#i love happy icemav as much as any other person

[katewritesss]

"'Cause you got her on your arm and me in the wings. I'll get your longing glances, but she'll get your ring. And you will say you had the best of intentions. And maybe I will finally learn my lesson."

[wordsonamission]

hi! can I request Icemav 7 of 14 for the kiss prompts please?

Thanks so much! Sorry for the delay, these ran away with me and got a lot longer than I had originally planned. I hope you like what I ended up writing!

7 – Forehead against forehead

Ice usually found these sorts of places vaguely claustrophobic. A bit rich, coming from someone who made a career out of living with thousands in a floating sardine can, but there was a difference between carrier living and the way that a club’s atmosphere affected every one of his senses. The throb of the music’s bass reverberated in his stomach, the strobing lights gave him a headache, and the endless crush of bodies touching and sweating and writhing together was sensory overload hell.

He retreated out to the patio. His fingers itched to reach for the pack of cigarettes that he no longer carried. A promise was a promise, and he couldn’t go back on a pinkie promise to someone as doe eyed as seven-year-old Bradley Bradshaw. The boy was right, it was a dangerous and disgusting habit, but Ice had always needed something to fiddle between his fingers and the nicotine took a nice edge off of situations like this. Thankfully there were only a couple of smokers on the patio to tempt him with the scent.

“Wolf said I’d find you out here.”

Ice rolled his eyes but didn’t turn. He hoped the night sky would hide the flush on his cheeks that bloomed every time Maverick tucked himself into Ice’s personal space so confidently.

“There’s a bit too much going on in there,” Ice admitted finally. “And it’s not like I want to watch Wolf and Wood go at it in public like that. They have no decency.”

Maverick snorted. “That’s fair. But they’re really happy.” Ice pretended not to hear the wistfulness in his tone.

 “Of all of us, I’m surprised that they’re the first to get out,” Ice said as Maverick stayed silent.

“Wood said he didn’t think he’d pass the sight test anymore.” Mav’s voice was down to nearly a whisper. “But while I guess that could be true, it’s gonna be a lot easier for both of them if they aren’t living with threat of dishonorable discharge dangling over their head every day.”

Ice wet his suddenly dry lips. Now he was the one scanning to make sure they weren’t being overheard. The four other people on the patio weren’t paying any attention, three were chatting with each other and the fourth was heading back inside. Still, his jaw ticked. “There’s always risk.”

“They can actually live together,” Maverick breathed, watching Ice’s face closely.

Ice squirmed under the attention, twisting his lips downward bitterly. “Just because they’re out of the military, that doesn’t mean they’re safe. You know that as well as I do.”

“Still,” Maverick shrugged, “it’s a chance.” He wet his lips, looking up at Ice through his lashes. “D’you think we’ll ever get a chance?”

Ice’s heart lurched. The words were right on the tip of his tongue – no, they wouldn’t ever get to live the way they wanted. Unless a lot of things changed about society, their love would always have to be a dirty little secret, the ticking time bomb that threatened their security and happiness. But Maverick was a dreamer and lived so fearlessly. He was more uncomfortable living a lie than he was afraid of the consequences of being caught. Ice envied his courage and didn’t have the strength to deny his hopes.

“I don’t know, Mav. Maybe someday.”

Pain flashed across Maverick’s face but he hid it well. He nodded to himself as much as to Ice, dropping his gaze to the concrete. He kicked at a couple of cigarette butts with the toe of his boot and hunched his shoulders as if he was suddenly cold.

Grumbling a curse, Ice stepped forward and grabbed Maverick’s elbow. Mav startled, off-balance, and looked up in shock. Ice knocked their foreheads together gently, lingering a bit too long as warmth seeped between their skin. The contact was as sweet as any kiss and carried just as much heady promise. Maverick inhaled on a shuddering breath and clutched at Ice’s sleeve to hold him close.

“I hope so,” Ice confessed, his voice raw and ragged. “God, I hope so.”

Ice bunted his jaw against Maverick’s temple before he stepped away. One last point of searing contact. If anyone had been watching them closely, they might have seen how Ice’s lips briefly connected with Maverick’s hairline. Or they might have seen how Maverick squeezed Ice’s arm before releasing his white-knuckle grip. But no one was paying attention, so they were safe for another day.

14 – Kissing under the stars

 The waves rushed in and out over the sand, their ebb and flow as predictable and soothing as a cat’s purr. Maverick lost himself to the sound and let himself float. Everything hurt, despite the painkillers he had been forced to take, lest he be forced to endure the wrath of Ice’s infamous Disappointed Eyebrow. The meds gave him a floaty head and slowed his reflexes in exchange for turning down the brightness of the agony along his spine.

The canvas beach lounger next to him creaked. Ice made as few concessions to his age as possible, but conceding that it was easier to stand up from an actual chair than directly from the sand was one of them. He retaliated by keeping one foot off of the lounger, his toes buried in the sand, as he turned the pages of his book.

“Light's going,” Maverick said into the comfortable quiet between them. The sunset was faded to its final orange and pink blush. He watched as the color danced across the water’s surface. Maybe the pills were stronger than he thought.

Ice hummed thoughtfully but didn’t look up. Maverick knew from experience that he could read with very little light. And no, that was not the reason for his glasses, though they’d had that argument before. Maverick didn’t want to hear about how white pages reflected light and knew that Ice wouldn’t bear any repeating of the electronic reader discussion, so he just laughed and watched the water glitter while listening to Ice’s steady breathing.

There had been a while when it didn’t seem like they’d get to have these quiet moments ever again. Cancer was a bitch, treatment for it was somehow worse, and Maverick couldn’t help but throw himself into dangerous situations just to feel some sort of control. But now Ice was firmly into remission and Maverick was home. He tried not to think about the fact that they would both be retired within the year. Ice had earned the rest and the proper send-off. It was Maverick who didn’t feel ready.

Time slipped away like the grains is sand that he carded between his fingers. The temperature dropped precipitously without the sun, reminding him that it was November. Even sunny San Diego conceded that it was best to spend a few months of the year with cooler weather. Maverick found the edge of coolness exhilarating, but the night air would make Ice cough.

Ice, in tune to Maverick’s moods as usual, sighed and put down his book. His face tipped up to the sky, watching as a few stars poked through the purply dark of the urban night sky.

 “Light pollution ruins the view,” Ice grumbled.

“We should spend some time at the hangar,” Maverick agreed. “You’d love the sky out there.”

Ice hummed again. Maverick laughed softly. Dragging a beach creature like Ice that far away from water always took some extra special coaxing.

