#one side cyclone x iceman

[pollyna]

Forever laughing at the thought of Cyclone calling Iceman daddy in the middle of a conversation and Iceman answering "I didn't know you see me as a fatherly figure" before patting his back and going on with his day like nothing had happened.

Just for Ice to tell all of it to Mav, over the phone just to hear his husband almost choke on whatever he was drinking because "Oh, love. He wants to call you daddy in the same way I call you daddy sometimes". And him going the longest Yep Mav has ever heard because "Fucking Christ Mav, do a guy a favour and warn them before they start shit you can't see through."

Or the short story of why Cyclone and Ice can't be in the same room alone, for two very very different reasons.

[mcu-and-buckybarnes-things]

I don’t expect anyone onboard but in a timeline where Ice and Mav are just bros, Ice falls in love with Cyclone.

He knew that Cyclone admires him but couldn’t gather his courage to tell him, because he’s his CO, it’s considered immoral. Not to mention he’s a man.

Once when they were having a good time during a port call in some beautiful European town, Ice finally told him, acting more drunk than he actually was.

And the moment he saw Cyclone’s face he knew he fucked up.

Cyclone told him sorry I love you like a brother in arm, I would do anything for you but it’s not like that.

Ice was heartbroken but he had to pretend he couldn’t remember anything the next day, and tried very hard to be normal.

But a few months later he was transferred to another station, before he recommended Cyclone to assume his current position.

They both knew why but didn’t tell another soul……

Yeah that’s it.

Not enough hurt & angst recently so I had to entertain myself😗

[thewulf]

It Takes Time || Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

Summary: Request - Maybe where you're Iceman's daughter and assisting Maverick with teaching the daggers and everyone's respecting you. But due to everything in him telling him to not do it, Bradley Bradshaw falls for you and you resist him... Read Rest Here

A/N: 3 x 1 – the three times you and Bradley nearly cross the line and the one time you do. Changed up the request a bit, hopefully you don’t hate it. I love a good comfort, especially when its Bradley Bradshaw.

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Y/N

Word Count: 4.5k +

One – The Meeting

“And your teachers for this mission, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, and Captain Y/N “Sunny” Kazansky.” Cyclone introduced the two of you. Your father had called in a favor and got you stationed back at Top Gun out to help your fathers longtime friend out. Mav was like an uncle to you at this point. With your recent promotion to Captain, it was time to test the waters out as a more senior leader anyway.

You heard the murmurs. You were sure they were all curious as to who the two of you were. They all likely knew about Mav. You’d flown under the radar as much as possible. Your eyes darted around the room until they landed, and stayed, on the handsome looking brown curly haired pilot with doe eyes who was staring right at you. You subtly looked back at Maverick careful not to look back at the unashamed pilot. He, however, couldn’t keep his eyes off of you. He’d heard about you. Just as ruthless as your father in the sky but as sweet as could be on the ground, hence your callsign Sunny. You’d all but managed to draw his attention away from Maverick, the man he swore he would hate for as long as he lived.

What Bradley wasn’t expecting was your sheer beauty as you stood next to Mav. You’d moved up through the Naval rankings quickly and everybody talked about that, but nobody had mentioned just how fucking pretty you were. Sure, he’d seen pictures, but you’d always been covered by a helmet or bandana. Now that you were standing him front of him he was at a loss from words. He had a hard time drawing his gaze away from you even as Mav called on him. He gulped knowing he was in grave trouble.

“Captain Kazansky, how’s your father doing?” The blonde pilot sitting towards the front asked before Maverick could get into the spiel he had planned. You cocked your eyes towards the pretty boy. Why was he asking? Did he know your fathers cancer was back and more bitter than ever? Or was the pilot simply just trying to make a name for himself? You knew who he was, but you didn’t know how he acted. That was the only problem with learning about a person through a sheet of paper.

“He’s wonderful. Thanks for asking Lieutenant.” You didn’t give him a smile nor a frown, emotionless. You studied him as he studied you. You saw Mav give you the side eye, a break in your voice indicating that was anything but the truth. Mav decided he wouldn’t push you right now, not when you looked like you were going to break down. Only he could know that though. He’s known you your entire life. He knew your tells. You’d never flown with the pilots in front of you. They were none the wiser to the giveaways. But Mav knew. Admiral Kazansky was not alright. Maybe, just maybe, that’s why he was here.

Mav cleared his throat letting the class know he meant business now. He started his speech with the overdramatic manual throwing. You told him he was being over the top. He clearly disagreed and went with you. He got the reaction from the class that he wanted with that stupid little Maverick smirk spread across his face. While you were watching Mav and thinking of the blonde boy and his angle Bradley had kept his eyes trained on you. He couldn’t get enough of you. Not even with Maverick standing right there next to you. He didn’t seem to matter.

When Mav dismissed the class you hung back waiting for the room to clear. You were doing the coaching and teaching from the ground today while Mav taught in the air. Not paying much attention as you put the chairs back in line you hadn’t noticed Bradley hanging back with you. He wasn’t selected in the first group to go flying so what’d he have to lose? He had time to change and get ready.

“You’re the admiral’s daughter?” He spoke breaking your concentration. He shied away seeing you jump out of your skin.

Spinning around on your heel, you weren’t aware you had an audience, “One of them, yes.” You nodded eyeing him over. Bradley Bradshaw. You knew everybody in the class already. You knew his dad flew with Maverick. You knew he and Mav were in rocky waters right now after Mav pulled his papers all those years ago. You knew so much about him, but he knew nothing of you. It almost felt like you were cheating a bit.

He gave you a curt nod, “I’ve heard a lot about you.” Your eyebrow raised at that one, studying him, he’d heard a lot about you huh? You could’ve said the same, for much different reasons. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have a clue though.

He continued on seeing as your curiosity didn’t falter, “People talk. A lot. Especially about the admirals daughter who is actually good. Almost as infamous as Maverick.” His tone of voice changed to one of a bitter man once he referred to his long-lost father figure he’d grown to love throughout the years.

“I’m taking that as a compliment, Bradshaw.” You smiled taking a step towards the much taller man. His picture really didn’t do him justice. While the blonde pilot was pretty, Bradley was strikingly handsome. Exactly your type. You swore off pilots long ago though, you knew who they were through and through. You were one of them. You knew exactly how they thought. How the job came first, the job always came first.

Enjoying his surprised reaction, you simply waited for a reply. He seemed a little tongue tied as you eyed him. You didn’t notice his stuttering as you were taking him in, all of him.

He nodded his head rapidly once your eyes landed back on his, “You should Sunny.”

Two – The Time You Knew You Liked Him

“Whatcha reading there Sunshine?” Bradley’s voice made your eyes tear away from the page quickly. It was your usual lunchtime ritual. Get your stuff and head outside for an hour to eat and read. The only time you could get away from the chaos of the day.

Closing the book you handed it to him, “Pride and Prejudice?” He asked turning the worn-down book in his hand.

You hummed, “My favorite.”

He sat down next to you on the picnic bench you were sitting at, “Why’s that?” He asked genuinely. You were opening up to him and he’d take anything. He wanted to know anything and everything about you. The more he knew the deeper he fell. It was inevitable really.

You thought for a moment before answering, “Because love is messy, fucked up and not always up to just the one you love. It dives into so many different messed up scenarios and navigates through them flawlessly. Lizzie is just, she’s the perfect narrator for her own story.”

He looked awestruck at your answer. He knew you were smart, but you were eons ahead of him. No wonder you’d risen to Captain so quickly. It just made sense. You were truly the whole package. Smart, beautiful, funnier than he could’ve ever thought. He liked you a whole lot and he was on a mission to make you like him just the same.

“Have you read it before?” You asked all too curiously.

He shook his head looking at it, “No, mind if I borrow it after your done?” He didn’t miss a beat. If it was your favorite he was sure as hell going to go stop by the bookstore and pick up a copy on his way home. He’d read the whole damn thing tonight if it meant he’d see that smile tomorrow when he talked about it with you. He was smitten. And he was completely fine with it. You’d managed to do it without even trying too. He knew it was over for him.

Beaming up to him you simply nodded, “Take it. It’s yours to borrow. Treat her well though. I’ve had that copy since college.”

He held it down to his abdomen tightly, “Consider her protected, at all costs.”

You grinned playing along with him, “I expect nothing less B.”

“B?” He cocked his head towards you. He had to admit it sounded damn good rolling off your tongue.

“Yeah, for Bradley. Get it?” You smirked this time playing along with him.

He shook his head while pinching your hip. A small yelp and a shiver of goosebumps erupted from his touch. Damn. Your body was reacting to him now? It might have as well been over for you too.

“Yes Sunny. I get it.” He leaned over whispering in your ear, “And I love the way it sounds coming from you.”

“Fuck off Bradshaw.” You pushed him off biting your lip to stop the smile that was forming.

“Yes Captain.” He just knew how to get right on under your skin didn’t he?

“You’re so annoying.” You laughed loving the time you got to spend with him. He made it so damn easy.

You made it easy for him too, “You love it though.”

“Maybe, just maybe, I do.”

Three – The Moment You Fell In Love With Him

The Lieutenants had just finished up Mavericks bastardized game of football on the beach. You opted on watching from the sidelines, far too much testosterone on the beach for your liking. You couldn’t help but to have your eyes drawn to Bradley’s chiseled frame. God, he was fucking hot, and he knew it. The way he walked around all cocky had you feeling some type of way. Who would’ve thought you’d have a thing for a guy with a cute ass mustache anyway?

“You should really look at somebody else if you didn’t want to make it too obvious Y/N.” Penny smirked walking right on up to you.

A light blush was surely rising on your cheeks, “What are you talking about Penny?” Pursing your lips, you turned your eyes away from his perfectly sweaty body that was literally glistening in the setting sun. Fuck, you were toast.

Her smile was one of a woman who knew more than she was letting on, “Bradley Bradshaw is what I’m talking about Kazansky.” Her cool smirk let you know she knew exactly how you were feeling.

“Am I making it that obvious?” Knowing you weren’t going to be able to talk yourself out of this one you just leaned into it.

She shrugged, “You’ve been eyeing him like a candy bar for the last twenty or so minutes.”

“Can you blame me?” You bit your lip in sheer frustration. Why him? Why a pilot? Why did he have to hate Pete? Why’d it have to be so damn complicated.

A soft laugh came from your longtime family friend. Growing up in San Diego meant that you’d spent your fair share of time with Penny and Amelia. You’d babysat Amelia while you were in high school and she was just a baby.

“He’s not the one I’m looking at.” Wiggling her eyebrows she laughed once more seeing your disgusted face.

“Please don’t talk about Pete like that to me.” A fake gagging noise came from your mouth at the thought

Her laughter continued drawing the attention of Bradley. He grinned seeing you and Penny on the sidelines having your own type of fun. He’d tried relentlessly to get you to join the game, but you were adamant about sitting this one out. Getting trucked by a bunch of six-foot men just didn’t sound super ideal to you.

When you looked back over to him you caught his eyes on you. You flashed him a bright smile while giving him a nervous wave. You’d caught him but he wasn’t looking away, no. No, he was looking right into your damn soul with those eyes. Even from that distance away. You were thankful the sun was out, and you could just blame the blush on the sun.

When Mav blew the final whistle Penny said her goodbyes before finding her boyfriend. Shaking your head and turning away you weren’t expecting Bradley to be right behind you, but here he was. Certainly not shy.

“Bradley,” You laughed off your nerves, “You played well out there.”

He smirked loving the fact that you were watching him, “You think?” He was fishing and he knew it. He loved it when he could break you out of your tiny little shell. He knew he made you nervous, in a good way of course, and he had to figure out how to lean into it. Keep that feeling but calm those nerves just a bit.

Rolling your eyes you shoved his arm playfully, “Yes Bradley. You played great.”

“Thanks honey.” He winked knowing that’d surely throw you for a loop. When your eyebrows raised in sheer confusion he only smiled harder wanting so desperately to grab for a hand but there were far too many prying eyes for that.

“Honey?”

He nodded, “Would you prefer pretty? Darling?  My dove?” His smile only grew in size when he saw your scowl.

“Shut up Bradley.” You knew he was messing with you. He always did.

But something was different this time. His tone of voice? The way he looked at you when he spoke? “I’m not kidding Sunny. I won’t call you that if you don’t want me too though.” So Bradley, leaving the choice up to you. Always making sure you were

You spoke far too quickly in response, “I didn’t say that.” It was like word vomit coming out of your mouth.

It made Bradley far too happy, “Alright darling.” He leaned down closer to you making sure nobody was here, “If we were alone right now I’d ask to kiss you. But since we aren’t we’re just going to have to save that for later, yeah?” He was all too sure of himself now. Especially when he saw the way your mouth dropped a little and eyes shot right to him with nothing but lust in them. He’d done it. He’d won you over.

Before you could answer though a much different voice interrupted your conversation, “Hey mister.” A small hand pulled on Bradley’s much larger one. Both of you looked down at the much smaller child.

“Hey kid.” He smiled warmly to the young boy. So easily he shifted his focus away from the heated exchange and to the boy.

“Uhm, can you play with us?” Your heart about melted right then and there. The soft little doe eyes from the small boy got you. The kid motioned to the football in Bradley’s hand afraid he might say no.

You weren’t sure what he was about to say. You wouldn’t blame him if he found some excuse because he was tried, hungry and wanted to cuddle up on the couch with you. But that wasn’t him, no. That wasn’t Bradley at all.

“You betcha.” He smiled down to him, “Go long.” He waited for the kid to sprint off before throwing the ball down the beach towards him.

“Have fun.” You giggled to yourself seeing the happiness in Bradley’s eyes.

“You know it pretty. Wait up for me, yeah? I can drive you home. Go get yourself a beer. I’ll buy it for you.”

You nodded quickly at his suggestion, “You know where I’ll be Bradshaw.” You smiled waving him off as you walked towards The Hard Deck. Oh boy, Penny and Pete were about to have a field day with this one. You were a goner that was for sure. Turning around and watching him run around with a bunch of eight years old’s made your heart swell ten times. Goner for sure.

Four – The Morning Mav Knew There Was Something More

You weren’t really ready to come back. But you had to. Your bereavement time was up and you didn’t have any vacation to spare. Your father was gone, and you had to accept it. The world continued spinning and so did your life. It didn’t make it any easier though. You’d gotten to work and just sat in the room waiting for the class to trickle in. You were there hours early. Sleep was hard to come by these days for you. It’d only been two weeks since he passed. Two weeks on this earth without your dad. It felt far too fucking lonely without him here.

The mission was only a few days away now. You were back in time to see this through. You weren’t ready though. Not in the slightest. You didn’t know how long you were sitting there staring at the white board in front of you before hearing the door open and close.

Not turning towards the sound only looking forward you were surprised hearing Bradley’s voice, “There you are.” Your head snapped up seeing his exasperated gaze, “You weren’t answering your texts or calls. I got worried so I went over to your place. Didn’t see your car so I came here. Had me scared shitless Y/N.” He was frowning as he slipped into the chair next to you.

“I’m sorry Bradley.” You looked down and away from Bradley feeling all too uncomfortable with his upset gaze on you.

He shook his head afraid he upset you, “Are you alright?” He brushed his fingers under your chin turning your head towards him. His lips pursed when he saw the trail of tears falling down your face. Clearly, you weren’t alright.

Despite all that you still nodded your head, “I’m okay.”

His frown only made the tears continue to spill, “Honey.” And that was all it took for the waterworks to commence. Full on sobs racked throughout your body as you let yourself finally breakdown in his arms. He pulled you onto his lap, annoyed by the small seats. Cradling you close he just let you cry it out. He, of all people, knew exactly how this felt. How suddenly empty you felt. Even if you had all the time in the world to prepare. You’d never hear his voice again. See his face. He was all but memories now, fading at that.

Bradley watched the door making sure nobody saw you in such a fragile state. Not here. He cradled you in his arms while whispering sweet nothings in your ears trying to ground you back to the present. It was hard. Impossible. You’d only lost him two weeks ago and here you were, back to work. Bradley couldn’t imagine that.

“I’m so sorry.” You mumbled once the tears stopped flowing and you’d successfully soaked through his uniform. Not bearing to look at him you kept you head buried in his chest.

“There’s nothing to apologize for pretty.” He kept cradling you, so long as you wanted it. So long as you needed it. So long as you clung to him so desperately.

You took long deep breaths not in the mood to argue with him. Bradley just watched as you calmed yourself down. Clearly embarrassed by the outburst. He knew it was the first of many. You’d have good days, and you’d have days far worse than this. He knew. He was ready to be there for you.

As shitty as you were feeling the cute little terms of endearment he used to calm you down did make your heart sputter as your finally processed his words, “Thank you Bradley.” Mumbling into his chest you couldn’t bear to break the embrace he had you in. It felt too damn good with him holding you like you were the most precious treasure in the world.

His hand brushed down your hair and back in a steady rhythm, “Anytime. Any day. Any minute. Any second.” He leaned down giving your forehead a light kiss. The shiver that ripped down your body might have been a dead giveaway at how you felt when he did so. That’s as far as he’d go though. He couldn’t push you now. Not when you were grieving and broken. He knew he needed to step up and be your comfort now. Hold you when you needed. Let you cry it out even at the weirdest hours of the day. Grief was a bitch, and he had a front row ticket to it. His life seemed like nothing but grief. He knew how to handle it.

Bradley was so focused on you. And you were so focused on hiding from his gaze that neither hadn’t heard the door open and shut. Pete walked in silently, as he always did, not expecting to see the scene before him. Bradley gently rubbing your back as your body was curled into him. It didn’t surprise him per say. He’d noticed the two of you had gotten closer over the last few weeks. Pete paused thinking of what he should do. He could walk out but that risked somebody else catching the two of you. Relationships weren’t forbidden they were just… highly frowned upon. And Ice would be awfully mad at Mav if he let his daughter get in trouble for something so stupid. Especially when you clearly needed it. More now than ever.

Pete did all he could think to do, he coughed. He watched at you shot up from Bradley quickly backing away from him. Pete’s heart could’ve broken right then and there seeing your tear-stained cheeks and disheveled hair. You looked broken.

“I’m so sorry sir. I just…” You gulped rubbing the haziness out of your eyes. You didn’t have an excuse. Bradley was just looking at you with sorrow in his eyes. Pete looked at you with pity.

“Why don’t you take the day Captain?” Pete suggested instead of acknowledging your apology.

You shook you head, “I can’t, I don’t have the time.”

Pete walked over handing you your coat off the top of the desk it was resting on, “I’ll cover. Go. You too Lieutenant.” Pete looked at Bradley giving him a curt nod letting him know it was fine. Mav knew you needed Bradley.

He looked a little shocked but stood from his seat, “Mav, are you sure?”

He nodded, “Take care of her.” He nearly whispered as he walked away from the pair. He walked right on out of the room giving you the space you needed. You could’ve broken down right then and there again had Bradley not pulled you from your thoughts. You felt all the love from your pseudo uncle, so thankful he was in your life.

Bradley pulled you towards the door gently, “You wanna change or just go home?” Bradley asked softly careful not to startle you.

“Home.” You looked up to him afraid you’d run into Phoenix or Halo in the locker room. They’d never judge you. It was just easier to avoid it altogether though.

Giving your hand a squeeze, he smiled right at you, “Let’s go home then honey. We can watch some trashy reality television and order some disgustingly greasy food if you want.”

For the first time in a long time a small smile came to your face, “That sounds perfect B.” He smiled even brighter at that. He adored it when you’d used that nickname on him. If he were honest he’d fallen in love with everything about you. Your laugh. Your smile. Your personality above all else. You were truly like nobody he’d ever met before. He’d be damned to let that slip away from him, not without a fight.

“Follow me out. I’ll drive us home.” You nodded doing as he said. Keeping your face hidden until you got to his truck. The ride home was silent. Bradley talked occasionally breaking you from whatever fucked up thoughts were coursing through your even more messed up brain. It was driving you crazy how much of prisoner you felt your very own brain. You wanted to be happy, to smile but it just wasn’t coming. Not until you fully accepted his death. Your dad wasn’t coming home. Never again. That was a hard cross to bear.

