#fritz top gun

[doodles-bi-tea]

claim your “I was a Lewis Pullman fan before Thunderbolts” ticket here! (in case he blows up in popularity any more than he might have after things like TGM and Lessons in Chemistry…)

[themissingmango]

’The hell kinda mission is this?

[caystar13star]

This little piece is an ode to @snapghoul ’s Seresin twins au. I added Fritz (and his fandom-assigned storm chasing history as well). He and Tyler met at college in Arkansas, where the Wranglers got started. Then Fritz and Jake met and it was chaos.

“Shit, that’s Fritz!”

It took everything Jake had not to react when Payback called out to the newly arrived aviator. He and Fritz had been stationed together exactly once, and between the constant goading and their “insane” flying when they were paired in the air together, the brass tended to keep them separated for the good of the Navy.

That sobered him for a moment. What kind of mission was this?

Jake was surprised that Billy kept his distance during training, but he figured the other man must be waiting for just the right moment. They were all pretty focused on training.

It was a rather unremarkable Saturday after the mission that Fritz made his move.

The Dagger squad had been permanently assigned to North Island, under the command of the newly-appointed Admiral Mitchell (his husband refused to let him change his name, saying two Admiral Kazanskys would just be too confusing). They had been invited to the admirals’ home several times, and met even more admirals, and retired captains, and even a Texas Ranger! The TOPGUN class of ‘86 was certainly an interesting group.

Fanboy had cornered Fritz, asking him for more details about his storm chasing days, when Jake overheard them. “Hold up, let me show you. My old partner has a YouTube channel. It’s badass.”

Jake groaned, leaning his head against Bradley’s shoulder. “Kill me now, please.”

Rooster looked at the other aviators, confused as to what Jake’s problem was. Fritz was giggling quietly in that half-crazy way of his as he swiped and scrolled on Mickey’s iPad. “Here you go, check this out.”

Bradley caught on but held back his laughter when he heard Tyler’s voice through the speakers. “Alright, what’s up, chat?!?? Welcome back. Thank you for joining us. It’s a perfect weather day!”

Reuben and Mickey were staring wide-eyed at the screen, glancing between the scruffy cowboy Tyler on YouTube, and the perfectly put together mirror image Jake sitting curled up on Admiral Kazansky’s sofa.

“Is that…Hangman??” Fanboy’s confused voice brought the rest of the squad over to see what they were watching. Mav looked and cocked his head to the side, then narrowed his eyes at Jake.

“I didn’t know you had a twin!”

Jake looked surprised that Mav came to that conclusion from only seeing a short clip of Tyler. Most people who knew them all their lives still got them mixed up, despite their different styles and Jake’s efforts to minimize his accent (except when Bradley royally pissed him off).

Bradley squeezed his hand as if knowing the direction of his thoughts. “Dad has a twin, too,” he offered. “But I’m not sure if the Daggers are ready to meet Uncle Ethan yet…”

[moonlight-prose]

accidentally staring a bit too long at their lips w/ fritz bestie please i am begging he has kissable lips 😩

EARTH ANGEL

a/n: because manny jacinto is finally showing up my dash constantly, i felt like i had to write something for the one and only fritz. this is courtesy of us just screaming about him. a nonstop convo about how beautiful he is. also cause top gun summer 3.0 is necessary when the weather hits 90 and you want to crawl out of your skin. this is unedited and beta read by you babes.

summary: what does it mean to belong to someone? to be stuck in their gravitational pull, to feel that cosmic connection that makes breathing difficult when they were away.

OR a dance, a song, and the aspect of forever all leads to one conclusion. falling in love with fritz was inevitable.

word count: 3.2k+

pairing: bill ‘fritz’ avalone x f!reader

warnings: so much fluff it’s scary, romance, the hopefulness of two hopeless romantics, fluff, flirty vibes from our man fritz, he's obsessed it's so cute, the good gooey feelings that make people do stupid things for love.

Celebratory cheers bounced off the walls as you did your best not to get knocked on your ass. People crowded the bar, beer in their hands and requests for more flying off their lips. And you did what you could to sink into the corner. Away from those that were already on the road to slurring their words given the demeanor of the setting. People were floating on cloud nine. Over the damn moon as the mission they stressed over suddenly became a success.

The condensation dripped onto your hand, slipping down your wrist when you took a sip. You should have wiped it away on your sundress, but the scene before you distracted every one of your senses. Rooster was three beers in, a shot of something amber beside him, as he sang at the top of his lungs. His fingers danced over the keys.

Surprising given that he was tipping over the piano, his eyes glazed and gleaming. A group of pilots you tried to make sense of practically fell beside him, their voices shouting above the others. The serenity of bliss drawn on their faces. You figured they were the ones who'd accomplished the job.

"Can I buy you a drink honey?" The drunken slur of a pilot tripping his way towards you nearly threw you off, but with a tip of your beer and a lazy smile you watched him accept defeat. His eyes already set to a redhead seated at the bar - her gaze locked on him with a hunger you only felt for one man.

"You shouldn't hide away," Phoenix called, sliding into the corner with you, two beer necks wrapped in each hand. Another round to kill the stress of the day—to remember they weren't just pilots.

You grinned. "Who says I'm hiding?"

A quirk of her eyebrow and a murmured mhm called you out faster than you anticipated. Hiding wasn't the prerogative. If you had another beer in your system, you'd be sitting by Rooster attempting to match his note for one of your own. But celebration wasn't to be had if the one you were waiting for hadn't waltzed through the door yet. His friends trailing behind him, wolf whistles traded for smirks from pretty women at the bar.

"He'll be here soon," she said, nodding towards the door. "Mav kept them longer than usual."

"Who says I'm waiting for someone?"

She laughed, a shrug thrown your way as she meandered through the mess of rowdy pilots. "Who says you're not?"

Any other pilot would have figured you wanted away from the noise, any of them wouldn't have seen how your eyes fell to the door whenever it swung open. But Phoenix...she could see the faint emotion that shone in your eyes. She saw how you laughed a bit harder in his presence, how he actually talked longer, how your hands brushed when you thought no one was looking. You were an open book, and Phoenix was rapidly turning the pages to see how this particular story came to an end.

"Phoenix—"

The call fell on deaf ears as she rejoined her boys. A seat procured for her by the pool table within seconds. They may give her shit left and right, but you caught the way respect bled from their hearts when she entered the scene. A comradery that left even you breathless.

They'd die for each other.

They nearly had.

You nearly wondered what that felt like: being so in tune with someone your whole body lit up when they entered a room. Yet the echo of the door swinging open—a cheer of a voice you recognized - yanked the breath from your lungs. Seconds passed like hours, and the hair on the back of your neck stood to attention, as you turned. Already searching the crowd for that someone—the other half of your cosmic connection.

If you had a favorite color before catching sight of his eyes, you couldn't remember it. The inclination of your favorite song was diminished the second his laughter fell upon your senses. You suddenly couldn't recall a day where you didn't breathe for him, where your life didn't hold meaning unless you shared a smile and said hello. He'd become the sun, and you found you didn't mind being dragged into his gravitational pull. As long as you could orbit around him without end.

"Penny!" Harvard yelled over the noise of Rooster doing encore number three of Great Balls of Fire. "Three beers please and thank you!"

You smiled into your beer, the bitter flavor flooding your taste buds as a third member of the dynamic duo appeared in their midst. His head turning, eyes flicking through the throng of people, as he searched rapidly. He smiled at Yale, nodded his head at a woman who rammed into him, and finally caught your gaze with a deep exhale.

