#mav flys with merlin

[pollyna]

au in which Goose is a Navy surgeon, Mav flies with Merlin and the pair Iceman and Slider is infamous because of Iceman abilities but for all the scandal Slider takes with him, dating so openly another man's wife.

Or how Mav gets to know Goose after the first night at the O-Club because his wife runs all the way to the tall man drinking beer and laughing at something the Iceman said, before kissing him in front of everyone.

[tip-top-cloud-surfer]

Endings and Beginnings - Rooster

Pairing: Rooster / Fem!Reader (Wife!Reader)

Word Count: 1.7k

Warnings: Pregnancy, Second Person POV ("You"), No Physical Description about Reader

This work, all of my other works, and my entire blog are 18+ Only.

Summary: It's Maverick's retirement party but Rooster's far more concerned about you, his pregnant wife, than anything else.

A.N. Rooster is retired in this story and it's set a few years after TGM.

Edit: Part 2 is now out!

Master List

Maverick was officially retiring from the Navy. Or finally, depending on who you asked. The Hard Deck had been cleared out for the party and several generations of naval aviators, active and retired, and their families were spread out around the space. Drinks were poured continuously, there was pizza and snacks and even a cake with a Tomcat on it for later.

“Are you sure that you’re okay to be here?” Rooster asked you softly, grabbing your hand.

“I’m fine,” you assured your husband. “Just pregnant.”

“Very pregnant,” Hangman added, causing Rooster to glare over at him. Phoenix whacked Hangman on the arm your behalf, causing the blond to huff and complain. “What? It’s true!”

“I’m fine,” you repeated, squeezing Rooster’s hand. “I’ll sit down if I need to and there’s plenty of water and snacks that I can eat.” You released his hand and nudged him in the direction of Maverick, who was chatting with a few pilots his own age. “Go, mingle. Shoo. It’s a party. Party.”

“Only if you promise to let me know if you need to go home or to the hospital or—”

“—Rooster, I’m fine. The baby isn’t coming for another two weeks. Now, go. I think Mav’s been trying to subtly introduce you for an hour now.”

“Keep an eye on her for me,” Rooster told the others before heading over to Maverick.

The newly retired pilot was all smiles as he chatted with his old friends. But as soon as Maverick spotted Rooster walking over, he quickly moved to pull him over to the older crowd of pilots.

“She finally kicked you over here?” Maverick asked, referring to you.

“Apparently, I’m hovering too much,” Rooster joked with Mav.

“Well, it’s a perfect time to reintroduce yourself to everyone.”

Maverick gestured around the half-circle of former naval aviators. Slider, Hollywood, Wolfman, Chipper, Sundown, Merlin, and Viper all nodded to Rooster and Rooster shook their corresponding hands. It had been a long time since he saw any of them, what with the whole paper incident, but Slider still dragged him in for a noogie like he was eight-years-old.

“So, you were Maverick’s RIO in that whole business?” Merlin asked, referring to the mission.

Even though the mission was still highly classified three years later, the fact that Maverick and Rooster had barely made it out alive wasn’t. Well, that and word got around when an old smashed up Tomcat was unloaded off of a carrier.

“How was that?” Merlin continued.

“Most terrifying experience of my life,” Rooster responded, half-joking, half-serious.

“I understand completely,” Merlin mused, causing Maverick to smile and shake his head.

“That’s not why you turned in your wings, is it though?” Viper asked with a knowing expression.

“No, no,” Rooster replied immediately. “When I got married and my wife and I started to plan for having our family, I decided that I wanted to be there for every step. And I didn’t want her to worry about me coming home at the end of the day. So, I finished up my service requirements and retired.”

And, well, for a kid who lost his father to the Navy, Rooster’s reasoning didn’t raise a single eyebrow. Every naval aviator knew the risks involved in their line of work and while technological advancements helped decrease training accidents and fatalities, they were still always a possibility.

He wouldn’t—couldn’t—let his child learn about him from pictures, like he had to with his own father.

“And Maverick says that you’re switching to commercial?” Wolfman spoke up.

“Yeah, I have one more test to take and then I’m ready to fly, but I probably won’t start until we’re settled with our baby,” Rooster explained, nodding along.

“Your first one?” Viper guessed with an all-knowing smile.

“How could you tell?” Rooster inquired, earning a chuckle from the other fathers in the group.

 “You got that look in your eye.”

“Not too different from the rookies at flight school,” Hollywood added with an amused smile.

“It’ll pass eventually, but the first one always gets you jittery,”  

“Being a father is like learning how to fly—utterly terrifying at first, and there’s definitely a learning curve to it, but once you’re up there and you’ve leveled out, you won’t even remember what it was like before you learned in the first place.”

“I keep telling him to relax. He’ll be a natural,” Maverick spoke up, squeezing Rooster’s shoulder.

Rooster glanced through the crowd to check on you and found you sitting at one of the tables with your feet propped up on the opposite chair. You looked calm, but uncomfortable—though you’d told him that ‘nearly nine months pregnant’ and ‘comfortable’ did not go together no matter the situation.

“But speaking of, I should probably go check on my wife,” Rooster replied, his nerves and ‘Mother Hen’ tendencies, as Hangman called them, shining through.

“Of course.”

“Don’t let us keep you.”

“It was an honor to meet all of you again,” Rooster offered in goodbye, before checking on you.

The retired naval aviators watched him go and then turned to Maverick.

“God, he looks just like Goose,” Slider replied quietly.

“And with the mustache and the Hawaiian shirt too,” Wolfman agreed, sharing looks with the other retired naval aviators.

“Yeah, he does,” Maverick stated softly, watching Rooster weave through the party. “Just wait until you see him at a piano.”

Rooster slid through the crowd over to the back tables. You were still sitting with your feet propped up, a full glass of water in front of you, and your usual easygoing smile on your lips. Bob, Phoenix, and Hangman were keeping you company and spread out around you.

“You alright?” Rooster asked, walking to your side.

“I’m fine. Just wanted to sit down for a little bit. Baby Bradshaw seems a little excited about the party,” you stated, your hands resting over the swell of your bump. Rooster placed a hand under yours, where Baby Bradshaw tended to kick for the last few days. “How’s Mav doing?”

“I think he’s enjoying himself a lot. He hasn’t seen his old TOP GUN buddies in a while, so it’s nice for them to all come out to see him.”

“Well, Penny can be very convincing when she wants to be,” you mused with a smile.

Wordlessly you moved Rooster’s hand to the side, where the baby was pressing on you. Though you were growing tired of being pregnant, you didn’t think that you’d ever get tired of the way that Rooster just flipped a happy switch whenever he felt your baby.

“What are you all doing over here?” Rooster asked, turning back to the others.

“Actually, we’ve got a poll going about the baby,” Bob explained to Rooster.

“What are the votes?”

“I think it’s a girl,” Phoenix declared confidently.

“Which means that it’s a boy,” Hangman stated, just as confident.

“You only said that after you found out that Rooster and I think it’s a girl,” Phoenix retorted, causing Hangman to shrug his shoulders.

"So what?”

“I think that it’s a boy too,” you offered up. “The way that I’m carrying says that it’s a boy.”

“It’s not an exact science,” Rooster pointed out.

“No but call it mother’s intuition.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that.”

“God, you’re so whipped,” Hangman grunted, earning an elbow to the side from Phoenix.

Rooster and you ended up leaving the party among the first wave of people—mostly elderly and people with small children. But not before you received a whole bunch of random baby gifts from all of the people who missed your shower a month earlier.

“Do you want a hot bath when we get home?” Rooster offered, glancing over at you as he drove home.

“Maybe,” you sighed, shifting in your seat.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Just uncomfortable. Nothing either of us can do for that.”

“You want more of that tea that Penny got you then?”

“Yeah, maybe that’ll help,” you murmured, leaning back in your seat. Your hands rubbed up and down your bump, trying to soothe yourself. “I think that Baby Bradshaw just got a little overexcited about meeting everyone all at once. But maybe some tea and a bath will help.”

“Coming right up,” Rooster assured you.

You pulled into the driveway and Rooster walked around to help you out. Usually, yo would just push his hand away and insist that you were more than capable of getting yourself out of the car, but this time you happily accepted his help.

“Are you sure that you’re alright?” Rooster asked worriedly.

“I’m fine,” you replied, pecking his cheek. “Just slow.”

Rooster walked with you to the front door, keeping a protective arm around your waist. You walked into the kitchen and Rooster instantly moved to heat up some hot water for your tea. You leaned on the countertop, just looking completely uncomfortable with your existence.

“I’ll grab the bags out of the car and then I’ll start your bath,” Rooster promised, pressing a loving kiss to your forehead.

“Thank you.”

Rooster jogged down to the car and gathered whatever bags were sitting in the trunk. He left the go bag in the car, just in case, before heading back into the house. He wasn’t even completely through the door when he spotted you waddling towards the stairs.

“I’ll run your bath, babe, just sit and relax.”

“I’m not going to take a bath,” you called back, moving up the stairs slowly.

“You need help?”

“No, I just need to change.”

“Oh, okay,” Rooster replied, setting down the bags.

“Also, don’t walk through the kitchen yet,” you warned him, grunting a bit as you walked.

“Why?” Rooster asked, moving to stand at the bottom of the stairs.

“There’s amniotic fluid all over the floor and I haven’t gotten a chance to clean it up yet.”

“Amniotic . . .” Rooster trailed off before the realization hit him like 10 G’s all at once. “Babe!?”

Part 2

[the-ace-with-spades]

headcanons that have come from nowhere:

Phoenix and Rooster slept with each other at least once and said meh and moved on - they are bi besties

Hangman actually doesn't have daddy issues, he has 'my parents were emotionally neglectful and perfectionist' issues that he doesn't realize he has because he still thinks their behaviour and expectations were normal and deserved - he thinks love is conditional and tries really hard to meet those conditions even if they're unrealistic and when he thinks he can't, he acts out

he's also the youngest or second youngest child

Bob can't drive, as in, he doesn't even have a driving licence

Fanboy is the 'looks like a cinnamon roll but could kill you' character type (have you seen the way he smiled when Hangman and Rooster were roasting each other in the bar? that dude is the dude)

pulling the papers thing was more complicated than 'I promised your mom' - Mav won't admit it to anyone but while Carole did ask him to keep Bradley from flying, he used it as a rationalization

Goose was from Tennessee (I'm not even American and I'd swear he seems like he's from Tennessee) and Carole was a NY transplant from Virginia.

Carole met Mav in a group home in Brookhaven - they were in foster siblings and kept contact after Mav aged out. He was the one to introduce Goose to her. Goose actually thought she was Mav's girlfriend at first since she was sending him a lot of letters

Slider and Ice's friendship is definitely a case of the extrovert adopting the lonely introvert

In fact, Slider's mom 'adopted' Ice as her second son when she met him in the exact same manner

Merlin retired earlier and there were a couple of years when Slider was flying with Mav

[ladywaffles]

icemav + reckless

a discord prompt written for @sluttyhenley A sappy little Top Gun New Year's Eve prompt I forgot to post last night! Happy New Year, my friends!

In just a few hours, it will be 1996.

It will officially have been ten years since he met Maverick.

They’re all holed up in some shitty dive bar with a jukebox that predates Reagan, and the alcohol is free-flowing.

It’s probably the last time that they’ll all be together for the foreseeable future; it’s a miracle that none of them have taken promotions that have put them on desk duty.

Slider throws an arm around his shoulders, Wolfman’s got a mischievous glint in his eye.

