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redhead-writes · 1 year

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Top Gun AU: Strip Club edition

Just tiny snippets for this Strip Club universe, that was inspired by this song. Helped to come to life by @pollyna

PART 2

The club was Carole’s and Nick’s idea because they had to put the money their families money somewhere and Carole as ex-dancer herself wanted to create space safe enough for dancers. She had enough run ins with horrible clients that Ron had dealt with easy. Ron is always in their corner no matter what the other two menaces come up with.

Carole runs whole thing with iron fist on the business side of the deal but at the same time she loves the band of misfits that is her club employees. Carole calls them family because they got each others backs.

All the dancers are here either for the love for the art of dancing (Hollywood, Sundown) or for to make good money to get in schools they want (Iceman, Wolfman, Chipper). Others are there just because they feel safe enough to be themselves and finally to feel loved and cared for.

Carole is pregnant with Bradley when she starts noticing that some money goes missing. It is not a lot but she takes money home and the accounting book with her. She and Chipper go trough them and see that some numbers are fixed which means that in the end they are in big debt.

There is possibility that they will lose the club. Nick and Ron try to calm her down because she needs to think about baby more. Goose goes to police chief Metcalf and explains the situation. Man says that he will take a look at it but Nick is now in debt for him. Also most of the strippers bring in the money to cover the debt of the club. They can’t lose the place as much as the Bradshaws - Kerners can. Carole’s hormones make her break down crying while hugging all her boys.

Week later Cougar disappears leaving only one letter. Ron finds it suspicious but he know has hands full with Tom who is absolutely heartbroken over his boyfriend leaving without another word. There was only one sentence that was addressed to Iceman. He moves Tom in with them three for now. They give Iceman two week break from performing because Carole is all about mental and physical safety. So she won’t see her best dancer on stage in such vulnerable state.

When baby goose aka Bradley is born, the club is closed because whole maternity waiting room is littered with these men. They had to be there and see their new addition to family straight away. Carole is happy to know their baby is gonna be the most loved one.

Metcalf’s call comes as surprise. He is calling in for Nick’s debt. All he needed was for Goose to give this kid a job and roof over the head. When Nick sees Pete, he straight up feels protective over the younger guy. His eyes tells story that pulls on Nick’s heartstrings. He brings Mav like he likes to be called home. Ron is away for a week to visit his family. Carole comes to same conclusion as Nick. This kid needs all the love and care that their weird family can give. Carole gives Mav the bartenders spot that had been free for long time. Ron or Nick taking over position. For week Maverick lives in their house, helping Carole with Bradley. Mav is really good with baby goose.

Maverick really didn’t think he will stay at the strip club for long, not after his verbal spat with Slider. He thought that was it. He will be suited and booted again but all he got was loud laugh out of the man and pat on the back. It was like he passed some kind of test. Also he really enjoyed the job he was doing. Pete felt like he found his place for once. Not to mention that this dancer Iceman have caught his eye.

To get better at his job, Mav takes bartending classes. After finishing those, Pete dedicates drink to each of the dancers. Iceman gets specialy made ice glasses or extra frosted over simple glass. Slider gets drink that tastes bitter and than sweet because Carole calls Ron sweety. Mav is yet to see the soft side but then he walks on Slider spending time with Bradley and he gets it then. Hollywood has the fanciest drink Pete could come up with. They charge well for it but it seems to be popular at bachelorette parties. Wolfman is Appletiny. Sundown has like red liquid at bottom and orange at top like sunset.

Cougar comes to strip club after he left and Mav sees Iceman tense. Maverick does not like that so he finds Slider with his eyes who today acts as overlooker to keep boys safe. Ron catches Mav looking at him and then follows Mavs eyes, and it lands on Cougar. Slider tells Nick to take over, he has to get to Tom. Nick sees who it is and goes: Do you want me to use my owner privilege to throw him out?

Ron: No, no, no! Iceman would not want that. He really could not bring this mess to this club.

Nick: Tom is part of this family. If he needs us in his corner, he got us. It was Cougar who left with damn letter.

Ron: Gosh, I would kiss you right now but I have my bestie to safe from panic attack. Also send someone to calm Maverick he looks like chihuahua ready to bite Cougar in balls and tear those off.

Nick: I will keep you to it, Ron, I will keep you to it. Mav is as protective over Tom as you but I will send Wolfman to him.

Then Carole comes in with Bradley because she needs documents that she wanted to go trough but both Ron and Nick forgot to take home. So she had to do it herself and Carole needed to get out of house more. When she comes face to face with Cougar in her strip club again. To say she is livid, is to say nothing. She beckons Maverick to take Bradley from her. Babies too easily pick up on emotions of their parents. Slider has come back without who was in good hands of Chipper. When he sees Bradley in arms of Maverick and then his sweetheart glaring at Cougar. Instant boner and looks up at Nick in 2nd floor who has same thoughts. Goose mouths: "He is dead man."

"How dare you come back here?" asked Carole, making herself look taller. "Carole, I am sorry. I was confused and lost."

"You are sorry. You left your family with letter. You left Tom with one line in that letter. You are not sorry. You just saw club doing better so you came back." "No, Carole,..."

"It is Mrs. Bradshaw - Kerner for you Cougar. I don't want to hear any of your excuses. You are lucky that man behind bar is holding my son or else you would be plump on floor."

Cougar threw a look at Maverick who was playing peekaboo with Bradley. It was like Pete felt look on him. He looked up to see that strange man that ruined Tom's mood looking at him. So Mav glared as hard as possible. If looks could kill, then there wouldn't be Cougar at all.

"I really hope new life treats you well but don't you dare to come close to Iceman. Generally forget road to this club."

"You can't keep me away from him." Cougar said louder, putting out all his anger. Maverick caught it and before Slider could even step forward to punch bastard who dared to shout at his wife. There was baby Goose in his arms. Mav stalking to the man. He grabbed this man by collar of the shirt, hitting Cougars legs out so he went on the knees, starting to drag him out of club. Street knowledge coming out in full force. When outside the club, Mav leaned in close to Cougars ear whispering: "You will listen to what Carole says or else..."

"Or else what? You will pour your fancy cocktails down my throat? Tom will never date you. You are bellow him. Just a bartender." It didn't phase Maverick. Cougars words landing over Petes head. He had heard worse from people in oprnhage.

"Or else two of the best this towns police chiefs will be on your arse. That is what. I think Heatherly and Metcalf will be happy to dig under you, oh so happy. And about Iceman, you are wrong because you never saw him beyond the Iceman. Also if he doesn't date at least I have his friendship that you seem to have lost."

That angered Cougar and he tried to launch for Maverick when handcuffs were put on Cougars wrists. He was taken in custody for trespassing, stealing money from the club and dealing drugs to youth.

"Thanks, kid!" said Metcalf, before getting back in the car.

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derpinathebrave · 1 year

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Finders Keepers - IceMav SpyAu Part 1 - Finding

READ ON AO3

So I got the brain rot again! We were talking SpyAu and IceMav dads on the discord and now this. Don't take it too seriously, this is 100% just me dicking around and making myself happy.

SUMMARY: “Don’t get attached, Mitchell,” Ice said, mumbling soft enough that the kid wouldn’t hear but the words were piped through the earpiece to Mav.

Maverick gave him a look of mild disinterest before returning his attention to the kid. Just because Ice was a cold-hearted bastard, didn’t mean Maverick had to be. There was nothing wrong with being kind to a child that they had rescued from a house of traffickers. It wasn’t like he was about to adopt it...

