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Maverick hates the feeling of weak knees. The way the adrenaline pumps through his body so hard it feels like nothing is really in his control. It’s only made worse by vertigo and he can only feel just like Cougar did just a few years ago. The boogey bugged out quickly but not before pulling a move that placed Maverick and Sundown right in his jet wash. Returning to the Kitty Hawk felt like the best idea in the world.
“Call the ball, Maverick.”
“Copy, Maverick has the ball,” he strains against the force of the descent and the adrenaline fuzzing the lines of reality. They touch down followed by Ice and Slider. He almost falls face first when disembarking from the Tomcat but there is so much going on as the aircraft carrier prepares to send another jet for a hop that Maverick goes unnoticed.
All he can think about is getting to the locker rooms and a shower to shake the nerves away. He doesn’t even wait for Ice and Slider to catch up. They do though, in the locker rooms. At this point Maverick is already in the shower trying to pull his limbs together to get the sweat from his pores.
“Maverick!” Ice booms. Maverick thinks he just likes the sound of his own voice sometimes. “You alright, man?”
He has to clear his throat before responding. “Fine, thanks.” To avoid suspicion, he slaps the taps off and steps out with the towel around his waist. He’s always hated the way he has to tie the towel high to avoid it falling to his shins, only highlighting his shorter stature. The others can easily tie it around their waist looking all the more masculine.
But as Maverick steps forward to pull a shirt over his head, he feels the jellyness in his knees as he tips forward. His joints slam into the hard floor and it sends shock waves through his body.
“Fuck,” he sighs. Ice waves a hand in front of him and Maverick grips onto the forearm above him. “Thanks.”
“You sure you’re okay?” He asks as Mav gets upright.
“Just vertigo,” he mutters.
Sundown, Slider and Ice leave him to it. Sundown and Ice beat Slider to the showers. Maverick tucks himself away in the corner trying to draw the energy to pull the white shirt over his head. The world spins as does his stomach. Slider remains unawares as he flips through the abandoned magazine. Sundown is out of the shower and leaving the locker room in a matter of minutes leaving Maverick alone to get dressed.
With all eyes diverted he lets himself fumble his way into some jocks to at least get out of the towel. He faced his khaki uniform. The trousers were his best bet, he could put them on whilst somewhat sitting.
Maverick tugs the legs on and stands, leaning heavily on the wall to zip the fly when the world spins and his knees fold beneath him like a piece of paper.
-
Ice steps out of the steaming shower, raking his hair back. He dresses quickly but Mavericks' open locker catches his eye. With trepidation, he steps around the central locker bay to check the opposite side of the room but almost steps right onto the prone body on the floor.
“Shit!” He exclaims crouching down. Ice pulls Maverick’s shoulder to lie him flat and sighs a breath of relief seeing open eyes and rise and fall of his chest. “What happened?”
“Dizzy,” Maverick murmurs.
Ice sighs again. They can deal with dizziness. “Okay, that’s alright. We’re just gonna get you sitting up okay? Then we’ll take you to sick bay, they’ve got anti-nausea drugs don’t they?”
Maverick hums and lets Ice drag him upright so he’s sitting with the cool metal locker against his back.
“That boogey tripped you out, hey?”
He drops his gaze to his lap. “Went right through his jet wash,” Maverick mumbles. “Then I got dizzy. Just like Cougar.”
“You’re gonna be alright. We have leave coming up, remember? Two weeks of warm sun, bars and all the eye candy California has to offer.”
Maverick shrugs. “Gotta see Carole and Bradley.”
When Ice sighs this time, it’s slightly disheartened. “Do you reckon seeing them so often just…makes it hurt more?”
He doesn’t expect the angry and hurt glare he receives. “They’re my family, Ice. The only one I’ve got.”
“You have us,” Ice protests. A hurt quality in his voice.
But Mav shrugs. “I can’t…be honest with you guys. You guys don’t know me. I can’t let you.”
“I wish you would,” Ice sighs. Maverick looks up, this time the harshness isn’t in his green eyes and he looks awfully human. It’s not something Ice would ever call Maverick, human .
“So do I.”