Wall Paper
inspired from the tgm script/deleted scene where cyclone questions bob and phoenix about mav's teaching
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The thing about Bob is most people would agree with his basic training officers declaration, he is human wallpaper. Almost invisible unless you’re looking right at him.
Cyclone was aware of this descriptor in Bob’s file when he was recalled, sans pilot, to Top Gun for the special detachment. He didn’t expect to see it face to face, though. When his eyes settle on the wizzo, face looking a little worse for wear, he sees no obstinate nature or defensive attitude. A perfectly maluable face in the crowd. No wonder the Navy snapped him up.
His pilot however, diplomatic as she is, cannot hide the repulsion in her eyes when he questions her. Captain Mitchell is a hero in all their eyes, whether she feels she was pushed beyond natural abilities or not, the truth may never be known. Certainly not with a pilot as fiercely capable as herself.
“Would you say his training left you no margin for error?” He asks Bob as placidly as possible. The wizzo shares a look with Phoenix, the woman sits up in bed, legs crossed, back as straight as a board. The report listed her bruises as a result of the harness catching on a rocky outcrop. Bob suffered similar injuries and a face full of dirt, causing the bruises to spread beneath his nose.
“Don’t look at her, answer the question,” he snaps. “Would you say his training left you no margin for error?”
Bob’s gaze flicks back eerily.
The thing about wall paper is that you can put it wherever you like on the wall. But if you make a mistake, it won’t budge.
“I know what you want me to say. I’m not going to say it.”
There’s no sir’s, no ranks. The Lieutenant down right flirts with the line of disrespect and even if he weren’t so shocked, he wouldn’t have written him up. Secretly, he’s always wondered how such a subdued man survived the Navy treatment from superiors and peers alike. It’s not for the faint of heart, not that Bob seems to have one. But he has an answer. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Robert Floyd is among the tough, even if he hides it behind a deceptively meek personality
“We did what the mission calls for,” Phoenix continues with absolute certainty. “Captain Mitchell is not responsible for what happened out there.”
And Cyclone, he knows that. The training session was concluded by the time the bird strike occurred. But he put these aviators under the tutelage of Captain Mitchell whether his hand was forced or not. If anything happened to them he’d take it to the grave.
Mitchell, too.
He leaves, after a curt comment about a speedy recovery. Outside the room, Warlock stands with his back leaning against the wall.
“Cyclone,” he says in way of greeting as they start down the hall.
“What?” He sighs, snappishly.
“What did they say?”
He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose tiredly. “Neither of them shift fault to Mitchell. Trace takes full, unfounded, responsibility for the ejection. Floyd was interesting, close to snarky.”
“Wall paper Floyd?”
Cyclone suppresses the frown. The man’s file has a name for itself. “Yeah. Blatantly said ‘I know what you want me to say. I’m not going to say it.’”
Warlock whistles softly. “Ballsy. Are you going to write him up?”
“No,” he says somewhat incredulously. “Don’t tell me you haven’t wondered how this kid won TOPGUN, survived basic, with a note on his file describing him as human wallpaper.”
Warlock tips his head in a sly agreement. “I might have,” he concedes. “Except I was here when he was at TOPGUN and know exactly what he’s like.”
“And what’s that?”
He snorts softly. “Meaner than you think.”
—
Warlock remembers the young Lieutenant’s time as a TOPGUN student. More accurately, he remembers the moment when he disagrees with his file for the first time. The actual details evade him, but from the mouth of the Human Wallpaper, a thick, angry southern accent came spewing.
“You’re about as useful as tits on a bull.”
“What’s that meant to mean, Floyd?”
“It means use your thick fucken’ head, for the love of everything holy you backwards door knocker.”
Whilst the sentiment was lost on everyone on the flight line, Warlock can’t help that wry grin every time he thinks of that moment.
—
“Lieutenant Floyd!”
Bob’s shoulders drop, he’s just finished tugging a clean shirt on and wants nothing more than to take a mid day nap. Which won’t be happening because a particular Captain is beating down his door.
He opens it and lets Maverick have his moment of shock as Bob’s face. “Jesus.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“You look like you took a baseball bat to the teeth.”
“Can I help you, sir?” He asks tiredly.
Maverick snorts, arching an eyebrow. “Oh so now you’re using, Sir?”
He falters, mouth parting slightly in shock. “Sir?”
“Can I come in?” Asks Maverick. Bob steps aside to let him into the tidy base dorm. Maverick perches on the edge of a sparse chipboard desk. “I heard about your chat with Cyclone.”
Bob swallows and looks down, ashamed at his conduct. “I spoke out of turn–”
“You’re not in trouble,” Maverick cuts him off earnestly. His eyes snap to stare down Maverick from where he stands instinctively at attention. “I wanted to thank you for what you said. But also, you’ve made quite a stir.”
He says it with a laugh but the anxiety stews in Bob’s gut. “I don’t understand.”
Maverick’s smile drops. “You know what’s on your file.”
“Human wallpaper.”
“That will never go away. But I think people are starting to see you, Robert Floyd.”
Bob smiles. “I don’t mind being predictable.”
Maverick returns a softer smile. “You remind me a lot of a friend, actually. Predictable, steady. But don’t be afraid to rock the boat every so often, men like you, people will follow.”
If Bob reminds himself of Maverick’s words as the years drag on and there are times when his expertise is overlooked, his face forgotten, that’s his business
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𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒖𝒏 ♡
tagged by : @champagns 🤞
tagging : i've yet to talk to many people, so any of my mutuals <3
𝐃𝐀𝐒𝐇 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄.
⋆ what’s your phone’s wallpaper? solid pink w a cinnamoroll layout + my lockscreen is a tbz practice room pic 🩷
⋆ the last song you listened to? diamond life 🤞
⋆ currently reading? people we meet on vacation by emily henry !!
⋆ last movie you saw? i wanna say the last movie i went out to see was tgm, but the last new movie i watched was missing
⋆ last show you watched? xo, kitty, like, four times in a rowsjkdg
⋆ what are you wearing right now? jean shorts & a pink crop top 😮💨
⋆ how tall are you? 5'3'' 🤞
⋆ piercings / tattoos? i have a dust bunny tattoo on my forearm, a wrist tattoo that i fear i do not know how to describe, saturn on my calf, & an aquarius constellation tattoo on my thigh, regular lobe piercings, & my nostril pierced 🤭
⋆ glasses / contacts? glasses </33333 my prescription is so strong, a bitch is BLINDDDDD
⋆ last thing you ate? a hunny bun 😇
⋆ favorite color(s)? big big big fan of the whole rainbow but i'm extra big into pink + yellow all the time & light green + light blue rn as a treat 🤞
⋆ current obsession? the sims 4 except my laptop sucks and wont let me PLAY IT 😖
⋆ do you have a crush right now? i'd sell every organ in my body for mark lee rn if he asked me to so i mean i GUESS
⋆ favorite fictional character? sodapop curtis from the outsiders tbh.......... that;s the loml i'll cry over him rn don't test me
⋆ last place you visited? south haven, mi 😔
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