Thoughts of the night before forcefully flooded in Dakota mind as she walked onto the base. Her hand surprisingly had recovered from the intense cramping she felt when she laid in her bed, the moonlight that was shining through the sheer curtains of the window, being absorbed by her glistening tan skin, as she threw her head back in the euphoric pleasure, her mind filled to the brim with thoughts of a certain aviator.

The itchy material of her jumpsuit surprisingly covered the singular hickey he gave her last night. Her heart clenched.

She walked along the tarmac, the F-18's paint reflecting the bright San Diego sun shining on her, making beads of sweat appear on the bridge of her nose. She brought her watch covered wrist, wiping her nose, trying to avoid moving her aviators out of place. A sigh got interrupted by an arm being slung around her shoulder, "'Sup Mustang," The deep voice of Payback started. Dakota looked up at him, as a smirk was planted firmly on his plump lips, a pair of dark aviators covering his eyes also. A smile found its way onto her freckled features, she wrapped her arm that was closest to him around his torso, "Payback, as always a pleasure to see your handsome face." he smiled at her stand off-ish ways.

"Gonna be completely honest with you Mustang, I was shocked when you didn't kill Rooster the second he stepped into your line of sight, and it'll probably put me in the hospital if he doesn't end up dead, from being killed by you, at the end of this mission." a playful look into her eyes, "Mhm I'm willing to bet on me killing him,"

The two of them approach the entrance of the large building, bodies connected as they laughed at some stupid memory Dakota brought up from their time at Top Gun. She spotted Phoenix, leaning her body against one of the chairs that was set up for the pilots, with a large American flag place in front of them. She walked up to her friend, pulling her attention from Bob, "This seat taken babe?" Phoenix just shook her head at her, "Damn calling me babe in public? That's new," Dakota lowly chuckled at her, pulling her into a hug, snaking her arms over her shoulders.

Sounds of heavy boots echoed around the building, "Careful, Mustang," the obnoxious voice of Hangman was heard, "Don't wanna piss of your mission leader this early into training," his cocky smirk only added to his tone, as a toothpick was placed between his lips. A scoff left her lips as she ran her hands over her neat bun, Dakota walked up to where he was sitting, placing her hand on the head of his seat, looking down at him, chuckling lowly, "You know, usually I just choose to put of with you arrogant bull shit," she watched as his smirk only deepened, "But this time, you're walking on a thin line before I shove my helmet so far up your ass that you won't be able to-" Phoenix placed her hands on her waist, pulling her from Hangman, "Okay, that's enough interaction between you two for today,"

Dakota turned around, only to see Rooster walking up towards them, a pair of sunglasses hanging from the unzipped portion of his jumpsuit. His eyes surprisingly met hers, only giving her a stern look before shifting his gaze to Fanboy who walked up to greet him. Phoenix noticed this, leaning in before lowly speaking, "Don't tell me you guys already fucked," The pair sat down, Mustang grabbing a pen to occupy her fingers, she turned to face an almost disappointed Phoenix, "I can assure you Nat, we didn't fuck," she trailed off, "Just made out."

"Attention on deck!" the stern voice of Cyclone echoed, causing the pilots to shoot up out of their seats, standing at attention. He made his way to where a podium was placed, a stern look plastered on his face, "Morning, welcome to your training detachment, be seated." Mustang sat down with a huff, Phoenix leaned over, "You're telling me about that later."

Dakota felt a pair of eyes burning holes into the side of her head, a smirk taking its place on her plump lips, tilting her head, "You all were at the top of you Top Gun class, the best of the best," a beat, as he looked at the young pilots, "That was yesterday, the enemy has new fifth gen fighters level our playing field." Phoenix placed a comforting hand on her thigh, rubbing small circles with her thumb, something the two of them have been doing since their time in Top Gun.

"We have very few details, unfortunately we don't have the technological advantage that we used to; success more than ever, comes down to the man or woman in the box." Hangman turned toward the two females that were sat adjacent to him, smirking as he chewed on his toothpick. Both of them flipped him off, while Dakota added a fake smile with hers, in result, causing his smirk to deepen.

Cyclone continued with his opening notes, "Only half of you will make the cut, and only one of you will be named mission leader," the two females looked at one another, their hands finding each other's, interlacing their fingers. "The other half of you will remain in reserve."

She looked over towards Rooster, who had his hands place on his thighs, occasionally flexing them, causing his veins to pop out. He deeply inhaled, turning his head to look at her, a fluttering feeling filling her lower abdomen as their eyes connected. A smirk appeared on his lips as he chuckled lowly, shaking his head and looking down. Bradley licked his lips slowly, her eyes drifted to his mouth briefly before turning her attention back to the Admiral.

