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Prompt: You Hate What Your Soulmate Loves
Iceman liked a lot of things. He even loved a few. He knew he could be picky, but he didn’t see the harm in that. There were a lot worse ways to be in his mind. The couple things he hated more than anything though were singing in public, motorcycles, and recklessness without cause. Singing while riding a motorcycle at high speeds was his worst nightmare. So of course that’s how he found his soulmate.
Soulmates could go years knowing each other without their bond clicking. Worse than that is most people never found their soulmates. Ice always assumed he would be one of them. It was safer to expect the worst than get his hopes up and inevitably have crumble in front of his eyes. It was safer to focus on his career, to become the best. So that’s what he did.
He was first in the Top Gun race, but Maverick and Goose were closing in on him and Slider. He tried to tell himself Maverick was everything he hated in one single person. It wasn’t false per say, but it never felt like the truth. He respected Maverick, perhaps even liked him, but he wasn’t ready to admit that out loud. Not yet anyway.
Slider insisted on going to some civilian bar that night. Being a good wingman, Ice agreed to go albeit begrudgingly. Slider abandoned him for a girl not long after they got there. Ice had been nursing a beer alone for longer than he would like to admit. The process of finding someone for the night had no appeal to him. He figured he’d finish the drink, call a taxi, and get the hell out of there. Just as soon as he had the thought he felt someone slide up to him despite all the open seats. Annoyed, he was about to leave, drink be damned.
“What’s a guy like you doing in a bar instead of at home doing a crossword puzzle?” The voice next to him asked . He looked over. It was Maverick.
“I don’t know. What’s a guy like you doing in a bar instead of getting his ass reamed out for yet another violation?” Ice replied briskly.
“I only get my ass chewed out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, unless you ask nicely.” Maverick said with something Ice couldn’t place in his voice. Ice didn’t dignify it with a response.
“I haven’t had anything to drink yet.” Maverick said after a minute of silence.
“The bartender will probably think your I.D. is a fake” Maverick scoffed at this. “But you can try anyway.”
“I was thinking of getting out of here instead. I could give you a ride if you want.” Maverick offered.
“On your death trap? I’d rather walk all 20 miles back.” Ice said with a scowl.
“C’mon live a little. I’ll even go the speed limit if you come with me. I know you’re precious cargo.” Maverick said with that unknown inflection in his voice.
Ice weighed the pros and cons in his mind. A free ride would be nice… but was it worth it? Maverick was dangerous for more than one reason. He looked into Maverick’s eyes though and before he even realized it, he agreed to Maverick’s proposal.
They were outside. Maverick was already straddling his bike and Ice was already getting second thoughts.
“You fly top end fighter jets for the military and you’re scared of a little motorcycle.” Maverick teased.
“Maybe it’s the driver I’m afraid of.” Ice said. He thought he was afraid of Maverick in more ways than one.
“It’s easy to be scared of greatness.” Maverick said.
Ice huffed and got on the back of the motorcycle. He tried not to shake. He was grateful Maverick thought it was because of the motorcycle.
They started driving. It wasn’t quite as bad as he thought it would be. It might have been better because he got to hold Maverick though. He settled in for a long drive.
About halfway through he thought he heard Maverick trying to say something, but he couldn’t hear beyond the wind.
When they slowed down enough, he realized Maverick had been singing rather than talking. Ice was glad to learn Maverick wasn’t a good singer. It was good to know Maverick wasn’t perfect at everything.
They were almost home. Ice was a little surprised he hadn’t died, but there was still time, he thought to himself. They were at a stoplight.
“Sing with me, Ice.” Maverick yelled back at him.
“No way in hell.” Ice yelled back.
“I’m not moving until you sing something.” Maverick said.
Ice decided to call his bluff. After a minute of not moving despite the light having turned green, Ice realized he had two options. Get off and walk the rest of the way back to his house or sing. It was past two in the morning and cold. Ice decided to create a third option and pick malicious compliance.
“A B C D E F G-“ Ice began to sing.”-H I J K L M-“ Maverick joined in not caring how ridiculous the whole situation was.
Ice lost it. He began laughing to which Maverick also joined in. They were both laughing on top of a motorcycle sitting still at a cross light when it happened. The Bond.
The bond is hard for most people to describe. Some say it’s as if you’ve been in the Arctic winter and came across a fire for the first time. The beautiful warmth that makes you realize you found something you didn’t know you needed. For ice it was like he had a constant buzzing in his ears that he had grown so used to he didn’t even notice it until the bond clicked in and he knew what peace and quiet felt like.
“Let’s go home.” Maverick said quietly.
Ice hugged him tighter in response.
They stopped at Maverick’s house. Maverick walked in leaving the door open behind him. Ice followed a minute later.
“I don’t know what to do.” Maverick said when Ice shut the door.
“This may be the first time we’re in agreement about something.” Ice said. “Do you want to do something?”
Maverick sighed which made Ice’s heart stop. What if Maverick rejected the bond? It was rare but it could happen.
“I want you to be happy. I hope you can be happy with me, but if you can’t then please tell me now before I lose even more of my heart to you.” Maverick said.
Maverick was reckless, dangerous, he wore his heart on his sleeve and didn’t care what anybody thought about it. He was everything Ice tried his hardest not to be. Ice didn’t think anybody could compare to Maverick. He didn’t want to compare Maverick to anybody.
Ice crossed the room and kissed him.
The next morning Maverick woke up with Ice in his bed..
