Reblog If You're Bored And You Want Anonymous Questions.

Reblog If you're bored and you want anonymous questions.

🙄

A Protector

Summary: Rooster comes back as your protector

tagging: @maximoffweasley @jobean12-blog @marvelgirl7

Rooster was smitten with Y/N the moment he met her. She was Penny’s right hand at the Hard Deck, the pair of them ran a tighter ship than any Naval officer could. He couldn’t help but smile as she turned down each and every serviceman who offered to buy her a drink. She had a fire that couldn’t be quenched no matter how overwhelmed the bartop became. She treated each of them the same, cocking her head to the side at the bad attempts at flirting, laughing as each face dropped as the bell resounded immediately followed by cheers. Rooster had found that returning after years away had not diminished his feelings for her. In fact, he had found the phrase 'absence makes the heart grow stronger’ applied to him as soon as he walked in the front door of the bar. He wanted to talk to her, he did, but the other pilots caught sight of him and waved him over before he had a chance to see her.

Y/N’s head jerked up at the mention of Bradley’s call sign, she watched the man walk across the bar, trying to suppress the feelings that crawled up her throat from years ago. She took a deep breath, shaking the cocktail tin and glass before pouring, then handing off the drink. She licked her lips and got back to work, sneaking glances when she thought no one was looking at the pilot who turned her world upside down a few years ago.

“I saw that,” Penny gave her a knowing look, “you two have been dancing around each other all night, he came to my side of the bar to order instead of yours.”

“Then I wouldn’t call that dancing, I call that distancing,” she set four bottles of beer on the counter, working the cap off of each of them quickly, “if that’s how he wants to play it, then fine. We’ll part as unlikely acquaintances,” she brushed off the older woman.

“I’ll leave you to think that,” Penny laughed, “I’m gonna head out. You okay?”

“Yeah,” she answered with a smile, “let me know when you get home safely.”

“You too, Y/N. I mean it,” she gave her a warning glance.

“Yes ma’am,” she gave a small salute and let Penny pass her to leave through the back.

The night wore on, all the soldiers drinking enough to definitely leave them hungover the day after. Y/N wasn’t overwhelmed, but the bar had become unruly. New recruits trying to climb over the bar for bottles, the regulars being shoved by said new recruits. She was just about to shout when the jukebox died and sounds of disgruntled individuals echoed through the bar. She looked over to the juke as Rooster sat down at the piano, playing his signature song.

She looked over at him, shaking her head in exasperation as the Top Gun pilots gathered around him, singing the loudest. He couldn’t help but look over his shoulder to smile at Y/N as she stood, watching him. A small smile played at her lips as she went back to cleaning up messes while everyone was distracted. Loud chants of his name died down enough for her yell for last call, from there the bar’s population thinned out immensely.

After closing up, she wrapped her denim jacket around her, the nights being cool along the Pacific. She stuffed her earnings in her pocket, exchanging the cash for keys. She locked the doors and brushed her hair back. “You know it’s not polite to sneak up on a woman, Lieutenant.”

“Do I ask how you knew it was me?” he smiled softly as he pushed off the wall of the bar.

“You’re still wearing that god awful cologne you wore last time I saw you,” she shook her head, “what are you still doing here? Don’t you have a base to be back at?”

“I came to offer a ride, seeing as how you’re still on that mission to walk everywhere,” he gestured to the empty parking lot with the exception of his Bronco.

“It’s only two miles,” she tried to reason with him.

He shook his head and put his hands on her shoulders, guiding her over to his car, “a lot can happen in two miles,” he protested.

“I don’t need a protector, I need my bed,” she protested as she shrugged him off of her.

Rooster laughed and shook his head, “well then it’s a good thing I’m not one.” Her eyes narrowed as she folded her arms across her chest, “you’re in the Navy, that’s literally the job description,” she tilted her head to the side.

“Y/N,” him saying her name caused a flutter she did her best to ignore, “just get in the damn car.

“Fine,” she agreed as she waited for him to unlock the door, which he did and pulled it open for her.

The ride home wasn’t awkward, but Y/N still didn’t know what to say to him, it had been years, they both had grown. She knew that there had been a blow out with him and Maverick, but she didn’t know if he wanted to talk about it. That was the funny thing about time, it took these two from friends who could talk about anything, to something Y/N didn’t quite understand. He parked outside the house and shut the engine off, unbuckling his seatbelt.

“Walking me to the door? Can a lot happen from the car to the door?”

“My mom always told me to walk a lady to the door,” he responded, opening his door.

She met him outside and looked at him, “how is your mom?” she breathed.

Rooster suddenly looked down, as if growing shy, “she passed away last year,” he muttered.

“Rooster,” she stammered, “I’m so sorry,” she frowned, she fought the urge to reach out and touch him. She lost, reaching out to grab his hand. “I didn’t know.” “How could you? It’s not like you keep tabs on me,” he reasoned.

