Ice and Fire (Top Gun, Iceman)

[Wolfwings22]

Thanks to @RemedyBaneI have been literally obsessed with Top Gun these past couple weeks. Their drabbles have taken over my life in the best way and if you haven’t already you need to check it out! They’ve inspired me to write my own with my favorite pilot ship Maverick and Iceman. This is my first Top Gun story so I’m still trying to find out character personalities but I hope I did okay for my first one. I hope to write some more but for now I hope you all enjoy!

@RemedyBanethis one is for you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    “Ice, I’m here,” Maverick called as he walked into his friend’s house and set the keys to his motorcycle onto a the counter with a soft clang. “Ice?”

 

    Maverick glanced around the kitchen to find that dishes were stacked in the sink and there was a dirty pan still on the stove. It wasn’t overly messy by any means, but definitely more than Ice ever tended to let things go. Apprehension churned in his stomach as he ventured further into Ice’s small house, looking for his wingman.

 

    “Ice,” he called once more, slowly walking down the hallway until he made it into Ice’s room to find that the bed was made and laundry was folded at the end of the bed. That certainly seemed more like the Iceman that Maverick knew.

 

    Before Maverick could call for him again, the bathroom door that was connected to Ice’s room swung open. Maverick couldn’t help but smile when he saw Ice standing in khakis and a polo shirt. It wasn’t often that he saw him out of his navy uniform and as much as he liked seeing him in that, he would be lying if he said he didn’t sometimes wish he could see Ice in more casual clothing, at least when he went out.

 

    “You’re early,” Ice commented, appearing flustered as he glanced at his fellow pilot.

 

    Maverick titled his head a bit before lifting his watch up and staring at it. He flipped his wrist around to show Ice as well. “I’m actually here right on the dot. I know how you are with punctuality.”

 

    What Maverick wasn’t going to confess was that he had been waiting outside on his motorcycle for the better half of twenty minutes, not wanting to venture inside and be considered too early, while also not wanting to be late. Finding that happy medium was imperative when it came to dealing with Ice as far as Maverick was concerned.

 

    Ice wrinkled his brow as he read the time with a resigned huff. Straightening, he quickly swiped a curled finger against his nose harshly. “It seems you are. Do you want a drink before we go?”

 

    Maverick couldn’t help but chuckle. “I appreciate it, man, but we’re going to the movies. They literally have dozens of drink options there.”

 

    Ice gave a frustrated shake of his head. Of course they did. Why had he even thought that drinking something now would do anything but make them need to go to the bathroom halfway through the movie and potentially miss a good chunk of it?

 

    “Bet ya I can mix three flavors of Coke and make it even better than the original,” Maverick taunted as he turned and waved a hand behind him. “Let’s go!”

 

    Before Ice could respond, his breath started to hitch and he was quick to bring up his elbow to his face. “IthcSHew! ItchShew! Icsh! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch! Isch! ItcSh!”

 

    Maverick was quick to turn when it seemed like Ice would never stop. “Bless ya.”

 

    Ice gave a mucus filled sniffle and lifted one finger. “You go on ahead. I just need to blow my nose and I’ll be right behind you,” he urged, hand coming up to cover his nose just in case anymore sneezes decided to make their presence known.

 

    Maverick didn’t think twice before heading out the door. Ice waited until he heard it slam shut before he made a beeline back into the bathroom and immediately over to the toilet paper roll. He pulled a few squares free and folded them before bringing them up to his nose for a few productive honks. Tissues would’ve been so much nicer, but he hadn’t stocked up on them since the last time he was sick, so toilet paper would have to do.

 

    Ice threw the used makeshift tissues away and started to wash his hands after he finished. He forced them to stay under the scalding water even more than necessary just to make sure he killed all of the germs lurking on them.

 

    He switched off the water and dried his hands on a nearby hanging towel. Once he finished he gave himself a once over in the mirror, making sure that there wasn’t a hair out of place or that he didn’t have anything in his teeth. He was almost certain he was putting more importance on this than needed, but he couldn’t help it. He was going to a movie with Maverick and he wanted everything to be perfect.

 

    Once he had looked himself over a couple times in the mirror from numerous angles, he was finally reassured that he was alright to go. He checked to make sure he had his wallet and phone before making his way out of the house to see that Maverick was already on his motorcycle, checking the time on his watch patiently.

 

    “We’re not late, are we,” Ice questioned as he jogged over.

 

    Maverick looked up, a single eyebrow lifted. “You know that we could never be late with you watching the clock as you do,” he taunted fondly.

 

    Ice rolled his eyes as he lifted his leg and nestled himself behind Maverick on the bike, the smell of his cologne tickling Ice’s nose. He lifted a hand to give it a fierce rub, frustrated that something that would’ve never bothered him was causing him such trouble now. He loved the smell of Maverick’s cologne and would always steal a sniff whenever he was near as discreetly as possible. It wasn’t something he had ever told him, nor had any plans to tell him, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy it.

 

    “Hold on tight,” Maverick instructed as he lifted his feet from either side of the bike and started driving forward slowly, making sure that no car was coming before heading toward the main road.

 

    Ice enjoyed the feeling on Maverick’s bike, especially feeling the wind in his hair. He did as Maverick instructed and held his arms around him tightly, but he couldn’t help but long to lift both of his hands to feel them cut through the air. The feeling that he got from being pressed up against Maverick’s back would have to do, and Ice found himself resting his head against the center of Maverick’s back, feeling his muscles tighten with each breath.

 

    If Maverick didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought that Ice was falling asleep. It wasn’t until he used his rear view mirror to steal a quick glance that he realized that he was just comfortable, which wasn’t a position that he saw Ice in often. He was always either on edge or quite serious. It was a habit that he was trying to get him to break, which is why he hoped this movie would help break the ice as it were, no pun intended.

 

    When they finally made it to the theater, Maverick pulled into a parking spot and made sure his kickstand was up before turning off the engine. He allowed Ice to step off first and while Maverick did the same a moment after, pulling on the edges of his jacket. He was suddenly aware that Ice had turned away from him and was coughing lightly against the back of his hand, back to Maverick as he did so.

 

    “You good,” Maverick questioned as he took a step forward, hand reaching for Ice’s shoulder.

 

    Ice was quick to duck away from the touch as he swallowed thickly, followed by a tiny sniffle. “Spit went down the wrong pipe,” he rasped.

 

    “You gotta be more careful. Can’t let a wayward swallow take my wingman,” Maverick taunted.

 

    Ice snorted and butted his shoulder against Maverick’s before heading toward the doors of the theater. Maverick followed right behind, having to take twice as many steps to keep up with Ice’s stride. That didn’t stop him from trying to pull ahead no matter how much tried to beat him.

 

    By the time they joined the line of other moviegoers who were excited to buy their tickets, the temperature outside was beginning to drop. It wasn’t quite cold yet, but it wouldn’t be long before the harsh wind would create a chill that would be difficult to shake.

 

    The cold air was also doing nothing for Ice, who’s nose had begun to run despite furious and constant attempts to wipe it with either the back of his hand or his shoulder. All it did was make it worse, so Ice was not only dealing with a runny nose, but an itchy one as well that threatened to rebel at a moment’s notice.

 

    “Ice, did you hear me?”

 

    Ice turned his head to the side and saw that Maverick was looking at him expectantly. “What?”

 

    “I asked if you had a preference on where we sit,” Maverick answered patiently. “Because I like the middle, but if you want to go higher we can do that as well.”

