Happy Together 02

San Diego, 1992: Mav, will you marry me?

Summary:

The sparkle on his ring is a shade that ranges between pink and orange. Yes, his boys wouldn't give him an omega-colored diamond; it's too predictable. This is a padparadscha sapphire.
"How...?"
"You talked about that stone when I first asked you if you would marry me."
"You were eight years old, Brad. I said it to set an impossible goal and get you out of my back."
"Well, you knew that I´m persistent."

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Fandom: Top Gun (Movies)

Relationship: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw/Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Characters: Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw

Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Implied Mpreg 

INDEX: https://palabraspulsares.blogspot.com/p/happy-together.html

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"Mav?​"

Pete stops cutting the potatoes and looks up at Bradley. The boy is sitting on the other side of the kitchen counter, drawing.

"Yes, darling?"

"How is Aunt Sarah going to have a baby?"

"Well, when people love each other very much, they often decide that they want to have little people to take care of. So they put a little seed in the body of one of them, and from there  grows a baby."

Brad looks at him with a frown.

"So Uncle Ice, Uncle Slider, and Aunt Sarah are going to have a baby because they love each other so much?"

The truth is that Mav has seen few fiercer and more complete lovers. Some people think Sarah got pregnant too quickly, but considering their lives, he understands. Ice has plans to move up, of course, but the trio knows these things must be done before climbing the ladder of power.

"Yes, darling."

"So, it has nothing to do with diamonds?"

"Diamonds?"

Pete puts down the knife, wipes his hands with a cloth, and walks around the counter to sit beside the boy.

"Can you explain to me why are you worried about diamonds?"

"It's just that Paul said," Pete hides the urge to growl because Paul, and the ideas he vomits in the schoolyard, already have him up to his wit, "He said that if an alpha wants a good marriage, they only must get three good diamonds. An orange diamond is for the omega, a green one is the his beta, and a blue one is for themself. I looked at Aunt Sarah's hand and...  her ring doesn't seem, you know, very big to me."

"Paul is wrong. If an alpha wants a good marriage, what they should do is study hard, eat healthy and be gentle. This is how you find people to form your perfect triangle. The diamonds are extra."

Bradley looks at him doubtfully, and Pete wishes, again, that Nick was here to talk about these things with his son. Bradley has the traits of a future alpha or beta. Being both omegas, Carole and he don't know how to approach some things well.

"So you won't leave us when an alpha gives you a diamond?"

"Of course not!" he hugs Bradley so he doesn't see how his smile fades and his eyes cloud.

Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is nothing more than a problematic and promiscuous omega. What couple is going to want him to start a family?

"I already have Carole and you and plenty of alphas in the squad. I'm happy with this family, little Goose."

But the boy pulls away and looks him in the eyes, doubtful.

"What if a very, very handsome alpha came? Like Clark Kent? Clark Kent can make diamonds with his fist! Would you leave if Clark Kent and Louis Lane proposed to you?"

"I already told you that diamonds are not the most important thing, Brad. The important thing is to love and respect your partners. You have to feel here," -he touches the center of his chest with his index finger, "that no one, no other two people in the world are better to watch TV on Sunday mornings, to wash the dishes, and even to eat broccoli," Bradley opens his eyes wide, amazed. "Only then, you can exchange rings. You understand?"

The child nods with exaggerated head gestures. Pete shakes his hair, makes a mental note to give him a haircut over the weekend, and goes back to the potatoes.

"I have to hurry with this soufflé. Your mom will come back from work soon."

Bradley goes back to his drawing. Pete doesn't try to see what it is, but it's clear that he cares a lot because he uses the new technique he learned in school: drawing first with a pencil and then applying the colors.

The next morning, Saturday, Bradley sneaks into his Uncle Pete's room while still sleeping and stares at him, enraptured. Pete sleeps in only a T-shirt and boxers, only half covered by the sheet. He leans slightly to inhale its unique aroma of leather and sea. He has never seen anyone prettier, neither on the street nor the screen. He is sure it will never be an omega as intelligent, handsome, and brave as his Maverick. Bradley wants to be a pilot to fly alongside Maverick, and together, they will travel the world in search of a beta. Bradley thinks they should work in mechanics, so they work on the planes he and Mav will fly.

Paul said something else in the schoolyard. He said that when you find a good omega, you have to propose to him right away so he doesn't run away. Bradley doesn't really know what marriage has to do with prison, but he does understand about being the first to get the best prize. That's why he's here; he can't be the only one who sees how wonderful Mav is, so he has to be the first.

It's a perfect plan.

Very carefully, he touches his shoulder.

"Mav.​ Mav, wake up."

The omega stirs a little but opens his eyes. Bradley hurries to pick up the document he worked on all afternoon and puts it in front of his face.

"Oh! What do we have here? Who is this mysterious alpha that has broken into my room?"

He raises his arms to be seen.

"It's me!" reveals smiling.

"Bradley?!" Mav puts his hands on his cheeks, amazed and happy, "What are you doing here?"

"Mav, will you marry me?" and extends the document to him.

Pete takes it seriously and starts reading it. Then he stands still, and his eyes become cloudy. Bradley doesn't like that expression. It's the same one his mom uses when she talks about his dead dad. Finally, Mav looks at him again and smiles a little sadly.

"Come on, come here," and he moves to make room for him on the bed.

Bradley sits on the bed beside Mav, and the omega puts an arm over his shoulders.

