When We Were Young (Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x FEM reader)

Chapter Four

"Good morning, to her majesty!" I hear Hangman yell as Phoenix and I step foot on the base. "Hangman, cut it out," Phoenix called. But I stop her. "No, no Phoenix. It's fine. According to him, I am the Princess here. So I have the power to cut his presents with us very short," I smirk. "Where were you, last night? When Bradshaw stayed playing High School Musical?" he teased. "Why were you hoping that I would kiss you goodnight?" I laugh and continue to make my way inside, Hangman hot on my tail. "Is that any way your talk to your future leader?" he asked. I could hear the smirk resonate on his face. I look at Phoenix and roll my eyes. "Hangman, I pray that our institutor would never let someone as reckless as you lead us," I smirk. "I agree, especially since we have two other great choices," Phoenix smirks. I look at her and grin. Hangman stops. "Two?" he asked. I stop and turn to face him. "You didn't that Bradshaw was your only competition did you?" Hangman gulped. "I just thought you were a two-seater?" I snicker "I do both," I say continuing to walk. Hangman was close to fallow. "And I do better in a single," I say, disappearing into the woman's locker room. Phoenix followed. "Are you better in a single?" she asked. "No, but it was the only way to shut him up.

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"Attention on Deck!" We all rise as Admiral Bates steps up. "Good morning. Welcome to your special training, detachment. I am Admiral Bates, You are all Top Gun graduates, the best of the best," Y/n snuck a glance towards the blond across from her as they return to their seats. Rooster also looked, with a smile on his face. "That was yesterday. The enemy's new fifth-generation fighters level the playing field. We have very few details cute we no longer have technological advances anymore. Success, now, belongs to the man or woman on the box." Hangman snuck and glance at both girls. Rooster also snuck and glance at Y/n. She smiled at Bates. "Half of you will make the cut. Only one of you will be the mission leader. The other half will remain, on the reserve." Hangman looked at Y/n again. She smirked back. He licked his lips. "Your instructor is one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced. His exploits are legendary. What he has to teach you could mean the very difference between life and death." Y/n turned around following him to his spot at the podium. She laughed quietly as Hangman, Coyote, and Payback look away and sink away in their chairs in the memories of the night before snuck back in. Y/n, thinking he would be happy a familiar face would be their instructor, looked at Rooster. He has a face of discomfort on his face. Y/n eyes brows furrowed. "I give you Pete Mitchell. Call sign 'Maverick.'" She watched as Maverick took the stand. "Good morning," he said looking around. He made eye contact with Y/n. She nodded. He held up his F-18 booklet. "This book contains everything you need to know about your aircraft. I assume you know this book inside and out."

"Damn straight."

"Hell Yeah!"

"Absolutely!"

Maverick throws it straight into the garbage. Y/n chuckled to herself and watched closely. "So does the enemy. But what the enemy doesn't know, is your limit. I intend to learn them and push them beyond them. So today, we start with what you think you know. Show me what you are made of."

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"Captain, Captain!" Y/n shouts. Maverick turns to come to face with her. "I should have known it was you." Maverick scrunched his face with confusion. "How?" he asked as Y/n stopped in front of her jet. "Last night, you said to me that this mission would be easy if they had asked me to be a potential leader." Maverick came closer to her plane and stroked it. "Your point?" "My point is, I never told you why I was coming back to Top Gun. More or less that they called me a leader." she laughed, climbing the ladder to check her controls. "Nothing can get past you can it?" he asked looking forward. "Why do you think my call sign is Daggers," she giggles. Rooster looks up at us and starts to stop. But one move of Maverick and he was walking again. Maverick frantically excuses himself from Y/n and runs to catch Rooster. Y/n climbed down and watch the conversation. She watches as Maverick talks and Rooster stays silent watching him talk. But then, she stops looking at everyone else. Phoenix was watching closely, and so was Hangman. Bradley walked away from Maverick slowly.

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Y/n took her normal spot by the window and stared out the glass. When she was a Top Gun, this is where she would watch. This is where she studied. This place is what gave her callsign in the first place. Hangman looked over at her, watching her closely. Maverick calls out "Good morning Aviators, this is your captain speaking," Phoenix squats down next to the radio with Bob standing next to her. "Welcome to your basic fighting maneuvers. As briefed, today's exercise is dog fighting. Guns only, no missiles. We do not go below the hard deck of 5,000 feet. Work as a team and shoot me or else." Y/n turned to the radio and raised her eyebrow at Phoenix. Both girls chuckled and Y/n turned back and watch. "Or else what?" Fanboy asked the teacher. Y/n listened as Maverick hovered below the two jets. "Or else I shoot back. I shoot one of you down, you all lose." Y/n could almost feel Maverick smirk. "Sir, What if we put some skin to the game?" Payback calls, making Y/n turn again. 'Oh boy, she thought to herself. "What did you have in mind?" Mav asked. "Whoever gets shot down first has to do 200 push-ups," he suggests. Phoenix looks up at Y/n. "That's a lot of push-ups," Maverick sighed. "They don't call it an exercise for nothing, sir," Fanboy laughed."You've got yourself a deal. Let's turn and burn," Maverick thrust. "Fanboy, you see him?" Rooster asked. Suddenly, Maverick flew right in between them. "Holy shit!" Payback said, struggling to gain control again. 'Oh god, Mav' Y/n sighed pinching her nose.