The next few weeks are beautiful, Maverick doesn't think anything could ever go wrong, he's shamelessly in love with Iceman, and he falls deeper in love every day. Yes, Maverick's flying verges on dangerous a lot of the time, Iceman thinks that it's just a part of him, and he just loves him for it, even though it fills him with dread when he does a move too risky for him to be comfortable with. The last thing Ice wants is to see Maverick or Goose getting hurt. That would be too awful to comprehend.
"Hey, Mav," Goose whispers to him.
"Yeah?"
"We were thinking of a volleyball game after class ends this evening, wanna join in?"
"We?"
"Me and Slider,"
"Why are you even asking?" Maverick says, smirking. "Course I'll come. Can't leave my wingman to battle against Slider and Ice,"
"Aw, thanks man," Goose says, smiling. "I wouldn't leave you to battle against them either,"
"Gentlemen can we leave the talking for a couple more minutes, please?" Jester says loudly, startling Maverick.
"Sorry sir," he says, smiling.
Jester shakes his head and continues reminding them all about the task they were instructed to finish for tomorrow morning. Maverick hadn't started it, of course. Even though they set it a week ago.
"So, make sure you remember it for first thing tomorrow," Jester says. "Class dismissed,"
Maverick stands up from the desk and puts his aviators on, glancing behind him at Ice, who side-smiles from under his.
"Have you finished it yet, Mitchell?" he asks as they walk out of the classroom and to the lockers.
"Finished what? Stealing your heart?" Maverick says, grinning.
Ice sighs, rolling his eyes. "Cute, but no. The paper that's for tomorrow,"
"I have,"
"No you haven't,"
"I know. I haven't even started it,"
"Maverick-" Ice says, exasperated.
He laughs.
"We were given a week! It took me two days!"
"Oh? Why? Is it on how to pull off dangerous moves in the air?"
"Oh my god, Mav," He pauses, checking behind them to see Goose and Slider engaged in a conversation with each other as they reach the lockers. "You seriously haven't started it?"
"Nope," Maverick says gleefully.
"You're giving me unneeded stress levels for a Thursday evening," Ice sighs.
"Mav gives me unneeded stress levels any day of the week," Goose chimes in.
"You know you love me then," Maverick says, opening his locker.
"Unfortunately, yes, I do,"
"I'd think then you wouldn't mind helping me after me and Goose beat you at volleyball,"
"You seem so sure of that," Slider says.
"It's because we will," Goose replies.
"Oh yeah? What's the bet?"
"Hmm..." Ice pauses. "Tomorrow night's first round,"
"Deal," Maverick says. "Be prepared to lose twenty dollars then Slide,"
"S-Slide?!" Slider says incredulously.
"Yeah, your nickname?"
Goose bursts out laughing, leaning on Maverick's shoulder to support himself.
"It's not that funny Goos-"
"Goosey," Ice whispers.
"Goosey," Slider confirms, unable to stop himself from smiling.
Maverick laughs at the use of his nickname for Goose coming from both Ice and now Slider.
Goose loudly fake gasps, frowning at the three of them. "That's such an unoriginal nickname," he says sarcastically.
"It's a nickname of your callsign," Ice says. "That in itself is shorter than what I initially made up,"
"What was that?" Maverick asks, curious about how he hadn't known.
"Mother Goose," Ice says, smiling.
"Awww, that works!" Maverick says, smiling at Goose, who facepalms.
Three hours later, they finished their final, final game, Goose half collapsed on the sand, Slider leaning on Ice, and Maverick still somehow almost full of energy.
"Woohoo! And that goes to Goose and I! You've lost yourself a twenty Slider!" Maverick cheers, jumping around on the sand.
"How.. the hell.. do you still have that much.. energy Mav-?" Ice asks, pausing for breaths.
"Who knows," Goose says, flopping backwards.
"It's my special talent, as you all should know by now," Maverick says, standing by Goose and offering him a hand.
"I'm dead Mav," Goose says.
"Fine, I'll sit," he says, sitting on the sand next to him.
"I gotta say though Ice there were some pretty good shots from them," Slider says, following Ice around to Maverick and Goose's side of the net.
"Mhm," Ice says, putting on his shirt that he left at the side, chucking Maverick's t-shirt at him to put on.
"Thanks," he says, pulling it over his head.
"Get up Mav," Slider says over his shoulder. "And you Goose,"
"Ughh," Goose groans, slowly getting up alongside Maverick, who leans his head on his shoulder. "Feelin' the exhaustion now Maverick?"
"Yeah," Maverick pulls his head up as Ice slides his arms around him and kisses his cheek.
"It was a great game-"
They all huff out a breath as Slider runs into them all and yells "Smile!!" as he snaps a picture of them.
Then Goose looses his balance and he falls into the sand, rolling over slightly just as Maverick and Ice fall onto the sand where he had been a second ago.
"Ice-" Maverick gets out, being squashed. "Get off-"
Ice does not get off of Maverick, but he rolls them both over so Maverick's on top of him.
"Wanna kiss me that bad huh?"
Ice smiles as Maverick leans in to kiss him.
