You lingered outside the briefing room, waiting for the news you were certain was about to come but yet you prayed didn’t. As much as you knew Rooster wanted on this mission, the thought of him going made your stomach roll and your heart clench. Though you only worked the coms in the control room for the mission and had no clearance for the details of the current assignment, you had managed to sneak a look at the mission plan. It was a near-suicide mission, and everyone knew it. And yet, you knew better than to ask Rooster to step down. It was missions like this that he trained for his entire career, and he wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to fly it. Even for you.
Suddenly, the door to the briefing room flew open and Hangman stormed out. The second you saw his face, all of your fears were confirmed. The only reason he would look that pissed off is if he hadn’t been selected for the team, which meant…..
Rooster walked out of the room, and he stumbled to a stop when he saw you standing there. Without saying a word, he opened his arms and you were instantly in them, wrapped in his tight embrace for what might be the last time. Burying your face into his chest, you said in a muffled voice, “I told you he would pick you. Maverick knows talent when he sees it.”
Rooster sighed as he rested his chin on the top of your head. “Yeah, well, you’re not exactly objective when it comes to my skills.”
You chuckled softly but the sound quickly shifted into a sob. You tried to bite your lip to keep your tears from falling, but it was useless. Rooster placed his hands on your arms and pushed you away from him, getting a good look at your face. “Aw, baby, please don’t. If you cry, I’ll cry and that won’t be good.”
“I’m sorry, I just- I need you to come back. Okay? I can’t…. I can’t sit there and watch you go down.” The tears were flowing more steadily down your face and Rooster reached up and wiped them away with his thumb.
“I’ll come back. I promise.”
You shook your head. “You can’t promise that. There are so many things that could go wrong, so many chances to fail. You know I believe in you, baby, but this….. this isn’t something that just relies on skill. If even the slightest bit of information is incorrect, if they miscalculated anything, this could all go wrong, and I can’t-”
“It’s not going to. I will come back. I promise you. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” He trailed his hand down your cheek before lifting your chin with his thumb. His lips brushed against yours, gentle and soft, and as much as his words were saying differently, you knew this was him telling you goodbye.
You rested your head on his chest once more and the two of you held each other in silence for as long as time permitted.
To everyone’s astonishment, the mission had been accomplished perfectly even with Dagger 4’s laser malfunction. You smiled broadly as pride swelled in your chest as Rooster managed to hit his target without the guidance. However, that feeling quickly faded as he crested over the top of Coffin Corner and into range of the SAMs. As missiles filled the radar screens in the control room, you gripped the arms of your seat so tightly, that the muscles in your arms began to tremble. And it felt as if your heart stopped when Rooster’s desperate cries filled your headset as he informed everyone he was out of flares. But Maverick had flown in at the last second and saved him. And as much as it pained you to see Maverick go down, at least Rooster was safe.
Until he wasn’t. Despite his orders, despite your desperate pleas to him over the coms, Rooster went back for Maverick. And it was then that your world exploded as you watched a SAM slam into his plane before his signal blinked out.
Frantically reaching for your controls, you said, “Dagger 2, come in….” Silence. “Dagger 2, I repeat, co-come in.” Still no response. You jumped to your feet as you slammed the com button and screamed, “Rooster! Answer me!”
The entire control room was deathly silent as you felt every eye on you. But you didn’t care. You just needed Rooster to answer. But he never did.
You collapsed back into your seat in stunned silence, still unable to grasp the reality of what just happened. From somewhere behind you, you heard Vice Admiral Simpson mutter, “Get her out of here” before you felt a pair of hands gently rest on your shoulders and help usher you out into the hall.
It wasn’t until the door to the control room closed that you collapsed to the floor in a heap of sobs and tears. Rooster couldn’t be gone. He just couldn’t. He promised you he would come back. He promised he wouldn’t make you go through watching his readings blink off of your screen, wouldn’t make you watch him go down. Yet, he had gone back for Maverick and made you watch him die.
Another sob rattled through your chest and you felt the hands from before rest softly on your shoulders. Looking up, you saw Hondo staring back at you, a tear running down his face as well. You nodded at him, a sign of thanks and understanding. While you had just lost the man you loved, Hondo had just lost a dear friend who he had served with for many years. The pains you were feeling were different yet not really so dissimilar. And as terrible as it was to think, at least you weren’t alone in your grief.
As he lowered himself to the floor, you slid over and rested your head on his shoulder. Neither one of you said a word. You both just sat silently as you tried to come to terms with what had happened and what you had lost.
After what seemed like an eternity, you managed to stop crying and pull yourself together for the most part. The pain was still there, but the initial shock had started to fade a little, leaving a deep emptiness instead. But you knew that feeling would take much longer to fade.
Just as you were about to ask Hondo how he was doing, the door to the control room flew open and Rear Admiral Bates stuck his head out. “You two need to get back in here now.”
Through your puffy, bloodshot eyes, you looked up at him in confusion. “Sir?”
“We’re receiving a signal from Rooster’s tracker.” Your eyes went wide as your breath caught in your chest. “He’s currently in the air in what appears to be in a F-14 Tomcat headed this way.”
“Maverick.” Hondo chuckled in relief.
Your head swam as you tried to grasp the miracle that was being presented to you. “Are you saying they’re both okay and on their way back?”
Warlock shook his head. “We can’t say for certain. We haven’t been able to hail their craft and…. there appears to be two, possibly three Su-57s closing in on their position.”
Suddenly, the entire ship shook as a roar of a plane taking off sounded from the deck above. Exchanging a confused look with Hondo and Warlock, you all hurried back into the control room where chaos was currently ensuing.
As you looked around, you heard someone saying, “Dagger Spare, you were not cleared for takeoff. I repeat you were not cleared for takeoff.”
A smile spread across your face as you realized what just happened and a voice came in over the comms. “This is Dagger Spare and with all due respect, you’ve been denying my requests to go help my team all mission and I won’t let my fellow pilots die because you refuse to give me authorization. So, I’m willing to take whatever reprimands are warranted when I get back, but I won’t be coming back alone.”
Hangman.You made a note to never bad-mouth the pilot again. He had just risked his career to save Maverick and Rooster and for that, you would never be able to repay him.
There was a pause as the room held its breath, waiting to see what Hangman’s fate would be. Finally, Vice Admiral Simpson sighed and said, “Dagger Spare, you are cleared for the mission. Go bring our men home.”
The room erupted in a cheer as Hangman said, “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”
Hope soared through you for the first time since you found out Rooster was going on the mission. With Hangman and Maverick (two of the only men in active duty ever to have a confirmed kill in aerial combat) by his side, you knew they would make it.
Rooster was coming home.
They wouldn’t let anyone from the control room up on deck until all aircrafts had safely landed (safety protocols or some bullshit). But the second you received the all-clear, you burst through the door. The deck was swarming with people trying to congratulate the returning pilots, so you had to shove and elbow your way through. Finally, as you approached the spot where the planes had come to a stop, you could see Rooster and Maverick embracing. It looked like an emotional and tender moment that under any other circumstance would have warmed your heart to see the two men seemingly settling their differences. But after what you just went through, you were willing to spoil their moment.
“Rooster!” you screamed.
Immediately, he dropped his hold on Maverick and pivoted towards the sound of your voice. Without saying a word, he opened his arms and you were instantly in them, wrapped in his tight embrace after fearing you never would be again. As you buried your face into his chest, he whispered, “I promised you I’d be back.”
His voice was choked and strained and when you pulled back to look at him, you saw tears shimmering in his eyes. Quickly reaching up to wipe them away, you said, “Oh, baby. Come on. If you cry, I’ll cry, remember? And no one wants to see that.”
“I don’t care, let them see.” Rooster smashed his lips into yours and you quickly returned his embrace with just as much love and devotion. Soon, you could taste the salty sting of tears on your lips and you weren’t sure if they were yours or his but you didn’t mind. Because Rooster was alive and safe and back in your arms. And that was all that mattered.
From the moment Rooster stepped into the bar, he was second-guessing his decision to come back. Phoenix had given him a warm welcome (before jabbing him harshly with a pool cue) and there were some nice enough new guys he had just been introduced to. However, before he could even grab his first beer, Hangman was already all over him with subtle jabs and sarcastic comments. Rooster couldn’t deny the man was an excellent pilot, but he was also a selfish, narcissistic, jackass who got on his nerves more than anyone else he had ever met.
And this opinion was only reinforced when Hangman looked down his nose at the rest of the cadets and asked, “Who’s gonna be team leader? And which one of ya’ll has what it takes to follow me?”
Rooster opened his mouth to make a comeback when another voice sounded from over his shoulder. “I don’t know, Jake. Last time I let you lead we almost ended up under arrest for flying in restricted airspace. Think you can do better this time?”
All eyes turned as another cadet strolled up to the group. Rooster didn’t recognize you but there was something about the way you carried yourself that made him take notice. Though not as intimidating looking as most of the guys in the room, you stood as if you owned the space and dared anyone to try and take it from you. But while that attitude seemed egotistical or arrogant on someone like Hangman, your half-smile and the gleam in your eyes teased a more playful side to you as well. Rooster sat up straighter in his seat, instantly intrigued.
However, he wasn’t the only one taking interest in you. Hangman’s eyes grew wide and a stunned smile spread across his face. “No fucking way. Livewire? Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were coming?” He dropped the pool cue onto the table and immediately scooped you into his arms. You squealed and laughed as he spun you around.
Fanboy nudged Payback as he muttered, “Dude, Livewire’s here? I thought she was on some top-secret mission overseas?”
Rooster leaned in so you and Hangman wouldn’t overhear as the two of you caught up. “Who is she?”
“She was the top of the class our year. Apparently, she and Hangman used to be a thing a few years before that. Since our class was the one directly after your guys’, he was brought up a few times and she sort of mentioned their past. Seems they were pretty serious at one point.”
Rooster looked over at you and Hangman, his arms still around your waist as you rested your hand on his chest. “And now?”
From the moment Rooster stepped into the bar, he was second-guessing his decision to come back. Phoenix had given him a warm welcome (before jabbing him harshly with a pool cue) and there were some nice enough new guys he had just been introduced to. However, before he could even grab his first beer, Hangman was already all over him with subtle jabs and sarcastic comments. Rooster couldn’t deny the man was an excellent pilot, but he was also a selfish, narcissistic, jackass who got on his nerves more than anyone else he had ever met.
And this opinion was only reinforced when Hangman looked down his nose at the rest of the cadets and asked, “Who’s gonna be team leader? And which one of ya’ll has what it takes to follow me?”
Rooster opened his mouth to make a comeback when another voice sounded from over his shoulder. “I don’t know, Jake. Last time I let you lead we almost ended up under arrest for flying in restricted airspace. Think you can do better this time?”
All eyes turned as another cadet strolled up to the group. Rooster didn’t recognize you but there was something about the way you carried yourself that made him take notice. Though not as intimidating looking as most of the guys in the room, you stood as if you owned the space and dared anyone to try and take it from you. But while that attitude seemed egotistical or arrogant on someone like Hangman, your half-smile and the gleam in your eyes teased a more playful side to you as well. Rooster sat up straighter in his seat, instantly intrigued.
However, he wasn’t the only one taking interest in you. Hangman’s eyes grew wide and a stunned smile spread across his face. “No fucking way. Livewire? Why the hell didn’t you tell me you were coming?” He dropped the pool cue onto the table and immediately scooped you into his arms. You squealed and laughed as he spun you around.
Fanboy nudged Payback as he muttered, “Dude, Livewire’s here? I thought she was on some top-secret mission overseas?”
Rooster leaned in so you and Hangman wouldn’t overhear as the two of you caught up. “Who is she?”
“She was the top of the class our year. Apparently, she and Hangman used to be a thing a few years before that. Since our class was the one directly after your guys’, he was brought up a few times and she sort of mentioned their past. Seems they were pretty serious at one point.”
Rooster looked over at you and Hangman, his arms still around your waist as you rested your hand on his chest. “And now?”
Both Fanboy and Payback just shrugged, and Rooster sighed. Anyone who would date Hangman probably wasn’t someone he was going to get along with. Any excitement he had felt when he first laid eyes on you quickly faded. It seemed as if you were going to be just one more person for him to butt heads with.
However, as the evening passed, he noticed you weren’t like Hangman at all. You reconnected with Fanboy and Payback as the three of you swapped stories of your time at Top Gun together. You chatted excitedly to Bob about his position at the Naval Air Station in Lemore and how he felt about being here. You and Phoenix had a hushed conversation that involved a lot of pointing and laughing at the male cadets. And when Rooster had settled down at the piano to play “Great Balls of Fire”, you were right next to him belting out the song at the top of your lungs.
Yet, it still came as a surprise when you came over to him towards the end of the night and smiled brightly as you said, “So, mister piano man. You’re the infamous Rooster, huh? Jake’s mentioned you before.”
Rooster gave you a tightlipped smile. “All good things I hope.”
“I wouldn’t say that. But I know how he gets so I’m not putting too much stock into it.” You laughed softly. “Besides, I’ve also heard about you from other people, and from what they say about your skills in a plane, I think it was just his jealousy talking. I can’t wait to see what you can do up there with my own eyes.” You smiled as you trailed your hand down his arm. “I’m gonna go grab another beer. Do you want one?”
“Uh, yeah, sure. Thanks.”
You winked at him. “Be right back.”
Rooster watched as you headed to the bar, leaning across it to get the bartender’s attention. He had expected you to be just as belittling and stuck up as your ex, yet not only were you being kind and supportive to everyone here, but you were admitting you recognized Hangman’s flaws instead of supporting them. Maybe you weren’t the person he thought you were.
When you returned, you handed him his beer and settled into the seat next to him. For a moment, the two of you just sipped your drinks in silence until Rooster finally cleared his throat. “So…. you and Hangman, huh?”
You shook your head with a soft chuckle. “I guess word travels fast around here. Yeah, we were together, but it was a long time ago. We met back when we were both at the Naval Academy and we started dating. But once we graduated, it only lasted a few months. Now we’re just really close friends.”
“What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.”
You shrugged. “Everything was fine while we were physically together at the academy but as soon as we got separate assignments far away from each other, things sort of fell apart. I thought he was cheating on me, and he thought I was cheating on him. So, in the end, we just broke up. It was insanely messy. But about a year after that, we ran into each other at a Naval banquet, talked things out, and we’ve been close friends again ever since.”
“Wow, I’m sorry he didn’t trust you.”
You laughed. “Oh no, neither one of us should have trusted the other. We were both sleeping with a lot of different people.”
“What? Really?” Rooster stared at you in surprise, both at the fact you were a serial cheater and the fact that you would so freely admit that to someone you had just met.
You shrugged again. “We were both in our early twenties, traveling all over the world, meeting new people all the time and we were never in the same location together. Plus, we thought we were pretty hot shit back then.” You glanced over at Hangman and chuckled. “Well, Jake still thinks that.”
“And you don’t?”
“Nah. I got knocked down a few pegs when I was trying to show off on a mission. I almost got shot down and that would have compromised everything. Luckily, my wingman was able to cover my ass and he completed the mission for me. After that, it kind of sobered me up and I straightened out. That’s when I got into Top Gun originally and the rest is history. But I still have a wild streak every once and a while in case you were wondering.” You winked at Rooster as you took a sip of your beer, and he couldn’t hide the smile that spread across his face.
It seemed as if he might have judged you too quickly based on your relationship with Hangman. You weren’t like him at all. In fact, there was just something about you that was unlike anyone else Rooster had ever met. You were confident yet not cocky. Snarky yet not cruel. Intelligent yet not belittling. You were a mess of contradictions, and Rooster needed to figure them all out.
But before he could ask you another question, a voice cut him off. “Bradshaw! Are you flirting with my number one girl over here?” Hangman appeared at your side and threw his arm over your shoulder, pulling you in close to him.
You rolled your eyes and shoved him away playfully. “Oh, come on, Jakey. Calm down. We’re just talking. Don’t get jealous.”
“Jealous? Of Rooster here? I doubt it. Besides, I wouldn’t hold your breath with him. By the time he works up the courage to make a move, we’ll all be old and retired. Rooster has a tendency of waiting for the right moment even though it never comes.” Hangman narrowed his eyes slightly with a smirk.
But it quickly faded as you smacked his arm. “Well, who says I need him to make the first move? Or are you forgetting I’m the one who kissed you first? Besides, maybe I need someone a little more cautious and less reckless in my life.” You smiled at Rooster, but Hangman wasn’t letting it go.
He scoffed, “He couldn’t handle you. There’s a reason they call you Livewire.”
“Yeah, and there’s a reason they call you Hangman. So, drop it, Jake. You don’t have a say in what I do with my life anymore or who I become friends with.”
Hangman opened his mouth to respond, but Rooster cut him off. “Listen, I don’t need to be in the middle of whatever this is between you two. I just came here to relax, meet up with some old friends, and grab a drink before things start getting intense in the next few weeks. But since that doesn’t look like that’s going to happen anymore, I’m just going to head back to base. See you tomorrow.”
Rooster downed the rest of his beer in a single gulp then turned and walked out the bar, ignoring the arguing he heard coming from behind him.
However, he was only to the side of the building when he heard you calling after him. “Hey, Rooster! Wait up!”
Reluctantly, he stopped walking as you hurried to catch up to him. “Hey.”
“Thanks for waiting. Listen, I know there’s already some tension or animosity between you and Jake and I totally get that. Jake can be…. a lot. Well, more accurately, he can be an asshole.” You rolled your eyes. “But I’ll talk to him and get him to back off some. He’s just being a little protective over me because we still care about each other, and he just really doesn’t like you. However, from what I’ve seen tonight, you seem like a great guy. I just don’t want my friendship with Jake to sour the chance for us to get to know each other a little better.”
Rooster nodded softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. “No, I wouldn’t want that. I like what I’ve seen of you so far too.”
You grinned, a playful glint sparkling in your eyes. Gesturing down to your outfit, you said, “If this is impressing you, just wait until I’m out of uniform. You ain’t seen nothing yet….. but I have a feeling you might soon. Goodnight.” You winked at him and slowly backed away, leaving Rooster standing there stunned and not quite sure what had just happened.
But as he stood there trying to figure it out, he realized he never paid you for the beers. Quickly hurrying after you, he skidded to a stop as he heard familiar voices coming from just around the corner.
“Hey, we need to talk.”
“Hey, Jake, what’s up? Is something wrong?” you asked.
Rooster carefully peeked his head around the side of the building to see you and Hangman standing close together at the edge of the parking lot. Hangman reached out and took your hand. “We need to talk about us. Now that we’re gonna be here together for the next month, maybe we could try working something out. Maybe this time-”
However, you cut him off with a sad sigh as you pulled your hand away. “Jake, just stop, okay? We both know that’s not gonna work. I love you and I will always love you. But…. I don’t think I can ever be in love with you again. And if you’re honest with yourself, I don’t think that’s really what you want anyway. You like the idea of us together, but the reality is so much different than the thought. We just don’t work as a couple. When we tried it again last year, we almost ruined everything we had built between us and I don’t want that to happen again. You were too jealous, I was too controlling, and it’s all because neither one of us really trusts each other after what happened the first time. We need to just be friends, best friends, but nothing more.”
“I know.” Hangman stared down at the ground, his hands shoved in his pockets. “You’re right. I do love you, but not in that way. Not anymore. I think I’m just afraid of losing what we have if you find someone else. And I do want you to be happy, really I do. But do you seriously have to go out with Rooster of all people?” Rooster’s head snapped to attention. Since when was that decided?
You must have had a similar thought as your brow scrunched in confusion. “Who said anything about going out with him? We just met tonight and all we did was talk. You were the one who brought up him making a move!”
“Yeah, but you like him, I can tell.”
Now it was your turn to look shyly down at the ground. “I mean, it wasn’t a long conversation or anything, but yeah, I do. He seems to know who he is, and he owns it. I like that. And I know you two have your differences or whatever, but if something were to happen between us, I’m not going to not see him because of that. I respect your opinion, Jake, but if I didn’t date any guy you had friction with, I might as well join a nunnery.”
“I’m not that bad!” Your ex scoffed.
“Of all the people here, the only people you like are me and Coyote. That’s it. And I heard you tell Coyote that he better not try anything with me. So, who does that leave me with?”
“Fine. I get your point. I’ll try to behave.”
You grabbed his chin between your fingers and squeezed it playfully before planting a kiss on his cheek. “That’s all I ask.”
Hangman sighed dejectedly. “But could you at least not try rubbing it in my face. I don’t need to see you guys making out or whatever in front of me all the time.”
“Oh, come on, Jakey! Don’t spoil all my fun! I was planning on sneaking in tonight and making out with Rooster on your bed. Then having sex with him in the cockpit of your plane in the morning.” Rooster knew you were joking, but he still felt his face grow red as he shifted, flustered at the mental image you had just created in his head.
Hangman pretended to gag. “Ugh! Don’t even make me think about that! Just…. don’t do that and I’ll deal with whatever else you want to do.”
You smiled and placed another soft kiss on his cheek. “Thanks, Jake. And I know seeing me possibly with someone else can be tough, so I will try my best not to flaunt anything that might end up happening between me and anyone else.”
“Thanks,” Hangman grumbled softly. Then he dug his keys out of his pocket and said, “It’s late and we have an early morning tomorrow. We should both probably get some sleep.”
“Good idea.” You took his hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “It’s good to see you in person again, and I’m glad we’re able to go through this together, whatever this mission is.”
Hangman smiled. “Yeah, I’m glad too. But watch your back because that team leader spot is mine!”
“We’ll just have to see about that,” you chuckled. “Goodnight, Jake.”
“’Nite, Livewire.”
Rooster stared at your back as you watched Hangman disappear into the darkness. Then, without turning around, you called out, “So, now that we have his blessing, what do you think, Rooster? Dinner tomorrow night after our training? Just the two of us?”
Rooster froze as he realized you must have known he had been here the whole-time listening in. But you were still asking him to dinner so that was a good sign… he guessed. In a hesitant, yet excited voice, he said, “Yeah. I would really like that.”
And though you still didn’t turn to face him as you started to walk away, Rooster could hear the smile in your voice as you said, “Good. It’s a date.”
I might do a Part 2 for this if there is interest. So, let me know!
You lingered outside the briefing room, waiting for the news you were certain was about to come but yet you prayed didn’t. As much as you knew Rooster wanted on this mission, the thought of him going made your stomach roll and your heart clench. Though you only worked the coms in the control room for the mission and had no clearance for the details of the current assignment, you had managed to sneak a look at the mission plan. It was a near-suicide mission, and everyone knew it. And yet, you knew better than to ask Rooster to step down. It was missions like this that he trained for his entire career, and he wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to fly it. Even for you.
Suddenly, the door to the briefing room flew open and Hangman stormed out. The second you saw his face, all of your fears were confirmed. The only reason he would look that pissed off is if he hadn’t been selected for the team, which meant…..
Rooster walked out of the room, and he stumbled to a stop when he saw you standing there. Without saying a word, he opened his arms and you were instantly in them, wrapped in his tight embrace for what might be the last time. Burying your face into his chest, you said in a muffled voice, “I told you he would pick you. Maverick knows talent when he sees it.”
Rooster sighed as he rested his chin on the top of your head. “Yeah, well, you’re not exactly objective when it comes to my skills.”
Rooster eases himself out of bed as quietly as possible. It is still pitch-black outside, so he does his best to navigate through the dimly lit room without running into anything. Once he makes it to the bathroom door, he slips inside and flips on the light.
He starts stripping down and is just about to step into the shower when his phone buzzes. Glancing at it, he curses under his breath. Another schedule change means there’s no time for a shower before he has to leave. So, he quickly pulls on his uniform and runs his comb through his sleep-tousled hair.
As he stares into the mirror, the man gazing back at him seems so much calmer and more composed than he feels inside. It is an ability he has mastered after years of practice. Because he knows he can’t walk out of this room with the terror and anxiety he is feeling about this mission etched on his face. He would never do that to you.
As he opens the door, he catches sight of the bed as it is bathed in the glow from the bathroom light. You are laying on your stomach, hair splayed across your pillow and over part of your face. One arm is stretched out onto his side of the bed, fingers clutching at the sheets as even in sleep you are searching for him.
Walking over to your side of the bed, he leans over and places a gentle kiss on your temple causing you to stir softly. Without opening your eyes, you mumble, “Mmm. What time is it?”
Rooster brushes the hair off your face as he whispers, “It’s only 4:30. Go back to sleep, baby.”
You nod slightly and roll onto your back. The movement causes your thin nightshirt to ride up, revealing the slight bump of your stomach. At only three months along, most people would probably not notice the slight swell in your midsection, but to Rooster, who knows your body inside and out, it stands out immediately. He knows that it is his child in there, a child that if things went wrong on the mission, he would never get to meet.
Rooster eases himself out of bed as quietly as possible. It is still pitch-black outside, so he does his best to navigate through the dimly lit room without running into anything. Once he makes it to the bathroom door, he slips inside and flips on the light.
He starts stripping down and is just about to step into the shower when his phone buzzes. Glancing at it, he curses under his breath. Another schedule change means there’s no time for a shower before he has to leave. So, he quickly pulls on his uniform and runs his comb through his sleep-tousled hair.
As he stares into the mirror, the man gazing back at him seems so much calmer and more composed than he feels inside. It is an ability he has mastered after years of practice. Because he knows he can’t walk out of this room with the terror and anxiety he is feeling about this mission etched on his face. He would never do that to you.
As he opens the door, he catches sight of the bed as it is bathed in the glow from the bathroom light. You are laying on your stomach, hair splayed across your pillow and over part of your face. One arm is stretched out onto his side of the bed, fingers clutching at the sheets as even in sleep you are searching for him.
Walking over to your side of the bed, he leans over and places a gentle kiss on your temple causing you to stir softly. Without opening your eyes, you mumble, “Mmm. What time is it?”
Rooster brushes the hair off your face as he whispers, “It’s only 4:30. Go back to sleep, baby.”
You nod slightly and roll onto your back. The movement causes your thin nightshirt to ride up, revealing the slight bump of your stomach. At only three months along, most people would probably not notice the slight swell in your midsection, but to Rooster, who knows your body inside and out, it stands out immediately. He knows that it is his child in there, a child that if things went wrong on the mission, he would never get to meet.
He had always been unsure about having kids. Knowing the dangers associated with his job, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to risk leaving a kid without a father like he was. Yet, the moment you had called and told him, all the doubts, all the fears instantly melted away and he was left wondering how he could have ever imagined his life without a child of his own. One that he created with you.
The two of you had been high school sweethearts, married right after graduation, and you had been with him through every major moment in his life and there was no one else he could picture having by his side for this one. However, this mission he was leaving for is more dangerous than anything he had ever flown before. And there was a good chance he wouldn’t be making it back.
Rooster thinks about his confrontation with Maverick just after Phoenix and Bob’s accident. He had thrown it in the older man’s face that Maverick didn’t have a wife or child to mourn him if something happened to him. And as much as he was referring to his dad’s death at that moment, in his head, he also meant it as what would happen to you and the baby if he didn’t come back from this mission. At least he still has photos and vague, fuzzy memories of time with his dad. But if Rooster was killed tomorrow, his child wouldn’t even have that.
That realization brings Rooster to his knees beside the bed. The idea that his child would never get to hear his voice, see his smile, feel his love….. Somehow this possibility had never crossed his mind until now. Slowly, he climbs onto the bed and rests one hand on your stomach, spreading his large fingers across your bare skin. He rests it there for a minute, silently trying to express all the things he wanted his child to know, especially how much he loved him or her.