 

    Ice shook his head. “No, we can go....hih....where you.....huh-hih....want to.” He struggled to finish his sentence before he turned to the side and lifted the collar of his shirt over the lower half of his face. “ItchShew! ITchSHew! ITchSHew! Ichsh! Itsh! ItSh! ITsh! ItSh! Ithsh! ItchSH!”

 

    “Geez, Ice,” Maverick exclaimed as he took a step over and rested his palm in the center of Ice’s back and gave it a few reassuring rubs. “Bless you! That was some fit.”

 

    Ice didn’t dare bring his shirt down from his face, watery eyes looking at the doors to the theater desperately. “I-I’ll be right back,” he stammered.

 

    “Wait! What about the seats,” Maverick called just as Ice darted the other way.

 

    He waved behind him, hoping that Maverick would see that as an answer that he could pick wherever he wanted. It was honestly the truth; right now he couldn’t care less where they sat. The only thing that he wanted was to disappear into the privacy of the nearest restroom and blow his nose for a good solid five minutes.

 

    The moment he stepped inside he was greeted with how cold the theater was. Goosebumps sprouted on the back of his arms and it took a few moments for Ice to ignore it and try and find where the restroom was. Teeth chattering, he found it over by the corner and didn’t hesitate to rush inside, praying that it was empty.

 

    Unfortunately for him, luck was not on side.

 

    It wasn’t overly busy, but there were a few people by the urinals and at the sink. Ice looked through glassy eyes before seeing an empty stall and quickly squeezed himself in, closing the door and locking it behind him. He turned to the side with his back pressed against the door as he lowered his shirt from his face and instantly felt the need to sneeze once more.

 

    ‘No, not now,’ Ice thought, deliberately forcing his tongue against the roof of his mouth to counteract the feeling. Sneezing in front of Maverick was one thing; sneezing in an echoey bathroom surrounding by strangers.

 

    When the feeling began to rise and his chest expanded, Ice was quick to clutch his nose tightly between his forefinger and thumb, instinctively sucking in his breath whenever he felt the desperate inhale reaching a breaking point. “Ichxxxh! Itshxxxh! Ichxxxh! Ichxxxh! Ithxxxh! Itsxxxh! IchsSHew!” Ice groaned as an sneeze slipped out and he was forced to duck down, unable to stifle anymore if he tried. “IcSHSh! ITchSH! ItchSH! Ichsh! Icsh! Isch! Icsh! Ichsh! Isch!”

 

    Ice was used to fairly drawn out fits, but this was stretching it even for him. He could hear a few guys mutter something before leaving the bathroom and Ice felt shame burn in the back of his throat, accompanying the itch that was still plaguing his sinuses.

 

    There was no hiding from it now; he was sick and it was getting harder and harder to hide it.

 

    Nose feeling full, head clogged so full with congestion that he was struggling to think, Ice reached down to grab a few squares of thin toilet paper. He brought the bundle up to his nose and blew only to realize how rough the toilet paper was and how much it aggravated the tickle that seemed to take up residence in his nasal passages and showed no sign of leaving.

 

    “Com on,” Ice whispered to himself, a strong fist coming up to rub at his nose. He moved the appendage back and forth, ignoring the squelching sound that came from with in. Ocean he finished, he lowered his hand and blew his nose again, finally satisfied that he was finished for the time being.

 

    Ice threw the toilet paper into the toilet and flushed it before unlocking the door and heading over to the sink. He began to wash his hands in scalding water, only looking up to see his reflection once he had turned the water off and was reaching for a paper towel.

 

    It didn’t seem possible, but Ice was certain he looked worse now than he did when they had first left the house. His skin seemed paler and a pink tinge shown on the tip of his nose. He could tell how tired he appeared and with something like Maverick in close proximity, there would be a slim to none chance that he didn’t pick up on it.

 

    “Shit,” Ice whispered as he braced his arms on the edge of the sink, coughing downwards. He shook his head to clear it before straightening and forcing his shoulders back. As much as he wanted to stay in the bathroom for the better half of the rest of the night, he couldn’t do that to Maverick. There was no doubt in his mind that Maverick would come after him.

 

    Sighing, Ice pushed himself away from the sink and headed outside.

 

    The cold greeted him once more and he found himself tucking his hands into the pockets of his khakis to disguise a shiver. His gaze racked the busy cinema until he saw Maverick standing in line for concessions. Ice’s feet urged him forward despite the growing lump in his stomach that told him that it was only inevitable before Maverick found out what was going on and would potentially end their evening. It was the last thing that Ice wanted, though he would never actually confess that out loud.

 

    Once he strolled up beside him, Maverick turned with worry in his eyes. “You good?”

 

    Ice nodded tersely. “Never better.”

 

    Maverick didn’t look so sure, but he dropped it nonetheless. “Got us two seats in the middle but more towards the back. Best seats in the house,” Maverick boasted as he pulled two paper tickets from his back pocket to show Ice.

 

    “Sounds good to me,” Ice exclaimed with a little more forced positivity than he usually used.

 

    If Maverick picked up on it, he showed no signs of it. He tucked the tickets back into his pocket and motioned to the menu board. “Popcorn, candy, and drink? Or do you want something else to eat?”

 

    The options that the board showed were in no way appetizing to Ice. He wasn’t about to tell Maverick that he hadn’t been hungry all day. The less that Maverick knew about that the better.

 

    “That works for me.”

 

    As the line continued to move, Maverick picked up Twizzlers while Ice grabbed M&Ms. They moved up in the line, Maverick’s eyes on the freshly popped popcorn trickling down from the popper and into numerous scoopers. Ice was almost surprised he didn’t rush in front of everyone just to get a better look at it. The attention that Maverick was showing the popcorn was fine by Ice as it meant that his attention wasn’t on him.

 

    The frustrating itch was back before Ice could think about it too hard. His nose wrinkled as discretely as possible while his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth. Breathing through it was nearly impossible as his eyes began to forcibly close and he knew that sneezing was unavoidable.

 

    He turned to the side and lifted the back of his hand up as nonchalantly as possible. “Ichxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itchxxxh! Ithxxxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itchxxxh-Schew!”

 

    The final sneeze practically squeaked out and Ice swallowed a groan as he looked up to see that Maverick was staring at him instead of the freely flowing popcorn. “Gesundheit....I think.”

 

    Ice swallowed the lump in his throat as he sniffled heavily, almost blushing at the sound that it made. He was certainly more stuffed up than he expected. Then again, stifling always did that to him, and yet he always acted surprised when it did.

 

    “Sorry,” Ice ground out. “Thanks.”

 

    “So those were sneezes? Huh....do you always have fits like that,” Maverick pressed.

 

    This was absolutely not where Ice wanted the conversation to go. However, when Maverick got set on a topic he was like a dog with a bone and would only stop pestering when he received an answer.

 

    “Yeah, they’re usually like that,” Ice replied with another sniffle as he rubbed his knuckles against his nose. The itch was still there, just out of reach where no amount of nose rubbing would be able to scratch it.

 

    “Damn, I can’t imagine sneezing that many times in a row. Think something in the air is bothering you?” Maverick tipped his head back to look at the ceiling before motioning to the people around them. “Maybe someone’s perfume?”

 

    Ice knew damn well why he was sneezing and it wasn’t because someone had decided to wear a little extra perfume to impress a date. However, he wasn’t about to tell Maverick that.

 

    “Just as itch.” He dropped his hands at his side, concentration on not rubbing or wrinkling his nose to clue anyone else in to his nasal plight.

 

    “That was some itch. I thought you were going to implode there for a second,” Maverick taunted. “That has to hurt.”

