#penny x pete

[below-average-fangirl]

For my fellow Penny and Mav people. Also, it's just dawned on me that the bottom 4 pictures are from a deleted scene

#top gun maverick #pennymav #penny x pete #penny benjamin #pete maverick mitchell #tom cruise #jennifer connelly

[mamsieur]

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

[captainsophiestark]

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.

#hotwritersummerchallenge #top gun #top gun: maverick #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #rooster x reader #top gun fanfiction #top gun one shot #top gun imagine #rooster fanfic #rooster imagine #rooster one shot #pete maverick mitchell #penny benjamin #amelia benjamin #maverick #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #top gun maverick fanfiction #bradley bradshaw fanfiction

[tip-top-cloud-surfer]

Head Over Heels - Goose

Pairing: Nick "Goose" Bradshaw / Fem!Reader (Nicknamed Honey)

Word Count: 1.5k

This work, all my works, and my entire blog is 18+ Only.

Warnings: Accidents; Referenced Bad Dates; Slight Self-Loathing; Female Reader with No Description, No "Y/N" or "You," Nicknamed "Honey"

Summary: Goose goes on a bad date and wants to give up. Maverick tells him that he just can't sit around and wait for the perfect girl to come around. Except fate has other plans.

Note: Set pre-Top Gun 1986. No Carole in this universe. She's off living her best life elsewhere. Bradley's not here (but maybe he'll come later? We'll see)

Master List

“I’m hopeless, Mav! Absolutely hopeless!” Goose complained, holding his face in his hands.

“You are not hopeless,” Maverick assured Goose, though his expression gave away his real opinion. “Just a little . . . rusty.”

The two were walking down the boardwalk after a disaster of a double date with two women that they met in town. And to say that it was a complete mess would have been generous. It all started with a spilled glass of water and ended with Maverick getting whacked in the face with a purse while defending Goose’s honor.

“Mav, let’s just face facts,” Goose sighed, turning to his pilot and best friend. “I’m hopeless, I have no idea how to impress women, and I’ll probably die alone because of it.”

“Goose, you’re overreacting,” Maverick cut in, clapping his best friend on his shoulder. “She just wasn’t the one. Anywhere near the one. But, hey, there’s got to be some girl out there who’ll be the perfect match to you. I can sense it.”

“But where the hell is she Mav?” Goose sighed, starting to walk along again.

“I don’t know, Goose, you’ve got to go out and look for her. The perfect girl isn’t just going to fall into your arms,” Maverick replied, shaking his head.

“Watch out!” a voice suddenly called out.

Goose turned just in time to see a woman on a pair of roller skates heading towards him. He had about a split second to react. Reaching out his arms as a reflex, Goose managed to catch her as she tripped on the uneven wooden paneling on the ground. Her momentum caused them to both dip towards the ground until they were rolling together.

Goose managed to stop their rolling and found himself staring down at the most beautiful woman that he had ever set his sights on. She stared up at him with wide eyes, panting a bit, and resting her hand on his firm chest. He didn’t know her name, but Honey just felt right. She looked sweet, just like honey, and he wouldn’t mind a—no, Goose, no, he scolded himself.

“Hi,” Goose breathed out, memorizing by the literal angel that crashed into him.

“Hi,” Honey returned, similarly dazed.

“Jesus Christ, are you two alright!?” Maverick yelled, startling the two of them back to reality.

“I’m so sorry!” Honey immediately yelped, trying to scramble up. “Are you hurt?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” Goose replied, getting up and keeping a hold on her hand to steady her. “Just a little dust. Nothing more.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, glancing over his form for any scratches.

“Yeah, it’ll take more than that to take me out,” Goose chuckled, holding her steady as she slipped a bit on her skates. “Are you alright?”

“Just a bit embarrassed,” she sighed, grabbing Goose a bit tighter. “This is what I get for trying to be someone that I’m not.”

And no sooner had she finished her sentence then Honey slipped towards the ground. Luckily, Goose had quick reflexes and managed to wrap his arms around her before she fell to the ground again. Of course, his maneuver ended up with her hanging in his arms like they were dancing partners and he was dipping her for some romantic move, which caused them both to grow even more flustered.

Maverick glanced between Goose and Honey with wide eyes. Glancing up at the sky and then down at his own hands for a moment, Maverick quietly wondered if he somehow summoned this woman to this exact spot.

“Why don’t we get you over to a bench?” Goose suggested with a chuckled, straightening her up again.

“That’s probably for the best,” she agreed, letting Goose help her over to a wooden bench.

Carefully setting her down on the bench, Goose kneeled down in front of Honey and started to untie the skates on her feet. Maverick hid a smirk behind his hand when he saw just how flustered and pleased Honey looked as Goose helped her with her skates.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Goose just needed to stand there and let fate do the work for him.

“There, now you’re safe,” Goose joked, setting the two skates beside her on the bench.

“Thank you,” she replied meekly, still highly embarrassed. “And I’m so sorry about running into you.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Goose assured her with a kind smile. “But, can I ask why you’re skating around the boardwalk if you . . .?”

“Can’t skate?” Honey offered with a laugh. “My friend somehow managed to rope me into it.”

“Where’s your friend then?” Goose asked her.

The call of her actual name caused Goose, Maverick, and Honey to turn around to see another woman quickly skating towards them. She was more than likely the friend who indirectly caused the whole interaction based on the way that Honey sheepishly waved to her.

“Penny, I told you that this was a bad idea,” Honey sighed, gesturing towards the skates. “I was this close to going into the water. And I accidentally tackled him along the way.”

“Better than most linebackers,” Maverick joked, smiling brighter as he turned to face Penny. Well, if Goose got a beautiful girl to pay attention to him, why should Maverick get the same opportunity? “I’m Pete, Pete Mitchell. But you can call me Maverick. And the sack of potatoes that your friend took down is my RIO Goose.”

“Goose?” Honey repeated, sounding confused.

“You two are naval aviators?” Penny asked curiously, glancing between Maverick and Goose with newfound interest.

“It’s a callsign,” Goose explained to Honey. “My real name is Nick. You can call me whatever you prefer. I answer to both.”

“Goose somehow seems to fit you more,” Honey mused, turning to Goose again with a bashful smile.

“I think so,” Goose agreed, his cheeks literally aching from how hard he was smiling.

“Are you two free the rest of tonight?” Penny asked, shooting a knowing smirk at her friend. “We were just going to grab some dessert down at the end of the boardwalk. If you two are interested.”

“Well, it would be completely rude and downright unchivalrous if we didn’t take them up on their offer. Wouldn’t it, Goose?”

“It would,” Goose quickly blurted out before he turned to Honey. “Unless, of course, you think it wouldn’t be.”

“No, no, you should come,” Honey agreed, grabbing his hand. “So that I can properly thank you for the mess that I created.”

“Well, I can’t say ‘no’ to that,” Goose stated with a wide smile.

“Great, it’s settled! Let’s go,” Penny urged, gesturing down the boardwalk.

“Penny, we should grab our real shoes first,” Honey insisted, standing up. “I can’t walk barefoot all the way down there. And the parking lot is just up there.”

“I can carry you,” Goose offered, causing Honey’s eyes to widen a bit.

“Are you sure?”

“Don’t let the chicken frame throw you off,” Maverick vouched on Goose’s behalf. “He’s stronger than he looks.”

“Thanks, Mav,” Goose hissed out, shooting his best friend a look.

“Great! Goose will carry you to the car and then we’ll all grab dessert together,” Penny stated, leaving no room for argument.

“You don’t have to carry me,” Honey assured Goose, but he simply smiled in return.

“No, no, I insist. Here, you can climb up onto my back,” Goose offered, turning around.

With some careful maneuvering, Honey clambered up onto Goose’s back and the new group of four headed up to Honey’s car. Goose and Honey fell into their own separate conversation from Penny and Maverick, who seemed to have instantly clicked. They reached Honey’s car in no time and with a quick shoe change, they were on their way down to the ice cream shop.

“So, what would you prefer me to call you?” Goose asked Honey, who smiled up at him.

“You can call me . . . tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? What kind of—oh,” Goose quickly caught on, causing Honey to giggle a bit. “Sorry, that wasn’t smooth at all.”

“I think it’s cute,” Honey replied, smiling at Goose bashfully.

“I think they’re so cute,” Penny whispered to Maverick, grabbing his arm lightly. “It’s been so long since she felt confident around a guy. She gets flustered so easily and they all make fun of her.”

“Goose isn’t like that at all. He’s a complete gentleman,” Maverick assured Penny, glancing back at Goose and Honey. “And between you and me, his confidence has been shot. The last couple of dates that he’s been on were disasters.”

“Who knows? Maybe they’re just what each other needs,” Penny mused before turning to Maverick. “So, tell me about yourself, Maverick.”

#top gun #top gun fanfiction #nick goose bradshaw x reader #nick bradshaw #nick bradshaw x reader #nick goose bradshaw #goose top gun #top gun 1986 #goose x reader #top gun goose #goose bradshaw #pete maverick mitchell #penny benjamin

[callsignlucky]

talk to me, lucky (part 2)

summary: You're Maverick’s kid. You’re also Bradley Bradshaw’s best friend—or at least, you were. What lies between you two now is uncharted territory.

pairing: bradley "rooster" bradshaw/mitchell!reader

wc: 2.3k

a/n: sooooo likeeee i was genuinely expecting like three (3) people to read this. I'm so glad you guys like it, that means the world to me, so I'll continue this little series as long as folks want me to!

This part was purely self indulgent with the goal to make a Pete Maverick Mitchell so dad shaped that it might fix my own daddy issues. (didn't work but a girl can dream.)

Also!! I am purposefully trying not to comment on physical appearance! The reader is female, but her mother is intended to remain ambiguous. There is a lack of accessible fics on this website and want I POC to be able to enjoy this as well!

<- part 1 |part 3 ->

The Hard Deck fell silent as soon as my hand made contact with his cheek. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were on us, but the only ones that mattered to me were Bradley’s.

