FIC: Every Way That Mattered (Top Gun, Iceman/Maverick, PG)

[carlyinrome]

TITLE: Every Way That Mattered
RATING: PG
FANDOMS: Top Gun
PAIRINGS: Pete "Maverick" Mitchell/Tom "Iceman" Kazansky
SUMMARY: Written for boasamishipper for the prompt a kiss out of envy or jealousy. Contains the tiniest spoiler for Storm 4, which is still at the beta.

Maverick wanted to hire two new instructors before classes started at Fallon. He invited seven candidates to interview, and he might have hired any of them, but he'd had Ice sit in on the interviews, and he'd only approved one pilot. The decision was Maverick's; the job was Maverick's. He only included Ice because he'd have to work with whomever they hired, and occasionally, he had a good insight into things. That was all.

Maverick hired the pilot Ice liked, and kept taking applications for the other spot. He was a little angry at himself about it, but tried not to look at his reasoning too closely; it only made him madder.

The new instructor was a woman, Jian-Mei Lee, call sign Jubilee, after the comic book character. She was a few years younger than Maverick and Ice, high energy with a quick mind. She was an excellent pilot, and fell somewhere between Ice and Maverick in terms of flying style. Maverick liked her, both in the classroom and as a person.

The problem was, Ice liked her, too. They talked about things that Maverick didn't understand, getting into spirited debates about esoteric physics principles they'd learned getting the masters degrees Maverick hadn't bothered with, or modern deployment practices Maverick missed after spending the last decade at TOPGUN. There was no reason to be jealous, Maverick told himself—daily now. Ice had no romantic or sexual interest in women, and it was petty and childish to sulk because he'd made a friend.

Still, Maverick had never been what you'd call super in charge of his emotions. It had always been the other way around.

It was nearing the end of the day. Maverick had had a meeting with the brass, so Ice and Jubilee took TOPGUN NAWDC's first class on their afternoon hop. Maverick got back just in time to see the students headed to showers, and Ice hopping down from his plane, meeting Jubilee on the ground and laughing at something she said.

Maverick waited until they were close, since he didn't want to shout.

"Commander Kazansky," he said, "can I see you in my office for a moment?"

"Detention, teacher's pet?" Jubilee asked, laughed when Ice shot her a look, and then walked to the showers.

Ice followed Maverick to his office. Maverick shut the door behind them, and then he half pushed, half lifted Ice onto his desk. He held him by the waist, and he grabbed a fistful of Ice's short, damp hair, and he kissed him, long and hard and as good as a brand saying, PROPERTY OF MAVERICK MITCHELL.

Ice was smiling when they broke for air. "Somethin' you wanna tell me, Mav?" he asked.

"I think I just did, Commander," Maverick said.

"I may need to hear it again," Ice said slowly.

Maverick kissed him again. And again. Ice closed his eyes, the same as he did any time Maverick kissed him, and he let Maverick lean him back a bit, so he was off balance, head swimming, vulnerable and trusting. Maverick kissed him, and he thought about how lucky he was, and he thought about how stupid it was to be jealous. No one else got this part of Ice, and no one ever would again. Ice was all his, in every way that mattered.