Spitfire | Top Gun: Maverick

chapter 6

"Sometimes in life, a sudden situation, a moment in time, alters your whole life, forever changes the road ahead." - Ahmad Ardalan

Chapter 6: Starting a feminist business run by cocky men

"You know, I still can't believe you were the only one who beat Maverick, wait no, I take that back, out of all of us you're definitely the one that would be able to beat him," Phoenix rambles on to Spitfire as she sits down on the bench, tying her shoelaces.

After she had landed yesterday, she was bombarded with questions as soon as she got out of her plane. Phoenix and Payback had asked questions back and forth, many she couldn't even answer herself – how can you answer something that you can't really remember?

When she flies, its instinctual and in the moment, she doesn't actually realise what she's doing until she's already done it. How do you explain something like that to someone without sounding a bit crazy?

She lets out a small chuckle and shakes her head while leaning against her locker, staring at Phoenix. "Nah I think it was more luck than anything," she waves her hand dismissively. "I'm sure after today you'll be saying something entirely different."

Phoenix sighs and stands up, looking over at her newly found friend, "Spitfire don't ever doubt your flying capabilities – you're an incredible pilot." She spins around the room with her arms wide, laughing slightly before coming to a standstill. "Otherwise you wouldn't be here, own your abilities girl! There's so much male cockiness around here, we need a bit of female empowerment."

Spitfire shakes her head, smiling in amusement at Phoenix's antics, "yes Ma'am, I'll show these boys who they're messing with – as long as you do the same." She winks at her before turning around, opening her locker and getting her suit out.

"You got it boss," is the last thing Spitfire hears as Phoenix walks out of the room, engulfing it in silence as she's the only one there.

She quickly puts on her suit before walking towards the floor length mirror, deciding that she's feeling twin dutch braids for the day. She's so deep in thought she doesn't hear the footsteps approaching before a throat is cleared behind her.

She glances through the mirror to behind her where her gaze locks onto the one person she really doesn't want to talk to right now.

"What do you want Hangman? I really don't want to deal with your shit right now," she scowls at him through the mirror. He looks a bit uncomfortable, glancing around the girl's locker room as if he's seeing it for the firs time – unlikely.

"I uhm-" he starts off, stuffing his hands in his pockets before leaning on his toes, "I wanted to apologize for the other night, I was totally out of line coming onto you like that... even if it was for a bet." Hangman was apologizing? From what she has heard from the others, this was unheard of.

She sighs and lets out a frustrated groan as she messes up one of her braids for the second time. Hangman stares at her and looks like he wants to say something. She snaps, glaring at him, "spit it out would you? I don't have all day."

The corners of his mouth move upwards but before she can blink, he's back to looking serious. He points at her hair before saying something that would have made her drop her hairbrush, "I can help with that if you're struggling."

"You can braid? I hardly believe that." She rolls her eyes, as if he would know how to do something so mundane as being able to braid, it would be fun to see him struggle though... "Fine, prove me wrong," she holds out her hairbrush and two hair ties for him which he takes slowly, letting his fingers touch hers lightly.