Bending down, he lightly brushes his lips across the tender skin of your stomach, causing you to giggle softly. Lazily, you push at his head as you playfully whine, “Bradley, stop! Your mustache is tickling me and I’m trying to sleep.”
“Sorry about that. Is this better?” He slides up your body until he is able to press his lips against yours.
You hum softly against his mouth. “Yes, much better.”
He deepens the kiss, knowing he doesn’t have time but also knowing that just like his child, he needs you to know how much he loves you.
After a moment, you grab his arm and try to drag him further into the bed, but he reluctantly resists as he pries himself from your grasp and sits up. Seeing how his loving expression has slipped into something more somber, you sit up, suddenly awake. “What’s wrong?”
Rooster sighed. “Phoenix just texted me. They moved up our check-in time. She’s on her way right now to pick me up.”
The sorrow on your face shatters Rooster’s heart. “But… we were supposed to have the whole morning! I got those cinnamon rolls you like from the bakery for your farewell breakfast!”
He cups your face as you lean into his touch. “I know. I’m sorry, baby. But I have to go. Phoenix will be here any minute to pick me up.”
He runs his other hand gently across your stomach and you sigh. “You didn’t tell them, did you? Any of them, not even Phoenix.”
Rooster shakes his head. “If I did, they’d have found some excuse to not let me go.”
“And that’s such a bad thing?” you ask with a doleful scoff.
“Baby, you know I have to do this. It’s my job and I’m one of the only people who can do it.”
You tilt your head so it leans further into his caress. “I know. That’s why I’m not asking you not to go. I’m just asking you to come back.” You place one hand softly on your stomach. “I can’t do this alone. We need you.”
Rooster chuckles. “No, you don’t. Not really. You’re going to be an amazing mother, with or without me.”
“Oh, I know I’m going to be amazing. Don’t worry about that,” you tease before becoming more serious once again. “But don’t make me prove I can do this alone. That wasn’t a challenge. I need us to do this together.”
“I’m going to try my absolute best……. but I want you to keep this.” Rooster slips off his wedding ring and holds it out to you.
You stare at it in horror, tears springing to your eyes. “No, Bradley, no. I know what that means and I’m not taking that.”
He moves his hand closer to you, urging you to take it. “If something goes wrong, they may not be able to get it back to you and I want you to have it. Please.”
You began to shake your head forcefully. “Don’t ask me to keep that. You’ve never asked me to keep it before. You’re going to come home, and you’ll be wearing it when you do.”
“Baby, it was my dad’s, and if something goes wrong….. I want our kid to have it. I want you to be able to give it to them one day.”
Your lip begins to tremble as you stare at the ring. Then slowly, you reach out and take it from him. “Don’t you dare make me do that, Bradley Bradshaw. Don’t you dare…. This is going back on your finger in a few days, then it’s never coming off again. Do you hear me?”
He nods before gathering you into his arms. You cling tightly to him and bury your face into his chest as he leans over and rests his head on top of yours. The two of you remain silently wrapped in each other’s embrace, both trying not to think about the meaning behind what just happened.
Suddenly, Rooster’s phone buzzes. Glancing at it, he sighs. “Phoenix is here. I have to go.”
He places a long, lingering kiss on the top of your head before carefully extracting himself from your grasp. As he stands, he runs his hand softly over your stomach one final time. Then he walks over to the bedroom door. But just as his hand wraps around the door handle, he hears you whisper from the bed. “I could call Maverick you know. The second I tell him the truth, about the baby, he would ground you.”
Rooster sighs as he rests his head on the doorframe. “I know. But I also know you love me too much to do that. You understand what this mission means to me.”
“Apparently more than we mean to you.”
Rooster whirled around, his face shifting quickly between a dozen different emotions. “You know that isn’t true!”
You nod softly with your head down, but Rooster can still see the tears beginning to stream down your face. “You’re right. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. I just….”
Another buzz of Rooster’s phone cuts you off. He quickly mutes it. “Sorry. Go on.”
But you shake your head as you purse your lips. “No, you need to go. You can’t keep them waiting.”
“Baby…”
He takes a step closer to you, but you hold up your hands, halting him. “Go, Rooster. You have a job to do, so do it and come home. Come home to us.”
Rooster. If you have resorted to calling him that, then there is nothing left to say. He nods and turns back to the door. As he opens it, he pauses for just a moment. Without turning around, he says, “I love you.”
There is a three-second pause that seems to stretch on for an eternity before you whisper, “I love you, too.”
And with that, Rooster walks out the door. As soon as it is closed, he hears you collapse onto the bed sobbing. But he can’t look back. If he does, he knows he will never leave. So instead, he places one foot in front of the other as he heads off into the unknown, hoping that one day soon, he will be walking back down into that room and into your arms once more.
Notes: Thank you to @loverhymeswith for beta reading for me! And a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported Part 1! The response has been amazing and it really means so incredibly much to me!
Rooster… It had been a faint sound, feeble and hoarse, but he had heard you whisper his name across the coms. You were alive. For now at least. And Rooster was determined to do everything in his power to keep it that way even if that meant risking his own life.
He had seen the look of pain that flashed across your face as the missile that was aimed at his plane suddenly slammed into yours instead, and he had managed to catch a glimpse of your limp body as it hung beneath your parachute after you ejected. As much as he had screamed into the coms for you to turn on your beacon, as much as he kept insisting to the others that you were alive, part of him didn’t believe it. So, the second he saw your location beacon flicker to life on his radar, his heart leaped in his chest.
Now, as he ignored everyone’s incessant calls for him to return to the aircraft carrier, he was circling the area around your beacon. It seemed luck was on his side because, while he was unable to spot where you landed amongst the trees, he was able to find an old service road that had been recently cleared of snow. It wasn’t his best landing, and he knew takeoff would be tricky on the uneven surface, but at least it was something he could work with.
His engine didn’t even have time to sputter to a stop before he was out of the cockpit and jumping to the ground. The signal from your beacon had placed you not too far from here, but as Rooster sprinted towards the location, he saw no sign of you. A million thoughts spiraled through his head. Maybe you had been captured. Maybe the beacon had fallen off your suit and malfunctioned, turning on by itself. Maybe he wasn’t going to reach you in time, wasn’t going to have the chance to tell you….
But just then, he spotted something to his right. You were laying on your side with your back towards him, crumpled at the base of a tree with your parachute tangled in the limbs high above you. As he rushed to your side, he noticed your entire body was shivering but whether it was from the cold, the pain, or some sort of shock, Rooster couldn’t tell. Normally this fact would have worried him, but at the moment, he was just relieved for a sign that you were alive. As carefully as he could, he eased you onto your back, before gasping in alarm.
SUMMARY while rooster, who you were severely in love with, was held back by maverick - your career in the navy flourished, and your friendship with rooster was lost. once your’re ordered to assist maverick teach top gun, you’re forced to come face to face with this heartbreak.
WARNINGS angst, pining, flashback dreams in italic, eventual romance, one scene near the end where you have a panic attack but it’s not graphic or anything, one scene of implied sm*t but its like blink and you miss it.
REQUESTED yes/no (kinda, people asked me to write about rooster but not this specifically)
WORD COUNTS 18k words (sorry)
this is THE LONGEST thing i’ve ever written. i’ve loved miles teller since i was eleven years old and i refuse to be quiet!
The passage of time had always been something so interesting to you, so interesting yet so tragic. It was interesting to watch how quickly a month could pass, how slowly the next week could slug by. But it was tragic to remember that you would spend each passing moment yearning for another, another who could not be yours.
It wasn’t that the thought consumed you, that it took up every waking moment of your life. However, every time you were called to action, you were reminded of the person who couldn’t be by your side. The person who was meant to be your partner in battle, your wingman in every mission. But the past was the past, and the only thing you could do was hope that someday you wouldn’t have to think about him.
“Apex, you with me?” Your head jerked to the side as you turned to face Maverick, sitting beside you at the bar as you nursed your drink. “I asked if you wanted anything other than water, it’s apparently on me.”
Your eyes darted to the bartender, who you’d met before. “How long have I been comatose?” You asked, nearly dumbfounded by how you had missed an entire conversation. You’d been to this bar once in the past, and you knew when a round was on someone a giant, unmissable, loud bell rang. Meaning that you’d been so distracted by thoughts of the past, that you didn’t even hear that.
“Probably from the moment you sat down, you look like you need a drink.” Penny answered, motioning to the bar. “It’ll be on the house. I’ve seen that look before.”
Of course, Penny of all people would understand. Maverick had broken her heart in the past, stories you heard from him, stories you figured out on your own when your old time friend came to visit without his girlfriend. “I’m okay, I don’t drink on missions.” You answered, glancing down at the bar for a moment. “Thank you, though.”
She smiled and nodded, she could tell you were sincere with her thanks. “Are you ready to become a teacher?” Maverick asked, watching a snort escape your nose. A smile widened over the man’s lips as you looked over at him.
“I’m probably younger than some of the people I’ll be teaching.” You weren’t sure who exactly your pupils were. While Maverick had been given that briefing, Cyclone sent you to set up the graphics for the mission and make sure the ships were up to par. While he knew he was asking Maverick if he would fly for Top Gun, you were his first pick to begin with. There was no question if you were up for it.
“True, but you’re the most qualified.”
That much was true. You may be rather young to have as many accolades as you did, but every honor and title you had was something you earned. You’d graduated top of your class, top of every class. But back then, you were more youthful and happy. You were excited to get to fly with your best friend, your best friend who you’d met during training but your best friend never-the-less. Once that was taken away from you, you’d taken the heartbreak and anguish and turned it into a flourishing career. Hence the callsign, Apex. You were the top of the top, the best of the best in the eyes of a considerable few people in the Navy - but anyone who knew you personally, knew you were taking out some deep-seated emotion you refused to go to therapy for.
As you went to respond, you noticed a shift in the atmosphere in the room. Conversations seemed to lull, from everyone. Your head turned to the door to watch a man walk in, to see the face you had been dreaming about seeing again every night, standing in front of you. Even from afar, you could feel the energy radiating off of him, the draw to be closer and know what it would feel like to hug him again, but that bridge with Bradley Bradshaw had been burned long ago.
While Maverick looked away, you couldn’t help the way that your head fell. Your hand covered your face as you tried to keep yourself obscured for just long enough that you could slip out without much notice. That moment came when he made his way over to the other recruits. You slipped money for the water to Penny before heading out of the door, not bothering to look back for anything.
It all felt so overwhelming. Like a rush of memories of every moment you’d had with Bradley came back. From the first moment you met the man, to the day he was given the callsign Rooster. Every touch, every laugh, every hug… it all came back to you. Your head was rushing with emotions, pounding against your skull for some kind of release from this sudden crash around you. It was difficult to ignore the pounding of your heart as you worked to regulate your breathing, as you fought the tears attempting to slip from your eyes.
The feeling faded away slowly when you felt an arm around your shoulder. Maverick, watching in for the same face you were. You felt the same hurt from him, the same pain that you were feeling, the longing and sadness, the feeling like he’d betrayed someone. While you knew his hurt came from how much he missed Goose, he knew your pain came from your longing for Bradley. He knew how you felt about the man, everyone who knew you at the time did.
Eventually, you both let go of the scene in front of you and went to your respective temporary homes. As you fell asleep that night, the only dreams that overtook you were memories from the past.
“You’re not as fast as you think you are, you know.” Bradley said, leaning back against the wall of your hotel room as you turned to look at him. “I’m just saying.”
“Yeah, well, at least I’m faster than you.” You teased, flicking the balled up straw you’d been holding at him. He made no effort to dodge it.
“Real mature, Apex.”
“Can it, Rooster.”
You couldn’t help the laugh that escaped your throat, the laugh that followed from him only making your face brighter as he slid down against the wall to sit. You walked over toward him to sit with him, watching the sky as you calmed down. It was nearing nightfall, as the purple and pink sunset covered the horizon of the midwestern town you were staying in. It was beautiful, but you couldn’t stop your eyes from traveling over to Bradley. Someday, you wished you could tell him that you thought he was more beautiful than even a perfect summer night such as this one. But as your eyes connected, as you found utter softness in his, you decided this connection wasn’t worth risking.
“We’ll fly together after we finish here, you know that right?” He asked, letting his hand brush over yours. It was nearly imperceptible, but your fingers tangled with his anyway.
“I won’t take orders to go on a mission without you.” You responded, your voice softer than you intended. But he could only smile, a genuine and soft smile. “Can’t let you get any more scars, now can we?”
“I thought you liked my scars!” He said, feigning offense as though he had missed what you were actually saying. But you knew he was only kidding, he never misunderstood what you said to him.
“‘Course I do, silly. I just don’t want you getting hurt.”
No more words followed as his soft smile turned to face the sky, only growing as your head rested on his shoulder. You could never be a hundred percent positive about what the future would bring. But in that moment, the only future you could see was one where you flew alongside Bradley Bradshaw, your best friend and love of your life.
But the soft, happy memory faded away. The bright lights turned dim as Bradley jerked away from you. As you looked around for just a moment to notice you were in a different room.
“How the hell could you let him do this to me?!” Bradley shouted, hands in his hair as he tugged on it. “I mean, wasn’t that the whole thing? You wanted to fly with me, you fucking wanted to.”
“I do-”
“You don’t, if you did you wouldn’t have let Maverick do this. I mean, you talk to him more than I do! You let this happen, you could’ve stopped it.”
“I didn’t even know he was going to do it, Bradley-”
“Don’t ‘Bradley’ me, Apex. You fucking knew. You-You’re lying!” It was clear he was emotional, clear as day as you watched his red face look anywhere but at you. But once he finally did, once your eyes locked, you saw nothing less than hate in them. You jerked further away from him than you already were, nearly feeling your heart drop. “So go be with your best friend, leave me in the fucking dust.”
“Is that what you really want, Rooster?”
“Yeah, that’s what I really want.”
The door to your room was already open in your dream, as you walked through it and went into your room. You remembered the feeling of despair as you glanced at the very porch you’d sat with him only a week before, as you collapsed onto the bed in a fit of tears. That night would be an absolute hellish nightmare for you, the night you screamed at Maverick and begged him not to pull Rooster’s papers. The night the older man found out you were in love with Bradley Bradshaw, even tried to reason that you should be glad that Bradley didn’t run the risk of getting hurt anymore.
You woke up bright and early, tears staining your cheeks as you got up and got ready for the day. It was difficult to power through the early morning knowing that you were only hours away from Rooster being forced to look at you, to work with you. That the man you had never stopped loving was going to be within arm’s reach, and yet completely and utterly unreachable. In hindsight, perhaps you should’ve fought with him. Fought to keep your friendship alive, just admitted that you could never betray him like that because you were in love with him. Hell, maybe you should’ve never forgiven Maverick for what he did. But the past needed to be left in the past, and Maverick had gone out of his way to make things right with you. He’d mentored you, personally, for years. Every skill you had you owed to him, it was difficult to lose such a bond.
The minute you’d been dreading came quicker than you expected as yourself and Maverick were introduced to the recruits, as you stood in front of them and took them all in. A few, you remembered from the bar. Hangman had made himself very visible to both of you, though it was clear he remembered the way he had talked to his new teacher, Maverick, as he looked at him.
“Apex here readied all of your ships for training today, if anything goes wrong, you know who to blame.” Maverick said, joking around with you as you only rolled your eyes and shot him a nearly threatening glare.
“You’ll find that everything is above average in the ship.” The moment ‘above average’ came out of your mouth, you could see something threatening to spill out of Hangman’s. “Say what you’re thinking and I’ll dump coffee on yours tomorrow.”
“Just as feisty as the rumors say.” He retorted, holding up his hands as if he was yielding to you. The smile on his face remained, however.
You only motioned for Maverick to continue, knowing that the time for a conversation with a recruit wasn’t now. You allowed him to give his presentation, since you really were only there to teach flight - the planning was on Maverick. However, this lull on conversation for you only spelled trouble as you glanced over at Rooster. You could tell that he was purposefully ignoring your gaze, though you had felt his burning holes in your head the moment you walked in. It was difficult to look at him, difficult when you had been yearning to see him again for so long, and difficult knowing that he wanted nothing to do with you.
By the time you were in the air, you could only do what you always did - work your ass off so you didn’t have to think about Bradley Bradshaw. The first training exercise was an easy one, trying to evade hits from the enemy. In this case, you would fly with the pilots and show them how to avoid being hit by Maverick. It seemed simple, easy. There were twelve recruits, why did you need to speak to one specific person? You could be professional, even if you needed to speak to Bradley. At the end of the day, your awkward relationship with him wasn’t the anger that was held between himself and Maverick. It felt like some deeply held in sadness, something you could only veil so thinly before people started to notice.
As you flew through the skies, you watched as Maverick took out person after people. Only yourself, Hangman and Rooster remained. You fell into formation with Hangman rather quickly. Though he wasn’t the kindest person you’d ever met, he was easy to work with, and he was definitely a damn good pilot. You listened in as he tried to ask Rooster about the tension between him and Maverick, a question which Rooster had no interest in asking.
Maverick was quick to interrupt it, getting ready to go into ‘battle’ with Rooster to take him out of the playing field. You were quick to jump in the way of the attack.
“Good teamwork, Apex. But you’ve left yourself exposed, do not sacrifice yourself if you don’t have to.” You were the next to be taken out of the game, and it was only fair that you were sent to do your two-hundred pushups when this was all over. You flew back to the base, but as you flew, you could hear the conversation on the other end. They were much, much lower and closer to the ground than they were supposed to be.
The feeling of your heart pounding in your chest returned as you listened to their conversation, as you used everything in you to not interject on it. What happened between them was personal, no matter how you felt about it, you had no say in the matter. You just hoped that what Maverick was doing, the unorthodox training, wasn’t going to get you into any trouble like you were sure it will for him.
Regardless, you landed on the runway rather quickly. “Sure the teacher needs to do this?” Hondo asked, watching you climb out of the seat and onto the ground.
“It’s only fair, isn’t it? Can’t be a hypocrite.” You never much liked push-ups, but if this was to be a fully functional team, then you needed to be able to do what everyone else was doing. Just because you were instructing them, doesn’t change the fact that you were all equals on this mission.
You got into the correct position for the exercise, trying to ignore the knowledge of who would be returning soon. You’d gotten to around a hundred before Rooster returned, before your push-ups weakened as you tried not to think about your emotions. It was easier working and bottling things up when he wasn’t right there in front of you, but when you were near him, when you could feel him near you, it was harder than ever before to ignore how badly you missed him, to ignore how your heart swelled when you remembered a particularly happy day with him.
The thoughts had you so distracted that you didn’t notice you were at the end of your push-ups until Hondo reached two hundred and tapped you on the shoulder. You were quick to stand up, brushing yourself off as you tried to ignore the hard stare of Rooster. Once you finally cautioned a glance over at him, it was as if your entire world stopped when you locked eyes. It was the first time you held his stare since that last night with him. That night, they had been so full of hate that you knew you would never see him again.
It had been a fear of yours to lock eyes with him again, a fear that you would see that same hatred in his eyes even after such a long passage of time. However, when your eyes locked, you saw nothing but pain. Pain, hurt, regret, everything but hate. You wanted nothing more than to go over there and tell him that you’re sorry for not doing anything when you heard him crying through the walls, even though you knew he could hear you crying all night long as well. You just wished there was something you could do, something to make up for the lost times or just convince him that you had nothing to do with what Maverick did.
The sound of your voice being called drew you out of your trance, Cyclone motioning for you to follow himself and Maverick inside. You found your way to the chair in his office, watching as he yelled at Maverick. “I don’t have these problems with her, why is that? Apex has a history with Rooster too.”
“She had no reason to go that low, sir.”
“With all due respect, Maverick did cross a line today. However, some lines need to be crossed for the sake of the mission. They need to be prepared for anything, sir.”
The man ran a hand over his face, seemingly disappointed that his ‘top choice’ was siding with the man he didn’t even want to have here in the first place. But he kept his aggression’s on Maverick, tightening his leash around him. “Keep an eye on him, or it’ll be you too.”
“Understood, sir.”
The moment all of you were out of the room, you found yourself exhaling a sigh of relief. As horrible as that conversation had been, the stress of it took your mind off of Rooster for a moment as you headed back to where you were staying. Just about the moment your head hit the pillows, you were out like a light. Whatever dreams did come, were ones you didn’t remember in the morning. You were just glad to not be reminded of your past with Rooster again, to not have to think about how badly you missed him with everything in you.
The next couple of days of training went by just as you had expected them to. While the pain of being around someone you used to love, someone you still truly do love, never really subsided in you, it became more bearable. It was like a pain you were used to, something tolerable. Like the taste of cough syrup - you need to drink it to feel better, even if it tastes like someone made it for the explicit purpose of making people wish they never had taste buds.
It wasn’t until one specific day that things went wrong. “Flying fast is a key to success, but it isn’t the only key.” You said, standing in front of the recruits as you looked around at all of them. “Just because you fly quickly, doesn’t mean you fly accurately. Flying slowly but staying off course doesn’t exactly help you either. Take risks, but make sure they’re well worth it.”
Advice you couldn’t even take yourself, when it came to anything other than flying. Every single team that came back from the mission failed, and while Maverick spoke to them about it, you could tell that much of his words surrounding it came from how much he missed Goose. The only person, the only team, that reached the target was Rooster.
It was difficult to watch the way people were speaking to him, it wasn’t until Hangman said something to him that you spoke up, until he, rather rudely, told Rooster that he wasn’t flying fast enough. “That’s for us to decide, not you.” It was meant to come out simple, but your words sounded bitter if anything. You managed to catch quite a few people off guard, moreso when Hangman felt compelled to apologize for speaking out of turn.
Maverick, however, remained focused on Rooster. It was as clear as purified water that everything he was saying to him was personal in his heart. You knew that, but you didn’t believe the other people in the room did. Even if they didn’t know, that doesn’t mean that Rooster himself didn’t know - because you were sure he did.
“I think what Maverick is trying to say could be a lesson for all of us. Thinking can save your life, but it can also get you killed.” While a few people, mainly Phoenix and Bob, took your words to heart and nodded with agreement - clearly hoping to ease the tension just as much as you were, Maverick pushed on.
His words toward Rooster were far from over, you couldn’t help yourself from turning to look at him with utter dismay. Everything Maverick was doing in this moment was utterly unprofessional, and must’ve been hurtful to rooster. But your upcoming interjection fell flat the moment Hangman brought himself into the conversation. The moment the scolding began, he was quick to jump in and attack Rooster, and now he was going for the kill and bringing up Goose. You couldn’t believe he would do something like that, but you could see the lunge coming from a mile away. And truthfully, even though you were supposed to be scolding Rooster for such immature behavior, you couldn’t help but understand his actions.
Despite the anger in his actions, the anger written on his face. You could see the hurt behind Rooster’s eyes, the pain at the mention of his father by someone who was trying to make a mockery of it. In that moment, you wished more than anything that you still had the ability to hold him in your arms. That you could pet his hair, remind him that he wasn’t alone. While the class was dismissed, everyone in the room slowly dispersed.
Everyone but two people, that was. Your eyes followed Rooster as he made his way to the door, you remembered the mistake you made last time you were with him in a vulnerable state. You said nothing, you did nothing. You didn’t help him at all, and you couldn’t make that same mistake.
“Are you going to be okay?” You asked him, your voice more meek than you intended it to be. There was no doubt in your mind that he would be, but that didn’t mean he didn’t deserve the comfort in the moment.
“I’ll be okay.” He answered, turning back to you for a moment. “I’m sorry that we ruined Maverick’s lesson.”
“You didn’t ruin anything, Hangman did. He was out of line.” You wanted to say something personal, to tell him that you were here for him. But all you could do as you held eye contact with him was fight off the urge to cry. “Don’t let anyone speak to you like that, Rooster. You deserve better.”
“Thank you.” He mumbled, a small but visible smile on his lips. It was nothing like the memory from your dreams, the big and comfortable smile on his face. But it was soft, it was meaningful, and you wanted nothing more than to be able to see him smile again. Rooster walked out of the room rather shortly after, despite your wish for him to stay.
There was a moment, a moment in which the only emotion that filled you was regret. Regret that you didn’t chase after him, that you didn’t try and reason with him and tell him that you couldn’t live with the tension between the both of you any longer. A similar regret to the one that you felt that night that you argued with him, the night his papers were pulled by Maverick. But there was nothing you could do. He would forever blame you for that, even if you had nothing to do with it.
That night led to nothing but you lying awake in bed, reminiscing on the past and remembering how you felt on that horrible night. It was never something that left your mind, the feeling of wishing that you could just go and see Rooster. Eventually, you fell asleep, but the painful memories didn’t cease.
The starless night sky led to an utter downpour that night, you could only bitterly laugh as the thunder knocked the power in the hotel out over and over again, at least three times an hour. Of course, on the night your life would implode, the sky would do the same. It felt almost poetic in a way, even though this storm had been predicted for a long time - this storm of emotions, however, was something you had no preparation for.
Despite the loud cracks of thunder and lightning, the sound of the pouring rain crashing against the window, all you could hear was the sounds of Rooster crying on the other side of the wall. The wall of the double room you were assigned in the hotel, because everyone knew that you’d find your way to spending the night with each other anyway. But that night, for the first night since you arrived in the city, you slept in your own room. You didn’t fall asleep on the floor, giggling while Rooster passed out beside you. You didn’t fall asleep in the bed of your best friend, listening to him tell story after story of times you had spent together - in celebration of entering a new chapter of your lives, a new chapter together.
Instead, you spent your night sobbing, crying to anyone who would listen and begging for time to be reversed. Bradley cried the entire night, and with each passing moment, you considered just going into his side of the room and apologizing. Perhaps, you would be able to convince him you had nothing to do with Maverick’s decision, since he wasn’t in such an emotional state as he was earlier. But through and through, you kept your ground and remained in your room. And this would be the worst mistake you’d made. The last chance you had to apologize to him, to change his mind.
Not that it would have mattered, because while you progressed in the ranks, he needed to work his way back up to the top. When would you have even seen each other?
It had only been an hour since you had started to go to sleep, before you found yourself waking up and deciding to just stay awake until morning. Maybe then you would be able to escape the painful memories, but even awake, all you could do was wonder if it would help to just go and see him. To try and make things right… at three in the morning? Chances he was even awake were low, the best you could do was just spend an extra long time getting dressed and head out.
By the time you got to base, you were being sent right back to your room to change into a bathing suit and head for the beach.
“You sure Cyclone is gonna approve of this?” You asked Maverick, walking alongside him back to the recruits as you all packed into a van.
“He will, once he sees how it bonds them. We can’t have another outburst like Hangman’s, it’ll endanger the mission.” He explained, watching you finally acknowledge what he was doing. “Plus, I think you could do with some team bonding.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. I can’t watch you walk around like a kicked puppy anymore.” His words were blunt, but you could tell there was sincerity behind them. The both of you had come a long way in your friendship, especially considering the fact that years ago you would have punched him for even bringing that up. At the end of the day, what happened between you and Bradley wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for what Maverick did. But you’d both moved past that, and when he saw a small smile on your lips, he couldn’t be more grateful for that.
“I’m sorry if I’ve been off… I just-”
“You don’t have to apologize, I already know.” The truth was, he knew fully what you were going through because you had told him. He knew you were in love with Rooster - granted, everyone knew you were in love with Rooster, but he knew first hand because you outright told him. But it didn’t change the past, and the best thing you could do was pack into the car and go to the beach with your team.
