Lavender Love (Top Gun, Iceman)

[Wolfwings22]

Here I am back on my Top Gun kick. This one was an idea that rooted itself in my brain and I could think of nothing else until I was able to put this down on paper. I so enjoy putting these boys through this, especially as there is so much fluff at the end that I hope makes up for the treatment of them earlier in the story. Anyhow I hope that you guys all enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maverick buys Iceman a Build A Bear stuffed animal with lavender scent in side. Too bad Ice turns out to be allergic to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    It started out as a nice gesture. Maverick had noticed that Ice had become much more anxious and on edge after a mission that had gone wrong. It was a dogfight like none that Maverick or Ice had ever seen. They managed to return to the cruiser uninjured without too much of a problem besides being jostled a little. However, that hadn’t been the case for another pilot. His jet had been struck down and Ice had taken it hard, believing that because he took the lead on the mission that it was his fault. Maverick tried to reassure him otherwise, but to no avail.

 

    That’s when an idea popped into his head. Last time he and Ice had gone out to the mall, Ice had stared at the large Build A Bear at the back corner of the mall. His gaze hadn’t wavered from it until Maverick had called his name three times, each time slightly louder than the last. Ice profusely apologized before picking up the pace and matching Maverick stride for stride.

 

    That would explain why a few weeks later after the devastating mission, Maverick went online and bought one for Ice for him to hold and cuddle with when Maverick wasn’t home. At first Ice had been reluctant to use it, complaining that he was a grown man and didn’t need a stuffed animal for comfort. It took a lot more coaxing from Maverick before Ice relented and held the bear close, fingers circling around it’s thick fur.

 

    “Soft,” Maverick had asked with a wicked grin on his face.

 

    Ice nodded vigorously. He then scrunched up his nose and lowered his head, sniffing at the top of the brown bear’s head.

 

    “It’s lavender,” Maverick had explained before Ice could ask. “I thought that it may help you sleep sometimes when I’m not here. I heard lavender relaxes people.”

 

    Ice had snapped his head up and came forward to hug Maverick much firmer than usual, almost knocking him right off his feet. Maverick didn’t mind in the slightest as his head buried against Ice’s chest for him to hear the strong heartbeat that lurked inside. That was a sound that Maverick would never be tired of.

 

    The next couple days had Ice mostly doing housework with his new bear not far away. Ice would take him to the couch when he and Maverick were watching a movie, or he’d set him on the counter while he cooked. The bear was never far away from Ice and Maverick couldn’t stop his heart from swelling with pride anytime he saw it.

 

    It was on day four that Maverick noticed that Ice kept rubbing at his nose and clearing his throat. It wasn’t exactly unusual as Ice suffered from seasonal allergies basically all year. He would get itchy, his eyes would water, and he would have such prolonged sneezing fits that Maverick often feared he was going to pass out. It was something that they had learned to deal with to the best of their ability even as they tried to avoid allergens whenever possible.

 

    Ice stirred a pot of spaghetti with the bear perched on the counter beside him. Maverick was mixing up a salad on the island, humming some song that had become stuck in his head.

 

    Suddenly, Ice gave a few soft hitches before turning away from the food, wooden spoon still held tightly in his hand. “Itcsh! Itsch! Itsch! Itcsh! Itsch! Itcsh! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch! Hih.....Itchs’chiew!”

 

    “Bless you,” Maverick called nonchalantly. With the number of sneezing fits that Ice usually had in a day, Maverick thought nothing of a few sneezes. He would bless Ice and they would go about their day with no need to worry.

 

    “Thagns.”

 

    Maverick stopped tossing the salad only to turn to see that Ice was rubbing at his nose again with the side of his hand roughly.

 

    “What are you doing,” Maverick inquired as he abandoned the salad in favor of his husband. He reached out his hands and grasped Ice’s wrists before he could rub at his nose so hard that he broke the skin.

 

    Ice’s eyes squinted as he glanced at the ceiling. “Itchy.”

 

    “I’ll say.” Maverick looked around before he found a paper towel roll and pulled off a square. It certainly wasn’t soft, but it would be better than nothing.

 

    Ice took the paper towel and balled it up, aggressively rubbing at his nose.

 

    Maverick’s eyes widened as he swiped he paper towel from him with Ice letting out a whimper of surprise. “I’m not going to give you that if you’re just going to cause your nose to bleed.”

 

    Ice’s face fell, nose twitching.

