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Surprisingly, Mav had taken to retirement well.
Or so he thought.
He had plenty of hobbies to keep him occupied; enough bikes to tinker on and a new plane on loan from another museum that had asked for his own brand of TLC to whip the girl back into shape, a yoga mat that was actually used every morning rather than rolled up in a corner collecting dust, and a dog (an English Bull Terrier called Raptor named after the 90s stealth fighter aircraft, because Mav was nothing if not plane-obsessed), that demanded walks twice a day as well as cuddles, belly rubs and copious treats for being a really good boy.
(Which he was).
So, yeah, it wasn't like he had trouble filling his day with things to do, when previously he’d be flying missions or testing new aircraft.
On top of that he also had two loving partners, in Ice and Slider, even if it’s been thirty years and he’s still not quite sure how he managed to bag one of them let alone both.
Unlike Mav who had stayed flying until the very end, Ice had given up his wings in the pursuit of stars and rank instead, achieving greatness with both. Making Mav proud of him more than words could say. He was the best kind of man to be in power because he never forgot the heavy weight he carried by having it. He also looked really really really good in his four star Admiral uniform and Mav had a lot of fun stripping him out of it when he got the chance, ignoring Ice's grumbling about wrinkles in the fabric every time because that was his prerogative as one of the COMPACFLT’s doting partners.
Slider, on the other hand, had quit flying almost two decades ago; trying a number of different things afterwards before settling on a mixture of carpentry, plumbing and maintenance - becoming the local handyman of their neighbourhood and surrounding area. None of Slider's customers even cared that he was happily living in sin with two other aging men he fucked on the regular, without a wedding ring or woman in sight, either, because he was damn good at what he did.
His waiting list was longer than Mav was tall. (And yes, he's average height thank you very much, Slider, so shut your stupid face).
Plus he could talk to anyone and have them wrapped around his finger in minutes. Slider was an affable and charming guy, despite his large frame and boisterous energy suggesting he might be trouble.
Don't get Mav wrong, he was trouble. He just saved it for Mav and Ice instead, because he was considerate like that.
When Mav had finally retired from flying, both Ice and Slider had eyed him warily like they were expecting him to break down in tears at no longer having his wings. Mav thinks if he didn’t have them and he didn’t have Bradley back in his life, and if his body hadn't borne the scars from the Uranium mission heavier than those of previous years - his whole skeleton feeling like it never fully stopped aching now - then he probably would have.
But it's been two months since he retired and he's kept himself busy; catching up on all those lie ins he’d missed out on over the years, discovering jogging trails in the various parks in the area to run with Raptor lolloping by his side, and having lots of hot, sweaty sex with the two sexy men he lived with.
Mav had thought he’d been doing fine. Ice and Slider had stopped looking at him like they were waiting for a bomb to go off, and things settled into a somewhat new and normal routine.
He was retired and content.
But then Bradley had asked what he wanted to do for his big 6-0 birthday that was just around the corner because they were planning a shindig at the Hard Deck and would that be okay? Mav had said yes, because he could never say no to his adopted son’s puppy dog eyes, but after that, and with that momentous milestone breathing down his neck, mocking him for thinking he’d never make it this far without burning in, Mav had noticed more grey hairs at his temples and at the base of his dick outweighing the black in some areas, and he'd suddenly realised that he wasn't an experienced Naval Aviator Captain anymore. He was just a retired old man now.
Emphasis on the old.
And so Mav has been panicking and hiding from Ice and Slider - mentally if not quite physically because Slider is not afraid to just pick him up like a wayward kitten and carry him where he wants him - because this is the first birthday he'll have with them where he's just Pete Mitchell.
Civilian. Not Captain (highly decorated).
And he's scared that they fell in love with him as the best pilot the US Navy has ever known (don't even try to argue otherwise, Ice), and they might not want him anymore now he's not that.
