Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw One-Shots

Thirty Seconds

You stood up right, Fanboy breathing calmly beside you. Everybody was in Uniform as they stood to command on the aircraft carrier.

It was the day. The day. The day when Maverick would choose who was the best of the best to fly across enemy plains to try and raid the bunker.

'Maverick, choose your two pairs.' Cyclone commanded. 'Your pair first, the other pair second.'

'Phoenix and Bob.' Maverick pronounced confidently. 'Y/c/s and Fanboy.'

Your heart stopped, you were confident enough you would get the job, but when you did, it scared you because you weren't sure if you would make it out alive or not.

'And the second wingman?' Cyclone said.

'Rooster.'

Then your heart plummeted through the ground. One of the two of you was enough, but both? That stung.

'Good. Now, suits on and deck in ten.' Cyclone shouted before dismissing you.

Your instinct was to give Fanboy a hug, like you did whenever you got chosen for a mission. You swung around and wrapped your arms around your friend.

'Well done.' He said sadly. 'We earned this.'

'Damn straight we did. We worked our asses off for this.' You tried to sound less scared than you were.

'Congrats.' Phoenix put a hand on your shoulder. 'But um, I don't think Rooster's too happy about this.' She nodded in his direction.

Rooster seemed a mix of emotions, anger and fear.

'I should talk to him.' You said softly.

You approached him like you would a scared cat, in a way. Using slow, methodical movements. You hadn't been his girlfriend of six years and now his fiance for nothing, you knew him.

'Congratulations.' You said, voice calm.

'Yeah. Sure.' Rooster didn't look at you as he yanked off his shoes.

'Rooster, are you okay?' You asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

'I don't want you to go.' He said.

'On the mission?'

'Yeah.' Rooster looked you right in the eyes.

If your heart stopped before, it started right back up with a sudden jolt of anger. 'What? Why?'

'I didn't think you...' Rooster trailed off.

'You didn't think I was good enough, did you?' You snapped. 'Unbelievable. Un-fucking-believable.'

Rooster was your biggest supporter. Anything you did, Rooster would cheer you on. He was actually the one who convinced you in highschool to start going to the gym with him, and to try out for the navy with him in the first place. And here he was, telling you he didn't think you had the skill to do the mission.

'Why then all this time were you cheering me on? Telling me I was good enough?' You crossed your arms, angry at him.

'Because I didn't want to tell you.' Rooster said.

'So you tell me now!?' Your blood was boiling. You stared at him, in utter shock. 'Wow. Impressive. Well done.' You gritted your teeth. 'I guess you don't think I'm good enough for this either then.' You ripped the engagement ring off your finger and slammed it into his hand. Livid, you spun around and marched to the change rooms.

Your helmet sat snug around your head as you clipped it. Ready to climb into the plane.

'Y/n?' You heard Phoenix say over the coms, it wasn't often she used your real name, so you knew what she was going to say.