They’re well away from base in their civvies; no one wanted to get clocked today. It’s a boys’ night out, one last hurrah for the men of ’86 before orders come down the pipeline and split them up after a scant eight weeks working together, before their careers take them out of the cockpit and ground them for good, never to fly with each other again.

“You know, Slider,” Ice muses, just loud enough that Slider can hear him. “This reminds me a lot of that first night at Top Gun.”

“You know what, Ice?” Slider plays along. “I think you’re right!”

Wolfman flashes a sharp grin, tapping Hollywood to let him know he’s heading out.

Merlin and Maverick sit at the bar, none the wiser, enjoying their beers as the NBC live coverage of Times Square plays on the TV behind them.

Slider slips over to the jukebox as Wolf darts up to the tiny stage. He passes Ice a microphone, “with the longest cord we could find!” Wolf tells him. Slider shoots him a thumbs-up above the heads of the crowd, and Ice makes his way to his target.

“Excuse me,” Hollywood says dramatically, tapping on Maverick’s shoulder. Maverick furrows his brow.

“Wood, don’t tell me you’re already wasted this early in the—”

“Is this guy bothering you?” Ice interrupts, cool as can be. Maverick stops short in the middle of his sentence, then catches on.

“Ice, don’t you dare—”

The Righteous Brothers kick up on the jukebox. “Oh, my looove,” Ice croons to Maverick, “my darling, I’ve hun-gered for your touch!”

Hollywood joins in, serenading Maverick as his face turns bright red, even under the dingy light of the bar. Somewhere in the crowd, Wolfman and Slider join in, and then the entire bar is coming along, slightly off-key, a little too loud, singing “Unchained Melody” at the top of their lungs as Maverick, larger than life and slick as can be, tries to shrink into his barstool. Merlin won’t have it, though, and he forces Maverick to stand up at the end and accept the ovations from his adoring crowd.

The boys crack a smile, and Merlin vacates his seat so Ice can slide in next to Maverick, whose cheeks are still flaming red.

“You know,” Ice says with a grin, “I’ve never seen you quite this red, even when you’ve got sunburn.” He jabs an elbow into Mav’s side, but Mav pushes him off.

“That was very reckless of you,” Maverick says lowly, intending to scold but coming off somewhat impressed. “Singing to me in the middle of a civilian bar like that.”

Ice shrugs, bolstered by his success and the alcohol already in his system. “What can I say, I’m a natural at it.”

“I bet you do this for all the girls. Does that play often work for you?” Maverick asks. Ice winks at him.

“I’ve never done it before. You’ll have to tell me how I’m doing.”

“You think it’s going well?” Maverick says. His voice is still low, but for an altogether different reason.

Ice leans in, knowing smile on his lips. “Why don’t you tell me in the morning?”

Maverick groans. “I cannot believe you just did that.”

Ice calls for another round for him and Maverick, then closes out both their tabs. “Ten years it took me to get the full story out of you, Mitchell.” He downs his vodka in one go, fully aware of Maverick’s eyes on his throat as he swallows. “You can’t have thought I was going to let you live it down that easily.”

Maverick knocks back his shot. “So then, sailor,” he looks up at Ice. There’s two hours to midnight yet. “You in town for long?”

“Not for much longer,” Ice answers truthfully. “But if you’ll have me, I’ll come back to you whenever I can.”

Maverick smiles, a big toothy grin that makes him look like that fresh-faced punk of a lieutenant he first met ten years ago. “I’d like nothing better, Ice.”

[edelfan]

Maverick and Ice knew that they had to be careful - neither Slider nor Merlin being deployed with them anymore - but that didn't stop them from cuddling up in one of their bunk beds on board of the carrier on the eve of flying off into war.

For a long time Maverick just laid there in Ice's arms, his head on the older man's chest, listening to his heart beat.

"You know that I love you, right?" Mav whispered, slowly looking up at Ice's frowning face.

"Hey, stop that right now. Of course, I know that and I love you so much it fucking hurts. But we're not going there, we don't start saying goodbye, okay? Tomorrow is going to be tough, but it's just gonna be another day and we will both be coming back from that. Trust me, baby, I am not ready to let go of you just yet... not until we're both old and wrinkled, having lived out our days together."

[cornishkat]

Midnight Kiss

Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin x F!Reader

Warnings: None just pure fluff

Summary:  A fancy dress New Years Eve party and a red dress might just get you a midnight kiss with Hangman.

Notes:  Juts a quick fluffy little New Year one shot.

The Hard Deck looked great, shining and sparkling with decorations for New Years Eve.  You were looking forward to seeing in 2023 with the other Daggers and also seeing the back of 2022, it had be a hard year, but the past few months back at Top Gun with the Dagger Squad had made it better.  You were looking forward to all of you being able to cut loose after the last mission and just enjoy yourselves knowing that you had at least the next few days off.

Payback and Fanboy had called fancy dress and you didn’t even mind that, it had been fun going to find your costumes with Phoenix.  You were also looking forward to seeing what everyone else was going to turn up wearing, though you couldn’t even begin to imagine what Mav would turn up as.

Phoenix had gone with a Great Gatsby flapper dress, and she looked stunning, you had thought about doing the same but then you had seen a copy of Marilyn Monroe’s red dress from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  The red sequins glittered and shimmered and you had stared at it so long that Phoenix had made you go and try it on.

“Oh, my good you look amazing, you have to wear it”

Turning around in the mirror you looked at yourself from all angles, it was so beautiful, but it was also slit all the way up to the to the middle of your thighs and neckline plunged down to almost your waist.

“I really don’t think I can pull this off”

“Believe me you can more than pull it off and I can’t wait to see Hangman’s face when he sees you in this dress”

“I have told you before, Hangman is not interested in me.  He flirts with everyone, I’m nothing special”

“He may flirt with everyone, but he doesn’t look at anyone else the way he looks at you”

“Quit it Phoenix, I am sure he will find himself a stunning woman to kiss at midnight”

“I am willing to bet money on the fact it will be you he is kissing at midnight”

“You can make that bet, and I will be more than happy to take your money”

“$100 says I’m right”

“I’ll feel bad about taking your money, but you’re on”

Now as you stood in the bar you were starting to regret your choice of attire, you felt like a million dollars, but you also felt nervous as the rest of the crew had never seen you in anything other than a flying suit or sports kit.  And no matter how much you had protested to Phoenix earlier you were wondering how Hangman would react.  You couldn’t deny your attraction to him, but you were also well aware he could have his pick of women and there was no way you could measure up.

Before you could consider further if you had chance to go home and change into something less conspicuous before anyone else arrived you heard a low whistle from behind you.

“Phoenix, Merlin looking hot”

Turning you saw Rooster walking across the bar in a full Elvis jumpsuit with Payback and Fanboy behind him rocking very cool pirate costumes.

“So, I take it the fancy dress call was just so you two could live out your pirate fantasy?”

“Hell yes, but Merlin it was also worth it so see you in that dress, you are looking damn fine, who knew you could scrub up so well”

“I’ll take that as a compliment I think”

“Ok make away the drinks are on the King”

“Why do I think that costume is going to be an excuse for you to start singing later Rooster”

“It’s Now or Never”

Groaning you all moved to let Rooster to the bar, that was not going to be the last Elvis song used in a cheesy line tonight by him.

“Anyone seen Coyote or Hangman?”

“Properly still doing their hair and waiting to make big entrance”

“Well, it isn’t easy to look this good all of the time”

Peeking out from behind Rooster you saw Hangman and Coyote sauntering over to the bar.  They had both gone full cowboy, plaid shirts, jeans, finished off with waistcoats, cowboy boots and hats and gun holsters slung on their hips.  

“Looking good Hangman”

“Feeling good Rooster, you getting the drinks in?”

“On it”

As Rooster stepped to the bar, he cleared the path between you and Hangman.

“Holy Shit Merlin, that is one hell of a dress”

“Well allegedly gentlemen prefer blondes”

“Yes, we do”

“Hangman are you classing yourself as a gentleman?”

“Sweetheart for you always”

Despite your initial nerves as the drinks flowed and the music played you were really enjoying yourself. Everyone hit the dancefloor and Rooster had jumped onto the piano and given his best Elvis rendition.    As you leant again the piano you looked out at the rest of the squad enjoying themselves and your heart swelled.  Smiling as you saw Penny and Mav at the bar dressed as a Pink Lady and a T-Bird.

Hangman couldn’t take his eyes off you, that dress was positively sinful, and you had gotten every detail perfect from the red satin shoes to the way your blond curls formed a shining halo around your face.  He needed to be kissing you at midnight, come hell or high water his lips needed to be on yours.  His stomach flipped as he watched you leaning up against the piano, you were radiant.  He knew his feelings for you had been developing over the last few months but his usual confidence with women seemed to desert him when it came to you.  And he didn’t want to just turn on the charm and get you into bed for one night, he, Jake Seresin actually wanted the whole world with you, all of it.  Tonight, was going to be the night, fortune favours the brave and with you looking like that he couldn’t afford to wait around for some other guy to sweep you off your feet.

As Rooster finished singing and the music was put back on you felt someone come over and stand by your side.

“So, Marylin, do you have a dance for a cowboy”

Looking across Hangman was stood next to you in a mock bow holding his hand out to you.

Smiling you placed your hand in his and let him lead you to the dancefloor, as he swung you into his arms you caught sight of Phoenix dancing behind him, smiling she winked at you, and you rolled your eyes back at her.  As the song ended and a slow song began neither of you moved, he pulled you closer and swayed you gently against him.  As you felt his body against yours and rested your cheek on his you felt like you had come home, and you never wanted the dance to end.  But eventually the song ended, and he released you.

Hangman glanced at his watch, there was five minutes until midnight, and he needed to make sure he was with you.  When he had danced with your earlier and held you in her arms he knew his fate was sealed.  Scanning the bar he searched for you, he could see Phoenix and Bob over by the bar, but he couldn’t find you.  He could feel his heart sink as he scanned back around the room,

“You ok man?”

“Coyote, have you seen Merlin?”

“Ahh, getting ready to make your move at midnight?”

“Not if I can’t find her”

“Last I saw her she was over at the bar with Mav”

Hangman swung around again and there you were, laughing with Mav.  As he started to move his way across to the bar, he heard the countdown begin.  He strode across the bar; his only thought was to get to you before the clock struck midnight.  

As you took the glass of champagne offered by Phoenix you couldn’t help but look around for Hangman, the thought of your dance echoing through your mind and as the countdown began you realised, he was the only one you wanted to be kissing as the new year began.  You saw him making a beeline for you across the bar as the countdown continued and you could feel the smile spreading on your face as he grew closer.  Your eyes met with his and the look of determination on his face made you smile even more.  He didn’t seem to even notice the women trying to get his attention as he moved through crowd and you realised, he only had eyes for you, and it made your heart soar.  He came to a stop in front of you as the countdown finished, five, four, three, two , one…

Cupping your face with his hands he pressed his lips to yours, gently at first but has he felt you respond he deepen the kiss.  There might as well not have been anyone else in the room in that moment, just you and him.  As you eventually broke apart to catch your breath,

“Happy New Year Merlin”

“Happy New Year Hangman”

The rest of the squad surrounded both of you,

“About time”

“Thank god, I thought they were never going to get there”

“Merlin, you can keep the $100, it was only an incentive to give you a little nudge”

Hangman looked at you with a quizzical look,

“$100?”