And suddenly...you could breathe properly again.

He mumbled his farewells, snuck the beer off the counter, and slipped quietly towards you.

People believed he remained silent because Harvard and Yale were loud enough for him. You found he had plenty to say. As long as someone was willing to listen. If it were up to you, he'd never stop talking. Simply so you could hear the deep echo of his voice on a constant loop. Your favorite tune, ever since he caught your eye at basic training. The question of an empty chair beside you suddenly turning into so much more.

"You're still in your flight suit," you said, hoping the light airiness of your voice was enough to avoid thinking about how your skin turned hot the second he showed up.

When it came to Fritz...you became aware of yourself in a way that didn't exist. How you moved, how you spoke.

Before him you were in darkness. He simply figured out how to turn on the switch and allow light in.

"Yeah," he let out another breath, sipping at his beer. You tracked the drip of condensation that fell on his neck, your stomach twisting at the sight. "We got the ritual speech of why we didn't go. You know the one."

"Ah. The I'm sorry but you're still a great pilot speech."

He smiled and the ground vanished beneath you. "That exact one actually."

"I'm sure he...added a cherry on top of the bullshit."

Fritz choked, laughter spilling from his lips like a contagion you longed to catch. When he felt joy, you partook. When he laughed, you couldn't help yourself. He was an addiction. The reason why you even came to San Diego in the first place.

Whether he knew that was a different story altogether.

"I'm guessing you made it out early." His eyes fell to your white sundress, red flowers sprinkled along the near sheer fabric. "Nice dress," he mumbled into his drink, eyes a bit darker than before as they trailed upwards, stopping briefly at the way it was pulled into a tie above your breasts.

You'd done it into a mess of a bow, hoping the look didn't resemble too much of a present. His gaze barely came up to your eyes before falling again, transfixed by the sight. And you found you didn't mind if he unwrapped you with the same glee as a kid on his birthday. You wanted him to.

"Thanks," you replied softly, the quick echo of your heart deafening against the noise of the bar.

Rooster's name was being chanted like a prayer, his body shimmying and swaying as he began to start up another round of the same song. People were more than happy to sing along with him. Until the familiar hum of the jukebox prickled in the air, a slow song blaring from the speakers. You leaned up on your toes, eyes catching the sight of Hangman appearing from the back of it with a glare on his face. His middle finger directed towards a half drunk Rooster; who met him with a finger of his own.

"Serves Rooster right," you began, turning back to Fritz with a flutter of your skirt. "That would have been number four."

He snorted. "Only Rooster wouldn't get hit for that."

"Oh I'm pretty sure Hangman was five seconds away from it."

The Penguins crooned softly as people began to calm slightly, dispersing to tables and disappearing out the back towards the firepit. And you stood there silently with Fritz, your beer now tepid and disgusting. If you had the chance, you'd have asked him to head out to the firepit, but he turned back towards the bar. Probably for one more drink.

"Right." You pulled at the skirt of your dress.

You wanted to play it back, say something entirely different. Ask him to join you by the fire pit with another beer in his right hand and your palm in his left. But the words were stuck like molasses in the back of your throat, fighting against release. Phoenix was begrudgingly dancing with Bob, her lips refusing a smile that you knew lingered beneath the surface. And Fanboy sat beside Payback, crooning the lyrics as best they could.

The temptation to join them pulled at your chest, an echo of that yearning for comradery appearing again. Perhaps if you asked Fritz he'd say yes. You could follow their lead, enjoy the night before you went your separate ways once more.

You could pretend to be whole for one night.

And life would feel worth living.

"Hey Avalone—" You were stopped short by the sight of his hand stretched towards yours, his lips in a small smile that screamed hope. That pleaded for an answer to this unspoken question.

Like the rest of them...you replied silently. With the belief that words simply weren't enough in this situation.

Slipping your hand into his, you allowed him to lead you towards the empty spot near Phoenix and Bob. Dazed and slightly worried that the singular beer you drank was affecting you more than it should. Even as the actual reason had your hand clasped tight. You wanted to ask what effect he held over you, what intangible bond he created without your knowledge. It might give you an explanation as to why you felt this way: stuck in a dream filled haze, with only his light to guide you out.

And maybe one day Fritz would tell you he gripped you so tight for fear of him tripping. Maybe he'd finally explain why he told you so much, why his body buzzed the second you walked in a room. Maybe he'd tell you that he suspected he loved you after watching you fly a jet, but knew he loved you when you nearly toppled him over playing volleyball on the beach.

But for now...he expressed what he could without words. Afraid that if he opened his mouth, he'd say the wrong ones.

With a swift turn, he tugged you closer on unsteady feet. A full smile pulling at his lips when you grasped his shoulders for balance.

He wouldn't let you fall. Not here...not in the sky as your wingman, and certainly not out of the love you felt for him. People said this emotion was fleeting. A lost fictitious hope that merely existed with words on a page, but there was no denying how his heart grew warmer when you were near. How he knew he could speak to you for hours at a time, yet never run out of things to say.

You were it.

That indescribable thing no one could give a name to.

"I didn't take you for the dancing type," you joked, swallowing around your nerves that jumped across your skin.

He stepped closer, his arm slipping around your waist. The way your chest hitched didn't go unnoticed by him; although rather than mention it, he put you out of your misery and kept speaking.

"I'm not."

"Let me guess...it's the song?"

He shrugged, swaying you into a gentle step you could follow with ease. "Well...it's not not the song."

A quick glance over told you that the Daggers were eyeing the both of you with great interest. As if you and Fritz were the entertainment they'd been searching for all night. The turning point of a love story they'd been a part of for years. The page sat ready to be turned, the final line of the novel practically burning a hole through the back cover, yet you couldn't read what it said.

"So it's...only the song?"

"No." If it were any other night, you'd be sharing a plate of nachos at a booth somewhere in the back. He'd be three stories deep into a conversation, and you'd be falling a bit harder the longer you listened.

Tonight however, he seemed—nervous.

"No?" You wanted to pry open his thoughts, see what he believed this was—what you were to him.

"If it wasn't the song? If I asked you because of something else, what would you do?" His hand clutched yours a bit tighter, the familiar callous on the base of his wrist helped keep you grounded.

"Depends on what it is." You sucked in a breath. "Will I...I've been thinking—"

"Yes?"

Your eyes met his softened gaze, the echo of an emotion you couldn't place shone in the deep brown. And you wanted to beg him to explain it to you. To tell you everything he'd never said out loud, in the hopes they mimicked what you held near and dear to your heart every day.

"Ever since I've known you...um..." Getting it out felt as if you were attempting to delicately attempt a surgery - prying them free from your chest with a chisel. "Actually since the day we met...fuck...it's not easy to say."

He tugged you a bit closer as he turned. "I know." He smiled, eyes falling to your lips, the curve of their shape, how they formed around his name. "It's not just the song. It's you."

Breathing no longer existed as the beat of your heart went haywire. Could he feel the pulse of it on your wrist? The way it bent and twisted as if leaping from your chest. You wanted to respond, tell him all the things that went unspoken, but once he found his words...they refused to go unheard.

"It's always been you. I should have told you before tonight. Believe me—I wanted to. You have no idea how much I wanted to tell you." He let out a soft breathy laugh and you could practically taste his words on your tongue. "And I think you knew."

"Will..." Your teeth sunk into the flesh of your bottom lip, eyes falling to his as the words you longed to hear finally left them.

