Lieutenant Rogers - pt 2
Push Your Limits
(not my gifs)
pairings: romantic!neil ‘omaha’ vikander x rogers!reader, platonic!dagger squad x rogers!reader, plantonic!sam wilson x rogers!reader, platonic!bucky barnes x rogers!reader
characters: y/n rogers, neil vikander, the entire dagger squad (admirals and captain included), sam wilson, bucky barnes, james rhodes (this chapter only), john walker, lemar hoskins, misc. characters from both universes
warnings: language, blood, fighting, sexual inuendoes, john walker, cannon dangers, cannon deaths, suggestive themes, hangster?, if i miss any please let me know
word count: ~3.2k
a/n: if you couldn’t already tell, i’m OBSESSED with crossovers. reader is the daughter of steve rogers, and has the super soldier serum as well
sources: Top Gun: Maverick (2022) , The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021)
series summary: 13 pilots were called back to Top Gun in 2023. at the same time, Lieutenant Rogers learns that her father’s shield was passed down to John Walker.
chapter summary: after learning of the shield’s new owner, star must press on with her duties as a naval aviator and start her training with her new team.
pt 1. pt 3 pt 4 pt 5 pt 6
*************
The next morning, you woke up before the sun and Omaha tightened his hold on you. “Why? Why are you already awake?” “Because it’s wired into my being to be awake at ungodly hours, Neil. I thought you knew this.” “But after the events of last night, you shouldn’t be awake before my first alarm,” he nuzzled into your neck. You laughed and shook your head. “Come on, let’s get a run in.”
You pulled yourself from his arms and got up. ��Or,” he sat up, “Or we could do another kind of cardio.” Omaha wiggled his brows, making you laugh and you decided to give in. “Alright, well, meet you in the bathroom then.” His face drops for a second, as he watches you go to your bathroom. “Wait seriously?” “Don’t keep me waiting, Aviator.”
After your ‘work-out’, you both ate breakfast in your underwear before getting dressed in your flight suits. “Come on, let's go. I don’t want to be late.”
*****
The tables in the hangar were arranged so that solo pilots sat alone and duos sat together, but not wanting to have an uneven number of rows they made two solos share a table. Which today was you and Rooster.
“Morning, Star.” You gave him a smile as he sat down. “Good morning Rooster. You have a nice run?” He laughed, “I did, but my running buddy never showed.” You nodded, “Ah, I’m sure she would have shown, she just got a little distracted this morning. But I can guarantee that she got her morning cardio in.” You smirked and glanced back at Omaha where he was in deep conversation with Halo.
“Attention on deck!”
Chairs scraped on the concrete floor as you all stood up at attention. Cyclone and Warlock walked into the hangar, Warlock going straight to the podium. “G’Morning. Welcome to your special training detachment. Be seated.” You all sat down and relaxed into your seats.
“I’m Admiral Bates, NAWDC commander. You’re all TOPGUN graduates. The elite. The best of the best.” Everyone had proud smiles and confident smirks on their faces.
“That was yesterday.” Well, there goes that. You sat up a little straighter and leaned in to focus.
“The enemy's new fifth-generation fighter has leveled the playing field. Details are few, but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage. Success, now more than ever, comes down to the man or woman in the box.” You watched Hangman turn to look at Phoenix who subtly flipped him off and then he turned back to you. You just winked and sat back in your chair.
“Half of you will make the cut. One of you will be named mission leader. The other half will remain in reserve.” Hangman once again turned towards you, but this time he was looking at Rooster.
When he turned back around you leaned over, “God, you can feel the sexual tension in DC.” Bradley whipped his head to look at you and he scoffed, “Shut up.”
“Your instructor is a TOPGUN graduate with real world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master. His exploits are legendary.”
You picked up the sound of boots first, but didn’t turn around until they got closer. “And he’s considered one of the finest pilots TOPGUN has ever produced.”
When you did turn around, you smirked at the man you saw. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched Hangman’s face drop as he pinched his nose and turned around. “What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death.” You noticed both Coyote and Payback’s reactions as he walked past them.
“I give you, Captain Pete Mitchell. Call sign: ‘Maverick’.” You smiled a little, having admired his flying for quite some time, but you dropped it when you saw the disdain on Rooster’s face. You didn’t quite understand their history, but you knew it didn’t end well.
Maverick walked up to the podium and smiled, nodding to Hangman and Payback, “Good morning.” They both nodded back awkwardly, a little embarrassed. He scanned his eyes and found Rooster, but Bradley avoided eye contact and looked away.