The moment you arrived at the beach, it was like everything that was burdening you was off of your mind. The weight on your shoulders had been carried away from the warm rays of the sun, and the happy children playing off in the distance. You could only smile as the game began, knowing that you were going to do everything in your power to win it. It wasn’t that you wanted to show off, you were just competitive in nature.
Despite the objective of the game existing, it didn’t take any more than twenty minutes for you to just be throwing a ball back and forth between everyone. At some point, you’d chosen Phoenix to be your partner in the game, whatever that even meant since there no longer seemed to be an objective. It was utterly relaxing to just run around, keeping her back while people tried to knock her away from the ball. Despite your best efforts, though, you wound up on your ass rather quickly.
“Oh, that’s gotta hurt! You good, Apex?!” Hangman shouted from behind you, laughing as you gave a thumbs up. To say you were ‘on your ass’ would be… technically a lie. You fell face first, sitting up with a big grin on your face, despite the sand threatening to fall into your mouth as Phoenix helped you to your feet.
“I’m tapping out for a minute!” You said, motioning to the towel you had off to the side. As you went off to wipe your face, planting back down on the dry sand by the chairs, you didn’t notice someone approaching you until they were right in front of you, speaking to the woman on the ground with a towel covering her face as she fought with sand to make sure that it didn’t get lodged into her tear ducts.
“Sure you’re okay? Sand in your eyes is a bitch.” You removed the towel and glanced up, the shadow of the one and only Bradley Bradshaw keeping the sun from infiltrating your eyes.
“Is it gone? Did I get it all?” You asked, motioning to your face and watching him shake his head, as you went to bring the towel back to your face, you felt him snatch it from you and kneel next to you.
“Let me help, I’m pretty sure Cyclone will fire us all if he has to pay for your medical bills.” He said, placing two fingers on your cheek as he guided you to face him so he could wipe the sand off of you. “Close your left eye, there’s some on your eyelid.”
As instructed, your left eye fluttered closed as you fought to keep the right one open. “I don’t think that man likes a single one of us.”
“I don’t know, he seems to like you.”
“He tolerates me, I was his first pick to teach this mission.” You responded, shrugging it off as he paused, his eyes widening a bit.
“You’re kidding?” When you shook your head, indicating that you were, in fact, being truthful, “Wow, you really are an apex predator.”
“You can’t call someone a predator, Bradley. It’s not nice.”
“Shut up, it was a compliment.” You felt him flick a piece of sand as you as a laugh sounded from your throat. It was less than a few seconds after, when he finished cleaning the sand off of your face.
When the towel was pulled back, you could see him clear as day. So close that you could almost feel his breath on your face, that you could see every detail of his eyes that you missed so much. You wanted to tell him how badly you missed him, and as you held your gaze, all you could see was that same softness.
“You used my first name.” He said, in a tone so soft and quiet that you hardly heard it over the sounds of the beach. “I never thought you’d say it again.”
“Bradl-”
“I know you didn’t have anything to do with Maverick pulling my papers, he confronted me about it.” He said, louder than he was before. “I’m so sorry, I’m so fucking sorry-”
“No, no. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left like that. I should’ve fought with you. Had I done that… god. What good did screaming at Maverick even do me?”
You felt an arm around your shoulder, followed by one around your waist as you were slowly pulled into a hug. You nearly melted into it as your arms wrapped around Bradley, as the rise and full of his chest lulled you into the most peaceful state you’d been in.
“I should’ve never assumed you had anything to do with that.” He said, running his hand through your hand as you let your head nestle into his neck. “I missed you.”
“I’ve barely been able to sleep since this mission started.” You admitted, feeling his breath catch beneath your head for a moment.
“Neither have I.”
You couldn’t help the way that you let your body completely melt into his touch, nor could he help the way that he held you tighter than he had probably ever held anyone before. It had been many years since you’d seen each other before this mission. Both older, wiser, and in completely different phases of your life despite being born months apart. Despite it all, everything felt like it was in place while you held onto each other, while the sounds of the beach faded away.
Eventually, though, you needed to pull back. There was only so long that you could cuddle a friend without anyone else wondering if something else was happening. A friend, a friend who you were sitting beside. After all this time, it only felt natural to pull away and smile at him, to feel that same smile reciprocated as he looked at you.
“God I missed you.” You mumbled, watching the smile only grow on his face. You couldn’t contain yours from matching it, sending back an almost toothy smile.
“I missed you too, so much.” He said, before standing up and holding out his hand. “Let’s go win this game.”
“Is there even an objective anymore?”
“Not really.”
From then out, the game was much easier. Whatever fun you’d been having before was doubled, while you worked well with Phoenix, you’d never stopped being able to coordinate with Bradley. It was as though you were reading each other’s minds to everyone else there, with just how easy it was for you both to come out on top of just about every scenario. The only person, the one sole person, who was capable of defeating you both? Bob. Neither of you had anticipated Bob being as skilled as he was, so it came as a shock when he ended up being the one to win whatever strange points system you’d devised while everyone got distracted and forgot the actual objective of the game.
Even in loss, you couldn’t complain as you felt Bradley wrap his arm around you in a side hug. As you let your own arm wrap around him, while everyone gave you a consolation ‘good game’ and left it at that. He may have been sweaty from the game, and you sure were too. In this state, normally, you wouldn’t want anyone to touch you or even come within feet of you. But he was the exception to the rule, and it felt absolutely amazing being this close to him again.
It wasn’t too long after the game ended that Maverick called it and told everyone they were free to go home for the day. The team, however, had different plans. All it took was a slightly pleading glance from Phoenix to not leave her with all the guys for the night and an arm on slung around your shoulder from Rooster to get you to go to the bar with them.
The last time you were in this bar, you were unhappy and distracted. Assigned to fly for Top Gun, and assigned to work with the man you had missed for so long. Now, you were completely at peace. “You don’t drink on the job, do you?” Bradley asked, turning to you as you walked in with him.
“Never have, probably never will unless I get desperate.” You said, shrugging as you followed him to where he had decided to sit. Off at the bar, ordering non-alcoholic beverages for you both.
“Well, it’s only fair that neither of us drink, then.” He said, shrugging as he thanked Penny and took the drinks. You didn’t miss the knowing glance from her, as if she knew it was your friendship with Rooster that had been bothering you the other night. Truth was, you wouldn’t put it past Maverick to have told her about it since you knew they had a relationship in the past, one that you could count on them rekindling.
“Sounds like a good deal to me. You gonna do any more singing?” You asked, taking a sip of your drink and watching him turn to you with an almost amused glance.
“You caught the show?”
“Briefly, not like I could have said anything. It was a different time.” A different time being about a week ago, but it was completely different. At least, in terms of where you were in life and what your relationship with Bradley Bradshaw was like. That week ago, you had fled the bar because it was too painful to see him. Now, you were sitting beside him and chatting like nothing had ever really changed.
“Good thing we don’t ever have to go back to that, isn’t it?” He asked, and though he seemed a bit teasing in tone, you could see how sincere he was from the look in his eyes. He didn’t have to say much for you to know that he missed you just as much as you missed him.
You could only sigh and let your head lean against his shoulder, his arm fluidly wrapping around your waist. You’d both been a bit touchy-feely as friends before, but something felt different now. Perhaps it was just because you both knew what the pain of being apart was like, or perhaps it was just because you missed being able to hug, but either way, something had shifted.
“I’ll put on a show on one condition.”
“What’s that, Bradshaw?”
“You sing with me.”
You nearly choked on your drink, glancing at him with a nervous expression in your eyes. “Isn’t it already weird that I’m here with the recruits?”
“You’re literally younger than Hangman.”
“True, but…” You couldn’t really think of any excuse other than that. You had been assigned to teach Top Gun, but you weren’t really a teacher, just sort of… an instructor. At the end of the day, you had no say in who was going to be on the mission and who wasn’t. Maverick had that authority, so who would it hurt if you let loose and had some fun with people your own age for once? Plus, you really did want to sing with Rooster, you’d always loved doing Karaoke with each other before.
“Is your silence a good sign?” He questioned, a big smile covering his face as one finally broke out on yours. It really only took one nod for him to drag you to your feet and take the plug out of the jukebox. You could see Penny deciding against scolding the both of you out of the corner of your eyes, and followed Bradley to the piano.
The first song he chose wasn’t really a duet, nor did either of you take turns when it came to singing. Phoenix had come to sing with you, Fanboy had sung a bit too. It wasn’t until the third song that you’d sung with him that it became more personal. A duet, a practiced one, too - it was the song you both instantly went to during karaoke. Slightly romantic, but not enough to make you spill your guts to him. This time, however, it felt different - just as everything else did. You wanted to spill your guts to him, you wanted to do it right in front of the entire bar just so they knew that he was loved. But as you looked at him, as he held eye contact with you while he sang, you just couldn’t. You’d only just gotten him back, how could you risk it?
Eventually, though, Penny insisted on plugging the jukebox in because some patrons no longer wanted to hear your beautiful voices. And both you and Bradley were off looking for things to do again.
“Hey, I’ll be back - I’m going to the bathroom.” You said, edging away from him for a moment. The entire night you’d been attached at the hip, so you could see him starting to glance around for something to do before nodding once he found Hangman and Bob nearing the end of a competitive pool game.
“Alright, see you in a few.”
As you stepped into the bathroom, you fully intended on getting into one of the stalls and allowing the call of nature before you heard Phoenix speak from the sink.
“I know it’s probably none of my business, but woman to woman, is everything okay with you and Rooster?” She asked, having just finished washing her own hands as she looked at you. You’d become friendly with Phoenix over the past week. While this was your first time spending much time with her off base, since thus far you hadn’t spent time with anyone out of work hours, you had become friends. So it came as no surprise that she was asking such a question.
“Everything’s okay now.” You answered, watching her wait for more of an explanation. You only sighed and glanced down at your feet. “I’m sure you know that Maverick pulled Rooster’s papers?”
“Yeah, he told me.”
“Right, well, Rooster and I were best friends. I was also close with Maverick, and he didn’t do anything to interfere with my time in the Navy. Rooster… blamed me. He was upset, and angry, and I didn’t bother to fight him on it, and we weren’t friends. Things are better now, he apologized, I apologized-”
“I think what I mean to say is… are you in love with him?”
“What?” You sputtered out, your eyes wide as you looked at her, a smile covering her lips as she approached you. The smile was understanding, genuine, akin to the one you’d gotten from Penny.
“I see the way you look at him. I think you should go for it, if my opinion counts for anything.” The one thing you’d been worried about was how other people would react to you being with him - the one thing, outside of his reaction, that is. But if other people didn’t bat an eye at a romance between yourself and Bradley, why should you?
“Your opinion counts for everything, Phoenix.” You answered, smiling back at her as you finally nodded. “I’ve been in love with him for a long time, I just don’t know how to tell him.”
“Tell him soon, we could all die on this mission and you don’t want to miss that chance. He clearly loves you back.” She said, slinking out of the room before you had a chance to question how she knew that.
A few more minutes was spent in the bathroom before you finally stepped back out, being greeted by Bradley the second you started to look for him. “Everyone went home after Bob won the pool game, you wanna get out of here too?” He asked, playing with the keys in his hand. The keys you recognized too well, from the car you hadn’t seen in a very long time.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Sleep, personally.”
“Sounds perfect.” The moment you were out of the bar, and into Bradley’s car, was when you realized just how tired you were. A yawn escaped your throat as he pulled out of the parking lot and drove to where his assigned room was, rather close to the bar anyway.
“Do you want me to take you to where they put you, or do you want to come in?” He asked, watching you with what you could only describe as caution. As if he wasn’t crossing some kind of boundary. You’d both always fallen asleep together before, sleeping together wasn’t the issue, it was that you had only just rekindled your friendship. But to you, that wasn’t an issue.
“I think I’d like to come in, yeah. You’ll just have to take me to change tomorrow morning.” You said, shrugging as you stepped out of the car.
“That I can do. We’re not in the Naval Academy anymore, our clothes don’t even match.” He said, walking with you to where he was staying, and quickly collapsing into bed. His bathing suit shorts weren’t at all wet anymore, and your bathing suit was dry as well. You were both pretty exhausted, so you wasted no time in shutting the lights off and getting into bed together.
“Yeah, and Vice Admiral Tight-Ass will have me fired on the spot.” You said, rolling your eyes as you turned to face him. The lighting was rather dim, but you could still see each other. You could see Bradley clearly as he turned to face you as well, your eyes locking together. “Be glad you don’t have to deal with him directly. Real stickler for the rules. It’s horrible.” You complained, watching the corner’s of his eyes crinkle as he smiled.
“We’ll deal with those tight-ass vice admiral’s together after this mission.” He said, your heartbeat speeding up at bit at his words.
“Promise?”
“I’m not leaving you again. I promise.” Your own smile covered your face as you leaned against him, letting his arms encircle around you as your head resting in the crook of his neck. Neither of you worried much about the alarm, knowing that he most likely had one set every day for the same time. And for the first time since you’d arrived there, you slept well in the arms of your best friend, not worried about the past - but looking toward the future.
The next morning was almost like a race against time as Bradley and yourself rushed around to try and get from one place to another and simultaneously look like you hadn’t spent the night together. But, it was well worth it since you made it to the base on time and he ended up getting there a little bit early. Your briefing with Cyclone was short, as it always was. He was very hands-on, in quite possibly the most annoying way. Of course, you understood he was doing his job, but having him breath down the necks of yourself and Maverick while you tried to explain your lesson for the day was one of the more tedious things you’d been forced to do since you joined the Navy.
By the time you made it to briefing, you were thoroughly irritated by your conversations with Cyclone, but not enough to let it show to anyone else. At least, anyone else that didn’t know you - Maverick and Rooster caught the annoyed glances every time Cyclone tried to interject in the lesson.
“This lesson is going to be a little different, though.” Maverick said, turning to face you as you knitted your eyebrows together. “You’re going to fly backseat.”
“I am?” You questioned, glancing to the papers you’d read to Cyclone earlier that morning. Papers which said nothing, absolutely nothing, about you flying backseat. You’d only flown in the backseat maybe two or three times, so you being in that position wasn’t something you were well-trained for.
“Apex, who was the only person you’ve flown back seat for?”
“You, but-”
“Apex here was my backseater a week ago when I did a Mach Ten training exercise.” He explained, your face softening on the confused expression as you started to realize where he was going with this. “I need you to help one of them, since you know what it’s like first hand. If anyone can stop someone from passing out, it’s you.”
It made a lot more sense as he explained it, as you remembered the F18 you were in crashing to the ground. You were the one that woke up Maverick, the one that made sure you weren’t too badly on fire, and the one that stayed completely calm under pressure when you started to burn in. Of course he wanted to you do the same for someone else, since he knew first hand that it was helpful to have you there.
“You’ll be backseater for Hangman and Rooster, is that okay?” You glanced to Cyclone for approval, he seemed ambivalent about it, which you took as a yes, or as close to a yes as you were going to get from that man.
“Yes, sir.” You responded, glancing toward the two men who you would be flying with. Rooster seemed just a little bit excited, while Hangman didn’t seem to care either way. Of course, the smug look that was always on his face remained, but you were pretty sure that was just how he looked at this point.
Soon enough, you were out of the briefing room and in your first F18 of the day. “I’ve gotta ask, how horrible is this going to feel?” Hangman asked, offering assistance (which you rejected) into his F18, before climbing into the front. “I don’t think it’s going to feel very good but… am I going to think I’m dying?”
“Yeah, you’re probably going to think you’re dying.” You caught him looking back at you, obviously expecting a joking expression on your face before seeing you completely serious. You noted the small smile dropping from his lips, replaced with concern. “Don’t worry too much about it, you’re a good pilot, and you’re already fast. If me and Maverick can survive it, you can too.”
“Maverick is a better pilot-”
“You can’t think like that in the air, Maverick has more experience, that doesn’t make him better.” You responded, watching him getting ready to take flight as he was given the signs to do so from the men on the ground. It was definitely interesting having a conversation with Hangman, especially considering he was never really the nicest person in the room.
“Surprised you’re being so nice to me, I didn’t think you liked me very much.” He said, putting his goggles down as you did the same.
“You’re not so bad, just cocky.” You answered, shrugging as you watched the smile return to his face. It was almost like that smile was a permanent fixture of his features, but it definitely wasn’t the feature that someone could have on their face for the rest of their lives.
Within a few minutes, you were both masked up and in the air. The flight was nerve-wracking and you were almost glad you weren’t flying it solo. But you could see the tension radiating off of Hangman as you got closer to the target, But things didn’t go the way you wanted them to, and absolutely nobody hit the target. While Hangman had time to cool off after it, you were back into another F18 the second your feet touched the ground, this time with Rooster.
“How was the last one?” He asked, glancing back at you as you fasted yourself into the aircraft, glancing forward with a raised eyebrow.
“I don’t know, I didn’t have time to ask how he was doing.” You responded, glancing out at the runway as you watched Hangman pace around. “I almost passed out, though.”
“Are you sure you can do it twice?”
“One can only hope.”
There was obvious concern on his face, but you brushed it aside as you leaned forward to rest a hand on his shoulder. You could feel his hand covering your own for a moment before he got the signal in his ear that it was time to take off. You leaned back, glancing around to ensure that you were ready for take off, before leaning back in your seat.
Just like the last one, things didn’t go as planned. But you couldn’t help the way that you watched Rooster, the concern in your body as he missed the target. You didn’t want him to feel bad, or to feel like it was his fault, but you knew there was a chance of that anyway.
But the time to think about it was not as he pulled up, not as you felt yourself slipping closer and closer to unconsciousness. “You good back there Apex?” He questioned, the sound of his voice in your earpiece perking you up a bit.
“Fine, I’m fine.” You answered, not really feeling completely with the program as you felt your body getting lighter and lighter - despite the weight being applied to it being heavier and heavier. Any second longer and you surely would’ve passed out, but once you were back on the ground, you felt reality coming back to you a bit more.
“Let’s get you to a doctor.” Rooster said, quickly climbing out of the aircraft as he helped you out, walking with his arm slung around you to whoever could get you to see someone to help.
“I’m fine-”
“You’re gonna be fine, once someone checks you out.” As out of it as you were, it felt good to know that he was protective enough about you to want you to get medical help. But that medical help would never come as people came running down the hallways, as you heard Cyclone yelling something about a bird strike. Whatever dizziness or tiredness you were feeling quickly sobered up as the very terrifying reality of a burn in entered your mind.
You shared a glance with Rooster as you both followed where everyone else was running to, watching everything that was happening in the control room. Coyote had been falling, from what you had heard, It seemed as though he had passed out from the rate in which he was flying. Unsurprising that such a thing could happen, but the distraction of him falling had stopped anyone from monitoring that there may have been a flock of birds nearby.
They’d taken out an engine within the aircraft that held Phoenix and Bob, and left them scrambling to try and recover. But it was becoming increasingly clear that this was impossible. You could feel your fingernails digging into the soft flesh of your hand, trying to hide the nerves radiating off of you as you watched from afar.
It made you feel guilty. Guilty that you had been put in the sky with Hangman and Rooster, who had a lot less trouble staying awake than Coyote did. And even as Phoenix and Bob safely ejected, and had search and rescue coming to take them to the hospital, that guilt didn’t leave your body. Had they died out there, and you’d been standing around on the base not doing anything, you would’ve blamed yourself completely.
Before your thoughts could spiral too far, you were pulled into Cyclone’s office. Cyclone, who looked like he was ready to tear someone’s head off. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, Maverick joined you in the office. “Do either of you realize what could’ve happened today?”
“I do, sir.” You responded, taking the forefront since he had made it clear that he liked you more than he liked Maverick. But whatever preference he had was out of the window as he glared at you both.
“Can I ask why you were backseater for two men who were more experienced than Coyote was?” He questioned, leaning forward. You could feel yourself shrinking smaller as his eyes locked with yours, feeling like you were a school child being scolded by the principal for making an inappropriate joke in class. This, however, was much worse than facing potential detention - Cyclone had the ability to resign you from flying ever again. To ground you, permanently, over a mistake.
“Apex was only following my instructions, sir.” Maverick answered, stepping forward. “I would have had her with Coyote too, if I didn’t believe it would have been too much for a human body to withstand.”
“Following your instructions, but she isn’t a student?” He questioned, standing up from his chair. “Let me ask you this, Apex, had you been the one instructing this course, what would you have done differently?”
“I-” You cut off, glancing at Maverick before looking back over at Cyclone. It was clear he was waiting for an answer, but the answer wasn’t coming. “I would’ve flown mission myself, sir.”
You could tell this was the answer he was looking for, from the almost satisfied expression on his face. But he resigned to sitting back in the chair. “Phoenix and Bob are in the hospital as we speak, there will be updates on their condition within the hour. You, Apex, would be in the hospital yourself had it not been for their burn in.”
Maverick’s head snapped to look at you, as your face rested in your hand. “I told Rooster I’m fine.” You mumbled, glancing at the ground before looking at both of them. “I’m fine.”
“What happened?” Maverick questioned, looking between you both for some kind of answer as to what he had missed while he was in the sky.
“The human body can’t handle two flights like that, not just three. She was on the verge of passing out upon landing.” It made you a bit nervous knowing that he had seen how close you were standing with Rooster, knowing something like that could be considered unprofessional. But with a wave of a hand, the entire idea of that had been dismissed. “But that’s neither here nor there. Training for the day is over, both of you can await news on Phoenix and Bob with the others and send them home for the night.”
With that, you were both dismissed. You hadn’t made it down even one hallway before Maverick pulled you into a corner. “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t up for it?”
“I didn’t… consider it?”
“You didn’t consider it? How could you not consider it?” He asked, clearly infuriated that you had put yourself in danger like that.
“Aren’t you always telling everyone not to think while they’re in the air? I do what I’m told, and I do it well. I’m fine, Mav.” You responded, holding his gaze for a moment longer before seeing the hardness of his expression fade away.
“Don’t get yourself hurt like that again, no matter what I tell you.” He responded, moving away from you before walking to where he had been expecting everyone else to wait. “Which of them had a better grasp of it?”
“I’d say it was about even. They both have their strengths, but Hangman is a bit more reckless. I could tell he was beating himself up for missing the target more.” You responded, sitting down in the apparently empty room. “You know I’m partial to Rooster, I don’t see why you would ask about him.”
“Because I want to know how he’s doing.” He responded, but from the way he phrased it, you knew what the true meaning behind that was.
“We’re fine, we’re-” You cut yourself off, glancing down at your shoes. “We’re good, Maverick.” You asked him, watching a smile cover his face. You knew he blamed himself for you not being friends with Bradley for so long, he made it incredibly clear to you that he believed it was entirely his fault that the both of you weren’t friends. So you were positive that he was overjoyed, and relieved, that you were both close again.
“Are you still in love with him?” He asked, sitting beside you. A groan escaped your lips causing a laugh to tumble from his in response.
“What are we, high schoolers?”
“No, we’re adults talking out our emotions. Penny and I are trying again, I want to know if you’re ever going to try. Neither of you are getting any younger.” As blunt as his response had been, you knew he was just trying to be fully honest with you. And truthfully, he was entirely right.
“Yes, I’m still in love with him. I never stopped being in love with him.” You answered, glancing around the room as you became suddenly conscious of the fact that anyone could walk in. “I feel like I had this exact conversation with Phoenix last night.”
“Maybe if you didn’t look at him like he hung the moon, people wouldn’t catch on so easily.” He teased, watching you reach into your pocket and grab a pen, tossing it at him. Of course, he dodged it and only laughed harder at your completely embarrassed expression.
“I don’t-”
The sound of boots in the hallway stopped your conversation short, your smile falling back into nervousness as Warlock walked in. “Phoenix and Bob are okay, they’re being kept overnight for observation. You’re both dismissed for the night.” He said, letting you both go.
Yourself and Maverick split up, finding where everyone else had gone, and letting them know the news and that they were free to go for the night. While you left your last room, you watched Maverick do the same. There was something on his expression, something that told you that something bad had happened. You watched Warlock glance from you to Maverick, before Rooster walked out of the room.
“Ice is gone.” Maverick mumbled, walking in the other direction. The funeral had been planned extensively, something you had learned when Maverick came back from his visit with him. You knew that it was going to be soon, probably the next day or so. But with that in mind, you could only take Rooster’s side as you glanced at Warlock. He could only give you a sad glance, as he went in the same direction as Maverick.
You never really knew Iceman, you met him once or twice, but had never been overly friendly with him. He seemed like a good man, a man who looked out for the people he cared about. You couldn’t help the feeling of sadness that came over you following the news of the death, the initial shock of it wearing off as you felt Rooster wrap his arm around you, walking outside with you following.
“I don’t know what this means for the mission.” You said, getting into his car, feeling the overwhelming feeling of dread fill you. “Or my career.”
“What do you mean?”
“Ice is why Maverick was invited here in the first place, and now Cyclone is pissed
i just want to set the scene because i had a very particular scenery in mind while writing this but you know that kinda humid but not too humid mid 70s summer day where the sky is kinda pink before sunset and the smell of the shift in the ozone before the rain is in the air? that’s the setting for this in my brain, it changes nothing but there you go. enjoy! :)
The feeling of a mustache rubbing against your neck as Bradley kissed down the sensitive flesh left your brain nearly completely numb as your arms wrapped against him, your back pressed against the wall of your bedroom. It was probably the millionth time Bradley Bradshaw had been in your bedroom, neither of you took any notice of the posters lining your wall or the way your hand reached out to flip the collector vinyl of an Elvis album down because “It’s weird to make out with Elvis Presley watching over us.”. He’s done this with you a million times before, never once had either of you been caught.
“Isn’t it weird to hide this from my dad?” You asked, feeling a sigh fall against the column of your neck as Bradley looked up at you.
“Is it weird for you?” He asked, his hand placed against your cheek as his thumb stroked the bone under your eye. Your head automatically leaned into his touch as you looked at him, as your eyes completely softened while you took in the appearance of the one and only man you allowed into your childhood bedroom.
“Nothing is ever weird with you.” You mumbled, a smile gracing your lips as he leaned down to capture them within his own. Ever since your father, one Pete Mitchell, had rekindled the bond between himself and Bradley, the two of you had been practically inseparable. Your dad was always off with Penny now that they were back together, and since you were only home for the summer from college and old enough to drink, he had no real issue leaving you to your own devices in the house. What was the worst thing you could possibly do?
As the kiss deepened, you could feel it becoming more and more erratic as Bradley pulled your hips flush against yours, as his tongue caressed your bottom lip and you lost track of which spit belonged to you and which didn’t. It wasn’t a particularly hot day, in fact, you were pretty sure a storm would be rolling in within the hour, but the entire room felt like it was on fire as you brought one of your hands to the top of Bradley’s head, your fingers tangling in his hair as his own hand squeezed your backside.
It didn’t take very long for you to lose the feeling of the wall against you completely, as you allowed Bradley to back you both up until he reached the bed. You pulled back from his lips for a moment as you let him fall back against the pillows, you climbing on top of him. He held your hips as you straddled his waist, leaning back down to kiss him again. As your body fell against his, you could feel him traveling down your neck again.
No matter how many times Bradley Bradshaw kissed your neck, he never left a mark that would last more than ten minutes. It wasn’t that either of you were embarrassed to be together, or even that you were particularly worried about what your dad would say. But neither of you were entirely sure what the nature of your relationship was. You were friends to start with, he made working in the garage a little more fun. But one day you just started making out with each other, and the next day you were exploring each other’s bodies like your lives depended upon it.