"I love you." The sting of tears burned your eyes, your hand clutching his shoulder harder as he kept going. "Since the first day." He laughed nervously and an image of him, you, and a house flashed through your mind. "Well actually. The day you knocked me on my ass playing volleyball is when I knew for sure."

"Yeah?" you murmured, fighting back the stream of tears.

He seemed to catch how the light illuminated them, his hand slipping from yours to cup your cheek. "Yeah. Only my girl could be that competitive."

His girl.

The story was written the day you greeted him with a smile. The ending inscribed into your futures with permanent ink, carved into the rock of your headstones. And you could see it now—the familiar dip in the road that matched his perfectly. Falling in love with Fritz was always in the cards. A play you had no choice but to make.

He was your forever the second you shared the same oxygen.

"Fritz..."

He smiled, thumb running across the apple of your cheek. "Yeah baby?"

Chills ran down your spine as heat spilled into your stomach. The polarity of the two nearly toppled you to the ground, but he held you tight. Unwilling to let you go.

The song was slowly coming to the final chorus—the noise of the bar didn't register to your ears anymore as you hung onto his every word. Desperate for him to say those three words over and over and over. Until he lost all the breath in his lungs.

"I hope you know I love you."

His lips pulled into a smile that held your attention in its grasp. What you wouldn't give to see that every morning and night. To be the sole reason why something so beautiful appeared. He smiled and you felt the gravity beneath your feet give way, your stomach bursting to life with a flurry of butterflies.

"I should have said it before this mission. Or even a year ago. But I was scared you didn't feel the same wa—"

With a soft chuckle, he dipped down slightly, catching your lips with his softly. And every thought, every explanation you could give him, died on your tongue. He was gentle with you, as if this was a new version of the dance you'd shared throughout the years. The steps, familiar yet foreign enough to trip you up. It wasn't until you sucked in a sharp breath through your nose, your hand finding its way to the hair on the base of his neck, did the hesitation fall away.

He itched to haul you to his chest and properly kiss you. But the burn of eyes prickled along his back. There was an audience, witnesses to the first step into your future, and Fritz felt himself tense slightly. If he had a choice, he'd show you how long he wanted this. How he ached for this.

He'd make up for lost time.

The song filtered to an end, a new one he couldn't place starting up. He refused to pull away.

With a sigh, you melted into his hold, a noise echoing in the back of your throat as his tongue slid along yours. The tang of his beer mixing with yours. He kissed you with the promise of more, the knowledge that tonight you'd take his hand and follow him home. You felt his hand bunch the skirt at your back, fingers digging into your waist, and you moaned softly—desperate for his skin to sear yours.

"Get a room, lovebirds!" Hangman shouted, leaning against the jukebox beer in hand. Yet he let the quarter in his hand slide through the slot, another love song clicking to life as he complained with a smile.

Fritz jolted back, his lips swollen and vibrating. He could still taste you on his tongue, still hear the echo of your moan in his head. You looked dazed, almost lovestruck. And suddenly he understood what it really meant to be hungry.

"Remind me to thank Hangman later," he mumbled against your lips, addicted to the way they curved beneath his.

"He'll take credit for this."

He shrugged. "I'm okay with that."

You locked your other arm around his neck, nose brushing his as you eyed his lips. The red stain on his cheeks had your heart skipping as many beats as it could. What you wouldn't give to have a picture of him like this. Stuck in a haze of love that you put him in.

With a stupefied grin, you felt him start to lead you through the next dance. The steps perfectly in tune with his—as it was always meant to be. "So am I."

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Skyward Bound Hearts

Fandom: Top Gun: Maverick

Pairing: Billy "Fritz" Avalone x F!Reader

Summary: After getting a new job, you move in with your best friend, Billy. You end up meeting some of his Top Gun buddies and while Billy was okay with being just friends, it isn't until his friends showing interest in you that he finally decides to change the status of your relationship.

Manny Jacinto Characters Masterlist

"Hey!" Billy waves at you from his porch as you roll up in the moving truck. You practically collapse into his arms when he opens the door. Long hours driving a large moving truck can have that effect on you.

"I hope to never be in a moving truck for...the rest of my life," you state as you look at your best friend. His cropped black hair, tanned skin, wide smile, and overall handsome face. Just like you remember.

"How are you, Bills?" you asking, ruffling this hair.

He chuckles, running a hand through his now messy hair, "You know how I'm doing. We talk almost every day."

You shrug, "Yeah, but it's different face to face, dumbo," you pinch his nose and head to the back of the truck, lifting the rolling door up.

Billy follows you, arm wrapping around your shoulder and whistles, "That's...a lot of stuff." He puts his free hand on his hip, "You managed to fit all of this in your small apartment?"

"It's mainly all small stuff. Knowing you, your place looks boring and minimalistic as shit. I brought all of my stuff to bring some life to this place," you look at him with a grin and a mischievous sparkle in your eyes.

He chuckles, shaking his head, "You never fail to bring some excitement in my life, Angel." He climbs into the truck's bed and starts handing you some boxes.

Thirty minutes into moving, you hear a honk and three cars roll up behind the truck. You arch a brow in confusion, looking back at Billy for answers, "Friends of yours?"

He shoots you a grin, "Figured we can use some help to get this done faster. Plus, you said you wanted to meet them." He hops out of the truck as soon as several men and two women exits the cars.

"Your saviors are here!" a tall, pretty boy looking man announces as he steps out of the driver's seat. He tilts the glasses on his face down to look your way.

You join Billy's side and murmur into his ear, "Let me guess, that's Hangman."

Billy snickers into his hand, "Yup."

You sigh, "Hate cocky, pretty boys."

He shrugs, "He can be...decent on occasion." He waves at his Navy buddies.

Hangman gives you a look that makes you roll your eyes, "Fritz, you didn't tell me how gorgeous your new roommate is!"

Everyone circles you and Billy and you give them an awkward wave, "Uh, hi, everyone. I'm Y/N."

"Billy said your name was Angel?" one of them says in a confused tone.

You chuckle, "It's a nickname Billy's mom gave me when we were kids. So he's always called me that."

"So you two have known each other a long time?" one of the women asks.

Billy nods, "Yup. Basically our whole lives. Our moms are best friends," he shoots you a familiar grin.

Hangman steps, "So you'd say you're more like siblings than anything, right?" he looks you up and down with a smirk.

You snort, putting your hand against his chest and pushing him back, "I'd just like to put it out there that my type isn't cocky pretty boys. So don't bother."

Everyone around you "ooouuuu", causing Hangman to feel embarrassed. He clears his throat and hollers, "Let's get this show on the road!" He pushes through the group and heads to the truck.

Everyone shakes their heads or rolls their eyes; and introduces themselves to you all by their call signs.

"Fanboy."

"Bob."

"Phoenix."

"Rooster."

"Yale."

"Payback."

"Omaha."

"Halo."

"Coyote."

"Harvard."

An assembly line is formed leading up to Billy's house and into your room. Boxes and furniture slowly fill up the space. It isn't until the sun starts setting that everything is out of the truck.

To celebrate the hard work done, you order pizza and Billy runs to grab beers for everyone.

Now you're all crowding the living room, lounging around, stuffing your face with greasy pizza and beer.

Throughout the day, you were able to chat and get to know Billy's friends. However, you clung mainly to Halo and Phoenix's side because there was waaay too much macho energy.

So in your small circle of girls, you two chat, while the boisterous group of guys chat, hollering playful banter to each other.

"They're always like this, aren't they?" you ask the women as you take a sip of beer.