Maverick hated being bored. He hated having to stay in one place for longer than absolutely necessary. That changed when he and Iceman bonded. Besides Maverick, Ice never grew to love anything he hated. He could be stubborn when he wanted to, which was albeit most of the time. Maverick however learned to appreciate the quiet moments now that he had someone to share them with. Waking up in the morning was so much funner when he woke up with an arm slung around Ice’s waist, he thought to himself.
“Are you staring at my ass?” Ice said, startling Maverick who thought his partner was still asleep.
“Do you want me to be?” Maverick replied.
Ice hummed sleepily in response.
Slipping out of bed Maverick made his way to the kitchen to start on the coffee. While it was brewing Maverick had an idea. Whether it was a good or bad idea was still unknown. He decided to cook Ice breakfast.
It was a well known fact of life that Maverick couldn’t cook, but that never stopped him from trying. It was as if the man was trying to get Salmonella whenever he cooked chicken. Then again, he thought to himself, how hard could it be to make pancakes? He had completely forgotten what happened last time he tried to make them.
Maverick set out on his quest. He managed to mix the batter without incident. He considered that to be a great success. His good luck did not last long. He poured the batter on the skillet and then went to get coffee from the pot which resulted in him forgetting about the pancakes. He remembered as soon as they turned out a little too burned for human consumption. He started cleaning up the mess in hopes to quickly forget all about the evil pancakes. That’s when Ice walked in.
“Mav, did you try to make me breakfast?” Ice asked with surprise in his voice.
“Define breakfast.” Mav replied.
“I never took you as the domestic type.” Ice said with a grin.
“Fuck off.” Mav huffed. His cheeks were turning redder by the second.
“I love it.” Ice said seriously.
Maverick rolled his eyes.”How can you love something that’s in the trash?”
“Because you tried.” Ice said.
Maverick wasn’t expecting that. Ice was never cruel but he always met Maverick with quips and jests. He wasn’t used to sincerity.
Ice came up behind him and wrapped his arms around him. Maverick could feel Ice lean down to rest his head on Maverick’s shoulder. He loved the feeling of being engulfed by the other man’s warmth.
“How about I cook and you get me a cup of coffee?” Ice said.
“You know how to cook?” Maverick asked skeptically.
“It impresses cute guys.” Ice said.
“Who said I was impressed?” Mav tried to deflect.
“Who said I was talking about you?” Ice shot back as he walked over to survey the fridge for ingredients.
Maverick had always been a little bit skeptical of the bond, but when he and Ice bonded he knew it had been right. He was so thankful for it. He never thought Ice would look at him like that, but he was wrong. He had never been happier to be wrong.
They spent the whole day together just enjoying the other’s presence. Goose tried calling, but Maverick decided to tell him about the new Developments when he saw him next. Today was about him and the man he knew he was going to fall in love with.
Months later they were relaxing on the couch together when Ice recommended going on a bike ride the next morning. Maverick couldn’t believe what he had heard. Ice had made it clear how he felt about Maverick’s bike. Nonetheless they agreed to go on a drive the next morning.
Ice was nervous. He didn’t get nervous often and logically he knew there was no need to be nervous about his plan, but he wanted it to be perfect. He wanted it to be perfect for Maverick, it’s what he deserves.
They were getting on Maverick’s bike for the ride when Ice oh so casually suggested riding to the dock. Mav agreed. Step one of the plan is complete, he thought to himself.
When they got to the dock Ice was relieved to see the boat he asked to borrow was there. Step two complete.
He could tell Maverick was confused when Ice boarded on the boat, but he followed his boyfriend up there without question.
“Have you ever actually been sailing, sailor?” Ice asked, knowing the answer
“I don’t sail boats, I land on them. We both do.” Maverick said.
“I’m more than a one trick pony, Honey.” Ice said, winking at him.
“Show me then.” Maverick challenged.
“All you had to do was ask.” Ice smiled.
Ice started the boat explaining everything to Maverick. As quick as Maverick was with planes he was as slow with boats, but Ice would never mind taking his time to explain anything to him. After a while Maverick got the hang of it.
“If I didn’t know better I’d think you took me out here to kill me and dispose of my body.” Maverick said with a teasing grin.
“I love you.” Ice said with all the seriousness in the world.
Maverick startles at that before breaking out in a grin. “Your response to me thinking you might murder me is “I love you”?”
“My response to anything you can say is I love you.” Ice said.
“It’s a good thing I love you too then.” Maverick said meaning every word.
They spent the whole day out there basking in each other's presence. Maverick, despite being in the navy, never liked the water. He couldn’t control it like he could his plane while in the clouds. The waves were much too uncontrollable. They were far too much like him. Unbeknownst to him that’s why Iceman picked the day on the boat to admit the depth of his feelings. Ice recognizes the wild flame inside of Maverick’s heart. The deep untamable wilderness in his eyes. He recognizes it and he loves and respects it.
Perhaps, he thinks, that’s why the unknown put him and Maverick together. They complimented each other like no one else could. They pushed and pulled in unison never going further than the other could handle. He would forever be thankful for finding his soul’s significant other. When he thinks back on his life before The Bond he found it empty, not that he realized it at the time. He was happy before, but he didn’t realize how happy he could be. Peace has found him, it also found Maverick as much as it could.
Later when people would ask about their bond, Maverick would tell people that nobody could resist him, not even the infamous Iceman. Maverick knew it was him that could never resist Ice though. Ice would tell them he hated everything Maverick was so much it turned into love. A deep unconditional love.