#Hope that button i clicked was a spoiler button
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
so i watched the pluto anime
the first episode i mean
and i am H U R T
like GOD do I wish i had the ability to write fanfiction because the story of north no. 2 and paul duncan? I am STILL crying
HE DIDNT WABT TO ONLY KNOW HOW TO FIGHT ABYMPREE AND HE WORMEDX HIS WAU INTO THE OLD MANS HEART AND THE HE FREAKIBG DIES IN A FIGHT????
AAAAAAAAAAA
#Hope that button i clicked was a spoiler button#pluto anime#also im actually pretty sure i know WHY i cant write fanfics#And narratives in general actual#Its bc my brain just doesnt really… connect w emotions in the same#That most people write their characters doing#Also im too lyrical bc i rephrase a sentence a dozen times in my head#Even when im just thinking it to myself#My brains like#Even just now my brain went “thinking” (thought think thinking thoughts passing time with the sound of the mind and the words it brought)
14 notes
·
View notes
Note
Can you make a comic where hikaru and ai are having romantic physical touch, like kissing or cuddling???
I actually never seen hikaru and ai being romantically together, I always love your doodle and theory about hikaai❣️❣️❣️❣️
I hope you never stop 💖💖💖💖🥰🥰🥰
Hello~~~ heheheh.. I.. I was really surprised when I found this in my inbox today as I had my eyes open at 3am in the morning. What a coincidence because I ACTUALLY GAVE THIS AN ATTEMPT. JUST RIGHT BEFORE I READ THIS ASK. What timing, wow!! this was going to be left in my notes forever because I-...'d have been too shy to post it publicly but yeah it's dawn and I'm half-awake and dazed and all, I'm going to drop it here and slide back into the abyss
(yeah please do listen to Ruler Of My Heart btw I even translated the lyrics for you guys...it's in the link!! Imagine it's them singing them together lol. i listened to that as I drew this earlier)
I picture it's Ai who's made all the big advances, I mean that's exactly what's happened in the work. She initiated things. I think Hikaru'd have treated her very carefully considering how sweet he used to be.
To add, at this point I'm pretty sure these guys are at least inspired from Amenouzume and Sarutakhiko, they share too many similarities with those gods; and if that's the case, then even this is pretty accurate towards the legend and the gods because Amenouzume is the one who approached and got her man to love her, legends state SHE flirted w him and they just.. get married right after that. He just took a liking to her immediately... Even better, she literally got the perfect guy being the adorable and precious goddess she is, I'm so proud of her!! He governs over so many things and is so powerful (like one of the seven gods who have the title of Okami) but most of all he's virtuous!! He's noble!! Hey if I'M Japanese and and I write stories about the entertainment industry with gods involved there is NO way I don't incorporate this story somewhere?? I'd be so disappointed if it's not going to be mentioned when Amenouzume's already been brought up.
The reply got really long because I got overboard about this ship again, I'll put a read more ;)
If you've ever seen me throughout all these years, I draw tons of cuddles and fluff but I NEVER draw anything more than a cheek kiss, ever because I get embarrassed to bits. But with these guys...UGH let me justify myself, things look really bad rn but they ACTUALLY CANNOT GET ANY MORE MUTUAL IN CANON...
One of them states they were only alive when they had the other and that they loved her from the bottom of their heart and the other says they wanted to live with the other forever and confesses they were the first one they ever wanted to love, even while they didn't fully understand what love is!!! How strong IS THAT??
I care so much about canon, as soon as those dropped I just, there is no way I can't unsee that. It's just there. Furthermore, they already have two kids between them!!! They did all the things a couple would do, wouldn't they have??? I'm sure with all the positive comments they've made about each other, I can just go on and on.
What I can infer is, if there is someone who can make Ai drop those from her mouth out of her heart.. they're definitely the one who's made her really happy. She can't get more loving than that..he managed to do it, so I see him being so precious to her, he's worth everything to her you know? She went through so much for Kamiki's sake and yet she's so warm towards him I just can't!!! That's what got me because I could already see HE would have "loved" Ai a lot may it be twisted or not. Ai is smart. She's so serious about love too. Then what they had must have been so genuine. He couldn't have hurt her or made her suffer, that's not how it works.
The way I see it, he actually used to be the really gentle and timid type(this is what really gets me; he was so kind!!;), and he totally shifted upon having lost her. HE USED TO BE SO SOFT!!; and he still kinda is. I can see how he'd have been really nice in the past, it sort of does still seep through his behavior. He's just totally broken. This guy, I'm pretty sure he devoted himself to a cause related to Ai's life after she'd been gone...his life after her death is just him struggling to do something related to her, he's written that way and that's how he broke. How did he- what happened?? I just; he's broken so bad!!; Well.
Back to you, @jusmingamba :) I'm someone who's nuts over keeping close to canon,
if canon doesn't disappoint me, I can keep going... 'v')9 Thanks for the support! I don't want to stop either, I hope the MANGA doesn't make me feel that way, it's been so rough.. I knew it was going to be a tough road ;v; BUT GOSH. It's been so bumpy and tense and everything, I keep saying this over and over, but just what kind of guy did Ai love/?? The thing is, I see many good things about him but???;;; they make him appear as if he's so evil too so. I hope that's intentional. He has/had all the potential to be this really interesting and complex character, I hope they use it. I CAN. I WOULD. I CAN DO IT. SO I can't picture the artists not doing it themselves.. it'd be such a waste!!
