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one thing about maverick is that he will always be a child at heart. his mind and soul are so young and free. his body, mostly as well, if he ignores the achiness he has in the mornings, but that’s beside the point. mav never grew up, he just grew older. he would always be playing with toys, now those toys being quite a bit bigger and more expensive, but toys, nevertheless. when he was a kid, they would be toy planes and cars. well a toy plane and a car. his mother didn’t have much money or interest in buying more for him.
he would save up whatever money he gathered, from birthdays or christmas and then he would treat himself, in secret. he was apparently too old to be playing with toys, 12 to be exact. he kept hopping from foster home to another, not exactly having time to live a normal childhood.
so when he finally was legally an adult and got himself some adult money, his first purchase was a small toy plane. an f–4, model his father used to fly. it was small, not exactly grande or most detailed but it brought so much joy to him. mav had lost that child’s wild imagination, maybe he never really had it to begin with, but he would still try. he would try to live some parts of his childhood through that little metal plane.
when he met goose, the other took him immediately under his wing, no pun intended. with goose, mav felt safe and protected. he felt like his life was stable, something he didn’t have in his early years. he still had that toy plane. one time goose walked in on mav just rolling the toy on its tiny wheels on his bedside table with a small smile on his lips. the scene broke goose’s heart but at the same second it also mended it.
and shit, if maverick already didn’t have goose wrapped around his finger, now he did. goose would buy the kid all the damn toys in the world if it meant he would see those green eyes sparkle so brightly at a toy plane.
the next day was mav’s birthday so goose took mav to a toy store. maverick was confused at first, thought it was either a joke or they were there to buy something for new born bradley but when goose said ”no mav, we’re here for you, go get something for yourself”, mav had fucking bolted further into the store. for the first time he was taken out for toy shopping. and he was able to pick whatever he wanted? he was so happy, so giddy, he was almost trembling from excitement.
one particular model caught his eye. a ferrari 312t formula one car. it was beautiful. the model was niki lauda’s 1975 winning car. he loved it, wanted it, needed it. but damn, it was quite pricey. he turned around sheepishly to face goose, looking up at the taller man with a frown and a pout. ”you want that one?” goose pointed at the 312t. mav nodded and mumbled a small ’yes’ and something else goose didn’t hear.
”what was that?” goose asked, kneeling down in front of mav so he could see his face. maverick was looking down at his feet with his shoulders hunched, trying to make himself smaller than he already is. ”’s too expensive…”
goose checked the price tag, and sure, it was expensive, but jesus christ, he would do anything for mav so he wouldn’t look so sad and defeated. goose took mav’s hand in his and his other hand came to rest behind mav’s knee.
”hey, hey, it’s okay. it’s not too expensive mav, if you want it, i’ll buy it for you.”
mav looked like he was about to fucking cry, he wanted the damn car but he also didn’t want to be a burden. ”do you want it?” goose asked while caressing mav’s leg, still trying to look into the tiny pilot’s eyes. mav nodded.
”then we’re going to get it.” goose said with an edge of finality to his tone. he stood up, took the toy car and then took mav’s hand into his own and dragged him to the cashier. and goose did buy it for mav. and the smile he got, he will never, ever forget it. mav was all smiles for the next damn month, thanking goose whenever he could too. it made goose weak in the knees, honestly.
and after that, goose would always take mav toy shopping for his birthday.
but now, goose wasn’t here. mav hadn’t gotten toys for his birthday after goose passed. he couldn’t bear it and go alone. but he still had his little f–4 in his leather jacket and the 312t on his bedside table. and he also had a model f–14, with his and goose’s names painted on it. it was a bit wonky because they were quite tipsy when they did it, but for maverick, it was perfect. he had a couple of technic lego sets built from the 80s, but that was it. every once in a while, mav would idly play with the f–4. it was quite scuffed from the years but it was one constant thing in his life that was still there.
when mav’s birthday was coming up, the dagger squad we’re kind of panicking on what to get for their highly decorated captain. not bradley though, he knew exactly what to get for his dad. one of his earliest memories was when goose had taken him and mav toy shopping, buying one for him and one for mav. maverick always loved to play with whatever toys with bradley.
bradley decided to buy a lego mclaren senna set for him. he just knew mav was going to love it, and honestly, he himself couldn’t wait to see the older man vibrate in his seat in excitement and wanting to build the car immediately when he’d set his eyes on it.
