#my young guns icemav

[sleepy-hyperfixations]

86! Icemav vs 22! Icemav is a serious problem for me. Like do i want feral young guns icemav fucking whenever they get the chance or do i want strong in their love happily married old men icemav? Its so hard to choose!

[foreveraweirdoneslife]

Ocean of Love

Ocean of Love | Top Gun Masterlist

Goose, Mav and Carole are a polycule. Then lce comes into the picture and becomes Mav's boyfriend. It doesn't take long until Mav introduces lce to the group.

[compacflt]

Would you ever consider writing about a different path Ice and Mav could take, one where they choose to leave the Navy and pursue a more open relationship and civilian life? Thinking it would be easier but maybe the sacrifice to their careers brings its own challenges?

(hi, jan 2024 me here, this was an ask that I answered when it was sent in in May 2023 & didn't post because I felt I actually answered it fictionally in the "icedad" one-shot the week after [and you can obviously see how these thoughts affected the writing of other pieces like "tremors & aftershocks"], but I still mostly agree with this take [though it's a little overgeneralizing] & I think it sums up a lot of my final "meta" modern-military-theory thoughts on ice & mav & their relationship, so im posting it now before I post the compacflt masterpoast)

see,… the thing is, i just… can’t see that happening!! i have no idea how to write that!!! Maybe i really do have a lack of imagination. But i can’t see that happening for a number of reasons. So short answer, no.

Long answer (and it’s long):

1. lame reason to start out, but it, uh, it’s canon that ice ends up at O-10 and mav ends up at O-6. not saying that im beholden to canon obviously (my mav ends up at O-7 and my ice ends up alive) but I do base my characterizations of them on the implications of the political struggles of both their careers so… taking away ice’s fourth star is basically starting from square one wrt my characterization of him. which is a lot of work. i could start from the beginning with a top gun 1986 ice who knows he’s gay—that would be a fun AU (i think other people than me have definitely done that better, though—I’m a one-trick pony). So if that’s what you mean then disregard the rest of this post. but if what you mean is a divergence from my existing work (i.e. homophobic/rank-climbing ice&mav) then… yeah, can’t see that happening, for further reasons below.

2. wrt my characterization of him: it’s based on a broad historical overview of armed service officers and the expectations of their careers. in my view, high-ranking officers aren’t after power—or maybe they started their careers wanting power, but somewhere down the line, it just becomes an expectation. if you do everything right and follow all the rules, you are expected by the institution to lead, whether you want to or not. That’s just the pipeline. at some point you start losing agency. which is what I mean when I keep saying ice doesn’t have a choice in advancing his career (besides the meta fact that this is fanfiction and canon demands that he have 4 stars lol)—high ranking military officers are continually and continually groomed for bigger and better positions; and the longer they spend in the military, the harder it is to leave that lifestyle for something else. And with ice’s canonical (and characteristically INTEGRAL, as I mentioned a week or so ago) refusal to rebel against the wishes of the navy as an institution, plus this historical expectation to lead placed upon the shoulders of excelling officers, I really do think ice is destined for four stars & nothing less, even if it gives him chronic depression. It’s his highest priority not because he wants it to be, but because…it just is. that’s how the institutionalized system of advancement in the military works. it just is. it has to be.

3. I mentioned in this post that I can’t ever see a foot in the door with them talking about their relationship unless maverick dies and is resurrected, and I feel the exact same way about them & their retirement plans. There’s a lot that ice and mav don’t talk about: the biggest one is obviously Goose’s death, the foundation of their relationship; but also their love for each other obv, what they did to rooster, AND their careers, which have to end at some point. Them talking about everything is totally inevitable, it was gonna have to happen eventually before they died, and I think one foot in the door MIGHT have been them eventually talking about retirement (someone sent in a prompt asking for this exactly & i am brainstorming it furiously) but before the Navy FORCES them to retire… i think they would studiously avoid talking about it. For a couple reasons: a) what does retiring with each other mean? living in the same house until they die together? hard to do if you’re just good friends. talking about retirement is tantamount to talking about Them. and b) what are they gonna do outside the navy? Ice has a lot of options, as I mentioned in the slider one-shot—general/flag officers are SUPER sought after in leadership/intelligentsia/management positions post service, so maybe if he were offered a crazy cool civilian position somewhere in San Diego in like the 2000s he would quit the navy for it… but what about maverick? I have no idea what a non-navy mav would do. Civilian airline pilot? Hoo boy. I think he’d hate that. I could maybe see emergency helicopter pilot, lol, or race car driver (i just watched days of thunder can you tell?) but none of the above offers the institutionalized honor the navy does (that, as a reminder, he *killed people* to obtain in the first place). I suggested his test piloting expertise would make him an attractive technical advising candidate to A&D companies like Boeing, LockMart, GD, etc. so that might be one option. But it might have been kind of a touchy subject for him before he racked up the expertise he’d need for those high-level civilian positions… the navy was kinda his only option. So they wouldn’t talk about it because it might hurt his feelings.

4. The biggest reason: again… open rebellion like rocking the boat by quitting the navy to be in an open long-term gay relationship, in upper mil brass ranks, and even retired upper mil brass ranks, just… isn’t done. And REALLY wasn’t done in the 2000s, when i think the scenario in this ask is positioned. And it’s not like “oh but whatever who cares about the navy, ice and mav are in love, they deserve to be happy no matter what, they should do what they want, fuck the navy…” no. Ice and Mav care about the navy. Clearly. Canonically. By necessity. The military requires cohesion and on some level repression of individuality & personal expression to FUNCTION, even when you’re retired. Yes, maverick certainly strains against that repression (which is why you Could spin top gun as an anti-military franchise if you were desperate enough), but he rebels through his ACTIONS (stupid plane maneuvers) not through his personal IDENTITY. his personal identity (headstrong overtly masculine white male pilot, whether gay or straight who cares) is NEVER challenged throughout the franchise (i.e. no one really challenges his masculinity specifically) & his personal identity does not POSE a challenge to the navy. Both he and ice in their outward-facing personal identities really fit in quite neatly to the navy’s overarching identity & contribute to the navy’s cohesion in a way that is favorable to both their careers and the establishment. Lack of imagination or not… i can’t see a universe in which Ice and mav would actively WANT to rock the boat and wreck the navy’s cohesion and their reputations for an open relationship and definitively rebellious personal identities, with the obvious caveat being Maverick’s death recontextualizing both their priorities (yes we’re in love AND we’ve finally proven ourselves to be ultra-capable officers regardless of our sexuality so no one has a license to judge us anymore etc.).

And also, they’re not enlisted seamen. Nor are they mediocre officers who have the luxury of fading into obscurity. Things are different when you’re that high in the ranks, and when your job publicly matters more. sorry, but even post DADT (probably until about biden’s election), an open relationship would end their careers. They might not be fired, but they’d never be promoted again. Too much of a liability getting subordinates to still respect them, from the higher-ups’ perspective, especially if there are other qualified candidates who fit the navy’s core identity better. Like—sorry. This is such a jaded oversimplification. But if you rock the boat like that (i.e. break the service’s united front to be individualistic in a way that does not match the service’s overarching identity), from the perspective of your officer peers, you simply are a bad officer. Being an open individual in a job where you are required to fit in and represent your service is not your job. You are not doing your job well. Straight-up. Even if you’re retired. I met US Army 4-star gen. David Petraeus (retired obv) in February—he led the successful-ish surge in iraq and Afghanistan in the mid-2000s—and he’s STILL a laughingstock for his disastrous affair with his biographer a decade ago, even after he retired from AD service. That’s what people remember him for, not the fact that he was one of our only successful commanders in any of our Middle East campaigns.

Something like that might be one of ice and mav’s worst fears—being known for their affair/scandal instead of the institutionalized honor they’ve fought and killed for. That kind of thing just Isn’t Done. It's bad taste. You have to keep it quiet. If you’re an officer representing the service, you have to represent it well & according to the service’s preconceived identity, even in retirement. (see, for another shitty example of "not fitting in" even in retirement, Lt. gen. Mike Flynn [his whole scandal is actually kinda geopolitically relevant to my fic if you squint lol] whom everyone fucking hates)

To summarize: i hope I’m not mischaracterizing your ask when i reframe it like this—would you ever write ice and mav without the institutionalized pressure to advance in rank and conform to institutional norms?

and yes, I would (and will if you ask—it looks like this: ice & mav meet & fall in love & it’s boring and fine. end of story), but I guarantee you someone else already has. I’m all about interrogation of institutional norms here. And i think until maverick dies & comes back from the dead, there is absolutely no *REALISTIC* incentive for ice & mav to leave the navy and/or have an open relationship. Like it’s just not possible. Idk how else to say it.

[pollyna]

2020!Ice back in '86 would tell Mav about the hop, or at least try to make him understand to take caution against jet washes even if it cost him to come back to an empty bed and a life without Maverick in it.

[tip-top-cloud-surfer]

Grand-Mav and Baby Chick

Pairings: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw / Unnamed Spouse; Implied Pete "Maverick" Mitchell / Tom "Iceman" Kazansky

Word Count: 0.9k

This work, all my works, and my entire blog is 18+ Only

Warnings: Parental Stress; Dad Joke Humor; Rooster's Spouse is Unnamed; Implied IceMav; There's no way that the Navy allows babies into the offices, but let's just pretend

Summary: Rooster needs a babysitter for his son last minute. Maverick volunteers.

Master List

Despite objections from a large portion of the admiralty, Maverick somehow managed to secure a job teaching at Top Gun again after the uranium facility mission. And an even more shocking aspect of that whole situation was the fact that he managed to actually keep the position. 

And the best part of the job for Maverick? The fact that he saw Rooster just about every day. Rooster had been stationed in Miramar for two years now and even though they no longer worked side by side, they tried to eat lunch together at least once a week. It helped them rebuild their relationship quickly and strengthen it even further as Rooster went on to get married and move onto the next stages of his adult life. 

Maverick loved spending time around Rooster’s family. But Maverick wasn’t expecting Rooster to burst into his office with little baby Nick Peter Bradshaw tucked in his arms. 

“Aren’t you a little young to be here?” Maverick teased, waving at Nick before turning to look up at a very flustered Rooster. “Why did you bring him to work?”

“Daycare is closed and I couldn’t find a babysitter,” Rooster explained rapidly. Quickly remembering that Rooster’s spouse was out of town, Maverick glanced back up at Rooster, who looked on the edge of a breakdown. “I have a briefing in ten minutes and I’m out of options, Mav, and—”

“—Give him here,” Maverick replied without hesitation, already reaching for Nick. 

“You don’t have anything?” Rooster asked, handing his son over.

“Just a class. Nothing too crazy,” Maverick stated, happily accepting Nick into his arms. Rubbing Nick’s belly and earning a coo in return, Maverick smiled down at the little chick. “And it’s never too early to teach him about aviation.”

“Thanks, Mav,” Rooster sighed, handing over the baby bag as well. “I owe you one.”