 

    Sighing, Maverick reached into his back pocket and pulled out a bandana. There was no telling how long it had been in his pocket and had probably been used for Maverick to wipe his hands after messing around with his bike. However, it was well worn and soft, making it the perfect makeshift handkerchief for now.

 

    Ice tried to reach for it, but Maverick shook his head and brought the bandana up for him. He pressed against Ice’s nose’s lightly as he began to rub it back and forth harshly, the squelch that came from Ice’s nose telling Maverick that whatever this was, wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.

 

    While Maverick was in his own head, Ice instantly turned away with the bandana still in his hands as he pitched forward. “Itchs! Itcsh! Itsch! Itcsh! Itsch! Itcsh! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch! Itsch! Hih....eh......Hih’Tichs’Shiew!”

 

    “Bless you! That was some fit,” Maverick commented, rubbing soothing circles against Ice’s back.

 

    “Ub.....excuse be.” Ice made a beeline for the bathroom, bandana still cupped under his nose.

 

    Shaking his head in amusement, Maverick went back to stirring his salad and watching the pasta. The sound of nose blowing greeted his ears as he poured the pasta into the strainer and then began to divvy out the correct portions between them. He did the same with the salads and was just setting the table when Ice came back in with a box of tissues.

 

    “Thanks for......Itchs! Itcsh! Itsch! Itcsh! Itsch! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itsch! Itsch! Hih....Hih.....Hih’Tcish’Shiew!”

 

    “Thanks for letting you sneeze? You’re welcome!” Maverick couldn’t help but chuckle as he reached over and grabbed Ice by the elbow while Ice used the other hand to fish out handful of tissues to rub them against his nose. “Did those hurt? There was so many of them.”

 

    Ice shook his head as Maverick led him to his preferred seat, pulling it out and waiting for Ice to sit back down before pushing his chair in. Ordinarily Maverick would sit across from him, but he thought that today Ice may appreciate him being beside the taller man instead of across.

 

    Maverick’s hunch was made correct as the second he sat down, Ice was wrapping his ankles around Maverick’s foot. Maverick couldn’t help but chuckle as he took a bite of pasta, the sweetness of the sauce bathing his tongue. It took all of Maverick self control not to start moaning over the taste.

 

    When Maverick went to reach for his drink, Ice suddenly grasped his opposite hand and held it tight.

 

    “You alright,” Maverick asked softly when he saw an almost panicked look in Ice’s eyes. “Ice?”

 

    His husband didn’t respond, gaze fixed on something in front of him instead of on the food itself. Maverick gave his hands a few squeezes before he saw Ice’s face crumple as tears began to flow down his cheeks.

 

    How things could go from laughing and joking to his, Maverick wasn’t sure. However, he wasn’t about to let Ice struggle like this if he could help it in anyway.

 

    “Hey, hey,” Maverick began as he pushed his chair out and turned it with his free hand coming to clutch Ice’s. “Ice, honey, can you tell me what’s wrong?”

 

    Ice gave no verbal response, just kept staring off into the distance.

 

    Maverick stifled a sigh as he stood up from the table and began to lead Ice to the couch, but not before grabbing Ice’s bear in the corner of the kitchen. He handed it over to Ice, who fiercely clutched it against his chest, chin rested atop the bear’s head. His attention appeared far from all there, but Maverick would take what he could get.

 

    After Ice was sitting on the edge of the couch, Maverick sat down beside him and allowed Ice to choose how much contact he was comfortable with.

 

    Although Maverick was on the edge of the couch and gave Ice a wide berth, Ice was quick to close that distance and almost lay on top of Maverick, his teddy bear clutched tightly in his hands. There was absolutely no way that anyone would be able to pry that from his grip.

 

     “Alright, it’s okay,” Maverick soothed as he began to run his hands up and down Ice’s arms. “It wasn’t your fault; these things happened. It’s the risk that we take every time we step into the jets. It fucking sucks, it it’s part of the territory and I’m so sorry that you had to go through it.” Maverick lowered his head and kissed Ice’s forehead lightly.

 

    Ice let out a few short whimpers before Maverick realized that his breath was hitching. He was about to ask if Ice was okay when he suddenly bobbed forward, whole body shaking but hardly moving.

 

    “Itchxxxh! Itxxxh! Itchxxxh! Itchxxxh! Ishxxxxh! Itschxxxh! Shiew! Shiew! Shiew! Shiew! ItchSheiw! Itch’Shiew! Isch’Shiew!” The final sneezes seemed to tear from him as though they were a punishment from his earlier stifles. Whatever they were, Maverick was certain they weren’t enjoyable.

