my major caveat here is that I don't know if there are specific ships, tropes or ratings you like, or if you prefer fic related to one of the two movies, so I'm going to share a pretty wide range and assume you're starting fresh. happy to narrow this down if you want something more specific, but these are all personal favs.
I'm going to start with what I think are three icemav classics, written before TGM and ones I read years and years ago. They're all getting together fics.
Kings of the Air by fabularasa, 25k, mature. This is probably the first TG fic I ever read, and the one I've read the most. I feel like it set the bar for icemav for me.
What You Don’t Know by chemm80, 7.7k, explicit. Another fic I first read eons ago, and still one of my absolute favs. Maverick finds Iceman handcuffed to his bed. He has a hard time getting over it.
Ship to Shore by thecarlysutra / @icemankazansky, 2.8k, mature. Another fic I've read so many times. The premise is simple and perfectly executed. Maverick has been teaching at TOPGUN for about ten weeks when he gets a postcard.
In general, for icemav, you're never going to go wrong with fic by thecarysutra, susiecarter/ @susiecarter, qin_ling, or anthonyedwardstark/ @eighteaseven. Their fic is just consistently good, and you can find a lot of variety.
under the cut, I have more recs for a bunch of different ships including more icemav
icemav
Separation by elwenyere/ @elwenyere, 7k, mature. This is maybe more about Ice than specifically icemav, but god, it's gorgeous. I love fic where Ice has to learn to accept himself. Ice has a security deposit box at a storage facility under a false name. There isn’t much in it - no tax records or family heirlooms - just three letters from a boy he met at summer camp, a blurry Polaroid of a man’s back stretched out against motel sheets, and a copy of Nan Goldin’s The Ballad of Sexual Dependency.
Hello Stranger by serie11/ @oathkeeperoxas, 25k, teen. This is serie's first icemav fic and they have a lot of great ones to follow. It leaves me warm and fuzzy. Five weddings Ice and Maverick attend, and one wedding where they get married. Or, Five times Ice hesitated, and one time he didn’t.
the further on the edge, the hotter the intensity by StoriesofmyLife, 24k, explicit. One of my fav icemav 5 times fics. It's smutty and sweet and one I'll always rec. (All of their TG fic is great!)
say you’ll be my wife tonight by babygirl_linds, 6k, explicit. I have no idea if this is your vibe, but god, I think this fic is so hot. It's feminization roleplay, instigated by a lieutenant throwing shit at Mav and I can't tell you how many times I've read it.
hangster
My Whole Existence Is Flawed by Anonymous, 2.8k, explicit. Idk if you read omegaverse, but this may be my favorite omegaverse fic of all time. Hangman is an alpha who wants to be an omega.
signs point to yes by magdarko/ @magdarko, 10k, explicit. I think of this as the "pool fic" in my head. Jack and Bradley in a bar. Upping the ante until everything tips over. (magda has a lot of really good hangster fic)
caught me by surprise by emseebeans. @emseebeans, 5k, mature. Bradley and Jake hook-up after the mission. It's a one-time, casual thing. Until it's not.(or, five times Jake says Bradley isn’t his boyfriend, and the one time he realizes that might not be true.) This is a theme with my recs, but I love everything emseebeans writes.
Men Like Us by DancingDisaster, 41k, mature. This is a "finding each other again" fic.
other ships
I tried to just pic a few or I'd be here for hours, but if there's a ship you're into or want more of, lmk.
goosemav: whatiwouldnotgive/ @whatiwouldnotgive2 has written all of my favorite goosemav fic. I'd start with show me the way home (with your boots beneath my bed), 22k, explicit
hangmav: the third law of motion by alwaysbuddy (kamsangi), 13k, explicit. this is the first hangmav fic I read and it's still one of my absolute favorites. a great getting together fic with characterizations that feel real.
roosmav: Race You'll Never Win by atlanticslide, 13k, explicit. This is the fic that sold me on the ship. Pete’s whole life is based on split second decisions made without much thought. On the run, behind enemy lines, it's cold and dark and they don't have much for warmth. You know the drill.
roosmav: Borrowed Time by DietTonicDaughter, 34k, explicit. It was different, seeing Pete Mitchell now. As an adult. The anger, indignation, and fear had all clouded that simple fact, and now that they were on the same page, and just-barely not dead, he could breathe and really look at it. The wanting. The attraction. The glimpses of easy compatibility that make Rooster hurt in a hollow, lonely way, like the first bite of food on an empty stomach. And god, does he want to kiss Maverick. Someday. It’s a classic, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers type of jive.
I'm stopping here for now, or I never will, but I hope you find something you like in these recs! I have recs for poly ships and het ships, too, but I've got dinner plans lol.
AU where dagger squad are all friends and mav and rooster was in good terms and they have never met mav. Rooster invites mav to meet his friends in hard deck, but he is running late so when he gets there he sees his friends are in deep conversation. When he reaches them he gets bits of their conversation - " and I bet $20 that you are about to get humiliated bangman." Rooster was instantly intrested cause jake being humiliated is most probably his fav thing. So he slides in the seat and asks what's going on. Phoneix laughs as she explains that a man his caught hangman's eye and he is betting that he can get him to his bed by the end of the night. Jake takes over like- " ofcourse I can and have you seen that man?? That waist is sinful and those thighs would absolutely he devine around mine". Oh god he doesn't wanna hear about whole guy hangman wanna bang, but he sure wanna know who his man is.
"So who is this guy you wanna loose $20 over bangman?" Rooster gets a text from mav right as he asks- mav : I am here. He looks up and sees him sitting talking to penny, he's about to call out when rooster goes- " I see you have found him, oldman sure looks good enough to eat huh?" And the horror that rooster feels in his whole being cause no fucking way they are talking about Mav, god noooo. Rooster looks hangman dead in the eye and asks him to point to the guy and jake points to, god why him, points to Mav. And rooster never wanted to hide his godfather from his friends more in his life.
Inshort, hangman unknowingly wants to bang mav and rooster sits in horror as his friends bet on his godfather's faith 😂.
