𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐔𝐒𝐀 [𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫]

06

"Coyote." Hangman picked with a sure smile.

Next it was Rooster's turn, "Cowgirl." She looked to Phoenix as she walked over and stood next to him. They kept picking until the teams were even and then the game began. Maverick played a few rounds with them until he got knocked on his ass and took a seat. Hondo had been their referee for the afternoon.

"Bob!" Sydney called out as she was in the middle wide open. He threw the ball in her direction and as she went to reach for it a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her down on top of them. She laughed the whole way down and even more when she saw Hangman underneath of her. "Sorry for falling on you."

"It was completely intentional." He answered back with his signature smirk. She laughed once more and got up, extending a hand out to him and helping him up. As he stood back on his feet, he nodded in the direction of Rooster who shared a look of jealously as he looked at the very comfortable pair. Sydney rolled her eyes and followed Hangman as he ran around the beach to get open for his team.

"What're you doing later?" Phoenix asked Sydney as they ended up next to each other on the sand. Hangman had walked away and left the girls to talk. "And tell me none of it involves him." Sydney rolled her eyes at the added comment.

"I'm not hanging out with him. We were literally just playing the game together. Is that not allowed?" Sydney held her hands up and caught the ball Rooster had thrown in the direction of them and began to run it back. She was close to the endzone and had been wrapped up by Coyote, surely another thing that she was going to be stared at and judged for by everyone else. When she caught the eyes of Rooster and his smile instead of a jealous look she smiled as well. It must just be when it has to do with Hangman.

"Okay! I'm taking a break! I'm tired of scoring all the points." Sydney said walking over to where Maverick was and took a seat next to him. She heard them laugh and yell for her to rejoin them but she needed a break.

The silence between her and Maverick was comfortable and calm. They didn't need to talk as they watched the other members of the group play the game. They had switched up the teams before beginning a new game since they lost track of the first score. All anyone knew was that Sydney had scored most of Team Rooster's points, and Hangman wasn't going to let her have all the fun and glory of winning.

"So how is he?" Maverick finally asked looking over to her.

"How's who, sir?"

"Bradley." Sydney resituated herself so she could look between Maverick and the playing field.

"I guess as good as he could be. He's been real hot and cold with me the whole time we've been here." Which was true. He was nice, then rude, then nice again, and this morning everything was fine but he hadn't really said much since their day at the beach had begun.

"He's just trying to figure things out."

"How are you, sir?" Sydney couldn't tell if the question was appropriate or not. She had known Maverick only briefly during her childhood. Having her father fly as his RIO after the passing of Goose, then spending the time she did at Bradley's during the summer, and his occasional visit to their home in Georgia whenever he had the time or got the invite.

Maverick looked at the young lieutenant, shocked at her question. No one had really asked him that in a long time. He was starting to believe he was just meant to operate on auto-pilot in the aspect of the whole emotion thing. "I'm okay, Syd." He smiled at her as he remembered the little 5 year old he had met for the first time. Her blonde pigtails and bright smile that lit up the room, no matter what was happening in it before she entered.

"You know I gotta check on you. Make sure you're okay and taking care of yourself." He chuckled and nodded.

"I appreciate it."