 

    “Bless you, honey. I feel like I should say something more than that.” He frowned when he saw that Ice’s nose was running, threatening to drip on his bear. Maverick tried to stand only for Ice to forcibly haul him back down.

 

    Maverick slumped back against the cushions before glancing over to Ice in amusement. “I’m just going to the kitchen to grab those tissues. I’ll he right back, I promise.”

 

    Ice pondered it for a moment before his head shook slowly and a vacant look appeared in his eyes. Mouth gaped open, eyes forcibly closed, Ice reached up his forefinger and thumb to clamp it over his nose firmly. “Ichxxh! Itsxxxh! Isxxxh! Ihxxxh! Itsxxxxh! Itcxxxxh! Itsxxxxh!” Ice surfaced for one more moment, the tickle as fierce as ever thanks to his stifling. He was forced to duck his head down, the bear receiving the brunt of his sneezes. “Hih’TicshShiew! Itch’Shiew! Itsh’Shiew! Chiew! Ciew! Chiew! Chiew! Hih.....hih....It’chs’ShIew!”

 

    Maverick took the opportunity during the fit to jump up and find the tissue box, and he was sure damn glad that he did. Ice’s nose was running uncomfortably while his eyes watered so intensely that it looked like he was sobbing. A dazed look appeared on Ice’s face as Maverick sat down handing him tissue after tissue after tissue.

    

    “Your poor nose. It’s so irritated today,” Maverick commented. It was true that it was hard to find a time when Ice’s nose wasn’t irritated. He was just naturally sensitive, which made him a frequent sneezer even on the best of days. It was something that Maverick had grown to learn and actually found his itchy fits endearing after a while since they came from Ice. However, this was taking things to an extreme. “It can’t be still itchy, is it?”

 

    Ice nodded, the tissues held tightly in his hand without being brought up to his nose. His mouth continued to stay open as his head moved from side to side, the need to sneeze still plaguing him and yet he couldn’t seem to coax it out. His hands came up to rub on either side of it, a frustrated exhale signaling exactly how Ice felt about all of it.

 

    Maverick stole a few tissues from the box and brought them up to Ice’s nose. He took his time to lightly brush the tissues on the undersides of Ice’s already sensitive nose, which nearly had him buckling forward instantly.

 

    “Icsh! IcsHS! Itcsh! Itsch! Icsh! Itcsh! Itcsh!” Ice took in another shaky breath with Maverick still holding the tissues steady, knowing that it was far from over. “Itchs’Shew! Itcsh’Shew! Shiew! Shiew! Shiew! Hih’Itcsh’Shiew! Itchs’Sheiw! Hih....Itcsh’ShiEW!” The final sneeze was more powerful and irritated than Ice had ever experienced before and he was quick to grab the tissues from Maverick, embarrassed at just how productive that one had been.

 

    “Bless you, bless you, bless you!” Ice gave up on composing himself as he blew his nose into the tissues despite that Maverick was sitting beside him and it was always something he hated doing in Maverick’s company. Maverick had never received an answer from Ice as to why, but he knew when to leave good enough alone.

 

    Ice rubbed the undersides of his nose with the tissues before setting them on the coffee table, mouth open to aid in his breathing. His eyes were nearly streaming out of control and looked bloodshot and puffy. Maverick hated to see him in such a state and was at a loss as to what could possibly be causing this.

 

    Suddenly, Ice let out a groan and shook his head. “Dno....dno more,” he practically begged. “I dond’t wandt to sneeze adybore!”

 

    The desperation was clear in Ice’s voice, along with how his breath continued to catch and quiver. No matter how intensively he rubbed at his nose or tried to hold it back, the fit would be inevitable and judging by the way that Ice’s hitching breaths were deeper and louder, Maverick could tell that it was about to be a doozy.

 

    “Okay, it’s alright. You’re going to be fine.” Maverick shifted closer to him on the couch and wrapped an arm around Ice’s shoulders. He pulled him close until Ice was leaning against Maverick’s chest while Maverick leaned on the armrest at the end of the couch. He had the tissues ready as well while he brought up Ice’s teddy bear for him to grab onto. He seemed to always be slightly calmer when he had that in his hands.

 

    “Don’dt....hih...wandt.....to....hih-huh......sneeze od you,” Ice managed to choke out between pants.

    

    “I know,” Maverick soothed as he pressed a kiss to the top of Ice’s head. “But it’s okay. We have tissues and this thing called the laundry and showers. Besides, I think you could use a shower too. The steam may help with all that congestion.”