“Don’t worry about it. Now get to your briefing," Maverick stated, shooing Rooster out of his office.

~~~~~

“And remember, when you’re flying in low visibility, you have to . . .”

Maverick continued on with his lesson, completely ignorant or simply uncaring about the odd looks that his students were shooting him. But then again, it wasn’t every day that the famous Maverick, who was pretty much a living legend in the naval aviation community, showed up to class with a random baby strapped to his chest. 

Maverick turned away from the board with notes and schematics up on it and back to his students. He pointed at the schematics and gesticulated to emphasize the important facts of the lesson, causing Nick to smile and drool a bit as Maverick indirectly entertained him with his movements and gestures.

“What the fuck is going on?” one of the cadets whispered quietly. 

“Whose baby is that?” another added on, leaning back in their seat.

“And why did he bring them to class?”

Maverick continued on with his lesson, but when Nick started to whine, he momentarily paused. Quickly reaching into the baby bag, Maverick fished out Nick’s binkie from one of the top pockets and quickly got him settled again. And then Maverick went right back to the lesson as if nothing happened to disturb it in the first place. Minus a couple odd bounces around to make sure that Nick stayed calm and happy in his carrier.

One brave cadet slowly raised his hand with a dumbstruck expression on his face. Maverick motioned for him to speak and the cadet slowly lowered his hand to point at Nick.

“Sir, why do you have a baby?”

“Oh,” Maverick realized, glancing down at Nick for a moment. “My son had a briefing and he didn’t have anyone else to watch his son, so I'm watching him for today.”

“Is that safe?” another cadet asked, sharing an odd look with their fellow students. 

“Oh, don’t worry. He’s up to date on his shots. And he can’t bite because he doesn’t have any teeth yet,” Maverick explained, earning even more incredulous looks as a result of his explanation. “Now, back to the maneuvers that we’ve been discussing this week . . .”

“What. The. Fuck," one cadet murmured under their breath.

“You know, when people told me that he was a little crazy, I didn’t think that he would be this crazy.”

“This day can’t get any weirder.”

But, of course, a knock at the door proved the cadets wrong. Because not three seconds later, the Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky walked into the classroom.

The cadets tripped over themselves, rushing to stand at attention for the most senior naval officer this side of the Rockies. But Maverick was completely relaxed and strode over to Ice to make the smooth hand off.

“You got out of your meeting early?” Maverick guessed, handing Ice the baby bag. 

“Well, I am the COMPACFLT,” Ice replied with an easygoing smile. “And besides . . .” Ice reached out to grab Nick from the baby carrier that Maverick tucked him into, “. . . someone has to watch the little chick.”

Nick cooed and made grabby motions for Ice, clearly happy to see him. Ice happily greeted Nick and held him protectively in his arms. Maverick handed off the rest of Nick’s belongings to Ice before the usually rigid and stern admiral turned to the class full of cadets. 

“We apologize for interrupting your lesson. We’ll get out of your way.” Ice shot Maverick a wink before turning to Nick. “Can you wave ‘bye bye’ to everyone, Nick?”

Nick held his half-curled hand up in the air and waved his whole arm at Maverick and the class before Ice turned and walked out of the room. When the door shut behind them, the entire class was completely silent.

“Any questions?” Maverick asked, breaking the stone-cold silence. 

All twenty hands immediately rose into the air with each cadet sitting on the edge of their seat to ask their question.

“About the lesson," Maverick emphasized a moment later.

All twenty hands quickly lowered back down, some more sheepish than others. Turning back to the board, Maverick carried on as if nothing odd or unusual happened.

[queenofmoons67]

The Surface Officers’ Spouses’ Club: An IceMav Fic

Summary: Maverick is a captain in his own right, but he’s also an admiral’s spouse. Or, five times someone else calls Maverick “Admiral Kazansky’s husband/spouse,” and the one time Maverick refers to himself as such.

Word Count: 2.6k+

Notes: Back in October / November 2023, I asked which of my Top Gun ideas I should write next, and a solid third of you chose this one! I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

This fic takes place shortly after DADT was repealed in 2010/2011.

Maverick is a captain. At the beginning of the fic, Ice is a two-star admiral / Rear Admiral, Upper Half.

Fanfic!

The first time someone addressed Maverick as “Admiral Kazansky’s husband,” he flushed red, but slipped his hand into Ice’s and squeezed. They had only been married for a month—only even been out as a couple for the two months since DADT was overturned—and it still thrilled Maverick to be able to claim Ice as his own, and to be claimed in return.

They were in love, and they could tell the whole world. The only thing Maverick wanted more was Bradley back in his life.

The second time someone addressed Maverick as “Admiral Kazansky’s husband,” he frowned, and purposefully straightened the collar of his uniform so his silver captain’s eagle caught the light. This was Captain Mitchell’s meeting, and Captain Mitchell had been a captain long before he became an admiral’s husband.

The third time someone addressed Maverick as “Admiral Kazansky’s husband,” she didn’t use the word “husband.” She came up to him in the commissary, a lipstick-red smile across a lightly sun-tanned face, blonde bob just brushing her cheeks, and said, “Hi! You’re Admiral Kazansky’s spouse, right?”

Maverick paused, and lowered his hand from where he’d been reaching for the dinosaur egg oatmeal—Bradley’s favorite, and the only kind Maverick himself could eat now after having it for years.

“That’s me,” he said, though the words came slowly. ‘Navy spouse,’ he thought, implied someone like the woman before him, left behind lamenting their husband’s deployments. Someone like Carole, who had been raising Bradley mostly on her own even before Goose died.

‘Navy spouse’ did not mean someone like Maverick, who went on deployments himself more than Ice did now.

Maverick had never been good at hiding his emotions, so his hesitation must have shown, but the woman didn’t seem deterred. Instead, her smile widened.

“Excellent! I’ve been trying to find you to ask if you’d be interested in joining the Point Loma Surface Officers’ Spouses’ Club? My name is Melissa Royce, I’m Captain Royce’s spouse, and we—”

“I’m sorry,” Maverick interrupted. “I think you have the wrong idea. I am married to Admiral Kazansky, but I’m a captain, too. I wouldn’t…”

Maverick trailed off, hands waving to try and communicate what he wouldn’t be. Belong, in a group of spouses? Know what to do, amongst a group of people who had all given up their own ambitions to support their husbands, while Maverick gave Ice more trouble than he was worth?

Melissa’s smile grew smaller, but she reached out and patted him on the arm. “Honey, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. You wouldn’t be the only officer in the group; lots of us are two-officer pairs, though heaven knows I don’t know how you do it.

“But beyond that…” She arched one eyebrow. “This is a support group, honey. For us, and for the base. How do you think it stays standing when all the sailors are deployed? How do you think it stays standing when you’re all here?”

Maverick stared at her. Somehow, he thought the protest that he was an aviator, not a sailor, would just prove her point. It hadn’t been so long since he was a young lieutenant that he’d forgotten the havoc they could wreck on shore leave.

And if Melissa really meant it, that ‘spouses’ could include ‘officers’… What did Maverick have to lose?

“When’s the next meeting?” he asked.

<line break>

Maverick eased open the door to the community room, situated on the second floor of a building that also housed the base’s library, after school childcare, and a general store. It was a bit of an “everything building,” Melissa had explained, and the Point Loma Surface Officers’ Spouses’ Club—also known as PLSOSC, because apparently even Navy spouses loved their acronyms—booked the community room once a week, every Saturday morning.

Saturday, she had said, because those with kids could rely on spouses or babysitters, and those with jobs had a better chance of making the meeting on the weekend than during the work week. Mornings, she had said, because nothing got ideas flowing like free coffee and a bunch of gossipmongers.

She hadn’t specified what “ideas” they needed to come up with. Hadn’t specified much of anything beyond when and where, and that he “just needed to bring his handsome face; it’s not a potluck!”

So there Maverick was. Empty-handed, handsome face freshly shaved, handsome husband abandoned in bed on a Saturday morning, when normally they’d be taking the chance to sleep in together.

Ice hadn’t been happy about that, his hands reaching out as Maverick left the bed, lips pouting and cheeks puffed out, though he’d perked up a bit when he heard what Maverick’s plans were.

“I’m glad you’re making new friends,” he had said, even as the perpetually cold-blooded admiral curled his hands back into the comforter and tucked it under his own chin.

Maverick… wasn’t as sure that “making new friends” was what he was doing. He also wasn’t sure if it was going to be worth leaving Ice alone like that.

But he’d told Melissa he’d try it, so here he was; Maverick regularly flew upside down, just because he could… He could handle a bunch of Navy spouses.

Although, even just opening the door and immediately being bombarded with loud voices had him second-guessing that ability.

One voice rose above them all.

“Pete!” Melissa called. “Everyone, this is Captain Pete Mitchell, Admiral Kazansky’s spouse. Pete, this is everyone!”

Melissa waved at the crowd, and Maverick shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked forward, taking the room in.

Folding tables had been put away against the walls, but the chairs were all out, accommodating about twenty people sitting in a circle. Several of them had clipboards out, pens poised over paper already half-filled with ink.

“Come in, come in!” Melissa beckoned. “There’s an empty seat right by Bryan.”

A middle-aged man with cool, dark brown skin nodded at Maverick, his longer-than-Navy-regulation black locs swaying with the motion.

The woman on the other side of the empty seat, brown hair sheered short in a buzzcut over pale white skin, snorted under her breath, “Melissa is not subtle.”

“Shut up,” Bryan laugh-whispered. “She’s doing her best.”

“She’s making a point,” the woman replied, and offered her hand to Maverick. “Hi, I’m Lieutenant Emily Brock. Stationed with Submarine Squadron 11. My wife is a THIRD Fleet officer.”

Maverick shook her hand, then shook Bryan’s when he offered, too. “Bryan Matthews, civilian,” Bryan said. “My wife is also with THIRD Fleet.”

“Captain Pete Mitchell,” Maverick said, grinning a bit at the realization Melissa had put him in-between another officer-spouse and a male-spouse. “You can just call me ‘Maverick’ though. And my husband is, uh—”

“Admiral Kazansky,” Bryan and Emily finished. They both laughed, and Emily gave Maverick a friendly nudge with her elbow. “Hope you stick around, if only so I can tease Becca I’ve got an in with her boss.”

The wife, Bryan mouthed, and Maverick nodded back.

“Is Becca here too?” he asked.

Emily shook her head. “Nah, submariner spouses have their own group. So do aviators—your husband will probably get an invite there soon, if he hasn’t already.”

Maverick blinked. He hadn’t even considered if Ice belonged in a group like this. He was Rear Admiral Thomas “The Iceman” Kazansky, rising star of the US Navy, on-track to be COMPACFLT someday. He wasn’t like Maverick, desperately holding onto the captain position with both hands while trying not to be discharged or promoted.

But if Captain Mitchell qualified as a Navy spouse because he married Admiral Kazansky… then wasn’t the reverse also true? That Admiral Kazansky was a Navy spouse because he married Captain Mitchell?

“Huh.” Maverick leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and tuning back into the conversation and atmosphere around them.

Melissa was certainly a leader amongst them, which made sense; Captain Royce, while lower in rank than Ice, was the CO of Point Loma itself. But none of the spouses were shy about barking ideas to the people with clipboards. Several people had broken off into smaller groups, like Bryan, Emily, and Maverick, while others moved from group to group. Others still congregated at the one table that was set-up with—Maverick sniffed—coffee.

Most people wore comfortable clothes, just jeans and t-shirts, and others wore uniforms. Some people drifted in, and others drifted out. The room was a constant flow of movement and ideas.

“So… what exactly are we supposed to be doing?” he asked, turning back to Bryan and Emily.

“Gossiping,” Emily said.

“Brainstorming,” Bryan said.

Maverick looked between them, eyebrow raised.

“Brainstorming,” Emily said.

“Gossiping,” Bryan said.

<line break>

The answer, Maverick found, was both. PLSOSC focused on building a community out of people who were often in Point Loma for only a few years, or even just a few months, at a time. That meant people were welcome to just chat and catch up, but they could also throw out ideas for trips off-base, donation drives, dinner parties—anything and everything a group of adults could do together.

And it wasn’t just PLSOSC, named the Point Loma Surface club for a reason. Emily had been right: Ice received his own invitation to the Point Loma Aviator Officers’ Spouses’ Club, or PLAOSC, and came back from the first meeting with tears in his eyes from all the funny stories the other spouses had heard second-hand about Mav.

“‘Captain Mitchell’s spouse!’” Ice gasped, voice high in a falsetto. “‘Oh, I must know, did he really moon an admiral in o-eight?’”

“‘Why yes,’” Ice answered himself, voice dropped even deeper than his natural tone, “‘but the admiral in question was his boyfriend, and they were in a locker room, so it was only natural.’”

Maverick almost broke a rib, he laughed so hard at Ice’s retelling.

In joining the two groups, Maverick also knew that he and Ice had had an entire world opened before their eyes. They had known every inch of aircraft carriers in the past, all the docks and offices, runways and classrooms, everywhere a Navy aviator might go.

Now, they also knew what happened behind-the-scenes: The stories that spouses whispered to each other about visiting officers, the stories they told about Point Loma’s own officers, and even the stories they told about Admiral Kazansky and Captain Mitchell. They’d been able to get ahead of more than one potentially bad rumor because Melissa whispered it in Maverick’s ear before anyone else’s, or because someone told Ice what the latest story was.

“Admiral Kazansky’s spouse,” Ice would sing as he opened the door to their home, “just what have you been up to?”

“Only the usual, Captain Mitchell’s spouse,” Maverick would respond, leaning his head backwards over the arm of the couch to look at Ice. “Buzzing towers and mooning admirals.”

“But only one admiral, right?” Ice would whisper, leaning down, and Maverick would whisper back, “Right,” as he returned his husband’s kiss.

No matter where they were stationed, there was an Officers’ Spouses’ Club waiting for them: Gossip, community, and all.

There was even one at TOPGUN.

<line break>