They might not want just Pete, who walks the dog and does yoga and spends hours in the garage losing track of time he forgets to eat lunch. Because how could they love the man he is now without his wings when even he’s not quite sure who Pete Mitchell is without being Maverick?
And they’ve never spent this much time together before, one of them always off on a mission or doing something that takes them away from home, so Mav's convinced they're going to become sick of him and want nothing more to do with him, and he doesn't know how he'd live without them.
Doesn’t want to even try.
But he doesn’t know how to get past this fear, and his birthday is mere hours away, and good god, is that another wrinkle?
Maybe he can spend his birthday just hiding in the shed out back.
Mav knows they’ve noticed something wrong. Ice and Slider aren’t idiots, despite how Slider acts sometimes. Neither of them have called him out on it yet though. Almost like they’re waiting for Mav to start the conversation, which, yeah, ain’t gonna happen.
”You alright, Mav?” Ice asks him after dinner that Mav had just picked at, leaning against the kitchen counter while Mav washes the dishes by rote. Raptor snoozing under the table after successfully claiming some scraps all three had fed him. Slider was already in the living room with a beer between his legs and the tv on for Jeopardy.
”Fine,” Mav answers, because what else can he say? Flashes Ice a soft smile. “M’just tired.”
Ice hums. Obviously doesn’t believe him.
Slider curls up behind Mav in bed later that night, presses a kiss to his nape and asks, “you okay, Shortcake?”
Mav busies himself combing his fingers through the grey hairs on Ice’s chest, tucking himself against his front so he slots perfectly in between them both and says, “I’m alright.”
”Looking forward to your party at the weekend?”
”It’ll be nice to see everyone.”
”Any idea what you want to do for your actual birthday tomorrow?”
Mav swallows thickly and wonder if cry is an option. Shrugs and just says, “I’m easy. Spending it with you two is enough.”
Slider sighs softly, and squeezes Mav’s waist, and Mav closes his eyes wondering if he’ll wake up tomorrow another year older and brave enough to tell them what’s on his mind.
+
Mav wakes to the smell of bacon. He sniffs and the sweet scent of maple syrup tickles his brain too. Squinting open an eye he doesn't see Ice in front of him, or feel Slider behind him, but instead there's a tray - filled with a plate piled with fluffy pancakes smothered in crispy bacon and maple syrup, a glass of orange juice, a mug of black coffee and a small bowl of cut up strawberries - nestled neatly in the rucked up bedsheets.
He scrunches up his face with a yawn and fully opens his eyes as he sits up, stretching out the kinks in his back as he does so. Mav plucks the note with his name on from the tray and blinks away the sting of tears, overwhelmed with love for the two men he chose years ago and who, despite everything, chose him back.
Mav,
Happy 60th birthday, baby. You don't look a day over 50. Hope you're prepared for a day of being spoiled, because that’s what you're getting.
We love you more now than we ever have.
Eat up, Princess. For once don't worry if the bacon and syrup is going to go to your ass, you know we love it when there’s more to grab hold of.
Come downstairs once you've eaten and showered.
Love you endlessly,
Ice and Sli. 🩷
Mav hugs the note to his chest and just breathes through the watery tremors in his lungs, and then once he's got a grip on himself, he hauls the tray onto his lap and digs in.
It's his favourite breakfast that he never treats himself too, because he's not young anymore and he might be retired but he still wants to take care of his body. For the mind blowing sex where Ice and Slider twist him into a pretzel before pounding his guts, if nothing else.
But his lovers made it for him and so he eats every bite, and doesn't feel guilty afterwards, just pleasantly full.
Setting his clean plate back on the tray, Mav rolls out of bed and pads naked to the bathroom. Brushes his teeth and takes a piss while the shower warms up, and then steps under the hot spray. After washing his hair, he lathers his body in his coconut shower gel, getting a hand around his cock, stroking it to hardness.
Pushes two fingers between his cheeks, wiggling past the tight furl of his rim to slide inside his hole.
