I just love the idea of of Bradley being supremely depressed about something(wait, don't @ me, there's more), refusing to talk to/confide in any of his friends...and so they go to Jake.
And whoever it is who's come to him (let's be honest, it's probably Phoenix) is just like "...he needs someone. He needs you."
Even Maverick coming to him being like "Bradley won't talk to me...but he'll talk to you."
Because they know.
They all know.
And even if they are still in the Divorce Era of their relationship...Jake would go to Bradley. And he would push Bradley until he talked to him. He would let Bradley storm off and slam the door to his bedroom, confining himself there for the rest of the night...then be there sleeping on the couch when Bradley walks out into the living room the next morning.
Because Jake loves Bradley.
And no matter how angry either of them are, Jake has never completely given up on Bradley, and he never will. So he stays there until Bradley opens up to him.
And then he stays a little longer, to hold him while he cries.
And he stays a little longer after that, to lay next to Bradley and watch him while he sleeps.
They'd barely stepped off their transport back at Fightertown when the snarled word pulled the Daggers up short
"YOU!"
As one the thirteen of them turned on their heel and immediately twelve duffles hit the tarmac and twelve arms shot up into sharp salutes.
Only Maverick stood unfazed as he took in the sight of Iceman walking slowly towards them. Even out of uniform, and back in a battle against his own body, he was a commanding presence, and cancer or no, he was still COMPACFLT.
Instead of saluting, Maverick, pointed at his own chest.
"Me?"
But this time Ice wasn't talking to him. Wasn't even looking at him. It took Mav a moment, but as he watched Ice approach, he realised the man's target and took a sharp step to the side, smirking as Phoenix, did so herself, leaving Rooster an island between them.
Frozen to the spot, Rooster could do nothing but watch his boss', boss', boss step toe to toe with him. He could only imagine the shit he was in. Disobeying direct orders, losing a multi-million dollar plane, endangering Hangman who'd been scrambled as extra cover, maybe even potentially grand theft aviation from a hostile power....was that a thing?? Oh god, was that a thing??!!?!?!
But the Admiral didn't say a word, just threw his arms around him and held him so tight Rooster's already abused ribs and spine could only complain further. Not that he'd mention it, even when tears blurred his vision from the pain. Once he started to breathe again, he could feel the faint tremor running through the older man's body, and he knew it had less to do with the illness that was rumoured on base to have returned, and more to do with the smirk he could see on Maverick's face over the mans shoulder. A smirk that looked suspiciously like one worn by a man in love.
Hesitantly, Rooster wrapped his arms around his superior officer, and held on just as tight.
"You're welcome."
I can just totally see Jake taking a page out of Penny's playbook and pulling this move after Bradley drops him off one night