They were as brown and as big as I remember, and he raised his hand to cup his cheek, brows knitted together in confusion as he stared at me. That only served to make me angrier, and I forced myself to take a step back before I hit him again and got myself into actual trouble. He was at a loss for words, and I was afraid if I said anything I’d reveal more of myself to the pilots to our left than I’d like. Without so much as a murmur of an insult, I turned, collected my phone and keys from the table, and made a beeline for the front door. As I was walking away, I heard Lieutenant Seresin laugh, making some quip to Bradley along the lines of what the hell was that about, Bradshaw? 

My eyes found Penny’s, who knew and understood and looked at me with sympathy before patting my dad’s arm in goodbye as he slid off his stool. That made me feel rotten. He’d been so excited to reconnect with Penny, and here I was making a scene and ruining his evening. I bet he was thanking God the last name on my flight suit was my mother’s instead of his. 

The air outside had cooled since the sun set, and I managed to speed walk down the block to where I parked my car before a hand caught my arm. I didn’t dare turn around, tears hot in my eyes, my heart still in my chest as I held my breath and waited. Much to my relief, the voice that spoke belonged to my father. 

“Why don’t you ride home with me? You’re too upset to drive.” He said softly, and I shook my head, feeling more and more like I was nine years old as the seconds passed. 

“I’ll walk.” I snipped, chest tightening with guilt at my tone. I was mad at him too, as much as I hated it. I blamed him for Bradley leaving, all those years ago, but I forgave him after a week. My father was all I had left, and I wasn’t prepared to lose him over an action he felt morally obligated to take. And Uncle Ice might have had something to do with me forgiving him so quickly. 

Dad sighed from behind me. “You can’t walk all the way back to the house.” 

“Who says I’m going back there?” My voice quivered, and even as he gently tugged on my arm I refused to turn around, arms crossed over my chest. The thought of going back to our base issued housing, that completely staged two bedroom home void of memories or light or emotion or Mom was already suffocating. Dad was quiet for a spell, probably thinking, before he inhaled sharply and spoke up. 

“Alright, how about we go to the gas station for some slurpees and drink them at the beach?” His tone was light, and I didn’t have to be looking at him to know he had one eyebrow raised with that little smirk on his face. I perked up a little, and he tossed his arms around my shoulders from behind. “How bout it, Birdie? Or are you too grown to hang out with your old man?” He shook me a little, and I rolled my eyes with a small huff, turning in his arms. He had me with my nickname and he knew it, so I mustered the best pout I could. 

“Can I get a large?” I asked, and Dad smoothed down my hair gently with a nod. 

“Of course.” He stepped back and held out his hand, waggling his fingers and his brows at the same time. I laughed and rolled my eyes, taking his hand, and together we walked to where he’d found a spot to squeeze his bike. Like all the times I’d had before, I waited until Dad had slung his leg over the bike and walked it backwards before I slid on behind him. My arms wound around his middle and I unceremoniously shoved my face into his back, and I could feel him laugh as he eased the bike into a cruise. One hand came from the handlebar and clasped over mine, and I smiled faintly into the leather of his jacket as we picked up speed down the road.

I was one of the luckiest girls alive to have Pete “Maverick” Mitchell as a father. His military career alone opened more doors for my future than would’ve ever been possible without the Navy. Beyond that, he was—in my humble opinion—the best dad ever. Growing up, my father always put me first. He never accepted a promotion that would take him away from me more than he had to be, and after mom died he accepted a position that essentially grounded him so he could stay stateside, sacrificing his love for flying in order to raise his child. 

In those years he never missed a ballet recital or softball game or debate competition, and he always made sure I went on whatever field trips my school was carting us off to. He made sure I had nice clothes and nice shoes and a reliable car and always, always made sure I knew how much he loved me. 

Pete Mitchell thought I hung the moon from the second the nurse put me in his arms, and it has been that way ever since. He acted like a loving father should and then some, because that love always translated over to Bradley, too.

It was the same with me. Ever since I learned how to talk, some adult would smile at me and ask me what my daddy did for a living, and I’d smile with all my teeth (some of them missing on occasion) and say “My daddy is a hero!”, and I meant it every single time.  I still do. 

Dad and I ended up on a slice of beach far from the prying eyes inside The Hard Deck. I abandoned my socks and boots and rolled my jeans up before plunging my painted toes—the only femininity females were allotted in the Navy—into the cooled sand. I balanced my cherry Slurpee between my knees, eyes on the moon as it reflected off the water’s surface. Dad and I sat there in comfortable silence for a long while, just listening to the waves crash in. 

“Are you mad at me? For slapping Bradley?” I asked finally, my voice quiet, lips wrapped around my straw. To my right, relaxed in the sand, my father shook his head. 

“Not angry, just confused.” He pushed around the blue raspberry slush in his cup with his straw, eyes on the horizon, like always. “I’m trying to understand why you hit him. That’s not like you, and Bradley’s the last person I’d expect you to be violent with. When I saw your pictures next to one another in the debrief, I thought you’d be excited to see him again.” 

Guilt hit me like the waves I was staring at. “I was, when I found out B and I both got pulled for this deployment. I was even more excited when I found out you were coming too, but that wore off pretty quickly when I remembered Bradley hasn’t spoken to either of us in years.” I set my cup down and leaned forward, hugging my arms around my thighs and watching my toes wiggle free of the sand before burying them again. “He abandoned us. We’re his family and he left, over something trivial.” 

“Have you put yourself in his shoes?” Dad asked, and upon receiving my twisted up nose and furrowed brows in response, he took another sip of his drink before setting it aside and lying back in the sand. He opened up one arm and beckoned me forward, and suddenly I was six years old again after a nightmare as I lay down and rested my head on his stomach. His hand slowly began to work through my hair, his other arm propped beneath his head. “The only memories Bradley has of his old man are ones he learned from everyone else. He knew his dad was a pilot, he knew he was a hero, and as soon as he got old enough, he decided he wanted to follow in his footsteps. That remind you of anyone?” 

I closed my eyes with a soft sigh, shrugging my shoulders. “No.” I muttered, folding my arms, and my head bounced with my dad’s little laugh. 

“Well,” he drawled, twirling some of my hair around his finger, “it reminds me of Little Mav.” I grinned with my eyes still closed, turning my head away so he wouldn’t see. Little Mav was the nickname I had earned from my father’s fellow service men and women. I was his shadow whenever I could be, accompanying him to work with wide eyed wonder, amazed at all the things he could do. Uncle Ice had originated the nickname when he first met me at the ripe age of three, claiming I was twice the ball of energy that my father was and ten times cuter. I had him wrapped around my finger, too, which came in handy years later when my father tried to prevent me from enlisting. He never tried to pull my papers like he did with Bradley, but he did try and talk me out of it more times than I can count. Eventually he accepted the fact that I was determined to be a pilot, just like him, but was afraid my last name would set me back due to his reputation. While he was highly decorated and well respected within the Navy, the last name Mitchell tended to stiffen the spines and lock the jaws of quite a few admirals. So, thanks to our dearest Admiral Kazansky, I was able to enlist under my mother’s last name. I was grateful for it—the last thing I wanted was to be judged based on who my father was. Or worse yet, to be handed things because my old man was Maverick.

“That still doesn’t excuse what he did.” 

“Would you have stuck around if I pulled your papers and set your career back as long as I did Bradley’s? Because believe me, I wanted to.” He wasn’t kidding and I knew it because yes, he never tried to have my enlistment papers pulled, but they had caused more than a few arguments before my father (with the help of his wingman) came to terms that I was a grown adult who made my own choices. It scared the hell out of him, having me up in the air, but he wasn’t going to stand in my way and risk losing me. He’d already learned his lesson with Bradley. I lay there quietly for a long moment, feeling my throat tighten up and my eyes sting with the threat of tears. 

“He left us.” I murmured, choking out the last word and it was painful. “I…” Two words followed that, ones that I couldn’t force my mouth or my brain to conjure into reality. 

“I know.” My father whispered, smoothing his hand over the top of my head with a heavy sigh, and I was so grateful I didn’t have to say it out loud. “That’s why you have to forgive him.” 

“I don’t know how.” I whispered, sitting up when my father did and looking back at him. His hand cupped my cheek, his thumb swiping away a tear that had escaped, before he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. 

“You’ll figure it out, kiddo.” With a grunt he stood, holding a hand down and using it to pull me to my feet. I stooped down and scooped up my shoes and my Slurpee, before an arm was slung around my shoulders and we headed back up the beach. “In the meantime, I’m gonna take you to your car and pay my tab at Penny’s. Don’t wanna get in any more trouble with her than I already am.”

To that I smiled wide up at him. “Ooooh, you have a crush on Penny Benjamin.” I sang teasingly. “Try not to mess it up this time, Pops.” Dad grinned down at me, a look of mock offense on his face as he placed his free hand on his chest. 

“Sometimes I think you’re Goose reincarnated.” He mused, and my smile softened. I rested my head on his shoulder, switching my things to one hand so I could wrap an arm around his middle. 

“You think he would’ve liked me? Uncle Goose?” I asked quietly, and my dad sighed with a nod, one of those bittersweet smiles on his face. 

“Oh, I happen to know for a fact that he loved you.” He squeezed my shoulder and I nodded. 

“I’ll have to apologize to him for slapping his son.” 

“If Goose is out there somewhere, I’m confident he’d agree that Bradley deserved it.”

I hummed with a slow nod, exhausted. Tomorrow was our first day at TOPGUN, and it was bound to be a big one as I faced the consequences of my action. “I hope Goose is with us. I’ll need him tomorrow.” 