"That's a great photo Slider," Goose says, holding up the Polaroid to the light. "Hey guys lo- oh my god-"
"Jesus," Slider says. "Come on Goose, they'll join us in an hour,"
"They will," Goose says, following Slider out of the volleyball court. "Bye guys,"
"Aw, bye you two!" Ice says, smiling at them disappearing over the sandy hill.
Maverick laughs, melting Ice's heart further, before rolling off him to lie on his front beside him. "It was a great game," he says quietly.
"Mhm,"
"You're covered in sand..." Maverick whispers, barely restraining his smile.
"Have you seen yourself?"
"Just making an observation," he says. "Like how you get hotter the more chilled you are,"
"Maverick..." Ice frowns, blushing. "You get cuter when I outflirt you,"
His smile stays as he looks down to the sand, proving Ice's point.
Iceman kisses between Maverick's eyebrows, not caring about the sand stuck to his skin. "Love you,"
"Love you too,"
They do not go and join Goose and Slider later, they just sit on the beach with a couple of soft drinks and stare at the sun setting together, and stay there until Maverick finishes the assignment. Ice made him do it by refusing to kiss him until he'd finished. Which somehow worked
~🍁~
"Goose when did you say Carole and Bradley were coming?" Maverick asks him in the O the next evening, whilst sipping the Budweiser Slider had to get him.
"Oh! Uh, this coming Tuesday, the 22nd, I think?" he says. "Oh and speaking of, since it's the break, me and Carole were planning to go out on the Wednesday night,"
"...Is that code for 'Maverick can you babysit Bradley?'?"
"Haha, yeah," Goose side smiles at him.
"Of course I will! Nothing's better than looking after Baby Goose for a few hours," Maverick smiles.
"Thanks, I know I can count on you,"
"Wait, has Ice met them?"
"Uh, I don't think so?"
"Let me ask him," Maverick says, looking round to see Ice standing next to Slider, who is awkwardly warding off a young lady who has her sights set on him.
Ice catches Maverick's eye and frantically shrugs at him.
"Hold on Goose, need to go save Ice,"
"I'll watch you,"
"Excuse me, sir, can I interest you in a seat at the bar, and a drink?" Maverick flashes a grin at Ice as he slips his hand in his.
"Oh," Ice says, immediately catching on, relief and thanks in his eyes. "Oh, yes thank you,"
Maverick smiles at him and tugs him away from the shocked blonde and Slider.
"Thanks Mav-" Ice says under his breath as they get to the bar stools that Goose saved for them.
"You're welcome, I wouldn't let you get stolen from me,"
"I know," Ice says, smiling.
"You kinda left Slider in the middle of that-" Goose observes.
Maverick and Iceman twist to see Slider getting berated by the blonde and a few of her friends.
"Oops," Ice says. "He can fend for himself though. I think he secretly likes it,"
Maverick chuckles a little, sipping a bit more from his Budweiser.
"Ice, we were gonna ask you, have you ever met Carole?" Goose asks.
"Ah, no, I don't think I have,"
"Well then, you're in luck," Goose smiles. "She and Bradley are coming to visit next Tuesday,"
"And Goose also needs somebody to look after Bradley on Wednesday," Maverick adds. "Do you wanna babysit him with me?"
Ice's face practically lights up. "Of course, I'd love too!"
"Ah, that's great!" Goose smiles. "Thank you guys,"
"Anytime Goose," Ice smiles at him.
~🍁~
"Carole loves you, Ice," Maverick says that Wednesday evening, a couple of hours after Goose and Carole left.
"She loves you too," he says, leaning his head on Maverick's shoulder.
"I know," he replies, keeping his voice low as Bradley fell asleep on him half an hour ago.
"Exactly the person I'd imagine Goose with," he says.
"Mhm, they suit the other so well,"
"I hope that's us," Ice whispers, barely allowing Maverick to hear.
"What? Of course it is," he says, lifting his hand up to stroke Ice's hair. "I wouldn't wanna be with anyone else,"
Ice smiles. "Neither do I,"
"Good," Maverick says, turning his head to kiss him. "Even though you think I'm dangerous,"
"I don't think you're dangerous, I know you are. And somehow I love you for it,"
Maverick smiles. "Is it my smile that caught you? Or my charm? Or the reckless flying?"
Iceman rolls his eyes. "The everything, Pete,"
"I fell for you because of your voice,"
"No you didn't,"
"I did! And your flying, and your eyes, and... just your everything,"
"Mav.." he says, lifting his head as Maverick moves his hand to cup his chin and kiss him.
"I love you Tom," Maverick says after they pull away.
"I love you too Pete,"
Goose and Carole come back two hours after that, and their hearts practically melt at the sight of all three of them sleeping on the sofa; Maverick asleep leaning on Ice and Bradley asleep on Maverick. Goose takes a Polaroid of them all, just to show them the next day how 'all our boys were when we came back', which makes Ice blush and Maverick crazily happy. Carole and Bradley are planning to stay for the next week too, and neither Maverick or Iceman mind if they have to babysit again.
They were going up on a test flight on Saturday the 26th to try and get Jester, so that would be a good practice at the end of their break before classes began on the following Monday.