Archive of Our Own ^beta

“No Slider tonight?”

It was the first thing that came out of Maverick’s mouth the minute he joined the rest of the boys at the bar.

It had been years, now, since he’d met the assholes he now called friends, years since their time at Top Gun.

Really, Maverick was still pretty surprised they were all still friends, that the bond they’d somehow managed to build had survived the years and the long gaps of time they spent apart due to conflicting assignments. But here they were, all home on leave and meeting up for the fifth time over the last two weeks.

It was nice, but…

Well, Maverick had noticed a pattern emerging.

A little hard not to when their missing member was the tallest motherfucker in the group.

“Not tonight,” Ice answered.

The same answer he always gave whenever his RIO didn’t join them.

And it was almost always when the group went to a bar.

“Here honey, got you a beer already,” Goose piped up, offering his pilot a beer with an easy smile.

Maverick nodded a little and accepted the drink with a small, but thankful smile aimed at his RIO. With an ease that would have shocked him only a few years ago, Maverick settled in with the boys and listened to them return to the conversation they’d been having before he got there. He’d been late, caught up with a faulty kickstart on his beloved Ninja. The repair hadn’t been a hard one, he had everything he needed on hand, but it had resulted in him running late.

Shifting a little, Maverick glanced at Ice while picking mindlessly at the label on his beer.

Slider hadn’t been joining them on nights out more and more often lately. Which, it might just be because he was tired, that he had other stuff to do, or a million other things, but…

Maverick was worried.

“What’s with the look, Mav?” Goose asked quietly as Wolf told them about the call he’d had with his sister the other night, and the updates he’d gotten on her kids.

“Just… It’s weird right? Sli joining us less and less,” Mav mumbled back, loud enough to be heard over the ambient noise of a bar, but quiet enough that no one else heard.

Goose hummed to show he’d heard Mav, expression shifting to one of careful consideration. “Ice would look more worried if it was serious,” he eventually decided, but Mav knew his RIO well enough to read that Goose knew something despite his dismissive words.

Narrowing his eyes a little at the taller man, Mav studied him for a moment, before nodding and letting the subject drop.

For now.

He didn’t end up drinking much that night, or staying more than an hour. He begged off claiming being tired from spending the day with Bradley. Which, it wasn’t a lie, he had spent most of the day with his godson, giving Carole and Goose a break from being parents and getting in some ‘Uncle Mav’ time while he was at it.

He didn’t head home when he left, though. Instead, he took the turn that took him away from his house and towards Slider’s instead.

He was worried, okay? And he’d rather know it wasn’t something he’d done to annoy the RIO.

The lights were on when he got there, and the door was opening before Mav had even gotten off his bike, Slider having heard the engine apparently.

“I wanted to see if you were okay,” he said by way of a greeting when he saw the questioning look his friend sent his way. “You’ve not been hanging out with us much.”

“You’ve all been going to bars more often,” Slider explained. Which didn’t explain anything really.

“Why’s that a problem?” Mav asked in confusion, making his way to the door. It didn’t matter how many times he saw Slider in casual clothes, he was always taken aback by how… Nice he looked in a simple pair of jeans and shirt.

No, Maverick, focus.

He was there to figure out what was up with his friend, not risk everything he’d fought tooth and nail for because of a stupid crush on someone who’d never return the affection. Or be willing to risk it all for someone like him .

God, he hated having to hide who he was because of old white homophobes.

“I don’t like bars, but I’m not gonna stop you boys from having fun,” Slider answered casually, unaware of Mav’s brief crisis.

His words made Maverick pause though. “Wait, you don’t- Since when? Why didn’t you say something? We don’t have to go to bars to have a good time.”

Slider just shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“No it’s not! You’re our friend, Sli, it’s not fair on you if we’re doing something you don’t enjoy all the time,” Mav insisted. “Probably be kinder on all our wallets anyway.”

Slider chuckled. “That is one benefit of not drinking. It’s a hell of a lot cheaper.”

That brought Maverick up short.

Not drinking. Meaning Sli didn’t drink.

Thinking back, Mav realised that Slider had never touched even a drop of alcohol in all the years they’d known each other. Even when everyone else was holding a beer at a group event like a barbecue.

Hell, even the bottle of sparkling wine he’d been hogging at their Top Gun graduation had been non alcoholic, Maverick realised belatedly.

And he’d always been so uncomfortable whenever he did join them at a bar, never really settling until they left.

Well.

Fuck.

Maverick felt like an asshole, even if he knew he shouldn’t. Slider hadn’t told them, how could they have known?

Ice probably did. Goose too, judging from the knowing look in his eyes earlier.

“… Recovering or preventative?”

Slider studied Maverick for a moment, before stepping aside to let him in. Maverick was quick to scamper inside.

