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He woke the next morning, head thrumming. A recollection of him and Maverick burrowing itself into his mind.
-----
After the uranium mission, Maverick and Bradley clicked right back into place as they had the many years before. Bradley was older now, he was a man; he filled out in all the right places and held himself with an air of confidence that Maverick had never experienced before from him.
Right after they had been cleared from the infirmary, Bradley and Maverick wasted no time catching up on all of their lost time. They sipped on condensation covered beers and watched the sun set as the stale, hot air heated them from the couch of Maverick’s hangar. Bradley admired all of Maverick’s knick knacks, little projects, and of course the extensive display of Bradley’s pictures scattered about his toolboxes and worktables.
He admired the way sweat dripped down the expanse of Maverick’s neck and his megawatt grin adorned by blushing lips. Bradley mentally cursed himself for the churn deep in his stomach whenever Maverick would brush his shoulder or wrap a hand around his knee. His green eyes, too often covered by his aviators, flashed such a pure happiness and Bradley knew that this was home.
His anger for Mav from all those years ago dissipated the second Maverick went down in enemy territory; from then on Bradley swore to appreciate him, admire him, and love him. Of course, hopefully, not the way he had known for so long.
Months had passed, everything was going smoothly for Bradley, at least thats what he told himself.
He didn’t mention those sleepless nights where he would wake dripping in sweat, precome, and arousal pressing against his boxers. He wouldn’t remind himself that it was perverted, mental images, of Maverick hat sent him there.
He would forget the way his stomach lit ablaze when Maverick ran his hand through Bradley’s curls, or when he would place a firm hand on Bradley’s cording back muscles, or the way Maverick had to be touching him at all times, unnecessarily honestly, but Bradley never minded.
He would dismiss the pure joy radiating from his smile when Maverick’s toothy grin flashed or when he those emerald eyes lit up at the sight of Bradley. How his heart absolutely beat out of chest and how his blood punch through him and the adrenaline that stole blood from his head.
Bradley was absolutely whipped for Maverick, completely and utterly in love with him.
That was the issue though, Maverick was Maverick and, well, Bradley was Bradley.
And although he had grown into that taught, bronzed, masculine body, Maverick surpassed him in years and experience. Bradley feared Maverick’s preconceived notion of him was still that of his adolescent years. That he was an oblivious, strangly teen that held too much admiration for him. Bradley would argue he could never admire him enough, and Maverick never fought him over it.
Bradley all but crawled into Maverick’s skin when moving day came; eventually Pete would have to rid himself of his makeshift house and into something more reasonable as he settled into retirement. He bought himself a space at a local hangar and moved the Mustang into it, making sure she was settled before he was. The new home was larger than his old house— if you could even call it a house —but wasn’t anything extravagant. A two bedroom, two bathroom. He made sure that Bradley had a home wherever he was, he wouldn’t let him fly away again.
He wouldn’t dare to let Bradley go again.
Bradley hauled another cardboard box from the back of the Bronco and stored it inside the front door, piling it next to the other fifteen boxes. Maverick made attempts at grabbing a box, but Bradley always pulled them away from him and strode past him.
“Stop it, Bradley. It’s my shit, I can do it,” he barked at Bradley, who didn’t seem to care or even hear him for that matter.
“Mav, go unpack one or something, I can handle them,” he protested as he dropped the last few into the house. Maverick had a lot of tools and not much of anything else. The mover truck would deposit what was left of the larger items within the week.
The older huffed and watched as the expanse of Bradley’s back and bronzed arms manhandled the Bronco shut. A feeling pooled in his gut that he chose to ignore and wander inside following Bradley.
Maverick ordered a pizza, ‘Hawaiian’ to match Bradley’s button up. A bit of a nag at Bradley, but in the most lighthearted way. A small grin dancing across his face as he pressed order.
The night had been calm, the air as light and the sky was barely light. The pizza box on the coffee table with a few empty beer bottles dropped sporadically across the barely-there living room Mav had set up. Brown boxes holding years of memories, half open and rummaged through adding a sense of chaos to the room.