“She bet me $100 that we would kiss at midnight, as she seemed to think you wanted to kiss me” “Well she had that right, sweetheart I have been wanting to do that for months”

“I never thought you saw me in that way”

“Are you kidding me I was in love with you even before you wore that dress”

“Well cowboy best you take me home tonight or lose me forever”

“Yes Ma’am”

[slidersimp]

Top Gun headcanons

Top Gun headcanons because my brain go brrrrr

-Maverick loves when Jake calls him Pops. At first he didn’t really care because he knew Jake was just being an ass but Jake kept calling him it during training and/or after the mission and Maverick realized he really liked it.  Bonus points if you pair it with the Jake has an abusive father headcanon and never had a good father figure to look up to so by calling Mav Pops he is allowing Mav into that role for him.

-Maverick loves to snack. In his carrier days, anytime he had a moment of free time you’d find him in the mess hall munching on something. A bowl of blueberries, celery sticks, an apple he cut up with his pocket knife. Once he started working at Top Gun he kept the break room fridge stocked. Everything was labeled with sticky notes and do not touch on threat of death. Jester stole from him constantly, but he was sneaky about it so Mav never found out it was him, but Viper and Ice always knew. When Mav goes back to work there post TGM, he keeps a mini fridge in his office and the Daggers figure out if you ask Mav for a snack he will never let you go hungry. 

-Slider loves stealing Ice’s books. It started out because he was bored on deployment and he wanted to know what the fuck Ice was taking about and then it just grew from there. He never asks for the books, Ice just learns to leave them out after he finishes them and a few days later he’ll find them near Slider’s bunk with a ratty old bookmark tucked between the pages. 

-Ice reads classic literature. The first time Slider picks up Fahrenheit 451 after  Ice is done with it he nearly calls a therapist. Instead he calls Merlin, who has also read the book and he despairs when he sets Ice and Merlin off on an hour long discussion of the book. 

-Maverick loves kids. I think we all knew this one, but after Slider and Merlin have kids Maverick wants nothing more than to be the favorite uncle and has managed to beat out every single blood related sibling Slider, Merlin or their spouses have. He spoils the kids rotten taking them to the beach or out for ice cream. When one of Merlin’s kids starts questioning their gender he brings them to his hangar and teaches them mechanical shit like fixing cars and working with power tools. The experience is affirming but it also gives the kid someone to talk to about what they’re struggling with, and Mav is a great listener.

-When Slider and Merlin aren’t posted in the same place they call each other at least once a week. After smartphones become a thing, they text constantly. Half the time it’s complaining about Ice or Mav but the other half is just them shooting the shit and being bros. Their kids joke that they’re dating and they picked up the joke from Ice and Mav. Their spouses just find it amusing.

-Slider will throw an absolute fit if he has to fly in Maverick’s backseat but Maverick actually likes it. Not only can he tease Slider and pull a bunch of maneuvers that piss him off, but if he can’t fly with Merlin he likes being able to fly with someone familiar and as much as Slider complains, Maverick knows he respects him and thinks he’s a good pilot. If Slider does end up in Mav’s backseat, the minute something serious happens he’s fully on board with Mav, helping him out exactly how he knows Mav works best with and even complimenting him when they get back safe.

[stopthatfool]

stop-that-fool's ICEMAV timeline for Your jeep. Your Teeth. The coffee that you bought me.

AKA where my icemav's story sticks to canon and where it diverges/changes-- all while trying to make it align with real military/historical events.

Also, thank you @sliderkerner for indulging me and saying that you wanted my timeline posted here!

DISCLAIMER! I am in no way an expert of the US Military. This whole 'timeline' should not be taken as fact or canon regarding TOP GUN. I am making this for my own understanding of my icemav story and to help myself and anyone reading keep track of the timeline. This is just for fun and mostly for me.

Quick note about the time off US Military members get. According to this website, people accumulate leave-- 2.5 days per month of work. I don't think that either Mav or Ice are eager to take time off. I can only see them wanting to take time off to visit Carole and Bradley (as Val Kilmer stated, I also believe that Ice does not have the ideal family). That's why a lot of their work seems back-to-back/never ending.

1986-

-The movie stays the same (Goose dies, intense amounts of sexual tension between Ice and Mav, "You can be my wingman anytime" etc., etc.)

-The FIRST change in canon is when Mav states that he's going to try teaching at TOP GUN. In TGM, Mav said he barely lasted one class. Within my story, Mav lasts until 1988.

Between '87 and '88-

-Ice comes to teach at TOP GUN (entirely for the purpose of his career/'resume' for working his way up for promotions etc., etc.)

-While Ice is there (for around 2 TOP GUN classes) that is when Ice and Mav start getting involved romantically.

-But Ice hates teaching. He leaves mid '88 and joins the Iran-Iraq War aboard USS Enterprise.

Late 1988-

-Mav completes one last TOP GUN class after Ice leaves and follows Ice to the USS Enterprise (a happy accident that they were stationed on the same ship). This then allows them to continue their 'involvement' and allow them to fly together again ("Bullshit, you can be mine" blah blah blah).

1990-

-The Gulf War. According to Fandom Wiki both Mav and Ice have the Kuwait Liberation Medal-- meaning they both fought in the Gulf War around this time. (Btw they are no longer on the USS Enterprise as she was no longer involved in the Gulf War past 1989 (I think))

-In my TOP GUN universe, Mav gets another 'kill' during the Gulf War (I have no idea if any naval aviators did this in 1990 (Mav didn't do this canonically) but it happens within the stop-that-fool fanfic universe). Merlin is also Mav's RIO throughout the the Gulf War.

1991-

-BUT Ice has the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) while Mav does not. Mav has the Southwest Asia Service Medal. So, for my story this time in between 1991-92 is when Mav pisses someone off and is moved squadrons/carriers to somewhere in Southwest Asia.

-Both of them, according to these medals, participated in Operation Desert Storm. (Mav also could have participated in Operation Desert Shield due to his Southwest Asia Service Medal.)

-Throughout 1991 they are able to see each other a couple times, but the fact that Mav keeps pissing people off makes it difficult. This is also because Navy deployments on average last between 6-7 months (according to a quick Google search) and for the sake of the story, their deployments and time off in between rarely overlap.

1992-

-This difficulty continues into 1992 where it all comes to a head on Dec. 31st 1992 (Ice's birthday! (Ice does not have a 'canon' birthday, but Dec. 31st is Val Kilmer's and I thought that bday also made sense for Ice)). Que the car scene in ch.4 and the aftermath the next morning.

-Throughout '92, Mav was in Iraq participating in the Iraqi no-fly zones. (I think. I find this UN mandate difficult to understand, especially whether or not the US Navy was involved or not.)

1993-

-Mav and Ice do not see each other in person at all in '93. But as said in ch.4 they-- "...talk about nothing on the phone. Ice never picks him up from the airport again."

-The US Navy also provided air cover for cargo planes that were bringing relief supplies during the Bosnian War. This is where Mav was placed in '93 (pissed off some captain or higher up or something).

-Ice and Mav don't see each other (in person) until '94.

The UNITED NATIONS MEDAL- In the TOP GUN fandom wiki page, both Ice and Mav are listed to have a United Nations Medal. What it does not state, and what I cannot find anywhere online, is what conflict they were a part specifically of for them to receive this medal. There are multiple options throughout the 1990's and 2000's that could have led to this award. BUT for the sake of my story, I will only be considering/applying conflicts that took place between 1994-98.

Between 1994 and '96-

-I think Ice received the UNPROFOR United Nations Medal for his service during the Yugoslav Wars. This is where he was between 1994-95. As I stated in ch.3 he was stationed somewhere in Europe after he and Mav 'break up' (I can't figure out what United Nations Medal Mav could have received-- it's difficult to figure out US Navy specific peacekeeping missions he could been involved in besides UNPROFOR.))

1997-

-It's around this year that Mav uses some of his accumulated vacation days to spend a longer period with Carole and Bradley. Ice is still stationed in Europe (workaholic).

1998-

-After Mav's time off, he's deployed again to Iraq.

As I mentioned in a previous post, not a lot of things happen in early to mid 1998 in regards to military conflicts, BUT Operation Desert Fox happens in December of 1998. I think the military would need to have people around before the operation before completing something of that scale. AKA that's why Mav is there in June.

-Then on an undisclosed date in early June, Mav crashes as stated in ch.1 (“You dodged some crazy bastards up there, then hit a bird. The plane crashed into the ground, and you ejected and landed on some rocks...").

-Mav is transferred to a hospital in California as he needs special surgery for his shattered knee cap.

-Ice has been in California for a couple days when Mav gets there because his paternal grandfather is dying (another happy accident that his grandfather is in the same hospital as Mav (god i love plot armour)). Ice had previously been permanently stationed somewhere in Europe (to get away from his family, Mav, and to work up to a promotion).

-Carole dies a couple days after Mav is released from the hospital. Bradley is now under Mav's legal guardianship. They move into military provided family housing on the Lemoore Naval Air Station with Mav teaching at the SFWSPAC (Strike Fighter Weapons School Pacific) once his injuries heal.

-Ice then reveals that he has requested to be stationed in California with Mav (the request was approved, Ice is now near both his family AND Mav... he's so silly).

-On June 21st 1998, Mav, Ice and Bradley drive out to West California to the beach cottage Mav rented (courtesy of Viper) with the plans of celebrating Bradley's birthday on June 27th (finally someone with a canon bday thank u Bradley).

Anyway, that's all we got so far! I would just like to say again that I am in no way claiming that this is accurate or canon. I also can't guarantee that I understand all of the wars, conflicts, operations, and details of the US military that I stated previously. So if I got something wrong; any of the language I used, details of the wars and conflicts stated, I apologize! Very deeply. From the depths of my soul.

[kazanskys-mitchell]

Any Headcannons about the Top Gun class of 1986?

the ‘86 flyboys, my loves 🥹

i do have a few!!

my favorite one is that merlin officially becomes mav’s RIO. after flying the rescue mission together, they become closer and decide they want to continue flying together

slider pretends that he can’t stand mav but really thinks that mav is a fun person to hang out with

all of them have regular karaoke nights. if ice drinks enough he participates, but it’s mostly mav, hollywood, and wolfman doing the singing. slider will sometimes join in

mav is an enabler, if one of the boys wants to do something stupid, he encourages it

slider is to ice what goose is to mav. they’ve been besties since before top gun and continue to be for years after

all of the boys come up with an elaborate plan to get ice and mav together. i feel like hollywood and wolfman would take the lead on it

i feel like chipper and mav are absolute hooligans. they do dumb shit and all the others are entertained by it

they throw wild house parties. it’s just the small group of them but the parties get absolutely out of hand. 100% the cops have been called a few times on them

they all step in to help carole raise bradley after what happened to goose. they’re just a big group of uncles for bradley and they would do anything for him

this one was super fun!