If anything, they have to come back to them at least once before the manga ends because I cannot see Ai's wish being disregarded. That was an important plot point and I just DON'T see the plot being that cruel to her. They've been so cruel to Hikaru, geez.. but if he's someone she loved so much, I hope what she wanted does come through one way or the other, that's the only way I see this being a "fulfilling" story in the end.
I lost sleep.. I'm going to be so tired today and also pretty embarrassed from posting this but I regret nothing!! You're welcome!! Have a nice day!!!!
#hikaai#oshi no ko#oshi no ko spoilers#hikaru kamiki#ai hoshino#jusmingamba#and will i ever draw kisses again.. I wonder.. maybe in like 5 years or so?#doodle#spoilers#god I love them but they make my head and heart hurt so bad too#asknreply#I'm contemplating a lot before clicking the post now button.. well I hope you all like it :)#oshi no theories
21 notes
·
View notes
Text
ʀᴇᴠᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ! ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ʀᴀғᴀʏᴇʟ
*part two / continuation of mistaken identity. can be read as a stand-alone but i recommend reading part one first.
𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 ∣ smut ( minors dni ), fem!bff!reader, sex toys mentioned but not used, mentions of condoms but not used, cum marking, playful objectification / name calling ( toy, fucktoy), has absolutely no spoilers or deep lore, all characters featured are aged 18+
𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 ∣ please reblog && leave feedback.. not proofread so there’s probably mistakes. thanks for reading < 3
where was it?
where was it?!
your heart was thumping rapidly against your rib cage as you hurried to the wardrobe in Rafayel’s bedroom and grabbed the latches. flinging it open, you’d hoped to see that damned fake ass sitting in a corner under a lump of his laundry. unfortunately, you dug and dug and dug, and hit only the bottom of the closet.
damn it, Rafayel, where did you hide it?!
although you hadn’t exactly expected it to still be spread eagle on his bed by the time you crept away from a very distracted painter, you were starting to panic. it wasn’t in any of the drawers beside his bed or in the closet. you took a step back with a soft breath, placing both hands on your hips. wrapped between your fingers in your dominant grasp was the cerulean lace that you were very, very well acquainted with.
the panties you’d had no choice but to wear lest you dribble your best friend’s cum from your freshly fucked cunt as you wobble-snuck out through the back door— the same panties that belonged to Rafayel’s sex toy. it was unfortunate that he’d moved her, and had you not known Rafayel well enough to know that he probably hadn’t noticed the missing panties, you would’ve been concerned that you were busted. thankfully, however, his sheets and the duvet were still wadded haphazardly atop the mattress. it looked like the same, warm mess that you’d crawled off of after he’d fucked you.
however, there was still the issue of the disappearing rear end.
“Where…” your whisper trails off, eyeline drifting to the bed again.
under it, perhaps?
quickly, you lap the room, past the door ajar, and drop to your knees. flipping the sagging sheets over the corner, your shoulders wind as you lean as close to the floor as you can, worming partially beneath the bed frame. your phone makes an appearance, clicking the flashlight button, you illuminate the narrow gap between his bed and the floor. surprisingly lacking junk, a discarded paintbrush with a maroon hue hardened on the bristles exempt, there was nothing of note. “Really?” you whisper, exasperated, before you heard a soft chuckle.
nearly bumping your head when your muscles jump involuntarily when you’re startled, you shimmy out from beneath his bed and look over your left shoulder. much to your dismay, the owner of the bed was propped against the frame of his open door, his arms crossed over his chest, the buttons on his white shirt unbuttoned just below his throat, flashing a glimpse of his collarbones.
crap.
the way that his ombré eyes followed you, twinkling mischievously, made a knot form in your stomach, but you slowly sit up, leaning back into the mattress. “I—I didn’t hear you come in.” you tried to sound casual, but Rafayel had just caught you red-handed, halfway underneath his bed and you had absolutely no idea how you were going to explain this away.
“I could tell by the way you jumped,” Rafayel counters, quirking a brow, curiously. “Whatcha doing?”
double crap.
your mind races, trying to come up with an answer that would be funny and misdirecting at the same time, but all that came out was the bogus reason you’d given him when you crept away in the first place. “I told you I was going to the bathroom.” you offered halfhearted.
Rafayel wasn’t convinced. “Uhhuh,” he replies, faux pensive as he takes a step closer, “did you forget where it was?” finally revealing what you dreaded, a smirk tickles his soft, pink tiers. “Or were you looking for something?”
you start to reject the notion adamantly, but when you sucked in the breath, you paused, and looked down at the scene he witnessed. you, digging under his bed, with a flashlight in one hand and a pair of panties that he probably bought in the other. your heart sinks to your stomach at the prospect of coming clean, but you knew you didn’t have a choice. “Rafa, listen—“ i’m so sorry, please forgive me. i didn’t mean for it to go that far. i should’ve told you. i promise i’m not a total creep. you didn’t know which of these sentiments were going to win the race to the tip of your tongue.
“I threw it out.” Rafayel interrupted, crossing the bedroom to stand in front of you in a couple of swaggering steps, before he extends one hand for you to take so he can help you up. at the moment, though, you merely stare at him, perplexed, so he adds in a soft, telling tone. “I didn’t need it anymore. After all, I got a new one this morning.” instead of offering it anymore, Rafayel flicks his wrist and the tips of his fingers dance along your cheek, warm as a toaster. your eyes widen slightly at this, your lips parting, but no sound comes out as you’re sat in stunned silence. his fingers, however, do not pause and trace the shape of your open lips, his eyes following the movement for a moment before his smile softens, his lips hardly moving as he murmurs, holding in a breathless chuckle. “You didn’t actually believe that I had no idea it was you, did you?”
