Rooster Top Gun A Love Story

R O O S T E R

After walking swiftly into Hard Deck, Rooster stopped mid entrance and watched the beautiful girl at the bar filling pints of beer. He couldn't help but stare at her. He loved staring at her. In fact, Rooster made his way over to the bar and flirtatiously smiled over at the bartender. "Hey, gorgeous wanna dance with me later?"
The girl turned around slowly to see who it was. She already had a playful grin on her lips. She would be off in twenty minutes. "Are you going to take me home afterward?" She wondered while pouring a pint. She hated dancing but would still do it if it called for it.
Rooster grinned at his girlfriend.
Ava rolled her eyes and went back to work.
After Penny returned, she looked over to Ava. "I see Rooster is here,"
"Yeah," Ava turned around and spotted Rooster already talking to his fellow pilots next to the pool table.
"Bradshaw as I live and breathe," a blonde man greeted Rooster. Rooster was known to be one of the best. They all were, but Rooster held something Hangman couldn't quite figure out, and it bothered him to the bone. How every time the stakes grew high, everyone looked to Rooster.
"Hangman..." Rooster said his callsign. "You look good,"
"Well, I am good, Rooster," Hangman played pool. "I'm, real good, in fact I'm too good to be true," he smiled widely, cockingly.
Rooster barely smiled, shaking his head slightly over to Phoenix. Unbelievable.
She shook her head.
"So, anyone know, what this special detachment is all about?" Payback asked.
"Well, a mission a mission," Hangman said "It don't face me, what I want to know is who's going to be team leader?" He looked around the group. "What I want to know is who has the guts to follow me?"
"Hangman the only mission you have on your hands is sending one to an early grave," Rooster told him.
"OHH!" Coyote mouthed.
Rooster recalled his time in the academy with, Hangman, he was always the cocky trainee, and Rooster didn't like him. But Rooster and Hangman were always ahead. One step ahead of the other. Both were very great at what they did. But Hangman cared only for himself, and Rooster held a group together. He cared about a team.
Phoenix rolled her eyes. "What kind of mission is this?" She said, trying to prevent any fights. She knew Rooster, and she knew about Hangman, but she wasn't aware who he truly was. "Everyone here is the best. Who do you think is going to teach us?" Phoenix wondered. Phoenix held a dominant stand. She was cute.

Hangman watched her for a moment and wondered what she looked like outside that uniform. He was an idiot to think someone like Nat could ever look his way. But then again, he was Hangman, and he smirked at himself. She would totally want him. Every girl did. Hangman didn't give up easily.

*******

Rooster didn't say anything. He took his black aviator sunglasses off and placed them over his shirt.
"You're out," Penny reminded Ava. She could see how happy Ava would get when Rooster was around. Like teenagers running around behind their parents' backs.

They only got to see each other three times a week, and during those times away, Ava was always helpful around the bar. Aside from working her eight hours, she helped count the money when her aunt wasn't in. She cleaned up, ordered, and restocked liquor and beer. Ava would do inventory and make her famous banana mousse. And more annoying she delt with drunk pilots.
The least Penny could do was let her spend her extra time with Rooster. So, she was giving her Wednesday off, but she didn't know it yet. Rooster had texted Penny and asked if she could let Ava take the day off. He wanted to surprise her for her birthday.
Ava smiled. "You sure you don't need any extra hands?"
"Nah," Penny smiled. "Now go,"
Ava clocked out and went over to meet her boyfriend. "Hi,"
Rooster grinned. "Hi,"
"Hey Phoenix," Ava greeted her best friend.
Phoenix smiled. "Hey girly,"
Rooster swinged Ava around and kissed her neck lightly.
"Swan girl," Hangman greeted the hot bar girl. Whom he knew as the admiral daughter. Everyone did. Ava was pretty in her own way. She had a round face with hazel eyes and thin, pointy lips. Ava didn't wear too much make up in fact, she wore very little, which complemented her beigey skin. She wasn't a babe either. Not like Nat. As a matter of fact, Ava considered herself average. She enjoyed doing yoga to keep her muscles in check. Anything to benefit what came with it. There were times when Rooster wasn't out training, so he would drag her along for a run, and Ava could barely keep up. He was tough but not on her only on himself.
Ava wore a size eight in jeans and had thick thighs to prove it. The perfect curves Rooster had put it, with a small waist that perfectly evened out with her big ass.
"Hey Hangman," she said, then turned over to Rooster.
Rooster mischievously grinned over at Hangman, his eyes dark. As he circled his arms around Ava and took in the smell of her hair.
Hangman looked away. Asshole. He thought. He went back to his game of pool. He had once tried to ask Ava out. It didn't go so well. Back when she had just started working as a pilot mechanic.
"So what's going on?" Ava looked to Nat.
"It's classified," Hangman answered for her. "Pilot stuff, you know, not mechanics or bar stuff," His eyes squinted with obvious.
Rooster stood up straight. "Watch yourself, Hangman," his tone heavy.
Ava rolled her eyes. She appreciated Rooster watching out for her, but she could handle herself too.
"It's good, I got this. Hey hangman, make sure you pay Bethany back. Better be more than that hair cut cost you because let me tell you, she wasn't impressed,"
Hangman's jaw set. He gazed over to Nat then over at Fanboy and Payback, who broke out in laughter.
"Damn... that bad, huh?" Payback laughed harder, holding on to his chest. "Give that poor girl fifty for that fade because that girl needs satisfaction,"
"Or more!" Fanboy joined in. Both clowns rolled in laughter, and behind them, Rooster followed.
"Too good, baby," Rooster chuckled, pulling Ava in for a hug. His chuckle echoed in her memory.
"Bob, on the other hand, couldn't understand the joke. "So every time you have a women's company, you pay them for your haircut?"
Everyone stopped laughing. "It's a sex joke," Fanboy told Bob. He rolled his eyes like a dumb teen boy.
Payback shook his head disapprovingly. "Bob... it meant the sex was cheap..."