Maverick got up to empty to the remains of the box into the trashcan and rinse the sticky residue from the bottles. Bradley tried to make himself useful and trashed the napkins.
Man bent over the sink, filling the bottles, swishing the water around and dumping it into the sink. Bradley stepped behind him and attempted to grab the bottles from Maverick’s hands.
“Hey let me do that, wouldn’t want you to throw your back out now,’ he chuckled to himself as he caged the shorter man in. His frame completely engulfing Mav. He felt the heat flash across his skin. His skin was so close, mind-numbingly close. He could feel the heat radiating from Mav. He wrapped his hand around Maverick’s to work the glass from his hand.
Desire pooled deep within him and his eyes fluttered back, such a small touch, but Bradley was gone. Maverick pressed into Bradley, releasing the bottle from his grip. He turned to face Bradley and wrapped his arms around his waist. Fingertips pressed into the roped muscle of Bradley Bradshaw. He buried his face into Bradley’s chest.
Bradley was stuck in place, lit completely ablaze. Every muscle contracted and he froze. The warmth of Maverick was all consuming and he eventually fell into Maverick. Chin dropping to his shoulder as he slowly wrapped his arms around the smaller, yet built frame of Mav.
“I’ve missed you Baby Bird, I really have,’’ he felt the a wetness collect on his chest, presumably a tear of Maverick’s. He choked on his own breath at the childhood endearment, his heart tugging in his chest as he pulled Maverick in the closest he could.
“I’ve missed you so much Mav. You don’t even know,” he ran his right hand up the nape of his neck and spread his finger into Mav’s short, dark hair.
Bradley’s heart was so full of love for Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell. He could spend every day like this, whether Mav loved him the same way or not. They stayed like that for a few minutes until Maverick began to pull away, staying in Bradley’s embrace. His flickered between Bradley’s hazel eyes and his lips.
Maverick’s pink tongue darted out across his lips, eyes trained on Bradley. His fingers tangling themselves into the material of Bradley’s button up, a labored breath pulling through him. He has more to say, but it’s stuck on his tongue and just falls back into Bradley’s firm hold.
Bradley tensed for a second before fully pulling Mav back in and resting his cheek against his head and let out an exasperated breath and nuzzled into his hair, eyes fluttering shut.
They didn’t talk about the hug, they didn’t really talk much after that. Bradley made it out to the new house a few times, mostly to help Maverick unload the bigger things and organize tools back into their respective cabinets.
Maverick was somewhat withdrawn and Bradley could tell. His megawatt grin dampened and his sharp green eyes dulled. Bradley withdrew from him too, his chest naturally falling instead of a rush of excitement he used to have.
He didn’t know what happened, what changed between them. Bradley thought that it was warm, it was so intimate, it was golden.
Maverick was golden.
“I’m gonna turn in for the night, I’ll see you later,” Mav gave his shoulder a light squeeze and pressed towards his bedroom. Bradley’s head hung low below his shoulders, elbows connected to his knees. There was a sinking feeling that fell down his spine.
What did he do?
After a few minutes he heard the bathroom door knock shut and the light from Maverick’s room turned dim. He rubbed a hand across his tired eyes and collected the beer bottles from the more lived-in room. Rinsing the water through them, reminiscing on the fleeting warmth and the memory that lived in the very place he stood. He leant into the kitchen sink, searching through the window. The moon was out, but it was dark, depressed. Bradley couldn’t help but laugh at their likeness.
Maybe the moon was missing its sun, just like Bradley was missing his Mav.
Bradley shook his head, cringe filling him as he thought about the comparison. What was that, embarrassing for sure, bordering on dramatic he thought to himself. He placed the bottles into the trash bag in the closet, carefully, quiet.
