Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In the early hours of the day with the sun barely peeking over the rise, there were three jets taking to the sky with white streams ghosting behind them, paralleling perfectly equidistant to each other. They rested in a casual formation, coasting along as they floated in the drifting pastels of pink and blue basked in gold reflecting off of their metallic backs. The terrain of low mountains and desert land stretched around them, giving a playing field that allowed for adventures and dangerous challenges for those daring to swoop that low. For now, it was draped in half shadows from the sun not fully grasping the sky and the sleepy world doing its best to wake for the day while the whole atmosphere around was shrouded in muted blue and golden radiance.

But up in the sky, the three jets were wide awake. And the three people within them were also wide awake, the energy between the three unmatched to anything the world could fathom this early. It was confirmed as the static of a speaker between the three men crackled before the voice on the other end was haughty with sheer determination, “Alright, we lettin’ the old man win this one then, Rooster?”

“Old man?” The static sprinkled again and rumbled in all of their ears, the jet flanked to the very right slowly dipping before rolling up above the one in the middle until it was on top of the jet on the left, flying upside down so the cockpits were facing against each other. The two men in them connected eyes, humored brown with cocky green as one of the brown eyes arched up into his helmet. “Is that really the best you got? I thought you’d be more creative than that, Hangman.”

The green eyes below him crinkled with a grin hidden by his mask, a challenge evident in the blazing shine struck by a beam of sunlight to make them even more iridescent as he tilted his head up to meet the other man’s sight. “Alright, yeah. I’m a little rusty this morning. I’ll have some better insults for my superior later.”

“Aren’t you lucky I’m somewhat retired, then.” The jet rolled away from being on top and hovering by on the left side before peeling away, the loud roar of it shooting off nearly obscuring the rest of the man’s words crinkling once more over the speaker, “Since I’m so old though, I get a head start. You guys got ten seconds.”

“We only need five,” The green-eyed man, Hangman, mused from his plane as he adjusted his mask with a determined glint in his eyes. He angled his own jet slightly to allow him to glance out at the other man that had been quiet throughout the exchange, tilting his head and nodding over to him. “You ready, Rooster?”

The man in the middle jet didn’t register his words for a moment, having been caught in the air and simply soaking in the drapes of sunlight and the puffs of light pink clouds drifting around them and vanishing with a loud whoosh of air. The colors were molding around beautifully, entrapping him in a trance as the world stretched endlessly above him and made him near breathless. He let himself smile at it all; at the wind under his plane’s wings, at the loud beating of his heart in his chest. 

Bradley Bradshaw didn't use to appreciate the sky like he did now. But now, with his life in a new lens adjusted by the flames and adrenaline from months before with his last mission, he let himself breathe it all in and smile underneath the mask. A good damn morning for sure. Just a great day for flying and being up here. I wish I could be up here all of the time, just embracing more beautiful mornings like this.

There was a loud whistle over the speakers to catch his attention that made Bradley flinch and come back to the task at hand, blinking rapidly over at his colleague’s curious expression. He shook his head and cleared his throat, tapping back into the communication unit as he nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I'm ready.”

“Sounds like someone’s got their head in the clouds,” The other figure that had flown away hummed in a taunt, the jet only a speck in the distance and dancing with the tips of the mountain ranges below. He was threatening to dip into the dangerous canyon territory, but was moving slow enough to give him time to decide while he whistled in a lighter tone compared to Hangman’s, “You sure you’re up for it, Bradshaw? Or is someone a bit too busy cloud-watching?”

A hoot of laughter came from the plane next to him, startled and boisterous while the jet tilted readily towards the figure below. A flash of heat, of indignation fueled by the taunt of a challenge, made Bradley grin under the mask and let out a faint hiss of delight. When he saw Hangman glance back over at him, eyes arched in surprise and shining with laughter, Bradley let out a shout through the communications, “Oh, you’re in for it, old man! Fight’s on, Maverick!”

Then he angled his nose down, sending his jet into a dive as he shot for the target in the distance with a shriek of delight from his plane. A cheer of joy came from Hangman before he caught a glimpse of the jet following suit, followed by a laugh from Maverick before the jet below them kicked up speed and took off with billows of dust clouds in his wake. The world siphoned in, now blowing by in blurs as Bradley’s heart rate kicked up with excitement at the chase. We’ll get him this time.

“Better not leave me out, Hangman!” Bradley called out to the plane tailing him, cutting through the sky in trails of white plumes from the clouds they sliced through. The jet’s nose seemed to tip up for a moment, as if amused itself by his comment before he focused on the terrain in front of him, letting his hands slip into their natural rhythm and chase down the figure starting to wind through the canyon with him following suit. The twisting of the world made his own stomach curl for a moment, an uneasy drop compared to the adrenaline high he had hit previously.

Don’t think. Just do. He blinked quickly, whisking memories flashing by in a brief lurch of panic, but he shut his eyes briefly and shook his head to clear them out before pressing on. The walls of the canyon swallowed him up, his heart thudding while he gave chase. I know how to fly in here. I can get him. I’m coming for you, Mav.

“No trust these days with you,” Hangman tutted, but Bradley rolled his eyes when he realized that the howl of his companion’s jet was no longer behind him and left him empty in the canyon. With a muffled sigh, he shook his head and pressed on with a narrowed brow as he concentrated on the man he was left in the canyon with instead. The sun glared down into their divots, ricocheting off of the rocks and blinding him in certain corners before swallowing him back up in the shadows of shifting golds and browns winking by.

Damn terrain, Bradley swore internally before pushing forward, following on Maverick’s tail while his sensor beeped uselessly with it feebly attempting to pick him out through the dots of scenery. Despite the mild frustration, however, the rushing of adrenaline and being in the sky allowed himself to grin and settle back into the excitement of chasing down his mentor. I’ll get you, Mav.  

He put on a burst of speed as he neared the last corner of the canyon, his brain quickly shifting through where Maverick could be waiting for him and readying the laser. But when he darted around and escaped the tight canyon’s walls, the jet in front of him had disappeared out of thin air. Bradley froze for a moment, eyes darting around frantically for any sign of the elusive pilot while his hands tensed on his machine. Oh no.

“Shit, where the hell is he?” Bradley called out over the communicator, his gaze shifting around so frantically he could feel a rush of dizziness coarse over him before settling. His eyes flicked up towards a shape higher above, having avoided the canyon entirely to hover nearby. “Hangman? You see him?”

“No clue,” Hangman grunted in response, but then there was a harsh grunt over the speakers and a dash of silver out of the corner of Bradley’s eyes. There was a faint hiss from the other man in the sky before a brief shout arose from him. “Shit, Rooster-!”

Before he had any time to call out a maneuver, however, Bradley’s sensor started buzzing rapidly with the signal of being hit as it flared with the glare of the sun. He stared at it in disbelief before he whipped around behind him, his helmet briefly banging against his seat in his attempt to turn around. “What the-“

Maverick’s plane was right behind him, having emerged from nowhere as his nose was tipped right behind his tail. Even though it was a bit hidden from the tint in the cockpit’s cover, Bradley could’ve sworn he saw the smug triumphant glint in the older man’s eyes when their gazes locked. “Goodnight, Rooster.”

“Dammit!” Bradley shouted, shaking his head before peeling off and leveling his plane out, but he couldn’t help a breathless laugh as he settled into a comfortable cruise. He whipped around towards where the other plane had been, even though it was now missing as he cursed out the other man in the air, “And damn you, Hangman!”

A brief cackle of laughter arose from the blonde pilot, Bradley shaking his head with another sigh before he tilted his nose up, gaining safer altitude to let his jet cruise and cool down from the tight twists it took. There was a crackle on Maverick’s end of the communicator, a thoughtful and bemused hum coming from his throat. “Seems nothing’s changed with your wingman.”

“He’s not my wingman!” Bradley protested, shaking his head and visibly shuddering at the thought as he adjusted his grip with a tight flex of his fingers. What a nightmare. A horrible idea for us. We’d first shoot each other out of the sky, regardless of what happened months ago with him saving us.

“Ouch, Rooster.” Hangman’s end buzzed with a mocking hurt, derived by the quiet snickering he had under his breath. Bradley glanced back to see the two jets shooting off into the sky, playing chase while he tilted his plane around to watch. “Hit me right in the soul. Don’t worry; I wanted some quality time with the elderly today for extra credit.”

Bradley was unable to hide the choke of laughter he emitted at the comment, Maverick as well letting out a whistle before a deep chuckle came from his throat. Despite the amusement, however, Bradley saw a shift in the jet he drove before it spiraled away, a note of determination now caught in their previous mentor’s words, “Damn, kid. Tough words. Come get me, then.”

There was a shout of indignation before Bradley watched the two jets take off, more dust clouds fuming out from behind them while the sagebrush flattened their ridges against the mountain’s back below them. He let out one last chuckle at their antics before he tilted his jet’s nose up and coasted up higher towards the clouds, letting himself be wrapped up in the world as his breath hitched for a moment when he leveled out in his space. He took a long, deep breath and closed his eyes to soak in the moment for a few heartbeats before opening them once again and fully embracing what was around him.

All of it was blue. A blue world, streaked with cerulean darkness from where the moon was slanting away and melding into gentle baby blue hues around where the sun was reaching up to glow across the valley. Pink drifts blended around the edges of the sun’s halo, smearing it all in pastel cotton candy coloring as the jet drifted along its twine. Gentle streamers of clouds parted away for the slow wings cutting through, rolling around him in puffs of periwinkle cushioning around him. And of course the sun behind it all, drenching everything around him in golden shadows as the world awoke to the sun. It all bundled him away in a tuck of the world, an empty world with nothing around but the distant stars and the sun reaching up soon to join the peak in the sky.

Bradley’s heart felt as if it were rising with the sun, all of him glowing as he closed his eyes for a moment. The voices over the communicator, bickering to each other and excluding him for now anyways, were background noise to the soft droning of his jet’s engine and the cutting of the wings as he moved through the world above. His breath was taken away for good, letting his chest float as the rest of him seemed to sink and meld into the sky’s atmosphere beyond. He only opened his eyes briefly, staring up into the endless blue world above him while he felt the corners of his eyes start to sting.

God damn. His eyes blinked quickly, more memories quickly whisking by his eyes before he focused on more trails of clouds in the distance. He tilted his jet around to swivel slowly, the roar of the engine making him breathe out shakily as he tilted his head back when he had settled again. His eyes drifted shut again only briefly, his heart weightless and whole while he soaked in the altitude of bliss. It feels so good to be alive.