You cuddled up to him on the couch once you got back to your place and the two of you changed. Bradley promised to stay for as long as you’d have him. Joke’s on him though, you’ll never kick him out.

“Can I ask you something?” You questioned him once the two of you had settled on Vanderpump Rules and some pizza. Your favorite comfort food.

“Anything.” Once again he brushed your hair with his hands knowing it calmed you instantly.

“How’d you do it? Losing your mom? Your dad?” You’d asked the question you’d been so afraid to ask before. But y

“Time.” He answered you truthfully, “It takes time.”

You sighed knowing that was likely the answer he was going to give you but not the one you’d wanted to hear, “I was afraid you’d say that.” Your voice wobbled, on the brink of another fresh set of tears.

Bradley pulled you closer, “But I’m here. I’ll be here through everything. The ups, the downs, the bumps. It all. You have me. You have your siblings, your mom. You have people here for you pretty.” He kissed your forehead once more.

You felt a few tears fall at that. Looking up to him you had to ask, “Why? Why are you being so kind to me?”

Shaking his head, he used the pads of his fingertips to wipe the fresh tears away, “I like you. A whole lot more than I really should.” He admitted, laying it all out there for you, “You’re Incredible Sunny. The most incredible woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. I’m here for you. If you’ll have me.”

Ever the gentleman he was. Always leaving it up to you, “You like me?”

He laughed, throwing his head back in amusement, “I think I’ve been rather obvious Kazansky. But yes. I like you. A lot.” He didn’t want to throw the L word out just yet. That was far too soon. But he knew he loved you. He loved every single inch of you. He knew he’d love you for a long, long time to come to. He’d truly, never felt so sure

“Oh,” You grinned feeling the tears dry up, “Then please stay. Stay for a long time.”

He brushed the stray strands of hair out of your face, “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I like you too. A lot.” Squeezing his hip with your hand you hid your face in his chest feeling all too exposed at that admission of your feelings. It never came easy.

He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, “Y/N Kazansky, you just made me the happiest guy in the world.”

“Yeah?” You peaked up at him with a grin on your face. Red face of exposure be damned.

“Oh yeah baby.” He cradled you close feeling every joyful emotion course through him. He got you. He fucking got you. He wasn’t going to let this one slip. No. It may take some time to figure it out but that’s what life was about. Time.

Permanent Taglist (Message me or comment below if you want to be added!): @loving-and-dreaming @kmc1989 @memeorydotcom @matisse556 @buckylov3r @taygrls @ah-blossom @mayhemmanaged @hardballoonlove

Request Taglist: @itsyassbitch

[lieutenantfloyd]

i LOVE the iceman dating headcannons - can we have cyclone dating headcannons pls 🙏🙏🙏 i am in such a cyclone mood atm it’s unbelievable

Dating headcanons — Beau "Cyclone" Simpson

Pairing: Beau "Cyclone" Simpson x reader

Warnings: Slight mentions of insecurities and trauma.

a/n: Hello and thank you! I really enjoyed writing this!

If you haven't already, please check out the general Cyclone headcanons I posted a while back, as there are more than a few references to them in this post!

The first several months of your relationship will be the toughest.

He's terribly guarded and has all but forgotten how to let anyone in.

You'll honestly just have to wait him out. Meeting him where he is and proving to him that you're in it for the long haul.

When he finally starts to let you in is when your relationship gets very serious.

He's quite traditional in how he views his (and only his!) role in a relationship.

On the flip side, he expects next to nothing from you and is wholly grateful for you even just being with him.

I headcanon that he's had to look after himself since a pretty early age, and is used to just kind of... getting by?

Like he's extremely put together on a professional front, but on a personal one, he's an "eating a shitty frozen microwave meal in front of the TV on a Friday night" kinda man.

Not that he couldn't take better care of himself, he just found putting all that effort in for one person a bit depressing.

Now given the opportunity, he's an absolute dream to date

He's paying all the bills, doing the home repairs/improvements, taking your car to the shop, etc.

If you protest this, he will sit you down and quite literally tell you that "your money is your money, and my money is also your money."

And like I said, he expects nothing in return.

However, if you do want to do something to make his life easier, like pack his lunch or iron his uniform, he'd be a goner.

It's also in these small gestures that he best shows his love.

Doing the tasks you dislike, knowing your preferences, anticipating the things you'll need to complete, and making your life just a bit easier is where he shines.

At each restaurant and cafe you go to he has your order memorized.

He is the best cook and will cook for you whenever he has time

He's totally the breakfast-in-bed type too!

Will probably have stayed up late the night before to bake a loaf of brioche for french toast, and will serve it to you on a fancy wooden breakfast tray (that he handmade) with a fresh flower from the garden because that's just the kind of man he is.

If you offer him any he'll refuse, instead preferring to have you fuss over him and his habit of having nothing but a single cup of black coffee for breakfast.

He will, however, accept bacon. Thick cut, cherry smoked.

His desk both on base and at home is covered in pictures of you.

Like Iceman, he isn't jealous, but very protective.

This is also the only point of contention in your relationship.

He has some insecurities and would be absolutely devastated If you were to vie for others' attention or flirt back with them.

Ironically, he absolutely loves to show you off; and will use any such occasion to spoil you.

Will tell you stories from his various deployments.

And cherishes the way you squeeze his hand when the tougher memories come back.

Very nearly worked himself into a worry the first time you were going to stay at his place.

Now he struggles to sleep without you beside him.

Loves nothing more than to cuddle up with you in bed or on the couch.

More often than not, you'll end your day just like that.

With the added bonus of him reading whatever book he's been reading aloud to you.

Will 100% take you on bookstore dates!

He'll order himself a coffee in the cafe before happily setting you free with his wallet.

Will happily carry and/or guard the stacks of books you pick out.

If you happen to pick out a book or two for him, he'll get almost bashful??

Knowing you not only cared enough but paid enough attention to his interests to know just what he'd like hits him directly in his soft spot.

Each year he takes you back home to Alaska.

It's one of the few times you get to see his personality shine in private and in public.

The trips are only a few weeks long at the most.

Although as the days pass, you both secretly hope to get snowed in for the whole winter.

These trips have spawned not only some of your favorite memories as a couple, but moving back there with you in tow has become his retirement plan.

! taglist !

@marchingicenotes7, @bayisdying, @princessofglitterland, @bella-law, @austin-butlers-gf, @callsignaries, @katesmadness, @dannyramirezwife, @oliviah-25, @luckyladycreator2, @shakira-sasha, @xoxabs88xox, @Criminalmindsandmarvel, @fanboyluvr, @alexxavicry, @madamemelancholysstuff, @paola-carter, @barbiewritesstuff, @dozcan123, @withakindheartx, @nyx2021, @teti-menchon0604

[topgun-imagines]

Following In His Footsteps

Requested: yes

Summary: Wolfman, your father, watches you graduate from Top Gun. Just like he did many years ago.

Word count: 0.7k

Warnings: anxiety? Not really any.

Pairings: Leonard ‘Wolfman’ Wolfe x daughter!reader

You were surrounded by crowds of people as you made your way through the doors of the area where the graduation would be held. Based on the pictures you had seen, it was exactly the same as when your father graduated nearly thirty years ago. Nerves racked through you as you twisted your Annapolis ring around your finger.

Once the few people in front of you moved out of the way, you were able to move toward your assigned seat. Sitting down, you watched the rest of your Top Gun class find their seats. You offered a small smile to the WSO that sat down beside you. Over the past few weeks, you had gotten to know him as Bob. He was probably one of the kindest men in your class.

As people continued to find their seats, Cyclone began walking toward the podium. The large group quieted simultaneously as he approached the podium, hands resting on either side as he glanced down at his speech. His words were carefully chosen and calculated, much like everything else he did.

The Air Boss reflected on the past few weeks, highlighting certain aspects of your Top Gun course. He concluded his speech with a professional smile, eyes wandering across the graduates, as well as the family and friends, in front of him. He did a double-take when his eyes landed on Iceman. The man considered himself lucky that he wasn’t speaking, or he would have definitely stumbled over his words.

Your father, along with his pilot, Hollywood, Iceman, Maverick, and Slider were all sitting in the second to last row. For as long as you could remember, it had only ever been you and your father. Your mother apparently walked out on the man only a few months after your first birthday.

You were ecstatic when your dad said that he would come. And he planned on surprising you with the extra guests that he brought. Since your dad had raised you without the help of your mother, you grew very close with your uncles very quickly. He knew that you would be overjoyed to see that they all made time to come see you on your big day.

Nerves wracked through you as another official approached the podium. Now was the time that they would begin calling out awards. You wrung your hands in your lap, twisting the ring around your finger. When your name was called, you felt as if you couldn’t breathe. It felt like there was a rock lodged in your throat as you walked up in front of your classmates and the guests.

When you finally reached the podium after what felt like an eternity, you released that breath slowly. There was a small smile on your face as you shook hands with the official. The Top Gun Trophy was handed to you and a picture was taken. You had busted your ass to become first in your class. When you saw the broad smiles on your father's and uncle's faces, pride swelled in your chest.

You returned to your seat, a new spring in your step at the sight of your loved ones in the audience.

The rest of the ceremony passed quickly. You were called up once more to accept a ribbon for graduating from the course. After that, there were a few more words from Cyclone before you were allowed to mingle with the guests.

As soon as you were allowed to, you jumped out of your seat, rushing to your father and tackling him in a hug. His arms wound around you as he squeezed you tightly. “I’m proud of you, Kiddo.” He whispered. A grin overtook your face and you felt tears well in your eyes. You pulled back from the hug before wiping away the few stray tears.

You hugged each of your uncles, all of which had broad smiles on their faces. Each of them congratulated you. A wide and shy smile grew on your face at the praise from such highly decorated Naval aviators.

Cyclone and a few other officials stepping toward your little group drew your uncle’s attention toward them. Your father laid his arm across your shoulders, pulling you into his side. You beamed up at him. “Thank you for coming.” Your head fell against his shoulder as you watched the rest of your class mingle with their family and friends.

“Of course, Kiddo,” He pressed a kiss to the crown of your head. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

A/n: Thank you all for reading! Requests are open!

Tagging: @alexxavicry @bradleybeachbabe @chaoticassidy @genius2050 @t0kyoreveng3rs @aviatorobsessed @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @oliviah-25 @shelbycillian @bruher

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[justalonelyslytherin]

Legacies | Ten

Previous Chapter | Masterlist | Next Chapter

Pairing: Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x Kazansky!OC

Summary: Iceman is dead. At his funeral secrets are revealed. Hangman doesn't take this revelation too well, causing more hurt and heartbreak.

Warnings: military inaccuracies, mentions of dying, mentions of parental death/parental loss, funeral

Wordcount: 4k

If you enjoyed reading this, please consider leaving a comment or reblogging. I don’t allow for my content to be copied, translated, or reposted on other websites/apps. Please don’t steal my work.

A/N: Here it is. The big bad chapter. I hope you got your tissues ready. This was hard to write for me too. I wish I could promise that the next couple of chapters are going to make it better but I fear for now we are in the droughts before it can get better again. Feel free to slide into my asks if you need some pick-up or fluff to handle it in between the wait! There is so much more to say for this story and pairing.

Taglist: open, message me or comment to be added, will be put as reblog

So how do I say goodbye

To someone who's been with me for my whole damn life?

You gave me my name and the color of your eyes

I see your face when I look at mine

So how do I, how do I, how do I say goodbye?

Admiral Thomas ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet was dead.

The news had come unexpectedly, surprising everyone who hadn’t been part of the late Admirals closest circle and family. Grief over the loss of their Commander had taken the Navy by surprise. Many had met the aviator and worked with him over the course of his impressive and long career.

There wasn’t a single sailor in their branch that didn’t have something good to say about the man. He’d inspired many, friends and colleagues alike to the men serving under him.

Now he was gone.

The daggers shifted uneasily in their stiff formal uniforms, arranged in a line at the front with many other servicemen on the military graveyard. A large crowd had gathered today to honor the legend. 

Men and women had come flocking from every part of the US, some even from other parts of the world. And while a majority of them were in service uniforms, the uniformous dark silhouettes of civilians weren’t to be disregarded either.

Each one of them stood tall and proud, representing, their eyes remained forward as the ceremony was taking place. Maverick and Cyclone stood to the side of the casket, flanking the late Commander's family.

Jake hadn’t taken much notice of them, too occupied with standing still and occasionally also thinking about Ana. As the repeated ring of shots from the rifle detail sounded on, he couldn’t help but wonder how she was doing, certainly going through a similar ceremony saying goodbye to her father.

Once the honor guard had folded the American flag, Cyclone stepped forward to take over and represent Iceman’s widow with it. It was then that Jake’s eyes for the first time focused on her. And it was then that he noticed someone very familiar, clad in a black dress, just beside her.

It was Ana.

Red-rimmed eyes, even from this distance Hangman could see how heartbroken she was, her face barely holding the neutral expression she’d put on. The two women were holding hands, Ana clutching her mother’s hand and staring blankly at the casket.

As Cyclone stepped towards them they had to let go of one another. Ana’s eyes briefly broke away and turned to the side. She glanced at the flag only for a short moment, set to look away again. Her eyes strayed toward the crowd, and when they did they met his.

The eye contact didn’t last long but it was enough for Jake to realize who she was. He hadn’t been able to piece it together until now. A part of him hadn’t wanted to believe it to be her, but as she’d looked at him there was no denying it.

She was Kazansky’s daughter. The rumored Top Gun graduate who had changed her last name in order to hide her identity and to not be associated with her father.

Anger rose in the pit of Jake’s stomach. Fiery hot and acidic, it threatened to boil over and consume him. Disappointment settled into every cell of his, not that Jake would have been able to realize so as the anger masked any other sensation he could have felt. 

Ana’s eyes widened in surprise, the recognition that had settled over him now overcoming her. 

Her secret was out. 

Just as quickly as they had crossed she averted her eyes but Jake couldn’t help but continue staring at her. There was nowhere else he could look at now, than at her. 

She wouldn’t look toward him again.

Perhaps it was better so. Jake wasn’t sure he’d have been able to hold himself back had their eyes met once again. Even now the emotions in him boiled close to the surface still, eating away at his resolve and composure. His body was engulfed in flames. 

It was an ugly sensation, rotten and tainted. He felt betrayed. Hurt and angry. So many emotions swirled inside him, he couldn’t name them all. They blurred together to form one shifting, rising monster. Its low rumbles grew louder as its sharp talons dug into him, demanding to claw its way to the surface.

It was the betrayal that hurt the most. No small measure, she’d kept something as momentous as this from them. Their teammates. Their friends. Even after being asked about it, she’d feigned ignorance.

Navy funerals were short. They were straightforward and to the point. Jake barely caught the ending of it. As the group of sailors and civilians slowly dispersed he found himself once more looking out for Ana, rooted to his spot.

“Are you coming?” Halo stood beside him with an arched brow. 

“I’ll be there in a second.” Answer enough for Halo, she turned around and followed the already retreating group of their team members.

Their path led them through the rows of gravestones, toward the front of the lot where the guests were gathering, soon to split into the private mourning party for the following funeral meal and the soldiers and others who would return to work and their own lives.

But Jake couldn’t leave yet, even if he had assured Halo he’d follow. He hadn’t even looked at her during their short exchange, instead, his eyes had searched the crows for the familiar - or now not-so-familiar - person.  She couldn’t have moved past him, he’d seen.

At last, his sharp eyes found her. Ana remained motionless in front of the fresh grave, inconsolably staring at the spot her father had been lowered down mere minutes ago. His final resting place was covered in fresh soil. The dark color stood in contrast with the white marble headstone and the vibrant flowers the remaining family members had placed on top of it. Flower wreaths and bouquets would follow in the next few days, crowding every available space.

The dewy grass made soft noises, scrunching under his feet as Jake stepped toward her. Mere meters away from her he was when Ana looked up. A pang of empathy erupted in his chest, painfully spreading through him, worse than any bullet wound could ever hurt. He hated seeing her this sad and crushed.

Her cheeks were wet with streaks of tears, eyes red-rimmed. A quiet sniffle carried over to him guided by the soft breeze. It ruffled her hair, carefully tucked away in a bun that showed some dignity and semblance to her usually tidy and proper, uniform glad, appearance. Wisps of hair gradually loosened now hanging down, having been pulled out through bouts of nervosity and great emotional distress, framing her face, painted an altogether different picture for him.

Any notion of commiseration was overtaken by the wave of anger crashing over Jake in an even more violent way than during the ceremony. Failing to reel his emotions in, to shove them back into the deep pit he’d had them banished mere moments ago, he lost all control over himself. 

Any composure he’d had was gone and with it, his inhibitions and smart thinking had left as well. Jake would surely hate himself for it the second he’d step out of the cemetery but right now he couldn’t care less. 

“You lied.” The accusation was vile, thinly concealed anger brushing at his lips, demanding to be unleashed.

“I didn’t.”

“You did. You lied to all of us.” 

You lied to me

“It’s not what you think, Jake,” Ana whispered, her voice barely loud enough for the breeze to carry it.

“Oh?”, he scoffed, “Then what is it? Why do you think you didn’t lie to us? Does this not qualify as dishonesty?”

“All my life I have been the Admiral’s daughter. Kazansky’s youngest,” her own name was hard to voice out loud in this difficult time, reminding her too much of the loss. “Ever since I was little people looked at me and only saw my father’s daughter. They made it easy for me, treated me better, gave things to me just because I was who my name made me when all I always wanted was to be looked at and for them to not see my father’s daughter but me.

I wanted to just be me. Not Ana Kazansky, daughter of the famous Iceman.

Just Ana.”

There was a pause, a brief lull, in her explanation in which she looked at him with hopeful eyes. But the hostility with which he eyed her quickly had the hope wither away. She’d never seen him this distant and closed off, not even when he was fully immersed into being Hangman. 

“I knew I could never prove myself and achieve something on my own if I was known as the Admiral’s daughter. Everyone would say I didn’t work hard enough to get so far, that my father’s position got me everything. I didn’t want to be labeled a fraud and be accused of illicitly getting into the Academy and Top Gun. 

So I decided to become someone no one would know by taking my mother’s maiden name. 

I became no one.”

What was his entitlement to judge her on a decision she’d made for her life? Long before she’d ever known him or any of the others? She did not owe anyone but her parents and herself an explanation for her choice. Had she not done it, someone would have found fault in her decision either way.

Yet it hurt much worse for Jake to be this angry about it than any other person. She didn’t give a damn about a stranger's feelings on it and frankly even her colleagues and friends, yet why did it bother her so much to see him with his jaw tightly set in tension and nose scrunched in anger.

Jake kept quiet for too long. Her words echoed in his head. He didn’t want to understand her. His anger made him irrational, refusing to see any reason or logic in it. Even if he wanted to understand her, his anger wouldn’t let him. The monster that had grown deep inside him forbade him from doing so. It wouldn’t let him back down.

“And you think that makes a difference? You still deceived us.”

He forced himself to turn around without another word. One foot in front of another, mechanically he marched away from her. No, not entirely. 

Two more graves lay between them when he turned around once more. The small, fiercely fighting part of his good conscience had lost against the bitter, petty monster that was his hurt, his betrayed feelings, his anger.

“I suppose you won’t come back to finish the mission. Better like that anyway. We don’t need someone we don’t actually know in the air with us. We need someone we can trust.”

Ana watched him turn around, letting her stand there. He marched briskly, calculated steps carrying him through the narrow rows of graves toward the front of the cemetery.

All she could do was stare at the hat-clad back of his head and his tense, impossibly tight squared shoulder. Mind left reeling it felt like with his retreat he’d pulled the earth beneath her feet, plucking her into a dark, endless descent.

First, it were her lips that trembled as fresh tears misted over her eyes, then her hands, and soon her legs followed.  Ana felt the world coming down around her, its weight ready to crush her. Was she not already crushed? The loss of her father had felt like the worst pain she’d ever felt. A hole where her heart had been, she was sure it had been laid beneath the ground with his human remains.

