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Natasha wakes up after a long sleep. It’s been a while since she’s come back home, and thank goodness Pete built an actual house annexed to the main hangar. She walks out of her room and passes by Pete’s. The door is wide open and there’s no Mitchell in sight. She ties her hair up in a messy bun as she makes her way to the kitchen—so far it’s a mystery to her why the living room and the kitchen are in the garage.
She sees Jake and Bradley hanging out at the couch together, while Pete is doing mechanic work by the worktable. He’s fixing his old ninja. She walks over to him and greets him good morning. He looks up and nods a reply. Natasha rolls her eyes before moving on to the kitchen.
“Hey Nat, should we go to the beach today?” Bradley follows after her, reaching for the cereal boxes on top of the fridge. Jake yawns from behind them, taking a seat on the breakfast table. Oh, thank goodness, dad started collecting actual furniture —courtesy of Bradshaw for nagging Mav to finally get a dining table . “Fanboy, Bob and Halo are back from their missions and are staying on base while on their break. Figured we can do a reunion.”
“Bradley, it’s too early to be making plans. Let’s have breakfast first.” Jake lays his forehead on the table, his arms hanging off the edge. Natasha lightly knocks on the table, urging him to lift his head as she places the plates.
“Yeah, we can talk about it while we have breakfast. Maybe dad wants to join us.” She takes the milk jugs from the fridge and tiptoe-runs to the worktable. “Dad, come join us for breakfast.”
“Alright, I’ll just tighten these four screws and I’ll be there.”
Nat leaves him and seats herself beside Jake. Jake also recently came back from his mission. It was a pleasant surprise to see both of them arrive at the naval air station at the same time. So they hitched a ride with Javy home.
When they’re all seated, breakfast happens quickly. Especially when everyone is military trained to quickly chow down food in case of immediate deployment. They stay at the table longer though, talking about their plans for the day.
“So, I’m saying, it’s been a while since we visited Penny and Amelia, therefore I’d like to propose we go spend the day at the beach.” Bradley counts fingers on why they should go out today. Jake is tapping away at his phone.
“We don’t need convincing, Bradley. We were planning on going to the hard deck anyway.” Jake gives his phone to Bradley, the screen showing the groupchat where the rest of the young guns have agreed to meet at the bar .
“Right… What about you, Mav?”
“I’ll join you guys after. My baby needs some actual TLC and it’ll probably take me about 3 hours so why don’t you kids go first?” Maverick picks up the plates and cleans up after them, Natasha helping out and putting the cereals and milk where they’re being kept. “Thank you, Nat.”
Natasha nods a reply and Maverick rolls his eyes at that. They see eye-to-eye once more and burst out laughing. It’s something they did in the past that annoyed each other and was a pet peeve to both, but it turned soft and domestic as the years went by.
“You’re welcome, dad.” She straightens herself up and daps him up. “Then, we’ll go ahead.” She turns to the two but turns back to Maverick. “Actually, is it cool that I take the H2 today?”
“Uh…sure, but how will I get to the hard deck later then?”
“My truck, dad.” Phoenix takes out her car keys from her pocket and tosses it to Maverick. The keychain is a miniature silver F-18. Just like the H2’s keys, which have an oxidized steel F-14 keychain. It’s their respective fighter jets. Jake’s Off-roader also has an F-18 keychain, but it’s gold enamel.
“Or my car, pops~” Jake jingles his keys in his hand and places them on the coffee table. “Then, we’re heading out. Talk to you later~”
“Did you know?” Rooster asked, giggling into his bottle of beer. Phoenix and Hangman finally turned 21.
“Know what, Bradshaw?” Jake was also in a giggle fit. They are all drunk and they’re celebrating the two’s birthday together.
“Know that the two of you are twins?”
“I mean, we might as well be, Roo. We have the same birthday at the same year” Phoenix emptied hers and threw it at the sand. She stretched behind to reach of the cooler to get another bottle.
“No, like uh…you never really doubted at all?” Rooster stopped laughing all together. “I really mean it when I say that you are twins.”
“Stop fucking around, Brad—”
“I’m not.” Bradley was getting defensive that it surprised Jake off his drunken stupor.
“What do you mean you’re not?” The sudden change in atmosphere pulled the three of them from their intoxication.