[bearsinpotatosacks]

Behind a Cold Visage - A Multi Ship Fic

Iceman's jumper has a hole, he goes to Carole to fix it. She notices something else more than a hole.

~~~

For a prompt list, this was "A fixing B's sweater/jacket"

Words: 1338

Texas winters, at least in Corpus Christi, were rather mild. She had the fashion sense of a pop art picture and a grandma is what her mother said, which meant a lot of cardigans, that were never appropriate for the weather. 

This fact had always annoyed Carole, she’d taken up knitting when she was fourteen to get her mind off the worst breakup of her life, at least as she’d thought then. Now, years after, she’d probably knitted an entire wardrobe of clothes if you included everything she’d made for Bradley, plus all the various jumpers, scarves, hats and mittens over the years for Goose, Mav, her family and herself. 

And this year the wardrobe would be added to. There were two more people in their weird, not allowed family. Slider and Iceman. 

Their home was their sanctuary, away from the pressures of the navy, some of which were more on some than others, and the prying eyes of the neighbours, they could be themselves. Safe to cuddle in their bed now too small for four people and creaking from the weight but homely enough that they didn’t care. 

Not that everyone stayed at the same time. Maverick had bought a bachelor pad nearer to Corpus Christi, they were in the suburbs of Portland, about a ten minute drive away on a good day. With the security of the emergency second bedroom, they were safe-ish from the harsh laws of the navy and Texas state.

Carole was half considering just moving to California. With sodomy laws repealed there, this would at least be allowed at home. It was closer to work for Tom and Ron, both still instructors at Top Gun while Maverick was flying with Merlin back out in the middle of the ocean and Goose was getting his teaching qualification to become a physics teacher. Every single naval aviator she’d ever met had tried to explain how the codes for their missions worked, but every time it just seemed too damn complicated. Well, she tried to explain all the ins and outs of running a library and they seemed similarly confused, maybe some things were meant to be unknown.

She broke through her thoughts with a sip of sweet tea. As went tradition, she’d left it to brew outside but it didn’t quite hit the same as it would in the summer. Not that she missed that, the heat had really gotten to her this year. 

Maverick threw the frisbee to Bradley. Slider lifted him up so he could catch it. Goose placed his hands on his hips as he shared a look with Mav. They feigned disgust but smiles were hard to hide.

“Hey, that's cheating!” Goose exclaimed.

“T’isn’t.” Bradley said, still being held securely in Ron’s hands.

“T’is.” Mav said. 

“T’isn’t.” Ron teased. “He’s short, I’m helping.”

“I’m short, and you don’t see Goose lifting me up to catch the frisbee.”

“I’m littler,” Bradley said.

Mav gave him his familiar cocky smirk.

“Oh yeah?” Goose said, his moustache twitching. “Well, it’s still cheating, how about you stop being so little and grow some more? Come on now Bradley, you’re almost five, you should be six feet tall by now!”

That broke everyone’s grumpy masks. Bradley giggled, which made Goose break into a grin and begin to trot over to him. Maverick joined as Ron lowered Bradley slightly. 

Maverick, always the fastest even though he had the shortest legs out of all of the guys, got there first and tickled Bradley’s feet. Goose joined him, making him giggle until he squirmed.

“Daddy, stop!” He yelled.

Goose took him from Slider and lay kisses into his chubby cheeks as he squished him into a hug.

“Sorry, it’s what cheaters get!”

“I didn’t cheat, Daddy-”

The scene carried on. Goose pampered his son in embarrassing amounts of kisses while Mav and Ron watched, hiding their hands gracing each others so the neighbours wouldn’t talk.

What broke her focus was the gentle sound of feet coming out of the kitchen. She knew those considerate steps anywhere. Wanting to command attention but not offend, wanting to please every crowd. Iceman.

As well as pleasing her by not stomping, she loved Ron but he wasn’t very light footed, he was very easy on the eye. She’d told him that she thought so but hadn’t made a move yet. He was newly in a relationship with three men while trying to keep it all a secret, the last thing he needed was a new woman to throw things into question.

“Hey, Tom,” she said, keeping her eyes on the frisbee game as it restarted. “Whatcha got there?”

He seemed surprised when she knew he was there without seeing him. What he didn’t know was that having a toddler had made her hyper aware about where people were at all times, whether she liked it or not. She had to pat the seat next to her to get him to sit down. It was unusual how such a cool and confident man could turn into this insecure when away from the pressures of the navy. 

“A sweater.”

“You’re not wearing it?” She said.

Feeling the breeze stroke her skin, she wrapped her blanket around her a little tighter. 

“There’s a hole in it.”

His words were so carefully chosen. She realised that if they weren’t on good terms, he could do some damage. Carole could also, if they weren’t on good terms, but for different reasons, she didn’t have much of a filter. Words just came out as she said them. Obviously, this meant that while she could make someone’s day with a blase compliment, she could also ruin it by saying something mean a little too loud than she should, because her volume was never appropriate whether she knew it or not.

He stretched out the sweater. It had golden dreidels knitted onto a blue background. Threads were coming loose all over it to give a vague blue halo in the afternoon sun. This was old and well worn, yet perhaps it was what she’d seen of Tom so far that made her feel like he wasn’t the type to wear corny novelty jumpers at all.

“Can I?” She reached for it. 

It was just as soft as it looked as he handed it over. There was a familiar smell. Looking at Tom, she could imagine him tugging at the collar for a photo at Hanukkah. That’s what the smell reminded her of, a childhood home that you could return to but one that would never be the same. 

“Want me to fix it?”

“Can you?”

She turned it over. There was a small but obvious hole in the arm. It wasn’t wear and tear, this was from worrying the same spot over and over again. She looked up at Tom and smiled, there was a storm behind those grey eyes.

“I think so, just got to match the colour so it doesn’t look weird,” she went to get up.

“Where are you going?” He asked.

“Might as well start now, I think I have this blue in my knitting basket,” she lent in a little closer. “It was meant to be a surprise but I was making you a scarf for Hanukkah.”

“Guess you don’t need to now.” He said, looking at his hands. 

“No, I will.”

“Why?”

His head darted up. The immovable Iceman was a deer in headlights. She liked her ability to do that because if there was one thing she'd learnt about loving Navy men was that no matter how much they talked the talk, if you got them on their knees and pulled their head back by their hair then they were putty in your hand. 

“You’re cute that’s why.”

She lent over and kissed his forehead, leaving his face bright red as she moved inside to fix the jumper. Behind her, Ron wolfwhistled. The usual snarky "shut it" that she'd expect from Tom didn't come. When she turned back, he was still beetroot red.

I'm a bit of a sucker for Carole/Iceman, not in a major way but in a small way like this. They all love each other. Also it was illegal to be gay in texas until 2003. Thanks for reading!

[blazingstar29]

I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane - Chapter 3

Chapters: 1/2

Pairing: Iceman/Maverick

Summary: Maverick tries to survive his survival

Warnings: Grief, self esteem

Wordcount: 3.2 K

Instinct must have kept him alive, Maverick thinks. Instinct. Because everything else inside of him wants to turn over and keep his back to the door forever. Instinct kept him afloatfloatingafloat.  The scream sticks to the inside of his head like a fly trap. Viper tells him to let go. He pretends to agree. 

Instinct kept him alive in the water. Muscle memory keeps him alive on the land. Muscle memory keeps him breathing, guides the water and aspirin to his mouth. It makes the key turn in his bike, makes his lungs breathe in and out. 

With sick anticipation he awaits the tribunal from the board on inquiry. God please, let them take his wings, please. Beat him down into the dirt and send him crawling to the scummy town he came from. Let him crawl back and drown in a bar for dying men. But they don't. That’s the sick part of it all. Goose loses his life and he can’t even lose his wings. How is that fair? 

Carol hugs him and he doesn’t know why she doesn’t scratch his eyes out or put a knife in his back. She puts a hand on his cheek like she doesn’t blame him. It’s as if she doesn’t hate him. She should, Maverick certainly does. There’s a perpetual wind rushing in his ears. Reminds him of the way he tumbled through the sky not even conscious of the moment he plummets into the water. 

When he showers the water has to be scalding hot. If it’s not he rockets back to the whipping wind and choking salt water. Baths are out of the question for the rest of his life. 

“You fly jets long enough, something like this happens.”

“He would have flown anyway. He hated it but he would have done it.”

It seems as if everyone can’t wait for the cocky attitude they hated to come back. Once it’s gone, they start to miss it. They don’t like the shell that walks among them. They hate Cocky Mav, it seems they hate cautious Mav too.  Flying seems impossible now. Viper said that he just needs to keep going up and it will click again. Will it though? Does he even want it? He’d flown well enough with Merlin but he always flew with Goose. You hear about pilot’s who lose their RIO’s. Not only do they become different people…

There’s always talk. There’s always someone in the squadron who will never trust them again. No one ever goes as far to call them a RIO killer, but when it’s written off as an ‘training accident’, people talk. 

Maverick knows that no one trusts him at Top Gun. Hollywood used to but he always changed the second he got into the pit, won’t give Maverick an inch. No one trusts him as a pilot, no one trusts him as a wingman. 

Deep down he knows he deserves it. No one wants a pilot they can’t trust in the squad. It’s bad news for everyone. He doesn’t deserve their trust, doesn’t deserve their forgiveness. Everyone liked Goose, he was the reason Maverick had most friends. People like him as a flyer but he’s well aware his personality often misses the mark. It was Goose’s joyous attitude that earned him friends. Without him, no one is going to give him a chance. 

Conversations fall to snatched whispers around Maverick. Like there’s a performance they all pretend to believe in but any sound might break that facade. Sundown is the first to argue with him. 

“We could have had that!” He shouts angrily on the long march from the fly line to the hangar.

It’s the first chance Maverick has had to incite the conflict he’s been seeking. He thought he would get it at the tribunal but he got away scott free. No one’s pushed back, Sundown might be the first. 

“I will take the shot when I am God-damn good and ready!” He shouts leaning close to Sundown’s chrome aviators; vaguely aware of people watching him. Sundown doesn’t respond, he just stands there. Why does he take it? Why did Carol? 

No one appears to be angry with Maverick except himself and the feeling threatens to eat him from the inside out. People liked Goose, more than they liked Maverick. So why aren’t they upset with him? 

Even Slider doesn’t say anything. In the locker room he places a hand on Maverick’s shoulder, swallows a lump in his throat and walks away. No one is making him pay for killing Goose, no matter how much he wants them to. 

— 

The locker rooms are empty every time he steps inside. Sometimes he misses the camaraderie, hearing the bickering over who was next in line for the shower. Most of the time he’s glad no one sees the way he runs his fingers over Goose’s name tag; the way the stabbing of pain makes him lean his forehead against the metal until the world doesn’t feel so close to ending. 

He has another lucky charm alongside the gold cross in his wallet. Carol hadn’t wanted Goose’s dog tags, she has an aged pair already. Besides, the more distance she put between flying and herself the better, she said. They rattle in his pocket as he walks. 

The hot water cascades over his freckled shoulders. One perk of empty showers, no one was chasing you to hurry up. Another being he could speak his mind cocooned by the steam.

“I’m such an idiot. Should just take that shot, get on with it,” he mutters letting the hot water disperse the tears on his cheeks (perk number three). With the sound of water splashing against the tile drowning out most noises, he misses the sound of the door opening. 

“I don’t know what to do at this point. I thought Slider for sure would have killed me for it. They liked you a hell of a lot better.” He’s muttering, so caught up he doesn’t hear the extra shower head running, doesn’t even see the closed curtain as he leaves. 

—

Iceman doesn’t know whether to make his presence known or hope Maverick’s lost it enough he doesn’t care anymore. He can make out every other word, catching Slider’s name instantly. 

I thought Slider for sure would have killed me.

