noxiisms
"Why does it have to hurt this bad?" Bradley choked out between those sobs, unsure himself if he was asking Pete or merely questioning the universe.
Pete exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in.
"Because love hurts, kid...a lot. It's..." Pete's voice trailed off, the sentence falling apart within seconds.
From Bradley's knowledge, Pete had never loved someone like this. He'd had flings and yes, he'd loved his dad. But he'd loved his dad like a brother, not a lover, and the pain had to be more intense when it was a lover...right?
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Bradley has no business being out of bed.
He's drowning in grief and guilt - venomous, prickly, and filling with water by the minute. Natasha can't pull him out.
But maybe Pete "Maverick" Mitchell can.
Bradley has to face the truth: he isn't the only one mourning.
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Or, A canon divergent AU in which Jake Seresin, callsign Hangman, made a split-second decision where he sacrificed himself so Bradley and Pete could go home. His death leads Bradley into a deep, grief-stricken depression that he needs Mavericks' help to break the surface of.
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Or, Extreme Top Gun Maverick Angst!