TAGS: Tom "Iceman" Kazansky/Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, OC Child Character, Ron "Slider" Kerner, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, Bill "Cougar" Cortell, Mike "Viper" Metcalf, Rick "Jester" Heatherly, Fluff, Family Fluff, Literally found family, MavDad, IcePops, SpyAU, Very Mild Violence, Spycraft innacuracies, Mild mentions of human trafficking, Selective Mutism, No Beta we die like goose.

WORDS: 7808

PART 1 - PART 2

Minor Content Warning: NPC death, mild violence, minor mentions of trafficking, minor mentions of kidnapping.

There was a lingering smell of smoke, ash and charred flesh in the air. Mav had thought that after ten years of doing this, he would be used to it. Now he was starting to suspect it wasn’t something you got used to.

With a sweep of his eyes he scanned the room. From the busted window he had come through, across the shattered television and half-broken half-burned pinewood dresser, to the other side of the room where the bed was spattered with blood and still smouldering a little. Mav used one of the pillows to beat the embers out. There was no movement. The body at his feet thoroughly incapacitated.

“Mav, why do I smell smoke?” Ice’s voice cut into his head through the earpiece.

“Not your concern, Iceman,” Mav replied, tossing the cushion down and pulling his shotgun back to his shoulder.

“You loaded incendiaries, didn’t you?”

Maverick could practically see the scolding expression on Ice’s face. He rolled his eyes as he carefully picked his way across the room the the door opposite.

“That’s none of your concern either,” Maverick said quietly.

He stepped around the doorframe, clearing the room shotgun-first. It was a hall. He had stepped into it near the end. To his left he could see the darkness of stairs descending. To the right were more doors. Four more, to be exact. All of them closed.

Mav paused, listening. There was a shuffling and a rapidly muffled voice. Both noises gone too quick for him to nail down which door they were behind. All he could gather was it was the opposite side to where he was lingering.

He stepped into the hall heading for the next door, only a few paces from him.

“It concerns me if the house burns down around my ears,” Ice said after a long pause, sounding slightly more strained this time.

“Relax,” Mav said, barely moving his lips as he spoke in an effort to stay undetected as he sassed Ice back. “I put out the fires I start. Mostly.”

“Minsk.”

It took more than a little effort for him to suppress the startled laugh that threatened. Mav placed his ear to the door and listened. Silence. He pushed the handle down and pushed it in, whipping the shotgun into place and stepping back and to the side.

Nothing happened. It was a bathroom. An empty bathroom.

“I said ‘mostly’,” Mav replied.

He stepped back into the hall.

There was the distinct pop of a suppressed gunshot beneath him. Another two followed it in quick succession. Mav paused. Waiting to hear anything else.

After a long silence, Mav continued down the hall. He paused at the next door.

A creak of wood was the only warning he got.

The door exploded outward in a spray of woodchips.

Mav dove to one side, tucking and rolling. His gun was back up and pointed at the destroyed door before he really caught up to what had happened.

The hinges screamed as the wrecked door was opened. Mav took a long, slow breath in. His eyes were locked to the edge of the doorframe.

The black barrel of a shotgun appeared first. It was swiftly followed by the man wielding it.

Maverick didn’t think. He pulled the trigger.

Fire spattered across the man’s chest and the rest of the hall.

There was a startled shriek, there always was. The man dropped his gun, frantically slapping at the flames on his clothes.

Mav pulled his pistol out, shooting to kill. The gun was back in his holster before the body hit the floor. He stepped forward, still leading with the shotgun. He checked the room quickly, finding it empty.

With that done he turned to the body and muffled the flames with the hall rug.

“Ground floor, clear,” Ice spoke into his head again.

“Two rooms to go,” Mav said, straightening and heading into the cleared room. He stepped onto the creaky floorboard that had saved his life and smiled a little.

“I’ll head up.”

The room was another bedroom. It was easy to clear as it was bereft of any real furniture. There was no bedframe, only a single mattress on the floor and the remnants of takeaway food. A closet door set into the wall on the right.

Maverick stilled. There was one other thing in the room. A set of shackles. The chain was looped around the bars of the radiator on the wall, the cuffs empty on the mattress.

“Ice,” Mav said, staying quiet. “Remind me what we were sent in here to retrieve.”

There was an irritated sigh before Ice replied. “We’re looking for a hard-drive of names and locations.”

Mav turned to face the closet door. His gut began a distracting churn but he pushed it away.

Ice was still speaking, “The agency got word this was a subsect of the trafficking ring we’ve been hunting for the better part of six months. Do you actually listen when we’re being briefed, or do you just wing everything you do?” Ice’s voice was snarky.

“Thank you, asshole,” Mav remained solemn, unable to rise to Ice’s bait. He approached the closet door. Each step was slow and measured.

He slung the shotgun onto his back and unholstered the pistol.

The faintest sound of a whimper reached him.

Maverick winced. He lifted the pistol and pulled the closet open.

A body crashed into his middle.

Mav went over backward. His training kicked in as he hit the floor. He used the backward momentum to pull the body off him and tumbled it into the far wall.

There was a pathetic noise of pain.

Mav scrambled back to his feet, his shotgun in his grip again.

Movement in his peripheral caught him. Mav spun, aiming.

Ice, tall, broad and blond, glared back down the sights of his Ruger.

They turned simultaneously. The body was still crumpled on the floor against the wall. It resembled a bundle of rags more than a body. If he hadn’t felt the force of it and the bony protrusions, he wouldn’t have recognised it as human.

He bent and retrieved his fallen pistol. Ice’s weapon now trained on the lump of clothes.

“The other two rooms aren’t clear,” Mav said, slinging the shotgun behind him again.

Ice disappeared without a word.

With a silent sigh, Mav approached the body. He squatted down a few feet from it, pistol casually aimed with one hand as he placed his elbows on his knees.

“Alright,” he said, voice tired. “That wasn’t enough to knock you out, I know you’re faking.”

Nothing happened. He watched, a wry smile on his face as he noticed the rags rise and fall with breath. Maverick reached out and nudged the closest bit he could. It felt like an arm underneath the folds of grey knit.

“House is clear. I found the drive,” Ice reported.

Mav nudged the body again. “C’mon, let’s hurry this up.” He sighed shortly. “I’m not going to hurt you. I might even get you out of here. But you have to cooperate.”

The mass of grey shifted. A small, grubby face peeked out from between the arm Mav had poked and what was clearly a hood of a sweatshirt four sizes too big. Brown eyes, wide with fear, locked into his own. The limbs shifted, curling tight and shrinking the size of the human to almost tiny.

His heart stammered and slammed hard into his sternum. This wasn’t just a trafficking victim. This was a kid. He bit into his inner lip. What the hell was he supposed to do now? This was not how it was supposed to go.

“Hi there,” he said after a long moment. “You ready to get out of here?”

“They aren’t the mission, Mav.” Ice cut through his uncertainty with one sentence.

“Fuck the mission, Ice,” Mav snapped, sliding his eyes away from the kid. He holstered his pistol. “I’m not leaving them here.”

He glanced back to find the kid pulling the hood back over them.

“Hey, no, don’t hide. We have to go,” Mav said, softening his tone once more.

Footsteps announced the arrival of Ice. Mav glanced up long enough to find an exasperated expression on the other man. He turned back to his quarry with a small smile.

“I’m going to have to pick you up if you won’t walk yourself,” Mav said, still gentle.

His heart hammered again. He had no idea what he was doing. Somehow having Ice watching him was only making him more aware of that fact.

There was a long pause. He was about to give up and man-handle the kid out, when the legs unfolded once more and the face appeared among the grey fabric again.

“Ready to go?” Mav smiled with relief.

The eyes snapped to Ice. They were still wide with fear.

Mav could understand. Ice was nothing short of intimidating. His black turtleneck straining over his broad chest and muscled arms. He was still wearing his pissy expression and hadn’t holstered his pistol. There was a back-up strapped to his thigh over his cargo pants and his combat boots were laced with military precision to mid-shin.