And in that moment, where he wasn’t speaking to anyone through the communicator and only to himself and the world above, Bradley whispered with the faintest crack of hope in his voice, “Talk to me, Dad.”

There were no words in reply for the plea, but Bradley could feel a touch of sunlight graze his arm while his jet teetered briefly in the air before leveling out once more. He creaked an eye open and glanced over at the sunrise draping over the valley, exhaling the shakiness out of his chest as he let himself smile faintly underneath his mask.

I feel you here, Dad. I know you’re here. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay up here for as long as I can for however long I’ve got left. I’ll stay here with you. There's nowhere else I’d rather be than in the sky with you. 

His eyes welled up with the swell of emotion as he turned his plane slowly, a breathless laugh escaping him with his slow spin in the air before returning back to the normal position. He could feel the grin splitting his face, blinking away the mixed tears of joy and a painful longing lodged in between his everlasting mourning. I miss you.

Bradley soaked in the world for as long as he could, still blinking away the tears until he heard Maverick’s voice crackling much louder through the speaker to all of their communicators as he exclaimed triumphantly to the other pilot still in the fight, “Dried out, Hangman!”

“Dammit!” Hangman swore in the distance, echoed by Maverick’s heartfelt laughter as Bradley saw the two jets even out in the distance, paired side-by-side while the two bickered tirelessly after the cue. Bradley glanced around himself before tilting his nose down, heading towards them and hearing Maverick’s call for returning to base when the other two planes simultaneously rolled right and headed back towards the base out in the open stretch of desert.

Bradley followed them, but kept his distance as he took his time with a much slower pace than the others. He glanced back one more time at the empty sky, at the ethereal world he had been entranced in. A gentle sigh left him once more, his heart tugging at the feeling quietly waning away from the peace he had felt. I’ll be back up eventually. I’ll reach out to you again soon.

Then he let himself speed up a little more, his brain sinking back into the few excited bursts of adrenaline from the kick of speed as he picked up to follow the two planes behind returning home with the silhouette of the sun shining over the jet’s perfectly crafted frames.

-

By the time they had landed back at the base, the sun was slanting down on them with the late morning residue of hazy lighting basking it all in one last sleepy glow before it became more earnest throughout the day. The space they had all made it to was Maverick’s private section, Bradley taking one glance at the array of photos on the board nearby while Maverick showed Hangman around the older plane he had been working on. Bradley scooted closer to the images while their voices murmured behind him, smiling faintly at his picture with Maverick being front and center while the others were surrounded by his photo with Iceman mimicking the pose many years ago.

And of course, the infamous photo of Maverick and a familiar man with a similar mustache to his own standing beside each other in their gear was also near front and center above the others. All serious expressions, no signs of the well-curved lines of age yet in Maverick’s surprisingly solemn expression compared to the more aloof and warm face beside his. Bradley reached up to smooth out his own facial hair, having shaved down his mustache a bit to finer hairs instead of the thickness replicated in the photo, softening regardless at the sight. Been a lil’ bit since I’ve seen Maverick look that serious. Suppose that’s a good thing, though.  

Footsteps tramped up behind him, taking Bradley out of his thoughts in time before a purposefully heavy arm draped over his shoulders to tip him slightly. As Bradley caught his footing again, he shot a frown over at Hangman giving him another signature grin while batting his eyes towards him, feigning innocence as he chimed, “Hey, Rooster. Sorry you got cooked back there.”

Bradley rolled his eyes, attempting to shrug his arm off and sighing when Hangman only tightened it with another grin. He frowned at the blonde, feeling the odd heat of their sides against each other while he shook his head. “Wouldn’t have happened if someone was a good wingman.”

Hangman let out a disappointed ticking noise, shaking his head with another dramatic flutter of his eyes while he squeezed Bradley in an odd side hug once more. The touch was a bit unfamiliar, Bradley’s side feeling unusually smoldered with the contact before Hangman mercifully released him. “Who would I be if that happened, then? Not the Hangman you know and absolutely adore, right?”

Bradley frowned once more at him, but there wasn’t any real irritation behind it despite Hangman’s normal crooked grin paged back at him. The odd bubbles in his chest were familiar to that of being in the sky, a silent part of him not wanting to let that remaining feeling go as he dropped his eyesight instead and admitted defeat to their bickering. He ended it with one simple mutter as he stepped away from the board of photos, “Idiot.”

Hangman’s dazzling smile didn’t waver, offering Bradley a wink before following as well. They circled around to Maverick, who was finishing up with the plane next to him before glancing over at them with a nod and gentle eyes matched by his smile as he stretched out his arms with soft grunts. “Nice flying, boys. Hope you had fun out there.”

Hangman kept his pace in time, side-checking Bradley and sending him stumbling a few steps with a light grace of irritation while the blonde gave their senior a blazing smile. “Always fun hunting down fossils. Think I should pursue a degree in archaeology.”

“That’s a big word for you,” Bradley countered in a muffled breath, seeing Hangman’s eyes flash towards him but his smile widening slightly as he was humored by it. Bradley glanced back towards the photos he had left behind him, the cast of light grazing almost all of them as the pictures of his father and Maverick’s crewmates glistened in the light.

He glanced over at the man now standing in front of them, who was eyeing Hangman with arched brows. His eyes were sparkling the same way Bradley had seen in the picture, all mischief with just the slightest hint of arrogance. “Yeah? What’s that fossil’s record against yours again?”

Hangman scoffed, but Bradley could see the faintest tint of pink on his ears. He shifted on his feet, adjusting his suit while he did his best to keep the grin turning a bit more sheepish on his face. “Well, I have saved your life. I think that’s a pretty decent mark on my record compared to yours.”

Always going for that shot. Bradley couldn’t help rolling his eyes again, but there was a twinge in his brain of the jet soaring towards them through the smoke and flames of debris, as well as the shining green gaze that connected with him when he came up to them. He was expecting hints of callousness, of triumph at being able to gloat about saving their lives. But oddly enough, Bradley only remembered his eyes being drenched in nothing but relief. Even the firm handshake and grin once they were back on deck was full of respect and a more genuine grin than he had ever expected. 

He let out a quiet hum to himself, feeling the corner of his mouth turn up in a small smile at the thought with another small eye roll at Hangman’s puffed chest of indignation. Now he gloats all of the time, even though it’s been three months since it happened. Though I guess I’ll allow it. Only a certain amount of times, though.

Across from him, Maverick’s expression seemed to ease as well from similar thoughts. But his mischief still glinted within, matching Hangman’s across from him as another easy smile draped over his lips. “Maybe once you shoot me down, I’ll admit to it.”

Hangman snickered and rolled his eyes, but he palmed up his hands in surrender before slinking away and roving around the plane Maverick was working on instead with curious eyes. Bradley couldn’t help another quiet scoff watching him for a moment, the sleek golden rays tipping off his messied blonde hair from the jet and the curves his smile had made into his face. Even though I’ll give him some credit, he’s still one hell of an enigma. An annoying one at that.

His attention was finally deterred as Maverick’s boots clumped towards him, Bradley turning his sights to the older man approaching him. He didn’t have to imagine the softness he took on for him, as well as the more genuine smile reaching his features when he came up to Bradley’s side. “Nice job out there, Rooster. You stuck to my tail pretty well.”

An old man’s pity. Bradley’s fingers curled into fists at the thought, letting out a more bitter chuckle as the footage of the morning’s run replayed in his head. He shot Maverick an accusatory look, leaning back against the front nose of the plane and crossing his arms over his chest. “Not well enough. How the hell did you get over that rise so quickly to get behind me?”

Maverick’s expression morphed into a little more scheming and cocky with the smile that changed into a smirk, flashing Bradley a wink while folding his hands into his pockets. His voice gave nothing away, airy and innocent as he replied sweetly, “The old timer’s still got a few tricks up his sleeve. Secrets I’ll keep to my grave.”

Bradley snickered and shook his head, his hands squeezing his arms while they remained over his core. But Maverick’s expression didn’t relent, taking a few shuffled steps closer and ducking his head to meet Bradley’s eyes with thoughtfulness and sincerity. “You kept up nicely, though. I can see the change you’ve had with your headspace up there.”

“Have you?” Bradley wondered, feeling an uneasy lurch in his gut for a moment as he thought about his trailing up in the sky while he was away from them. Even though it was probably better to stick nearby, he couldn’t help the allure of the atmosphere and coasting along with nothing but sky surrounding him. I probably shouldn’t get distracted up there so much; even if we’re just having fun up there, I need to utilize the training I get. Especially with Mav.

But when he met his mentor figure’s eyes once more, there was no shred of reprimanding. Instead, it seemed as if it only grew with its affection and pride as he leaned back against the plane with him while he tilted his head to give him a gentle smile. “I have. It’s a good change. Not just good, but natural.”

“He’s less cowardly?” Hangman piped in from his assessment of the plane, poking his head around near Bradley’s shoulder. He couldn’t suppress a jump in time from surprise, shooting a glare over his shoulder with the blonde’s flashing grin and laughing at spooking him. He blocked the light of the sun from them for a moment, letting in only a sliver of light across Maverick’s shoulder.

Bradley felt his mouth hang open, about to shoot back with indignation in his chest, but he saw the flicker of Maverick’s smile wane for just a moment while his words slipped coolly from his mouth before he had a chance, “Speak for yourself when you don’t leave your partner dead up in the sky, Hangman.”

Hangman arched his brows, Bradley feeling his own surprise when he glanced back over at Maverick. But the elder didn’t relent, simply smiling at the other pilot until he kicked his hands up again with a groan before backpedaling away in defeat, another crooked smile thrown their way as he made his way over to the board of old pilots once more. Bradley did his best to squash down a grin, glancing over at Maverick and seeing him throw a wink his way. At least Maverick has enough superiority still to put Hangman in his place.

Maverick made a silent gesture to walk with him, a quick nod Bradley almost missed as they guided their steps around the plane within the garage. Bradley let his hand run along its sides, the cool surface helping center him while he watched the other man make his way into the sunlight to let it bask over him. He had already changed into the familiar aviator jacket and jean pair, turning back to Bradley in his casual outfit radiating even more familiarity and ease with his shining smile. “You’re trusting yourself more. Just letting it take you and trusting your instincts. It’s a good skill to have, along with just a little bit of thought to make sure you’re not entirely screwed up there.”

Bradley huffed with it all, but there was an emotional weight starting to tug at his chest and making the corners of his eyes sting. His smile remained as he averted his eyes, nodding over to Hangman to distract himself while he mused once more, “Well, someone’s gotta have some part of a brain to balance out Hangman up there.”

