Work Text:
Bradley groaned as his alarm clock blared.
4:35
The red numerals create an eerie glow on his nightstand. Well, it used to be a nightstand, but after being passed down for fifteen years from Brother to Brother, the thing was holding on by a thread. No, seriously. The left-back leg was wrapped with rope and duct tape, and it would fall if Bradley looked at it wrong. Oh well, it was free.
He smacked the alarm clock and groaned again when the nightstand crashed to the ground, sending his 3rd edition of The Moral Foundations of the American Republic, phone, and three empty Bud Lights tumbling to the ground.
He gave himself to the count of three and then rolled out of bed, stumbling over the mess, and stepping in beer.
“Great” He thought to himself “it was two empty beer cans”
He picked his textbook and phone up and wiped them off on his duvet. He figured he should probably do laundry today anyway.
Navigating his room in the dark, he found his NROTC PT uniform on top of his desk. Fumbling around for his sneakers his phone alarm blared.
4:40
“Shit”
He stumbled over to the light switch and grimaced as the fluorescent lighting flooded his room. He instantly spotted one sneaker peeking out from under his bed and tripped on the other one as he went for it. Shoving his feet in the shoes, he ran out of his room and down the stairs to the main floor. As he rounded the corner, he nearly ran right into Trevor Nelson.
“Jesus Bradshaw!”
Bradley came to an abrupt stop and grabbed Trevor’s shoulder to balance himself as he smacked his foot on the ground, fixing his sneaker.
“Shit, sorry Trev.”
Bradley laughed.
“Why the fuck are you up?”
“Well, my Rush Chair decided he wants to be in the Navy so someone has to co-run early morning sessions for the Pledges.”
As Rush Chair, it was Bradley’s responsibility to supervise Pledge activities along with the Pledge Master, Brennan Peterson. Bradley had been Pledge Master last spring, so he wasn’t surprised when the guys nominated him to be Rush Chair this fall. He guessed it made sense that Trevor, as President, was standing in while Bradley was at NROTC.
His phone alarm rang again.
4:50
“Shit! I gotta go.” “You’re the best Trev” He yelled as he darted out the door, passing the Pledges as they arrived at the house for early morning Pledge Ed.
The Pledges parted quickly as he ran through them, silently praying that he made it to formation on time.
He skidded into his spot in line and glanced at his watch.
4:59
“Thank God.” he whispered to himself as his Commander started yelling at poor Adam Johnson as the time changed to 5:00 AM.