“He’ll be there, Birdie.” Dad assured me quietly, and if either of us had been looking up at the night sky, we would’ve seen the shooting star that passed over our heads at my father’s promise. 

taglist! :)

@zzsloth | @boringusername | @sydneejean | @mosebypineapple | @erinswrld | @roosterschanelslut | @mirandastuckinthe80s | @mak-32 | @shrimping-for-all

love u guys frfr

#bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #bradley bradshaw/reader #rooster/reader #rooster x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw/reader #pete maverick mitchell #Pete Mitchell is dad shaped I will die on this hill #rooster top gun #rooster #top gun #top gun imagine #penny benjamin #goose top gun #nick goose bradshaw #tom iceman kazansky

[iceman-maverick]

icemav getting back together fic

we're better off apart (let's give it a try)

He doesn’t respond, silently twirling the knife between his fingers. His heart is pounding, thumping with a ferocity that’s verging on painful. And now wouldn’t that just be hilarious - dying of a broken heart two feet from his ex on Valentine’s Day.

--- AKA Maverick takes one for the team and accompanies Penny to the stuffy Navy dinner Admiral Benjamin decided to throw on February 14th of all days. 

#spoiler: unnecessary criticism of the french #jk its always necessary #icemav #iceman x maverick #top gun fanfic #tom iceman kazansky #top gun fanfiction #pete maverick mitchell #tg86 #my writing #penny benjamin #admiral benjamin

[imawkwardlysoc]

you wonder how he got his call sign

Song: Don't Blame Me by Taylor Swift

Paring: mickey garcia x reader (afab)

Warning(s): None, just pure fluff!

Word Count: 2,767

Summary: A little story on how Mickey got his call sign.

Call signs. No matter if you’re in the Marines, Navy, or Air Force, you get a call sign. Some badass ones like Iceman and Maverick may have a cool background if you assume, but in reality, most of them come from pretty embarrassing things. Like Payback for example and the amount of bets that he lost. Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia, on the other hand, has another story.

The first of artists covering other artists' songs first came out in the 1950s. Soon over half a decade later, cover videos started to come out more on YouTube. Singers like Sam Tsui, Christina Grimmie, Conor Maynard, and many others have risen to fame with their covers coming out in the late 2000s/early 2010s. Some have also got the chance to be signed to record labels and winning awards like Y/N L/N. To Mickey though, he doesn’t think of Grammy Award winner Y/N L/N, he thinks of Y/N L/N who he used to help record her cover videos in her bedroom or the backyard of her house.

Every Friday since meeting each other freshman year of high school, Y/N would drag Mickey out of their last period class and out of their high school in Miami to her house to start recording cover videos. As she uploaded her videos onto YouTube, her views went from a few hundred to a few thousand until one day.

“Mickey! Mickey!” The junior yelled her best friend’s name as she ran down the school hallway. “Where are you?”

“Yo! What’s going on?” Mickey closed his locker after grabbing everything he needed.

He turned to face the singer whose face was all red from the running as the screen of her BlackBerry Bold was in his line of sight. Squinting his eyes a little, he looked at the screen which showed one of the recent covers she uploaded.

“Holy shit!” He exclaimed. “One hundred thousand?”

“I know right!” The two of them started to jump together in celebration, ignoring the looks they’re getting.

“This is crazy!” Y/N said, still not believing that her cover of Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood reached that many views.

“You know what this means?” Mickey’s eyebrow was raised. “The chance of you getting signed to a record label.”

“Yeah, not happening,” Y/N let out a laugh. “Never in a million years.”

“Hey,” he gently squeezed her shoulder. “It’s going to happen. I have a good feeling.”

Y/N shook her head at her friend’s nonsense and dragged him to their first class of the day.

Years passed and their friendship grew even more. They shared homecoming and prom dances together. They had many all nighters studying for the AP tests they signed up for and working on college applications. The both of them dated people but their relationships only lasted for three to four months max because they both were missing something. Mickey still continued to help Y/N post her covers on her channel which grew after that one day.

Towards the end of the summer break after they graduated, the duo had to head their separate ways for college. They still kept in contact though by the emails they sent each other and visiting each other in Miami during breaks. With every visit, their feelings grew more without them realizing it.

Mickey had achieved his dream of getting into the Naval Academy and became a weapons system officer, getting the callsign Fanboy from his classmates seeing him geek out and watch Y/N’s covers. Y/N continued uploading her covers onto YouTube while studying literature at the University of Miami. It wasn’t until her senior year of college she got the best news of her life.

The sound of her sandals slapping the concrete sidewalk boomed as she ran down the concrete path which led to the park her and Mickey would sometimes hang out at. With his back facing against her, she leaped on his back which took Mickey out a little.

“Hey, you missed me that much?” Mickey laughed.

“Yeah, but I have some news,” Y/N answered.

“Which is?” He asked.

She didn’t verbally answer but she handed him the small stack of papers. Going through the papers, she saw the look on Mickey’s face as his face lit up with each page.

“No, you’re joking.” Mickey pulled her into a hug.

“I’m not,” she confirmed. “You’re looking at the newest artist signed with Atlantic Records.”

“You’re not going to forget me when you become famous right?” Mickey joked.

“Are you kidding? I won’t forget my best friend.” Y/N lightly punched his shoulder.

“Yeah, best friend,” Mickey sighed.

“What? Are you okay?” A quizzed look formed on her face.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Mickey brushed off his emotions.

“Hey Mick, tell me what’s up.” Y/N held his hand which sent sparks through the both of them.

“You’re going to hate me when I do this,” he said.

“Do wh-” Y/N was interrupted when Mickey’s lips touched hers.

Butterflies and fireworks exploded inside them as their lips moved in sync. Detaching their lips from each other to catch their breath, they looked each other in the eyes questioning what just happened.

“Did that just?”

“Yeah.”

Kissing each other again, they confirmed that their feelings for each other were true. After the second kiss, Mickey decided to take Y/N for an early dinner to celebrate her getting a record deal and have a pre-first date date.

More years have passed with the both of them graduating with their degrees. Their relationship grew more as they became official. Mickey was out doing the five years required to serve after he graduated after the academy. Y/N on the other hand was busy writing and recording her first album. Constant filming for her music videos and traveling to promote her album.

Despite them being hundreds or thousands of miles apart, they managed to keep their relationship alive. They had many video calls together and if she toured in an area where Mickey was at, he would watch her concerts with Reuben “Payback” Finch, who is the only person that knows her and Mickey are together other than close friends and family. When Y/N started to become more well known, she wanted to keep her personal life private. She did post pictures of her and Mickey together on her social media accounts but they didn’t show Mickey’s face.

On the eve of Mickey’s last deployment, she came back home with the living room of their shared house decorated with flowers and lit candles. In the space where their coffee table used to be, Mickey was on one knee holding a velvet box in his hand. With a short and sweet speech as tears ran down their faces, Y/N nodded her head saying yes to his proposal. A few months after Mickey came back from his deployment, the two had a small private ceremony with their close friends and family in a cabin up in the Santa Cruz mountains. Reuben as Mickey’s best man and Y/N’s college roommate as her maid of honor.

Luckily for Y/N, she could travel and stay anywhere with her job. With Mickey being moved from base to base because of his job, she would follow him while still making music while renting a house off base. From time to time she would have to travel and stay in New York for a little bit for meetings and to record her music. Thankfully when Mickey got called back to Top Gun, they resided permanently in a house that was only a fifteen minute drive away from base after the Dagger Squadron was made permanent in San Diego. Many dinners with her, Mickey, and Reuben were shared as they told stories of the other squadron members they met for the mission. Y/N continued to make music and released her next album which caused her to be away from Mickey to promote it and tour around Europe and North America.

After a day of training, the Dagger Squad decided to head to the Hard Deck for some drinks.

“Amelia has been depressed since the LA tickets for Y/N sold out,” Rooster said before taking a sip of his beer.

“Really?” Mickey raised his eyebrow.

“Yeah, Y/N is one of her favorite singers. Ever since those tickets sold out the first day, she’s been blasting her music in her room and headphones,” the aviator answered.

The WSO nodded his head and excused himself. Taking his phone out, he checked the time to see that Y/N wasn’t on stage yet. Calling her and waiting for a few rings, she answered her husband’s call.

“Hey baby, what’s up?” She asked. “How was work?”

“It was good, got our asses handed by Maverick but that’s normal,” he chuckled. “How are you?”

“I’m good, just two hours before we head onto stage,” she replied. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, but hey can I ask for a favor?” He asked.

“What is it?” She said.

“You know Rooster right?” Y/N hummed in confirmation. “Well, his little sister wants to see you in LA but the tickets sold out immediately. Is there any way you can get a ticket for her?”

“I’ll check, give me a minute,” she told him. “Stay on the line.”

Taking a sip of his drink, he waited for his wife while admiring the cooling winds of San Diego while the sun setted.

“Hey, you’re still there?” Y/N voice popped into his ear.

“Yeah, so what’s the verdict?” He replied, mentally crossing his fingers.

“Yeah, how many tickets do you need?” The singer asked. “Twelve plus your captain, his girlfriend, and daughter, that would be fifteen. Is that good?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, we have more than enough tickets. Just tell everyone and I’ll send you the info. Also, all of y’all need a break from training.”

“Wow, I’ll tell everyone. Thank you for doing this. I love you.”

“I love you too. You can thank me later when you get to LA.” Mickey could already imagine the smirk on his wife’s face.

Hanging up the phone with a grin on his face, Mickey headed back into the bar and stood next to Rooster.

“I managed to get a ticket for Amelia,” he told the pilot.

“Wait, how?” The pilot questioned.

“I know someone who’s one of the guitar techs on her tour. I managed to get all of us plus Maverick and Penny a ticket,” he told everyone.

“Wait, we’re seeing Y/N in LA?” Phoenix started to fangirl a little. “Don’t mess with me Fanboy.”

“I’m not, I’ll text you the information into the group chat,” he confirmed.

“We’re going to see Y/N baby!” Coyote cheered.

While everyone celebrated, Reuben sent his WSO a smirk knowing who gave them the tickets.

*Concert Day*

“Mick, are you sure we’re supposed to park here?” Maverick asked as he got out of Rooster’s Bronco.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” Mickey answered his captain.

“Because we’re by where Y/N L/N’s tour bus is,” Rooster added.

“Trust me, we can be here,” Mickey reassured them while pulling out his phone.