He tried to ignore the nerves lighting up in his stomach, the twinge that ran up his back. He hooked his sweatshirt around his body and slipped his shoes on, shoving his keys his pocket. He looked longingly around the room. It was so Maverick, the very essence of him. His eyes tracing across the walls, filled with life, the few books stacked on the end table, and Maverick’s reading glasses placed in the center of the coffee table.
He toed his shoes off and dropped his keys onto the small table at the entrance. His feet carrying him to Maverick’s door.
His breath caught in his throat as he brought his fingers up to knock. He hesitated, maybe Maverick didn’t want him. His knuckle fell quietly against the wood once and he rested his forehead on the dark varnish.
“I love you Mav, I love you so much,” he croaked out, just barely a whisper. Pathetic in his mind. He stepped away from the door and a tear escaping, but he quickly pushed it away and fumbled his shoes back onto his feet and his keys into his hand, flicking the living room light off before locking the door to go home. Well, maybe home wasn’t quite the right word, nowhere near the right feeling.
Little did he know that Maverick was wide awake on the other side, praying Bradley would ask to let him in.
Their calls fell off and the visits came in droughts, until there was nothing left at all.
------
Bradley finally rolled out of his bed around one and chugged a glass of room temperature water. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eye sockets and let a groan slip from his lips. The fridge empty aside from a half eaten take out container— probably weeks old at this point —and a few beers scattered across the shelves, adorned by condiments.
He ran a clumsy hand through his mussed curls and down the back of his head, massaging the fascia at the base of his neck, Maverick flashing across his mind.
A hot shower calmed his mind and he finagled on a pair of grey sweats, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. He tried to ignore the Navy shirt tucked into the corner of his room, dried cum sticking to the letters.
The grocery store was a fifteen minute ride, and the walk through the store feels hours long. He hates mundane tasks— unless it’s with Maverick. His cart haphazardly filled with whatever was calling to Bradley. The cashier was sweet, enjoyed small talk. Bradley wasn’t much into it and threw him a half-assed smile before pulling the bags into the cart and shipping out back to Navy appointed housing.
Once he had shoved al of the groceries between the fridge and the cabinet, he sat down with a mug of coffee and a granola bar, too lazy to cook anything. His phone buzzes against the blue place mats.
Cyclone
“Aww fuck,” he whines to himself. Dropping the granola bar to counter, crumbling across the woven material.
“Good Afternoon, Lieutenant Bradshaw,” he rubs his eyes throughly as he listens to Cyclone drone on.
“Maverick was supposed to perform a test flight on a new fighter jet, however, he has not turned up for his assignment for over a week,” his stomach sinks. He could hear the way Cyclone grits his teeth together.
“I hope you can resolve this issue before I involve any higher ups,’’
“Of course, sir,” he hands the phone up, cursing Maverick before shoving his chair into the table and getting back in the Bronco.
The drive was sickening, his throat dry and his stomach turning in on itself. He couldn’t tell if it was the fear of what could’ve happened to Maverick or the thought of seeing him after their time apart. He tried to forget the way Maverick pushed him out of his life, but how could he blame him. Bradley did the same thing for so long, unbearably long.
The home appears before he realizes it, the Kawasaki parked in the garage. The door was wide open, he could nearly make out the mess of tools across the benches. Some boxes folded up in the corner of the room. Bradley felt a small grin shape up his lips, the house was alive. He ignores the twist of his stomach, that life didn’t stop for Mav like it did for him.
The Bronco comes to a quiet halt in the driveway. He made his way through the door that connected the garage to the house, beelining through the small hallway into living room.
The room was dark, life lacked in the home. The kitchen was neat, tidy and the living room looked the same as the night—
He shook his head before toeing his shoes off and meandering down the hall that led to Maverick’s room.
He raised his knuckle, a vision of that night flashing again, but this time he knocks his thick knuckle against the wood.
“Pete,” cold, harsh and never a name he would call him. He clears his throat and tries for a second time. Nothing.
He pushes the door open to a sleeping Mav. He looks so peaceful. Bradley wouldn’t want him to wake up to Bradley, can’t imagine Maverick would like that very much. Bradley sinks into the bed by Maverick. The light grey t-shirt frames him well and the white blanket bunches just below his hips. He was so pretty, his dark hair just slightly longer than normal and minutely disheveled.
