Jake bent his head down to nuzzle your neck. “So, Zips,” he muttered as his lips traced the curve of your jaw. “I might have brought you out here for another reason besides just the sunset. Have you ever done it in the cockpit of your plane?”

You chuckled softly as you whispered, “Loads of times.” Your smile broadened at the surprised expression on his face. “What? Did you think you were the only adventurous one?”

“No, I just…. I don’t know.” He blinked rapidly as he tried to readjust his seduction plan. “I just wasn’t expecting that answer.”

You shrugged. “Every pilot does it at one point or another. It’s like a right of passage. However…” You ran your hands up his chest until you reached the zipper at the top of his flight suit. Then as you stared deeply into his eyes, you began to slowly lower it. “Have you ever done it on the wings? It requires perfect balance, perfect coordination between partners. It’s a thrill very few can say they’ve shared.” You had finished unzipping the suit to his hips and had placed your hands on his chest again to slide the suit off his broad shoulders, but he grabbed your hands before you could.

You looked up at him, your brow scrunched in confusion. Jake reached out and ran his hand down the side of your face before tenderly cupping it in his grasp. Pulling you in close, he paused when your lips were just centimeters from his. Then, in a voice that was dripping in lust and longing, he whispered for the first time, “I love you.”

A smile slowly spread across your face as you whispered back, “I love you too.” And then your lips were on his.

As the two of you devoured one another, Jake’s hands slid your jacket from your shoulders as yours returned to his flight suit. Slowly and without pausing your frenzied embrace, you began pushing Jake backward until his shoulders collided with the side of your plane. As he let out a soft grunt of surprise, you tugged on his bottom lip with your teeth as you pulled away. Then with a wink, you pulled off your shirt and pants, leaving you standing in nothing but your undergarments.

As Jake marveled at the sight before him, you grinned and nodded toward the plane. “Give me a boost. Then we’ll have some real fun.”

The next week was far more intensive than any of the recruits imagined it would be. The Top Gun instructor, Maverick, was living up to his reputation of being one of the most reckless and innovative pilots any of you had ever seen. It seemed at first that no one stood a chance at beating him. Yet, slowly but surely, the team was improving and a few squad members (Zipper and Jake included) had even managed to get Mav out a few times during practice.

However, as time went on, the tension among some of the team began to grow. The fact that only a handful of you would actually be chosen for this mission hung like a dark cloud over the group and sooner or later, everyone knew that cloud was going to burst. 

Jake hadn’t been digging for dirt necessarily, but when he stumbled upon the old photo of Maverick and a man named Bradshaw who looked eerily similar to Rooster, all the pieces fell into place. He did a little more research and found out what had happened all those years ago. It was just what he needed to knock Rooster off his high-and-mighty perch. 

And before long, he had the perfect opportunity to use his information. Maverick was chewing out the entire squad for failing today’s exercise. Most people just took his criticisms and comments, but not Rooster. He refused to back down and shot his own remarks right back at Maverick until it came to a head. And that’s when Jake saw his chance.

"That's no time to be thinking about the past." Jake shot Rooster a pointed glance.

The other pilot stared back at him darkly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I can't be the only one that knows that Maverick flew with his old man.” Jake watched both Rooster and Maverick’s faces go white as they realized what he was talking about.

You grabbed his thigh and squeezed it hard, sending him a warning. “Jake, don’t.”

But Jake had finally found his way to knock Rooster off his high horse and he wasn’t going to pass it up. So, he ignored your pleas and continued, “Or that Maverick was flying when his old man-"

Rooster leaped to his feet and dove at Jake. "You son of a bitch."

Jake was on his feet in seconds, fully intent on fighting back, of finally getting to take his frustrations out on Rooster, but all the other recruits also swarmed around them, quickly trying to separate the two men.

Everyone was yelling and pulling at him, the voices blending into a single cacophony of noise. However, your voice stood out as Jake struggled against the hands trying to hold him back.