Mav languidly pumps his cock as he stretches himself, getting three fingers in his ass with the help of the lube they keep in the shower caddy, before he's spilling his release down the drain.
Washing off, he steps out the shower and wraps a towel around his waist. In the bedroom he dries himself off, and slicks up his favourite plug which is only a little smaller than Ice and Slider’s cocks; balancing with one bent knee on the bed, and sticking out his ass, he pushes the plug inside until it sits snug deep in his swollen channel, flared base nestled against his rim.
He's no idea what his partners have planned for him, but he likes to be prepared. Plus the low level arousal that flares in his belly from knowing the plug will he rubbing over his prostate throughout the day makes him grin.
Excited for Ice and Slider to find out what he’s hiding, and then do something about it.
Hopefully fuck him.
Raptor bounds into the bedroom just as Mav is wiping his hands clean on his towel, and he dodges and weaves his dog's energetic greeting with a chuckle; not wanting his dick and Raptor's snout to meet, nor for the English Bull Terrier to knock him down onto the bed when he has the plug in him. He manages to calm Raptor down with head scritches and kisses between his ears, and then tells him to go bother his other daddies so he can get dressed. Thankfully, Raptor is a clever dog and does just that. Slider's loud Oof where Raptor's obviously jumped on him echoing up the stairs, making Mav giggle.
Dressing in a pair of jeans that Ice says cups his ass dangerously and a white tee that Slider says highlights his perky tits, Mav heads downstairs. Finds Ice and Slider sat on the couch - Slider watching a nature documentary about sharks and Ice half-reading a report because the work never stops but also interested in the deep sea beasts as well, so he looks at the screen in between paragraphs. Raptor is curled up under the coffee table, having a snooze.
Mav squeezes in between them, careful of the plug in his guts. Reaches up to cup Ice’s cheek and pull him down for a long kiss. Does the same to Slider afterwards.
"Thank you both - for the lie in and for the scrumptious breakfast."
"Not every day you turn sixty, baby girl," Slider says, looping his arm around Mav's shoulders and tucking him into his side.
"For a while we wondered if you'd ever make forty," Ice drawls, though he’s painfully sincere, "but you've lived to defy the odds for another two decades and I for one am glad you're still here, Pete."
"Me too, kitten. Can't imagine life without you to tease and make blush," Slider adds.
As if on cue, Mav's cheeks heat pink. "Shut up." Wiggles deeper into Slider’s side and links his fingers with the hand Ice isn't using to hold the report, giving it a squeeze. "But also, thank you. I'm glad I'm still here too."
He really is. Even if he’s still worried they might up and change their mind some day.
He sits and gets invested in the sharks for a while and then when Ice has finished with the report, Mav says, "so what do we have planned for the rest of the day?"
"Well first it's obviously presents." Slider jumps up and goes out the living room, coming back with a rather large pile of neatly-wrapped gifts balanced in his arms.
"Jesus. Are they all for me?"
Ice rolls his eyes. "It's your birthday, Mitchell. So yeah, they're for you."
"Alright, Kazansky. No need to be a smart ass about it. I just didn't expect that many."
"What? Didn't think people loved you that much, Shortcake?" Slider jokes. Mav flushes but doesn't answer, because yeah. A little bit.
Slider clucks his tongue and shakes his head in fond exasperation. Dumps the gifts on Mav's lap and gestures at him to open them.
Mav works through the pile methodically; a bag to put the wrapping paper in seemingly appearing out of nowhere, but was probably Ice having it on standby because he's a neat freak. The gifts aren't just from Ice and Slider - there's presents from Bradley, the other Daggers, Penny and Amelia, Cyclone, Hondo and even some from some of the flyboys who were still around that had been sent in the mail.
By the time Mav has finished opening them all, he's surrounded by button-down shirts, new overalls to tinker in the garage in, books, plane-related memorabilia, a few dvds, some nice bottles of alcohol, chocolates and a few experience days like getting to drive an F1 race car which he's very much looking forward too.