Why then were it Hangman’s words that ultimately brought her to her knees? All strength drained from her limbs, her knees buckling beneath her as she slowly sank down. Down, down, down until she crouched there, head hung, arms wrapped around herself in a feeble attempt for comfort. The endless waterfall of tears dripped onto her knees, wetting the dark fabric of her dress.

Rooster clenched his fists beside his body, teeth churning as he watched her crumble to the ground. All because of him. Hangman. 

Unbeknownst to either of them he had watched their exchange from the distance that was the gravelly front of the graveyard. The attendees of the funeral all gathered there now. 

As Hangman reached the group that was the Daggers everything in him screamed to intercept his path. To knock the arrogant bastard onto his ass and punch a couple of his perfect white molars out. 

Even if Rooster had had his own differences and fights with Ana, she was still as close to a little sister as he could have and no one - but especially not Hangman - got to hurt her like that. Not when she was already hurting enough. He wanted to look out for her, albeit punching the blonde menace and causing a scene now weren’t the best way to do it. 

So instead he glowered at him, a death glare as strongly as Rooster could muster it, and in that he was a master. Hangman breezed past him and most of the rest of the group for that. The gravel under his feet crunched. While the others didn’t understand what was going on, they took the blonde’s initiative to also leave.

“Rooster, you coming?” Phoenix stepped beside him. Her eyes briefly went to the opposite side of the yard, where the private funeral party had gathered. The Kazansky’s. Maverick.

“Go on without me. I’ve got a ride back.”

Phoenix eyed him a moment longer than necessary, gauging his words before she nodded. They’d all come to the graveyard together, shuttled by a navy bus. Her hand briefly landed on his shoulder, squeezing him before she turned around, joining the rest of them on their way back to the bus.

Straightening his back Bradley walked over to the people he considered his extended family. Many of the familiar faces acknowledged him with small nods or waves and the more or less successful try of a smile mustered. He walked past most of them after a polite nod, aiming straight for his aunt Sarah.

Outwardly she seemed composed, her face embellished in the same stubborn mask Ana had worn during the procession. As he pulled her into a hug her composure grumbled and he felt her slump against him, softly crying. Bradley muttered his condolences into her ear, holding her tightly against him. 

He knew best how it was to lose someone important. They’d been there for him after he’d lost his father and their presence had been even stronger when he’d lost his mother to sickness and Maverick to betrayal. There wasn’t one moment in his life in which he remembered the Kazansky’s not being there for him. It was time to give some of this unwavering support back in this dire moment of need and hurt.

It took Ana a long while to calm down enough so she could stand up again. Even then her legs still trembled. It took her even longer to be ready to move. When she was, she felt still rattled, as if the glue that was holding her had come undone.

Hands clenched at her sides and her head turned downwards toward the grass beneath her feet, she was walking quickly. Bouts of electricity shot through her, one after the other feeling like she was shocked by an outside source.

The cemetery was mostly empty now, safe for her family. Before she could reach them another person stepped into her path. Her eyes traveled from the shined shoes, upward the crisp black pants toward the face she least expected to see.

Bradley stood across from her, the rest of the Daggers nowhere to see. A fact she was rather grateful for at the moment. Still, the sight of him put her on edge. She wouldn’t be able to handle it if Bradley were to treat her with hostility now as well.

To her big surprise, there was no harshness, no cold distance in his eyes. Not like the last time he had looked at her. Ever since their talk on the tarmac, he’d kept his distance from her. Either outright ignoring or avoiding. 

Entirely opposite now Bradley eyed her with warmth and compassion. He walked over to her, with every step he came closer Ana felt herself start to tremble again. By the time he reached her, her lips wobbled dangerously, eyes once more watery.

“Bradley,” she whimpered, falling into his arms as he enveloped her. Damned be the navy regulations on uniforms, she didn’t care as her hands clawed into the fabric of his jacket, holding on for dear life.

“Shh, Teds,” she heard him rumble, a strong and warm hand rubbing soothingly over her back.

“Do you think I was out of line not telling the team who Dad was?”

Doubts had started to gnaw at her the moment Hangman had accused her of it. She’d never seen it as lying to them, as being deceiving. What would that information have changed about her ability to fly the mission? What would have changed about her hard work?

Bradley pushed her back enough to be able to look into her tear-stained face. She looked miserable. Broken. 

Another wave of anger washed over him, silently cursing Hangman for causing this. Not long ago he had accused her of the same thing. In his anger over the situation and the close proximity with Maverick, he had misled and directed his anger toward her.

“No, you weren’t.” Reaching out he wiped away her tears and made sure she looked at him, that she saw the seriousness in his eyes.

“You did what was right for you, what was the right decision for you. You chose to do this long before any of them knew you. You didn’t do it to deceive anyone did you?”

She shook her head, sniffling quietly. 

“It is understandable that you didn’t want to be reduced to your familial connections or last name. No one can blame you for the choice you made to be yourself.” Bradley watched her lips tremble once more, eyes glossing over as new tears threatened to fall. Once more he pulled her into his embrace.

“You earned it. Every single thing you earned on your own. Your place at the Academy, graduating as one of their best students. You became a naval aviator. You got into Top Gun and graduated first place. That’s all your doing. You did that, all on your own and no one can take this from you.

On top of that you are an amazing person. Sure you are a great pilot but you are an even greater friend. Doesn’t matter if you are Ana Lawson or Ana Kazansky. The name doesn’t change who you are at your core. Anyone who can’t see and accept that isn’t worth it.”

Hangman wasn’t worth it. If that arrogant bastard couldn’t see who she was but more importantly who she was no matter her last name, then he didn’t deserve to be even in the same city as her.

Bradley didn’t want to pour more salt into the already irritated wound so he kept quiet about the blonde. Instead, he let her cry against his shoulder, the same way not long ago her mother had done so. If this was how he could help them, he’d let them soak every shirt he owned with their tears.

After a long silence in which Ana’s sobs had gradually lessened, she lifted her head off his shoulder. Her eyes were red and puffy, cheeks wet, hair even more mussed up. Softly Bradley brushed a piece of hair behind her ear before his hand at her back carefully guided her to the parking lot.

Ana stopped in her steps, refusing to move as she saw the practically empty lot. There weren’t any people to be seen. Where was her mother? Where were her siblings? Panic settled over her as her eyes frantically began to search the place up and down, and then a second time. But still, no one had remained.

“Where are they?” There was a panicked hitch in her voice. They hadn’t left them, her, had they? They wouldn’t have done that? Had she lost them now too?

“Hey, Teds, take a breath for me.” Bradley once more stepped in front of her, his hands settled on her shoulders, softly but firmly grabbing her there. He was keeping her from hyperventilating, from outright panicking.

“I told them to go ahead to the house and that I would bring you two back.” 

“Uncle Ron,” Ana breathed, her voice filling with emotion once more. She sidestepped Bradley, walking straight into the opened arms of Slider.

“Heya little chip.” The old nickname had her chuckle wetly and sniffle as she hugged him tightly. They hadn’t seen each other in a while, similarly to Maverick. She’d missed him just as much. Up and down Slider’s hand rubbed over her back in a comforting way. 

“I’m there for you Teddy. Always. If you need something, don’t hesitate to call me.” Ana nodded against her uncle’s chest. He’d always been her hero. Slider had never not been anything but utterly devoted to her and her siblings.

“I promised your dad I’d look after you if anything were to happen ever and I’m planning to uphold this promise. If I have to, I'll cross the entire planet for it.” 

Her heart warmed at this, the sensation was so strong it even overshadowed the pang of grief.

“Alright, now you two will get your asses into my car. Your mother will lynch me if we take too long.” 

Water gurgled as it filled the vase. Droplets of it escaped the crystalline brim, traveling down the outer edge of the vessel and ran over Ana’s fingers. The cold sensation stood in contrast to everything else. Over the course of the day she had gradually numbed down, drowning noises alike out.

As the water overflowed she glanced down at the tap, shutting it off. Some of the water she emptied again before she placed the vase on the counter beside her, where one bouquet of the many flowers they’d gotten laid. 

The big table in the dining room and the kitchen table were littered with them and stacks of condolence cards. It was overwhelming. As the flower slid into the vase, their stems submerging into the water, her mind drifted off once more.

Sighing heavily, she ultimately placed her hands down and let her head hang low.

“Mum?” The word left her lips hesitantly. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to utter the words, even less so to hear the answer. Her lips were dry and her throat tight. “Did I make a mistake?” Her shoulders started to shake, a sniffle leaving her lips.

“Did I make a mistake hiding my identity in the Navy? Did I–” She choked. 

“–did I hurt Dad with my decision?” Close to breaking down at the thought of it, Ana heard the kitchen chair behind her scrape over the floor. Then her mother's arms were around her, Sarah hugging her from the side. 

“Oh sweetheart, no. You didn’t make a mistake. You chose what was right.”

“Was it though?”

“Teddy, look at me,” Sarah softly asked, wiping the tear off her cheek. “Your father understood you. More than you believe.”

“You resemble him in so many ways,” sadness overcame her mother’s features as she looked at her, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. “You are so alike, he was exactly the same when he was your age. Wanted to prove himself and make it on his own. There was never a moment in which he wasn’t proud of you and standing fully behind your every decision.”

Looking at her mother with tear-streaked cheeks and heaving shoulders Ana couldn’t help but sob again. It felt like crying was the only thing she had done ever since.

“I miss him, Mom,” she whimpered, hiding her face on her mother’s shoulder.

“I do too, my sweet little girl.

He is looking down on us from above now. Watching out for us. Don’t ever think he won’t be there with you, for you.”

[goldenseresinretriever]

You Catch More Bees With Honey: Chapter 18

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Reader

Part of the San Diego Dogfighters universe

Summary: Bradley Bradshaw, blindsided by a team he trusted like family has been traded to the San Diego Dogfighters. Across the country from the place he calls home, Bradley feels lost and betrayed. Not to mention the familiar faces and ghosts from his past that he now has to face every day at work. Bradley’s caught between wanting to show his former team the mistake they made in double-crossing him and wondering if it’s time to hang up his skates after one final season. You’re living your dream as the PR representative for the Dogfighters. When Coach Maverick made a bid to bring his godson to the team, you hadn’t batted an eye. Bradley was a good teammate, and a good player. Unfortunately, the Bradley that shows up in San Diego is nothing like your research suggested. He’s moody, irritable, aggressive, and angry, throwing a wrench in all your careful planning. What’s caused such a drastic change in him? And can you figure out how to help him before he makes a mistake you can’t fix?

Series CW: 18+ ONLY, swearing, dead parents, drunkenness, alcohol consumption, violence, sports violence, blood probably, angst, fluff, eventual smut, age gap (28 and 38), enemies to lovers, suggestive language, hockey inaccuracies etc. There will be individual chapter warnings. No use of Y/N.

Word Count: 4k

A/N: This is a repost of my completed series, You Catch More Bees With Honey. It was originally posted in November-March 2023, and was lost when my blog was deleted.

Previous Chapter // Series Masterlist // Next Chapter

The energy in the arena this evening is electric. Bradley recognizes it even if his teammates don’t. It happens anytime he plays the Boston Bruins. He had hoped it was exclusive to Philadelphia but this confirms that it’s him they’re buzzing for, not his former team. What they expect to see, he’s not sure. His mind tries to convince him it has everything to do with the two former Bruins in the building, Tom “Iceman” Kazansky and Beau “Cyclone” Simpson.” Maybe they expect him to lose it? To let out almost four decades of rage and resentment, but why would he? He doesn’t harbor any of those towards the players warming up on the other side of the rink. None of them were playing that day. It was thirty-six years ago, after all.

He’s seen the video, of course, grainy and not the best quality yet you can clearly make out the defenseman that lands the hit on Maverick before Nick Bradshaw steps in. He wasn’t a defenseman. No, Bradley’s father wasn’t built to be a defenseman. Where Bradley’s all hunking muscle and broad shoulders, his father was slender, their only common physical trait being their height. Nick Bradshaw was a right winger and he shouldn’t have tried to fight that defenseman from Boston. They called him Goose in the league because he was always sticking his neck out for Maverick. Bradley hates hearing the nickname now. It leaves a sour taste in his mouth as he thinks about how avoidable it all was. If his father hadn’t gone after that defenseman, he wouldn’t have lost his helmet. He wouldn’t have crashed into the boards with the force of the hit. He wouldn’t have been discharged without a proper concussion diagnosis. He wouldn’t have dropped dead in his kitchen in front of his wife two days later from an unprecedented brain hemorrhage.

So no, Bradley doesn’t harbor any hatred for the Boston Bruins. He harbors it towards Pete Mitchell and he studiously tries to ignore his assistant coach’s eyes that he can feel on him. Instead, he focuses on the other pair of eyes he can feel. You look beautiful tonight, dressed in a smart-looking lavender skirt suit. It hugs your curves in all the right places and he’s selfishly looking forward to taking it off you later tonight. He can see you brush your hair away from your cheek, irritated. While for the most part, you’ve been enjoying your new, shorter cut, he’s caught you on more than one occasion attempting to sweep the strands into your signature ponytail only to find that you can’t anymore.

“What’s with the crowd tonight?” Javy asks Jake and Bradley turns as Jake nods towards him. Javy arches a dark eyebrow at Bradley.

“Him? What about you, Bradshaw?” Javy asks as Mickey and Reuben skate over, Bradley grimaces.

He hesitates before he answers, “It’s always like this when I play Boston,” he explains. “My dad’s accident was during a game against the Bruins.” He sighs. “It always feels like they're waiting for something but I don't know what. Whether it's for me to follow in his footsteps or for me to take some kind of revenge I don’t even want, I have no idea.” He shrugs before regarding the mixture of somber and surprised expressions. “It’s just another game, let’s win it.” He says and Jake nods in agreement.

***

The game has been exactly as he’d said, just like any other game. He could tell the other Dogfighters were mildly off put by the strange atmosphere but after he and Jake had reiterated that it was just another game, they seemed to have settled. The crowd continues to feel like it’s holding its breath and now Bradley’s tempted to join them.

They’re setting up for a faceoff after Boston iced the puck, Jake standing face-to-face with one of Boston’s centers. One of the other defensemen to his right is looking into the stands and Bradley’s uninterested until he speaks up. “Did you get a load of San Diego’s PR? What a smoke show, I bet her pussy’s as tight as her attitude.” Bradley stiffens and he watches the other guys, Jake included, follow suit. He grits his teeth, trying to control his temper even as he feels a surge of angry solidarity from his teammates. He thinks he’s just managed to reign himself in when the center opposite Jake smirks back at the defenseman, his expression oily.

“Eh, I hit that back when she was with Jacksonville, she wasn’t that great.” His smirk widens as he watches the Dogfighters tense up, basking in the daggers everyone within earshot is currently sending his way. Bradley can feel the anger inside him chafing at its leash as he struggles to keep it in check, to push aside the center's crude words that is until he keeps running his mouth. “You’re more than welcome to my sloppy seconds, though.” The leash snaps and Bradley barely remembers to toss his gloves aside as he tackles the center across from Jake. It’s an illegal hit, the puck wasn’t even in play, he knows that but he can’t see through his rage as he lands hit after hit on Boston’s center. He hears a shout of anger from the direction of the defenseman who made the original comment on you and then a cry of pain as the ice descends into madness. It’s a full-on brawl as the Dogfighters and Bruins go head-to-head. He can hear the whistles of the refs and shouts to break up the fight but he can’t see anything but the smirking face beneath his fists. When he pauses to catch his breath, the center spreads his bloody lips in a gross grin as he spits in Bradley’s face. “What’s wrong, big guy?” He smirks at Bradley’s red face now splattered with a combination of his saliva and blood as Bradley’s blood boils at the use of the nickname. “Upset Barbie isn’t a virgin?” Bradley doesn’t speak at first, his rage passing through him in a wordless, feral growl and he watches as fear flashes through the center’s eyes for a split second.

“Shut the FUCK up about my girlfriend, you worthless piece of shit.” The words are just as much of a growl, almost inhuman as he hurls them into the center’s face. He watches humor war with fear in the other man’s blue eyes as he realizes his mistake. “You talk about her? Look at her? So much as THINK about her? I’ll fucking KILL you.” His voice is so quiet he knows only the two of them heard it and then fear wins the war in those blue eyes as they see something in Bradley’s that wins the turbulent war in his head. He grabs at where Bradley has the collar of his jersey fisted in his hands, trying to remove them, but Bradley tosses him to the ice like a rag doll, standing to his feet just as the firm, furious fingers of the ref clasp his upper arm like a band of iron.

“That’s enough, #84, you’re done for the night.” He makes to drag Bradley to the bench but Bradley follows without resisting. At some point, he lost his helmet during the fight and his curls are stuck to his forehead with a combination of his sweat and the various fluids the center spit onto his face. He didn’t hand a single hit on Bradley other than that. He looks around to see the other Dogfighters in various states of injury being led off the ice. Mickey gives him a hard look, nodding firmly as if to thank Bradley for what he did. Jake meets his eyes at the bench as Bugs checks him out. There’s a shallow cut on his forehead that she’s assessing and his nose looks broken. When the ref releases Bradley, Jake reaches out to clasp his hand.

“Whatever anyone else says?” He says, tone even despite the heavy rising and falling to his chest. “You did what we all would have done. It was the right thing to do.” Bugs scowls at him, pinching his ear slightly before turning to Bradley.

“You okay, Bradley? Anything I need to look at before you get in the box?” He shakes his head as he looks around, the haze he was in early wearing off. Jake seems to understand as he supplies,

“Ten minutes for misconduct for every player on the ice.” Bradley’s eyebrows raise.

“EVERY player?” Jake gives him his signature cocky smile.

“You even got Bob to fight,” He nods in the direction of the goalie who’s currently being chewed out by his coach and girlfriend. He doesn’t get a chance to respond as Dare walks up.

“Bradley, what the hell was that?” She’s wearing an expression that’s partly irritation but mostly concern.

Bradley shrugs. “He was mouthing off, I didn’t like it.” Dare shakes her head before pinching the bridge of her nose. “Well don’t bother going to the box, you’re out for the rest of the game. You’ll be lucky if you’re not out for the next few let alone the rest of the season.” Bradley doesn’t say anything but shakes his head as Jake grimaces.

“I’m serving my penalty with my team first.” He watches Dare’s face soften with surprise before she nods curtly.

“Get over there then. Jake, you too.” She calls out to Bob as well as Bradley skates towards the box. As he climbs in, he takes a good look around at the other three guys in there. Javy’s got a split lip but he grins at the sight of Bradley, extending a fist out of sight of the cameras. The penalty box wasn’t designed for this many players at once. Bradley bumps his fist, subtly before turning to Mickey, who gives him a tired and tight-lipped smile.

“I know why you did it,” he says and he sounds exhausted. “I would have done it too. I just hope you’re ready to live with the consequences. She deserves a hell of a lot better than cleaning up after your messes.” Bradley’s heart stops at his words, instantly turning to look back at the bench. He hadn’t seen you when the ref brought him back, and you’re not there now.

“She’s talking with the reps, trying to see how they're going to punish you for starting that fight,” Reuben explains from where he’s sitting. Bradley feels his shoulders drop. He’s given you a reason to worry yet again. He keeps giving you reasons to worry.

“I need to talk to her,” he says and Mickey snorts.

“Get in line.” His normally cheerful expression is stormy. Bradley frowns at the change.

“What?” Mickey looks at him, his brown eyes dark with exhaustion. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“I’m tired of seeing her cry, man,” Mickey says, fire licking to life in his eyes with anger. “And I’m sick and fucking tired of seeing her cry over you.” Bradley’s blood runs cold. You were CRYING? He’d made you cry again? He curses under his breath but doesn’t have a chance to say anything as the door to the box opens and Bob and Jake shove themselves in. It’s a tight squeeze but they manage.

“While I’d normally be touched by your sudden bout of sportsmanship and loyalty, this box wasn’t meant for six,” Jake says with a playful grin on his lips even as he presses tighter against Bradley.