Rooster had to admit, being back in California and living in his childhood home was a lot less stressful the second time around, now that he had a huge successful mission under his belt, half a dozen new friends, a dozen solidified old friendships, and a renewed relationship with his godfather and uncle.

Leaning back in his chair, the rubber back-straps squeaking, Rooster popped the last of his tater tots in his mouth. It was fall, but being on the California coast meant the morning was both heated by the sun and cooled by the ocean breeze—the perfect combo for a squadron brunch on a diner patio.

The squad did tend to take up the entire patio, leaving no room for anyone else, but the seats were filled, so the owners didn’t mind.

Rooster hummed under his breath and tapped a beat on the table with his fingers, grinning at Phoenix when she raised an eyebrow at him.

“What?” he laughed. “It’s a good morning.”

She shook her head. “You’re so like Mav.” Her eyes slid past him, and Rooster sat up, twisting to see—

Maverick, chair creaking on the back two legs, fingers tapping along the table edge, grinning at Ice and shaking his head. The admiral was probably trying to get Maverick back on all four chair legs again; Rooster wished him luck. Only his mom had ever been able to get Maverick to sit properly, and only then when he had Bradley himself in his lap.

Rooster stood at the thought, a grin already forming.

“Watch this,” he told Phoenix, and strode over to Maverick.

“Hey, Mav,” he said, faux casual, and dropped his butt in Maverick’s lap like he was five years old again.

Being a few decades older than that, of course, his weight pulled Maverick’s chair back down to earth, Maverick squawking under the sudden pressure and Ice barking a laugh, raspy from his recent bad cold, but his humor clear.

Around them, the daggers broke out laughing as well. Maverick groaned, but wrapped his arms around Rooster’s waist.

“You can just ask, Gosling,” Maverick cooed.

Rooster froze, stomach twisting with a bad feeling. The gleeful look on Phoenix’s face—even more than when Rooster had first sat in Maverick’s lap—only made the bad feeling grow.

“Ice, look what—Oh, hey guys! What are you doing here?”

Rooster blinked. A group of people had been walking down the sidewalk, but had come to a stop right in front of the diner. Right in front of Maverick and Ice’s table, actually.

An older Black man with a short, graying afro grinned at them. “You’re the one who recommended this place, Mav,” he said. “Didn’t say the patio would be off limits, though!”

Maverick laughed. “Sorry ‘bout that, Bryan. It’s kind of turned into our Sunday morning hangout spot.” His hand patted Rooster’s knee, and Rooster stood, suddenly realizing that he had been sitting on his godfather’s lap still.

Bryan shook his head. “It’s all fine. We’ll find a spot inside.” His gaze turned to Rooster, brown eyes piercing. “Bradley, right? Nice to meet you. You’ll have to come to one of our family events sometime.”

Rooster swallowed. He’d never introduced himself to Bryan, but he’d known his name—and not just his callsign.

“Ooh, that’s a great idea!” Maverick agreed. “Don’t have any on the calendar right now though, right? We’ll have to talk next Saturday.”

“Are you coming then, Mav?” One of the people behind Bryan leaned forward, eyes lit up. “You’ve missed the last ones!”

“He’s been busy, Cheryl,” another woman hissed, poking the first in the side.

Cheryl pouted, but Maverick just laughed. “I’ll be there,” he promised.

Rooster slid back over to Phoenix as the group walked through the patio and into the diner, each person saying hi to Mav, and some to Ice as well.

“Was I just threatened?” he hissed in her ear.

“Nah,” she replied. He relaxed, and then—“Well, maybe a little. Don’t hurt Mav again, though, and you’ll be alright.” She patted his side, laughing.

Rooster backed away slowly as Halo pulled her into conversation, naturally ending up by Maverick and Ice again.

“What was all that about?” he asked.

“Huh?” Maverick paused mid-sentence to Ice, looking up at Rooster instead. “Oh, that was the TOPGUN Surface Officers’ Spouses’ Club.” He paused, then added, “Which I’m part of. Because I’m this guy’s spouse.” He poked Ice in the arm, and Ice rolled his eyes.

“Yes,” Ice sighed. “‘This guy’s’ spouse.”

Maverick laughed. “Well, everyone else says I’m Admiral Kazansky’s spouse. But I just call him Ice.”

Maverick leaned across the small table, meeting Ice halfway in a chaste kiss, and Rooster turned on the spot, hurrying back to Phoenix.

“I’m going to puke,” he hissed at her, and she grinned at him, eyes crinkled and wicked.

“You’re the one who engaged the lovebirds.”

“My mistake,” Rooster sighed, but smiled when he glanced back to see Maverick and Ice holding hands.

Yeah. Life was pretty great.

<end fic>

Thank you all for reading! Please leave a comment and/or reblog if you enjoyed the story; it'll serve as fuel for more fic writing!

[callsign-dexter]

We're Sorry

Summary: IceMav's daughter runs away after a heated argument. She runs to the only couple she feels safe with, her Aunt Carole and Uncle Goose.

Pairings: Maverick x Daughter!Reader, Iceman x Daughter!Reader, Maverick x Iceman

Warnings: running away, fluff, angst, yelling

Blizzard

Masterlist

Carole and Goose had just finished supper and were in the process of cleaning up the kitchen when there was a knock at the door. Both of them looked at each other and Goose went to answer the door. What he wasn't expecting was the Mitchell-Kazansky daughter. "Blizz? What are doing here?" Goose asked the young girl and she just looked up at him and her lip started to wobble. She just crashed into him and full-out started to cry. Carole having heard the commotion had come to the front door.

"Y/N/N? What are you doing here? Does your fathers know you're here?" She asked and the little girl just shook her head.

"No, we fought. I snuck out. Please don't tell my daddies that I'm here." She said letting go of Goose and looking at Carole.

"Oh, Honey. What was the fight about?" She asked as they ushered both the little girl and her husband into the living room.

"I failed a math test. I tried to get help but everyone just brushed it off and said that it's easy." She said sniffling.

"Did you try to get them to help?" Goose asked and she nodded.

"But they were too busy to help. So, I backed off." She said and then Goose wrapped her in a hug and she returned it as he rubbed her back.

"Oh, Blizz. It's ok. Everyone has been stressed at work they didn't mean it." Goose said using her unofficial callsign that everyone had given her. She yawned and snuggled closer into him. Carole looked at Goose and they seemed to have a silent conversation they only looked away and down at the little girl, who had fallen asleep. They both smiled and then Carole got up when the phone rang and she answered it. It was Maverick.

"Carole, it's Mav. Y/N ran off and we can't find her anywhere." Maverick said frantically.

"Mav-" Carole tried to cut in but he wasn't having it.

"We fought but I didn't think it was a big one. In the middle of it, she took off toward her room upstairs." Maverick said to her not letting her get a word in.

"Maverick-" She began again but nothing.

"Oh God, what if something happened to her? What if she's hurt? Or what if she's been taken? I don't know what to do." Maverick said and Carole knew he was just worried but he wouldn't listen to her.

"Put Ice on the phone." She said and he seemed to listen to that. There was the sound of the phone handing off and talking between the couple.

"Hey Carole." Ice said

"Hey Ice. I couldn't get a word in with Maverick." She said and he chuckled.

"Yeah, he's being a little frantic." Ice said always the calm one but freaking out on the inside. "But Blizzard is missing." He said.

"Yes, I know. She's here with us." Carole said in a low voice trying not to disturb the little girl. Carole could hear Ice sigh in relief. She also heard Ice tell Maverick.

"Oh thank God. We'll be on our way soon." He said but before he could hang up Carole stopped him.

"She said not to let her daddies know she's here." She told Ice and he could've sworn that his heart shattered.

"Why would she say that? Did she say why?" He asked and Carole shook her head but knew he couldn't see it.

"No idea. She's asleep on Goose right now." She said and he sighed.

"We're on our way. Don't wake her up." He said

"Ok, we'll see you both soon. Bye." She said

"Thank you, Carole. We'll see you soon. Bye." Ice said and then hung up. She walked back into the living room to see that she had fully crawled into Goose's lap, she smiled. Goose had his eyes closed. She took a picture and sent the picture to both Maverick and Ice.

Maverick and Ice were relieved that she had run to them. She loved Bradley, Carole, and Goose. Honestly, the fight should've never happened. They were both stressed from the pressure of the new Top Gun class that when Y/N asked for help they blew up. The way her face fell so quickly and the way she stormed off. They hadn't even eaten supper.

---------------------------------------------------

It was a Thursday when Ice got a call as he was going over some paperwork it was from Y/N's math teacher.

"This is Admiral Thomas Kazansky, speaking." Ice said into the phone.

"Hi, Admiral. This is Mr. Blake, Y/N's math teacher." Mr. Blake said and Ice stopped what he was doing and focused on the phone call.

"What can I do for you?" Ice asked

"Well, I'm calling because Y/N seems to not be doing so well in class with the subject we're on. She's usually a good student and excels at everything but her answers have been wrong on her homework and she failed the last test we had. She actually failed another test as well." Mr. Blake said and Ice's blood was already boiling but this was icing on the cake. "I tried to reach Pete Mitchell but was unable to." Maverick had been up in the air at the time.

"Yes, he was up in the air at the time. Is there any way she can make up the tests?" Ice asked

"Yes, she will be able to make both of them up on Wednesday." He said and Ice nodded.

"Thank you for calling. We'll talk to her and get it settled." Ice said

"You're welcome. I'm sorry that we are speaking on a not-so-nice occasion. Have a good day, Admiral." He said

"You too." Ice said and then hung up.

When the day of teaching the newest cadets came to an end for them and they were switched over to the official Dagger Squadron is when Ice pulled his husband into his office.

"I just got a call from Blizzard's math teacher." Ice said and Maverick looked at him telling him to continue. "He said that she is doing poorly in class and that she had failed the most recent test." He said

"What? Blizz is excellent at math." Maverick said in shock.

"I know she is, but her teacher said that she has been doing poorly in this subject. He didn't tell me what it was though." Ice said and Maverick nodded his head.

"We'll talk to her about it when we get home. Carole is picking her up." Maverick said and Ice nodded. They were already stressed and then getting that news just soured their mood even more.

By the time it was time to go home their mood just soured even more. Traffic had been slowed to a stop and it was getting even later. It was already 5 PM by the time they got to The Bradshaw residence to pick her up.

They walked to the front door and knocked on the door. Carole answered it and let them come in, Goose wasn't home yet due to some paperwork that Bradley had asked him for help. Y/N was sitting there working on some homework and when she saw them, she didn't even smile or get up to greet them, which was unusual for her.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Maverick asked and she nodded her head and packed up her stuff. Carole walked over to her and helped her.

"Thank you." She said quietly and then hugged her.

"You're welcome, honey. Have a good night." She said and she nodded and walked out the door with her fathers.

The drive home was silent. She knew what had happened and was just waiting for it to be brought up. When they got home Ice killed the engine after parking in the garage and they headed inside. They dropped keys and she dropped her backpack off at the front door.

Y/N started her way upstairs but was stopped by Ice. "Hold on. We want to talk to you about something." He said and she slowly turned around and stood at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ice got a call from your math teacher." Maverick said and bowed her head.

"Oh?" She said quietly.

"He said that you weren't doing great on this subject of math. He also said you failed two math tests." Ice said "He's letting you retake the test on Wednesday." He said and she looked up at him.

"But you're grounded until you get that grade back up." Maverick said and she looked at him like he was crazy.

"What? That's not fair!" She yelled out.

"I think it's completely fair." Ice said

"I tried to ask for help! You both just brushed it off!" She yelled out.

"No, we didn't." Ice said and she looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yes, you did! You said that you were too busy right now to help me. I tried to go to Dad and he said the same thing. I tried my best. I did really but division is hard. I tried asking Mr. Blake but when he asked if anybody needed more explanation and nobody raised their hand so we moved on." She said with tears rolling down her face.

"You're still grounded." Maverick said and she turned around and marched upstairs.

"Get back down here! We're not done talking!" Ice yelled up at her but only got the slamming of the door as a response. He turned to look at Maverick but he was deep in thought.

"She did try to come to us and we did brush her off." Maverick said looking up the stairs.

"When was this?" Ice asked

"Last week. They had just started the division section of their math class. We were stressed that week because all of our cadets weren't focusing and not learning." Maverick said as he turned to Ice and watched his face fall.

"Did we really brush off our child when she needed help?" Ice asked and Maverick nodded.

"We really did. Should we go and apologize to her?" He asked his husband and he nodded.

"Yes. But let's wait a few and let her calm down." Ice said and Maverick nodded as they went to their office and did some work, they would worry about supper when everyone had calmed down.

It was an hour later when Maverick went up to her room and knocked on her door. "Blizz, it's supper time. We're sorry." He said but got no response so he knocked one more time. "Blizzard, please open up." He said and when he didn't get a response he twisted the handle and opened the door and the room was empty but her window was open. He checked everywhere before raising the alarm, the attached bathroom was the main other place but he knew that if she was in there she would've hollered back at him. When he couldn't find her, he ran downstairs and to Ice. "Blizzard is gone!" He yelled out frantically. Ice turned around and looked at him.

"What do you mean gone?" He asked

"She's not in her room or bathroom. The window is open." Maverick said in a rush. "I didn't think the fight was that bad." He said starting to spiral.

"Calm down." Ice said and Maverick looked at him bewildered.

"How are you not freaking out?" He asked his husband.

"Oh, I am trust me. But, someone needs to be the calm one and think with a straight head." Ice said to Maverick. "She couldn't have gone far. I'll send a group text to the Daggers and you call Carole." He said and as soon as the words left his mouth he regretted it.

Dagger Squad:

Ice: Blizzard has run away after a little argument. If she's at one of your houses please let us know. Please keep a look out for her.

Bradley: She's not here. I would've texted you or Mav. I'll keep a lookout for her. Call mom and dad.

Jake: Blizzard's missing? She's not here. I'll keep a lookout.

Bob: She's not here. I hope you find her.

