She's a fighter, not a lover // A Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw story

-010-

"Can you hear me?" I questioned over the radio, testing if Rooster can hear me. "Yes ma'am." He answered me. I was also flying with Phoenix and Bob who were in the same plane, also Coyote. I got the signal to move over to the take off lane by one of the people. I put my helmet on and clicked it into place, but not my mask yet due to the fact that it was annoying to have on.

I looked down at the people in the floor of the ship waiting for the take off signal. "Y/N, you up yet?" I heard Rooster ask, he was already up there, he was just waiting for me. I grabbed my mask and spoke into it, "Yeah, just waiting for the signal." I sat there waiting, I bit the inside of my cheek and shuffled in my seat. A man with dark hair gave me the ready signal, I saluted him and put my mask over my mouth. I put my hand on the control getting ready for take off.

I waited for about 10 seconds and then I was shot into the air, pushing my control forward to gain speed. "Where are you?" I asked over the radio trying to get Roosters attention. "Coming up behind you, I'll go in front you follow me okay?" He explained to me, "I think that was the plan." I teased him laughing.

I followed behind him "legacy can you hear me?" I heard my dad say over the speaker, he was back at base helping us through the corse from there. "Yes sir." I answered confidently hoping that would take away from how nervous I was. It didn't. "At first it's a the canyon, then the straight away. You understand?" He told me, "I understand Mav." I said back, "did you tell Rooster?" I asked him still moving to the straight away. "Yeah he's ready, remember your time is three minutes." He reminded me, I nodded to myself "yeah I remember".

My dad was silent now, so it's Rooster that spoke "the canyon is coming up." He mentioned to me "Got it." I spoke into my mask.

I followed Rooster into the canyon, watching him take sharp turns that were awaiting me. I took my first sharp turn, feeling the pressure on my lungs taking all my oxygen out of them. I tried to breath when I was done with the turn but I didn't have much time before the next turn. I look down at the time "Rooster we will be 30 seconds late." I warned him, "we're fine." He said, "request to gain speed." I asked him, "No, maintain speed" he told me.

The next sharp turn came, causing my breath to be taken away once again. My breath was heavy coming down from the sharp turn, not realizing I was getting close the the wall. Not the real wall the imaginary wall that was on my screen. "Shit, i hit the wall." I informed Rooster, causing a groan from him. "let's get back to base."

"Sorry." I apologized hoping he wasn't too mad, "no you're okay" he said, the fly back was silent. All I could hear was the sound of my plane humming through the sky.

"Legacy." I heard my dad say over the radio, breaking the silence. "Yes Mav?" I questioned him, "you have a break" He informed me, "ok, thank you" I said taking a breath.

As I got closer to the carrier I put my wheel down, then got prepared to land. Landing was honestly pretty easy for me. I never had trouble with it. I lined my aircraft with the with runway and flew down landing perfectly. I turned off my aircraft and then opened my canopy to find my dad waiting. I jumped down from the plane, and took off my helmet, causing sweat to drip down my forehead. "Go sit down, it's Phoenix, and Coyote's turn." He mentioned to me then walked away.

I put my helmet between my hip and my arm, then walked inside, sitting next to Halo. "Was it hard?" She asked me concerned, "it wasn't easy" I told her, rubbing my temples. I heard the door open, watching Rooster walk in, he looked annoyed, or even mad. Could he possibly be mad that I ran into an imaginary side of the canyon. I got up walking over to him, "Are you mad." I asked him, he looked down at me "no, I just want to be able to show your dad I'm good, but I can't really do that now until I go out again." He clarified, I nodded understanding where he's coming from.

I'm whole life I have always tried to be like my dad, the pressure of being the best out of my classes. It wasn't easy trying to show my dad that you're a good pilot, trust me. I mean he never judged you or anything but when you're living in a legends shadow, you have to be good, or maybe even better.

"Yeah, sorry about that." I apologized, "I almost ran into the side too." He mentioned to me which made me feel a little less bad. Rooster and I walked over to sit in our chairs to sit down. We waited while everyone else finish up there run in the canyon, it took several hours. Rooster always went out one more time and actually completed the course. Once Everyone finished and then my dad came in to the room.

He showed a clip on the screen behind him, which was Roosters and I's flight. "What happened." He asked me looking into my eyes, "I over turned, I ran into the wall sir." I answered him. His eyes met Roosters "why is she dead."

"She ran into the wall sir." He responded, "no you didn't warn her how tight the turn was, if you look at the video you out will see you almost ran into the side also. You will have to explain that at her funeral" My dad told him, "Maverick it was my fault, I should've been more aware." I said to him, he looked at me then switched the screen to talk about the others flights.

I sat there watching my dad continue to say "tell that to her/his family" and also "say that at his/her funeral". Hangman kept saying that he was pretty much the best flyer in the world causing several eye rolls from people.

"I can't be the only that knows that Maverick flew with his old man." Hangman shot at everyone, there were a couple 'what' faces but my eyes just widened. How did he find out? "That's enough" my dad said sternly, causing me to look at him then back at Hangman as he began to speak once again. "That he was with his old man when he-." Hangman got cut off by Rooster jumping out of his seat and going over to push him. There was yelling throughout the room. I shot up to grab Rooster's arms hoping he wasn't going to go for a punch.

"Hey knock it off" Phoenix, and many others yelled. Coyote took both of Roosters arms and pulling him back. My hand let of his arm since I wasn't much help anyway. "You son of a bitch!" Rooster yelled pointing his finger at Hangman. I grabbed his arm once again pulling him back from Hangman. Coyote had his left arm I had his right. Everyone became calm really quick after separating the two men.

Rooster's head rested in is hands, I looked at him, "Rooster we can go back if you want." I told him putting my hand up and rubbing it on his upper back. He looked up and then looked at me, nobody was there, once he looked at me or a minute it felt like everything stopped. Why was I feeling like this? I questioned to myself, but before I had a moment to process what was happening out lips came together.

My lips followed his, moving in sync. His hand came up to my left cheek, I put my both of my hands on his cheeks, still kissing like we had both been wanting this for a long time. I was first to pull away when we heard the door open, I looked behind Rooster at it to see my dad. His eyes so wide that I could see the anger in them.
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WOW!!! Sorry this took sooooooo long but I wasn't sure if I want it to end with this but I'm happy I did. Also Maverick why did you have to ruin such a good moment 🤨. I love you all, also a reminder, if I don't get the next part out as soon as I would like please don't be impolite about it. I've gotten some dms that have been rude about it. Thank you.