They both nod, "Unfortunately so. But they're all good guys...save for Hangman, but you already knew that." Phoenix gives you a knowing look.

You snort, "Yeah, Bills would always talk about you guys, Hangman especially. So it's nice to put a face to all of the names I've been hearing for so long."

Halo speaks up, "So what's the story with you and Fritz?" She leans in with piqued interest.

You chuckle, "It's a long story, but, overall, our moms are best friends. They got pregnant around the same time. Billy was born a few months before me. We grew up together. Have stuck by each other's sides ever since."

"So why did you move down here?" Phoenix asks.

"I work for a non-profit org. They're opening offices in Southern California, one of them being here in San Diego. When I told Billy, he immediately offered his spare room for me. Now here we are!" you gesture to the area around you.

"So nothing ever happened between you and Fritz?" Phoenix asks with raised brows and an unconvinced expression.

"Well, I mean, there was a summer in high school-"

"Aaaand there it is," Halo and Phoenix clink their bottles together and both take a swig.

You roll your eyes, "It was short lived. A lot happened that summer and by the end, we both decided it was better if we were best friends and that's it."

"But do you still feel that way?" Halo asks with a pointed look.

You sigh, looking over to Billy who was now taking part in a drinking game with the guys. He's smiling wide and there's a red hue to his skin from the effects of the alcohol. There's a tug at your heart, a yearning that you've felt for so long.

"Well that look definitely answers your question, Halo," Phoenix says with a snort.

You slump, "Doesn't matter. We're still best friends and I'm happy to have him in my life in any way that I can."

_______________

Billy looks over to you as you, Halo, and Phoenix clink your beer bottles together and each take a sip.

He just watches as you chat and laugh with the women. A smile makes its way to his face as you snort, shoving Phoenix in the shoulder for making you laugh.

A shoulder bumps Billy's, catching his attention. He turns to see Fanboy standing there, "Hey, man," he says to the pilot.

Mickey nods towards you, "So, uh, Angel doesn't have anyone does she? No boyfriend, girlfriend, or some partner, right?"

His question makes Billy stand up straighter, "No, why?"

Rooster, watching the interaction snickers, "He's already sizing you up, Fanboy," he gives the fellow pilot a slap to the arm.

Fanboy holds his hands up, "Hey, I'm just wondering! And, you know, she seems cool. Thought I'd invite her out on a drink or something!"

Billy crosses his arms over his chest and cocks a brow at him, "Listen, Angel is important to me, so if you're really interested in her, be my guest, but don't bother if you're looking for a lay."

Fanboy shakes his head, "No, no. Nothing like that, I swear. It's just...we chatted a bit about Star Wars because I saw she had a few Funko Pops of some characters. Thought we could talk more about stuff like that."

Billy drops his arms and shrugs, "Go for it, man. But she'll put you through the ringer if you're a dick to her."

"Hey, I'm not like Hangman," he points to the blonde as his ball sinks into a cup.

Billy snorts, "Yeah and thank God for that."

___________________________

The next few days go by in a whirlwind of unpacking and having dinner with Billy. By the end of the week, you've unpacked a majority of your things. You've hung up a few pieces of framed artwork and pictures, placed a few of your knick knacks on shelves, and filled the fridge and pantry with your groceries of choice.

It’ll be your first day at the new office tomorrow. You were a little nervous because you didn't know anyone that'll be at this location, but you were also excited to begin decorating your cubicle.

To ease your worries, Billy decided to bring you to the Hard Deck for some celebratory drinks. No surprise there were several of his Naval buddies there.

You and Billy give them a wave before heading to your own table to be alone. That was short lived when Coyote and Fanboy approach you two.

"Heeeey! Mind if we join you guys?"

Billy gives an annoyed look and you snort, but shrug, "Not at all."

"Great! Lemme grab you a beer!" Fanboy scurries away to the counter where he asks Penny for a beer. She pops one open and slides to him. He hurries back and placing it before you, "For the lady!"

Billy looks at him confused with his arms out, "What about me?"

You giggle and push your drink to him, "Have mine. I'll get-"

"I got it!" Fanboy exclaims as he heads back to the counter for another beer.

You lean in to murmur to Billy, "He's laying it thick."

"Yeah. I told you, he wants to get to know you and be in my good graces."

You snort, "And how's that going?"

"He's annoying the hell outta me," he replies with a smirk and you burst out laughing. The smirk turns into a smile, a feeling of pride fills him as he made you laugh.

"What's funny?" Fanboy asks as he returns with your new bottle of beer.

"Inside joke," you and Billy respond, causing both of you to laugh more.

Coyote clears his throat, "You guys are really close, huh?"

Billy nods, "Yeah. You should've seen her when I had to go to boot camp. She sent me sooo many letters saying how much she misses me."

You roll your eyes, "You said you missed me too! And the second you were outta there and you were back to calling me almost every night!" you stuck your tongue out at him.

It's now Fanboy that clears his throat, "Sooo what're we drinking to?" he asks as he stands beside you.

"Angel starts her new job tomorrow, so I guess that."

Fanboy lifts his bottle up, "A toast to Angel and her new job!"

"Cheers!" the four of you say as you bump your bottles together.

After taking a few sips, Fanboy asks you, "Hey, uh, Angel, you wanna play a round of pool?"

You laugh, "Hell yeah. Get ready to lose, Fly Boy!" you take your beer and grab Fanboy's hand, leading him to the pool tables on the other side of the bar.

Billy watches as you rack up the balls, he takes a swig from his bottle.

"They'd make a cute couple," Coyote says which makes Billy choke on his drink.

"Jesus!" Billy coughs up liquid as Coyote is patting his back, "You good, man?"

Billy gasps for air as he nods, "Yup. Good. The comment just took me off guard."

Coyote raises a brow, "Does that bother you? The thought of Fanboy and Angel dating?"

Billy looks back at you as you sink a ball in. You pump the air and push Fanboy aside as he pouts. You giggle and pinch his cheek before lining up your next shot.

"I just...I want her happy. And I'm not sure if Fanboy could give her that just yet." He looks away and takes another sip of his beer.

"If I'm overstepping, let me know, but...you guys never dated, did you?"

Billy sighs, running his hand through his cropped black hair, "In high school. The summer after we graduated. We dated for a few months but then I decided to enlist and-"

"Aaaand you broke it off," Coyote finishes, "Do you regret breaking it off?"

"I-" he pauses when he hears your boisterous laugh. He looks across the bar to see you holding Fanboy's arm as you laugh. Fanboy looks like he won the jackpot from the way he was looking at you, happy to be the source of your enjoyment.

Billy sighs, "It doesn't matter. We're best friends. It's worked out great this long."

"But you want more?"

He shrugs, "Only if she does," he murmurs before looking away from you as Fanboy moves some of your hair out of your face, causing you to shy away from him.

___________________

You’re a little tipsy. You’re aware as you sway a little too much while walking into Billy’s place.

He sits you in the couch while he goes to get you some water. You practically melt into the cushions while waiting for him.

You hear a click and look up to see Billy pointing his phone at you, “Goddammit, Bills.”

He snickers, “Sorry. You just look so cute,” he shows you the picture of you curling up on the couch.

You roll your eyes, “Whatever,” pushing his phone away and taking the cup of water from him. You gulp the entire cup down.

Billy watches you with amusement in his eyes, “Good?” You give him a thumbs up and curl back onto the couch.

He sets the cup onto the coffee table and sits beside you. You don’t look at him while you say, “Fanboy asked me on a date.” You’re playing with Billy’s fingers to keep you occupied.