    

    Ice was hardly listening now, every bone in his body attempting to fight the inevitable.

 

    Maverick couldn’t take anymore of Ice’s struggle, so he leaned forward and planted a feather light kiss to the tip of his nose.

 

    That was enough to send Ice over the edge.

 

    “ItchsSh!” The first sneeze was sharp enough that it had Ice’s nose almost bouncing off of Maverick’s chest. Maverick anchored them both down as Ice was nearly thrown forward with the force of it. It was only Maverick’s strong grip on Ice that kept him from falling away. “Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Hih’Itrchs’Shew! Itcsh’Sheiw! Hih’Ish’Shiew!” Ice let out a sharp cough and Maverick felt the spray go through his shirt. Although, he didn’t say anything as he held Ice closer, kissing the top of his head in an attempt to calm him. “Itch’Shiew! Icsh’Shiew! Icshs’Shiew! Hih’Icsh’Shiew! Shiew! Shiew! Shiew! Hih...Itcsh’Shiew!”

 

    Through the entire fit, Maverick held Ice close, doing his best to keep him from jarring himself as much as possible. The higher the sneeze tally grew, the more concerned Maverick felt. He was used to Ice having fits of sneezes fairly often, at least once per day, but this was so unlike him unless he was sick or having an allergy attack.

 

    Maverick’s thoughts ran wild until Ice made a noise in the back of his throat that was between a whimper and a cough. Maverick looked down and realized why Ice was suddenly fighting him.

 

    “It’s alright, I got it.” Maverick took even more tissues and held them over Ice’s nose, cleaning him up even as Ice tried to fight him on it. “Please, let me help. I know you’re tired.”

 

    Ice didn’t have to verbally respond for Maverick to have his answer. Maverick continued to wipe the evidence off of his upper lip and below his nose before instructing Ice to blow. He did so sluggishly as though the fit had taken what little energy that he had left out of him.

 

    Once they finished, Maverick leaned over to press his lips against Ice’s until Ice opened his eyes, pulling himself from the brink of exhaustion.

 

    “How does a shower sound,” Maverick asked as he lifted his free hand to brush a curled finger gingerly against Ice’s cheek. “We can even use that fancy soap you like.”

 

    Ice squinted his eyes in confusion. “Not everything from bath and body works is fancy, Mav.”

 

    “Agree to disagree.” Maverick wrapped his arms around Ice’s shoulders and helped him sit up, Ice’s stuffed bear moved to the edge of the couch until they came back. He then stood and brought the sniffling man beside him, feeling his heart rate beginning to climb. “Ice, are you alright?”

 

    Ice hung his head. “Not sure.”

 

    At least he was willing to admit that things were off....that was a huge step for Ice in Maverick’s opinion.

 

    “We’ll figure this out together. I’m right beside you, squeezing your shoulder. Can you feel that?” Maverick’s fingers enclosed around Ice’s shoulder, not enough to cause him any pain, but enough to let him know that he was there.

 

    Ice nodded, free hand coming up to rub against the side of his nose. “Yes.”

 

    Maverick didn’t like the faraway tone of Ice’s voice and he picked up the pace until they were both in the bathroom. He made a beeline to the shower to turn the faucet to warm as he and Ice began to undress, clothes tossed in a corner to be dealt with later.

 

    While they waited for the water to warm up, Ice sneezed three times sharply into his forearm, snuffling in the aftermath. His hand then came up to rub at his eyes, but Maverick intercepted and grasped his wrists before he could.

 

    “Mav,” Ice whined, head tipped back. “It itches.”

 

    “I know,” Maverick soothed as he ducked down under the sink and brought out a washcloth, eyes flickering back to Ice every other second to make sure that he didn’t scratch.

 

    Maverick then ran it under cool water and wrung it out. Once the excess had been squeezed out, Maverick brought the cloth delicately up to Ice’s face and began to gingerly press on both of his eyes, a smile creeping on his face when he felt Ice visibly relax.

 

    “That better?”

 

    “Much.”

 

    Maverick kept the steady pressure until steam began to billow around them. He set the washcloth on the corner of the sink, much to Ice’s dismay.

 

    “Shower time and then I’ll get you another.” Maverick kissed Ice’s temple, watching as Ice’s nose continued to twitch. He wasn’t sure if he was on the verge of sneezing or not, but it still looked irritated nonetheless.