Pete held back a sigh and continued, holding up a book, “The F-18 NATOPS. Contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft.” You inhaled, furrowing your brow as you wondered where he was going with this. “I’m assuming you know the book inside and out.”
“Damn right.” “Yeah.” “You got it.” “Damn straight.”
Maverick nodded and looked around, promptly throwing the book in the trash.
You let out an amused huff and glanced back at Omaha to see his mouth opened a little in shock. You turned back and made eye contact with Mav. “So does your enemy.”
He glanced around again. “But what the enemy doesn’t know is your limits. I intend to find them, test them, push beyond.” Rooster rolled his eyes beside you.
“Today we’ll start with what you only think you know.” He looked at your table, glancing from you to Rooster, “You show me what you’re made of.”
******
Whoever wasn’t flying was in the ready room.
“Good morning, aviators. This is your captain speaking.” You chuckled and rolled your eyes. “Welcome to basic fighter maneuvers. As briefed, today’s exercise is dogfighting. Guns only, no missiles. We do not go below the hard deck of 5,000 feet. Working as a team, you have to shoot me down, or else.”
Payback challenged him, “Or else what, sir?” “Or else I shoot back.” You let out a low whistle and a chuckle. “If I shoot either one of you down, you both lose.”
Bob’s eyes were a little wider as he looked up at Phoenix then to you. “This guy needs an ego check,” Hangman said from his spot on the couch while twirling a model plane in his hand. You scoffed and shoved his shoulder, “Said the guy who needs an ego check.” “I heard that.” “Good, I wanted you to.”
“What do you say we put some skin in the game?” Payback challenge again. “Oh no, what do you have planned this time?” You mumbled as you stood next to Bob, leaning with one arm on his shoulder.
“What do you have in mind?” Mav asked. “Whoever gets shot down first has to do 200 hundred push ups.” “Guys,” Rooster chimed in. “That’s a lot of push-ups.” “They don’t call it an exercise for nothin’, sir.” “You got yourselves a deal gentlemen.”
Everyone in the room groaned. “Seriously Payback!?”
You shrugged, “That’s not that bad.” Harvard scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully at you, “Shut up, Rogers.”
*****
When it was your turn, you were in the air with Phoenix and Bob.
“So, you two seemed pretty friendly at the Hard Deck last night?” “We went to the Academy together and then flight school right after that,” you explained, turning to try and find Maverick. “We’re basically best friends,” Bob piped up from the backseat. “‘Basically’, you wound me Bob. You truly wound me.” All of you laughed.
“Bob, you see him?” “Not-” “Shit!” Maverick came up and split you and Phoenix. “Fights on!”
You and Phoenix were engaged with Maverick. Eventually you broke from Phoenix to get the shot.
“Star, get him off me!” “Where’s your wingman, Phoenix?” Maverick chimed in.
You had a plan but couldn’t exactly communicate with her without Maverick hearing you. “Phoenix, when I give the signal break left!” “Got it.”
You took a deep breath and flew under Mav’s left wing. “Come on Star, don’t leave your wingman! Where’d you go?” “On your left,” you smirked and sped in front of him. “Now Phoenix!” She quickly broke off and Mav lost her.
“Effective, but you know that cost Rooster right?” “Oh, I’m aware. But I’m also aware of what cost Hangman.” You kept climbing in altitude, right in the light of the sun. Mav knew what you were doing but humored you anyway. “You think you can pull what I pulled on him, on me?” You hummed, “Not exactly, sir.”
Mav shook his head as he got tone, “That’s t-” He was cut off by his own tone going off. “What?” “That’s a kill, sir.” Phoenix chimed in. Mav sighed as you all flew back to the tarmac.
“Who’s idea was that?” “Star’s, sir,” Bob said, pride in his voice. Maverick turned to you, and you gave him an assured smirk. “See me on the ground, Lieutenant.”
And that’s exactly what you did.
Once your plane landed, Phoenix and Bob gave you pats on the shoulder. “Hey, that was amazing. Hopefully the Captain’s not too hard on you.” You shrugged, “Nothing I won’t be used to.” You gave them a pat on the back and they went inside.
“Lieutenant Rogers!” You turned to see Maverick and Hondo walking toward you. “Yes, sir.” “That was some damn good flying up there.” You nodded, trying to hide the smile on your face, “Thank you, sir.” “And that was a pretty good plan… but it got you killed.” You tilted your head, “We got you though, didn’t we?” “But you put yourself in the line of fire, Star.” “Is it not a dogfight, sir?”
The group in the ready room watched your conversation with Mav from the window. Seeing you stand toe-to-toe with your instructor.