It didn’t surprise you at all to feel his sloppy kisses remaining someone light, as he held himself back from leaving love bites on your skin. Though, you couldn’t help but fantasize about what it would feel like to trace your finger over the indentations that his teeth would leave behind, to feel the grind of his mustache against your neck as he sucked the skin above your pulse point into his mouth.
Almost unconsciously, you started to grind your hips down against his. The groan that left his throat as you moved against him sending a shock of pleasure to your clit as you rolled over him. You paid no mind to Bradley’s hands as they pushed you down further against his hips, detaching his mouth from your neck as he pulled you back into a kiss. It was incredibly sloppy, all tongue and saliva and a lot less of a practiced waltz. But you loved every moment of it, you loved the slight burn of his facial hair against your delicate skin, the way it made your heart race to wonder if anyone could tell there was hair rubbing against your upper lip. The constant reminder that it was definitely Bradley you were kissing, only making you more and more turned on as you craved him more intimately than before.
Your hands traveled under his tank top as he caught onto your desires and shrugged the floral printed shirt he was wearing off of his body. You let him reach behind you to toss the shirt into the basket at the foot of your bed as you did the same with his tank top. You could almost feel the near-smugness radiating off of him as your hands traversed the lines of his defined muscles. Truthfully, you’d never really cared that much if someone had muscles or not when you were with them - but it definitely wasn’t a turn off. Especially Bradley’s, not so big that they were intimidating but so defined that you could see the outline of them through that tank top he loved to wear.
Bradley reached under your shirt to tug it off as well, removing your bra before he bothered to toss them both into the hamper. No matter how many times you’d seen other naked in the past few weeks, it never ceased to feel like the first time. You allowed his large, yet slightly calloused, hands to cup your breasts as you continued to grind your hips against his, biting your lip and letting out a whimper as another grunt left his mouth.
Just as you leaned down to press your lips against his chin you saw something in his eyes, like he was planning something. Before you had the chance to ask, you felt him starting to change your positioning, following his lead as he urged you off of him so you were laying down on your back, as he wasted no time in kissing down your neck and chest.
A whine left your mouth as his lips connected with one of your nipples, sucking it into his mouth as his tongue rolled over the hardening skin. One of his hands joined the action as it cupped your other breast, rolling your nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Your back arched against him as your hips squirmed for a bit of relief. You were positive that your panties would be soaked the moment he took your shorts off, but you knew that patience was a virtue with Bradley Bradshaw, because he was a man who would always take his time with you.
“I’ll take care of you baby, just relax.” He said as he detached his lips from your nipple, pressing a kiss to the top of your breast as he moved up to connect your lips again. The kiss was incredibly needy as you all but clung to him, moaning into his mouth as he continued to roll your other nipple between his fingers.
However needy the kiss was, it was also incredibly slow. Not quite teasing as it was showing you how much he valued you, your pleasure, as he sucked your bottom lip into his mouth. You let your tongue meet in a slower movement than before, much more like a dance than the sloppy kisses you’d given each other while you were sitting atop of him.
The moment he pulled back from the kiss you could hear a “Fuck,” Escape his mouth as he pressed another chaste kiss to your lips. “You look fuckin’ perfect like this.” You were sure you were a sight for sore eyes as he looked at you, your chest heaving and a slight amount of sweat settled on the skin he’d kissed over. Your eyes must’ve been blown as wide as they could possibly be as you looked up at him.
“You always look perfect, Lieutenant Bradshaw.” You noted a tint of pink coloring his cheeks upon receiving your compliment, before he broke eye contact and began to kiss down your body again. You could feel his tongue running over the curves of your breast, over the skin of your stomach as he trailed kisses down your body before finally reaching your shorts.
“Are you positive about this?” He asked, a small smile covering your lips at his question. Even if it was probably reaching the dozen mark of times you’d slept together in the past few weeks, every single time he made sure to ask for your consent on it before he proceeded. And every single time, without fail, it caused a flutter in your stomach as your eyes held onto his.
“Yes, I’m positive. As long as you are.”
A smile covered his lips as he undid the button on your shorts, a shimmy of your hips helping him pull them and your panties off before they joined the rest of your clothes in the hamper by the foot of your bed. You felt him slowly spread your thighs as you tried to relax against the pillows, trying to not allow the anticipation of his tongue against your clit bother you too much as he delicately placed kisses on the insides of your thighs.
It didn’t take too much longer to feel his hot breath against your core, his eyes locking with yours one final time as he licked a stripe from your opening to your clit. A moan escaped your throat, the pleasure only amplified as his eyes held yours as he lapped over you again, his eyes fluttering closed.
“You always taste so good,” He muttered, your lips sucked in between your teeth as his lips locked on your clit. His movements were slow but steady, almost tantalizing, as he ran delicate and careful motions over your clit. The feeling of his lips, his tongue, gracing the most sensitive part of your body had you moaning for him and breathless in no time as your eyes snapped shut, one of your hands grasping his brown hair.
After a moment, you felt Bradley push two of his fingers into you. The wetness from your previous actions together made it easy for him to slide them in, your back arching again as you let out a moan. You felt him speed up his movements a bit as one of his arms draped over your waist once your hips started to squirm. The feeling of his hair between your hands and his mustache against your skin kept your mind firmly on Bradley as he continued to pleasure you.
It was always shocking how attentive he was, how he spent so much time with your clit in his mouth and his fingers inside of you - focusing on your moans and doing anything in his power to make sure that he was giving you the most pleasurable experience possible. Your eyes opened slowly as you glanced down, that familiar yet confusing fluttering filling your stomach again at you watched him.
The soft, warmness of his tongue continued to tease your clit and send shockwaves through your core as his fingers twisted and curled inside of you. At some point, he seemed to figure out which place he got the most visceral moans from as he curled his fingers into the most vulnerable and sensitive spot inside of you.
His tongue started to speed up again, now lapping at you almost like he was a man-starved, somehow giving you the impression that he was taking your orgasm from you because he himself was craving it while also making it clear that he was giving it to you because he wanted you to feel as pleased as possible. You couldn’t stop the overflow of his name from your lips as you felt yourself growing closer and closer to an orgasm.
Bradley detached his lips from your clit for just a moment as his fingers continued to pump in and out of you, his eyes locking with yours again as he curled them and his just the right spot to have you tugging on his hair. “That’s right baby, c-”
Bradley’s words, and your whines of his name, were cut short as the sound of feet echoing on the stairs filled both of your ears. Your eyes blew out wide as you both got up in the most mad panic of your lives. He quickly helped you get back into your shirt and panties, just as he had you turned around while he hooked your bra, the door opened behind him.
“The storm got in the way of Penny and I’s trip, so I was wondering if you wanted to…” Utter silence filled the room as you slowly turned around, taking Bradley’s button up to cover your body as your father took a moment to process what exactly he was witnessing. “What am I missing here?”
“I mean… I don’t think you’re missing anything, dad.” You mumbled, coughing a bit as his eyes darted between yourself and Bradley like he was working on some sort of equation that should be simple for him, but was for some reason baffling him as he tried to figure it out.
“I understand if you’re upset with us, Maverick. I crossed a-”
“No, no. I’m not upset. If anyone’s good enough for my baby girl it’s the man who saved my life.” He responded, finally coming to understand what was happening in front of him. “But I expect you to use protection, she’s too young to have her own baby. Are we understood?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Yep.”
“Great. If you can clean yourselves up we’re going to go to the grocery store before the storm, and then we’re going to have a nice long talk over dinner.”
There was no room for debate as he left the room, shutting the door behind him as you watched Bradley. In hindsight, you were sure that your dad knew Bradley was in his house from the moment he pulled in since his car was parked out front. And since he wasn’t in the garage, the only logical explanation was that he was somewhere inside with you. The only shocking part of it would be what you were doing, which he reacted shockingly well to.
Your eyes locked with Bradley’s as you both looked at each other, trying to have some sort of mental discussion about what had just happened before a laugh sounded from your throat. You watched Bradley finally crack into a laugh too before leaning down to grab the rest of the clothing you both had yet to put on. Once you calmed down, though, and finished getting dressed, you found yourself standing in front of him again.
Bradley leaned down to press a quick and gentle kiss to your lips as you looked up at him, “Does this… does this mean we’re officially dating?” Bradley asked, turning the tables on you as he asked the question.
“Do you want it to?” You couldn’t help how nervous you sounded as you asked, how hopeful you were sure you sounded as well.
“I do.”
“Then yes, this means we’re officially dating.” A smile covered your mouth as he pulled you back into another kiss, but the taste of yourself in his mouth reminded you that you were both about to go have a dad talk over dinner. “Go brush your teeth, you left a toothbrush here last time.”
As you watched Bradley walk into your bathroom, knowing fully well that you were about to have dinner with him and be able to tell your dad that he was your boyfriend without worrying about what anyone would think - you could only be glad you’d taken your time with Bradley, if only to put off the extensive dad talk you were both about to listen to.
Summary: Your boyfriend rooster has plans to propose, and the day of, you decide to do a crazy stunt and end up loosing connection with the tower, leaving rooster worried for your whereabouts. Will rooster’s proposal go as planned?
Request: (summarized) from the wonderful @tinfoilhat2719 “hey! could you write something where the reader and rooster are dating and he plans to propose. the reader is a pilot and one day decided to do a crazy stunt in the air, and of course rooster gets worried. when she lands….” (you will see;))
A/N: Well, I watched top gun: maverick again yesterday, and when I say I sobbed, I SOBBED. I got this request a couple days ago, and i’ve been busy working away at it since - sorry it took so song, i’ve been so busy these last few days with prep for visiting my uni this weekend (with me luck lol). I am in-love with rooster now, so enjoy this story that is chaotic but fun :) also, i’m not a professional pilot, so enjoy me trying to describe this flight maneuverlol.I LOVE YOU ALL xoxo - Mackenzie :) (ps, the readers call sign is “Shadow”).
Wordcount: 4.8k
“You got a ring and everything?” maverick asked, looking at a small blue box in the palm of roosters hand, “when the hell did you get so grown up?”
rooster flashed him a quick grin and then opened the box to show him the faded gold band, with a sparkling diamond in the centre and two smaller ones on either side. the ring was gorgeous and classy in an old fashioned type of way, and that was the perfect thing for his girlfriend, or should we say, soon to be fiancé??
As rooster slipped the box back into the pocket of his jeans, the air between him and maverick fell silent. “Do you have any advice on this sort of thing?” he asked maverick, who’s definition of commitment was a three month long fling involving motorcycle rides, steamy kisses (and rounds of forceful sex) , and singing along to the songs on the radio.
“Rooster,” he said, putting a hand on the young pilots shoulder, “I’m not the best at this kind-of stuff.” Rooster looked away, unsure of why he asked anyways. Maverick noticed and spoke up, “Look at me, it took me thirty years to finally realize that penny was all I had ever wanted in life. And we both know you’re way smarter than that.”
Roosters lips curled up sideways into a smirk, “You got that right pop.”
Any time someone - particularly one of his students, - would refer to maverick as ‘pop’ or 'old man’ they would get a light slap on the shoulder, and maverick would put on a show about how he hated being referred to as a senior. But whenever rooster call him that, his heart (yes, maverick has a heart) would swell a tiny bit just to know that Bradley thought of him as a father figure. And hell, he was here right now asking him for advice on his proposal.
“You’re a great guy Bradley,” maverick begun, “and y/n’s a great girl. the two of you make quite the pair!”
Rooster grinned, fumbling the wallet sized photo of y/n that he kept in his flight suit pocket. It was a photo of you on the beach, yes, thatbeach. The one beach in Italy that was a favourite spot of yours, where you would spend hours walking the sand and swimming in the sea with your lover. The portrait was of you in an airy white linen shirt, a pair of shorts, and your sun-kissed hair was messily kept beneath one of Bradley’s baseball caps. A smile, glowing brightly on your face. The sort of smile that came after a bought of laughter; the sort of smile in which your eyes turned up, and your nose was crinkled. The sort of smile that was only found on your face whenever rooster was near.
“I wish I had more experience in this type of thing,” maverick said, pinching the bridge of his nose, “but man, when you have it, you have it.”
“And hey,” maverick said patting rooster on the back, “You’ll be a great husband. Anyone who has you in their life is lucky, because rooster, you are one of the best people I know.”
…
“Are you going up today?” phoenix asked, tucking one final bobby pin in her dark hair.
“Yeah,” you said, “I’m thinking about trying out a new maneuver.”
Phoenix, one of the only other female pilots on base, and your wild roommate, always was keen on hearing about your latest plans to spice things up in the sky. “Really?” she asked, eyes bright, “I want to hear all about it!”
So, on your afternoon walk to the flight depot, you told phoenix everything. Every gruelling detail, and little insignificant note was spilled, and phoenix was glad to hear it. “That is so badass,” she said after you told her about your plans, “I haven’t even tried the cobra yet!”
You tucked a loose strand of hair back into your bun and grinned, “Hey,” you said, smirking, “I can be your wingman anytime.”
Phoenix laughed, having picked up on the saying that was often bounced around Captain Mitchell and Admiral Kazanzky, some inside joke of theirs from their old days at top gun??
“If I did that with bob in the back, he would neverforgive me,” phoenix said, putting on her favourite pair of aviators, “I love him to death, but he is so work driven that sometimes he forgets to have fun.”
You were glad that you flew solo, just you and your f-18 up in the sky. It also worked whenever you wanted to try something new, because with a bask seater, you have someone else to think about as opposed to just yourself and your jet.
“Be safe up there Shadow,” phoenix said, giving you, her friend and flat-mate a squeeze on the shoulder, “I wanna see you for drinks later tonight.”
You grinned, “Count me in.”
…
At the flight depot, you saw your boyfriend rooster standing there, all suited up in his flight gear which was identical to yours. “Hi,” you said, walking over, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.
“Hey,” he said, putting his arm around you, grinning at your sight, “Going up soon?” he asked.
You nodded, taking your aviators from the pocket of your t-shirt and putting them properly on, “I’m doing the flight by point Loma today, then the circle loop around generals bay.”
Rooster nodded, “I was out early this morning, so its just a fun afternoon of paperwork for me,” he smirked.
“I’m thinking about trying a new maneuver,” you said brightly.
Rooster shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose, “God,” he sighed, rolling his eyes as he laughed, “You and your crazy stunts. Your just like maverick!”
You laughed, “well, he was one of my first instructors!”
The clock on the wall read 5:35, it was time to get going, after all, you had booked the 5:45 flight slot.
“I gotta go babe,” you said, squeezing roosters shoulder, “Listen for me on the radio if you’d like. It might make your paperwork more interesting!”
Rooster always listened to the radio when you were up in the air. Even before the two of you begun dating, rooster always listened to the radios, back at top gun, even back in flight school where the two of you had first met.
One day in the cafeteria when you were trying to buy a protein bar from the vending machine, the machine wouldn’t take your quarters, and lucky for you, rooster was behind you and offered his one dollar bills instead. He got you the snack and instead of taking your change like you had insisted, he opted to hear about the cobra maneuver - which you had just tried the day before, and nearly succeeded - instead.
The two of you became friends and one night at the bar, a drunken almost-kiss lead for unfamiliar feelings for the both of you, which you were forced to face the next day in class when you were assigned a task together.
“About last night,” rooster had said, stopping in the corridor outside the classroom, “I’m not sure how you felt about that, but um,” he paused, unsure of what to say next.
But then you and your smart mouth interjected, “I like you too rooster.”
The two of you had laughed and then arranged a date, and since then, the two of you - despite the jobs taking place an oceans away- have remained close and very much in love.
“Just, be safe up there,” rooster said, kissing your temple, “alright?”
You gave him a nod, “You got it lieutenant Bradshaw!”
After doing all of the necessary and required pre-flight checks, the sound of your f-18 roaring to life was like music to your ears. Although, it was a rather gruff sound, that at times could be quite gruelling to listen to due to the power of the dual engines, but it served as a reminder of how hard you had worked to find your place as a naval aviator. Another reminder, one that made you incredibly pleased, was the sticker bearing your name “y/n "Shadow” y/l/n" beneath the canopy that you grinned at each time you stepped into your aircraft.
It wasn’t always the easiest thing being a female in a male-dominated career, but your name on this lustrous aircraft proved it was all worth it, now if only the pricks who thought that you didn’t belong could agree. The hurtful truth is that no matter how far you got in the navy, there would always be one person with a snide remark for you, always one who would choose to loathe you based on your gender, always one who would go out of their way to make you feel as if you didn’t belong. It was hard at first, but after you got a feel for who supported you, and wanted you to succeed, work was more enjoyable than it had been before.
A woman’s voice from the tower filled your ears; those four little words that made your heart swell, “All go for takeoff.” And with a big groan of force courtesy of the throttle, you were barreling fast and hard down the runway, and before you knew it, you were up in sky, pulling 3g’s right off the get go.
The gravitational force sent you back into your seat, a feeling that excited you although you were used to by now. You remembered at first, when you were learning how to fly, the feeling that would accompany takeoff. The feeling that your eyes were going to fall back into your head, and that your legs were being pushed away behind you. The coat of sweat and the tremors that would accompany the first pull into the sky. From time to time, you still found yourself getting nervous, but the more that you thought about being up in the sky, the less the impending thoughts seemed to bother you.
The sky seemed especially blue today, and the clouds were few but gorgeous. “On your six Shadow,” Payback said through the microphone, singling that he was behind you as expected.
Usually, when you were just going up for a flight, the commander would send another jet, just to have two eyes and ears checking out the sky. You weren’t looking for anything in particular but instead just practicing and maintaining your flight techniques. Today, your wingman was Payback, and his wso, Fanboy.
“Copy payback,” you said, turning in your seat, glancing back at the fellow f-18 behind you.
“On the way back, theres something I want to try,” you said, grinning.
In the other jet, coyote was shaking his head and payback was smirking, “Another one of your stunts shadow?” he asked lightly.
“Affirmative,” you replied, now soaring over point Loma.
“Hey,” payback begun, “at least its us and not Yale and Juno flying with you today. They hate that sort of stuff.”
“Not us though,” payback said, giving you his support, “we love the show!”
“why are you waiting until the end?” fanboy asked, clipping on his mask into the side of his helmet.
Good question? why am I waiting until the end of the flight to do my trick?
“How about I do it at generals bay?” you asked, “Give the people on the beach a bit of a show?”
Payback laughed, “No one flys like you do Shadow.”
Generals bay approached quicker than you had expected, and a glaze of sweat was beginning to coax your brow. You felt the sweat along the back of your neck, the wispy ends of your bun messily tangled in your helmet. God, its hot today.
You made the loop around the point, and on your way back north, payback and fanboy flew up beside you. “The stage is all yours Shadow,” payback said, fanboy in the back giving you a hearty thumbs up.
The'stage’or in this case, the clear clear almost-evening sky, was wide open for you, ready for your stunt.
So, giving the jet just a bit more gas, pulling the throttle back ever so slightly, you climbed higher in the sky, and then once at your satisfied altitude, you tilted the front of your jet to a near vertical descent, the water looking veryblue beneath you.
You felt yourself catch on the straps of your seat belt as your altitude began to drop, now it was time for the main attraction.
Plummeting towards the ground, you manoeuvred the jet in a spiral pattern, resembling a corkscrew type of wave, moving the control so the spiral turns would pull even more g’s than usual. A wave of thrill rushed over you as you approached the earth, the altitude giving you a play by play, each number being read aloud by the automated voice, “15,000, 14,000, 13,000.”
When the automated voice screeched that you were around 7,000 feet, you pulled up, but not in the traditional sense. You levelled off your jet to go at a straight line, but however, you were inverted, still facing the ground, the blood rushing to your head, a feeling you thrived to feel when upside down in a jet. At first it was disorienting, but after your third and fourth time upside down, you get used to it.
“How was that boys?” you asked your wingmen, “Like the inverted flying?”
Payback hollered into the radio and fanboy laughed. “There’s no one who flys like you y/n,” said fanboy.
“Well, maybe except mav!” Payback said.
“One last thing,” you said, puling the jet up, now you were going sparing into the sky, speeding beside the other f-18, making payback grip the controls just a bit firmer than he had before.
“What the hell!” Fanboy shouted, but you could tell he wasn’t mad, due to his laughter.
You brought the jet just a bit higher and then did a sort of loop in the sky, one that was quick in speed with high velocity. As you completed the loop, going upside down, facing the ocean for the third time today you felt a rush of adrenaline pump through your veins.
As you were finishing off the the loop, a light began to flash on the dashboard at a rapid pace, “left engine.” Then a god awful noise, that started off as a murmur, but grew into something loud and rumbling came from the back of the plane. “Payback,” you said clearly through the radio, “There’s something wrong with one of the engines!”
And just as you were levelling off, the radio made a loud shrill and then a crackling pop, and radio silence filled your helmet. You tired turning it back on, playing with the main radio in the jet, but it was no use, the light for the radio was dead.
“Fuck,” you said aloud, the sweat coming hot and fast, making a glossy film over your skin, “I’ve gotta get back.”
Noticing the check-engine light for the left side was flashing more rapidly now, you did what you were taught, and attempted to re-generate it, in hopes of it turning back on. At first, there was some hope, and that same gurgling sound from the back of the jet, but then a cloud of smoke was released into the sky, and you knew that your left engine would likely not turn back on.
Without dual engines, it was rather difficult to keep up with payback and fanboy, who were now long ahead. Even as you followed them from behind, you found it difficult to keep an eye on them as they barrelled along the pattern.
You tried another switch on the dashboard to try to get the radio back on, and for a second it worked, and you were able to scream out, “Request to land immediately, mayday, mayday,” but with the static cutting in and out, it was hard to tell what the people in the tower could hear. As you tried again, flipping the switch, the lights on the dash all went dim, something was seriously wrong with your jet.
“No, no, no, no, no,” you repeated to yourself as you tried any switch that would flip.
Back at the base, after hearing the stunt play out through the radio, rooster had attracted quite the crowd in the office room. A terrible feeling filled his head, and his heart was pounding once he heard the radio fall silent on your behalf. “y/n!” he said, grabbing the small box in-between both hands, and then he took off into the flight depot, to go find a commander.
On his way there, he ran into maverick, who was alarmed to see him pass by in such an alarmed state. “Rooster?” he asked, seeing him run by in a blur, “What’s going on?”
Rooster stopped hastily, looking at the captain with wide, scattered eyes that couldn’t seem to focus on anything in particular. Beads of sweat on his forehead, and that same nervous look on his face that presented itself every so often when rooster was particularly stressed or anxious.
Maverick recalled when Bradley was young, that same look - the one with the slightly raised brow and tucked lips, and trembling eyes that always seemed to drift from surface to surface - that usually seemed to present itself before a major baseball game or right before a math test that he hadn’t studied for. Even after all of these years, whenever rooster was distraught, he still looked at him with those same wondering eyes as when he was a child.
“Its y/n!” Bradley said, “She did some stunt and theres a problem with her engine. We’ve lost all contact with her. No one knows where she is.”
“But weren’t payback and fanboy up there with her?” he asked.
“Yeah, but last I heard, they were ordered to land immediately,” Bradly said, looking around for a commander or admiral, anyone with power who could help with the matter.
Then in the corner, the short greying commander Hinton, was sipping his evening coffee. “Commander Hinton!” Bradley shouted, running over to the old man, maverick following suit.
As Bradley begun to speak, his words coming out all slurred and jumbled, Commander Hinton hushed him, “Lieutenant,” he said calmly, but when rooster carried on, telling him things he already knew, Hinton said it more harshly, “Lieutenant!” which made the pilot straighten his posture and take a step back beside maverick.
“All we can do is wait and see if she makes it back,” the commander said dryly, leaving maverick to chase after rooster who was already in the process of running towards the airstrip.
…
There it was, the runway, the one you were incredibly glad to see, thankful that you were paying attention during takeoff to remember where you were scheduled to land.
The sky was now glowing in hues of golden orange, a heavenly shade of the tropics that you rarely got the chance to fly in. Usually, after a day of flying, the last thing you wanted to do was land, but tonight, after the flight you’ve had, you were more than relieved to see the landing strip.
The lights on the tarmac were flashing in a particular sequence, showing you where to go and when to do it. Having no radio connection to the tower made it tricky to land. You mainly were worried about another jet trying to land at the same time as you were, but when you finally touched down and parked in your designated stall, you could finally breathe.
You opened the canopy and descended the steps. Taking your first few steps on the concrete, your legs felt wobbly and unsure as you removed your helmet, setting it below the leg of your aircraft. A sigh escaped your lips,you were finally back down on earth.
From the main building, you could see rooster running out towards you at a rapid pace, his dark hair blowing in the wind, and the gorgeous night time sun reflecting on his skin. God, he’s so handsome.
Approaching you, rooster’s sprint slowed down to a jog and then later an abrupt halt, gasping for air, looking at you with his foggy eyes, displaying an unreadable emotion.
“What the hell was that?” he gasped in an distraught tone.
Rooster rarely raised his voice, especially at you, what was the matter with him? did something happen while I was up in the sky?
“What do you mean?” you replied firmly, “I landed the jet like normal!”
Rooster grunted, pinching that spot at the base of his neck that always seemed to collect stress, his arms flexing tightly in his black t-shirt. “No, y/n,” he spat, “That stunt. What the fuck was that! You disappeared from the radio!”
The force of the moment found its way into your veins, making your chest feel tight and head growing hazy. You rolled your eyes, taking a step towards your boyfriend, “God rooster, I had it all under control.”
A stout laugh escaped his lips, “Did you?” he hissed.
“Yes Bradley, I did!” you replied harshly, “I value my plane verymuch, and I took every precaution necessary to land safely!”
“You and your stunts,” rooster said hotly, shaking his head, “You’re so reckless, do you know that?!” Now he was staring at you, intensely, urgently, his eyes were pressed to yours.
You nodded, stepping forward’s rooster, “Yeah, I do! But I don’t know why you’re so mad at me?”
Rooster stepped back, letting a breath escape his lips, his face red and blotchy from anger, “Fuck y/n,” he said angrily, “You could have fucking died up there!”
“But I didn’t.Ididn’tdie, and I’m right here on the landing strip fighting with you.”
“God shadow,” rooster said, calling you by your call sign, still fuming, although now more relaxed, “What the hell would have happened if we were married? Your decisions could have killed you.”
married? hold on a minute, what did he just say?
“Married?!” you shouted, arms flailing in the air, “What the hell are you talking about rooster?”
Arms shaking, rooster shoved his hand into the pocket of his dark green trousers and pulled out a small blue box - a ring box. He opened it, flipping the top up with his opposite hand, showing it to you, “This, y/n!” he shouted, showing you the gold ring he had picked out last month, “I was going to propose tonight!” he said urgently.
You looked at rooster with quiet eyes, not making a sound, your mouth falling open from the shock of it all. did rooster justsay that he was going to propose?
Your eyes scattered down to the ring box, how it was held gently in roosters strong hands. “Rooster,” you said gently, “You were going to ask me to marry you?”
Rooster nodded, closing the box, “Yeah. I had it all planned out. We were going to walk down to the beach and just as the sun was about to set, maverick was going to do a fly-by in his p-51, and,” he paused shutting his eyes, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that stuff to you. God, I’ve just been so fucking nervous lately.”
You took a step forward, taking one of roosters hands gently in yours, “Rooster,” you spoke, voice trembling, “I’m sorry for what I said.”
