Agents - Top Gun AU

Steps Forward

"Wait wait WAIT! I don't particularly want to work with Bradshaw over here!" Hangman protested.

"Oh the feeling is mutual, Seresin!" Rooster barked out immediately.

Maverick looked at the two. "Okay... then who wants to switch?" He knew none of them would want.

Not one person offered to switch. Both hangman and rooster looked at each other but angrily accepted their fate.

Rooster looked down at his paper and rubbed his neck slightly. "Well... what's your fear.." hangman asked him quietly like all the other groups.

Rooster had many fears.

But the one that will haunt him for the rest of his life was not one he was willing to share. "Oh uh... failing a mission." He said causally.

Hangman watched him slightly. He didn't believe him at all. "That's a real basic answer." Hangman said as he wrote his down.

Rooster glanced at Hangman's.

Losing a partner...

Rooster looked at Hangman, wanting some more information. Hangman looked at him and just chuckled. "If you want to know the background on that, you need to take me out for a drink." He said teasingly.

Rooster felt that was a challenge. "Okay. What time?" He smirked.

Hangman raised a brow. "Uh... you're not being serious right?" He said now genuinely curious.

"Oh I am." Rooster said.

"Fine then. 7. When?" Hangman said, now cruising with the idea.

"Tonight. The bar down the street." Rooster said. Hangman chuckled and nodded. "Sounds fun..."

Rooster then froze as he stared at the man in front of him. Granted, he has seen this man smile before, but it's usually this stupid grin that he felt was so forced. But this one.... This was a genuine smile that was in a good mood.

Maverick went over some more teamwork basics when Ice walked into the room. Maverick saw him immediately but just continued teaching.

Ice stayed in the back, not wanting to interrupt Maverick anymore.

Maverick turned and wrote on the board some more information. He was glad ice was okay after the attack the other day.

He thought back to when Ice was getting electrocuted. Ice still tried to protect him despite being in agonizing pain. Maverick sighed and lowered his marker.

"Everyone take a 10 minute break." He said as he turned back to the class and organized his notes. Ice watched Mav closely as everyone left the room.

Ice then walked back up to the front. "You never messaged me when you got back to your room. You usually do, to let me know you're alive." He said as he stopped in front of him.

Maverick finished putting his notes back together. "I was fine. I just needed help getting home." He said as he finally met Ices gaze.

Ice had a worried expression on his face. Maverick simply looked down and sighed.

"Don't look at me like that... I'm fine. I asked one of my agents to help me get home." Maverick knew Ice worried about him, but he didn't want him to.

He was fine.

"Pete... you saying you're fine isn't going to make me believe you. You're significantly weaker today... I can tell by just looking at you." Ice said extremely worried.

"I said to stop worrying about me! Shouldn't you be worrying about your husband or something? He probably wouldn't mind you hounding him..." Maverick said looking straight at Ice.

"What should I be worried about? He's fine! He talked this morning at breakfast and on the way here. Am I not allowed to worry about you anymore?" Ice had confusion in his voice.

Maverick just looked at him and then sighed. "I'm going to get my class." He started to walk past Ice when Ice switched his personality.

"I have a mission for your group. It'll last a week, and it'll be out of country." Ice dropped the file on the podium. Maverick stopped and turned.

Ice walked past Maverick. "You leave tonight, Maverick." Ice left the room and slammed the door, which got everyone who was in the hallway attention.

Maverick hadn't been called is code name by Ice in a long time... He didn't like it.

He just stepped out of the classroom, while being greeted by awkward stares. He just adjusted his tie and cleared his throat and looked at his team. "Come back in, we got a mission."

Maverick went over the mission details. They left at midnight that night, and would be flying out to Germany.

Everyone sensed that Maverick was in a bad mood. Rooster knew he was. He also knew that if Maverick went annoyed into a mission, it'll all go to shit.

Rooster stood up as Maverick dismissed the class. "Hey guys! You're all invited to a night out before our mission at 8 at the bar down the street!" He said with a playful smile.

Everyone sounded interested. "And the instructor is required to be there." Rooster said as Hangman got up and grabbed his bag. Everyone agreed as they all started to leave.

Maverick sighed and nodded to being there.

Rooster cheered slightly, but then turned to look at Hangman. "Are we still meeting at 7?" Hangman asked.

Rooster nodded. "Yeah... yeah we're still meeting at 7. I need to know the story." He said with a slight smile.

Hangman nodded and patted his shoulder. "See you at 7." Hangman left leaving rooster and Maverick together in the class.

Rooster looked over at Maverick. "Hey..." Maverick looked over at Rooster. Those were probably the first unprovoked words that ever came out of Roosters mouth since he was a Child.

"Are... are you and ice okay?" Rooster asked. Maverick sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know kid..."he said as if giving up. "It's hard still being in love with someone who you know you can't have." He said as he gathered his things.

Rooster remembered how alive Maverick was when he was in love, comfortable, and just doing well.

Now he just tried to find any way to get himself taken out on a mission.

"Yeah... I get it. Just know um... if you need to talk, I'm here." Rooster said.

Maverick looked at Rooster almost shocked. He then cleared his throat and nodded. "Alright... thank you."

Rooster nodded. "No problem..." he waved and stepped out of the classroom.