Making the call, they waited for a few more minutes before Y/N’s manager came out of the Forum with VIP passes in hand. Mickey greeted the manager and they handed Mickey the passes. All of the members were shocked when they saw the passes they got, questioning how Mickey managed to get these. All of them thought they were getting tickets up in the nosebleeds, but they were mistaken.

“Mickey!” The singer jumped into her husband’s arms when she saw him.

“Hello my love,” the Navy man mumbled before kissing her.

Everyone except for Reuben was shocked at the sight they were seeing. They couldn’t believe that one of their WSO’s was kissing the singer they would soberly and drunkenly sing out the lyrics while doing karaoke.

“I missed you,” the singer wrapped her arms around Mickey’s neck.

“Me too, four weeks is too long.” Mickey moved a strand of hair out of Y/N’s face. “Everyone’s here already.”

Y/N moved away from Mickey and saw his pilot standing there with a grin on his face. “Ru-Ru, it’s good to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you again too,” the pilot returned her hug.

Letting go of the hug, Y/N looked at the rest of her husband’s squadron who had shocked expressions on their faces. “Hi, you must be Mickey’s squadron and you must be Amelia, is that right?”

“Y-Yeah,” Amelia stuttered as her idol stood in front of her.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” Y/N smiled at her and looked at Maverick who stood behind her. “You must be Captain Mitchell. Mickey and Reuben have been telling me great things about you.”

“It’s a pleasure meeting you m’am. Thank you for inviting us,” Maverick said.

“Anything for Mickey's adopted family,” Y/N smiled. “Also, call me Y/N.”

“I will if you call me Pete or Maverick,” Pete smiled.

“That’s a deal,” Y/N chuckled and faced the squad again. “Mickey, wanna introduce me to your team members?”

Mickey nodded his head and introduced his wife to the rest of the Dagger Squad. After the introductions, everyone headed to the greenroom.

“So, you’re telling me that Reuben knew that Fanboy over here is dating Y/N?” Hangman asked. “The same Y/N who won a Grammy and many Billboard Music awards?”

“Not dating, we’re married,” Y/N corrected the Texan.

“What!” Everyone yelled/exclaimed.

“Married for almost five years.” Mickey and Y/N looked at each other in admiration.

“You knew that already didn’t you?” Halo asked Reuben.

“He should, he was my best man,” Mickey answered for his pilot. “Also, who do you think Don’t Blame Me is about?”

“And I thought Bob over here had secrets we don’t know about,” Omaha chuckled.

“Nah, she’s the only secret that I have.” Mickey tenderly pressed his lips onto his wife’s.

Soon after that, the topic of conversation changed, promising them the couple would host dinner to get to know Y/N more.

After spending an hour or so in the greenroom, Y/N had to start getting ready for the show. Giving his wife one last kiss, he met up with the squad following one of the assistants to the VIP booth Y/N set them in. The booth provided food, snacks, and drinks for them while giving them a view close to the stage.

The lights in the venue started to dim down as the crowd’s cheers started to rise. The band started playing the introduction and the cheers from the audience elevated as Y/N rose into the stage.

Throughout the concert, the energy was amazing. Everyone was screaming and jamming out to the lyrics. All of the Dagger Squad and Penny and Amelia were enjoying the time they were having and thanking Mickey for the tickets. Mickey was pretty sure he saw Hangman and Coyote doing the choreography to I Did Something Bad.

“Alright, before we do this next song, how is everyone doing?” Y/N asked the audience as they replied with cheers. “That’s good. Fun fact, the person that I wrote this next song about is in the crowd tonight with his friends. This song is dedicated to him. Love you darling.”

Y/N sent him a wink and he winked back at her. The band started to play Don’t Blame me and everyone was taken to church by the way she performed it. The singer got down on her knees, belting out the high note which caused Mickey to form a proud smile on his face.

After a few songs and the encore, the last show of the tour was finished. Mickey and the gang headed backstage to see Y/N in a pair of sweat shorts and one of Mickey’s old t-shirts.

“You were amazing.” Mickey picked her up and spun her around.

“Thanks,” she laughed. “So, what did you guys think?”

Everyone started to compliment her performance at the same time. Y/N blushed because she wasn’t used to compliments they were giving her and let out a laugh.

“So, instead of driving back to San Diego this late, my producer is out of town and allowed us to use her house to sleepover,” Y/N told them. “What do y’all think?”

Everyone nodded their heads in approval and started to leave the venue.

#mickey garcia x reader #mickey fanboy garcia x reader #fanboy x reader #fanboy imagine #mickey fanboy garcia #natasha phoenix trace #jake hangman seresin #bradley rooster bradshaw #robert bob floyd #javy coyote machado #callie halo bassett #pete maverick mitchell #amelia benjamin #penny benjamin #top gun x reader #top gun maverick fic #top gun maverick x reader #top gun maverick #top gun #Spotify

[scottishaccentsareawesome]

OK this one's going out to @redfurrycat specifically. I just finished watching this movie, so I'm on a high, so bear with me....

"Sleepless in Seattle" IceMav AU

Bradley Bradshaw is eight years old. His biological father, Nick Bradshaw, passed away a year ago, leaving Bradley to be raised by his partner, Pete Mitchell.

Ever since Nick passed away, Pete has basically been a recluse. He raises Bradley the best he can, and goes to work, but he doesn't spend time with friends very much, and he definitely doesn't date.

Bradley is worried about his Uncle Pete, and believes he should move on and start dating again. But he doesn't know how to help his uncle get past his loneliness, so he does what he thinks is the most logical thing - and calls in to a psychiatrist's radio show for advice.

Tom Kazansky is halfway across the country, driving to his fiance's parents house for Christmas, when he hears Bradley calling in to Dr. Penny Benjamin's show on satellite radio. He is instantly charmed (and saddened) by this young child who wants so badly for his guardian to get out there and meet someone new, so he won't be lonely anymore.

After Bradley talks to Dr. Penny for a few minutes, Penny asks Bradley if he can put his uncle on the phone. Tom is floored by the cajones on this woman, and as he listens, he discovers that Pete Mitchell is too. The guy definitely doesn't sound appreciative of being asked about his personal life, on a radio show, by a complete stranger. But after a couple of minutes, Pete starts to open up about Nick, and how much he and Bradley miss him, and how much he loved him - and how these days, the best he can do is tell himself to get out of bed, and remind himself how to breathe, and hope that not all days will be as difficult as these ones have been.

Tom is in tears by the end of the segment. He is so moved by Pete and Bradley, and somehow so drawn to Pete, even though he'd only heard his voice. He doesn't know what he looks like, he doesn't know anything about him, except that he's recently widowed (why do they call it widowed if you're a widower? They should call it widowered, shouldn't they?), and that he's raising what sounds like really great kid.

In the days that follow the radio show, Pete receives thousands of letters and emails from people who want to date him. He thinks the whole idea is nuts and refuses to look at any of them, but Bradley pours through them, intent on finding a new love for Pete, and a new step-parent for himself.

Tom tries to go on with his regular life - his fiance, his job, his friends - but he cannot get Pete Mitchell out of his mind. Which is RIDICULOUS, because he lives hundreds of miles away, and damnit TOM IS ENGAGED!

...But somehow that doesn't stop Tom from looking up all he can about Pete Mitchell. He considers even going to his home address to meet him (you can find anything on the internet now...if you hack a few databases, it's so creepy!).

...In the end, despite his location, and his fiance, and the fact that everything could crash and burn in one foul swoop, Tom decides to send a letter.

He's inspired by his favourite romantic movie, An Affair to Remember. And after he tell Pete a few things about himself, he writes that he would love to meet him on top of the Empire State Building in New York City, on Valentine's Day.

A few days later, in Pete and Bradley's house, Bradley rushes into Pete's bedroom holding Tom's letter.

"This one!" Bradley exclaims. "Tom's the one I like!"

#top gun ficlet #top gun 1986 #sleepless in seattle #icemav au #icemav #maverick & bradley #past-maverick x goose #pete mitchell #tom kazansky #bradley bradshaw #nick bradshaw #penny benjamin

[incorrectopgun]

rooster: [pitches an idea]

maverick: you know what, you might be onto something

penny: [under her breath] yeah, onto a lawsuit

#top gun #top gun maverick #incorrect quotes #incorrect top gun maverick quotes #incorrect top gun quotes #tgm #top gun 1986 #top gun rooster #rooster x maverick #maverick x penny #found family #pete mitchell #bradley bradshaw

[below-average-fangirl]

I really love how the relationship between Pete and Penny develops in Top Gun: Maverick.

It is established within the film that they have a history; an on-again-off-again romance, but unlike what you would normally see between two former lovers, there is no bitterness between them. Regardless of how their relationship ended, it did so amicably and when Penny lays out her boundaries, "Let's not start this again." Pete doesn’t object; he doesn’t argue for them to give it another go; he respects her wish and doesn’t push. This one small detail speaks to his maturity in a romantic sense and how he has grown up over the years.

Penny has established her romantic boundaries, but what causes her to reconsider, to emotionally and literally reopen the door to Pete, is spending time together, reconnecting, and having fun with one another. There’s no grand romantic gesture, no standing at her bedroom window holding a boombox, no "she’s lost that loving feeling." Penny has agency in this romance and isn’t just swept along by romantic gimmicks.

Furthermore, it's only when Penny invites Pete into her life again that he reveals what happened between him and Rooster. He doesn’t just use her as an emotional sounding board without permission, she offers.

#top gun maverick #pete mitchell #penny benjamin #penny x pete #jennifer connelly #tom crusie #tgm analysis

[permanentlyexhaustedpigeon88]

Under Stadium Light * Jake 'Hangman' Seresin/OC (part 1)

Summary: When Casey applied to Texas A&M, she wanted an escape. A means of forgetting her godfather's illness, and the breakup that happened just after graduation, if only for a moment. Some things, though, are far more difficult to outrun than she might believe. Perhaps most especially when a stubborn jock all but refuses to allow her to do exactly that.

