Chapter Text
The sun barely lit the base, and Maverick adjusted his flight jacket as he walked toward the hangar. He couldn’t help but smile seeing Iceman there, standing by his old plane, with the same expression as always… but a little clumsier.
“Alright, Ice… ready to show that veterans still have reflexes?” Maverick asked, crossing his arms with his usual confidence.
Iceman nodded, but as he stepped toward the plane, he tripped over a loose cable and nearly fell. Maverick reacted quickly, catching him firmly.
“I think so…” murmured Iceman, blushing. “Nothing can go wrong, right?”
Maverick smiled, amused and tender at the same time. “No matter how clumsy you are, Ice… I’m always here.”
After making sure Iceman was okay, they walked together to the flight simulator. Iceman, still a little embarrassed, started handling the controls—but pressed the wrong buttons and set off alarms.
“Ice!” Maverick exclaimed, laughing. “That wasn’t the power button!”
Iceman let out a nervous laugh. “I’ve always been clumsy…”
“And that makes you adorable,” Maverick said, moving closer and taking his hand. “Come on, breathe. We’ll do it together.”
For the first time in a long while, Iceman allowed himself to relax. Maverick guided him through the maneuvers, gently correcting each mistake and laughing with him at the minor mishaps.
At the end, as they got up from the simulator, Maverick leaned close to Iceman and brushed his lips against his in a brief, warm, comforting kiss.
“I think… I got used to you rescuing me,” Iceman whispered.
“And I’ll never stop,” Maverick replied, hugging him gently. “Welcome back, Ice.”