“Bit of both. Old man was a drunk, and I didn’t like how close I got to following the same path,” he explained after a long moment of awkwardness, leading the way to the living room where he’d apparently been watching the game.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” Maverick hissed, shifting uncomfortably. “I, uh… I get it, a little, though. Sorta. Had a foster that was one. He was a mean drunk.”

Slider looked over with a surprised expression.

Mav grimaced and ducked his head. He knew he never really let any of his friends in on what he’d been through before they met him, no one except Goose that is. But…

He wanted Slider to know he wasn’t going to experience any judgement from him.

Mav knew what the masculinity standards were, knew that it was almost expected by society that Good Old Navy Boys were all drinkers.

“I’ve never really been a big drinker anyway,” he continued self consciously, almost rambling. “I can suggest other places to spend time with the boys at, if you’d like? If you don’t want them to know, I mean. I can cover for you, is what I mean.”

A soft laugh from Slider startled Maverick from the spiral he’d started down, Mav almost running into him as the taller aviator stopped with no warning.

“Breathe, shortstack, it’s fine,” he hummed, shaking his head a little.

Maverick wanted to make him laugh again.

No. Bad crush. Shut up.

“I’m going to let that crack against my height slide just this once,” he scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest with a scowl. Not a pout. Absolutely not.

Slider grinned toothily at him. “You’ll let it just slide right on by, huh?” he shot back.

Maverick blinked, then laughed. “Oh, fuck you. Asshole,” he accused.

“Buy me dinner first,” Slider countered, still grinning.

Maverick could have sworn his heart skipped a beat or something stupid and stereotypical.

“How’s pizza sound?” he replied, shocked he was able to keep his voice steady.

“I could go for pizza. I’m kicking you out if you don’t get garlic bread though,” Slider stated, moving to sit on his sofa.

Wait, what?

Had…

Huh.

“I’m not going to get it,” Maverick stated, collapsing next to Slider.

“Lazy,” Slider accused.

“Where the fuck am I gonna put two pizzas and garlic bread on my bike, dickhead?” Mav shot back. This was nice. Easy. Normal .

… Calling each other names should not be their normal.

Fuck it, whatever worked.

Didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be a brat about this, though. “You got any orange juice if I’m gonna be buying you dinner?” he asked with a put upon sigh. He’d have to go to the kitchen to call in an order anyway, and he could have just snooped like he usually did when he wound up at the RIO’s house, but he didn’t feel like getting up just yet.

He was rewarded for his brattiness, though, when Slider let out a laugh. A real, genuine , laugh that did something to Maverick’s poor besotted heart. “What are you, a child? Who the fuck wants orange juice at 8 o’clock at night?”

“The dumb motherfucker buying your oversized ass food, obviously,” Maverick shot back.

Slider smirked at him. “You been looking at my ass, have you, Shorterick?”

Maverick probably should have actually thought about his reply for a second, but he didn’t, and instead replied with a, “Why, do you want me to?”

The look he got from the taller male was nearly enough to make him melt , and he hoped he wasn’t doing something stupid or embarrassing.

Like having his jaw hanging open in shock.

“And if I did?” Slider asked lowly, shifting a little to lean in closer. Not by much, but enough.

Okay, talk about a shift in conversation.

Had he always smelt so good?

“Sli…” Maverick started slowly, struggling to get his brain to work.

Slider leaned back again, eyeing Maverick carefully. “Look, if I’ve been reading the signs wrong, I’m sorry, we do-”

“You read them right!” Mav cut in quickly, almost desperately. “I just… You’re sure? I mean… Me ?”

Slider rose an eyebrow at him.

Maverick grimaced. “I just mean… Everything about this is risky for us, and I just… I’m not worth-”

“Yeah, I’m gonna stop you there, doll,” Slider interrupted gently, his voice soothing and warm and Maverick really needed to get his head sorted out before he did or said something embarrassing. “You are worth everything , up to and including the risks. God knows how insane our lives are with deployments, our dumbass friends, and that nephew of yours, but I’m willing to take that risk. I’m willing to give whatever this is a go. Are you?”

Maverick bit his lip, looking away from the overwhelmingly honest expression the RIO wore as he remained silent, carefully choosing his words. “I just don’t want you to regret anything,” he eventually admitted quietly.

Abandonment issues, table for one.

“The only regret I’d have had about any of this would’ve been if I’d never said anything,” Slider replied in a similarly quiet tone. There was something about the tone that was just so… Calming to Maverick. He wasn’t sure if it was the low rumble of the words, the gentleness, the warmth and honesty, or if it was just the fact it was Slider speaking, but…

He should not be this gone on a man who bullied him roughly 95% of the time they were together.

But here he was.

Seriously considering if the giant of a man he called his friend, a man who’s steadfast presence in his life had brought only comfort and safety since they’d become friends, was worth the risk to his career in the skies.

“We are not having pizza and watching the game for our first date,” Maverick decided, crossing his arms over his chest and slumping into the other man.

Slider’s bright laugh was more than enough of an answer for him.