 

    Ice shuffled forward and pushed the glass door open with Maverick following. Ice was quick to step face first into the spray, the relief that the water brought to his itchy and swollen face immeasurable. He stood in the steady stream for almost a minute, allowing the water to wash the irritation away.

 

    Maverick waited patiently, trying not to laugh as Ice shook his head to get rid of the water only to shove his face right back in and do it all over again.

 

    That continued until Maverick convinced him to wash the rest of his body. Ice only had one small fit of three sneezes during the shower, and if Maverick was being honest, the color was beginning to return to his face and his eyes were no longer as puffy as they had been just a brief time earlier. His eyes and nose were still red and sore, though that wasn’t exactly surprising considering the intensity of his sneezes earlier.

 

    When both of them were finished, Maverick turned off the water while Ice opened the door. They both stepped out and dried each other off before changing into basketball shorts and t-shirts that were left in the closet inside the bathroom superficially for times such as these.

 

    Maverick handed Ice the washcloth that was still damp with cold water, which he gratefully took to press against both eyes as he trudged out of the bathroom and back towards the couch.

 

    Once Maverick tossed their dirty clothes into the laundry room, he followed Ice. “Feeling any better,” he called as he began to clear off the table.

 

    Ice nodded as he slumped down on the couch. “Much,” he replied. “I think the itch is finally gone in my nose.”

 

    “That’s a relief,” Maverick exclaimed, placing the dirty bowls and plates into the dishwasher. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you sneeze that much and you’re a pretty sneezy guy.”

 

    Ice blushed. “I don’t know about that.”

 

    “It’s not a bad thing,” Maverick replied quickly before Ice could shut down about it. “I think your sneezes are adorable. You just sneeze a little more than the average person. There’s nothing bad about it.”

 

    Ice didn’t seem so sure. However, he didn’t say anything as he curled back on the couch and brought his teddy bear back toward his chest and tucked it under his chin. He would never admit how having it grounded him, especially when Maverick wasn’t home or deployed, and he never wanted anyone to know besides Maverick, but in their home he felt content to hold it as much as possible and think about Maverick, even when he was in the same room with him.

 

    Ice took in the sweet scent of the lavender, feeling his body relax. His eyes closed slowly as he tried to allow the relaxed feeling to wash over him. However, his nose had other ideas.

 

    Suddenly, the itch returned with a vengeance so strong that Ice hadn’t even known they were coming and didn’t have the time to do anything but sneeze downwards against the bear. “Itcsh! ItSh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Isch! Itsch! Itsch! ITcsh! ItSh! Itsh’Shiew! Hih’Itcsh’Shiew! Hih’Itcsh’Shiew! Sheiw! Shiew! Shiew! Hih....huh...Huh’Itchs’ShIEW!” The final sneeze was so powerful and productive that there was a trail of snot connecting his nose to the back of the stuffed bear’s head. He couldn’t help but let out a frustrated whimper.

 

    After the third sneeze, Maverick dropped what he was doing and rushed back, frowning at what he saw. “Honey, bless you. Those were so strong compared to your other ones.”

 

    Tears pooled in Ice’s eyes, threatening to spill down his cheeks as he looked to Maverick shyly.

 

    Maverick saw the issue and pulled out a handful of tissues before handing them over, sure that Ice wouldn’t let him help this time. “How about I clean off the bear and you clean up yourself? Sound like a plan?”

 

    Ice’s bottom lip began to quiver despite his best attempts around it. He couldn’t remember a time he felt so embarrassed, even when it came to Maverick being the one to care for him. He had done the same for Maverick too many times to count, but there was just something about being vulnerable that Ice hated, even with Maverick.

 

    “Sweetheart, there’s no need to be embarrassed. It happens.” Maverick leaned forward and pressed a kiss on Ice’s forehead before standing and taking the bear into the kitchen. He set the bear on the counter before reaching for a paper towel and wetting it with hot water, applying light pressure to the damp areas before he sprayed the sucker with Lysol. This wasn’t his first time dealing with stains, and normally they were a lot worse than this.

 

    While Maverick dealt with the bear, he heard Ice blow his nose from the living room. Maverick shook his head slowly, wishing that there could be more that he could do to make Ice feel better. This was a severe reaction if it was an allergen, though it wasn’t presenting as it typically did when Ice was sick. The whole thing was puzzling to Maverick no matter how hard he tried to figure things out.

 

    Maverick finished and gave the bear another quick spray with the Lysol for good measure before heading back over to Ice.

