embers | top gun

two

after the lesson was over, i stood up from my seat.
"so, when did you get here?" maverick asks, standing up with the rest of us.

"yesterday." i say, tossing my things together. i'm still in utter shock that pete "maverick" mitchell is standing in front of me after all these years.

"so mav, you gonna introduce me to your girlfriend or what?" the dirty blonde from earlier says from behind us.

"shes not my- whatever- goose, this is y/n. well, checkmate-" maverick starts, motioning his hands to me. i wave smally, cracking a slight smile.

"checkmate is your callsign? thats cool. im nick- or goose. how come ive never heard of you from good ole mete pitchell here?" goose teases, making maverick roll his eyes.

"great question, how come he hasn't heard of me before? figured i'd be pretty memorable." i say, resting a questionable facial expression.
maverick's laughs awkwardly, a panicked look on his face.

"erm, just uh, never got brought up! who talks about flight school- i mean, pshh...come on.." he says sheepishly.

"how could you not bring her up dude, she's HOT." the annoying ass guy from earlier- his name being ice or something i didn't really pay attention- says from behind goose. maverick's eyebrows furrow, and i roll my eyes. "chill out mitchell, i've got it."

smiling, i walk to iceman who really stares me up and down. his mouth agape like its impossible to shut. i think its possible to smell his lunch from the other side of the damn base. "hey baby, any plans after this here class?" iceman asks, a smirk growing on his face.

i hold my smile, before taking my fist and knocking it into his lower stomach. he yelps like a puppy before clenching his abdomen.

"please, refrain from speaking when you're near me. god, have some respect for the only woman in your class, lieutenant." i say bitterly. please good keep him off my ass for the time being.

meanwhile goose and maverick have their eyes glued on me, mouth open just like iceman had been previously. "shit checkmate, i think you deserve a drink after that." maverick says, his eyes full of surprise. i laugh a bit. "you're buying!"

-

clunking the beer bottle on the surface of the bar, i let out a long sigh. "so, you really never talked about me?" i look to maverick, my tone in a teasing way. he lets out a 'pfft' before picking up his bottle. "of course i did. i've thought about you for a long time."
i lift an eyebrow at his sentence, and maverick quickly realizes what he's said. "i mean, not in that way. or maybe in that way. anyway, point is...it's been so long." he says, a smile on his face. i return it, nodding.

goose comes on over to us, sitting next to me. "so, y/n, how are you liking top gun so far?" i shrug. "it's nice. the resting quarters could be a little comfier i admit."

"oh you'll get used to it in no time." another voice speaks from behind me. "hey hey slider! how's it going man?" goose says, handshaking another guy from behind me. "fine man. just came to meet our new friend here." slider says, eyeing me. i turn around in my seat.

"im slider, it's nice to meet you." he says. "checkmate." i say in return. "you fly with iceman?" "sadly, yes." slider remarks sarcastically as he motions the bartender to get him a drink. "but you know, we're the best of the best." "debatable." a mutter comes from maverick, getting a snicker out of me and goose. "well hey, don't you need another person to fly with if you're gonna be competing for that trophy?" slider asks, which really gets me thinking.

"viper said earlier another lieutenant is coming in a day or two." goose interrupts. "hmm. i wonder who it'll be." slider shrugs. "has to be another good pilot, obviously." i sit there whilst they try and brainstorm but all i could think about how ironic it would be if only one particular person i know could show up. another great naval aviator me and maverick both know.

and only coincidence and pure luck could bring her here.

sam?

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