He shook his head, “don’t be, I overreacted. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
“No,” you said, “I should be more careful, and I’m glad you care enough to tell me that. I did over-do it tonight.”
“This whole thing was a disaster,” Bradley said, looking down at the box.
“You really meant what you said?” you asked, “You wanted to marry me?”
Rooster looked up, meeting your eyes, “I want to marry you y/n.”
He held your hands in his, “I want to know what its like to wake up with you beside me every day of my life. I want to spend all of my time with you y/n, because I love you, every part of you, even your reckless stunts!”
“You’re the most important person to me, and I don’t want to loose you,” he said, eyes misty, looking at you, only you.
If rooster wouldn’t have brought his hand up to the side of your cheek to wipe the tears streaming down your face, you wouldn’t have realized that you were crying. God, you of all people, didn’t think you would be capable of crying at your own proposal.
“What are you saying rooster?” you asked, smiling gently, already sure you knew what he was going to say next.
“I’masking, shadow,” Bradley said, grinning, “Will you marry me?”
As another fat tear rolled down your cheek, a smile spread across your face. You nodded, throwing your arms around Bradley, “Yes. I would love to marry you!”
It felt so good to have your boyfriend’s,fiancé’s arms around you, his hands on your back holding you tightly towards his body. You were consumed by his scent, the way it filled your head and suddenly brought you home. You loved the way strong arms were holding you, and the way he smiled into your hair. “I love you,” he whispered into your ear.
“I love you too,” you repeated, your tears getting sopped up in rooster’s tee-shirt.
You looked to rooster with eyes of salt, and brought your lips up to his. And there the two of you stood on the tarmac, kissing. The kiss was long and slow and made electricity buzz through your veins in a sweet low tone. No matter how many times he had kissed you, each time it felt new and entrancing.
When you broke the kiss, Bradley brought back out the ring box, concentrating with tears in his eyes, as he took the gold band out of the tan cushion it was held in. You held out your your hand, wriggling your wedding finger as rooster shakily slid the band up and over your knuckle. It was a perfect fit, it was made exactly for you.
You held your hand closer to your face and looked at the ring. The diamond shone brightly in the evening sun, and it looked gorgeous on your hand, nearly too beautiful to belong to a fighter pilot!
You grinned brightly at rooster, looking up from the ring, “I can’t believe we’re engaged,” you said, looking around, the moment finally setting in, “Oh my god! we’re engaged!” you screamed.
Bradley grinned, picking you up in his arms, which earned a squeal from you, “Bradley! Put me down!” you laughed to your fiancé who was carrying you towards the flight depot, one arm supporting your back, the other beneath your legs. As Bradley waded forward, the two of you couldn’t stop grinning and gazing at one another.
Under one of the canopies where rooster had carried you to, all of your friends (that were pilots and wso’s) were there, clapping and cheering for you.
Rooster set you down, and then put his arms around you, brining you into a hug from behind. “Everyone,” he said to the other pilots and crew, gathering their attention, “We have something excitingto tell you!”
You grinned, looking up at Bradley, who'e eyes were beaming, “I think they already know rooster!”
“You guys are getting married!” phoenix said excitedly, bring you in for an an embrace, her arms wrapping tightly around your torso.
“We saw the whole thing go down on the tarmac,” bob said, giving rooster a pat on the shoulder, “Congratulations!”
Just as you were showing your colleagues the gorgeous band that rooster had picked out especially for you, there was a loud noise in the sky. You looked up, it was a jet!
Up in the sky, one of the f-18’s was doing a fly-by, soaring loudly and quickly over the depot. You looked to rooster and exchanged a glance, “Maverick,” you agreed.
I guess part of rooster’s plan did go as expected, it was during the hours of sunset, and maverick flew overhead, although it wasn’t his stunning p-51 and just an ordinary f-18, the moment was perfect, and you were one step closer to spending the rest of your life with the most important and wonderful person, rooster, the love of your life.
Summary: With weeks of work under your belt, the mission grows near. You are given your assignments and you’re not happy with them. Instead of putting aside your emotions - you let them drive, which makes things far more complicated than the actual mission you need to endure.
Content Warning: This is a successor to the first part, please read that first! ||This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision.
Author Note: Well, well, well, look what we have here! It’s the next part and honestly one of my favorite parts if you ask me. We’re really getting into the nitty gritty now. I’m having so much fun with y’all I hope you enjoy this part :D
✈︎ ✈︎ ✈︎
With the timeline for the mission having been pushed up, it made you that more tense and emphatically stressed. You had two days before Maverick was picking who’d be flying.
Summary: With weeks of work under your belt, the mission grows near. You are given your assignments and you’re not happy with them. Instead of putting aside your emotions - you let them drive, which makes things far more complicated than the actual mission you need to endure.
Content Warning: This is a successor to the first part, please read that first! ||This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision.
Author Note: Well, well, well, look what we have here! It’s the next part and honestly one of my favorite parts if you ask me. We’re really getting into the nitty gritty now. I’m having so much fun with y’all I hope you enjoy this part :D
✈︎ ✈︎ ✈︎
With the timeline for the mission having been pushed up, it made you that more tense and emphatically stressed. You had two days before Maverick was picking who’d be flying.
Which is why you’re sitting in the dark in the common room, F-18 manual in your lap. Unable to sleep from nerves, you put the energy towards studying. Studying what? Valid question. You knew the book inside and out, had gone through emergency training, water exercises, you’d had an engine fail on you for cripes sake. Yet, here you are with seven different colored highlighters and a fresh copy of the manual you’d tattooed to your memory.
Sipping at your (now cold) tea, you highlight the proper section with the corresponding color. You’re about to dig into the gummy bears at your side when you hear someone clearing their throat. Your head shoots up, only to be greeted with a very sleep deprived Bradshaw. Very shirtless… Bradshaw. He’s got a pair of leather sandal flip flops on and some sweatpant style shorts, rubbing at his face.
“Is this tied to the callsign or… just being weird?” He asks, rolling his wrist to check the time. “Because it’s currently 4:30 in the morning.” Soon, he’s shuffling over to the couch you’ve made home the past four hours, making room by pulling pillows off the cushions.
“Just… being weird, I guess. I couldn’t sleep.” You admit as he lets all his weight fall to the couch, looking at the book in your hand. Rooster reaches over, taking the manual and then shutting it. You’re about to dispute his actions as he takes it from you, but he’s moving far faster than you can react. A whine leaves you and he looks at you, holding the book up above you with a look that says ‘really?’
“Do you remember what Mav said, day one? They’ve got this book memorized just like you do, sweets. That’s not gonna help.” He’s quickly switching the book from one hand to the other, setting it on the other side of the couch. Once there, he’s letting his arm drop around your shoulder, slowly bringing you in, letting you get comfy against him. ”Practice is the best you can do, and you had great exercises this week.” You glance up at him and see his head is resting on the wall behind the couch, eyes closed. He looks exhausted…
“Why are you awake?” You question, shifting to get comfy as you pull a blanket over both of you.
“I woke up, grabbed a drink and saw the common room light was on. Figured I’d double check that someone wasn’t binging on gummy bears.” You roll your eyes as he speaks, but you also hear the crinkle of the candy wrapper, only for a few of the gummies to make their way to his mouth.
“Hey.” You whine, which wins you an eye peeking open and looking down at you. He smiles as he chews, pulling you closer.
“My point is, you’re gonna do just fine.” His hand is now reassuringly making a soothing path up and down your arm, both of you curled up on the couch, reaching to the gummy bear bag every now and then. It’s a few more minutes before you speak again.
“What if it doesn’t go fine? You heard Admiral Simmons. You need not one but two miracles to pull this off.” The male doesn’t give you an answer. You think he’s sleeping, honestly, but when he shifts you can tell he isn’t.
“Don’t think. Just do.” Unknown to you, Maverick had told him the same bit of advice, mere hours earlier. As the two of you sit in the common room, he begins to hum a tune, making you smile, closing your own eyes. It’s not long after that he’s patting your arm. “Hey, grab a coat, I’ve got an idea.”
You pick up all your stuff and navigate to your dorm, dropping everything off, grabbing the first jacket you see, a streak of denim blue following you as you make your way to the parking lot again. Once there, Rooster opens your door before jumping in. It doesn’t take him long to find his destination, a parking lot right along the shore, not even off base. It’s the Commander’s Beach, which meant it was for the Navy’s use only. But, he backed into the spot, guided you to the trunk, and curled you both up in blankets just as the orange hue of the sun began to come from the shoreline. You’re laid back on his chest, resting comfortably as you watch the colors transform the sky, the darkness of the night slipping away as the colors melt together. Rooster glances up at the sky every now and then, but he’s solely watching you. Your reactions, how your face breaks out into a smile when you spot dolphins surfacing just off the shore. You’re pointing them out and then looking up at him, finding that he’s looking at you instead. Your joint gaze is held for a while, before he’s initiating a kiss, one that stood out from all the others. Not only was he upside down, giving you a new experience, but he had you in his arms, carefully wrapped around you almost in a protective wall. When he pulls away, he pushes hair from your face, the pad of his thumb lingering over your skin. You give him a small smile before looking back to the sun. His eyes don’t shift away from you. He’s not thinking. He’s just doing what he wants to. And that’s looking at the girl he loves.
———————————————— ✈︎
The night before was always the worst, no matter what was going on. Before leaving for an assignment, before a test, really anything where you didn’t know the outcome? You would be up all night despite preparing in any way you plausibly could.
So you laid in bed tossing and turning, making mental notes and lists of what you needed to finish packing before you were sent out of the country to board a ship in the middle of the Atlantic. It wasn’t going to be a long stay, well… at least you weren’t planning on it being long. It could easily turn into an eternity on a dime.
You’re still awake when your alarm goes off, signifying it’s time to move forward. Up and out for the day. Which, you take your time readying yourself. Putting your hair up, getting your things together. As you exit your dorm, Phoenix is quick to your side, grabbing your bicep. “Morning, champ. You ready for this?” Maybe she doesn’t share your nerves. Hell, she seems excited out of all things. Mentally, you’re telling yourself to share in her excitement, yet the pit that’s growing in your stomach reminds you of the gravity of it all.
“I’m not sure… it just seems like it came so fast.” You suggest, which gets her shrugging.
“That’s life in the navy I suppose. C’mon, I’ll walk with you.”
The two of you arrive at a very different looking hangar than the first day you had all arrived. There’s no chairs, no whiteboards or projector screens. Not even a lectern. It’s empty. A clean slate. The lights were out, all except one or two toward the front of the building, and the doors were shut, giving a very intimidating feel. One by one, sailors arrived, each of you having something to add to the conversation. Rooster arrived not looking like himself. His head stayed down in thought for most of the time prior towards the looming discussion. All of you were nearly walking on eggshells. Six of you would fly. Six of you would sit on the carrier and wait. Wait and listen.
When the Admirals arrive, they’re the ones with the first announcement. “Captain Mitchell will be announcing his decisions in a moment. But first, we are here to inform you, that after his impromptu performance of demonstrating the anticipated outcome of this mission - he will be the squadron leader and fly with those chosen. It has been a pleasure overseeing you all. Make our country proud.” Halfway through the announcement, Maverick had snuck in with the hope of staying hidden. As he approaches the group, he seems to look out over the twelve of you.
“I have had the most incredible privilege of being your instructor these last four weeks. Each of you has a terrific skill set to offer and I have enjoyed watching you each flourish under the most rigid conditions. Before I list the members that will comprise this squadron, I want you each to take a moment to reflect on where you began when you entered this hangar on day one. None of you are the same pilot that you were that day. I would even dare to say that none of you are the same people. I’ve gotten to know each of you and it… has been incredibly difficult knowing that I am sending you into the best challenge of your career but also possibly your final one.” He takes a moment, collecting the best set of words to put together what he was attempting to say. “I… am so proud of the individuals you are. The pilots you are. The people you are. It’s been an honor.” Maverick clears his throat. “When I went through these assignments, I took my time. I contemplated, I looked… at your strengths. Your weaknesses. Your dedication to your team. It took me a damn long time, but.. I am confident in this team. I am confident in each of you.”
The way he looks over you… it’s calming. Almost as if paying his respects one final time. It’s eerie and simultaneously thrill inducing.
“Flying on my back in Dagger 2-”
You catch your breath. This is it, the payoff. The hours of studying, the first one at the lecture hall, the countless hours of training, the memorizations and the protocol recitings. This is your position. Your redemption.
“will be…Rooster.”
If you weren’t at attention, you’d be having a conniption. An aneurysm. You’d be rioting. And if you didn’t have respect for Maverick - you’d be right on his chest, screaming in his face. Your fingernails are digging so deeply into your palms that you nearly think there’s blood being drawn.
“Dagger 3 will be Moonshine and Payback. Following on all of our tails will be Phoenix and Bob.” He gives a nod that is reciprocated by each of you. “Those of you who are flying, take care of yourselves the next few days. Get good rest. Those of you who will be on deck - same goes to you.” A nod from all of you before Maverick gets a wild smirk on his features. “This has been your captain speaking. Thank you for flying with us.”
When you are released, you’re making a beeline to your dorm. With the rest of the day free to do as you please, you’re going to finish packing and get the hell away from base. You needed a release and a way to just forget this for now. So you go to your dorm, keep the door shut and blast your music as loud as physically possible while also not being a hindrance to those around you. It’s so loud that you barely register the knock on your door. You throw the door open only to be met with Rooster looking at you with a grin.
“Phoenix and crew are headed to Hard Deck for one last round of pool and beer before we head out tomorrow, I was wondering… are you packing?” The original statement gets lost when he recognizes the bags that have piled up on your bed. He’s leaning against the doorframe, already out of his issued uniform, in standard fashion of a vest, a Hawaiian shirt and aviators on top of his head. You had turned away from the door the second it was open, a quick roll of your eyes at his mischievous grin, quickly resuming your task of folding things somewhat sloppily, trying to complete the task with speed.
“Yes, I’m packing.” Short, simple and to the point - hopefully, he takes the hint.
“We’ve got plenty of time for that later, c’mon, Bob was even going to do a shot or two.” There’s humor in his statement, a smirk on his face as he speaks. Rooster takes a step further into your room, making you stop and turn toward him.
“I want to get packed and the hell out of here. So if you wouldn’t mind.” You’re about to move past him toward your ensuite bathroom when he cuts your path off, forcing you to freeze in front of him.
“Okay, what the hell is your deal? We’re about to go on this huge mission and want one more day before we get shipped out and you’re in here packing like you’re going to fucking Disney World.” Each word is sharp, a sense of offense in his tone, as though he was contagious and that was the reason you were making haste.
“Well that’s certainly what it is to you, now isn’t it?” You snap so quickly, not even sure where the stinging venom in your voice is coming from. Your attitude is soon being reflected right back at you as though you were staring in a mirror.
“Ohthat’swhat this is about??” In rapid succession, Rooster is boomeranging the same attitude back to you. “Moon, you heard what Mav said, he went through hours to plan that out, it’s not a ranking.” He tries to console you on it, stepping forward toward you, an outstretched hand in your direction. However, you shrink away from him, avoiding his touch.
“No, no, it’s most definitely a ranking. One that I was working my ass off to try to top again, yet there he is in all his glory: Rooster Bradshaw everyone. Do you even know-” You speak mockingly and witness frustrating building as a hand pulls itself into a fist before he interrupts you.
“It’s just a ranking, seriously, I’m rather certain there is far bigger fish to fry here-”
“I thought it wasn’t a ranking?? So which one is it, because I’m getting mixed signals here. If they are rankings-” You ignore Rooster’s groan as you cross your arms over your chest.
“God, you are making this so difficult! Just let it go, alright? C’mon, we’ll get a drink and we can all forget about it. It’s really not a big deal-” Once more, he’s trying to grab your hand, making contact which forces you to wrench it out of his grip.
“Let it go? Like the last time I ended up second to you?!” You whine, throwing your hands up and turning to grab your open bag, shifting it on the bed - doing something aside from having to look at him. “Phoenix was right I -”
“What was she right about?” His tone is firm, irritated, and hoarse. “Huh? Please show me the light, because clearly she knows so much more than either of us.” Rooster’s gaze on you stays firm, his jaw clenching as he waits for a response from you.
Finally you’re snapping at him, unable to dance around it. “As if you didn’t know what game you were playing. From day one you’ve been planning it, trying to distract me again so that you could come out -”
“Distract you??” His voice bellows over yours, drowning out your attempts to speak. “ If I wanted to distract you I would’ve been a whole lot fucking more forward, I think I can tell you that much!”
You’re starting to grab more things from your dresser in a feeble attempt to avoid looking at him. The last thing you want to do is see him, yet here he stands in your bedroom. He’s scoffing, a hand running through his hair as you turn to face him.
“I can’t believe you’re seeing this as a bad thing, Moon. Youwere chosen out of the top candidates in the last five years - one of twelveairmen. One of two women in a very small group of individuals, and to top it off you were placed SECONDto them. Out of the twelve which is a like - like - like zero point seven something or some shit. You worked overtime to get here. Absolutely busted your ass, so you acting like -”
“Acting like what?? Like a fool? ‘Cause that’s exactlyhow I feel right now-”
Exhausted, Rooster pushes fingers through his hair, gripping the ends of them with exasperation before releasing them, letting a few strands drift across his forehead. “Why the hell would you feel like a fool?? It’s not like you-”
“You’re not even listening to me! I can’t get more than two words in-”
“Because there’s nothing to listen to!! You should be so proud of yourself and you’re acting as though this is the worst thing in the world-”
“It fucking feels like it!! I wanted your spot! I wanted to be at the head of it all, I worked my ass off, and you trickedme and pulled me away-” There’s a weak attempt to voice your concerns, yet he doesn’t give you the opportunity.
“I didn’t pull you away from anything! You were the one who insisted we try to get along-”
“For the sake of our jobs!!You’re the one that kissed me! As if thatwasn’t going to fuck with my head-”
The brown haired pilot is nearly screaming over top of you now. “Well sorry!! Is that what you want?? Sorry that I kissed you? Sorry that I showed you attention and some civility as we march towards what might be our deaths?? I don’t know what you want-”
“I want Dagger 2 and I can’t have it!! You know that! That’s allI’ve wanted the whole-”
“Enough,enough! I’m tired of this! You’re too in your head, Moon! This is sucha big deal and you’re not looking at it that way, I don’t know whyyou can’t see that! You should be so damn proud of getting here-”
“Oh, so you’re my dadnow?? Is that what this is?!”
It’s suddenly quiet.
All the energy from your voices has filled the room, making the air thick as he recoils, stepping back. Rooster’s face is tight, an emotion you can’t place fills it, leaving him frozen.
“Roost, I-”
“Good afternoon, Lieutenant.” He avoids your face as he turns to the door. With the way he grips the handle, you could have sworn he was going to rip it right off its hinges. Following him, you step into the hallway even though he’s already halfway down it.
“Rooster, I’m sorry, please- Rooster!” You try again, but all you hear are his firm steps, each of them echoing in the hall. “Bradley!” One last try, only to watch him disappear out the door into the sunlight that spills over the base.
After everything you’d both done to get to a common ground, to be able to work with one another without being absolutely repulsed at each other - it had suddenly vaporized into the air while the two of you argued.
It’s easy to hear the words repeat themselves in your head, despite the hustle of the airport around you. You didn’t fly commercially that often, since most times the Navy would get you a seat on one of the commercial charters and you’d get around that way. But this was different, you were headed out of the country, on a one way ticket. Once you’d landed you’d sit and wait for one of the pilots on-deck of the carrier to come and collect you, and then you’d be in the middle of the ocean, ready for what might be your final flight.
Someone pulls you out of your thoughts, making you tug off your headphones in the most unprofessional manner. “Sorry to bother you, we just wanted to thank you for your service. God bless you.” You give them a nod and smile in response before you’re sliding your headphones back on. You’re rarely in your Service Whites - save for Admiral Kazansky’s funeral - especially while traveling, but this is different.
It’s making you stand out more than you’d like to, interruptions happening every so often, being pointed at by young children and having their parents scold them - it makes you uneasy. It’s the last thing you should be feeling right now. What you should be feeling is long gone. Confidence, honor, dignity…
Pride.
You can hear his voice saying it. It makes you shiver, causing you shift in an attempt to readjust yourself, something you’ve already had to do multiple times in this uniform. It’s stiff and it’s not the most comfortable thing, primarily because it’s tight to your skin. There’s nothing you wanted more than a huge sweatshirt and leggings right now.
Boarding the plane first was also such an odd standard of practice, yet you do so. And as you sit while everyone else boards, you continue to get thank yous and words of encouragement. Not that any of them resonated. These were strangers, many of them thanking you out of obligations that society had instilled. To make matters worse, the flight attendant decides to highlight the ‘military service member on board’. If you could hide in the checked baggage compartment you would happily do so. Anything had to be better than this.
The flight is long and you still can’t sleep. Primarily since training had accustomed you to feeling awake when you felt an active engine - which you most definitely could through the floor of the cabin. With little sleep and more nerves than when you started the trip with, the plane lands and you’re quickly getting off of it. Your phone comes to life with text messages from a familiar name. You smile as you read it over.
‘Hey Sailor, I heard there were big things in store for you. Some of the very best pilots are with you - which includes yourself. Don’t doubt your skills. I can’t imagine how nerve wracking going away must be so I am sending you all my luck. Come back home soon.’
Natalie always seemed to have impeccable timing.
‘Hey stranger, just landed. Haven’t been able to sleep. Some of the best pilots indeed. Some *very* familiar faces too.’
‘Oh shut up, is he there?’
‘Not actively but he’s in the squadron, yes.’
‘I’m sure that’s been fun.’
You know she means it as a jab at Rooster, but honestly… the last few weeks hadbeen fun. Growing closer with the team, with Maverick - finally getting along with Rooster… it had all been rather gratifying. It’s idiotic when you think about it.
Even if Rooster had been distracting you, you’d enjoyed every minute of his distractions. You’d grown fond of being around him which was such a crazy change from when you’d initially returned to Miramar. When seeing him made your blood boil, where now when you saw him your skin was on fire. Any time he was close you felt so strangely at home, so reassured…
You needed to apologize. As soon as you could.
The hours of lead up to this mission left you nearly following him like a lost stray. You would track him down to his location on the ship and when you did find him, he’d turn the other way. Mealtimes you’d sit at his table, just for him to get up. He was rarely in the gym, probably because he knew you’d be looking for him. When all other avenues had failed, you’d tried to ask Bob or Coyote - hell you’d even stooped so low as to ask Hangman for help. All of them gave you the same answer: he wasn’t listening.
So when you climbed into your bunk the night before the mission, you laid down with defeat and nerves blazing. Hours felt like minutes as you imagined every possible scenario that could occur tomorrow. You were directly putting a team of six into the fire with hopes they weren’t flammable. No fire alarms, no extinguishers - facing the heat dead on. Before you can even register how much time has passed since you crawled under the sheets, your alarm is going off, forcing you to grab the device and silence it before it wakes up your bunk mates.
Getting dressed, you’re up and attempting to prepare yourself. Yet, when you look in the mirror, you’re far from ready. Your hair is all over the place, the normal pristine hairstyle you’ve been doing for years is gone, instead, it’s a mess of an attempt at a ponytail. You can’t put yourself together. You had to retie your boots nearly four times and lost your name badge in between the time of going to bed and getting out of it. Your nerves had you all sorts of frayed like a wire.
You needed a level head, you didn’t want to bother anyone else who was also flying, but you really needed the advice. So, somewhat shakily, you’re knocking on the private quarters door. When the door squeaks open, you find Maverick still in his sleep shirt and boxers. “Moonshine? We’re not meant to be up on deck for like-” He pauses and rapidly looks to his watch, almost wondering if he’s overslept.
“We still have two hours. I just.. Needed to talk.” Maverick nods and holds up a finger.
“Alright, ‘kay, gimme like.. A minute. We can go get coffee.” He’s clearly not used to being up this early - that much was clear. There’s not windows in this hallway, but you can tell his room was still pitch black thanks to the early hour. He shuts the door and is quickly moving to dress. Soon enough, he’s on his way out to the mess hall where a coffee shop stood. He orders his usual coffee, but leaves the order ticket open so you can order. You weren’t sure you could eat anything, but you order a coffee anyway - hoping it would help.
Once your cups are in hand, the two of you grab a seat, Maverick sipping at his desperately seeking the caffeine. “Okay, kid. What’s going on?” With a sigh, you’re trying to get out the words.
“I- well, there’s a lot more to it than just this but- I don’t think I can fly.” You nervously look at him, yet he’s looking at you like you told him the sky was blue. With a slow sip, he puts his cup down.
“And why’s that, Shiner?” He’s unimpressed, and you begin to ramble.
“I haven’t slept, Maverick, I haven’t been able to eat, I barely could get dressed this morning, I haven’t had caffeine until now and my hands are shaking - I don’t even know how to start the damn plane if you’d asked me right now, I’m just panicking and scared-”
“There it is.” He has a pointed finger in your direction, cutting you off. His gaze meets yours, holding his cup with both hands as it sits on the table. “You are scared. And that is beyond logical. You’re about to do something that could possibly get you killed. It’s not an easy feeling and from what I know… there’s no real solution.” You shrink at this admission.
“I- but Ma-Captain,” you’re switching his name as you see a higher ranking officer walk by, “how the hell do you expect me to fly a jet properly when I’m terrified?”
“You’d be surprised.” This confuses you. “Fear can make you do incredible things.” It’s then that he’s reaching out and taking your hand. “I think you have what it takes to do this, Moonshine. You’re here because I know you have the skills, the reaction time and the wherewithal to get through this.” You shake your head, beginning to disagree:
“I wasn’t good enough for Dagger 2, how on earth would I be good enough for this eith-”
Maverick’s turn to cut you off. “You think you weren’t good enough for Dagger 2? No, no, kid, I chose you for Dagger 3 for a reason. I thought you would be able to hit the target, no matter where it was.” He’s using his coffee cup and his hands to talk as he launches into his explanation. “If both Rooster and I miss this target, you are the last line to have the chance to hit it before Phoenix can take her shot. If we fail, you are the onlyperson who can ensure we have a chance to get below ground. You’re in Dagger 3 because I have fullconfidence in your shooting skills.” A wave of clarity floods over you at his words.
You hadn’t come second. You’d came first. Before Maverick. You’d been given the most difficult position. While you were the fallback, you were the last line of defense. If everything went wrong, they were relying on you.
“Oh my god.” You scoff in surprise, a hand moving to your forehead. It’s a mixture of pure shock, and heavy realization.
You’d fought with Rooster - for no reason. And he wouldn’t talk to you, wouldn’t even let you get a message to him.
Summary: After a rowdy night of drinks and some beachside conversation, you find yourself growing closer to your new squadron, one member and one night drive at a time.
Content Warning: This is a successor to the first part, please read that first! ||This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision. || tw: death mention, major character death, spoilers for TG: Maverick
Author Note: I am not hopelessly cruel, really, so I am going to be pretty quick with these uploads, so long as I get the last section done that - admittedly - still isn’t written. I love, love, love hearing your feedback so please do not hesitate to comment, reblog, flood my askbox, I wanna know your thoughts!!
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By the time you’re ready to go, most of the bar’s patrons had funneled out, including most of your squadron. Payback still sat on the other end of the bar, talking to a girl you didn’t recognize. You’d spent most of your time catching up with Penny, talking and ordering drink after drink. With abundant laughter rolling through you, the woman sighs looking at her watch. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Shiner, but it’s past 2. Bar’s closed for the night.”