 

    He was pleased to see that although Ice’s mouth was gaped open as he breathed noisily, he wasn’t sneezing nor rubbing at his eyes. A flicker of hope surged through Maverick that perhaps the worst was behind him.

 

    “See? Good as new,” Maverick exclaimed, handing the bear back to Ice.

 

    Ice eagerly took it and held it close as Maverick came to sit beside him, hand reaching out to grasp Ice’s knee fondly.

 

    Ice melted into Maverick’s touch as he usually did. The peace only lasted for a few more seconds as Ice’s head shook, the far away look and the hitching breath enough to tell Maverick what was about to happen.

 

    “Itcsh! Itsh! Itcsh! Itsch! ItShSh! Itcsh! Itsch! Itsh! Isch! Hih’TIch’Shiew!”

 

    Maverick reached out and grabbed the bear before it could fell to the ground as Ice brought up both hands to steeple them over his face as he bucked forward desperately with each breathy sneeze. He set the bear on the edge of the coffee table as Ice’s breath hitched, but he didn’t sneeze.

 

    Ice removed his hands from his nose and gave an experimental sniff. The itch was still very much there, but wasn’t quite noticeable enough that it send him into another fit.

 

    “That was a rough one,” Maverick commented, rubbing Ice’s back soothingly. “Are you done?”

 

    Ice nodded. “For dnow until id happens again.”

 

    Maverick couldn’t argue with that logic. He was just glad that Ice was given a break, no matter how short it would be. The continuous sneezing was really starting to worry Maverick no matter how much he tried to hide it.

 

    “Here, saved him before he could fall,” Maverick explained as he handed the bear back once again.

 

    Ice hardly grasped it when he was doubling forward once more. “Icsh! Icsh! Itsch! Itcsh! Itcsh! Itcsh! Isch’Shiew! Hih’Itcsh’Shiew! Hshs’Shiew!”

 

    Maverick frowned as the gears began to turn in his head. One moment Ice was tired and sniffly, the next he was bucking forward in a helpless fit. None of it made sense, or did it?

 

    “Honey,” Maverick began as he swiped the bear from Ice and jumped to his feet, beginning to walk backwards away from the couch until his back pressed against the wall.

 

    Ice gave his nose a fierce rub with the side of his hand, watery eyes blinking in surprise when he realized that Maverick wasn’t beside him. He looked around frantically until he saw him across the living room, the bear tucked behind him. Curiosity and surprise shone on Ice’s face as he gave a hearty sniff before he even tried to speak.

 

    “Whadt are you doig,” Ice asked, wrist pressing so hard against the ball of his nose that Maverick was worried he would break it.

 

    Maverick frowned as he eyed Ice warily. “Let me try something.” He set the bear down and made his way back over to Ice, seeing him scrunch his nose up, but not sneeze. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss on the tip of Ice’s nose. It sent his breath hitching, but no sneeze materialized. Ice groaned as he rubbed at his nose once more, the itch driving him absolutely crazy now that it brought no sneeze.

 

    “Bav,” Ice complained.

 

    “I know, I know, let me just see something real quick.” Maverick pressed his forehead momentarily against Ice’s before drawing back again, despite Ice’s whimper of protest.

    

    Maverick doubled back over and crouched down to pick up the bear. The soft fur brushed against his fingers while the smell of lavender was apparent even without directly pressing his face into it. He straightened with the bear in tow and came back over to his husband. He kept the bear close to him at first before handing it over, watching as Ice didn’t waste anytime in holding the bear close to his chest.

 

    Maverick watched his breathing change less than three seconds after giving him the bear. Part of him wanted to reach out and take the bear from him, but he had to prove his theory not just to himself, but also to Ice.

 

    ‘Hih....huh....Hih’Hrsh’Shiew! Icsh! Itsch! Icsh! Itsch! Itcsh! Itsch! Itsch! ItShSh! ItscSH! Itsh’Shiew! Itcsh’Shiew!”

 

    There was no doubt in Maverick’s mind that Ice would only continue to sneeze the more than he held the bear, especially since he now knew the cause of the worst allergy attack that Maverick had ever seen Ice be plagued with. It was getting beyond concerning.

 

    Maverick took the bear and rushed to set it in the kitchen as he came back to Ice, who was still sneezing harshly, nose and eyes streaming.

 

    “Alright, alright,” Maverick started as he lifted a handful of tissues to Ice’s nose, holding them as he continued to sneeze into them.

 

    “Itcsh! Itsh! Itcsh! Itsch!”