 

    Ice opened his mouth to argue when the lady at the counter called for next. He nearly sprinted over with Maverick struggling to keep up. His eyes once again locked on the popcorn and Ice was grateful to have something distracting them for the time being.

 

    “Hi, we’ll take a large popcorn, these....” Maverick swiped Ice’s M&Ms from him and set them on the counter before pointing to the drinks. “And a large drink.”

 

    The attendant began to type something into her system when Ice pipped up from behind Maverick. “Two drinks, please.”

 

    Maverick fixed him with a curious look. “I thought we could just share,” he offered, voice barely disguising the disappointment.

 

    Ice shot him a small smile. “Maybe next time. Is it okay if I get my own?”

 

    The way that Ice asked had Maverick melting immediately. “Sure, of course.” He turned back to the attendant and flashed a smile. “We’ll take two regular drinks instead.”

 

    The woman typed something into her POS system and gave them the total. Ice reached into his back pocket to grab his wallet only for Maverick to do so faster and rushed to pay before Ice could hand his card to the woman.

 

    “You got the tickets,” Ice pointed out. “I was going to get the snacks.”

 

    “Well, I beat you to it. You’re going to have to be faster than that, Iceman,” Maverick taunted over his shoulder as he pulled his card free before tucking it back into his pocket.

 

    While the attendant grabbed a bag of popcorn and their drinks, Maverick leaned back to whisper in Ice’s ear. “You can make it up to me another time.”

 

    Ice forced a small smile before drawing back, not wanting to breathe too much on Maverick or risk him smelling the cold medicine on his breath that he had taken earlier. Although it was something that most people wouldn’t think about, Maverick was one of the most observant people that Ice knew, and if something was out of place or different, Maverick would figure it out and comment on it in no time flat. Asking Maverick to keep anything to himself was nearly impossible.

 

    Once the attendant handed them their popcorn and drink cups, they headed over to the refill station. Ice looked at the options on the screen in front of him before settling on Dr. Pib. After allowing a couple ice cubes to fall into the cup, he selected his drink, watching his cup fill up.

 

    “Shit, man,” Maverick joked, causing Ice to look up to see that Maverick was also filling his cup with Dr. Pibb. “We totally could’ve shared a drink if I would’ve known we were getting the exact same drink. It would’ve made so much more sense to just get a large and save some money.”

 

    Ice finished filling his cup and reached for a lid. “Live and learn.”

 

    Maverick shrugged and reached for his own lid, struggling to hold both the popcorn and fit a lid over his drink.

 

    Ice told himself that next time they could when he wasn’t at risk of getting Maverick sick. Sure, there was a good chance he would do that anyway with how much time they were spending together in close quarters, but he would’ve felt worse if they were sharing a drink.

 

    Once Maverick finally got both his drink and popcorn, he joined Ice’s side, eyes glowing eagerly.

 

    Ice walked beside him, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He hadn’t made it far when the itch came back and this time he barely had enough time to turn to the side, unable to fully stifle without use of one of his hands since they were carrying both the drink and his M&Ms.

 

    “ITchShew! ItchSHew! ItchSHew! ItcSHew! Isch! ItchSH! ItchSH! ITchSHEW!” The final sneeze scraped against the back of his throat and was much stronger and louder than usual. It took Ice by surprise as he noticed that Maverick had stopped walking as well and was looking at him in curiosity and concern.

 

    “Gesundheit,” Maverick offered. “You good? That sounded kinda intense.”

 

    Ice nodded, nose completely clogged. It wasn’t running yet, but he feared that he didn’t blow his nose again soon that he would have a whole new set of problems.

 

    Ice went to answer only to feel the intense urge to cough. He was quick to bring his drink closer to his mouth and sucked down a few greedy gulps through his straw before he could double over from a coughing fit. “Never better,” he lied, voice strained.

 

    Maverick narrowed his eyes in confusion, but didn’t say anything more. He fell back in step beside Ice, allowing him to find the theater and lead the way inside.

 

    They were still pretty early so the preshow was still going on. Maverick took the lead and led them to their seats, sitting down heavily and setting his drink in the cup holder while keeping the popcorn on his lap.

    

    Ice set his drink down and snack before motioning to the exit. “I’ll be right back.”

    

    Before Maverick could ask where he was going, Ice was already turning and leaving, surprisingly swift and silent when he wanted to be.

 

    Ice headed outside the theater just in time to turn away from the door and bring an elbow to his face as his eyes fluttered while his breathing hitched. “Hih....ItchShew! itchSEHw! ITchShew! ItcSHew! Ichsh! ItcsH! ItShch! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch! ItcSH! ItchSHIEW!” The stifling from earlier had done him no favors, making this fit seem all the harsher. The final sneeze had him nearly bending at the waist, slightly unbalanced as he glanced around to make sure that he hadn’t caused too much attention towards himself. He couldn’t help but sigh in relief when he saw that despite the business of the lobby, there hadn’t been anyone down that particular hallway and he had gotten lucky.

 

    That was where his luck ended, however, when he realized that his nose was running. Swearing softly under his breath, Ice set off to the nearest bathroom, relieved that because it was a movie theater that they had numerous of them in a relatively small space. He slipped inside and found there was only one or two people in there, and deliberately picked a stall toward the back corner of the bathroom.

 

    Once he was in, he let out a few husky coughs into the back of his hand before cupping his hands over his nose and mouth as he did so to contain the sound. Logically, he was certain it wasn’t too loud, but his brain told him differently.

 

    It took a couple short hacks before his lungs seemed satisfied and he was allowed to surface from his hands tiredly. He reached out for some toilet paper and brought the wad up to his nose and blew, roughly cleaning the undersides and trying not to groan in audible frustration. This could not be happening at a worst time.

 

    Actually, that wasn’t true in the slightest. He could be this sick in the cockpit or even during class. Realistically speaking this may have been one of the best times since he didn’t have anywhere that he desperately needed to be or something he had to do for work. Seeing a movie with Maverick was hardly on his list of things that would be impeded to being sick. However, that’s not quite how he was looking at it now.

 

    Ice groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair to smooth it. He allowed his fingers to linger on his temple where a soft thump was beginning to show itself. He had always been prone to sinus headaches when sick, which always started as normal headaches first before working its way into his sinuses. That was often when Ice could tell that it wouldn’t be one of those times he could work through it.

 

    “Damnit,” he whispered to himself as he grabbed another couple sheets of toilet paper to rub the undersides dry. It wouldn’t do much for long, that much he knew, but it was better than nothing.

    

    When he finished, Ice headed out of the stall and immediately washed his hands. The scalding water was slightly painful, but he would much rather that then spread whatever it was he had to someone else. Hands still damp after washing them, Ice took a few sheets of paper towels and dried his hands before dabbing the edges on his brow. He could already feel the sweat forming and he hoped that this wasn’t a sign that he was getting a fever. Coughs and sneezes he could at least try and disguise; a fever was a completely different story that would need a different tactic.

 

    Ice checked himself over in the mirror once more. He could tell that he looked tired if the bags under his eyes were any indication. As reluctant as he was to go and rejoin Maverick and risk him catching wind of how sick he was, hiding in the bathroom wasn’t a great solution either.

 

    Swearing softly under his breath, Ice padded out of the bathroom and made his way into the theater, smothering a few stubborn coughs into a raised fist. He was able to quiet himself as he found where Maverick was sitting, sights locked on the screen as he mindlessly brought a handful of popcorn to his mouth.

 

    Maverick’s attention immediately shifted when he saw Ice rejoining him. “You good,” he questioned as Ice plopped down heavily beside him.