Mav sniffs back tears and coughs out a watery laugh. "Shit. Didn't mean to cry.” He swipes under his eyes. “This is just...it's very lovely of everyone. I feel very spoiled."
”Glad you like them all.”
"Spoiling's not over yet, Mav."
Slider and Ice pick Mav out of his dragon's hoard and tell him to put his shoes on. Five minutes later they're in Slider’s truck with a picnic basket in the back filled with stuff that they won’t tell Mav what it is, because apparently it’s a secret.
Mav turns the music up so he can sing along, leaning into Ice, all three of them squished into the seats, practically serenading him with Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, and Madonna while Slider drives. Ice rolls his eyes, but the tips of his ears go pink and Mav grins knowing he can still make the COMPACFLT of the US Navy blush like that.
Probably helps his singing has gotten a little better since he was in the O Club and a young twenty something living his life by the balls, having no real idea what he was doing. Also probably helps that Raptor joins in for a few songs, and his howling makes Mav seem like he's Elvis or something. Such a good boy.
The drive isn't more than an hour or so; before long, Slider is stopping the truck and they're getting out. Mav stretches his legs and looks around. There's trees and lots of greenery and, "is that a lake?"
"Yep." Ice grabs the picnic basket while Slider grabs a blanket and another smaller bag.
"Are we having a picnic by the lake for my birthday?" Mav asks, even though it seems like that's exactly what they're doing.
"Bet the Navy misses those observation skills of yours, Princess," Slider smirks. Mav flips him off and troops ahead, picking a spot that's close enough to the lake to appreciate it's beauty but without the risk of any of them falling in accidentally, and that's got some trees nearby to offer them cover from the sun. He grabs the blanket from Slider and shakes it out before laying it flat on the grass and plonking himself down. The other two join him, manoeuvring Mav so he's stretched out with his head on Slider's lap, Ice by his feet. They let Raptor off the leash to run around, and he entertains himself sniffing the ground and trying to chase birds.
Mav's cowboy boots are pulled off, and he groans as Ice starts massaging his feet.
"Mm. This is nice." Slider starts petting his hair and Mav feels himself melt like a marshmallow over a fire. "Oh yeah, keep doing that. I don't care if I turn into a puddle, just keep stroking my hair and rubbing my feet."
"Yes, Princess," Slider dips his head, capturing his mouth in a kiss to temper Mav's glare at the teasing. Ice digs his thumb into the arch of Mav's foot and he moans like a whore on payday, because damn, it feels so fucking good. "Jesus, Mav, the mouth on you."
"Don't act surprised, Ron. He's been like that the whole time we've known him."
"I know. I'm not surprised. Just appreciative that he still has the ability to make my dick half-hard just from one little moan."
Mav huffs out a laugh; eyes half-closed in bliss. "You saying you're easy for me Kerner?”
"Yeah," Slider says without hesitation. "We both are. Aren't we, Ice?"
"We're so easy for you, it's a little embarrassing. I normally have more control over things, and yet..."
Mav squirms, delighted. "Flatterers. What's in this picnic then?"
"You hungry already? The breakfast not enough?"
"I'm a growing boy."
Slider makes a considering noise. "Don't think any of what we brought s'gonna make you grow taller, baby girl." Mav flails his arm behind him to whack Slider in the gut. Grins when Slider grunts at the impact. "You'd be disappointed if I didn't go for such low hanging fruit," Slider wheezes. Mav just hums, because he's right. Slider's teasing of him is one of the most consistent parts of Mav’s life since he joined the Navy.
"It's okay, Sli. I know you're obsessed with me. You can admit it."
"Pfft. Obsessed? Me? Nah, I think that's Ice. Right, Ice?"
Mav cracks open one eye and sees Ice looking at him so softly, it makes his heart squeeze in his chest. "That right, Ice? You obsessed with me too?"