Natasha: Poor girl she's not with me.

Mickey: I'm with Javy and we haven't seen her.

Slider: You mean to tell me that my favorite Mitchell-Kazansky is missing? She's not here. I'll keep an eye out for her though!

Ice: Thank you guys. We'll keep you updated. Also, Slider..... how dare you! But I get it.

Maverick was losing hope when he read through the texts but then when Carole answered the phone he started rambling.

"Carole, it's Mav. Y/N ran off and we can't find her anywhere." Maverick said frantically.

"Mav-" Carole tried to cut in but he wasn't having it.

"We fought but I didn't think it was a big one. In the middle of it, she took off toward her room upstairs." Maverick said to her not letting her get a word in.

"Maverick-" She began again but nothing.

"Oh God, what if something happened to her? What if she's hurt? Or what if she's been taken? I don't know what to do." Maverick said and Carole knew he was just worried but he wouldn't listen to her.

"Put Ice on the phone." She said and he seemed to listen to that. There was the sound of the phone handing off and talking between the couple.

"Hey Carole." Ice said

"Hey, Ice. I couldn't get a word in with Maverick." She said and he chuckled.

"Yeah, he's being a little frantic." Ice said always the calm one but freaking out on the inside. "But Blizzard is missing." He said.

"Yes, I know. She's here with us." Carole said in a low voice. Ice sigh in relief. He pulled the phone away and looked over to Maverick.

"She's with Carole and Goose." Ice said and Maverick sighed in relief.

"Oh thank God. We'll be on our way soon." He said but before he could hang up Carole stopped him.

"She said not to let her daddies know she's here." She told Ice and he could've sworn that his heart shattered.

"Why would she say that? Did she say why?" He asked

"No idea. She's asleep on Goose right now." She said and he sighed.

"We're on our way. Don't wake her up." He said

"Ok, we'll see you both soon. Bye." She said

"Thank you, Carole. We'll see you soon. Bye." Ice said and then hung up.

Dagger Squad:

Maverick: Blizzard has been found. She's with Carole and Goose.

Slider: Thank goodness.

Bradley: I knew that's who she would run to. I'm glad she's safe.

Bob: I was so worried. I'm glad she's safe.

Mickey: Javy and I are glad she's safe. Give her some love from us to her.

Natasha: Oh thank goodness!

Carole: Sent a photo

---------------------------------------------------

Maverick and Ice arrived at Carole and Goose's in no time. That's probably because Maverick was driving and he likes to drive how he flies. They parked in the driveway and got out and walked to the front door. They rang the doorbell knowing that Y/N could sleep through anything.

Carole walked to the door and opened it and motioned them inside. "Hey, guys come on in." She said.

"Hey, Carole. Thank you so much for taking care of her. I'm sorry if this caused an inconvenience." Ice said and Maverick nodded. She waved them off and they walked in then she led them to the living room where Goose, now awake, was holding her and he smiled at them.

"Nonsense. We love her." She said and Goose nodded.

"Hey guys." Goose said.

"Hey, Goose." Maverick and Ice said at the same time.

"I don't want to wake her." Ice said. "We'll just do a quick handoff." He said and walked over to Goose and they did a very fast but smooth handoff. She stirred a little bit but snuggled into Ice's neck and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Maverick and Ice thanked them profusely and a bunch of apologies. They headed out the door and to Maverick’s black Rav4 and Ice gently put her in her booster seat. She never woke up.

When they got home Maverick pulled into the garage and parked and killed the engine. Ice was already out and getting her out by the time Maverick was getting out of the car, truth be told he was just sitting there and reflecting on what happened. Maverick finally got out when he saw Ice walk by with their little girl.

Maverick followed Ice up to Y/N's room and watched him change her and then put her in her bed. "Goodnight, Blizzard. I'm happy you're home. I love you." Ice said and kissed her forehead. Maverick walked to her and kissed her on the forehead as well.

"Goodnight, Blizz. I love you." He said and they both walked out and turned off her light and cracked her door. They got ready for bed silently, none of them had supper but that was important. What was important was that Y/N was safe and sound at home.

---------------------------------------------------

The next morning Maverick and Ice got up and started their usual and then Maverick went and started getting Y/N up for the day and getting her to school. Maverick walked into her room and smiled and then walked over to her "Hey, Blizz. It's tike to get up." Maverick said.

"No." She said and turned over and Maverick had to hold back a laugh 'Just like Ice.' He thought to himself.

"Don't you want to eat breakfast with me and Papa?" He asked and she slowly blinked her eyes open and nodded.

"Yea." She said still riddled with sleep.

"Ok, then let's get ready for school and meet him down there." Maverick said and she did just that. 10 minutes later she was ready and headed downstairs. Ice turned when he heard patters of feet coming down ans he smiled. He already had some pancakes and bacon on the table and was finishing up the master bit when they came down.

"Good morning, Blizzard." He said and she smiled.

"Good morning, Papa." She said and sat at the table while Maverick fixed her plate. A few minutes later Ice was joining them.

Breakfast was eaten in silence but it was a comfortable silence. Ice knew that they had to talk about and he figured to go ahead and do so instead of putting it off. Apparently, Maverick had the same idea. "Blizzard-" they both began they looked at each other and Maverick nodded at Ice to continue.

"Blizzard, we're sorry for the way we blew up on you. We're also sorry for pushing you away. We were so stressed out and we should've left it at work and we didn't." Ice said and the Maverick started talking.

"If you ever need us, come to us no matter what. We'll drop everything for you. We should've dropped everything for you that day but we were not very smart. After school, we'll help you get ready for those tests. You can also come to any of The Daggers as well." He said and she nodded.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"No, it's not your fault. It's our fault we should've helped you. Your also not grounded." Ice said and she nodded and then got up and hugged both of them and kissed their cheeks. They ate the rest of their breakfast and then they headed off to work and school after everything was cleared up.

They both went and dropped her off at school and she was back to her normal cheerful self. They smiled they were glad to see her back to her normal self.

---------------------------------------------------

True to their word they helped her after school and all weekend. When Wednesday rolled around and she took the tests she was ready for them. The next day when she got them back she was smiling when she saw that she had gotten an A on both of them. Mr. Blake praised her and high-fived her, he was happy she was back to excelling at math.

When she got home Thursday she showed them to Ice and Maverick and they smiled and praised her. They vowed again to help her and drop everything and she believed them. Everything for them was back to normal and they were a happy family again.

Tag list:

@kmc1989

@els-marvelvsp

@atarmychick007

@nyx2021

@grandstrangerphantom

@callsign-revenge

[ofstoriesandstardust]

you’ll lose your faith for a bit and question if she's you (b.r.b.)

a/n: i’ve been working on this for nearly a year. this is my first pride month fully confident and (mostly) open about my bisexuality. i think sometimes it gets taken for granted, knowing/being allowed to explore your sexuality at a young age. therefore, i wanted to write something i saw a little more me in. happy pride month. you’re loved and valid, no matter what label you choose for yourself. 

summary: Rebel has a life-changing realization.

title comes from “you might not like her” by maddie zahm

main masterlist | top gun: maverick masterlist | same mistakes-verse 

warnings: denial of sexuality, internalized biphobia, mentions of past icemav, MavDad, mentions of DADT, alcohol mentions, swearing,

word count: 4.2k

"She’s so pretty.”

Hangman shifts, turning to look at you. “I agree.”

“I mean, really, she’s gorgeous.”

“Who’s pretty?” Coyote leans over, looking at the phone. 

“Hailee Steinfeld.” You respond. 

“Second that. Why’re you looking at pictures of her?” 

“I think she was in the movie we watched last night.” Hangman responds, nodding down to his phone, looking through her IMDb.

“Oh, what movie? I’ve probably seen it, I love her.” You ask. 

“That Bumblebee movie. I don’t know, Hangman picked it.” Coyote responds, throwing his hands up in the air. 

You made a face. “God, that’s one of her worst films. Didn’t Dylan O’Brien voice Bumblebee? I can’t remember. Anyways, why would you pick that? She’s in so many better movies. Like the Pitch Perfect franchise does exist. Movie full of pretty women if I’ve ever seen it.”

Hangman turned in his chair fully, face full of confusion. “Why do you keep doing that?”

“Doing what?”

“You keep-ow.” Hangman turned, glaring at his boyfriend. Your eyes flitted between the blonde and your best friend, who had just pinched his boyfriend and was shooting him a look through narrowed eyes. 

“Okay.” You say, laughing nervously. “Moving on. I’m hungry, so... food?” 

-

“Javy, I think your best friend is gay.”

“No shit.” His eyebrow raised in question as his boyfriend shifted to sit up against the headboard. 

“Really? Did I miss the memo?” 

Javy sighs, reaching up to run a hand over his face. “No. I don’t think she knows and it’s not really my place to speculate on her sexuality.” 

Jake watched the rise and fall of his boyfriends bare chest, admiring the glint of the dog tags in the moonlight. “But?”

“But there’s a really good chance she’s bi.” 

“She ever say anything to you over the years?”

He shakes his head, shifting to look at Hangman in the eye. “No, but she’s said all this stuff, like she did this morning, over the years that has just... made me wonder. And she tries so hard to be an ally that sometimes I think she’s compensating for something.” Hangman reaches a hand out to his boyfriend, intertwining their fingers. “I tried once, about a month after we came out to the team. She was super defensive, adamant she was straight, and got pretty panicked so I dropped it. Haven’t brought it up since.” Jake catches his bottom teeth in his lips as he let out a sigh. 

“So basically she’s so far in the closet she can’t even see it?” Javy shrugs. 

“Maybe. Like I said, not my place to speculate. She’ll figure out or she won’t. That’s up to her.” 

“Yeah, but don’t you think she’d be happier? If she knew that about herself?” 

“Maybe. Maybe not. Why are you so interested in my best friend’s sexuality all of the sudden?” 

He sighs, letting his boyfriends hand drop as he moves to place his back against the headboard, crossing his arms. “Because. I remember what it was like to be so far in the closet the mere suggestion of being anything but straight made me want to run for the hills. Made me want shove anyone who suggested it off my plane over an ocean.” He tilts his head, looking to his boyfriend. “I also know that when I stopped hiding from who I was, stopped being scared, I was a lot happier. Felt a lot freer.” He swallows, reaching out to pick off a piece of lint from his sweatpants. “I also know she carries a lot of weight.” 

“I just don’t know what she’s running from. If she is, I mean. Maverick would love and support her, so would Rooster. We would obviously and she doesn’t have a thing to worry about with the rest of the team.” 

“Maybe she thinks Rooster will break-up with her. Kind of a life-changing realization, you know?” 

“Rooster’s down bad for her, he ain’t going anywhere.”

“Not if she’s not into men.” 

Javy moves, pushing himself off the headboard. 

“You really think that?” The words are sharp, a little bit defensive, and Jake winces. “You, what, think she just stays with him because she loves him but that’s not enough?” 

“No, Javy-”

“Then what, Jake? Think she’s got some internalized biphobia she’s projecting on to herself? This is my best friend you’re talking about.” 

“Maybe she is Javy.” Jake whispers and Javy roll his eyes, reaching over to grab a pillow. “Hey, where are you going?” He asks as Coyote moves off the bed and towards the door. 

“Sleeping on the couch. Don’t wanna hear this about her.” 

“Javy, c’mon, come back. We don’t need to fight about this.” Javy spins on his heel. 

“You drop it. Doesn’t matter whether she is or isn’t. Isn’t either of our places to discuss this or bring it up to her.” 

Jake sighs. “I just think that maybe she’d be happier.” 

“Regardless if she is or isn’t, she needs to figure that out on her own.” Coyote says firmly, but he’s already inching back towards the bed as Jake watches him carefully. 

He throws his hands up into the air in surrender. “Fine, I’ll drop it. Please just come back to bed.” Javy nods, already climbing back onto the mattress, bouncing softly in Hangman’s awaiting arms.

-

You’re standing at the bar, talking to Penny amidst the loud chatter of the Hard Deck when Hangman slips an arm around you. He bends closer to your ear, words hushed. 

“Hey, can I talk to you outside?” You nod, picking your beer up from the counter and waving to Penny as she moves farther down to serve other customers. You follow Hangman, weaving your way through the crowd, and once outside, you’re quick to slip off your shoes as you reach the sand. He nods his head to further down the beach. “Wanna go sit?”

“Sure.” You say, taking a sip of your beer. You follow him to a good distance away from the Hard Deck and follow his lead, settling into the sand. He sighs, setting his beer on the sand and bringing his arms to rest on his knees. 

“Listen, um, we gotta talk about something.” You swallow, setting your drink down as well. 

“Okay.” 

He sighs, rubbing his hands together. “Before I came out, before I met Javy, I was... I was very in denial about who I was. Kept thinking something was wrong with me and kept screwing all these girls just to prove I was straight. I don’t know who I was trying to prove it to, myself maybe. And that shit... it was lonely. It was a heavy burden to carry. I’m glad I don’t have to anymore.” 

You watch him carefully. Contrary to popular belief, you and Hangman were actually quite close. He’d never be Coyote but he knew when to keep it real with you and you appreciated the realness of your friendship more than anything. 

Weird how things changed. 

“How’d you know?” You hear yourself asking. You aren’t sure why. You’re straight. 

“I don’t know, I guess when I met Javy I had this oh moment. Everything about me sort of made sense. I was still a few years out from learning to deal with it but something clicked.” 

You bit your bottom lip, turning his words over in his head. You still weren’t sure why the two of you were having this conversation. “Where you going with this Hangman?”

“Do you ever feel that way? Like you have to prove something to yourself or that you’re carrying a heavy burden? Waiting for an oh moment?” You give a half-shrug, mouth gaping open. He sighs again, sitting back to rest on his palms. His gaze moves from you to the full moon on the horizon. “Are you gay?”

Your breath gets caught in your throat. You don’t respond, simply looking at him with wide eyes. He finally drags his gaze backs to you but holds firm, unwilling to back down. Finally, you force yourself to start breathing again, coughing nervously. You shake your head, looking down at the sand. “N-no, I’m not Seresin.” 

