Hot Summer Nights

Chapter II

Maverick Mitchell has been in turmoil ever since he noticed Iceman Kazansky staring at him in that lesson on the first day. Goose had introduced them to one another at the O Club on the first weekend before classes started, and oh Maverick had fallen hard for this cocky blond pilot who wears sunglasses at night and has a blue gemstone ring on the ring finger of his right hand. He also had a habit of spinning a pen over his fingers, which was, undeniably quite talented. Maverick had tried spinning a pen many times, but his fingers wouldn't cooperate in the ways they needed to. Not that he cared, of course.
Maverick didn't want to even see Iceman, he had that aura around him that made Maverick burn and melt at the same time. But worst of all, he doesn't think that Iceman feels the same way about him. His cool demeanour never faltered when he was speaking to Maverick, and neither did the snarky remarks about his flying. But Maverick did note that he never brought up his father whenever he was lightly insulting him. Anyone else would.
Maybe he doesn't know? No. Everyone knows what happened to Duke Mitchell. Maybe he just didn't want to bring up a subject that Maverick found so hard? But if that was the case then how would he know that Maverick found it hard?
Maverick for one doesn't know. He just knows that Iceman sees him as a rival and someone to beat for the honour of winning Top Gun. And he certainly doesn't feel what Maverick does to him.

But for now, he was annoyed. Not at any one or any thing. It was that annoyance that felt like you couldn't shift it, and that you had to wait for it to dissipate naturally. He was annoyed just at himself. For no reason. He's also hungry, so that was probably half of the issue. He doesn't know what he wants to have either, so he makes do with walking down to the canteen that's always open, hoping that no one else is there; the last thing he wants is to irritate someone else aswell.

Maverick sighs through his nose as he pushes open the door to the canteen, his eyes sweeping the abandoned- wait, no. Not abandoned. Somebody is already there, facing the other way, doing some late night studying or something.
He walks over to them, hoping that it's anyone other than who he thinks it is.
But of course, it is.
Great.

"Oh, hey Maverick," Iceman says, sounding tired.
And the cloud of annoyance around Maverick immediately disappears. "Hey Iceman,"
"You hungry?" Ice asks, holding out a half eaten packet of oreos.
"Mhm," he replies as he sits next down next to him and takes one. "Thanks,"
He watches him as he reads over what he was writing.
"Isn't that not due in for another four days?"
Ice looks at him out of the corner of his eye. "Yeah, I'd just thought I'd benefit from doing it now and not waiting for the last minute to do it,"
"Huh," he replies as he takes another oreo.
"Well, that's all I needed to do," Ice sits back on the bench. "What did you come here for?"
"I was just hungry,"
Ice smiles, but not his usual one that's laced with rivalry, this one looks somewhat affectionate.
"What was that smile for?"
"What smile?"
"That one you just did," Maverick pauses. "It looked genuine,"
Ice is about to say something, but his words are cut off by a yawn. "It's just a smile,"
"Well whatever you did it for, I like it,"
He leans his head back onto the back of the bench after reaching for an oreo, trying to make the flush over his cheeks less noticeable.
Maverick notices though. "Is that a blush I see?"
"No," Iceman frowns.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," he says, rolling his eyes.
"Alright then,"

"How long are you staying here for?"
"I dunno, a couple hours?"
"That's enough time then,"
"What?" Maverick asks. "For what?"
Ice doesn't reply as he shifts slightly to tuck his legs up and leans his head on Maverick's shoulder.
Oh, right. Okay. Okay. Maverick adjusts his left arm around the back of Ice's head to rest it on his shoulder. Just the contact of his hand to his shoulder makes his heart skip beats. God how does this happen every single time I make contact with him?
This is fine, he thinks as a blush way more noticeable than Ice's creeps onto his face.
"Is this making you feel uncomfortable, Mitchell?" Iceman asks sleepily.
"No," Maverick lies.
Ice smiles, his eyes still shut. "What about now?" he asks as he nuzzles into his shoulder more.
"Go to sleep Kazansky,"

Ten minutes later, the sound of Iceman's breathing has formed a regular, slow pattern, and Maverick doesn't do anything except gaze at him and quietly eat an oreo from time to time. There's something so human about him being asleep, but that doesn't make sense. He finds it strange how he came in here hungry and annoyed at himself, but as soon as Ice said hey, the annoyance disappeared entirely. Which is even weirder, because Maverick has been trying to avoid him at all costs, which is proving to be difficult to say the least. They have all the same classes, all the same teachers, spend their Friday and Saturday nights in the O club, and even their lockers are directly opposite to the others.