Warnings: angst, allusion to smut, past abusive relationship, mentions of cancer/illness, death of major character

Taglist: @djs8891 (please let me know if anyone else wants to be added!)

"Well—this is it."

The weight of her mother's arm winding around her shoulders to pull her close comes in tandem with the words, and Casey turns away from her cursory examination of the dorm room that will be her home away from home for the semester in favor of looking Penny Benjamin in the eye, instead. A task that comes with some difficulty, though Casey would be hard pressed to own up to such a thing out loud. She'd spent an entire summer convincing herself that she was looking forward to this. That the idea of starting college was nothing more than another new adventure.

By contrast, her mother clearly still harbors some reservations that she seems incapable of keeping to herself. It makes sense, inasmuch as Casey wishes it was not the case, given that this will be the first time she will be away from home by any significant distance for more than a few nights at a time.

When she'd first decided that Texas A&M was her number one choice for pursuing further education, it had been assumed she would change her mind. That her godfather's diagnosis in particular would persuade her to stick around. But neither of those things had happened. She had remained steadfast in her desire to attend college out of state as though her very life depended upon that desire becoming a reality.

Casey would be the first to admit she has a tendency to bolt when things get tough. When they get real. For all of her attempts at appearing steady, she still cannot entirely rid herself of the scared little girl that she always has been, more often than not. And now, here she is, attempting to don a reassuring smile for her mother, when on the inside, she is mere inches away from falling apart.

"This is it," She finally agrees, leaning slightly against her mother's side, just enough to be able to drop her head to rest on Penny's shoulder, "It's—"

"Nice."

"It is."

"Would've been nice to meet your roommate, though," Penny states, a surreptitious glance toward the still undecorated side of the dorm room causing Casey to emit a poorly muted laugh, "What? I'm allowed to wonder who you'll be living with for the next eight months of your life, aren't I?"

"You are."

"Alright then."

"I'm sure she's perfectly—"

"Nice?"

"Exactly," Casey assures, savoring the small tightening of her mother's arm around her shoulders, even if she hardly wants to make such a thing obvious to anyone else, "She's from Tacoma, Mom."

"That doesn't actually mean anything, you know."

"Okay, maybe not. But still, I'm sure she's fine."

The sigh Penny gives in response to the statement is hardly reassuring, given that Casey had been counting on providing her mother with some manner of relief. In truth, she'd been doing so in part as a means of attempting to find some of her own along the way. Her mother's lingering concern does nothing to waylay the twisting of something not all that far from apprehension in her gut, though. In fact, it only seems to make it grow.

Casey honestly hates the idea of being so nervous, her teeth digging into the skin on the inside of her cheek to try to do something—anything—to make the feeling go away. Her body seems to shy away from her mother's one-armed embrace at the same time. Before too long, she is hovering at Penny's side, her fingers knotting together for want of anything else to do. And that, of course, tips her mom off to the fact that something is wrong far quicker than anything she might say ever could.

"Listen, if you—if you're having second thoughts—"

"I'm not."

"But if you are. We can always figure out something else. Maybe you could take classes online, or—"

"Mom!"

"Hmm?"

"I'm going to be fine."

"I know. I know you will be, sweetheart," Penny admits, reaching for her daughter's hand before Casey can fully avoid it, and threading their fingers together before offering a gentle squeeze, "I'm just—really gonna miss you."

"Don't let Amelia hear you say that. I think she might actually be looking forward to having you all to herself."

"Believe me, Casey, she's going to miss you too."

"Well I'd certainly hope so. Me being the amazingly cool stepsister that I am, and all."

Penny's laugh provokes a small smile from Casey in response, and for a moment she actually feels as though she can do this. As though when her mother walks out of the dorm and climbs in her car to drive away, she will remain steadfast. Confident. Strong.

She has to be that way. There is simply no other way around it. After all of the comparisons made over the years regarding how similar she is to her father, how could there be anything else for her to do but push forward? How can she do anything other than charge ahead, and hope for the best?

"Don't think. Just do."

Unfortunately for her, in this particular moment at least, that advice seems to be far easier said than done.

"You're sure you don't want me to stay around?" Penny asks then, glancing around the dorm room yet again, as though trying to come up with a feasible reason to stay, "Because Amelia's concert isn't until Friday night—"

"I think you and I both know that Hank isn't going to approve of you doing that."

"Case—"

"Come on, Mom. It's bad enough that you took extra time to drive me down here and you know it," Casey insists, her fingers tightening on her mother's hand for a fraction of a second before she is once again choosing to pull away, "I don't want to cause any trouble."

Penny frowns in response to the statement, but Casey is turning from her to shift one of her bags onto the bed she has claimed for her own, once again desperate to latch onto something to do. For another way of bolting from reality, small though it may be. She knows that her mother will have to leave, sooner rather than later, and the idea of appearing as unnerved by that fact as she truly is has become far too daunting to face.

For her part, Penny seems to sense this, just as easily as she has picked up on everything else concerning her daughter's moods and whims over the years. And although she hardly wants to leave Casey behind in such a state, she knows that insisting upon staying will only manage to make matters worse.

"You can call me anytime. You know that," She persists, watching her daughter carefully as she turns back to face her head-on, a tremulous smile pulling at both corners of her mouth while her eyes shine with something not all that different from unshed tears, "And you know your dad will be on the first flight out if I somehow can't make it myself."

"I know."

"And now it's time for me to stop talking, and go home?"

"Well I'm not about to actually tell you that," Casey quips, this time managing a more successful attempt at a genuine smile as she allows Penny to pull her in for one final embrace, "Contrary to popular belief, I'm not actually cruel, you know."

"You'll be fine if I allow experience to speak to me for a moment, before I just accept that statement at face value, won't you?"

"Yeah, no. Okay, you can—you can go now, Mom."

"I thought you might say something like that."

Sharing another laugh with her mother in response to the admittedly predictable retort, Casey follows after her as she exits the dorm room and heads through the hall to the door at its opposite end. She leans against the doorframe while Penny climbs inside the familiar Porsche, and draws a pair of sunglasses out of the glove compartment to guard against the evening light.

Casey manages to maintain her composure, even as her mother backs out of the parking spot and heads for the lot's exit a few feet away, her resolve only breaking when she is certain there is no chance that Penny will see it happen firsthand…

A fact for which she is immeasurably grateful as the first of the tears begin to fall.

…

#top gun #top gun maverick #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick fanfiction #pete maverick mitchell #penny benjamin #tom iceman kazansky #jake hangman seresin #bradley rooster bradshaw #original character #original character fanfiction #oc story #oc fanfiction #casey mitchell #jake 'hangman' seresin x oc #jake seresin x oc #hangman seresin x oc #the exhausted pigeon writes

[captainsophiestark]

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Fandom: Top Gun

Summary: Five of the most important moments in your life with Rooster. All fluff, humor, and adorable energy, despite the title sounding angsty. Go listen to the Elton John song that the title’s from, the vibes fit.

Word Count: 2,834

Category: Fluff, Humor

A/N: When I tell you this fic lived in my mind rent-free and refused to leave until I wrote it... dude, I literally couldn’t think of anything else until this was metaphorically on the page

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

"C'mon, Phoenix! Payback? Fanboy? You can't leave me hanging, I need somebody to sing a duet with me."

"No way in hell Rooster. We're not going up there and making fools of ourselves."

I couldn't help tuning into the loud argument being had by the group behind me. I turned to find a tall, handsome man with a mustache standing and trying to persuade just one of his friends to go sing karaoke with him.

He wasn't having much luck.

"You know, if none of you go up there with me, I'll just have to go up there and do both parts myself."

"Great! Bob, get your phone out and record this, it's going to be gold-"

"Excuse me?" I said, standing and walking around the table where I'd been sitting to stand in front of the mustache man. My friends gave me incredulous looks, but I ignored them. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help overhearing. I've been trying to talk my friends into going up there and singing with me all night with no luck too, and so if you need a duet partner... I'd be happy to step in."

"Seriously?" he asked. I nodded.

"Seriously."

"Then let's go!"

He didn't even hesitate as he grabbed my hand and headed up to the front of the bar, and I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of me. We got to the front, where people were taking signups, and he pulled me up with him before dropping my hand and draping his arm around my shoulders instead.

"Hey!" he said, yelling to be heard over the current singer and music. "We're- shit, I don't even know your name!"

He turned to me, dropping his arm from my shoulders with a wide-eyed look on his face, but I just laughed.

"It's Y/N!"

"Y/N, Rooster! It's nice to meet you!"

"Rooster?"

"I'm a fighter pilot, it's my callsign!"

"Oh! Well then, Rooster, it's nice to meet you too!"

He turned back to the karaoke people like there had never been an interruption, a massive smile on his face.

"We're Rooster and Y/N. Can we sign up for a duet?"

"Sure thing. What do you want to sing?"

He turned back to me and raised an eyebrow. I leaned in a little, so I wouldn't have to yell as loudly, and Rooster turned so my mouth was next to his ear.

"How about Don't Go Breaking My Heart?" I asked. Rooster whipped his head around to face me so quickly he almost accidentally kissed me on the mouth.

"That's perfect! I think I might love you for suggesting it."

I just laughed and leaned into him as he turned back to deliver our song decision. The karaoke people wrote it down, then gestured for us to wait until our names were called. We chatted by the bar for a few minutes, and then at last, we were up.

"Okay, so you're gonna be Kiki Dee, right?" I teased as we went up. Rooster shot me a grin as we took our mics.

"Honey, I'm pretty sure you're kidding, but you'd better be careful because I'll take you up on that in a heartbeat."

I laughed as the music started, sharing a brief smile with Rooster before we launched into our performance. Our friends were clearly laughing at us, but neither of us cared.

We were having the time of our lives.

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

I fidgeted in front of the mirror, adjusting my dress and hair again. After a few seconds, I forced myself to turn away and head downstairs before I drove myself crazy. Rooster was picking me up in a few minutes for our first date, and I'd taken to messing with my outfit to try to keep my nerves down while I waited.

