Rooster Imagines (Top Gun: Maverick)

Locked In

Author: Whynnter

—

Call sign: Sky
———————————————

"You're all Top Gun graduates. The elite. The best of the best," Rear Admiral Bates started. "But that was yesterday."

I was focused on the man at the front of the class as he continued with his speech, but my head was elsewhere. A few feet away from me sat my oldest friend, Bradley Bradshaw. We had run into each other for the first time in years at The Hard Deck yesterday, and the best word to describe the interaction was awkward.

"You haven't aged a day, Sky," Rooster said, brushing his hand through his hair.

I glanced up at him as he towered over me. "Wish I could say the same for you."

"Not sure if that should be taken as a good or bad thing."

I shrugged my shoulders and smiled, "I'll let you make that decision."

It was obvious now that I may have been the one to make it awkward, but I didn't care. The amount of anger and sadness I was feeling when I saw him after so long took control of me. 

"Your instructor is a Top Gun graduate with real-world experience in every mission aspect you are expected to master. His exploits are legendary and he is considered one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced."

I perked up at that and focused on Warlock as his eyes landed on someone at the back of the room.

The admiral continued. "What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death."

Uh oh.

Warlock smiled. "I give you, Captain Pete Mitchell. Callsign, Maverick."

My dad walked down the aisle past us, nodding at each of the trainees. He made a point to ignore Rooster and me, having already noticed the disapproving looks on both of our faces.

A moment later, I caught Hangman and Phoenix glancing in my direction, both of them clearly wondering why I didn't tell them my father would be the one training us for this mission. The problem was, I also had no idea he'd be here.

I turned slightly to see Bradley who was also staring at me. His eyes narrowed and I knew he was pissed. The fight between him and my dad had been over a decade ago, but Bradley was always one to hold a grudge. The next few weeks were going to be difficult, this top secret stealth mission would be the toughest we had ever faced. It would be even harder knowing that Id have to play mediator for Rooster and Maverick, and that was a role I did not want to take on.

I looked up just as Maverick dropped the flight manual into the trash bin.

"So does your enemy."

Hangman looked back at me and shook his head. I rolled my eyes at him.

"What the enemy doesn't know is your limits. I intend to find them, test them, and break them. Today we'll start with what you only think you know. You'll show me what you're made of."

Maverick dismissed us and everyone stood up to exit the hanger. I nodded at him and he smirked back at me before I headed toward the locker rooms with the rest of the group.

"Why am I getting the feeling that you had no idea he was going to be here?" Phoenix asked, falling into step beside me.

I shook my head. "Because I had no idea. I can't believe he didn't call me or at least shoot me a text. He had to know I was here."

"I thought he was testing new tech, holed up in the middle of the desert somewhere."

Phoenix shoved the hallway door open, and to my surprise Rooster was standing there waiting for us.