“I… had hoped.” you mumbled hopelessly, inching up the side of the mattress until you can sit on the corner, looking down at the evidence in your hands as you sheepishly as your fist swallows the panties. your shoulders slumped in hopelessness, “You knew all along?” but Rafayel only lets free a chortle.
“What a shameful expression.” he notes aloud, before his fingers tuck beneath your chin and tilt it upwards, urging you to look up at him. it is only when you do that you realize he’s leaned down, his chin jutted out, his lips inches from yours. his voice is low and husky, “I’d be truly clueless to mistake a tight, warm pussy spasming and stretching around me for a lifeless, boring slab of silicone.” his eyes search yours as he speaks, looking for any hint of reluctance for him to be so close, but when he sees none, he adds, “I haven’t been able to think about good you feel. Your grip on my cock when I pushed it in,” breathing out each syllable, Rafayel places one hand behind you, moving closer. upon instinct, you scoot back. he inhales, his other hand planting itself at your side as his knee digs into the mattress to walk you back with torturous slowness, “how wet you became when I fucked you hard, how your pussy clenched and siezed when you came…” both knees now nudging your own apart, he crawls over you, until you fall back against the mountain of feather-soft pillows you’d been hidden under only hours before. you’re flat, staring up at his lean, looming figure, his face lingering close enough to feel the heat from his own, pinkened cheeks as he sighs, allowing a fraction of his weight to press against you, pinning you to the bed.
a very familiar shape— his hard cock through the stiff fabric of his trousers, prods at the inside of your thigh, eager to feel the warmth that your pussy provided, and Rafayel whispers to you an admission of guilt. “I tried to replicate that tightness, the warmth, when I jerked off in the shower, but I couldn’t make it feel as good as you. I only frustrated myself, and have been suffering ever since.”
“Suffering seems like an exaggeration…” you whisper only half joking, but you’re distracted; your eyes flicker down to where his body rubs against yours, the garments shifting and creating an annoying friction. he seems to feel the same way, because Rafayel is stripping you even as you speak, pushing your top and your bra up into a bunched up mess around your neck and jerking your shorts and panties down. you don’t resist in the slightest, even going so far as to lift your bottom so he can undress you easier. both of your hands let go of their anchors— the phone and the cerulean panties, and go to his shirt, instead, unbuttoning it with eager, quick movements.
“Don’t pretend that you don’t also feel it.” Rafayel’s gaze is deep and longing, his voice thick and accusatory. “It’s been torturous, and it’s all your fault. This is your fault.” his voice is pointed, and he grasps your wrist, guiding your palm to press against the throbbing tent in his pants. your fingers twitch, desiring nothing more than to tighten, to massage and fondle the package so tightly wrapped, so you do just that. you feel him fully in your hand, and Rafayel moans a soft, encouraging moan. “Let me fuck you again, just lay here for me like a pretty, little toy.” it wasn’t quite a demand, but also not entirely a plea— something in between.
but when his voice lilts with unbridled desire, you almost can’t help but melt to his whim. you thought about telling him that you were not a sex toy— not at all a hunk of silicone for him to fuck when he felt the urge, but you didn’t. in fact, you swooned at the thought of being that worthless junk’s replacement.
because, truth be told, you hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the way Rafayel felt when he throbbed inside you.
“This is going to ruin our friendship…” you offered a half-hearted argument, but your fingers were already scrambling to unzip and free his cock from the cloth restraints of his pants. when your fingers wrap around skin, getting a feel for him, he moans, and shimmies what’s left of his garments down his legs, kicking them into the floor.
“It already has.”
those three words rang truer than you’d been prepared for, even huskily breathed as Rafayel leans over you, his palm smacking against the bedside table. ever since this morning, when you so much as sat close enough to feel his body warmth, you’d remembered for and longed to feel him fucking you with reckless abandon once more. every breath he took, every sigh that left his lips, reminded you of how he sounded when he was inside of you. and, if his confession was to be believed, he also couldn’t stop thinking about it.
the friendship was already fucked.
all you could do now would be to nurture this new development.
Rafayel hooked his fingers around the gilded handle of the drawer and pulled it open, before fishing around blindly and retrieving a prophylactic between his first, two fingers. had you been his friend in that moment, you might’ve teased him for having condoms readily available. after all, you’d not known Rafayel to date many women. however, as his lover, your heart leapt into your throat in anticipation. but that condom that he was about to tear open with his teeth would rob you of that delicious, raw feeling of him with nothing in between. so, your free hand fled to clap against his wrist and stop his movements. “No need for that.” Rafayel pauses, staring at you perplexed, his plushy lips parted. your eyes sparkled as he poured his ombré gaze into yours, reading everything left unspoken. the time to take care has fled with the friendship, because you craved his cock— and would refuse any alterations. your back arches, and you writhe on his bed, slinking down underneath him until your body is in the perfect position to be taken. legs bent up towards your chest, feet sticking out on each end, and you keep your grasp on his base until you can give him a light and persuading pull, guiding the flared tip to split your sticky folds. “Just fuck me…” your breath whistles in a soft hiss through your teeth when the first couple of inches slip inside, slow and steady, and your hand moves from his base to plant itself flat against his pelvis, feeling the muscles beneath your fingers tighten as he pushes inside you. “Fuck your toy…”
Rafayel grunts upon entry, because your walls spasm and ecstatically welcome him home. “I missed this pussy.” smiling, practically drunk on the scent of your arousal and his own thickening the air surrounding you, his hands push against your knees, spurring your legs further apart, as he sets his pace. long, deep strokes with firm, punctuating hip snaps so that his cock could pummel your spongy nerves. each time he bottoms out, the force coaxes a moan from your open lips, your body bucking beneath him, breasts jiggling in tandem with his pace. at first, you close your eyes, brows furrowed close as you focus on the sensation of being pounded and listen to Rafayel’s panting above you. there’s not a sweet spot that he didn’t reach— from the bulging veins on his length rubbing against the grooves in your walls, to the bulbous head of his cock battering your g-spot. it was a much more calculated fucking this time; Rafayel was going to have you in the most carnal of ways. he made that clear.