 

    Ice nodded rapidly. “Just had to make a phone call.”

 

    Maverick set his jaw, clearly wanting to say something else but thinking better of it. He reluctantly dropped it and shifted to set the popcorn between them so that Ice could have easier access. Although the last thing that Ice wanted to do was eat some buttered popcorn, he was well aware that Maverick was paying close attention to him. Against his better judgement, Ice grabbed a few handfuls and brought them up to his mouth, wincing at how the kernels scraped his throat as he swallowed.

 

    It wasn’t much longer when the previews for upcoming movies began to show on the screen. Ice was hardly paying attention to them even as Maverick felt the need to whisper whether or not he wanted to see them or not in Ice’s ear. Ice would just nod slowly and hope that Maverick took that as a sign that he was engaged when he clearly wasn’t.

 

    The final preview for some war movie began to play on the screen as Ice felt the telltale prickle that started in his throat on the roof of his mouth before traveling down his sinuses until he felt the itch turn to a burn. He gave a tiny hitch only to bring up his fist and rub it forcefully against his nose from side to side, much more aggressive than he usually would be.

 

    Maverick noticed as Ice lowered his hand, a blush creeping onto his cheeks.

 

    To his surprise, Maverick reached out and took his hand lightly, giving it a small squeeze. Ice felt his stomach flop and he had to calm himself down before his heart fully burst from his chest. Maverick was holding his hand and he didn’t want to do anything that would jeopardize this moment.

 

    The itch was still there, though, plaguing him. Every time he thought that perhaps the feeling had faded to a distant memory, the more it would come back with a vengeance and nearly reach the point of a sneeze. Ice tried every trick in the book that he knew to stop the feeling to no avail.

 

    Suddenly he turned away from Maverick and yanked his hand free before bringing both of them to cup over his nose and mouth as he ducked forward in as many silent stifles as he could. “Ichsxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itshxxxh! Ichsxxxh! Itshxxxxh! Itchxxxxh! Itchxxxxh!” Ice’s body forced him to suck in a dreaded shaky inhale despite his best attempts to force it down. His hands dropped ever so slightly from his nose, though he was still partially covering as his head bobbed downwards harshly, eyes jammed shut and watering. “ItsSh! ITchsS! ITchSH! ItShSh! ItchSH! ItCSH! Itcsh! Itsch! Itcsh! ItchShew!”

 

    Ice finally surfaced with a horrid snuffle as he swallowed back the congestion that he had tried so hard to contain. Stifling had done him no favors and he feared that if he so much as breathed too harshly through his nose that a tidal wave of mucus would be sure to run down his face. That would be something that would be almost impossible to explain to Maverick.

 

    “Bless you,” Maverick whispered as he leaned forward and reached into his back pocket to pull out a wad of napkins. “Here.”

 

    Ice wanted so badly to turn them down, but the flooding in his nose made that decision for him. He snatched them from Maverick’s hand and turned his head to the side, rubbing his nose dry instead of blowing. The sore appendage was still hopelessly full, though despite this there was no way he was going to embarrass himself more than he already had. It was moments like this that made Ice hate his sneezes even more than he already did.

 

    Once Ice rubbed upwards with the napkins for the final time and swallowed a few coughs, he felt Maverick reach to grab his hand like he had been holding it before.

 

    Ice immediately pulled away. He had sneezed into his hands and there was no way that he would let Maverick touch him after that.

 

    Maverick didn’t seem offended as he set his hand back on his lap, knee slightly bouncing. “Hey, you sure you’re okay,” he whispered as the lights began to dim for the movie.

 

    Ice offered a halfhearted thumbs up. “Never better,” he lied, stunned at how hoarse his voice was getting. Even a few deliberate throat clearings and sips of his drink couldn’t make it sound like he hadn’t spent the last couple hours swallowing sandpaper. If the sneezing didn’t clue Maverick in, at this rate his voice sure as hell would.

 

    Maverick huffed to himself and Ice felt a flash of shame. He didn’t want to lie to Maverick, but this wasn’t one of the times he could be honest. They had been planning this for weeks and the last thing that he wanted was to have to leave early because he had caught a stupid cold. That was one of the lamest excuses that Ice could think of and he wouldn’t forgive himself if he was the reason that Maverick didn’t have the best time.

 

    The movie had barely gotten started when Ice realized that the feeling was back with a fiery vengeance. He was so tired of sneezing and every time his body geared up for another fit, he wanted to punch something. Part of him thought of excusing himself, though he had already done that too many times during the night and Maverick was suspicious enough. Besides, he was almost certain if he left to go to the bathroom again that Maverick would follow him to make sure that everything was alright, which was the last thing that Ice wanted.

 

    No, this was going to happen here and the best that Ice could do was make it as unnoticeable as possible.

 

    He sucked in a small breath and lifted his right hand to cup it over his face and clamp his nostrils shut between his pointer finger and thumb. When he sucked in a trembling breath, he ducked forward and curled in on himself as he fought to make himself as small as possible. “Itchxxxh! Ishcxxxh! Itshxxxh! Itshxxxxh! Itchxxxxh! Itshcxxxh!” Ice felt a hand on his back and he couldn’t help but stiffen despite knowing who it was. “ITchsSHew! ItchsHShew! ItchsShew! Itshchhew! ItrchShew! ItchSH! ItcshhSh! ItshcSh! ItschSh! IchsSh!” Ice was left sniffling in the aftermath when the itch finally retreated for the time being. He could feel the mess on his upper lip and no amount of wet sniffling did anything to help it.

 

    “Bless you,” Maverick whispered as he grabbed a handful of napkins he had taken for the popcorn and pressed them into Ice’s hand. “You good?”

 

    Two people sitting behind Ice and Maverick hushed them only for Maverick to turn around and glare back at them, practically itching to say something. It was only Ice reaching out to grab Maverick’s hand and giving it a pleading squeeze that allowed him to calm down enough before he ended up doing something that he would regret.

 

    It took a couple moments before Maverick turned back to Ice and patted him on the back. “That was some fit. You sure that you’re okay?”

 

    Ice nodded as he pressed the rough napkins against his nose and blew softly, unwilling to pull too much attention to himself. He gave his nose a few fierce rubs once he finished and tucked the evidence into his pocket. A hand reached out to nudge his knee, but Ice was quick to shy away.

 

    Maverick didn’t comment on it and turned back to eating the popcorn, eyes glued to the screen. Ice tried to do the same, and was successful for about a half an hour before he really started to feel worse. The body aches were too incessant to ignore, as well as the constant need to cough that was only slightly remedied by continuously sipping on his drink. It didn’t help that when he finished it the soreness returned to his throat with a vengeance and now brought with him a constantly running nose and a fierce tickle that started at the back of his throat and traveled all the way through his sinuses.

 

    At first Ice tried rubbing it back with the back of his hand, but that only increased the fierce need to sneeze. Placing his tongue to the roof of his mouth was next, and all that did was not only make his nose itch, but also send sharp pangs through his throat when he swallowed.

 

    Maverick was partially aware of something going on with Ice, who hadn’t stopped shifting the entire movie so far. Normally Ice was fairly stoic and wasn’t one to like attention drawn to him, especially during something like this. However, whatever was going on was bothering him enough that he couldn’t get comfortable and his attention seemed anywhere besides on the movie. Ice never had issues with focusing and just when Maverick leaned over to whisper in Ice’s ear, the man in question ducked forward into his elbow, entire body jackknifed forwards and back muscles rippling with each sudden shaky inhale and spasm that followed.

