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ofstarsandvibranium · 5 months ago

Text

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.

#billy fritz avalone #billy fritz avalone x reader #billy avalone x reader #top gun maverick #top gun maverick imagine #manny jacinto #manny jacinto characters

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moonlight-prose · 7 months ago

Note

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."

#YES HIS NAME IS WILLIAM IN THIS FIC #I REFUSE TO CALL HIM BILLY #billy 'fritz' avalone x reader #billy 'fritz' avalone x you #billy 'fritz' avalone x y/n #billy 'fritz' avalone x f!reader #billy avalone x reader #billy avalone x you #fritz x reader #fritz x you #top gun maverick #manny jacinto #my writing

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nerdgirljen · 5 months ago

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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.

#top gun maverick #manny Jacinto #the acolyte #Fritz #qimir #the good place #jason mendoza

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deepobservationearthquake · 7 months ago

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#manny jacinto #top gun maverick #Fritz #Billy Avalone

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imdonnalynn · 6 months ago

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

#manny jacinto #qimir #star wars qimir #the acolyte qimir #the acolyte #star wars #top gun maverick #qimir the acolyte #star wars the acolyte #the acolyte star wars #darth teeth #acolyte #imdonnalynn #why did I not realize this till recently???#fritz

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24hrfrog · 2 years ago

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THEY WILL BE ON MY MIND.

#BAD BITCHES ASIAN GANG #top gun: maverick #top gun #yale top gun #halo top gun #fritz top gun #tgm

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fyeah-topgunstuff · 2 months ago

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Top Gun: Maverick still photo: Rooster and Hangman's fight

via. TIFF.net [x]

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highwaytothedangerzone502 · 1 year ago

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

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mrslectermoriarty · 8 months ago

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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…

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