“Yeah? What did you say?”

“That I’ll think about it.”

“He’s a good guy. He can be a punk sometimes, but he’s overall good.”

“I just…” you hesitate. Do you tell him why you didn’t say yes to Fanboy? Do you tell him that even after you two broke up all those years ago that you still love him as more than your best friend? Do you-

“Even though Fanboy is a good guy…I don’t want you dating him,” Billy murmurs, not meeting your eyes.

“Bill-“

He grabs your hand and intertwines your fingers with his, “I want to try again, Angel. I want to try us again. With you living so far, I didn’t think it would happen, but now you’re here and-and I think this could be our chance.”

You look over your shoulder and see the time. It’s late and you really need to go to bed so you’ll wake up in time.

You lean in and kiss his cheek. When you pull away, you can see there’s so many questions that he wants to ask.

“It’s been a long day. We both drank a bit. How about, we talk about this more tomorrow after work. And believe me when I say this isn’t a rejection, Billy. I just think we need to be completely coherent when we discuss this.”

He gulps and slowly nods, whispering, “Okay.” He watches as you get up and murmur, “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

“Good night, Bills.”

“Night,” he rasps out and keeps his eyes on you until you’re out of sight and he hears the click of your door.

He immediately slumps into the couch, hands covering his face, “Fuuuuuuck.”

_____________________

The following day, all you thought about was Billy's confession. You found yourself constantly smiling at the memory of Billy wanting to try again.

It broke you when you two broke up the first time, but you understood why. He was enlisting, you two would be away from each other for so long. But now, it seems fate has brought you two together again and given you another chance.

You just hope that Billy really meant what he said and it wasn't any drunk ramblings.

So you offer to pick up some food on your way home. Billy puts in an order for you to pick up, so the food is already done by the time you get there.

As the distance between you and Billy grow smaller, the more nervous you become. What if he tells you he didn't mean it? What if it's some sort of sick joke? You mentally curse yourself for getting so excited about being with him again.

When you get home, you shake things off and try to remain neutral. You won't expect the best or the worst. You'll hear what Billy says and go from there....but goddammit, do you hope he wants you as much as you want him.

You enter the home and see Billy setting up the table. When you approach him, you kiss him on the cheek, something you're not even sure why you did. It just felt right. The gesture made you and he both freeze.

"I, uh, sorry. I didn't-I'm not sure why I did that."

Billy nervously clears his throat, "No, no. It's-It's fine. Um," he gestures for you to sit down and you do, setting the takeout in-between you.

Both of you awkwardly open the containers, grabbing food from each other and setting it on your own plates. There's a silence between you that you absolutely hate. Things are never awkward between you and Billy. You don't like this feeling one bit so you set your fork down and clear your throat.

Billy looks up from his food and straightens his posture. You speak, "I don't like this awkwardness that's happening right now, so I'm just gonna start talking, if that's okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure."

You let out a deep breath, "I love you, Billy. I've loved you practically my whole life. I don't want to be with anyone else, but you. So I hope that what you said last night is still true and it isn't some mean joke you're playing on me or some drunk-"

"I meant it," he interrupts you, "I meant what I said and I still mean it. And I love you too. Always have. Always will," he fidgets in his chair a bit, "Angel, you are literally the person for me. I can't imagine my life without you in it. When you said you'd be moving over here, I immediately knew this was a second chance for us. I kick myself every day for breaking things off years ago. But I'm so goddamn lucky you still remained in my life after."

You're beaming at Billy now, practically oozing love and adoration for the man before you and he's matching the same expression.

"Okay...cool," you say and that makes Billy laugh, "Only you would say 'okay, cool' after we confess our love to each other."

You roll your eyes at him, "Whatever. You love it."

Billy softly smiles, "I do love it. I also love you."

You look down at your plate with a shy smile, picking up your fork and pushing food around your plate. You feel just how you did when you and Billy got together all those years ago, like your heart is floating.

[destiny-slayer]

[nerdgirljen]

TGM Fam, I met Fritz! This is his first convention ever, and Manny Jacinto is the sweetest person. I also took his badge ribbon virginity!! He laughed out loud at my “In My Glen Powell Era” ribbon, but took one of my Ted Lasso “Believe”ones, instead.

He’s also much taller than I thought, which was nice. He also gives good side hugs.

[deepobservationearthquake]

[imdonnalynn]

When you realize that Fritz from Top Gun: Maverick is the same guy that plays Qimir in Star Wars: The Acolyte......

[mrslectermoriarty]

Headcanon Series #20

I need the Daggers to have a TikTok Account, hear me out!

Coyote: "Were the Daggers, of course we look amazing in our flight suits." He does a twirl and strikes a pose. Applause behind the camera.

Cut to Halo: "Were the Daggers, of course we managed to get good callsigns." In the background someone yells “Fuck off, Egg White!”. Halo gives the camera a pointed look. “We definetly good the good call signs.”

Cut to Fanboy: "Were the Daggers, of course our CO is the Navy's greatest pilot." He holds up a picture of Maverick lying on the ground, he stumbled over his open shoelaces. “But seriously. He is.”

Cut to Fritz: "We're the Daggers, of course we've been at least once at Top Gun." The camera zooms out, so we can see the base he’s standing in front of. He does a thumbs up. “Crazy place!”

Cut to Hangman: "We’re the Daggers, of course we're the best of the best." Rooster in the background gives him the finger. Hangman doesn’t see it. Chuckling behind the camera. “What’s so funny?”

Cut to Phoenix: "We're the Daggers, of course we blackmail each other with embarassing photos." Bob is sitting in the background. He looks up into the camera and gives it a serious nod.

Cut to Omaha: "We're the Daggers, of course we look back at our academy days in shame." Fritz walks by and grimaces.

Cut to Payback, in a bar: "We're the Daggers, of course we loose a shit ton of money to each other when we play pool at the hard deck. Well, some of us." He smirks. Groaning behind the camera.

Cut to Bob: "We're the Daggers, of course we have a group chat." His phone lights up and he shows the screen to the camera. We see a group chat that gets new messages every couple seconds. “Guys? You know we’re all on the same base right now? We can actually talk to each other.”

Cut to Yale, it’s night by now and he’s standing in front of a dimly lit house in otherwise darkness. There’s whispering in the background. "We're the Daggers, of course we continue the tradition of raiding the CO's liquor stack."

Cut to Harvard, inside of a house. Looks like a living room. Everyone is standing in the middle of the room and shouting; it’s loud. Harvard looks bewildered. "We're the Daggers, of course our CO is married to an Admiral and didn't tell us about it. He also didn't tell us about one of us being his legal child." Cut to the zoomed in background where we can see a blurry figure standing in a corner with a glass in its hand. Cut to Harvard, now in selfie mode and close to his face. He whispers: “That’s the fucking COMPACFLT.”

Cut to Rooster in the same living room. He has a small, awkward smile on his face while Phoenix stands a bit behind him and looks pissed. "We're the Daggers, of course it never gets boring with us around, I guess." Hangman sneaks into the frame, kisses Rooster and runs away, yelling something like “it never does”. Rooster stands there, too stunned to speak. Behind the camera: “Wait, did he just-“

Cut to Maverick sitting in a comfortable looking armchair, elbows on his knees and a beer in his hands. He’s laughing into the camera and speaks with a soft voice: "They're my Daggers and of course they’re family." “No no no, you’re supposed to say- what, did you just call us family? Guys, Mav just called us his family!” Happy shouting erupts in the background and Maverick is being group-hugged by several aviators around him. The camera shakes and the video ends.

