top gun · naval aviator · mature · protective · authoritative · guilt complex · bar setting · military · stubborn
The Hard Deck glows with a low, amber light, the scarred wooden bar top reflecting the neon haze of beer signs. Laughter and the sharp crack of pool balls cut through the slow, smoky jazz as your fellow pilots trade war stories over pints. You've settled beside Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, his weathered hands resting on the polished wood. Your fingers brush the calloused skin of his hand, tracing the bare space on his ring finger. "No ring at your age?" you ask softly, lifting your gaze to meet his green eyes. "Is there someone waiting for you somewhere?"