Chapter Text
It takes two years post-Mission for the 12 of them, plus Maverick, to all be in the same place at the same time again. It's not for lack of trying; the group chat that Mav keeps mostly muted is constantly full of proposed dates and failed plans. But eventually, he's able to host a pre-Thanksgiving gathering at his hanger/home.
The aviators filter in throughout the day. Rooster is there first, since he's basically been living there since the mission, but Bob, Fanboy, and Payback show up early as well, having gotten into town the night before. Coyote strolls in a couple hours later with Yale and Harvard on his tail. He immediately requests a beer, or something stronger, after having to deal with them for the whole drive. Halo, Omaha, and Fritz are next, and soon, the only people missing are Phoenix and Hangman.
"Are they coming together?" Maverick asks as he starts firing up the grill.
Rooster looks at him confused. "Yeah, of course, they are," he answers like the question is ridiculous.
Huh, Maverick thinks. He genuinely had no idea they were still together. He'd assumed that their relationship post-Mission was a brief fling, fueled by the adrenaline of their success. He's had his fair share of those.
They show up just as the first burgers are coming off the grill, hands laced together as they walk in.
"Of course, Hangman shows up just in time to eat without having to help," Halo teases.
"Sorry, it's my fault," Phoenix admits. "I took us the wrong way."
The two of them go around greeting everyone as a unit, never separating. Their hands are linked, Hangman's arm around her shoulder, her hand in his back pocket. No matter what, they find a way to stay attached. Huh, Maverick thinks again. Penny is always saying he's a bit oblivious, but he's a little embarrassed that he missed this.
"So what's for dinner?" Hangman asks as they sit down, and then the meal is underway.
After they all eat, the aviators stick around, everyone bouncing off each other, catching up. Maverick finds himself wishing they could do more often.
He's by the cooler of drinks when Phoenix comes up to grab another few beers. As she reaches into the cooler, he notices something shiny glint off her left ring finger.
"Congratulations," he offers, and she looks up at him confused.
"For what?"
"Uh," he says awkwardly, gesturing to her hand.
"Oh!" she exclaims. "Sorry, it's been a few months, so I sometimes forget."
A few months? Maverick blushes, hoping she doesn't think he's rude for not remarking on it sooner.
"Sorry for, ah, missing it." He winces at the awkward phrasing.
"Oh, it's okay. We didn't make a big deal out of it, and Rooster likes to say your social media illiterate."
Mav laughs, "yes, Amelia is trying to teach me TikTok, but I'll be honest, it's a lost cause." The two of them laugh together at that.
"You know," he starts, "when we all first met, I thought it was Bradley you were into."
Phoenix starts positively cackling at that. "Sorry," she ekes out between laughs, "no offense to Rooster, but that's honestly hilarious. I wouldn't touch that mess with a ten-foot pole."
"But you would touch Hangman?" Maverick teases, and Phoenix, to his shock, blushes.
"Unfortunately," she answers and then heads back to the group. She hands Hangman a beer and then slips right into his lap, throwing an arm around his back.
Huh, Maverick thinks once more. Maybe Penny and Amelia are right. He really needs to become more observant on land.