“It’d be okay, if you were.” 

“Yes, I’m very aware that it would be. But I’m not.” He tilts his head in acknowledgement and begins to stand up from the sand. All you can do is watch him. 

“Okay, well, I mean, it just wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if you were into girls.” 

“I’m straight Seresin.” 

You were... weren’t you?

“Yeah, I’m sure you are.” He picks his beer up from the sand, turning on his heel to head back towards the bar. You sit there bewildered, turning his words over in your head. 

Still, there was some part of you that felt unsettled. Like Jake had prodded at something dormant just enough to wake it up.

-

You sat on your bed, trying to remember what you were doing. You groaned, running a hand over your face. A soft knock sounded at your door and you looked up to see Rooster leaning against the open door. His smile was soft but you’d known him long enough to see the concern in his eyes. 

“Hey.” You whisper softly. 

Ever since your conversation with Hangman, one that hadn’t really been a conversation at all, things in your world felt off-kilter. You felt like you were waiting for the band to snap, like for the realization to come, the thing that would change everything as you knew it. You’d been sick to your stomach most days, unable to sleep. 

Admittedly, you had always wondered. Maybe a little bit more so after Javy had come out. But there was never enough to prove to yourself that you were that you had always brushed the thought off, burying it deep down. And now it was resurfacing in waves, questions and fears drowning you. 

You weren’t... You were straight. You were sure of it.

...Right?

“-you listening?” You shake your head, eyes flickering back up to your boyfriend. His smile was still there but you could tell it was more forced than anything. 

“Yeah, sorry, just zoned out for a minute.” You say, waving a hand. “What were you saying?” 

He sighs, straightening up and crossing his arms. “Coyote told me you bailed. Third time this week. He’s worried.” 

You shrug. “Just needed some time to myself.” He nods slowly, as if he doesn’t quite believe you. 

You wouldn't believe you either. 

“Hey, are you okay? You haven’t really been yourself lately.”

“Yeah, ‘m fine.” You tuck a piece of hair behind your ear as you hear your Dad’s footsteps in the hallway. He appears just a few moments later over Rooster’s shoulder and he shifts to allow him room to lean up against the other side of the doorway. 

“Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to come out to the hangar tomorrow? For the long weekend?” You nod, even though it’s the last thing you want to do with how messy your brain has been lately. 

“Sure.” You look to your boyfriend. “Want to come with us?” Your Dad sighs, straightening up, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

“Actually, I was thinking it could be just us kiddo.” 

“Oh.” You say, frowning slightly. “Am I in trouble?” He shakes his head. 

“No. Hey, you okay? You got anything you want to talk about?” 

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I’m fine.”

Just like how you’re straight?

You brush the thought off, moving to stand up from the bed. “I beg to differ.” Rooster mutters and you shoot him a glare. 

“I’m fine. Now I’m tired so if the two of you would kindly-” You motion for them to shoo and they both sigh, exchanging a glance. 

“Its like... 7 PM.” Your Dad says, glancing at his watch. 

“Well- I’m exhausted, so I’m going to bed early.” 

Exhausted of running from who you are?

Rooster gives you a wary look before conceding, moving a few feet to give you a kiss. It’s short and feels forced and sends a wave of cold over you. He grimaces as he pulls away and doesn’t say anything as he steps back, slipping past your Dad. Your Dad sighs, stepping back and closing your bedroom door behind him. You sit back down on your bed, trying to swallow the tears.

-

You watch as your Dad swings his leg over his chair, settling back with his coffee in one hand and the paper in the other. 

Who still reads the paper?

Who denies their sexuality?

You swallow, looking up at your Dad. The two of you were meant to drive back tonight and if you wanted to have this conversation, your window was quickly closing. 

“Hey Dad?” He hums, not looking up from his paper. “Did you ever... Were you ever...” 

“Spit the question out kiddo.” He says with a chuckle, eyes still skimming over the paper. 

You take a deep breath, trying to steel yourself to ask what is a mildly inappropriate question. 

Still, you’d always looked to your Dad for guidance and if anybody would have some to offer you right now, it’d be him.

“Were you ever with a man?” 

He grunts. “Where is this going?” 

“Humor me, please?” 

“Does this have to do with why you haven’t been acting like yourself lately?” 

“Yeah.” 

He sighs. “Yeah, I was, but-”

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. My real question is- Well, how did you know? that you were like... interested.” 

He tilts his head as he finally meets your gaze. “My story is a bit more like Jake’s. For so long, I hid any part of me that thought I might feel that way and then-” His face raises in a smile, clearly thinking back to some happier memory. “Then I met someone who changed all that. Everything just felt right with him and suddenly that part of myself I tried to keep hidden from myself and the world clicked into place. It stopped feeling like something was missing.” 

A silence falls between the two of you a you turn the words over in your head and he turns back to his paper. 

“Were you and Ice ever...” You wave your hand as he looks up at you, pausing mid-sip. “Together?” He sighs, and carefully sets both of them on the table in front of him. He eyes you carefully from where your back is pressed up the feet of the other chair, making a home on the rug placed in the hangar. 

“Yeah, we were.” 

“Oh.” You hear yourself saying, ears ringing with finally getting the truth after years. 

“That’s it?” 

You shrug. “Well, I mean I always suspected but I don’t know-” He nods, still looking at you ever intently as you begin to pick at the rug. 

“Yeah, we got together after that photo of us was taken. You know the one.”

You did.

“Anyways, we were together for a few years, but- it was hard. Especially with Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I’ve loved your godfather, and I did until the day he died. But it was hard, being in the Navy, dealing with Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and we both agreed it was better to love each other and still be friends than go down in ruins. Was going to tell you but you got older and closer with Ice and it just- never came up.” 

You swallow, nodding. “Cool.” 

“Is everything okay?” You sit there for a moment, turning everything over in your head. You knew, but you were so scared. It was like two sides of you were warring, what you knew desperately fighting with what you feared. “Hey, talk to me kiddo. What’s going on?” 

You continued to sit there, tears beginning to form. Finally, you found the courage to say the words that were right there-

“Dad, I think I’m bi.” 

The words are no more than a whisper but he hears them all the same. He didn’t say anything, just continued to observe you. A few more tears begin to slip down your face, and then a few more, and then more, and soon you were struggling to wipe them all away as your Dad stood up from his seat to sit on the floor with you. He’s quick to wrap you in a hug, a kiss being placed to the top of your head. 

“Sweetheart, it’s okay.” 

You shake your head, swallowing. “It’s not.” You whisper. He holds you close, tucking your head into his shoulder. “How can it be okay? I’m in my fucking 30′s, in a long-term committed relationship with the person I want to marry, and I figure out I’m into women. It changes everything.” 

“It doesn’t have to.” He whispers. 

“How could it not?” Your voice is thick, the tears still bubbling out of you. “He’s gonna hate me, like I lied or-”

“Hey.” He says firmly, adjusting you to be able to look you in the eye while still holding on you. “Give Brad a little more credit than that, please. He’s loved every part of you since you were kids and through all your years apart. He’s going to love this part of you too.” 

“I’m bisexual.” You whisper, the words prompting a new round of tears. “It feels really good to say that.” 

Your Dad pulls you back to his chest, squeezing you tight. “I’m glad you’ve finally found yoruself.”

-

You glance up from your phone, the text from Bradley sitting on your phone like it’s taunting you. 

Text me when you get home please.

I love you.

“This isn’t our house.”

Your Dad turns the ignition off. “Nope.” 

You blink, turning to your Dad. “Are you really making me have this conversation with him now?” 

He shrugs. “You can tell Brad whatever you want, but I figured you'd probably want to see him.” 

You sigh, sliding your seatbelt off. As always, your Dad was right. 

You did want to see Bradley. You longed for a hug and for him to tell you that everything would be alright, that he’d still love you just like he always had. 

“And kid?” 

You pause, looking up at him as you climb out of the car. 

“Yeah?” 

“I’m really proud of you.” 

You swallow. 

“Thanks Dad.”

You climb out out the car, giving your Dad a wave as he drives off you. You sigh, pulling out your keys and thumbing through until you find the one that you had had since you were eleven years old, the key you’d never let go of, even in the years you didn’t speak to the person who inhabited this home. 

You blink tears away at the thought it may one day become your home. That tonight could mean it would never be your home. 

“Bradley?” You call out, toeing your shoes off by the entryway, straining for the sounds of him. 

“In the kitchen, honey.” He calls back and you can hear him moving around. You enter the kitchen, hovering by the door. 

Bradley’s cooking, sitting something on the stove, a towel slung on his shoulder as he tastes the sauce. He perks up at the sight of you, smiling. “Hey honey.”

“Hi. Sorry for dropping by unannounced.” 

He shakes his head, holding a hand out for you. “You’re never a bother. Come try the sauce. Tash sent me the recipe for her grandmother’s and I’ve been tweaking it to perfection.” 

He holds out the spoon for you to take but all you can do is stare. 

“We need to talk.” 

Bradley swallows, pulling back slowly. “Okay...” He trails off, leaning over to turn the stove off. “Do you want talk about it over dinner?”

You shake your head, glancing at the food. It looks and smells incredible, but you feel like throwing up, feeling the truth claw it’s way out of your throat on it’s own. 

“Now please?” You say, voice cracking. 

He nods. “Whatever it is, we’ll get through it.”

He looks so earnest and honest in his words, so sure that whatever you have to say to him couldn’t change how he feels about you, that you start to believe it too. 

You feel the tears stinging at your eyes as Bradley waits patiently. 

“I’m not- I don’t mean to spring this on you or- or- I don’t want you to think I’ve lied about this or intentionally hid it from you-”

He grabs your hand, squeezing it before running his thumb over your knuckles. “Honey, you’re okay.” He whispers, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. “It’s okay, whatever it is, it’s okay.” 

You take a shuddering breath, leaning into his smell and the way he feels like home. 

“Bradley, I’m- I’m bisexual.” You whisper. 

It feels as though all sound is cut off as you watch him intently, not sure if seconds or hours ar epassing, anxiously waiting for him to tell you that he just couldn’t be with someone like that. 

Rationally, you knew he’d never do that to you. You hoped he’d still love you just as you are, even with this new discovery of yours. 

“If you wanna break up with me, I’d understand.” 

Bradley’s face falls and he pulls you into a hug. “Oh, honey, no.” 

You wrap your arms around him, desperate to find some sort of comfort. 

“Honey, this would never, ever change how I feel about you or what we have. How could it? This is just one more part of you that I get to love and I’m so glad it’s something you were able to discover about yourself. I’m so happy you felt like you could share it with me.” 

You swallow, tears still brimming in your eyes as you pull back to look him in the eye. 

This time though, it wasn’t from fear but from the feeling sitting in you at the way he looked at you. 

He gives you a soft smile, one of his hands reaching up to move some of your hair. “Besides, I’ve always had a suspicion.” 

You raise an eyebrow, letting out a choked laugh. “You did? How?” 

“Do you remember your friend Lexi from high school? Yeah, no one was ever really sure you two were just friends.” 

“What?” You question. “I wasn’t into her like that.” 

“Well, now I know that, but back then...” He shrugs, leaning up against the countertop. “I don’t know, Sli used to have this theory you were just dating Ben as a cover.” 

“I’m gonna fucking kill him.” You mutter, reaching up to brush some of the tears away with a shake of your head. 

Bradley smiles softly, knowing there's no real heat behind your statement. Your Uncle Slider had always been able to see things in a way no one else could, reading past the lies and bullshit. 

Maybe the years of putting up with Mav and Ice had taught him how. 

“Do you feel better?”

You nod, leaning into his touch. “Feels like a weight has been lifted, I guess. Like everything makes sense.”

He ducks to press a kiss to your cheek. “Good. That’s how it should be.” He turns back to the stove, retrieving his spoon. “Will you try the sauce now?” 

You quirk an eyebrow, letting out a watery chuckle. “I have to admit I was expecting us to have a longer discussion about this.” You say, although you take the spoon anyways. 

He shrugs as he places the spoon in the sink after you nod, giving him your approval. “It doesn’t have to be. It can just be as simple as that if you want it to be.” He pauses, facing you. “Why? Do you want us to have a longer conversation about it?” 

You give a half-shrug, sighing. “Not- not really? It doesn’t change anything for me, I still love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. If you still want that, of course.” 

He sighs, reaching out for you again. “I want to be here however long you want me here. You trusted me with something deeply personal and that means so much to me. I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever.” 

You take his, intertwining your fingers with his. “I know.” You whisper. 

He smiles. “Good.” He turns back to the stove. “Now, let’s get some food in you. Can’t imagine Mav cooked anything halfway decent this weekend.” 

You laugh, reaching for the bowls out of the cabinet so Bradley can scoop the pasta up into the ceramic dishes. He tells you about his weekend as the two of you settle in the couch, close to one another. Bradley’s body heat isn’t the only reason feel warmth, the love you feel brining a certain type of peace you rarely experienced. 

Later, after the two of you have had a couple of glasses of wine and are on your second helping of food, you remember your conversation with your Dad earlier in the day. 

You pause in your bite, fork halfway to your mouth. “By the way, I learned something today about Dad.” 

“Hm?” He prompts, shoving a bite of pasta in his mouth. 

“He and Ice hooked up in ‘86.” 

Bradley chokes. 

[mollymauk-teafleak]

they warned us, a storm is coming on

I've been wanting to write something with my icemav daughter, Sofia, for the Longest time. And of course when I finally did, it's angst and family emotions! Huge thanks to @hangsters for enabling me and being the best.

Please reblog and leave a comment on Ao3 if you liked this!

------

