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mamsieur · 6 months

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Used to it | Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Reader

Summary : Being Pete Mitchell's daughter has never been easy. But maybe one mission could bring you back together ?

TW : angst and fluff, angst with a happy ending, mention of alcohol, panic attack, canonical character death, age gap (reader is 27 and Bradley is 35)

Length : 7156 words

AN : I'm sorry for making Pete seem like a bad father but that man is not stable enough to handle a child in my opinion.

posted on AO3 July 12, 2023

You were 7 when your mother left your father, Pete Mitchell.

You didn't have many early memories of him. There were only the arguments with your mother, his departures on missions that left you in tears, the missed birthdays and Christmases. It’s all you’ve ever known so you were used to it and being a child, you found it normal.

You were 7 when your mother decided to move out, leaving your whole life behind. You remember crying your eyes out in protest. As your mom tried desperately to get you out of the house, you clung with all your might to Bradley. Bradley Bradshaw was 15 and your regular babysitter, though your mother thought of him as a son, Carole and her were really close. They liked to remind you that when you were 4, you proudly announced that you were going to marry him. Bradley was almost always around, and Pete was his godfather, and they had a bond you envied. Despite the eight-year age difference, you remember being very close to your "Bradbrad" . He never pushed you away, was always ready to play Lego or other board games with you. He even took you to the park or with him when he went to the theater with his friends - when the movies were kids friendly -.

You were 7 , and your whole world shattered. No more Bradley, no more hanging to the naval base to have a glimpse of your dad and his incredible plane, no more aunty Carole and her sweet singing. You had hated your mom for years before understanding you left for the best. She was finally happy ; not completely, she missed her friends and sometimes your father, but you could feel that she was happier away from the hustle and bustle of the navy, of your dad. You were not used to the strange calmness of the city, but your grandparents made it easy to adapt. Soon enough, you got used to the loving cocoon your mother succeeded to create around you.

You were 16, at your mother's funeral, when you had to accept the fact that you had to go back to live with Pete. When the two of you finally found each other in the crowd, he didn't say much, just gave you a few brief updates. You asked him about Bradley, a bit sad to not have seen him here, and he didn't have much to say. Only that the two of them were no longer as close as they had been.

The silence between you was uncomfortable.

Of course, Pete had kept in touch over the years, calling on your birthdays, sending a little something. You spent some Christmas with him when he wasn't working and a few days during the summer break ; but Pete Mitchell loved his work too much to focus on you. As long as you lived with your mother, Pete's absence from your life wasn't something you suffered from, at least not really.

You were used to it. Used to the absence, used to the missed calls, used to the Christmases with the attention of other aviators and their families but the ignorance of your dad, used to the unanswered phone calls. Used to his silence.

But now your mum was dead... and you were dreading having to join your father in California.

You were 16 and you didn't want to live with him, you already knew what would happen ; he'd go flying, on a mission or for his own pleasure, leaving you alone at home - if you could call it home. The hangar where he lived now was something you'd always hated . It had no place for anything or anyone other than his passion for the sky, for planes and speed. You didn't want to leave your new life, even though you loved California. Your school, your friends, your family, your routine. But you didn't really have much of a choice. You were 16. He was now your legal guardian and you didn't want to drag your grandparents into a custody battle. Even though part of you told yourself that your dad would probably agree to let you stay with them, you didn't want to take that chance. And you hoped he'd be more present, that you'd finally have the father you'd dreamed of, that your other friends had. If other military parents could be there for their children, why couldn't Pete?

Perhaps because Pete loved flying more than anything else in the world. The sky was his one true love.

Even though you knew it, you held out the faintest hope that he would finally take his responsibilities as a father. Unfortunately, Pete was still Pete. He wasn't cut out to be a father. A fun uncle, maybe. A parent, no. The fact that Bradley no longer spoke to him proved that.

You were 18 when you packed your bags and headed off to the naval school in Maryland. You wanted to be a pilot too. And you wanted to get away from that bloody hangar, so empty, so alone.

Pete wasn't there when you left. Not even a message or a note. Nothing at all.

You weren't even surprised.

It was Tom Kazansky - Uncle Tom - who had taken you to the airport. He had been more present in your life than your own father, even though you rarely saw him. You knew your relationship with Pete was a sensitive subject, and you knew when Tom gave him a hard time. Pete was suddenly more present - too present . He'd pop into your life for a few days, trying to be the cool or bossy dad, but it always ended in a fight.

You hated it when he did that. You hated the way he would act like your friend, or like a strict parent, talking about curfew and how no boys were allowed in his 'home'. You hated the way he would try to be the father that he had never been in your whole life. You hated the way he tried to convince you that he was trying to change, that he'd be there for you.

But you couldn't blame Uncle Tom for trying to shake your father. He had children too, but despite his love of the air, he had been a present parent to them.

But some days were not as bad as others. Sometimes, when he was in a good mood, Pete would take you flying. And even though it was hard to admit, you were a bit of a flier yourself. The feeling of freedom, of being alone in a comforting way. It was mesmerizing.

So, without him knowing, you decided to join the navy after graduation. You took your mother's name, Evans , so that you would not attract attention. Only Tom knew, so your dad wouldn't and couldn't pull your papers like he did with Bradley.

You found out that he had done this when you saw Bradley one day in the summer before you made your choice. At first you did not recognize him. He was 26 now. He was taller, more muscular and had a 80s mustache that suited him well - puberty had treated him really good. He was the spitting image of his father, whom you'd only seen in photographs and heard about when Tom and Pete reminisced over drinks about the past.

But Bradley had the same look in his eyes as his mother, Carole.

As a child, you adored Carole. She was always there to comfort you when your parents were at odds, picking you up from kindergarten when your father was on a mission and your mother was at work… She was kind of a second mom. You went to her funeral with your mother eight years ago, you never cried so much.

The summer of your reunion with Bradley had been the summer of his return from the Naval Academy, which he had graduated from with honors. He was a very good pilot and would soon be going on a mission. The day before he left, you snuck out of the hangar to meet him at a nearby bar. He had celebrated his departure with you and a handful of friends, promising to keep in touch as often as possible. As he left, you realized how much you'd missed your Bradbrad.

You were 18, and you remembered how quiet the ride to the airport had been. Part of you wanted to stay. You loved California. It was close to the ocean, the people were friendly, and at the Navy base everyone knew you.

You'd even earned a nickname, the call sign you hoped to use soon : Tempest . It was a bittersweet memory of a stormy night when Pete "forgot" to pick you up from baseball practice. You had landed on the base, mad as hell, soaked to the bone. You'd yelled at your father as hard as the storm had raged. It had been a huge fight. And of course, everyone had heard. Surprisingly, many had defended you rather than your father. You were relieved then. And to cheer you up while your dad was embarrassed, Tom took you to your favorite fast food and laughed with you about the scene. "You walked in there like a damn storm, a tempest ! Heck, that should be your call sign when you join the ranks !" You smiled as you remembered his raspy laugh and all the stories he told you about his days at Topgun .

It was through those stories that you learned a little bit more about your father, The Maverick . His accomplishments, his reckless attitude in the air, his urge to always define what’s possible and pushing the limits. Your desire, your need , to join the Navy to become a pilot only grew, digging a hole of longing for the sky deep inside you. You wanted your father to see you, to acknowledge you. You wanted to be more like him.

You were 27 years old when you were called to the NAS North Island for a "top secret" mission that required "the best of the best". To your surprise, you were one of the youngest and one of the only women. But you'd missed California too much to worry about such details. Like many pilots, you had joined the Hard Deck for a drink the day before training began. You soon met Natasha "Phoenix" Trace and Jake "Hangman" Seresin. Two strong personalities. Then came Javy “Coyote” Machado and Robert "Bob" Floyd. He was discreet, a bit shy. And before you could introduce yourself to the others, someone entered the bar and caught Jake's eye.

"Bradshaw. As I live and breathe."

"Hangman. You look... good." His voice was behind you and you didn't dare turn around to see him.

"Well, I am good. I'm very good Rooster ."

You let the two men talk, then Bradley greeted Natasha and the others. At last, his gaze landed on you. You couldn't help but smile stupidly. He looked so surprised and happy. "Y/N Tempest Evans?!"

"Hey Bradbrad ..." you smiled and happily accepted his embrace. He squeezed you against him and asked you all about your journey, which you happily did, while in the distance the bell rang, indicating that a customer couldn't pay his bill and had to be kicked out. Out of the corner of your eye, you thought you recognized your father, but Jake and Javy had already grabbed him by the arms and dragged him outside. You didn’t have the time to really think about it, Bradley taking you by the hand to sing with him at the piano. You laughed and followed him with the others in his Great balls of fire ’s reprise. It had been a great night.

The next day, at the first meeting, you thought your heart stopped when you saw that your instructor was actually Pete... and from the look on his face, he wasn't happy to see you there. Before the meeting was over, you heard his voice call your name ; it had a barely disguised note of anger. "Lieutenant Evans. You’ll stay after training, we'll have a word."

Bradley looked at you, concerned. He knew that you had never told Pete about the Navy, but he didn't know that even after nine years, your father was still unaware of your career. The others were confused and you could feel questioning gazes on you. Great way to begin this thing , you thought.

You were 27 and a very good pilot. An excellent one. One of the best. That's why you were here after all, wasn’t it ? You walked in your father’s footsteps, perhaps as talented as him at that age. But you were also as reckless as him, living up to your callsign. A tempest was never soft or delicate, neither were you. You had risked your life so many times in your five years of service. Tom often told you that you were just like your father and that it scared him. You didn’t think, you just did , you wanted to go faster, higher and further. Acting like the storm that you were, leaving your enemies confused by what had just happened. The adrenaline, the speed, the immensity of the sky, the feeling of freedom... you finally understood why Pete loved being in his plane so much. You felt a little closer to him in those moments.

And yet, in nine years of absence, he had never once contacted you. You had disappeared one day and he hadn't even looked for you. Your uncle had promised not to say anything about your career, but Pete hadn't even been interested in why or where you were going.

Seeing him angry made you furious . How could he have the nerve to be mad at you?

After the training and the 200 pushups you had to do because - of course - you didn't beat your old man, you stayed on deck and waited for the others to leave. Bradley gave you a little squeeze on the shoulder, as if to give you strength, and reluctantly left. You heard Hondo telling Pete to calm himself before saying things he might regret out of anger.

Once again, the silence between you and your father was heavy.

You couldn't take your eyes off him, waiting for him to finally speak. You could see that he was trying to stay calm. But you already felt like exploding . You could feel the reproaches, the so-called concern. You could feel that he wanted to push you away .

"Y/N... how did you... you went to the Academy behind my back?!"

"Iceman," you replied simply, your eyes and voice cold. "And you never asked where I was either."

"You-?! I should have known, you lied to me."

“It’s not lying if you’re not asked.” you mutter, “You taught me that.”

“Now’s not the time to play that game Y/N,” he snapped, "you can't be here."

"With all due respect, Captain, that's not your call."

You really tried to remain calm, knowing that the others must have been listening nearby - especially Jake. You didn't want to draw any more attention, but you felt your blood boiling under your skin.

"I will talk to Vice Admiral Simpson about this. I don't suppose anyone's made the connection between us. But now there's clearly a conflict of interest-"

"You have no right to take this mission away from me. It's not fair," you gasped, eyes wide.

"I am your father ! I can and will do it."

"What ?! No ! No, you can't ! 9 years of nothing but silence and now you're acting like a worried father ?!" you snapped, moving towards him and pointing an accusing finger. A nervous laugh escaped you and you sighed, pursing your lips. "Why do you always have to act like this ? You've never acted like a father to me, except to get in my way !"

"Get in your way ? No ! I care about you-"

"Really ?!" you cut him off, raising your voice, "Then where have you been for 9 years ?! What did Tom have to say to you that you weren't even lookin' for me ? Where was all this care when I left and you were not here ? Where were you huh ?! Where was all that concern ?!"

Pete's eyes widened and he searched for words. He should have known that he could not argue with your point so he just huffed then scolded. "I'm your captain, Lieutenant Evans ! Keep your voice down !"