 

    “Itchxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itshxxxh! Itsxxxh! Itshxxxh!”

 

    “Ice,” Maverick started as he felt his heart drop into his stomach watching Ice struggle.

 

    Suddenly, Ice rose to his feet, stifling another four sneezes against his arm before heading out of the theater, leaving Maverick behind.

 

    The moment that he emerged from the theater, he staggered over to the nearest wall, unable to continue stifling no matter how hard he tried.

 

    “ItchhShew! ItchsShew! ItchsHShew! ItchShew! ItchShew! ItchSH! ItchSH! Itchsh! Itcshsh! Itshch! Itcshsh! ItchshSHeiw!” The final sneezed seemed to come right from the back of his throat, scraping the entire way out. It was beyond painful and Ice was left struggling to remain upright as the dizziness continued to spread through him. He had struggled with plenty of sneezing fits in the past, especially with his sneezes tending to be softer and more numerous, but this was taking things to a whole new level.

 

    Strong hands rested on his shoulders and Ice looked over his shoulder, a bashful look crossing his face. “Mav, what are you doing here? You’re missing the movie.”

 

    Maverick suddenly frowned and reached the back of his hand to touch Ice’s forehead, only able to keep it there a moment before Ice pulled away, an incredulous look on his face. “What the hell,” he rasped.

 

    “You’re warm,” Maverick announced as though it was obvious. “Like fever warm.”

 

    “I always run hot,” Ice flashed.

 

    “How ironic is that?” Maverick’s eyes flashed in amusement. “The Iceman is actually hot.”

 

    Ice rolled his eyes and turned to the side to cough into his elbow, eyes scrunched up. The sound thumped in his chest and left him momentarily staggering and it was only Maverick reaching out to steady him that kept him from falling. He tried to lean away from Maverick so that he didn’t cough on him, but once a shiver ran down his spine, he found himself leaning heavily on the shorter man, his neck bowed as he pressed his forehead against Maverick’s neck and shoulder, effectively hiding in the crook of his neck.

 

    “Oh, Ice. You really don’t feel good, do you,” Maverick commented, lifting a free hand to brush a few stray pieces of Ice’s hair back into place. “Why didn’t you say anything? I wouldn’t have dragged you here if I knew that you weren’t feeling well.”

 

    “It’s not that bad,” Ice argued as he wriggled from Maverick’s grasp, embarrassment clear on his face. “I didn’t want to ruin a perfectly good night just because I have an itch in my throat.”

 

    Maverick stopped himself just shy of laughing out loud. “This is so much more than just an itch or a tickle. You most definitely have a fever and should be in bed, resting.”

 

    As much as Ice wanted to stick it out and argue with Maverick, his nose made the final decision for him and he ducked his head down into his partially raised forearm. “ItchSHew! ItchSHew! ItchsHShew! ITcSSHew! ItchsHShew! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! IschSHiew!” Ice surfaced with a shake of his shoulders, feeling even more drained than he had already.

 

    “Yep, that’s it.” Maverick reached out to grab Ice’s elbow, pulling him gingerly along.

 

    Ice attempted to dig his heels in, but he was no match for a stubborn Maverick.

 

    “The movie,” Ice protested.

 

    “I don’t care about the damn movie. I care about you, dumbass.”

 

    Ice glanced at him dumbfounded for a moment before giving up and allowing Maverick to pull him forward despite how much he wanted to hang back and push through. There was no fighting with a stubborn Maverick once he made up his mind, and fighting against it would do absolutely nothing. He had known Maverick long enough to know how he operated, and when it would be best to simply not fight it no matter how much one wanted to.

 

    Ice was beyond reluctant to leave, especially with Maverick taking the lead, arm looped around his as he tugged him alone. All Ice could do was try and remain on his own two feet, nose helplessly running until he had no choice but to rub it dry with his wrist and hope that no one was around to witness it.

 

    “Here.”

 

    Ice looked to the side to see that Maverick had a new handful of napkins at the ready. He seemingly pulled it out of nowhere, and Ice was left momentarily confused.

 

    “Thought you’d like these more than your wrist,” Maverick explained softly.

 

    Ice took them more out of necessity than anything else. He brought them up to his face and rubbed fiercely, unwilling to blow his nose while being this close to Maverick. He was almost certain that Maverick wouldn’t mind, wouldn’t even commented on it, but it was just something that Ice refused to do and no reassurance from Maverick was going to change that.

 

    They headed outside, and the moment that the warm breeze touched Ice’s face, he found himself pitching to the side while Maverick still graciously held onto him. “ItchsSHew! ItchsShew! ItcshShew! ItchsSHew! ItShSh! Itchssh! Itcshsh! Itcshsh! Itcshsh! Itcsh! Itcsh!”

 

    Maverick didn’t bless him this time, but did grasp Ice’s arm a little stronger and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Are your fits always this drawn out?”

 

    Ice shrugged. “Unfortunately.” He rubbed the rough napkins against the undersides of his reddened nose. “Normally I’m not this sensitive that everything sets me off, but now all bets are off.”

 

    “I’ll say.” Chuckling, Maverick continued along with Ice at his side. He wondered if perhaps it would’ve been better if they took a car instead of his motorcycle, but it was too late for that. “You gonna be okay on the bike? I can drive back and get your car and bring it back if you’d rather?”

 

    It was a sweet sentiment, that much Ice was more than willing to admit. Though, it wasn’t practical in the slightest and although he appreciated it, he couldn’t ask that of Maverick.  “I’ll be fine so not as you don’t crash.”

 

    “No promises there,” Maverick taunted as they came up on his bike. It was only until they were almost touching it did Maverick let go of Ice, attention still on his wingman to watch for signs of him growing unsteady. Ice was stubborn enough not to ask for help if that were to happen, though he stayed toward the back of the bike with one arm stretched forward to steady himself.

 

    Maverick mounted the bike and waited for Ice to do the same. The taller man wrapped his arms around Maverick’s middle much tighter than before, and Maverick secretly couldn’t help but enjoy it despite the circumstances surrounding it.

 

    He gingerly kicked off the ground and the bike began to roll forward with Ice gripping him hard while his face buried into the back of Maverick’s neck. The faster they went, the more Ice shivered, and the more that he leaned into Maverick for stabilization and comfort. Maverick couldn’t blame him, and certainly didn’t mind. It was a struggle to make sure that his concentration stayed on the road when he could already feel Ice growing more tired the longer that they were on the bike.

 

    Luckily, Ice’s house wasn’t too far and there was minimal traffic. Maverick finally felt that he could relax once he pulled into Ice’s driveway. He slowed the bike down before parking it, feeling the man leaning against his back give a brief sigh of relief.

 

    “We’re here,” Maverick announced over his shoulder, unwilling to move until he knew that Ice was ready to stand.

 

    Sure enough, once Maverick stirred ever so slightly, Ice promptly stepped off the bike, head slightly shaking as he took in the sights around him. He instantly relaxed when he saw that it was his house in front of them and not an unfamiliar place. He shook his head to clear it, coughing heavily downwards, hand clutched over his chest in discomfort.

 

    Maverick was at his side in a second, hand on the small of his back as he urged him forward. “C’mon, Iceman, let’s get you inside and feeling better,” he whispered so softly that he wasn’t sure that Ice could hear him.

 

    Ice started forward with Maverick right behind, a hand rested on his shoulder the entire way in even after they slipped through the front door.

 

    “Sorry again about the movie,” Ice began, exhaustion showing on his face. “I’ll make it up to you. Next outing is on me.”

