#hollywolf

who else up missing the peepaws?

In this one, I want to explore the idea that Mav never pulled Bradley's papers. Mav still had the conversation with Carol, but he could never go through with it after helping Bradley and spending so much time with the boy. He, of course, talks to Ice, and he isn't happy about what Carol asked, but he's not going to confront her. After her passing and when the application season comes around, Mav sits Bradley down and tells him his mothers ask, and tells Bradley he's not going to go through with it. He and Bradley have a long talk that does involve tears and Ice coming home to them, sitting cuddled on the couch, working on his application. The day the letter comes in the mail, Bradley and the class of '86 are huddled around the table as Bradley opens it. When they see the words accepted the hooten and hollerin starts, and a party is underway. With all this, Bradley still has a little fear when he goes about, only getting in cause of who his parents are, so he resorts to acting like he doesn't know anyone there. When in reality, that boy knows everyone, and the staff are having a field day trying to also act like they don't know him.

some little things that probably happened.

Slider sees Bradley and a group of friends, and he starts walking over and takes notice of Bradley mouthing "you don't know me" frantically. Slider has to pause, and fake cough to hide his laughter

Wolf comes in to guess teach, and he knows damn well Bradley knows all the answers to everything, but isn't raising his hand to answer. He narrows his gaze on the boy, and Bradley is staring back at him with a "you better not pull shit" face

someone points out a photo of the glass of '86 and makes mention that Bradley looks an awful lot like one of the people in the picture, and promptly shaves the little moustache he had off. Hollywood, who stops in to see Slider from time to time, sees and has to excuse himself cause he can't stop laughing over the reason.

Ice before he makes Commander of the Pacific fleet comes in for a visit. Everyone still knows who he is, but Bradley didn't know he would be popping in. He's walking through the halls with Nat, and when he sees him, he goes all deer in headlights because his pops are here. Nat has to elbow him to salute, and Ice has this shit-eating grin on his face.

The group decided not to tell Merlin, and when he sees Bradley and starts to walk up to him, Bradley bolts in the other direction. Cue Mav getting a frantic phone call from Merlin asking if he did something to offend baby goose. Mav has to tell him through his tears from laughing. Bradley has vowed that he doesn't know any of them.

Sundown and Chipper come as a pair and pinch Bradley cause they find it funny cause usually he would whip around and go after one of them, but now he has to keep a straight face and can't react. They make it a game, and when they finally get a moment alone, Bradley turns and kicks Sundown in the shin(lightly), but Chipper evades and runs out of the room laughing. The people in the hall are confused when Bradley walks out and runs in the direction Chipper went.

Cougar doesn't have to worry about any of that; he invites Bradley out to dinner like a normal person.

Mav pokes in from time to time, not really telling anyone when he shows up. He likes to observe his son and see what he is up to with friends. The one time Bradley spots him in the crowd, he can tell his son is having a rough day. It's around the time he lost his mother, and it still hits everyone hard. He breaks Bradley's wishes not to approach, but he frames it as if he is seeing Bradley for the first time in years. Bradley gets what he is doing and doesn't care cause he gets a much-needed hug from his dad.

Viper makes a rare appearance at the academy since he retired and, with his no-nonsense ways, pats Bradley on the back and tells him he's doing great. Bradley once again freezes, and everyone else freezes too. Viper continues on like nothing happened.

Bradley makes it through somehow without anyone making any connections. Later on, when he gets through Flight school and then wins his Top Gun class, does someone figure something out? It's Jake, Bradley is teaching at TopGun, classroom only, cause is appendix wanted to come out. Jake sees the photo, actually reads the names, and starts to pay attention to the other pilot. Jake is a hardcore Iceman and Maverick fan; he studied their careers. He notices Bradley is friends with Admiral Kerner, Neven, and Ruth( or in some cases Wolfe). He notices Bradley has a glare like the Iceman and seems to mimic Ice a lot. When he's allowed back up in the jet, he notices Bradley flies like standard but pulls crazy shit only Maverick would do. Now, Bradley does notice Jake and all the staring he's been doing, but he ignores it most of the time. When Graduation comes, and Jake gets ready to teach the next year, Bradley invites him to dinner to discuss his plans. Except Bradley gives him Ice's address cause he was already having dinner there, and what better way to discuss plans with two of the Navy's finest. Jake loses his shit when Bradley introduces them as his parents. He knew there was something up with Bradley, and if Ice points out that Jake is staring at Bradley's ass and to hurry up and ask his son out, well thats no ones business but his own.

