this chapter is a mess i apologise but i didn't wanna keep y'all waiting longer 😭

THE HARD DECK HADN'T BEEN QUITE THIS BUSY IN SO LONG, it was bittersweet; seeing so many familiar faces fill the bar, and yet they were dressed in black.

Kristen found herself tucked into a bar seat in the corner, where Penny kept an eye on her throughout. The constant sound condolences and apologies had started to wear Kristen out, who'd spiralled into a lonely silence with a now empty whiskey glass in one hand, and the other twirling Iceman's old dog tags between her fingers.

"How's it going blondie?" Jake slid into the free seat beside Kristen, her favourite drink in his hand as he nudged it closer to her. Kristen clasped the dog tags in her hands shut, looking over at Jake, "Pretty shit, blondie."

Her eyes slurred into his gaze, her jaw tightening as reflex to push the tears back, "Today fucking sucked, Jake."

"I know," Jake answered in a whisper, as he lowered his head. His eyes lingered on her fallen expression, acknowledging that the last thing she wanted to hear was something else to cause tears.

"You want me to grab Bradshaw?"

She was almost startled to hear some sort of kindness in Jake's tone as opposed to his snarkiness, "I already covered his shirt in mascara, I'm forcing him to mingle otherwise I'll start crying into his shoulders again."

"Mingling at a funeral?" Jake teased the girl, a short smile cracking, "You know what I meant Jake."

He just wanted to help bring a smile back to her face.

"I know," He hummed again. Jake watched the girl take a sip of her drink, "But hey... my shoulder's free for mascara stains, only for you though."

"Look at you, Seresin. Still the shoulder to cry on but not the shoulder to lie on?" She said, resting her head onto her hand upright over the bar.

"Har, har," He rolled his eyes, "I ever told you, you're a comedian?"

"Beware of a woman with a heart broke in a couple places, Hangman," Kristen took a swig at her drink, continuing to poke at Jake, "It's cool though, I'm sure you've had plenty of women crying on your shoulder. Is it like, a move?"

Jake threw his arms up in defence, "I'm not this casanova you keep telling yourself I am, Frostbite. Y'know, I have been in love once."

"I was kidding, Jake," She pouted, nudging the blonde, her words slurring in the slightest, "Dude, lighten up — it's a funeral."

Jake pulled at her drink, "Is this the time where I get Penny to cut you off?"

She released it from her fingers, "Alright, alright. I'm done."

Kristen stretched her arms, a yawn coming from her mouth as she picked up her father's dog tags once more, "I'm surprised you're not playing pool."

"Well I was actually tasked with getting the p-pr-," He pretended to choke, "The pro to come play to teach some old bags a lesson, and apparently that's not me."

Kristen sarcastically pouted, "Oh, Bagman. How much did they pay you to say that one?"

"No money just the kindness in my heart," Jake held his hands to his chest, "And the fact that I'll still beat your ass at a game of pool."

Kristen, however, faked a sadder expression, making her lips quiver, "My dad just died, Jake. I'm not interested in a game of pool."

Jake gulped hard, his eyes going wide, "Right- Right! I know that, I just-"

She couldn't help but snort, swinging around the bar stool, "Oh I'm going straight to hell! You should see the look on your face!"

"That was foul, Frostbite," Jake shook his head, offering his hand for her to hop out of the stool, blushing, "Outright foul."

"What're you playing at?" Her eyes darted to his hand, ignoring it as she hopped off her chair herself. Jake threw his arms up, "I'm just being nice."

"And they say chivalry is dead," She retorted.

"I'm pretty sure Rooster's got that covered," Jake turned his head to see the boy hovered over the pool table, then back to her, "But I'm here for you. You know that, I'll be 'chivel' if I have to."

"Chivel is absolutely not a word, talk about someone needing a dictionary," She rolled her eyes, observing as he scratched the back of his neck. She nudged him, "Dude, you're still my friend. You're a dick, but I want your dumbass around."

"Wouldn't want it any other way," Jake broke eye contact, a quick shake to his head as the somewhat soft tone morphed back into his cocky attitude, "Lead the way, Frostbite."

——

THE MOOD WAS MUCH LIGHTER, most of the tears in the room had dried and the atmosphere turned into a celebration of Iceman's life. The Kazanksy family were still in shambles, being held together by their closest family and friends.

Kristen appeared to be doing better when with her friends. A very intense game of pool was happening, Kristen recalling her father's infamous techniques to secure a win against a few older aviators and Admirals who'd insisted the newer generation couldn't beat them at their own game.

Kristen bent on her tip toes, her head rested on her hands above the cue as her eyes were caught by Penny moving toward one of the many photo walls, pinning down a picture of her family as well as one of Kristen and her father.

"There's that smile we all wanna see again," Bradley nudged the blonde, admiring the new pictures that adorned the wall. Kristen looked up at the boy, "I'd kill to see his again."