 

    Maverick placed his hands into his pockets and shrugged. “There’s no need to apologize. I should’ve realized you were sick earlier.”

 

    Ice awkwardly shifted from foot to foot, unsure of exactly where to place his weight. “Still, I owe you one. Drive safe on your way home.”

 

    Maverick tilted his head in surprise, brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, do you honestly think I would just leave my wingman sick to take care of himself?”

 

    “I—“

 

    “Honestly you’re acting like you have no idea who you’re dealing with.” Maverick walked past him on his way to the kitchen while Ice was left shaking his head in confusion. This was taking stubbornness to a whole new level, even for Maverick. Ice was too tired to actually argue any of it, instead finding himself walking toward the bathroom to change into something much more comfortable.

 

    Maverick heard the door close and he set to work in heating up some water for tea. He was a horrible cook and anyone would agree with that, though how hard could heating up water in the microwave be?

 

    While the mug warmed up in the microwave, Maverick rifled through the cabinets until he found where Ice kept all his over the counter medicines such as Tylenol and Ibuprofen. He nudged the bottle of Tylenol and multivitamins aside in favor of grabbing a blister pack of cold & flu medicine. Maverick flipped the packaging over and scanned the back, pleased to find that it wasn’t expired.

 

    The microwave suddenly dinged and Maverick was quick to open the door and grasped the mug by the handle, careful not to accidentally cause any liquid to slosh over the side. He set the mug down and reached for a teabag that Ice always kept on his counter in case anyone came over and requested something to drink. Maverick set the teabag into the water and swirled it around, watching the water infuse with the tea.

 

    Once Maverick heard the bathroom door open, followed by deep and husky coughing, he grabbed the medicine and the tea to carry it from the kitchen into Ice’s room. He took it slow so not to accidentally drop or spill anything despite his growing worry for Ice’s condition. Logically he was sure that it was just the flu or perhaps a sinus infection, but it still made a lump rise in his throat to think of Ice being in any sort of discomfort, even if it was something as simple as having a bad cold.

 

    Maverick shook his head to clear it before heading forward into Ice’s bedroom to see that Ice was sitting on the edge of the bed wearing a white navy t-shirt and basketball shorts, back facing the door as he stared at the window with the blinds drawn. He breathed thick and congested, breath catching on the tail end of an exhale as he coughed.

 

    Just as Maverick was about to clear his throat to make his presence known, he watched Ice’s shoulders shake before he ducked down toward his chest sharply. “ItchsShew! ItchsHew! ItchsHew! ItchSEHw! Itcshsh! ItcshSH! ITcshSh! ItrchSh! ItrshSh! ItcshSh!”

 

    “I’d say bless you but that doesn’t seem to be a strong enough sentiment,” Maverick broke in with a small smile.

 

    Startled, Ice turned around sharply, only relaxing when he realized who it was. His shoulders slumped as he lifted a fist to rub against his runny nose, grimacing in discomfort and disgust.

 

    “You’re going to make yourself go hoarse if you keep that up,” Ice commented, still rubbing his fist on the underside of his itchy nostrils. “So you had better knock that shit off.”

 

    Maverick sucked on his bottom teeth as he came over to sit beside Ice before handing him the the cup of tea. “Have you always had such numerous fits? I don’t think that I’ve ever heard you sneeze before.”

 

    Ice let out a pain filled laugh as he brought up the tea to his lips and swallowed a few gulps of the burning liquid. Once he finished, he lowered his arms and sniffled softly. “Didn’t know you were paying that close attention to me. Don’t know if I warrant that much attention.”

 

    If Ice didn’t know any better he’d say that Maverick was embarrassed by his question. Part of him wanted to push him, but the urge to cough overwhelmed him and he lifted the tea back up to his lips to sip more down.

 

    “You think you don’t?” Maverick tilted his head as he reached into his pocket and brought out even more napkins that he had grabbed from the theater. He would’ve preferred tissues, as those were less likely to aggravate Ice’s already reddened nose, but these would have to do for the time being until he could go for a supply run.

 

    Slowly, ever so slowly, Maverick reached out and turned Ice’s head to the side to face him by lightly pulling at his chin. The intensity of Ice’s gaze was palpable even as Maverick lifted the bundle of napkins and began to gingerly clean the underside of his nose for him with the most delicate of touches. He half expected Ice to pull away, or to tell him to back off. When none of that happened, Ice closed his eyes as he allowed Maverick to finish, heart thumping wildly in his chest.

 

    Maverick finished and leaned forward, free hand coming up to cup the back of Ice’s neck, fingers brushing on the short hairs on the back of his head. With eyes still closed, Ice leaned forward as well until his lip’s grazed Maverick’s and he felt Maverick deepen the kiss. He did so as well, tasting the faint taste of buttered popcorn and Dr. Pibb on Maverick’s lips. He momentarily wondered if Maverick’s lips were always this soft and just how lost he could become in the kiss.

 

    Ice only broke off when he felt the need to cough and he pitched away from Maverick, a hand over his nose and mouth as he coughed as far away from Maverick as possible. Tears caught in his eyes as he swallowed hard. “You shouldn’t have done that,” he rasped.

 

    Maverick’s eyes widened in alarm as he looked aside in embarrassment. “Fuck, that was stupid. I should’ve realized you wouldn’t have wanted this. I’m so sorry, I—“

 

    Ice suddenly burst out laughing as he ducked down into his raised forearm, begging his lungs to cooperate so that he could speak. He felt Maverick begin to pound on his back until Ice was able to catch his breath.

 

    “I meant that you shouldn’t have done that because you’re going to end up catching this from me. But afterwards I expect you to make it up to me,” Ice murmured with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

 

    Maverick chuckled and lightly punched Ice in the shoulder. “Asshole! You had me thinking you didn’t feel the same way.”

 

    “Why would I go though all the trouble to go to the movies when I’m sick if I didn’t have feelings for you?” Ice sniffed hard, coughing lightly once again. “And you call me clueless.”

 

    Feeling a new wave of emotions, Maverick reached out to brush his fingers against Ice’s cheek, the heat the first thing that he picked up on. “I’ll make it up to you. And to start I’m going to take the best care of you.”

 

    “I feel like I may be in danger.”

 

    “I know how to take care of people,” Maverick exclaimed.

 

    “Name one person you’ve actually taken care of.”

 

    Maverick opened his mouth to defend himself only to clamp it shut, head shaking to clear the thoughts bouncing around his head. “Well....I’m going to start right now.” He reached back behind him and picked back up the pack of cold medicine. He pulled out two pills from the blister pack and handed it to Ice before motioning to the tea. “Start by taking these and maybe we can get that fever down.”

 

    Ice didn’t argue or hesitate, and behaved like the solider that he was and tossed the pills into the back of his throat. He brought the tea up to his mouth and swallowed a few gulps to chase them down. He finished the remaining tea in the mug and handed it back to Maverick, who set it on the nightstand to deal with later. Add that to the list with the dirty dishes that he could do while Ice slept.

 

    Maverick then reached over and patted Ice’s shoulder. “C’mon, let’s get you comfortable.”

 

    Ice didn’t hesitate to do as Maverick requested and climbed into bed once he pulled the covers back. He was well aware of Maverick watching him almost hungrily, looking at the spot beside Ice longingly. He said nothing, but Ice could tell what he was thinking as if Maverick had shouted it from the treetops.

 

    Ice lightly patted the spot beside himself. Although the last thing that he wanted was for Maverick to come down with whatever he was hit with, he also knew that Maverick wasn’t about to leave unless forced.