“Hey! Stop it! Jake! Stop! I said stop!” You grabbed his arm as you tried to drag him away from Rooster, but Jake spun towards you at the same moment causing him to strike you across the face.

The room went silent as you stumbled back from the force of his hit and you clutched your cheek. Everyone, including Rooster and Maverick, froze as they stared at you and Jake. Jake’s eyes grew wide as he realized what he had done and he took a few hesitant steps toward you with his arms outstretched, “Zips, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean-”

You swatted his hands away as you glared back at him, your face a mask of fury tinged with a slight edge of pain. “Get away from me, you asshole.”

“Zipper, come on. Please, I d-”

You shoved him away harder as you grabbed your stuff and hissed, “Don’t follow me.” 

Then you pushed past him, your shoulder driving into his arm. As you reached Rooster, you gently took his hand and nodded towards the door. He nodded back and allowed you to lead him out, neither one of you looking back even as Jake continued to beg for your forgiveness. 

When he had slunk back to your shared quarters a few hours later, Jake found you sitting on the couch with an ice pack on your cheek. You had just shot him a dirty look before muttering, “We’ll talk about this in the morning once we’ve both had a chance to calm down.” But now it was morning and neither one of you seemed any calmer.

As he walked into the kitchen, he saw you sitting at the table, a faint bruise standing out like a brand on your cheek. Jake slowly eased himself into the chair across from you, his eyes downcast under the intensity of your gaze. “Zips, I am so sorry. I didn’t know you were there and I just whirled around. I would never lay a hand on you like that. You’ve got to believe me.”

You sighed angrily. “Jake, I don’t care that you hit me. I know that was an accident and you would never purposely hurt me. What I do care about is that you did that to Rooster in front of everyone. Hell, you also dragged Maverick into it! What the fuck were you thinking? You don’t rub a guy’s dead father in his face and expect to come out looking like the good guy.”

“I was just telling the truth! And honestly, it explains a lot about Rooster as a pilot. He’s always so hesitant and overly cautious, but now everyone knows why.”

“Did you ever think that if he wanted everyone to know about his dad he would have mentioned it a long time ago? You had to know that this wasn’t okay. What were you hoping to get out of this? That Maverick forgot what happened to his RIO and how it might affect Rooster and now that you reminded him, he would just decide to make you team leader? Did you even think about what would happen after you shared what you knew? Or were you so focused on sticking it to Rooster that you didn’t think that far ahead?”

Jake hesitated. “I mean…. No… but everyone deserved to know!”

“Why? What does this change, huh? Except now I’m pretty sure Maverick will never pick you as team leader. Because a leader sure as hell wouldn’t have done that to a team member.”

“Well, who else is he going to pick? You?” Jake scoffed but then froze as he realized what he had said.

You went perfectly still, staring at him with a look of hurt betrayal on your face as you whispered, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I just meant… Come on, babe, don’t make me say it,” Jake sighed.

“Say what?”

Jake squeezed his eyes together tightly, preparing for the fallout of what he was about to say next but then he opened them to stare directly into your eyes. “Maverick’s gonna pick the best pilot for the mission, regardless of if he likes them or not. And, I’m sorry, but that’s just not you.”

For a moment, your mouth dropped in utter disbelief. But then, all the pain and all the shock shifted into rage as you yelled, “I can’t believe you!”

“It’s not like what I said was wrong. Sure, it might not have been very nice, but do you honestly think you’re a better pilot than I am?”

“As a matter of fact, I fucking do! It’s not always about being the fastest or the smartest. It’s about being fast, being smart, and being reliable, Hangman. All my times are close to if not equal to yours. And I’ve managed to outmaneuver Maverick in practice just like you have. But I have never left my wingman to fend for themself in order for me to claim my victory. Can you say the same?”

His jaw clenched at your mocking, accusatory tone. You never called him Hangman unless in a professional setting and the way you threw his callsign at him now felt like a low blow. But before he could fire back a response, you continued your rant. “You give Rooster such a hard time about being too cautious or playing it too safe, but at least I know when I’m up in the air that he has my back. I can’t always say the same for you.”