 When the shower stops Iceman freezes, waiting for an accusation but there’s nothing as Maverick leaves for the locker room. He breathes a sigh of relief. What on earth was Maverick talking about? 

I thought Slider for sure would have killed me for it.

For killing Goose.

But he didn’t, officially or morally. Not that Ice isn’t harbouring his own feelings of guilt, but objectively it was an accident. You can’t see jetwash, it’s almost invisible especially at high speed. Yet, he shouldn’t be surprised Maverick is shouldering this heartache. Goose really was his only…Only what? Friend it seems. Hollywood and Wolfman were buddies for sure, but before Top Gun the last Iceman heard of Mother Goose was he was flying with a young upstart and it had been like that ever since. Maverick knows people through Goose, never the other way around. 

Not only does Maverick bear Goose’s death, he’s probably grappling with leaving Goose’s tyke fatherless and his mother a widow. The more Ice thinks about it, the more he realises this might derail Maverick permanently. Instead of the relief that meant Ice could consider the Top Gun trophy his, he felt an influx of grief. Grief. What could he be grieving? 

The rivalry between them is bitter and scathing, not something Ice enjoys. What he does enjoy however, is the way Maverick gets that manic look in his eyes when he’s adrenalised. He likes the way Maverick grins despite his misaligned teeth and the way he always has something to say. He’s bashful off base and a cocky bastard on base. 

Whoever is that shell of a pilot that walks the halls and sits alone in the mess, Ice doesn’t know who. It’s not Maverick, however. So Ice makes a decision. Whenever he comes across Maverick alone, he’s going to say something. 

The opportunity presents itself faster than Ice excepted. Maverick is in civvies, stuffing things into his locker. He walks quietly in, eyes jumping to Maverick’s token white shirt. There’s tension in Maverick’s shoulders that weren’t there before, although they’re slumped now. In his turmoil he’s lost the confident, straight-as-a-board posture that’s been drilled into him.

“What are you doing?” He asks.

“Saving them some paperwork,” Maverick spits, fingers gripping the door until his knuckles turn white. They shake and he only grips tighter.

Ice takes a breath and turns to face Maverick’s back. “Maverick…Mitchell.” He can see Maverick stiffen readying for a fight. Maybe that’s what he’s looking for. Either way, he’s not going to get one. “I’m sorry about Goose. Everybody liked him. I’m sorry.”

Whether he’s apologising for the weak apology or for Goose he isn’t sure but he squashes the urge to run away. Everyone’s been avoiding the guy, someone has got to man up and stick around just once. Maverick’s shoulders sag tiredly. 

“Just…take it easy. It’s going to feel strange for a long time.”

In an instant the tension is back and Maverick wheels around with a sneer on his face. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

Ice’s eyes almost pop out of his head. “I’m sorry?”

“You’d like for me to take it easy. Clear the way for you to get that trophy,” Maverick snarks angrily. 

He can’t believe what he’s hearing! “Is it still just about that trophy for you?” Ice shouts.

“Seems it is for you!” Maverick growls stepping close. His eyes are manic but Ice hates it this time. It’s like Maverick’s going feral with everything that has happened. He’s about to step right off of the deep end. There’s a fight Maverick is sickening for and Iceman isn’t going to give it to him.

Not yet, anyway, a voice leers in his ear treacherously. What? No! Focus. 

“No,” says Ice. “You want a fight, go to a bar. But I’m not going to give you whatever catharsis you're seeking through self-destruction. You want to drop out of Top Gun? You’re on your way to doing just that.” 

He turns on his heel leaving Maverick alone and feels strangely mournful he walked away. Maybe he’s just better at hiding the itch for a fight than Maverick. What would it feel like to shove his face into the cold metal lockerspillows. Ice shakes his head angrily. Goose’s death has messed them all up. There’s never been a class more eager to graduate and go their own ways, it feels. Ice must be more screwed up than he thought if this is where his brain is leading him. 

—

The bar calls to him at the airport. It’s empty in the early evening. He can’t even think about the cafe where he ate with Goose. Someone approaches him and takes a seat. Hollywood. 

“Leaving without saying goodbye?” He asks. A waitress approaches but he signals her away with a brief shake of his head. 

“Does it matter?” Maverick mutters, staring at his glass of water. “I’ve got a squadron to get back to.”

What would Stinger say, that he knew Maverick would blow this opportunity? Merlin’s lost his pilot, now he’s lost his fellow RIO. They might take him back, but would they welcome him? He wonders if they’ve left Goose’s name tag on his locker, have they even heard? This was never permanent, the plan was always for Maverick and Goose to return to the Kitty Hawk. For the first time Maverick second guesses his plan to return to his squadron. How can he walk those humid halls without Goose bounding alongside him? 

“Yeah?” Hollywood says with an air of incredulity. “What about the squad here? If you won’t stay for yourself, stay for us. Do you realise that if you leave you’ll just shake everyone else up and get a CNC on your file? People question that shit Mav. I heard from Viper you’ve got enough points to graduate.”

He sounds so earnest. Desperate almost, if Maverick didn’t know better. “Just keep going up, Maverick.”

“I can fly with Merlin, Cougar’s RIO. I don’t know how to fly with anyone else, but I can manage him,” Maverick speaks with a low, quiet voice.

“This ain’t about managing, Mav. This is about doing. You’ve got what most of us don’t, instinct.”

“Instinct got him killed!” He snaps, voice snagging on the words. 

Hollywood takes a breath.“You’re the famous MiG insulter, the only one to even compete with Iceman.” Hollywood won’t give up. Maverick wonders briefly if he won’t let him get on the plane. 

He shakes his head weakly. “I can’t. Not without him. Trophy don’t mean shit. He’s dead.”

Hollywood snatches his arm, lifting him from the stool. The fight Maverick’s been itching for so long now is right in front of him but the fire is gone. He just wants everything to end. He lets Hollywood drag him through the airport, past the Navy recruiter at the entrance who recognizes him with a wave. 

“Get that raise?” He calls. Maverick thinks he might be sick. 

Hollywood manhandles him into the bench seat of his truck and starts the engine. Neither of them say a word as they return to bachelor housing under the cover of dark. Once they’ve parked, Hollywood is out and continues to direct Maverick up the stairs. It’s not his block so Hollywood must have a plan. There’s a rec room at the end of the hall and Hollywood frogmarches Maverick right to it. 

It’s full to the brim with almost everyone. Slider and Iceman, Sundown, Flex, Chipper, Wolfman. They’re drinking and there’s a load of pizzas. Hollywood shoves him towards a couch and someone puts a beer in his hand, the brown bottle hangs loosely in his grasp. 

“Found him drinking water in a bar,” Hollywood says not unkindly. He realises that it’s Slider who handed him the beer and Maverick drops his gaze to the floor. 

“I don’t blame you, you know that right?” He says calmly.  It takes Maverick off guard and he feels treacherous tears fill his eyes. He keeps his head low, chin tucked against his chest. Slider moves to stand up but lets a hand trail over Maverick’s shoulders as he leaves. The touch makes him want to scream.

More surprises — Iceman sits next to him replacing Slider. “Mitchell,” he greets neutrally. 

“Kazansky,” Maverick responds in the same tone. Their interaction the day before is mutually shut out of this conversation. 

“So you were gonna quit?” He nods once, there’s no avoiding the truth. “How about now?”

Maverick shrugs and takes his first sip of the beer. “Maybe not,” his voice is hoarse with disuse. He takes another sip to line his throat. “Depends if Viper accepts it.”

“Do you want him to?”

“Why the questions?” Maverick asks earnestly, voice breaking. 

“Because no one’s asking them,” Ice says and it takes Maverick by surprise. “Everyone’s afraid of rocking the boat so no one’s asking. You’ve got this all so tightly wrapped up inside of you that when it finally bursts it’ll rain hell fire. And that’s not safe for anyone. Especially not you.”

Maverick looks up at him, thankful everyone seems too absorbed in their own conversations. Or maybe Ice is the sacrificial lamb they sent out.

 “Why do you care? Every time we’ve spoken it’s like I’m shit you tracked through on the carpet.” It’s not accusatory, it’s surprised, if not a little rattled. 

Ice looks at him with a frown and shifts to face Maverick square on. “Do you really think I don’t like you that much?” 

He smiles bleakly. “I seem to remember, and I quote, I’m everyone’s problem.”

The words seem to wound Iceman for just a second. His eyes soften just a bit. “I don’t always like the way you fly, Mitchell. You’re my competitor, but I don’t not like you as a person. I don’t see you as the big bad wolf or something.” 

It’s all too much for Maverick’s weary head. He slumps back against the couch with a sigh. His eyes flitter unfocused through the rec room. Wolfman catches his eye, he glances between Maverick and Ice, questioning. Do you want an escape? Maverick flashes a small, quick smile. Wolfman nods and turns back to Sundown. 

“They’re watching your back,” Ice notes as he watches the interaction. “I don’t think they trust me around you.”

Maverick hums. “I wouldn’t trust me. I wouldn’t be my own RIO.” 

“Why not?” 

“I’m an idiot for one. Besides, the Navy’s already locked half the doors open to everyone else. Being Lieutenant Mitchell’s RIO is the fastest way to halt your career.”

“My commanding officer told me about you.” Maverick wants the ground to swallow him whole when he hears that. “Said you liked to work alone. Not just because of your ego, but because the Navy was never going to give you a break.”

Don’t say it, he pleads. Don’t say it.

“Because of your father.”

Maverick shakes his head angrily. Why is Ice going there? Fuck, where’s Wolfman?

“Goose ain’t your first ghost–”

“Don’t…”

“We know how you fly with one ghost. Now you’ve got two. So how are you going to do better?” 

 How are you going to do better?

“I don’t know.”

Ice watches him with an unwavering stare. “Let’s take a walk.” 

He gets up to leave, expecting Maverick to follow, which he does a second later. Eyes watch the two pilots leave  but no one says anything. A few eagle-eyed aviators had seen the quiet conversation. It looks like Iceman is the first person to really get through to Maverick. They might see him at graduation yet. 

Maverick follows Iceman down to the beach front, the late evening has cooled the beach to a comfortable temperature. The tide is out as Ice leads him across the rock pools to a secluded area. He can’t figure out what part of the bay this is. 

“Where are we?” Maverick asks, looking for a landmark. He hasn’t come to this part of the beach from base housing before. They come to sit on a rocky outcrop. 

Iceman looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “It’s called a beach, Mav.”

“Fuck off,” he says without any real heat. 

“It’s where life started,” he continues. “When it crawled out. I sit here when I feel like crawling back in.”

Maverick shakes his head. “You don’t have to do this.” But please don’t stop.

“What, be a friend?” 

Stop, before it hurts.

“I’m not good company.”

“I’m not asking for good company. That’s my job right, now,” Ice insists. 

But Maverick can feel the tears stinging his eyes so he ducks his head between his knees. “I should be alone.”

“No,” Iceman’s voice is hard. “That is the last thing you should be doing right now. You have a squad behind you, Mav. Let them be there.”

Why? Even Goose had his moments of despair. How can anyone else put up with Maverick? 

“They have no reason to.” When Ice goes to open his mouth, Maverick cuts him off. “No, no. They don’t. Everyone likes Goose. I’m dangerous, reckless, an idiot. They have no reason to like me let alone trust me. I killed Goose, I took away their friend.”

“He’s your friend too.”

“I didn’t deserve him.” 

Maverick’s words stun Iceman. He wondered a few days ago whether this would derail Maverick. Now, he feels less and less certain he’ll make it to graduation. 

[pollyna]

Slider runs hotter than most people, which is why it's not uncommon to find Ice cuddling against his side, three sweaters on, and his arms around his chest, relishing all the body heat, especially during winter or long deployments in a carrier.

(In one of their early deployment photos Merlin took, Slider is sitting in the middle of the couch, with Goose and Ice cuddling on his left and right sides, more sleeping than awake, while the guy himself was finishing paperwork.)

[ijustlandonboats]

@cllsgnslider​

February, 1987. Miramar, California.

