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Pete knew he was a bit of an anomaly. As much as he loved attention and strove to be noticeably the best at whatever he does, sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. male omegas are rare in the world. They’re coveted and revered in most all societies as the Ultimate Mates, which has historically led to some incredibly ornate courting practices aimed at wooing.
Pete knew the general attitude towards male omegas well, and knew that most any Alpha or Beta that wanted to mate him would try and keep him locked on a shelf. He’d most likely be provided any material thing he was ever asked for, but it would still be a golden cage. And a cage was no place for someone with the callsign Maverick.
He made it his life mission to show that he would never be tied down or told no. Being a Naval Aviator was the only career he could have ever thought for himself, desperate to prove himself to a dead father he would never really know. His COs made sure he was reminded of the seemingly insurmountable Mitchell legacy, especially in the Navy. He never let that stop him though, breezing through flight school and meeting the greatest thing to ever happen to him - Nick and Carole Bradshaw.
He’s grateful for them in ways he can’t properly describe. Carole is his twin flame in every way that matters and Goose is the caring older brother he never knew he needed until he knew he could never live without it. And of course baby Bradley, who helps Mav sate his yearning for a pup of his own. He could never jeopardize his autonomy and ability to fly though, any alpha he mates with would certainly try and wrap him in bubble wrap the second they have pups of their own. As an only child with parents who died young, Mav can’t help but wish for a big family. In a perfect world he would meet an alpha or beta that wouldn’t even think to clip his wings, but that feels like far too wishful of thinking. Mav already feels like the luckiest man alive to have a familial pack bond with the Bradshaw bunch.
He’s grateful to still be able to fly with Goose too. During their first run through Top Gun, there had been a near crisis in a training hop where Mav and Goose were aiming for a lock on Jester and one of the other planes cut them off. Mav and Goose got caught in the jetwash and lost control of the plane, ejecting into the ocean. Goose had come out of that with a broken collarbone and a severe concussion from hitting the canopy while Mav had a cut on his head from the ejection as well. Not the worst injuries aviators had ever sustained, but it was enough of an injury that the Navy had considered grounding the both of them for good due to the unconventional nature of their flying dynamic. Omegas could be aviators yes, but they were always RIOs. Pete was the only Omega pilot in the Navy at this point. The outcry from his fellow aviators, led by one stunningly attractive Alpha going by the callsign Iceman, kept Pete in the air and in the running for the Top Gun trophy. He threatened to turn in his own wings if they tried to ground Mav, which seemed a little dramatic but was incredibly appreciated. It was for the best as well, because when they got called to the USS Layton to go Mig hunting, Pete managed to rack himself up some combat kills and help bring everyone home safe.
After that, they had been more or less stationed in North Island. Goose made a full recovery and was back as his RIO while Pete took the time to teach the next batch of cocky aviators that came through Top Gun. A new constant in his life was a certain blonde aviator that made Pete believe that he was right to wait for a mate. Tom called Pete reckless and dangerous, yet always seemed to match him toe to toe whether it be flying, drinking, or playing a round of beach volleyball. It was refreshing having someone other than Goose and Carole wedging themselves firmly in Pete’s corner.
More often than not they would have dinner together before they would either meet friends at the bar or watch a movie before bed. Several times it got to be late enough that Tom would end up taking the couch before waking up to make him and Pete breakfast. It felt so comforting and domestic to Pete, he grew to crave their time together. Seeing Tom be so good with Bradley also settled something deep inside Pete’s hindbrain - something he didn’t want to overstep any bounds but certainly wouldn’t turn down any proposals to advance their relationship if Tom made them.
Hearing that Viper was putting together a new squadron based out of North Island, and that several pilot/RIO pairs from their Top Gun class were being assigned to it put Pete in a great mood. He certainly hoped to be seeing more of Tom, with his razor sharp smile and adorably spiked blonde hair. Flying with him was intoxicating, especially knowing what he did to make sure Pete stayed in the air after their accident.
He was really looking forward to this new squadron and where the future looked to be going.