“Did you see Zam by any chance?” Bradley asks instead of commenting on Jake’s statement. Jake’s expression clouds as he chooses his words carefully.

“Yeah, she was understandably upset but I’m sure everything will be okay once you explain what happened.” He reaches out to squeeze Bradley’s shoulder in the cramped space but it doesn’t make him feel any better. He needs to find you. He needs to talk to you. He needs to be sure you’re okay.

***

At the end of the longest ten minutes of his life, Bradley heads down the tunnel in search of you. Normally, he’d be led down by a coach but Dare’s busy with the game and Maverick was sent off to talk to Cyclone and Ice about how to move forward. When he reaches the hallway at the end of the tunnel, he’s not sure where to check first but he doesn’t have to decide as you round the corner. Your face is puffy from crying though Bradley can tell you’re trying your best to hide it. On his skates, he towers over you. As he crosses the space over to you your eyes widen in surprise at seeing him. His heart breaks a little as you step back, almost like you’re afraid of him and he pulls up short as much as his body is screaming to pull you into his arms. He can barely hold himself back when he sees your lower lip tremble as you regard him warily.

“Honey, please, please don’t cry.” He urges, trying to resist the urge to cross the distance between the two of you. Restless and confused, he shoves a hand into his unruly curls, chest heaving with anxiety. You don’t say anything, simply watching him as he watches the lights wink out slowly in your eyes. “Honey, say something, you’re killing me, please.” That makes your lips move but all that comes out is an exhausted and dead laugh. It sends a chill down his spine.

“I’m killing YOU? Bradley, you promised me this was over. You promised me no more fighting.” His heart breaks in two, sinew snapping as he struggles to push the pieces back together.

“Honey, I know, I know I promised, I just-“

“No.” The word is so firm it shakes him to his core. “No Bradley, I can’t. I can’t do this anymore.”

“What?” His voice is dry and unfamiliar as the words tear past his lips. Never in his wildest dreams had he considered that he’d screwed up this badly.

He sees the pain twist your features even as your trembling lips set in a firm line. “I can’t live every day of my life, scared to lose someone else.” He feels like the breath has been punched out of his lungs as he stumbles back at the weight of your words. “I’ve spent the past eight years, afraid to let anyone in, afraid to get too close to anyone because I was scared I was going to lose them too. And then you came along and you showed me how to love again. You showed me it's okay to let people in. And I thought it could be different,” he watches the last bit of light wink out of your eyes and your shoulders slump with so much exhaustion that Bradley just wants to take the weight, for you to lean on him and let him carry you.

“It can be, Honey, I swear it can be. This is different, I can be different. I never want to hurt you, Honey.” He feels tears burning the backs of his eyes as he struggles to hold onto you, the best thing that’s been in his life all year, in all his years, truly.

“Then don’t.” You swallow and he watches you fight back tears of your own. “Stop hurting me and let me go, Bradley. I’m so tired of losing people. I can’t lose you too, so just let me let you go, please.” He never did stand a chance when you begged. He stands aside when you push past him and when the sound of your heels has retreated far enough that he can’t hear you anymore, he falls to his knees.

***

He’s not sure how long he’s been there, the picture of a fallen soldier but a hand finally closes over his shoulder. He looks up, not sure who he’s expecting but starts at the sight of a pair of blue-green eyes.

“You okay, kid?” Maverick’s voice is careful, cautious as if he’s trying not to spook a horse. Bradley’s too exhausted to reply, or even shrug his enormous shoulders. The two of them stay in that position, Mav’s hand on his shoulder until Bradley finally finds the words.

“She left me.” He barely makes it to the end of the sentence before his voice breaks. Maverick’s quiet for a minute, considering his words before he replies.

“She’ll come back.” Bradley chokes out a twisted excuse for a laugh, the sound dry and broken.

“You didn’t.” Maverick’s quiet for another long moment before he replies.

“She’s smarter than I am. Than I was,” he adds.

“She’s scared,” Bradley says then, unsure why he’s opening up to Maverick but right now he doesn’t know what else to do. “She thinks she’s going to lose me too.”

“I know the feeling,” Maverick says then. “It’s a valid fear.”

“She’s not the only one who doesn’t want to be left.” He says then, fists curling at his side. “I don’t want to lose her, because if I lose her,” he takes a sharp breath that pierces every one of his vital organs on the way in, unable to finish the thought. The two of them stay silent for a long moment before Bradley speaks again. “Trade me.” Maverick starts in surprise, his fingers curling tighter into Bradley’s jersey. “Please,” Bradley turns then, gripping the older man’s hand in his, even as Maverick holds onto Bradley’s jersey. “Please just get me out of here. I can’t be here. I can’t be here if I don’t have her, I can’t.”

“No.” Maverick’s words are firm even as he pulls his godson closer. “Take it from someone who knows a thing or two about leaving? Don’t run. Stay, fight for her. Fight for her because she’s everything.”

Bradley shakes his head. “She doesn’t want me. And if I lose her, I won’t have anyone.” Maverick grips his chin with his free hands forcing Bradley to look at him.

“Today, more than anything, proved that’s not true. You have a team that stands behind you, that wants to fight for you. That’s not nothing, and don’t you ever dare say it is.” His blue-green eyes are blazing with a fire that Bradley’s never seen. “Zam’s upset right now and she has every right to be. She’s scared of you leaving, so prove her wrong. Show her you can stay. Be the man I never could be. Tell her you’re sorry. Apologize, but don’t you dare leave her.” Shame washes over Bradley as he realizes what he’s just done. His shoulders shake as a son wracks his body and the tears he’s been fighting back break free. Maverick slides to his knees then, gathering his godson in his arms, and Bradley’s too tired to resist. “I know this doesn’t change the fact that I left,” Maverick whispers into his ear as he cradles the much larger man. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but you don’t deserve to make the same mistakes I once made. If I can prevent you from doing that, it’s the least I can do for you.

***

Bradley’s not sure he’s ever been in Iceman’s office. It’s on the top floor of the arena all by itself. The room is full, both his coaches standing on either side of him, with Cyclone pacing back and forth behind them as they wait. The chair next to Bradley is currently unoccupied and Iceman waits patiently as Cyclone grumbles and occasionally looks at the door. It's been less than twenty-four hours since the game against Boston. The Dogfighters barely edged them out at the last minute, Mickey scoring the winning point with an assist from Jake. Maverick told Bradley to go home after his breakdown, and so he hasn’t seen you since. The door opens with a click and he looks up to see you enter. You look exhausted. You’re wearing a suit in a soft butter yellow that doesn’t suit your darkened mood. There are smudges under your eyes that say you haven’t slept and Bradley’s heart clenches. He wants nothing more than to go to you and guide you into his lap but he forces his hands to remain in his lap as you cross the room, not looking at him and instead locking eyes with Iceman.

“Five games,” you announce and the pressure in the room releases like a heavy breath. “He’s suspended for five games.”

“How the hell did you manage that?” Everyone’s heads turn to where Cyclone has stopped his pacing. You look too tired to manage conversation right now and instead give him a tired shrug.

“I’m good at my job.” Bradley’s heart swims with pride even as it aches at the exhaustion that he can hear hanging off your every word. Cyclone shakes his head in astonishment before nodding curtly to you.

“Good work, then.” You turn to Iceman, placing a folder on his desk.

“That’s a summary of the official terms as well as summaries of the phone calls I made so we don’t get our wires crossed. As Beau said, we’re very lucky that this is all the penalty that Bradley’s facing. There’s also a pay cut taken out of his annual salary but nothing he can’t handle. The other guys are all off the hook.” Bradley’s stomach turns at the idea of his teammates potentially having to take a punishment as well for his actions. You look around the room, purposefully avoiding him before clasping your hands in front of you and turning to Iceman once again. “If that’s everything, allow me to excuse myself. We have a game tomorrow to prepare for, regardless of whether Bradshaw’s playing in it.” BRADSHAW. He hates the way you use his last name like it removes all emotion from the equation. It’s the way you used to address him when you were irritated with him, back when he was just a problem that needed solving. It’s what he feels like now. Iceman dismisses you and you exit the room without another word.

“She needs to go home, Tom. She’s no use to us exhausted.” Dare speaks up then and Iceman turns to her, raising a blonde eyebrow in curiosity. “Zam spent all night on the phone with the Department of Player Safety. It’s a wonder she got us the deal that she did. She’s done her part, she needs to go home and get some rest.” You’d been here all night? You’re wearing a different suit than you had been last night but knowing you, you have an extra stashed somewhere in your office for emergencies. Once again Bradley wants nothing more than to take you home and tuck you into bed where you’ll be safe, but he’s forfeited the right to do so. Guilt gnaws at him as Ice nods and Dare heads after you, squeezing Bradley’s shoulder before she goes. He hasn’t had a chance to talk to her about everything yet, but he has a feeling that Maverick’s filled her in.

When the door clicks shut behind Dare, Ice turns to Bradley and he starts in surprise at the twinkle of humor in the older man’s eyes as he regards Bradley silently. “You’re a lucky man, Bradley Bradshaw.” He says after a long moment. “She fought for you, better make it worth her while don’t you think?” Bradley nods firmly, trying to ignore the shame that’s worming its way into his chest at the idea of you on the phone all night, fighting for him even after you begged him to let you let him go.

“Yes, sir.” Ice nods back and the room is silent for a long moment, the other two men in the room having nothing to contribute to this seemingly private conversation.

“Good luck, Bradley.” He says, mouth curling up at the edge and Bradley feels a flutter of hope in his chest. “I think I speak for everyone in this room and on this team when I say I’m rooting for you.”

[callsigndragon]

A Rebel In My Soul | Chapter 4: Three Minutes

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Fem!Mitchell!Reader

Word count: 3.2k

Warnings: swearing, brief mentions of death, someone's being an asshole, fluff, angst, enemies to lovers, slow burn. HANGMAN'S POV (again)

Summary: Y/N "Rebel" Mitchell is one of the best aviators of her generation. She grew up hearing the adventures and stories of Maverick, her father, that he used as bedtime stories. She became an aviator with her best friend Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw and now both of them have to come back to the Top Gun Academy for an important mission. Only the best of the best is called for this mission, including the southern idiot called Jake "Hangman" Seresin. Both of you had hated each other since day one. Now, having to work together once more, you count the days for this mission to be over, not only to never see Hangman again, but to also cut all connections again with your father.  

Taglist: @theprettytragic @thatoneweirdhorsegirl913 @shrimping-for-all @inky-sun @popcrone818 @blue-aconite @milestellerwife

(If you want to be added to the taglist comment or send me a message!)

A/N: Thank you so much for all the love you give to this series! Things are getting a bit angsty but it's necessary, i swear. Also, i think this whole series is the epitome of "she fell first, but he fell harder". Comments are welcomed

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An hour after Hangman leaves, and tired of seeing Rooster flirt with every moving thing that walks in the bar, you get ready to leave. You kind of wished that Hangman would have stayed a bit longer. It was nice talking to him. It felt like discovering a new side of him. You exit the bar, grabbing the keys of your bike when your phone beeps inside your pocket. You look at it, the name on the screen making you smile.

Iceman.  

Iceman: Honey, you cannot mop the floor with your father’s ass on the first day.  

You: I was just doing my job 

Iceman: Breaking the hard deck?  

You: you know too much to be on a medical leave.  

Iceman: I brought you two here, of course I know what you’re up to.  

You smile. Iceman recommended you two to Cyclone when the mission was brought up. He knew that if someone was able to do the job, it would be his nephews. Yeah, he always called you that. You remember spending your summers in Iceman’s house, watching in awe how your father and him argued about who was right and who wasn’t every time that someone brought up a memory. He was like the cool Uncle you’ve never had.  

He was the one that told you that, even if your father was against it, you should be a pilot. You had it in you, it was in your blood. And God knows that the world needs more amazing pilots like Maverick.  

You: He tried to fix years of resentment in a dog fight, Ice. Can you believe it? 

Iceman: Actually, I can. That’s your father’s style.  

You: He almost got us killed.  

Iceman: And yet I heard that he was the one to pull up first.  

You: You really know too much.  

Iceman: You need to forgive your father, y/n.  

He was one of the few that used your name and not your call sign. It made you feel like a child sometimes. But for him, you where his little girl.  

You: If he wants me to forgive him, he needs to explain why he did it.  

Iceman: He won’t tell you. 

You: Do you know why?  

Iceman: Yes, honey. I know why he did it.  

You: Could you tell me?  

Iceman: I wish I could... but it has to be him 

You: Yeah... you’re right. How you holding up?  

Iceman: I’m better. I can even talk a little.  

You: That’s amazing, Uncle Ice! I’m so so happy for you.  

Iceman: How’s Rooster? Is he doing okay?  

You: He’s still too cautious for his own good. He’s having problems following the rest.  

Iceman: He needs to be faster...  

You: Yeah... 

Iceman: Be careful out there, okay? And don’t be mean to the other kids.  

You: I’m not the mean one?  

Iceman: Do I have to remind you that time you threw Rooster in my pool because he said that you were tiny?  

You: He’s the giant.  

Iceman: As I said, don’t be mean to the other kids.  

You: Okay, Uncle Ice. See you soon. Love ya 

Iceman: Love you too, kiddo.  

You wish you had time to visit him, but all this hard work is making you exhausted and you barely have time to breathe. You’ll try to visit him next week, before the mission.  

You turn the engine, but it doesn’t budge. Come on, not again. This stupid bike... You still have it because it was your first bike and it’s special. Lately, though, it’s giving you more troubles than anything.  

After several more tries, the engine comes back to live and you leave the bar quickly. Once this mission ends, you’re throwing this old yellow junk away and getting a new one.  

The following day, you’re in the briefing room, ready to learn what this mission is all about. There’s no one else here. You sit down, closing your eyes for a few seconds and praying to whoever is listening for this mission to not be as suicidal as you have heard.  

People all over the base seem to know what’s up. Whenever you or the other pilots enter a building, they are looking at you with admiration in their eyes. There’s also compassion. They know something that you and the rest ignore, and it’s honestly scaring the shit out of you.  

“Morning, Rebel.” you hear Hangman say.  

“Morning.”  

You don’t open your eyes, focused on the sound of his steps. He stops next to you, though. The leather of the seat crunching as he leans over it.  

“Are you okay?”  

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’m just a little tense.” you admit, opening your eyes to see him. He has a tender look in his eyes accompanied by a reassuring smile. He moves his hand from the seat, patting your shoulder softly.  

“It’ll be okay.” For some reason, Hangman’s words make you calm a little. You nod, smiling a bit. You’re about to thank him when both of you hear Rooster’s voice outside the room. Hangman moves away as fast as lightning and sits on the other row of chairs.  

Rooster sits next to you, nudging you with his elbow. “Chin up, Reb.”  

You’re not even worried about the mission anymore. You just want to know what’s Hangman’s deal. He’s been nice to you for the past 24 hours. Can someone change that quickly? And why, of all the possible people, has decided to show you this side?  

You glance at him. He’s talking with Coyote; he had entered just after Rooster. Hangman’s signature cocky smile it’s present again, probably followed by some conceited comments on his skills. Your mind goes back to yesterday. His sweet, irresistible smile. The warmth of his laugh. How his voiced lacked that usual narcissistic tone, the feeling of his skin against yours. You’d be lying if you said you haven’t been thinking about it all night.  

Rumor has it that a little someone had a crush on Jake Seresin when she saw him for the first time. He was young, attractive, a bit of a ladies’ man back there. But your stupid young heart didn’t care about it. For better or worse, nothing happened back there, Hangman soon enough prove himself to be a complete idiot.  

Now you look at him, and you think that maybe, just maybe, people can change.  

“Time is your greatest enemy.” says Maverick, explaining, at last, the target of this mission. “Phase one of the mission will be a low-level ingress attacking in two-plane teams. You’ll fly along this narrow canyon to your target. Radar-guided surface-to-air missiles defend the area. These sams, they’re lethal. But they were designed to protect the skies above, not the canyon below.” 

Every single pilot in the room turns to look at someone, consternation evident in their eyes. You look at Rooster, his eyes fixated on the screen.  

“That’s because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them.” Rooster states what everyone is thinking. 

“That’s exactly what I’m gonna train you to do.”  

Rooster looks at you this time, raising an eyebrow. Yeah, this is some classic Maverick bullshit. 

“Great, another suicide mission.” you mutter under your breath.  

“On the day, your altitude will be 100 feet maximum. You exceed this altitude; radar will spot you and you’re dead.”  

“100 feet?” your friend whispers to you.  

“Roos, this is impossible.” you whisper back. 

“Your airspeed will be 660 knots minimum. Time to target: two and a half minutes. That’s because fifth-generation fighters wait at an air base nearby. In a head-to-head with these planes in your f-18s, you’re dead. That’s why you need to get in, hit your target and be gone before these planes even have a chance of catching you. This makes time your greatest adversary.”  

You look at Hangman, he seems to be enjoying the information. He's probably going to try to be the first one to get it.  

You almost laugh when Maverick says that today “we’ll be easy”.  

Max ceiling: 300 feet. Time to target: three minutes.  

And that’s supposed to be easy.  

Gradually, all of the team gets a chance to try to make it on time, following the parameters and the course marked on the screen. To say that this is almost impossible is to say something. None of your teammates make it on time to target, some of them surpass the 300-foot ceiling, some of them crushed an imaginary rock wall. You make it on time with only a second to spare, but you know that you have to be, at least, 30 seconds faster on the day if you want to survive. Rooster also manages to make it to target, but he is one minute late. Maverick is going to address that and you know it. So, when you enter again the briefing room after all of you had completed the exercise, you prepare yourself for the worst.  

Maverick projects on the screen a simulation of Coyote, Phoenix and Bob’s exercise. You watch how the miscommunication of the team makes them fail.  

“Why are they dead?” asks Maverick once the simulation is over.  

“We broke the 300-foot ceiling and a Sam took us out.” explains Phoenix.  

“No. Why are they dead?” Maverick moves to Coyote, knowing that he’s the one that needs to give an explanation here.  

“I slowed down and didn’t give her a warning. It was my fault.” 

“Was there a reason you didn’t communicate with your team?” Maverick is harsh with his words, but you have to agree that this would have been a successful exercise if they had communicated between them.  

“I was focusing on...” Coyote tries to explain but Maverick cuts in.  

“One that their family will accept at their funeral.” 

Auch. That one hurts, old man.  

“None, sir.” 

Maverick moves again to talk to Phoenix.  

“Why didn’t you anticipate the turn? You were briefed on the terrain.”  

Phoenix doesn’t have time to speak.  

“Don’t tell me. Tell it to his family.” 

He turns to the screen, changing to the next simulation: Hangman, Payback and Fanboy. You’re honestly not surprised that Hangman tries to be the fastest and leaves the other two behind. He lives up to his name.  

“What happened?” Maverick asks to Hangman.  

“Well, I flew as fast as I could. Kind of like my ass depended on it.” responds Hangman, proud and conceited yet again. You’re beginning to think he has two different personalities.  

“And you put your team in danger, and your wingman’s dead.” Rooster interjects, not giving Maverick time to scold the blonde man.  

“They couldn’t keep up.” retorts back Hangman. Seriously, two personalities.  

“Are you serious?” you ask aloud. Hangman looks at you, smirking before looking at the screen where Maverick has your simulation ready. You look closely, observing and taking mental notes of the places where you should be more careful, and the ones you could be faster.  

“This is a great example of how is done. We only need to be faster here. Good job, Rebel.” Maverick praises you, and you nod awkwardly. You haven’t been praised by your father in years, and it feels strange. 

The last simulation shows up. Rooster, Yale and Harvard move through the course at a slower speed than required. They make it to target, but at this speed, they’ll have to dog fight their way out. 

“Why are you dead? You’re team leader up there. Why are you, why is your team dead?” Maverick asks, and you can feel in his tone that he is somehow disappointed. He did expect more than this from Goose’s son.  

“Sir, he’s the only one besides Rebel who made it to the target.” butts in Phoenix, trying to give credit to Rooster.  

“A minute late. He gave enemy aircraft time to shoot him down.” 

