Nadia and Ivy had finished up for the day and gone home. Each had their own place but occasionally stayed with the other.

Nadia had just finished heating up some leftovers to eat for dinner when she got a call. And it was none other than her pseudo brother, Lex Marin.

“I'm about to start eating. This had better be good,” she threatened.

A laugh was heard from the other end of the line. “What, no hello?”

She simply raised an eyebrow, face unimpressed. “I'm hungry. You know what I do when you get between me and my food.”

On the other side of the phone, Lex shakes his head. “I'm in town and wanted to catch up. Meet me at the Hard Deck? Or do you want me to pick you up?”

“I'll meet you there. Give me 30 minutes, I actually want to eat my dinner.”

☽☆☾   ☽☆☾   ☽☆☾

Arriving at the bar, Nadia took a breath before entering. Some days, she's good with crowds. Other days, she wants nothing to do with anyone.

But she walked through the door, heading straight to the bar to greet Penny. She smiles at the woman who immediately gets Nadia's usual ready. The bar was a bit full for a conversation, so they had that silent talk with their eyes and left it at that.

Nadia grabs a table, observing the others in the bar as she waits for Lex. Luckily, she doesn't have to wait long.

“Na-No!”

Nadia immediately turns around with a wicked glare on his face. It doesn't affect Lex in any way, having grown used to that look, especially with his little nickname for her.

“Now, don't give me that look. I know you're happy to see me,” he chides, smiling as he moves towards her.

She still gives him a hug despite the glare. “You know I hate that nickname, Lex.”

He gives her a squeeze, just to annoy her a little more. “That's why I say it.”

Nadia shakes her head, still resting against Lex. Finally, she released the man. “Go get your drink, I'm not going anywhere.”

Lex saluted her and then went up to the bar. He ends up next to a man in a Navy khaki uniform, the name ‘Hangman’ clearly displayed.

"Penny, my dear, I'll have 4 more on the old timer," Hangman says up at the bar, looking straight at the older man, wearing a bomber jacket. (Apparently, he put his phone on the bar, a big no-no for Penny.)

Lex was quick to get his drink and head back to his table. Nadia gestured to the clear group of Navy personnel in the bar. “Didn't feel like wearing your uniform?”

He shook his head. “I like when I can observe people without them trying to observe me as well.”

Nadia gave him a look. “Thank you for that incredibly clear answer.”

He shrugged. “I was recalled to Top Gun. For what, I have no idea. But they were all clearly called up as well.”

Nadia nodded. Obviously, she knew about the mission. Her boss had told her just that day. But she didn't know Lex was recalled for it as well.

“Didn't want your other teammates to know who you are?”

Lex took a swig of his drink. “As you can see, I'm younger than all of them. I graduated not too long ago, so I'm the freshest meat in terms of Top Gun. I'd like to see how they act without them knowing I'm also part of this assignment.”

She nods her head in understanding. “I get that. Well, we can observe together. After all, I am a pretty good judge of character.”

And just in time, too, because there seemed to be a standoff starting. Lucky for them, they were close enough to hear the argument.

"Bradshaw, as I live and breathe." Hangman comes back to the group, taking the pool stick from Bob just as he's about to take his shot.

"Hangman, you look," he hesitates slightly, "good," Rooster says reluctantly.

"Oh, I am good, Rooster," Hangman says, lining up for his shot, "I'm very good," he says while taking his shot, looking directly at Rooster.

Lex and Nadia looked at each other. “Well this guy needs to be taken down a peg or two.”

"In fact, I am too good to be true," he continues. Rooster, Phoenix, and Payback all look at each other, shaking their heads.

"So anybody know what this special detachment is all about?" Payback ask the group.

"A mission’s a mission," Hangman says. "What I want to know is who's gonna be team leader? And which one of you has what it takes to follow me?" He says smugly, looking directly at Rooster.

"Hangman, the only place you'll be leading anyone is an early grave," Rooster says matter of factly.

"Ooohh," Fanboy exclaims. Nadia and Lex were also ‘ooohhh’ing because that was a good burn.

Hangman gets up from the pool table, walking past Phoenix, and goes straight for Rooster. "Well any man who follows you is just gonna run out of fuel, but that's just your aim Rooster, you're stuck on that perch, waiting for just the right moment that never comes," Hangman says, getting right up in Rooster’s face.

Nadia leaned over to Lex. “Is it weird? I kinda want them to kiss right now?” Lex only gave her an incredulous look.

'I love this song," Hangman says with a smile, very smugly, before walking away.

"Well, he hasn't changed," Phoenix says, walking up to Rooster.

"Nope, sure hasn't," Bradley replies

"Check it out," Fanboy says. "More badges."

"That's Harvard, Yale, Omaha, shit that's Fritz," Payback names them all.

Lex ducks his head a bit. “This is insane. I've never seen this many graduates recalled before.”

"What kind of mission is this?" Fanboy questions. Nadia desperately wants to know that as well.

"That's not the question we should be asking,'' Phoenix tells them. "Everyone here is the best there is. Who the hell are they gonna get to teach us?"

Nadia finished her drink before looking up and making eye contact with one of the aviators in the group. He was tan, on the shorter side (not that Nadia minded, short kings all the way), and a buzzed hair cut.

She's quick to break the look before peaking back over to see if he was still looking. (He wasn't.)

“Lex,” she nudges the man. “Do you know who that one is? The buzzcut?”

He raises his eyebrow before getting a good look at the man. “His callsign in Fanboy, no clue where it came from, and he is a fantastic WSO. Other than that, I got nothing.”

She nods, looking away. “Wait, why do you want to know?” Now Lex is smirking at her. But before she can answer, the sound of piano keys erupts through the air.

They look over to see the man called Rooster sitting on the bench, smiling as his friends come over to him.

He starts to play a song neither Nadia nor Lex know, but apparently, the rest of the bar does. That doesn't stop them from enjoying it, getting into the mood with everyone else.

After he took his bow, an encode was requested. And he played a song that not only Lex and Nadia knew, but one that also danced too.

The moment they took to the dance floor (really just a clear spot of the bar), they had the attention of everyone.

But it was one particular man who had his eyes on the beautiful woman who was dancing like she had no care in the world.

Mickey Garcia was mesmerized, to say the least. His best friend and partner, Reuben Finch, was quick to notice.

Seeing just who had captured his friend's attention, Payback only smiled. He knew the woman. He knew the man she was dancing with.

And he knew he could set up two people who, in his opinion, deserved the world.

Oh yes, Payback was about to play matchmaker.

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Word count: 1,343

Here we go everyone!! Now, I'm an only child but I have friends who are basically siblings, so I'll be basing a lot of Nadia and Lex's interactions off of my own. But I love their relationship and dynamic. It's so fun and playful but also cute and serious.

And we've got some looks between our main couple!! They will be introduced soon, but this story is a fast slow burn, if you will.

Since the movie is over the course of like 3 weeks, it's technically  a fast burn, but I can say right now, they won't be kissing/together until close to the end. So it's also a slow burn.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this and see you next chapter. Bye guys!!