Maverick pushed up off the sand and straddled Ice’s lap, pressing his sandy palms against Ice’s cheeks. Ice raised an eyebrow and smirked but didn’t complain. His hands rose automatically to Maverick’s hips, absently sneaking up under his shirt to press on bare skin.

 “Wanna head in?”

 Ice shook his head. “The view’s too pretty to leave yet,” he purred, smirk deepening as Maverick blushed. More than thirty years together and his flattery still went straight to Maverick’s heart.

“Surely you don’t mean this,” Maverick said, gesturing to his face. “I’ve been called out for being an old man more in the last couple of weeks than I’ve heard in the last couple of years. It’s starting to get to my head.”

“You’re not old, you’re experienced. Those hotshot children haven’t lived long enough to know the difference.”

Maverick grinned. “Look at you. Mr. Iceman, gone all soft and sweet.” He rubbed his sandy thumbs into Ice’s stubble, just to make him complain about the itch.

“Still incorrigible, I see,” Ice snorted. He seized the back of Maverick’s neck and drew him down to kiss. Maverick leaned into the embrace, relishing their easy give and take. Ice kissed confidently and touched Maverick in exactly the right way to have them both panting in no time.

“We’d better go in,” Maverick said regretfully, “or someone’s gonna complain.”

 “Who?” asked Ice, gesturing to the empty beach. “It’s just us.”

“It’s getting cold. And we have much more comfortable furniture in the house.”

 “That’s true.” Ice pretended to consider the options with all the gravity of his four-star status. “I suppose the suggestion has merit.”

The only warning Maverick got was a playful glimmer in Ice’s eyes before he pinched Maverick’s waist, making him squawk and fall off of Ice’s lap back into the sand.

“I can’t believe you actually did that!” Maverick complained, feigning displeasure. Ice just laughed, heaving himself out of the chair.

“The fastest way to get you moving is to give you the right motivation,” Ice deadpanned gravely. “Now come on, let’s take this discussion inside.”

Maverick leered and made a great show of snapping his beach towel against Ice’s butt in retaliation, even though he knew that the heavy put-upon sigh was going to be the only response he got. Sobering fast, his step faltered as he followed Ice up the beach with their stuff to the house.

Their house, where they shared the same bed every night. Friends visited them there openly and the address was listed on their Navy paperwork. It was no secret that they were in love and that they were married.  There were some benefits to the passage of time, and Maverick would take some aches and pains if it meant that he no longer had to hide how much he loved Ice.

[rose-pearls]

Ok uh sorry if you don’t like this request, but I love how you write more angsty topics and I wanted to ask if maybe you could do a work based off of the complicated relationship between Maverick and Fire (could be a different reader character, I just would love to see this happen) thank you so much in advance if you do this! Happy writing!

(Also I don’t know how to do this or ask but by any chance could I be added to the tag list :) ) THANK YOU!

Hi! Thank you for the request, I hope you like it! I focused more on how the reader would feel when she didn't have Maverick in her life. There is also a bit of IceMav in there I hope you don't mind!

The story where Maverick and Fire appear is this one!

Taglist: @avada-kedavra-bitch-187, @nyx2021, @thestarspangledcaptain (open for every fandom)

Top Gun Taglist: @bisexual-watermelons (open)

Having the perfect family had never been meant for you, both parents at home with a perfect relationship. 

The only thing you had was a mother and a ghost of a father. Your mother had never been angry or vicious towards your father when he left, but she stayed with you. Your father was young, still chasing his dreams away in the Navy and he didn’t have time for a family, or at least that’s what he told your mother. Ignoring the fact that your mother had once had dreams that went beyond having children, but she pushed them aside for you.

You believed it, the fact that he didn’t have time for a child as he was chasing his dreams, until you saw him laughing and playing with Bradley Bradshaw at the playground with a smiling blond man. 

The only thing you had received were birthday cards and sometimes a phone call, he had stopped visiting some time ago.

You tried to be angry with him, wanting to tell him just what he was losing when he was pushing you away, but you could only look at the pictures and yearn for a love you never received. 

The years went by, and you heard less from him, and more from papers telling you about his achievements. Bradley was at your school, but you avoided him at all costs, he was a constant reminder of what you could’ve had. 

It was probably worse to know that your father was in the same city as you and yet he didn’t take the time to come and see you. Maybe he didn’t remember you, you were probably something that happened in his early twenties that he wanted to forget about.

Entering the Navy hadn’t been something that your mother had been looking forward, she knew that you were trying to prove yourself, to a man that will probably not pay attention to you. But she let you leave, still kindhearted and innocent, she hoped that she would get her daughter back after the Academy.

You knew that the Navy would be hard, but you hadn’t expected your father’s reputation to follow you through it. The carelessness in the air, the pissed off admiral’s, the judging glances as you passed by in the hallways. It only pushed you further, wanting to prove yourself, that you were better than him, that you were a better person. 

It paid off in the end, managing to have the respect of Cyclone and other Admirals that had looked at you like you were scum. And for a moment you felt at home, in a place that was far from it, but at least you didn’t have to fight a ghost that had been held over you. It was probably naïve to think that you would never have to see him, or people that knew him closely, but you had hoped that you wouldn’t meet them. Deep down you could admit yourself in the middle of the night that you wished he would come back begging for your forgiveness. But the only thing that happened was you looking at the old birthday cards in the metal box with your belongings in it.

“Admiral Kazansky wants to see you in his office.”, your captain tells you with furrowed eyebrows and you can’t help but panick, what could the admiral want to talk with you about. 

The man that is waiting for you in the office is a blond man, and after a moment you recognize him as the man in the park all of these years ago. The one that had been with your father and little Bradley.

“Lieutenant, please come in.”, the man has a neutral expression, and you try to find something there, to find out why you are here.

“You are probably wondering why you are here.”, he says, and you can’t help but nod in response before remembering who you are in front of.

“Yes, sir.”, he seems amused at your nervousness, but you can’t stop going through every single scenario.

“This is more of a private matter, but it is about your father Pete Mitchell.”, it has been years since someone has uttered his name in the same sentence as the words father and it hits you like a dagger in the heart. 

“What about him, sir?”, you can’t help but ask, feeling uncomfortable at the topic of choice. 

“You may know that we are wingmen.”, you just nod in answer, it was a known fact in the Navy.

“But we are also together in a relationship.”, the words stun you for a moment, while the admiral looks at you with worried eyes. You had heard that they were close to each other, but you didn’t know that they were together.

“I’ll cut to the point, we are getting married, and I wanted to ask you if you wanted to come. I know that Pete would love for you to be there.”, the words seem surreal to you, you hadn’t heard from your father in years and now his partner was asking you to come to their wedding. The biggest lie in that sentence had probably been that you father had wanted you there.

“Can I talk openly sir?”, you quickly receive a nod from the admiral, and you let out a sigh.

