on some jeans I stumbled to the kitchen so see what was going on.
"Morning sir." Jay said with a smartass smile. He's hovering over the stove, spatula in hand. "How'ed you sleep?"