Summary: When you hit a certain point in your career, you tend to crave a challenge. Well what if that challenge included near impossible feats, 12 of the best pilots in the Naval Airforce and the last person you wanted to ever see?
Content Warning: This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision.
Author Note: It’s hereeeeee - I have the entire story ready to roll and will be posting it in sections as to better navigate through. I’ve worked so incredibly hard on this so I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do! I would be remiss to not mention the countless beta reader’s who have helped me edit and prepare this story so a massive thank you goes out to them for all their help!!!
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You knew that joining the Navy would be a gamble. The ratio of women to men in this field was beyond staggering, as you and your other female counterparts made up the meek 12% of all Naval pilots, so there were inevitable barriers to overcome. First were the misplaced doubts and beliefs that you wouldn’t be able to do the job. Next were the taunts, teases and unwelcome eyes.
Hiya, so the general verdict is you want part 3, which - valid. So, it’s gonna go up tomorrow (6/14/22) sometime before midnight EST time. Which, I know that’s a long time, so I offer up a piece to get you by.
“Phoenix and crew are headed to Hard Deck for one last round of pool and beer before we head out tomorrow, I was wondering… are you packing?” The original statement gets lost when he recognizes the bags that have piled up on your bed. He’s leaning against the doorframe, already out of his issued uniform, in standard fashion of a vest, a Hawaiian shirt and aviators on top of his head. You had turned away from the door the second it was open, a quick roll of your eyes at his mischievous grin, quickly resuming your task of folding things somewhat sloppily, trying to complete the task with speed.
“Yes, I’m packing.” Short, simple and to the point - hopefully, he takes the hint.
“We’ve got plenty of time for that later, c’mon, Bob was even going to do a shot or two.” There’s humor in his statement, a smirk on his face as he speaks. Rooster takes a step further into your room, making you stop and turn toward him.
“I want to get packed and the hell out of here. So if you wouldn’tmind.” You’re about to move past him toward your ensuite bathroom when he cuts your path off, forcing you to freeze in front of him.
Summary: After a rowdy night of drinks and some beachside conversation, you find yourself growing closer to your new squadron, one member and one night drive at a time.
Content Warning: This is a successor to the first part, please read that first! ||This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision. || tw: death mention, major character death, spoilers for TG: Maverick
Author Note: I am not hopelessly cruel, really, so I am going to be pretty quick with these uploads, so long as I get the last section done that - admittedly - still isn’t written. I love, love, love hearing your feedback so please do not hesitate to comment, reblog, flood my askbox, I wanna know your thoughts!!
✈︎ ✈︎ ✈︎
By the time you’re ready to go, most of the bar’s patrons had funneled out, including most of your squadron. Payback still sat on the other end of the bar, talking to a girl you didn’t recognize. You’d spent most of your time catching up with Penny, talking and ordering drink after drink. With abundant laughter rolling through you, the woman sighs looking at her watch. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Shiner, but it’s past 2. Bar’s closed for the night.”
Summary: So much is riding on this mission, including your future, and that of those you’ve come to adore like family. When a tumultuous turn of events has you doing emotional somersaults, you’re overwhelmed with everything this career has brought to you, including this moment.
Content Warning: This is a successor to the first parts, please read that first! || This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision. || MOST DEFINITELY SPOILERS FOR TOP GUN MAVERICK!! you’ve been warned. Tw; topics of death, plane accidents
Author Note: oh hey there, you’re still reading this stuff? well i’m glad you are !! i’m in the midst of writing the next part and you guys are not ready for this. i also know this part is a smidge short, but i promise you it’s so so so much more than just a word count. with that - enjoy!!
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With the discussion with Maverick under your belt - and some newfound confidence thanks to the information that was revealed, you were able to get some food in you. You then sat on deck, drumming your fingers on your helmet as you watch the sun rise. You jump when you hear a voice from behind you. To your surprise, it’s Hangman. You look up at him as your mind registers his words. ‘It’s at least a clear day.’
“Yeah. Maybe it’ll be a little easier.” You hum, feeling him take a seat next to you.
“No luck with Rooster?” He asks, leaving you more surprised. It makes you look at his face, which for the first time doesn’t have the familiar daredevil grin on his features. Jake Seresin was never one to be serious. This was a version of him that you didn’t exactly enjoy.
“No.” You sigh, turning your head back to the brightening colors in the sky. “I feel so damn guilty. It was over nothing too.” Your fingers are tracing over the crescent moon shape that’s painted on your helmet, shades of navy blue, yellow and stars litter the surface, your callsign written in a pleasant calligraphy font.
“Well… maybe you try when he’s forced to hear you?” Hangman suggests and you furrow your brows, looking over your shoulder.
“Jake, are you suggesting I try talking to him in the air? Mid-mission? Don’t you think we’ll be a little preoccupied?” You ask with a breath of air moving through you with astonishment. He shrinks.
“Yeah… I guess.” The two of you sit in the quiet again.
“Thanks for trying to find a solution, Hangman. But I don’t think there’s any bandaging that’s going to stick before we get in the air.” With that, you’re standing from your crisscross spot, reaching out a hand and helping him to his feet. He takes it, standing upright, pulling you to his chest and gripping onto you tight.
“You come home. You hear?” A weak smile fills your face - not that he can see it with it hidden in his flight suit.
“Loud and clear.”
Taking to the flightdeck, you can feel your heartbeat in every step you take toward your jet. Coyote is right beside you, quiet as a church mouse. It’s not long after that your helmet is on, in your spot in the pilot’s seat, adjusting your mask to loosely hang from its snaps. You take one last look around the flightdeck, seeing faces watching you. You spot Hangman and Payback standing at attention, a firm salute to the six of you. As the canopy comes down to seal the two of you in, you return it, somewhat teary eyed.
You can only hope this isn’t the last you’ll be seeing them. God, you hope it isn’t.
The force of takeoff that used to be so thrill inducing instead feels like dread following you. You’re pushed against your seat with the movement, scaling into the air.
The airtower is confirming each of your names, confirming your radio connections. It’s the first time you hear his voice in what feels like weeks.
“Dagger 2.” It’s almost impossible to ignore the slight shake in his voice. He’s as scared as you are, and neither of you were ready to face this.
Yet here it was.
With each mile you gain towards the target, the more your stomach aches. Approaching the mountain range, you know that this is no dream, no practice run.
Don’t think. Do.
Each turn has you sliding, forcing yourself to take calculated breaths, making sure that you’re getting enough oxygen. It’s easy to forget that you’re already on the clock, but Coyote’s keeping track. Luckily.
You nearly graze the one mountain, and can hear Phoenix. “Easy, Dagger 3. You’re over-adjusting.” A breath as you enter your next turn, your entire body moving with the force. Finally, you’re out of the turns, pulling up in a straight climb. Your entire body is vibrating, your mind racing. You can hear Maverick in front of you, initiating the first round of firing. Miss. It’s now Rooster’s turn to take a shot. The carrier tower confirms the missile missed its target. As you’re climbing, you’re hearing him struggle to get the target to align. With no confirmed lock on target, he’s firing. Contact.
With contact made, half the miracle work is done. That was only the first shot. You had to make the second one.
The final one.
If you don’t lock on, you can’t take the shot. Then you risk Phoenix missing as well. All your efforts would be for nothing- leaving you running from enemy fire, in a desperate attempt to get back to the carrier. You dip into the valley, a shake in the jet as you shift the crosshairs, the screen flickering with the vibrations from the speed. “Starting targeting.” A breath in, one out. It feels like you’re hyperventilating, yet taking the slowest breaths. In a brief moment, the target locks and you take your shot - without confirmation.”Dagger 3, did you take the shot? Dagger 3?”
You don’t remember if contact was made. All you remember is shifting into escape mode. Rising from the valley, into smoke filling the sky, immediately pulling up as hard as you can, the entire jet shaking as if you were careening from the sky, yet you’re going the oppositedirection. You’ve nearly cleared the peak when it comes over your comms.
“Dagger 1 has been hit. I repeat, Dagger 1 has been hit.” Your stomach drops, forcing you to push further. No, no, no. He needs help, he needs backup, a wingman. You want to get to him - needto get to him. As you increase the speed, your vision is beginning to go dark at the edges.
“Moonshine, we’re pushing 10 Gs as it is!” Coyote comes from behind you but you don’t hear him.
10.1 10.2 10.3
Finally you clear the peak,making the aggressive change in direction, leaving you plummeting to the ground, soaring down, beginning the onslaught of avoiding enemy fire. Your hands are moving faster than your brain. You barely register what’s happening, but it’s that drive that gets out and into the clear. You feel faint, on the verge of blacking out, and it’s likely showing. Your name is coming through the comms’ Coyote’s searching for confirmation that you’re alright. With no words exchanged, the tower is checking in, forcing a response from you: “Dagger 3 is clear. No damage.”
“We have to get him.” Rooster’s voice comes through. Oh God, Rooster don’t-
“Dagger 2 you are to return to the carrier. We have no signal on Dagger 1, there is nothing we can do.”
“We can’t just do nothing.” There’s tension in his voice, which leaves you with tears in your eyes. You want to go back, you want to support Rooster. Maverick. God, Maverick.
“You have firm orders.” Another voice, “Dagger 2 is out of position.”
“Lt. Bradshaw. Bradshaw!” There’s no response. You attempt to reach out to him.
“Rooster! Rooster come on.” It’s then that you realize you’re not getting any feedback. “Coyote, can you hear me?” Pressing every button on your comms, you’re not getting anything. Nothing from your RIO, nothing from Dagger 4, the tower, Rooster.
Nothing.
For the next thirty minutes, it’s you and the radio static as you lurch forward to the carrier. You rush your landing, well knowing that your aeronautics instructor would have heavilyreprimanded you for such a landing. You’re numb, not from the vibration of the plane, or the screeching halt you’d suddenly come to.
You’re numb, because your favorite people were either MIA or on the way into enemy fire.
As soon as the canopy’s clear, you’re jumping from the craft and running, running to the tower. Despite the people yelling at you since the runway is active, Coyote begging you to stop. There’s no time for the elevator, so you’re taking the stairs, two at a time. Moving at such a speed, you inevitably trip, scraping the palms of your hands on the metal before getting up again. The sting of your hands pales to the ringing of your head, but you have no care or concern for your own well being at this moment. By the time you’ve reached the last landing, you’re gasping for air, barely any energy remaining. The door to the room moves with ease, and when you step in, all eyes are on you.
The room is quiet when you throw the door open. Admiral Simmons looks at you, your rank leaving his mouth. “Dagger 2. Did he find him? Did Rooster find Maverick?” You’re panting, your lungs on fire. Eagerly, you’re waiting for an answer.
There’s not a soul who dares to move, to speak. “Well??” One of the traffic controls turns to you.
“Dagger 2 was hit. We just lost signal.”
Your heart jumps into your throat. There’s barely any air moving through your lungs as it is, but now you can’t even begin to take a breath. Your chest is tight, the dark room spinning around you as tears flood your vision. “No… no .. but-but he’s okay? They’re okay… they haveto be okay.” It’s a near sob that breaks through you, multiple sets of hands reaching your shoulders, guiding you out of the control tower room.
You can tell you’re moving, yet your legs aren’t going anywhere. It’s then that you realize that Bob has an arm under your shoulder, Payback on your left. They’re physicallycarrying you down the steps as tears leave you immobile. They move with such caution, such care, yet your vision blurs it like they’re moving 100 miles per minute. When they get to the bottom of the staircase, they’re taking a break, trying to get through to you. You can’t. You… can’t do this without them.
Withouthim.
Your day started with hours feeling as though they were minutes. Yet now, curled in your bunk, you feel like minutes have become hours. Luckily for you, most of the cohabitants of the room had their own tasks at hand so they were not bothering you. Though, that meant they didn’t know. In a blissful state of ignorance.
Two pilots were presumed to be dead. Two men who had helped you get to this spot, whether you were willing to admit that or not. The creaking of the quarter door has you shifting your head toward the sound. The lights were completely out, leaving a halo over the person entering, that was until she turns on the lights. “Shiner?” You pull the sheets over your head, a whimper accompanying it. Maybe you were being selfish right now. You were sure Phoenix wasn’t taking this easy either. With that reminder, you push the sheets back again, climbing from the bunk and to the floor where she joins you. “Bob and the rest of the guys were worried about you but… didn’t want to…” She nods her head toward the room, well knowing that men weren’t permitted in the sectioned off area of the ship.
“Right.” A slight laugh pairs with it as you wipe at your eyes. Sniffing, you take a look at her. Her hair is out of place from her helmet, her eyes just as red as your own had to be. You sigh and let your head hit the middle bunk, trying to stop the tears. Natasha speaks so softly in the eerie quiet.
“Did you tell him?” The words crush you further, another wave begins to drown you in grief. You fall into her shoulder, where she’s wrapping her arms around you.
“If you knew, I hope that he did.” Your voice cracks when you say it. “I can’t… it never got to be love. I lovedhim. I didn’t get to lovehim.” Natasha’s heart is breaking for you, her hand moving to the side of your head as your diaphragm muscle spasms, making your breath skip as you try to pull air into your lungs. She pulls your head toward her shoulder, your temple meeting the edge of her green t-shirt, soon enough stained with tears.
“We’re all here for you, hon’. I brought you something from the commissary, it’s not gonna fix anything, but I just.. Hoped it could ease some of the big emotions.” She’s reaching into her pocket, struggling to pull out whatever she crammed into it. When it’s successfully released from the confines, she hands the package to you, making you pick up your head as she presents it. A mellow smile stretches across your face as tears flood your eyes again, hands carefully taking the gold packaging. Looking at you through the clear window in the plastic is a parade of rainbow gummy bears. A laugh starts to breathe life into your lungs, Phoenix looks at you with a confused smile. “What?”
“Nothing.” You smile as you start to open the package, offering her some when it’s finally open. She’s happy to take some, leaving the two of you on the women’s quarter floor, a bag of gummies between the two of you, tears silently running down each other’s faces.
It takes you another half hour or so to collect yourself off the floor, wash your face with cold water, blow your nose - compose yourself. You would have a debriefing to get to, no doubt about it. You’re leaning onto the sink basin, taking a shaky breath before looking into the mirror. As you’re thinking of exiting - the mirror rattles on the steel walls, the floor vibrates, a roaring coming from floors above you.
Everyone had been grounded. So why was there a plane taking off?
Exiting the bathroom, you’re following the hallway to the nearest staircase. After already breaking into the control tower once, you move to the nearest jet and helmet, listening to the comms channel. “Lt. Seresin, ground your plane, immediately.”
“You said there was a signal, and with all due respect, if there is a sailor out there on their own, I’ll be damned if I’m sitting around and letting them die from my lack of action.”
Signal??
“What signal??” You jump on the line, only to be scolded as well. “I’m not flying, I’m listening. What signal is he talking about?”
“Maverick has a signal. He’s out there, I’m not letting him down.” A breath. Stay put, Mav. You’re mentally begging him to just sit and wait.
“Jake.” You warn, hearing him muttering something else.
“Yeah?”
“Bring him home.”
In the half hour it should’ve taken Hangman to get there, you learned that Maverick had stolen an enemy craft and was attempting to fly that back to the carrier. They had no line of communication, just some signals and plane stats. It was nail biting to say the least. The radio crackles to life again. “I have visual on Maverick - and what looks to be Rooster.”
Your forehead drops to the side of the plane as relief sings through your heart. He’s alive. He’s alive. There’s minimal time for celebration as a rapid succession of events occurs. In the time of spotting them, Jake is firing shots and missiles - just barely saving their asses. You can hear laughter on Hangman’s end, some sort of teasing response to being a hero, before telling them he’d see them on deck.
And you thought yourlanding was rough. The entire ship seemed to shake with intensity as the old craft scraped the asphalt - a horrifying sound pairing it. What without any wheels, there were less predictable endings. Upon stopping, you can see smoke and crew immediately hosing the nose of the jet down with extinguishers. Yet, the canopy pops up, a rather smiley Maverick popping up. “Did you guys miss us?” He cries out and you’re running again. You’re not the only one to start crowding the jet, but you’re certainly the closest to it.
As you’re running, you watch as the brown haired male climbs from the jet, a little unstable when he reaches the ground. “Bradley!!” His head pokes up just in time for your chests to collide, your arms wrapping around him in the tightest death grip, tucking themselves under his armpits, your face crushing into his chest. Sore arms reciprocate the grip you have on him to hold onto you, reassuringly his head comes to meet the top of yours as sobs start up again. You barely make out the shushing sounds he’s offering over the cheers and chants overwhelming the top of the ship. A hand rubbing your back slowly, he’s squeezing you with all he has left in him. You don’t dare let go, gripping the canvas of his flight suit, taking a deep breath of himinto your senses. It’s instant reassurance, this isn’t an imposter, a doppleganger, a replacement. It’s Bradley.
“Moon,” Rooster finally speaks, his grip loosening on you, trying to pull you away. Instead, you hold on tighter, not wanting to release him. “Moon. Let go.”
“No. Don’t make me, please, don’t make me.” Your words are muffled by his shoulder, which he is prying you from. When your eyes meet, you witness a new kind of relief. Not your own, but his. The blonde is soon taking your hand, undoing the zipper of his suit slightly, only to guide your hand onto his chest. Hazel hues connect with yours again.
“You feel that?” He quips, forcing you to nod rather hesitantly, a sniff matching it. Under your palm you can feel his pulse, his heart absolutely racing. “I’m here. I’m alive.” Rooster’s grip on your hand tightens at the words. “I’m not going anywhere, Moon. I promise.”
If your user is on here but you weren’t tagged, it wouldn’t let me tag you! Sign up for the tag list here. If you asked to be tagged through the google forms and weren’t it is likely you were underage and i refused to tag you. i am reminding you now that this is an 18+ space and it is for your safety that I ask you not to engage with any of my content. thank you.
Picking up the nearest pillow you’re forcefully throwing it in his direction, which he catches just before it hits a nearby lamp. “I can’t fucking do this anymore Bradley. I just - I can’t.” Your voice is broken, eyes riddled with tears.
“Baby…” he isn’t going to beg. This isn’t the first time the silent discussions between the two of you at occurred. You knew it was happening the minute he pulled his navy issued duffel from the closet.
“If you’re packing then so am I.” There’s gravity to your words. Both of you know what you mean. “All we can seem to get right is the hours spent in our bed.“ As you’re speaking you’re starting to the closet, grabbing a suitcase and making haste for your bedroom.
Bradley simply follows you, a forlorn look on his face as you begin shoving things into your bag with hot tears down your face. You stay quiet now, playing back every other time you’d fought him on this. Every time the bag would come down and the assignment would take you from him.
Your resolve falls when he slips his arms around your middle from behind you, a kiss to your neck as you let the tears consume you. “If you’re leaving… lets be right one more time.” He’s slowly begun a sway with you, your hands resting on his. The reality is - this is over. Both of you are all too aware of that.
“That’s all I ask, honey. I won’t stop you if you want to go. Just give me a kiss before you do?” He tries once again, only before he’s slowly beginning to turn you around by the waist, his eyes finding yours. The grip on your body strengthens as he adjusts his hand, slowly pulling you even closer. You find yourself locked in, unable to slip out even if you wanted to.
As his head dips to greet your lips with his, you certainly don’t want to go anywhere.
————
Have a peek of where my mind is as of late. Important: this is NOT Moon and Rooster from Crossfire. Just a little side thing I’m playing with.
Summary: With weeks of work under your belt, the mission grows near. You are given your assignments and you’re not happy with them. Instead of putting aside your emotions - you let them drive, which makes things far more complicated than the actual mission you need to endure.
Content Warning: This is a successor to the first part, please read that first! ||This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision.
Author Note: Well, well, well, look what we have here! It’s the next part and honestly one of my favorite parts if you ask me. We’re really getting into the nitty gritty now. I’m having so much fun with y’all I hope you enjoy this part :D
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With the timeline for the mission having been pushed up, it made you that more tense and emphatically stressed. You had two days before Maverick was picking who’d be flying.
Summary: When you hit a certain point in your career, you tend to crave a challenge. Well what if that challenge included near impossible feats, 12 of the best pilots in the Naval Airforce and the last person you wanted to ever see?
Content Warning: This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision.
Author Note: It’s hereeeeee - I have the entire story ready to roll and will be posting it in sections as to better navigate through. I’ve worked so incredibly hard on this so I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do! I would be remiss to not mention the countless beta reader’s who have helped me edit and prepare this story so a massive thank you goes out to them for all their help!!!
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You knew that joining the Navy would be a gamble. The ratio of women to men in this field was beyond staggering, as you and your other female counterparts made up the meek 12% of all Naval pilots, so there were inevitable barriers to overcome. First were the misplaced doubts and beliefs that you wouldn’t be able to do the job. Next were the taunts, teases and unwelcome eyes.
Summary: After a rowdy night of drinks and some beachside conversation, you find yourself growing closer to your new squadron, one member and one night drive at a time.
Content Warning: This is a successor to the first part, please read that first! ||This story will have TopGun: Maverick plot line elements to it and will possibly spoil the movie for you. Please be aware. This - and all of my stories - is 18+. By continuing to read you agree that you are 18 or older and that any content you come across is by your own decision. || tw: death mention, major character death, spoilers for TG: Maverick
Author Note: I am not hopelessly cruel, really, so I am going to be pretty quick with these uploads, so long as I get the last section done that - admittedly - still isn’t written. I love, love, love hearing your feedback so please do not hesitate to comment, reblog, flood my askbox, I wanna know your thoughts!!
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By the time you’re ready to go, most of the bar’s patrons had funneled out, including most of your squadron. Payback still sat on the other end of the bar, talking to a girl you didn’t recognize. You’d spent most of your time catching up with Penny, talking and ordering drink after drink. With abundant laughter rolling through you, the woman sighs looking at her watch. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Shiner, but it’s past 2. Bar’s closed for the night.”
Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Fem!Reader a top gun: maverick fic
a/n: i am so excited to share this fic with you all! i started writing it as soon as i came home from my first watch and the final edits came in last night as i reviewed my notes from my third visit to the theater. as always, let me know what you think!
words: 16k content advisories: language, alcohol use, alcohol mention, food consumption, general shenanigans and goofy group chats acknowledgements: thank you to my beta-readers and collaborators, aimz (@ssaic-jareau) and katie (@extrakatie). shout out to red (@hurricanejjareau), my concept co-creator who helped me at every step. couldn’t do this without you!
summary: if home is where the heart is, you hate it when your home has to crash-land on an aircraft carrier. or, what happens when Dagger comes home.
You hear your name over your cube and stand, surprised to see one of the few admirals in the building standing by your desk. They aren’t a rarity in the Pentagon by any stretch, but they don’t usually need to see you.
Your phone sits open, waiting for a text from Bradley. The exchange from last night stands lonely on your screen.
4:56am On the deck! I love you.
4:57amI love you! Fly safe and come home to me in one piece.
4:59am❤️
“Sir?”
He hands you a piece of paper. It appears to be a boarding pass for a plane headed to San Diego in a couple of hours. Your stomach drops and you have no idea what your face looks like when you meet the admiral’s gaze again.
“Transport is due in tonight.”
You swallow. There’s part of you that always worried about Bradley dying out there in one of his fuckingplanes…
“Sir, is…” You clear your throat. “Is he…”
The admiral spares you. “He’s alive. And mostly fine.” There’s a funny little smile on his face. “Be sure to thank Lt. Seresin when you arrive.”
“Hangman?” You ask, your brow furrowed. “Respectfully, sir, what the hell happened out there?”
+++
You check in to the naval hospital and practically jog to Bradley’s room. You don’t find him right away, but you do see part of his team - Hangman, Phoenix, Bob, and Payback - sitting in the little plastic chairs in the waiting area.
Without thinking about it too much, you hardly wait for Jake to get to his feet before you’re throwing your arms around his neck, burying your face in his chest or shoulder, or whatever you can reach.
“Thank you.”
You can feel him nod and tighten his grip on you. One arm secures you around the waist, his other hand holding your head to him.
The few details you know are enough to owe him for a lifetime, so you thank him again. You’re not sure what you say in total, but you certainly repeat yourself a few times.
“Of course,” he replies. “It’s my job and I’d do it again.”
You hear a scoff and pull back, wiping your eyes.
You’re met with Phoenix’s grin. “He’s being dramatic,” she says. “It wasn’t that exciting.”
“Excuse me,” Hangman retorts. “Did you dead-eye fire at a fifth-gen fighter yesterday while it was nose to nose with Maverick and Rooster, destroying the incoming missile and the aircraft, surely and heroically saving their lives?”
Phoenix rolls her eyes. You just know this incident will give him enough ego ammunition for the rest of time.
“That’s enough,” you tell him with a smile. “Plus, I’m pretty sure you just breached your clearance.”
Bob pulls a face. “He definitely did.”
You grin, feeling truly relaxed for the first time in seven hours. “Where’s Fanboy?”
Payback looks up. “Cafeteria. He’ll be back soon. Want anything?”
“No, I’m good. I ate at the airport in DC.” You peer down the hallway. “Just eager to see my boy.”
“That was…” Bob says under his breath, checking his watch and looking at Phoenix, “like seven hours ago.”
“Is that who I think it is?” A voice down the hallway has you turning over your shoulder. “Chim!”
“Coyote!”
He grins and scoops you up, turning you around in a circle before setting you back on your feet.
“With the Rooster in the coop, the Chicken couldn’t have been too far behind, right?” Hangman quips, that shit-eating grin back on his face.
“That’s a stupid-ass nickname and you know it,” you tell him.
He shrugs. “It’s your call sign, now. Better get used to it.”
“Wait,” Phoenix says. “Chicken, I get, but Chims? I’m lost.”
“It’s just a stupid thing that evolved,” Coyote says, shrugging. “Stupid way to say chicken turned into chimken, then Chicken became Chim…” He waves her off. “I mean, how do you get Bag Man from Hangman?”
Hangman rolls his eyes, ready to come back at her but something stops him. He looks past you and smiles. “Hey, Mav! How’s he doin’?”
“Good,” a voice replies. “He’ll be ready for visitors in about fifteen minutes. They’re running a couple of cognitive tests and then they want to keep him overnight, just in case. He smacked his head pretty good on ejection and again on landing, so even with the helmet…” The voice trails off and you turn. “Who’s this?”
Maverick Mitchell’s face is a familiar one from photos and the old home videos Carole showed you before she died, not to mention the brief glimpses you got at the funeral.
He’s got a place of honor on Rooster’s desk at home, but you’ve always known the focal point of that picture to be Goose in the RIO seat. Maverick is, of course, a recognizable figure, but not one that inspires any degree of fondness.
He offers a hand to you and you take it somewhat coldly, keeping a neutral expression on your face. Before you can remind him who you are, Jake gives your name and adds, “We call her Chicken though.”
“Chicken, huh? When did that start?” Mav asks with a smile.
You shrug, your mouth pinched. “When Bradley was in OCS, I guess.”
“I’m sure I’ll hear the story later,” he says. His smile softens. “It’s good to see you again.”
Sure.
You give him a tight pull of your mouth that could be a smile if you tried a little harder. “Yeah.”
You feel a little bad - you know Maverick had a good hand in saving Bradley’s life as well, but the hours you’ve spent drying tears over this motherfucker in the last thirteen years makes that easy to overlook.
Turning, you check in with Bob and Phoenix, “I’m gonna head down to mess and pick something up. Need anything?”