your nails dug into the warmth on his hips, but you only used your vices to pull him in deeper, demanding with grips and moans that he give you everything he had to offer. you hear him hiss— whether from the pleasure of your cunt tight around his cock or the pain of your nails biting at his flesh, you can’t be too sure, but he obliges, pounding deeper. harder. faster. “M—more!” you cry out, your body undulating beneath his, eager to take every inch. small droplets of perspiration escape from his jaw as it lingers over you, raining on to your cheeks. “More!”
“Fuck,” Rafayel moaned out loud, pushing your legs back even further until he could lay his chest on the backs of your knees, pinning you to the bed with his body weight. “I’ve never had such a greedy fucktoy before.” there’s a playfulness in his strangled tone that is truly and utterly Rafayel. your eyes open, and glare at him, as if you’re ready to snap back, but he bottoms out inside you again, choking whatever sarcastic remark you had back into a pathetic gurgle of pleasure before he leans in and sighs heavily against your lips, “Don’t you dare give me that look, I wasn’t done. I was going to say that I love how greedy you are.” from this angle, with every inch of his body slick with sweat and pressed against you, he can reach even deeper. his balls, warm and heavy, smack against your ass when he pumps against your limit over and over, almost as if he wishes he could worm his way into your cervix. “Take it deep for me, greedy girl. Come on, come on,” he croons and his head droops forwards, closer to your face. his own is a pretty scarlet-kissed hue, his typically clear eyes are dark and stormy with lust, and you knew before he moaned, “I’m so close. Gonna cum.”
you weren’t quite there yet, you needed a little more, but you could do very little than to grip the sheets underneath you when Rafayel rode out the force of his orgasm. rough, eager thrusts that had your head spinning, and your body twitching and jumping when he suddenly ripped his cock from inside you, leaving that familiar, sickening hollowed out feeling. he did so just in time to cast streamers of warm, white release over the lips of your used pussy, moaning your name as he sat up on his knees, one hand jerking himself off to ensure he got every last drop of his cum on your cunt. your thighs were trembling so Rafayel kept his free hand on one of them, holding you steady so he can finish his masterpiece on you.
“You were almost there, weren’t you?” he asks, breathlessly, when his satiated cock lays against his thighs. he releases it, and instead, runs his fingers up between your nerherlips, pressing the pads on your clit to rub it in fierce circles. the motion smears his release deeper into your folds, fully marking you as his plaything, but you’re much too focused on how good it feels when he strums you like this. “I want to make my pretty, greedy little fuck toy cum, too.” your button throbs against his fingers, your back arching, so he focuses the pressure a bit more precisely, scrubbing his fingertips back and forth over your clit. your eyes, eyelids droopy and all, peer up at the sight of him kneeling between your quaking thighs, his hand moving back and forth, his stare glued to your soiled pussy, and you come undone right then and there, swimming through the sea of bedding as your orgasm possesses you.
Rafayel didn’t seem as though he was totally finished, even when the aftershocks wracked your body, because his fingers still teased your poor clit; and when you inched back, he followed. “T—too much!” you squeal, flipping over on to your belly. you’re entangled in his sheets, damp and smelling of sex, with your ass jumping and overstimulated, squirming until you’ve managed to scramble away from his devilish, svelte fingers. he chuckles at the sight, and allows you to escape, before he crawls over to you and rubs your back to ease you out of this stimulated state. “I never thought you’d cum so hard, I’ll have to be careful with you, hm? Don’t want my new toy to break.” he chuckles, his slick fingertips tracing your spine. he leans down, kissing your shoulder with parted lips. “My new, favorite toy.”
#rafayel#rafayel x reader#rafayel x you#rafayel smut#lads#lads rafayel#lads x reader#lads x you#lads smut#l&ds#love and deepspace#love and deepspace x reader#love and deepspace smut#love and deepspace x you#love and deepspace rafayel
1K notes
·
View notes
Text
overdrive // ghost of you
pairing: jj maybank x routledge!reader
summary: a guaranteed 5k payment turns into a diving mission that gives john b more stress than he needs, jj learns why he needs to take a safety stop, and despite being in the hospital, you're just happy to have some peace and quiet in your boyfriend's arms.
warnings: spoilers for s4 ep2, the usual obx kinda shit
navigation -- series masterlist
--
“Do you guys know anybody that’s been here, because I don’t?”
“Nope.”
“Sarah, you must know somebody that’s been here, right? I mean like all Kooks, they… they know each other.”
“Are you kidding me?”