To say that everything was in a somber mood lately, was an understatement. Ever since the training exercise in Miramar where Goose had perished, the mood was dour and somber, amongst the naval pilots of the Navy Fighter Weapons School, best known as Top Gun.In twenty years of the school, a pilot had never died in a training accident like this. Nobody knew what had really happened to Goose and Maverick’s F-14 to make it go wrong. Jetwash from the exhaust of Iceman’s fighter just ahead of him made him lose complete control, and complete mechanical faiture of the ejection system. The naval investigation had cleared Lieutenant Pete Mitchell of all wrong doing. But that didn’t stop Mav from punishing himself, hard, and he was struggling to just get through the day and focusing, until now he had just given up. He had turned in his wings to Jester and the program commander, Viper.

God damn it, everything checked out in pre-flight. Bullshit. This is how Cougar felt, when he walked. But...this isn’t about my family. This is me. I don’t have a fucking family.

He sighed as he entered the bar, and he removed his aviator sunglasses, as he approached the bar, and he tucked his sunglasses into the collar of his naval white uniform. He saw Slider, and Wolfman, and Hollywood at the bar, and luckily, the taller Lieutenant was just drinking, and wasn’t with babes, because he wasn’t going to be much competition for that. 

Iceman and him didn’t speak to each other, aside from Kazansky telling him good luck, and that was it. He had been running his mouth that Maverick was dangerous, and maybe some people were starting to listen to him. He was there with Goose and Merlin, when Cougar got freaked out and quit, and he was there when Goose died, his radar intercept operator. Two pilots who had worked with Maverick were history. It wasn’t a good image. Who gives a fuck? I’m quitting. Just done with this crap. I cant..anymore.

“Hey, Ron.” Mav spoke up, clearly stressed, calling Slider by his real name, as a compatriot and a fellow pilot, just not interested in competition anymore, with his fellow pilots. “You got some time? I’m buyin’, if you want. My plane leaves in a few hours. And I uh, just want hang...before I leave and stuff.”

He was wearing his naval uniform for probably the last time. He didn’t know what he was going to do. Maybe fly civilian jets for an airline, if he ever could muster the nerve, or drive trucks, he remembered Goose suggesting it. Or go to law school next. He was sure that leaving the Navy entirely was the next step. He just couldn’t fly anymore. His heart was broken, and not in it. And well, nobody really wanted to fly with him, and be his RIO after what happened with Goose. His co-pilot in the F-14 was his responsibility, and he failed.

Wolfman and Hollywood just stared at Maverick, not wanting to bother him or give him a hard time, having quiet sympathetic looks, and Slider was a strange choice for Mav to hang out with, but he had his hat in hand. But the more distance he had between Kazansky and himself, the better.

[the-ace-with-spades]

slow down (you're doing fine) sequel unrevised snippet because I'm procrastinating on finishing slow down itself and having Mav&Brad feels

.

The light from the living room turned on — he was covered by the terrace curtains enough that it was merely a warm shade coming from the cracked door. He heard bare footsteps, and a shadow flickering through the heavy fabric, until a familiar figure showed up.

Mav closed the terrace behind himself, plopping on the sandy wooden panels, until he was sitting down on Bradley’s left. He looked at his hands, at the phone, at Jake still left on read on the screen — Bradley switched it off and put it under his thigh.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked. He rubbed his eyes but didn’t look that sleepy either — just a bit tired, in that long-drawn, frustrated way when one wanted to rest but couldn’t no matter how hard they tried.

Bradley shrugged. He probably could sleep, he’d slept after he had done and said far worse things than today. He didn’t want to, it was almost like a punishment, staying awake until he fixed the problem. Until he stopped running away. He couldn't make himself fix anything, staying stagnant as the ball of anxiety and the dread about the inevitable grew.

“Still thinking about Hangman?”

He didn’t answer and maybe it was an answer in itself — Mav gave him an affectionate sigh. 

“You remember that time when my deployment ran longer last minute? When you were about twelve.”

He gave him a glance — it was an out-of-nowhere question. “Yeah I was so upset that Ice took me flying the day after you were supposed to get back. In the Tomcat.”

It hadn’t been long after Ice came back from Bosnia. Bradley had been missing Mav so badly that he would cry himself to sleep whenever Ice wasn’t looking careful enough — he was still a bit messed up after his mom’s death and scared that one day, Ice’d have to tell him Mav wasn’t coming back.

Mav was supposed to be gone twelve weeks but last minute, Ice told him it’d take some more time before Mav’d come back, and it ended up closer to four months rather than three. Bradley had yelled at Ice’s face, then cried in his arms for about an hour, until he fell asleep, begging him to get Mav back to them.

“It didn't run over,” Mav said after a moment. His breathing was loud and Bradley saw him shake his head in the corner of his eye. He turned to face him and Mav’s eyes were already waiting at him, full of regret and fear, his mouth just slightly quirked. “I didn't know what I was doing, Bradley. Both my best friends were gone, I was never supposed to be a dad and here you were, completely dependable on me having my shit together, and then we were doing so well with Ice, and it was just so much—”

He hadn’t known. In his eyes, they always seemed to have a grip on everything, always seemed to have the answers to all of Bradley’s problems. They were the heroes of Bradley’s life.

“I knew I was going to fuck it up somehow, you and him, and I thought, better sooner than later, right.”

It was familiar — waiting on the other shoe to drop, and when he had been waiting and waiting and nothing fell on his head, removing himself from the situation before he got hit. Better to disappoint from the start than wait infinitely until they find you out for who you really were. Can’t be hurt if you never let them hurt yourself. Can’t hurt them if you’re not long enough for that with them.

That was a lie, no matter how hard he’d pretend to believe it — there was always someone hurt.

“So I didn't tell Ice anything and stayed in Virginia instead of taking a layover flight to California with everyone. Gave Merlin a letter to hand Ice when he met him at the airport and realized I was nowhere in sight.”

Bradley had always thought he was a coward, not facing Jake, just leaving in his absence when things became complicated, when they became too tied to each other. Maybe it was a family thing.

“I can't do it, please don't wait for me. Take care of Bradley. That's all it said.”

Mav creased his eyebrows, shook his head, almost like he was doing it at his past self.

Bradley didn’t know what to say.

“Took me almost three weeks to get back in my right mind. I showed up at home at two in the morning absolutely ready to beg him to forgive me and instead he told me to stay quiet so I wouldn't wake you up and then said I'd be doing laundry and the dishes for a month if I didn't go straight to sleep. Slept with me in the same bed the first night back, even."

Mav bit down on his lip, huffed, just a tiny, humorless sound, and looked at his hands — he was twirling his wedding ring around on his finger.

“I don't know how I could even think that I could ever live without you in my life, those three weeks. Both of you.”

That was the difference between the two of them. They might have both been cowards, running away from something great, that could turn bad at any moment — Mav came back.

Mav came back and Ice was already waiting for him, expecting him back. He faced the consequences and fixed everything, faced the option that he could fuck it all up at any moment and accepted the risks to gamble for something better and sweeter.

Mav kept on trying. Bradley’d only kept on running away his whole life.

He had been running so long that it didn’t feel like he could stop. Like he deserved to stop.

"So I could tell you that you deserve him but I know it's really hard to believe it, sometimes, and no amount of saying it will change your mind," Mav continued. "But it’s not about deserving him. He chose you, Bradley. He chose you, who are you to decide he’s wrong?”

Bradley—blinked. It was impossible to hear, to understand — he’d always thought it more as if Jake was sentenced to loving him. People didn’t choose their sentences.

They did choose to commit the crimes.

“It’s hard to believe you deserve it, but he chose you and he’ll keep choosing you,” Mav said and the wobbly note of familiarity made him felt dangerously seen. “So until you can believe it, you try your best to be the man he deserves to have, until you’re ready to believe it. You come back, how many times it doesn’t take—"

He bit down on his tongue, taking in a big, unhelpful gulp of air. His eyes were watering and he couldn’t stop it, the wetness itching in his nose even as he squeezed his eyes shut — Mav bumped their shoulders just as he sniffled stiffly.

"I think we should have talked about it more, show you more that we struggled too. We always tried to keep you out of the loop if we thought we could make it without you being affected and I always thought that it was just something parents were supposed to do," he said. "Maybe if we didn’t then you wouldn't feel like this now."

Bradley could only shake his head rapidly, because that wouldn't be true. His parents did his best with him, he had been doomed to turn up a little fucked up the minute his dad died, at least, if not the day his mom herself got orphaned and met Mav in the foster system. Maybe their family was just meant to turn up all bent out of shape.

[im-not-batman]

Okie dokie I'm back.

Top Gun (1986)

1. Unclear. Could be he screwed up and was fired or he didnt like it and quit. Given the cloud he seems to have left under, his surprise at being asked back and Penny saying she'd never expect him there, those are the 2 most likely options. It doesn't seem like he left on good terms.

2. So after watching the movie and looking elsewhere I can't find any year-specific information. The closest I could find was when Goose comes over to Mav's when they both can't sleep, Goose seems to be wearing a jumper that says "Navy 88" but you cant really see and if it does say that it's probably not meant to be depicting a year. Goose dies on 29th July and Viper says that Mav has gained enough points to graduate even though he doesnt continue flying after Goose's death so it must be pretty far along in the program when it happens. Since Iceman/Slider and Hollywood/Wolfman + Maverick/Merlin go on their mission "immediately" after their graduation, maybe TOP GUN ended and graduation was held the following year in May?

3. Mostly extinct now. Budget cuts, higher housing needs and the need fo more family centred spaces (childcare, education etc) caused them to become scarcer apparently.

4. On-base housing most likely. They don't live together, Goose just came over after the hop when neither of them could sleep.

5. Carole and Bradley probably stayed with Goose in his base housing. Although i remember hearing somewhere that if married, officers can live off-base (that is a very vague memory and probably not correct though, just thought i'd add that in).

6. Not a clue mate, sorry.

7. Even less of a clue. Looked at tonnes of stuff about how Top Gun really works but its all a mess of jargon and pro-military nonsense that i simply do not have time for lmao

Questions for tgm and tg '86 people:

So I'm looking into stuff for my fic and I realized that many of you have your own hcs or research that answers some pretty important aspects of the characters and timelines. ANYWAY, I just wanted to ask if anyone would be willing to some of their own ideas for these areas bc I know I am definitely NOT the most informed or researched on this film (feel free to reblog, reply, or dm me with answers if you'd like)!

When is tgm set? Like the whole mission and stuff? Month and year?

This is sort of connected with the previous but, how many months were between the Darkstar Mach 10 and the mission? I can't seem to figure it out?

Any ideas for where Bradley went to school? I'm low-key lost on the whole USNA-flight school thing so maybe one of you has a better grasp on it?

How old is everyone? Like, I can't figure out the daggers' ages... (could be bc I have no idea when the mission is set)

Who is JOE?

The date on the Icemav mission- May 12th, 1986? That accurate?

What do the classes consist of? Like, how are they studying for two weeks? Hops are like the only thing I can think of. Also, how does the teaching go for flight school and what do pilots do when not actively flying on deployments?

Some questions on the tg '86:

How did mav only teach for 2 months?

When is the original movie set? (why don't I know the dates of anything?!)

Where tf is an Officer's club? Like they don't exist anymore??

How do assignments and living situations work at Top Gun? I am so ridiculously lost in this, like to Mav and Goose live together? Or... what?

Where did Carole and Bradley stay when visiting? I could be dumb for this question but I have literally no idea.

How do points work at Top Gun? Is that accurate at all?

What exactly does Charlie do? Like why is she there of all people and has Top Gun ever had a civilian instructor before her? Is that accurate to real life Top Gun?

[baby-girl-e]

Their Legacy

Characters - Iceman x Maverick, Original Female character x Phoenix, Rooster, Dagger squad, Original Male character

