Hollywood has this long, lumpy, green, extremely ugly couch in his living room and the fuckin' thing takes out almost half of the space and no one wants ever to sit on it, but the pilot doesn't want to dump it. He says it gives the place character. Goose says it's because Hollywood is too lazy to move that thing and Wolfman is even lazier. So the monstrosity stays there, no matter how many people offer to take it out.

The only person who finds it comfortable is Iceman, but Maverick thinks it's more an enduring male posture to assess he's the boss around and everyone else is too weak. At least until Ice doesn't only sit all night on that thing but fall asleep too, all 6' feet of him snuggling comfortably and Maverick can feel is heart beating a little faster because he's just as beautiful asleep as he's awake. And apparently he's the only one who notice that he's shivering a little, probably because of the air conditioner pointed at the couch. Or probably nobody notices because nobody's looking at him. He is going to ask for a blanket or something when Mav realises all his classmates are a getting ready to move the night to a bar and no one of them is the least worried about Ice. He does that, sometimes, he will probably sleep until morning, no need to fret over nothing Mitchell Slider say, with a foot already out of Hollywood's house while talking with Goose about something that makes his best friend really passionate, so probably Bradley.

The house is empty before Maverick can ask one of them where they're going and he finds himself alone with a sleeping and still shivering Iceman. The couch is big, okay? The couch is big, ugly, lumpy as hell but Maverick doesn't know where the blankets are, doesn't have his jacket with him and doesn't know how to turn of the air conditioner, so the next step is the logical one. He's sure of it. One hundred percent sure, he could bet his life on it and it will probably make Ice's sleep less cold and less cold mean more relaxed and a more relaxed Iceman is good for everyone right? Right. Okay. He sits near Ice's head, enough to share a little of his bodyheat but not close enough to actually touch him and he can already feel the other way relaxing a little bit, enough to be comfortable in his sleep. Mav himself is feeling the effect of the day and he's ready to take a nap, just enough sleep to be awake and a little more present to drive his bike home and sleep in his own bed. But Iceman couldn't be Iceman if he didn't spend all his time royally fucking all Mav's good intentions, this time fast enough that he finds himself cuddling him without even realising. Or maybe he does realise but again, he's tired and the beer is comfortably warming his stomach and he's hugging Iceman against his chest, dreaming of flying on the fastest plane every built and to win every competition he is in.

The next morning, because apparently his nap got to be a seven hours long night of sleep, Ice is still against his chest, but this time is his face against Maverick's chest and not his back. Iceman who is very awake and looking at him with a strange soft expression he never saw on his face before. He doesn't know who tries to close the distance between their faces before the other but it's only an almost kiss because Wolfman quite literally screams from the kitchen the coffee is ready if you two love bird don't want Jester to kick your asses seven ways to Sunday you have to get up!

I'm going to kill him is what Maverick says while Ice laughs against is neck, and even if they didn't kiss it's nice, he likes this. We should go on a date and then find someplace more comfortable to sleep on Ice says, or asks?, getting up. Maverick is smiling back and yeah, yeah we should.

(They're late in class and Jester is pissed. The four of them, Goose and Slider too, has to run around the base for an hour but Maverick doesn't think much of it, not when Ice smiles at him, promising to meet him at 8 pm in front of the new restaurant in town.)

Now cross-post on ao3 too.