"Oh, now it's not my father talking ?!" you couldn't hold back a nervous, fake laugh. "You see how you are ?! Always twisting things your way ?! Why are you avoiding that conversation ? Why are you running away again ?!" you’re almost screaming, inches close to him, eyes locked in his.

"Lieutenant Evans !" he growled. You grumbled and let out a heavy sight, calming yourself. You stepped back and clenched your fists along your body.

"Will that be all, Captain Mitchell ?"

You clenched your fists even harder, your knuckles turning white. You wanted to physically shake him to finally have answers. But you couldn’t, at least not here, not now.

"Y/N..." he huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Will that be all, Captain ?" you repeated, your voice slightly trembling. Tears of rage threatened to fall. You held them back, too proud to cry in front of him. Pete looked at you and sighed quietly.

"You're dismissed Lieutenant Evans..."

You left the deck with a quick stride. Your heart was pounding in your chest, a mixture of anger, frustration and sadness. Of course, the rest of the squadron was there, already clean and changed. Seeing the anger in your eyes, no one said a word, not even Hangman. He just stared at you, confused, as you slammed the door of the changing room.

Later that evening, as the squadron relaxed at the bar, Jake couldn't help but bring up the earlier scene.

"So our dear Tempest's dad is the famous Maverick?"

" He's not my father ," you muttered, finishing another beer. "My genitor maybe. But he's not my father."

"Why Evans if Mitchell's your old man?" Jake insisted.

You could hear Bradley and Natasha telling him to drop it, but he kept coming back. You could feel your anger rising again. You downed another beer and slammed the empty bottle down on the table.

"Tell me, Bagman , weren’t you taught to keep your mouth shut about things that don't concern you? I'm sure your mama taught you some manners, didn't she? Now shut up before I put my fist through your face," you growled, half drunk, half angry. Jake scoffed and held his hands up in defense while Bob stopped you from approaching him. Seeing your father enter the bar only made you feel worse. And it took all your patience not to slit Jake's throat on the spot as he continued his overly curious and unpleasant comments with his snide attitude.

Bradley went with you to get some fresh air as he wasn't too keen on seeing Pete either. When you arrived at the beach, a wave of sadness washed over you. You knew that your father would do everything in his power to get you out of this mission, but what was worse was that he didn't even try to talk to you, to reconnect. Your shoulders shook and you couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Only a sobbing hiccup betrayed you and Bradley rushed to take you in his arms. You felt the strength leave your legs and the two of you ended up sitting in the sand, crying your eyes out and clinging to Bradley. "I've got you... Let it all out..." he murmured between two kisses on the top of your head. His big hands gently stroked your back, letting go of all your pain. "It's okay, baby girl... it's okay..."

Bradley and you practically lived together now. You’ve inherited your mom’s old house by the ocean and it’s confier than being on base. So those kinds of pet names were almost common now. But this time you didn’t blush at it, your emotions a mess.

You cried against him for a long time, as you hadn't done for many years. Rooster held you until you calmed down. "It's not fair..." you whispered, sniffling. "He's going to take me off the mission..."

"He won't be able to... Ice recommended you... there's nothing he can do about it..."

You shrugged, not really sure if Tom could help you. He was very ill and you didn't want to tire him out with your disagreements with your father.

“He’s just an old dickhead, don’t worry…” Bradley tried to cheer you up but you’re too distraught to play along. After a little less than an hour later, you find the force to get up and you head home with him. You fall asleep in the car and wake up the next morning in your bed.

There wasn't much time left before the mission. Training sessions were coming up and so were your fights with Pete. Cyclone hadn't pulled you out of the mission, but you weren't sure if it was to spite your father or because he felt you were capable of succeeding, just like your comrades.

Days passed at an alarming pace. The team slowly bonded through group exercises and moments of relaxation, especially with the game your father had invented: dogfight football.

You couldn't lie, it felt good to have such moments. But your father still didn't talk to you and you were still angry. You remained professional, but you couldn't stand his fatherly attitude towards you.

All your hopes of renewing real ties disappeared when you learned of Tom's death. You had seen him the day before and he had made you promise to try to take care of Pete. His funeral was one of the hardest moments of your life.

And because bad news never comes alone, the mission was moved up by a week. Pete was temporarily relieved of his duties, as Admiral Simpson still believed his plan of attack was doomed to failure. Of course, your father, in his legendary arrogance and cockiness, proved him wrong with an unauthorized flight. Hope rose in the team but it was still a very risky plan.

Cyclone decided to make Pete team leader, and not surprisingly, he didn't choose you as his wingman. Part of you was angry because you felt you could do it, and another part of you was mortified when he announced that his choice would be Bradley. This mission was suicide, and you couldn't afford to lose them both. You couldn't afford to lose anyone in the squadron, but these two, it was just too much.

You didn't catch up with Pete as much as you wanted to, there were still so many questions left unanswered, so much time to make up for… You hadn't been able to make things right with your dad, you hadn't been able to tell him that you had this passion for aviation because of him. You hadn't been able to tell him that you regretted not telling him about the academy, that you regretted the 9 years of distance between you...

And you didn't spend enough time with Bradley.

Sure, you were always glued to each other in your free time, taking walks on the beach, talking and singing together at the Hard Deck piano, having movie nights... but you didn't want it to stop. Not after you'd half confessed how you felt about him after a few too many drinks, telling him that your 4-year-old declaration still stood. He laughed and told you that he hadn't forgotten either.

On the day of the mission, you barely managed to find your way to your father. "Captain?" your voice was louder than you had expected.

"Lieutenant Evans?"

"I... Before you go, I'd like to talk-"

"We'll talk when I get back."

"... Promise me you'll come back."

For a moment, you were that five-year-old girl again, watching her father leave. Pete must have seen it in your eyes and climbed down from the cockpit to take you in his arms. "I promise I'll come back in one piece, kiddo..." You hugged him tightly and nodded in agreement. After a few seconds, you let go and let him settle down. You ran to Bradley and made him promise you the same. He smiled confidently, even though you knew he was stressed. "Don't worry, we've got a Star Wars marathon to watch," he smiled before gently and discreetly kissing your forehead. You blushed and nodded, a worried little smile on your face.

Reluctantly, you left the track and joined Jake. You were glued to your radios, following the progress of the mission. Everything was going well until two enemy fighters spotted them.

You stopped breathing.

First they had Bradley in sight and locked on.

The enemy fired.

But your father took the brunt of the missiles and saved Rooster.

Your brain didn't know how to process all this information and shut down when you heard Bradley's decision to go after Pete before getting shot down too.

You don't remember much else. All you knew is that Jake had to leave in a hurry to find and rescue them. When they landed with that really out beat up F-14, you rushed out on deck to greet them, swallowing all your worry and anger at their unconscious behavior for the moment.

Once ashore, the entire crew decided to celebrate their success at Penny's Bar, dragging Pete with them. You stayed close to Bradley, as if afraid that it was all a dream and that he wasn't really there. He wouldn't let go of you either, his arm tight around you. You felt like a schoolgirl, it was stupidly comfortable. You looked at Pete, who was happily chatting with Penny and other members of the team. You didn't want to spoil the evening with a discussion that was out of your control…

Around one o'clock you went out for some fresh air, leaving Bradley to play with those who hadn't returned home yet ; Reuben, Natasha, Mickey and Javy.

As a cold shiver ran through you, you felt a heavy jacket on your shoulders. You immediately recognized the peculiar smell ; old whiskey mixed with motor oil and a hint of cologne.

" Dad ? "

"I thought you wanted to talk ?" he asked quietly, moving toward the beach. You nodded and took his pinky with yours like a child, searching for your words.

"I'm sorry..." you breathed, holding back your tears. "For going to the Academy behind your back and not telling you… not talking to you for almost ten years... I know that giving news is supposed to go both ways and all, but... but you weren't even there when I left... and I guess... I guess I resented you as much as I wanted you to be there, you know ?" you sniffed before continuing your monologue. "I just wanted you to see me . ‘Cause… it’s because of you I wanted to go down this road, you gave me this love for flight, for speed, for the sky. I... I just wanted you to be happy that we finally had something in common, but... but you had already pulled Bradley's papers, so I didn't think and I just did what seemed most logical and easiest. Take Mom's name, ask Ice not to tell you. I know it was stupid… but I also know it would have hurt too much if you had stopped me. And... And then no news for nine years... It hurt even more. The Academy and my first years of service weren't what I thought they would be... it was rough and sometimes I just… I just wanted to call you to come and pick me from there… but… but I wouldn't change that for the world. Because I’m still a Mitchell and Mitchells never quit right ?” You took a few seconds, your gaze meeting his, to see if he wanted to intervene but he didn’t. He just looked at you, taking all the information you gave him. You let out a shaky breath, playing with the sleeves of his jacket nervously. “And I know you must and may resent me for the rest of my life, but… but I just wanted you to be proud of me and... and for us to finally be a family." You bit your lip, trying to calm the flow of emotions that came through.

The sky began to rumble and your father remained silent after your speech. A few tears rolled down your cheeks as he couldn't find the words.

"Please, Dad, say something..." you sighed, your voice breaking.

The rain began to fall slowly and Pete's silence was too much for your heart to take. He couldn't even look at you anymore. You thought you could take it ; you were used to his silenced treatment, used to the fact that he couldn’t express his feelings. But right now, you needed him to speak, to ease your worries, to confront you.

"Dad... please... I'm begging you... talk to me…" you repeated desperately.

You broke down again and cried like a little girl in front of your mute father. You hated that he couldn't open up to you and you hated that he saw you so frail, so fragile. Your sobs mingled with the rain, which grew heavier, the wind and waves making the silence deafening. You bit your lip and wiped your eyes with the back of your hand, in vain.

"I know I'm not... I know you didn't plan… you didn’t want to have me with mom-"

"No, it's true... I never planned to be a father... The very idea of having children terrified me and still does," Pete interrupted you, "but... you're one of the most beautiful things, if not the most, that has ever happened to me. And I'm petrified of anything happening to you, I'm helpless on so many levels... and I... I didn't know how to be there when you needed me... I know I must have let you down a lot..." He sighed, catching his breath and holding back his own tears. "I thought... it would be best for both of us to let you have your freedom... but the weeks, months and years went by and I didn't have the guts to try to contact you. I was too ashamed... but Y/N, I never stopped loving you... you're my daughter... and even if you have my damn temper and your mom’s stubbornness," you couldn't hold back a little laugh and a slight smile despite your tears, which your father tenderly chased away with his thumb, "you'll always be my little girl, too eager to get on our little plane for a ride, passionate and fierce… I don’t resent you… I think I would have done it your way if my old man put me in this situation…" He allowed himself to cry as well as the two of you finally hugged each other, relieved of an enormous weight.

"I love you too, Dad... sorry for everything..." you mumbled against his shoulder.

"No, no… I’m sorry… It's my turn to apologize, sweetheart..."

The two of you lay embracing in the rain for a while, making up for years of distance in a few minutes. You were the first to let go. You once again took his hand like a child.

"We better get back before Hangman starts gossiping..."

"Or before Bradley starts worrying," Pete teased. You blushed and looked at him with wide eyes. "What? Like I haven't noticed the way you two look at each other. I'm not that blind kid!" He laughed “Ah… your mom and Carole would have been thrilled !”

You returned to the bar, soaking wet, chatting about anything and everything. Seeing you, Bradley's expression changed from worried to relieved, then back to worried as he noticed you were shivering a little from the cold. He politely left his conversation with Mickey to join you.

"Are you okay? Do you want to go home and change?"

"That would be a good idea..." you smiled at him. You had to admit you were exhausted from this rollercoaster of emotions. You said goodbye to the others from a distance, then to your father in a final hug, and followed Bradley back to his old blue Bronco. The two of you made your way to your small house.

Bradley was a good roommate. You each had your own room, but you often fell asleep together in front of the TV or on one of your beds after long late-night discussions. You liked the routine you created. And you hoped with all your might that nothing would change. But your feelings for him were becoming more and more obvious in your mind and heart. You wondered how much longer you could hide it.