“I thought you -”
Phoenix elbows Bob and answers for both of them. “We’re good. We’ll be here.”
+++
Maverick isn’t fazed by your chilly reception. He knows who you are.
“What was that about?” Coyote asks, finding a seat.
Maverick shrugs. “As you might recall, Rooster and I weren’t on the best terms when we all arrived. Recent developments aside, I get it. I’m sure it’ll be alright.” He offers a firm pat on Coyote’s shoulder before sitting down himself.
“Why’d they let you loose?” Phoenix asks. “Didn’t you also go down in enemy territory?”
“Ah, they don’t care much about me. Rooster still has many distinguished years to offer the Navy.”
Phoenix snorts. “C’mon.”
“Alright,” Mav relents. “I had them check me out on the carrier and I was fine. I insisted they send Rooster for a full work-up, just in case.”
Phoenix hums, leaving it alone for now.
“How long’s it been since they’ve seen each other?” Hangman asks.
“The poultry?”
Hangman snorts and nods.
Phoenix shrugs. “Unless he stopped off in Virginia on his way here, it’s been five or six months. He’d been overseas for a minute and he wasn’t due back for shore duty until the middle of spring.” She sighs. “Maybe he’ll actually pull his head out of his ass and marry her this time.”
+++
You check in with the front desk again to confirm Bradley can take visitors again before you go upstairs. You don’t want to spend any more time than is necessary with Maverick.
It is strange though, you figure. The only reason you know Bradley at all is because Mav pulled his papers. It makes you smile, remembering back to undergrad at UVA, more than a decade ago.
“Excuse me!”
You turn and smile, finding a tall and sort-of cute (mostly tall) guy jogging up to you.
“Do you know where I can find…um…” He checks his phone. “Professor Taylor? I have office hours and I’m late.”
You nod. “I just came from her office.” You turn and point at the building a little ways down the path. “Head over there and she’s on the third floor. The elevator’s broken, though, so you’ll have to go up the stairs on the outside of the building.”
He heaves a breath. “Thank you. You don’t happen to be in 312 with her, do you?”
“Yeah,” you tell him. “I sit behind you.”
He (you suppose unconsciously) brings his hand to the back of his head. “Really?”
“Yeah, really.” You put an earbud back in. “I’ll be there Thursday. Don’t be later than you already are!”
“Oh, shit.” He takes off at a run and hops backward for a moment, facing you. “Thanks!”
You step out of the elevator and make your way down the hall, bypassing the team in a hurry. A couple of them stand to greet you, but you can see Bradley through the window and that’s your sole focus.
He’s in pajamas - well, a UVA shirt and pair of joggers - rather than a gown. That alone is enough to keep your blood pressure down. He looks fine from here…
“Christ, baby! What are you doing he-”
Your lips on his are enough to shut him up. He lets out a little breath, melting into you. His arms slide around you, stealing your breath as your hands knead into the hair at the base of his neck. He flinches a little and you pull back immediately, letting go.
“Sorry.”
He shakes his head, his mega-watt grin blinding you. “You’re fine. You’re perfect. Hi.” His hand pulls from your waist, coming up to rest against your cheek. “When did you get in?”
“About an hour ago.” You slide a hand down the outside of his arm, holding his hand to your cheek. You kiss his palm. “I missed you.”
“Missed you, too,” he says, nearly at a whisper.
You shuffle so you can wrap your arms around him and burrow deep, holding him as tight as you can. “You’re not allowed to crash planes anymore, okay?”
He chuckles. “No promises, sweetheart.”
You stand there for a moment, swaying a little. The nurses are kind enough to leave you alone for a second. He smells the same - something warm and sunshiny, with a touch of jet fuel, canvas, and something clean and cozy.
“You scared the fuck outta me.”
“I’m sorry,” he says. He means it. “I’ve got some stuff I want to talk to you about, too.”
Your stomach drops and you lean back to look at him.
“Ah, shit. Sorry. That’s - that’s not how I wanted to phrase that.” He smiles at you and your heart unclenches. “I just wanted to fill you in on a couple of things. But I want to hear about what you’re working on, first.”
He lets you guide him to the bed, where he settles in among the pillows and pulls you with him.
You curl into his side and start telling him about the project you’re working on at the Pentagon - at least the basic details he’s allowed to know - for a few seconds before he interrupts you.
“Wait, how did you get here?”
You twist around to look at him. “Do I need to send you back for more concussion screening?”
He rolls his eyes. “No, I mean -”
“I got here in a commercial airliner. They’re significantly bigger than the planes you fly, but I think you’ve seen them before? Maybe a Boeing 777?”
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
You smile and relent. “Yeah, alright. My boss said, verbatim, ‘given your highly-decorated boyfriend got blown up in enemy airspace and crash-landed an F-14 on a carrier less than twelve hours ago, you can take a couple of days off.’”
“He sounds cool.”
“He’s reasonable.”
There’s quiet for a moment. You breathe deeply, letting out a long, relieved sigh. Bradley’s fingers trace patterns on your shoulder somewhat absently.
“Hey,” he says.
You look up.
“Does it bug you that we’ve been together so long and I’ve never asked you to marry me?”
You swallow to cover the bolt of adrenaline shot into your system. “You’ve asked me to marry you plenty of times.”
A cup of coffee lands in his hands after a bad night of sleep. You sit beside him, pressing a kiss to his shoulder.
“Marry me,” he says, smiling.
You laugh. “No.”
He mimes stabbing himself in the gut, twisting and pulling the invisible blade. “You wound me, my lady.”
“Call me when you’ve got a ring, honey.”
And it’s true. Except on paper and in the eyes of the Navy, for all intents and purposes, you’re married.
“Yeah, but seriously,” he says. He almost sounds concerned.
You sit up a little, bracing yourself on your arm so you can look at him. “What’s on your mind?”
“Well…” He looks anywhere but you, surprisingly bashful. “I just…I don’t want you to feel that I take you for granted.”
“I don’t feel that way,” you tell him, quickly. “Not at all.”
“I know. But you deserve better than just a long-time boyfriend who’s too busy to get his shit together and lock you down already.”
You huff a laugh. “Last I checked, I’m not dating Jake.”
Bradley rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean. It’s been a long time.”
“Yeah, I do, and it has.” Your free hand shakes as you run it over his collar and down his chest. “But I’m fine, baby. You know that. I’m in no rush.”
“You’ve thought about it, right? Making it official?” He asks.
The genuine insecurity in his voice makes you smile. “Don’t be stupid. Of course I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought about it since our fourth date.”
“Fourth?” Now he just sounds offended.
You push at his shoulder. “Fourth. You know what you did on the third.”
He tips his head. You’re right.
There’s quiet for another moment.
“Bradley Bradshaw,” you start. He really does have a goofy, delightful name, doesn’t he? “When we’ve got time, we’ll make it happen. I don’t need time or a ring or a wedding when I’ve got you coming home with me after the Navy’s had her way with you.”
“You make us sound like swingers.”
You laugh. “Well, the Navy isn’t your mistress and neither am I, so I’ll leave you to do the math on that one.”
“Fair enough,” he says. He pulls you down beside him and kisses your forehead, tipping your chin up for something a little more proper. It’s easy to melt into him.
“But seriously,” he continues. “I want to marry the hell out of you and I love you. Is that okay?”
“Yeah,” you tell him. “That’s definitely okay.” You pause for a second. “But when you’re actually ready to ask, you better do it for real so I know you’re not joking this time.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
+++
You run into a three-star admiral at the coffee bar later in the evening. He taps your shoulder and says your name. You throw your headphones off your ears and around your neck, looking over at him.
“Sir?”
“They call you Chicken, don’t they?”
You can’t help but smile a little. “Should my ears be burning, sir?”
“Only a little,” he says. He offers a hand. “Admiral Simpson.”
You take it. “I’ve heard lots about you, Admiral. My supervisor at the Pentagon was class of ‘93 at Top Gun.”
“Ah. Thunder is a friend. I’m glad to hear he’s still working his magic over there.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Shall we?” He gestures down the hall and you nod, walking a little ahead of him through the door.
You walk with him in silence for a little while. At this point, you’ve grown immune to the intimidation factor of high-ranking Navy officers (especially pilots). You know they’re all, at least on the inside, little kids who love planes. Plus, anyone who willingly gets into a two-billion-dollar bomb for a day job has to be a little crazy.
“I was talking to Thunder this morning, actually.”
Your step only falters a little bit, but you wait for him to say more.
“I hear the work you’re doing at the Pentagon is important.”
“Yes, sir. I think so.” You offer him a small smile and he returns it.
He stops a little ways outside Bradley’s door. You join him, keeping your eyes affixed to the nurse schedule on the whiteboard across the way. “I also hear that you request a transfer every time Rooster is stationed somewhere new.”
You shrug. “I make an effort. Since he’s been overseas so much the last year or so, I’ve settled in at the Pentagon a little bit more.”
“We spoke a bit this morning about transferring your contract to NIWC Pacific. There are a couple of projects relevant to your current work that we’d like to have you lead down here, if you’re interested.”
You blink a couple of times. “When would that transfer go into effect?”
“Not this Monday, but the Monday after. You’d theoretically have the rest of this week off and next week would be spent facilitating the first part of the responsibility transfer among your Pentagon team. Of course, the Navy would be happy to assist with relocation, as your permanent address is also Rooster’s.” He sighs, almost sounding regretful.
“Sir?”
“Of course, this would be easier if you were married, but that’s neither here nor there.” He smiles at you and starts to walk away. “Just think about the transfer. Thunder will reach out soon for your official word.”
+++
“So,” Bradley says without preamble, “about Maverick.”
You look over at him, a question in your eyes.
Bradley seems to struggle with his words for a second. “We both saved each others’ asses out there. I’d be dead without him.”
There’s silence for a second. You know he’ll get there eventually.
“He’s the closest thing to a father I remember and it was… weird being around him again.”
He reaches out and you take his hand. His thumb passes back and forth over your knuckles, treating them almost like a worry stone.
Bradley flies down the hill on his bike, going way too fast, but he can’t feel fear over the rush of the wind on his face. He pedals faster… faster… faster.
Before he can blink, he’s upside down, tumbling over the handlebars and onto the asphalt. He lands on his arm and something doesn’t feel right. He licks his lips and wipes his nose of what he’s sure is sweat. It comes off his chin red, dripping onto the pavement.
He’s stunned, frankly. There’s something in his nine-year-old brain that can’t grasp the concept of his own lack of invincibility.
All at once, the pain starts and he begins to wail in earnest, yelling for his mom, or Mav, or whoever might be around.
Maverick hears him first. He’s sitting at the Bradshaws’ kitchen table, nursing a beer in the sunshine from the window. Faster than the jet he flies daily, he rockets out of his seat, throwing the door open and hopping the porch fencing, bracing his fall with his hands before finding his feet again. He can see Bradley down the hill on the street, small and blond and covered in dirt and blood.
“Mav!”
“I’m coming, buddy! Hold on.”
Pete isn’t even breathless when he gets to Bradley, scooping him onto his hip with one arm and rescuing his bike with the other.
He can’t bring himself to care that his white v-neck is soaking up the blood from Bradley’s bloody forehead. He holds him tightly, tighter when Bradley burrows further into him.
“It’s okay, bud. We’ll sort you out.”
Mav opens the door and calls out for Carole, his voice loud but calm. He kisses Bradley’s head and sets him down on the counter next to the sink. “Alright, buddy. Let’s see what we’re working with.”
Bradley’s sobs have calmed to hiccups and he refuses to let go of his arm, hugging it to his body. Mav figures ten minutes won’t matter much for that.
Carole is admirably calm as she joins them, washing the garden off her hands before retrieving the first aid kit in the bathroom.
With gentle hands, Mav cleans the dirt out of the cut on Bradley’s forehead and the scrapes on his chin and nose. Carole gives them space after a moment, watching Maverick talk quietly to Bradley, narrating his movement and giving him a hard time about “using the afterburner on the descent.”
It makes her smile.
“I’m ready for him to be back in my life again, I think. Losing Ice has been…” He pauses. “It’s been hard and weird and I need what’s left of my family, I think.” He looks at you. “What do you think?”
“I think if you’re ready to move on, that’s a good thing.” You think for a moment and add, “I’m glad you and Mav had some time together. It’s been a long time.”
You sit with Ice in the waiting room. He has a hand on your shoulder, warm and solid. The two of you get to your feet when Bradley returns, looking like he’s aged a decade in the past twenty-four hours.
“How is she?” You ask.
He shakes his head. “Fading fast.”
Ice’s hand slides off your shoulder as you leave him, crossing the room to take Bradley in your arms. He holds you tightly, burrowing into you, his eyes squeezing shut.
His breath catches and you adjust your grip, holding even tighter. Tears land on your shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, baby.”
He takes a shuddering breath. “She wants to see you if you’re up to it.” He looks over your shoulder. “You too, Uncle Ice.”
You lead the way down the hall, Ice following behind you. He’s like a looming shadow: lean, strong, and intimidating.
Carole looks awfully small, but they’ve removed all the tubes and wires. She smiles at you, soft, before her gaze shifts to Ice.
“Come here, you two.”
You take a seat to her left, by her head. Ice takes the one next to you. Carole holds his hand.
“I’ve asked Bradley to consider forgiving Pete, but I know he won’t for a long time.” She pauses. “You two are the only family he has left, in his mind. I know you’ll take care of him, but you need to take care of each other, too.”
“You got it, Carole,” Ice says, the side of his mouth lifting in a handsome, crooked smile. “Mav’s at our wing, too. Flying low-vis.”
She smiles at you, sharing a moment only the Navy-adjacent can truly appreciate. Her gaze grows serious and she looks at Ice. “Get Bradley back home and call Maverick, please. He’s the only one allowed to be here when I die.”
You’ll never forget the look of hollow grief on Maverick’s face when you saw him for the first time the next morning. You were left alone as Bradley brushed past him without a word and stepped into the room to see his mother’s body, to say goodbye.
Maverick doesn’t speak and neither do you. When Bradley returns, Maverick reaches out.
Bradley pulls away with a roll of his shoulder, taking your hand. “C’mon,” he says to you. “There’s a lot of stuff to do.”
You don’t see Maverick, watching you go, feeling more alone than he has in his entire life.
“Yeah. It’s nice to understand him a little bit better as an adult.” He shrugs. “I really hated him for pulling my papers but I know he was just…” He heaves a sigh. “He’s just trying to do right by me, I think. I didn’t get that before.”
“That’s understandable.” You trace little patterns on his shirt. “He hurt you, held you back. You’d be insane not to be at least a little mad.”
He hums again. “I guess. I did meet you, though, so it’s not all bad.”
“No?” You ask, smiling. “Not allbad?”
“No,” he replies. He presses a kiss to your forehead. “And I was thinking about how shitty I’ve been about that - I can’t imagine how me griping about my wasted time at UVA made you feel. I’m really sorry.”
You shake your head. “I understood the implicit exception.”
“It was still insensitive. Mav said something about that today and it kind of clicked. So…” He sighs. “I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like it was a mistake or a fluke that I met you.”
“You’re the dumbest man alive, you know that?” You pat his chest. “And don’t you think I would have told you if that hurt my feelings?”
He snorts. “Now, yeah. Ten years ago? No.”
“Fair enough,” you reply, squeezing his hand.
He smiles. “I guess what I’m really saying is, be nice to him. I’m sure he’ll want to get to know you.”
“Alright. I’ll do my best.” You return his smile and kiss the back of his hand. “I love you, you know.”
“I do know that, yes,” he replies with a smile. “And I love you.”
+++
Bradley reaches for his phone and you hand it to him without looking up from your tablet.
“I can get it, you know. I’m not actuallyinjured.”
You smile sweetly at him and he rolls his eyes. He fires off a text to Hangman.
9:03pm I need a favor.
Jake replies immediately. 9:03pm I just saved your life and you need another favor?
9:03pm It’s easy I promise.
Jake doesn’t reply, so Bradley sends his request anyway.
9:04pm Can you or Mav grab Chims and take her to the hotel? She needs to sleep and I need to make a phone call before it gets too late.
The response is instant. 9:04pm Wait are you finally pulling the trigger???
Bradley stuffs his grin. 9:05pm If you say anything, I’ll ironically kill you.
9:05pm I always wanted an unironic and heroic death. Just for that, you get Mav.
9:05pm Thanks. Seriously dont say anything i swear
He sends another text to a friend, Lt. Gavin “Stub” Alonso in Virginia - one who has keys to your shared apartment.
9:05pm Are you still up/can you help me with something?
Stub replies promptly, thankfully. 9:05pm I’m up. All good in SD?
9:06pm All good. Need a favor. Can you drive to the apt and call me? 9:06pm I need something shipped ASAP.
9:07pm Easy. I’ll be there in 20 mins.
He gets a final text from Hangman. 9:07pm I wont!! Who do you think I am? 9:07pm Don’t answer that.
Bradley puts his phone down and leans back against the pillows. “Hey, when’s the last time you slept?”
“What?” You look over at him again looking admittedly a little dazed.
“I asked when’s the last time you slept.”
“I slept last night. Why?”
“I just know you’re still on East Coast time, so I wanted to make sure that you’re able to get back to the hotel tonight.”
You clamber out of the chair, setting your tablet aside, and sit next to him on the bed. “I’m fine.” You offer a pinkie to him. “I promise.”
He smiles and links his pinkie with yours, twisting your linked fingers to kiss the back of your hand. “I believe you, but you need to get some sleep.”
“Alright, fine. I’ll walk off base and call an Uber or something.” You hop off the side of the bed and start gathering your things.
Bradley chases after you, grabbing you around the waist and kissing your neck. “I called in a favor. Stay put.”
“Bradley,” you ask, “who are you inconveniencing this evening?”
He shrugs, playfully pulling you closer. “Nobody important.”
The two of you mess around, quipping back and forth a little longer than you realized.
“I can come back,” comes a playful chirp from the door.
The two of you freeze and look toward the door - Bradley’s holding your phone in the air with one hand while you attempt to climb him like a tree. You’ve got an elbow digging into his shoulder while your legs wrap around his waist.
Maverick’s in the doorway, leaning with his arms crossed and a smile on his face.
You slide down and get your feet under you while Bradley wordlessly hands your phone over.
“Hey, Mav,” Bradley says with a rueful grin, his hand rising to needlessly run over the back of his neck. “Thanks for the ride.”
Maverick snorts. “Ride’s not for you, kiddo. You’re stuck here until morning.”
“What?” Bradley says, a smile on his face. “I can’t be polite?”
You look between them, feeling more than a little out of the loop. Strangely, you’re also looking forward to getting to know Maverick a little better now.
Grabbing your bag, you give Bradley a quick kiss before shuttling him back into bed with a few gentle shoves. He pulls you back before you can get too far, running the back of his fingers over your cheek and pulling you in for another kiss.
“Goodnight. I love you.”
You smile, winking at him. “I love you too. Get some sleep.”
+++
Tonight won’t be the night you get to know Maverick, apparently. He takes your bag as soon as you’re outside, strapping it to the back of his bike and replacing the helmet that used to sit there. He hands the helmet to you and helps you get it on, tightening the strap under your chin.
You raise the visor. “Where’s yours?”
He smiles. “Don’t have one. This,” he says, tapping the side of your head, “is for my protection as much as yours. I just got Bradley back and I’m not about to screw it up now.”
You smile, letting him help you onto the back of the bike.
He mounts up and starts the engine, zipping up his bomber jacket. You study the patches for a second before tentatively placing your hands around Maverick’s waist, leaning into him as he settles the bike, kicking up the kickstand.
“Ready?” He asks.
You nod, but quickly realize he can’t see you. “Yep! All good.”
He covers one of your hands with his, pulling it into his shearling-lined pocket. There’s a lump of bunched fabric where you guess 30 years of passengers have held on for dear life. You take the lining in a tight fist, matching the hold with your other hand. Maverick pats your hand, satisfied. “Hang on tight.”
+++
Stubs calls Bradley about two minutes after you leave.
“Hey man, perfect timing,” Bradley says with a smile. “Thanks for helping me out.”
“Hey, look. As long as you’re getting what I think you’re getting, we’re all good. I still owe you from Oahu.” Stubs doesn’t even sound tired, which isn’t a surprise. He’s always been a night owl.
Bradley tips his head. “I think we’re on the same page. So, head up to our room and into the closet. I have a chest of drawers on the left side.”
There’s quiet while Stubs climbs the stairs. He can hear the closet slide open and the light turn on. “Damn, is she always this tidy?”
Bradley snorts. “No.”
“Just checking.” There’s a brief pause. “Okay, I’m here.”
“Alright check the bottom drawer first.” Bradley sits up, resting his elbow on his knee and his forehead settled on his hand.
“Are you telling me you don’t know where it is?”
Bradley rolls his eyes. “I literally put it there over a year ago and I ran two three-month assignments overseas and a special detachment recall since then. Gimme a break.”
“Fine. Okay. Bottom drawer.” There’s silence while he looks. “Do you guys seriously have two vibrat- never mind.”
“Sorry.”
“Nothing in here that looks like…a velvet box? Right? That’s what I’m looking for?”
“Yeah. Try the next drawer. Shouldn’t be anything questionable in there.”
Another pause. “Holy shit. Is this all your dad and Maverick’s stuff?”
Bradley nods, closing his eyes and trying to picture the box, where he’d last seen it to hide it from you. “Yeah. It should be with the patches back there, I think”
“Sweet. Let me put you down a second.”
There’s a bit of shuffling and then a little triumphant sound. Another shuffle. “I got it.”
“Please make sure the ring is in there.”
Stubs laughs. “It’s here. Damn, man. This looks great. She’s gonna love it.”
“Thanks.” Bradley smiles to himself. “Can you get it same-day or overnight? I’ll give you the address. It’ll be out in the Mohave so I can avoid base mixups.”
“Consider it done.”
+++
Maverick pulls the bike up in front of the hotel and you remove your helmet, shaking your head. You take Mav’s offered hand and dismount, unclipping your bag from the storage in back.
“Thanks, Mav.”
He steps off the bike and relieves you of your helmet. “Of course. Can I come get you tomorrow? I’ll have one of the boys bring Rooster’s car to the hospital before he’s due to get out.”
“Sure. Thanks.” You hike the strap of your bag a little higher on your shoulder. “Hey, um.”
He looks at you, his eyebrows high.
“I’m sorry I was rude earlier. Bradley told me that you guys have kind of… figured your stuff out.”
Maverick smiles, crooked and handsome. “I’d like to think so.” He takes a breath. “I’m glad he met you at UVA. Makes me feel better.”
“Me too.” You offer him a smile and to your own surprise, reach out for a hug. He returns it, warm and kind. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight. Shoot me a text in the morning.”
“I’m not sure I -”
“Bradley put it in while you were in the bathroom.”
You smile again, wide and bright. “Of course he did.”
+++
You wake up earlier than expected, no doubt still stuck on Eastern time, and fire off a text to the “Dagger Squad + Chim - Mav” group chat. The name, obviously, wasn’t your idea.
On a whim, you change it when you send your message.
6:34amBreakfast? You changed the name of the group to “Dagger Squad Jr.”
Jake Seresin changed the name of the group to “Dagger Squad but on Land”
Bob Floyd changed the name of the group to “Why are we changing it???”
You sit and watch the small notifications come in.
Tasha Trace changed the name of the group to “Dagger Squadron OSS”
You ask a question. 6:37amOSS?
Jake Seresin 6:37am Operational Support Staff
Coyote Machado 6:38am^^^^
Reuben Fitch 6:38am When’s breakfast?
Fanboy Garcia 6:39am Where’s breakfast?
You reply. 6:40amWho’s breakfast?
Jake Seresin 6:40amWhy’s breakfast?
Your heart leaps a little bit when Bradley replies.
Bradley Love ❤️ 6:41am Some of us are trying to sleep in. Bradley Love ❤️ changed the name of the group to “Dagger Fuckheads”
Jake Seresin 6:41am Too fuckin bad. 6:41am I like that one. Keep it.
Tasha Trace sent a gif.
Bob Floyd 6:42amWho’s that?
Coyote Machado 6:42amKim Kardashian hitting her sister with her purse.
Jake Seresin 6:42amYou’re lucky I’m feeling nice this morning and will choose to forget that you know that.
You fire off another reply. 6:43am Jake……….You also know who that is.
Jake Seresin 6:43am No comment.
Bradley Love ❤️ 6:44amI’m muting you guys. Text me if you actually need something.
You smile. 6:44am Look what you guys did omg
Tasha Trace 6:45am I’m game for breakfast.
Reuben Fitch 6:45am Chims - have you been to the Henry?
You shake your head, alone in your room. 6:45am Nope. A favorite?
Tasha Trace 6:46am Oooooooh good call. 6:46am Definitely a favorite. And it’s right next to base.
Fanboy Garcia 6:47am Are we inviting Mav?
You reply. 6:47am He’s supposed to give me a lift to the hospital later. Who’s dropping Rooster’s car?
Tasha Trace 6:48am Me. @Jake Seresin can you come get me from the hospital at 0750?
Jake Seresin 6:48am Yeah I can get you. Probably still beat everyone to the Henry too lmao
Bob Floyd 6:49am Better you than me, Phoenix. Hangman’s driving scares the fuck out of me.
Jake Seresin 6:49amEverything scares the fuck out of you.
Tasha Trace 6:50amFuck you be nice
Jake Seresin 6:50am No ❤️
You roll your eyes and reply again. 6:51am So who’s coming to get me
Reuben Fitch 6:52am I’ll come get you. Are you at the lodge?
You reply promptly. 6:52amYeah. 6:53amOkay y’all. Meet @ 0800 at The Henry.
Finally rolling out of bed, you give Maverick a call.
“Good morning!” he says, answering on the third ring. “You’re up early.”
“So are you,” you point out. “Any interest in breakfast at 0800 at The Henry?”
He makes a noise. “I’m out already. I’ll be back on land around ten. Want to head to the hospital then?”
“Sounds good to me. Thanks, Mav.”
“Of course.”
+++
Maverick is still out on the boat with Penny and Amelia when he gets a call from Bradley.
“Hey, you okay?” He has to shout over the noise of the water.
“All good. Are you going out to the desert in the next couple of days?”
Mav checks in with Penny, who smiles at him and takes the wheel. Ducking into the cabin, he closes the little door behind him and falls onto the couch. “I’m headed out there this weekend. Why?”
“I’m getting something sent over there and I was wondering if you’d be okay going to pick it up or…?”
“Bradley Bradshaw…” Maverick starts, a smile on his face. “Now, what on earth could you be shipping to my place in the desert?”
Bradley laughs. “It could be something that looks like jewelry…but I already threatened to kill Jake if he said anything.”
“I won’t say anything. I was planning on inviting Dagger over to the hangar this weekend for some fun, anyway. I can give it to you then and get some of your dad’s stuff to camouflage it.”
Mav still has a bunch of Goose’s stuff from Annapolis. Carole never wanted any of it back in the interest of keeping some storage space free in the house and Bradley inherited everything she had.
“Sounds perfect. Thanks again, Mav.”
“Anytime, kiddo. I’ll see you later when I bring your lady over.”
+++
“That is absolutely not what happened,” Coyote says, setting down his coffee. “I’m the only one who got the climb-out on the first try!”
Jake snorts. “Yeah…and you went into G-lock and almost burned in doing it.”
“That was so fuckin’ scary, dude,” Fanboy says. “We really thought you were a goner.”