Jake felt like you had just slapped him in the face. “So, what are you saying? That you would rather have Rooster as your wingman than me?”

A sudden silence filled the room, his unanswered question hanging in the air. Jake knew you wouldn’t lie just to hurt him nor to save his feelings so whatever you said next would be how you truly felt. And as he waited with bated breath for your answer, you stared down at the floor. But then, you raised your gaze until it was level with his and said bluntly, “Yes. In a real-world situation, outside of training, then yes. I would rather have Rooster covering my tail because I know he’ll always be there.”

Your words cut Jake down to his very core. He knew he could be a self-centered flier, but you really didn’t trust him to have your back? Yours? It was too much to take.

Jumping to his feet, Jake said, “I’m leaving.”

You stared at him incredulously. “Where the hell are you going to go? You’re scheduled to fly today and have to be on the tarmac in less than an hour!”

“It doesn’t matter. And I don’t care what you tell them, but I earned a day pass for winning that bet the other day against Hondo and I’m using it.” He grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair and stalked over to the door.

You took a few steps after him. “Jake, come on. You’re really doing this? We’re having a fight about you not having my back, about you not being there, and you’re leaving?”

Jake grabbed the door handle but then turned to look at you over his shoulder. “Apparently, that’s what I do. I guess you shouldn’t be surprised.” And then he yanked the door open and stormed out, heading towards the exit of the base.

Part Two out now!

Ornament - nothing,nowhere

I lost track of some days, just lost in my own head. Isla was pretty vocal about my fuck ups but I couldn't seem to stop.

C: Maybe you should have married Arthur...

I half-mumbled it in a slurred fucking mess. Honestly it came out clearer than it should considered how drunk I was.

I: The thought crossed my mind.

All the sweetness in her voice was gone.

Was this all that was left?

The next morning I did something I probably shouldn't have.

Something I could never take back.

I felt guilty.

But what other choice did I have?

Roman wants to be perfect. No, he needs to be perfect. And part of being perfect is being a good friend. Roman loves the other sides. He loves them more than anything in the world. Even more than Disney and musical theater. His friends are the main reason why his still holding on. He doesn’t want to lose them. He can’t lose them. He won’t survive if he does.

So, to make sure he doesn’t he takes notes. He writes down ways to make sure he’s constantly improving. Any bad habits that the others point out or flaws he writes down and tries to fix. 

The lists went on and on. Hung up on the walls of his room to make sure he always remembers. And as time goes on, more and more is added to the list. Every small addition getting him one step closer to perfection.

Remember to keep your voice level normal. Don’t talk too loudly.

Stop being so dramatic, you're taking too much attention away from the others.

Don’t be too confident, it comes off as cocky and no one like someone that’s too cocky.

Don’t rant about your interest for too long it gets annoying and boring.

Don’t be selfish, no one likes a selfish person.

....................

The chart came along a few months later. 

Roman had already been taking notes on how to please his friends however he decided to reorganize his notes into a chart. Each side had their own section containing list of what they liked, disliked, what cheered them up, and what upsets them.

Logan

Likes: Crofters, astrology, coffee, books, teaching, silence, human anatomy, schedules, deadlines, Thomas being productive, debating, constellations, being listened to, law, learning, classical music, poetry, Sherlock.

Dislikes: Being ignored, unnecessary emotions, sweets, dumb people, someone being too loud, childish movies, games, being behind schedule, illogical decisions, jokes, unrealistic dreams.

What makes him happy?: Stargazing, writing, meeting deadlines, winning debates, telling random facts, rapping, his onesie, reading, being left alone, being called cool, teaching.

What upsets him?: Being treated as a joke, being teased, being reminded of his mistakes, making mistakes, being ignored or overlooked, losing a debate, feeling dumb.