 

    “Blow,” Maverick instructed, seeing how irritated that Ice’s nose was becoming.

 

    Ice did as Maverick suggested, blowing heavily instead of continuing to sneeze. It momentarily dislodged the tissue, and Maverick grabbed handful after handful and helped Ice blow his nose until he could breathe easier and he wasn’t sniffling as much.

 

    “Poor thing,” Maverick soothed. He instructed Ice to lean against him, the taller man ducking his face into Maverick’s neck and coughing thanks to the post nasal drip. “Does your nose hurt? I’m sure that it does.”

 

    Ice shrugged. “I’b ogay.”

 

    “I doubt that, but nice try.” Maverick ran his fingers through Ice’s hair, affection showing on his face. “There’s something we need to talk about.”

 

    “Aboudt whadt?”

 

    “About what is making you sneeze.”

 

    Ice drew away from Maverick in surprise. “You dknow whadt is wrong with be?”

 

    “Yeah, but I know you’re not going to like it.” He turned his head to the side to glanced at the bear, waiting until Ice did the same.

 

    Ice shook his head feebly, conviction written across his features. “Dno, id has to be sobething else.”

 

    “You must be allergic to the lavender scent inside. I know you like it, but it seems that your nose sure doesn’t.” Maverick lifted his hands and began to massage either side of Ice’s sinuses until he leaned into his touch. It was always something that Ice would never ask for, but thoroughly enjoyed as it helped loosen the congestion and ease the tightness that was usually there. It turned Ice to putty in Maverick’s hands whether he wanted to be or not.

 

    Ice closed his eyes tightly. “Id’s dnot. I cad keep id.”

 

    “I know you like it, Ice, but it’s dangerous to you, babe. I mean, look at yourself. I’ve lost track of how many fits you’ve had just this evening alone. I don’t want you to have to go the hospital because you can’t breathe.” Maverick kept his voice soft while also being firm. It wasn’t often that Ice didn’t listen to him, but he could tell by the look in Ice’s eyes that he was considering it.

 

    Ice shook his head and looked away from Maverick, tears showing on his face. He set his jaw in determination, sniffling heavily.

 

    “Don’t be like that.” Maverick reached over, pulling lightly on Ice’s chin until he turned back. Tears nearly flowed from his eyes despite his attempt to fight it. His eyes may have been watery earlier, but he sure hadn’t been crying. “Hey, what’s wrong? Huh? What is it about that bear that you can’t give up?”

 

    “Because you godt id for be. Id’s whadt I have of you whed you’re dnot here.” A shadow of emotion showed on Ice’s face, eyes aglow in embarrassment and fear.

 

    Maverick felt himself melt just looking at him. Never before had he realized how much Ice longed to be with him. He was always so cold, so calculated, that whenever he expressed any emotion, it was a wake up call for Maverick. He had learned a lot about Ice during their more intimate moments, though this was something Maverick was beginning to learn about him.

 

    “Ice, I had no idea you missed me so much. You know I’ll always come back here, right? I’m not going to leave you,” Maverick reassured as he pulled Ice closer, allowing the pilot to cry into his chest.

 

        Ice shook his head against Maverick’s chest. “You cand’t probise thadt,” Ice argued bitterly. “With all the risks you take, you bay dnot cobe hobe.”

 

    The gears began to turn in Maverick’s head. A vulnerable Ice was a cause for concern. He didn’t break down often, but when he did, Maverick always worried.

 

    “No, I can’t promise that. I wish that I could.....but I know I can’t. That’s not fair for you.” Maverick sighed as he rested his chin atop Ice’s head. “I’m sorry. But, I’m here right now. We can get you something else that reminds you of me, alright? It just can’t be something that makes you sneeze so much.”

 

    Ice wrinkled his nose at the mention of sneezing as though the word would increase the itch. He turned his head to rub his itchy nose against Maverick’s chest while Maverick peppered soft kisses to the top of his head. Warmth flowed through him when he heard Maverick’s strong heartbeat thump in his chest. Ice could recognize that heartbeat anywhere.

 

    The two sat for a while like that, Ice gradually growing calmer as Maverick ran his fingers through his hair and down his neck. Occasionally Ice would sneeze and Maverick would hand him a tissue before the two would fall back into each other, a tangle of limbs and clothing. They sat in silence, Maverick giving Ice all the silence he needed as he did his best to reassure him without words.

 

    During the silence was when Maverick got an idea.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

    Two days later, Maverick walked through the door with a bag in tow. He glanced around the lower level of the house as he kicked off his shoes and lined them up next to the door, just how Ice liked.