“You probably know that my father doesn’t exactly have a relationship with me, we don’t have one at all. I haven’t heard from him since I was about 5 years old.”, the admiral looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn’t.

“And now his future husband, that I have never heard of or talked with is asking me to come to their wedding. Coming to a wedding of someone who is like a stranger to me and sending his husband to ask me to come.”, the words are probably harsh but the admiral nods quietly before looking at you with a calculated gaze.

“I know that he made mistakes.”, he starts but you scoff in answer.

“A mistake is when you forget to send a birthday card. Not talking to your child for fifteen years is not a mistake, it’s a choice.”, you can’t help but spat and the man looks pained at the words.

“You’re right. But he still looks after you, he has asked every person he could how you have been doing in the Navy. Every time he hears about your accomplishments, he has a proud smile that appears.”, the admiral says softly but you shake your head.

“What am I supposed to do with that information? Knowing that he is asking people around how I am doing but not asking me how I am doing?”, there is a long silence after your words, and you think for a moment that the conversation is over.

“He misses you and I know it would make him happy to have you there at our wedding. Maybe it could be a way to make amends.”, he says softly, and you look outside at the jets taking off.

“It would’ve made me happy to see him at my high school graduation, at my Academy graduation, at my birthdays, at Christmas. But he wasn’t there, because he chose not to when he knew I needed a father. He didn’t think of what made me happy and I’m sorry if I’m not jumping at the chance of making him happy after what happened.”, the admiral rubs a hand over his eyes, and you take a deep breath.

“I’m happy that he has someone like you in his life and I wish you all the happiness in the world, but I won’t be there. Too much time has passed, this can’t be solved or at least for me. I’m done waiting for someone that will never come or that will decide to when it it’s good for him.”, the only thing Iceman does is nod in answer, a sad smile on his lips.

“I understand, thank you for your time.”, you nod slowly before standing up from the chair and leaving the office, feeling like you just went through hell.

There is a part of you that wants to get back in there and tell him that you will come to the wedding, if only the get a glimpse of your father after all this time. But the adult part of you pushes the little kid you were back down; you couldn’t let him disappoint you again. 

A wedding invitation still comes in the mailbox a few days later and you look at the names graved in the paper, brushing your thumb over his name. there is a small piece of paper that falls from it, and you pick it up carefully.

‘I understand if you don’t want to come, but I would love to have you there.’

You recognize the handwriting from the old cards that you read over and over again. And for a moment you think of going to that wedding before you remember why you didn’t want to go.

The invitation joins the rest of the papers in the trash can, lying there perfectly but you close the trash can and forget about it.

The first time you see your father again is on a deadly mission, he looks older than the pictures your mother had of him when he was younger. 

You wonder for a moment if you will be able to get through this mission without him trying to talk to you but it’s a failure when he asks to speak to you after a difficult hop.

“You wanted to talk to me sir.”, you say, trying to keep your eyes on the wall behind him and not on the man you hadn’t seen in years.

“God, you have grown so much.”, he whispers, and the words make you falter in your salute.

“That’s what happens when people grow up, sir.”, you remember to add the sir at the end of the sentence, but it takes a few seconds.

“It is. Please sit down and drop the sir.”, he seems nervous as you sit down in front of him. There is a long silence as the two of you look at each other and for a moment you feel uncomfortable. You can see that he is trying to find every single thing that has changed about you. 

“Not to be disrespectful, but why am I here?”, you can’t help but ask and your father seems surprised at the words, like he suddenly remembers that he is supposed to talk.

“Right, sorry. I wanted to ask you how you have been doing? I know it has been some time.”, he has a nervous smile, but you scoff at the words, feeling anger coming up at his words.

“It has been 17 years exactly, but who’s counting?”, you can’t help but ask sarcastically and you see him flinch at your words.

“I know, I know that I wasn’t a perfect father, I do.”, he says quietly but you look at him with a sad smile.

“You weren’t a father at all.”, the words seem to hit him right where you want them, and he takes a deep breath.

“I know that I should’ve been there and I’m sorry I wasn’t. but I was hoping we could talk and maybe get to know each other?”, the words are said carefully, like he is scared that you will explode.

“Why? Why now? You had twenty-two years to do that and after five years you left, and it’s not like you were much there the first five years of my life. What makes me better now than when I was a kid?”, you can’t help but ask, the question burning your tongue.

“I realized that I made mistakes and that I should’ve been there and I’m sorry I realized it so late.”, he says it so quietly that you barely hear him, but you do.

“It is too late, I’m twenty-two. I don’t need a father anymore, I needed that when I was growing up. And I’m sure that you would be a great father now, but I can’t play pretend and ignore everything that happened.”, you tell him, and he nods in response, looking at you with the same sad green eyes.

“I understand, and I’m sorry again. Know that if you ever need me, I’m here.”, he tells you with a sad smile and you let out a sigh at the words.

“Thank you.”, you can’t say more, you don’t even know what to say as the two of you look at each other for a moment. 

There is a knock on the door and the both of you turn around to see Iceman in the doorway, looking at the both of you in surprise.

“Sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”, he asks carefully but you quickly shake your head.

“Not at all, I was actually going.”, you say, and Iceman looks like he wants to say something, but he just nods before letting you leave. 

You could’ve given him another chance, but as you leave his office, you know that you made the right choice. You deserved to be someone’s first choice and not an afterthought.

[unrealwasteland]

Hello friends! It has come to my attention that there's a shortage of fic rec lists in this fandom*, and as an avid fic reader, I thought I'd try my hand at making some. I was originally going to name this list something like "Roosmav 101" or "A New Shipper's Guide to Roosmav", but quickly realized that this is a very subjective list with some of my personal favorite Roosmav fics. I may be planning to make more rec lists in the future, but can't promise anything at the moment. (*here's one existing rec list that I know of!)

I'm trying to include relevant tags and warnings here, but please take a look at the full tag lists before reading. :)

in between what's already done by crawsley 5k, E, creator chose not to use archive warnings extremely dubious consent, omegaverse, daddy kink

“We aren’t doing this,” Maverick says, firmly, and he’s tensing like he’s about to move, about to shove Rooster off of him, push him away like he pushed him away before, when all Rooster had wanted was some guidance, some help, some love and kindness and— Rooster bears him to the ground, right there on the rug in the entryway.