“You’re twins. You ever wondered where your recklessness came from, Jake? You didn’t get that from Sarah, hell no! She’s the sweetest and most organized person that I know.” Jake sits up, getting chills from Bradley’s monologue. “And you, Nat. You think your mom is a level-headed and amazing person that died when you were born? You have no Mom. You Mom is Maverick!”
“Bradley, my mom died right after she had me.” Natasha’s voice are mo wshaky and unsure. She gently lays her hand on Bradley’s shoulder. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about what I’m saying. You don’t have a mom. You have two dads. Both of you” Bradley started shouting and Jake was about to scoff it off but Rooster groaned and glared at him, which caught the blonde off-guard. Despite being known for his short tempers, his glares never meant to threaten or hurt. Yet, it felt offensive, his eyes towards Jake. “I can’t keep this a secret any longer. It’s eating at me. I promised Ice and Mav that if they don’t tell you before you can drink booze, then I’ll be the one breaking the truth to the two of you.”
“This is my first time hearing this.” Natasha rubbed the hand that she had on Rooster’s shoulder, trying to make sense of what was happening. She doesn’t have a mom ?
“How come we weren’t told?” Jake interjected.
“I wouldn’t know. But you’re gonna have to ask your parents now.” Rooster finished his bottle done and stood up to leave.
Jake and Natasha were left at an awkward situation.
“Do you really think that—” Phoenix tries to voice out her thoughts but was cut off quickly.
“That’s bullshit! We don’t look alike at all!”
“But what Rooster said kind off makes sense though?”
“Oh come on, Nat. He’s drunk. So am I. And so are you! He could be telling a lie to get back at us for pranking him all the time!”
“But like he said, did you never doubt at all?”
“I… Shut up! Just drink and let’s forget about this. Let’s not ask about our dads about it either.” Jake took the drink from her hand and cracked it open for her. He also took himself another can, chugging it, the lump in his throat not going down at all.
The three ride to the pub. It doesn’t open until five, but they’re not there for the drinks. Not now, at least. They circle around the building and see a bunch of the other guns already there. They all walk over to the three to greet them and give hugs or handshakes.
“Maverick…” Warlock called out to him when it turned quiet. Right after Rooster shouted at him for pulling his papers, he got news that Iceman had passed away.
He barely contained himself as he limped towards Phoenix’s car. He sighed when he got in, didn’t even notice that Natasha was already inside.
“Are you okay dad?” Natasha called out and Maverick jumped on his seat. He clutched at this chest trying to even out his breathing.
“Y-yeah…” He lied. He couldn’t say anything yet. She never asked.
“It doesn’t seem like yeah…” Doubt in her voice, she got out of the car and pulled Maverick to the backseat. “What’s going on, dad?”
After clearing his head, Maverick steeled himself. “Iceman is gone.”
Natasha felt a lump form in her throat. It was hard to breathe. Like she just missed a big thing and let it pass her by.
“Y-yeah?”
“Yeah. Ice is … dead.” He was unsure to utter the last word. Afraid that saying it would finalize it as fact and would nail his coffin —literally.
“Is…” Natasha stressed at the choices of words she had. But it needed to be said. “Is Ice my other dad? Am I actually twins with Jake?”
Maverick turned his head. His brows knitted in worry and doubt and distant longing. He had been waiting a long time to tell this to Natasha. He breathed deeply, seating himself to turn his entire body towards Natasha. He held her hands in his, head bowed, he raised them to meet Natasha’s eyes.
“Where do I start?”
“Happy birthday, Jake Kazansky-Mitchell.” It’s midnight at the Hard deck, Amelia is out in the back with Theo and Penny is tending to the patrons in the pub. Natasha hands out the other bottle to Jake, who just finished beating Rueben in 501 Darts.
“Happy birthday to you too, Natasha Mitchell-Kazansky.” They knock their bottles, neck to bottom, clink a toast to each other. They celebrate in silence as they both wait for their dad to arrive. And the timing sure is best as they see who walks in. Maverick sees them immediately and makes a beeline for them. They all huddle up in glee, hugging Maverick as he whispers to them.
“Sorry, it took me so long. I had to stop by and pick-up something first” He pulls away from the hug and takes out two boxes from the inner pocket of his jacket. He struggles a bit to give which one to who. “Happy birthday, my children.”
Jake takes the one with the gold ribbon. It’s his brand, so he already knows which one is his. Hers is the one without a ribbon, but a silver engraving on the box.