“You don’t know that.” Rooster affirms. Well, if the situation was different, and you had some enemies doing that course and they ended one minute late, you would have had time to make it to their position. Maverick’s right.  

“You’re not flying fast enough. You don’t have a second to waste.” 

“We made it to the target.” Rooster tone is dangerous. He is fuming.  

“And superior enemy aircraft intercepted you on your way out.” Maverick is trying to reason, trying to explain to Rooster why he’s wrong. And you hate to admit it, but your friend needs to leave the resentment aside and listen.  

“Then it’s a dog fight.”  

“Against fifth-generation fighters.” 

“Yeah. We’d still have a chance.” 

“In an f-18." 

“It’s not the plane, sir, it’s the pilot.” 

“Exactly!”  

“There’s more than one way to fly this mission.”  

“Roos...” you try to stop this conversation, both of them are heating up and you don’t want them to cause a scene in front of the team.  

“You really don’t get it. On this mission a man flies like Maverick here, or a man does not come back. No offense intended.” says Hangman. Yeah, he must have hit his head against something yesterday and his real persona is coming back.  

“Yet somehow, you always manage.” Bob adds, always ready to say something against Hangman.  

“Look, I don’t mean to criticize. You’re conservative, that’s all.” begins Hangman and you know he really means every single word he’s saying.  

“Lieutenant.” Maverick tries to stop this conversation, but Hangman keeps talking. 

“We’re going into combat, son, on a level no living pilot’s ever seen. Not even him. That’s no time to be thinking about the past.” he says his last sentence looking directly to Rooster. What is he implying? Wait, thinking about the past? Does he know about Goose? Does he know that Maverick flew with him? Wait... does he know that Maverick is your father? Is that why he’s been so nice to you? Your brain moves fast, remembering how he began to be a decent human towards you after the dog fight. He knows. And if he had any suspicion left you must have solved it when you told him about the old man trying to pull your papers. How could you have been so stupid?  

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asks Rooster. 

“You better stop talking, Hangman.” you say, already knowing how bad this is going to end.  

“Rooster.” Maverick is trying to stop one of the men, but none of them are having it.  

“I can’t be the only one that knows that Maverick flew with his old man” 

“Lieutenant, that’s enough” 

“Or that Maverick was flying when his old man...” 

Hell breaks loose. Rooster gets up of his chair and grabs Hangman by the collar, ready to punch him in the face. Luckily, the rest of the team is fast enough to stop them. Maverick steps between them, you grab Rooster by the arm and the rest try to separate them. 

“That’s enough” Maverick shouts. 

“You’re a disgusting piece of shit.” you say getting closer to him, but Bob grabs you before you can do something crazy.  

“You son of a bitch!” Rooster shouts. You’ve never seen him this angry.  

“I’m cool, I'm cool. Hey, hey” says Hangman, smiling. He’s a complete idiot.  

“That’s enough” 

“He’s not cut out for this mission.” Hangman looks at Maverick, a proud smile on his face. “You know it. You know I'm right.” 

“You’re all dismissed” Maverick’s words make you leave the room faster than the rest. You’re almost running, hoping that Hangman enters in the locker room. You see him turning and entering the room. You walk in there without thinking.  

“Hangman!” 

“Whoah, Reb, what’s u-”  

You slap him in the face before he can even end the sentence. He looks betrayed, in some way. As if he wasn’t expecting that you, from all the people, were the one that would end up punching him. He touches his cheek, a dry chuckle leaves his mouth before looking at you.  

“If you just think about Rooster’s father ever again, I swear to God it will be ten times worse the next time”  

“What are you gonna do? Tell Daddy that some kid is being bad with your friend?” Hangman’s mocking tone hurts more than anything. You feel the disappointment in your heart, twisting it. Do you really thought that someone like Hangman could change? How stupid.  

“You know” 

“Do you think people are so stupid that they cannot put two and two together?” his voice is raising in anger.  

“Does everyone know?!”  

“Yes. Everyone knows. It’s not that hard to see. The attitude, the way he talks to you, how you do the exact same things. You’re just like your father”  

“I’m not like him” you whimper with tears in your eyes. You can’t be like him. You just can’t.  

“You sure? Cause the way I see it, you’re just daddy’s little trouble maker”  

“I thought you were different. I thought you were being nice to me because you wanted to be my friend”  

“Thanks, but I don’t need your friendship”  

You come closer to him, breathing the same air. You can see his jaw clenching, glancing at every part of your face but your eyes. How did you two end up like this? 

“When you end up alone, and nobody gives a shit about you, you will regret every single decision you’ve ever made. Nobody will ever love you”  

“I don’t need love”  

“Yeah... love is for the living people. And you're dead on the inside” you leave, tears falling to your cheeks and blurring your vision on your way out. 

Jake sees the tears in her eyes and he wants to stop. He doesn’t know how, though. He was so focused on Rooster in the briefing room that he forgot that if someone hurts Rooster, they’re hurting Rebel. They’re two sides of the same coin. Always been together, always will be.  

He cannot try to be Y/n’s friend if he doesn’t stop talking shit about Bradshaw. That's basic common sense. And yet, here he is, with a red cheek and an aching heart.  

He wishes he could go after her, ask for forgiveness and fix everything. That option was taken away years ago. And he doesn’t know how to fix all this shit. 

When did the world get so complicated? When did he became such an asshole?  

When did he fall in love with Y/n Mitchell?  

Has he always been in love? Well, he doesn’t know. But when he entered the room this morning and saw her sitting there, alone, and with a face contorted with fear, he wanted to do something. Talk to her, touch her, hug her... Anything. She can be reckless, but she’s not stupid. She knows when to be scared and this mission is one of those in which not all the team makes it home. Jake knows that Rooster will be team leader and Y/n will be on the mission. He’s not going to see that girl flying a suicide mission with a leader who is prone to froze in fear and be unable to proceed. Rooster needs to react. He’s a great pilot, goddammit. He just needs to stop thinking about the book.  

Is Jake trying to make him crack? Probably. Now he’s realizing that’s not his job. And that he messed up big time.  

He needs to make things right and apologize to them. That's the only way to get close to her. And he needs to be on her good side. Not because he wants to fly the mission. He doesn’t care about it anymore, honestly.  

He's not going to let his girl go up there without telling her how he feels. 

[dragon-kazansky]

Fine ass man

Beau ‘Cyclone’ Simpson x Reader

Gender neutral reader

[Masterlist]

[Previous Chapter] - [Next Chapter]

Dedicated to @cycbaby

This series is inspired by this fic: Fine piece

Word count: 672

You have it bad for Vice Admiral Simpson. But to prove you’re fit for the job; you need to put that aside and focus on the flying.

♡♡♡

Chapter Eleven - Awkward apologies

Maverick was wrapping up the class today. He was giving feedback on everyone’s recent flying. It didn’t shock anyone to know you were still the top pilot in the class.

Oh, how Cyclone wanted to gloat about that. He had entered the hangar moments before Maverick praised your effort today. He filled with pride to hear you being spoken so highly about.

He wasn’t supposed to be here, but all day he couldn’t stop thinking about that moment in the bar. Iceman hadn’t mattered so much in the end. When he saw you had left his side, his night felt... like it had ended. Both of you are great admirers of Admiral Kazansky, and perhaps he could have used that as an excuse to talk to you more, but he was under the impression you thought he would rather spend his evening with the admiral.

What a mistake that was.

So, he brought himself here before Maverick dismissed all of you. He needed to talk to you, but without drawing suspicion. No one would question him if he called you to his office. They wouldn’t dare. Here on base, he was boss.

Maverick dismissed everyone.

You get up and prepare to leave for the day, but Cyclone stepping forward had everyone stopping where they stood.

“My office, now.”

He’s looking right at you. You swallow subtly and chance a glance at Hangman. The fucker was smirking.

You nod your head and follow Cyclone out of the hangar and up to his office. It’s just the two of you in here. The door shuts behind you and he walks over to the window, looking out. 

You have no idea why you’re here.

“Sir?”

“I’m sorry,” he said. Beau keeps his back to you.

“Sorry for what, sir?”

Now you’re just confused.

“For last night.”

Yeah... Still confused.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t understand,” you say, looking at him.

You watch him roll his shoulders back and lift his head up. He takes a second before he turns around and faces you.

“I had hoped last night that I would have a chance to talk to you. I feel I may have ruined that by turning my attention to the admiral.”

He sees the confusion on your face and sighs.

“I wanted to get to know you outside of the uniform. It came to my attention you thought I was there because Iceman was making an appearance. Now, as much as I admire the man, I would have much preferred to have spent my evening talk to you.”

Beau sees the way your expression changes.

“You wanted to spend time with me?” You ask him, speaking softly.

“Yeah...”

You smile softly and then begin to freak out.

“For real? Am I dreaming? Did I fall asleep in class? Did Jake drug me?” You begin to panic. 

“What? No!” Cyclone stares at you in disbelief.

You meet his eyes again.

“You’re serious?”

“Is that so bad?” He asks.

“Well, I guess not. Shocking, I guess. Well, Penny opens her bar every night. There is no reason we can’t talk outside of the base, I suppose.”

Beau feels himself relax.

“You want to?”

“Yeah, if that’s all you wanted to do. No harm in that,” you reassure him.

Cyclone smiles slightly.

“Will you be there tonight?” He asks.

“That was the plan.”

“The others?”

“They’ll be there. They spend most of their free time over there,” you admit. “But we could meet on the beach if you prefer. I’d hate rumours to start because someone saw us chatting out of uniform.”

That works for him.

“Alright. I’ll meet you on the beach.”

You smile.

“If that’s all, sir?”

He could go on, but perhaps he should save that for another time... or never. Perhaps some things should never be spoken.

“That’s all. Dismissed,” he says, reverting back into the vice admiral he is.

You nod with a small smile and leave.

Tonight. On the beach.

You’re a risk he felt worth taking, if you’d let him.

♡♡♡

@ahopelessromanticwritersworld - @nyx2021 - @mrsjaderogers - @luckyladycreator2 - @callsignscupcake - @nezla - @spair-m - @absentmindeduniverse - @ravensmadreads - @theghostofshadows -

[pollyna]

The tap is one, two, three and a slow breath. Inhale, exhale. Always on the left side of the chest and particularly before long and tedious meetings or when they have to take difficult decisions. Warlock knows, and worked with, Cyclone since '98 and whatever he's hiding under his polished uniform is important but not dangerous. So he let it go.

Until they're in the shower and the black and white ink is visible and now Cyclone's fingers are delicate, almost reverent, while he traces the shapes of the flowers. Until Warlock doesn't see the flowers in his friend's hand during the memorial for the first anniversary of Admiral Kazansky's death. Until he doesn't see the same flowers on his tomb when he's around to say visit some if his long lost friends. Until, until, until.

Until Cyclone doesn't say not all of us have the privilege to grieve like you do to Maverick and the man laughs in his face that man was the love of my life, I'm sorry if you think lilies and chrysanthemums will solve something or finally give you the illusion he love you back.

Until Mitchell doesn't leave the room and it's just the two of them. Tough crowd, eh? he tries to jock. Cyclone laughs without meaning it and yeah, tough crowd Sol'.

a little something for @mcu-and-buckybarnes-things bc you needing more ice x cyclone content means I can write all the angst I want and it's the perfect compromise.

[thegoldfishkid13]

Revenge part 1

Iceman x female reader

Warnings:Blood, fighting, swearing, drinking, smoking, guns , violence ect

Au: Mafia

Authors note: I will be posting a list of characters I will write for soon but if people wanna send in requests I will gladly write them if I know who it is. Also thank you for all the support you have given me on other posts. This is also going to be pretty short because I'm tired and don't feel like putting this in my drafts. I also ran out of ideas oops!

Masterlist

Standing in the bathroom connected to your room you flatten the dress you are wearing again. A knock on the bathroom door startles you, you have been on edge since you got Intel that the person who killed your father is in town again. The door opens and your husband's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and Tom "Iceman" kaczynski are standing there.

"well don't you look stunning"Maverick was the first one to speak, he was the one sending you on this mission. He knew you wanted the revenge on the person who had taken your father's life far too early.

" Thank you mav."you spoke as you pick up your makeup brush to finish doing your makeup. Needing to leave soon for the party you and slider another co-worker of yours who is also in the mafia. He was accompanying you to this dance because he was the only one who you trusted with your life besides Iceman and Maverick. Cyclone the person who had killed your father would be attending this party and he knows that Iceman and Maverick want him dead. The last time you saw him you sat next to your father's dead body laying in the middle of the street.

"slider will be here soon. Be careful I don't want anything to happen to you. "Iceman smiles and leans in to kiss your cheek. You hear the front door open and shut and slider call out to see if anyone was home or where you guys were. The dress you were wearing was black silk with a slit on the right side that goes up to your mid thigh. With a deep v-neckline.

Grabbing your clutch you give a quick kiss to Maverick and ice and head out the door with slider. The ride was silent there was nothing to talk about you had all been in the meeting about it earlier. Nick Bradshaw AKA goose would be at this event helping you spy. He worked at the same law firm that you used for a cover story. He was with you the day your father died and he wanted revenge as much as you did. Your father was like a father to him.

"you look nice today Y/n"slider finally broke the silence. You opened up the glove compartment to grab the gun and slipped it into the holster that was attached to your thigh by a garter belt. Thanking him you get out of the car and wait for goose to get there. Goose showed up with his wife Carol. His son Bradley nowhere in sight thankfully. Walking into the building this event would be held at you spot cyclone and his partner warlock. Trying to keep a safe distance so they don't notice you staring you begin to interact with the others. Something's bugging you so you had to pay phone that was a little bit away.

"hey."he spoken to the payphone.

"Y/n is that you?"

"yes. I have a bad feeling about this."

" has her been doing anything out of the ordinary?" The person on the other line asks.

" he keeps scanning the room like he's looking for somebody. He has also been slowly making his way towards where we are but we keep shifting and turning so he doesn't catch on to us. He also has part of his gang with him. I just have a really bad feeling about this." You speak into the phone.

The man on the other side didn't answer. Just a clicking sound like he hung up. You hear a gun click behind you. You realize who you had just been talking on the phone with, he knew what you were up to this would be the end of you or so you thought.

[thewulf]

My Girl || Tom "Iceman" Kazansky

Summary: Request! Hello!! I saw that your requests are open, and was wondering if you could do a beau "cyclone" Simpson or a tom "iceman" Kazansky one shot, where cyclone/iceman are in an established relationship w a doctor and dagger squad/1986 top gun squad find out about the reader?

A/N: This one was so fun to write, although a bit shorter than my normal one shots. It just came so easily. I went with Tom in the Original 1986 version! There’s lots of flipping back and forth between names and callsigns, just a warning!

Pairing: Tom "Iceman" Kazansky x Y/N

Word Count: 3,200+

Once you parked your car in the driveway you took a moment to collect your thoughts. The residency was tough, kicking your ass even. You had opted to go into pediatric surgery which wasn’t for the faint of heart. More often than not things did go your way but today was one of those days where you lost a baby right at the end of the surgery, shattering you. These cases always felt worse than the best cases made you feel happy.

Tom was home you noted. His truck sitting in the driveway next to your much smaller car. He had moved into your condo after three years of dating. Things between the two of you were great. More than great. The both of you understood how demanding each other’s careers were so when you did get time together you loved to just relax with each other. You were rather looking forward to falling asleep on Tom’s shoulder or lap in a few hours.

Walking through the front door you found him sitting on the couch reading through what looked like a manual. Tom had just gotten into Top Gun with his RIO Slider, or as you knew him, Ron. Luckily, Top Gun wasn’t far from where you he was already stationed in San Diego so selfishly you got to have him home for a little while longer. That was the hardest of it all when Tom was deployed on a mission. You knew just how good he was in the air but there was that fear that always sat in the back of your mind when he left. You always just prayed he’d make it home safe. He hadn’t let you down yet.

“Hi baby,” Leaning down you kissed his cheek. Breaking him right of the trance he was in, “Everything okay?”

“Y/N.” He smiled pulling your neck down for an actual kiss, “I’m great sweetheart. Just making sure I’ve got everything before our practical tomorrow. Viper wasn’t happy we shot him down today, so I think he wants to prove a point.”

“Pete giving you any trouble today?” You asked while plopping yourself down next to him. Cuddling into him you took a deep breath finding immense comfort in his scent.

He grinned pulling you right on top of him, throwing the manual off to the side, “Mav’s always giving me trouble. But I don’t want to talk about him. I want to talk about you. How was your day?”

You sighed placing your head onto his chest, “Not good T. Lost an infant. Another five-year-old isn’t doing great either.” You didn’t feel like elaborating. Tom already knew how you felt. Completely and utterly defeated.

Rubbing your head he squeezed you with his other hand, “I’m sorry baby.”

“It’s okay,” You whispered, “Occupational hazard I suppose.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier.” He placed his chin on top of your head, “It’s okay to be sad.”

“I know, you make it easier though.” Mumbling you closed your eyes, listening to the steady rhythm of your boyfriend’s heart. Always finding comfort in him.

“You can’t fall asleep yet sweetheart.” His vibrations of the laughing coming from his chest only soothing you further.

“And why not?” You pouted while still keeping your eyes closed.

He paused, not sure if he wanted to bring up his plan anymore. See, the guys at Top Gun didn’t believe Ice the last time they were all at the Hard Deck. They didn’t believe he had a doctor girlfriend. Ice refused to even look at another woman knowing you were working late that night. Really the only reason he ever went out was if you were stuck at the hospital. He’d much rather spend his nights in with you on the couch watching some dumb show neither of you paid attention to.

Mav and Goose teased that he had no game. Not accepting that he had a girlfriend. Nonetheless one that was literally smarter than all of them combined. Claiming that Ice was far too cold of a person to ever get a girlfriend like that. Let alone keep one for four years. But your Tom was a whole lot different than the Iceman that all the aviators knew.

They really didn’t believe him when he described you. Even a few other aviators had to agree with the pair. Not believing Iceman was emotionally capable of obtaining somebody like you for that amount of time. You sounded way too grounded, smart, and beautiful to be wrapped up in the life of an aviator’s girlfriend. But the two of you made it work. You always made it a point to communicate as much as you could, even when things were tough.

The whole group all about lost it when Ice showed off the engagement ring he carried around with him. He didn’t know when he was going to propose to you, but he wanted to have the ring ready to go for when it felt right. He’d bought it a few months ago, the longer he lived with you the more it reinforced that he knew you were it for him. He saw himself starting a family with you. Being forever happy with you.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to babe.” He kissed the top of your head, “I was thinking we go to the Hard Deck tonight?”

You looked up at him turning your head in confusion. He never invited you to the Hard Deck. Not that you minded, at all. That was his place with the guys. You trusted Tom with your life. Of course, you’d let him have his place, “The Hard Deck?”

“Mhmm,” He rubbed circles on your back, “Maybe you could grab a few drinks, not think about the day?”

“Did you say the Hard Deck?” You asked again, making sure you heard him right.

“Yes.” He smiled, “There something wrong with it?”

You shook your head quickly, “No! I just haven’t been with you before.”

He frowned almost instantly, “Really?”

“Yeah, but it never bothered me. I promise. I know it’s your place.” You gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“No wonder they don’t believe me.” Tom sighed leaning back into the couch, pulling you right along with him.

Over time you found that Tom’s love language was physical touch and quality time. He always pulled you into him or onto him. He found solace in your touch, loving every single second of it.

“What are you talking about?” You laughed, “You’re confusing me tonight, T.”

He smiled at his favorite nickname, “The guys don’t believe that you exist. That I’m making you up.”

“Ahh, now you’re making some more sense my love.” You giggled, “You want to show them that I exist then?”

He smirked pinching your side, “I want to show you off baby.”

“I’ve got a lot of work to do if you want to show me off.” You sighed feeling the ugliness of the day consuming the way you felt as well.

“Hardly. You’re so beautiful.”

Blushing lightly, you never got tired of the shower of compliments he always gave you, “Shush you cheese.”

“Only for you.” He bopped your nose.