“Who said I didn’t?” she joked to lighten the tension, “I definitely did,” she laughed softly.

His own chuckle slipped out as he looked at her, “I missed your laugh. I missed you.”

“You had Penny and I fooled, she said you ignored me all night,” she shuffled her feet. “I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.”

“No, no,” he shook his head, “not at all,” he denied, “I know that I cut off contact with you as soon as I graduated, I just didn’t know if you would want to see me.”

“Of course I did, if anything to find out why you cut me off,” she murmured.

“I know,” he said sheepishly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“So why did you do it?” she asked softly, looking him up and down, “cut me off, I mean.”

“I-” he hesitated, “I didn’t want to hurt you more than I had already. This job- it isn’t easy, and I am not the type of person to have someone worrying over me. I’m sorry.” “You’re a fucking idiot,” she said bluntly causing his eyes to widen, “Bradley, cutting me off didn’t stop me from worrying,” she straightened her spine and started towards her front door. “Honestly, that is the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard and I work in a bar full of Navy soldiers.”

“Y/N,” he jogged to catched up with her, “you didn’t let me finish,” he grabbed her wrist gently to stop her from putting the key in the lock.”

“What else is there to say?” she shook her head, “you’ve made it more than clear that you need no one other than yourself.” “I used to think that,” he agreed, “but when I went overseas and saw all of those who made it work, who had someone to look forward to…I thought about reaching out to you so many times,” he looked at her in earnest, “you have to believe that.”

“I do,” she muttered, “but what about the agreement we made? Just friends?”

He chuckled softly, “tell me you’ve never thought about it, about us and we’ll be friends.”

“Bradley Bradshaw,” she stepped closer to him, “I was doomed from the moment I set eyes on you,” she grabbed him by the undershirt, pulling him in for a kiss.

Rooster smiled against her lips, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly to his chest.

After completing his mission with Maverick, Rooster, having become captain, made the move to Fightertown permanently, living on base for a few months and then in with Y/N shortly after. After a year, old habits die hard, Rooster hung around after closing to take Y/N home. But that was broken when she stepped outside and saw Maverick standing where Rooster normally stood.

“Captain Mitchell,” her tone wavered, “is Bradley okay?” she panicked.

“He’s fine,” he smiled reassuringly, “right now it’s Mav,” he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, “let’s take a walk,” he led her onto the sand.

“Okay,” she replied hesitantly.

“You know, Y/N, I’ve known Rooster since he was little, he was nothing like he is now, he was always so shy.”

“Roos? Shy?” she scoffed with a laugh.

“As far-fetched as it sounds,” he laughed, “but it always seemed to me that he would never settle down, and believe me it takes a special type of woman to tame a Bradshaw,” he caused both of them to laugh. “You’re good for him,” he nodded.

“That means a lot coming from you,” she smiled softly at the pilot. The light of a bonfire caught her eye and she turned to it to see her and Rooster’s friends smiling at her. Mav disappeared from her side and Rooster soon replaced him.

“Glad you could join us,” he kissed her forehead.

“It’s not like Mav, left me much of a choice,” she joked, “though I suspect you have something to do with that.”

“Maybe a little,” he winked at her and turned towards her fully, “Y/N.”

“Bradley,” she parroted back to him in a similar tone, arching a brow.

“You know I love you right?”

“I sure hope so, we’ve been together a year.” He broke out in a grin, “exactly a year ago tonight you told me that you were doomed from the moment you met me.”

“I see that did wonders for your ego,” she teased.

“Honey,” he grabbed her hips, “let me talk, will you?” he chuckled and she nodded in response. “I have to tell you from the moment that I set foot in that bar and saw you smiling as you shook up a drink I knew I was meant to fall in love with you, and I did,” he laughed nervously. “After my dad- I thought there was no way I could put someone I love through that, but you with your smile and the never ending sass,” he joked, “it made me realize that there is no other woman who could handle me. So I have a question,” he lowered to one knee. She felt her eyes fill with tears, smiling as she looked at him, “Y/N, will you become Mrs. Rooster Bradshaw, honey?”

“Yes,” she stammered through her happy tears, “yes, of course,” she helped him up. He slipped the ring on her finger, followed by his arms wrapping around her waist to kiss her. A wide grin spread across her lips as she kissed him back, cupping both of his cheeks. Their friends shouted loudly, ‘oo-ing’ and ‘aww-ing’ at the couple. She pulled away with a small laugh sneaking a glance at those around them before burying her face in Rooster’s neck.

He smiled and kissed the top of her head as he rubbed the small of her back, “she said yes!” he whooped as his friends started shouting again at the success.

She broke away with a laugh and looked up at him, “you’re stuck with me now, you know that, right?”

“I think I can handle that, honey” he smiled down at her and kissed her again.

2K notes View Post

callsign-hummingbird

2 years ago

For future use.