The Rooster and The Wolf | Bradley 'ROOSTER' Bradshaw

Prologue

Accepted.

You had to stop yourself from squealing with excitement as you re-read the email from the Naval Academy. 

You had just graduated from UCSD with a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering - at your father's request - but your heart called for the Navy. You were a Mitchell, after all.

"I got in." you whispered to yourself, but that thought was cut abruptly short as the yells of two men got louder and louder.

Shoving your phone into your pocket, you pushed yourself up, and made your way to your father's office, where the voices were coming from. As you got closer, you realised it was your father's voice you heard, yelling in response to your childhood best friend, Bradley.

"You don't understand, Bradley-"

"I knew you didn't support me, I can't believe you, Maverick."

"I did it to protect you! You weren't ready."

"I'm one of the best, Mav. I'm about to go to Top Gun!"

"And that would never have happened had I not pulled your papers!"

"You set me back four years! Four years of working dead-end jobs before I could re-enlist. You had no right-"

You had heard enough, and shoved open the office door, finding both men, red-faced, staring at each other as they breathed heavily. 

As you entered, both sets of eyes fell on you.

"You pulled his papers?" you asked, looking to Maverick.

"(y/n) listen-"

"You're the reason that Bradley didn't get in to the academy the first time?" you asked again, and you felt the anger bubble inside you as realisation set in. 

You'd completely forgotten about the joy you were feeling a mere five minutes earlier, your attention solely on the two men in front of you.

"Yes, but-"

"Go on Mav, tell her. Tell her how you screwed me over." Bradley cuts him off, then storms out of the room, feeling thankful that his belongings were practically already packed for his move back to Miramar.

"Brads wait-" you called after him, but he ignored you. Turning back to your father, you approached him, and seeing the hurt on the Captain's face only made you feel worse. 

"Why did you do that?" your voice trembled, as if the betrayal was your own.

You and Bradley had grown up together. 

As Bradley's godfather, Maverick swore to help raise him after the passing of Goose, and aided Carole Bradshaw in any way he could. 

Only a few months later, his own child was born, and you both were raised together. For 8 years, your family was blended. You and Bradley were raised together by Maverick, Charlie and Carole; you even lived in the same house in Miramar. 

That was, until your mother was in a car accident, hit by a drunk-driver, and she too passed. 

This almost destroyed Maverick, but with Carole's help, he pulled through and continued to raise you, along with Bradley, who was 12 at the time. 

Only five and a half years later, Bradley lost his mother, and it has just been the three of you ever since.

With Maverick still being in the height of his career as a Naval Aviator, you and Bradley were often passed around until you were old enough to stay home alone, being looked after by others, including Sara Kazansky and Maverick's friend Penny Benjamin.