“Let me shower really quick and then we can go.”

“Yeah?” He smiled knowing you would do anything for him, “We don’t have to go if you’re tired and just want to relax.”

You shook your head, “And miss my chance to meet Maverick? The only human whose ever made you angry. Never.” You giggled hopping right off him and running upstairs before he could protest.

You opted for a nice floral sundress. One because it was over a hundred damn degrees in San Diego during the summer and two you had to dress to impress. Tom wanted to show you off and you wanted to try your best. Hopefully you weren’t as awkward as you normally felt you were.

“Baby, you look amazing. As always.” Tom winked pulled you into his side, “I’m so lucky.”

“Always such a mush.” You cooed wrapping an arm around his side.

“What? I can’t fawn over my beautiful girl.”

Blushing you rolled your eyes, “Shush, you know what you’re doing.”

He shrugged, “I love seeing you blush.” Chucking he gave you a squeeze before going to open the door for you. The ride to the Hard Deck was short, you lived close to the base. You didn’t work at the Naval hospital but the civilian one down the road.

Before he let you hop out, he stopped you, “I might act a little different than normal.”

“Like what?” You smiled seeing him so nervous.

“A bit of an asshole.”

Your turn to laugh, “I expected that, Tom. I do pay attention to your stories you know.”

He returned your smile with one of his own, “God, I love you. You know that?”

Nodding your head, you leaned in for a kiss, “I do. I love you to pieces too.”

Breaking the kiss, he quickly got out to open the door for you. Four years later and you never grew tired of his gestures. He always thought of you in everything that he did. How could you not be madly in love with a man like that?

He wrapped his arm around your shoulders pulling you close into him as you both entered the bar. Whether he was staking his claim on you or what you didn’t care, you loved being close to him. You loved it even more when he wasn’t afraid to show it. Who knew a bunch of Naval aviators would push him to do something so wildly out of his comfort zone. Tom at home was lovey and mushy always. Tom in public was sweet but never got too affectionate. Nothing like what he was doing right now.

Tom quickly spotted Slider pulling you along with him. He let you take the seat next to him white he stood behind you.

“I’ll be damned. Is this Y/N really out at the Hard Deck.” Ron put his aviators on top of his head eyeing the pair curiously. You adored Tom’s RIO. You guys often had him over for dinner once you moved in. He was good company and saw the rare soft side that Tom really only reserved for you on occasion.

“Your eyes don’t deceive you, Ronny.” You grinned using your favorite nickname for him. It still felt odd calling him Slider even though that’s exclusively how Tom referred to him as.

Ron looked up towards Ice waiting for his response, “What?” Ice questioned his RIO.

“Mav and Goose get under your skin that bad?”

Tom scoffed, “Hardly. I just wanted to go out with my girl. Is that such a crime?”

Ron smirked up at his friend knowing he was bullshitting him hard. Ever since Ice heard what happened to Cougar with the MIG’s and dropping out of the Navy as a whole pissed him off. Mav took Cougar’s spot. His rightful spot that he worked years for. Of course, he held resentment. Then he met the guy. He had to admit that you were right. There weren’t many people who could agitate Tom, Mav ended up being one.

Tom spotted him just as he was thinking of him sitting across the bar. Smirking Tom decided to lean down and give you a long kiss on the cheek hoping Mav would see before whispering, “Mav, 2 o’clock.” To you.

You looked over in that general direction and had to have spotted the man that seemed to torture your Tom. He looked a little shocked before replacing it was a cocky façade you were sure most aviators wore.

It wasn’t a moment later the man made his way over to where the three of you were.

“Your girl actually exists Ice?” Pete asked Tom but looked at you. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off you.

Taking a long sip of your cocktail you eyed him up and down, “That’s it?” You looked back up at Tom curiously.

“What hon?” He asked you quizzically. Not having a clue what you were getting at.

“I was just expecting more that’s all.” You smiled sweetly at the man. Ron up and started laughing. Tom’s mouth almost completely dropped, and Pete looked a little pissed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Pete questioned you with a confused expression garnering his face.

You shrugged, “For such a dominant callsign of Maverick I was just expecting more. That’s all.”

“What are you doing?” Tom whispered in your ear albeit with a small smile forming on his face.

“Pissing him off baby.” You kissed his cheek slowly.

“Why?”

“Because he pisses you off. Fair is fair.” You giggled before grabbing for your cocktail again. You weren’t sure what was coming over you. You weren’t overly attention seeking but when somebody wound up your boyfriend like that you just had to do the same back. Tom protected you fiercely it was your turn to do the same. Even if it was all just in good fun.

Pete stood there confused. You decided to rub salt on the wound, “Would you like a drink or?”

“Are you paying?” He smirked getting his confidence back.

“Ha!” You let out an obnoxious laugh earning the attention of a few more aviators unbeknownst to you, “You wish hot shot. Your boyfriend down there is paying.” You pointed straight to the blonde who was avidly watching what was going down between the group.

You looked up at Tom who looked pleasantly surprised. His girlfriend more than holding her own against the arrogant asshole that drove him mad.

“Goose.” Mav sighed rolling his eyes before darting off to go find him.

You smiled up to your boyfriend feeling the buzz start to take over as you downed your first drink a little too quickly.

“Ice! That’s your girl?” A group of aviators in uniform came over. Turning towards the group you smiled kindly to the trio that made their way over.

“No shit, you actually exist. How do you stand him?”

“Hollywood shut it.” Tom nearly growled stepping closer to your barstool.

“Easily.” You continued after Tom interjected.

“Really?” The one standing next to Hollywood spoke up.

Tom looked like he was going to explode on them if they didn’t back off soon, “Really Wolfman?”

“Just surprising.” He muttered looking away from the gaze that could kill.

“It’s nice to meet you all.” You attempted to break the tension between all the men that happened out of nowhere, “Tom says great things about you all.”

“You too!” Hollywood clapped walking over to you, “Now I need to pick your brain on Iceman over here.”

“No way Hollywood.” Tom laughed blocking him from taking a seat next to you. He had his mask for work for a reason. He had to build up his reputation to be called Iceman, he didn’t want that to be ruined. He was cool calm collected Iceman who never broke in the air. Flew cold as ice. There is no way in hell he’d ever let one of them learn about the other side of himself. The soft side of him. The truer side where he felt his best when he was with you. He knew he was weak for you, but he always knew you were just as weak for him.

Tom never really believed in soul mates before he met you. But when he accidentally ran into you, literally, at the hospital you worked at his heart nearly stopped right then and there. He knocked you flat on your ass, but you were nothing but gracious. You started laughing, likely in embarrassment but it was a better reaction than anger. Tom insisted he buy you a coffee for the trouble and you accepted. You were on hour fourteen of a hell shift and a coffee sounded more than wonderful. From that moment on Tom believed. He was so thankful he literally ran you over.

Little did the two of you know that would kick off the world wind romance you found yourself in, but you couldn’t be more grateful. Tom was everything to you. You quickly fell in love with him, and it terrified you. You were so useed to shitty men and shitty relationships this relationship made you constantly on edge. Waiting on the other shoe to drop. But it never did. Tom just kept treating you better and better the longer you two dated. It was month four that you knew you loved him deeply. Luckily, he told you first which negated any fear you had in the relationship.

“Come on Ice!” Hollywood attempted to pout earning a laugh from Slider and Wolfman.

“Like I said. No fucking way.”

Smiling you loved watching the interaction between all of the aviators. He was different but he was still your Tom. He just threw that mask up to protect himself. You understood. You had to do the same thing at work. Feeling like you had to be a stone-cold bitch many times to prove yourself to your attending because you were a woman. There weren’t many woman surgeons let alone ones that specialized in pediatrics in the 80’s. You were sure that Tom would hardly recognize you at work, an almost heartless version of yourself.

A few more aviators came over seeing a crowd forming around you. Tom viscerally groaned knowing this was likely going to happen. He brought it upon himself but now the guys were picking on him by giving you so much attention. Tom wanted nothing more than to throw you over his shoulder and take you home away from all of them.

“Ice! She’s pretty. How in the hell did you manage that?”

Tom rolled his eyes knowing you heard the comment, “Shut up Merlin.”

Slider started cracking up seeing the irritation grow on his pilot’s face, “Hey Merlin, ever thought it was because he’s amazing in the sack?”

Your face grew bright red at the comment. He surely wasn’t wrong, but you certainly weren’t going to admit it to the now group of pilots that surrounded you and Ron at the bar.

Ice slapped the back of his head, “The hell is wrong with you?”

“Her face is bright red! It must be true!”

You shrugged grabbing your refreshed cocktail instead of answering.

“Oh, shut the hell up Goose!” Tom groaned flipping him off earning a roar of laughter from the Top Gun group.

“I always knew you were a legend man.” Slider commented while winking over at him making sure to dig his hole deeper.

“You’re on my shit list.” Tom tried to keep a straight face before joining in the group laughing at the situation.

For the next few hours, you chatted with random pilots finding the best conversation with Nick Bradshaw. He reminded you of your brother finding an easy casual conversation with him. You still made sure to give Pete a hard time, for the sake of Tom.

Tom pulled you aside when he had enough, “Ready to go home? I want some time with you sweetheart.”

You nodded finding it so attractive he wanted you to himself, “Let’s go.”

He helped you up from your stool waving the crowd of aviators off. The two of you blaming your work for your early departure. One perk of being a doctor is being able to use that as an excuse to leave anything you didn’t want to be at.

“For the record, I’m not only with you because you’re good in bed. But it’s a perk.”

He smirked, “Let’s utilize that perk when we get home, yeah?”

You looped your arm in his, “Hell yeah.”

“That’s my girl.”

@wildellaa I hope you enjoy!

[lieutenantfloyd]

When Duty Calls Part 3 | Cyclone x Reader

Word count: <500

Summary: Beau reckons with the weight of his orders and his untold feelings.

Warnings: mentions of romantic feelings, anxiety, and superior/subordinate relationships.

Authors note: This is a quick chapter, but it gives a peak into Cyclone's conflicted thoughts ahead of the mission.

Read on AO3

From the moment he was ushered into Iceman's office last week, Beau had been dangerously on edge. Thoughts of how his vision got blurry when the candidate list crossed his desk and the way his voice threatened to waver each time he had to mention your name rang loudly in his mind. 

The cherry on top of his miserable cake was getting your text this afternoon. Even after months of radio silence, you still regarded him so sweetly— a fact that only worsened the hurt and guilt living in his chest. 

He had typed and retyped a reply a thousand times by now, but no response would ever feel right. Beau tosses his phone onto his desk and lets out a sigh before reclining further into his leather chair. He stares up and watches the lazy ceiling fan spin as he ruminates over the situation he's found himself in. 

Being in silent, helpless love with his subordinate-turned-closest friend was a fact that kept him awake more nights than he'd ever like to admit. Worse still was how his biggest curse also happened to be his largest saving grace, seeing as how for the last 4 years you had been stationed in Key West or shipped off to the other side of the world. Another fact that he, by yet another miracle, had nothing to do with. Above all else, he wished you were back in town under better circumstances. If this was the situation of one of his colleagues, he'd give them a dry laugh and simply tell them to man up and get their priorities in check. But he wasn't them, and you were, well, you.

Steeling his nerves, he types up yet another reply, only this time he hits send before he can second guess himself. The nerves set in quickly, but It's too late now. Leaving him to resume his watch of the ceiling fan as if there isn't a mountain of paperwork calling his name. Paperwork that has your portrait pinned to the top.

He lets out a silent prayer, asking that somehow you never receive his words at all. He briefly considers putting his phone on airplane mode, but he knows his meager words are already illuminating your phone screen. With the weight of the world resting on his shoulders, he swallows the lump in his throat and forces himself to begin tackling the ever-growing mountain of paper that has found a home on his desk. Even though his mind is anywhere but here, he knows most of it needs to be signed off on before tomorrow's debrief. With each stroke of his pen his thoughts spiral harder, leaving him to simply hope that over the next two weeks, you won't grow to hate him for what he's been ordered to put you through.

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[suck4angststory]

Sequel for You Never Like Every Man I'm Dating

Pairing: Pete 'Maverick', Mitchell x Cain!Fem!Reader. Moodboard

I Still Don't Like Him

Warning: fluff, angst, but happy ending, Top Gun: Maverick Spoiler. English is my second language. Feel free to give me a comment about my writing and grammar mistakes.

Author Note: If you want to be tagged just let me know in the comment. I can't reply to any of your comments because it's sideblog. But I really thankful for your comments and responds.

****

Summary: This is the next part of your journey with Maverick after you got deployed to the middle of the Ocean and he became a Top Gun Instructor for a special detachment.

When you arrived at the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier, the sun almost set. The sky colour in the Pacific Ocean has painted a pinkish and orange colour. You are welcomed by fellow Warrant Officers you're gonna work with when you landed on the tarmac.

They show you around the carrier before they take you to your office where you're gonna work. After that, They take you to your room where you'll gonna take a rest and put your belongings.

***

You are just taking out your clothes from your bag when you hear your phone ring on the bedside table. You saw the ID caller and smile when Maverick name was displayed on it.

You sit on the bed and click the green button to accept the call. You place the phone on your ear. "Hello, Handsome" you put a smile even though he can't see you. You hear him chuckle on the other side.

"Hey, gorgeous.." his voice sounds different, something must happening.

"Talk to me.. what happened," you asked with concern. You move to the middle of the bed and sit crossed your legs.

"You know me so well, baby." He let out a sigh. "(Y/N), they want to teach in Top Gun for a special detachment program."

"And.." you raise your eyebrows, intrigued. You took the pillow behind you and place it on your lap. You rest your arms on it.

"And I can't do it. I'm not a teacher, last time I became an instructor in Top Gun, I just last for a month" he let out a deep sigh, something still bothering him, not the teaching thing.

"It's not about the teaching, isn't it?" You urged him.

He was quiet for a bit. "He's one of them and this mission they'll gonna do is suicide. I can't make him do that. I can't lose him" he whispered his last words. It's been a burden for him after Goose died. And now, if something happens to Bradley, you don't know what's gonna happen to him. He already feels so guilty about Goose's death.

You know Rooster when you're working with his Squadron in Virginia long before you met Maverick. You got close back there and became friends. When he found out you dated Maverick, he never answers your call again. With how many times you get deployed, your relationship with Rooster begins to distance and you never spoke to him again.

You wish you can fix your relationship with him again.

"Have you talked about that to Cyclone or Warlock?" You asked softly.

"I have, but they said I don't have a choice. He said if I don't take this mission, I'll never fly for Navy again" He let out a sigh again. You purse your lips and nod, and you move your phone to the other ear.

"What Iceman say?" You inquire.

"Nothing, he said I wouldn't have come if he told me Bradley gonna be in there"

"And what do you think? You still wanna take iylt? Or.." you raise your eyebrows, waiting for him to answer.

He let out a deep sigh " what choice did I have? But I don't know if I'm capable to do it"

"I know you can do it..." you smiled and leaned back to rest your back on the wall behind you.

He let out a sigh and took a deep breath and released them "So..What're you doing right now?"

"Nothing just arrived here, take out my clothes from the bag and anything" you looked around your room and brush your feet to the duffle bag that you place at the end of the bed "they give me this room where the window face to the sunset" you looked at the window where the sun slowly begins to drown, the light hitting your room in an orange glow.

"Wow, it must be nice"

"It is, especially if you're here with me," you said softly. You sat in silence for a minute before Maverick speak again. "I love you (Y/N)"

"I love you too Pete," you said to him, a single tear escaping your eyes. You miss him, and it's not even 24 hours you're away with him.

***

You are just come out from Meeting with the other Warrant Officers for the next week's testament when your phone rang in your pocket, you took your phone and smiled when you read the caller ID. You immediately click the green button on the screen and placed the report on your armpit.

You place the phone on your ear "Hey baby, what's up". You smile and walked through the hall to your room.

"Nothing, I just want to hear your voice"

You placed the phone between your shoulder and ear and take the report to your left hand.

"Oh... I miss you too" you cooed. "How's the teaching going?" You arrived at your room and open the room with your left hand.

"Great, but they still can't pass the lesson"

you step into the room and placed the file on the table.

"Give them time, I think they'll pass them and you'll get the pilot you're looking for" you open your cap and place it on the table.

"I try to talk to him by the way"

you stopped on your track for seconds.

"And, what he says" you sit on your bed and place your phone beside you. You put him on the speaker.

You open your boot when he talking

"Still the same, cold, he even talks to me as if I'm his superior, not his uncle. God, I miss him"

"Try again baby, I think he'll soften if you keep trying to talk to him" you bend down to open the lace and placed your shoe under the table with your sock on them.

"Oh, by the way, I met Penny" you stopped in your track to open the other shoe when you heard that name.

Your furrowed your eyebrows. "Penny who? Penny Benjamin?" You open your shoes while he's talking.

"Yeah, she owns a bar beside the beach in Fightertown. The first time we met, she threw me out of her bar because I place my phone on the table, she has these weird rules that you'll have to buy everyone round if you break them"

You scoffed and open your shock harshly and throw it under the table. You place the shoe under the table "Oh.."

"Yeah, and I help her fix her boat this afternoon" you gawked at the phone and scoffed quietly. So that's what he's doing in there. You open your bun harshly and throw the hair tie to the bed, it bounced out of the bed.

You picked up the phone and place it near your lips "Oh yeah, that's great, you're so kind Pete. I think they need me, talk to you soon" you told him quickly, annoyed, but he didn't notice that.

"Oh, I thought it was already late in there"

Damn! he must be set the timezone for here.

"Yeah, we have meetings for the test tomorrow" you rolled your eyes, you hate lying to him but you are mad at him right now.

"Oh, Okay, bye baby, I love you," he said cheerfully.

"Yeah, bye, love you," you told him lazily and ended up the call

"Fucking Penny Benjamin," you throw your phone to the bed and it bounced hitting the steel wall. Luckily it didn't break.

You sigh and lay on your bed, you hate Pete Mitchell. If he isn't talking about Penny Benjamin, maybe you'll gonna spend your free time doing phone sex with him. But he ruined your mood.

***

Maverick on the hangar fixes his plane when Hondo arrived beside him. "Hey, Mav"

"Hondo" he greeted back without looking at him. Still busy wrenching something inside the plane.

"I heard you talk to (Y/N) about your meeting with Penny" this get his attention, he stopped his task and throw the Wrench on the box tools.

He turn to him and furrowed his eyebrows."Yeah, how do you know about that?"

"She told me last night" he shrugged. Maverick raise an eyebrow at him.

"Weird, she didn't pick up my call for this past three days, when I text her she said, still busy" he shrugs. It's true, you never pick up his phone because you are still mad at him. You put your phone on silent and hide it in the drawer whenever he's calling to prevent yourself to pick up his call.

"Oh, you think?" Hondo raised his eyebrows.

Pete furrowed his eyebrows to him and nodded "Yeah,"

Hondo let out a chuckle at his credulousness. He then takes out his phone from his pocket and dials your number, not a minute you pick up the call.

"Hey, Hondo what's up?" He put you on speaker. He put the phone between him and Maverick.

"Oh nothing, just want to check on you. You seem so upset last night" he glance at Maverick that looked at his phone with wide eyes, surprised.

"Yeah, but I feel a bit relief talking that to you." You let out a sigh. Maverick glances at Hondo and then at the phone.

"Yeah, I'm glad it helped" Hondo looked at Maverick that try to put two and two together.

"Anything you want to say?" Maverick want to talk but Hondo holds his hand telling him to wait.

"Are you busy this week?" He inquired.

"Not really, they give us a break before the next test comes."

"Oh, What're you doing then?" He then glanced at Maverick that now has a dejected look on his face. Why you didn't pick up his call, why did you ignore him for the past three days? The thoughts begin to fill his head.

"Nothing, just watched some movie, review the Death Star Project I asked you last night."

"Oh good, I'll talk to you later (Y/N), duty calls" Hondo give Maverick a thoughtful look.

"Oh okay, bye Hondo"

"Bye (Y/N)" Hondo ended a call and looked at Maverick that now frowning.