He could see Hangman turn back towards them, feeling Bradley’s gaze on him but unable to hear their words. Bradley sent a fluttery wave and an innocent smile his way, and he got a loud scoff in return from the blonde before he turned back to the board. He glanced back at Maverick and saw him watching the arrangement with a chuckle, another glint in his eyes, but he shifted his gaze towards the photos behind Hangman instead for a moment while he got lost in thought. Bradley let him sink away, the emotions clouding his chest threatening to seize his throat while he pondered on his praise. It’s good to know I’m getting better up there in the sky, at least. It all really has felt more natural. Hopefully it’s only up from here.

Boots squeaking on the concrete drew Bradley back, but he was startled when a hand reached out and rested on his shoulder. He blinked in surprise up at Maverick, seeing the feathery touch out of the corner of his eye while seeing his glowing gaze in the other. His features were filled with nothing but pride, a certain glow in them giving him a tug from deep back in his mind from long ago. “I mean it though, Bradley. You’re getting more comfortable in your own skin up there. It’s fantastic to see. Nice job.”

Bradley. The personable name was another punch to his filling chest, all of it shrouded by emotion as Bradley gave him a slow nod in return and shifted to let his hand encompass more of his shoulder. He swallowed down a few times, making sure his words weren’t entirely choked up by it all and stumbling on themselves only faintly as he murmured quietly, “Thanks, Mav.”

Maverick’s smile never faltered, but there was a slight dip in it only for a moment while his eyes clouded back over. But when they cleared, that glow had returned and tugged even further at the quiet thoughts in his mind, his chest thrumming in his ears until Maverick’s quiet words barely leaving his lips took place instead as they were filled with all kinds of unsorted emotion, “Your dad would be proud. Real proud, Bradley.”

Bradley tucked his chin away now entirely and stared down at his feet, unable to bring his eyes back up to meet Maverick’s while he sat in those words in silence. But Maverick didn’t push him to speak, didn’t push any sort of response as he only squeezed his shoulder lightly and took another step closer. He was pouring with warmth from the day and his honesty, the figure pulling out the yearning buried deep within Bradley’s soul as he silently gravitated towards the man next to him. His breath hitched a few times, despite his attempts to clear it off while a void in his heart was silently filled the tiniest part by Maverick’s presence nearby.

He really knows how to make it hit when it matters. Damn you.

But there was no bite behind his thoughts, nothing but the silent gratitude spread between them as Maverick didn’t let him go. The touch was almost a magnet for Bradley, and he couldn’t deny the deeper yearning tug that was soaking it in while he eventually gathered enough of himself to smile weakly at Maverick. The man smiled in return, blinking fast with the same amount of emotion clearly running through the clouded but proud brown eyes gazing down at him. It was too familiar, a look from long ago that was slowly coming back around. And Bradley did nothing but soak in it while it was here.

It was all interrupted, however, as quick boots started making their way towards them with a faint whistle from the other man’s lips. Maverick’s hand left a moment just before Hangman slung a loose arm around Bradley, who wrinkled his nose and gave him an arched look while he flashed both him and Maverick a loose smile before showing his phone to them with his other hand, humming while they looked down at it. “This mushy talk is nice and all, but there’s a Dagger reunion we should be getting to later today, and you both smell like sweat and jet fuel. I assume you’re both coming?”

The arm around Bradley’s shoulders tightened, choking briefly from the movement and feeling a fresh wave of bubbling irritation as Hangman's usual haughty grin pointed town to him in return. “If you’re not planning on bringing the mood down, that is.”

Bradley allowed himself to stomp on one of Hangman’s feet due to how close he was, earning a satisfying yelp and Hangman’s arm off of his shoulders. He was able to catch a glimpse of the group text that had the Dagger members, allowing himself to smile at the mention of Phoenix’s name confirming her invitation before he glanced over at Maverick to his left. “I’ll be there. Maverick?”

Maverick had been squinting at the screen from his distance, Bradley hiding his amusement at the mildly befuddled and focused expression from his fading sights doing their best to focus on the phone screen. But when Hangman scrambled away with Bradley addressed him, the older man suddenly looked a bit more abashed as a sheepish smile joined his shaking head. “Oh, I shouldn’t. I can let the kids have fun.”

“Oh, come now. Don’t be modest.” Hangman slunk over to Maverick now, shooting Bradley a pointed look while he slipped his arm over the man’s shoulders instead. Maverick tilted his head towards him, meeting Hangman’s eyes while his smile turned a bit more welcoming and sincere while he gave him a firm squeeze of his shoulders. “I’m sure everyone would love to see you, especially since we’re all around for now until the next deployment. Come have fun with the kids now that you’re off work for a bit.”

Maverick chuckled with Hangman’s invitation, but his eyes still seemed unsure. They flicked between Bradley and Hangman, his posture slightly stiffened from uncertainty while his eyes trailed out to the pictures on the far wall briefly before shifting back between them. “I don’t know. I don’t wanna intrude.”

The old geezer really is starting to doubt his place now that he’s not in the front line of duty. Bradley couldn’t help the affectionate burst for him, taking a few steps towards him and giving him an encouraging smile alongside a nod. “Come on, Mav. They’d love to have you there. You’re welcome to come by and hang with us any time.”

“Exactly.” Hangman nodded and gestured in agreement, something Bradley was unable to suppress another wrinkle of his nose to, but the blonde was already turning back to Maverick. He gave him an earnest poke in the chest, the other man blinking in bewilderment until he saw the gleam of a challenge behind Hangman’s eyes. “Also means I can school you in a game of pool. That’s a challenge I won’t lose.”

“So you do admit you’re a loser otherwise,” Bradley mused as he was unable to stop himself, his chest stirring from bubbles of irritation to laughter as he grinned when Hangman unlatched himself from Maverick and kicked at Bradley. He danced away with the grin plastered on, feeling it grow faintly with Hangman’s scowl that eventually morphed into him rolling his eyes with a helpless smile, a nod of acknowledgment eventually coming through.

When the two glanced back over at Maverick, the other man was regarding Hangman with intrigue with only a few notions of anxiety left dancing in his eyes. It was drowning away, however, with the idea of a challenge taking him instead while he let a whisking smile toy his lips. “The pool game sounds quite tempting, actually. Winner buys drinks.”

Hangman let out a brief cheer of victory before extending his hand out to him, the sunlight dancing between his outstretched fingers and lighting up the excited readiness in his eyes. “Deal.” 

Maverick studied his hand for a moment before his eyes drifted back up to Hangman’s. Bradley caught the split second of mischief returning to his gaze, followed by the slightest jut of his chin as he added, “For the whole Dagger squad.”

Hangman paused in consideration, a click of his tongue off put by the now hesitant expression on his face. Bradley had to bite down his lip to not laugh, seeing the hand that was extended reach back up and rub his neck while he flashed Maverick a blazing grin to hide the hesitation in his eyes. “Ah. You drive a very hard bargain, Maverick. Something tells me you have a few more tricks up your sleeve you won’t tell me.”

Maverick shrugged, feigning innocence as he flashed him another unreadable smile. Bradley couldn’t suppress his laugh any more, unable to hide the bemusement and desire to pounce on Hangman’s hesitation as he stepped near him. He gave him a nudge, allowing a slacked grin to take over his face while he taunted airily, “Oh, come now. Not backing down from a challenge, are you Hangman? Are you scared?”

Maverick let out a soft laugh, shooting Bradley an impressed and joyful grin. Hangman, however, was regarding Bradley with such surprise with widely flared eyes that it nearly took him off guard as well while he watched Hangman try to regain himself. Bradley saw the embarrassed tint of his ears, a fleck of red caught in the sun, before it all seemed to be buried away again while Hangman turned back to Maverick with a huff. Another smile was on his face, but it didn’t have the same leer as before while he extended his hand back out to him. “No, ‘course I’m not scared. You’re on, Maverick.”

Maverick reached out and met his hand in the middle, a firm nod and a determined glint in his eyes making Bradley smile once more at the already sealed fate. But Hangman seemed oblivious, letting go of Maverick’s hand and backpedaling towards the exit of the garage as he gave them a salute before calling out as his send-off, “I’ll see you ladies tonight then! Hope you smell better than you do now!”

Then he was turning around the corner and vanishing, leaving the garage much quieter without the most boisterous member of the three. Bradley watched him go every step until he had disappeared, exhaling thinly through his nose and the slight pressure release on his chest while he huffed faintly. “What a goddamn enigma he is.”

Maverick chuckled in agreement, glancing over to see his bemusement and his eyes having tracked Hangman the whole way down as well. He turned back to Bradley now, his eyes clouding once more with nostalgia as he looped his hands into his jacket pockets once more. “He’s an interesting one for sure. Reminds me a lot of myself back in the day.”

“How insufferable that must’ve been,” Bradley commented despite himself, feeling his ears heat up with slight embarrassment at how unfiltered his words were while his eyes flicked down to his feet that shuffled as well. He’s still somewhat of a superior to you, Bradshaw. With a significant influence on how your future could go. Careful with what you say. 

But there was a soft laugh in response, one that built up a little more as he glanced back up at Maverick with relief at the lighthearted noise. Maverick’s eyes weren’t on him, however; they were aimed back at the board in the distance with the pictures as an affectionate smile tugged his cheeks upwards. “Oh, absolutely. But I was also the most fun. I can see why he becomes the life of the party.”

Don’t think Hangman fills that quota, especially in this sort of setting. Bradley glanced out to where the man had left, scoffing softly, but he could feel the admittance at the tip of his tongue as he lowered his head again with a defeated shake of his head. Or maybe he fills it exactly. But he’ll never know that. At least not from me directly.

There was a shuffle of boots nearby, Bradley blinking back over at Maverick to see the uncertainty returning to his eyes. He glanced down at his hands, which he had started fidgeting with as a nervous twinge took over his face. “Hopefully the crew actually doesn’t mind me being there. I like joining these reunions, but I never want to intrude on everyone’s fun.”

This man… He really doubts his impact on us all. Bradley stepped forward and clasped Maverick’s shoulder in a similar fashion that the other man had done to him before, able to stir him away from the nervous tick of tugging at his rippled knuckles. He blinked up at Bradley when they connected, Bradley doing his best to give him his most sincere and truthful smile. “Mav, they love to see you every time you come by. I promise they’ll be excited. I’m sure they’re ready to hear all about your supposed ‘retirement’ you’ve been on.”

