I had a dream about your enemies with benefits ghost x reader where the reader had a cryptic pregnancy. She kinda just doubled over in pain randomly and BOOM. Baby.
HE'S A LETHAL PERFECTIONIST TO THE CORE: rigid expectations impressed upon everyone; it's what makes him a first-rate soldier – grit factor and an appetite for excellence in everything he does.
(The thing is, Ghost doesn't make mistakes.
Of course, there's a first time for everything.)
It's chaos walking in Bangladesh, guerrilla warfare against an AQ cell weaseled away in Dhaka because the shiteheads have business with the organized crime bosses here. It's a city jam-packed with civilians, innocent lives. No open-fire allowed. A place like this means guerrilla warfare. Hit-and-run tactics. God knows he's not trying to start an international incident by blowing up half the bloody capital.
Cloak-and-dagger: they're picked off one-by-one. It takes a full day. A mess to be cleaned up, and he does it exceptionally well.
Ghost doesn't get any reports outside of the mission until he relays his total kill count.
"Good work," Laswell radios in. "We need you on the first flight to Oslo."
He lets out a slow exhale while jumping into the driver's seat of the vehicle he commandeered a couple blocks over. Time to make his way to the airport, then. They need his back-up. He knows what that means. But he's not going to think about the fact that the rest of the One-Four-One are there for a completely different ops and whether things have gone south if they're calling him in. He was supposed to be their fallback plan. "Everything solid?"
"It's Mav."
His grip around the steering wheel tightens. If he starts speeding through the streets, then he doesn't notice, too tuned in to the conversation at hand. "Fill me in."
"Landed herself in the hospital."
Again? Christ. It's the second visit in six months. He was there for the first one. Damn near had to stop the bloody doctors from calling out her time of death. Fuckin' tossers.
"What's the damage?"
"Well—"
"Alive?"
"Yes," she says quickly.
"Then quit beating around the bush. The hell's wrong with her?"
"All in one piece. Just get here when you can."
Right, so no helpful answers from the Station Chief. And Ghost tries to contact the others, but gets the same fucking silence. Not Price, not Gaz, not even Soap who always answers just to take every opportunity over the comms to blather about anything and everything in real time. He's not sure why he's being kept in the dark like this, but it's definitely putting him on edge.
The only other message he receives from Laswell: Oslo University Hospital. He'd combed the website for information in between stoplights. It'll do, he supposes. Their services don't seem subpar, which at any rate sounds far better than fucking Moscow; he still gets sick thinking about it.
So he checks in, gets his visitor badge. It's a whole ordeal that takes a lot longer than he likes. They tell him what floor, what room. That's the Gyneacology and Obstetrics Wing. He triple-checks, making sure nothing gets lots in translation; doesn't sound right to him, but he'll tear up the place later if they gave him the wrong directions. He memorized the hospital layout already; it'll take him approximately three minutes utilizing the right staircase, or seven minutes if he wants to take his sweet-fucking-time with the elevators.
"Our gift shop is around the corner," they tell him in a thick Norwegian accent before he makes his exit.
Odd.
She doesn't like flowers or cards or sentimental things anyways. Calls them impractical. Would rather hoard his jackets or other belongings of his that she finds useful, so the gift shop would be a waste.
When Ghost finally gets to where he needs to be, 2 minutes and 45 seconds later (skipped every other step just to shave off time), he finds everyone sans Mav waiting outside the room. It's not a happy reunion, despite Soap's grin. Everyone's intact, nobody's dead or anything that would excuse their silence during his trip from Bangladesh. Ghost is extremely unimpressed with their lack of communication and promises that he'll deal with their sorry arses later before shoving his way through the door.
—only to be met with the sight of her sitting up in bed, a tiny newborn bundled in her arms.
... whose fucking baby is that?
And when his eyes snap up to hers, she's glaring at him with a positively seething look that could kill.
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Top Gun Drabble
How Mav views Jake vs how Penny views Jake
---
Maverick flopped down on Penny’s bar with a long groan, pillowing his head in his folded arm with a sigh.
“What trouble did you get to this time, mister?” Penny asked, setting down the man’s favorite beer.
“Not me, Hangman, the kid’s a brat, it’s like karma for all the times I fuck around when I was younger,” Mav sighed, taking a long sip from his beer.
“Hangman? Jake? I’m sure he’s not that bad, Mav, he’s a sweetheart,” Penny said, rolling her eyes at the dramatic man. “Don’t compare him to you, Mav, he'd practically be an angel,” Penny said as she started drying a glass with a towel.
Mav burst out laughing, almost hysterically, as he had to put down his beer. He looked back at Penny expecting her to share his amusement, when she simply just raised an unimpressed brow at him.
A sense of dread washed over Mav.
“No, you’re, you’re serious???” Mav exclaimed, forever denying that his voice raised an octave at that.
“Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin? Tall, blond, young man, plays pool, and darts? Yes, I’m serious,” Penny said, putting her hands on her hips. “Come on, Mav, he’s a good kid.”
Mav’s jaw dropped in shock.
—
Earlier that day
“Hey, hey, pops, pops,” Hangman said, jogging to keep up with Mav who was starting his pre-flight checks.
“Yes, Hangman?”
“Do the death spiral with me,” Hangman said grinning wildly.
Mav turned to look at his student/co-instructor/subordinate, “... We’re surrounded by rookies, kid.”
Hangman shrugged, “It’ll show them what we can do.”
“It will set a bad example, they’re still arrogant little shits.”
Hangman pouted, genuinely pouted, dear god were his students getting too comfortable with him, “You and Bradshaw did it.”
“And we broke the hard deck.”
“Since when did you care about that?”
He, unfortunately, had a point. “I’m trying to prevent what’s happening right now, but to this Top Gun class.”
“But it could also be us asserting ourselves as skilled in front of the students, while simultaneously allowing us to practice a maneuver we don’t usually get to do.” Hangman said, nodding resolutely.
“And when are we using the death spiral in a real dogfight?”
“Who knows? But the death spiral isn’t just about practicality, it’s also about getting to know your jet more.”
“Still a no, kid.”
“But you and Bradshaw did it! Come on, pops, favoritism ain’t allowed!”
“No.”
For some reason, the kid managed to get him to do a spiral with him anyways. Little shit knows how to push a man.
At least the rookies were too intimidated to even think about copying them.
Hopefully.
—
“Hey pops, I got you something,” Hangman said, giving him a box with a wide grin.
“It’s not a bomb, isn't it?” Mav said tentatively, holding the box in his hands.
“Not today at least,” Hangman said, flashing a grin bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Open it,” he practically whined.
Mav rolled his eyes and sat down on his desk as he gently removed the ribbon on the box and watched as the walls of the box fell down revealing a mug.
Keep on smiling!
That was surprisingly sweet.
“Thanks, kid, a bit corny, but thank you, sweet of you,” Mav said, smiling and thumbing the cheesy font.
“Yeah, it’s for your dentures!” Jake said, smiling toothily.
What.
“Figured you should have a specific mug for it,” Jake said as he looked at his watch for the time. “Gotta go, pops, don’t forget to put it in your bathroom, I’m glad you like it,” Jake said walking towards the door, a hand held up in a wave as he rounded the corner.
Little shit.
“I don’t have dentures!” Mav shouted at the younger man’s retreating back, making the young secretary passing by jump and look at him with severe judgment.
—
"Jake! Come on, you promised to help me do my science project!" Amelia exclaimed as she thundered down the stairs to Hangman.
"Aye, aye, captain, I'm here to help, when you actually decide what your project is going to be," Jake said, crossing his arms.
"I wanna make an info sheet on how fighter jets work, you'd help me, right, Jake?" Amelia asked, pleading with her hands clasped.
"I dunno, what do I get for helpin’ ya?" Jake asked, smirking lightly as he chewed on his toothpick.
"My overwhelming gratitude and the cake mom left for both of us in the fridge?"
"All ya gotta say was the cake, you better not eat all of it while 'm not lookin', missy," Jake said jokingly wagging a finger.
Amelia rolled her eyes, "Just don't leave the cake unguarded, and you're supposed to be a military sailor."
"Naval aviator," Jake pointedly said. "You know, the aviator who flies the jets you're gonna be makin' a project on?"
“I’ll choose a jet you don’t fly,” Amelia said.
“Yeah? What jet do I not fly?”
“You could do the F-14 tomcat, that’s what I flew back in the day,” Mav interjected. “Hangman definitely doesn’t know how to fly that.”
Amelia gave Mav the stink eye, nose scrunched up, “I gotta do something more recent, Mav, that isn’t cool.”
“Yeah Mav, your jet is ancient,” Jake mocked, giving Mav a smirk.
“That ancient jet managed to shoot down 5th gens.”
“And I shot the last one just in time, with my amazing type of jet.”
“Pretty sure you bent the airframe, kid.”
“Did I?”
“Anyways,” Amelia said interjecting. “I’m not gonna do your plane Mav, you haven’t proved yourself yet.”
“Prove myself!? And Hangman did??” Mav asked in shock.
“Yeah, Jake’s cool,” Amelia said, crossing her arms and nodding resolutely.
“And I’m not? I’m an aviator ace,” Mav exclaimed. He didn’t know why he was trying so hard to please his ex’s kid, but to be ranked lower than Hangman? Absolutely not. He didn't school the Dagger Squad on the first day of class for no reason.
“Old. And you broke my mom’s heart,” Amelia said, nodding resolutely before whirling around to Jake. “I changed my mind, let’s do your jet. You know so much about it, it’ll make the project easier.”
“You got it, memorized the thick ass manual, back to back,” Jake boasted.