He rubs his fingers across the splay of his back. His warmth was inviting and Bradley wishes he could curl up right next to him, lay his nose at the nape of his neck.
“Mav,” he whispers. “Hey Mavvvv,”
He grunts and shifts his head closer into his pillow, his reflexes delaying for a second before jumping up and shifting away from Bradley.
They stare at each other for a few moments, Maverick in shock, but his eyes soften and trail to Roosters fingers that were still extended where Maverick laid. He swallows thickly, running his tongue across his lips, chapped.
“What are you doing here?” His clumsy, half-asleep hands smooth through his hair.
“Cyclone called me. Why haven’t you been showing up?”
Maverick looks away shamefully, head hanging low in embarrassment.
“I just can’t get up Bradley,” he huffs out, Bradley just wants to see his eyes. He bores holes into Mav until he looks up to him.
“How long have you been laying bed,”
Mav tries to muster up his crooked grin, but it comes out strained.
“I don’t know maybe like…” his eyes dart to the clock on the wall, “like a couple days, a few . . . maybe like a week. . . and a half,”
Bradley’s chest aches thinking about Mav being glued to his bed for that long, with no one here. Well, Bradley guesses he doesn’t know what Maverick does with his life, or who he does. He blinks away the thought and looks back to Mav.
“I’m guessing you’ve only gotten up for a piss huh,’’ a strained huff comes from him; Mav rubs his lips with his fingers and that tells Bradley what he wants to know.
“Damn it, Mav,” He gets up from the bed and leaves Mav to himself. He fills a glass with water and grabs a mini-pack of saltine crackers. He places to the cup on the nightstand and the opens the crackers for Mav.
Maverick is back in his original spot, more towards the center the bed. Bradley’s gaze lingers longer than it should, but he doesn’t care enough to stop himself.
“Hey, you have some water here and I grabbed some crackers. If you need me,” Bradley says, wrestling with the thought of Mav not needing him, “I’ll be in the living room,”
He turns away to walk out the door when Mav says, “Can you stay with me?”
Bradley’s heart skips a beat and his throat drries. He mutters an ‘mhm’ before settling on the ottoman in the corner of the room. He sits for a few minutes, staring at Maverick’s back, wishing he could feel him.
“Baby Bir-, Bradley, can you. . . lay with me?” He sounds far too fragile and it makes his heart ache.
“Of course Mav,” he strips from his sweatshirt and crawls into bed next to Mav, leaving some space between them, not wanting to overstep. He stares at the ceiling, arms across his chest, trying to ignore the heat from Maverick, he was addicting.
Maverick shifts a little to look over his shoulder and slowly moves his hand to Bradley’s, interlocking their fingers and pulling Bradley into him. Engulfing himself with the taller man. Wrapping Bradley around his smaller frame, arm snug against his waist, keeping their fingers interlocked as he falls back into his sleep.
Bradley, freaking the fuck out because what is happening; Bradley is completely against Maverick, his thighs pressed firmly against Maverick’s. His crotch tightly slotted into the curve of Maverick’s firm ass.
He knows that Maverick is struggling, and he should be appreciating the intimate moment they are sharing, and that he is not doing well, but his dick couldn’t get with the program. He pressed his nose into the nape of his neck and inhaled deeply, praying Maverick was asleep.
He smelled oh-so-Mav and Bradley felt intoxicated. Everything was perfect. Even though there was a thick tension cutting through the room, everything felt right. He pulled Maverick impossibly closer and let himself drift away.
He woke a few hours later, the sky turning in for the night. Maverick was gone, his eyes darted around the room for any trace of the man. The water glass emptied and half of the crackers missing. The shelf embellished by a few crumbs.
Mav walks back into his room, towel strewn across his hips and his hair damp from a shower. A few droplets still trickling down his chest. He was older now, but he barely looked it. He looks just like the Mav he first remembers.