Admiral Kazansky has had the job long enough to know it isn't easy. Especially when the Navy has made his family a secret, especially when it has forced a wedge between his husband and the closest thing they'll have to a son.

And now when it has knocked his daughter out of the sky.

------

After so long behind this desk, Admiral Kazansky had started to get a sense of which phone calls were going to ease one of his many headaches, which ones were going to make him say a word his Bubbie would have scolded him for, and which ones were going to break his heart. 

This one had already fallen into the second category, ringing out shrilly over the low hum of noise in the office, while he was lost in an interesting budget request for development of an experimental jet. He’d just been thinking that it was something Maverick might be interested in, whenever his current deployment blew up in his face, when his receptionist’s phone interrupted. Ice closed his eyes and cursed under his breath, that familiar cold feeling on its heels. This one was going to be bad, he could just tell. 

He got a few more minutes to try and pretend today wasn’t going to shit before a harried looking aide appeared in the doorway of his office. Ice would assume her pale face, the slight tremble in her voice was because she was new but, truly, you never got used to this. Immediately, Ice lifted his chin, set his jaw, ready to face it without flinching. He was the admiral, it was his job to be braver than everyone else, for his hands not to shake. He fixed a smile on his face like all was fine, which was probably a lie, and like it wasn’t the young recruit’s fault, which was at least true. 

“There’s been a crash, sir,” her salute came a beat too late, her hand trembling, “A plane went down at the Top Gun base. Bird strike, it sounds like. No fatalities yet but a pilot was really badly burned in the wreck, the ejection failed, they’re being rushed to the hospital-”

“Which pilot?”

Ice’s voice came like a whip crack, stopping the poor young aide in her tracks, making her stammer and shake harder. 

Though not quite as hard as Ice’s own hands were shaking. 

“Which pilot,” he said again, forcing it out through gritted teeth when an answer didn’t come fast enough. Not that he wanted to hear it.  

Another ringing, even more unwelcome and unwanted, Ice’s personal phone this time. His answer. At the sound, his heart broke clean in two.

The aide looked down at the paper in her hand, where she must have scrawled the bones of the message. 

“Um…call sign Whiplash, sir. I…I don’t have a name…”

Ice did. Sofia Mitchell, callsign Whiplash.

Already he was moving, picking up his keys and the still ringing phone, shoving it into his pocket unanswered as he bulled past the aide pausing only to take that note from her. Past his receptionist, not caring about the stunned faces he passed, the questions he left behind. He didn’t need to hear what they had to say, none of it mattered. He didn’t need to know who was on the end of that phone, trying to give him news that would shatter him completely if he had to hear it again. 

And he couldn’t break, not now. That would come later.

Tom didn’t need to ask which hospital they’d taken her to. He’d been a student, instructor and now he supposed he was in charge at Top Gun, he knew the procedure when things went wrong. It was depressing to think just how many times he’d done exactly this, racing towards the military hospital with his heart in his throat, letting himself panic quietly while he was alone so he had a chance of holding it together when he was in front of others. How many worst days of his life had he had at this exact hospital, how much of the tightness in his chest as he walked through the doors was remembered pain rather than fresh?

Thanks to Maverick, he at least knew the steps of this dance. But it had never been her before. 

Tom had never walked up to the desk, said firmly, “I need to see Lieutenant Mitchell,” and not meant his husband. 

The man behind the desk nodded, taken aback first by the forcefulness of his voice and second by the insignia on his collar, if he didn’t already know his face. He moved to the computer, tapping away for an agonizingly long time before his face paled. 

“She’s in the emergency triage area awaiting surgery but…Admiral, I’m sorry, I…we can only admit family…I don’t see your name…”

Tom closed his eyes because he didn’t trust the emotions flickering across them. The hurt that usually stayed a low, static hum in the background flared, threatening to shatter the control he was clinging to. He knew what that file on the computer read. Lieutenant Sofia Mitchell, twenty four, pages of commendations from the Naval Academy and flight school, a few disciplinary letters that wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone who recognised her surname. Because there was only one parent listed on that file, on her birth certificate. The father she’d arrived looking most like, dark, perpetually messy hair and blue green eyes and a crooked smile. That was Maverick. 

And in a world where, no matter how many medals and insignias he had, the truth would be the ruin of him and the people he loved, there was no room for his name on that file. Tom knew that. He’d known that since those insane, almost unreal months before Sofia even arrived, it had been his idea in the first place. He’d made the decision so Maverick didn’t have to. 

But now Tom was standing there, having to bear the full weight of that choice. His little girl was in this building, bleeding and broken and terrified after falling out of the goddamn sky, and he was standing here, not her father. 

Tom took that helpless anger and formed it into something solid and unyielding, a hammer behind his words. The action was familiar.

“Listen. I understand that you are doing your job and following regulations. But I’m going to the room where Lieutenant Mitchell is. You’re more than welcome to try and stop me. Triage area, you said?”

The receptionist nodded, swallowing hard, “Third floor, Admiral.”

“Thank you,” his voice nearly trembled with relief, moving quickly past the desk, towards the stairs, elevators would mean standing still for far too long. 

He didn’t allow anyone else to stop him, ignoring questioning looks and a few confused, hurried salutes, just trying to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, scared of what would happen if he hesitated. Another nurse helped direct him once he was in the right department, her face tight and a little anxious. 

“She’s going to be okay,” she felt the need to reassure Tom before sending him down the hall.

He saw why, as soon as he opened the right door. He tried to repeat it in his mind, she’s going to be okay, she’s going to be okay, they said she’s going to be okay. Mostly to keep back the tears. 

Sofia had always been small, taking after Maverick more than Tom, once small enough that Tom could hold her in one hand, that he could balance her on one hip, that she could sit in his lap and tuck herself in and he could make a small, safe world for her in his arms. Now she seemed even smaller, shrunken down, eclipsed in the grasp of tubes and wires and bandages. A clear mask obscuring the lower half of her face, tubes entering her body at the hips with fluid running through them, gauze clinging to skin that looked blackened through soot ringed tears in her flight suit. 

A vague, shaking voice in the back of his mind, the part that had broken away from the screaming panic and now had nowhere to go, whispered remember her first flight suit, the one she wanted to wear for Halloween so she could look like you? 

Tom couldn’t help a choked noise of pain, the few steps it took to get to her bedside feeling like far too many. He was simultaneously desperate and terrified to touch her, like if he did these last, burned tatters of his daughter would fade away too. 

He settled for a shaking hand against her hair, feeling it thick with oil and soot, his voice rough and agonized, “Sofia…bobbin, I’m here, it’s okay…” the words felt like nothing, less than nothing, they couldn’t knit her skin back together or soothe those awful burns, what good were they?

But Sofia stirred, like she’d been waiting for it, her voice far away and misty behind the mask like it was coming from a different planet, “Papa…”

“I’m here,” Tom took her hand as it lifted shakily and grasped towards him, it seemed relatively unmarred, “I’m here. Sofia…”

“M’sorry…” she opened her eyes, that odd mix of blue and green just like her daddy, but now hazy and clouded with pain, “Sorry…”

“What for?” Tom’s voice broke, pressing her knuckles to his lips, “You did nothing wrong, bobbin, nothing at all. It was a bird strike, the engine stalled, you were too close to the ground, you were rolling…you did everything right. You did. This kind of thing…it happens. It just happens.” 

Then why the fuck did you let your daughter go up in the air? Tom felt his stomach roil, his mind rage, you knew and you let her go. 

Sofia didn’t seem to hear him, deep tremors running through her whole body, her hands clinging to his hard enough to ache, “Papa…it hurts…”

Tom swallowed hard, hollows opening up in the stomach where he desperately wanted his daughter’s pain to go, “I know. Bobbin, I know, they’re going to give you painkillers, they’re going to make it better.”

But her breathing was getting faster, her grip becoming desperate, “Papa…”

Tom fought hard to keep his own panic on a tight leash, leaning close, resting his forehead against hers so he would be all she saw. She smelled of cordite and carbon, sweat and fear, her eyes were wide and flared like a cornered animal. 

“I couldn’t get out, I kept trying but the canopy wouldn’t lift…it just burned when I touched it…I couldn’t get out…I was yelling, I was yelling for you-”

“Hey,” Tom tried to pretend that this was all just a bad dream she’d had, that she’d come into their room at night with some imagined terror. He had to pretend,for both of their sakes, “I’m right here. Deep breaths, with me…in and out, that’s it.”

Slowly, surely, he got her breathing steadily, her exhales fogging the oxygen mask. Sofia looked at him like he was the achor keeping her on the surface of the Earth, stopping her from fading away. Like she could believe him when he told her it would be okay, even with her legs blackened and burned. 

“That’s it…that’s my brave girl…” Tom nodded, “We’re going to get through this, okay? We’re going to do it together.” 

“I’m scared…” she sounded so much younger than her twenty four years, like it really was two in the morning and they really were hiding in the burrow of her daddies’ blankets from a nightmare or a storm outside. 

“I know…it’s okay to be scared,” Tom gently brushed a lock of dark hair from her eyes. 

“Where’s daddy? Where’s Bradley?” Sofia rasped weakly. 

Tom hesitated. One of those questions was far easier to answer than the other. 

Incredibly easy to answer, in fact, as the curtain pulled back and Maverick burst into the room, frantic energy spilling into the space. Though it all froze and cracked the moment he saw their daughter, a pained groan pulled out of him too fast for the hand he brought to his mouth. 

“Oh God…” he began to shake, going pale as he rushed to her other side, “Sofia, sweetheart…”

“She’s gonna be okay,” Tom reached his free hand across to him, feeling the chill of his skin from the bike ride over, “She was just asking for you.”

That seemed to shake Maverick, put solid ground under his feet even if it continued to sway. He took a deep breath, putting a hand on her shoulder, “Sorry, kiddo, I was on base. I came running as soon as I heard. But I’m here now and I’m not going anywhere.”

Sofia gave a shaky breath, seeming to relax just from their voices, “I really fucked it up, daddy…”

Maverick gave a weak, thin laugh that was at least better than crying, “Look who you’re talking to, kid. We all burn out one day, I’m just so, so grateful you came through it. You’ll bounce back from this, promise.” 

“How?” Sofia’s eyes filled, shrinking into the tangle of tubes and IVs and gauze that encased her. Tom could only imagine how she felt, her own body invaded by all of these foreign objects, what was left of her broken and burned and battered. 

“I’ll go talk to a nurse…” he murmured, voice small and doubtful, both at the tight grip on his hand and the fact that moving away from Sofia now might just break his heart. 

Salvation came in the form of that curtain moving back again. Tom’s defenses were cracked and crumbling, letting hope slip past unchecked. At the flash of a soot stained, crumpled flight suit, Tom’s first thought was Bradley, like he was just going to wander in, sit down with them and it would be like their little family had never broken. 

But it was someone slightly shorter, blonde hair, clean shaven, a tight and nervous jaw. Someone whose eyes widened at the sight of them and snapped to attention, wrist jerking like he was going to salute on reflex which brought attention to the bandages that swathed his lower arms. It took Tom a moment to place him, something he’d be embarrassed about if his daughter didn’t have third degree burns and smoke inhalation. But it was only a second before it came to him. 

“Jake Seresin,” he croaked in surprise. 

He saw Maverick twitch out of the corner of his eye. He’d never met the young man who’d wandered into the worst day of their lives but he would recognise the name from Tom mentioning it, on those days where it wasn’t too painful to ask how Bradley was doing, when curiosity won out over the grief. He’d know about Bradley’s Jake and how poorly it had ended, just a few months ago. 

“I…sorry, Admiral,” the young man- Hangman, that was his callsign- shifted from one foot to the other, clearly a lieutenant who didn’t take naturally to subordination, ‘I was just talking to the nurse about what’s gonna happen next with Sof…”

Another fact he should have remembered long before now struck Tom. Jake Seresin was his daughter’s wingman. Bradley and Jake had met because of her. 

Things clicked into place for Tom as Jake continued, exhaustion evident in his voice, explaining about cleaning and debriding, antibiotic lotions, grafting, clearly having memorized the entire spiel the nurse gave him. But only one thing mattered to Tom at that moment. 

“You pulled her out,” his voice was weak, rasping, but it stopped Jake in his tracks. 

The young man swallowed hard, “I…she’s my wingman, sir. And…” he looked like there was something large and bitter lodged in his throat, “It’s my fault. I should have been watching for her but she was trying to talk to me about Rooster and I didn’t want to hear it so I left her, I left her there and she didn’t see the bird because she was going after me, I should have-“

His frantic, choked off words were stopped by a hand on his shoulder, a sudden, tight, hard hug. Tom just held him, as fiercely as he wanted to hold his daughter, as he wanted to hold Bradley. He let the kid go fast but he had a look on his face that confirmed something about the Seresin household, something Tom had guessed the first time he’d had dinner with Bradley and this cocky, tight smiling, tense shouldered young pilot. A young pilot who could have had Kazansky or Mitchell on his patch, for how much looking at his face was like looking at one of those old photos from ‘86 on the mantle.

“You pulled her out,” Tom repeated, in a voice that left no room for anything else, “You saved her life.” 

Jake didn’t seem to know what to say to that, just nodding, taking a breath that trembled at the end, “I…I made sure someone called him. Rooster. Phoenix said he’s on his way.”

Tom didn’t need to be looking at his husband to feel how he tensed at that, over where he was still stroking Sofia’s hair. A panicked kind of flinch, like he was a stowaway who wasn’t supposed to be there, scared of being thrown overboard. 

And Jake Seresin did the exact same thing. 