You tuned out the rumored conversations of the group as John B drove the boat toward Goat Island, the location of which Genrette asked you all to meet to discuss the possible Blackbeard treasure. While the idea of getting back into this treasure hunt wasn’t one you enjoyed, it felt more normal than you anticipated.
The island looked like any other, but the amount of trees and greenery was in abundance compared to Kildare. You could see an older man waiting on the dock as you all got closer. The lack of upkeep made you shiver, knowing this likely wasn’t going to be very welcoming.
“This place is 200 years old and they still don’t have a road that doesn’t go underwater twice a day.”
You shifted in your seat as Pope and JJ grabbed the ropes to tie off, and your boyfriend greeted the man politely as they stood. Silence followed and the man continued to stare at all of you. “Welcome to Blackstone.”
You all shared awkward glances as he walked away without another word. JJ offered you his hand to climb out of the HMS Pogue, his palm shifting to rest on your back as the group moved forward to follow.
“So uh, what have you been digging?” Your boyfriend attempted to dissolve the awkward tension but wasn’t fairing well.
“Ditches.” The reply was hoarse and simple.
“Ditches,” JJ repeated, “At least it’s not graves.”
“All the same to me.”
You didn’t like the atmosphere that this visit was suddenly bringing and brought JJ’s hand to hold in your own. Something seemed creepy and off as if you were walking straight into a trap.
“Uh, so how long have you been working for Mr. Genrette?” John B continued.
The man you were following came to a pause in his walk, sparing a glance at the group of you over his shoulder. “As long as I can remember.”
Your path eventually went up a flight of stairs to a large white house before the man pointed you in that direction. JJ thanked him and continued to approach, dropping your hand in favor of using the door knocker to announce your arrival.
“Oh, just a little quick FYI, they drug you before they chop you up.”
You smacked JJ’s shoulder in annoyance, hating the way it settled in your spine with goosebumps. “You’re an ass.”
He held his hands up in defense. “I’m just saying, don’t eat or drink anything.”
“Not funny.”
“Yeah, guys. I think I’ve changed my mind about this one. I-I really don’t wanna be here,” Sarah voiced the thoughts that were running through your mind as you nodded in agreement, Kie echoing the statement.
You didn’t get a chance to make a run for it as the locks on the door began to click open, revealing another man in a white button-up with a sweater tied loosely around his neck. “Hi. I’m sorry to keep you waiting. It’s quite a big house and I’m… I’m afraid the servants have all gone. All except, uh, good old Demp. Just can’t seem to get rid of him. Uh, you must be the… the Pogues. The Great Seekers.”
John B tilted his head in skepticism. “Yeah, I.. I don’t know about that.”
“Oh, now, don’t you be modest. I’ve read of your adventures. It’s quite thrilling,” The man disregarded your brother’s hesitance. “Uh, come in, come in. I.. I’m the son-in-law. Chandler Groff. Wes was really, really hoping you’d show. He’s been waiting.”
JJ pulled your hand back in his as he stepped forward, letting you walk ahead of him before he shifted to hide you behind his back in case anyone jumped out. “Yeah, pleasure. JJ.”
The six of you walked into the next room, taking in the dreary scenery. Cobwebs covered every surface in the house, dripping off the lights and walls, making you question what actually went on there. It seemed like a staged haunted house, which honestly was worse than it being a real one.
“This place smells like dead bodies.”
You glared at your brother’s comment, hating that he was right. Nothing in this house eased your fears about this being a bad idea. Chandler led you into another room, this one containing a fireplace and the man you’d come to know as Wes Genrette.
“Come in, please, please. Warm yourselves by the fire,” He greeted and waved you all in the large study. There was no light besides the rays attempting to creep in the windows, casting the room in a cold atmosphere. “I apologize for dragging you all out here, but I… I don’t think I could speak about this in public. I know I mentioned Blackbeard, but I assure you all, my interest is not for treasure.”
The six of you scattered around the various seating options in the room. JJ was seated on the armrest of the chair you occupied; his hand warm on the back of your neck as he rubbed the skin softly. John B and Sarah were on your other side with Pope, Cleo, and Kiara across from you.
“My ancestor, Francis Genrette, was the British officer who caught and killed the notorious pirate.”
Pope shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he turned to face the older man. “Wait. Your… your direct ancestor?”
Wes nodded. “Mhm. Yes, unfortunately. After he’d beheaded Blackbeard, he killed the pirate’s wife, Elizabeth. And since then, for 300 years, generations of Genrettes have been haunted by Elizabeth’s ghost and have died violent deaths. Including my daughter, Larissa. Chandler’s wife.”
You glanced over where the mentioned individual was standing, noticing he seemed unphased by the story being played out. It did strike you oddly that he lived with his father-in-law, figuring that he would’ve had his own home with Larissa for their family.
“My daughter saw Elizabeth a week before she died,” Wes continued as he focused his gaze on the portrait of Larissa that was hung above the fireplace. “Now, I’ve had a visitation. So, I know I don’t have much time.”
John B cleared his throat as he pulled his attention away from the haunting painting. “Right, uh. So, we’re really sorry that happened to you, but what do you want from us?”
Wes nodded in understanding of the skepticism. “Of course. Let’s get down to business. Chandler.”
“We believe that we’ve found a way to break the curse on this family,” Chandler took up the explanation and he pointed to a piece of the painting of Elizabeth that showed a large amulet. “Right before she was murdered, Elizabeth begged Francis to retrieve from her husband’s ship a keepsake that he’d given her. Her most prized possession. An amulet. He denied the request and then murdered her. “
“But if we find that amulet, fulfilling Elizabeth’s last request, I believe it will break the curse that has haunted my family for over 300 years,” Wes said.