Patton

Likes: Cookies, drawing, cure animals, compliments, happy songs, seeing his friends happy, t.v shows, helping others, singing, dancing, playing dress up, stuffed animals, gifts, holidays, baking, sweets.

Dislikes: Screaming, loud noises, getting stuff thrown at him, blood, weapons, violence, seeing his friends injured, sad movies and stories.

What makes him happy?: Cuddles, movie nights, being showered with affection, cookies, drawing, karaoke nights, talking about his emotions, playing games with his friends, helping others, his onesie. 

What upsets him?: Seeing an animal die, seeing people in pain, being forced to grow up, seeing his friends in hurt, not being able to help someone, disappointing someone, letting Thomas down, letting his emotions control him.

Virgil

Likes: Candles, alternative music, spiders, his hoodie, Tim Burton films, My Chemical Romance, headphones, fidget cubes, staying up late, drama shows, bats, knives, collecting pins.  

Dislikes: The ocean, sudden loud noises, cheesy pop music, people that are too optimistic (except for Patton), someone being mean to his friends,

What makes him happy?: Doing makeup, painting his nails, listening to music, Patton’s baking, playing with his pet spider, meditating, watching murder myterious, watching Disney and Tim Burton movies.

What upsets him?: Being put on the spot, being called evil, being treated like an innocent kid, being called a darkside, being called a disorder rejection, talk about serious topics such as suicide and self harm. 

Remus

Likes: Gore, blood, mud, fighting, collecting weapons, deodorant, musicals, inappropriate jokes, Fleischer Studios, pranks, dancing, mythical creatures, things that glow in the dark, random t.v shows, horror movie, slime, candy, octopus, skirts, crop tops.

Dislikes: Cheesy love songs, rules, normal food aside from fast food, birds, learning, shaving, reading, romance movies/shows, backstabbers, lying, shaving cream, showers, losing fights.

What makes him happy?: Dissecting stuff, fighting, pranking others, dancing, singing, coming up with outfit ideas, punching stuff, playing with slime, reenacting horror movies, inappropriate jokes, hanging out in his trash can, being pet, Shrek, eating deodorant, someone doing his makeup.

What upsets him?: Being abandoned or left behind, being told he isn’t good enough, being compared to me, seeing Janus upset, seeing Virgil upset, being told to shave.

Janus

Like: Snakes, philosophy, Greek mythology, sewing, horror movies, mystery books, murder documentaries, self care, sleeping, warm baths, weighted blankets, debating, law.

Dislikes: The cold, when someone takes his hat, dumb comedy movies, eagles, action movies, unnecessary violence or gore, close minded people, liars, sharing secrets, being vulnerable. 

What makes hims happy?: Massages, weighted blankets, cuddling, hanging out with Remus, acting, having debates, seeing Remus and Virgil playfully argue, watching murder mysteries, singing.

What upsets him?: Being called evil, being ignored, seeing Remus or Virgil upset, Thomas not taking care of himself, being replaced, being left behind, people not understanding him, someone making fun of his scales, taking off his gloves.

....................

“Come on pussy! Let’s just march into his room, what’s the worse that could happen?”

“Language!” Patton quickly scolds Remus.

“What if he’s in there and he screams at us for barging in?! What if he gets really mad and chooses to get physical!? What if we see something we don’t want to!? What if he’s asleep and he get mad that we woke him up!? What if-”

“Virgil,” Logan interrupts the panicking side, “Your anxiety is causing you to catastrophize. Please, take a deep breath and try to filter out your cognitive distortion.”

The anxious side nods and takes a few deep breaths to calm himself.

“Now, I would like to add that I personally believe that Remus’ plan isn’t the worst idea ever and is currently the best one we have.” The logical side states.

“Well, while I love to agree with Remus, he is wrong in this instance,” 

Remus smirks widely, “Awe! Thanks Jany~ You’re too generous~”

The deceitful side rolls his eyes, “Let’s just go.”