Maverick let out another laugh, one having a bit of weight behind it as he glanced up at the plane they were next to before his eyes drifted outside. There was an odd shimmer within them, one that Bradley couldn’t decipher while his gaze was turned away as he hummed, “Oh boy. The stories I’ll tell.”

“There shouldn’t be any if you’re retired,” Bradley informed with another nudge, but his body felt oddly heavy now from the look in Maverick’s eyes. He still wasn’t able to read them, though he tried his best to scour his face while he was turned away. Does he really want a full retirement soon away from all of this? He may not be in an active line of duty anymore, but he’s still around for mentoring and flying about. Don’t think anyone could stop him from doing that.

But does he want it all to end? Does he want to land one last time and spend the rest of his days on the ground? It was hard to believe, the man who was shouting in his victory just hours before at locking and taking out the two other pilots that had been by his side this morning. But still, the look in his eyes was unfamiliar to Bradley and made his stomach clench uneasily. I’ve never really talked about what his full retirement may actually look like, but he hasn’t mentioned anything. I’ll let him mention it when he’s ready.

But Maverick eventually shook his head, turning back to Bradley and shooting him a sly grin. He seemed to return to his old self, no trace left of the unreadable emotion as he was now filled with a smugness that made his dark eyes gleam. “Where’s the fun in that? It sounds boring. Now I can tell them about my fun adventures of kicking your guy’s asses and being retired. I think that’ll make for some fun stories.”

Bradley let out a shocked laugh, shoving at him with his shoulder in an attempt to displace him. Maverick side-stepped away from it, keeping his balance while he beamed at him as Bradley seethed, “You dick, you would.”

Another resounding laugh came from Maverick, one enriched with warmth as they walked around the plane once more to the other side facing the sun. Bradley soaked in the glow as he was quickly warmed from the chill of his sweat drying off in his suit, wiping his brow and tilting his chin up to embrace it with a content hum. Maverick settled beside him, both of them relaxing against the back of the plane with its own heated back as they cherished the sunlight settling down on them. In the distance, Bradley could hear more jets starting to take off as training sessions and other missions began for the day.

I could sit and listen to those jets for hours. Bradley heard the whooshing sound of one starting to go off nearby, closing his eyes to listen to it permeate through his skull and rattle it thoroughly. The tremors coursing through were welcoming, settled and familiar while he smiled faintly at it all. They’re comforting, as weird as it may be. Despite everything, it’s home. And I’m sure Maverick feels a similar way.

To confirm his thoughts, there was a gentle sigh from him off to his right. When Bradley blinked his eyes open again and tilted his head towards him, Maverick’s eyes were pinned on the sky with a distant expression, as if he were still dipping within the clouds blooming above them in the soft blue sky. “I don’t think I’d be able to really live my life if I wasn’t able to do this. I don’t think I’d be as happy.”

“Doing what, exactly?” Bradley asked, adjusting himself once more against the plane. It was comfortable, having his back against them, but the heat that it was practically melding with was starting to get to him and make him sweat more. He grimaced briefly at the thought, shooting a displeased look down at himself. 

But any thoughts of anything but the man in front of him vanished when he looked back up, seeing the expression on Maverick’s face. His eyes were drifting along the sky for a few more moments before they flicked back down to meet Bradley’s, a softened smile once more on his face while his eyes melted with affection. “Flying with you and Hangman. I guess more specifically you, if you really want me to say it. It gives me more life than I’ve felt in years.”

Bradley’s breath hitched again, the heavy and warm feeling settling back in his chest at his expression. His eyes drifted back out towards the sky, blinking fast while he pressed his hands more firmly against his sides. A windless smile caught his face as well, looking just as emotional as Bradley felt while he spoke in a low and thick tone, “I get to live out times that I didn’t get with your father. But when I see you up there flying right beside me, it’s almost easy to forget that I’m not actually flying with him. It all just feels like it’s in its place. Like he’s… Still here.”

His head bowed back down, studying his feet for a moment while he continued blinking fast to hide the moisture behind his eyes. But when he glanced over at Bradley, he allowed himself to give him a weighted smile and a wink of liquid around the corners of his eyes when their gazes met, all of it shining brightly from the sunlight catching his face. “I know it hasn’t been the easiest path for you, especially with having a chunk of it being my fault. But being able to do this with you now, to see him in you and being able to fly by your side… It means more to me than you’ll ever know. Thank you, Bradley.”

The personal name used struck the cord again in Bradley’s chest, not trusting himself enough to speak without it getting caught in his throat again. He met Maverick’s eyes instead, giving him a slow nod and hoping that would convey it all enough as he let his own gaze drift up to the sky afterwards. His heart pounded deeply in his chest, spreading the warmth of his words throughout every inch of his body. He heard Maverick shift closer, shoulders brushing together as they fell into a comfortable silence while Bradley kept his breaths as quiet as possible so they didn’t hitch on the building tears.

If only he knew how much it means to me too, Bradley’s mind whispered, a faint ripple and yearning almost reaching towards the words to say. But he eventually put it aside, instead cherishing the gentle pressure of Maverick’s shoulder against his and the presence by his side as he closed his eyes and tilted his head towards the sun once more. No more words needed to be said at the moment, but they were in the back of his mind and quietly waiting for the right time. 

Eventually, Maverick was the first to move away as he stretched before stepping out of the garage and fully into the light outside. He flicked the aviators perched on his head down onto his nose, covering his eyes while he gave Bradley a nod beside his smile. “Well, I won’t keep you. Go ahead and get cleaned up, I’ll see you later at the bar.”

“Yeah.” Bradley gave him a nod as his parting word was brief with the hitch of emotion still threatening the back of his throat, watching him start to turn away. With a few humored bubbles starting to float to his lips again, he allowed them to come through as he called out to him one more time before he disappeared, “Oh, Maverick?”

When Maverick turned to him, attentive and curious, Bradley offered him a slick grin as he gave him one last nod and jerked his chin to show off his smirk. “Kick Hangman’s ass at pool.”

A splitting grin caught Maverick’s face, a welcoming and endlessly warm sight while he laughed as well. He gave Bradley an affirmative nod, a glint caught within the teeth of his grin he flashed back at him. “Already planning on it.”

One last wave signaled Maverick’s departure, Bradley lingering around until he heard the spurting start of his motorcycle before it veered off and gurgled away, growing more distant behind the white noise of jets soaring above him. He lingered in it all for a moment, his back still lightly pressed to the plane behind him and the open desert land in front of him giving clear views to the jets in the distance. He sighed in content, his thumbs gently brushing the material at his sides while his body eased.

No matter what happens, this is home. And Maverick helps make it home for a lot of different reasons. His gaze flicked up towards the sky, where he had reached up before and connected with the man in the images his sights strayed to briefly. He gave the photos a smile, feeling a slight burn at the corners of his eyes return. Don’t worry, Dad. We’re taking care of each other. No matter what happens, this is our home.

A ray of warmth shot towards his feet and basked over his chest as he took the steps he needed away from the plane, heading back out into the open air. He inhaled the residual dust and dirt from around him before reaching into his pockets, flicking out his own sunglasses and setting them on his face with a faint smile. He glanced back at the board of memories one last time, seeing the glimpse of a photo with the exact same sunglasses, before he finally parted from the garage and made his way towards his car with the roaring of jets soaring overhead accompanying his drive home.

—

Hours later, Bradley’s casual boots were thumping up the wooden deck of the Dagger’s favorite bar with the satisfying creaks of its history and well-loved wear. Sunset had already passed him by, remnants of what was left of the day snaking in the sky in streams of orange as the nighttime world was already glowing with life from the fireball-like shine of the lights inside and the dancing people within fueling the light and fire. Laughter could be heard over the blaring speakers, followed by the thumping of shoes keeping in time and making their own undercurrent of a beat Bradley found his fingers tapping to.

He watched the activity from outside for a moment, feeling a familiar prickle of anxiety at the crowd. But he was able to take a few deep breaths, shaking his head and rolling his shoulders back while moving the sunglasses from his face to one of the pockets in his familiarly sported floral shirts, the orange flower print matching the sunset beside home that he studied to give him more time to mentally prepare and adjust. Nothing to freak out about. I’m reuniting with the Daggers, that’s all. It’ll be a good morale booster before they’re all most likely sent out for bigger missions. Though I doubt I’m going anywhere, I’m sure they are.

Bradley took another deep breath, his eyes shifting up towards the empty sky above. He could see the faintest flickers of starlight twinkling above him, the white light dancing around in the mixture of purple and black before he looked back down into the light of the building. He smiled easily, letting the pounding of the feet inside match his thudding heart as he stepped towards it all. Let’s enjoy the time that they’re still here. 

And as soon as he shoved open the doors, winding his way through the crowds towards the familiar set of pool tables nestled in the far back, it didn’t take long for a shout to call to him. His eyes flicked up to catch Coyote’s, the first one to see him and flashing him a delighted grin while he cheered out for the rest of the mulling crowd around, “There he is! Rooster!”

“Rooster! Rooster! Rooster!” The cheers were instantaneous, paired by the squad of people all in casual wear mingling around a busy pool table. But once his name was announced, he could see a few of them starting to flock towards him with cheers of greeting and joy, eyes full of light and liquor already running through them. Bradley’s eyes flicked around quickly, searching for a certain pair, and he felt himself ease when he saw Phoenix heading right towards him with a wide smile on her face. 

“Undeserving, really.” A voice harked from somewhere behind Bradley, but it was a familiar tease he knew instantly who it belonged to. He turned around, seeing Hangman not too far off with a pool stick in his hand and the chalk box in another, rubbing it around the tip while he shot Bradley a toying grin played by the golden winks of lightbulbs bursting above him. “Where was my fanfare when I saved your life?”

“Buried ten feet under due to your own cockiness, Bagman.” Phoenix’s voice was slick and quick with her wit as she was the first one to Bradley, catching Hangman’s words while she strutted up to them with heavy thuds of combat boots. An aviator jacket cropped by her hips accented the tight black shirt underneath, black jeans blending it together topped by sunglasses on top of her hair thrown into a bun exuding confidence with every inch of space. Bradley could already feel his breaths coming easier around her, the camaraderie tethering them and making his shoulders slacken with comfort.  

Hangman rolled his eyes and mocked her words in a high-pitched tone, shouldering aside and flashing Bradley one last smile before he slunk away to his pool match. Bradley was quickly steered away, however, as strong arms wrapped fiercely around his neck and Phoenix leaned up on her toes to whisper in his ear, “Hey, Roo. Good to see you.”