You weren’t fully convinced a necklace would magically make this all disappear; the whole situation reminded you too much of Limbrey and her need for the cross to cure her disease. It just didn’t seem feasible.
Kie must’ve been thinking the same as she spoke up, “Okay. Um… I’m sorry, where did you say that necklace thingy is?”
“Blackbeard’s last ship, the Adventure.”
“Perfect,” You mumbled quietly, knowing this was going to fly off the rails quickly, as did every treasure hunt you guys went after. Another underwater search? No thanks.
Chandler continued, “According to all records, the amulet was still on it when it was scuttled right off Goat Island.”
Pope nodded in understanding. “Right, yeah, but the Coast Guard excavated that site years ago,” He explained.
“The excavation team didn’t know what we know,” Mr. Genrette tried to reason. He handed Pope over a book, pointing out something in the tattered pages. “They didn’t have this. There’s a secret lockbox hidden behind the headboard in the captain’s chamber. Do you dive?”
“We dive. All… all of us do,” JJ lied before anyone had a chance to disagree. You pinched his knee softly in warning. “It’s just, we only do it if the price is right.”
Wes didn’t seem upset by the comeback. “Excellent. We are prepared to offer you a premium for your services. Fifty thousand, plus expenses. Five thousand up front. And we would very much like your immediate answer.”
John B thankfully moved before JJ had a chance to open his mouth again. “We just need to think it through. We’ll be right back.” He grabbed the shoulder of your boyfriend’s shirt, nearly dragging him out of his seat to another room with the rest of you quickly following.
“What was that!”
“We have to think.”
“This is weird,” You echoed Kie and Sarah’s statements. “I mean it sounds like Limbrey 2.0, no? I don’t like it. We can just slip out the back.”
John B paced behind the couch. “Are we really going to listen to the guy who should be in a white padded room? Visitations? Curses?”
“He’s a madman!” Cleo agreed.
“Obviously, he’s batshit, but he’s in there crying about his daughter. Like, he needs help,” Sarah tried to reason.
Kie shook her head. “He needs therapy, not a necklace thing. We cannot ignore the fact that there is a ghost and a curse. Y’all aren’t getting weird ass vibes?”
“Okay. Guys.” Cleo pulled the conversation back in. “Let’s just say we take this job. Is it even possible?”
“Yes,” JJ’s voice was monotone as he responded. You shook your head at him, knowing it probably was, but you didn’t want to find out.
“I knew what you would say,” Cleo dismissed him, knowing he was eager to get any and all money. “Everybody else?”
With a soft groan, you ran your hands across your face. “I don’t like it.”
“That ship is probably 80-100 feet down. The currents are probably ripping.”
“Guys,” JJ whispered harshly, “Are we really gonna worry about the details right now?”
A resounding “Yes!” followed his question.
JJ shook his head, looking at all of you as if the answer was obvious. “In our time of need, are we really gonna turn down free money? No! That’s not like us.”
“It’s not free!” You argued back as you made eye contact with him. “Babe-”
“The worst that can happen is we walk out of here with 5 Gs in our pocket. End of discussion.”
“That’s not the worst!
“We could go to jail, we could die, we could-”
JJ seemingly ended the discussion for everyone as he ignored the concerns and walked back to the room where Wes and Chandler were waiting. “Sir, we’ve come to our conclusion, and we’ll do it. We’ll take the job.”
A deep sigh left your mouth, your forehead dropping to Sarah’s shoulder in frustration at JJ’s willingness to throw your group into danger. Pope intercepted JJ’s attempts at taking the initial 5k payment as Wes and Chandler thanked you all graciously.
Chandler reached out to grab JJ’s shoulder. “Hey, JJ. I believe in you.”
You stared at the awkward moment, listening as JJ thanked him before moving back to you, grabbing your hand to lead the group out of the house. You risked looking over your shoulder to see the creepy smile on Chandler Groff’s face as he watched your group disappear from view.
Looking up at your boyfriend as you made it out, you could tell he was a little thrown off guard. “Jayj?”
“I’m fine, baby,” His response was quiet as he tried to convince you before plastering a convincing smile back on his face. “Let’s go, y’all! We got work to do.”
--
JJ’s whole mood had taken a turn with the five grand in hand, and the plan in place on the dive. What Wes had said was lining up with the information in the captain’s log, to your dismay. You were kind of hoping on the trail to end cold and avoid JJ diving into wreckage in the first place.
While the boys, Kie, and Cleo took the liberty of attempting to find more info on the location of the wreck, you and Sarah managed the store in the meantime. You were restocking and organizing the surrounding items while Sarah took the register.
“Good afternoon, ladies.” A stern voice broke you from your routine as you looked over. You quickly recognized the man as the one who kept going head-to-head with JJ on the auction for the house, and he didn’t look like he was here to be nice. “Y’all remember me?”
“How could we forget?” Your tone was sickly sweet but you let the sarcasm sink in. Walking behind the counter, you stopped next to Sarah and placed your fingers on the switchblade Cleo left under the register in a safety precaution.
The man nodded and slid a paper toward Sarah. “Hmm, like that attitude. No wonder Cameron liked to keep you around. I’ve got something for you here. I can take this place off your hands at any time. For a fair price.”
Sarah chuckled softly. “I don’t think that’s necessary. But can we offer you a keychain? Maybe a… glass bong, a pipe? You look like you need one.”