Reccer's note: Roosmav fandom staple, this one has that delicious dynamic of Rooster taking his anger out on Mav.

seventy minutes by AortaArgent 19k, E, no archive warnings apply dubious consent, angst with a happy ending, implied/referenced child abuse, self-esteem issues, mav/ofc in first chapter

If he were staying on as an instructor, Maverick reflects, Cyclone would probably have to ream him out for employing unnecessary violence, and particularly for ending up in a brawl with civilians. Even if nobody at the unofficial-official Navy bar would side with a bunch of drunken dickheads over their own and report it, the admiral would find out soon enough. He still hasn’t actually told anyone that he’s leaving. With a trail of wreckage behind him again; Rooster’s bruised jaw, half a dishwasher tray of smashed glasses, one pool cue now in two different places in the bar, some yuppie’s no-longer veneered teeth, and his own crumpled dignity. And two crashed F-18s. Three total damaged planes, to be technical about it.

I could recommend any fic by this author, but seventy minutes is extremely important to me and a formative part of my Roosmav fandom experience. This is the fic that made me go from "I like this ship for horny reasons" to "oh shit, I actually love these characters."

Take These Broken Wings by pohjanneito 11k, E, no archive warnings apply time travel, young Maverick/canon era Rooster, emotional hurt/comfort

Bradley leaned against his cue stick, his eyes glued to Mav’s baby-smooth face. It was uncanny, like an old home movie bleeding out of the TV screen. Mav's voice was soft and pitched a little higher, but he carried himself like he did thirty years in the future, with the bravado and ego of a man twice his size. Or: Rooster travels back in time to 1986 and meets young Maverick.

Reading this fic was a very emotional experience, but in a good way. Amazing characterization and writing in general.

We'll be a fine line. by Exorin 16k, E, underage pre-canon, coming of age, grief/mourning, hurt no comfort (check author's note for info about Bradley's age in this)

Bradley really notices Maverick for the first time when he's thirteen. Every year after that is a struggle. OR: 4.5 times Maverick had no idea what was happening and 1.5 times he said “wow, what a terrible idea but I guess we're doing this”

This is a little different from the other fics listed here - there's no happy ending in this one. It works really well as a pre-canon fic though, and the angst is SO GOOD.

Kissing to Trick You by thedastardly 25k, E, creator chose not to use archive warnings extremely dubious consent, eating disorders, vomiting, sub!mav, sub drop, dom drop, no aftercare, injury, mentions of past icemav and hangster

Maverick doesn’t much care if his love line is long or broken, or if his life line intersects somewhere on the mound of his palm with the line of his heart. He’s played too fast and loose with this mortal coil for too long to be concerned about if the universe has foretold his fate in the lines of his hand.

Take those tags seriously - this one is pretty heavy (but definitely worth it in my opinion). There's a happy/hopeful ending and a promise of healing.

your body keeps the score by Lake 23k, E, no archive warnings apply canon divergence, hurt/comfort, physical therapy

Pete gets injured in the Darkstar ejection and the Navy assigns Bradley as his physical therapist.

Classic hurt/comfort where a character's physical recovery mirrors the emotional arc of the fic. Reading this was a life-affirming experience.

the man with the child in his eyes by hazelmotes 3k, E, no archive warnings apply angst, pining, pre-relationship

Rooster fights against the undertow.

Also known as "fic so good I once recced it to a family member" (I don't think they ever read it though, which might be for the best tbh). Truly beautiful writing and I just love the pining in this. Hopeful ending.

and yes I said yes I will Yes by hazelmotes 7.5k, E, no archive warnings apply secret marriage, wedding night, feminization

The window trim is painted the same white as the cabinets, with matching brass hardware to boot. Maverick contemplates the ledge beneath, what it could hold: a small vase of dried flowers, a colored glass catch-all dish. The kind of dish a wife places near the sink to hold her wedding ring, safe from the maw of the garbage disposal. from the kinkmeme prompt: secret marriage, honeymoon/wedding night sex

This fic is soft and tender and emotional and full of love. And the sex is super hot. Warning: it took me a whole weekend to emotionally recover from reading this.

Toxic Pony by yellow_crayon 3.5k, E, no archive warnings apply dubious consent, identity porn, pwp

The kid staring at him across the bar is young, Hawaiian shirt and blue board shorts, aviators pinned to a thin white undershirt, the V of his crooked collar showing a light smattering of freckles over sun-kissed clavicles. Probably some navy admiral's rebellious kid looking for a good time. Maverick's gone through his fair share of them way back when. This one is at least a decade too young for Maverick's current tastes. That ridiculous old-school mustache he's got going on does nothing to hide the signs of youth in the rest of his body — smooth supple skin and the effortless muscle that Maverick has to work hard to keep at his age. "Like what you see?" Maverick says in way of greeting. It's a lot more straightforward than his usual pickup lines, but he's four drinks in and itching to be bent over some flat surface and fucked hard. Something that looks like disbelief flits over the kid's face, then his expression smooths out once more, hardens. He opens his mouth and it's a man's voice that says, "Yeah, I do."

I love a good identity porn story, and yellow_crayon delivers. This is incredibly hot and also a galaxy brained way to write a pre-canon fic.

This Empty Love by yellow_crayon 11k, E, no archive warnings apply hurt/comfort, angst with a happy ending, intergenerational trauma, Maverick's a+ parenting

He’s sick in the head. Sometime in all those confusing hormonal teenage years after Maverick had left, a wire had crossed somewhere. It's not his dead dad that had messed him up. Bradley doesn't know Nick Bradshaw. Nick Bradshaw is a distant blurry concept that lives in his mother's memories and musty tomes of old faded photographs. He’s not the one Bradley busted his ass to impress growing up; the one he bled and cried for, and whose attention he spent his entire childhood obsessively trying to capture like lightning in a bottle. It’s Maverick. It’s all for Maverick.

This is a companion piece to 'Toxic Pony', but very different tonally. It's beautiful and heartbreaking and probably one of the best written fics I've ever read. I cried a lot.

[icemankazansky]

Hey, I want to ask what are your favorite IceMav stories? On Ao3, tumblr or whatever side you read fics. ☺️

You have no idea what you've just summoned.

Come sit by me.

You have asked for my favorite Icemav stories, which means that this list is going to leave off some truly excellent Icemav, because for the most part my favorites, the ones I read over and over again, are more lighthearted and sexy and have happy endings.

These stories are all Top Gun, and they're all Icemav, so I've only listed the rating by each title.

In no specific order:

by @boasamishipper :

Since she began creating for Top Gun in 2019, Boa has become a fixture of the fandom, an important voice that is capable of both the fluffiest fluff and the most heart-rending angst. She writes mostly Icemav, but she has branched out more than a lot of people from the pre-TGM era, and written more pairings and more characters than any other TG writer I know personally. This list might look a little odd to some people more familiar with her work, because she has written some amazing, novel-length AUs and crossovers and plotty, heavy stuff, but again, these are my favorite stories, and I like her Icemav when they're soft.