Beautiful inspiration, I must say…

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Maverick: I'm a responsible adult. Iceman: *raises eyebrow* Maverick: I'm an adult.

[aleksanderthemesschild]

Dont question anything, just choose.

[moonlight-prose]

"buying matching jewelry, but it doesn't mean anything, right?" WITH FRITZ PLEASEEE

LAY ALL YOUR LOVE ON ME

a/n: so because summer is nearing it's last month and we have limited time i wanted to go full mamma mia vibes with this one. besides the friends to lovers vibes with him and this song...perfection. it was hot all week and that spurred me to finally work on this request. so i hope you enjoy babes!

summary: being best friends with fritz meant pretending you weren't hopelessly in love. it meant conversation on the beach, and friendship rings, and the utter shock of coming to the realization that...maybe he loved you too.

word count: 2.2k+

pairing: billy 'fritz' avalone x reader

warnings: fluff, a teeny bit of angst, romance, best friends to lovers, oblivious reader + obvious fritz, talk of marriage, mamma mia vibes, he's hopelessly in love it's cute, unedited + not betad.

The ring glinted in the sunlight, gold glimmering as the ocean did when the day hit the perfect hour. When the sun was slowly creeping along the sky, making a descent towards the horizon. That wouldn't come for a few more hours, but you couldn't stop yourself from sitting on the sand, eyes trained on how waves crashed to the shore.

You couldn't hear anything over the noise - the birds squawking in the distance the loudest echo along the empty coast. Somehow you managed to catch the beach during the week. When people weren't interested because they were tired from a long work day.

It rarely happened. Maybe once in a blue moon. And you soaked in the silence of humanity—nature calling you to her with a soft smile and even softer words.

"I wondered if I'd find you here."

A familiar tug pulled at your heart as you turned, seeing a familiar figure head towards you. He still wore his flight suit, his boots sinking into the sand with each step. But that didn't deter him from plopping beside you, a cold soda in his hand. An extra handed to you.

"Mav let us go early," he said, twisting the top off and gulping enough to down half the bottle.

"How did you know I'd be here?"

He shrugged. "You're always here."

"I'm not always here."

"Sure."

"I'm not–"

The smile on his lips silenced your argument—a knowing look glimmering in his brown eyes. There was no use in fighting him. He could see your different angles coming from a mile away. Giving up now would be easiest.

With a sigh, you turned back to the beach, condensation dripping onto your dress. "I needed some time away from the bar."

You didn't have to explain anything to him. Barely even had to utter a word before your discomfort was being teased out and noticed by him. That was the thing about Fritz. He could see your emotions before they even played across your face. Yet unlike others that came before, he somehow always managed to fix it before things got too bad.

"Did you want to come to my place for dinner?"

The grin played across your lips before you could even answer. "You mean your place filled with Yale and Harvard?"

"C'mon they're not that bad." He nudged you with his knee, taking another pull from his soda. "Besides, they're gone tonight. Something about free drinks at a sports bar."

You mulled it over—the small box in your jacket pocket practically burning a hole through the fabric. "Fine. Pizza, beers, and ice cream."

"Yes ma'am."

Clambering to his feet, he helped pull you up, the sun playing across his face and illuminating the grin he wore. If you could bottle up this memory and keep it close you'd open it every day. You'd take a peek of something so perfect—as if Aphrodite herself created him—just to hold this feeling in your chest. The way he looked at you left you confused, as if he saw you in a different light than just friendship.

But you never had the guts to ask him about it. So like a coward...you continued to let it go.

"I'll order in the car."

"Wait—" You gripped his arm, tugging him back a bit as you dug in your pocket. "I got you something yesterday. They had a jewelry stand in town and saw this..."

The box was brown, small and uninteresting. Until you pulled it open. A silver band etched with vines that matched yours lay in the center. You nearly left it behind—figuring he wouldn't want to wear something so dainty—but something screamed at you the second it appeared in your line of sight. The two were paired together.

Your size and his.

As if they'd been waiting for you to find them all along.

His eyes widened, breath catching in his throat, before he picked it out of the box carefully. "A ring?"

Heat spread rapidly along your cheeks, burning straight down to your chest. "You don't have to wear it. I just thought it was pretty and matched mine and..." With a cough you turned back to see another wave crash along the shore. Suddenly that's how you felt inside. "It's dumb I know."

"No it's not." Surprised etched into your chest, your gaze snapping back to him. Just in time to see how he slipped it on his left hand, smiling when it fit perfectly. Perhaps it was always meant to be there - resting along his skin, claiming his heart for yours. "I like it. Matches my dog tags."

You laughed. "I didn't get it cause of that."

"No, I know." His smile deepened. "But that's where it's going. So it'll match."

Warmth pooled in your stomach, curling around the base of your spine as he stared at his hand. A soft grin playing on his lips. And suddenly you were breathless—flutters filling your stomach as you realized what it looked like. What the others would say once they noticed him wearing a ring on his left hand. You didn't tell him where to place it, didn't offer up a certain hand.

He did it on his own without an ounce of hesitation in his body.

He wanted it there.

When you followed him to the car, you grasped the gold band on your right hand and subtly shifted it to your left. Matching him. If he noticed he didn't question you about it. And for that...you were grateful.

Turns out you were right.

Fritz was teased—rather ruthlessly—about wearing a silver band on his ring finger. Questions rose up around base. Who did he marry? Who had they not met yet? How on Earth could Fritz of all people be hiding a secret partner?

Until you served the group at the bar and Phoenix clocked the gold band on your hand. A knowing smile curving across her lips.

Thankfully she knew how to keep your mouth shut.

The same couldn't be said about Hangman.

"Where'd you get that shiny ring darlin'?" he shouted, reaching for your hand with a shit eating smile. "Lookie here gentlemen! It matches Fritz's."

"Fuck off Hangman." You yanked your hand back with a glare, twisting back to the bar.

It's not like you didn't know this was coming. The comments, the teasing. You knew someone would notice eventually, but that isn't what left you shocked and nervous. The fact that Fritz had yet to take it off sent your mind reeling. He wore it with pride. A smile gracing his plush lips whenever someone brought it up.

You'd even heard comments of it being looped around his tags as he flew—pressed close to his chest in the cockpit of his jet.

Was he wearing it to simply show you that this is how it would be? To prove that this was a silly gift. In the hopes that you would tell him he didn't have to constantly wear it.

That thought alone filled your stomach with dread. An ache forming in the pit of your body as you watched him from across the bar. You had half a mind to go over there—tell him to give it back so Hangman would get off his ass—but he looked at ease. As if nothing could bother him when the topic of conversation fell to you.

This shouldn't bother you that much, shouldn't leave you frazzled and on edge. And you didn't think it would get any worse.

Until the phone rang on a Thursday afternoon, echoing through the empty bar. You expected someone placing an order for lunch, perhaps a reservation for a table.

Hangman's voice filtering through the receiver is what floored you—his voice low and hoarse. Like he'd been shouting for far longer than he should have. And your stomach dropped.

"He's fine. Shaken up, but fine. Told me to call you."

"W–What do you mean? What happened?"

He sighed—shaky and breathless. "Engines gave out. Had to bail."

You didn't hear the rest, a shrill high pitched ring began pulsing in your ear. The words hit the ground hard and asked for you were all you could process before the phone was slamming back onto the base and you were running to the car.