I wandered into the kitchen and pulled down a glass to get some water, but I almost dropped it when a knock came at the door. I set the glass down and smiled as I moved to the door, opening it to find Rooster on the other side, a massive grin on his face.

"Wow. You look gorgeous."

I felt my face heat up as I looked down bashfully.

"Thanks. You look pretty good yourself."

He shrugged. "I do my best. You ready?"

"Of course. Where are we going?" I asked as we headed for his waiting car.

"I thought we'd go to that nice restaurant down by the Hard Deck, then walk along the beach afterwards? Look at the stars, walk through the surf, all that good stuff?"

"That sounds perfect."

We shared a smile as Rooster opened the door of his car for me and I slipped inside. He walked around and started the engine, and to my delight, Don't Go Breaking My Heart came on the radio.

"Hey!" said Rooster, immediately reaching for the dial to turn it up. "It's our song!"

"First date and we've already got a song?" I teased. He grinned right back.

"Since we met through singing it, yeah, I think it already counts as our song."

"Fair enough."

Like we'd planned it, we started singing together with the windows down as we drove to the restaurant. A joyous feeling bubbled up in my chest, and I felt truly alive with the wind in my hair and the music at top-volume as we cruised to the restaurant together.

After our song ended, Rooster and I just kept singing. One great song after another, we belted our hearts and souls out the whole way there. We occasionally got strange stares from the people on the street and in the other cars around us, but neither of us cared at all.

We had a lovely dinner together, then wandered down to the beach. I immediately kicked off my shoes, opting to carry them and feel my feet in the sand, and Rooster quickly followed suit.

"Nothing like the ocean at night," I sighed, breathing in the cool night air as Rooster gently took my hand.

"All the stars overhead aren't doing anything to hurt the view either," he added.

"No kidding."

We walked for a few minutes in comfortable silence, eventually wandering closer to the edge of the surf. We dipped our feet in the water and moved on to talking about nothing, enjoying every minute of it all the same.

Eventually, it got late enough that we needed to head back. We were both tired enough that we didn't sing along to all the songs on the way back, but we still turned them up to full-volume to enjoy.

When we got back to my house, Rooster walked me to the doorstep. We paused just outside the front door, smiles on both of our faces.

"So... did I make the cut for a second date?" he asked.

"Hell yes you did. I had a really, really good time, Rooster."

"Me too. I'm bogged down at Top Gun for the rest of the week, but maybe after that we could do something?"

"You're on, Bradshaw." I turned away long enough to open my door, then turned back to look at Rooster again. He stared right back as I took a few steps to close the distance between us, his eyes never leaving my face. I leaned up to place a soft kiss on his cheek, and when I pulled away, Rooster watched every single move I made like a hawk.

"I'll see you next weekend."

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

I fidgeted on the docks, watching the massive aircraft carrier in front of me go through the final steps in the docking process. Rooster and the rest of the Top Gun special detachment were finally getting home today, safe and sound by some miracle. We'd been dating for months now, but this had been the first time I'd watched him ship out somewhere.

It was terrifying. But he loved flying, so I got through it. And now, he was coming home.

Maverick was the first one down the ramp and on dry land, and then a moment later, Rooster appeared behind him. A massive smile broke out on my face, and I didn't waste a second before sprinting across the dock.

Maverick grinned as soon as he caught sight of me, and then made a big show of clearly stepping out of my way. Rooster beamed as he opened his arms wide, catching me and managing to keep us from eating shit as I ran into him at full speed.

"Hey, baby," he muttered into my hair. He wrapped both arms around my waist and held me tight, spinning me around a few times before letting my feet rest firmly on the ground again. A few of his fellow pilots cheered and clapped him on the shoulder as they went past, but I ignored them all.

"I missed you," I said, pulling back just enough to look him in the eyes. "And I'm so glad you're home."

"I'm glad I'm home too, sweetheart."

He smiled, and I didn't waste another second before kissing him, hard. I heard Maverick clear his throat, but I ignored him. Rooster hadn't even been gone that long, but I'd missed him all the same. I didn't give a rat's ass who was watching; I was going to kiss my boyfriend as long as I damn well wanted.

When we finally broke apart, Rooster was staring at me with all the love in the world on his face. I couldn't stop myself from leaning up to give him one last quick peck, then we turned to head the rest of the way to shore. Rooster wrapped one arm tightly around my shoulders, and I started to walk, but I stopped short at the look Maverick was giving us.

He stared at us like we were ghosts, a slight sheen of tears in his eyes.

"Uh... are you okay?" I asked. Rooster's arm tightened around my shoulders as Maverick gave us a small smile.

"Yeah. Fine. You two just... you look a lot like another couple I knew."

I tried to figure out what the hell he was talking about, since the last time I'd talked to my boyfriend, Maverick had been enemy #1.

To my surprise, Rooster dropped his arm from my shoulders and took my hand instead, pulling me with him into a group hug with Maverick. They shared a smile and a laugh as we all embraced, and it seemed like a nice moment, but I couldn't help being a little confused.

After a few beats, we all broke apart, Maverick and Rooster still sharing happy smiles. When neither of them jumped in to explain, I took matters into my own hands.

"So... I take it you and Maverick worked some things out on this mission?"

Both men turned to me, giving me eerily similar smiles.

"Yeah, we worked a few things out," said Rooster. "I'll catch you up on it, but... we're cool with him now."

I shrugged. "Sounds good."

Maverick looked between Rooster and I with a raised eyebrow.

"Is that why you seemed mad at me every time I saw you?" he asked me. "Even before I knew who you were?"

"Yeah. My boyfriend had beef with you, so I had beef with you. But now, apparently, you're in the clear! So, I guess... looking forward to getting to know you."

Maverick stared at us for another few seconds, then broke out laughing. He sighed and looped one arm around Rooster's shoulders and the other around mine.

"Let's get out of here and go get a drink, then. I want nothing more than to get to know the woman who's been making Rooster so happy."

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

"Amelia! Come back here! What the hell are you even doing?"

I shouted down the beach at Rooster and I's honorary little sister as she booked it down the beach. I was supposed to be driving her to a tutoring session, but when I'd swung by the Hard Deck to pick her up, she'd sprinted out to the beach without a word to me.

I saw her disappear around a rock outcropping a little further ahead, and I hustled after her. I had no idea what had made her run out of the bar like her hair was on fire, but I seriously needed to find out.

I rounded the rock, having to get my feet a little wet in the process, but came to a dead stop when I saw what was waiting on the other side. Amelia stood between her parents, Penny and Maverick, all three of them with massive grins on their faces as they stared at me. Between me and them stood none other than Bradly Rooster Bradshaw, my best friend and boyfriend, radiating happiness like the sun.

"Babe... what's going on?" I asked, taking a few steps closer to Rooster. He didn't answer, instead waiting until I got almost all the way to him. Then, just as I was about to start demanding some answers, he dropped to one knee before me in the sand.

"Y/N..."

"Oh my God, Bradley..."

"You make me the happiest I've been in a long, long time. You're my best friend, dream karaoke buddy, partner in crime, and the absolute love of my life. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Baby... of course I will."

I couldn't help the tears that started to fall as Rooster stood, catching me as I fell into his arms. I held him tight and kissed him hard, and we lost ourselves in each other for a few moments before the happy congratulations of our family brought us back to reality.

"So, do I get to be in the wedding?" asked Amelia with a grin as Rooster carefully slipped the ring on my finger. I leaned into him as I smiled back at Amelia.

"Absolutely you do. Despite the fact that you made me run frantically across the beach in a near-panic right before my proposal, I'd be honored to have you as one of my bridesmaids."

She absolutely beamed back at me, a very similar expression on Penny's face behind her. Rooster tugged me in tight to him as Maverick clapped him on the back on the other side, and I felt an absolutely beautiful sense of peace looking around at the people I loved so much.

I couldn't wait to spend the rest of my life just like this.

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

"...and do you, Y/N Y/L/N, take Bradley Bradshaw to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"Absolutely I do."

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now ki-"

Rooster was way ahead. He swept me into a dip and kissed me, both of us smiling into it. Our friends and family cheered, and we stayed like that for a minute before finally straightening up.

Rooster and I held our joined hands up in the air in victory, and I laughed happily as I leaned into him. We'd both been smiling non-stop since this morning, and neither of us showed any signs of stopping soon. We strutted out of the church together to the applause of all our guests, then climbed into the car waiting to take us to our reception.

When we got into the back and the door closed behind us, I couldn't help letting out a little sigh at the temporary peace and quiet it gave us.

"I love you so much, Bradley," I said, leaning my head on his chest and resting a hand on his thigh. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and held me close, placing a soft kiss to my forehead.

"And I love you so, so much Mrs. Bradshaw."

I hummed. "I don't think I'm ever going to get tired of hearing that."

"I sure hope not."

I chuckled, half-heartedly hitting Bradley in the chest. We spent the rest of the ride recharging together, and basking in the glow of being newly, officially married.

Married.

By the time the car got to the reception venue and the wedding party got done taking photos, the festivities were already in full swing. Rooster and I strutted in when the time came for our big entrance, then took the floor for our first dance to none other than Great Balls of Fire. We hadn't choreographed it, and we were laughing so hard that half the dance was us leaning on each other just trying to stay standing, but I wouldn't have had it any other way.

After the traditional first dance, it was time for our new tradition. Our first karaoke as a married couple.

"You wanna be Kiki Dee or Elton John?" I asked as we took the stage and grabbed the two waiting microphones. We'd sung this song at karaoke plenty of times since the first one when we'd met, but it never failed to make my heart beat faster and put a smile on my face.

"Dealer's choice, sweetheart. Although I think we figured out pretty early that my voice is a little better suited to Elton's voice."

"Yeah, good point. You need to be way more drunk to make Kiki Dee's part sound good."

"Maybe a little later in the evening, then."

We shared a smile, then the music started and we faced our waiting friends and family. The past few years with Rooster had been the absolute best of my life, and I couldn't wait to spend every other moment with him, just like this.