Word on the Street (Teen) Sharon looks down at her wedding ring and says a prayer for the handsome Navy pilot that’s heading their way. He’s got no idea what he’s in for. / Or, Iceman and Maverick versus the Real Housewives of Fallon, Nevada.

This is an outsider POV story in which Ice and Maverick scandalize (and titillate) the suburbs of Fallon, completely on accident. It's funny, it's sweet, and the payoff at the end is so satisfying.

let's talk about sex, baby (let's talk about you and me) (Teen) This is a college AU for the prompt: I keep coming in to take condoms from the health services desk because I think you’re cute and I’m pretty sure you must think my sex life is wild.

In which Pete Mitchell, over the course of a semester of college, continually fails to ask Tom Kazansky to go out with him. This one is light and funny and kind of innocent and hopeful in a way, because they're young and they have crushes, and nothing is more important than that ... except maybe that organic chemistry final.

when i see your face (General) In which Maverick Mitchell wakes up from surgery, high on painkillers, and hits on his husband.

This is everything I want for modern Icemav. They're married, they're so sweet together, and they love each other so, so much. Drugged Maverick is hilarious, long-suffering Ice is gentle and totally smitten; this is comfort food in text form.

'cause the cat's the only cat (who knows where it's at) (Teen) “So you mean to tell me,” Ice says, “that my alien cat is having alien kittens?”

I love Boa's Top Gun/MCU crossovers. I think they're incredibly well done, they are respectful to both canons, and they're innovative and clever. I like the Captain Marvel series the best, I think, and while I reread a lot of those stories, this one has to be my favorite. Chewie the Flerken has kittens, and it totally ruins everyone's life until it doesn't. Sweet, sooooooo funny, unexpectedly warm.

it's centrifugal motion, it's perpetual bliss (Mature) Kiss prompts from Tumblr.

There was a fic meme of kiss prompts going around a couple years ago, and this isn't so much one, unified fic as it is 10 vignettes of important kisses. They range from sweet to passionate to bittersweet, and they show the best of Iceman and Maverick together as a couple. I love, love, love these little peeks into the like Ice and Mav built together.

by @susiecarter :

I'm going to be honest with you: In 2020, @susiecarter wrote me a story for Id Pro Quo, which is an annual ficswap in which you request a pairing and up to 20 freeform tags that are meant to satisfy your id. These are guilty pleasure, don't judge me I'm having an amazing time right now stories, and she absolutely blew my damn mind, and then she did it twice more. So, yes, these stories were all written with my exact specifications in mind, but that doesn't mean they aren't all fucking amazing, because they are. As a writer, @susiecarter is so pithy and sharp and very, very well-balanced, and her prose is visceral and tangible and, occasionally, unexpectedly tender and lyrical. All three of these stories are blistering hot with perfect characterization, great sex that does not shy away from honest emotion and real intimacy, and her use of plane metaphors is spot on without ever being cliche or cheesy.

fire in the sky tonight (Explicit) Graduation from TOPGUN was one thing. It was great, no question, but it was just the warm-up. You hadn't made it, really made it, until you got hitched.

This is a canon-compliant (mostly) arranged marriage fic in which Iceman and Maverick consummate their nuptials just a couple hours after the dogfight for the Layton. It is stupid hot. Maverick is nervous and a virgin but still not wanting to give Iceman an inch, and Ice is cool and deadly, smolderingly competent, and he takes care of Maverick while also taking him the fuck apart. Plus, maybe they actually love each other? So good.

A Shared Cup (Mature) It was only a training exercise. It was only supposed to be a training exercise.

Ice and Maverick fuck up and end up telepathically linked. DEEP deep. Then what happens is they end up learning each other from the inside out, and while the brass is trying to figure out how the hell to fix this MASSIVE error, Maverick is just trying to hide from Ice that maybe his feelings on the matter, and his feelings about Ice, have changed. This is a gorgeous study of both characters, and the payoff at the end is totally earned.

and gamble for the sun (Mature) It's like this: Maverick and the Iceman make bets, sometimes.

This story is kind of like sitting in a pot of water. First everything is still, and you're just floating there, and then you notice that the water is beginning to warm up, and before you know it, it's boiling around you, and you might burn up and you might drown and it doesn't really matter which one. For me, more than anything, the small details in this story are incredibly sexy and incredibly intimate, and the ending is surprising but perfect and handled perfectly, and it's just gorgeous, the prose and the heat and the emotions, how they're all there and all balanced so perfectly. It's a killer.

by chemm80:

What You Don't Know (Explicit) Maverick finds Iceman handcuffed to his bed. He has a hard time getting over it.

ME TOO. I first read this fic when it came out 10 years ago, and it's still one I go back to. Maverick and Ice are still really figuring out how to be around each other as just colleagues and friends when Maverick sees something he was never meant to see, and it sends him into a tailspin. Things get complicated, and it's handled beautifully, with Maverick especially pushing through the quagmire of his emotions to get to the truth, and Ice vulnerable in more ways than one. Plus, hot. Did I mention it's really hot?

by DeeEffGee

Drugs (Teen) “Ice, you have to take the pain meds. Every six hours-”

Maverick is stuck doctoring Ice, and Ice hates it for a different reason than Maverick first imagined. Maverick and Ice are both sharp together here, the push-and-push-back kind of banter and dares as in the film, until they both surprise themselves, and then ... they are, like, 25% nicer.

by Pink_and_Velvet

You took a fall, then you landed soft. (Teen) Iceman comes up with a game, to prevent Maverick’s downward spiral and also, get him naked.

Ice doesn't like seeing Maverick torture himself, so he does something about it. A nice study of both characters in the wake of Goose's death, and also games that involve forfeiting clothing are always a good thing.

The Prom King (Teen) A high school AU in which Iceman and Maverick are seniors with prom around the corner, and some unresolved feelings to deal with.

This is a really cute first time fic where Ice is one of the cool kids and Maverick isn't quite sure what to do with him. (But he figures it out.) Like a teen romcom, but Icemav.

by @genderfluidsodapopcurtis :

A Kiss on the Inside of the Wrist (General) There are parts of Ice’s body that Maverick only ever sees from up close.

This one is short, but very sweet. I love lazy, sleepy Icemav.

by @victimofthemusic :

Bri excels at writing extremely sexy fic that also completely expresses how stupid in love the characters are for each other. Her characterization is sharp and distinctive, and she has no problem bouncing from completely lovesick to desperately horny to lightly teasing in the same page. She's also writing a lot for Top Gun: Maverick and its new characters, so if you're interested in that, take a look at her AO3 profile.

you're trying hard not to show it, but baby i know it (Teen) Ice wants to know who Maverick was before he became Maverick. He wants to know Pete Mitchell, too, because they’re two parts of the same whole and Ice wants to love that part, too. Because Pete Mitchell was worth loving just as much Maverick Mitchell was worth loving. And God, does Ice love him.