“Don’t mind him,” Mav’s smiile grew. “He’s not as scary as he thinks he is.”

Ice rolled his eyes but kept his reply to himself.

The brown eyes found Mav’s again.

He held his hand out. “Ready to go?”

He was given a small nod. Good enough for him. He reached out and pulled the small body to its feet. There was a small squeak of surprise and then silence.

“Can you walk?” Mav asked, astounded at how little they weighed.

Another nod.

“Good.” Mav nodded to Ice.

The other agent turned on his heel, raising his gun once more and leading the way out of the room.

Mav took a single step, watching closely as his new charge stumbled and sprawled onto the floor. He winced.

“Alright, I’m going to carry you. Just until we’re out and in the car, OK?” Mav said gently. He bent and scooped the kid up. The pants dangled almost a foot beyond the end of their legs and the hoodie rucked up unevenly, everything was far too big.

He tossed them a little, resettling his grip more securely. With another small squeak, the face turned and buried itself into his shoulder. Mav ignored the odd sense of affection it gave him. He followed Ice out into the hall.

They remained quiet, moving swiftly down the stairs and through the ground floor. There were three bodies sprawled on the floor. Mav was glad that his charge had elected to hide their face.

Mav was growing increasingly alarmed at how little the child in his arms weighed. It barely affected his ability to keep up with Ice as they jogged across the lawn and down to the back street where they had left their vehicle. Ice pulled the door open without a word, waving Mav in.

He considered depositing the kid and climbing into the front, but at the last moment, he simply climbed into the SUV child and all. Ice swung the door shut behind him.

“Alright, we’re safe,” Mav whispered. “We’re safe now.”

Ice climbed into the drivers seat, still conspicuously silent. As they set off, Ice driving quick and clean, Mav attempted to put the kid back down on the seat beside him. Small, strong hands had laced themselves into his webbing though, and they were resisting fiercely. He gave up with barely a fight. Instead he shifted the shotgun out from behind his back and leaned more comfortably into the seat. His arm came naturally back around his charge, holding them to his chest once more.

“What’s the plan here, Maverick?” Ice said at last. There was a brittle edge to his voice and Mav felt the kid tense against him.

“Calm down, Ice,” Mav said, voice even. “You aren’t helping by being pissy.”

There was a strangled noise of anger from the front seat but Ice remained silent once more.

“You’re alright, don’t worry about him,” Mav mumbled down at the kid.

He was rewarded with the small face appearing once more, staring up at him. Now he wasn’t trying to get them out of a potentially hostile situation, Mav could spend some time looking. The face was small, a pointed chin, grubby cheeks with a dusting of freckles underneath and a mess of mousy brown hair that looked long enough to brush their chin.

“I’m Mav, by the way,” he said with another smile. “What’s your name?”

The little mouth opened, revealing white, straight teeth. No sound came out and the lips snapped shut once more.

Unconsciously, he gave the kid a squeeze of affection. “That’s alright, take your time.”

He looked up to find Ice watching him through the rearview mirror.

“Don’t get attached, Mitchell,” Ice said, mumbling soft enough that the kid wouldn’t hear but the words were piped through the earpiece to Mav.

Things weren’t quite so simple. Maverick sighed as he sat on the hospital bed, the kid still clinging to his chest. Nothing ever was simple, he should know that by now.

Ice had disappeared to report and debrief as soon as they had made it back. Mav, unable to detach his passenger, had headed to medical. Dr Bill “Cougar” Cortel was standing across from them, arms crossed and a slightly bemused look on his face.

“I really need to put you down, kid,” Mav tried for the third time. “The doc just needs to make sure you aren’t hurt and that you don’t need anything.”

The little hands on his webbing tightened again. Mav sighed and shook his head at Cougar.

“That’s alright,” Courgar shrugged. “I’ll just try again in a while.” He shook his head a little before wandering off to sit at his desk and tap rapidly on the computer.

“I’m not going anywhere, kid,” Mav mumbled. “I’ll be right here. I won’t leave you. I’ll even hold your hand while the doc does his thing.”

He felt the kid twitch but not relent.

“I’m just worried you’re hurt. Can you just help me out this one time? Let the doc look you over for me?” It was a gamble, who was he to this kid, what right did he have to ask for anything, but he was running out of ideas. Not to mention time before Jester stormed into medical and ordered him to report in.

There was a small sigh and the fingers loosened off. Mav slid the kid off his lap and onto the bed beside him instead.

“Cougar,” Mav called, excitement obvious.

The doctor was back in a heartbeat, stethoscope already in his ears.

Mav looked away as Cougar did his examination, attempting to give them a little privacy. They were mostly done when the door to the infirmary opened and noise arrived.

“Shit, it’s true!” Slider boomed, laughing loudly.

The kid let out a muffled sound of fear and leaped straight back into Mav’s chest. Bony knees caught him in the stomach and he grunted with pain. Without hesitation he wrapped his arms back around the kid.

“Slider,” Cougar snapped, frowning at the taller man. “This is an infirmary, not a circus. Shut up.”

Slider was still chortling, eyes taking in the scene. He finally settled down, wiping at his eyes a little.

“Sorry, doc, I had to come and see if it was true. The infamous Maverick suckered in by a sprog,” Slider grinned, still laughing a little.

“Did you see Ice?” Mav asked, exasperation clear in his tone.

“I did,” he said. “He passed the drive off to Goose already. We should have everything extracted by tomorrow morning. And you need to get your ass up to Viper’s office and report.”

“I kind of cant now.” Mav nodded, gesturing the best he could to the kid on his chest. “Thanks to you and your natural ability to scare children.”

Slider laughed again, the insult rolling right off his too-wide shoulders.

“Go away, Kerner,” Cougar sighed, looking up from a folder. “I need to get this kid into come clean clothes and maybe even a shower. You aren’t helping.”

“Sure thing, doc,” Slider shook his head a little as he looked at Mav once more. “Have fun, Mav.” It was meant as a playful jab, but Mav found himself more defensive than usual.

Sure, they were a group of hardened spies that were tasked with grisly jobs more often than not, but that didn’t mean they had to be heartless. He was allowed to enjoy playing the hero for a while. He was allowed to want to do a good deed.

With Slider gone it took another fifteen minutes of gentle coaxing and blatant bribery to get the kid back off Mav’s lap and into the small shower cubicle on their own. Mav stood outside the door, chattering away so the kid could hear him the whole time. He stared hard at the ceiling as he spoke, desperate to avoid seeing the way Cougar was shaking with laughter in his peripherals. He was starting to become concerned that Cougar would throw a rib out when the door finally opened again.

Now that they were showered and dressed in better fitting clothes (the smallest scrubs they had, cut down to fit), they looked less scrawny. Their hair hung to the jaw and was cut straight with a flat fringe over their forehead. The freckles on their cheeks now much more obvious.

“Alright, I just need to ask a few questions,” Cougar said from his seat at the desk, his voice a little hoarse from stifling his laughter. “Can you answer a few easy questions for me?”

The kid nodded.

“Are you a girl or a boy?” Cougar tried.

There was silence. The kid backed up until they were leaning into Maverick heavily.

“That’s alright, you’ll find your voice again. How about for now you just nod or shake your head,” Cougar was smiling but Mav could see the tension around his eyes and lips. None of them were prepared to deal with kids.

The kid nodded.

“Are you a girl?” Cougar paused.

Another nod.

“OK.” He made a note. “Do you know how old you are?”

Another nod.

“Show me?”

Slowly, hands shaking a little, she raised her hands to show 10 fingers.

“Ten?”

Nod.

“OK. Do you know where your parents are?”

Automatically, Mav placed his hands on her shoulders and held her tight against him.