Bradley roped his arm around her, pulling her close as he planted a kiss on her forehead, "I know, Kit... And I know it won't be the same, but you got those photos, the videos, the memories... You got all your people too."

"And yet, ain't it so bittersweet how the people who give you your greatest memories can just turn into one overnight?" She sighed.

The group spun around at the sound of a clearing throat; there stood two of the most intimidating men, and Maverick.

"Hey Princess," Ron 'Slider' Kerner smiled, and Mike 'Viper' Metcalf waved. Slider's arms opened wide as she met him with a hug, "How's our littlest ice spawn?"

"Oh my god," She squeezed her uncle, even roping Viper into the hug. Her head was rested on Slider's chest, "We missed ya, kid."

"I missed you guys too," Kristen broke into sniffles, pulling away from the hug as she looked up at two of her father's old friends.

"Your dad mighta left us too soon, but you've got all of us behind ya. Even those nutcases aren't too bad," Viper announced, a slower tempo in his voice that builded as he tried to joke.

"Nutcases?" Slider and Maverick objected, while Viper raised one of his hands to silence them. Slider pushed his hand down to add, "He was so proud of you Kris. You doin' the Kazanksy name good, I promise you."

"I feel like that's all I've ever wanted to hear," She covered her eyes quickly, noticing a rush of tears return, "Fuck, y'all are making me cry again!"

"Happy tears, Princess," Viper peeled her hands away, "I gotta give you the textbook answer here, you're daddy wouldn't have wanted you to cry."

"Yes he would have," Slider snickered, "Ice would've wanted everyone sobbing their little hearts out as we watched highlights of his life and every reason why we was superior to all of his."

Kristen made a crooked smile, "He knew he was the best. I admired that."

"And you Kris? Y'know you're the best?" Slider nudged her, "Grade A tip, even if you ain't — act like it. It'll get you far."

"But you gotta back it up with work," Viper cleared his throat, facing the blonde with a teacher-like approach as he did best, "I ain't gonna blow sunshine up your ass, Lieutenant. A good pilot is compelled to always evaluate what's happened so they can apply what they've learned. Up there, you gotta push it kid. That's your job. It's all up to you though."

"Viper, I thought I was the only one," Maverick pretended to gauge his heart, "I thought I was the only one you've said that to!"

"Did I tell her she's got a confidence problem. No? Did I tell you that? Yes, I sure did. And would I again? Absolutely Captain," Viper sarcastically saluted Maverick, turning back to the blonde.

She crossed her arms, "You guys heard about my little fall huh?"

"I wouldn't say little," Bradley tensed.

Slider replied, "No matter what happens with it, if there's a will there's a way, Kris. You want this mission, you go get it. You can't take no for an answer."

"A no might be a blessing too though, Kris," Viper added, "It ain't a disaster if you don't make it one. You train that bit harder, you fly that bit harder... You'll get there Little Kazansky, I see it in the way you've flown your whole life. You got some kind of special love for this job, don't let it go to waste."

"Sweet," Kristen pondered between his words, taking what she liked into account, "Everybody better buckle up, the cut-throat bitch from her Top Gun days is about to rearise."

"Did you hear a word we just said?" Viper facepalmed himself as Slider whispered, charging for a high five, "Atta girl, icespawn!"

——

LATER, BRADLEY HAD SNAKED HIS ARM AROUND HER WAIST, his crooked smile appearing as the blonde spun around to see his face, "You wanna dance, darlin?"

She nodded with her nose scrunched, Kristen lifting his sunglasses to the top of his head, "It's rude to wear your glasses inside, Bradshaw. Can't nobody see your little playboy face."

"Don't inflate his ego, Bradley can't pull a girl to save his life," Natasha laughed, getting a joking glare from Bradley. He whistled, sending Kristen into a spin as he pulled her in to a dip, "I got this little lady, I think."

"He pulls, the boy just can't keep," Kristen teased as he pulled her up, snaking from his puckered lips. Natasha gave him the bird as Kristen pulled her over for a hug, "She's been mine. Always mine."

"My girl for life," Sincerity flooded through her pouted lips, Natasha pulling her for a tighter hug.

"You just started a war you can't win Tash," Bradley whistled as she slid into the piano stool of the bar, cracking his knuckles as he laid his fingers over the keys.

Kristen's eyes flickered over to the boy as he smirked, "Any requests?"

She headed over to the piano, looking over at her mom with layers of tissues clutched between her finger tips, "She always liked when we sang-"

Without breaking eye-contact, Bradley's fingers had already pressed down on the keys.

Kristen and Bradley weren't particularly loud, definitely in their own little zone; however, a small crowd had formed and the bar had quieted down. Everyone had begun to sing a long, yet Bradley couldn't keep his eyes off his girl.

— cloudydior
my god i kept rewriting this over
and over bc i just couldn't get a
flow but hey! i don't wanna keep
y'all waiting so here it is :)

* not me writing a prequel story
and i ain't even finished this one 🤪 *