God, I’ve missed her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, fingers curled into respectful fists as he squeezed her briefly before tugging back slightly to smile down at her directly. Everything felt aglow with their arms around each other, a comfortable feeling he drank in graciously. “Hey, Phoenix. Nice to see you.”

Phoenix offered him another smile, but she was quick to unravel from him and tug herself away as more Daggers started flocking around him. Their sentences and greetings started blending all together, all of it in a rush of dizzying light and noise while he did his best to keep up. 

“Hey, Rooster! How have you been, man!”

“Hi, Rooster! How’s the compound been?”

“Still trying to keep up with Maverick, Rooster? How’s flying with the master himself?”

“God damn, still wearing those florals? Never change! What are you drinkin’ tonight?”

Bradley answered all of it as effectively as he could, letting himself be drowned in the conversation. Though his chest spiked with panic on occasion, mostly due to how overwhelming it was whenever someone brought up the mission with Maverick, Phoenix was right next to him in an instant and eventually stuck herself to his side in a casual reassurance he shot her a grateful look for when no one was paying attention. It all steadily became more manageable, all of the conversation and sound around him with the music and noise, and Bradley felt the grin on his face spread as his heart filled with light. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed everyone.

He was able to settle in with everyone, beer in hand as he rolled his eyes with Hangman’s smoking pool stick clearing out any challenger his way while older time music boomed just a few feet away. Bradley let himself smile at the contenders’ protests, glancing up to see Hangman’s triumphant grin and the winks he shot towards his opponents with mocked pity. He remembered catching Hangman’s eye across once, receiving his own wink, and he rolled his eyes before slipping more amber liquid down his throat to join with the warmth on his ears and within his stomach. Hopefully Maverick will be here soon to wipe that smug grin off of his face.

And right as the jukebox was starting back up and Hangman had defeated yet another persistent Payback trying to win, another one of the Dagger members shouted out in elation from closer to the bar, “He’s here! Maverick’s here!”

The swamp of the crowd started moving towards him, hoots and hollers taking up the scene. All of them were simultaneously chanting one word, combined in a bass that made the walls quiver with their joy. “Maverick! Maverick!”

Bradley glanced above the heads of the crowd to see the shocked and sheepish expression on Maverick in the distance, his own aviator jacket still on and his hair slicked back to make it much more presentable than the jet hair earlier this morning. He smiled faintly at the crowd gathering around him, chuckling and glancing over at Phoenix when she laughed as well. He nudged her quietly, encouraging her on, and she shot him a brief smile in return before joining the crew in welcoming their mentor back. Bradley sipped his beer once more and smiled down into the nearly empty case before letting his eyes drift back to the scene in front of him. 

The man really doesn’t understand how respected or loved he is around here, especially with the other Daggers. How’d he get so humble?  

“Damn. What a crowd.” A stick thudded next to him, Bradley glancing over to see Hangman leaning on it with his arms rested on top. The short-sleeve he had on revealed the muscle of his forearms, Bradley glancing up to see his eyes glimmering with respect towards the figure in the distance before he chuckled and shook his head. “Really feel like I should be offended by the lack of cheering on my end.”

Bradley rolled his eyes, watching the flock of Daggers slowly starting to migrate back to them with Maverick in tow. He took the last swallow of his beer before leaning close to Hangman, daring the closer distance with liquid courage as he made sure his breath was hot on his ear as he told him, “Maybe next time when you haven’t killed all of your cheerleaders yourself, Hangman.”

There was a shudder from Hangman’s end, Bradley pulling back with his own smug expression as the blonde shot him a frown beside red ears from the proximity they had. But when he saw the smirk Bradley was wearing, he rolled his eyes and stepped aside. “Just keep pressing on the point, Rooster. Maybe one day I’ll get it, because I apparently don’t now.” 

When the crowds closed in, filling their corner with more Dagger laughter and cheer, Hangman let out a sharp whistle that alerted everyone coming in while he gestured with his pool stick to the barren table next to him. His gaze sharpened in focus, a dazzling and daring smile returning to his face. “Hey, Mav! You owe me a game of pool, old man.”

“See that I do.” Maverick’s smile was just as dazed as everyone else’s, watching Hangman for a moment while he set up the pool balls and nodded towards Bob to get the stick behind him. As he did so, however, Maverick sidled up next to Bradley and nudged him in greeting while shooting him his own personal smile. “Evening, Rooster.”

It’s good to see him look so refreshed and comfortable with everyone. But it also still feels good that he comes to say hi to me, even after seeing him nearly every day. Bradley smiled back, watching the rest of the Daggers disperse around for good viewing of the pool match before he budged up closer to him and nodded to the bar. “First one’s on me. Go get him.”

Maverick chuckled softly, Bradley feeling the rumble of his body when he scooted up beside him and the heat pooling from him. He gave him a grateful smile, nodding politely before taking the pool stick from Bob and moving towards Hangman’s expectant expression. “Thank you.”

Bradley nodded, watching Hangman break the formation and start the game before slipping away towards the rounded bar of the Hard Deck. It was a bit challenging to skirt and wind through when the rest of the world was still laughing and dancing away, but he was able to eventually maneuver around them all as politely as he could to make it to the bar. He wasn’t familiar with the bartender there, seemingly new, but he greeted the young man with the same amount of respect as he waved his bottle and pricked up two fingers before settling onto a stool while he waited under a coned light that shone brightly down on him and soaked him in a fluorescent golden halo. 

He spun around towards the rest of the scene, soaking in the saturated smell of alcohol and freshly finished fries while the wave of people bobbed with the movement of the songs. He watched their feet in time, even seeing a few spun around the piano resting in the same spot it always had been with a ghostly invited haunting his way. His fingers tapped on the empty bottle he had, being switched out by a full one with a nod of thanks, and he eased back in his seat with a soft hum as he ignored the plea for an observative outlook instead. This place never gets old. I’m glad everyone chose this place before we all head out. 

I hope everyone gets a chance to come back here and continue to experience it. It wouldn’t be the same without them. I hope they’ll all be alright.

A nudge startled him from his thoughts, twitching in surprise before he turned and relaxed at the woman coming up next to him. He shot her a smile, nodding to her and inviting her up with a gesture to the empty stool beside him. “Hey, Phoenix.”

“Oh, relax.” She flashed him a smile in return and hopped up into the seat, tapping her own beer bottle when the bartender grazed by before focusing on Bradley with an easy but attuned energy as she got comfortable under her own rich halo of light. “You can call me Natasha if you want, Bradley. I ain’t gonna bite. Unless Bagman calls me that.”

Natasha. All of the first names seemed too personal for Bradley to really dive in on the rest, but hearing it come from Natasha’s mouth only made him ease into the friendship that had been built from years of flight school and genuine connection. At her last comment, he snickered and glanced over at the blonde, who had an oddly serious expression on his face while playing against Maverick leaning over the table for his shot. “He’s gutsy and cocky about a lot of things. Calling you anything but Phoenix isn’t on that list; he’s not an idiot sometimes.”

Natasha laughed, echoing his last word under her breath before they both turned to watch as the man took his turn, Maverick stepping back with a smug look in his eyes that Bradley could see from here that told of how the game’s events were going. Before he could bring himself to stand back up, however, Natasha lightly clinked her bottle with his to draw his attention back to her curious gaze. “How’s it been? With Maverick and Hangman? I know Hangman can be a bit much, but I imagine it’s somewhat bearable with Maverick there as well, right?”

She glanced over at the mass of Daggers cheering for the pool players, separated into their groups for the respective players as they laughed and clasped the others shoulders while they looked on. Her expression seemed to soften, a bit more of a serious tinge behind her eyes while she spun the beer bottle in her hand. “Maybe you’ll luck out and he’ll get deployed somewhere so you can spend some more time with your old man.”

Wouldn’t that be something. Bradley huffed, but his eyes strayed back to where Hangman was nudging Maverick with his stick, saying something that made the people grouped around him laugh, including his opponent. There was an odd twinge in his chest, one he reached up to rub at while he shrugged and leaned back further into the counter. “It’s not that bad, really. Had a dogfight this morning, me and Hangman against Mav.”

“Yeah?” She arched her eyes, already skeptical and guessing while she sipped her drink. Bradley felt another odd twinge, one a bit more defensive when he saw the expectant look in her eyes. “Did you win?”

I’d love to get to a point in my career when that isn’t even questioned. Or maybe the question is asked without knowing the answer first would be a good start. Bradley could feel the frown on his face, trying to mask it down by trying to keep his voice light with a chuckle while he grunted to her around the top of his bottle, “What do you think?”

“Leave you out to dry?” Natasha tilted her head, his defensive nature settling a bit with the exasperation clear in her eyes towards the blonde in question. When Bradley grunted in confirmation and took another swallow of his drink, she sighed and turned back towards the man they were speaking of, who was cheering about something unclear while the two looked on in the distance. “Never changes. Think the day Hangman isn’t himself is a day we should be worried about.”

Bradley chuckled and nodded with agreement, spinning his stool slightly to face her instead. He lifted his bottle, waving it towards her and watching the golden-orange light catch both her and her bottle in glowing splendor. “Cheers to that.”

Natasha raised her bottle with a matching smirk, clicking them together in a satisfying clash of sweating glass before they were raised to their lips for a swallow. The liquid rushed down his throat and made it burn a little more, squinting at the bottle already half-way down as he decided to nurse it instead within his hands to ease himself back. His eyes and mind went back to Hangman only briefly before he studied his bottle with a slight frown.

It’s weird. Maybe it’s the drink getting to me, or maybe it’s the fact that it wouldn’t really be the same if Hangman wasn’t here with me as well. Everyone else has been stationed elsewhere or sought out other places to be, but it seemed like he didn’t have that desire. It seems like he doesn’t have a huge desire to leave either, if I were to guess. Maybe he’s chasing after Maverick’s legacy too. 

It’s good fuel to keep going. A challenge, a rival. That’s what he is, that’s what he always has been. At least it keeps us both motivated when it comes time. He’s not that bad anyways when I’m in my own air space time; that’s what really keeps it all at bay is just being up there.

He cleared his throat quietly, but Natasha glanced over at him anyways with a curious angle of her head accented by the slipping bar lights dangling around her. He let out a sigh through his nose, nodding eventually and letting his thoughts seep out loud, “It was fun, though. Just getting to be in the air, appreciating the world moving around me. Appreciating being next to them, even with both of their tendencies to be annoying. Even so, I wouldn’t really trade it for anything.”