Your breath was short, eyes dazed, but all that mattered was him. The image of him laying in the middle of a valley hurt tore you in half. So you slammed your foot on the gas, speeding through the streets without care.

An explanation would have to be given to Penny when she returned. You made a note to apologize later, but the airbase was in sight and you could see Hangman waiting by the front gate—a stern expression replacing his usual egotistical grin. That seemed to scare you more than what he said on the phone.

He waved you through, jogging to where you threw your car into park. Half out of the spot and crooked. None of that fucking mattered. None of it was real, because somewhere Fritz was hurt and the panic had started to eat you alive.

"Where is he?" you gasped, leaping out of the car. "What the fuck happened?"

His hands grasped your shoulders. "He's fine. Mav is making him sit on base until things level out. He's gotta see the doctor before heading home."

"Fuck," you breathed, tears pricking your eyes. "Can I–I see him? Will they let me on–"

He nodded, already leading you towards the familiar hangar. "Why do you think I'm here sweetheart? Mav had me wait for you to arrive."

On shaky legs, you did what he said when he said it. You flashed your I.D. to someone, said a monotone hello, and let Hangman take the front. A runway was to the left of you—jets lined up on the far side—but that's not what caught your attention.

The sight of a hunched over figure on a metal chair towards the front leveled the ground beneath you. The air suddenly rushed to your lungs as reality began to filter back.

He was okay.

"Avalone!" Hangman shouted. A head of dark hair snapped up, immediately setting his sights on you.

"Will?" you called.

A helmet dropped to the ground when he stood, rushing towards you quicker than he should have. And before Hangman could intervene, you started running. You sprinted with a speed you didn't know you had in you and met him halfway. Colliding against his chest as he wrapped his arms around your waist tight enough to send an ache through your ribs. That didn't register, because the pain reminded you that he was still alive—still here to hug you.

"I was so scared," you gasped, digging your face into his shoulder. He breathed a sigh of relief, his eyes falling shut. "I heard your jet crashed and just got here as soon as possible."

"'M okay," he mumbled. "I'm alive."

A sob broke free, tears streaming down your face, but that only made him tighten his hold. His breath warm along the back of your neck. Suddenly all the worries from the past week, all the anxiety you endured about what a stupid piece of jewelry meant didn't matter to you. How could it? When you nearly lost him today.

Living without Fritz wasn't something you wanted to know. It wasn't a future you wanted to have.

"I love you," you breathed, fingers curling into his hair.

He stilled, pulling back slightly until his face was directly in front of yours—nose nudging against yours. "Finally."

"What–"

The words of disbelief vanished when he kissed you. Because his lips were just as soft as you imagined, his touch was warm, and suddenly...the world around you vanished. He kissed you with a tenderness that had always existed in your friendship. A reverence he hoped you might notice one day. This wasn't due to injuries or fear. This was the final tie being knotted together in your relationship.

He didn't wear the ring to tease you. He didn't want to prove he shouldn't wear it.

He wanted to show you why he should.

"Marry me," he mumbled against your lips, the cold press of metal along your cheek sparked heat down your spine. "I've already got the ring."

Your eyes flew open to see his smile—bright and wide. "Marry you?" you breathed.

"Tomorrow."

"Will–"

"I'll take you to the courthouse. Call your mom. I'll do whatever you want, baby."

You clutched at his shoulders, searching his eyes for any falsity—any humor—and found none. "You're serious."

With a nod, he stole another kiss. His tongue swiped along yours far too quickly for your liking. "I almost died today and the only thing I could think about was that the ring around my neck wasn't real." He pulled back. "So I want to change that."

"By marrying me." The words didn't feel real, but somehow there they were.

"If you'll let me." His smile faltered slightly, hand stilling on the back of your neck. "Will...you let me?"

"Yes," you rushed out in one breath. Your eyes wide and hands pulling him close for another kiss. One he leaned into. "Yes. I'll marry you."

He smiled, tangling his fingers in your shirt - his palm sliding along bare skin. "Tomorrow," he mumbled against your lips.

"Tomorrow," you gasped.

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Beachfront Bliss

Fandom: Top Gun: Maverick

Pairing: Billy "Fritz" Avalone x F!Reader

Summary: You're walking your dog, Delilah, along the beach until she decides to chase after a handsome man playing football with his buddies.

Manny Jacinto Characters Masterlist

The sun is slowly setting on San Diego. You'd just gotten home from work and now you're getting your dog, a border collie named Delilah, ready for her walk. She's excitedly shaking her tail as she stares up at you while you hold her leash.

"Wait," you command and Delilah sits, watching you expectantly.

You clip the leash onto her collar and open the front door, "Good girl!" Delilah promptly races out the door, only stopping when the retractable leash has met the end.

"Come!" you call for her and she rushes back to your side, sticking to it as you walk down your street and towards the beach.

As you grow closer, the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore become louder. Once pavement becomes sand, you slip off your sandals, stuffing them into your tote bag as you continue to walk.

There isn't a lot of people on the beach since it's midweek. However, you do see a group of people playing football.

The commotion alerts Delilah as the two of you near the group. There's boisterous laughing and hollering. The group spreads out as you grow closer, so you walk further away to not potentially be hit.

You avert your attention ahead, moving on from the football group, however, Delilah seems very keen on watching them, trying to stay in place.

"Come on, Lilah!" you lock the retractable leash and give her a warning tug, urging her to continue walking, "Let's finish your walk!"

Your commands fall deaf on her ears as she watches the group continue their game of football. One of the men throws the ball and another tried to catch it. The ball grazes his fingertips and causes the ball to go flying in your direction. It falls a few feet away from you and, before you could even blink, Delilah pounces at it. The sudden movement frees her leash from your hand.

"Delilah!" you shout as your dog starts running around the beach with the football in her mouth.

The group of people all laugh and begin to join you in the chase for your dog. Delilah clearly thinks it's a game as she dodges and weaves through everyone's legs. Men and a few women topple into the sand as they attempt to catch Delilah.

You and the others eventually start to slow down, growing tired of your dog's antics.

You stand there, hands on your hips, looking at your dog like a disappointed mother. She meanders over with a pep in her step and drops the football at your feet.

You sigh, pinching your nose, "Thank you, Lilah." You pick up the football and hand it to the nearest man. His tanned skin and toned chest are on full display. He's wearing classic ray bans and a smile that makes your heart stop for a moment.

"Sorry about her."

He chuckles, "Don't worry about it. Never thought it'd be a dog to take down a group of Navy Pilots."

Your brows shoot up in surprise, looking at the group of people around you, "You're all in the Navy?"

He nods, "Yup and I think you just proved to our Captain that we need to work out more."

You giggle, "Yeah. Again, sorry about her. She's probably a little stir-crazy. Haven't been able to take her out as much due to work. As you can see, she has a lot of energy."

The man kneels and begins to pet her, "She's cute so I'll forgive her. What's her name?"

"Delilah or Lilah or Deli."

"Well hello, Delilah, I'm Billy, but my friends call me Fritz."

"Fritz?" you look at him confused as he rises to a stand again.

"My call-sign."

"Frtiz! C'mon, man!" one of the guys hollers.

"I gotta-"

"You should-"

Both of you speak at the same time and stop with a chuckle.

Fritz holds his hand out, "It was nice meeting you..."

"Y/N. Nice to meet you Fritz," you shake his hand, "Enjoy the rest of your day."

"Thanks! You too! Maybe I'll see you guys around again!" he gives you a wave and heads back to his Navy friends who were all in position for the next game.