This is beautiful characterization of both Ice and Maverick, and it's sweet and sexy and heartbreaking and hopeful all at once. Beautiful, fulfilling, so satisfying.

the further on the edge, the hotter the intensity (Explicit) Five times Maverick and Ice have sex in places they totally weren't planning to.

This is so, so sexy, but more than that, it's a beautiful picture of Maverick and Ice's love story. The sex is scorching, but it's definitely not just sex. There's always an exploration of the emotional component of their relationship, even when Ice is getting fucked over Maverick's desk, and the relationship progresses in a way that will twist your heart but ultimately leave you feeling soft and warm.

by weshes:

Fire or Clear (Mature) It takes Ice and Maverick about ten years and a divorce to figure it out, but eventually they do.

This story has so much packed into it. The characterization is so sharp, and the way Ice and Maverick interact and move around each other after knowing each other for so long is comfortable, familiar, but with an undercurrent of simmering heat building to a boil. The sex is hot, and the dialogue is fantastic, all around well done.

by @guiltyfandomtrashwonderland :

She was made in a lab to destroy me. Nat writes some of the most in-depth, well-researched, layered fanfiction I've ever read. She sees the characters differently than I do, but it's in a way that intrigues me, and I love the way she writes them individually and as a couple. Her stories are so funny and so much fun without sacrificing emotion and vulnerability and the difficult realities the characters sometimes face.

A Chance Engagement (Explicit) In which Maverick sells ass, Ice buys some, and both of them end up with far more than they bargained for.

I cannot tell you how deeply, deeply satisfying it is to read BDSM written by people who actually know what they're talking about. This story, which takes place during the TOPGUN contest that is the focus of the first film, is funny and sexy and complex. It is at turns euphoric and hilarious and tense and devastating. It's a beautiful look at how Iceman and Maverick come together in this universe, and it's satisfying on so many levels.

Stormclouds in a Pale Sky (Explicit) Thirty years later, some people still didn’t get it.

This is a sequel to A Chance Engagement set in the TGM timeline. Thirty years later, Ice and Maverick are still together, still stupid in love, and still sharing a thriving, if slightly unconventional, sex life. This is sexy and fun and less painful, emotionally, than the first story, but it's got deep, true, long-term love and some bittersweet moments reflecting on growing older and the things it changes and the things it takes away ... and the things it can never change. Gorgeous.

[bebop-and-oysters]