Seeing you so silent, Bradley placed his hand on your thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Are you all right, lil’ Tempest?"

His eyes never left the road as his thumb traced small circles on your jeans. A shiver ran through your entire body and you wished this contact would never end.

"Everything's fine Roo... don't worry..."

"Okay..."

He squeezed your knee again and left his hand on your thigh. The warmth of his palm made you shiver and you placed your hand on top of his shyly. Once again, you felt like a teenager. It was stupid.

The ride home was rather quiet, in a comforting way, Bradley driving carefully in the pouring rain and humming the song that passed on the radio. When he parked, you stayed in the car for a moment. You sensed that he had something he wanted to say to you, and he sensed the same thing on your side. After a few minutes of silence and shy glances, he smiled at you, got out of the car, and you followed. He ran to unlock the door and waited for you under the porch.

You wanted to run as well, but your legs felt heavy. That's when your anxiety decided to take over. The stress and worry of the past few days were finally catching up to you. As you saw Bradley step out into the rain with a worried expression, the conversation on the radio played in your head. Your father's F-18 had exploded, and Bradley was on his way to pick him up. And now it was his turn to go down. A huge pressure on your chest stopped you from breathing and new tears rolled down your cheeks. You couldn't move, pinned to the pavement. Silent sobs shook you as your vision blurred. You couldn't see or hear Bradley any more. You felt so alone, so cold. Your panic attack froze you under the heavy rain and you couldn't get out of it. You couldn't hear anything except the intense ringing in your ear. You wanted to throw up. The world spun around you as your mind screamed what the communications officer had said earlier, "Maverick's down ! Rooster's down !"

They were dead.

For the long forty minutes or so that followed, they were dead . And you were stuck in that loop. One minute everything was fine, the mission was a complete success. The next, the last two most important people in your life were dead. The ground began to feel strangely unstable as you fought harder to breathe. Eventually your legs gave out and you felt yourself fall, but you didn't hit the ground. You felt two arms around you, holding you securely but not too tightly, then lifting you up as if you weighed nothing. The buzzing in your ears slowly faded away and you didn't feel the rain on your skin anymore. You gasped for air when you finally heard Breadley call your name, concern in his voice. As you raised your eyes to look at him, a sudden relief washed over you and you couldn't help but sob again.

He was home. You were home. With him.

"What's going on, Y/N? Hey... Breathe... breathe and talk to me..." he said quietly.

"I thought... I thought you and Dad... you... you were dead..." you managed to say between sobbing hiccups. You clung to his shirt, afraid he would fade away. He smiled a little and kissed the top of your head as he cupped your cheeks with his calloused hands. Then he took your hands and laid them flat on his heart. You could feel it beating at a regular pace.

"I'm here. I’m okay. You're okay. I'm very much alive, Mav is too, and you're stuck with me, with us, little Tempest..."

"Yeah ? Promise ?" you sniffed, your lower lip still trembling.

"Yeah... Promise." he smiled at you again then hugged you tightly.

He nuzzled his face into the crook of your neck, the bristles of his mustache tickling you a little. One of your hands reached up to his neck, your fingers brushing his little hair. The two of you stayed like that for a moment, absorbing each other's presence. You felt so relaxed in his arms, as if you belonged there. Your heart fluttered as you heard him hum one of your favorite songs and then felt him beginning to slow dance with you, taking you peacefully to the bathroom. You were too exhausted and shaken from your panic attack to even ask him what he was doing. You just obliged and listened to him, hypnotized. He declared that you needed a long relaxing bath and in the meantime he would order pizza. He helped you take off your shoes and socks, then your hoodie. He kissed your forehead and let you finish undressing, leaving the bathroom to give you some privacy.

You couldn’t stay too long in the bath, your mind being too loud. You knew you would break down again if you weren’t close to him . Bradley made you feel safe, secure, grounded. That was what you needed to relax. You were so used to being alone before, used to the silence, the empty rooms. But since he decided to kind of move in with you, you couldn’t bear the loneliness. The house was so warm now, so welcoming and comfy.

As you crossed his room after you’ve washed, you noticed that old hoodie you bought him one Christmas when you were in naval school. It’s a silly one, the hood designed to look like a rooster. An amused sigh escaped you and you took it to wear. It was still as soft and comfy as the day you bought it.

“Stealing my clothes I see ?” he chuckled when you joined him in the kitchen.

“Stealing my beers I see ?” you teased him back, pointing at the bottle in his hand, “I thought cranberry beers were for chicks ?”

“Mama Carole didn’t raise me to be picky” He scoffed in défense, with a smirk.

“Oh I know she didn’t. And my mama didn’t raise me to steal, I’m just borrowing that hoodie.” you smiled, putting the hood on. “Look, we’re twins now, Rooster !”

The both of you laughed at that stupid joke. He then smiled at you and put a strand of your hair behind your ear.

“Feeling better sweets ?”

“Yeah… sorry about that I… I think these past days were a bit too much for my brain…”

“Don’t be sorry… it’s normal to break sometimes… everyone does.”

You hummed and nodded, but before you could talk, the doorbell rang. “Must be the pizzas ! Get yourself comfortable on the couch and choose a movie Y/N, I’ll be right back !” He kissed your cheek, close to your lips - too close - and ran to the door. You stood there for a moment, cheeks and heart warming up, before doing what he asked you. Once again, you felt like a schoolgirl at her first sleepover with her crush. You couldn’t help but feel butterflies fluttering in your stomach and your face turning a bit red.

You should tell him. But you risked losing that friendship you had. And at the same time, you wanted more than that. You wanted to feel his arms around you, his lips - oh those lips - on you, to wake up next to him each and every morning in your bed… You fantasized about a life with him for a minute, not noticing him getting back with the food. You jumped slightly when he waved his hand in front of your eyes to snap you out of your reverie. Your gaze locked with his as he asked if everything was all right.

"Yes, yes... I was just lost in thought..." you smiled shyly, your cheeks flushed, letting him settle in beside you. He took the plaid to cover both of you, then put his arm around your shoulders.

"And what were you thinking about? Or who?" He teased.

"About us, actually..."

"Us?" He said, a little surprised.

Your cheeks were crimson. You'd said too much already. You couldn't run anymore. You just nodded, not daring to meet his gaze. You felt him come closer and turn a little towards you after a few seconds of silence.

"Me too, I have to admit..."

"Really?" you almost whispered, looking up at him. He smiled and nodded.

"Yeah... to tell you the truth, I like it here, but... I don't want to be just another roommate anymore. We're pretty similar in a lot of things, Phoenix even says we look like an old married couple that's always jammed together." You chuckled a little but couldn't help but agree. Bradley smiled a little before continuing, a little nervously. "And... the crash, almost getting killed... It made me realize a lot of things... like the fact that I didn't want to lose you. And that... maybe... the fact that I felt so comfortable with you meant... meant more than friendship..."

Your heart raced in your chest. Was he going to confess what you were thinking? You bit the inside of your cheek to prove to yourself that you weren't dreaming, and before he could continue, you pulled him by his collar and crushed your lips against his. The kiss was desperate, as if you needed it to keep on living. Bradley didn't waste a second in responding, one of his hands sliding up your cheek and the other down your back to press you against him. You would have liked that moment to last forever, but the lack of air forced you to pull away a little. He pressed his forehead against yours and let out a small laugh. "I guess it's mutual, then?"

"You're a little genius aren’t you ?" You couldn't help but tease him before kissing him again.

You felt so good against him, kiss after kiss. You felt complete, soothed.

And you could easily get used to it .

#top gun maverick #top gun imagine #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #dad pete mitchell #reader is pete daughter #jake seresin #bob floyd #penny benjamin #tom iceman kazansky #carole bradshaw #angst with a happy ending #pov second person

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enthyrea · 8 months

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personal designs / headcanons for the older TGM characters!

other HCs:

- cyclone is divorced and has two kids

- warlock has a side gig recording audiobooks

- penny is afraid of heights

- mav’s first kiss was penny and vice versa

- mav learned sign language to talk to ice

- ice knits sweaters for fun

- hondo was a theater kid in college

love these guys. u can check out the dagger squad HC post here!

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goldenseresinretriever · 7 months

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The San Diego Dogfighters

(A TGM Hockey!AU)

Header by @bobgasm 💚🩶💛

The NHL just had an expansion to create a new ice hockey team which resulted in the brand new San Diego Dogfighters.

Team Name: San Diego Dogfighters

Team Colors: Kale, Ultimate Gold, Antique Gold

Owner: Tom “Iceman” Kazansky

General manager: Beau “Cyclone” Simpson

Head Coach: Pete “Maverick” Mitchell

Assistant Coach: Daredevil/Dare Mitchell

Players:

Centre/Captain: Jake Seresin #86

Left Defenseman/Alternate Captain: Bradley Bradshaw #84

Right Defenseman/Alternate Captain: Javy Machado #68

Left Winger: Reuben Fitch #45

Right Winger: Mickey Garcia #42

Goalie: Bob Floyd #35

Equipment Manager: Natasha Trace

Team Physician: Bugs/Bunny

Team Nutritionist: Penny Benjamin

Athletic Trainer: Bernie “Hondo” Coleman

Goalie Development Coach: Dragon/Dragonfly/Puff Simpson

Social Media Manager: TBA

PR Representative: Zamboni/Honey

~~~~~

Non-Staff Characters

Charlie

Tucker

Roadie/Meep

Josie “Jo” Fitch

Snitches Get Stitches (Jake Seresin x TeamPhysician!Reader) COMPLETED

You Catch More Bees With Honey (Bradley Bradshaw x PRRepresentative!Reader) COMPLETED

False Confidence (Javy Machado x KindergartenTeacher!Reader) ONGOING

The Long Game (Pete Mitchell x AssistantCoach!Reader) UPCOMING

Don’t Wake the Dragon (Bob Floyd x GoalieCoach!Simpson!Reader) UPCOMING

Muscle Memory (Mickey Garcia x SportsReporter!Reader) UPCOMING

Character’s Ages in the SDD Universe

The SDD Universe in Chronological Order

Important note: I’ve been made aware of the accidental similarities between this AU and “On the Ice” by @cassiemitchell and we’ve talked things out, please go check out her AU for more TGM hockey content! We’ll be working together from here on out to keep similarities from escalating

This AU was inspired by talented authors like Emily Rath and her series “Pucking Around” and Becka Mack and her “Consider Me” series just to name a few. They’re amazing authors and I would recommend their books for anyone wanting more hockey romance goodness