 

    Maverick instantly brightened as he climbed over to the space beside Ice and crawled in beside him. Heart beating fast, Maverick pulled Ice closer until he was curled against him, shivering and sniffling while Maverick held him close. Maverick looped his arm behind Ice’s shoulders and gave him a few reassuring squeezes.

 

    “You’ll let me know if you need anything,” Maverick whispered as he pressed a kiss to the top of Ice’s head. After all, Ice hadn’t said that he couldn’t kiss him elsewhere, just not on the lips.

 

    Ice let a sound of affirmation.

 

    Maverick didn’t take it personally and felt himself snuggle into Ice as much as Ice was snuggling into him. He could feel Ice’s too warm skin against his and sighed in contentment. This may have not been the night that he had planned, but as long as he was with Ice, he would always consider that a wonderful day.

 

    The End

[Mygyn]

I def read this on A03 first and was wondering if it was going to be posted here! 10/10 thanks for sharing!

[RemedyBane]

This is so wonderful!! Babe!!! This is so sweet and loving, and Ice and Mav are both so clueless, i'm obsessed. This is so wonderful! THe audacity of you to message me saying you're concerned about this piece. It's fantastic and you have nothing to be nervous about! I LOVE THIS SO DAMN MUCH IT BRINGS MY WORK TO SHAMEEEE! I am so honored and touched that you tagged me in this XOXO Love you to pieces! Keep writing, my lovely savant! ❤️ 

[Wolfwings22]

On 8/11/2022 at 8:27 PM, Mygyn said:

I def read this on A03 first and was wondering if it was going to be posted here! 10/10 thanks for sharing!

I’m so glad you liked it! I do tend to post things on AO3 first and then here, but I generally try to post them both places if I can. Thanks so much for commenting!

 

22 hours ago, RemedyBane said:

This is so wonderful!! Babe!!! This is so sweet and loving, and Ice and Mav are both so clueless, i'm obsessed. This is so wonderful! THe audacity of you to message me saying you're concerned about this piece. It's fantastic and you have nothing to be nervous about! I LOVE THIS SO DAMN MUCH IT BRINGS MY WORK TO SHAMEEEE! I am so honored and touched that you tagged me in this XOXO Love you to pieces! Keep writing, my lovely savant! ❤️ 

I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! I was so nervous when I was writing it trying to get my characterization perfect but I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! Your works definitely inspired me every step of the way and I always get so excited when I see that you update!

 

 

So, I wasn’t planning on having a continuation, but I did have some requests to have another chapter where Maverick catches Ice’s cold. I got a random strike of inspiration and thought why not. It’s going to be a lot shorter than the first part that I published, but I hope. It’s just as good as the one previous. I hope you all enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

    It was only a couple days later that Maverick was hit with the realization that he was coming down with Ice’s cold.

 

    It wasn’t exactly surprising considering he had spent almost every waking minute looking after his wingman. He hadn’t hesitated to heat up soup, make supply runs, do laundry, be in charge of Ice’s meds, and anything that he thought Ice would like. His fellow pilot hadn’t asked anything of Maverick, but he had known him long enough to know that he appreciated everything, and just because he was too embarrassed to ask of anything from Maverick, didn’t mean that he wasn’t thankful. Maverick had done anything without a second thought and had loved the cuddle time that he had with Ice.

 

    He wouldn’t trade it for anything, even when it was inevitable that he had caught Ice’s cold.

 

    So, when he woke up early Saturday morning to find that the space beside him in Ice’s bed was empty, he immediately sat up in alarm. A distinct pounding through his body overtook him and he was forced to slump back down, swallowing convulsively to stop himself from losing his dinner from the previous night. He couldn’t remember eating much, but he was most certainly nauseous now.

 

    “Ice,” he called, surprised at how hoarse his voice already was.

 

    He gave a few sharp coughs into the back of his wrist to clear his throat, finding his throat sore when he swallowed. He groaned as he propped himself up on his elbows before rolling onto his side as he sat up, entire body howling in protest. It wasn’t quite as bad as crashes he had experienced, but it was seriously enough to make the discomfort palpable.

 

    Once he finally sat up, congestion that he didn’t even know he was experiencing increased tenfold and left his nose itching relentlessly. He tried to rub it into submission with the palm of his hand only to suddenly duck forward into it. “Hih-Hurt’shsShoo! Hih’Hursh’Shoo! Hih’Hurchs’Shoo!”

 

    Maverick delved into a rough coughing fit as he pressed the side of his hand against his nose to keep it from running. “Shit,” he growled as he forced himself to his feet, hand still cupped under his nose.

 

    His eyes caught sight of a tissue box he had bought for Ice just a few days prior on Ice’s nightstand. He didn’t hesitate to step towards it and pull out a few handfuls of soft tissues and brought them to his nose to give it a harsh blow. Unfortunately, all the blow did was send the already infuriating tickle into a burning itch that forced Maverick to grab a few more tissues and clamp them over his nose, breath hitching and head slightly tipped back as he waited for the cusp of the need to sneeze to fully take over his body.

 

    “Hih’Hurchs’Shoo! Hih’Hrhcsh’Shoo!” Maverick paused for nearly a minute, wiping at the undersides of his nose before pitching into them once more. “Huh’Hrhcsh’Shoo! Ugh!” Maverick blew once he finished, nose completely stuffed up despite his various attempts to dislodge it.

 

    “Bless you.”

 

    Maverick spun around, arm that had been holding the tissues immediately dropped to his side as he faced the man in front of him, who was holding two mugs of steaming liquid.

 

    “Thanks,” Maverick exclaimed. “I hope that’s coffee you’re bringing to me, Ice.”

 

    Ice pondered it for a moment before shaking his head. “Tea, actually. Thought that it might be easier on both of our throats,” he answered.

 

    Maverick rolled his eyes. “On your throat, maybe. I’m more of a coffee drinker.” He drew forward and wrapped an arm around Ice’s waist to pull him forward, lightly planting a delicate kiss on Ice’s lips. “But, if you made it, I guess I can make an exception.”

 

    To Maverick’s surprise, Ice lifted his chin up slightly and pressed his lips to Maverick’s forehead. Maverick’s mind was too hazy to realize what Ice was doing, and he felt himself leaning into the touch.

 

    “You’re warm,” Ice whispered against Maverick’s forehead. “I think you have a fever.”

 

    “I don’t feel warm,” Maverick confessed, only to exchange a glance with Ice and realize that he had just admitted defeat. He mentally cursed himself for walking right into that trap and tried to pull away only for Ice to scoot closer, head bowed until his forehead was pressed against Maverick’s. Maverick’s eyes began to close in bliss before Ice pressed one of the mugs of steaming tea against his chest. “Is this your apology for getting me sick?”

 

    Ice’s eyes flashed in hurt. “I didn’t mean to,” he pointed out quickly.

 

    “I know, I know, I’m just teasing,” Maverick replied, unwilling to let Ice think that he was mad in the slightest. He lifted his head and exchanged a kiss with Ice before taking the mug and sipping at it, surprised that he enjoyed the flavor. It wouldn’t replace his daily coffee in the morning, but for now it wasn’t as bad as he had expected.

 

    Ice relaxed only slightly as he took his own tea and brought it up to his lips. “Are you hungry? I can heat you up some soup.”

    

    Maverick waved him off. “Nah, I’ll have something later. Right now there’s only one thing that I want.”

 

    “Medicine?”

 

    “Okay, make that two things then.”

 

    Ice lowered his mug and pressed it against his own chest. “What’s the second thing.”