He looked away to not face the two of you as if he was assessing your work so far. “You know, y’all are gonna lose this place. You might as well sell now.”
You rolled your eyes and motioned toward the dock where he came. “Whatever you said, old man. And you can tell Cameron to kiss my ass if he comes asking.”
Sarah picked up the paper, her eyes moving quickly as she skimmed it before holding it out. You glanced at her expression and took it, instantly clocking the Public Notice, Change of Zoning.
“My dad used to do that all the time. It’s changing the zoning, it’s a way to force owners out of their property.”
You groaned and set it down. “Pope went through hell to get it changed in the first place. How can they change it back?”
“If someone’s got the money to do it, what’s it matter?”
“What are we gonna tell the others?” Your voice dropped to a whisper as you looked at her, the realization sinking in that this would cost more than you could account for, even with the fronted 5k.
She shrugged and shook her head. “I don’t know.”
You read the paper fully, wishing there was some form of hope to find hidden in the language but came up empty-handed. “We’ll tell JB first. He’ll know what to do.”
Sarah didn’t say anything but you could feel her chin rest on your shoulder before you dropped yours to lean against her. This was just another nail in the coffin that the world seemed to be building around your family.
And it was getting really hard to feel like they weren’t winning.
--
“My lady.”
You laughed as JJ tossed a blanket over your face, his warm body climbing in the hammock next to yours with a rough shove. Pulling the fabric away from your eyes, you were met with his crystal blue ones staring right back.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
It took less than two seconds for him to kiss you, the movement rough and warm. You hummed at his action, loving the way he seemed to know exactly how to hold you and bring butterflies to your stomach every time.
Fingers slipped into his hair, gently pulling the blond strands when he bit down on your lip with a soft gasp, everything heating with each second. JJ’s leg slipped between yours as you leaned up to chase his lips before the hammock moved sharply, threatening to throw the two of you to the ground.
“Okay, okay,” You giggled as he shifted his weight back down, wet kisses on your neck coming shortly after. “They will kill us if they catch us out here again.”
“We need our own place then.”
You huffed, pulling his head awake from your neck where he was starting something he couldn’t finish. “As much as I would love to do this right now, we have to talk about the dive.”
JJ groaned loudly in faux annoyance and dropped his weight on you completely like a slug. “Why can’t we just have sex and figure it out later?”
“Because Sarah already heard us last night and I’m trying to save you from John B if it happens again,” You explained with a smile before kissing his forehead. “Come on. Please.”
“Fine, fine.” He looked up at you with full attention. “What about the dive?”
You studied his face for a second, wondering how after all these years he still looked at you like you put the stars in the sky despite everything the two of you had gone through. “I wanna go with you.”
His response was instant, “No.”
“I wasn’t asking,” You shot back sternly. “You’re not going alone. I won’t let you.”
JJ brushed the hair out of your face gently and shook his head. “Sweetheart, it’s 80 feet down in the dark and moving through structures.”
You smirked at him. “Exactly, and that’s why you’ll need backup and I’m going.”
He sighed and dropped his head to your chest, mumbling something you couldn’t quite hear.
“Hmm?”
“I said your brother is going to kill me.”
A bubble of laughter escaped you at the thought of John B flipping his shit, which he would when you told him. You rubbed JJ’s back gently as the sunset dipped behind the skyline, nighttime beginning to make its appearance. “Come on babe, where you go, I go, remember? Includes bottom of the ocean.”
“Okay, now when you say it like that, it sounds really bad,” He grumbled and took your hand in his, squeezing it lightly. “Yeah, okay. I don’t like it but you’re gonna do it anyway. But if John B says no, I’m not arguing with him.”
You rolled your eyes, “You won’t have to. I’ll handle it. You just gotta look pretty and make sure I don’t get the bends.”
“I’ve bent your ass over before and-”
“JJ!”
--
The next morning, you made your way out to the shop where Sarah usually drank her morning coffee. The two of you didn’t sleep well with anxiety of the night ahead and you stayed up into the late hours trying to figure out how to deal with the zoning issue.
“Hey,” You whispered as you pulled JJ’s zip up closer over your chest and approached her. The morning chill was starting to set in, causing you to shiver.
Sarah glanced over her shoulder, a Kildare Surf Co. mug held tightly in her grasp to warm her fingers. “Couldn’t sleep?”
You shook your head no and leaned on the railing next to her, the two of you soaking up the sunrise and calm water. Times like this were so peaceful and grounding that you appreciated them more than the eye could tell. It was a reminder that each day was a brand new start despite how the last one ended.
“What are you two doing up?” John B found you faster than you anticipated, his Converse quiet on the wood compared to his usual rowdy steps. He still looked half asleep in his long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, his hair unruly as he gave Sarah a soft greeting kiss.
He moved to you next with a kiss on the forehead and a hug you refused to pull away from. John B always gave the best hugs. They were warm and a safe space for you, more than he had ever been in the previous years. The protectiveness had gotten stronger with the knowledge that your dad really wasn’t coming back and at the end of the day, all you would have is each other.
“You okay?” He asked quietly, palm holding your head to his chest when you tightened your grip after a few moments.
“I’ve gotta talk to you.”
He whistled lowly. “Don’t like the sound of that first thing in the morning.”
Sarah pulled the folded paper out from her hoodie pocket to hold it toward him. John B let go of you to take it, his eyes scanning the words before he let out a soft, “Shit.”