~~~~~~~

Ruthie’s Ice Hockey 101

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My work cross-posted on AO3

~~~~~~~

A/N: A first look at the Dogfighters team roster!! I’ll be revealing the players one by one and potentially also going into details for members of staff that I’ve already announced! As for a logo and/or mascot I’m gonna need more time to figure those out because I’m not an artist by any means but I’d love to design both of those.

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wdbhgrry · 20 days

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my top gun headcannons!

1. every sunday, the entire ‘86 group and the daggers have supper at ice and mavs, and without fail slider always manages to show up an hour late

2. growing up, whenever bradley was sick, he would crawl into ice and mavs bed and fall asleep with ices hand rubbing his back

3. mav invited the daggers to a barbecue at his and ices house, but only said his house. this is how they all found out that not only was he married or bisexual, but that he was married to the compacflt

4. the first time ice met phoenix, he took one look at her and said “maverick, are you sure she isn’t yours?”

5. ice and carole were super close, and would have constant “maverick” talks (a book club, but instead of a book it’s maverick they’re discussing)

6. penny and phoenix are super close, and she often helps out behind the bar whenever it gets too busy and penny can’t keep up

7. bradley calls penny “aunt pen” and she would constantly bail him out of trouble at school when he was a teenager (this is for my inner penny stan)

8. maverick was the one who taught bradley how to play piano, even though everyone assumes it was ice

9. in ice and mavs house, they have a wall that’s just photos of everyone

#top gun maverick #top gun #tom iceman kazansky #pete maverick mitchell #natasha phoenix trace #bradley rooster bradshaw #jake hangman seresin #penny benjamin #val kilmer #tom cruise #monica barbaro #miles teller #glen powell #jennifer connelly #headcanon

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callsignmav · 8 months

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What do you think?

#icemav #pete maverick mitchell #tom iceman kazansky #penny benjamin #tom cruise #val kilmer #jennifer conelly #top gun #top gun: maverick #has this been done yet?#no hate to penny; just a meme #penny my love

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natashatrace · 11 months

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TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Penny, this is different.

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roguefankc · 5 months

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It's Flu Season! And because Maverick would be the biggest baby if he got sick...

(Penny, Wolfman, Slider, Merlin, and Hollywood run though the front door of Iceman and Maverick house, with Iceman tiredly sitting on the couch in the living room)

Wolfman: Ice?! what's wrong?! We all got your message that you needed help!

Iceman: It's awful! The whole house is sick! First Hangman came down with the flu, then Phoenix, then Rooster, then Payback, and then all the rest of the Dagger Squad! I was running a sick ward all weekend!

Merlin:...wait, why isn't Maverick helping you?

Iceman (flatly): Because then came Monday...

(Maverick comes out in his bathrobe, hair tousled, pale, clammy, and half-asleep and in his hands a bottle of pills)

Maverick (whining): Ice, honey? Can you open the aspirin for me?

---

(The whole 80s Top Gun team and Penny stay to help Iceman run the house and take care of Maverick and the Dagger Squad)

(Maverick is in bed, weakly ringing a bell)

Maverick (ringing the bell): Slider...

Slider (in the next room helping Coyote): Give me a minute.

Maverick (ringing the bell): Slider...

Slider (in the next room): I said I'm coming!

Maverick (ringing the bell): Slider...

(Slider rushes into Maverick's bedroom in a panic): What?! What?! What?!

Maverick (weakly): My pillow needs poofing.

Slider (eye twitching):...Mitchell, I don't think you want to put a pillow in my hands right now.

---

(Maverick is in bed, whining and gasping for breath)

Maverick (weakly): I'm dying, Hollywood. I'm giving up the ghost. Every cell in my being is crying out in anguish. It was a good life while it lasted, but this is it. Hello, Grim Reaper.

Hollywood (with a bottle of cough syrup and a spoon in his hands): Cut the bullshit. The medicine doesn't taste that bad.

Maverick (weakly):...Goose? Dad? Carol? Is that you?

---

(Maverick is in his bathrobe, still sick, and in Iceman's home office while Iceman is frantically typing away on his keyboard)

Maverick: Ice, sweetie? Can you heat up some chicken soup for me?

Iceman (stressed): Mav, sorry but I'm really busy right now! I need to approve this contract in twenty minutes! Can't you just fend for yourself?

Maverick (whining): But I'm sick, honey...

Iceman: Mav, for fuck's sake, we're not talking brain surgery! All you have to do is open a stupid can and dump it in a pot!

(Maverick disappears into the kitchen and then come back a minute later. In his hands is a pot, and in the pot is a can of chicken soup. The can is open but the contents of the soup are still inside the can)

Maverick: Now what?

Iceman:...now, we talk brain surgery.

---

(Maverick stumbles in the kitchen where Penny, Wolfman, and Merlin are making soup and orange juice for all the Dagger Squad)

Maverick: Is it time for my aspirin yet?

Wolfman: No, Mitchell.

Maverick: But my throat hurts...

Merlin: Maverick, go back to bed. It hasn't been four hours yet.

Maverick: But my head hurts! My joints hurt! My eyes hurt! My body hurts! (in a baby voice) My itty bitty widdle pinkies hurt!

(Penny sighs and opens the aspirin bottle)

Maverick (smirks): I knew I'd win with that one.

Penny: These aren't for you.

(Penny gives two pills to herself, Merlin, and Wolfman and they all gulp them down immediately)

---

(BONUS)

(Cyclone is back at headquarters in his office, feet on his desk with a small glass of bourbon)

Cyclone (smiling): What a peaceful, quiet day.

#incorrect top gun quotes #incorrect top gun maverick quotes #tom iceman kazansky #top gun maverick #incorrect top gun #Leonard Wolfman Wolfe #Ron Slider Kerner #Sam Merlin Wells #Rick Hollywood Neven #Penny Benjamin #source: foxtrot #pete maverick mitchell #maverick would be the biggest baby #phoenix is threating to kick hangman's ass for infecting her #beau cyclone simpson #top gun 1986 #icemav

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whatelsecanwedonow · 1 year

Photo

JENNIFER CONNELLY as Penelope "Penny" Benjamin Top Gun: Maverick (2022) dir. Joseph Kosinski

#userrobin #filmedit #m!lfsource #filmgifs #dailyflicks #userbbelchers #user-stream #Top Gun #Top Gun: Maverick #Penny Benjamin #Jennifer Connelly #mine*#god

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callsign-fangirl · 2 years

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Top gun: Maverick as text pt 2

Pt 1

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doodledraw · 22 days

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since Ao3 is down I'll postpone the posting of my fic until later, so for now might I interest anyone in the Penny and Amelia piece I drew for @topgunzine ? It was an absolute treat to moderate and create for this zine, please keep an eye out for the launch of leftover sales!

#my art #penny benjamin #amelia benjamin #top gun fanart #top gun maverick #digital art #fanart #doodledrawsart #procreate #top gun maverick fanart #the hard deck #callsigns top gun zine #callsignszine #zine piece #top gun zine #callsigns zine #top gun penny #top gun amelia

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mamsieur · 6 months

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Evil Twin | Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Floyd!Reader

Summary : Who would have guessed that sweet and discreet Bob had a twin sister who was his opposite ? Not the Dagger Squad, that's for sure.

TW : mention of past abuse, mention of abusive relationship, mention of alcohol, mention of sex, angst and fluff, angst with happy ending

Length : 6980 words

AN : Bob is the sweetest and I'm sure he's an overprotective brother.

posted on AO3 July 22, 2023

You were the quintessential of the pop-rock star. You had a lot of problems with the press, both concerning your love life and the setbacks of your ex-band.

The first problem was that you were often seen leaving hotels with different partners : the press loved that you didn't settle down and always made a big deal out of it. You didn't really care, you knew the tabloids always twisted the truth just to sell more garbage. What bothered you was that your mom kept calling you about it, wondering why you couldn't be discreet and serious, have a normal job like your twin; the perfect little Robby, pride and joy of the family. He was in the navy, serving the country, and your father liked to remind you that Robert was doing something useful, something great. Yet, you didn't care what the public and your family thought of you. You just wanted to play your songs, have fun on stage and in the studio. It was your cop-out after some traumatic experiences you went through in high school.

As for your problems with the band, it was a different kettle of fish.

You were the lead vocalist and guitarist. You loved being on stage, it made you feel powerful, in control. You were backed by three talented but lazy guys about your age. It was your agent's idea to put you in charge of them. And what a great idea. At first it was fun, you had a good time. But as time went by, their excesses slowed down your rise in the charts. And they wasted all their time, energy and money on the wrong things. Every day, the press had a scoop about them doing something illegal or immoral. The last one on their list was being seen exiting a bar with underage fans.

Those recent events forced your label to give you a choice; either the whole group was fired or you could continue as a solo artist; your producer and staff knew that you weren't really a troublemaker, so it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for you. You didn't even hesitate to sign your new contract ; and that led to a new scandal in the press, creating false drama between you and your ex mates. But as much as you were determined to make a name for yourself, you also needed a break from all the “scandal” that was going on. You made a deal with your producer and new agent: you had one month to come up with at least two singles, while you could go anywhere you wanted to find inspiration and relax.

And what could be more relaxing than the seaside ? The beach, the sun, the salty air, the feeling of being in an eternal summer ? It was perfect. You booked your flight to San Diego and rented a small beach house on Airbnb. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, maybe running into your twin brother at the local bar.

The Hard Deck seemed like a pretty chill place and the owner, Penny, was really nice. You spent some evenings there, trying to come up with some lyrics over a Coke. She was curious and you were happy to share what you were working on, even though you hadn't made any progress. She had that reassuring aura, and talking with her was like talking to an old friend that you knew all your life. She was genuinely interested in what you had to share, and gave you some advice when she could. She also was curious to hear your voice and tried a few times to get you at the piano. You refused politely each time, feeling strangely shy.

It took you a week and a half to work up the courage to go to that piano.

The bar was rather empty, which was unusual for a Saturday night but made it easier for you to convince yourself that it was okay. You discreetly started to warm up your voice and started a version of Your Song - Penny confessed to you it was one of her favorite songs.

In a corner of the bar, by the pool table, a group of pilots were surprised to hear the piano playing at this hour. "Looks like someone stole your seat, Bradshaw," a tall blond man sneered. "Looks like it, Seresin." Bradley raised an eyebrow and leaned over to see who had taken his place at the piano. The others gently urged him to join them; after all, he was the musician among the squad. He pretended to be annoyed by their request and joined you for the last chorus. You were surprised, but smiled quietly and finished your "performance" with him. You made room for him on the little bench, and with a look of approval, you moved on to another song of his choice: Ain't no mountain higher . The patrons of the bar, who had become more numerous, were delighted to have a private mini-concert. Some of them started to dance, others joined in singing. It was a fun experience.

After the end of the song, you smiled and shook the hand of your partner of a moment and let him enjoy the piano by himself. You made your way back to your stool and asked Penny for a glass of water. You felt a presence next to you and turned a little to see who was there. You easily guessed it was a navy man ; the uniform - talk about obvious -, the perfectly styled hair. You grinned at the tall blond man in front of you.

“So, does that pretty voice have a name ?” asked Jake with a smirk. You rolled your eyes at his flirtatious tone and his pushed Texan accent. “Well yes actually, I’m-” “Y/N ?” You frowned, immediately recognizing the voice that had spoken your name. You easily spotted his surprised face among the other navy people that were close to you and Jake. "Robert?" "Don't tell me you're his girlfriend..." "What? No!" you shouted at the same time, making a few of the others giggle. "Gross!" you pretended to vomit. "She's my sister, Hangman," Bob sighed. "Twin sister, to be exact," you precised.

You couldn't help but giggle at the shocked looks on the faces of who you assumed were his colleagues. He was suddenly flooded with questions, and you enjoyed watching him turn redder and redder. Then they focused on you. "You two don't look alike at all," Reuben said, scanning you in detail. You rolled your eyes and smiled, leaning against your brother as you poked his side. "Robert took the height and brains, I took the charm and talent."