The room is silent, awkwardly silent, but Maverick’s megawatt smile tries to brighten the room. He wasn’t quite back, but something changed in his eyes and Bradley felt him coming back.
He watched Maverick’s eyes flicker to his lap for a split second and Bradley followed his gaze. His eyes widened as he found the noticeable tent under the blanket.
Oh fuck.
“Sorry,” He frantically digs his palms into his half-hard length. “I am so sorry,” he gets up and darts to the bathroom.
“Fucking idiot,” he whispers to himself as his back hits the door behind him. The bathroom is hot, steamed with the smell of Maverick’s signature soap. His mind reals and his problem below the belt only worsens. He looks down at his cock, ‘what a fucking trader’ he thinks to himself. He stands there for a few moments contemplating what the hell to do. The pile of Maverick’s abandoned clothing tempts him to get off in the bathroom— they must smell so very Maverick—, but Bradley pushes away that thought.
A soft knock against the door startles him and he steps away from the door. He tries to tuck his stuffy into his waistband, but it didn’t help much of anything. He cracks the door open; just enough that Maverick can only see chest up, he hopes at least.
“Are you okay? I’m not upset,” a small laugh escapes his lips and he smiles to himself. Bradley doesn’t quite know what to make of that and tries to push his hopes away too.
“Umm, yeah. I’m okay. Did you need something?” He tries to get out, but it comes out a little awkward.
“I just kind of missed you,” he sheepishly truths. Bradley’s dick of a dick twitched and arousal begins to flood his lower half again.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” he assures him and Mav nods and backs away. Bradley goes to close the door once again, but Maverick’s hand stops the door right before it shuts.
“Was that from me?” He questions, eyes motioning to Bradley’s little (not-so-little) problem. Of course he would ask Bradley thought to himself. Maverick was so confident in himself, even if he wasn’t himself. Bradley loved the way Maverick was blunt and apparently so did his cock. Bradley pushed his tongue trough his teeth, in this mouth, lips jutting out slightly, thinking.
“Yeah,” it felt like ages since Mav had asked.
“Would you like any help?” The air knocks out of Bradley’s lungs and he all but comes on the spot. His throat tangling up and lets out a shocked sigh.
“Fuck, Mav. You can’t just say stuff life that,” but he takes that as an invitation and sneaks through the doorway. He tucks his fingertips into the waistband of Bradley’s sweatpants.
“Is this okay?” He asks.
“Yeah Mav, this has only been my dream since I knew what a boner was,”
‘Fucking idiot’ Bradley curses in his head.
Maverick chuckles to himself, he’s always known. His fingers pull the light-colored sweats and boxers to his thighs and his eyes are blown wide.
“So that’s why they call you Rooster, huh?” Bradley flushes a bright red, embarrassment trickling down his neck.
Maverick takes ‘Rooster’ in his hand, guiding his way down the length, running the pad of his thumb across over his slit. A strangled groan escapes his lips and a shiver races across the expanse of his back, Mav’s hot tongue licks a bold strip from the base to his tip, circling around the head.
What a fucking tease.
He takes him fully into his mouth, the wet heat is completely overwhelming. Everything about Maverick is so inviting and the warm velvet of his mouth proves just as much. Maverick’s tongue runs up and down his length, still holding Rooster in his mouth.
“Fuck, Mav,” he whines out, bucking his hips into his mouth. Maverick pulls up his length before pressing back down.
‘Rooster’ doesn’t quite fit in his mouth.
He wraps his experienced hands around his base to work what his mouth couldn’t fit. Bradley knows he won’t last long. It’s Mav for fuck’s sake.
Mav all wet, molten, inviting, and pretty. Maverick is just so pretty.
Bradley thinks he’s all about going to die and then makes eye contact with those emerald eyes, a smirk plastered across his lips. Well the most he could make of one.