 

    “You.” Maverick couldn’t help but chuckle at the blush he saw creeping on Ice’s face. He drew forward and butted his head against Ice’s chest good naturally, as that was about all the further he reached without Ice stooping down. “Tell you what....you can make this up to me if we sit on the couch and watch some action movies. Besides, it’ll help me keep an eye on you.”

 

    Ice cocked his head to the side. “I’m fine.”

 

    “Is that so?” Maverick couldn’t resist reaching up a hand and flicking Ice’s nose, only to watch Ice yelp in surprise and draw back, feebly rubbing a fist against his nose as he fought the need to sneeze. Maverick had spent enough time with Ice during his illness to know that anything touching or aggravating Ice’s nose in the slightest would send him into a sneezing fit. There was no doubt that it aggravated Ice so much, but sometimes Maverick couldn’t help it, eager to tease him for it later.

 

    Ice lifted his hand that wasn’t holding the mug of tea and brought it up to the lower half of his face. His eyelids fluttered closed as he sucked in an irritated breath. “ItcshShew! ItchsShew! ItcshShew! ItchsShew! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch!”

 

    Maverick instantly felt a pang of regret as Ice doubled over into a coughing fit afterwards, the sound scraping against his already sore throat and draining his limited supply of energy.

 

    “Shit,” Maverick exclaimed as he came over to take the mug from Ice and set it aside before grabbing a handful of tissues and bringing them up to Ice’s face. “Okay, okay, blow your nose. Get some of that gunk out.”

 

    Ice momentarily resisted, but that was short lived as he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter. He heaved a small breath and blew, still coughing relentlessly into the bundle of tissues. Maverick held them steady, free hand coming to cup the back of Ice’s neck and upper shoulders, whispering reassurances as he struggled.

 

    Once Ice’s coughs began to slow, Maverick allowed Ice to take the tissues as he reached over to grab some more. He began to gingerly dab at Ice’s cheeks as tears were freely flowing from his watery gaze. His entire face was red and there was a wheeze in his breathing that Maverick didn’t like.

 

    Ice gave a final blow into the tissues before tossing them into a nearby trashcan and reaching back to grab his tea. He stole of a few anxious sips, relieved when it didn’t automatically trigger another fit.

 

    Noticing that Maverick was practically shaking beside him, Ice turned to look t him and forced a small smile. “I’m okay,” he rasped, hoarse voice shot.

 

    Maverick’s already iffy stomach rolled and he had to swallow deliberately to make sure he didn’t vomit. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t what I was trying to do. Fuck, I’m so stupid!”

 

    “Hey, not your fault.” Ice stretched out his free hand and gripped Maverick’s hand and gave it a few reassuring squeezes. “You didn’t know it was going to happen like that. I know you were just teasing. No need to beat yourself up about it.”

 

    Despite Ice’s words, Maverick didn’t seem reassured in the slightest. His gaze was downcast as he held his mug firmly, threatening to shatter it just on sheer willpower alone.

 

    Ice gave a small tug on Maverick’s arm and was pleased that he followed him without complaint. It wasn’t like him to go quiet, as it seemed that he always had something to say about everything, which is one of the things Ice loved about him. However, there were plenty of times where Maverick would go silent and there wasn’t much that anyone could do to pull him out of it. Some said that it was because of what happened with Goose that Maverick would tend to shut down when certain things happened, but Ice feared it may be more than that.

 

    It didn’t take long for Ice to lead Maverick into the living room and over to the couch. He pulled Maverick to sit down beside him while Ice took both tea mugs and set them on the coffee table. When he turned back to Maverick, he saw that he was shivering, goosebumps showing on the backs of his arms.

 

    Ice turned behind Maverick and pulled a blanket that had been draped over the armrest. He wrapped it around the pilot’s shoulders, tucking it around his body. Ice’s hand found Maverick’s forehead once he was bundled tightly in the blanket, pleased that it didn’t appear that Maverick was boiling; it was just a low grade fever that he was sporting.

 

    “If it gets any higher I’ll have to take that blanket away,” Ice explained whether or not Maverick was listening.

 

    Ice half expected Maverick to protest, as he did with everything else that had to do with his health. To his surprise, Maverick closed his eyes tightly and drew sideways, head rested heavily on Ice’s shoulder.

 

    “I can’t lose you.”

 

    Ice blinked his eyes rapidly in surprise. “What?”

 

    “I can’t lose you,” Maverick repeated with sheer conviction in his voice.

 

    “Mav, you’re not going to lose me. It was just a coughing fit. I had them a lot the whole time I’ve been sick. It’s nothing that you need to worry about,” Ice explained as he wrapped an arm around Maverick’s shoulder, fingers pressing ever so slightly to give slight pressure.

 

    Maverick shook his head stubbornly. “I already lost Goose and I’m not going to lose you too!”

 

    And there it was. The realization dawned on Ice like a stack of bricks being dropped on his head. Maverick didn’t like to talk about his fear of loss, especially lately, but perhaps with a fever turning his mind hazy that perhaps those usual inhibitions were fading away. It wouldn’t last long, that much Ice was almost positive of, so if he wanted to get Maverick to talk, now was as good of a time as ever.

 

    “You’re not going to lose me, at least not anytime soon.” Ice turned his neck to press a kiss onto Maverick’s temple. “Whenever I get sick it always goes into my lungs and sounds worse than it is. Besides, you think that I would let a fucking cold be the death of me?”

 

    Maverick pondered that question for longer than Ice thought that he probably needed to, but he didn’t rush him.

 

    “I don’t like to see you sick,” Maverick mumbled tiredly.

 

    “Then lucky for both of us I usually only get sick once a year. Besides, if it means I get to see you more often then I think it’ll be worth it.” Ice sighed as Maverick began to cough thickly, shaking both himself and Ice in the process. “But, next time I’ll make sure to force you to keep your distance so you don’t end up catching this from me.”

 

    Once Maverick composed himself, he let out a scoff. “I’d like to see you try.”

 

    There could be a hearty debate on who was the more stubborn of the two of them, but that wasn’t a playful argument that Ice wanted to have at the moment. He needed Maverick to relax, not work himself up even more.

 

    “Think you’ll be okay here while I get you some medicine,” Ice questioned as he began to loosen his hold on Maverick’s shoulders.

 

    Instantly, Maverick reached a hand up and grasped Ice’s arm, pulling it even firmer around his shoulders. “Don’t go,” he pleaded, eyes round and haunted. “Just stay here for a little while longer.”

 

    Ice could hear the pain and fear in Maverick’s voice. It may have been something simple as walking a few steps, but to Maverick the thought of being alone was impossible. There was no doubt that he would reluctantly do as Ice said if Ice requested it, but the aftermath may be more than either of them could handle nor knew how to deal with.

 

    “Okay, alright, I’ll stay here for a little longer.” Ice shifted into a slightly more comfortable position even as Maverick wouldn’t let him have back his arm. “Are you comfortable?”

 

    Maverick hummed in agreement, eyes beginning to close in exhaustion. “Are you?”

 

    “Couldn’t be more comfortable.” That may have been stretching it as Ice was at an odd angle to make up for his and Maverick’s height difference, but he would deal with it. He was the one that got Maverick sick in the first place and he wanted to make sure his wingman was the more comfortable out of the two of them.

 

    Maverick didn’t question it as he gave a few more soft sniffles until sleep took over under Ice’s watchful eye.

 

    The End

[Mygyn]

🥰 thanks for sharing!!!!!

[RemedyBane]

Aww my loves! So glad you did a part 2! Loved it!