Your brother sighed and ran his hand over his neck, slightly embarrassed. His teammates were happy to meet you, especially happy to annoy Bob, and Natasha seemed to realize something. "Your voice sounds familiar... I've heard it somewhere before... in a band, right?" " Nemesis ," you smiled and nodded, mentioning your old band, "but I'm solo now. Kept the stage name though." "Quite a few scandals with that band..." your twin mumbled. You decided not to pay attention to him. Like your parents, Robert had never understood your career choice, arguing that you were brilliant at school and could have done anything else. Of course you were pretty intelligent but you had fallen in love with music as an outlet for your pain. But your family didn’t seem to accept your way of coping with your traumas.

The rest of the evening went off without a hitch. You got to know your brother's second family. They all had their own personalities, but that's what made them so endearing. Jake invited you to join them the next day, since it was their day off and they wanted to relax at the beach. You gladly accepted.

Robert didn't say much to you, the atmosphere between you was cold and tense. Natasha noticed it, so she joined her WSO to chat. "What's wrong, Bob? Your sister seems nice and yet you're here, not saying anything to her." He sighed a little as he watched you chatting and having fun with the others. "I'm worried about her," he confessed, "she… she hides herself in that personna… that Nemesis …” “Aren't all artists ? I mean, they wouldn't take a stage name otherwise.” “I guess… but I’m scared she’s losing herself…” he said softly, glancing at you. He grumbled when he noticed that Jake was flirting with you; and you didn't seem to refuse his advances either. Natasha let out a soft “damn” when Jake slid his arm around you and Bob almost jumped off his seat, mumbling an irritated “that’s it”.

You felt a strong hand gripping your wrist and you were drawn out of Jake’s embrace and out the bar. “The hell Robby ?” you scoffed once outside, “I was in the middle of a conversation !” “No you weren’t, you were flirting ! With one of my teammates !” “First off, he initiated it ! And second, in what world is that your business ? We’re grown ups, I can handle some flirting !” “Well, first off , you’re my sister and second , Hangman is… he’s not the type to settle down !” he tried to explain himself but you just rolled your eyes. “Oh my god, you sound just like dad ! Why should I settle down ? I’m having fun, I’m happy that way !” You pinched the bridge of your nose, annoyed. “Stop trying to father me, I’m doing fine since I left !” “Yeah, you seem real good in the local news,” he mumbles, putting his hands in his pockets. He didn't even look at you as he said those words. You hated it when he did that, always half-assing his thoughts. You couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh, tilting your head back. “And now you sound like mom. I can handle my life just fine Robert. I don’t need your concern, let alone your judgment ! I’ve never been better, ok ? Leave me the fuck alone !”

You were lying. You both knew that. He could read into you so easily, it made you sick. Call it ‘twin magic’ or ‘sibling intuition’, you still hated the way his blue eyes looked at you with worry and questions in them, knowing all too well that you were not fine.

You passed him, going back to the bar to get your stuff and pay Penny. Out of spit - and mostly because you wanted to - you handed your number to Jake and left with a smirk. You could hear the squad gently hassle Hangman who proudly showed off the piece of paper you gave him.

A little fun won’t kill you, would it ?

The next day, you joined the Dagger squad on the beach, near the Hard Deck.

They were playing a strange football game ; dogfight football , attack and defense at the same time, Natasha explained to you. You watched their first round and second, it seemed fun. At least, Bob seemed to have fun. You remembered he was not a teamsport guy younger. He actually hated the fact that your dad made him go to the tryouts for the football team in high school. To his misfortune, he got in. You smiled and sighed remembering those days. Sometimes, you missed the time you were close to your twin, when you could tell him everything, before it all fell apart in junior year. A cold shiver ran down your spine while you thought back about it. Your life changed so much at that time, you didn’t like to remember it.

Crouching in front of you, Jake snapped you out of your reverie. “Hey there darlin, care to join us ? We’ll be gentle, promise.” he said with a playful grin. You arched an eyebrow and sneered. “Oh please, don’t be, I can handle it.” He laughed and helped you up. You were put in his team against Natasha, Bob, Bradley and Reuben. You were - to your own surprise - pretty fast and efficient. Javy and Jake joked around saying that being stealth had to be running in the family.

You really had fun, even laughing with your brother. You didn’t know who won but you scored the last point of the game, and Jake put you on his shoulders to celebrate before tossing you in the water. “You’re a dead man, Seresin !” you shouted, before laughing. Robert helped you out the water and gave you a towel without a word. You silently thanked him and you all took a water break while deciding what to eat.

Reuben and Mickey volunteered to go get the pizzas and while they did, Natasha proposed a volleyball match. She decided that Bob and you would be in her team and you smiled. Bob couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle ; the two of you loved that sport when you were kids. When you went to your grandma's house for the holidays, you used to play against your cousins. Of course, you kicked their ass. They called you the Evil Twins. Once your heads were in the game, you were unstoppable. And Bradley, Jake and Javy would soon understand why you and Bob were so happy to be on the same team.

The two of you didn’t even need to talk to understand the next move of the other. Even Natasha didn’t really understand what was happening. You won the first, then second, then third match. You laughed at the exasperation of Jake and Javy, Bradley on the other hand was just tired of running around. He quit with Natasha, leaving Jake and Javy to find a strategy to strike Bob and you down. “Like the old times huh ?” your twin smiled, giving you a bottle of water. You returned the smile and nodded. “Let’s show them. Evil Twins ?” “Evil Twins.” He clapped his hands with yours with a grin. Oh, the other two weren't ready for the beating they were about to get.

Javy called it quits after the third set. They lost them all and he was getting tired. Jake was pouting while you jumped on your brother’s back. “Evil Twins for the win !” Natasha laughed. You giggled, while Robert ran around like a doofus, you on his back, taunting Jake. "Don't tease him too much, you know he's a sore loser!" sneered Bradley. "Nonsense!" sulked Jake, "I always accept my defeats, except they never happen.” The rest of the team rolled their eyes, both annoyed and amused.

Reuben and Mickey returned with the pizzas, and the rest of the afternoon was less athletic. Some went for a swim, others played cards in the shade of an umbrella. You chatted peacefully with Natasha and Jake, Robert never too far away. Strangely enough, you were glad he stayed close. Sometimes he would join in the conversation, but he remained Bob, preferring to watch and listen rather than talk. It was a nice afternoon, you felt like a teenager on holiday with a bunch of friends. Bradley and Javy started a water fight by grabbing Bob and throwing him in the water. You and Natasha ran at the boys to avenge him and one thing led to another and you all ended up in the water, friendly fighting each other.

The sun slowly got low, the afternoon ending peacefully. You stayed at the bar with the squad, learning more about each one, more about your brother’s ‘new’ life. They told you about their life on base and about the bird strike that Natasha and Bob had suffered from. You scolded your twin because he never told you about it. He defended himself by saying that it was not that big of a deal, but by the looks on the others' faces, you knew he lied.

Part of you was jealous of him. You both left home around the same time, and he seemed so happy now, away from your parents and their intrusive presence, away from your father's demoralizing, degrading and demotivating comments. You couldn't understand how he could be doing so well when you were struggling to find yourself, to be happy. This question echoed in your head and made you feel too much in the room. You excused yourself and went outside for some fresh air. You were pale and shaking, and anxiety was getting the better of you. You tried to ease your breathing and closed your eyes to focus on the sound of the waves in front of you. You could hear the laughter and indescribable conversations in the distance, mingled with the music and singing. It was somewhat peaceful and yet you couldn't calm the flood of painful memories that invaded your mind. Every laugh reminded you of your ex's, every burst of voice a little too loud made you cower. You didn't want to think about it anymore. You wanted to forget everything. You just wanted it to stop. It had to stop. You had to get away from it all. You had to-

“Y/N ? Are you ok ?”

Your brother's gentle voice made everything disappear. You felt yourself breathe again. But you knew it would only be temporary ; because seeing him worried would make you weak and anxious again. You took a deep, shaky breath before turning to him. You tried to hide the tremble of your voice, and put on a fake smile. "It's okay... I... I have to go home. Thanks for today, it was fun!" You passed him in a hurry, still pale and scrapie.

He sighed and bit his lip before summoning his courage. "What are you running from? You... you looked like you were fine, and then all of a sudden you're running away. " "Robby, please-" "What happened?" "Nothing, I-" "Did someone say something?" "No! I just-" "Did I say or do something wrong? Tell me!" "Then let me talk for god’s sake !" you clenched your fists then sighed. "You didn't do anything wrong, Robby. It's just that... I can't..." your voice cracked a little and you leaned your head back to hold back your tears. Bob's head tilted in concern and he stepped towards you. "Can't what? You can't do what?"

You didn't answer, shaking your head. You couldn't put into words the confusion you felt. You searched for words and began to pace back and forth. "Can't do what Y/N?" Robert insisted gently. "I... fuck... fuck."

Your voice and your whole body were shaking. It was getting harder and harder to hold back the tears. How could you tell your brother that you envied him and hated that feeling ? How could you envy him for building his life, a life filled with healthy loved ones that were there for him? How could you hold a grudge when he was the one who got you out of your abusive relationship at the risk of his acceptance into the naval academy ?

He took another step towards you, reaching for your hand, but you stepped back. "Hey, come on, tell me-" "I can't get over it, okay?! I-I can't figure out how and why you managed to grow up and I'm stuck at 17! Why do I always feel like I'm in pieces, alone, like he 's still running my life, like he 's always there, over my shoulder, no matter what I do?" "Y/N... it wasn't your fault-" "I know!!! I fucking know it wasn't my fault!!” you cut him, almost screaming, “I know he 's the one who did this to me, who pretended to love me, who beat the shit out of me and abused me every single day for months! I know all of that ! Then why am I still stuck there ? Why am I the one still struggling?! Why am I the one who feels like a complete failure ? Why can't I let it go?!" your bottom lip was trembling as tears rolled down your face. “Why can’t I just move on ? Why do I always hear dad saying ‘told you so’ or mom sighing every time I mess up ? Why don’t they ever want to talk about what happened but they urge me to just forget about it ?! Why don't they support me ? Why don’t you ?!”

You gasped, trying to catch your breath, before you whimpered and cried like a baby. Bob stood still for a moment before pulling you into his arms and hugging you. He suspected that the events of your past were still haunting you, but not to this extent. And you felt that he didn't support you... he felt like shit. How could he neglect your feelings so much, how could he act the way he blamed your parents? He let you cry against him for a long moment, swallowing his discomfort. He was the one to blame, and he had to focus on you. "I... I'm sorry, Y/N. I... I didn't realize that my behavior was hurting you… I'm just worried, and I didn't show it the right way. I'm an idiot." "A big idiot," you mumbled, sniffling. "Yes, a big idiot. And I'd really like you to let me help you. We... We have contacts with some really good therapists for post-traumatic stress and stuff... I could give you their numbers?" You just nodded, your tears finally stopping. "I'm sorry I yelled at you..." you mumbled. Bob smiled and pinched your side. "Don't be, I deserved it. I’m sorry I tried to interfere between you and Hangman…" “He’s actually a sweet guy behind his smug facade, y'know ?” you smiled and chuckled to his falsely doubtful face and the little 'meh' he let out.

As promised, Bob put you in touch with the therapists he'd told you about, and negotiated a longer return period with your agency. You had a full month and a half more. You started to really work on the singles, and your sessions with the therapist were helping. You knew you'd have to keep seeing one when you got home. But going wasn’t something you wanted to think about. As the days went by, you didn't want to leave San Diego. Your brother and the Dagger Squad were stationed here permanently, and you needed him in your life.

Him and Jake.

You always thought that the two of you were just a fling, that you or he would get tired of it and move on. But neither of you did. You spent more and more time with him, he'd crash at your Airbnb - uninvited - every now and then with a movie or dinner. The more time you spent with him, the more you fell for him and you didn't want it to end as a one-night stand, you knew that much.

As you got to dig beneath his proud, cocky, arrogant facade, you discovered a gentle man full of insecurities. He talked about his father, who was not exactly the ideal role model and the fact that he didn’t have the best of relations with him. He talked about his mama, and with the look he had in his eyes, you knew he worshiped the woman ; based on what he shared, you figured Mrs Seresin was more than strong and dedicated to her children. He told you about his sisters, both of them a couple of years older than him, and his nieces and nephews. He loved the munchkins - his terms, not yours - and you saw in his eyes how much he meant it. They were his whole world, but he’d never admit it.

