automatic stop, bradley bradshaw

eighteen.

ROOSTER KNEW, IN HINDSIGHT, THAT HE SHOULDN'T HAVE YELLED AT SKYE. HE KNEW that it wasn't fair to expect her to drop everything and start being a different pilot just because he worried about her. but he couldn't do it. he couldn't watch her consistently flying in the air with seemingly no regard for her own safety. 

he wondered frequently if she got this from her father; her constant denial of following the rules. he also wondered if that was what had gotten maverick in iceman's jet wash, or if it had been a scenario like with hangman. it wasn't like it mattered, though. nothing was going to change. 

but still, he felt guilty for snapping at her. he wished he hadn't looked at her, that he hadn't seen the hurt look in her eyes as he seemingly turned on her out of no where. 

bradley was laying on his back in his bedroom when he heard the sound coming from outside of his window, which he often kept opened in the evenings to let in the breeze. he sat up, furrowing his brows almost in annoyance. 

he was going to yell at some punk kid for blasting music when he realized what song it was, and then he almost just wanted to sit back down. instead, he moved to his window. 

there skye stood, outside his window, with a boom box over her head. she smiled slightly as she saw him through the window, and he shook his head. "you never close your eyes anymore when i kiss your lips." the song played. "there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips." 

"you're trying hard not to show it. but baby, baby i know it." skye dramatically lip synced. "you've lost that lovin feeling, woah that loving feeling." 

rooster shook his head with a smile before moving to his front door, opening it and standing in the doorway to watch her. "where'd you get the boom box?"

"old relic." she replied, still holding it over her head. 

he laughed. "come here." his voice came out more quiet than he'd intended, but she had been watching his every move and walked over to him. 

"i'm sorry." she said as soon as she was closer. "i took what you were saying personally, and i should've just listened to you. i can't pretend to know what was like for you to watch me go down, and i should've respected that you were trying to tell me about that instead of getting offended by it." 

rooster shook his head. "no, i shouldn't have snapped at you like that." he disagreed. "you're an amazing pilot, and i made it sound like i don't trust you when that's far from true. i'm just so afraid of losing you up there, i-"

"bradley.." she deadpanned, putting a hand on his arm. "i know you're worried about me, but.. if i'm being honest with you, i don't think this is just about me."

he frowned. "what do you mean?"

"when you see me fly, you think about goose." skye was hesitant to say his name, and her eyes scanned his for any reaction. "and i can't pretend to understand what you've gone through with that, either. but, as worried as you are about me, you're ten times more worried about having to go through that again."

rooster was quiet for a moment, and he hadn't noticed that his hands were holding onto her forearms until he looked back into her eyes. "you're right." he finally said. "i never got the chance to save him. i lost one of the most important people in my life, and you're right. i can't do that again." he sighed. "but that still doesn't give me a reason to be upset with you."

skye nodded. "yeah, i wish you hadn't been." she said, a small laugh escaping her lips. "i've been a pilot since before i could drive, bradley. and i really appreciate you looking out for me, but i've flown the same way the whole time. i wish you wouldn't worry about me."