they were at the hard deck, penny being the sweetheart she is, had reserved the place only for them tonight. hangman had bought a new watch for mav, phoenix a cologne, payback and fanboy a bottle of whiskey (with some help from penny) and bob had baked a cake.
the squad had been bothering mav for the last week, asking him what would he like for his birthday. he tried to reassure them that he really didn’t need anything, that he only wanted to have a good time with them. bradley tried to keep the smug smirk off of his face, knowing damn well that he was going to make the older man a fucking sunshine child.
so when maverick stepped into the bar, he was immediately greeted by a cheer of ’happy birthday’s and lots of hugs. some 80s rock was playing in the background, people were drinking and snacking a bit, and having a good time, just like their captain wanted.
”okay everyone—” hangman clapped his hands together to draw everyone’s attention, ”now it’s time for presents.” he grinned when mav gave him the are–you–shitting–me look.
maverick was sitting on a barstool with his back to the bar while others were scattered around him. some of them apologized for not having anything for him but he just dismissed it by saying ”it’s okay, i told you i just wanted to have a good time with you. besides, i rather you don’t waste money on something i won’t even use.”
hangman was the first to give his present to their captain. when mav opened it, he smiled widely at the watch in front of him, then at hangman. ”i know your watch got fucked on the mission, so…” he explained while scratching the back of his neck, reciprocating that big grin. ”thank you so much jake, really.” mav said as he pulled the younger man into a tight embrace before clasping the watch onto his right wrist.
next was phoenix. maverick carefully opened the pretty bow and then ripped the gift wrapping off. ”no way, how did you find this?” mav asked, this was his favourite cologne but damn was it difficult to find. ”my brother went on a cruise and i asked him to try and find it after we talked about it, remember that?” phoenix chuckled with a pink tint on her cheeks, but still having a wide smile of her own. ”oh sweetheart, thank you, thank you, you didn’t have to.” mav whispered into phoe’s ear as they hugged.
then was payback and fanboy. ”penny told us it’s your favourite whiskey and we didn’t know what else to get you, sir.” fanboy laughed nervously while his pilot was fidgeting next to him. ”i don’t drink too often but thank you so much. how about a shot for everyone?” everyone agreed to that, and penny served them with a fond smile on her face.
now it was rooster’s time to shine, and he just could not keep the shit–eating grin off of his face no matter how hard he tried. mav must’ve noticed, ”should i be worried, baby goose?” he teased when bradley gave him his present. ”open it.” bradley encouraged as he sat down on the stool next to maverick. mav ripped the wrapping off the box, and rooster thought he might melt on the spot. mav was in awe.
he still thoughtfully and carefully put the box on the bartop behind him, then got off his stool and pulled bradley into a tight embrace. rooster easily enveloped the smaller man in his arms, and he was right, mav was literally vibrating in excitement.
”thank you, thank you, thank you, i love it.” mav chanted his gratefulness with such a warm and charming smile that put the sun to shame. bradley swore maverick looked like a child on a christmas day, despite being well over his fifties. the rest of the squad were definitely confused, yet they all felt the same fuzzy and protective feeling inside. they saw that youthfulness too, then.
then was the time for bob’s cake. mav loved it and was very happy that bob had done so, but he was too buzzing and itching to build the lego car. bradley had to make a deal with him, ”one slice, then you can build the car, okay?”
”but i wan–” mav tried to protest, but muttered a whiny ’fine’ when bradley gave him that look, the one that goose used to give him. the you’re–seconds–away–from–trouble–choose–your–words–wisely look.
maverick practically inhaled the cake slice on his plate, then he took the lego cardboard box and ran into a boothed table to open it. all of the dagger squad had to hold in their ’aww’s, it was too much cuteness to handle. even hangman was experiencing cuteness aggression. rooster knew that they all had fallen into the mav trap.
bradley ate his cake slices in no hurry, but when he was done he joined maverick at the table, enthralled at how concentrated mav seemed to be. ”have fun?” he asked the older man.
”so much.” mav mumbled while he fumbled with few of the pieces, looking at the manual in front of him every few seconds. he had already built the engine and the floor. ”thank you roos.” mav said, green eyes shining with gratitude.
thank you goose.