The Future Awaits
Plot: You and Iceman meet at a bar and hit it off. Once you suddenly leave, Iceman is afraid he will never see you again, but, you know something he doesn't.
Requested Prompts: "Why are you staring at me?"< (changed to fit the dialogue better) "Because I think you're beautiful." + "You owe me a kiss." and "I think I'm falling in love with you." "I think I'm okay with that." Requested By: Anonymous
Pairing: Tom "Iceman" Kazansky x GN!Reader (leans a bit towards a feminine character; but no pronouns are used) *Readers call sign is Apollo
Warnings: A part of this takes place in a bar, and 'drinks' are mentioned, but its not specifically alcohol, so you can picture it as you want.
Words: 3.6k
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"I really don't think this is what I want to be doing before my first day." You said with a sigh as you looked at the loud and clearly crowded bar in front of you.
Your friend shook you lightly by the shoulder "It's exactly what you should be doing. Half of the pilots you'll be flying with will be here."
Letting out another soft groan as they began dragged you inside, you said forceully "But we leave by eight, no later!"
"Yeah yeah I know."
You almost flinched at the mixed smell of alcohol, smoke and sweat that hit you as you entered the bar. You grimaced a bit as you saw the large bustling crowd. A mix of military personnel and locals, some mixed together, some grouped up.
You wondered if you were the only pilot not wearing their uniform. You felt a bit out of place as you slid through the crowd and sat at the bar beside your friend.
Looking around, your eyes stopped momentarily on a taller man with blonde hair. A pilot, big smile, attractive. You wondered if he was one of the pilots you'd be working with.
Looking back at the bartender as they came over, you missed the man you had just been admiring look over at you.
Iceman's eyes seemed to double take as he looked over a the bar. As he scanned you up and down, interest took hold. He had never seen you before, or the friend you were with. You smiled at the bartender and he felt an odd flutter in his chest.
Feeling a smack on his shoulder, he looked over to see Slider staring at him amused "What's got you so distracted all of a sudden?"
Iceman smirked a little as he gestured towards you "Talking to the bartender."
Slider whistled lowly "Cute. And just you're type. You gonna go talk to 'em?"
Ice shrugged his head a bit "I'm thinking about it."
That was a lie, there was no thinking about it, and no way he would let you leave this bar without at least learning your name.
--- ---
"Oh, there's Jeremy! I'm gonna go say hi, don't go anywhere!"
As your friend bounded off without waiting for a reply, you just let out a soft laugh. You knew it wouldn't take long before you were left on your own.
Seeing a figure slide into the seat your friend had just been in, you could feel the strangers eyes boring into you. You internally cursed, hoping it wasn't some drunk local hoping to get lucky.
When they didn't look away, you finally glanced over. You felt your breath hitch in your throat as your eyes locked with a pair of icy blue ones. The man you had seen earlier was now right beside you, looking down at you with a charming smile.
"Hi." He said casually.
"Hello." You smiled as you sipped at the straw in your drink.
He continued to smile as he stared at you. You almost laughed "Is there a reason you're staring at me?"
His smile widened "Yeah, because I think you're beautiful."
You felt your chest clench as you tried to repress a grin. You nodded your head, amused and surprised.
"Your friend coming back, or can I sit down?" He added on, sparing you of a response to his blunt compliment.
So he was waiting for your friend to leave? How long had he been watching you? The thought made your skin burn hot.
"I doubt I'll see them again for a while." You said with a soft laugh before you motioned your head, welcoming him to sit.
You might as well get to know at least one pilot before tomorrow.
He smiled brightly as he sat down, obviously not bothered by his proximity to you as he stayed facing you, his knee brushing your thigh.
"I'm Tom, but my call sign is Iceman." Before you could respond he added on "Uh, a call sign is basically a nickname we have as pilots."
You smiled at him as you bit down on your straw, noting the way his eyes lingered on your lips as you did this.
So he assumed you were a local. You had heard of Iceman, he was a hot shot, number one at Top Gun in the class a couple years before you. And apparently he was cocky, and a tad bit full of himself, maybe this could be fun.
"Why do they call you that?" You asked softly.
He shrugged his head a bit as he leaned on the bar, "Because I'm cool in stressful situations. Ice cold. I make no mistakes."
You hummed a bit with a small smile, watching as his eyes scanned your face again.