They could tell you were a Rogers, there was no doubt. It was in the way you held yourself, standing your ground and shameless in your actions. “My girlfriend is such a badass,” Omaha said proudly. Hangman shook his head, “She’s so much like him…”
“Star, you sacrificed yourself-” “And I would do it again, sir.” Mav clenched his jaw, he was also seeing what the rest of the squad was, your father.
“Is that all, Captain?” He just nodded and walked away, leaving you with Hondo.
“I think he’s supposed to push your limits, Lieutenant,” he chuckled as you got down to do your push-ups. “Who says I have limits?” “Everyone’s got their limits, Rogers. Even you.” You just shrugged and started your push-ups.
******
“That’s 200!” You sighed and sat back on your heels. “Star, you barely broke a sweat! That’s so not fair!” Halo shouted, chuckling at the end. “Yeah, 200 hundred is nothing for her!” Coyote agreed. Omaha laughed and held a hand out to you to help you up. You just shook your head and swatted it away, smirk on your face. “I’ll do another 200 hundred, make it fair.” “Babe, you don’t have to do that.” “Yeah, Star, we’re just messing with you.”
Hondo just rolled his eyes, “Come on, Star, get up. You’re up soon with Payback and Fanboy.” You sighed and took Omaha’s still outstretched hand, letting him pull you up. You patted their backs, “Good luck.”
*****
*two days later*
“So, Rooster? Mind if I ask you a personal question?” You rolled your eyes, arms crossed as you leaned on the window. “Would it matter if I did?” “So what’s the story with you and Maverick? It seems like he’s got you a little rattled.”
You groaned, “God, Jake, don’t start.”
“That’s none of your business. Now where the hell is he?” “Been here the whole time.” “Holy shit…” “You see me now? Come on, let’s get it over with.” “Fight’s on!” “What is with these two?”
You couldn’t see what the were doing, but based on the heavy breathing it was something stupid.
You pushed off the window sill and moved over to the radio, leaning back onto the foosball table.
“All right, you put us here. How you gonna get yourself out?” “You can bail out anytime!” Your breath hitched, if they didn’t stop soon it wouldn’t be pretty. “How low you wanna go, Rooster?” “I can go as low as you sir, and that’s saying something!”
You shook your head, “Their egos are gonna get them killed.”
“What’s past is past. For both of us!” “You’d like to believe that, wouldn’t you?”
Hangman chimed in, “Hard deck is 5,000 feet, fellas. You are running out of room!” You stood up straighter. “Come on, get out of it Rooster,” you mumbled. “Your strategy is about to run us into the ground. What’s your move?”
Your heart was beating so fast that you were sure everyone could hear it.
Finally, they got out of the cobra maneuver.
“Now you got it. Don’t think, just do.” “Come on, Rooster, you got him! Drop down and take the shot!”
You sucked in a breath, hoping that someone could finally beat Maverick with both planes in the air. “It’s too low!” You groaned and ran a hand down your face. “Too late. You had your chance.” It was quiet for a moment before the tone was heard.
“Damn it, Rooster.” “That’s a kill. Knock it off.” “Damn it!” “Same ol’ Rooster.” “Go see Hondo about your push-ups.” You huffed, rolling your eyes as you walked away.
You were done for the day after that stunt and you decided to go to the gym.
“Star! Y/N, hey!”
You sharply turned, “What?” Phoenix held her hands up, “Woah, sorry.” You sighed and rolled your shoulders. “No, I’m sorry. What’s up?” “I just wanted to check on you, you looked a little upset.” You gave her a small smile, “Thanks, Phoenix. But I’ll be fine, Rooster’s stunt just upset me.” She nodded, “Yeah, me too.” You sighed and gestured behind you, ���I’m gonna change and then hit the gym, I could use a spotter.” She smiled and nodded, following you.
*****
Today you would actually be working on the practice course for the mission at hand.
“Time is your greatest enemy.” He turned to the board, “Phase one of the mission will be a low level ingress attacking in two plane teams. You’ll fly along this narrow canyon to your target. Radar-guided surface-to-air missiles defend the area. These SAMs, they’re lethal. But they were designed to defend the skies above, not the canyon below.” You tensed in your seat beside Hangman. “That’s because the enemy knows no one is insane enough to try and fly below them,” Rooster acknowledged.
Hangman glanced down at you, smirking a little bit. Mainly because you were insane enough to fly through a narrow canyon, you had done it before. But at that time you were alone.
Maverick turned and looked at Rooster, “That’s exactly what I’m gonna train you to do.”
He looked at everyone, “On the day, your altitude will be 100 feet maximum. You exceed this… radar will spot you and you’re dead. Your air speed will be 660 knots minimum.”