His fingers tapped the bottle again, finding the undercurrent within the quick state the music was in around him. Even so, it felt like things slowed down for a moment while his mind drifted back to the clear sky he had been tucked away in just mere hours ago. His voice was softer, barely heard over the shouts of laughter from the Dagger deck and others around them, “Sure, it could be seen as training. And we do some serious training occasionally. But it’s also just…being able to be up there. Be up in the sky, no restraints. Feeling just a bit more free of everything. And being a bit closer to-“

He cut himself off, squeezing the bottle that was the culprit for his vulnerable spill. His teeth found their way into the bottom of his lip, staring down at the top of the object in his hands with a tight frown while the woman beside him was quiet and waiting. He closed his eyes, resisting the urge to smack the bottle against his own head. I’m a dumbass. Shouldn’t have rambled.

But there was no judgment from the other side, only a hollow hum of the stool beside him scooting closer. There was a feather-like touch on his arm on a strip of skin that was careful but inviting, pebbles of warmth tapping on him. Natasha’s voice as well seemed to reflect that, her words coming out quietly but kindly, “Feel closer to your dad, right?”

It sounds stupid when you think about it. Hot embarrassment was flushing the sides of his cheeks and ears, but his heart was pounding too fervently to push it all under him. All he could see for a moment was the sky around him, the whisper of his own words pleading for his dad’s presence as he blinked fast. He shook his head at himself and sniffed aggressively, staring down at his hands in his lap with the beer still tucked within them. It’s no wonder I try to keep this shit to myself. It sounds a little sad, a little pathetic. It sounds like a little kid missing their dad. 

But maybe it is.

He swallowed past the lump in his throat, feeling more fingers from Natasha’s hand spread out and gently loop low around his wrist. It was a grounding touch, one that he was able to breathe deeper with before he gave her the slightest nod without looking up. “Yeah. I feel closer to him up there. Like I could reach out and find him there somehow. It’s comforting, in a way. To know he’s there.”

Natasha let out a soft hum in agreement, his shoulders tense while he took a few calming breaths to steady himself. No words came from her end, letting him gather himself as he closed his eyes with a few more grounding trails in his mind. If it were to be anyone to hear this, I would’ve wanted it to be her. Even Maverick doesn’t have this level of closeness yet. She just… Gets it. No judgment, no expectations from her. Just a very good friend that I need. 

He wiped at his face, clearing away the tiniest of drops and sniffing louder before rubbing his face one last time to try and remove the flush there. It wasn’t entirely gone as he glanced up at her, finally meeting her eyes while he requested with a mild pinch in his words, “Don’t you dare tell anyone I said that.”

Natasha huffed with an arch of one of her brows, but her eyes were genuine when she nodded. As Bradley shifted around in his seat, she finally released his wrist but leaned more of herself towards him as she looked back out at the crowd. He couldn’t tell where exactly her focus was, but it seemed to linger on Maverick amongst the crowd more often than anywhere else with a tentative smile. “I won’t, Bradshaw. Don’t worry. I think it’s sweet. And understandable. I think your dad would be proud of who you’re becoming.”

I don’t know about that. His eyes squeezed shut for a moment, plagued by the images quickly zipping by of his plane bursting into flames right behind him and the sight once again of the sleek black jet on their tail with guns blazing before he was able to open his eyes and get them out of his head. He could feel his frown growing, his fingers slowly curling into fists again. “Yeah, well… It’s not enough right now. Not yet.”

Natasha studied him as she held her own drink, only a little further down than his own bottle but one drink behind. She matched his frown, the worry behind her eyes striking through and making a hot wave under his skin ripple from the confused and intent look in her gaze. “What do you mean?”

I really should’ve kept my mouth shut. His mind flickered once more back to the board he had seen this morning, of all of the photos alongside medals and honoraries decorated for Maverick. His teeth rubbed slowly together, his knuckle nearly whitened from where it was clasping the neck of his bottle while he did his best to air his voice out despite how ragged it felt. “Well, I’ve got some respect for my name, but it’s not much compared to what’s out there. I don’t think I’d be doing his legacy justice until I become another Maverick. In a way, I got two names to live up to.”

“Do you?” Natasha’s frown seemed to be a bit more concerned, shifting a bit closer to him again and feeling her arm briefly bump his before she edged it away while she assessed him carefully. “Why?”

The question made Bradley’s blood feel as if it was spiked by lightning, crackling under him while his body shifted and leaned back with much more taut energy than before. Even with it all, he tried to laugh off his words and defuse the tension between him and Natasha’s frowning face. “I mean, I’m training under Maverick pretty much like an unofficial little apprentice. Learning what I can from this so-called ‘retired’ pilot with nothing but rewards stacking his desk. I think I’m expected to be the next Maverick within a month or two. Who would I be if I let all of that training go to waste and didn’t show something for it?”

Natasha seemed to be studying him with that same cautious glint in her eyes, another thing that flared him with irritation mostly stirred by the alcohol drumming through his system. She lifted her drink up to the bar and set it down, all the while still watching him with a furrowed brow. “That doesn’t seem like a lot of time.”

I’m closer to dying, probably. He didn’t say the sudden and startling thought out loud, trying to wrestle around with his mind through the alcoholic sludge it was in while he chuckled once more and sipped at his beer. The liquid gurgled down his throat, a cough mixed with an odd sort of burp coming up before he flashed her a wry smile. “Well, we run tight schedules. I’m sure you’re familiar with that if you recall our mission a few months ago.”

Natasha’s expression hadn’t changed from the start of the topic for this conversation as it remained shrouded in concern that was accented by the lighting around and above her, pumping Bradley’s blood as he found himself frowning a bit more at her. His mind felt like it was oddly split in two, one half the controlled wall of emotions that kept him from spilling- and the other pumping with that blood, fueling something in the back of his mind making him want to scream. 

Why, though? What is it? I don’t want to scream at her, I know. But what is it? 

“Is that what you want?”

Her words brought him back to a halt, coming back to reality as he was able to reign down the boiling underneath. He shifted his sights back over to her, sacrificing the beer in his hand for the waters that were provided to them with a lurch of relief from his aching stomach as he regarded her with a stunned blink. “Huh?”

“To be the second Maverick.” She was watching him even more carefully now, as if it was some sort of test with her question. He no longer felt the red hot irritation from it, instead now feeling an icy unease from the unreadable thoughts behind her expression while she studied him. “Is that what you want?”

He felt his body go into some sort of shutdown, all of it freezing as he stared at her. He knew the answer should’ve been quick; he knew the right answer here was to respond eagerly and tilt his head high while he strived for the impossible, striving to be the best pilot they’ll ever know with a cockiness he could play off by saying it came from the blonde stuck to his tail. He knew he should’ve laughed and clinked their beers together, talking about anything else to enjoy their night instead of the feeling that was ever so slowly adding more weight onto the pressure over his shoulders. 

But his mouth was dry, nothing coming forward with the intent look snared in her eyes. Her dark brown steadiness was accented by a flaring hue, earning her callsign while she waited for him to reply. He turned to look out at the older man amongst the Daggers, getting his back clasped and wearing a shining grin while he remained blissfully unaware of the man staring at him in what he could only describe as some sort of desperation and deeply placed yearning from a youthful spot in his heart.

It’s not my choice to be a legacy. His brain finally responded at last, Bradley blinking slowly while he felt the whiplash of his thoughts when they came back to him. His breath had escaped him once more, rattling in his chest when he inhaled. It was set in the gravestones of my father and the pilots Maverick shot down with me in the back. 

Before the string of thoughts could take him too far down, already feeling the heavier weights on his shoulders, he took a sip of his water to hopefully remove the alcohol weight while he stared into the distance at the whole group of pilots still mingled around what seemed to be the closing moves of the pool match. His voice was quiet amongst their cheering, no attempts at making himself heard while he tried to keep as calm as he could, “It’s what I have to be. I don’t think there’s another choice. It’s not so bad, though. I’ll get there.”

He could feel the disbelief and skepticism from his left, the eyes boring down on him while they regarded him with that same intelligent craft. He glanced aside at her to meet her eyes briefly, seeing the uncertain frown on her face for himself. He let out a dry chuckle, trying to deter some of the thickened air while he took another swallow of water before flashing her a forced smile he hoped she didn’t read into. “Don’t worry about me, Nat. I’ll be fine.”

She studied him for a few moments longer, her eyes flickering with hesitation as if ready to say something. But she seemed to eventually leave it be, turning away instead and letting out a quiet hum before sipping her own cup of water and mumbling through it, “If you say so, Bradley.”

Bradley felt a shiver at the use of his name once more, followed by the last look she shot at him making his gut twist uneasily, but he turned his gaze away before she had another chance to comment on it. There was a stone of guilt in his chest, fitted next to his heart as it was a genuine weight he felt while he hunched his shoulders. Sorry, Nat. Said a bit too much. I know she won’t question it or judge, but… She didn’t deserve to hear that. Gotta regulate myself, damn. I’ll blame it on the alcohol later, hopefully she’ll take that excuse.

Luckily, a bit of the tension seemed to diffuse as there was a loud noise of fury from the Dagger end of the bar. Both Bradley and Natasha whipped their heads up, seeing Hangman’s enraged expression as he glowered at Maverick, who was standing with his hands perched on the top of his pole all while smiling innocently as the blonde shouted, “God dammit! How the hell are you so good at everything?”

The rest of the Daggers erupted into laughter, taking away Hangman when he attempted a loose kick at the older man. Some of the Daggers fanned around, pretending to be Maverick’s personal bodyguards, and the older gentleman laughed while waving at Hangman from behind them with another smug grin. As Hangman continued yelling at him, Natasha laughed by Bradley’s side as her eyes warmed back up to the atmosphere they were in. “Seems like Hangman met his match.”

“Good.” Bradley couldn’t suppress his grin either, watching as the two men eventually looped around each other with clasped hands and arms as they laughed all the same. Drinks clicked together as they stepped aside, letting new people take to the pool table while Hangman clearly seemed to be harping on Maverick for his winning strategy. Bradley smiled at them from his distant perch, letting his heart warm up a little at the sight. What a pair those two make. Aren’t I lucky.

There wasn’t as much sarcasm as he expected from his thoughts, shaking his head with a chuckle before letting his eyes draw around to the rest of the hopping and active bar. But before they could wander too far abound, he found someone staring right back at him from across the rounded bar with a curious tug at the corners of her lips. Long blonde hair trailed over her shoulders, front half resting on the bar and blue eyes watching him with evidence of a liquid glint in her gaze. But even beyond that, it was still full of an intrigue that made him pause and feel a slight lurch to as their gazes hooked with a startling intensity.