"Your instructor for this mission is a Top Gun graduate with real world experience in every aspect you all will be expected to learn and master," Dakota heard footsteps against the cement floor behind her, "His exploits are legendary. What he has to tell you could very well be the difference between life or death." She turned her head, not surprised to see Maverick walking up the isle that the columns of chairs created.

She noticed how the sheer sight of him made Rooster clench his jaw and scoff, rolling his eyes. Hangman closed his and pinched the bridge of his nose, looks of disbelief covered Coyote's, Fanboy's, and Payback's faces. "I give you Captain Pete Mitchell,"  he rounded his way as he approached the podium, "Callsign: Maverick."

Mustang gave him a tight lipped smile when his eyes met hers, as he scanned the pilots that were sat in the hangar. He gave them a curt nod of his head, "Good morning," he started, before holding up an exact copy of the F-18 manual they had in front of them, "This book contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft," he gestured out to the jets that were on the tarmac, "I'm assuming you all know this inside and out?" A rhetorical question, a slight smirk on his lips as the aviators erupted in sounds of a agreement, "Hell yeah I do," Dakota said, leaning back in her chair while crossing her arms across her chest.

Maverick smiled at them, before throwing the manual into the trash can that was placed beside the podium, "So does you enemy." He firmly stated, dropping the slight smile.

Phoenix and Mustang gave each other looks of shock, as close and she was to Mav, she never knew what to expect from the older male. "But," he started, getting down from the podium and standing right in front of them, "What they don't know is your limits."

She gave a quick glance over to Rooster, noticing that his sharp jaw is still clenched, along with his hands squeezing his thighs. She inhaled deeply while crossing her legs, gaze still stuck on his hands. "I intend to find those limits, test them, and push them." She widened her eyes, "But today, we'll start with what you know, Show me what you all are made of," he gave one last look over the pilots, "Dismissed, good luck to the first team." He walked off.

Hangman walked up to the two females, "You girls don't have what it takes to last a minute up there with him," With a roll of her eyes, Mustang stood up, putting their face inches apart, breath fanning her face, "Watch it Bagman, or I'll have your ass plummeting to the ground faster than you cum," laughter bellowed out from her former Top Gun classmates, as Payback came up to her a slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, shaking with laughter while putting on his aviators, "DAMN Jake she got you good," A smile lifted on her face, beaming.

Dakota looked over to where Bradley sat, a fuming look spreading his sinfully handsome features, eyes locked where their bodies touched. A odd sense of pride washed over her, once again wrapping her arm around Payback's toned torso, pulling them closer together before he got up suddenly and stormed past her, hitting her shoulder with his as her walked toward the jets, helmet in hand.

Phoenix was busy talking with Bob, so she excused herself and discreetly followed the fuming pilots out onto the tarmac, placing her aviators on her nose. Before he could make it too far, she grabbed his wrist a pulled him against her jet, slamming his back against the body of it, a grunt of surprise flowing out of his lips. "Aw, not so strong now, are we Bradshaw?" she teased, surprising herself with the sultriness of her voice.

"What's up with the shit you've been pulling lately?" She placed her hands on his chest, pushing him with more force, trying to make him sink into the metal of the jet, "You jealous knowing I'll smoke your ass up there?"

Her brown eyes seemingly glowed in the late afternoon sun through her sunglasses, mesmerizing the man against the jet. She furrowed her eyebrows at the man, running her tongue over her cheek.

A smirk, watching as he leaned his head back, exposing his throat, Adam's apple bobbing up and down, "Jesus Mustang," a low chuckle, before he lifted his head to bring their faces closer together, "I haven't even touched you yet," He dropped his helmet, roaming his hands over hers, which were against his chest, his rough fingers grasping here, tracing lazy patterns against her soft palm, "And here you are, your little dumb brain thinking you have something over me. You're a shit pilot, you're just too scared to admit that you plateaued when you left for that mission."

Rooster walked her back, until she was up against the neighboring jet, a tsk of his tongue, "Aw what's wrong?" He looked down at her, running his tongue over his lips briefly, his eyes quickly glancing down to see her squeeze her thighs together, "Stupid little girl can't come up with something to say?" A deep whisper, her erratic heartbeat thudding in her ears, "Know your place before I have to put you in it." he spat, before leaving her and walking towards his jet.

PAIGE SPEAKS
CHAP FIVEEEEE BABYYYYYY once again, not to sound egotistical BUT i'm proud of this one🤭🤭🤭 got me climbing up the walls from my own writing i stg

now...... my version of rooster is VERY different from how he is usually portrayed in most books ive read. this once again applies to the entire plot of the book.

BUT once again if the way i portray him makes you uncomfortable please don't feel forced to continue reading, given that he will only get worse from here. (same thing w the smut, ive alrady written one and that shit is WHEWW😭)