Speaking of the lockers, two days ago when Ice had said he didn't like him because he was dangerous and snapped his teeth at him, Maverick had no idea how to respond. It felt strange and tense, as if Ice saying he didn't like him upset him. But surely he was just kidding? He is asleep on Maverick's shoulder right now anyway. He wouldn't have done that if he didn't like him. If Ice didn't like him, he wouldn't have even said anything to greet him, let alone offer him oreos and a seat beside him.
Nope, Ice definitely liked him enough for that.
It probably was just a spur of the moment thing, Maverick had been even more reckless than usual in the sky on that day.
But the teeth snap? Maverick had completely no idea.

He looks at the clock on the wall just to the right. Quarter past two. The air con was on, so the warmth of Ice against him was oddly nice. And comforting. Maverick moves a little, leaving his left leg folded up but his right just touching the floor. He yawns, leaning his head on the backrest of the bench they were on.
Iceman sighs in his sleep, and the quiet huff of breath makes Maverick feel sort of fuzzy.

~🍁~

He opens his eyes to soft early morning light, and he sighs, lifting his head off of Ice's shoulder.
Ice's shoulder!?
"Morning Maverick," he says, smiling softly.
He stares at him for a second, before blinking and swallowing. "M-morning,"
Ice slowly detaches his arm from around Maverick.
"What time did you wake up?"
"About half an hour ago," he says. "What time did you fall asleep?"
"I'd say about twenty past two," Maverick says, stretching his legs, they were cramped from spending all night folded underneath him on the bench that was a little bit uncomfortable.
"Well, it's twenty to six now, on a Friday morning, so I'd think that we'd better get to the showers,"
Maverick sighs. "But it's so early? Class starts at nine, Ice, that's more than three hours,"
"What do you suggest we do then?"
"Wake up slower? With coffee?"
"Eh, we could.."
"And we'd still be the first ones in the showers even if we went at half six,"
"Oh, I suppose so, what harm could it do?" Ice sighs.
"Exactly," Maverick says, triumphant.

~🍁~

"You were where last night?!" Goose asks.
"The canteen, like I said,"
"And.. Iceman," he pauses. "Fell asleep on you,"
"Yes,"
"Then when you woke up..?"
"We got coffee,"
"How on earth did you do that Mav..."
"Don't ask me, Goose, I just wanted something to eat,"
Goose sighs. "Well... at least you enjoyed it,"
"Goose!" Maverick exclaims quietly.
"You didn't say you didn't enjoy it! I can only assume the best, since you can't keep your eyes off him,"
Maverick groans. "You're so infuriating sometimes,"
"Sometimes the truth is what you need," he says, putting on his aviators. "And you see, the thing is, is that-" He looks at him. "..Mav. Are you even listening to me?"
"Uh huh.." Maverick says, Goose's words flying past his head.
"What did I just say then?"
"The uh.. the thing is..."
"No I said 'Maverick stop staring at Iceman',"
That makes him turn his head back to him. "Goose-"
"Hah! Got you, and so did everyone else,"
Maverick keeps his head down as a quiet ripple of laughter goes around the rest of the class. "See what I mean? In-furiating," he mutters.
"I'm sorry Mav," In a quieter tone, he adds, "I bet Slider'll say that to Ice later,"
"No he won't..."
"Yes he will.."
"How do you know..?"
"Because that's what he's likee,"

And, just like Goose said, in the middle of the class, right as Jester was explaining something important;
"Oh my god, Ice, stop staring at Maverick!"
Goose nudges Maverick, a smile on his face.
"Lieutenant Slider, that's quite unnecessary at this moment," Jester says, louder than the rest of the class's laughter.
Maverick sneaks a glance at Iceman, he's sitting there, his hand over his eyes, but Slider's rubbing his arm, Ice obviously elbowed him. But he turns his head back at the last moment before Goose has the chance to say anything.
"I think that was more embarrassing than me," Goose whispers.
"Yeah, it was,"
"Lucky you,"
Maverick rolls his eyes at his RIO, feeling sorry for Ice, but feeling glad that it wasn't just him who kept staring.