FLYBY (b. bradshaw)

𝙏𝙒𝙀𝙇𝙑𝙀

Lilah didn't know when she finally managed to dry her tears and wander back to the beach, but the fact that it had been Payback to haul her off the ground was a good hint. 

"Don't make me do this." she begged, trying to wiggle out of his hold on her.

Reuben gave her a look. "Maverick's already going to have your ass on a silver platter, don't let me have to carry you to that silver platter." 

All 11 other pilot's where already gathered in a circle when they arrived. They snuck into the back, and much to Lilah's dismay, Maverick noticed them. He pointed a finger and he and mentioned for to her come over to him. Payback released her arm and watched her walk to Maverick, making sure she wasn't going to make a great escape.

"Where were you?" Maverick demanded, close to stomping his foot.

"About a half-mile up the beach." Lilah told him flatly. 

"Are you crying?" Maverick questioned, brushing her face before she could back away.

"Not anymore." Lilah snapped, leaning up against a bike rack. "Let's just say your God son's a dickhead." 

Maverick sent her a smile. "Tell me something I don't know." 

Hondo was splinting everyone into two teams. With Maverick and Lilah, there would be 14, seven on each team. 

"What are we even doing here?" Lilah asked as they walked back towards Hondo and the group.

"Remember dogfight football?" 

Lilah cut him a glance. "That stupid game where my uncles would tackle me? Yes." 

"Well, welcome to your team building exercise." Maverick winked at her before running the team with Bradley on it. 

Luckily, Lilah got on a team with Phoenix, but the unfortunate part was that Hangman was giving her a dead glare. At least they were on the same team and he wouldn't be able to slam her face into the sand. 

In Maverick's hand was two football when's he stepped the middle. Both teams had been given a few minutes to figure out who would do what. It had been a fight to the death between Lilah and Hangman as to who was going to be the quarterback. 

"Everyone know the rules?" he asked and everyone nodded. "Good, because when we get back to base, the loosing team get to clean to all of the planes." 

There was a collective groan. Lilah couldn't muster up the energy because she could feel Bradley's eyes on her. 

"With that wonderful bit of news," Maverick threw the football to the respective teams, "Let the games begin." 

Phoenix chunked the ball to Lilah and started sprinting down the sand. Hangman followed, shoving everyone out of the way. 

At least he's good for something, Lilah mused to herself as she scanned the playing field. Bradley was the other quarterback, or it appeared that way, but she knew the moment he threw it, he'd been coming for her. 

As a child, whenever Maverick came over, this is the game they would play. Lilah, her two uncles, both who were eleven and nines years older than her, Maverick, and her grandfather would play. None of them ever wanted Lilah on their team, except for Bradley. Whenever he was with them when they played, Lilah was his first choice. Her heart clenched at the memory of Bradley's face lighting up after he'd just called her name and she'd been so surprised. She'd been standing in the very back, behind her Grandfather's legs, because she knew that she wasn't going to be chosen anyways, she'd just be put on whatever team would put up with her.