You lean forward, feeling strangely settled amongst the Dagger team (a moniker they’ve taken beyond the special detachment and will probably keep for the rest of their careers - you’ve even heard mutterings about making patches for their jackets) even without Bradley by your side. “So, what didhappen?”
“I finished the course and made it into exfil but I just couldn’t swing the Gs the first time, you know?” Coyote replies. “The thing is though, my little victory was totally overshadowed by the bird strike that put Phoenix and Bob in the hospital.”
You blink a couple of times. You must have missed that in Bradley’s daily updates. “You’re kidding.”
“Nah,” Phoenix says. “We got ambushed by some birds, both engines went out, and we had to bail. Mav saved our ass, I swear. He was babysitting everyone in the air that day.”
Coyote shakes his head. “It was so smart, though. He told you guys to bail at just the right time and he pulled tone on me to try and get me unlocked. I dunno how he thinks of this stuff.”
“At least you guys will know what to do next time, though, yeah?” You ask.
“Definitely,” Payback says. “Throwing tone on someone in G-lock went straight into my toolbox, I dunno about you guys.”
“Same,” Jake says, his mouth full of french toast.
Bob nods. “I’ll always recommend that if I’m in that situation again, yeah.”
More talk about training floats around the table for a while before Jake sits back, throwing his napkin on his plate. “So Miss Not-Bradshaw, what have you been up to in the last few weeks?”
Phoenix snorts into her glass of orange juice.
“First of all,” you reply, “take that up with Bradley, not me.”
That gets a laugh out of the table.
“Secondly, I’ve been working on some highly-classified white pages for SecDef and SecNav, so they’ve been keeping me busy.”
“That sounds interesting,” Bob says, his eyes kind and intrigued behind his glasses.
You smile. “I actually provided the one-pager for your mission. It was one of my colleagues at the NSA that found the uranium enrichment plant and figured the timeline.”
“No way!” Payback reaches over Phoenix and gives your shoulder a shake. “That’s amazing! So did you know what Rooster was going to be doing or?”
You shake your head. “No. That part was outside of the scope of my work, but I knew he was headed back to North Island a couple days after I submitted my analysis. I took a few guesses from there.”
“It’s cool that you can have at least some perspective,” Payback says. “I know my girl’s been in the dark from the jump.”
You hum once. “I can’t imagine. I mean…” You think for a second. “I know enough to be very concerned, but not enough to ease it, you know? I’d almost rather not know anything at all.”
“I can see that,” Fanboy says. “Kind of a no-news-is-good-news-thing, yeah?”
“Exactly.”
“So what’d they tell you to get you out here?” Jake asks.
You grin at him. “My boss handed me a boarding pass, said Bradley wasn’t dead, and told me to thank you upon arrival.”
“Oh my god,” Phoenix says with a laugh. “I would have flipped out.”
“I did! I didn’t even pack - I just grabbed my overnight bag for late nights at the office and hauled my ass to Dulles.”
Jake grins. “Well, we’re sure glad you’re here.”
You throw a potato wedge at him.
+++
The boys whoop and holler when Maverick pulls up to The Henry with his bike and tosses you the helmet. You hop on, holding tight to Mav’s jacket. You can see his smile from over his shoulder as he waves to his students, his colleagues, his team.
You can absolutely see yourself, once again, as a member of Bradley’s extended family.
It feels good.
+++
“What’s the prognosis?” You ask, sitting on the edge of the bed. Bradley sits beside you, tying his boots.
The doctor smiles. “Nothing but probably terminal foolishness.” She checks his charts again before confirming. “No serious head trauma, just two small burns under his ear and on his forearm. Keep an eye on those for infection.” She flips some pages again. “If anything doesn’t feel quite right, Lt. Bradshaw, please give us a call.”
“Thank you, Captain.” Bradley stands. He offers his hand and she shakes it. “I appreciate your work and your thoroughness to keep me in good shape, ma’am.”
“Of course, Lieutenant.” She hands him a folder. “There are your discharge papers. You are good to go.” She looks at you. “Take some time to review that with Lt. Bradshaw as well, if he’s comfortable with that.”
“Absolutely, ma’am.” You look at Bradley, briefly, with a smile. “I’ll keep an eye on him”
+++
“Do you mind if we stop somewhere before going back to the hotel? It’s kind of a pain in the ass because it’s off the island, but…” You trail off.
Bradley shakes his head, his eyes on the road behind his sunglasses. “Not at all. Where to, m’lady?”
You almost feel back for bringing down the room. “Can we visit Ice? I haven’t gotten a chance to pay my respects yet.”
As expected, Bradley’s expression sobers. He kisses the back of your hand, bringing it up from where he holds it over the console. “Of course.”
He makes a couple of turns, hopping onto the bridge, then the highway before getting off to wind through the curving roads of Point Loma.
“Want to visit the lighthouse while we’re here? It’s a nice day. We could walk it.”
You nod. “That sounds nice.”
Bradley checks into base and parks, walking around the car to open your door and hold your hand as you get out. You don’t let go as you step onto the grass, letting him lead you to the gravesite of a man who was effectively another father and uncle to him.
From what he’s told you, both Iceman and Maverick stepped up after his father died, tag-teaming where they could. Maverick was around a little more, but Ice was there, unfailing, for every baseball game, piano recital, and ceremony. From what you saw, Bradley deeply admired and respected his father’s classmate, called him and his wife “Uncle Ice” and “Aunt Sarah,” and never went a week without a phone call.
Unlike Maverick, Ice was also there through college, OCS, and flight training. While you’re privately certain that Mav, Ice, and Carole collaborated on his Naval Academy sabotage back in 2004, Bradley’s always been firmly of the mind that it was all Maverick’s doing. It wasn’t your job to manage his anger or resentment, but it might be time for another conversation about that.
You reach the stone, easily recognizable by the new, bright, white finish. Bradley releases your hand, standing at attention when he reaches the stone, offering a crisp salute. He takes one deep breath before his hand drops from his forehead, slow and controlled.
THOMAS KAZANSKY “ICEMAN” ADMIRAL UNITED STATES NAVY
COMMANDER OF U.S. PACIFIC FLEET FLYING CROSS BRONZE STAR NOVEMBER 13TH, 1959 - DECEMBER 9TH, 2018
The two of you stand in silence for a little while. You’d known Ice well, spending holidays with his formidably-sized family once you and Bradley were established and attending various keynote speakers in your career contracted with the Navy. Before just now, you didn’t think you knew him well enough to deeply miss him, but your chest hurts.
“One thing about Ice,” Bradley told you, walking up the path to the big house on the hill, “is that he’s loyal. He’ll rain hell on anyone that threatens his family and always goes back for his wingman.”
“Did the cancer come back?”
Bradley shakes his head. “I didn’t ask. I figured though. Mav went to see him a couple of days before he died.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss, baby.”
“Me too.” He takes you under his arm. “He loved you, you know. He always gave me shit for keeping you on the hook without a ring.”
“I cannot believe you have not asked that young lady to marry you, yet,” Ice says, sitting down behind his desk and steepling his fingers.
Bradley sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I just haven’t found the right moment.”
“I know.” Ice smiles at him. “If you keep with that attitude, you’ll never find the right one. What’s it been, now? Six, seven years?” He tips his head. “You better hope she doesn’t wise up to your bullshit.”
“I know.” Bradley sits down on the couch under the bay window. “I just want to do it right.”
Ice stands, crossing the room to join Bradley with a pat on the knee. “I tried to make it perfect for Sarah, but at the end of the day, it’s just for you two. It doesn’t have to be right, it doesn’t have to be exactly as you or she pictured it.”
Bradley watches him remember, the softness of his face, the fondness in his eyes. It makes him smile.
“All that ring does,” Ice continues, “is show her you love her and want to be stuck with her until you die.”
“It sounds so romantic when you say it like that,” Bradley laughs.
Ice shrugs good-naturedly. “Word on the street is your dad hopped out of a plane on his first training mission, dropped to his knee, and proposed to your mother on the spot.”
He’s right. Carole told Bradley about it.
“Thanks, Ice.”
“Of course, son. I’ll always be here for you. You know that.”
You laugh, smiling at the stone. “And here you are, flaunting him even in death.”
Bradley kisses your temple.
+++
On your way to the lighthouse, the wind picks up, buffeting into you. Bradley releases your hand, pulling you close with an arm around your shoulders.
There aren’t many people out, so the walk is relatively quiet.
“Y’know, honey, I was thinking,” you start, staring at the path under your feet as you continue along. You hesitate. “I’m not sure how to say this diplomatically.”
You can almost hear Bradley raise his eyebrows. “I thought we were past diplomacy.”
“I know, it’s just…It’s about your mom.”
Bradley steers you off the path and to a bench conveniently placed on the grass, facing the ocean. He sits down, angling his body toward you and his arm extended, fingers brushing against your shoulder. “What’s on your mind?”
“I was thinking about what you said - about Maverick pulling your papers. And I know I don’t know him like you do, but -” You cut yourself off. “He doesn’t strike me as the kind of person to…take initiative like that.”
Bradley’s eyes wander to the grass, then out to sea. He’s obviously considering what you said, but you’re not sure if he’s going where you’re leading him.
“I just -” You take another breath. “I don’t think I would want my kid in an F-35 if I lost my husband in an F-14, you know?”
Bradley’s brow furrows.
“I think you should at least ask him about it. He doesn’t strike me as the type to overstep in that direction on his own, he does seem like the type who would protect your relationship with your remaining parent, especially if he still feels responsible for your dad.”
You reach for him and he comes back to you, holding you close as you scoot over and rest your head on his chest, listening to his heart.
“Yeah,” he says, finally. “I’ll ask him about it.”
You and Bradley look at each other, reaching for your phones.
“Want to go?” He asks.
You nod. “I could go. I don’t have anything better to do.”
Bradley replies. 2:43pm Chims and I are in! Where and when?
Jake Seresin 2:43pm Mav says dinner at his place at 1800 and then drinks at Penny’s when we’re done.
“Sounds good to me. What about you?” Bradley asks.
You nod and reply to confirm. 2:44pm We’re there!
+++
“So, Mav,” Phoenix says, putting down her fork. “When do we get to go out to the desert and see your P-51?”
Maverick smiles. “You’re all welcome anytime. I’m headed out there this weekend.”
“No way!” Fanboy says. “You have a mustang out there?”
“Hell yeah,” Maverick says. “You can fly it if you promise to take care of her.”
All the lieutenants share a glance. Hangman finally confirms, “We’re in.”
+++
You sense, rather than hear, Maverick come up behind you as you stare at the photos above the sink. There’s one of Penny, tucked behind a photo of Carole and Goose. She couldn’t be more than twenty-five, smiling at you from out of the Polaroid. There’s another Polaroid of her nearby, a much-younger Maverick kissing her cheek outside one of the buildings at Miramar.
You reach out to another photo, gently brushing over the image of Iceman grinning at the camera in his dress whites and sunglasses. Maverick stands beside him, an equally bright smile on his face.
“That was Ice’s wedding,” Mav says.
You hum. “I’ve seen this picture before. It’s on - or…” You pause. “At least, uh, it was on his desk at home.”
Maverick steps up beside you, pointing out photos of Bradley and Ice you’d missed before. Your favorite, by far, is one of Ice hitting a baseball and Bradley ducking on the pitcher’s mound to avoid impact.
“After Bradley and I were firmly an item, we spent every Christmas with Ice and Sarah,” you tell him, unprompted.
“I know,” Mav says simply. “He loved having you both there.”
You smile. “He spoke so highly of you, Mav. He would always tell stories that ended with one of you heroically saving the day.”
Maverick has to smile at that. His eyes wander to a photo taken after one of their many missions together, Ice’s hair wild from his helmet.
“I know that he tried to honor and respect Bradley’s anger, of course, but I know cutting you off hurt him, too.” You smile a little. “I think he knew that hearing his stories about you made it a little harder to dislike you. I think he figured I needed something else to round out what Bradley told me.”
“There was one time,” Ice recalls, “when Bradley was little, that I thought Maverick had truly gone insane.”
“Oh?” You ask. It’s not rare to hear stories with and about Maverick, but they’re usually of the heroic-endeavors variety, rather than stories of Bradley’s childhood.
The two of you sit out on the porch, watching the sunset. Bradley, of course, is in assisting Sarah with dinner. You offered your help, as did Ice, but Sarah practically kicked you out, claiming, “While you’re both nice to look at, you’re in the way.”
“Mav volunteered to be the coach of Bradley’s little league team.” Ice shakes his head. “I’d never seen him throw himself into something like that. Carole had to tell him to tone it down.” Ice pauses. “Bradley was a helluva ballplayer though. He’s always been patient, attentive. Good qualities for everything, but especially baseball and flying.”
Ice looks over his shoulder, satisfied that you’re alone. “The two of them are more alike than they’d like to admit.” He looks at you. “I was about to say, I wish you could know him. However, knowing me and knowing Bradley tells you more about him than he’d ever like anyone to know, for better or worse.”
Maverick looks at you for a second. “Can I show you something?”
You nod, dragging your eyes from the photo. Mav takes you to the corner, where a cup full of challenge coins sits on the counter. He pulls a frame from the shelf, bringing a photo down from its place.
To your shock, it’s a photo of you and Bradley graduating from UVA. Your matching orange stoles stand out brightly against your black gowns and the green grass behind you.
Bradley holds you close to his side, kissing your temple as you look at the camera with a smile.
“Sarah took this one, didn’t she?” You ask, looking over at Maverick. You remember the moment well, but it’s only now you realize you’ve never seen the picture before. Your eyes fall on pictures of Bradley through the years - his high school baseball photos, his NROTC and college graduation portraits, Bradley and Ice standing together at Bradley’s OCS commencement…
He always looked out for him. All these years.
Maverick replies, pulling you from your thoughts. “She sent me a copy. I have a couple more from Christmases, too. You landed in the New Years’ newsletter more than once.”
“Wait a second.”
You turn around, finding Jake squinting at another photo on the shelf.
He points to one “Is this you?”
You walk over, brow furrowed. Lo and behold, it’s a Kazansky Christmas card, dated 2010. You sit on the arm of the sofa next to Bradley, mirrored by Ice’s daughter on the other side. The two Kazansky boys take the other two seats on the couch, their now-wives seated on the ground in front of them, forming a cozy picture with Ice and Sarah behind you all.
“Yep, that’s me,” you tell him. “That was when I was in my masters and Bradley was in OCS.”
It’s like you aren’t even there as Hangman calls over his shoulder. “Rooster!”
“Yeah?” Bradley trots over, meeting your eyes with a questioning glance. You shrug. Maverick joins you, standing at your side with his arms crossed and a funny little look on his face.
“How long have you guys been together, exactly?” Hangman asks, a grin blossoming on his face.
Bradley knows he’s already in trouble. “Well,” he answers diplomatically. “If you ask me, we started dating in February of 2005. If you ask her,” he points at you, “we started dating in August of 2005.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong-“
He’s not going to be wrong, is he?
“- but that’s thirteen years.”
Bradley’s hand rises to his neck. “Yeah.”
Hangman turns to you. “Jesus Christ you’re either a saint or an idiot and I can’t decide which.”
“We’ve been busy!” Your voice sounds shrill and defense even to your ears.
“For thirteen years straight?” Hangman doesn’t wait for an answer before moving on. “Hey, Siri!” There’s a series of beeps from his phone, connected to Mav’s speaker. “Play Slow Ride by Foghat.”
You bite back your laugh as Jake turns around again with a wicked grin.
“God, I love this song.”
+++
“Ready, baby?” Rooster’s voice rumbles in your ears through the headphones.
You turn on your mic. “Let’s go!”
“Alright. Hang on tight.”
The P-51 accelerates down the runway and Bradley hauls it into the air, the Gs pressing you into the seat.
“How many Gs can this thing pull?”
You can almost see his smile from behind as he answers you with a laugh, adjusting one of the countless switches and knobs in front of him. “Not enough.”
“That doesn’t answer my question!” It takes a little more effort to get the words out with the pressure on your chest, but you know it’s nothing compared to the F-18.
As expected, Bradley’s voice is still even and cool through the mic. “It tops out around six or seven. We’re only pulling three and a half right now, but it’ll ease up in a second. Take a deep breath.”
You follow instructions, letting your head and body press into the seat as you close your eyes. You remember how he taught you to breathe years ago when you felt like you were suffocating in broad daylight in a Cessna.
The plane levels out and you already feel better, taking one more deep breath before opening your eyes.
“Oh my god.”
You’re thousands of feet in the air, looking down on Death Valley and the surrounding desert.
“Beautiful, right?” Bradley asks. “Ready?”
“For what?”
You don’t get a response, but let out a yelp as you go inverted, flying upside down a mile over the brown hills and bright orange California poppies.
“Relax,” he says with a laugh. “Enjoy the view.”
It’s a strange feeling, to be looking up and down at the same time. It is, however, easy to see how this feeling can be addictive. Even at relatively low speeds, you feel alive with the plane’s frame around, Bradley’s gentle hands holding you all aloft.
Bradley glides into a loop, correcting the inversion with ease. You let yourself relax again, looking out the canopy to find where the mountains meet the sky. T
Summary: A kiss always means something, especially with an ex.
Warnings: potential spoilers for Top Gun: Maverick - I’ve used some lines from the movie, language, angst, fluff, cheesy innuendos, Hangman is a cocky son of a bitch with a soft side, Rooster is kind of an ass, the beach scene.
W/C: 5.6k (it was supposed to be a drabble!)
Rating: M (mature)
Characters: Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin, Lieutenant Natasha “Phoenix” Trace, Captain Phil “Maverick” Mitchell, fem!reader (you - no descriptions of body type or ethnicity), Mentioned/Small Parts: Hondo, Admiral Simpson, Penny Benjamin.
Pairing: Rooster x Fem!Reader, past Hangman x Fem!Reader
Bingo:@anyfandomfluffbingoSquare Filled: “I was made for politics. I have great hair, and I love lying.”
The San Diego heat is stifling, but it’s nothing compared to the inferno Rooster ignites inside of you. His mustache tickles where he leaves a trail of kisses on your neck, heading south. One hand holds your hip, fingers digging in deep, his other gropes and kneads your annoyingly covered breast, and you desperately want his hands to travel south too. But pressed against a tree fifty or so feet from The Hard Deck is hardly the place for it.
The team doesn’t know that you’re together. You’d gone along with Bradley’s wishes not to let the team know because the little bubble the two of you are in is fun and exciting, except in moments like this when you really want to be alone with Rooster. Their ribbing and comments will only rain on your parade.
You growl, part frustration and part whining. “Urgh, remind me again why we’re here?” you sigh, your hands moving across his back as he continues his assault on your neck.
Oh lord my heart wasn’t prepared for this turmoil I can’t decide who.i want her with more, Rooster or Jake.. gahhh way to pull at my heartstrings. Another great chapter ❤
Warnings: Mentions of deployment, pregnancy and childbirth, lots and lots of fluffy goodness.
* A separate warning for this gif because OH MY GOODNESS! *
- Rooster is an incredibly hands-on father.
- Whenever he isn’t working or spending time with you, you know without a doubt that you can find him on the floor in the living room, playing games with your children and making them laugh until their sides hurt.
- “Daddy, play with me!” is a call that you hear echoing throughout your apartment on a daily basis. While the kids love playing with you during the day, they can’t help but be excited when their father comes home every night, especially since he’s usually gone before they wake up in the morning.
- Even if you end up going back to sleep, you and Rooster usually wake up at the same time so that you can enjoy some morning coffee and a little quiet time together in the kitchen. Your favorite part of your morning routine is watching Rooster sneak into the kids’ rooms to give them each a kiss goodbye before he has to leave.
- He always saves a kiss for you on his way out the door, winking as he tells you, “Don’t spoil them too much!”
- “You’re one to talk!” you always call back, smiling. In addition to being incredibly hands-on, Rooster is also a very doting father. He has a hard time saying no to anything the kids ask for.
- The kids want ice cream on the drive home from the park? Rooster is making a pit stop to get it for them. Goose wants to play cops and robbers for the fifteenth time that night? Rooster is already up and ready to go. Lydia wants her daddy to attend a tea party with all her stuffed animals? Rooster is there.
- “I can’t deny their mommy anything, so how could I deny them?” he teases you whenever you poke fun at him for making you play the bad cop.
- Goose and Lydia love to listen to their father play the piano at night before they go to bed. At five years old, Goose is already able to bang out a few simple tunes, and three-year-old Lydia is catching up fast to her older brother. They always giggle and try to sing along whenever Rooster plays “Great Balls of Fire.”
- “Come on, baby, sing with the family,” Rooster usually calls to you with a playful wink. “I know you can!”
- The kids are inconsolable whenever Rooster has to travel for work, and you can’t say you blame them. Even after all these years, you still shed a few tears whenever your husband leaves for a mission.
- Rooster always kneels down in front of the kids so that he’s on eye level with them, his heart breaking every time he sees their tears. “Daddy loves you both so much. I’m going to be back soon, I promise,” he tells them, pulling them both into a big hug. He remembers what it was like to have to say goodbye to his own father, and the tears his mother often shed when she thought he wasn’t looking.
- “Goose, you’re the man of the house while I’m gone. You’re going to look out for your mom and sister, right?” Rooster asks, trying to hide a smile as your son’s chest puffs out with pride.
- “Yes, Daddy!” Goose always promises with a big nod of his head and a little salute.
- The days you’re reunited after a mission are always the best. The kids make Rooster “welcome home” signs and the three of you usually bake him some kind of cake or cookies. Your heart melts at the sight of Goose and Lydia screaming and running into their father’s arms, clinging to him even as he moves to wrap you in his embrace and kiss you.
- Besides hating to see their tears, Rooster also hates to see your children in any kind of pain. Every time they get a scrape or injury, he’s always there to dry their tears and bandage up their boo-boos. The two of you usually work as a team, since both Goose and Lydia hate having their wounds washed out with alcohol. Rooster holds their hands and tries to distract them with silly faces while you clean their cuts out, then the two of you make sure to “kiss it and make it all better.”
- When you have to take the kids to the doctor for their annual shots and boosters, Rooster holds them in his lap so that they don’t get scared. Sometimes he’ll even ask their pediatrician if he can get a band-aid, too, so that they don’t feel so alone. Afterwards, he always insists on buying them ice cream.
- When Goose was four, he broke his arm jumping off the dining room table while “trying to be a pilot like Daddy.” You’d had to frantically call Rooster to meet you at the hospital while he was still at work. He’d dropped everything to race there and tell Goose how brave he was, and how proud he was of him.
- Not long after Lydia’s third birthday, you discover that you’re pregnant with Baby #3, which both you and Rooster are ecstatic about. You begin house hunting shortly afterward, knowing that you’re going to need more space as your family continues to grow and expand.
- After a few months of navigating the housing market, you finally end up with a lovely bit of property right near the beach, with lots of room for your growing family. It also happens to be fairly close to Penny’s place, which is great because she and Mav, and even Amelia on occasion, love to babysit when you and Rooster go out for date nights.
- When you’re a little over eight months pregnant, Rooster suddenly gets orders for a mission that will take him away for at least two weeks. Though you know it’s the plight of an aviator’s wife, you can’t help but shed many tears over it, terrified at the thought that your husband won’t be home when you give birth. You’d been incredibly lucky that he’d been there for Goose’s and Lydia’s births.
- “Baby, I’ll be back in no time. You’re not due for almost a month,” Rooster reassures you, wiping your tears and running a loving hand over your swollen belly. “You stay put in there until I get home, okay?” he whispers to the baby, pressing a kiss to your stomach.
- A week after he leaves, however, your water suddenly breaks while Penny is over for lunch, helping you with the kids.
- “No,” you murmur, eyes widening in shock and dismay. “No, that can’t be my water breaking,” you insist, shaking your head in denial.
- “Sweetie, it is,” Penny says in her calmest voice, already rising to go round up the kids and grab your hospital bag. “It’s going to be alright. We’re going to get you to the hospital.”
- “No, no, no, no,” you tell her, tears burning your eyes as you shake your head again. “It can’t be! Not yet! Bradley isn’t here. Bradley needs to be here,” you sob.
- Though you’re nearing hysterics, Penny manages to calm you down enough to get you into the car so that she can drop the kids off with Mav and then get you to the hospital.
- Already having gone through labor and delivery twice before, your body knows exactly what to do. Once you’re at the hospital, it ends up being your quickest birth to date.
- James Thomas Bradshaw comes into the world that afternoon, just as big and as loud as his older brother had been when he was born. You and Rooster hadn’t known if you were having a boy or a girl, but thankfully you’d already decided on names.
- You sob when they place your son in your arms, not only because of the abundant love pouring out of your heart, but also because you wish more than anything that Rooster could be here with you. He would be devastated when he learned that James had been born without him.
- A few hours after James is born, Penny and Mav bring Goose and Lydia to meet their new baby brother. Though Hangman, Phoenix, and Bob are on the mission with Rooster, Payback, Fanboy, and Coyote are able to come to the hospital as well. They bring balloons, flowers, chocolates, and a giant teddy bear, knowing that you would be upset about Rooster being away.
- That night, when you’re alone in your hospital room with little James sleeping soundly on your chest, you get a text from your husband. FaceTime? he asks with a little heart emoji. No one had told him yet. They knew you needed to be the one to do it.
- Lifting up your phone so that your newborn son is visible on your chest, you dial Rooster’s number and wait, heart hammering, for him to pick up. When he does, you can immediately see his eyes go wide and some of the color drain from his face.
- “Hi, Daddy,” you say softly, gently lifting James’ tiny fist and waving it slowly.
- “Baby, I—” Rooster isn’t even able to get the words out as he suddenly bursts into tears, the sight of you and the baby too much for his heart to take. He can’t believe you’d gone into labor and he hadn’t been there. “Baby, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” he manages to choke out.
- “It’s okay,” you tell him tenderly, stroking your son’s soft head with gentle fingers. “He just wanted to make an early entrance, that’s all.”
- “He? Another boy?” Rooster sniffs, smiling at that. “Welcome to the world, James Thomas,” he says reverently, watching the baby in awe through his phone screen. “I can’t wait to get to hold you soon.”
- “He says ditto,” you grin, talking to Rooster for a few more minutes until he has to go. “I love you,” you tell him before he goes, blowing him a kiss.
- “I love you, too, baby. So much,” Rooster replies, blowing kisses for you and the baby before reluctantly ending the call.
- When Rooster returns home a week later, Mav and Penny go to pick him up with Goose and Lydia since James is still too young to be around too many people yet. The minute Rooster walks through the door of your home, he immediately runs to you, taking you in his arms and kissing you deeply.
- “God, I missed you,” he whispers, nuzzling your nose with his.
- “I missed you, too,” you whisper back, a few tears leaking out of the corners of your eyes. In addition to missing him, your hormones were still all over the place from childbirth. “Want to meet your son?”
- Rooster eagerly follows you over to the bassinet, where James is just opening his eyes from a nap. He’s the sweetest, most good-natured baby. “Hello, my sweet angel,” you coo, carefully lifting him into your arms. “Come meet Daddy,” you say, stroking his cheek as you turn and gently place him into your husband’s waiting arms.
- Staring down at him in wonder, Rooster starts to well up again. “He’s so damn perfect,” he breathes out softly, gazing down at your son with love. “And so are you,” Rooster tells you, leaning over to kiss you again.
- That night, as Goose and Lydia play on the floor and you and Rooster snuggle on the couch with the baby, you can’t think of a time in your life when you’ve ever been happier.
