In which everyone learns Hangman is much more like Maverick than they thought trauma responses too.
So one day after the suicide mission and the daggers are now a permanent squadron due to Ice Mav decides to do a plane swap so the single seaters get the opportunity to feel what it's like to have someone behind them.
However Hangman refuses to, even going as far to sit on the floor. The others make fun of him (except Coyote and Mav) but Mav is the first to realise how pale and short of breath Hangman seems to be and is even sure he sees him trembling slightly.
So to get him out he tells Hangman how he needs him to drop off some paperwork to his husband and how he can stay with Ice Incase he needs any help.
It isn't until he ran out the door the others realised something was truly wrong. It's not until later that Coyote tell them why.
(It took Hangman nearly two minutes in Ice office before he broke down and Ice realises that this kid acts like Maverick when he was younger and his heart breaks when he realises that this comes from a trauma shared between them. Though why was this never in his file).
Coyote later explains to them the reason Hangman won't fly with a backseater and it explains the relationship between those two.
It turns out Coyote knew Hangman from before he joined top gun. That it turned out that Coyote's older brother was Hangman's backseater and how a flying exercise turned into the death of one person and the mental trauma of another.
How hangman has sworn off having a backseater and tries to do everything solo.
It leaves everyone in shock and questioning if the rumours about hangman were ever true.
One knew he needed to apologise asap and another knew he was going to keep a tighter eye on hangman.
No one was surprised the next morning when they walked into the base only to see hangman stuck in between Mav and Rooster hugging him with the most confused look on his face.