"What's your name?" He asked softly.
"Y/n."
Reaching out his hand he grinned "Nice to meet you Y/n."
Taking it, you shook his hand, not unaware of the fluttering in your stomach, or the heat at the tips of your ears. He was certainly charming.
You looked around a bit, feigning ignorance "So the air base must be close to here huh? A lot of pilots in here."
He nodded as he casually looked around "Yeah, this is the main bar we come to for a night out. So I'm assuming you're not from here then?" You shook your head "Well that explains why I haven't seen you before."
"Just got into town today." You added casually before you turned your head towards him a bit more "So, Iceman" you began, noting the way his lip quirked as you used his call sign "What's it like being a pilot?"
You listened to him talk for a few minutes, deciding that though he was definitley a bit full of himself, he was also charismatic, loved his job, and loved flying.
"You get along with the other pilots, or are there rivalries?" You might as well get some info before you walk into your new station blindly.
He let out a short laugh "No, we all get along. Occasionally a newbie gets transferred in, thinks they're the shit, but we humble them quickly."
You smirked at this "Got any newbies recently?"
"No, but we got a new pilot transferring in tomorrow."
"Oh? What's their call sign?" You held your breath, waiting for it.
"Apollo."
You rose your brow "Well that's an interesting name."
"Yeah, I guess Apollo is the god of prophecy or something." He said with an almost disinterested tone.
"So they can see the future?" You joked.
He let out a chuckle "That would be something. No, apparently they got a reputation for being able to see things coming before they happen. Meaning great instincts, but we'll see."
You wanted to laugh, but you held it in. "You don't believe it?"
He shrugged his head "I hear a lot of reputations about pilots, half of them are exaggerated."
You turned fully towards him now, your leg pushing his aside but still resting against each other. This clearly caught him off guard as he straightened up a bit.
You set your elbow on the bar and put your head in your hand "And what's your reputation?"
He licked his lips as he smiled "I've got a few."
Before your conversation could move forward, you saw a large man suddenly appear at Iceman's side as he slung his arm around his shoulder. Iceman was clearly annoyed at this sudden intrusion, but you looked patiently at the new man.
"Iceman, ask your new friend here if they play darts, we need two more players."
Ice looked like he was about to shoo him off, but you spoke first.
"I do."
Iceman looked over at you a bit shocked, as Slider grinned "Great."
"You play darts?" Iceman asked amused
You shrugged "I'm decent."
You watched his mind working as a small smirk played at his lips. "You down a player each team?" Iceman asked Slider.
"Yes'sir."
"Alright, how about a deal then." He said to you now.
"What kind of deal?"
"You win, I pay your tab. I win, I get a kiss."
You saw his friend repress a smile, and you smirked. "Alright, deal."
Iceman's grin grew wider as you agreed. Standing, he reached out his hand for you to shake. Taking it, you were a bit surprised as he continued to hold your hand as he led you to the dart board, where you were greeted by the other pilots with a chorus of cheers.
--- --- ---
You let out a long breath as you aimed your dart at the board. You needed three points, no more or you'd bust, giving Iceman the chance to win. As you threw your dart, you let out a disappointed groan as you barely missed your mark.
You saw Iceman smile widely as he stepped up to the board. After a moment, he threw his dart, hitting the double four, earning the perfect score he needed.
You and your teammates groaned as his team cheered. You watched as Iceman turned towards you and took a step closer, clearly proud of himself. "Looks like you owe me a kiss."
You heard snickers and teasing 'oohs' coming from the other pilots, but you ignored them. Taking a step closer you stared up at Iceman, watching as he held his breath, his eyes darting between yours and yours lips. Leaning up slowly, you smiling softly before quickly kissing his cheek.
The others around you let out laughs and groans, some clutching their chest, mocking the obvious disappointment on Iceman's face.
You grinned at him and shrugged "You never said what kind of kiss."
The man you learned was Slider came up and gripped Iceman's shoulders "Ouch. But you should have expected that."
A smile spread across Iceman's face as he looked down at you "Cute."
You smiled sweetly at him, feigning innocence, as his grin widened. Suddenly you felt an arm slip around your waist. Looking over, you saw your friend looking at you with a smile. "Sorry to interrupt, but -" they leaned in and whispered in your ear.
Your eyes found the nearest clock you saw it was nearly nine. You looked at your friend and they shrugged, their version of an apology for not getting you sooner "I didn't want to interrupt your game."