He paused with no intention of moving away from her intense stare, eyes latched onto the mysterious woman. He could hear Natasha trying to say something to him, but then heard her taper off with a questioning hum before there was a creak in her stool when she followed his gaze, seeing her lean around him quite clearly out of the corner of his eyes. He heard her move and whipped around, face burning while he hissed thinly at her, “Don't make it obvious!”

“Her staring is pretty obvious too,” Natasha observed crossly, wrinkling her nose at him and shoving off where his hands had lightly grasped at her arms to turn her away. She peered around his shoulders one more time, Bradley glancing back to see that the mystery girl was whispering to a girl next to her and giggling. “She’s quite pretty. Is she new around here? Don’t think I’ve seen her before.”

“Don’t know,” Bradley mumbled, his face flushing further while he felt his neck heat up from her gaze returning to him. He felt oddly shy at the idea of turning around to see her, his heart thumping rapidly under his fingers when he raised a hand to his chest. She was really pretty though…

There was a soft snicker from his companion, feeling Natasha nudge him earnestly before swinging herself off of the stool with more emphasis. “Go on, Rooster. Do it before I go for her myself.” When she saw his eyes stray briefly to Maverick and Hangman again alongside the rest of the Daggers, her gaze softened when they met as she clasped his arm in a squeeze of reassurance. “I won’t say anything, go on.”

He blinked again and gave her a nod of thanks, letting her slip away with one last wave before he turned slowly around towards the woman still staring at him. Another smile tugged at her rounded lips, and he saw the beckoning finger she pulled towards him that twisted his heart around even further. Oh, God. I do not remember the last time I tried to talk to someone like this was. Don’t make a bigger idiot out of yourself than you usually do.

With a deep breath, he finally started making his way through the sea of bodies crowding around to get drinks or to the dance floor nearby. There were a few drunken stumbles and bump-ins, only good-natured laughs and brief apologies shared before he escaped. But at last, he was able to make it to the woman’s side and the newly empty seat her friend seemed to abandon for him. With one quick movement, somehow surprisingly seamless, he hefted himself into the stool and went for politeness while his ears flushed with his greeting, “Hello.”

The woman’s smile seemed to widen with his nervousness already, long white and blue nails stirring the straw in her drink. He was close enough now to see the white frilled crop top covering her, the blue jean shorts revealing tanned and short legs for a small but beautiful structure. “Hi there.”

This is going to go well. He cleared his throat and waved off the bartender when he came by, shifting so he was leaning against the arm he rested on the bar while facing her. His hands curled together, trying to smile around the shaven mustache that seemed to be exposing more of his blushing face with each beat. “Sorry, I uh… Just… Noticed you.”

He did his best not to cringe too outwardly at himself while his face exploded with a crimson blush, but the woman was laughing softly along with a noise that sounded like gentle bells amongst the pounding music. She continued to stir her drink, full-on grinning now as she gazed at him. “Did you now?”

When he only ducked his head and mumbled incoherently in response, she gave him some mercy as she released her straw and scooted closer to him. The trails of blonde hair traveled over her face and shoulders, wisping around close to him while she extended a hand out to him in greeting and a faint smirk marking over her face instead. “Well, good. That was the goal. And who do I owe the pleasure to?”

Bradley felt his hands instantly start to clam up with the offer, but he did his best to wipe them off as seamlessly as possible on his pants before reaching one forward with a smile. It felt a little too awry on his face, but he couldn’t find himself to fix it or change it while he answered, “Bradley Bradshaw.”

“Fitting.” The polite smile remained on her face, a twinkle caught in her shining blue eyes and almost matching the same hue of her shorts she had on. She laced their hands together in a shake, Bradley feeling the tiniest pinch of her nails briefly in his skin before they adjusted to a more comfortable position. “Savannah.”

Bradley shook it along, an idea quickly striking his mind while their hands were laced. Before she could pull hers back, he swiftly wrapped it within his and tugged it up to his lips, planting a gentle kiss there before releasing her fingers. “Pleasure’s mine.”

A much more intrigued smile took over her face, eyes flashing with interest and making Bradley’s gut curl again from a mixture of uncertainty and rushes of excitement. But instead of taking his hand back or leaning forward to lean into the flirting game, he watched as she adjusted herself on the bar before nodding back to the Dagger group partially behind them, who were shouting support and insults at the next round of pool being played. “You a part of that big ol’ pilot group, then?”

“Uh…” Bradley blinked as his eyes lifted up towards them, recognizing the match between Fanboy and Payback as he saw the tops of their heads and the familiar splitting grins of their teeth being flashed at each other. Coyote seemed to be trying to mess with them the most, causing more shouting and bickering that made Bradley’s chest twinge slightly as he hid his smile. “Yeah, I suppose.”

Luckily, it seemed to make her ease and drift closer to him while she smiled. She propped an elbow up to cup her chin in one of her hands, her eyes flicking to study Bradley for a moment before lingering back out to the crowd of mostly men hollering over the playballs on the table, clear intoxication ringing up from their shouts. “How fun. Like a big ol’ family reunion, it seems. Though that blonde one doesn’t look too happy.”

Bradley was startled by the callout, blinking at where she had gestured with a long nail towards Hangman. Maverick was gone, unsure of his location, but Hangman was lingering on the side of it all while Natasha wavered by his side as they watched it all from the outside. They weren’t speaking, but Bradley could see the odd tension line on Hangman’s brow when it got caught under a light to highlight it. To his surprise, he saw Hangman glance in his direction and give him a curious tilt of his head briefly before lifting his drink to him, tipping it back and letting it go down his throat in earnest bobs of the Adam’s apple lump.

What got his ass? Did Maverick beating him really get him that upset? He couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea, shaking his head and going for the water glass next to him with relief at its refreshing chill. After his sip, he shook his head and offered Savannah next to him a reassuring smile of his own. “No, it appears not. It’s alright; he deserves a bit of humbling if you knew him.”

“Oh, I’m sure.” Her eyes twinkled with bemusement, watching Bradley for a moment before she suddenly slinked in closer, a long shiver cutting through his spine when he felt the ghost of her nails reach towards his exposed forearm and trail along there. His throat got caught, ensnared by the new shade in her eyes while she peered at him through thick lashes and a plump smile. “You don’t seem to be like him now, no? A bit more well-mannered, then?”

Jesus. Bradley’s heart was thundering in his ears, yet oddly enough he found himself leaning back just slightly to keep a little bit of a barrier. Despite the protests from different corners of his mind and body, he had enough will to pull away with the alcohol still in his bloodstream and the tugging uneasiness he was feeling in his gut. “Uh… No. No, ma’am. I am- Yeah. Better.”

He winced a little this time at the mess of words from his mouth, unable to hide how red his face was getting. Savannah studied him for a moment longer, letting her fingers linger and send further spikes of his senses from the touch all the way up and down his nervous system. But at last, she let him go as she pulled her hand back and gave him a respectful nod, going back to stirring her drink with a much more polite and tame smile than before. “Well good. I’ll let you run along back to your crew, but I’m sure I’ll see you again soon?”

Bradley nearly jumped out of his seat with the embarrassment and roll of emotions crashing through him, quickly nodding and bundling himself in to try and hide himself within the shadows due to his burning face. He had enough grace to give her a nod, making it feel muppet-like in movement before he stepped away. “Yeah. Yeah, uh… You will. I’ll- I’ll see you.”

And then he was off, quickly making his departure and feeling her eyes on him while he fled. His face was many degrees hotter than the rest of his body, which was already feeling like a thickened sauna while he took a few deep breaths to get the rattlers once again out of his system. God damn, that was… Something. I don’t know why I didn’t take that; she was gorgeous. And she seemed fun and interested. Maybe when I’m a little less intoxicated, that seems like a better idea in general.

I’ll see her again. And it’ll go much better than it did this time around.

He safely made his way back to the edges of the group, where only Natasha was lingering now that Hangman had returned to heckle the pool players. Natasha flashed him an amused smirk when he approached, a knowing look in her eyes and her cheeks slightly puffed out to prevent herself from laughing. “That looked like it went smoothly.”

Bradley’s face, which had calmed down only by a little bit, now flared up once more as he nudged her vigorously and glared at her. It only earned a more bemused smirk in response, ducking his head eventually and staring down at his clammy hands that he clasped together while he muttered, “Shut up.”

Natasha grinned at him, but allowed him some mercy as she sipped on her beer and tugged him towards the pool table and the rest of the Dagger crowd. For the next few hours, Bradley fell into the natural beat of the people around him as he felt himself ease with the familiarity of them all. He carried conversations much easier without the aid of alcohol tumbling over his words, he got in a pool match with Bob and surprisingly pulled out a tight victory and earned himself some cash, and overall let himself watch everyone around him mingle and embrace each other. Even though he wasn’t much of a hugger, he let the drunken pilots sling their arms around his shoulders or his waist in hugs that were sloppy but full of solidarity and affection that he returned with a bit more steadiness but the same amount of care.

I really have missed these guys. God, I really hope I’ll get to see them again soon.

The bar had quieted down a little, the peak hours already passed, but there was still a decent crowd around them making their way to quieter tables or the bar ring in the center to settle. But when the jukebox revved up and played “Great Balls of Fire”, the whole crew shrieked with joy and raced out towards the dance floor and the piano with earnest thuds of their boots matching in time with the beat. The dimmed lights around them didn’t need to get any brighter for them; they made do with the blazing grins somehow remaining on their faces from their alcohol.

Bradley let out a soft laugh watching them go, lingering on the sidelines. When he saw Natasha’s questioning and inviting look, he shook his head and gave her an encouraging nudge, followed by a smile to goad her on. “Go on, I’ll catch up.”

She waited a moment longer, debating whether to argue with him or not, but eventually gave into the miniscule nudges he was giving her as she laughed and nodded, a drink in hand before she headed out to join the rest of the crew. Bradley sat back, watching all of the familiar heads bob drunkenly along to the song and laughing quietly at them all. Hangman’s dirty blonde hair, the darker heads of one of his foxtrot groups from the mission, Natasha happily spinning around when Bob offered. All of them melted together, Bradley’s chest equally light as it was feeling the weight of next week inching silently up on them. 

Please keep them all safe, wherever they go. I don’t want to lose anyone. I don’t want to hear about their deaths from miles away and be helpless to do anything. 

Keep them safe, Dad. Please.