"I don't make picnics for just anyone, Mav."
"What is in this picnic anyway?"
Ice sits up on his knees then and unpacks the basket while Slider strokes his hands over Mav's hair, neck and chest. There's pasta salad, sausage rolls, a fresh baguette cut up into chunky slices, cheese, crudities, breaded chicken, cold meats, quiche, potato salad, coleslaw and pickled onions. Ice also unpacks paper plates, cutlery and napkins, along with some beers and lemonade.
Mav takes it all in with wide eyes and sits up. "Holy shit. This is a proper picnic."
"I'm the COMPACFLT, Mav. I will not half-ass a picnic for one of the loves of my life's birthdays."
He works his jaw; stealing a carrot baton and nibbling on the end of it. "You're gonna live a long time, Tom. You sure you're gonna love me all that time?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Of course I am. I've loved you for 36 years, Mav. I only haven't loved you longer because I didn't know you before then."
"Ice—" Mav thinks he might burst into tears any second.
"Ice is right," Slider says; kneeling behind Mav and helping himself to a cube of cheese. "We're gonna love you until the very end, Mav. You haven't gotten rid of us yet, and you're not going to, so squash any thoughts in that pretty little head of yours about us getting sick and tired of you - or that we're not going to love you anymore now you're retired. You're it for us, Baby. Always have been. Always will be."
"Oh god," Mav covers his hands with his face, tears spilling silently down his cheeks; his half-eaten carrot stick poking out between two fingers. "How the fuck did you know what I was worried about? I was trying to work out how to maybe bring it up. And failing miserably, obviously.”
"Pete." Ice gently tugs Mav's hands away from his face and skims the back of his knuckles over his cheek. "We know you."
"Yeah," he hiccups out a happy sob; the worries that had been weighing him down, vanishing in the face of Ice and Slider's steadfast love for him, and their reassurance that he's still the one they chose. "Yeah, you really do know me. Fuck, I love you both so much."
He pushes the empty picnic basket out of the way and yanks both of them close; taking turns to kiss them on the mouth one at a time, over and over, until he feels a little less insane. Ice and Slider wrap him in their arms and kiss him back every time. Eventually, Mav says, "we should eat the food. It looks really good and it would be a shame to waste it." So they pile the food onto their plates, and Ice and Mav have a beer, Slider sticking to lemonade as he's driving. They chat while they eat, talking about anything and everything; Mav just happy to be with his favourite people; no longer scared about growing older because he knows now, down in his bones, that they'll be there alongside him, every step of the way. Even when their steps turn to shuffles and they no longer have picnics because they're worried they might not get back up off the floor again.
Mav has two plates of food before he calls it quits, feeding bits and pieces to Raptor before the dog flops down in the grass on his back to sleep in the sun, and by the time Ice and Slider have eaten their fair share, there's very little left. Ice packs it away, and then lies down on Mav's right with Ice on his left; the three of them watching the clouds drift across the sky.
"Is now a good time to mention I've had a plug in my ass this whole time?" Mav says, after they argue over whether the cloud that just passed over them looked like a rabbit riding a unicorn or a lion wearing a top hat.
The silence is deafening.
Mav doesn't have time to defend himself; both Ice and Slider pouncing on him between one breath and the next. And as he squeals with breathless laughter as they paw his clothes off him, determined to replace the plug with their cocks (lube helpfully packed in the smaller bag they'd brought with them along with tissues for clean up), and try to work out how to have sex without waking the dog ( a skill they've gotten pretty good at since they got Raptor), Mav can't help but grin so wide his cheeks hurt, feeling very spoiled and loved and safe in the knowledge that he's spending his birthday with the two best people (and the most goodest of boys) he knows (and looking forward to celebrating with his son and all his friends at the weekend), and he might be retired and no longer a fighter pilot, but he's still him, still theirs, and he's looking forward to celebrating all his other birthdays with them for all his years to come.