You looked at Iceman, who stared at the two of you in confusion. Part of you wanted to stay, but you knew you needed a good nights sleep. And, you wanted the finish what you started with Iceman before he learned the punchline too soon.
You reached out, straightening one of his uniform patches "Sorry Tom, looks like I gotta go, busy day tomorrow."
"Already?" He laughed, but you could see the disappointment in his face. Maybe he did really like you. You shrugged apologetically and he straightened up a bit "Will I see you again?"
You smiled "I can't see the future, but I have a feeling you will."
He frowned slightly, obviously missing your hint of who you were.
Stepping back you smiled, "See ya Tom."
You could feel his eyes on you as you and your friend left the bar. You thought for a moment as you glanced back and saw him watching you, that he would follow you. But as Slider grabbed his arm, you knew he wouldn't.
He wanted to follow you, get your number, your address, anything, but as Slider grabbed him, he looked away for a moment, only to look back and see you were gone.
"Dammit" He muttered as he quickly went after you, sliding between the groups of people that filled the bar. As he stepped outside, he saw your car driving away and cursed under his breath.
You'd come back to find him right? There was no way it was just him feeling what was between you. That electricity that sent chills up his spine. Something he had never felt before. He had to see you again.
"So, who was that? He was cute." Your friend asked as you drove off.
"Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, a pilot at the base."
They frowned a bit "Did you not tell him who you were? He seemed like he was expecting to never see you again."
You smiled "I may have kept it a secret."
They let out a laugh "Oh, that's good. Cruel, but good."
You smiled to yourself throughout the night as you tried to imagine how he would respond when he learned who you really were. Would he find it as funny as you did? Or would he be annoyed?
You were also a bit afraid. You grew to like him throughout the night, and he seemed to like you too. But when you started to work together, would he pull away?
--- --- --- ---
Throughout the rest of the night, and next morning, you would not leave Tom's mind. He couldn't believe he didn't get your number, or even just your last name. He already planned to go back to the bar tonight, to see if you'd come back. He felt a tightness in his chest that he knew wouldn't go away until he saw you again.
As Slider nudged his arm, he looked up as the General entered, ready to debrief the group on an upcoming mission.
"Before we start, I'd like to introduce the newest member of the team, you probably know them as their call sign Apollo. Graduated top of their class in the Top Gun program, I expect you all to welcome them and make them feel at home."
Tom stared down at the pen he was twirling in his fingers, as the general spoke, not particularly interested in the newest addition to the team. But when there seemed to be a wave of motion through the pilots, and a chorus of whispering, followed by Slider hitting him in the arm, he looked up in confusion.
Following Sliders line of sight, he saw the newest pilot coming in. He felt his heart skip a beat as his breath got caught in his throat.
"Lieutenant Y/n L/n, Apollo, welcome."
You nodded at the General as you turned and looked at the group of pilots. You recognized most of them from the bar, and from their shocked faces, they recognized you. As your eyes ran through the crowd, they paused on a familiar face.
Tom stared up at you with a clear look of shock and confusion.
It felt like time stopped as he met yours eyes. And as a small smirk played at your lips he felt his heart palpitate. Sitting down in the front row, his eyes bored into the back of your head throughout the rest of the debriefing. He couldn't focus on anything else.
As he sat there, your conversations ran through his head again. The whole time, you knew what you were doing. When you met, he immediately assumed you weren't a pilot and you played along. When he remembered talking about Apollo he felt himself cringe.
Then he remembered what you said when he asked if he'd see you again "I can't see the future, but I have a feeling you will." You played him.
But he wasn't mad, he even felt a smile appear on his face as he stared at the back of your head. You did exactly what he would have done. He almost laughed, God, you were perfect.
When the debrief ended, you weren't surprised to turn around to see Tom walking straight up to you. He had small smile playing on his lips and you felt a wave of relief to see he wasn't angry.
He stopped right in front of you as his face went blank. "Y/n. Or, should I call you Apollo?"
You smiled "Either works."
Slowly, a smile spread across his face as he shook his head "You played me."
"I didn't play you, I just let you assume I was what you thought I was."
"Which was?"
"Well not a pilot obviously."
He let out a short laugh "Yeah, fair enough " He stared at you for a moment, his eyes darting around your face, and you felt those now familiar butterflies.