She shook her head before turning and burying her face in his stomach.

The door of the infirmary slammed open. Mav had her in his arms in an instant. He should probably be concerned how attached he had already become, but he was ready to take a bullet to protect this little girl.

“Mitchell!” Jester didn’t raise his voice but you could always tell when he was shouting at you. “Get your ass up to the office and report, immediately.”

“Respectfully, sir, I can’t at the moment.” Mav snapped to attention, arms holding his girl to his chest. “As soon as I am able, I will report.”

Jester’s mouth fell open before he snapped it shut. He pinched the bridge of his nose and then spoke again.

“Maverick, stop playing around down here and get up to the fucking office,” Jester said.

“Unless I can take her with me, sir, I cant.” Maverick’s heart thudded once before he settled himself into the detatched place of his brain that he always retreated to when he was doing stupid, risky things.

There was a pregnant pause. Jester opened his mouth. Mav watched him gulping in a lungful of air, about to let loose properly, when Ice stepped into the infirmary as well.

“I’ll take her, Maverick,” Ice said, voice calm despite the electric feeling of tension in the air. “Give her to me, go report, then you can come back and get her.”

Mav glanced at Jester. The man’s jaw was shut but ticcing with effort as he waited for a response.

“Will you go to Ice for a while?” Mav asked, mumbling to the girl.

She stared at him, terror in her eyes again and skin pale beneath the freckles.

Ice walked over, movement slow and measured. He paused a few feet away and folded his arms behind his back.

“You know Ice, he helped get you out,” Mav tried, ignoring the other men watching him like hawks. “I’d trust him with you.”

The fear softened a little.

“I won’t be long. Maybe half an hour. You can stand half an hour with Ice, right?”

She bit her lip a little. Maverick felt like an asshole but forged on.

“I know he’s a mean looking bastard, but really, he’s a softie. He’ll probably even let you hold his hand if you’re scared.”

Maverick might have heard the small scoff from Ice and the snort from Jester, except he was completely enraptured by the girl in his arms. Her brown eyes were flooding with tears but she gave a shaky nod.

“Brave girl,” he whispered to her and gave her a squeeze. “I promise I’ll be as fast as I can, and I’ll come straight back.”

She slithered out of his arms and onto her feet. Mav took her hand, small in his. He was convinced she was still too small for a ten year old.

He jerked his head at Ice, signalling him to approach.

“Squat down, asshole, you’re too tall,” Maverick muttered as Ice towered over the girl.

“Fuck you,” Ice snuck out the corner of his mouth before he obliged. He gave a terse smile and held his hand out to her, palm up.

Hands shaking again, the girl folded her fingers around his palm and held on. Ice’s smile shifted to genuine and he huffed a little.

Mav gave her skinny shoulder a squeeze before he stepped around them and headed for the door.

A small squeak made him turn back as he made it to the door. She was reaching for his with her free hand, face twisted with pain.

“I’ll be back, honey, just half an hour. Stay with Ice,” Mav said, his own heart breaking a little.

The last thing he saw was Ice folding himself onto the floor in a tailor seat and the girl clinging to his hand.

The trip up to Viper’s office was torture. Jester was hot on his heels, clearly concerned that Maverick would turn-tail and go back to his girl. He wouldn’t. He knew his duty. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t counting down the minutes until he could.

Viper’s office was near the top floor, a beautiful view of the city lights in the heavily reinforced windows. Everything was dark wood and green suede leather, luxury and expensive without being ostentatious. The man himself was willowy, with an impressive moustache that was a little more salt than pepper and chill eyes. Eyes that locked onto Mav with radar precision as he entered the room.

Jester moved to stand to one side, his usual position as the agents reported, were briefed or reprimanded. Maverick almost smiled, he was probably about to get all three in one go.

“Good of you to fit me into your schedule, Mitchell,” Viper said, voice dry as the desert.

“I apologise, sir.” Maverick pulled his shoulders back. “I had a situation I couldn’t abandon.”

There was a ghost of a smile beneath the moustache for a bare instant. Viper gave a slow nod and folded himself into his desk chair. He gave a languid motion with one hand, inviting Mav to begin.

With more brevity than usual, Mav recounted his part of the mission. Going in the upper window, dispatching two enemies, finding a small child in a closet with evidence of kidnapping, convincing the child to leave with them while Ice completed the mission. The last 45 minutes of the infirmary.

Viper listened without expression. None of it surprised him, Ice had already told him most of it.

Maverick fell silent. He itched to get out of there, checking the clock swiftly. He had fifteen minutes before he was a liar.

The silence dragged. Viper was sitting, a finger stroking his moustache idly.

The seconds ticked by. Maverick’s itching increased. He fought the urge to squirm.

“So,” Viper began at last. “Now we have a charge that, by all accounts, is unreasonably attached to you.”

There was another silence. Maverick didn’t bother filling it.

“We will need to contact a foster service, it’s currently Saturday night. I doubt any action will be taken until at least Monday.” Viper fixed his grey eyes onto Maverick’s. “Are you prepared to take responsibility for this child until that time? You won’t be sent on assignment until this matter is resolved.”

He almost laughed. He could tell they were testing him. Maverick was the cockiest, most outspoken agent in the company. He knew he was. He lived for the job like no other. With the exception of Iceman. He knew they expected him to cave at the idea of having no assignments. At the idea of Ice getting ahead of him in their stupid competition of who was the best agent. But he didn’t care.

The appeal of a silly competition paled next to the appeal of seeing if he could make that little girl smile, laugh or even talk. From the second Slider had scared her back into his arms, Maverick wanted nothing else but to climb that new mountain.

He nodded. “Yes, sir.”

There was a choked off noise of surprise from Jester. Viper’s expression didn’t shift, but Maverick thought, just for a second, he saw a flare of pride in his eyes. It might have been wishful thinking though.

“Fine,” Viper said, curt, “see to your charge. You’ll be provided a safehouse, we will be in touch with details from the foster home. You are dismissed agent.”

Maverick nodded to them both and strode from the office without a backward glance. He had 4 minutes to get downstairs.

He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, urging the elevator to move faster, when the doors opened to reveal Goose. Mav smiled, feeling it tight and abnormal on his face.

“Hey Mav,” Goose said in his easy way. He stepped into the elevator and pressed for the doors to close. “How’s the kid?”

Of course he had already heard. The gossip in this place moved faster than Mach 10. If it was anyone else, Maverick would have lied, but this was Goose. His recruiter. His best friend. A man that had his own wife and kid. If anyone was going to get it, Goose was

“She’s half-starved and completely terrified,” Mav sagged a little. “She won’t even speak. All she seems able to do is squeak.”

“She’ll be OK,” Goose patted him on the shoulder, rubbing his upper arm a little. “Kids are tough. They bounce back better than we do.”

“You sure?” Mav’s brow peaked and furrowed with fear. “What if I fuck her up more?”

Goose laughed. He dragged Mav into a proper hug, slapping him on the back firmly before releasing him.

“Yeah, that fear never fades. But you’ll do fine,” Goose said, grinning. “Just call me or Carole if you get really stuck.”

A small kernel of anxiety shrivelled and died in Mav’s chest. It was only one less thing to worry about but he was grateful nonetheless.

“Thank you,” Mav smiled.

The elevator doors opened again. Mav checked his watch. He had 45 seconds.

He took off at a dead sprint, vaguely aware of Goose calling his name with a laugh.

He skidded to a stop in the middle of the infirmary, out of breath from his bolt through the hallways.

The girl was sitting in Ice’s lap, his hand still in hers and his sleeve pulled up to expose his watch. She snapped her eyes to Mav, a powerful frown on her brow.

Maverick laughed between gasping breaths. “I have fifteen seconds left,” he argued with her glare.