You watch them for a little bit, admiring the very attractive group of people before you. Then you chuckle, ruffling Delilah's fur before tugging her along. She's apprehensive, wanting to go back to "playing" with her new friends.

"C'mon, princess. We gotta go back home and start making dinner." Delilah reluctantly proceeds to follow you through the sand, leaving her new friends behind.

_______________________

It was your friend's, Jackie's, birthday and she wanted to do a bar crawl. You were one of the designated drivers so you've mainly stuck with water throughout the night and keeping a careful eye on your friend.

The next bar on her list was called the Hard Deck, which is apparently home to a lot of Navy officers. When you hear this, a part of you hopes you might run into Fritz, but there's no way, right?

Your group clamber into the bar, which was jam packed considering it was a Friday night.

"It's my birthday so feel free to buy me drinks!" you're already drunk friend hollers. A few men already begin to approach her ready to fulfill her request.

You tell your other friend, Abby, that you're going to find a table for your group. She gives you a salute and turn back to watch the rest of the group.

As you're weaving through bodies, you suddenly bump into someone, spilling their drink.

"Shit! I'm so so-Fritz!"

He looks at you in surprise, "Hey! Y/N!" then looks at you confused, "I'm kind of surprised to see you here."

You snort, "Yeah, um, not a place you'd usually find me at on a Friday night, but it's my friend's birthday," you point over your shoulder to Jackie with her birthday crown on her head and down a shot as your friends and a few Navy men cheer her on, "We're doing a bar crawl, but I'm the DD."

He nods in understanding, "Got it."

"Actually, you don't happen to see any free tables, do you? That's what I was doing before I bumped into you. Also, I will definitely get you a replacement drink for that!"

He chuckles, "It's fine. Really and you and your group can join me and my buddies."

"You sure?" you look at him apprehensively.

"Yeah, besides, I know a few of them will definitely pay for your guys' drinks," he gives you a smirk.

You snicker, "Alright. Let me go grab them."

"I'll follow you," he places his hand on your lower back as he follows you back to the counter where your friends are gathered.

"Hey!" you tap Abby on the shoulder, "This is my friend, Fritz," you point to him over your shoulder and he waves.

Abby gives you a questioning look, "Friend?"

"The guy I met on the beach because Lilah stole their football?"

"Ooooh!" she waves at him, "Hi!"

"Hi! I told Y/N that you guys can share tables with my buddies and I."

"You sure?"

"Oh yeah. Some of them will most likely pay for your drinks too."

Abby snorts, "Well I can't deny free drinks." She proceeds to tell the other women the plan and grabs Jackie's hand, leading her away from the men chatting her up.

She stumbles and you catch her, "Easy there, babe!"

Jackie spots Fritz over your shoulder, "It's my birthday!"

He laughs, "So I heard. Happy birthday!"

"Thanks!" she looks to you and not so secretly says, "He's cute!"

You chuckle, "Yeah, babe. Let's go to the table, 'kay?"

She nods, "Okay," and follows you and Fritz towards the back of the bar. He stops at three tables filled with the same group of people you saw on the beach weeks prior.

"Hey! Beach Girl!" a brunette with a thick mustache calls out.

You wave, "Nice to see you again."

"What're you doing here in our neck of the woods, beautiful?" the tall blonde one asks with a grin that makes you roll your eyes.

Jackie stands beside you and you gesture to her, "It's my friend's birthday. We're doing a bar crawl. This is one of our stops. Jackie, say hi."

Jackie waves, "Hi," she looks at everyone in awe, "Why are all of you guys so hot?!"

You facepalm, "Jackie's filter flies out the window when she's drunk," you explain to Fritz.

"The guys are gonna love it."

The men let the ladies have their seats, standing around them and making conversation.

You continue to stand beside Fritz, fanning yourself. He looks at you in concern, "You okay?"

"Just getting a bit warm."

"Wanna step onto the deck? It's just out there," he points to the double doors behind you. You take a look at your friends and make sure they're okay before you step out.

Once you're outside, you give a sigh of contentment. The cool breeze immediately chills your body in a welcoming way.

You rest your back against the railing so you can still keep an eye on your friends. Abby looks at you through the window giving you a questioning thumbs up. You smile giving her a thumbs up back and she goes back to her conversation.

"When did you guys start the crawl?"

You look at the time on your phone, "About two hours ago, but Jackie and a few others pregamed. So by the time we hit like the second bar, they were far gone already."

"How many more bars are on your list?"

"Jackie wanted to hit ten, but I'm not sure if we'll even get to the fifth one." There's cheers from inside as Jackie downs yet another shot.

"Not much of a drinker?"

You scrunch your nose and shake your head, "Nah. This overall thing isn't really me, but Jackie's one of my best friends, so I'll come out of my cave for her."

Fritz's nose crinkles as he laughs and you think it's the cutest thing ever.

"How's Delilah?"

"Good. She's happier now that work is starting to slow down and I can take her out for longer walks though."

"She hasn't stolen anymore footballs, has she?"

You snort, "Fortunately not, and she hasn't managed to take down another group of Naval officers either."

"Hey, she took us by surprise. We'd already been out there for a while, our energy was already low."

"Suuure. Keep telling yourself that, Fly Boy."

The two of you stay out there for some time, getting lost in conversation and each other's company. You've discovered that not only is Fritz handsome, but he's funny, kind, loyal, and a nerd. He has his parents and two sister back at home. He's a very family-oriented person and you admire him for that.

You two lose track of time and before you know it, Abby is coming out to you two.

"We're calling it a night. Jackie's is so far gone and some of the other girls are getting there."

"Alright. We should start closing tabs then."

"His buddies took care of it," she nods to Fritz.

You and Fritz grin at each other, "Told you," he says.

"Well, thank your friends for me. And thanks for keeping me company out here."

You step to leave, but Fritz stops you, "Wait, actually, is it okay if I get your number? I'd like to take you out some time."

You smile and nod at him, "Yeah. Of course!" you two quickly exchange numbers and promptly head back inside with Abby.

You gather your friends up, Fritz and his buddies helping you and Abby walk Jackie and the others out.

Your group piles into yours and Abby's car, waving at the group of men, "Thanks again, fellas!" you yell out before driving away.

Fritz stands there with his buddies and once you're out of sight, they begin to badger him about getting your number.

He reluctantly says that he did and his pals cheer him on with pride.

Before he goes to sleep that night, Fritz sends you a text:

It was nice chatting with you. Let me know your schedule so we can plan that date. Hope your friends don't give you too much trouble.

Sweet dreams. - Fritz

[lesbiradshaw]

raymond kara and manny hanging out all the time because they’re bffs…. tgm writers will pay for depriving me of yale halo and fritz bestfriendism on screen.

[topgunincolor]

Top Gun in Color Event Sign-up!

Ready to celebrate Top Gun characters of color? Have a Fanback fic idea brewing? Always imagined there was a little more going on between Javy and Jake? Think Hondo needs a little TLC? This event is for you! 

This is a POC-focused Top Gun event. Fic, art, and other creations are welcome. All creations must focus on at least one character who is a POC. The work may be romantic, platonic, or a single-character study.

The minimum word count for fic is 500 words and the minimum contribution for art is a black and white sketch.

Sign-ups run through March 17th at 10 pm ET and submissions will be published to the collection May 3rd - May 6th.

SIGN UP HERE!

Rules & Schedule

Looking for resources on writing/drawing characters of color? Check out some resources here. 

This event is hosted by Storm (enthyrea) and Saturn (icemav86).