#top gun #top gun: maverick #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #rooster x reader #top gun fanfiction #top gun one shot #top gun imagine #rooster fanfic #rooster imagine #rooster one shot #pete maverick mitchell #penny benjamin #amelia benjamin #maverick #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #top gun maverick fanfiction #bradley bradshaw fanfiction #rooster bradshaw imagine

[jungle-angel]

Show Me Your Firetrucks (Bob Floyd x Reader)

Summary: You, Bob, the Daggers and the kids get to experience an event in Bob's hometown that's been happening for the last 22 years

Notes: This fic is dedicated to the civilians and first responders of NYC, those who are still with us and those who were called home on that fateful day. To the firefighters, police and first responders, we are forever grateful for your service. (The music that inspired this fic can also be found here, I highly suggest listening to it while you read along).

Cheyenne Falls, Oklahoma

September, 2023

You and Bob were a little less than pleased at the prospects of having to get up so early, your children still at the age when they needed sleep and with them just having started school, which hadn't made anything easier.

Auggie and Patrick excitedly ran into the firehouse where Bob's brother, Sean and his teammates all worked. Both of them ran to their uncle who eagerly scooped them right up off the ground in a big hug.

"Uncle Seanie I ate a bug at school!!" Auggie exclaimed proudly.

"Oh did it taste like chicken?" he teased.

You laughed but Bob rolled his eyes. Typical of his older brother who had always told Bob that bugs tasted like chicken when he was little.

"Well hello, little brother of mine," Sean greeted rather cheerfully. "I see Auggie inherited the male line's shit eyesight."

"Yeah and that was only after he ran into the screen door and broke it two years ago," Bob chuckled.

You, Bob and Sean watched as Auggie and Patrick ran around the firehouse garage, wanting to try on the helmets, boots and jackets that were far too big for either of them. Sean's wife, Zoe, had come down the stairs from the loft just a few minutes later in a pair of ripped jeans and a navy blue t-shirt bearing an NYFD logo.

"Did we miss anything?" Natasha yawned as she walked in with her and Cole's son, Gabe.

"Nope, you haven't missed anything yet," Bob chirped.

"Good because I haven't had coffee yet and the ghoul is driving me crazy."

"Hey I'm going to the donut shop across the street for coffee, does anybody want anything?" Zoe announced.

Everyone put in their orders, including yourself and by the time Rooster, Rusty and the boys had all shown up with Baby Carrie in tow, Zoe was back with your orders.

"Looks like we've got some future firefighters in the family," Rooster remarked, adjusting four month old Carrie in his arms.

"Oof, I shudder at the thought," Bob answered.

Sean snorted and stifled a laugh but went stiff when Bob gave him the dreaded look as a warning not to say anything else.

"Alright, alright, alright!" Hangman announced loudly as he strode in with one twin girl on each of his hips. "I come bearing my trophies!!!!"

He set a giggling Missy and Molly both down on the concrete floors, their little sandaled feet flapping as they chased after their cousins. Mickey showed up with Isabella, Sebastian and Rodrigo some moments later, Coyote following with Paloma, Carla and Baby Tiago while Payback and Maverick were the last to arrive with their own kids and Amelia. Missy and Molly ran straight for Geneva and Neveah while TJ remained happily perched on his father's shoulders. Maverick's two little adopted ghouls were excited beyond words when they saw all the firetrucks and equipment on full display.

"I have never seen a bunch of kids so excited like this before," Sean chuckled as more people began to gather in the fire station.

"Doesn't even begin to describe it," Penny told him. "That's all they play with at home is toy firetrucks."

Everyone shared a few good laughs and caught up with each other over the coffee and donuts that Zoe had brought back. Soon, the whole station was almost full of people, some who were close to Bob and others who were just ordinary members of the community.

"Looks like it's gonna be a good ride this year, little brother," Sean remarked.

"I know," Bob chuckled as he sipped on the cinnamon flavored coffee. "We've got almost everybody in town here and more."

Sean nodded with a bit of a wistful look in his eyes, remembering Joe's two brothers, Stephen and Christopher who had been in New York, one a firefighter and the other a police sergeant. Though both had survived, Sean knew too well that there were others who had not been as lucky.

"Hey," Joe greeted happily as he strode up to his sons. "You two numbskulls ready? Michael's got ants in his pants from waiting in the police cruiser with the K-9."

"We'll get the kids ready Dad," Bob told him.

Joe and his sons both hugged each other tight. "This one's for your uncles," he croaked.

Bob met up with you and the kids to help get ready for the ride. "Am I gonna do good Daddy?" Auggie chirped.

"You will Auggie," Bob laughed, putting the much too large fire helmet on his son's head. "Just remember what Uncle Sean and Chief McKenzie tell you ok?"

Auggie nodded, pushing his glasses onto his nose as his little hands helped button the tiny little jacket that Chief Dan McKenzie had found for him and some of the other children who had come to join the ride.

Father Daly, the firehouse chaplain, led everyone present in a short prayer, giving the blessing for the ride, praying for the souls of the departed and those who were still in the line of work. When he had finished, the brass bell in the yard began to ring loudly, signaling for everyone to jump in the trucks.

"Bye Daddy, we'll see you later," Auggie chirped as Bob lifted him into the cab of the truck with Sean and Chief McKenzie.

"Bye buddy, I'll see you when we get to the city," Bob said, giving his son a kiss before the doors were shut.

You, Bob and the others each jumped into a truck, the kids all riding in the cabs or in the backs with the other firefighters. You gave each other a look, his hand gripping yours tightly as the trucks began to roll out of the station, the sirens going as soon as they were part of the way down the road.

You and Bob hung onto the back rails as the truck rolled down the road with the long line of firetrucks and police cars not far behind. The wind rushed through your hair as the procession rode through Cheyenne Falls, heading towards Oklahoma City. So many others from in and around town had come to stand on the streets, cheering everyone on and to show their support.

You and Bob had never experienced anything like this before, the exhilarating feeling filling you both from head to toe. Bob held your hand even tighter as you hung on, ready for the 110 miles into Oklahoma City, side by side with the man you loved.

#top gun maverick #robert bob floyd #pete maverick mitchell #penny benjamin mitchell #amelia benjamin mitchell #bradley rooster bradshaw #natasha phoenix trace #mickey fanboy garcia #jake hangman seresin #javy coyote machado #reuben paybak fitch #bob floyd x reader #dagger squad

[callsignlucky]

talk to me, lucky (part 1)

summary: You're Maverick’s kid. You’re also Bradley Bradshaw’s best friend—or at least, you were. What lies between you two now is uncharted territory.

pairing: bradley "rooster" bradshaw/mitchell!reader

a/n: good morning aviators and welcome to my top gun brain rot. i liked this enough i decided to post it, its short and sweet (at least some of it is sweet), feedback would be greatly appreciated! i'm planning a few parts for this and it will remain in first person. your callsign is LUCKY. this also cross-posted on ao3 if that strikes anyone's fancy. (1.5k)

part 2 ->

My memories of Rooster started before he was Rooster. 

Back then, he was just Bradley.

He was three when I was born, and according to my parents and Aunt Carole, he loathed me. We’re talking as much hate as a shaggy, blonde-haired three year old could muster. Refused to even look at me, detested when my father showed me the slightest amount of attention, and if Aunt Carole doted on me in the slightest, it was tummy to the ground fists on the carpet full-blown tantrum. 

Of course, that lasted all about a month. After he got over the fact that he had to share the attention of the various grown ups in our lives, I had Bradley Bradshaw wrapped around my finger and it had been that way ever since. 

We grew up together, three years apart yes but always attached at the hip. When I started walking, I stumbled my way over to Bradley on Christmas Day instead of into my father’s open arms. 

When I lost my first tooth, Bradley was the first one I told, and we used the two dollars the tooth fairy left me to share an ice cream cone on the swing set in the backyard. 

When Bradley started baseball, I insisted on being at every game, and no matter how long they lasted or how far away they were, I sat through each one and cheered for him louder than everyone. 

Middle school started, and my second week of fourth grade, my mom died. Freak car accident, completely out of the blue, and Bradley—a sixth grader at the time but never too cool for me—was by my side through the entirety of it. He had experience in this area with Uncle Goose’s death, and despite him not remembering much, he knew the pain of waking up in the morning expecting both of your parents to be there, and then walking downstairs to find just the one. It was okay though—like Dad had stepped in to try to fill the role Uncle Goose left behind, Aunt Carole did the same with Mom. It was never really the same though, and everyone knew it. 

Middle school melted into high school, where Bradley was a junior and I was a freshman. I was fully expecting the silent treatment on my first day, but Bradley intercepted me in the main hall after breaking away from his baseball friends and gave me a guided tour of the school before walking me to class. He kept up that morning tradition every day for the two years we went to high school together—he’d pick me up in his inherited Ford Bronco, we’d go get coffee and bagels, and he’d walk me to class. 

After Bradley’s graduation ceremony was completed and all the friends and family had congregated outside, I waited anxiously for him between Dad and Aunt Carole. I saw a flash of blue and white before I was wrapped up in Bradley’s arms, squealing with delight as he hugged me tight and spun me around. One hand clutched the hem of my dress to keep myself decent while the other wrapped around his neck, and his smile was breathless as he shook his diploma excitedly in the air and credited his graduation on the hours I spent tutoring him in history. He was so handsome and so happy at that moment and I think that was the first time I really saw Bradley as something other than my best friend. 

Those feelings only got worse during my junior year, when Bradley was visiting home for the fall.

Autumn in California was just like a really tame summer, and Bradley had really become a man in his two years of college. I hadn’t really noticed it before, or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention, or maybe it was the fact that, despite my father’s best efforts, I’d finally discovered boys. Either way, I could’ve died of heat stroke that afternoon when Bradley thought it would be fun to have a pool day with my dad and his mom. I insisted on studying instead of swimming, but my ability to focus on any textbook dissolved as soon as Bradley took off his shirt and dove into our pool. That night, I scolded myself for the thoughts that passed my mind, even though I’d asked Aunt Carole about them (leaving out they were about her son, obviously) and she’d said they were completely normal to have for a girl my age and to not be ashamed. But I was ashamed, because this wasn’t some boy, this was Bradley. My best friend since before I could even walk. 