I decided to expand on my um little Drabble that I did earlier and it went from 375 words to 1708 words in about an hour 💀💀💀 so here’s my little fic about IceMav!

~~~~~~~~~~~

Maverick always loved to dance, he’s always loved performance. From wooing people in bars with off-key performances of “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling” to a simple box step with Goose to get laughs out of the other pilots over the years. Maverick could never quite get dancing out of his system, and no one ever asked him to.

With Charlie, she would begrudgingly take his hand on the dance floor and he’d swing her wide and dip her till she was just a few inches from the ground. She’d always bat at his arm when he pretended to drop her but knew she’d be safe, he never let anyone fall if he could avoid it.

When he was dancing, his face would light up like a kid. Most people didn’t know that he danced with his Mama as a little boy, especially after his Dad passed on. She was always quieter when she was mourning, but she never refused a dance with Maverick. His favorite thing was making his Mama happy, and what better way to make her grin than dancing?

When Goose passed, it was hard to dance. Charlie tried to get him to dip her, would wrap her arms around his neck and croon a blurb of a song and Maverick would just bury his face in her hair and weep. It was too much to dance for a while. And then came Iceman.

——————

Iceman hated to dance. He was never on the dance floor, and everytime someone asked him to dance he waved them off with a smile before returning to his drink, a sour expression masking his previous light and airy grin.

Iceman always avoided dancing, too many Military formals growing up made him averse to any sort of dance. Young women crowding him, big eyes and shy smiles while asking him in voices much too high to be their real ones if he’d like to join them. He’d gotten good at making excuses, citing tiredness or a need for a drink or even on one occasion that he’d hurt his ankle and couldn’t possibly dance (he hadn’t).

He always watched Maverick on the dance floor though. He and Goose mockingly trouncing about to the Chicken Dance, Maverick and Charlie slow dancing surrounded by a sea of couples, Maverick alone after Charlie transferred to DC and Goose had passed on, entertaining the rest of the bar with a terrible (and a bit sorrow tinged) rendition of Great Balls of Fire and a little two step he made to go with it.

It was practically blinding how big Maverick’s smile got while dancing.

Iceman hates that he noticed how happy dancing made Maverick. On more than one occasion, Maverick had sidled up next to him at the bar and grinned widely, patting Iceman on the back and asking if he could buy him a drink. Iceman always refused but said he could join him for one if he liked. Maverick always took him up on his offer.

Ice was the kind of guy to say that he only likes single malt scotch on the rocks but secretly his favorite drink is a Mai Tai with a little umbrella and a wedge of pineapple. Maverick is the kind of guy to order a cocktail to see the wide eyed looks of shock while he’s sipping on the tiny floral straw that comes with it. He doesn’t really like the drinks he orders, he was just doing it to make people laugh.

Iceman and Maverick end up trading drinks in the bathroom more than once.

——————

The first time, Maverick looks over and smiles at Ice like he’s the last person on earth and Ice sort of grins and does his little bite move at him. They laugh at each other as Iceman’s ears go pink tinged on the edges while Maverick tells Iceman,

“Y’know, you could always order any cocktail you want, nothing wrong with liking things a bit fruity.”

He winks at Iceman before confidently striding out of the bathroom, finished drink in hand. Iceman stands frozen for a minute wondering if that really just happened.

The next time they trade drinks, poor Iceman doesn’t even know it until Maverick has snatched his whiskey tumbler out of his hand.

Ice had been trying to remain effortlessly cool while trying not to grimace over his drink. Before Maverick comes and stares him in the eyes while downing the entire glass. Maverick quirks an eyebrow at him and makes an obnoxious “ahhh” sound once he finishes it.

Iceman is shocked, staring at him aghast before stomping off to the bathroom, Maverick trailing a minute behind with a Blue Hawaiian Frozen in one hand and a cocky grin on his face.

In an almost mirror image of how he found Charlie, Iceman was hunched over the sink in the men’s bathroom splashing water on his face before staring at Maverick walking in with a drink in hand.

Maverick was so kind, kinder than anyone Iceman knew possibly. It was hidden under the bravado and the cocksure walk and the constant need to be correct but oh was he kind.

He gave Iceman a wide grin that he must have meant to be confident and arrogant but just came across sweet and held out the drink to Iceman, who took it and sipped lightly, staining his tongue with Blue Curaçao.

When Iceman finished his drink, he set it to the side of the bathroom counter and Maverick took a few strides towards him, watching intently as he flicked his blue stained tongue up over his top lip to catch a stray droplet of his drink.

In a whirlwind of action, Iceman would grab Maverick by the lapels and pull him closer, crashing their mouths together roughly. Maverick answered in kind, gripping the back of Iceman’s neck and crowding him against the counter.

By the time they pull apart reluctantly, Maverick’s hair is sticking straight up out of his head from how many times Iceman ran his hands through it and both of their lips are kiss swollen and their tongues tinged with blue. They smile at each other and Maverick awkwardly salutes Iceman with a lopsided grin and fixes his collar and his hair in the mirror before practically skipping out of the bathroom, drunk on Iceman.

Iceman stands frozen for the second time they’ve met in this bathroom before shaking himself out of his daze and lightly touching his lips, a small smile settling over his face.

——————

Every time after that, they meet in the bathroom and crash together like they’re magnetized. Iceman never understood what a whirlwind romance meant till he met Maverick. It was like standing in the eye of a hurricane, blessedly untouched while havoc is wreaked right outside your line of view.

Maverick always came bearing a drink, and always begged for Iceman to come dance with him. Iceman always refused with a chuckle and a chaste kiss to Maverick’s cheek, saying politely,

“Not tonight, maybe another time.”

——————

Maverick eventually starts inviting Iceman over to his house, hoping that maybe if Iceman weren’t in public, he’d want to dance.

It doesn’t work, Iceman is resolute in his opinions about dancing, although he enjoys the show when Maverick feels the itch to get up and move.

Maverick tries everything, begging, bargaining, withholding affection (how quickly he faltered at that when Iceman asked if he wanted to go upstairs was quite frankly astonishing). Nothing worked. He thought it would never happen, never in his life would he get Iceman to dance with him. But he kept trying, just in case

——————

It took months for Maverick to convince Iceman to dance with him, the first time was after making breakfast, he heard Iceman pad downstairs sleep rumpled and wearing a shirt of Maverick’s that was a bit on the tight side, the dulcet tones of Doris Day drifting melodically while Maverick hummed along, Ice sneaking behind him to wrap around him and ask what he’s cooking (he was cold but refused to say that so he just molded himself around Maverick for body heat) and Maverick just said “breakfast” and smiled while Iceman smacks the back of his head lightly. Maverick laughs and then makes an exceptionally good puppy dog face and says,

“Well now you have to dance with me to make up for hitting me!”

Ice laughs in his face before realizing he’s serious. With a deep lumbering sigh, he agrees and Maverick’s face lights up so bright Iceman feels like he’s staring at the sun.

Maverick takes the food off the stove and they slowly dance in a circle until Maverick realizes Iceman doesn’t actually know how to dance.

“Ice, do you know how to dance?”

Iceman remains quiet, a blush creeping up from his neck

“Oh Ice, you could have told me! C’mon, I’ll teach you how, ok?”

Maverick beams at him and Iceman nods minutely, allowing him to take his hands.

Maverick walks him through the leading steps until Iceman snaps lightly at him,

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it”

But he doesn’t have it and gets his feet stepped on more than once. Maverick takes over again and Ice tucks his face into the crook of Mav’s neck and they just sort of sway.

Maverick had left the back door open and the ocean breeze would drift in, warm, smelling like fresh rain and salty enough to dry your skin out if you’re not careful.

—————

This would become a tradition over the years.

Their morning dance on the weekend, their evening drinks at the bar. Sometimes they’d go down to the sea and play a game of volleyball and Iceman would win every single time. But only because he had the height advantage Maverick would say.

Poor Iceman never did learn how to lead their dance, so he spends his time hunching over Maverick, his face occasionally buried in the crook of his neck, murmuring a forgotten song that only the two of them dance to anymore.

Maybe they’d only get a bit of time together but God would that time be beautiful. As much as Iceman is ice cold in the air, he’s a melted puddle down on Earth with Maverick.

~~~~~~~~~~

Please be nice to me I haven’t written fic for about 5 or 6 years and I am very rusty! I also have COVID rn so I’m left with a lot of time to just sit and think and I would prefer to not spiral bc of a mean comment ty!! I really enjoy these characters and I think especially in Top Gun: Maverick their obvious life long bond is so touching that one of my buddies encouraged me to get back into writing fic just to post about them. I think I’m gonna throw it up on AO3 (under the same username) after a bit of editing and after my beta combs through. Please feel free to leave a comment or some criticism or any fic ideas for the future! I wanna get back into writing and I think this is a good first step :)

Thanks and big love!

<3, Rory =)

[brendaonao3]

if you're still accepting asks for the Top Gun meme: 1 & 4?

Hi there!!

Sure, I'm always down to talk about my favorite dysfunctional, awesome af pilots :D

For the Top Gun Ask Meme

1. Who’s your favorite character & why are they your fave?

Look, I'm not even going to pretend that I love these movies and this fandom for any reason other than one Pete Maverick Mitchell. (And he's not my fave just because I've been a TC fan idk, pretty much my entire life, either. :D)

But these movies WORK because Mav is a great protagonist. He's allowed to fail and fuck up and be fallible (how many other F words can I fit in this description :D), he's allowed to grow and change and be complicated and contradictory, but also allowed to be deeply empathetic and vulnerable and human. And because he's allowed to be all of those things, the characters around him are also allowed to be complex and real and sympathetic.

Mav's a character who tries so hard, who feels so deeply, who is desperate to just find that feeling of family and belonging that was stolen from him when his dad's plane was shot down & his mom died of grief soon after. Which is why he clings so hard to Goose, and Goose's memory (and Carole and Bradley) and why he bonds so hard with Ice after their mission rescuing the USS Layton, and why he has such loyalty to Ice and Hondo and the Darkstar Team and the Dagger Team - but he's also just a disaster of a person when it comes to personal relationships, and I love that, because it's also real and relatable.

Because when you have a main character who is allowed to be a three-dimensional person with a past and with insecurities and doubts and flaws, it makes the rest of the characters interesting and great, because it's all feeding off that synergy.

4. What’s your favorite ship?

IceMav IceMav IceMav - look, they're the reasons I got into the fandom in the first place, however many years ago it was when Yuletide started. And the weird thing is (as most people who know me would tell you) I am not at ALL a fan of Enemies to Lovers. Most of the time, if 2 characters truly hate each other onscreen, there's a good reason for it, and it's not a sexy reason that I think hate sex will fix. (Not that I'm against hate sex, mind you. But I'm not a person who thinks antagonism is really just sexual tension in hiding. YMMV of course, that's why fandom is awesome.)