But Tom shook his head, dug his heels in, got stubborn the way only Iceman could. The things threatening his family today were twisted steel and flames and that was more than enough. 

So he dragged another chair over to Sofia’s bedside, gesturing for Jake to sit, “It’ll be fine. Come on. You deserve to be here.”

Jake looked grateful as he slid into it, with the same honest faith Sofia had when he’d promised her it would be okay. Tom stayed close by, murmuring to Sofia in soft Russian, so she could focus on translating it rather than on the agony in her legs. He just let Jake’s stiff, anxious presence beside them become normal. Not filling the hole Bradley left but filling the space around it so there was at least somewhere else to look.

When things were already complicated as hell, what was one more? 

Eventually Sofia slipped into a fitful sleep, if it even really counted as being awake when she was riding the strongest painkillers the hospital had. Tom still kept murmuring to her, just because it soothed the gnawing anxiety in his own chest, until Maverick caught his eye across the bed. 

Tom had always teased Maverick for refusing to grow old, for staying bright eyed and dark haired, seemingly having a different relationship with time and gravity to his husband. Mav had always teased him right back, shrugging and saying he’d always thought gray hair on men was sexy but it was something he’d rather see across from him at the breakfast table tha in the mirror. Looking at him now, it was as if all of those years had caught up with Maverick at once, hunching him over and putting hollows under his eyes, washing him in gray, like Dorothy was still in Kansas. 

“Is this what it’s like?” Maverick croaked, voice rough with the tears he’d been silently crying and the ones on the way, “Every time I burn out and crash and fuck up, this is what it’s like for you?” 

Tom wanted to lie, he wanted to protect Maverick but he knew any lie would stand out a mile. So he just nodded, face sagged in defeat. 

Maverick unsuccessfully swallowed back a sob, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Ice…fuck, how did you put up with that?”

Tom shook his head, reaching across their sleeping daughter for his hand, “Hey. Mav, no.”

He wound their fingers together tightly, wishing he could reach enough to brush away the tears streaming down Maverick’s cheeks. He’d seen his husband cry more in the last half hour than he’d seen him cry in the last year. At the touch of their hands, he saw Jake blink and glance around, like he was worried for them, like he was on guard. Tom felt even more sure about his decision to let him stay. 

“It hurts,” Tom murmured, stroking his thumb across his knuckles, “But I’ll say the same thing to you as I’ll say to her. It’s worth it to have you in my life.”

Sofia continued to sleep, deeper now, enough that Tom felt safe to make a supply run to one of the vending machines in the hospital corridors, the identical ones that made it impossible to place where you actually were in the labyrinthine building. He wouldn’t have risked it but he could tell that both Maverick and Jake were struggling. Better that he was the one to wrestle with that quiet moment staring at his own haggard reflection in the glass of the vending machine, currently dispensing some of the worst coffee you could find outside of an aircraft carrier. At least this one was directly outside of the room where Sofia was resting, waiting for her first surgery, Mav and Jake still standing vigil around her like guard dogs. 

And he was even more glad it was him when a tall man hurried past him, clipping Tom’s shoulder in his rush. It was only when Tom turned that he realized that the wide eyed, panicked looking young man was his wide eyed, panicked looking young man. 

“Bradley!” he caught his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks, “Hey, hey, kid, it’s okay…”

Bradley’s face collapsed into relief when he saw him, gratefully burying himself against his shoulder, “Uncle Tom…fuck, what happened? Phoenix called and said Sof had crashed?”

“She did but she’s going to be okay,” Tom got as much comfort from the hug as Bradley did, letting it linger a little more than the one he’d given Jake, more certain that Bradley wouldn’t collapse at it, “She’s burned, badly, but they know exactly what to do, they’ll fix her. She’s not going to die.”

Bradley Bradshaw, who’d had far too many of his family already pulled away from him by freak accidents and cold, clinical hospital rooms, clung to that promise, only feeling safe enough to draw out of Tom’s arms once he had it. He looked like he hadn’t slept at all on whatever red eye flight had taken him from base to here, uniform crumpled and lip raw from where he’d bitten it relentlessly. Tom allowed himself a selfish moment to just hold his face in his hands, feel one small spark of joy that he quickly smothered, just to know that the kid was here in front of him rather than on the other end of a phone. 

“It’s going to be bad though…she’s going to hate being grounded,” Bradley’s voice trembled, catching his breath but still looking for something to worry about, something to chew on his lip over. 

“I know…” Tom placed his hands on Bradley’s shoulders, steadying, “We’ll bring her home, she’ll stay with us and we’ll get her back in the air.”

What would happen after that, Tom didn’t want to think about. He wasn’t sure how he was going to let his little girl get in a cockpit again but he would. The same way he did for Maverick, the same way he did for Bradley. 

“Can I go see her?” his dark brown eyes flickered across to the door, seeing her there. 

But he froze, expression hardening, answering his own question. 

Tom winced, hating how familiar he was growing with the feeling of what he wanted being so different from reality. He used to know better, when he was a kid, he used to force some kind of gritted teeth satisfaction with the way his life was. But he’d had that taste of being a father, being an uncle, being a husband, waking up and knowing exactly where everyone he loved was. 

Then Maverick pulled Bradley’s papers and everything had fallen apart. And now Bradley was standing there, seeing the man who’d ruined his life, the young man whose heart he’d broken, the sister he’d left behind, a family he felt like he no longer had a place in. 

Tom put his hand on Bradley’s shoulder, his voice soft, “Hey. It’s okay. Promise.”

Bradley looked at him, terrified, wanting to believe him but unable to ignore the size of the chasm he’d be stepping into. So Tom met his gaze without flinching, hand staying on his shoulder, squeezing gently. Just so he knew he wouldn’t be taking that step alone. 

And by some miracle, the same one he’d been living since the day he became a father, the day he became Bradley’s uncle, his words were enough. 

Tom gave Bradley his seat, closest to Sofia. Mav glanced up, eyes softening a little but he very carefully didn’t say anything, just finding Tom’s hand when he came to stand beside him, squeezing gratefully. Jake followed suit, giving Bradley a nod when their eyes met and quickly danced away, like water flicked on a hot stove. It wasn’t comfortable, not exactly, but it would stand and it would hold. 

Almost like she’d sensed him there, Sofia’s eyelids lifted, bleary vision fixing on her brother. And for the first time since she’d crashed, she managed a smile. 

“You came…hey Brad…” she rasped, “You look like shit.”

“Do I?” Bradley laughed weakly, his eyes filling, “Well you look like someone who just crashed their plane.”

“Strange that,” Sofia found a giggle, poking him lightly with an IV wrapped hand before her voice softened, “Thanks for coming.”

“Come on,” Bradley gave a one-shouldered shrug, “Where else would I be?”

Tom let the tears roll down his cheeks, he wouldn’t close his eyes right now for anything. He just threaded his fingers tighter through Maverick’s and held on like his life depended on it. 

They were broken, they were hurting. 

But they’d heal.

[blazingstar29]

Top Gun and War

I just wanted to touch on something in the Top Gun fandom quickly.

CW: Discussion of WW2, Holocaust/Shoah, the Cold War, Vietnam War. Mentions of the AID's cris and WW2 related generational trauma

Preface/disclaimer: I'm no historian. I have studied 21st century history from causes of ww1, causes of ww2 and politics, up to the causes and consequences of Vietnam and American politics in the 60's. I am not an expert. However, I care about history/historical accuracy and have found this century to be of particular interest despite the horrifics that occured. (Any jokes about 'why do you like ww2' are not invited. What happened is real and it still hurts people.) I also say 'we', this is because I'm not targeting any specific person or fandom trope/trend. We includes me. But I also know people are writing these topics so please know i’m not pointing fingers saying that no one is doing this.

Some quick numbers.

Top Gun is set in 1986. Forty one years after World War 2 ended, twenty one years since the Vietnam War ended and the closing act of the Cold War. These are not entire life times. Even today, this is very recent history. Older family members, teachers, professors, bosses remember this time. I own a protect and survive pamphlet from the 70's that has remained in my family. It has only traveled one generation since it was distributed.

Maverick's family history with Vietnam is covered - to an extent. We as writers tend to look at his father, and rightfully so, his father is a massive part of his characters motivations.

But I believe we need to be more conscious of the era in which we right in. I am not saying you need to become a historical expert and make politics a central part of your story. But maybe we need to be aware of it. Even within yourself, even if the fic has nothing to do with politics and it's icemav rawdogging it in the locker rooms. Even if we acknowledge it and don't write about it, I just feel that we need to do that at the very least.

The character that's most obvious when it comes to this, is Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky. It's not rare to see the Jewish Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky tag, or to see him written with immigrant grandparents or great grandparents. He was born 14/15 years after WW2. That is no time at all. Do you look back remember how young you were at 14/15? That's how little time has passed. I cannot even begin to express how pain like that doesn't go away within a decade and a half, and how it affects multiple generations. But that is a topic where my voice is not the one to amplify. Please listen to Jewish voices.

This isn't even accounting for what it was like living post Vietnam and the Cold War. I know someone who grew up horses riding across Salisbury Plain in the UK and had Hercule's planes flying over and military drills. It was still real. This is still recent and in effect during the events of Top Gun.

I know that queer issues and the AIDS crisis are frequent fic topics because it is occuring at the time. And of course these topics deserve to be represented. I am not for one second saying that one issue must be diminished in order to amplify another. As a queer person I know it's also easy to write about them. It's where I'm comfortable because I'm more knowledgeable. Writing things we don't know about is intimidating. I'm drafting an icemav fic where Ice is Jewish and which more significance to the fic than what i've ever written before and it is intimidating because I'm scared of doing it wrong. But so long as I educate myself and discuss the fic with Jewish people who are willing to have that conversation, I can try and do the right thing in my writing.

Write what you wish, it's not for me to say what that is. Every fic is a gift to read and we have the choice to read what we like and the topics we like in such a big fandom. But after reading a phenomenal fic I became aware that I don't really see how the characters, particular Jewish characters like Iceman are affected by the post war era they live in. I am guilty of this. I have written 97 top gun fics and not once have I addressed the global political climate of the 1980's in any real depth.

These topics are hard to write responsibly and tactfully as well as with your own emotional capacity. I'm not trying to guilt anyone for not writing fics about war and politics. Writing is an escape and I don't want to change that for anyone. I am in a privileged position that I do have the mental capacity every so often to think about the harder topics when I write. I love history and studying it, but there are topics I can't wrap my head around, so I do understand when things don't make sense in your head.

You don't have to write it. But let's be aware of it. Let's talk about. Even the smallest of references to a Cold War conflict or post WW2 can add valuable context. Just some food for thought ig, i hope i'm not saying anything outrageous or offensive.

Amplify minority voices, listen, respect, reflect.

[coconutcordiale]

my top gun comment bingo card! fics i used for each square (with ao3 links!) below. thank you to all the mods for organizing this!! @topguncommentbingo

set during tg86 canon: and gamble for the sun by susiecarter (IceMav | M)

has an archive warning: every now and then I get a little bit terrified by closet_monster (Hangster | M)

rated T: cinnamon and sugar by bottledyarn (Hangster | T)

set between the movies: i can wait for years if i gotta by BeautifulCreature (Hangster | T)

forgot to comment on: my whole existence is flawed by anonymous (Hangster | E)

platonic: for one night and one night only: the idiots together by andthentheybow (Rooster & Hangman & Phoenix & Bob | T)

author you haven't read: but if you decide to, i'll ride in this life with you by boasamishipper (Macheresin | T)

rated M: you do it all your life and you never get through it by thegeckbros (Hangster | M)

canon compliant: too good to be true (can't take my eyes off you) by gr0gu (Hangster | E)

fanvid: fever by lilly_the_kid (Multiple | G)

art rated gen/teen: western sunset by enthyrea (Hangster | G)

tagged fluff: shrouding us in moments unforgettable by magdarko (Hangster | G)

free choice: if they fit we'll dance in the street by doodlewrite (Macheresin | G)

completed june22 or earlier: come the same colors by susiecarter (IceMav | M)

first comment on a fic: take the winning shot by anonymous (Hangster | E)

ship you haven't read: a perscription you'll love to have me fill by anonymous (Fanboy/Hangman...Hangboy? | E)

completed between dec22-feb23: I've been thinking (the truth is…) by ropememory (Macheresin | T)

rated G: young | numb | starved by crueltether (Hangster | G)

rated E: A Fever You Can't Sweat Out by perishablealex (Hangster | E)

from a fandom event: pulling down back streets, deep in your head by thegeckbros (Hangster | E)

WIP: wish there was something real in this world full of you by Cunninlinguist (RoosMav, Hangster | E)

last comment was 5+ mos ago: My only motto in life is 'don't lose' by NeverwinterThistle (Hangster | T)

art rated M/E: Cock-A-Doodle-Doo by lowlife_symptoms (Hangster | E)

completed july-aug22: tonight you're a stranger by attolians (Hangster | T)

completed between mar-may23: green eyes, red face by ironicpanicattack (IceMav | E)

[foreveraweirdoneslife]

I Think We're Alone Now [icemav] - Chapter 15

Fanfic Summary: After their grand declaration of mutual wingmanship, lce and Mav are constantly drawn to each other and it's really only a matter of time until they become more than friends. It's a venturous enterprise being a gay couple in the Navy. They are determined to make it work but life is putting more than enough obstacles in their way.

Or

lcemav's first year as a couple.

Pairing: Pete "Maverick" Mitchell Tom "lceman" Kazansky.