“Thanks pops.”
“Thanks dad.”
The two look at each other as they open their gifts at the same time. It’s chain bracelets with a solid plate in the middle that has two diamonds wedged side by side. Under the curved plate is something textured. They both look and it reads, respectively, “Natasha M.K.” and “Jake K.M.”
Jake gasps. His smile, growing bigger and bigger. He reaches out his left arm towards Natasha, her arm also going around his waist.
“Lemme help you put it on.” Pete takes Natasha’s first and wraps it around her right wrist. She raises her arm and checks it out, wriggling her wrist to see if the size fits her without distraction. Jake gets his fitted after Nat. They both pose for Maverick exaggeratedly with their right arm in view. The latter laughs as he takes blurry and shaky pictures of the two flaunting their wrist chains.
“I’m the daughter of a COMPACFLT?” Natasha calmly repeats Maverick’s words. She’s driving them both home to have a deeper talk, but this news can’t wait. Maverick rains her with information how Mav and Ice had to separate due to status and their own plans with things.
Maverick took Natasha and Iceman took Jake. The two separated with the intention stay as friends instead of lovers. The Navy was strict on relationships and wouldn’t want for the two best pilots to fade away into domesticity. The Navy wanted powerful soldiers and there were no other pieces to throw into the chess board. The Navy only wanted the best of the best. And the two had to face this terrible fate.
She pulled up outside of the Hangar doors and waited for the story to end. Maverick was shaking, worry and distress all over the place. She got out of the car and Maverick looked wounded. Like she couldn’t take the truth. But he was surprised when he saw her round the nose of the pick-up truck, to his door, and pulled him out to hug him.
“Thank you, dad.” She said. Nothing more. But her hug felt a strong pressure. She wanted him to hug back, and so he did. He held her and she relaxed.
“I’m sorry it took me this long to tell you.” Maverick kissed her head,
“It’s okay. Thank you, really…” They both sob quietly outside the hangar, the quiet and cool desert air dry their tears as they fell on the pavement.
Natasha has sobered up by the time the bar closes. She walks over to the group in the corner of the bar. “Hey, Hard Deck is closing, it’s time to scatter, everyone.” She claps her hands together to gather their attention. The group groans and all heads hang in defeat.
“But it was so fun! I don’t wanna go home yet. We all have our break together.” Javy whines. “—and…AND! It’s your birthday! We have to celebrate!” Javy was pointing at the twins accusatory. “I can’t NOT celebrate my bestfriend’s —and his sister’s— birthday party!”
It’s clear that the group have left-over adrenaline from their beach party, as well as there’s still alcohol in their systems. The group howls at the mention of celebration, party, and break. Natasha sighs and gives in, throwing her hands up.
“What’s your plan then, Machado?” Natasha leans on Jake’s shoulder, hand on her hip, eyebrows raised; the same one that Jake has on.
“I suggest… wait for it… we spend the rest at Maverick’s hangar.” Javy lifts his hands and gestures one to Maverick, who’s sitting by the bar talking to Penny, while observing the group. Maverick gives a nod of approval and the group breaks into cheers and dancing. They all stand up simultaneously, heading towards the exit.
Natasha goes last, going towards the bar where Maverick and Penny are chatting up. “Can I come back tomorrow to pay the tab, Miss Penny?”
Penny scoffs and waves her hand. “You heard we had a lot of bell rings today, so it’s no problem. It’s been paid.”
“Oh, okay then. Thanks a lot, Penny.”
“No, that can’t be it.” Maverick places his card on the table for Penny to swipe. “I’ll at least pay for the drinks that the group drank.”
“30 bucks it gets declined.” Natasha quickly bets when Penny picks up the card.
Penny backs up and points a shaking finger at Natasha. “Oh, you’re on.” Penny leaves and Natasha grins at Maverick, who looks offended, but in jest.
“Look how grown up you’ve become. You’re even betting on my broke ass now.” He chuckles, hand on her back, appreciating the closeness that they’ve kept, if not deepened after Ice’s passing. After he told her the naked truth about their birth. They laugh at the past together.
And she laughs even harder when Mav’s card is slapped on the counter along with 3x10 dollar bills. Maverick nods and mouths “ I’ll come by tomorrow ” As he drags her outside with the rest of the team. Penny waves goodbye to them and they’re gone.