"So, Apollo. We gonna have a rivalry, or are we gonna be friends?" His voice slowed as he said 'friends' making you assume he was insinuating more.
You smiled slowly "I don't know Tom. You tell me."
--- --- --- ---
As you set down your now empty glass, you stood up, slapping Slider on the shoulder "I'm out." You said casually.
There was a chorus of 'boos' and complaints from your friends as you began to leave, but you just raised your hand in farewell. You had a long day, and sitting in the noisy, crowded bar was not how you wanted to spend the rest of it.
You had been at the base for over a month now, and it even started to feel like home. You got along with everyone, especially Tom. Nothing had formed between you since that first night you met, but you knew those feelings were lingering just under the surface.
Neither of you shied away from flirty comments, innuendos, or even physical touch. You were used to him slinging his arm around your shoulder, or even resting your head against him. You were friends, but something more was there, and it was obvious to both of you, and probably everyone else, but neither of you had truly acted on it.
Your eyes looked around, and landed on Tom. You thought of calling out to him, but you saw his intense gaze as he lined up a shot and decided no to bother. You would see him tomorrow, and just like every other day, you'd hope something would change.
Iceman grinned as he took his final winning shot in his game of pool. Looking over to where you had been, he felt a small tug at his heart when he saw you were gone. Looking around, he found you just in time to see you heading towards the doors. He felt a tight clench in his chest as he felt an urge to follow you.
He had been debating telling you how he felt ever since he met you, but since you started to work together, he knew it could be risky. But every day it felt worse holding it in. Every day he saw your smile, heard your laugh, he fell harder and harder. And every day he missed the chance to hold your hand, to kiss you, to hold you against him was a day of torture.
As the thought of you walking out of the bar the first night you met entered his mind, he remembered that regret he felt for having not chased after you faster. Before this thought was over, he was handing his pool cue to his friend and following after you.
Stepping out into the cool darkness, he saw you heading out of the parking lot. "Y/n!" He yelled, causing you to halt and turn around.
You watched as Tom came jogging up to you, and you felt your stomach knot.
As he stopped in front of you he smiled down at you "Let me walk you back, I hate the idea of you going alone."
You smiled, feeling warmth in your chest "I wont stop you."
Turning, you both began walking. As he walked in stride beside you, his arm brushed against yours, hands briefly touching. There was a minute of silence as you began walking down the road as both of you felt the rising tension.
Tom took a breath as he stopped walking, at the same time, he gently grabbed your arm. You stopped and turned back, seeing the intense look on his face.
"What is it?" You asked, voice almost wavering.
"I-I have something I need to tell you. Something that has been eating me up."
Frowning, you turned fully towards him, "What is it Tom?"
You shivered as he gently ran his fingers down your arm, until he hooked his hand around your own. He stared down at your hand, gently stroking it with his thumb.
Swallowing, he looked back up, meeting your eyes. He could see the concern in your gaze, and all he wanted to do was take your face in his hands and kiss you.
"I don't think it's a secret to either of us that there is something here. And that there has been since we met. But over the last month, I didn't act on it, when I should have. And every day I haven't has been torture to me. And honestly Y/n-" He let out a shaky breath as he took a small step closer, staring deep into your eyes. "I think I'm falling in love with you."
You felt your heart jump in your chest as your ears and face grew hot. How could someone so perfectly say what you had been wanting to?
A slow smile spread across your face "I think I'm okay with that."
Tom's nervous expression gave away to a bright smile, that was all you needed to say. He knew how you felt, and you knew how he felt. There was no secret about it, just one of you needed to break that silence.
Lifting his hands, he gently held your face as you stepped closer, your bodies gently touching.
His eyes darted to your lips before his smile turned into a smirk "Then how about I actually get that kiss you owe me?"
A soft giggle escaped, as you smiled coyly at him before your own eyes traced his lips. Slowly you both leaned in, locking eyes just as your lips touched. Your eyes then fluttered closed as Tom pulled your face closer as he deepened the kiss.
The deep didn't last long but it was electric, sending shivers through your body. Pulling away, you locked eyes and grinned, as he pressed his forehead against yours.
"Tell me Apollo, can you really see the future? Did you know I'd fall head over heels for you?"
You grinned happily up at him "I can't see the future, but I had a feeling you would."
xx End xx
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