“Fuck Mav, I -ugh- Mav, I’m gonna -oh my god-,“
Mav pulls his mouth off Bradley and pumps him a few times, “Cum for me Baby Bird,” he says as he dives back down onto to Bradley’s dick.
Bradley shakes, the endearment pushing him over the edge, he shoots thick ropes of cum into the back of Mav’s throat and his hips stutter to a finish. He’s panting and pliant, mind-blank. He watches a lewd droplet run from Mav’s lips as he swallows Bradley. A moan pushes through his throat at the sight of that. Maverick stays on his knees, Bradley leant up against the counter, head falling back as he catches his breath.
A weird feeling starts to settle over him as he passes through his post-orgasm high, he pulls his pants up and starts to worry.
“Mav, I am so sorry,” he pulls the other to his feet, so that they’re near eye level. “You didn’t have to do-, I am so sorry,” he apologizes.
Mav wraps his arms around Bradley pulling him into a tight hug. Resting his head back onto Bradley’s chest like he did before.
“I wanted to Bradley,” and he has a hard time believing that.
“Why though, I didn’t kno-,”
“That was the whole point” Mav laughed out, self-deprecation coloring the sound.
“I haven’t heard from you in so long Mav. I was sick over it, and, and I- I just wante-“ he stutters, a tear falling to his cheek.
“I know Baby Bird, I know. I just,” he takes a deep breath, Bradley can feel his ribs press into his. “I started to feel differently for you. Like, every since I laid eyes on you at the Hard Deck,”
He takes a second before continuing, “You were tanned and taught, and so old,” he chuckles to himself. “You weren’t a kid anymore, you were glowing and radiating this confidence, something so Rooster. I had always kept up with you— thank you Ice— but there was something there that photos, and- and, all the stories can’t even begin to explain. Then after the mission, and you coming back for me and all the adrenaline, it was all-consuming,” he minutely retracts from Bradley’s grip.
“I started feeling when I was with you, in a way that I haven’t felt in so long. I tried to fight it off, tried to claim it as, hell I don’t even know what I tried to tell myself. And, I couldn’t help but steal a few glances here and there, then more and I couldn’t, not leave my hand on your shoulder a beat too long or run my hands through your curls,” Another deep breath.
“I just knew it wasn’t right and I’m so old. You’re so full of life, with a career in front of you. I wanted to let you go, go after what you wanted instead of keeping you here, chained to me.”
Bradley huffed, “What?”, he pulled Maverick back, the eye contact hot and intense. “Maverick, do you know how much it killed me. Missing phone calls and, and the distance that you put between us. I cried so hard Mav, for you,” Bradley ran a hand across his face and pushed his loose curls out of his face.
“Maverick, you knew, you’ve always known how I felt for you. I mean. . . you were there. Those hot summer nights when I would wear those stupid pajama pants around, and how I would hold onto your hug for longer than necessary, or how I begged you to come home, even if it was just for a day. Fuck Mav, I worshipped the ground you walked on. I would follow you to the ends of the Earth,”
Maverick sinks back into Bradley’s grip and lets a heavy breath escape his lips.
Bradley curls his frame around Maverick again and presses a kiss to the side of his head. Breathes in Maverick, the wood-scented soap intoxicating him. His mouth pressed close to Maverick’s temple, “Maverick, it’s you., always been you. . . and always will be you,”
Maverick nods his head, nuzzling farther into his chest once again. “I love you with my entire being Mav, every fiber of my being. Love will never be a strong enough word for the way I feel about you. Not in the cheesy, idiot in love way; in a soul-crushing way, where I can’t feel alive without you by my side. I want you forever Mav,”
Maverick chokes out a sob and Bradley’s tears fall against Mav’s cheek. “I love you so damn much, Bradley, I love you so much,”
Bradley pulls Mav’s face from his chest, one hand cupping his jaw and the other brushing across his cheek bone. Mav’s eyelashes flutter and Bradley’s breath catches in his throat. He presses his lips against Maverick’s and everything he’s been searching for his entire life clicks into place.
It’s Mav, It’s always been Mav.