Summary - Elizabeth Kazansky-Mitchell is a great combination of her two fathers, if the Navy doesn’t see it that way well… that’s their problem.

Or Tom and Pete raise Tom’s niece and she turns out exactly as you’d expect a Kazansky to in such close proximity to Maverick and his adoptive son Bradley.

Word Count - 5k

Warnings - brief mention of a death resulting in an adoption

A/N - I really shouldn’t be starting another series right now given the two I’ve been neglecting, but I can’t help myself! I hope you like this one, and I would appreciate it if you’d let me know if you want a part two! (I’m planning one, I just want to see how this is received!) You can also listen to the Spotify playlist I made for Elizabeth here!

Listen. While legally Elizabeth's last name was Kazansky, there were some consequences of her being raised in such close proximity to Pete Mitchell. Okay, maybe ‘close proximity’ was underselling it. The better definition would be, he was her other father. Just not on paper until 2015. From an early age she was taught that she could call Tom ‘Dad’ in public but she had to refer to her Papa as ‘Uncle Pete’. Neither of them were her biological parents, but she was only an infant when her mother, Tom’s sister, died in a car accident. Her biological father was never known, not even to her biological mother. This could all sound like some massive tragedy, and it was to her Dad when he lost his sister, but to Elizabeth? She had nothing but an amazing childhood. Two whole dads that loved her and even an older brother until he left when she was only five. Bradley was a very touchy subject in the Kazansky-Mitchell household, her dad’s loved their son, but they ultimately had to respect his mother’s wishes to at least try and keep him out of the sky. Try being the key word. It became even more touchy when Liz expressed interest in flying to her dad’s. They were incredibly supportive of her career and even helped her with her application to Annapolis. One of the benefits of Liz only bearing her Dad’s last name was that she had no problem getting in. If she had started her career in the Navy with both dad’s last names like she wanted, she might’ve had a bit more trouble given her Papa’s reputation. 

The minute she climbed into that cockpit for the first time was when the consequences of being raised by Maverick Mitchell really started to show. Sure she was a bit of a rebellious teenager, but ultimately her Kazansky blood got the best of her and forced her into rule following. But something about the sky threw away all of her Dad’s genetics and she was all Mitchell. To her credit she didn’t break a ton of rules, just a tower buzz here and there. Did she flirt heavily with the hard deck? Absolutely. When her dad got a call about her flying style from her TOP GUN instructor (not that she was in trouble, but the Instructor was one Captain Sam ‘Merlin’ Wells and he and her parents were still very close.) her dad knew he was in trouble. “Tom, it’s like there’s two of them. I’ve flown with Mav way too many times, that was all him up there.” Sitting outside of Uncle Merlin’s office she couldn’t hear her dad but she could bet that he was in his signature “are you fucking kidding me Mitchell” pose that consited of a sigh and fingers on his sinuses. Soon enough the conversation was over and she was called into his office. Now, once again, she wasn’t in trouble. She was the one who had asked to talk to her Uncle. “Lizzy. Great to see you!” During class and everywhere there were other Navy people she was always very professional with him and all of her numerous uncles, but in the privacy of his office she let herself have this one hug. “Thank you for seeing me, Uncle Merlin. I had something I wanted to discuss with you.” He smiled and went to sit behind his desk, sensing this was more business than personal. “Anything for my favorite niece. I was actually just on the phone with your dad, telling him all about your inherited ‘Mitchell Mayhem’.” 

The term was coined mostly by him, Uncle Sli, and her dad, always sure to get an eye roll out of her Papa. “Actually sir, that's kinda what I came to talk to you about. As you know, my last name has legally been ‘Kazansky-Mitchell’ since 2015 when my dad’s got married and Paps legally adopted me. But I’ve kept my last name with the Navy just Kazansky for obvious reasons with getting into the academy.” Sam nods his head in understanding. It’s unfortunate, but who you know is a big deal in the Navy, and while her dad’s were out and proud by the time she joined, they didn’t need a formal reminder of her more rebellious father anytime she was transferred to another carrier or a new squadron. “Well I was thinking that since I’m at the height of my career here at TOP GUN, there’s really no point in hiding my real last name anymore. So…” She pulls out the papers she was clutching to like a lifeline and hands them to her Uncle. “I talked with Uncle Sli and he helped me get my name officially updated in the Navy records without my Dad’s knowing. I already have a new patch ready to go, I just need you to know so when I win the TOP GUN trophy it’ll have my real name on it.” 

Sam’s eyes went from sentimental and heartwarming to being utterly appalled within seconds. “And what makes you think the trophy is yours little miss?” Another nickname coined by her uncles. “Well my callsign isn’t ‘Legacy’ for nothing sir. I was taught by the best, yourself included.” He just shakes his head and laughs softly. “Flattery will get you everywhere my dear. I will make sure that our records are accurate so that if you win the trophy, you’ll have your real name on it.” She smiles and moves to stand. “Thank you sir.” Sam walks her to the door but stops before they open it. “Any reason we’re keeping this from your dad’s?” That was a thing she was grateful for having all her uncles in the Navy, if she really wanted to, she could hide a choice few things from her dads. “I want it to be a surprise at graduation. Thought it was finally time for Paps name to be on that plaque.” Sams sentimental smile was back and he was giving her a heartwarming hug. “You’re a good kid, you know that? Even if you fly like a Mitchell.” She opens the door and just before she leaves she turns back to her uncle to say, “It’s because I am one sir.” And dammit if that didn’t make Merlin tear up just a little. 

                               ///

When she got back to her locker she decided that now that it was official it was okay to pull out the new patch Uncle Sli had made for her. She palmed the small rectangle and smiled. It was a small thing, literally, but it felt like she was truly being herself now. The only other person who she really talked about her family to was her RIO Jake ‘Thunder’ Thompson, and even he didn’t really bring them up a lot. She appreciated the effort, she was already under enough of a microscope from everyone else. She peels back the velcro on the nametag that was already on her flight suit and replaced it with the new one that read ‘ELIZABETH ‘LEGACY’ KAZANSKY-MITCHELL’. Okay that was a bit of a mouthful but she didn’t really care. “Woah, new threads there legacy?” She almost forgot she told jake to hang back and wait for her so they could go to the Hard Deck together. “Yeah, what do you think? Too much?” Jake throws his arm around her shoulder and picks up the flight suit that she had changed out of to inspect it. “No, I think it’s just right Lizzy. Maybe not enough last names what do you think?” She laughs and pushes him away. “You’re such a dick Jakey,” he makes a face at her nickname for him, “yeah it’s a mouthful, but maybe this will make me more intimidating. What do you think?” He shuts her locker for her and throws his arm back around her to steer her through the exit. “You mean more intimidating than your kickass flying and your dad being the COMPACFLT?” She rolls her eyes at him and throws her arm around him too. “Now Jakey, why don’t we go to the Hard Deck and stop talking about my family okay?” It was less than a week until graduation and they only had a few hops left before they knew who was going to take home the trophy. They were currently in the lead, but they knew if they got too cocky they could lose it all. They needed a wind down today especially since they had done hop 31, the same hop that had killed her Paps best friend and Bradley’s dad. She knew her dad’s had been worried about the day, especially Paps, so she shot them both a quick ‘I’m okay’ text the minute she was on solid ground. Still needing convincing, she talked to her Papa for nearly an hour before she went to go talk to Merlin. 

Apparently the whole ‘let's go somewhere to not think about my family’ was just a pipe dream because the minute she and Jake walked in they saw her Paps sitting at the bar. Last she heard he was being reprimanded for crashing a multi million dollar jet somewhere in the middle of nowhere, giving both her and her dad a mini heart attack mind you, and she didn’t expect to see him again for a week at least. “Paps?” Her Papa turned around at his title and his face went from completely drained to instant sunshine at the sight of his daughter. “Fancy meeting you here baby ice.” He was out of his seat in an instant and hugging her tight. She was mad at him for almost getting himself killed and now for the outdated nickname. Bradley hated being called baby goose and she hated being called baby ice, it was a family tradition. But in spite of her mood she was relieved to have a hug from her dad. He turned to hug Jake as well, him becoming part of the family the minute they had become pilot and RIO. Even though there was no attraction whatsoever, they certainly treated Jake like he was their son-in-law. “Paps. What the hell happened out there? Dad said you crashed the ‘darkstar’? What were you thinking going Mach 10.3?” Pete rolls his eyes and sits back down at the bar waving at Penny for another beer. “You sound just like your dad.” That was definitely the quality she got from her dad, while she flew a lot like Maverick, she also inherited her dad's protectiveness over her Paps. “Yeah well he’s not here to chew you out so, I’m the next best thing.” He hugs her at that. “And while nobody appreciates that more than me, your dad actually is here. Came in early from Hawaii because of my little mishap, so you’re welcome.” Only Maverick Mitchell could turn one of his wrongdoings into a reason to thank him. “Yes, thanks for bringing back my favorite dad.” He fakes hurt and clutches his chest at that. “Ouch I’m hurt. After all of the late night ice cream runs without your dad knowing I thought I would get more respect.” Those were some of her favorite memories from her childhood. 

They always did have to sneak in some sugar after hours, Ice wanting to keep them healthy. It was then that they heard a little commotion coming from the pool tables and saw the one and only Bradley Bradshaw approaching the other aviators paying no mind to his family at the bar. “Woah what’s Bradley doing here? Paps, did you know about this?” She turns to her dad and see’s that he’s already trying to hide himself from Bradley. “Yeah sweetheart that’s actually why I’m here. I’m teaching a special ops mission at Miramar and your brother is one of the pilots flying it.” She wasn’t sure how to process that information. On the one hand she was happy at a potential family reunion but on the other hand she knew that both of their personalities were the reason there had been a near 15 year rift between the two. “Does dad know?” Which in hindsight she knew he probably did, he was everyone’s boss. “He’s actually the one that assigned us to the same mission. Thought it would be good for the both of us for some reason.” That was her father indeed. He was always trying to do what he thought was best for his loved ones, that sometimes backfired, but his intentions were always pure. “Figures I guess. Well, I think I’m going to go talk to him. It’s been forever.” Pete looked a little uneasy at her words. 

There was a rift between Bradley and the parents, yes, but after they had allowed her to go to Annapolis and flight school and not him, he had resented her as well. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Is he still mad at you?” Truth is, she wasn’t sure. The last time she had seen Bradley in the flesh was at her flight school graduation. She had invited him and not expected to see him given both her dad’s would be there, but against all odds he was there. He had successfully avoided the dad’s but still got in a good hug. He had told her then that he was wrong for taking out his anger on her. It wasn’t her fault that they pulled his papers and not hers. He was confused, yes, but not mad at her anymore. “No, we talked back when I graduated flight school, I think we’re cool. You, however, should probably get out of here.” He smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek and patted Jake on the back. “Well, good luck. I’ll see you back at the house tonight? Please? Your dad is going to want to see you.” She smiles and nods at her Paps. “Yeah I’ll swing by. See you later, love you.” He winks and returns the sentiment before making his exit. “Wow that was… a lot of information. Even for your family.” She lets out a sigh, Jake was right. The Kazansky-Mitchell clan was alway dealing with some sort of drama, but this seemed to be the greatest hits. “Yeah, well that’s us. I’m going to see if Bradley still likes me, wish me luck?” He gives you a pat on the back. “Good luck, need me to come with you?” She shakes her head but gives her friend a grateful smile before heading over to see her brother. It’s at this point she’s glad that she’s wearing her civies, not really feeling in the mood to be proper in her uniform. 