 

    “Ice, I’m home,” Maverick called after he kicked his left shoe off and gingerly pushed the shoe with his heel to line it up with his right shoe. “Ice?”

 

    Maverick headed into the kitchen to see that Ice was standing over a pot of boiling water, stirring pasta around inside. It wasn’t until he heard footsteps that he turned around to see Maverick standing a few steps away.

 

    “I didn’t hear you come in,” Ice exclaimed as he set the wooden spoon aside before stepping over to Maverick, pulling him close and kissing him roughly.

 

    Maverick chuckled and kissed Ice back just as roughly before pulling away as Ice reached down to squeeze his ass. Confusion showed on Ice’s face as he watched Maverick turn around and place a bag on the counter.

 

    “Before we do any of that, I have a surprise for you,” Maverick called over his shoulder.

 

    Ice blinked his eyes in surprise. “It’s not my birthday.”

 

    “You don’t have to only receive gifts on your birthday. You deserve surprises everyday if you ask me.”

 

    Ice was relieved that Maverick couldn’t see him blush. A hand came up to scratch at the back of his neck, unable to come up with a comeback for Maverick. He was still getting used to being with someone who spoiled him as much as Maverick did. Sure, he tried to do the same for Maverick such as cooking his favorite meals or watching football on TV most nights, but he still always felt such love for Maverick whenever he did something sweet and unprompted.

 

    There was a rustling of the bag as Maverick pulled a golden brown teddy bear in a naval uniform out and turned to show Ice.

 

    Immediately, Ice’s nose wrinkled and he lifted the back of his hand to rub the tip of his nose.

 

    Maverick chuckled and took a step closer so that the bear was almost touching Ice’s chest. “Don’t worry, I didn’t get any scent in it this time. But, I did trade it for a few other things.”

 

    Ice continued to look confused until Maverick pressed on the chest. Ice heard and could feel a steady heartbeat and he couldn’t help but gaze at Maverick in excitement.

 

    “I thought you might like that considering how many times you tackle me on the couch just to listen to my heartbeat.” Maverick then reached for the bear’s paw and gave it a squeeze.

 

    ‘I’ll be home soon, Ice. I love and miss you to the moon and back. You’ll always be my wingman.’

 

    Ice couldn’t help but smile, knowing how awkward Maverick probably felt saying those sentences as they didn’t really match up with one another, but Ice didn’t care. It was Maverick’s voice inside the bear that Ice could hear at anytime, no matter where Maverick was.

 

    “Do you like it,” Maverick fretted when Ice didn’t immediately reach out and take it. “I thought that the heartbeat and my voice might make up for the whole scent thing. I thought about trying a different scent, but I didn’t want you to be allergic to that one too and—“

 

    Ice cut Maverick off by pulling him close and pressing his lips hard against Maverick’s. Once Ice pulled away, he held the bear to his chest. “I love it, Mav. Thank you.”

 

    “Don’t mention it,” Maverick murmured, unable to disguise a blush at how Ice was looking at him. “Now, what are we having for dinner because I’m starving!”

 

    Ice rolled his eyes as he pulled Maverick over to the boiling water. “Chicken Parmesan,” Ice replied as he lifted the wooden spoon to stir the pasta inside. “And homemade garlic bread.”

 

    “Have I mentioned that I love you? Because I really fucking love you!”

 

    “You love me because of my food?”

 

    “Hey, no, I love you and your food. There is a deliberate difference,” Maverick announced proudly.

 

    Ice laughed as he pulled Maverick close and rested his chin on Maverick’s head. Maverick wrapped his arms around Ice and the two stood as they watched the pasta cook, knowing that they might not always be together, but the times that they spent together were times that they would both cherish forever.

 

    The End

[Mygyn]

🥰 I loved how soft Ice was in this! 10/10 on how he loved his Teddy and how Mav got him a new one with a heart beat!

[spn27695]

I love your stories so much!🥰 Would you consider doing a Rooster one please?

[Wolfwings22]

13 minutes ago, spn27695 said:

I love your stories so much!🥰 Would you consider doing a Rooster one please?

I’d love to! I’m actually working on a multi chapter one right now so I’ll tag you when I start posting it! ☺️

[spn27695]

31 minutes ago, Wolfwings22 said:

I’d love to! I’m actually working on a multi chapter one right now so I’ll tag you when I start posting it! ☺️

Oh my goodness that would be great! So excited. I love all your stories so far!