“Yeah like any good aviator worth their salt, like me. I can help, right?” Mav said standing up.
Amelia looked Mav up and down. “I need to decorate it, and you have no taste in design. If you did, it would be 40 years outdated.” Amelia turned back towards Jake, "Can we go to the store to buy some stuff? I need my project to be great, please?"
"Yeah, let's roll, also, aren't you already getting straight As-?"
"Yeah, and I need one more," Amelia said, nodding resolutely.
"Copy that, missy, let’s go," Jake said, slinging an arm around her shoulder to lead Amelia to his truck.
"Can I drive?"
"Not right now, little miss, your mother will kill me."
"Fine. Do you think we'll have enough money to get those plastic models of the planes?"
Jake shrugged, "If you don't I can buy it for ya, always wanted to make one of those anyways. "
"Nice, you're the best Jake," Amelia said grinning wildly as she leaned towards Jake giving a one armed hug.
"I know, and the old man should know now too," Jake said, smirking back at Mav. "I'm the best in the air and on the ground."
"You little–"
"Watch the house while we're gone, pops!" Jake yelled back as he shut the door.
—-
“And that’s only some of the shit the brat does,” Mav whines at Penny before taking a shot of tequila.
Penny simply gave him an unimpressed eyebrow, “I’m sure it’s not as bad as you say it is, Mav, and even if it is.” Penny shrugged before refilling Mav’s shot. “It’s karma for all the shit you did when you were his age, you should tell Viper about him.”
“That’s a great idea!” Mav said, shooting up from his seat. “Maybe Viper would school some sense into him!”
Penny simply gave him a mysterious smile, “Sure, Mav, that might happen.”
—-
“What are you talking about, Mav? Jake’s a good kid, not near as much of a hellion as you are,” Viper said.
He hid his gleeful smile behind a sip of his beer as he watched Maverick groan as if he’s in physical pain.
Karma’s a bitch.
Viper mused on whether or not he should pay the boy to make Maverick’s life hell for the duration he’s here. Maybe he will. Young men like him would take food and beer as adequate training.
And even if the boy was perfectly respectful when he met him, he had a certain cheekiness in his words, and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Reminiscent of a pilot he trained many years ago.
Plus, the bribery may protect him from the kid’s schemes.
He's too old for another kid, but maybe old enough for another grandson.
—
“Okay, I’m cutting you off, pay your tab and get out now,” Penny said, setting down the bill in front of the severely inebriated man.
“Naahhhhh, I wanna another one–” the man slurred, standing up and suddenly slammed his hands on the bar counter. “ANOTHER ONE.”
Penny crossed her arms and glared resolutely at the man, “No. Pay now.”
The man grumbled and squinted at the bill, swaying unsteadily, “T-This ain’t fucking right, it’s a goddamn joke!” The man angrily shouted leaning forward towards the bar owner. “There’s too many zeroes.”
Penny’s eye twitched and was about to make a retort when a cue stick firmly pushed the man away from the counter.
“Respect the lady, man, calm down,” A blonde man said, stepping forward, slamming the butt of the cue stick to the ground. “She said you’re done, so pay, and then leave.”
“What’s it to you!? This is between me and that bitch!” The man shouted, darting forward towards Penny.
It ended quickly.
The newcomer barely had to do anything. Or at least he made it seem so seamless. Sidestep, grab the collar, cue stick to the back of the knees, and throw the drunkard away from the counter.
The drunk fell on his ass, and stumbled forward on all fours trying to get up before stumbling back down again.
“Y-you asshole!” He slurred as he flopped down on the floor and buried his face in his hands with a groan.
“Sure, buddy, I’m the asshole in this situation,” the newcomer said, rolling his eyes before resting the cue stick on his shoulder.
Newcomer turned towards Penny, giving her a small, shy, smile, unlike the confident man who just assisted her, “You doing alright, ma’am?”
“Doing good, thanks, kid, but I could have handled it myself,” Penny said, smiling warmly.
“I know,” the kid said in a matter-of-fact tone. “But if I could help, why shouldn’t I?” The kid said shrugging.
Penny gave a small laugh, “You seem new in town, what’s your name? Your tab is free today for all the trouble you just had to go through.”
“Jake Seresin, ma’am, at your service,” Seresin said, giving her a two-fingered salute.
“Penny Benjamin, welcome to my bar,” Penny said, extending a hand for him to shake.
“May I offer one suggestion ma’am?” Seresin said after a moment. Penny nodded in consent and Seresin offered her another grin. “Don’t cancel my tab, just charge it to this guy, he was an ass anyways,” Seresin said, jabbing a thumb towards the still groaning man who was acting like a dying fish on her floor.
Fish. Boats. Overboard.
“Good idea, EVERYBODY, A ROUND ON HIM!” Penny, exclaimed at the whole bar.
The bar cheers.
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