My graduation came along, and Bradley had made a special trip to surprise me for it. It was his first year in the Navy and Dad and Aunt Carole had lied to me, telling me he couldn’t get out of a deployment to attend. I was beyond crushed, until before the ceremony, when my best friend Fallon got my attention and I saw Bradley in the gym’s double doors, dressed in his dress whites and smiling at me like I hung the damn moon. I can’t remember ever being that excited as I ran across the gym in the stupid heels they’d made us wear, practically leaping into his arms and knocking his hat right off his head. The yearbook editor managed to snap a photo of our interaction, and it was the biggest one on the graduation spread. 

It wasn’t long after my graduation that everything fell apart.

Aunt Carole had been sick for a while, and died two months later. Dad donned his dress whites for the second time in the same year, and it rained for the first time in California since I was sixteen. I held Bradley’s hand the entire time, just like he’d held mine when we laid my mother to rest. He had stayed stoic during the service, up until the moment before they took his mother’s body away to transport to the cemetery. I let go of Bradley’s hand long enough to say goodbye to the woman who’d stepped up when I needed her most and guided me through my formative years. I kissed her on the forehead, and tucked a little stuffed goose into her casket. When I turned back to Bradley, he had lost his composure, and the rest of the funeral attendees had to wait twenty minutes for us to arrive at the cemetery so they could put Aunt Carole in the ground next to her husband, the father Bradley barely knew. 

Two months later, Bradley and my father’s relationship crumbled. Dad made a promise that was completely unfair to Bradley, and as a result he had his papers pulled from the Naval Aviation Academy. Dad would’ve never told Bradley his mother had asked him to do that, it would’ve destroyed him, so he took all the blame. And to be truthful, Dad was selfish in doing it too. I knew what had happened to Uncle Goose. I knew how close he and Dad and Uncle Ice were, I knew how hard it was when the accident in the air took Uncle Goose’s life. Dad hadn’t let go or forgiven himself for it since it happened, despite it not being his fault. I knew he couldn’t bear the thought of losing Bradley in the same way he lost his best friend, and he was more than willing to let Bradley hate him forever so long as he was alive to do it. I remember the sound of the front door slamming the last time I saw Bradley. I was nineteen years old, halfway through my first year in college, and I watched from the bay window in my bedroom as Bradley peeled out of our driveway in his father’s old Bronco. 

What my father didn’t understand was that we’d just lost Bradley, and he wasn’t even dead. That’s what made it hurt worse. 

As I stood frozen to my spot in Penny Benjamin's bar in North Island, my eyes upon Bradley Bradshaw for the first time since he’d stormed out of our lives ten years ago, those memories flooded back in. 

He wasn’t Bradley anymore, he was Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw, callsign Rooster, and the sentiment of it had my heart twisting. He was here for the same deployment I was, he was a pilot, the same as I was—he was a Lieutenant, the same as I was. We weren’t children anymore, but as I watched him catch sight of me and pull his aviators off his face, I couldn’t help the teenage to young adult anger of those years I spent without him fill me to my core. Even worse, he sauntered up to me without hesitation, like he hadn’t abandoned me because of something my father did. 

He was all smiles and I couldn’t help it. With my father across the bar no doubt watching our every move and our new team standing within spitting distance, six pilots whose respect and trust we needed to earn before our mission in three weeks, I raised my hand and slapped Bradley Bradshaw across the face. 

#bradley bradshaw x reader #rooster bradshaw #top gun #rooster top gun #top gun maverick #bradley bradshaw #rooster/reader #jake hangman seresin #tom iceman kazansky #penny benjamin #bradley rooster bradshaw #bradley rooster bradshaw/reader #bradley bradshaw x female reader #bradley bradshaw/reader #bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #mavdad #pete mitchell #pete maverick mitchell

[bradshawsbaby]

You’ve been busted, you lost your qualifications as section leader three times, put in hack twice by me, with a history of high speed passes over five air control towers, and one admiral’s daughter!

Penny Benjamin?

#maverick x penny #pete maverick mitchell #penny benjamin #bradshawsbaby mood board #top gun #tom cruise #jennifer connelly

[imawkwardlysoc]

accepted or denied?

Pairing- pete 'maverick' mitchell x daughter!reader

Warning(s)- No use of pronouns, use of Y/N, Penny and Mav got together before the movie and Amelia is Mav's daughter

Wordcount- 1,033

Summary- After getting accepted to most of the colleges that the reader applied to, the reader is waiting for just one more responce.

A/N- If you got accepted to all of the colleges you wanted to be accepted to congrats! If not, just reject their rejection. This is coming from the girl who applied to only four schools and got rejected by three of them with two being her dream schools, and now is going to her safety school which I have a love/hate relationship with.

“You are going to tear a hole into the floor if you keep doing that,” my sister Amelia told me as I paced back and forth by our front door. “The mailman is coming soon. Stop worrying.”

“Easy for you to say since you’re just a freshman,” I looked at her. “Once you reach senior year and already turned in your college application, you’ll get the feeling.”

“Y/N, sweetie, distract your mind,” Mom squeezed my shoulder. “It’s going to come soon.”

“I would if the teachers didn’t have that evaluation day and I didn’t have to be home,” I groaned. “This is my make it or break it moment.”

“Says the girl who got into UC Berkeley, UC LA, Cal Poly, San Diego State, and other amazing colleges in California,” Amelia looked at me as if I was crazy.

Hearing the mailman open our gate, I rushed to the front door and quickly opened it which caused our mailman to let out a laugh at my eagerness.

“I guess someone’s eager to hear back from colleges,” George laughed as he grabbed the stack of mail from his bag. “Good luck.”

“Thanks George,” I thanked him before walking into the kitchen.

I heard Mom apologizing to George about my bluntness and met Amelia and I in the kitchen. Throwing non-important mail into a separate stack, I was met with the envelope from CalTech. My hands immediately started to shake knowing I might get rejected from them. Looking at my mom and sister who gave me hopeful and encouraging looks, I took a breath and started to open the envelope. I took the paper out and started to read it.

“Dear Y/N, congratulations! It is an honor to offer you admission to the California Institution of Technology and the Class of 2023!” I read out while exclaiming.

“You got in?” Mom asked with wide eyes.

“I got in!” The three of us started to jump up and down in celebration.

“Mom,” I saw the tears in her eyes.

“I’m just happy,” she sniffed and wiped her tears.

“I need to tell Dad,” I looked at her.

“Take my keys,” she told me and we hugged again.

Taking the keys from the bowl, I unlocked her car and started driving to base. Sitting at a stop light, I let out a sob of happiness knowing that I got accepted to my dream school. Showing my badge and ID when I got to the entrance of the base, I parked the car and rushed into the building. Nodding my head to a couple of commanding officers like Cyclone and Warlock, I made it to Dad’s office to see his receptionist sitting there.

“Hey Shelly, is my dad in his office?” I asked her.

“No, he’s currently in the hangar with the Dagger Squad,” she replied and saw the look on my face. “You got in didn’t you?”

“Yep,” I nodded my head.

“Congrats hun, we knew you would,” she congratulated me.

I thanked her and went to the hangar where everyone else was. Running down the base, I saw my dad and the squadron talking to each other about things.

“Dad!” I let out another sob as I got closer to him. “Dad!”

“Hey, hey, Y/N,” he went up to me and wrapped me in a hug. “What’s wrong?”

“I got in,” I looked up to him with teary eyes.

“What? What do you mean?” A confused look formed on my face.

“I. Got. In.” I repeated as his eyes widened finally realizing what I meant.

“No you didn't!” His jaw dropped and I gave him the acceptance letter, also the digital one that I got a few minutes later after getting my letter. “You did!”

Dad picked me up and spun me around like he did as I was a little girl. I wrapped my legs around his waist and more tears started to fall down. Putting me down, he hugged me again as tears fell down his eyes and wrapped me in a hug again. Letting go, we let out a chuckle as we wiped our tears and saw the Dagger Squad looking at us.

“I got into CalTech!” I yelled out as I ran up to my brother and adoptive siblings.

A bunch of holy shits and congratulations were said and many hugs. Later on the day, Mom closed the Hard Deck for the day so we could celebrate with my friends and family.

*Few Months Later*

Walking into my dorm room, I placed one of my last boxes on my bed and looked around the room.

“Well, I guess this is it isn’t it?” Dad asked as he placed the last box on the floor.

“I guess so,” I looked at my family and felt a lump in my throat. “I’m going to miss you guys.”

“Aw hun,” all of them wrapped their arms around me to give me a hug.

“Hey, we’re a phone call away,” Mom told me.

“If you want to come home, I’ll drive the Bronco the three hours here and the three hours there,” Rooster squeezed me.

“You’re going to kickass,” Amelia said.

“Amelia,” Mom sacked her arm as she heard her youngest curse.

“It’s not like we have a naval aviator as a dad who curses all the time,” she shrugged her shoulders and we let out a laugh.

“So if any of the F-18s or any old plane I buy needs fixing, I know who to call right?” Dad jokes.

“Just give me the time and place,” I smiled and hugged them again.

Taking pictures together and having tearful goodbyes, they left my room and I looked around to look at the place I’ll be getting my degree in. Looking on my bed, I saw a wrapped present and unwrapped it. Tearing the wrapping paper off, I saw a note from Dad and a picture of Mom, Dad, Amelia, Rooster, and I at the beach together. There was another one with me and the Dagger Squad playing dogfight football. With a smile forming on my face, I placed it down on my desk and read the note.

Don’t think. Just do. 

x Dad

#pete maverick mitchell x reader #pete mitchell x reader #maverick x reader #top gun maverick x reader #top gun x reader #top gun #top gun maverick #pete maverick mitchell #pete mitchell #maverick mitchell #amelia benjamin #penny benjamin #dagger squad #mavdad