She wipes her hands on her sundress and approaches the group of aviators by the pool table. “Bradley?” The pilot in question turns at the sound of his name. Liz wasn’t entirely sure what she expected his reaction would be but him running to her, picking her up and spinning her around wasn’t one of them. She let out a surprised scream and demanded he let her down. “Lizzy! I didn’t expect to see you here! Are you even old enough to drink?” she rolls her eyes at her big brother, of course he still sees her as a little kid. “I’m 25 now, Bradley. I should be the one shocked that you’re here. I didn’t even know you were stateside.” A pretty brunette to his left chimes in then, “Yeah me too!” Bradley rolls his eyes at the two of them. “Well I’m sorry, next time I am on dry land I’ll send out a PSA. So, what are you doing out here? You're stationed at North Island?” She got slightly giddy at his innocence. She couldn’t wait to tell him that she made it to TOP GUN just like him, his three dads and her two. “I’m actually at TOP GUN, graduation is in a week.” His eyes went wide and he was hugging her again. She got the sense that these hugs were just as much for her as they were for him. “My baby sister at TOP GUN. who would’ve thought! Are you gonna take the trophy you think?” Her cocky pilot brain decided that it was going to answer for her. “Absolutely. That plaques gonna have Kazansky-Mitchell on it for sure!”

 In all her excitement for reuniting with her brother she forgot to not mention Pete to him, even if it was just the name. “Oh, I didn’t know you were going by both at work.” He seemed a little sad, but was obviously putting on a face for his sister's sake. “I wasn’t, but I talked to Uncle Merlin today to have it changed, Sli helped me. I wanted my full name to be on the plaque.” He softened a little at the mention of their uncles. “Well at least you have the confidence part down.” She hears someone clear their throat and they both snap out of their little sibling bubble. “Hey Rooster are you gonna introduce us?” He looked a little embarrassed but recovered quickly. “Yeah sorry, um guys this is my little sister Liz. But some of you may know her as Legacy.” Recognition flashes across a few of their faces but mostly confusion. “Wait you’re Legacy? I’ve heard about you, you’re Kazansky’s kid!” She wasn’t shocked at his words, it was extremely common. “Yeah that’s me, and you are?” He leans in and holds out his hand to shake. “Hangman, at your service.” He was charming, Liz could give him credit for that. Cocky? Yes. But also charming. The pretty brunette from earlier comes into view and suddenly all thoughts of the charming cocky blonde man went right out the window. “I’m Phoenix by the way!” She holds out her hand and Liz shakes it, her hand shaking slightly. See this girl was exactly her type, and she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t incredibly attracted to her. “I’m Elizabeth, but you can call me Liz or Legacy even.” Now they were both blushing and still shaking hands. Bradley clears his throat and breaks both Liz and Phoenix out of their reverie. “It’s nice to meet you Liz, my name is Natasha. But you can call me Nat.” Liz smiles, already sensing a little trouble she’s probably going to have with that one. Tearing her eyes away from Nat she turns back to her brother. He introduces her to the rest of the aviators scattered about and she’s met some and heard of others. Bradley takes a second after the introductions are made to pull Liz away from the rest of the group. 

Once the two siblings are reasonably alone Bradley brings up the elephant in the room. “Are your dads around then?” That hurt more than it should’ve, hearing her brother refer to their parents as her dads, and not his. “Yeah they still have the house in fightertown. Dad just got back from Hawaii and Paps is in some hot water as per usual so he’s back from Mojave. Almost died, which is why dad’s back too.” His eyes instinctively widened at hearing about Maverick almost dying. It wasn’t an uncommon experience, but a scary one still that he obviously still feared. Liz also left out the fact that Maverick was indeed back, and Bradley was about to see a whole lot of him very soon. She figured it wasn’t her news to tell. “Are you gonna try to convince me to talk to them?” She laughs, even her persuasiveness wasn’t that effective. “Maybe I would if I thought it would work, but no I won’t. I am headed over there after this if you want to come.” She knew, he knew, the entire Navy knew that he wouldn’t, but still. He breaks up the tension by laughing, “No baby Ice I think I’m good. You have fun though.” She rolls her eyes at the nickname again, two can play at that game. “Well, baby goose you’re missing out. I don’t know if you remember but dad stress bakes and because Paps almost died he’s sure to have made something good.” She wasn’t kidding, the only upside to her other dad almost dying or getting into trouble was there was always some sort of treat afterwards. Not that they were celebrating, it was just her dad's way of coping. It was sweet in a way, another piece of evidence that her parents were soulmates. “While that is tempting I think I’ll still pass. Now if only I had a sister that loved me enough to bring me some.” He fakes looking deep in thought and Legacy punches his arm. “Hey, we’re both at North Island right now, you totally could.” She rolls her eyes, this idiot. “Sure Brad, I’ll bring you some cookies,” he gets excited and goes to interrupt but she isn’t done. “On one condition.” he looks at her expectantly and she lets a smirk take hold of her face. “You give Phoenix my number?” His face falls. “Liz, she’s like my sister, that'd be so weird!” Liz isn’t having any of that and just pats his arm. “And I actually am your sister, look, it doesn’t take a genius to see that she’s hot, I’m hot, it’s a match made in heaven.” 

Bradley lets out a very dramatic sigh that  sounded a lot like a concession. “Fine, I’ll give her your number, but if I don’t get those cookies I’ll hunt you down.” Liz shakes her head. If she closed her eyes she could pretend like it was the good old times again. “If they even are cookies, Paps nearly exploded,  you’re probably getting a three tiered cake.” He smiled and hugged his sister. It seemed even he wanted to pretend it was the past too. “Either way, I’m happy to see you. Have fun with your dads, I’ll tell Phoenix you said bye.” He pulls away and punctuates it with a wink before running back to his group. She briefly considers going to talk to phoenix more, but suddenly has the deep desire for a hug from her dad. It’s a weird sensation, but one not lost on someone who could lose her parents at any moment given the extremely dangerous nature of their jobs. Legacy says goodbye to Jake and tells him to be on his A game tomorrow, they have a trophy to win after all. 

The walk up to the front door of her parents house feels shorter when she’s practically bounding up the steps. She’s unlocking the door in record time, eager to hug her dad. It had been almost a month since she saw him last, he had hand delivered the news to her that she was going to TOP GUN, much to the dismay of her CO, obviously not prepared enough for a visit from the COMPACFLT. “Dad? I’m home!” Home. Now that felt good to say again. There were a few lights on but that was the only piece of evidence that someone was home if it weren’t for the Kawasaki in the driveway and the rumbling of feet, running towards her? Should they really be running at their age? Who was she kidding, even God couldn’t keep Paps down and Dad? Well he had about 36 years experience in keeping up with his husband. “Lizzy? That you?” She heard his deep voice before she saw him, but when she did her heart warmed. He looked just as he did when she last saw him instead this time he was wearing a sweater instead of his stuffy uniform. She always hated hugging him when he wore that, his badge and wings poking her cheek. “Hey dad, good to see you.” And there was that hug. Soul crushing in the best way, hand on the back of her head like she suspected he’d been doing since she was born. He let out a content sigh, like he was just as relieved to be in this hug as she was. “Hey baby girl, good to see you too.” When they pulled away she could see her Paps waiting patiently for his turn. “Wow, I would’ve expected you to be in time out.” Pete gives out a very sarcastic laugh and embraces his daughter. “Your father decided he loved me too much to be too mean.” He winked at his husband and because she was attuned to her fathers antics she could see a small blush on her dads cheek. It was nice to see that after all this time they were still like teenagers in love. Tom gestures towards the kitchen, for his family to all to sit around the island while he served brownies. Figures. 

Liz laughs as she’s handed a treat and gets a funny look from her parents. “Something funny sweetheart?” She shakes her head and sets down the brownie. “Nothing really, I just bet Bradley that you had baked, it’s what you do when you’re stressed. Especially about Paps.” In the midst of her victory she forgot to turn on her Bradley censor. It was something she had inadvertently developed throughout the years. When she was a kid she didn’t understand why her dad’s would get so sad when she asked for her brother, why they always seemed to cry a little when she said his name. When she did figure it out she stopped talking about him to them, she loved them too much and didn’t want to see them sad. Tom was the first to break the silence that had settled over the room. “Oh, you saw Bradley?” She looked to her Paps confused, “Paps didn’t tell you? He was at the bar and I went to go say hi.” The father in question looked sheepish as his husband gave him the look. “I was going to tell you but I didn’t want to ruin our reunion.” He said that last part with a sly look on his face that got the other man blushing again. “Oh ew you guys, your kid is sitting right here.” Liz feigned disgust and looked away as her Paps decided to make it worse by kissing her dad, just to annoy her, she was sure. “You should be grateful that your parents still love each other. Do you know how many straight couples get divorced every year? Now that’s disgusting.” Maverick was obviously trying to change the subject, but Liz was his daughter so she was nothing if not persistent. “Anyways, yes dad I talked to Bradley. He seemed to be doing great, healthy, and didn’t outright run away when I mentioned you two.”

 Pete nodded along, trying not to get too excited at what could be nothing. “Progress is progress Pete, he’ll come around.” Pete rolled his eyes and set down his brownie. “It’s been almost two decades since he stopped talking to us, this isn’t progress.” Tom set his brownie down as well and replaced it with his husband's hand. “Baby, he’s talking to our daughter. He’s not losing his temper when he hears our names, we should take what we can get.” Pete sighs and nods solemnly, not really taking in his words. “If it helps when I invited him over he didn’t really say no as much as an ‘I’ll pass’. I mean he was the one that brought you up in the first place.” Pete perks up at her words. “Really? What did he say?” She has to take a second to remember what he had said, it was a long day and there was a pretty girl involved. “He just asked if you guys were around. I told him that you still had the house and that you were both in town, but I promise I didn’t tell him why just that Paps got himself hurt,” Pete started to interrupt, “You did. And that’s why both of you are back.” There was an uncomfortable silence that settled across the kitchen, an uncommon occurrence for this particular family. “And what did he say?” 

Pete was cautious with his question as if he almost didn’t want to know the answer. “He didn’t say anything specific about you, but I could tell in his eyes that he was worried. Then he asked if I was going to try and get him to come over. I didn’t, but he was invited.” Tom put his arm around his daughter and leaned his head on hers. “Thank you for at least trying. I’m sorry about all of this, I know it’s affected you too.” That was something Liz was always so surprised by. Her parents always thought about her involvement in certain situations. Something her friends had told her was a rare occurance in a father child relationship. Even when she was just a kid and her Paps was still going on deployments her dad always made sure to keep her up to date on what was going on, to try and ease her anxieties. She always could tell when something bad had happened, her dad keeping his updates more vague, but he was there informing her nonetheless. “It’s okay dad. Bradley was mad at me for just a little bit, at least he’s talking to one of us.” The same sad smile was painted on both her parents' faces, something that they had developed after being the same kind of sad for so long. 

“Okay that’s enough sad for tonight, we haven’t been all together for a long time what do you say we watch a movie and pass out on the couch?” It was her favorite thing they did. She would always suggest a movie and they would be all for it but fall asleep halfway through. Liz would just throw a blanket on them and put herself to bed. And so that’s how the small family ended their evening. The most powerful man in the Navy and the fastest man alive cuddled on the couch fast asleep while their daughter takes a photo and falls asleep too. 

Tags: @callsign-hollywood