“By my watch you’re fifteen seconds late,” Ice said mildly. His blue eyes were dancing.

“Your watch is wrong,” Mav complained.

“Excuses, excuses,” Ice tutted.

“Shut up, Kazansky.” Mav turned to where Cougar was snickering quietly at his desk. “Is she all good to go, Cougar?”

After a moment to compose himself, Cougar cleared his throat and nodded. “We did a few more tests while you were gone. She needs a decent meal and some fluids but not badly enough that I want to give her the trauma of an IV.” Cougar stood he waved Mav over.

With a smile at the girl, still ensconced in Ice’s lap, Mav moved to stand at the desk with Cougar.

“She hasn’t been assaulted, Mav,” Cougar said quietly, his face turned away from the pair on the floor. “She let me ask her a few questions while you were gone. She didn’t speak. But she let me know they didn’t assault her.”

Another seed of anxiety shrivelled and died. Maverick almost fainted from relief.

“She does have a few bruises that are healing. Some newer than others. But mostly she’s just starved and traumatised,” Cougar sighed. “Just. As if that isn’t awful in and of itself.”

“Thanks, Cougar,” Mav said, voice a little rough. “Its better than I expected.”

“Yeah,” Cougar sighed again and gave a nod. “Alright. That’s all. You can take her now.”

Mav smiled. The anxiety he was nursing flooded higher, battling for dominance over a warm happiness that took him by surprise. He was terrified. This was all too fast. He was delighted. There was something special about this fierce little girl.

He turned back to her with a smile.

“Alright, kid, doc says we can go.” Mav walked over and bobbed down to speak to her face to face. He realised now he had seen Goose do this with Bradley. His confidence grew just a little. “Are you ready to go?”

She nodded, eyes growing wide again.

“We’re going to a safehouse. You and me,” he said, holding out his hand.

After a pause, a small wrinkle appeared in between her brows.

“What’s the worry?” Mav asked, voice gentle. “I’ll be right there with you the whole time. They’re working on finding your parents. You’ll be safe.”

The wrinkle didn’t move. She pulled Ice’s hand to her chest and clung tighter.

He would be lying if he said that didn’t hurt a little. He had only been 15 seconds late and she already preferred Ice? As if Mav didn’t feel completely out-done by Ice in all other aspects, even his kid preferred Ice.

“I mean, we can ask Viper if you can go with Ice, but it’s already set up for it to be me,” Mav said, attempting to hide his hurt.

Her small hand reached out and tangled into Mav’s webbing. She looked at him, then at Ice, then back to him again. The same concerned expression on her face.

Oh. Maverick grinned his shit-eating grin. She didn’t want to replace him. She wanted to take Ice with them.

That sparked a fresh cacophany of emotions in Mav. He would love to fuck with Ice, take him out of assignments so their score would remain stagnant, he would love to watch the tall, blond idiot attempt to relate to a child. But he also didn’t particularly want to live in a safehouse with Ice and a ten year old. He didn’t really want Ice to see him out of his agency persona. He wasn’t sure he even wanted to see Ice out of his persona. The idea was a little frightening, but Mav wasn’t quite sure why.

“You want Ice to come too?” Mav clarified with her.

She nodded, face flattening out of the fear.

“I’m not sure—“ Ice started but immediately stopped when she turned to gaze up at him.

Maverick pressed his lips tight together, biting down on his laughter.

“Well, I think that’s decided. Let’s go, I’m tired.” Mav straightened and stretched.

There was a heavy sigh but Ice stood, carrying the girl on his hip with ease. She had slung her arm around Ice’s shoulder and gripped the fabric of his turtleneck tight. Maverick allowed himself one smile at the picture they made before he turned and led the way toward the exits.

Getting her into the car in the garage was an exercise in patience. She was still clinging to Ice with fierce determination and despite his repeated attempts to pry her off, the girl would shimmy around like a monkey and find a new hand hold. It probably would have been easier if Maverick had actually helped. Instead Mav stood back and giggled like an idiot the entire time.

With a ten year old half-choking him from behind and bony ankles digging into his hipbone, Ice gave up. He heaved a sigh and looked over his shoulder at his passenger. She was scowling at him.

“Alright,” he said, scowling right back, “you win. Come here so we can get in the car.” Ice patted his chest with one hand.

Her eyes turned suspicious but after a moment she levered herself around his torso. Ice wrapped his arms around her and climbed into the backseat. Maverick swung the door shut behind them without a word.

With Mav driving, Ice and the kid in the backseat, they pulled out of the garage. Ice checked his watch. It was close to 2am and he was beginning to feel it. His eyes were itchy and tired, his body beginning to protest the various spikes of adrenaline and activity he had forced it through for the day.

“What food do you like, sweetheart?” Maverick asked, eyes flickering to them in the rearview mirror.

Ice watched as her mouth opened, eyebrows crowding down over her eyes in a frown. Nothing came out. She closed her mouth again and he felt more than heard the small sigh of frustration.

Without thinking, Ice rubbed slow circles on her back. She pressed her cheek into his chest.

“That’s OK,” Ice mumbled to her. “It’ll come back when you’re ready.”

When he looked up, Mav was watching with concern through the mirror. Ice gave a subtle shake of his head.

“How about this, if you want pizza raise Ice’s right hand. If you want burgers, raise Ice’s left hand.” Maverick’s voice was cheery, no sense of frustration at all.

Her small strong hands gripped his right arm and lifted it. Ice couldn’t stop the flare of tenderness it caused in him. He was beginning to understand why Mav was ready to lay his career on the line for this kid.

“Pizza it is,” Mav said happily.

The rest of the drive was quiet. Ice watched the city lights slide by the window, one arm still encircling the girl and the other still clutched in her hands.

It was just for that night. Ice had a life and a job to get back to beyond this. He was only here because it was easier to go along with this kid than fight. He sighed internally at that thought. He was more than proficient at hand to hand combat, he was exceptional at shooting and tactical analysis. He could pick almost any lock, if given enough time he could crack a safe, he could even, with help he’d admit, hack into simple security systems. The one thing he couldn't do, apparently, was say no to this kid.

They had to stop to get the pizza. It was spy-craft 101 to avoid giving a safehouse location to anyone, even a pizza delivery guy. As Mav got out to go and order, the girl set up a fuss. A quick series of squeaking noises sounding and she began to thrash around. There was more than one near-miss of him getting nutted as the kid attempted to keep sight of Mav. She wouldn’t stop until Ice pushed the door open and called Mav back to the car.

With a confused face that quickly jumped to guilt, Mav jogged back to them. As he did, the girl settled down immediately.

“Sorry,” he smiled at her kindly. “I have to go and order. Stay here with Ice. I’ll come back and wait with you guys, OK?”

She was frowning again but gave a slow nod anyway. Mav reached out and gave her shoulder a squeeze. It seemed to help her relax back down against Ice once more. In turn, Ice relaxed back into the seat.

They sat in comfortable silence. Both gazing out the window at the pizza place across the carpark. Mav returned relatively quickly, the line probably wasn’t huge at 2am. He passed a bottle of water to the kid.

“Drink, kiddo,” he said, a distinctly paternal tone in his voice.

She hesitated.

“Just three mouthfuls and I’ll be satisfied.”

Ice was surprised at how effortless it seemed to be for Maverick. How did he know how to do this?

The little girl unscrewed the bottle and took three obvious sips. Mav beamed at her. Ice gave her an encouraging squeeze as well. The affection was contagious.

They waited in silence. Mav leaning against the car in the opening of the back door. Slowly, eyes darting from Mav and out to the carpark and back, the kid sipped more water. Ice didn’t know shit about kids, but he was going to take that as a good sign.

