Top Gun: Maverick Head Cannons

Rooster and Phoenix: A Complicated Timeline

Rooster and Phoenix have always sort-of had it out for each other (well when they first met I mean.)

They met back at the Naval Academy and Phoenix was one of the only female pilots that got in that year along with two others. The rest were all guys as every female who decides to become a pilot, knew.

She would run into the cocky pilot everyday after they'd all break for lunch.

"Hey hot stuff." He say as he leaned against the door of the cafeteria, blocking her way in. She'd roll her eyes and sometimes give him the bird.

"Get out of my way jackass." She'd say through gritted teeth. Of course, him being a so called "gentleman", he would move out of her way.

After a few weeks, their instructor had assigned Rooster to be Phoenix's wingman, much to her demise.

She did have to admit, they made a pretty good team and became friends. But Phoenix didn't want it to become anything more. The other female pilots whom she bunked with all told her that they were perfect for each other, but Phoenix kept the thought in her head. 

Rooster finally became her best friend in their final year at the Naval Academy. He was someone who knew everything about her and she knew everything about him. In fact, Phoenix didn't even know anything about the female pilots who she had to room with but she knew everything about someone she met only three years ago who was a male!

Some even thought that they were a married couple based on how much the two would bicker back and forth.

Now, it was the night before graduation, and Phoenix sat in her apartment, alone eating ice cream and watching Sleepless in Seattle. She waited for Rooster to show up.

"I'm here! What happened!?" He said as he bust through her door. There Phoenix sat on the couch, burying herself in strawberry ice cream in her pajamas with absolutely no makeup on. Even for Rooster, she'd put a little bit of mascara on, but this was different.

"He dumped me." She said quietly as she stared at the tv. Rooster looked shocked. Her boyfriend of all the years of being at the school had apparently dumped her. Rooster knew he had to comfort her.

"Oh Fee. He didn't, did he?" He said as he sat on the couch next to her. He put a hand on her back.

"He did, Roose. I don't know why, but he did." Phoenix said in the most quiet but heartbroken voice you would have ever heard.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Rooster asked gently. She shook her head. Phoenix was never the kind of person to show weakness, but her quietness spoke volumes. She typically would be one to always talk to Rooster about anything, so he knew this was incredibly hard for her.

He put an arm around her and moved her closer to him. She looked at him and started balling into his shirt.

"It's ok Nat. It's all going to be ok." He said as hugged her. She hugged back.