Content/warnings: 18+, pre and early relationship icemav, fluff, hurt & comfort, smut, banter, secret relationship, period-typical homophobia, very mild violence.

About the Chapter: Ice apologizes and Mav is completely in love.

CLICK HERE TO READ!

[compacflt]

got a new shitty little mobile printer for my notebook just to do shit like this BARK BARK BARK

[scottishaccentsareawesome]

Master Post of My Stuff That I’m Proud of :) (I update this ALL the time!)

My Hangaroo/Hangster Relationship Playlist (Youtube)

My Icemav Relationship Playlist

My Ineffable Husbands Playlist (Aziraphale x Crowley from Good Omens) 

My BUDDIE Playlist

My Kate/Tyler (Twisters) Playlist!!!!!!!

(^ I am constantly adding on to these on YouTube, just FYI ^)

Fairytale AU’s

“Two Princesses Fell in Love...” (Rapunzel x Sleeping Beauty AU)

Cinderella Fake Dating AU potential

Top Gun

If Maverick isn’t flying that day, he comes home early... (IceMav ficlet)

Slider Gets an Inheritance from Iceman

“All-American Boy” (Goose x Carole and Hangaroo/Hangster ficlet based on ”All-American Girl” by Carrie Underwood)

What If Wolfman wanted to “adopt” Hangman (original post)

Hangaroo/Hangster Time Travel back to 1986 (very open ending in that I didn’t really end it, so if you want to take it and finish it just let me know so I can read it :) )

Parallel between the Top Gun awards ceremony and another event a few years later (IceMav)

Mav adopts little Bradley after Carole dies and Iceman becomes “Uncle Iceman”...

(^ this one was like the first story-post I did about IceMav and I cannot believe I didn’t have it on here already)

IceMav Holiday Headcanons (Thanksgiving & Christmas)

The REAL IceMav Ending of Top Gun: Maverick

“Top Gun” + “Top Gun Maverick” = “The Notebook” (IceMav)

TGM HEADCANON: The Daggers Take Care of Mav After Ice’s Funeral

Rooster and Hangman Talk after Iceman’s Funeral (Hangaroo/IceMav)

Poker Night Between the Daggers and the 86′ers

Ice Gives Advice to Rooster about Hangman (Hangaroo/Hangster)

Rooster Thinks Hangman is Like the Tin Man and Hangman Thinks...(Hangaroo/Hangster)

Rooster Finally Understands 80′s Love Songs (Hangster/Hangaroo)

“Even Though I’m Leaving” by Luke Combs in the POV of Bradley with Goose, Maverick, and Iceman 

“Hungry Eyes” Hangaroo/Hangster Edit

Hangaroo & Bobnix 27 Dresses AU (27 Tuxes)

IceMav Sweet Home Alabama AU

Hangaroo/Hangster How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days AU

IceMav & Hangaroo/Hangster Letters to Juliet AU

IceMav Ocean’s Eleven AU

IceMav The Wedding Planner AU

IceMav Sleepless in Seattle AU

Top Gun “Psych” AU

TOP GUN/MAVERICK ft. TAYLOR SWIFT

IceMav + “Long Live”

Hangaroo/Hangster + “Style”

Hangaroo/Hangster + “Blank Space”

Hangaroo/Hangster + “I’d Lie”

MCU

MCU Characters x Wizard of Oz Parallels

Tony/Pepper/Peter (Parker) Part 1

Tony/Pepper/Peter(Parker) Part 2

Peter Wants to be a Superhero like his Dad Iron Man (but Mom Pepper Finds Out)

Mamma Mia Spideriron Family AU

IronDad & Spider-son - “I’ve Been Waiting or You” (From “Mamma Mia 2″)

IronDad & Spider-son - “My Love My Life” (from Mamma Mia 2″)

Tony’s Promise to Peter and Morgan post-Endgame (lyrics from “Mamma Mia 2″)

MCU Characters as Star Wars Characters

Peter Grows Up Knowing Tony (because he’s friends with Ben)

After Tony gets to heaven (IronDad-Spider-son post)

Tony Walks In On His Young Son Peter Drawing Pictures of a Guy Named Star-Lord (IronQuill)

Stranger Things

Billy Being Raised By His Grandma AU (ft. Harringrove)

Billy Being Raised by His Grandma AU Part 2 (ft. Harringrove)

Billy and Steve go to See “Top Gun” and need a second (or third) opinion

Finding Billy in the Upside Down (with s2 callback)

Harringrove S4 AU + Princess Bride Quote

S4 AU - Steve Chooses Between Eddie and Billy after Finding Billy in the Upside Down

Steve Keeps Billy’s Leather Jacket

Our Flag Means Death

OFMD x “Grease” Parallels

Ed and Stede are the Parents of Another Famous Pirate

Blackbonnet (Stede x Ed) Corpse Bride AU

(S2 FINALE SPOILERS) There is an Inn near the RoP...(Blackbonnet)

****911****

Buck’s s7 Bi Journey set to “Defying Gravity” lyrics (fan art/fan-edit)

Chimney Creates a Bachelor-inspired Office Pool (Bucktommy, Buddie)

Chimney, Hen and Ravi argue about altering the original office pool (Buddie)

What if Eddie kisses Buck while he’s with Tommy...? (Buddie, Bucktommy)

Three Earth-Shattering Events in One Week (7x04)

What if Tommy is in a Helicopter Crash...? (Bucktommy, Buddie)

“911″ -> “8 Simple Rules”-style (Bi Buck, Dad!Bobby, Buddie)

Athena Going Mama Bear on Tommy (Mom!Athena, Bucktommy)

Cruise Ship Doc Asks Buck if Bathena are His Parents (Dad!Bobby, Mom!Athena)

 “He Didn’t Have to Be” by Brad Paisley (Buck & Christopher, Buck & Bobby)

Bobby is the Parent Buck Has Always Needed (Buck & Bobby, Dad!Bobby)

The Theme of Parents and Children in 6x10 (Buck & Bobby, Dad!Bobby)

6x11 “Which one?” (Buckley-Diaz family)

Bobby Watching Buck Sleep in the Hospital after 6x11 (Dad!Bobby, Buck & Bobby)

Buck and Eddie Have Trouble Getting Engaged... (Buddie, Firefam)

When Buck and Eddie Become a Couple, They Have to Work Separately (Buddie)

“Hamilton”-inspired Buddie (Buddie, Dad!Bobby)

Multifandom Posts

This Blog Loves Found Father-Son Relationships

Gibbs & Tony - Bobby & Buck Parallel

Mary Poppins was the Doctor’s Nanny (Doctor Who x Disney)

Iceman and Raymond Holt would be great friends - causing great friendships between Ice, Maverick and the 99th precinct in NYC (Top Gun/Maverick x Brooklyn Nine Nine)

[mavspeed]

I won’t lie I haven’t exactly been doing too many deep dives into the tag, but these are Recent-ish Bangers, in my humble (but 100% correct) opinion:

- You are my life, my pride, my joy by Neoptolemos on ao3 - Icemav are raising young Bradley, who wishes on a star for a younger sibling. Not A/B/O, is an mpreg but it’s really, really sweet. That being said if pregnancy is a squick, I would tread elsewhere

- you got the peaches, I got the cream by Saturn on ao3 - Mav, Goose, and Carole own a bakery, Ice owns the heart of a true simp and a pilot’s license. Super cute one-shot

- today, again, and tomorrow by Lacerta - fellas, is it gay to get stuck in a multi-day time loop with ur rival? Asking for everyone’s favourite disaster aviators. Admittedly, I am the target audience on this one, given that I go bonkers for any time travel trope known to man, but I recommend this one for everyone bc it SLAPS slaps AND GOOSE LIVES (eventually)

- ICE - In Case of Emergencies by thenofutureshoe on ao3 - to be fair I don’t know if this one counts as recent perse, since it has been going since November, but I love it so much that I don’t even care. Is it obvious that the top gun fandom has turned me into an exes to lovers stannie?? Is it??? (Ice and Mav are exes. Mav ends up in the hospital. Ice is still Mav’s emergency contact. Hoo BOY.)

- Watch his Six by Shearmouth on ao3 - I know it’s not technically icemav but it’s pre icemav. the universe itself (the authors notes) told me. Safe to say, I am never getting over this fic!! Mav gets Beat TF Up following Hop 31, and with Goose out of commission, Ice and Slider step up to the plate!! This fic has everything: the whump!! The pining!! The Goose living!! The Ice introspection!! The protective Slider!! That’s what it’s all about, baby!!

- additional rewards earned by mavissed on ao3 - IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE ON THIS LIST, READ THIS ONE. Ice is a waiter at TGI Fridays. Mav is a reporter testing just how far their unlimited appetizers thing goes. Somehow, this forms the beginning of what I can only imagine will be a beautiful relationship, and what I do know is hands down the best crack the top gun fandom has to offer. I nearly peed myself while reading this and I have no regrets.

- the Back Full Of Scars Series by CaptainTucker and Wingwyrm on ao3 - Set in an au where corporal punishment is the norm in the military circa the 1980s, and Mav has an unfortunate habit of being designated as the go-to whipping boy. It hurts so bad AND so good. The Cain in this is probably my second most-hated in the entire fandom, the whump is delicious, and the protective everybody??? Oh yeah, that’s what it’s all about.

- Flowers For Sale By Owner by aelibia on ao3 - Mav gets hanahaki disease. Mav intentionally exacerbates the symptoms of the said hanahaki disease to sell his lung flowers for money. Goose and Ice both think Mav is an idiot. They are Right (it’s so funny. It’s so damn funny).

- By Night, My Love, Tie Your Heart to Mine by SOBERHYUCK on ao3 - And they were bunkmates! (Oh my god, they were bunkmates)

- Summer Rain by TunaSupremacy on ao3 - au where Ice and Mav didn’t go to top gun together, but did do the Layton rescue. Years down the line, they have to get into a fake relationship for Military Reasons. It’s only three chapters in, but the au is super intriguing and I’m very excited to see where they go with it :)

Honourable mentions go to the as lions update by qin-ling. Is it recent? No. Does it slap? Yes. Am I telling everyone I know about it? Also yes.

Pls enjoy my offerings lmao. I am in a foreign country where I know nobody, and have way too much time on my hands :D

OOOHHH thank you so much!! yeah I’m familiar with some of these I actually love watch your six and as lions omg although I haven’t been keeping up with the most recent updates ☹️☹️ but I’ll def check the rest out!

[fryingpan1234567]

Masterlist? Kind of? REWRITE

fandoms list (yes this is everything, not in any particular order): Hermitcraft, ESMP, Life Series, Marvel, DC, WOF, Riordanverse, MHA, Trap House/ XPLR, Divergent, Hunger Games, Maze Runner, Disney, ATLA, Wizarding World, IT, Ducktales, any and all theater (TECH PEOPLE UNITE), Gravity Falls, SVTFOE, Thomas Sanders, Daredevil, horror (Scream especially my beloved), Transformers, Jurassic World, Star Wars, Little Nightmares, Pacific Rim, Monsterverse, Pitch Perfect, RWRB, Young Royals, Osemanverse, SCP, Six of Crows, TAWOG, Berrybrook/ BBMS, Descendants, TMNT, Alan Becker/ AVM, Top Gun, Umbrella Academy, Neytirix, Voltron, Greatest Showman, X-men, Zelda, DBD, Undertale, Daughter of the Deep, Poppy Playtime, Black Phone, Murder Drones, Free Guy, Good Omens, Nimona (movie), COD, Hazbin Hotel, Dead Boy Detectives, Fast and Furious, AOUAD, WEBTOONs: Homesick, Boyfriends, School Bus Graveyard, High Class Homos, Everything is Fine, BWFA, Clinic of Horrors, Reunion, Castle Swimmer, The D!ckheads

ship moment (and I’m probably forgetting some):

Hermitcraft/ ESMP/ Life Series etc—

Mostly a multishipper? But I do have some favorites

Scarian

Rendoc

Ethubs

Team ZIT

HEX

Hypnocrafted

Stresskall

Jels

Welsuma

Gridoc

GLASS!! SPOUSES!! I will die on this hill

Team Rancher

Nature Wives

Marvel —

Parleynova/ any variation

Ironstrange

Stucky

Thorbruce

Kate x Yelena I don’t remember

Shuri x MJ

Shuriri

Spideypool

Spideypool but fem

Venomeddie

Nightsilver

Nightangel

DC—

Birdflash

Jayroy

Timkon

Damijon

Steph x Cass x Kara?? Not sure about that name lol

Superbats

Halbarry

Harlivy (DUH)

Batcat

Bluepulse

Jaytim

Jaydick

Yeah yeah I’m a multishipper you know the drill

WOF—

Qinter

Glorybringer

Sunny is aroace fight me

Turtlejou

Moon is also. Aroace

Lynx and Snowfall

Pineapple and Jambu😭

Plus a bunch from Lauren Black’s books if you haven’t read them go do it she may as well be canon

Riordanverse—

Pipabeth

Obligatory Percabeth

Jercy

Valgrace

Solangelo (duh)

Thaleyna

Blitzstone

Fierrochase

Malconnor (MY BELOVEDDD)

NEW SHIP ALERT: Engineering bfs (Jake Mason x Malcolm Pace)

MHA—

Kiribaku

Dekushima

Momojirou

Miritamu

Shinkami

Dabihawks

Shigadabi

Wizarding World (oh boy)—

The constant struggle over choosing between Drarry and Scorbus is real

But also Hedric

Perciver

Deamus

Wolfstar duh

Jegulus

Rosekiller

Linny

I don’t remember the Teddy x James one but

It (2017 + 2019)—

REDDIEEE

Stenbrough

Benverly

we stan aroace Mike

Transformers—

Racer bfs

I don’t know any ship names help

OP and Ratchet

Wheeljack and Bulkhead

Arcee and Arachnid just not when they’re toxic

KOBD

MegOP

Star Wars—

Stormpilot ftw

Dinluke

Kylux

Reyrose

What’s the mando princess x priestess one again

Osemanverse—

Don’t talk to me canon ships are perfect

Berrybrook—

Starting off by saying these are CHILDREN and I’m not sexualizing them in any way

Canon ships are SO CUTEEE I CAN’T

I think Jensen is aroace

Hedgehog and whatever that emo kid from the Diary is called (I KNOW THEY’RE MINOR CHARACTERS LEAVE ME ALONE)

Listen I know that Alex and Joseph are both taken but I’m ngl I thought they were dating at the beginning of Enemies

Send ships I’ll probably agree with you

Descendants—

Harlos and Umvie are superior

Multiship lol

Top Gun—

Hangster

Icemav

Payback and Fanboy

Bob and Phoenix

DBD—

Ghostfrank

Susie x Julie

Hag x Blight

Any of the girls paired up

I know zero ship names

Black Phone—

Finbin/ Rinney

Brance

Showstagg

Murder Drones—

I… don’t like Uzi, sorry

Not gonna ship her with N

And V is toxic

And Cyn is a psychopath but they had good chemistry— I like her (thus far)

J and Tessa they’re cute

Thad is gay as fuck. That is all

Nimona—

Nimona x anarchy and murder <33

COD—

Okay omg

I think all the ships are honestly arguable we don’t really have bad ones

BUT I do have my favorites

Soapghostroach/ any variation but especially that one

Gaz x Jackson

Nikprice

Alerudy

Alex x Farah I forgot the name lmao

Hazbin—

Radioapple

Radiostatic

Vox x Valentino

Huskerdust (AAAAAAAAAA)

Homesick—

Personally I’m on Tommie’s side as far as shipping Rayne goes but I do love Sam

Unfortunately. Most of the characters are dead

There’s not a lot of people to ship

SBG—

AIDEN X TYLER!! MY BOYS!!

Taylor x Ash

Logan x Ben

The fact that there’s official art of them TvT my heart

Castle Swimmer—

Mono x Galoo

Honestly Skiff is so cute. If Kappa and Siren are poly that would be so

Fizz is a dick. That is all

D!ckheads—

If Levi and Eli and Marcus don’t end up together I swear to god

The mean girl and the druggy they’re perfect for each other

people that own my heart (aka I will write/ rb x readers for, but that doesn’t happen often):

Jason Todd/ Red Hood

Dick Grayson/ Nightwing

Simon Ghost Riley

König (my person hc for his real name is Jakob Kilgore, but I don’t tag him like that)

Any non-specific Ghostface

Druig

Matt Murdock/ Daredevil

Sam and Colby

SHH NONE OF THESE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT ME DON’T THINK ABOUT IT TOO HARD

some AU’s I got:

Superhero au (Hermitcraft)

Theater au (Hermitcraft)

Marvel x DC

DC x Riordanverse

High school au (DC)

Greatest Showman au (DC)

Hunger Games au (Riordanverse)

PacRim au (Riordanverse)

Wizarding World au (Riordanverse)

Riordanverse x Marvel

Band au (Wizarding World/ Marauders era)

IT x Stranger Things

Everybody lives au (TBP)

Riordanverse au (COD)

I got 2 different band aus for COD— one is Måneskin themed and the other is Arctic Monkeys

Top Gun au (COD)

Halo au (COD)

Avatar au (COD)

PacRim au (COD)

SCP au (COD)

Jurassic World au (COD)

Homesick x SBG

non-specific tags:

DBD is what I tag everything horror, even if it’s not in the game lmao

everything random that isn’t really related to anything is tagged shitpost

’save’ is everything I wanna come back to

so I know I forgot some ships. send some in I’ll probably agree with you lol

ask! me! about! my oc’s! I have literally tons for basically every fandom so

yes you can make oneshot/ headcanon requests for almost any of these

I yell about a different fandom every day filter by tags XD don’t see the one you’re looking for because I haven’t made anything for it yet? ask away!

consistent formatting is a myth. sometimes I use proper capitalization and punctuation. sometimes I do one and not the other. sometimes I don’t do either. I’m consistent PER POST at least LMAO

asks always open!