This time, Mav turned and let her know he was leaving before he went to collect their food. There was no fight or noises of distress. She simply clung onto Ice a little harder until Maverick returned. And if that made Ice’s heart melt a little more, then that was just between him and whatever power observed the universe.

The safe house was standard fare. A small house in a quiet suburb. Someone from the agency kept the lawn clipped and the cupboards stocked. Mav pulled into the garage and the three of them waited until the door was closed before they made a move. It wasn’t that they felt pursued or unsafe, it was merely habit.

When they stepped into the house, Ice moved to lower the girl to the floor but she let out a loud squeak.

“OK,” Ice sighed and pulled her back onto his hip again. “But you can’t stay here forever. I’m going to need the bathroom eventually.”

Her look was somewhere between annoyed and expressionless. Ice shot her a teasing smile.

“How about this, squeaker, I’ll walk the house with you while Mav gets the food ready. When we’re done, you have some time on on your own. Once you’ve eaten you can use me as a jungle-gym again.” Ice attempted to hold onto his fraying patience.

There was a long moment, her brown eyes pensive as she considered his offer. After a short sigh she gave a nod. Ice nodded back.

He carried her through the house. It was small. An open plan kitchen, dining and living area, a bathroom and two bedrooms and a patio out the back. He crossed each bedroom and opened the wardrobes to let her see they were empty of anything but spare clothing and equipment.

They were back in the kitchen as Maverick was placing plates of pizza on the bench. Ice stopped at one of the stools.

“We had a deal,” Ice said, eyes firm. “Sit on your own stool and eat.”

He waited, watching her closely. It took a long moment but she gave a nod and released her deathgrip on his shoulders. Ice set her down on the stool. He backed away with measured steps. When she didn’t begin thrashing and squeaking once more, he let his shoulders sink a little.

Maverick pushed a plate of pizza in front of her. He stood on the opposite side of the bench, munching away at his own piece. Ice, a churning uncomfortable sensation in his stomach, stepped to the end of the bench and snagged his own piece to eat. He didn’t particularly want to play happy family. He wanted to go home to his own bed.

All it took was another look into those brown eyes and Ice was gone again. Yeah, he didn’t want to be there. But he wasn’t about to be anywhere else if she needed him.

With food finished the kid stood, hopped precariously from one stool to the other and then onto the bench proper. Ice had his mouth open to scold her for acting like a delinquent when Maverick let out a loud laugh and plucked her up easily. He cradled her into his chest with a practised ease. It was hard to think she wasn’t actually Mav’s daughter with the way he had taken to her so quickly.

“Alright, you,” Mav said, wandering out of the kitchen area. “It’s time to sleep.”

Ice busied himself with packing the left over food into one box and stowing it in the fridge. He could hear Mav mumbling away from the lounge area. When he turned back, the pair of them had disappeared. Ice felt a weird surge of panic before he heard Maverick’s voice again and it settled once more.

They were on the couch. Mav was tucked up between the arm of the lounge and the back, his feet on the floor, his girl was snuggled into his chest, her knees hooked over Mav’s thigh. Ice couldn’t stifle his smile. He was still smiling as Mav’s eyes opened and looked up at him.

“Do me a favour, Ice?” Maverick said, his eyes soft and happy.

“Depends,” Ice smiled back in spite of himself.

“Can you take my boots off? I forgot.”

Ice rolled his eyes, biting back a nasty refusal. He bent and unlaced Mav’s boots with quick movements. With the laces loose he pulled them off and set them by the couch. As Ice looked up he found Mav looking back once more. Another swoopy sensation of delight hit him.

“There,” Ice said and cleared his throat. “I’m going to shower and change. And then I’m going to sleep.”

“Sure,” Mav nodded. His green eyes were yet to leave Ice’s. The longer they stayed the warmer Ice was feeling.

Stiff and awkward, Ice straightened and marched off to the bathroom.

The one special talent Ice had that he hadn’t worked his ass off to attain was his ability to sleep anywhere. He showered, changed, climbed into one of the beds and dropped off almost immediately. He dreamed, as always, of colours that were too bright and loud. The pressure of a crimson, the weight of a purple, the violence of a yellow, all the colours and actions of his dreams assaulting him as he slept.

He woke with a low groan of discomfort. His head spinning and the ghost of an ache threatening his forehead. If he laid there and ignored it, it would be a pounding misery by breakfast. Ice heaved himself up and shuffled to the kitchen.

Maverick was passed out on the couch, his arms hanging limp either side of the kid. She was sprawled on him, face finally slackened out of the perpetual fear. Ice shook his head at them and carried on to search the cabinets for the first-aid kit.

With two pain pills swallowed down, Ice did a better inventory of their supplies. He made a small list of what needed replacing and what they needed to source all together. With that finished, he made some coffee, collected a cleaning kit from the bedroom, and padded past the sleepers onto the back patio.

Ice spread pieces of his Ruger out onto the rickety outdoor table. Working with methodical precision, he disassembled the gun and began the calming process of cleaning it.

Somewhere around when he was oiling the barrel, the kid appeared in the frame of the back door. Ice gave her a smile before returning to what he was doing. She approached him, eyes scanning the whole area and his face on repeat. Her eyes flickered over the pieces of pistol as she came to a stop beside his elbow.

Ice paused to look at her once more. She tugged at his elbow before climbing beneath it and into his lap. Ice chuckled, powerless to stop her.

“Did you sleep OK?” He asked, returning to his task once she was settled.

She gave him a nod.

“Good.”

They sat in companionable silence. Ice could feel her watching his hands. Her own reaching up onto the table before retreating again. On the third appearance of her hands Ice set the frame of the pistol down. He wiped his hands off and set the box of bullets out of her reach.

“Alright,” he said, voice quiet. “First we need to make sure our magazine is empty.”

With more patience than anyone had ever bothered to give him, Ice went through all the pieces of his gun. He named them, explained what they did and where they went. He let her touch them, feel their weight and showed her where they would connect back into the other pieces.

He loved his Ruger. It often felt like a puzzle-box he had become an expert at. Slider thought he was crazy; the mess of pieces it became when he had to clean it, the fact that at times Ice needed to hit it with a hammer to reassemble it, the fact that if you missed one small step the gun would be irreparable. But that was why they were best friends, Slider liked his guns big and simple. Ice preferred something more subtle.

When he was finished labelling and explaining, he walked her through the assembly. Mumbling the steps and instructions as he worked. With the whole thing back together, he looked down at her.

She was staring up at him with a rapt expression. He smiled, and gave her a quick hug. The bubbling relief at seeing something other than fear and sadness in her eyes was a heady thing.

“You want to try?” Ice asked.

He was given the most enthusiastic nod he had seen yet.

“Alright, then I’ll teach you how to take it apart too.”

And he did.

#icemav #top gun #tom iceman kazansky #pete maverick mitchell #an oc child character #ron slider kerner #nick goose bradshaw #bill cougar cortell #mavdad #found family #fluff #fanfiction #spyau

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callsign-mongoose · 6 months

Text

Take Good Care Of My Baby

In Every Time Ch. 1

Song: Take Good Care Of My Baby -Bobby Vee

Pairing: WWII! Tom Kazansky x OC! Annika Jensen

Characters: Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, Bill "Cougar" Cortell

Warnings: Minors DNI!, World War II themes, brief talk of Nazi's, thoughts of death, a couple swear words. Please let me know if I missed anything.

Word Count: ~3.3k

Summary: What if it was Tom's last night state side before shipping off overseas to fight in the war? What if he met the girl of his dreams before he left? Will their paths ever cross again?

A/N: So, this was an idea I had a while ago, and finally wrote it. I tried to keep it shorter but I have plenty of ideas! Please let me know in the comments if I should make this part of a series! Enjoy!