Guys guys hollywood x wolfman is the healthiest relationship of them all they are canon I swear to god.

hollywood and wolfman were never ambitious in the way iceman was.

they loved flying, sure. loved the sky, the precision, the thrill. but neither of them wanted rank for rank’s sake. neither of them wanted their whole lives to be a ladder.

and when don’t ask, don’t tell becomes impossible to ignore, they finally sit down and talk about it. really talk.

late at night. beers on the table. wolfman quieter than usual. hollywood watching him carefully.

they both know the truth: it’s only a matter of time before the wrong person notices. a look held too long. a habit that’s too familiar. a rumor.

dishonorable discharge isn’t worth it. losing everything they’ve built isn’t worth it.

so they retire.

not bitter. not angry. just… done.

hollywood goes commercial. it makes sense. still flying, still skilled, but no longer owned by the job.

they move back to texas. buy land. not flashy. a ranch that feels like it’s always been there. a couple of animals that multiply faster than expected.

wolfman falls in love with the place immediately.

he’s softer out there. calmer. the kind of man who wakes up early to feed animals and talks to them like they understand. hollywood watches him from the porch sometimes, coffee in hand, thinking: this was the right choice.

wolfman has always had a big heart. it’s one of the things hollywood loves most about him.

he stays close with maverick. closer than hollywood realizes at first. long phone calls. check-ins. visits that linger.

then maverick tells him about foster care. about bouncing from place to place. about never really feeling chosen.

wolfman listens. doesn’t interrupt. just lets it sit.

later that night, he brings it up carefully.

“what would you think,” he asks, like he’s afraid of the answer, “about fostering?”

hollywood doesn’t hesitate.

he knows wolfman. knows this isn’t a phase or a whim. knows wolfman is incredible with slider’s kids, patient and gentle and steady. knows maverick practically turns into a kid around him, something softer and safer.

“okay,” hollywood says. simple. certain. “we can do that.”

wolfman looks at him like he’s just been handed the world.

they’re good at it. better than they expect.

their house is calm. predictable. warm. no yelling. no ultimatums. rules that make sense and adults who keep them.

wolfman is the steady one. routines. reassurance. sitting quietly with kids who don’t want to talk.

hollywood is the fun one. jokes. rides into town. the guy who knows when to push and when to back off.

they work as a unit without ever saying so.

jake seresin shows up already smiling.

charming. cocky. too smart for his own good. pretending he doesn’t care while caring deeply.

wolfman clocks it immediately. that look in the eyes. that way of testing people before trusting them.

hollywood notices it too.

“he reminds me of someone,” hollywood says one night.

wolfman snorts. “yeah. that’s the problem.”

jake worms his way into their hearts without even trying. helps around the ranch. flirts his way out of trouble at school. laughs too loud. flies paper planes off the porch.

wolfman is gone first. proud in a quiet, aching way. a dad way

hollywood follows, pretending he wasn’t already halfway there.

and jake, who’s spent his life bouncing from place to place , stays.

their home fills up in ways they didn’t plan for.

kids come and go. some stay longer than others. some leave and still call.

hollywood and wolfman never make promises they can’t keep. they just offer safety. consistency. love without conditions.

together, they are the healthiest relationship anyone around them has ever seen.

no drama. no power games. no fear.

just two men who chose each other, stepped away when it mattered, and built something real.

and if anyone ever doubts it?

all they have to do is look at the kids who come back years later.