“Fine,” Virgil stands up, looking rather done with everything.

The rest of the sides stand up as well and begin to make their way to the prince’s room.

Once they make it to his door, Remus immediately just breaks the door down and lets himself in.

“Surprise!”

 They walk in, greeted only by silence.

“He isn’t here?” Patton mumbles to himself.

“Doesn’t look like it. Let’s not go then.”

The other sides nod and start making their way out. Well, everyone except for Logan. 

The logical side instead gets distracted by a paper stabled to the wall. He walks over to it and reads it to himself. Once he’s done reading his looks around the room and notices all the papers on the wall. As well, as the lack of theater and Disney merchandise.

“Wait, doesn't Roman’s room look,” He pauses to search for the right words, “Wrong?”

The other sides stop walking and looks around.

“Now that you mention it,” Remus mumbles, “His room has changed a lot since I last saw it...”

The other start reading through the endless papers of tips to improve himself and advice. 

Suddenly Patton stops in front of a chart titled “Duties”

He slowly goes over it and buy the time he is done he is fuming with rage.

“What the hell!? Guys come look at this!”

The others go over, slightly amused and concerned.

Each of them take turns analyzing the chart. 

Roman had spend his day at the Imagination. After the whole wedding accident, he’s been stuck in a very toxic place and well he thought a small guest might help. So, he left early in the morning and began his guest. He hadn’t meant to stay there for as long as he did but he lost track of time. 

“Kiddo, we have a lot to talk about,” Patton mumbles in a passive aggressive tone.

....................

As the tired side starts approaching his room, he notices that all the either sides are gathered outside his room. Once he’s a bit closer, Virgil is the first to notice him. To his shock though, Virgil rushes to him and slaps him

“Roman, what the fuck!?”

Roman stands there shocked for a few minutes before looking at Patton, expecting to hear him scold Virgil. Instead however, Patton just look away from him.

“ANSWER ME!”

“I-...” Roman bites his lip to hold back the tears in his eyes, “I-I don’t understand... W-what did I do....?”

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING!?”

The prince-like-side flinches and looks down.

Remus puts a hand on Virgil’s shoulder, "Let me handle this.”

For some reason, Roman thought that Remus would be on his side. He thought that if anyone understood what he was trying to do, it would be his brother. Or that his brother would at least explain what happened and let him tell his part of the story.

So, he looked up with a hopeful expression. 

“Don’t look at me like that. What the fuck is wrong with you!? If you think we were such a hassle then why did you stay friends with us!?”

Any hope that Roman had immediately leaves his body, “I-I... I never said that! Where is this coming?!”

“DON’T BULLSHIT ME, ROMAN!” Remus summons his morning star, “WE SAW THE FUCKING CHART! SO, WHAT!? WE’RE NOTHING MORE THAN “DUTIES” TO YOU!?” 

The usual confident side is now frozen in shock. They weren’t supposed to see that chart. They weren’t supposed to see his room at all. If Roman was being honest, he could understand why they took the chart the wrong way. The name of it wasn’t exactly the best but it was all he could think of while actually making it. Now though, he wished he would have pushed himself to think of a better name.

“N-No! You got it all wrong!” He is now crying, flinching away from his brother, “I was just trying to make you guys happy!”

Remus scoffs and puts his weapon away. He walks away from Roman and returns to Janus’ side.

“Whatever, Roman.”

His knees give out and he falls to the floor in defeat.

“I would greatly appreciate if you keep your distance from Patton and I from now on. If you fail to do so, I can’t exactly guarantee that I will be nice. Goodbye Roman.”

“Fucking pussy.” Remus throws out.

And just like that Logan sinks down with a crying Patton.

“And I thought I was the snake,” Janus adds, looking at him in pure disgust.

Then, they’re gone.

For a few seconds Virgil stares at the broken prince in front of him.

“You really are an idiot.”

He looks away from him and sinks down with a scoff leaving the weeping prince on the floor. 

Alone.