" But why she didn't pick up my call?" He took out his phone from his jacket that he place on the bench and call your number. He places the phone in his ear but a few seconds later he harshly takes it back.

"What!? She rejects me?" He exclaimed. He calls you again but it is just a ringing sound that can be heard.

Hondo let out a sigh and place his hand on Mav's shoulder to get his attention. Maverick turned to him with a frown on his face "Mav, She told me last night about your meeting with Penny Benjamin and how you help her fix the boat"

"Yeah,? I just trying to help her, she doesn't have anyone for help" he exclaimed and let out a frustrated groan when you didn't pick up his phone call again.

"Maverick.." Hondo call him again and give him look.

And it hit him. Maverick raised his eyebrows. "What? You mean she's jealous" He exclaimed.

"I don't know man, she's your girl, ask her" Hondo rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"But I just want to be honest with her about my day" he frowned.

"Woman always be a woman" Hondo pat his shoulder and walked away.

Maverick then let out a sigh and lick his lips. He walked to his office, open the door harshly and sit on the couch. He try to call you several times but you still didn't pick up.

***

You lay on your stomach in your bed with your laptop open up. Something's Gotta Give played on your laptop, you rest your chin on the pillow that you placed underneath it and bawl over the ending when Erica prefers Harry over Julian.

You placed your phone on the drawer and let it vibrates while you watch your movie, it's been two hours now since you placed it on the drawer.

Then, the vibration stopped and was replaced by a single vibration.

You wipe your tears and take your phone from the drawer, the phone turn on when Maverick text appears.

"Baby please pick up"

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to make you jealous"

"Let me make it up to you"

"Please (Y/N), I love you.."

You want to ignore it but he called again. You let out a sigh and pick up his call.

You lay on your back and place your head on the pillow.

"Oh thank god, I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you jealous, I just helped her because she doesn't have anyone for help. And we didn't do anything, just a casual chat, nothing happens"

You didn't reply just looked at the ceiling with your phone in your ear. Maverick let out a sigh

"(Y/N) please, I love you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad" you hear him sniffle, and now you feel bad because you make him cry.

You let out a sigh "I forgive you. It's just I'm jealous because you have past with her, you used to be dating her and you have so much history with her, and she's more beautiful than me. I'm just afraid you're gonna fall for her again" you told him quietly. You begin insecure when talking about Maverick ex-girlfriends.

"Baby, there's no one in this world I'm gonna fall beside of you. She's just my past, you're my future. I used to be dating her, but now I'm dating you, I'm with you. I had a history with her, but now I'm making history with you. You're the most beautiful woman for me and there's no one compare to you. And I'm not gonna fall for anyone, I love you, I love you, I love you, you're my girlfriend, my girl, the love of my life. You're the only thing that I have now, you're the only thing that matters to me. I love you" he uttered.

You don't realize you're crying while he's talking. You sniffle and let out a sob. You turn to your side facing the window "Why do you make me cry"

"I love you too Pete Mitchell. I miss you" you said between your sob, you smile and wipe your tears.

"I miss you too baby, and never doubt yourself again. You're my girl okay? Don't be sad again or worry about another woman."

"Okay, gosh I wish you were here so I can give you a hug and kiss you" you turn to your back and wipe the remaining tears with your shirt.

"Just a kiss and hug? Nothing else?" You hear his teasing voice.

"You Pervert" you let out a chuckle.

"I love you (Y/N) Cain."

"I love you too Captain Pete Mitchell," you said softly and bit your lips.

***

You're in deep discussions with your team about the last test for the weapons when two Midshipmen appeared at the door. They salute all of you and look straight at you. People in the room were quiet waiting for the Midshipmen to speak up.

"Ma'am.." one of them said to you.

"Umm.. yeah" you raised your eyebrows.

"There's a chopper waiting for you"

You looked to your team but they just shrugged. You let out a sigh and follow the Midshipman to the tarmac.

When you were inside the chopper, they explained to you that Iceman passed away and you'll have to go back to San Diego to attend his funeral. You're quiet in the entire flight, your mind begins to think of Maverick. He lost his other best friend again, he'd been left by his best friend before, and now he has to go through that again.

When you arrived at the Pacific Fleet, it was Admiral Bates that waited for you when you landed. He knows the looked on your face and told you where he is.

"He's in the conference room" you nodded to him and purse your lips. You make a beeline and walked towards the entrance door. You walked through the hall until you find the conference room.

You open the door quietly and saw him. He sat on the seat in the corner, with his elbows resting on his thighs and his hands covering his face, he still have his flight suit on. You frowned and walk toward him.

You sat beside him and placed your hand on his shoulder. Maverick lift his head from his hand and turn to looked at you. His lips quiver and he throws himself at you.

You placed your arms on his midsection and Maverick circled his arms on your waist. He begins to sob on your shoulder. His body shook and you caress his back.

He pour all of his grief into his crying, his tears begin to soak your uniform but you didn't mind. He grips your uniform on your back tightly and he let out a whimpering sound. You cry quietly at his shoulder and rest your chin on it. You let him pour all of his sadness and grief onto you. He held onto you for his dear life.

***

After he calms down and collects himself, Maverick brought you to his house that Iceman set for him while he's in Miramar for Top Gun. It was a nice house with a beach backyard.

It's actually your dream house with him, you always love the beach. Despite you growing up at downtown, you always beg your father to take you to the beach once a week. You've always dreamed to have a nice house near the beach where you can enjoy them with your lover to watch the sunset in his arms.

It was already dark when you step out of Top Gun. You told Maverick to shower and you place the clothes he's gonna wear for sleep on top of the bed. You walked downstairs to make him some tea but there was nothing here, just some water bottle on the fridge and cups of ramen noodles, oats, and bread.

You let out a sigh and take his bike to buy him some groceries.

When you get back, Maverick is already waiting for you on the counter with a water bottle in his hand. He turn his head from the water bottle when he saw you walk toward him with two bags of groceries.

"Where were you" his voice is hoarse with how long he's crying on your shoulder. His hair is still damp from the shower and it soaked his shirt.

"Bought you some real food. You should eat real things, not something from packages" you show him the bag and place them on the counter. You begin to take out the groceries from the bag to the counter. You glance at Maverick and saw him fidgeting with his water bottle.

"Baby.." you call him softly, he lifts his head to you, his eyes are glossy, he probably thinking about Iceman again. You reach for his hand and squeeze it softly "why don't you wait for me upstairs, I'll make you some tea" you squeeze his hand.

"No, I want to be close to you" he shook his head. You let out a sigh and nodded, you continued to load out the groceries.

***

You found yourself standing on the Balcony with Maverick behind you, watching the pitch black ocean, contradicted by the sky that is so bright with the star scattered around them. Maverick circle his arms on your stomach from behind, chin resting on your shoulder, you intertwined your hand with his that rest on your stomach. Two Cups of tea resting on the railing still steaming hot.

"I miss him" Maverick muttered. You leaned your head on his shoulder.

"I miss him too" you squeeze his hand "without him, maybe we can't be together right now"

You feel Maverick hand tighten his grip on your stomach "he's doing so much for us. He give me this place because he thought you're gonna come with me" he inhales deeply.

"The place is beautiful baby" the sound of waves hitting the sand filled your conversation.

"The last time I spoke to him, he told me to let go." You turn around to face him and place your arms on his neck "he told me it's time to let go. But I don't know how" he looked into your eyes, his lips begin trembling and his tears begin to fall, you brought him into your arms and he begins to sob in your shoulder. His grip on your waist begins to tighten. You caress his back and let him cry on your shoulder.

***

When you woke up, Maverick still sleeping beside you, his arm resting on your waist. You reach out to caress his cheek and brush some of his hair that got into his forehead. He must be exhausted from all of the cryings last night. You carefully lift his hand that rests on your waist and get up from the bed.

You take a shower and prepare his uniform for the funeral today. You walked downstairs to make him breakfast and coffee.

When you pour the coffee from the pot, you saw him walk downstairs with a white undershirt and his uniform trouser. He was still fresh from the shower with a towel hanging on his neck.

"Why you didn't wake me up" he walked toward you and threw his arms on your waist from behind.

"Good morning to you too, I'm sorry, you looked still so sleepy" you turn your head to him and kiss him on the lips.

"Good morning baby" he leaned to kiss you again softly.

"You don't want to be late." You pat his cheek. He pursed his lips and nodded. Remembering about the funeral.

***

At the funeral, you stand with the students and aviators. You saw how Maverick try to hold his tears while placing Iceman Naval Aviator badge on his casket. You want to hug him and let him cry on your shoulder, he didn't have to hold back.

After the funeral, Maverick got called to Top Gun by Admiral Simpson. You hug him before he's gone to base, he wants to take you home at first, but you reject and told him you already have a ride. A few minutes later, an SUV was parked in front of you. The Navy assigned the driver while you were here. You climbed into the back seat and told him to drive to Maverick's house.

***

When you go out of the shower, Maverick is sitting on the bed with a sad look on his face. You sat beside him and touch his shoulder. He looked at you "they fired me (Y/N)"

"Oh baby.." you hug him and he buries his face on your neck. After a few minutes of hugging each other, Maverick pull away, he looked into your eyes "Can you help me forget about this day?" Lust hooded in his eyes. You nodded and pull out your shirt, Maverick leaned to kiss you passionately and lay you on the bed with him hovering over you.

The kiss begins demanding with Maverick hand trailing down to your back and unhooking your bra, he threw the bra somewhere in the room. His kiss trailed down to your jaw and neck to your free breast. He pull away and stared at your swollen lips. You breathe heavily and catch your breath. Maverick raise his hand to brush your hair.

"I love you.." before you can answer back, he leaned down to kiss your lips with so much passion.

***

After your lovemaking session, you rest your head on his naked chest, a duvet covering your naked body with him. You two still embrace your after-glow sex.

Maverick have his arm behind his head and the other caressing your naked back softly. He stared at the ceiling.

"I don't know what to do (Y/N), when I'm ready to take the responsibility, they set me off" he let out a sigh. You scoot closer and rest your chin on his chest with your hand underneath them.

Maverick tilt his head down to look at you, you give him a small smile "you don't sound like Maverick"

He raised his eyebrows at you and looked at you puzzled.

"Maverick I know never say I don't know, he always knows what to do," you told him and reach out to caress his cheek with your free hand.

Before he can answer back, your phone rings on the nightstands. You turn around to reach out for your phone, you read the caller ID before hitting the green button and accepting the call.

"Yeah.." you place the phone on your ear.

You propped your body with your elbow.

"Okay, I'm at Captain Mitchell's house.."

"Thank you.." you ended the call and place your phone back on the nightstands. You get up from the bed and gather your clothes.

"Wait, you already want to leave?" He frowned and propped his body to look at your naked body walking around the room gathering your articles of clothing.

"Yeah, I'm supposed to leave after the funeral," you told him and after you find your bra under the bed. You walked to the bathroom to change into your uniform.

You're out ten minutes later. You sitting on the bed to put your boot on. Maverick still lay on the bed, with a duvet covering half of his naked body.

"(Y/N), what do you think I should do?" He turns to look at your back. You tie your lashes and turn to him.

"I don't know "you shrug and smile at him, Maverick cock an eyebrow at your answer.

"What do you always do when people start to doubt your skill of flying?" You stared at his eyes.

"I'll show them that I can do that" he shrugs. You smile and reach out to touch his cheek "exactly, that's what my Maverick always do" you caress his cheek lovingly. You hear your phone ring again, they must be here.

You leaned down and give his kiss a smooch "I'll see you in two weeks. I love you baby"

"I love you too" you stand up and reach for your phone on the nightstands. Maverick let out a sigh and lay his head on the pillow beneath him. He staring at the ceiling thinking about your words.

***

You're inside the Comanche plane preparing the plane and the weapons for the mission today. A Midshipman approached you and informed you that the pilot that'll do this mission has arrived.

"Ma'am, Captain Mitchell requested to see you" another Midshipman come and inform you, he step aside and revealed Maverick with his flight suit on.

"Oh no...." you muttered. He let out a sigh and stared into your eyes. "Can we talk" he glances at the crew on the plane " in private"

***

Now you found yourself in the hangar, watching the ocean with Maverick beside you.

You hug yourself "You said you just gonna be the instructor, not the one that'll gonna lead this mission," you said to him, still looking at the ocean. Your tears are at the bay. You turn to him and that's when your tears fall down. "I read the mission Mav, it's dangerous, and-and has low chances to get out alive" your lips quiver and you bit your bottom lip to hold yourself from sobbing.

Maverick leaned closer and reach for your hand "But we did it baby, we trained, and we know how to do it successfully and return home safely" he reassured you.

"Training is different from real life" you exclaimed.

Maverick brought you to his arms and you begin to sob in his arms. He strokes your back and kisses your hair, trying to calm you down. He can't bear it when you're crying or sad because of him. After a few minutes, your sobbing begins to reduce. He rests his chin on top of your head. "You remember when Ice told me I should let go this time?" He muttered. You nodded in his embrace. "I think this is the time. This is gonna be my last mission and" he pull you away from him and stared at you.

He grabs something from his pocket and takes out a black velvety box, you let out a gasp and covered your mouth with your hand. He opens the box and a beautiful ring with a blue diamond in the middle of it is presented to you.

He looked into your eyes "I'm gonna spend my life with you. So will you marry me?"

You let out a choked sob and begin to cry again. "Why now? It's not the right time" you sniffle, and Maverick begins to frown, thinking you reject him, but you reach out for his hand. "Of course, I want to marry you"

He chuckles and takes out the ring from the box, he takes your left hand and put the ring on your ring finger.

You looked at the ring on your finger closely and examined it."It's so beautiful." You cooed, you looked at him "But you're gonna do this mission Mav, I can't bear myself if I'm losing you" you frowned.

Maverick leaned closer and cup your cheek, he wipe your tears with his thumb. "You won't baby, I promise to you. I promise I'll come back. If you want we can go to Hondo and marry us right now in here" he offered.

You let out a chuckle and sniffle "I want you to be my husband for the rest of my life. Not just a day. I don't want you to get hunted by my dad's drones and get killed". He let out a breathy laugh and tuck you into his arms.

He kiss your forehead "I love you (Y/N) Cain" he muttered on your forehead

"I love you too, Pete Mitchell" you tightened your grip on his waist.

***

"Maverick," Hondo called for Maverick that looked lost in thoughts.

"Maverick?" Maverick turn to Hondo on his side. He was already seated on his Jet.

"Hey, you with me?" He looked at him in concern, Maverick just give him a look "I don't like that look, mav." Hondo shakes his head.

"It's the only one I got." Maverick was silent for a second. He turned to Hondo again "Thank you. If I don't see you again, Hondo, thank you."

Hondo shakes his head "Don't say that, (Y/N) told me what happened. You can't bail on her, you know how her dad is", he and Maverick let out a chuckle. Maverick actually want to marry you when he proposed, he's not joking about getting Hondo to Marry you on the Hangar. He can call you his wife, and you can call him your husband even if it's just a few hours. He'll die in happiness because he knows how it feels to build a life that he dreamed about last night, even if it is just a few hours.

Hondo then places his hand on Maverick shoulder. "It's been an honour, Captain."

Maverick nodded and Hondo leave him for his takeoff.

***

You're sitting in the control room with Hondo beside you, the headphones rest on your head. They want you to control the Comanche for the weapons operations inside the plane, but you can't do that, not with Maverick on the team. You don't want to jeopardize the mission.

The Comms officer begins to send the Dagger team and Comanche on the air. You looked closely at the screen with one arm resting on your stomach and the other resting under your chin.

The Comms announced that the Dagger Team and Comanche are below the radar now. You held your breath for a second and waited for their attack.

The Comms looked over to you and you nodded "launch the Tomahawks" you said to your comm.

"Tomahawks airborne. Thirty seconds to tomahawk impact on enemy airstrip." The second Comms informed the room and you let out a sigh, the real mission is gonna start soon.

The Comms informed about the delay on Rooster jet. You shared a looked with Hondo when the second Comms inform that the missile hit the target. The enemy gonna know now.

You bounced your leg and bit your bottom lips hearing the squad destroy the target and try to escape the missiles that chase them, and then something that you prayed for not to happen, happened.

"Dagger one is hit! I repeat dagger one is hit! Maverick is down." You abruptly rose to your feet and looked at the screen with wide eyes. It is not happening, he promised you to come back.

Your ears begin to ringing, and the sound around you has faded away. You begin breathing heavily. You take out your headphones and turn around to walk out of the room, you hear their faded argument and Hondo calling your name, but you just keep walking out of the room.

Your feet carry you to the hangar where Maverick proposed to you. You fall to your knees and begin to sob.

He promise to come back, he promise to marry you, but now he's gone, and there's nothing you can't do. Maverick is gone, your boyfriend, your best friend, your lover, half of you is gone.

You begin to sob and placed your left hand on your chest, his engagement ring begins heavy in your hand. You should accept his offer when he says he would marry you here. You should accept it, you would be happy to call him husband even if it is just a few hours. But now he is gone, and you can't call him your husband.

You don't know how long you sobbed and sit on the cold floor when Hondo place his hand on your shoulder. You looked at him with puffy eyes and tears still streaming down your cheeks. He already has his CWO vest on.

"They're back, Maverick and Rooster are alive," He told you. You stared at him, you didn't know Rooster got hit too.

You wipe your tears with your sleeve and Hondo offered his hand to assist you to stand up. He smiles at you and pats your shoulder.

You wipe your neck where the tears trailed down to there. Hondo leaves you to prepare for Maverick landing and you go to the bathroom first to wash your face. Your eyes are still puffy with how long you cried. You walked out of the Bathroom straight to the entrance door. You stood beside Admiral Simpson and looked at Maverick that embrace Rooster. You let out a small sob and place your hand on your mouth. He's alive, without a scratch.

Maverick pull away from Rooster and looked at you, he mouthed I love you to you and you looked at him and kiss the engagement ring that he gave you.

***

You stared at the standing mirror in front of you and looked at your wedding dress. It was a beautiful wedding dress for your beach theme wedding. You're gonna marry Maverick today in the backyard of the house Iceman bought for him. It has a nice beach at the back, so you decided to Marry in there.

You hear knocks on the door and turn around to face the door.

"Come in" you called out, your father, Admiral Cain, dressed up in a tuxedo stepped into the room. You decided you didn't want any military traditions for your wedding, you want them simple like any civilian wedding. Besides, it is just a small wedding in the backyard with just family and close friends attending them.

He looked at you from the open door, "You looked beautiful" he walked toward you, and you smile sheepishly at him."Thanks, dad"

You saw him try to hold back his tears but they still come out. You let out a breathy laugh and your tears spill down too. He wipes your tears with his thumb and caresses your cheeks lovingly. He kisses your forehead and pulls away.

"C'mon, I think it's time I'm handing you to that punk," he told you and give you the flower that you place on the Vanity. You take the flowers from his hand and rolled your eyes. "Dad, he's gonna be your son-in-law soon, be nice to him."

He grumble something and you looped your arms with his. You walked to the backdoor of the house that already decorated so it is visible for someone to see from outside.

The piano song of 'Here's come the bride' can be heard when the backdoor is opened. You put on your biggest smile and walked down to Maverick that wearing a blue Tuxedo on the decorated aisle waiting with Bradley as his best man. Hondo is gonna marry you today.

"You know, I still don't like him" your dad muttered in your ear when you two close to the aisle. You just rolled your eyes at him and continue to walk to the aisle.

You arrived at Maverick and your dad give your hand to Maverick. He grab Maverick shoulder roughly and looked him in the eyes. "Take care of her, or you know what happened if you make her sad" he threatened him.

Maverick gulped and nodded"Yes sir".

He released Maverick and kiss your cheek before he walked to sit beside your sister's husband. You give the flower in your hand to your sister as your bridesmaids.

You let out a chuckle and Maverick hold your hands tightly. You can feel his hand sweating in yours.

Hondo clears his throat and begins the ceremony.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life’s greatest moments, the joining of two hearts. In this ceremony today, we will witness the joining (Y/N) Cain and Pete Mitchell in marriage." You stared at Maverick eyes and he do the same. You two have the biggest smile on your face during the entire Hondo talk of the opening ceremony.