He sighed, feeling the heaviness sink into him with the last effects of his drinking for the night, but he caught sight of a familiar older figure situated on a wall watching the rest of the group as well. Maverick seemed to be nursing a water now, but he was slack from his previous drinking endeavors when Bradley slowly approached. The older gentleman watched all of the other pilots with a tenderness in his gaze that clammed Bradley up for a moment, a doting gaze he hadn’t seen for a while. 

Before he could think too much on it, however, he came up towards him and purposefully added more weight into his steps to announce his presence. Maverick caught on almost immediately, his smile brightening when he saw the younger man and wordlessly scooted aside to let him lounge against the wall with him. Bradley took the offer, launching into conversation before anything from his heart was thrown out into the world, “Did you wash Hangman up? He looked quite upset.”

Maverick let out a crackling laugh, one worn down from exhaustion as the morning’s flight seemed to take its toll. However, Bradley caught his eye and saw the winking gleam within that flourished with triumph and victory as he nodded smugly. “Like a fish out of water. Think he’s gonna be sore from that one for a little while.”

Bradley laughed along with him, but he glanced out to see Hangman’s grin lighting up the room as he tipped back a cowboy hat that had been thrown onto his head, sunglasses thrown on in the middle of the dark room despite it all for the swaggered appearance he exuded. He took a sip from his own water before setting it down on the empty raised table near them, chuckling again before shaking his head. “That’ll only slow him down just a little bit. I’m sure he’ll be picking a fight sooner rather than later.”

Another quiet laugh left Maverick’s lips in agreement, the two of them resting back against the wall once more as a Dagger passed by them with a splitting grin to throw on a specific song for the jukebox. He danced back to the group, cheering, and the others cried out with him before they all started dancing around each other again with a new high-energy song kicking in. Twin chuckles left Bradley and Maverick before the older man nudged him, encouraging him when Bradley turned to glance at him, “You should head out there with them, Rooster. Have some fun.”

Not right now. Not when I just want to make sure I can see it and believe it’s all real for now. He allowed himself to rest back and shake his head with another soft chuckle while he sipped on the water in his hands, an ice cube dancing on his lips before sinking away. “Nah. I’m good. Don't mind just sitting back to appreciate it all a bit.”

There was a faint flicker of worry within Maverick’s eyes, but he seemed to know better and not question it as he subsided with a nod. He rested back as well alongside Bradley, their shoulders touching comfortably while the two of them looked on towards the crowd once again. “Yeah, I get that. It’s nice to just enjoy it all from the side sometimes. Sit and watch the world move, remembering all of the times like this before.”

Bradley felt his heart tug noticeably at his train of thought, the aches from his previous thoughts pulsing around his neck and wrists while he rubbed them to try and settle the pain. But he saw Maverick flash him a weak smile, not reading into Bradley’s silence as he let out another quiet chuckle that crackled within his throat. “Sorry. Old man sentimentality.”

He shifted against the wall once more before gesturing out to everyone in front of them with the hand holding his drink, his other one fiddling with the pocket of his jeans while his smile continued to grow and the affectionate light from before returned when he gazed out at them. “It’s a sight to behold, though. A wonderful sight to see everyone still caring about each other, having fun like it’s barely been a day since they’ve last been together. Everyone is still here, healthy and alive. It’s relieving.”

Guess it’s easy to tell sometimes about the man who helped raise me. Bradley swallowed, hearing the echo of his own thoughts spoken out loud by Maverick while he nodded slowly. His eyes strayed back out to his friends, to the colleagues he’d flown beside, and his heart seemed to ache all over with the threat of the next few days coming in. “Yeah. A little reassurance before deployments go out.”

Maverick seemed to quiet down for a moment, Bradley glancing over at him and seeing his eyes stuck on the other Daggers while his gaze mixed with clouded thoughts. But when he glanced over at Bradley, he was unable to read his senior’s expression while he asked him in a neutral tone guarding himself, “Are you expecting one?”

“No. Figured I’d be around.” Bradley was able to answer that question much more smoothly than he realized, but he finally found a bit of hesitation when he glanced outside at the streetlights creating golden orbs of security as they shone out against the pitch black darkness in the midnight sky. He frowned slightly when his eyes strayed, curling one of his hands into a fist. I figured that was always guaranteed, but I guess I can’t be sure. I could be sent out with any of them. 

“Staying at Top Gun?” Maverick questioned, still not giving away anything from his careful tone. Bradley shifted his eyes back up to him, but he was only regarding him with a polite curiosity. His fingers tapped on the glass he held, having it be switched back and forth between a water and a beer but now seemingly ending the night with his glass of water. 

Bradley shrugged, averting his eyes and tilting his chin back while his sights drifted off aimlessly towards the dancing figures in the room. Though his heart was starting to pound again with uncertainty, he was able to clear his throat briefly before nodding and responding with the same level of casualty Maverick seemed to have, “If I can, yeah. Think I have some work to do while I’m there.”

“What kind of work?” Maverick hummed, now a genuine slip of curiosity sneaking into his words. He seemed to notice himself and cleared his throat, Bradley sneaking a look over at him and seeing him adjust his stance briefly before diverting his eyes back towards the group of people in the center with an offhanded shrug. “I mean, I suppose a better question could be about what work needs to be done. If it’s for the program or for… Other reasons.”

The trail off was an odd end that Bradley found himself frowning slightly at, but he skirted alongside it and the odd wave of energy now rippling between the superior and the younger while he shifted his gaze down. He watched the ice cubes spin around in his glass instead, hoping the cool slips of glass in his grasp would help ease the heat starting to singe the tips of his ears. “Y'know just… Personal stuff. Got some things I want to accomplish, and I think Top Gun would be a good fit for that.”

He let out a breath that was starting to tremor in his throat, curling his fingers together as he set down his glass before folding his arms into his chest. He glanced around at the paintings and murals of pilots and planes alike, his heart twinging and twisting with the quiet callings it all had towards him. My passion is there at Top Gun. My destiny is there. Written in stone, I was made to go back to Top Gun and provide something for it there. I don’t know what I’ll do there, but I want to go back. I’ll make the legacy proud, I’m sure. I hope. 

“My story and my heart belong there,” Bradley murmured, letting a little bit of his wall cave away as his words dipped from his mouth. He glanced over at Maverick, finding his eyes watching him with the same intensity of a hawk as he gave him a weak smile and a slight dip of his chin with a knowing coil in his gut. “And I think you know that as well. So I don’t think I’m going anywhere.”

A long pause seemed to sit between the two, a heavy air that Bradley found it difficult to take a deep breath in. Everything seemed to be weighing in with the look in Maverick’s eyes, in the way he was studying him so closely and intently and making Bradley’s heart pound even further. He’s the key to my future and the reason why I want to go back. I think I keep forgetting that he has much more control over me and my future than I recognize.

Though I know he won’t make the same mistake twice.

Somehow, Maverick must have understood his thoughts because at last he seemed to settle back. A smile was on his face, a quiet but filled one as more unspoken but rigorous thoughts swirled behind his eyes. He gave him a slight nod, his voice soft but steady when he spoke, “I know, Rooster. I don’t think you’re going anywhere, either.”

Bradley’s heart sagged with relief, making his entire body nearly collapse on itself. But Maverick sidled a step closer to him, his gaze now fully fixed on him as the sincerity from the morning came back and softened his smile even more when he gave Bradley a doting look that made his heart and soul ache. “I’m excited to see what you’ll do, Bradley. There’s more coming for you. I know it’s only the beginning of it all. And I’ll be there for whatever you need as you continue to go up from here.”

Even though the words were mostly comforting to him, Bradley could feel something start to grab at his shoulders and his chest with his declaration. And very carefully, all of it started pressing down slowly as he nodded weakly to his superior with a trembling smile. “Thanks, Mav.”

Maverick nodded, a bit of their tension subsiding as he reached for his beer bottle and raised it into the air, waiting for Bradley with an expectant and glowing smile. It was the same one in the photos, barely looking aged while he gave him a prideful beam. “Cheers.”

Bradley reached out and grabbed his water glass, no longer sipping on his alcohol, and clinking their separate drinks together before sharing a sip. Maverick eased his glass down and gestured out into the crowd, easing himself onto a higher chair with the table next to them and another encouraging smile that had a bit more force behind it. “Now go on. Go have some fun before you lock in. It’s important to smile a bit more, you know.”

Is he insulting me? Bradley blinked in bewilderment at the older man and the smile that seemed to spread with his dumbfounded expression, finding himself sputtering slightly when he tried to confront him with a mutter, “What do you mean by that?”

Maverick shrugged, palms open with his faked innocent expression again, but there were shoes pounding towards him and a few shouts coming closer as a sudden mob was starting to sweep in around them, Bradley yelping with the arm tossed around his shoulder and the two different hands grasping onto his arms, tugging insistently away from Maverick’s safe position near the wall. He stared in surprise at Hangman’s dopey grin, much more loose than normal due to the alcohol clear in his sight and his breath as he drawled out to him with a fumbling laugh, “Come on, Rooster! Enough moping! Come dance with us before you lose your legs to the jets!”

“Hey, wait-!” Bradley tried to call out, but he was cut off by the goading hands and Maverick’s laughter resounding after him as the crew dragged him in to dance. Shouts of others were heard around as he was brought in at last, Bradley catching Phoenix’s eye and seeing her grin stretch wider at the sight of him. He couldn’t help the grin that matched many of those around him, even allowing the drunken Hangman to lean against him and cheer along with him while they replayed “Great Balls of Fire” on their jukebox system.

Idiots. All of them. Yet Bradley’s mind was filled with nothing but affection as he swung around and back-to-back with many different members of the crew, drinks now in hand again to finish out the evening. He had enough liquid courage in him later to even hop back onto the piano and play out a few songs for them, including their infamous favorite and many others while different members leaned against the piano to sing along with him. Even later in the evening when it was only their group left, despite the exhaustion starting to thicken between everyone, they all stayed and sang their hearts out with the crew around them as they draped over each other with heartfelt laughter. 

And Bradley was able to soak it all in, both in his drunken and sober mind. But even amidst all of it, before he completely lost his mind to the alcohol being passed his way, he could still see Maverick’s intent face study him while he waited for his answer about returning to Top Gun. And alongside his face, he could see Maverick’s and his father’s old photo together right where it was back in the garage. 

Even though the weight on his shoulders was heavy, Bradley Bradshaw rolled his shoulders back and kept his chin high. And even though he indulged in the fun of that evening, he knew what was laying for him in the horizon. 

I’m coming back for you, Top Gun. And you'll soon get to see the legacy that Goose and Maverick left behind. I won’t fail.

I’ll make them proud.