A/N: This story was not proofread by a second pair of eyes so please excuse any errors, if it becomes a series I will go back through and edit this one.

“Would you still love me if I was a worm?”

Ana trailed after Tom down the hallway of their apartment. Her PJ pants brushing the floor because they were simply a little big but tied well around her waist. The smell of Chinese food permeated the walls of the kitchen from their night in after Tom’s long day at work. He had canceled dinner plans because there was an incident on base he had to take care of.

Ever the amazing boyfriend, he picked up takeout on the way home and you two enjoyed it while talking idly on the couch for a couple hours. “If I say yes will it stop your essay of questions?” He groaned throwing open the door to their room, pealing off his muscle tank he had worn home, it was the only thing he had in his locker that day. His clothes somehow made it into the hamper before he climbed into bed, refusing to let the room be messy, it was Tom after all.

“I’m not answering that question until you answer mine.”

“Fine, yes Annie, I’d still love you if you were a worm. You happy now?”

Ana couldn’t help but grin in triumph as she crawled into bed next to her boyfriend. “Yes I’m ecstatic, thank you.” Placing her head on his chest she wiggled around to get comfortable, a calm silence washing over the couple.

The only thing Tom could hear was the quiet sound of music coming from their neighbors apartment and the sound of two breaths becoming one. He loved the silence, it was such a complete 180 from his every day life, work was always loud, at home, with ana, he got to just enjoy quiet.

“Tom?”

“Yes dear?”

“Do you think… that if we didn’t meet how we did… if we didn’t meet in this time, we would have ever found each other?” Ana half expected to hear a groan because of her silly questions, but was surprised to be greeted with silence, followed by Tom moving under her, sitting up on one elbow.

“I’m not sure… you mean like, if we would have met in a different time?”

“Yeah, like 1944… do you think we would have gotten together?”

After another long moment of silence Tom pursed his lips, something Anna could barely see through the dark. “I’d like to think so, I think that no matter the year, place, or circumstances I would always fall for those beautiful green eyes.” He gently placed his hand under her chin lifting her lips to kiss her, “Now, shall we get some sleep? Mav got on my last nerve today and I would like to drift off to sleep with my beautiful girlfriend before I spend any more brainpower on his idiocy.”

Laying back into the pillow with Ana on his chest there wasn’t much time before Tom was out cold. Annika on the other hand, laid in complete darkness, staring at the shapes of picture frames in the dark wondering… What If.

“I swear I’ve never wanted anything more in my life Erik. Give me another chance.” Ana stared dead on, serious as a heart attack. She’d never get another chance like this, never be this close again.

“Absolutely not! Your gonna spend our budget to get home if you keep trying. I’m not convincing the milk man to give us a ride again, that was fucking embarrassing Annika.” A rather tall man stood next to her, they looked almost identical aside from his stronger bone structure and lack of freckles.

Both had rather piercing eyes and unruly brunette almost jet black hair, Ana at least was able to pull it back into an updo as her hair was long, Erik was only able to work with what he had, a brush and water. The lack of gel paired with his goofy grin and inability to choose a good outfit for the life of him, he looked like a news boy on the side of the road hawking headlines, maybe the newsboy hat would do his hair some good.

In reality though Erik wasn’t the one hawking the headlines, he was writing them. Just starting to at least. Stuck reviewing vaudeville shows for just enough money to keep him and Ana fed and get his name in the Byline.

“Come on Erik! Once more, that’s all and I’ll never ask for anything ever again.” She finally broke the intense thousand yard stare to look at her brother.

“Ana what even is that thing? Is it worth it? Is it worth having to walk all the way home?” Was it? Probably not, but Ana was determined to prove to her brother that she could do it. She nodded, taking the coin from his hand holding it out for the man behind the table.

“I was starting to think you weren’t gonna make a choice.” The man murmured handing her 3 rings. “Have at it little lady.”

Ana glanced from her brother to the nondescript animal plush hanging on the tent. “Your coming home with me…” She murmured reassuring herself before tossing the first ring, it bounced off the top of the coke bottles before ending up wedged between two of them. “Damn”

Throwing the second one significantly harder out of frustration, the ring hit a bottle then the back wall and flew back towards them, smacking Erik in the shoulder before falling to the floor.

“Ouch!” he complained quietly, watching as the barker got distracted flirting with some blonde bimbo, bending over Erik snatched the ring from the ground passing it back to Ana. “Take another shot, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” Her brother winked, a lopsided half playful grin was on his face, it met his eyes, that’s what told Ana it was genuine. She had learned to read her brother like a book after years of watching him lie, and laugh, and play around.

Tossing the ring again it bounced passed the playing bottles and instead miraculously landed on the barkers actual bottle of coke. Perhaps it was because it was an actual size to fit in the ring. “I did it!” Annika squealed jumping up and down in excitement, the barker turned around and looked at the two.

“That doesn’t count, its filled with coke and it’s mine, it isn’t an in play bottle.” Looking for any reason to contest the man’s rule Ana slouched quietly thinking.

“It’s still a bottle aint it? Just give her the damn… whatever the hell that thing is and we will get out of your way.” Erik reasoned standing up straight, Erik wasn’t tall by any means, only resting at about 5’ 11. He was broad though, their uncle owned a moving business and Erik was always in there helping move inventory. In school, he was apart of the rugby team which helped build muscle, it was his favorite thing to do at school besides anything to do with writing.

“Fine, I don’t wanna see you two again though.” He murmured pulling what was now a badly designed teddy bear of the hook handing it to Ana who immediately clutched it to her body and gave him a stern nod turning away taking Erik’s arm to leave before she broke out into laughs.

“I can’t believe that worked.”

“It worked but not without burning the bridge of playing that game again… Come on Ana, I’m starving I want to get food.”

“Are you kidding me Tommy? You can’t seriously tell me that you haven’t used the uniform to get at least one girl. I haven’t been able to keep the girls off me.” Bill walked through the crowd his hand firmly placed on Tom’s shoulder.

“Well not all of us joined up with the intension of getting laid as many times as possible before shipping off Coug.” The blonde adjusted the uniformed hat as it sat on top of his head. People all had their reasons for joining up, some it was for the glory, some it was to fight the Nazi’s, for Tom, it was none of the above. He just wanted to be apart of something bigger, he wanted to serve for a purpose, to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. Getting recognition and women had nothing to do with it.

“I’m simply indulging myself before I go fight with a good chance of death… Fine fine, so doing a pickup game with me tonight is off the table?”

“Bill, it was never even on the menu.” Tom murmured as they made their way through the crowded pier, they were getting stares, that much Tom knew for sure. “We came here with the intension of getting to go to Coney island one last time before we left, I’m not wasting it on trying to get someone to hookup with you. You’re a lost case Billy.”

It didn’t take more than 5 minuets for two girls to walk over. “Are you two boys in the army?” They were giggling as if flirting was something one dared the other to do.

“Close, Navy, You almost had it little lady, name is Sargent Bill Cortell, it is such an honor to serve and protect when I know you pretty ladies back here are who I’m protecting.” He reached out taking one girls hand in each of his kissing their knuckles. Cougar, who had affectionately been named that by their platoon, was quite the flirt. He had a record of hitting on anything wearing a skirt, and he had the skills to as well. It was rare Bill didn’t have a girl on his arm outside of work.

Tom rolled his eyes at Bills antics. Both the girls squealed as he spoke, “I can’t imagine how brave you must be.”

“Only for you ma’am. How about you two pretty ladies and I go get some photos taken in the photo booth over there to commemorate tonight and give me something to admire while I’m over seas.” The girls swooned as Bill led them both off to the photo booth leaving Tom alone standing by as his best friend got some action.