You tried to take your time with him but he had a strange effect on you ; you found yourself opening up to him, faster than you thought. You'd never told anyone about your abusive relationship - except Robert. And Jake had listened to you without judgment or interruption. He sat there, ready to absorb any information you wanted and were able to share.

So you were torn between your desire to get back to the recording studio in New York, to get back to work, and your desire to stay in the peaceful everyday life you'd created in just a few weeks. You had to go back. You had obligations to keep. Maybe after you fulfilled your part of the contract, you could negotiate and come back to San Diego? This thought was the only thing that kept you working hard. You succeeded in writing three more singles than the agreed two. You were quite pleased with yourself.

And sooner than you realized, you had to go back to New York.

Natasha, with the help of the rest of the team, had organized a little surprise going-away party at the Hard Deck. Penny was in on the secret and had given them the bar to themselves. You loved the surprise and the evening was unforgettable. Bradley had insisted on karaoke, and you dragged your twin along. Robert rolled his eyes, but played along. You had the time of your life and enjoyed every second of this last night with your new friends. They made you promise to call them whenever you could, to think of them and to come back as soon as possible. They took you home and spent a few more hours with you before letting you rest. But just when you thought everyone was gone, you found Jake on the couch, waiting for you. You felt butterflies in your stomach as you saw him there, his eyes anchored in yours. You detailed his face, as if to remember it after you'd left; his slightly wavy blond hair, those beautiful green eyes, his perfect jawline, his cocky smile. That damn smile that made you weak in the knees like a teenager. God, you hated that smile as much as you loved it.

"Enjoying the view?"

You didn't realize that he had stood up and was now so close to you. A deep blush spread across your cheeks and yet you couldn't take your eyes off him, your gaze locked with his. You bit your lip and grinned. "So what if I am, big boy?" you teased. He huffed, amused, and his hand slowly reached for yours, your knuckles brushing. His other hand reached for your cheek, his thumb stroking it tenderly. You leaned into his touch, feeling yourself melt under his gaze. He said nothing, his eyes never leaving you. "What?" you whispered, your heart beating a little faster. "That's how I want to remember you." "Like what? Tipsy and tired?" you laughed a little. "Na. Happy... relaxed... you look beautiful." Jake whispered back, his cheeks taking on a rosy hue. Your stomach fluttered and you found the courage to interlock his fingers with yours. "Sounds like I have you under my siren's spell, Lieutenant..." you teased, biting your lip. "You certainly do, ma'am," he whispered again, the gap between the two of you only a few inches. You felt your confidence slip from your fingers, your eyes on his lips.

"Kiss me..."

It's an almost inaudible beg that escaped you, and you didn't even have time to be embarrassed that you felt him on your lips. The kiss was sweet, tender. You squeezed his hand into yours, and his free one slid around your waist, holding you close. You wanted the kiss to last forever. With amazing ease, Jake lifted you against him, his hands going under your thighs. You wrapped your legs around his waist and your arms around his neck. He carried you into the bedroom, his lips exploring yours, your jaw, your neck and your collarbone. Your fingers brushed through his soft hair and soon you felt your back against the mattress. Your clothes ended up chaotically thrown around the room as you undressed and kissed each other. The moon gave you just enough light to never lose sight of him. His eyes devoured you before his hands discovered your body. He asked you if you were okay every step of the way, and you never thought being asked for consent could be so arousing.

That night was the best sex you've ever had. It was slow and tender at first, and when you were both comfortable enough, it got rougher, in a good way. You fell asleep curled up against him, rocked by his heartbeat.

The next morning you woke up alone in bed. Jake left a note on the nightstand, saying he had to go to work early. "Call me when you can, have a safe flight. PS: Gonna miss you. PPS: If anything happens to you on the flight, I'll hunt the pilot." You chuckled and tucked the post-it into your notebook. You quickly got ready and Robert took you to the airport.

The ride was rather quiet, neither of you wanting to be separated again. He helped you with your luggage and waited with you until you finally had to go. You hugged him tightly and thanked him for the past weeks. "Call me when you get there, okay? And don't forget to hydrate. And eat. And..." "Ok Dad," you joked with a smile, "I'll call you, don't worry. Love you, Robby." "I love you too. Be safe."

8 months.

You have been stuck in New York for 8 long months. You did a lot though. A new album, some concerts, some interviews and photo shoots. The 'scandals' in the press disappeared and the journalists finally focused more on your songs. You video called the Daggers as much as you could - almost every day - and texted a lot with your brother, reassuring him that you continued to see a therapist and that you were doing well under the stress. But the one you called and texted the most was Jake. Every day you had a sweet good morning text, and every night you had an equally sweet good night text.

You missed him.

You missed them all, of course. But Jake Seresin was under your skin. And as hard as it was to admit, you loved him. You couldn't wait to see him again. Of course, no one knew you were together. Natasha seemed to have doubts, and sometimes Bob was somewhat suspicious too but as long as they didn’t ask you didn’t say anything.

8 months of hard work and your agent agreed to let you go to San Diego as he made an arrangement between a recording studio and your label. You told no one but Penny. You wanted to surprise the team. You had one last show to do in New York and then you would catch your flight to California.

Before the concert, you called your brother, knowing that he would probably be at the Hard Deck with the others, since it was almost 7:00 p.m there. As soon as he answered, you could hear the team around him. "Wow, look at you Nemesis! You look great!" Natasha said, smiling broadly. You laughed and thanked her when you heard the other whistle and complimented you. "Not too stressed?" Bob asked as the others calmed down. "Well, it's the last show for at least six weeks. I’ll try to make it fun!" "Of course you will," said a voice you recognized immediately. "Hangman, you look good," you teased as you saw him appear on the screen. You noticed the slight blush on his cheeks as he spotted you in your dress and makeup. He didn't have time to reply that you had to go on stage. "Ok bye guys, gotta go, love you!" you hung up and had time to see a text message on your phone : 'You better keep that dress'. You smiled. You may have fallen in love with Jake, but you also knew you had him wrapped around your finger.

The show went smoothly, and after a celebratory dinner with your team, you went back to your soon-to-be-outdated apartment. All your things were packed and ready to go. You couldn't wait to move to San Diego. Your flight was at 3 pm in New York and you were scheduled to land in California at 6 pm. Bless the time zone difference, if you were lucky, you could get to the Hard Deck before the team and wait for them.

But since nothing ever goes exactly according to plan, your flight was an hour late. That wasn't too bad, you could still surprise them, you just had to change the way. You contacted Penny and asked her if she could manage to distract them. She agreed and gave you permission to use the back door to be more discreet when you entered. Your excitement was through the roof, you felt like a child on Christmas Day. By the time your cab reached the bar, your heart was pounding in your chest. You couldn't believe you were finally there, finally where you felt at home. But you had to be reunited with those you considered family to feel completely at home. You almost ran to the back door of the bar, re-reading the instructions Penny had sent you: she'd distract the Daggers by asking them to bring back some heavy beer packs and other beverages, and you could hide discreetly by the pool table.

The perfect plan.

You did as she said, a smile forming on your lips as you heard your friends in the distance. You were stressed, but not in an anxious way, you just couldn't wait. You picked up a pool cue to keep your hands busy. When you finally heard them coming, you bit the inside of your cheek to keep from screaming ‘surprise!’. The first person to spot you was Mickey. His eyes widened and he stopped dead in his tracks, almost tripping Reuben, Natasha and Javy. They didn't have time to grumble before Mickey pointed at you, speechless. A small laugh escaped you as they froze in front of you, one after the other. Only Jake, Bradley and Robert were missing. Bradley and your twin were chatting, a little bit behind, and you soon heard Robert's voice.

"Are you guys okay? You look like you've seen a ghost..." His voice became almost inaudible at the end of his sentence, as he realized they were all staring at you. You smiled at them and tilted your head. "Are we playing, or are you afraid of losing?" you asked with a bit of a laugh. Natasha couldn't hold back her laughter and almost ran to hug you. "It's good to see you again, Mini Floyd."

The others came right after to greet you, hugging you and sometimes lifting you off the ground. You laughed, happy to see them again. Your twin was still frozen, not believing his eyes. You scooted up to him and pinched his cheeks. "Good evening Robby, did you-" You didn't even have time to finish your sentence before he pulled you into his arms. You smiled and hugged him as tightly as you could, small tears of joy escaping from both of you. "It's good to see you," he finally said, "Missed your stupid face.” "Oh I know you did, you can't live without me dearest brother !" you chuckled. You caught up with everyone, admitting that you were on a break, but not telling them that you were here for good. You wanted everyone to be here to make that announcement but someone was missing.

You paid for your round of beers - and sparkling water for Bob - and went looking for Jake. Why wasn't he here? Penny grinned as she noticed the look on your face. "Don't worry Y/N, he's just on the phone with his sister. One of his nephews' birthdays, I think." "Thanks Pen- Wait, what are you-" "I know everything dear, he talks too much for his own good if you ask the good questions." "How did you find out?" you whispered, making sure no one was listening. "Well, it wasn't really hard. Some of your interviews or shows have been aired," she pointed at the old TV, "and the calls you made ; he just had that look in his eyes. I can tell when a man is head over heels. He certainly is."

You blinked and shook your head in disbelief. Of course she'd guessed; Penny knew the squadron like her own children. She chuckled and handed you another beer. “Go surprise him.” You smiled and nodded, heading to the front door. Your heart fluttered when you finally heard Jake’s voice. It was hushed but you could feel his smile through his soft laughter. You waited for him to end his call, still hidden by the door. You bit back a chuckle when you heard him saying goodbye to the kids with a baby voice. It was ridiculously adorable.

“Hello stranger, does that pretty voice have a name ? ”

He was a bit startled and turned to you hastily, not believing his ears. A surprised expression appeared on his face, but a flirtatious smile quickly took its place. "That's my line, baby." "Oh really? Supposed I forgot," You grinned proudly and took a step towards him, "Did ya miss me, big boy?" He grinned and grabbed your waist, sending a sweet shiver down your spine. "Not as much as you missed me." You rolled your eyes in amusement and set the beer you had brought him aside. You took a moment to just drown in his green eyes, the light of the sunset making them look surreal. How could he be so handsome ?

He was quite speechless to have you here, it made you smile. Jake was always so talkative, it was strange to have him so quiet around you. "Cat got your tongue, Seresin?" He chuckled and stroked your cheek. "Why don't you check?" You smiled and finally kissed him. You had waited 8 months for this feeling and it was just so good. His soft lips against yours, his strong hands on your waist, fingers digging lightly into your flesh. You put your hands on his neck, parted your lips to let his tongue reach for yours. One of his hands slid up to cup your cheek and you leaned into his touch as the kiss ended. "I have to admit, I missed that," he whispered with a grin, his forehead pressed gently against yours. You huffed and rolled your eyes, "Told you I had you under my spell." He laughed and kissed the nape of your neck, holding you close. You smiled and stroked his hair before stepping back. "Let's join the team before ‘Tasha gets suspicious."

You took his hand and headed inside, eager to tell your friends the big news.

You missed the atmosphere of the Hard Deck. The soft songs from the jukebox, the always nice patrons, your favorite people at the pool table or playing darts... everything was so comforting. Your smile widened when you reached the Daggers, dragging Jake with you. "Look who I found outside," you teased, "good old Hangman.” "Ah, you should have let him out," Bradley sneered, sipping his beer. “Real funny Bradshaw, I know you already missed me.”

You let the two men fight like two children and when you noticed Natasha's eyes on your hand in Jake's, you blushed a little. She grinned and whispered something to Reuben. You could read a little 'damn it !' on his lips as he frowned. "Okay guys, Javy and I won! The bet is over!" "What? No!" Bradley was outraged. He grumbled and handed Natasha a bill. "Wait a minute, what bet?" your twin asked. "Well, my dear Bob, it seems that our little Jake and your sister... are together." You blushed and wanted to hide, not knowing how your brother would react. Jake was already arguing with Javy, telling him he was a traitor for betting on it, since he had confided in him on the subject.