"Do you want to explain this to me?" Mav asks as he puts the document on his thighs.

"This is you," he points to the biggest human figure, with an orange circle on top, "This is me," he puts his finger on himself, with a blue ring on his head, "This is our beta, but since I still don't know who they will be like, I left it blank," he points to the green colored rectangle, "and this is the aircraft carrier where we are going to live."

Pete raises his eyebrows, amazed.

"Are we going to live on an aircraft carrier?"

"Of course, after going to the Naval Academy, I will become an aviator like you. We will travel around the world until we find the third vortex of our perfect triangle."

"Could it be that you know them at the Academy?"

Bradley shakes his head.

"We have to meet them together, you and I. Like Uncle Ice and Uncle Slider met Aunt Sarah."

"Uh!" Mav nods. "That makes a lot of sense."

Bradley is very proud to have responded quickly and with a concrete example. He has to show Mav that even though he is young, he will be a responsible alpha who thinks things through.

"And don't you think you're too young for a marriage promise?"

"No. You are my omega. I know it." He hugs his torso and rests his cheek on his chest. "If I don't tell you now, you'll go on a mission and let any other alpha court you. I want you to be my husband, Pete Mitchell."

Mav puts his fingers through his hair to caress his skull, and Bradley feels himself relax automatically.

"But there is a problem with your proposal, Bradley."

He breaks the hug to look him in the face.

"What's it?"

"To make an official commitment, you must give me a ring."

Bradley feels tears welling in his eyes. Did Mav lie to him?

"But yesterday you said that diamonds were'nt important!"

The omega raises a hand imperiously, and Bradley closes his mouth.

"I told you the truth, I don't want a diamond, but I want a ring with an omega-colored stone. You understand?"

"Yeah?" Bradley is confused. What other stone can be put in a wedding ring?

"Well, then, we'll make a deal." Mav continues. "When you have the ring I want, you can ask me to marry you."

That sounds… reasonable. Yes, of course, he has to prove to Mav that he can be a good alpha.

"What ring do you want?"

Mav smiles tenderly at him, turns to his nightstand, picks up a pen, and begins to write something on the document.

"Look, this is the name of the stone I want in my engagement ring. Can you read it?"

Bradley studies the two words slowly. The first is totally unknown, but the second is

vaguely familiar.

"Pad - pa - rad - scha sa - pphire,"  he reads slowly. "Padparadscha sapphire," repeats for the second time in a row, very proud. "What does it mean, Mav?"

"A sapphire is a precious stone, usually blue."

"But the omega color is orange."

"Precisely, padparadscha are a very rare variety of pink-orange sapphires. They come from Sri Lanka. The name padparadscha derives from Padma radschen, which means aquatic lotus flower because they are the color of lotus flowers."

"Like the ones we saw in the Botanical Garden?"

"Just like those."

"They were very pretty."

"They were, yes."

Bradley carefully studies Mav's face. He sees no trace of mockery in him, only that vague sadness usual to him. What did Uncle Slider say that feeling was? Melancholia. He explained that Mav feels melancholia because he doesn't have a good couple to support him. He said it was a big people problem and that he should not worry. How can he not worry about it? Mav is his omega! He rereads the name of the stone while biting his lips.

"So, when I present you with a ring with a padparadscha sapphire," he proudly says the name without hesitation, "will you consent to be my omega?"

"I will."

That's fair, he decides.

"Very well," and he extends his hand to seal the deal.

Mav shakes it without saying a word.

"Well, it's still early. Shall we sleep a little more?"

Bradley nods and starts to get off the bed.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm courting you, Mav , it's not appropriate for us to sleep together," he explains while carefully folding the document.

The omega looks at him, surprised.

"Yes, yes, of course," he stammers at last. "So, see you in a while?"

"Sleep well, my beloved," he blows him a kiss from the door.

They don't talk about it again.

Bradley knows (from Disney films) that this is the task he must accomplish to prove that he is a good alpha.

Maverick knows that if Carole finds out, she can ban him from contact with Bradley.

Each will believe the other forgot this conversation for almost twenty-five years, until the spring of 2016.

NOTES: 

Padparadscha sapphire is the name that is commonly or traditionally used to refer to the fancy sapphire with a subtle pink-orange, pinkish-orange, or yellowish-orange color and refers to its color. It belongs to the mineral group known as corundum, aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The name comes from the Sanskrit "Padma raga" (Padma = lotus; raga = color) and refers to the color, similar to the lotus flower at dusk or at nightfall. Given its incredible beauty, rarity and durability, it is a highly coveted gem with great gemological and economic value.
In fact, most padparadscha sapphires are found primarily in Sri Lanka. However, these beautiful stones can also be found in Madagascar, Vietnam, and Tanzania, although not of such high quality. This makes Sri Lankan padparadschas the most valuable and coveted, a reputation created by the fact that Sri Lanka was, for centuries, the only source of this coveted stone.
Madagascar currently produces a significant percentage of the stones available on the market. Nevertheless, stones from Madagascar are usually more pink than orange, and although they are classified as padparadscha, they typically sell for about 20 percent less than padparadschas from Sri Lanka.

Sources:
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padparadscha
https://www.joya.life/blog/zafiros-padparadscha-todo-lo-que-debe-saber-de-ellos/

INDEX: https://palabraspulsares.blogspot.com/p/happy-together.html