Hot Summer Nights

Chapter III

It's late once Maverick gets into the bar on Saturday night. Goose told him that he'd be there until eleven, but it's quarter past one now, so he would've left hours ago. Maverick stifles a yawn as he sits down and orders a small Budweiser from the bartender, feeling tired from his late night bike ride around the town, getting to know it better. A few minutes in, he feels someone's eyes on him.
He doesn't look up. The only people in here at this time are insomniacs and people who should have left five drinks ago, and he does not want to start a fight.
Only the gaze he feels is not actually belonging to someone who wants to knock him out with a beer bottle.
Maverick can't stand it any more, so he slowly lifts his head from the wood grain and swipes his eyes around the almost empty bar.
And whose eyes does he lock on? None other than Iceman Kazansky.

Why did it have to be him there? The one pilot he's desperately been trying to avoid ever since he caught him staring at him from the first lesson. Not because Maverick doesn't want to be friends with him, only because he knows he'll get a zap of electricity running through him if he looks at the blond for much longer.
Maverick has feelings for him, and god he wished he didn't.
But for now, he bites down those same thoughts and tilts his head to the empty stool next to him. Sitting with someone instead of on your own could only mean less of a chance of a fight, right?
Iceman stands up and moves around the circular bar until he gets to him. "When did you get in?"
"Quarter past," Maverick replies, trying to ignore how that voice of his sounds. "What about you?"
"Like five minutes before that," Ice sits down next to him, leaning slightly on his elbow.
"Oh right,"
"What are you having?"
"A Budweiser. You?"
"Also a bud," Ice says, sipping it, but not taking his eyes off of Maverick's own.
Maverick nods, holding Ice's gaze.
Ice clears his throat, shifting his gaze to the bartop. "uh... you look.. good,"
What?! Were Maverick's ears deceiving him?! "... Really? I haven't done anything,"
He takes a sip of his drink, speaking into it while he still holds it up. "I know, just thought.. I'd say,"
"Oh! Uh, well, thank you," Maverick smiles at him.
"You're welcome," Ice replies, pushing back his hair.
"Your.. your um, hair looks nice,"
"You just sayin' that because I haven't put any stuff in it?"
Maverick smirks slightly. "No, just because I haven't seen it without any stuff in it,"
"Hah, in that case, thanks,"
"You're welcome,"

Unbeknownst to Maverick, Iceman was feeling the same as he was. He was unable to keep his eyes off of Maverick ever since Goose had introduced them last week in the bar. Iceman, ice cold no mistakes, had fallen deeply in love with Maverick, and he was trying to let him know.
"It's getting pretty late," Maverick says, looking at the clock.
Ice nods. "Uh huh,"
Maverick clears his throat as he finishes his glass. "Any reason you're looking at me like that, Kazansky?" he looks at him, with a mischievous side smile.
Ice blinks. "Like what?"
"Like you can't take your eyes off me?"
Ice doesn't say anything. He is flirting with me? Is he? I think he is. In that case, I will just flirt more, back to him. "..Perhaps,"
Maverick is nearly silenced by that one word. "..Wanna go outside?"
"Why?"
Ice's voice has somehow gotten five times more attractive to Maverick within the past ten seconds.
Iceman finishes his drink and puts the money for the drink on the bartop.
Why has he put that much down? Oh- "Hey- what you don't have to pay for mi-" Maverick protests.
"I insist," Ice inclines his head ever so slightly.
Maverick is at a loss for words. Iceman Kazansky just bought me a drink what on earth is going on here?!
"Anyway, did you say we should go outside?"
"Mm- mhm-"
"Alright then," he gives Maverick a small smile.

Maverick gets to the door before him, so he holds it open for Ice to go through first.
"Thank you," he says, and Maverick swears he sees a blush on his cheeks.
"S'alright,"
"It's still pretty warm out,"
"Well, it is a summer night, and summer nights do tend to be hot,"
Ice rolls his eyes, leaning slightly on a streetlamp.
Maverick takes half a second to decide to pin Ice to the streetlamp, go on tiptoes and kiss him.

Iceman stops working.
Oh my god oh my god oh my god he's kissing me!?
Maverick pulls back, dropping back onto his heels.
Ice is staring at him, mouth slightly open, not quite believing it.
"Flirty enough for you, Tom?" Maverick asks, a grin on his face.
Maverick saying his first name snaps him out of his trance. "Dammit Pete, took your time didn't you?"
Because, oh. Oh now he knows why Maverick was avoiding him.
Now it's Maverick's turn to blush as Ice takes his head in his hands and kisses his cheek.
"..so did you," he says quietly.
Ice smiles at him. How was he able to keep himself from saying anything to Maverick before?

"Want to walk back? It is coming up to two now," Ice says, recovered enough to form a short sentence and start walking back to the dorms at the school.
"Sure," Maverick says, reaching out to hold Ice's hand, smiling as he does it.
Since it was now ten to two in the morning, no cars were about on the streets that they walked down, and the only light came from the yellow streetlamps dotted strategically on the pavements. No stars could be seen, because of the glow of the streetlamps, but Iceman was sure they'd be some out there tonight. It wasn't cold either, since it was mid June. This was the coldest it would probably get all night.
"Since when?"
"Since when what?" Ice replies.
"How long have you wanted to kiss me for?" Maverick asks, like it was just a regular question.
"Maverick-"
"What?! I'm curious!"
Ice sighs. He's always been like this, and now it seems Ice'll have to get used to it. "Since Goose introduced us,"
"The first time we met?!" he says, shocked.
"Have you ever heard of love at first sight?"
Maverick laughs, making Ice blush a little, though he couldn't see it right now. "Yeah course I have,"
"You?" Ice decides to fire the question back at him.
"When I caught you staring at me in class," he says, looking very unimpressed but not surprised at his own question.
"Which time was that?" Ice asks, smirking.
"I-" Maverick sighs. "The first day-"
"You're as bad as me,"
"Shut up,"
Now that they were passing under a streetlamp, Iceman could see the furious blush on Maverick's cheeks. "Whyy?"
He rolls his eyes and frowns at him. "Just because.."
"I'm not going to tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about..."
"I know. Just want to..." Maverick's voice has changed ever so slightly.
"Just want to whaat, Mav?"

Maverick shuts Ice up by kissing him again, which makes the other pilot lose all of his flirtatious spike.
"God, if I'd only known that it was this easy to shut you up, I would've done it in the lockers last week,"
Iceman smiles, feeling oh so full. "You could have anyway. I wouldn't have minded,"
He shakes his head. "Thanks for the advice, Ice,"
"Anytime, Maverick,"