automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

thirty-two

"I JUST FEEL SO STUPID." SKYE LAUGHED, DROPPING HER HEAD INTO HER HANDS AGAIN. she was still perched on the edge of the side table, and rooster was significantly taller than her as he chuckled, and she could feel the vibrations of his chest from how close he was. 

"why," he said between his laughter, "because you thought i was dating my cousin?"

she groaned in response, playfully pushing him away as he laughed again. "i saw you with some blonde girl, yeah, i thought you were dating her. and then fanboy was telling kat all about how you've been with all these different girls, but still had your heart set on someone else, and i didn't know what to think-"

rooster's laughter ceased, and his brows furrowed in confusion. "fanboy said what?"

"i don't know, ask kat." skye shrugged. "something about you getting in and out of all these relationships."

he nodded. "yeah, he'd already been saying that as a joke, i know that. what was the last part?"

"he apparently said there was some girl you couldn't have, so none of the other girls were satisfactory, or something." she said, not understanding the big deal.

rooster then chuckled, dropping his head. "of course he said that."

skye was about to question him about what he meant by this when hangman walked over, having finished ordering himself and his buddies a new round of beers. "bradshaw, as i live and breathe." he said, making rooster turn around.

"hangman." he greeted, clearly unimpressed. "you look.. good."

"i am good, rooster." hangman replied, landing a pool ball in a basket without looking. "i'm very good."

phoenix nodded, turning to bob, who hadn't been introduced to anybody other than herself and the other women. "you're looking at one of the only naval aviators on active duty with an air to air kill." 

"who's the other one?" bob asked, looking between them.

skye smirked. "me and hav."

"and how many did you have, again, riot?" hangman asked. 

"three and counting." she replied. 

payback, who was clearly uncomfortable by the tension in the interaction, looked up. "look, more badges." he said, watching as more aviators in khaki uniforms walked in. "harvard, yale, omaha.. shit, that's fritz."

"what kind of mission is this?" fanboy then asked.

skye shrugged her shoulders, looking around at the group. "getting the band back together." 

"i think we should be asking ourselves something else." phoenix said. "everyone here is the best there is. who the hell are they gonna get to teach us?"

skye's eyes wandered over to maverick, who was still sitting at the bar and talking to penny. there was no way, though, she thought. her father had had his fair chance as a top gun instructor, and frequently joked about how much he hated it. 

hangman shook his head, bringing skye's focus back. "you know what i'm worried about? who's going to be team leader. and which one of ya'll has what it takes to follow me." 

"hangman, the only place you'll lead anyone is an early grave." rooster piqued, earning surprised chuckles and whistles from the group. 

the blonde quirked his head, moving closer. "and you'll just run out of fuel." he said, a smile on his lips. "you sit there, snug on your perch, waiting for the right moment.. that never comes." hangman smirked, his gaze shifting over. "right, skye?"