"You're beautiful" he mouthed. You tilt down your head to hide your blush and mouthed thank you to him.

"Today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives. For them, out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing their wedding today. Romance is fun, but true love is something far more and it is their desire to love each other for life and that is what we are celebrating here today."

"Now, Repeat after me" Hondo turn to Maverick that still staring at you with a goofy smile on his face, Hondo have to repeat his words to break Maverick attention. Maverick looked at Hondo with wide eyes, embarrassed, he then clears his throat.

"I, Pete Mitchell take you (Y/N) Cain to be my lawfully wedded wife, my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honour and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live." Maverick follow every word Hondo said. He stared into your eyes and never lose his smile. He squeeze your hand after he finished his vow.

Hondo then turns to you "(Y/N), Repeat after me: I (Y/N) Cain take you Pete Mitchell to be my lawfully wedded husband, my constant friend, my faithful partner and my love from this day forward. In the presence of our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honour and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live." You follow every word Hondo said. After you finish your vow people begin to cheer and clap. You have to bite your bottom lips to contain your smile.

"By the power vested in me by the state of and American Marriage Ministries, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Maverick and you begin to lean toward each other and he kisses you passionately. People that cheering and clapping are fades away with how Maverick kisses you. He reaches his hand to cup your cheek and deepens the kiss that makes people go wild.

***

After your wedding ceremony, Maverick brought you to his shop.

You are seated on the back seat of his Mustang P-51 that he got fixed before the wedding. You are still in your wedding dress and he is still in his wedding suit. He sat on the pilot seat and turn to you.

"You ready, my wife?" He called out

"Ready as I'll ever be, my husband," you told him. He closed the canopy and begins to turn on the engine, he takeoff the plane and takes you for a joyride to the valley with Sun illuminating your body. The banner that was written "Just Married" was tied up on the tail of the plane. It unravels when you two are in the sky.

[coco-loco-nut]

The Captain’s Daughter (2)

Pairing: Bob Floyd x Reader/OC

Warnings: Angst maybe, sibling fluff, sadness, a lot of sadness

Summary: Maverick adopted Goose and Carole’s daughter, she’s one hell of a pilot, and Bob is smitten

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | alternate ending | part 4

masterlist

______________________

..."Get ready, it's a long story," She sighs, sipping her drink.

        "I'm always ready," Bob smiles, lightening the mood a little.

        "My dad, Nick Bradshaw -callsign Goose- was Maverick's RIO which is now WSO. They flew in the same class as Admiral Kazansky. In an exercise, Uncle Tom -Iceman- and Mav, were competing, trying to get the missile lock on a MiG. Uncle Tom was trying to best Mav but when he couldn't get the shot, he pulled away. Mav flew into Tom's jet wash which forced him and Dad to eject. Dad was caught by a piece of the jet and he didn't make it. Mav's blamed himself since and so has Uncle Tom," She takes a deep breath, looking up at the sky. "Mom was pregnant with me at the time, though she didn't find out till a month later. Bradley was four. My mom died in childbirth, so I never knew my actual parents. Mav adopted me but only took guardianship of Bradley. A woman named Charlie helped Mav out for a bit at first, but Penny and Sarah, Uncle Tom's wife, raise us while Mav was on missions. Otherwise, we grew up on base. Uncle Tom taught us how to fly, even Cyclone helped a little, as much as he hates Mav. Jake and I were good friends, we fed off each other's arrogance, even if I was more humble. Now he's done damage that won't be easy to fix."

        Nicole pauses again before continuing. "I wouldn't have gotten upset if I weren't already upset. I've been off since I won the first exercise. I can't seem to get a handle on the mission and I just found out that Uncle Tom's throat cancer is back and worse, Mav and Rooster don't know yet and I shouldn't have shared that. But, I don't want to lose him. He was Mav's wingman and my mentor. I don't want to attend a funeral while I'm here. So yeah, I guess Jake just pressed a nerve that was already hurt," Nicole finishes, letting the information sink into Bob.

      "I'm so sorry Gatsby. That is a lot. I can see what Mav is like now, I can't even imagine what he was like over twenty years ago. Thanks for sharing that with me, unlike Bagman, I won't spill your family secrets. Admiral Kazansky was really your Uncle and Mav's wingman?" Bob slightly changes the topic, trying to lighten the mood.

      "Oh yeah. When we get back, I can show you all the pictures. I can even break into Uncle Tom's office on base and show you some embarrassing childhood pics," Nicole cheers up a little. The two down their drinks and head back. Phoenix misses her WSO but her bet with Payback and Fritz might be paying off.

        After showing the large picture of Iceman and Maverick hanging up, she gives a little picture tour and pulls out a key to the office labeled 'Admiral Tom Kazansky, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.'  Bob wonders how she got it but doesn't ask.

        "This is a picture of Bradley and me with Uncle Ice when we stayed with him and Sarah after Dad got in trouble and deployed," Nicole hands a frame to Bob. As he holds it, he notices half-packed boxes around the office. "Sarah gave me the key to start packing up in here. Uncle Tom works mostly from home anyway so I offered to bring his stuff home," Nicole smiles sadly as she picks up a family photo. It was Tom and Sarah with their kids -both now live on the east coast- alongside Mav with Gatsby and Rooster.

         A week later Nicole is standing beside Sarah and Bradley in her dress uniform. Katie and Ron, Tom's children, were on the other side of Sarah. Nicole catches Bob's gaze in the middle of the service, he can tell she is holding back the tears even if some had already fallen. Penny was on the opposite side of Bradley, supporting her friends and Pete as he stood at the casket. For every shot, a tear rolled down her cheek. Bradley held Nicole's hand tightly, hurting just as much.

          Maverick couldn't cry, Captain's don't cry. When he pounded his wings into the casket, it was his final farewell to his wingman. Tom would forever be the better pilot. He always was. As the funeral ended, the Mitchells and Kazanskys hugged each other and made future dinner plans. Katie and Ron were leaving soon and wanted to catch up with Bradley and Nicole. Bob and Hangman found their way to Nicole soon after. Each of them greeted her with a hug. They were the only two who truly knew how close both she and Rooster were to the Admiral. The rest of the 12 didn't pry, leaving them to mourn in peace.

        "I'm sorry, Gatsby. I know how much he meant to you," Bob wipes her tears from her cheeks.

       "I suppose I knew, but I wasn't ready. He's the first parental figure that I knew before losing," She says. Bob hugs her again before letting her rejoin Rooster in the procession out. She wrote Slider a letter offering her condolences for losing a partner an mailed it as soon as Uncle Tom has died. Gatsby has flown solo for a while, but she has seen the pain of losing a WSO or pilot. While she wasn't close with Slider, he had a recurring presence during her childhood.

A couple of days later, she decides to throw a party at her place for the core 8 as she's nicknamed the group. Rooster was the only one who didn't accept the invite, citing the timeline increase. Fanboy, Payback, Coyote, Hangman, Phoenix and Bob all arrive with different drinks in hand. The theme was an alcoholic potluck. It sounded fun. Half an hour later, everyone is starting to enjoy themselves and Phoenix and Hangman are flirting.

"I can't believe Mav would just hijack the course like that," Coyote says, looking at Gatsby who just shrugs. Rooster told her that Mav was permanently grounded after the funeral.

"My father isn't much of a rule follower," she snorts and throws back a shot. Bob, not being much of a drinker and the assigned DD, adds that to his tab on her. He is worried that she is trying to drown her sadness even if she wanted to bond with everyone. Payback hooks up to a speaker and starts playing music. When Nicole is completely trashed, she sits beside Bob, leaning into him. He awkwardly wraps an arm around her shoulders, not sure what to do. The group decided to share funny stories from different missions. Everyone passes out on the floor, except for Hangman who stumbles to the guest room to claim it. No one finds the second guest room. Bob finds blankets and pillows in a storage closet from Nicole's drunk directions and passes them out before turning everything off and carrying Nicole upstairs.

"Bobby, stay," Nicole slurs, pulling shorts and a ratty shirt out. She also grabs a set of what must be Mavs or Roosters old shorts and shirts, handing them to Bob. Bob awkwardly takes them as Nicole starts to strip. He blushes and quickly turns around. "Don't worry, I'll look the other way," Nicole tells Bob who doesn't turn around but takes her word and undresses. She admires his ass before quickly turning around as to not get caught.

"Alright to bed," Bob walks over to her, pulling up the sheets.

"Only if you sleep here too," Nicole says, to which Bob agrees. He plans on sneaking out of the bed as soon as she falls asleep. "Yay!" Nicole kisses Bob who after a second kisses back. As soon as Nicole tries to go further, he stops her.

"Gatsby, you're drunk. Another time," he promises and she cuddles into him. Bob internally sighs, hoping he didn't ruin their friendship.

When Nicole wakes up, she only vaguely remembers the previous nights events. She realizes that she is cuddling someone, being the big spoon to be more specific. Bob. She remembers kissing him, he must've fell asleep. A quick glance at her clock tells her that it's an hour before everyone needs to be up for today's brief. Nicole untangles herself, heading for the shower. After a quick, cold, shower, she puts on her uniform and heads to the kitchen. She doesn't worry about waking Bob up since her alarm is set.

"Morning," Rooster is leaning against the counter, a coffee in hand.

"What? You weren't even here last night," Nicole steals his coffee, taking a few sips.

"Yeah, when no one returned, I set an early alarm and came over to clean a little and help with breakfast," Rooster motions to the cleaner kitchen and groceries on the counter.

"I can't wait for you and Dad to move in," Mav bought this house after he realized that he wasn't going to be getting another assignment after this mission. He takes over after her rental contract expires. He wants to be close to Penny and the Kazansky's.

"I'll start the pancakes if you do the bacon?" Rooster offers, both of them quickly working to get food ready. Fifteen minutes later, people start waking up to the smell of food.

"Marry me, Gatsby," Hangman moans as he takes a bite.

"Then you will be doing all the cooking," Rooster tells him, not lying. Nicole is definitely not the cook of the family. She can, but it's not on Rooster's level.

"Good morning everyone," Phoenix walks in with Bob, who blushes a little when he sees Gatsby. Within thirty minutes everyone is fed and on their way back to the base.

"Good morning, Sir," Gatsby greets Cyclone in the hall.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Mitchell. We will be going over the valley simulation today. If you could get everyone to the briefing room, that would be appreciated," Cyclone informs her. With a quick nod, she changes directions to get everyone and inform them.

"Your Dad is insane," Bob whispers with a smile.

"He likes to break rules," Gatsby chuckles.

With Maverick being team leader, Gatsby knew there was only a slim chance of being selected as wingman. She hadn't mastered the route like Hangman and Rooster. While she was a great pilot, she is the youngest of the group and still has more to learn.

Hangman is assigned Dagger Spare One while Gatsby is given Dagger Spare Two. She is slightly jealous that she is the only one in the family being left behind, but she knows better than to question her father. She sits in her plane beside Jake listening.

"Come on Rooster, you can do it. Reengage," She whispers from the cockpit. Her heart breaks as she hears about Mav and Rooster both being hit and losing contact. It takes everything in her to stay in the plane and do her job. Hangman tries to get clearance but it doesn't work, her world slows down. Bob stands in her view, non verbally trying to support her. When he and Phoenix landed, it kept her from breaking. She hadn't lost everyone. As soon as Rooster's gps tracker is activated, she lets out a silent sob of happiness. But when the bogie appears on the radar, her heart drops again. Mav has no defenses.

      "Dagger spare two, permission to take off in support," She requests, readying to take off.

     "Dagger spare one, dagger spare two prepare to take off," command says. With a nod to each other, friendship restored, they prepare for a dogfight. She doesn't look at Bob's worried expression.

     "I'm going to lure him away so Maverick can land on the carrier," Gatsby says, intercepting the enemy before it can get lock on Mav and Rooster, who finally activates his radio.

     "Keep him going, I've almost got him!" Hangman says as she is close to being locked on.

     "Hurry up!" She panics as tone starts. Like Rooster and Maverick, she saved them but it will cost her.

      "She copied Rooster," Phoenix says on the boat, a little breathless from shock. They can hear Hangman yelling her actual name, everyone knowing what the next few seconds will bring even if they don't want to admit it.

     "I'm sorry Dad, Bradley, Jake. I tried," Gatsby cries over the radio as her plane is hit.

       "Dagger spare two is down, I repeat, Gatsby is down," Hangman cries out.

      "Gatsby. Nicole," Bob whispers sadly. Maverick and Rooster yell out her name and someone turns it off on the deck, preparing for Maverick and Jake's landing and search and rescues attempt to retrieve her from the ocean, if she was able to eject. Even if she did, it's likely that she hit the water wrong.

    A young man, blonde and wearing a flight suit, stands in front of the confused girl. Ahead of her is a field of wildflowers and she seems to be on a patio with doors that leads somewhere. She realizes that he is saying something she can't hear.

    "-ole. Nicole. Can you hear me?" He says, his voice sounding familiar.

    "Who are you? Why do you know my name? Where am I?" She fires off questions and he laughs at her, only increasing her confusion.

    "Really kiddo? I'm only the best goddamn pilot the Navy had to offer, and the best uncle ever," He smiles and everything clicks.

     "Uncle Ice! Am I dead? Why are you hot?" Nicole hugs him as he laughs.

     "Not yet, you are in sort of an in-between. You have a choice to make. Although, I think it's pretty obvious. As to why I'm hot, I've always been this way. I used to get around before Sarah. Tell Mav to drop his dating rule and give Bob a chance. He's been worried. Before I go and you decide, there are two people who are here to see you. I love you kiddo," Iceman tells her, giving her a tight hug. It's odd seeing him so young, and honestly, her uncle was hot. As he leaves through a door, two people who she's only seen in pictures walk in.

     "Mom? Dad?" Gatsby gasps, running to them and hugging them. She's getting a lot of hugs for a change, not that she minds.

    "My baby. We are so proud," Carole says, taking in her daughter.

     "You are one hell of a pilot. You and Bradley both. Better than Maverick, and better than your brother. Ice would kill me again if I said you were better than him. I'm proud that you three have honored both of us in so many ways. Always singing Great Balls of Fire, carrying our favorite book, having my name, Bradley's call sign," Nick tears up a little, his daughter isn't as much of a copy and paste like Bradley is. To Nick, she is the perfect combination of himself and Carole. The selfish part of him wants to keep her here.

    "Mav flying the F-14, and me ejecting into the ocean then dying?" Nicole offers with a small smile.

    "Yes, even that. We have and always will watch over the three of you. Yelling at Maverick more has become Iceman's greatest past time," Carole laughs, squeezing her daughters arm.

     "Nicky, sweetie, you have a choice to make. You can return or stay here with us," Nick says a bit sadly.

    "Will I still be a pilot?"

    "That's also up to you, baby. We will support you either way," Carole tells her. The once obvious choice has become more difficult. She wants to spend more time with her parents, obviously, but she also has a lot of people waiting on her back home. She has Bob waiting for her.

     "I hope you both know how much I dreamed of this. Well not being dead, but seeing you, living with you. Bradley and Dad did their best to fill me in, but a large part of me was missing my whole life. I always needed you," Nicole says, slightly unsure of her decision, but confident at the same time.

[thecomicsnexus]

The Supreme Sacrifice

Uncanny X-Men #16. January, 1966. By Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Jay Gavin (Werner Roth).

The X-Men have been defeated and captured by the Sentinels leaving Professor X the only member of the group uncaptured. Having recovered from his failed attempt at trying to shut down Master Mold with his mental powers, Xavier witnesses the Sentinel base retract back into the ground, and decides to take a different approach to defeating this robotic menace. Deciding to go back to examine the deactivated robot at the television station, he mentally summons a passerby to pick him up and drive him into the city.

Meanwhile, the X-Men have been imprisoned in a transparent cage, pinned to its surface by artificial gravity. Try as they might, they cannot break free. When Master Mold gets all the information he can from the Beast, he deems the X-Men a paltry threat and orders the Beast be caged with his comrades. When Bolivar Trask asks Master Mold what he intends to do with the X-Men, the robot responds by telling him that he intends to eventually destroy them as per Trask's programming. Having realized the errors of his ways, Trask denounces this but Master Mold is unswayed and threatens to destroy a nearby town if Trask doesn't agree to build more Sentinels.

Back in New York City, the Professor is brought to the television station, where he first encountered the Sentinels, and where one of their numbers still lays inert. Secretly probing the robot with his mental powers before a perplexed police officer, the Professor learns that the Sentinel has a receiver unit much like a television set and that something must have caused interference. Looking out the window, he notices that the cause is a giant crystal on display atop the Crystal Products Building. This gives the Professor just the idea on how to destroy Master Mold and the other Sentinels.

Back at the Sentinel base, the other X-Men feel the artificial gravity of their cell weaken as the Sentinels prepare to put the Beast in the cell with them. Cyclops organizes the X-Men and when a small opening is made in their transparent prison, they attack and break free. The Sentinels are caught off guard and trip over themselves as the X-Men gain the advantage and take out their captors with their mutant powers. The X-Men make a break for it; however, the Sentinels recover and fire their stun beams at the young mutants, knocking them out. They are preparing to kill the X-Men when they suddenly collapse. It is because at that very moment outside, Professor X and the authorities have arrived in three helicopters carrying a giant crystal. Suddenly, the high tech Sentinel base rises out of the ground and a giant cyclone firing cannon begins to attack the helicopters.

Inside, the X-Men revive and are alerted telepathically by the Professor of the Sentinels's weaknesses. Rushing off to face Master Mold, the X-Men are startled when the lights begin to go out as some giant machine beneath their feet begins operating, causing fuses all over the complex to blow. This is because Trask has begun the operations that allow Master Mold to create new Sentinels. Master Mold harnesses powerful electrical energy, channeling it into a device that will construct eight new and more powerful Sentinel robots.

Realizing that with enough power, Master Mold can go on producing Sentinels forever and dominate all mankind, Trask finally decides that he cannot allow such a thing to happen, no matter the cost. Denouncing Master Mold one more time and finding that his life is sacrifice, Trask smashes a vital machine in the lab causing a massive explosion. The X-Men, just in the outside corridor, are rocked by the explosion. The heat from the flames causes Iceman to pass out, prompting Beast to rescue his friend before he gets crushed under falling debris. As the complex is falling down around their heads, the X-Men manage to escape the destruction with the help of Marvel Girl's telekinetic powers.

Outside, there is a close call as Beast carries Iceman out of the complex when the wall begins to crumble. Passing his unconscious comrade to the Angel, Beast quickly runs down the side of the complex by himself just moments before it explodes. Watching the destruction, the X-Men wonder what might have happened down there, completely unaware that Trask had learned the errors of his ways and sacrificed himself in order to save humanity from Sentinel domination.

With the threat of the Sentinels over, the X-Men are unaware that back at their mansion, someone lurks in the shadows waiting for their return to pose as a new threat to the group of mutants.

From Marvel Wikia.

So I was saying for the last issue, that the X-Men were doing almost nothing in this story and Xavier was manipulating everything to succeed anyway. But the X-Men actually play a role here. Unknown martyrs. And it is very strange to say this but, no one at the end of this issue knows what the X-Men did, except for Trask, who gave his life to defeat the Sentinels, perhaps inspired by the atrocities happening to Beast and the X-Men. I wonder what Stan Lee was thinking, because as you may know, this title is a metaphor of racial discrimination in America (Xavier being Martin Luther King and Magneto being Malcolm X). The X-Men are unknown heroes, while evil mutants are known villains. The whole thing lends itself for a long debate.

In fact, the sacrifice of Bolivar Trask is a tragedy prevented. Kind of. As we already know his death will trigger many future story lines. And the Sentinels will return.

There is also another improvement around Jean Grey. She is generally a support character, and she gets tired very easily. But in these past issues, she has been getting more and more powerful. I think this is what the title needed, as Xavier seems to be doing almost everything Jean could be doing by herself.

I give this issue a score of 7.50.