Rooster Imagines (Top Gun: Maverick)

I Still Love You

Author: Whynn

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The drink that Penny had placed in front of me was strong. Jack and Coke was always my go to, but this drink was much more Jack, a lot less Coke.

"You've had a long flight, a stiff drink is just what you need," Penny said when she placed it in front of me.

A stiff drink was what I needed, even if I hadn't known it yet.

It was the first time in a while I had been back in San Diego. I moved almost a year ago to the day to help my mom with her growing New York business. While it was fun to spend time with my mom and explore what New York had to offer me, I was glad to finally be back home.

I rested my elbows on the bar and smiled at Penny, "Is Amelia still doing good in school?"

"She is! I can't believe she is going into her Junior year of High School. You guys grow up too fast," she said, wiping down the bar across from me.

"We can't stay young forever, Penny," I said, taking a sip of my drink.

"That's coming from the girl who looks exactly the same as the day I met her."

I recognized his voice before I saw his face. When I turned to look at him, the mere sight of him caused my heart to race.

"Bradley."

He leaned against the bar and smiled, "Y/N."

I brushed a loose piece of hair that had fallen on my face behind my ear, "Wow, how long has it been?"

Bradley took a sip of his beer, "Too long."

I took a sip of my drink that was no longer strong enough, "It's nice to see you."

"It's nice to see you too. You look good."

I winked at him, "You don't look half bad."

My eyes moved across his features as he ordered another beer. He'd aged in the last two years I hadn't seen him, but he was still unbelievably handsome.

"You know, I tried to call you a few times after you left. I was worried about you and wanted to know if you were okay."

"I'm sorry, I had to get a new phone. I accidentally broke the old one."

It was half the truth. It did break, but I broke it on purpose when I threw it into the wall after listening to one of his voicemails.

He nodded, "There was a lot I needed to say to you, things that I still need to say."

The memory of the night I left flooded my brain. He had just come back from Japan and walked in on me with my suitcase open on the floor, full of clothes.

"You are not leaving like this."

I ignored him as I shoved more clothes into the suitcase, "You are not the boss of me."

"Y/N, please."

The tears were pouring down my face as I continued stuffing as many things as I could into the suitcase, "I can't do this anymore, Bradley. I can't sit here and worry about if you are going to come home. I'm not telling you to give up what you worked for your entire life, I would never ask that of you. But I can't do it."

He shook his head from his perch on the bed, "But I love you."

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see a familiar face move into the bar stool beside me.

"Hey babe, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

My breath hitched and I turned to Bradley who was still beside me. He looked back and forth between us, connecting the dots.