"Oh, I've known for a while," Robert said simply with a smile. "What?!" you huffed, letting go of your boyfriend's hand to face your twin. "What do you mean you knew?" "Well, for starters, Jake stayed with you the night before you went back to New York. And you hid the hickey he left on your neck badly. Then I got suspicious when every time we ended our video calls, he got one in the next two minutes; and he's not the most discreet when he's on the phone. But I knew it when he bought that really nice necklace and asked me, of all people, for advice. A week later you were wearing it. So yeah, I knew," he shrugged with a smile, laughing a little at your expression. "What? I just thought that neither of you were ready to tell anyone? But you seem happy so it's okay."

You were surprised. You didn't think he'd take it so well, but you weren't going to complain.

So the evening began with a secret revealed. You didn't hesitate to stay close to Jake, even ending up on his lap when the bar was full. You listened to their adventures from the last few months - at least what they were allowed to share. It was good to be with them again, to find that comfort. After Mickey bought his round, he turned to you. "Well, let's ask the burning question: how long are you staying?" "To tell you the truth... I'm not leaving. I'm moving into my little house 10 minutes from here tomorrow," you smiled. "And you didn't tell me?!" said Jake and Bob at the same time, making them blush under the laughter of the others. "I wanted to surprise you! I've got a new deal with my label, so I can stay here." "Cheers to that! To the definitive return of Y/N Nemesis Floyd," Bradley decreed, raising his beer.

You all laughed and toasted each other, happy with the news.

All was finally well.

You had finally found your place, and you wouldn't change it for the world.

#top gun maverick #top gun imagine #post movie top gun maverick #twin brother!bob floyd #robert floyd #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin #bradley bradshaw #natasha trace #penny benjamin #javy machado #mickey garcia #reuben fitch #pov second person #angst with a happy ending

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mintcaramelhazel · 1 year

Text

Legend says that for a brief period of time, Penny had a TV at the Hard Deck.

She installed it because Sarah suggested it as Admiral Tom Kazansky was going to appear at Congress and they were going to televise the intervention.

It was very convenient because Mav was gone with Ice and the Dagger Squad was left behind sad. They were hoping to support his new dad, but the Navy need them in Miramar. And, somehow, Warlock convinced Cyclone to give them some time off to follow Icemans intervention.

So, the Dagger Squad found themselves w Solomon and Beau (bc they were out in the wild and not at work) watching how the congress “worked” and admiring the pose and grace of their Admiral.

Until...

Well, it wasn't exactly Bradley's fault, and neither was Jake’s. But one thing led to another and there was some competition involved and some backhanded comments about some members of Congress and...

They took a shot every time that:

Any member of congress asked a stupid question

Iceman made any person rethink what they were going to say with just a glare

Make someone stutter, etc

There were more rules but thirty minutes in they had to amend the list as they were getting too wasted and Cyclone was threatening to fight personally anyone who dared to disrespect his Admiral.

By the time the intervention finished, Penny had cut them the alcohol and she was threatening to ban the entrance to her local. Cyclone had to take care of the bill. Warlock tried to charm Penny to get them of the hook and the daggers...

They never had a clear idea of how they managed to get back to their accommodations. But Amelia got richer that day, taking advantage of her new driver's licence and Bradley’s Bronco to drive off the affected aviators.

The TV disappeared after that and nobody questioned it.

#top gun #drinking games top gun #bradley rooster bradshaw #icemav #pete maverick mitchell #top gun maverick #tom iceman kazansky #penny benjamin #sarah and penny are together #one side love Beau cyclone Simpson and Tom iceman Kazansky #does connect to the wifi??#balloon gate or some shit like that

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whohasthecards · 7 months

Text

Top Gun Drabble

How Mav views Jake vs how Penny views Jake

---

Maverick flopped down on Penny’s bar with a long groan, pillowing his head in his folded arm with a sigh.

“What trouble did you get to this time, mister?” Penny asked, setting down the man’s favorite beer.

“Not me, Hangman, the kid’s a brat, it’s like karma for all the times I fuck around when I was younger,” Mav sighed, taking a long sip from his beer.

“Hangman? Jake? I’m sure he’s not that bad, Mav, he’s a sweetheart,” Penny said, rolling her eyes at the dramatic man. “Don’t compare him to you, Mav, he'd practically be an angel,” Penny said as she started drying a glass with a towel.

Mav burst out laughing, almost hysterically, as he had to put down his beer. He looked back at Penny expecting her to share his amusement, when she simply just raised an unimpressed brow at him.

A sense of dread washed over Mav.

“No, you’re, you’re serious???” Mav exclaimed, forever denying that his voice raised an octave at that.

“Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin? Tall, blond, young man, plays pool, and darts? Yes, I’m serious,” Penny said, putting her hands on her hips. “Come on, Mav, he’s a good kid.”

Mav’s jaw dropped in shock.

—

Earlier that day

“Hey, hey, pops, pops,” Hangman said, jogging to keep up with Mav who was starting his pre-flight checks.

“Yes, Hangman?”

“Do the death spiral with me,” Hangman said grinning wildly.

Mav turned to look at his student/co-instructor/subordinate, “... We’re surrounded by rookies, kid.”

Hangman shrugged, “It’ll show them what we can do.”

“It will set a bad example, they’re still arrogant little shits.”

Hangman pouted, genuinely pouted, dear god were his students getting too comfortable with him, “You and Bradshaw did it.”

“And we broke the hard deck.”

“Since when did you care about that?”

He, unfortunately, had a point. “I’m trying to prevent what’s happening right now, but to this Top Gun class.”

“But it could also be us asserting ourselves as skilled in front of the students, while simultaneously allowing us to practice a maneuver we don’t usually get to do.” Hangman said, nodding resolutely.

“And when are we using the death spiral in a real dogfight?”

“Who knows? But the death spiral isn’t just about practicality, it’s also about getting to know your jet more.”

“Still a no, kid.”

“But you and Bradshaw did it! Come on, pops, favoritism ain’t allowed!”

“No.”

For some reason, the kid managed to get him to do a spiral with him anyways. Little shit knows how to push a man.

At least the rookies were too intimidated to even think about copying them.

Hopefully.

—

“Hey pops, I got you something,” Hangman said, giving him a box with a wide grin.

“It’s not a bomb, isn't it?” Mav said tentatively, holding the box in his hands.

“Not today at least,” Hangman said, flashing a grin bouncing on the balls of his feet. “Open it,” he practically whined.

Mav rolled his eyes and sat down on his desk as he gently removed the ribbon on the box and watched as the walls of the box fell down revealing a mug.

Keep on smiling!

That was surprisingly sweet.

“Thanks, kid, a bit corny, but thank you, sweet of you,” Mav said, smiling and thumbing the cheesy font.

“Yeah, it’s for your dentures!” Jake said, smiling toothily.

What.

“Figured you should have a specific mug for it,” Jake said as he looked at his watch for the time. “Gotta go, pops, don’t forget to put it in your bathroom, I’m glad you like it,” Jake said walking towards the door, a hand held up in a wave as he rounded the corner.

Little shit.

“I don’t have dentures!” Mav shouted at the younger man’s retreating back, making the young secretary passing by jump and look at him with severe judgment.

—

"Jake! Come on, you promised to help me do my science project!" Amelia exclaimed as she thundered down the stairs to Hangman.

"Aye, aye, captain, I'm here to help, when you actually decide what your project is going to be," Jake said, crossing his arms.

"I wanna make an info sheet on how fighter jets work, you'd help me, right, Jake?" Amelia asked, pleading with her hands clasped.

"I dunno, what do I get for helpin’ ya?" Jake asked, smirking lightly as he chewed on his toothpick.

"My overwhelming gratitude and the cake mom left for both of us in the fridge?"

"All ya gotta say was the cake, you better not eat all of it while 'm not lookin', missy," Jake said jokingly wagging a finger.

Amelia rolled her eyes, "Just don't leave the cake unguarded, and you're supposed to be a military sailor."

"Naval aviator," Jake pointedly said. "You know, the aviator who flies the jets you're gonna be makin' a project on?"

“I’ll choose a jet you don’t fly,” Amelia said.

“Yeah? What jet do I not fly?”

“You could do the F-14 tomcat, that’s what I flew back in the day,” Mav interjected. “Hangman definitely doesn’t know how to fly that.”

Amelia gave Mav the stink eye, nose scrunched up, “I gotta do something more recent, Mav, that isn’t cool.”

“Yeah Mav, your jet is ancient,” Jake mocked, giving Mav a smirk.

“That ancient jet managed to shoot down 5th gens.”

“And I shot the last one just in time, with my amazing type of jet.”

“Pretty sure you bent the airframe, kid.”

“Did I?”

“Anyways,” Amelia said interjecting. “I’m not gonna do your plane Mav, you haven’t proved yourself yet.”

“Prove myself!? And Hangman did??” Mav asked in shock. “Yeah, Jake’s cool,” Amelia said, crossing her arms and nodding resolutely.

“And I’m not? I’m an aviator ace,” Mav exclaimed. He didn’t know why he was trying so hard to please his ex’s kid, but to be ranked lower than Hangman? Absolutely not. He didn't school the Dagger Squad on the first day of class for no reason.

“Old. And you broke my mom’s heart,” Amelia said, nodding resolutely before whirling around to Jake. “I changed my mind, let’s do your jet. You know so much about it, it’ll make the project easier.”

“You got it, memorized the thick ass manual, back to back,” Jake boasted.

“Yeah like any good aviator worth their salt, like me. I can help, right?” Mav said standing up.

Amelia looked Mav up and down. “I need to decorate it, and you have no taste in design. If you did, it would be 40 years outdated.” Amelia turned back towards Jake, "Can we go to the store to buy some stuff? I need my project to be great, please?"

"Yeah, let's roll, also, aren't you already getting straight As-?"

"Yeah, and I need one more," Amelia said, nodding resolutely.

"Copy that, missy, let’s go," Jake said, slinging an arm around her shoulder to lead Amelia to his truck.

"Can I drive?"

"Not right now, little miss, your mother will kill me."

"Fine. Do you think we'll have enough money to get those plastic models of the planes?"

Jake shrugged, "If you don't I can buy it for ya, always wanted to make one of those anyways. "

"Nice, you're the best Jake," Amelia said grinning wildly as she leaned towards Jake giving a one armed hug.

"I know, and the old man should know now too," Jake said, smirking back at Mav. "I'm the best in the air and on the ground."

"You little–"

"Watch the house while we're gone, pops!" Jake yelled back as he shut the door.

—-

“And that’s only some of the shit the brat does,” Mav whines at Penny before taking a shot of tequila.

Penny simply gave him an unimpressed eyebrow, “I’m sure it’s not as bad as you say it is, Mav, and even if it is.” Penny shrugged before refilling Mav’s shot. “It’s karma for all the shit you did when you were his age, you should tell Viper about him.”

“That’s a great idea!” Mav said, shooting up from his seat. “Maybe Viper would school some sense into him!”

Penny simply gave him a mysterious smile, “Sure, Mav, that might happen.”

—-

“What are you talking about, Mav? Jake’s a good kid, not near as much of a hellion as you are,” Viper said.

He hid his gleeful smile behind a sip of his beer as he watched Maverick groan as if he’s in physical pain.

Karma’s a bitch.

Viper mused on whether or not he should pay the boy to make Maverick’s life hell for the duration he’s here. Maybe he will. Young men like him would take food and beer as adequate training.

And even if the boy was perfectly respectful when he met him, he had a certain cheekiness in his words, and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Reminiscent of a pilot he trained many years ago.

Plus, the bribery may protect him from the kid’s schemes.

He's too old for another kid, but maybe old enough for another grandson.

—

“Okay, I’m cutting you off, pay your tab and get out now,” Penny said, setting down the bill in front of the severely inebriated man.

“Naahhhhh, I wanna another one–” the man slurred, standing up and suddenly slammed his hands on the bar counter. “ANOTHER ONE.”

Penny crossed her arms and glared resolutely at the man, “No. Pay now.”

The man grumbled and squinted at the bill, swaying unsteadily, “T-This ain’t fucking right, it’s a goddamn joke!” The man angrily shouted leaning forward towards the bar owner. “There’s too many zeroes.”

Penny’s eye twitched and was about to make a retort when a cue stick firmly pushed the man away from the counter.

“Respect the lady, man, calm down,” A blonde man said, stepping forward, slamming the butt of the cue stick to the ground. “She said you’re done, so pay, and then leave.”

“What’s it to you!? This is between me and that bitch!” The man shouted, darting forward towards Penny.

It ended quickly.

The newcomer barely had to do anything. Or at least he made it seem so seamless. Sidestep, grab the collar, cue stick to the back of the knees, and throw the drunkard away from the counter.

The drunk fell on his ass, and stumbled forward on all fours trying to get up before stumbling back down again.

“Y-you asshole!” He slurred as he flopped down on the floor and buried his face in his hands with a groan.

“Sure, buddy, I’m the asshole in this situation,” the newcomer said, rolling his eyes before resting the cue stick on his shoulder.

Newcomer turned towards Penny, giving her a small, shy, smile, unlike the confident man who just assisted her, “You doing alright, ma’am?”

“Doing good, thanks, kid, but I could have handled it myself,” Penny said, smiling warmly.