Anyway, part of the reason I really love them together is that they never fit that Enemies To Lovers mold - Ice is Mav's rival for the Top Gun trophy, yes, but Ice is never a dick to Mav for the sake of being a dick (unlike Hangman with Rooster, for example). Ice pushes Mav because he can SEE that the way Mav flies is going to get someone killed one day (which it did :((( RIP GOOSE YOUR LEGACY LIVES ON) and Ice doesn't want to fly missions with anyone who doesn't think about the safety of his wingmen. And he's right, which is the other refreshing thing - the first film allowed both of them to be right and to grow and to see each other's side. (Ice even - in his very Ice-like way, bless him - tried to comfort Mav after Goose's death, which is still a God Tier scene in any movie, and I'm pretty sure I could write an entire manifesto on how brilliant that tiny scene was and how high it set the bar for the antagonist/protagonist relationship - but I digress.)

Anyway, you couple all of that with the history they have and the way they've looked out for each other, and how much they clearly love each other, and yeah, those two are the gold standard of OTP.

But - and at the risk of this being even longer than it is (sorry not sorry), I am also deeply invested in the Bradley Bradshaw/Happiness ship, however he gets there. That boy needs ten hugs (at least 8 of them from Mav), a long nap followed by an even longer vacation, and to be allowed to exist outside his dad's shadow, and be Team Leader on whatever mission he flies next. (Okay, and a blowjob probably wouldn't hurt - not picky about who gives it to him, you could make the case for pairing him with anyone in the cast and I'd read it.)

[specialbrewbutterbeer]

unorthodox is crazy good!! you are very talented, it’s one of my favourite things i’ve read on this app!! would you consider writing a part 2 as a elaboration?

Hehe- You're the fourth person to ask this. And yes. I currently am writing it. I have REALLY leant into the Icemav thing now, and I've written nearly the length of part 1 again without even mentioning our Bobby boy. But- He will feature heavily, with a bit of a steamy and sweet bit at the end to get over the frankly angst filled first half. It's a weird mix and probably feels like two different fics but idc- I'm enjoying it and I hope you will too! ❤️

(Ps. I'm so happy you enjoyed the first half- Thanks so much for your compliments I mean stoooppp- you're making me blush babe But seriously, I love hearing that you enjoyed it and tbf wouldn't be opposed to any suggestions for second parts and what you may or may not want to happen in those second parts so feel free <3)

(Pps. I am aware I have loads of requests to work on, and I am, but I felt inspired for this so tbh I put off the other ones until I think I can get them good, but still keep an eye out if you have requested anything, and requests are still open)

[icemankazansky]

I realize that this isn’t quite your area based on your archive fics for Top Gun, but do you have an opinion about Sarah? Honestly anyone who Iceman married sounds like a very interesting person. Iceman being Iceman he must have people lining up around the block, but to be the person he chose back? Damn.

Or if you prefer the sister/niece; what kind of brother/uncle do you think Iceman was? How much was Mav involved? He seemed to be close enough to hug Sarah at least.

I have many areas.

TG:M left us a lot of room on Sarah, which I like a lot, because I don't want there to just be one possible answer. Obviously, I am very much Team Icemav, and I believe that Iceman and Maverick had a lifelong partnership that was both romantic and sexual. They're true love. True, titanium, storybook, forever love.

My initial take on Sarah is that she and Ice have a platonic marriage. Ice wears a wedding ring in the movie, and there are multiple insinuations that he has children (on this point, they could definitely be nieces and nephews, but let's put a pin in that.) My first reaction when I started to process TG:M was that Sarah is aro-ace, and Ice is gay and in love with Maverick. Ice and Sarah love each other, but it's not romantic or sexual for either one of them. Ice would like to be with Maverick, obviously, but Maverick can't stay in one place for long, and he has flings, and maybe Ice wants something more stable. So he meets Sarah, and they become close, and they both want kids and they want a partner who will always be there—companionship—and they can give each other that without any other expectations. They have separate bedrooms. Sarah and the children know Maverick, and they love him; he comes home to Ice when he wants and is able, and Sarah doesn't mind sharing Ice with Maverick, because they want different things from him. And because she loves Maverick like a brother, and because he makes Ice happy.

I agree that Sarah would have to be a helluva woman to attract Ice's attention, and then to be able to handle him and Maverick. I have a headcanon that she's new in town and sees Ice following her, so she does some self-defense move on him and hurts him, or maces him or something, and while he's trying to recover he manages, "You dropped your keys," and holds them out to her.

"You should have announced yourself or something!"

"I did. I guess you didn't hear me. Do you have headphones on?"

She rips them off and stuffs them in her bag.

"No!" Then, gentler, "Do you need a doctor?"

It's the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Poor Sarah had no idea what she was in for lol

I also like the sister angle. It's a popular fanon that Ice has at least one sister, usually an older sister, and I'm very fond of it myself. (My version is Sasha, and she appears in several stories, notably the Wall Series.) It's hard to have a family as an LGBTQ person. It was harder in the '80s. It was almost impossible in the military. Whether Ice had a family of his own or not, I can see him being very close with his nieces and nephews. As we know, he has kind of an icy exterior, but a soft, gooey center. Definitely the cool uncle with the cool job who teaches you about good music, answers your sex ed questions honestly without telling on you, and plays Embarrassing Story tennis with your mother. Endlessly patient helping you do math and science homework when your parents plateau and tell you, "Call your uncle. He's good at this stuff."

Uncle Mav: Also the cool uncle with the cool job. Teaches you how to ride a motorcycle way before it's legal. Has a whole different genre of Embarrassing Stories about Uncle Tommy and your mother, and knows A LOT of hilarious, mostly harmless pranks. Taste in music: suspect, but he lets you taste your first beer—just a sip—when you're 16. You immediately spit it out, and Uncle Tommy laughs and says something in Russian about, "that American piss water." (that one is all @victimofthemusic and I think of it all the time)

When Uncle Tommy gets prescribed medical marijuana for his cancer, you and Uncle Mav teach him how to smoke it. (I also have this headcanon for Ice's kids in Sarah scenario #1.) Uncle Tommy lets Maverick charge $200 worth of Chinese food to his credit card before he remembers he can't eat any of it because of what the radiation has done to his throat. Before you and Mav obliterate $200 of Chinese takeout, Mav makes Uncle Tommy soup.

Wow, this went some places! Thank you for the question! I am working on what is turning out to be a longer than anticipated TG to TGM Icemav story that involves Sarah scenario #1, so keep an eye out for that if you're interested.