"I THINK YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH," KRISTEN CLEARED HER THROAT, though Bradley didn't stop his push-ups. It was painful to watch, he'd surely surpassed 100 by now but was so numb and upset that he just kept going. Kristen clenched her jaw tightly, "Rooster stop."

She shuffled next to him, with enough space, and threw her bag to the floor. Within a minute,  Kristen was matching his pace of pushups. She did so in silence, dreading the feeling that made her do them in the first place.

He eventually spat at the ground, mustering strength to stand up as he wore himself out — Kristen didn't bat an eyelash, wanting to maintain her strong appearance. He avoided her eye, turning to leave as soon as his feet were flat on the ground again. This time she stood and grabbed his arm, "Bradley."

"Yes Lieutenant Kazansky," Bradley looked down at the girl. With annoyance from being referred to so formally, she poked his chest, "This shit with you and Maverick isn't going to work the way it's going."

"I never said it would," He sulked.

"Don't go having a temper tantrum now Roost," Kristen locked her eyes with his, "I know you want this as much as I do, so you need to let this grudge go for you. Not for him."

"It's not just a grudge Kit and you know that," Bradley gritted his teeth, "He's the reason I never grew up with a father and he's the same reason my career got held back. You didn't have that. He didn't hold you back and he didn't take someone you loved from him."

Kristen's heart raced a little faster when she saw the frustration coarse through his face, "Mav loved your dad. Even I know that much."

"Guess that's another lesson for us to learn here," Bradley shook his head, "Love can't mean all that much can it? Cus if it did, almighty Captain Pete Mitchell wouldn't have gotten involved with my papers at the academy."

Kristen bit her tongue afterward and the two stood in an awkward silence. She ended up running her hands through her hair as she took a breath, "I'm going on this mission Rooster, with or without you. But I think we both know that I want you up there with me. Stop trying to throw it away! W-we used to be the dream team."

"I know," He tried to simmer. Rooster thought about walking away, taking a few steps but turned to face the girl once more, "No, you know what? Kristen, did you know he was gonna be here today?"

She nodded, "I thought he'd show, I didn't know he was going to be our teacher."

"Great," Rooster frowned, "You know how much I can't stand him, a heads up would've been nice."

"God! You need to pull your head out of your ass and stop taking your anger out on me, Bradshaw," She spat in response, "I'm not willing to fight with you over this bullshit again."

——

KRISTEN RETURNED TO HER APARTMENT, showered and headed straight for Penny's bar. She was never one to drink around the time of a mission or important job but today's frustration hit her a little too hard. She didn't want to get drunk, she just wanted something. And while she wouldn't admit it, she really needed some words of wisdom from her favourite bartender, Penny.

Her father texted her as she left;
HOW'S MY ICE QUEEN?

They texted a little, Iceman divulging that the admirals were very impressed with Kristen, however, they still weren't too keen on Maverick. He even let her know that Maverick somehow got the hard deck restriction lowered for the mission practice, causing a curiosity in Kristen; how low were they about to fly?

She finally made her way to the bar, sliding into a seat opposite Penny, "Beer me Pen. I beg of you."

"On a work night?" Penny's brows furrowed as she handed her a beer, "What the hell happened today?"

"Roosters a bitch, Maverick's a bitch. Everyone's a fucking bitch," She hummed, laying her head onto the table as she became eye level with her beer. Penny pouted, stroking the girls hair, "Sounds rough."

"It is," She affirmed, noting Penny's slight sarcasm. Penny leaned over the bar, "You're in a tough situation Kristen, I know it's not fair."

"Bradley's been living with the grudge since he could remember, and Maverick's lived with the guilt of it," Kristen divulged, "It's shit because Maverick's like another father figure because Ice has kept him around for so damn long."

"When was the last time you saw Bradley?" Penny asked and Kristen replied, "I saw him like a year ago ago when we both got called up for a smaller mission, but we didn't talk much. It was just stupid banter. I'd heard he was seeing someone else too."

Penny pouted, "And do you still see him in that way Kris?"

"It didn't work before,  I hardly think it'll work now," She mumbled as she took a sip of her beer, "Remember the night we broke up and I came crying here? I'm surprised we're even talking to this day."

"Deep down the both of you knew you didn't want to lose each other, that's important part Kristen," Penny insisted, "It should tell you a lot. Isn't there that statistic that ex's staying friendly means they're still in love?"

"Or never were," Kristen whined, "I think he'd started to almost resent me for a while back then, I mean, imagine it Pen? I'd graduated the Academy and he'd just started. I missed his godamn graduation because I was deployed. We had this whole plan to do everything together and it just didn't happen."

"For such a smart girl, you're so damn clueless," Penny commented, pulling the beer from her fingertips to gain Kristen's attention, "He's crazy about you, and he always has been. You two both need to grow up and learn to seperate work and your personal life."

"I can't do that when one of my dad's best friend's is the one blamed for the boy I may or may not be still in love with's death that occurred during work of which we are all still involved in," Kristen stole back her drink for a final glug, "I should make a whiteboard diagram on this. That would be productive."

"Both of you keep blaming other people for the downfall," Penny teased, "How about holding yourselves accountable for what you want? If you want it to work, make it work."

"No, no, don't go getting smart with me now," Kristen exhaled, "He's being an asshole anyways, he lost it at me like three hours ago when I saved his ass and tried to talk him down."

Penny giggled at her. With a huff, Kristen took a swig of another beer Penny poured, "You know what? Let's instead thank god for the air conditioning and alcohol in this place. It's like heaven, so let's stop talking about my living hell."

"Good to know you'll be pleased by an AC and beer," Penny smirked, her eyes lifting to the front door, "Hey Krissy, shall I let your supposed asshole of an ex know?"

"If that man walks over here I think I will combust from heat stroke," Kristen jolted upward in panic, "Not because he's hot and bothered, it's because I'm hot and bothered. And not bothered like romantically just bothered that he's-"

"He's now sitting right next to you," Bradley slid into the bar seat next to her, and Kristen spun around to avert, "Kit, this isn't musical chairs."

"I'll leave you guys to it," Penny tapped on the bar front, leaving to tend to other customers. Rooster did however raise his hand to ask for a drink, but Penny happily ignored him.

"Are you gonna turn around or-"

"No," She replied, grabbing her beer for another sip. He scratched his neck in silence before poking the girl's shoulder... then her neck... then her back until she finally spun around in annoyance, "Rooster. No."

"Frosty. Yes."

— cloudydior
probably gonna post the next chapter
sooner bc i love updating this <3

TY FOR 1k !!!