“I know,” the kid said in a matter-of-fact tone. “But if I could help, why shouldn’t I?” The kid said shrugging.

Penny gave a small laugh, “You seem new in town, what’s your name? Your tab is free today for all the trouble you just had to go through.”

“Jake Seresin, ma’am, at your service,” Seresin said, giving her a two-fingered salute.

“Penny Benjamin, welcome to my bar,” Penny said, extending a hand for him to shake.

“May I offer one suggestion ma’am?” Seresin said after a moment. Penny nodded in consent and Seresin offered her another grin. “Don’t cancel my tab, just charge it to this guy, he was an ass anyways,” Seresin said, jabbing a thumb towards the still groaning man who was acting like a dying fish on her floor.

Fish. Boats. Overboard.

“Good idea, EVERYBODY, A ROUND ON HIM!” Penny, exclaimed at the whole bar.

The bar cheers.

#fanfic #top gun maverick #top gun #top gun fandom #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin #pete maverick mitchell #mavdad #penny benjamin #mike metcalf #viper #maverick #Vipapa #or Vigramps #jake hangman seresin needs a hug #jake seresin fanfiction

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captainsophiestark · 2 years

Text

Twelve-Year-Olds

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for the Hot Writer Summer Challenge, run by @mermaidxatxheart! Thanks again for hosting the challenge, this was super fun!

Fandom: Top Gun

Prompt/Trope: Locked in a Room

Summary: Y/N tutors Amelia Benjamin, the daughter of none other than Penny Benjamin. When Penny and Mav are away on their honeymoon, however, Y/N finally gets to meet the fourth member of their little family, Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw. And when he makes the mistake of calling Amelia a twelve-year-old, she takes matters into her own hands to get him back for it while ALSO getting two of her favorite people to admit their feelings for each other.

Word Count: 2,335

Category: Fluff, Humor

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"Alright, you said your brother was coming to pick you up?" I asked, helping Amelia gather her things before swinging her backpack onto her shoulder.

"Sort of. He's not really my brother, but he acts like one," she said.

"Hm. Alright..."

I didn't push for more details as we headed out of the library together. I'd been tutoring Amelia for a few months now, and we'd quickly become good friends even though I was a lot older than her. She was my favorite student I'd had to date, and I had to admit, I was a little jealous that someone else who wasn't related to her had grabbed the honorary sibling title before me.

Still, I was happy she was so happy. Her mom usually picked her up, and when her mom wasn't free her now-stepdad rolled up on his motorcycle, much to Amelia's excitement. Her mom and now-official step-dad had recently gotten married, and were currently on their honeymoon. Which left the sort-of brother to pick her up.

"You know, it's not gonna be much longer before you get your license," I mused, giving Amelia an exaggerated grin. "Pretty soon you're going to be driving yourself to and from school and tutoring and whatever else."

"Yeah, and I'm gonna steal Mav's motorcycle to do it."

"Atta girl!"

We laughed and shared a high five as we walked down the library steps. A tall, handsome man with aviators and a mustache waited, his arms crossed as he leaned against a car I recognized as Penny's Porsche.

"Hey! What are you doing with my mom's car?" Amelia called as we approached him. Apparently, this was the sort-of older brother.

"It's my payment for babysitting you while Mav and your mom are gone," he called back. "I get to drive the Porsche and the bike."

"Well that's dumb. You could've gotten cash. Put it towards buying your own bike."

He just scoffed and rolled his eyes, then looked to me as Amelia and I came to a stop in front of him. He gave me a charming smile and offered his hand for a shake.

"Rooster," he said as I took his hand.

"Y/N," I replied. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too. All this kid does is talk you up. Honestly, I've been getting a little jealous."

I smiled. "Well, don't worry, because she's been saying nothing but good things about you, too. I was actually feeling a little jealous myself."

"Well, cheers to that," he said with another gorgeous smile and a wink. We held each others' stares for a few beats, and I could feel my face heating up. We both snapped out of it when Amelia loudly cleared her throat.

"Let's go, Rooster. I'm hungry and I have stuff to do."

"Alright, alright, relax. We're going." He looked back at me again. "It was nice meeting you, Y/N."

"You too, Rooster. Maybe I'll see you around."

"Maybe you will."

He shot me one last grin as he walked around to the driver's side of the car, Amelia climbing into the passenger's side. She waved at me out the window as the pair pulled away, and I watched them disappear down the road.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, then forced myself to put Rooster out of my mind. I had other things to do today besides be distracted by Amelia's handsome sort-of older brother.

************

Amelia's POV

"You think she's cute, don't you?" I asked, poking Rooster in the side as he pulled away from the library where we'd left Y/N.

"What? Amelia, come on."

I snorted. "If that's the best response you've got then you must really have a thing for her."

"I do not have a thing for her. What do you know, anyway? Aren't you like twelve?"

"I'm fifteen!"

"Same difference."

I scowled at him, but he just grinned. I huffed and crossed my arms, staring out the window instead of at Rooster. If he was going to be an idiot about it, then I was going to take matters into my own hands.

Maybe I even would've tried to loop him in if he hadn't called me twelve.

****************

Y/N's POV

I wandered into the bar owned by Amelia's mom a few weeks later, tentatively putting my head through the door first before stepping all the way inside. Amelia had asked me to do our tutoring session here today, before the bar opened, since she was apparently going sailing with her mom right after our lesson.

"Y/N!" Amelia called happily, waving me over from the far side of the bar. I smiled and walked to meet her, much more confident now that I knew I hadn't accidentally wandered in somewhere I wasn't supposed to go.

"Hey, Amelia. How's it going? This place looks great."

"Thanks," she said. "I'll tell my mom you said so."

"Where is she, by the way?"

"She's working on the boat with Mav. We're all going to sail it over to the shop later, since it needs some repairs and Maverick doesn't know how to fix boats."

"Isn't he in the navy?"

"That's what my mom always says."

We shared a laugh as I sat down next to Amelia. I unloaded all the books from my bag, setting them out in front of us, then opened the first one.

"Alright, let's get started..."

We worked for our usual hour, with Maverick and Penny breezing through a few times to say hi. I couldn't stop myself from hoping Rooster might make an appearance, but he didn't. I tried to keep myself from feeling too disappointed.

We'd seen each other a few times now, since that first meeting. Usually in the context of him picking up Amelia. Every time I saw him, my heart beat a little faster, and although we didn't really have long conversations, they were good ones. I found myself thinking about him a lot more often than I wanted to admit.

Finally, at the end of the hour, I wrapped up the lesson and Amelia and I put away all the notes and notebooks. Penny and Maverick wandered back in, both of them ready to get on the boat with Amelia now that she was free.

"I'll be right down," Amelia told her parents. "Just need to put my books away."

"Alright. We'll see you down there," said Maverick, giving me a wave as he went. Penny smiled and kissed Amelia on the head, ruffling her hair as she pulled away.

"Thanks for coming here today, Y/N," she said. "It's always a pleasure to have you around."

"It's a pleasure to be around," I replied with a smile. "I'm sure it's no secret, but I absolutely adore Amelia. She's one heck of a good kid."

"She sure is." Penny smiled fondly at her daughter, then took a few backwards steps to follow Maverick down to the boat. "We'll see you soon I'm sure, Y/N."

I smiled and waved as she went, and Amelia struggled to shove the rest of her books into her bag.

"Do you want help with that?" I asked. She huffed, tried for another minute, then shoved it towards me.

"Yes please."

I smiled and started working on the bag. Amelia shifted anxiously from foot to foot while she waited, and I could tell she was itching to get out of here and join her parents on the boat.

"You want me to put these away for you somewhere?" I asked. "If it's close, I can wrap this up and you can go help your parents."

"Yes please! Thank you so much! They go in the back closet, on the top shelf. I'll take them home later tonight, when we all get back."

"Sounds good. Have a fun trip over, and try to teach Mr. Navy something about boats while you're out there, alright?"

"Oh please," said Amelia. "He's hopeless."

I chuckled as she marched out of the room in a whirlwind. Finally, I managed to get the last of the books into the bag. I headed for the closet Amelia had pointed towards, carefully maneuvering around the crates and boxes towards the shelving in the back. I'd just reached up to put the bag on the top shelf when I heard a commotion behind me.

"Come on, Rooster, it'll just take a second!"

"Amelia, what the hell are you- Hey!"

I whirled around to find Rooster stumbling through the closet door. A look at the doorway showed Amelia standing there, apparently after shoving him, a massive grin on her face.

"Don't waste this opportunity by being stupid," she cheerfully instructed him. I started to ask what the hell she was doing, but before I could, she slammed the closet door on us. I heard the click of a lock.

A second later, Rooster was at the door, hammering at it with one fist while he tried the doorknob with the other. No luck.

"Amelia! Amelia, you get back here and open this door right now!" he yelled. As expected, he got no response.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked, walking over to Rooster. He grimaced, looked at me, then turned back to the door.

"I don't know," he muttered. "Some kind of dumb prank, probably."

I put a hand on my hip and raised an eyebrow.

"Since when does Amelia pull dumb pranks?"

Rooster sighed and lowered his head before finally taking a step away from the door and looking at me. To my surprise, he had a faint blush on his neck.

"She's trying to mess with me," he finally said, running a hand through his hair. "She keeps insisting that I have a thing for you, and I called her a twelve-year-old, so... I guess this is her payback."

"Oh."

We stood there for a few beats, avoiding looking at each other, and then I took a deep breath.

"Was she right? Do you have a thing for me?" I physically cringed at the awkwardness of the question, but I had to know. Rooster's blush deepend.

"I mean, I..." he cleared his throat and fidgeted. "I definitely think you're... cute."

He immediately scrunched up his face like he was kicking himself for the words that had just come out of his mouth. I could relate.

"Well..." I managed. "I, uh... I think you're cute, too."

His head snapped up to look at me, disbelief and hope written all over his face. I gave him a tentative smile.

"You do?" I nodded. He laughed and smiled, the tension easing out of his body. I felt the tension washing out of the room. "God, look at us. We're fully grown adults stumbling over admitting a crush for each other in a closet like it's middle school. Now who's twelve?"

"I feel like Amelia was hoping we'd be at exactly this point when she shoved you in here," I agreed. He nodded, then took a deep breath.

"So... as much as I hated being called out for it, I actually have had a thing for you since that first day we met. You're smart, you're funny, you're frankly gorgeous... what more could a guy ask for?"

I smiled at the floor, trying not to combust on the spot from the compliments.

"I feel the same way," I said. After a beat, I brought myself to meet Rooster's eyes again. "You're hysterical, and I love watching how you are with Amelia. And I almost tripped down the steps you were so handsome when I first walked out of the library."

He laughed good-naturedly, a smile staying on his face as he took a few steps towards me.

"So does this mean if I ask you on a date, you'll say yes?"

"Mmm, I don't know. Give it a try and let's find out."

He grinned and took a few more steps towards me. He stopped just a few inches from me, then put his arm against the wall next to my head and leaned against it. My heart sped up.

"Y/N, would you like to go on a date with me? Like as soon as we get out of this damn closet?"

"Absolutely," I said, unable to keep a massive smile off my face. He smiled too, then pushed off the wall and headed back to the door.

"Alright, I'm getting us out of here. And then we can go grab a coffee from a nice place I know, if that sounds good?"

"That sounds great."

He shot me another smile, and my heart melted. Then, he turned to the door with determination. I could see he was about to break it down, so I quickly stepped in.

"I think I might have an easier solution," I said. He watched carefully as I took Amelia's backpack off the shelf and dug through it until I found a few spare bobby pins. I bent them into long, straight-ish tools, then moved back to the door.

"Are you about to pick the lock with bobby pins?" asked Rooster. I hummed in confirmation. "That is so badass. And so hot."

I laughed and shot him a smile over my shoulder, then went back to working on the door. I hadn't practiced my lock-picking skills since I'd been obsessed with spy novels in college, so it took me a little longer than I would've liked, but eventually the lock clicked open.

"You. Are. Amazing," said Rooster as I straightened and turned to him with a grin.

"Thank you. I try my best. Now let's go get that coffee, shall we?"

I held out a hand, and Rooster didn't hesitate before taking it. He pulled me closer to him as we stepped out of the closet and headed for the doors of the bar, and I happily leaned into him.

Amelia was never going to let it go that she was right and that she technically deserved the credit for getting us together. I quickly decided I didn't care, though. I had a good feeling that Rooster would be worth it.

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