Goose and Maverick have honey and dear. That's their thing, it's cute if not embarrassing on their part.
Slider originally starts doing it to mock the two, calling Iceman sweetheart, baby, princess and the like when they're alone. Ice throws it back at him with handsome, hot stuff, Romeo and his personal favourite, lover boy.
It's inherently funny, calling out to his pilot only to see Tom peek his head out from around the fridge door, bat his lashes and purr, "What was that, hot stuff?"
They keep it behind closed doors, they're close enough for people to side eye and they don't need the extra attention.
Then he walks in a room to find Iceman, and he shouldn't be Iceman. They're at home, he's supposed to be Tom. His jaw is clenched, eyes narrowed and his left hand is trembling. He's the picture of cold and detached, he isn't the Tommy that Ron knows.
Tom's hand flexes by his side as he thinks through his words, he's emotionally conflicted. Ron isn't sure if Tom is aware of the tell, but he'll never tell the man. It's enough for him to wrap an arm around his pilot's shoulders and rub his thumb under that one spot below his ear.
The Admiral. Admiral Kazansky, a man known for anything but his good parenting. Ron has never had the displeasure of meeting the man but he knows enough, Admiral Kazansky is cruel. He doesn't care for his children as anything more than mere objects to further his image, nothing is good enough.
Tom doesn't talk about the man, but Ron knows a man who shuts down and becomes a scathing shell of himself when he's upset is not a man who experienced a happy childhood.
Ron is the one and only person who could afford to make the move he does without getting thrown to the side, pulling Tom into his arms and rubbing a hand between the man's shoulder blades like he's comforting a child.
"I'm not upset, I should be upset."
It's gut wrenching, to hear a man like Ice so painfully confused.
"S'alright, baby. You don't have to be."
Neither of them ever mention that the nickname was supposed to be a joke, or that Tom melts into his arms after hearing it.
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