You side-eyed Hangman as he straightened in his seat, smirking a little and folding his hands together. You could already tell he had a plan and you weren’t sure you liked it.
“Time to target: two and half minutes. That’s because fifth-generation fighters wait at an airbase nearby. In a head to head with these planes in your F-18s, you’re dead.”
There was something in his voice you recognized, fear.
“That’s why you need to get in, hit your target, and be gone before these planes even have a chance of catching you. This makes time your great adversary.”
As Maverick began to explain the training, your fingers twitched in both anticipation and worry.
“You’ll fly a route in your nav system that simulates the canyon. The faster you navigate this canyon, the harder it’ll be to stay under the radar of these enemy SAMs. The tighter the turns, the more intensely the force of gravity on your body multiplies… compressing your lungs, forcing the blood from your brain… impairing your judgment and reaction time. So for today’s lesson we’re gonna take it easy on you. Max ceiling: 300 feet. Time to target: three minutes. Good luck.”
******
You pinched your nose as you watched the replay of your run with Omaha and Halo. You were better than that.
“Why are you dead?” He was looking at you, brows raised. You sighed and looked up at him, “I was going too fast, turn was too tight.”
Mav crossed his arms. “You’ve flown a canyon tighter than this one-” You nodded, jaw clenched, “Yes, sir.” “So, why are you dead?” “I made a mistake, sir.”
He watched your hand flex as you looked down. “A mistake that should have gotten you all killed,” Mav looked back at Omaha and Halo before back at you.
“You’re wingman lived, but not you. Why?” Omaha spoke up, “She communicated, sir. Warned us to decrease speed, she knew she wasn’t gonna make the turn but she didn’t have time to slow down herself.”
It actually didn’t take Maverick long to get a read on you. He knew you were a sacrificer, that you were the one to lay on the wire.
It both impressed and terrified Maverick at how okay you were with the idea of dying. He honestly couldn’t really understand why you were that way, not until now.
When Omaha, your boyfriend, told him why he and Halo were alive because you did communicate and made sure they had time to save themselves rather than save yourself, he really put the pieces together. The reason why in the dogfighting exercise you made yourself the bait if it had to come down to it.
It was because you couldn’t bear the thought of someone dying when you had the opportunity to save them. Call it a hero complex but it was true, you were your father through and through.
He looked at you and he wanted to say something, but saying it in front of everyone probably wasn’t the best idea. “Can I talk to you, Lieutenant? Alone.” You nodded, “Yes, sir.”
You both walked out into the hall. “Why are you so keen on saving everyone but yourself?” You furrowed your brow, “I’m not sure I follow, sir.” “Star, you’ve barely made it out of an exercise alive. You’re sacrificing yourself. Do you want your teammates to face your family at a funeral, knowing that it should have been them?” He said that last part breathlessly, and you picked up on it.
“My family is gone, Captain. I would rather them come home alive, than have to come home and face their devastated families knowing that I could have done more,” tears stung the back of your eyes and you looked away from him.
Maverick knew that look.
You had already been through it before, facing a family with nothing but guilt and regret.
He sighed, “Your father would be proud of you.” You looked back at him, letting out a breath and a hushed, “Thank you, sir.”
“But I need you to worry about yourself just as much as you worry about everyone else in there. I don’t think Captain Rogers wants to see you so soon.” You cleared your throat and nodded, “Yes, sir.”
******
*Later*
You glanced at Rooster’s face as you held him back, “Rooster! Bradshaw!”
He was furious, but his strength didn’t match yours.
Hangman step up into his face, “He’s not ready for this mission.” He looked at Maverick, “You know I’m right.”
You caught his eye as he left and your blood boiled.
You looked at Rooster. “Hey, hey, he’s just being an ass.” Rooster shook in anger under your hands and shook you off before stomping away after being dismissed.
******
“Hangman, that was way out of line!” You marched into the locker room, eyes blazing.
“I wasn’t wrong,” he turned around, smirking like he did nothing wrong. You got up in his face, “That was unfair, and just flat out cruel, Jake.” “He needs to let go of the past. It’s gonna get him killed. Every time he’s in the air, he is flying against a ghost. A ghost not even you can save him from.”
You knew he was right, Rooster needed to settle whatever this was he had with Maverick. But Rooster wasn’t the only one that was hanging on to the past.
************
first week of training down! LET’S GO!
but maverick has picked up on our tendency to sacrifice ourself, has that already fueled his decision reguarding our participation in this mission?
can we save rooster from his ghosts?
tags <3: @milesdickpic @luckyladycreator2 @hotch-meeeeeuppppp
<3 love ya babes
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