embers | top gun

ten

y/n's pov

"goddamn, this kind of hurts you know?"

"you should've stayed in the hospital, you dumbass." sam retorts, pressing a cold rag to the side of my shoulder. we sit in the locker rooms after class, sam taking care of me as she has been for the past two days.

only some burns split here and there, and when they do..it's not pretty.
was coming back to top gun a good idea? probably not. did i have to do it? absolutely.

"i can't. we've got to graduate, at least." i say, cracking my knuckles. the blonde shakes her head, moving the rag down my arms. "it doesn't matter now, all that matters is you resting."

"but they were gonna pull me out of top gun! i had to come back!"

i stop talking when i hear the locker room door open, making me and sam freeze. around the corner stands tom kazansky himself, walking towards us with his arms crossed.

"you're in the wrong place, kazansky. the men's room is down the hall." sam says, eyeing him.

"i'm not an idiot, sam. i'm here for her," he replies, turning his attention towards me. i roll my eyes. "what do you want?"

"why'd you come back so early?" iceman asks, his arms still crossed. i shrug. "i needed to fly."

"no, that's not true. you're scared to lose."

"would you lay off, ice? can't you see we're busy?" sam asks, which makes him wave her off. i wince my eyes. "i'm not scared to lose. if anything, you're scared to lose."

"afraid of being beat by two ladies? my, i thought you'd quite enjoy that if anything." sam snickers, rinsing the rag into the sink we're by.

ice's jaw is clenched now, but his mouth turns into a smirk. "don't think i haven't read your papers, y/n. i know your past. you shouldn't even be at top gun. you only came back because you know those burns aren't worth all the sacrafice you did cheating in flight school." he provokes, a small chuckle escaping his lips.

suddenly, my burns aren't the worse things that hurt right now. my heart, it aches. my head, it pounds. my history?

i glance at sam and she has the same, puzzled look on her face as i do.

"is this supposed to be a form of blackmail?" i snarl, clenching my fists.

iceman shrugs. "you tell me." he continues to chuckle while exiting the locker room. while me and sam are left in shock.

"you didn't cheat. you just really looked into people's flying techniques and then made your own out of it. that's not cheating, that's being smart!" sam exclaimed, flailing her arms. "i mean, sure you cheated on tests, but that's completely different! everyone does that! who cares you almost got kicked out of the academy? you're a good flyer!"

"i'm gonna kick his ass one of these days." she adds after her ramble. i rub the side of my head, groaning. "what a dipshit. i never knew some people would stoop to that low of a level." i mumble.

sam pats me on the shoulder, "let's get out of here."

-

about an hour after the incident in the locker room, we're at our home. my burns still continued to swell so i'm sat in the bathroom floor while sam has damp towels draped all over me, once again.

she sits on the bathtub, placing her chin in her hands. "so you never told me what happened on that date. all i hear is that you and maverick are together."

i smile softly, looking at the ground bashfully. "the thing is, i don't know if we're actually together. i like him, he likes me.."

sam scoffs. "and you still haven't discussed this with him? damn, you can be something else... whatever, tell me about the date!" she continues on.

i sigh. "well.. before the whole fire, it was really good. i thought it was great. but then that fire broke out and i wanted to help. he tried to convince me to go with him and i probably should've." i admit, coughing into my fist.

"but...?" sam questions, knowing that i'm probably inferring to something else.

"but ever since i've basically rode off the back of other people, all i ever wanted to do was help. i wanted to do something, but i always end up hurting people." this time i'm looking at the floor in shame, shaking my head.

"i even kissed maverick in a spur of the moment. i didn't want our first kiss to be like that, and then i went and got myself into the hospital! i never wanted to jeopardize your flying career. hell, this a big moment in life!"

sam brings herself off of the bathtub and onto the floor with me, resting a hand on my shoulder carefully. "y/n, i know you did your best. it doesn't matter to me. i just want to make sure you're okay. no flying could ever compare to your sake. i care more about you then some stupid trophy." she assures, a grin on her face.

i look up at her, a reluctant smile on my face. how did i end up with a friend like her?

her face seems to dim a little, and she rubs my shoulders a bit. "you being in the hospital really took a toll on maverick. his flying has been sloppy these days. he's afraid to get involved in shit because he's scared he's gonna disappoint you."

i frown. "why would he do that?"

sam sighs, shaking her head.
"i think he's in love with you or somethin'."

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