Rooster and Phoenix have always sort-of had it out for each other (well when they first met I mean.)
They met back at the Naval Academy and Phoenix was one of the only female pilots that got in that year along with two others. The rest were all guys as every female who decides to become a pilot, knew.
She would run into the cocky pilot everyday after they'd all break for lunch.
"Hey hot stuff." He say as he leaned against the door of the cafeteria, blocking her way in. She'd roll her eyes and sometimes give him the bird.
"Get out of my way jackass." She'd say through gritted teeth. Of course, him being a so called "gentleman", he would move out of her way.
After a few weeks, their instructor had assigned Rooster to be Phoenix's wingman, much to her demise.
She did have to admit, they made a pretty good team and became friends. But Phoenix didn't want it to become anything more. The other female pilots whom she bunked with all told her that they were perfect for each other, but Phoenix kept the thought in her head.
Rooster finally became her best friend in their final year at the Naval Academy. He was someone who knew everything about her and she knew everything about him. In fact, Phoenix didn't even know anything about the female pilots who she had to room with but she knew everything about someone she met only three years ago who was a male!
Some even thought that they were a married couple based on how much the two would bicker back and forth.
Now, it was the night before graduation, and Phoenix sat in her apartment, alone eating ice cream and watching Sleepless in Seattle. She waited for Rooster to show up.
"I'm here! What happened!?" He said as he bust through her door. There Phoenix sat on the couch, burying herself in strawberry ice cream in her pajamas with absolutely no makeup on. Even for Rooster, she'd put a little bit of mascara on, but this was different.
"He dumped me." She said quietly as she stared at the tv. Rooster looked shocked. Her boyfriend of all the years of being at the school had apparently dumped her. Rooster knew he had to comfort her.
"Oh Fee. He didn't, did he?" He said as he sat on the couch next to her. He put a hand on her back.
"He did, Roose. I don't know why, but he did." Phoenix said in the most quiet but heartbroken voice you would have ever heard.
"Do you wanna talk about it?" Rooster asked gently. She shook her head. Phoenix was never the kind of person to show weakness, but her quietness spoke volumes. She typically would be one to always talk to Rooster about anything, so he knew this was incredibly hard for her.
He put an arm around her and moved her closer to him. She looked at him and started balling into his shirt.
"It's ok Nat. It's all going to be ok." He said as hugged her. She hugged back.
"I know Bradley. I just can't believe Derrick did this to me. He's dead to me now."
After graduation, to Phoenix was the most unhappy moment was when she saw he ex-boyfriend, Derrick kissing another one of the female pilot that she knew. That did it for her.
She walked up to Rooster with speed in her stride. Rooster looked happy to see her.
"Hey Phoenix! You look great!" He said as he patted her on the back.
"Yeah ok. Anyways, I need you to come with me." She said as she took him by the hand. Rooster was confused.
"Uh, ok?" He said as he followed her.
Phoenix finally stopped walking to show him what Derrick was up to. Rooster stood there with a wide mouth.
"Oh no he isn't!" He said in shock.
"Oh he is alright! With Amy of all people!" She said exasperated.
Rooster shook his head.
"Bradley, I need you to do something for me." Phoenix asked
"Anything for you." Rooster said as he nodded his head. Phoenix took a deep breath.
"I need you to kiss me." Phoenix said bluntly. Rooster nearly choked on his saliva.
"You-you what now?" He said as he seriously wondered if Phoenix had a little something to drink before the ceremony.
"You heard me. Kiss me." Phoenix said with her hands on her hips.
Rooster always tended to be stuck in his head, so, Phoenix did as any desperate girl would, she grabbed him by his tie and kissed him.
She opened her eyes a few times to see if her ex boyfriend was looking at the two, and as it turned out, he was.
Phoenix's plan worked flawlessly..... as she knew it would.
Phoenix broke the kiss and smiled an evil grin. Rooster took note of the said grin and put his hands on his hips.
"So, THAT'S why you wanted to kiss me? To get back at your ex? I should have known." Rooster said angrily. Apparently, he thought Phoenix was actually starting to like him as more than a friend. But, Rooster was just a pawn in her game.
Rooster stormed off away from her. Phoenix realized what she did, but it was too late.
"Rooster wait! I'm sorry!" She said as she ran after him.
"Nope! I hope I NEVER see you again or fly with you again!"
Phoenix stood there with tears in her eyes. She was dead to her best friend and she knew it.
Later that day, she walked up to his apartment.
"Roose, it's me." She said as she knocked on his door. No reply.
"Look, I'm really sorry about what happened." Still no reply.
"I feel like a huge jerk. And I am one. So please, please forgive me. You're all I got, Bradley." She heard a sigh from the other end, but he wouldn't open his door.
"Bradley, I know you're in there because you just sighed." A muffled "shit" came from the other end.
He opened the door.
"Phoenix I-" He began to say, but Phoenix pulled him into a hug.
"Roose, I can't loose you. Just know that." Rooster sighed.
"I know. I just had been waiting for a kiss from you for ages now, and to find out it wasn't actually meant for me but to get back at your ex? It really hurt." Phoenix looked surprised.
"Bradley, you should have just asked me for a kiss. I would have given it to you." Phoenix said she broke away from his arms.
"Yeah, I just thought it would make things weird between us as friends." Phoenix cocked her eyebrow.
"Who said we could be just friends?" She asked him.
"Nobody. What are you saying?"
"How bout we become "friends with benefits?"" Phoenix said as she made air quotes. Rooster raised his eyebrows.
"Really? Are you feeling ok? The Phoenix from a week ago would have said "hell no!"" Rooster said as he put his hands on his hips.
Phoenix laughed. "Yes! I'm fine. Now, let's get the ball rolling on this thing." She said as she gently pushed Rooster back into his apartment. He started laughing.
"Yes ma'am!" He said as he saluted causing Phoenix to laugh.
TWO YEARS LATER
Phoenix and Rooster continued their friends with benefits relationship and now were on the US Navy Aircraft Carrier The USS Enterprise.
They had been stationed throughout the country and this was their first time on an aircraft carrier.
Everything was going good, until Rooster told Phoenix some shocking news.
"I'm being stationed somewhere else." He began.
"Where?" She asked with slight worry in her voice.
"Hawaii. Honolulu to be exact."
"When are you going?"
"The next 48 hours."
"Promise me that I'll see you again."
"I promise, Nat."
"I guess that means we have to forget being friends with benefits then. Can't do it when you're all the way in Hawaii." Phoenix said as she took a bite of popcorn.
"Yeah. Guess so."
"Don't get killed, Roose. I mean it."
" I won't Phoenix. I promise I won't."
Phoenix didn't see Rooster until the day they all got called back to Top Gun when he walked through the Hard Deck.
She couldn't hardly believe her eyes when she saw him with that new addition above his lip. Rooster could barely even grow facial hair the last time she saw him.
Phoenix had to stay professional. She was the only one out of all of them who'd seen him naked. So, she played hard to get, just like she was before they got paired together all those years back in the academy.