Not that tom had any interest in getting any “Action” before he left, they would have plenty of action over seas to keep him busy and not thinking about some random girl from home.

“I thought I told you not to stick around! Get out of here!” A rather lanky barker was leaving his booth shaking a stick at a young woman who was quickly hurrying away. Ana had started to pick up her pace beyond just a brisk walk, starting to jog as the barker chased after her.

Erik's gonna be so pissed at me.

Taking a turn between two tents Ana thought she was safe, hiding from view of many prying eyes. “I thought I had told you to scram from my game. And where’s that big spender of a-“

“Darling, I turn around for 20 seconds and your gone! You can’t go running off like that. I thought we were going to get some popcorn?” Tom leisurely strolled down the small alley the tents had formed, one hand in his uniform pocket, getting in-between the barker and Ana. “Is there a problem?” He asked the man once making sure that he was between the two bodies glancing back and forth between them.

“Your with her? But I could have sworn she was with a brunette-“

“Well I would certinaly hope not, especially not on my last night state side.” Tom shifted his gaze to Ana and shot her a Roll with it look.

“Of course not, Why would I want to spend my night with anyone else.” She moved up linking an arm in Tom’s, “Now if you’ll Excuse me sir… we have a night to enjoy.” Tugging Tom out of the tight spot there was nothing but a shocked look on the barkers face, he looked dumbfounded.

Once out of ear shot she kept her voice low but leaned up to talk to the man as they walked. “I thought I was done for… thanks.”

“No problem, he seemed like a jerk.”

For the first time Ana lifted her gaze to properly take a look at the man who had come to her rescue even if it was an unorthodox rescue. He looked like every poster for the military, perfectly pressed uniform and a charismatic smile, even if the smile looked strained. “My name is Sargent Tom Kazansky, 22nd Naval Regimend, at your service.” Tom dragged a smile onto his face trying to mimic Cougars flirting, wanting to at least be able to tell Coug that he tried.

Perhaps it was his uniform, or his effortless good looks or a strained smile, but Ana was staring much more than she had originally intended. “You got a problem soldier? Loosen up, you look like you’ve been through somethin’ awful.”

Toms once strained smile turned rather goofy as he heard her accent, somewhere between a Brooklyn slang and a nondescript European dialect, it was certainly rather interesting. “Your right your right, formalities certainly aren’t needed considering that we are already dating.” He teased wiggling his eyebrows glancing down at where her arms were hooked on his elbow.

Ana tilted her head back and laughed keeping her hands on his arm, “Well if we are dating I think we need to go get one of those couples milkshakes over by the rides, those looked real good.”

Tom seemed to agree to the idea turning them towards the rides wanting to both take her farther away from the angry barker and to get the milkshake. “So, is it fair of me to ask my girlfriends name?”

“Oh, you mean you can’t tell? Can’t see it in my eyes?” Leaning up towards top she fluttered her eyelashes gently “I’m kidding, my name is Annika, it’s a pleasure to date you Sarg.” She gave a little salute with her free hand as they walked down the crowded wooden walkway.

Annika, a pretty name, certainly didn’t fit her. Well it did! Just not… it didn’t fit the side he was seeing of her. She was wreckless and rolled with the punches, this girl looked like hell on wheels but hidden in a rather messy blanket of personality and beauty. “The pleasure is all mine Annika.”

“Was what you said true? Is tonight your last night stateside?”

“Oh- uh, well yeah it is. My best friend Bill and I were planning on spending tonight enjoying our last night of freedom but hes found himself rather occupied with some ladies and left me to rot.” His laugh wasn’t good at hiding the way he was feeling, clear he wished that Cougar had prioritized their fun together, but he couldn’t control Cougars dick. “It’s not too bad though, I was able to help you out and now were at least enjoying ourselves together right?”

As they made their way to the ordering window of the booth Tom looked to Ana for a moment nodding as if telling her to make the choice of their order. “Oh uh, your good with anything?” She whispered leaning into comment, only to be responded to with a nod, “Can I just get a strawberry shake with two straws please?”

She fumbled for her coin purse to pay but Tom had beat her to it. “Please, let me, it’s not like this money’s gonna do me any good overseas.” His grin was enough to make her heart race and she hadn’t known him for more than 10 minuets. The milkshake was brought to forward to the window and Tom grabbed it leading Ana towards one of the empty benches which were few and far between on the busy boardwalk.

“So, what about you, I can assume you spend your free time aggravating carnival barkers to the point of chasing you?” He took a sip of the shake and let it cool down his throat when he swallowed, a little bit of the pink resting on his lip before he swiped it away with his tongue.

“No no, as much as I wish I could say it was my full time job I can’t. I’m a secretary for the telegraph company, I’m only part time though, but I help my brother, he’s a writer for the New York Sun, just has terrible grammar.” She smiled imaging the rough drafts laying on Erik’s desk covered in red pen marks that she had left.

Stealing the cup from Tom’s hand Ana took a long sip before handing it back, stealing the cherry off the top. “Well your brother is lucky to have an in house editor. I wish I could say that my writing was good but despite my fathers constant efforts to improve my writing skills my spelling is horrid and my hand writing is illegible.” It was half a joke, his father was always trying to force him to write so it would get better but he never had anyone he cared to write to or about.

“Annika Jenson!”

Anas back immediately straightened up and she became ridged closing her eyes “Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” She whispered before shooting Tom an apologetic look. “My brother.”

Standing up she tuned around, plaid skirt flaring out slightly, a tight smile pressed onto her face. “Erik, hey, sorry I kinda ran off, I wasn’t really interested in getting hotdogs and you were taking so long in the bathroom. I wandered off and noticed my bear had a tare already so I went back to get him replaced and the ass actually chased me. Can you believe that? He had the gall to try to chase me down for asking for a different prize! Anyway Tommy here swooped in and helped me out of a tight spot.”

Erik looked like he was having none of it, absolutely fuming, he had been searching for his sister for going on 20 minuets and she was off hiding with some random guy? “Tommy huh?” He pivoted to stand infront of Tom, who stood up to greet him came to about 6 foot standing up straight, Erik was broader, more stalky, while Tom was more lean, muscular, fit. He had been through training already and was prepared for war even if he was going into the air infantry.

“You must be the writer… it’s nice to meet you.” Tom held out his hand to shake but Erik seemed like he was still rather mad. “Sorry if I don’t shake hands with the guy who kidnapped my sister.”

“ERIK.” Ana slapped Erik’s shoulder violently “I’m sorry Tom I don’t know where his manners went, mama raised us right I promise.” She shot a stink eye at Erik before pulling the note book from his pocket that she knew he always had with him. Writing something down in the notebook she ripped out the page folding it a few times before shoving the notebook back to Erik who shook his head turning to walk away expecting Ana to follow.

“We should really go though… it’s quite late and we live on the other side of town so we should really be leaving but, I hope you can find your friend, and that, you find what your looking for overseas.” Moving forward she stood up onto her tiptoes and placed a hand on his chest slipping the note into his breast pocket of his uniform before kissing his cheek. “Good luck out there Tom.”

She turned to follow her brother, and Tom wasted no time pulling the note from his pocket trying not to damage it. His cheeks flushed pink as the notes words rang in his head. Well he finally had something to look forward to.

‘I hope that when you get to where your goin’ you don’t hesitate to practice your writing skills with me. My address, send a letter when you get to your station.’

Apartment number 214

1379 7th Ave

Brooklyn, Newyork

#top gun fandom #top gun 1986 #top gun #tom iceman kazansky #iceman x oc #WWII x topgun #wwii au #Iceman fan fiction #In every Time #Chapter fanfiction #Bill “Cougar” Cortell #Defiantly not based off Captian America First Avenger #Rogers Coded #I want this to be a series #please comment

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