“The guy who tried to outbid us at the auction stopped by yesterday,” Sarah explained as she crossed her arms over her chest, shifting to face the two of you with her back to the railing. “He dropped it off, and said we’ll lose everything.”
John B shook his head and folded the paper back up. “Does anyone else know?”
“Just us. Pope’s going to freak out,” She replied, stepping toward your brother to lean into his side. “I’m sorry, I don’t know-”
“Hey, hey, hey,” John B shushed her and pulled her closer. “We’re gonna figure it out. It’s not the best thing to start the morning with but…”
You kicked your shoes into the wood. “Yeah, I’m about to make it worse. I’m diving with JJ.”
“No, absolutely not.”
You rolled your eyes, repeating what you’d told JJ yesterday. “John B, I’m not asking. I’m telling you.”
“Did he put you up to this?” He tossed his hands out to the side, motioning toward the house. “Because I’ve told him-”
“JB, stop,” You interrupted whatever rude thing was about to come out of his mouth. “No, JJ didn’t put me up to it. He’s not happy about it either, but it’s my decision. I’m not letting him go down there alone.”
John B shook his head in disagreement. “Then I’ll go. Or Pope can, it doesn’t have to be you.”
“Pope knows exactly where the wreckage is and I don’t steer the boat as well as you.”
“Kie, then.”
You tilted your head to the side. “Oh, so Kie’s allowed to but I’m not?”
John B groaned and shoved his hands to his face. “You’re making this really difficult.”
“It’s not your decision. And there may not be anything down there anyway, so quit worrying about it until there’s something to worry about,” You tried your best not to sound angry toward him, knowing he had your interests in mind. “John B, please let me help.”
Sarah placed her hand on his shoulder. “She’ll be fine. If anything, it’s going to keep JJ’s mind on safety, which is a good thing, okay?”
John B kept his eyes on you. You could practically see the thoughts moving behind his eyes, thinking if there was any way to talk you out of it, but he came up empty.
Which led you here, to you and JJ slipping on wetsuits while John B and Pope navigated and Sarah, Cleo, and Kie kept an eye out from land. You hissed as JJ’s fingers skimmed your back to zip up the material, sending shivers down your spine with the coolness.
“Sorry, sorry,” He apologized before helping you lift the BCD and remaining gear on. “Honestly, it’s kind of like surfing the point, you know. We’re upstream, and then the rip is just gonna… take us out.”
Mumbled agreements came from Pope and John B, none of them convincing in the slightest. You glared at the three boys. “You guys are not helping my nerves.”
“Okay, then take the wetsuit off and-”
You smacked John B’s shoulder, knowing he still wasn’t happy about the situation. “If I got JJ to shut up, you can too. Come on.”
“Don’t forget your safety stop,” Pope reminded as JJ loaded the speargun he insisted on taking. “Fifteen feet for three minutes. Hear that, JJ? Fifteen feet, three minutes.”
“Yeah, copy that.” The reply was direct as he pulled his goggles to his forehead. JJ’s attention shifted to you as you got to your feet and he reached out to grab your shoulder. “Hey, you good?”
You tried your best to keep the worry off your face and nodded. “Yeah, let’s do it.”
The water was colder than you expected, and the water was so, so dark. The underwater lights did a little to help but it still was dim unless you were on something. You followed JJ’s lead further down, feeling the pressure begin to set in as the depth increased.
To your shock, the flashlight hit an algae-covered figure that belonged at the front of a pirate ship. You didn’t think you would find it this fast, let alone that it would be real. Your gaze met JJ’s the excitement seeping in as the two of you moved forward to where Pope said would be best to enter.
Fish and sand flew in every direction as you moved water around while swimming, the sight almost beautiful if it wasn’t deadly too. JJ quickly found the door to shift, pushing inside the area that would lead to the Captain’s Quarters where the secret compartment was above the headboard.
You reached forward to push on the stone that had grown over time until you found a soft spot that shifted. Using Cleo’s knife to dig it out, you reached inside to feel for the supposed treasure that was supposed to be there.
JJ called your name and moved his light away, bringing what looked like a fresh set of tools into view. Which could only really mean one thing: someone else was down here.
You didn’t have time to think before the back of your neck was grabbed harshly, pulling you further down in the water and disorienting your entire body. Attempting to scream was nearly impossible with the mouthpiece as you kicked and shoved against the person who had grabbed you and pushed you out of JJ’s view.
The faint sounds of him yelling for you were barely there as you tried to get your bearings back. You caught a glimpse of his flashlight and began to move in that direction when hands grabbed your waist again and yanked backward.
“Let go!” You tried to yell, lashing back with your elbow and Cleo’s knife in an attempt to defend yourself. Things only got worse when your oxygen supply was stolen, the mouthpiece ripping away with the guy’s force as something cut along your arm. You caught sight of him swimming away but were hit with the harsh reality that your source of air was gone, left only with the deep breath you managed to steal.
Panic set in quickly, sending you into survival mode as you did your best to swim to wear JJ was last seen. Noises helped guide and you could make out him using debris to break the worn structure and free himself. Your lungs burned with the lack of oxygen and you were starting to believe you wouldn’t even make it to him before passing out.
“Hey, hey.” His voice was hardly recognizable before he lunged forward, placing the emergency mouthpiece in your grasp for air to flood your lungs. “You okay? We gotta go. We gotta go.”
You caught the faint beeping signal that warned JJ’s air supply was almost out as he started guiding the two of you back to the surface. Your brain was still in survival mode and the only thing you wanted to do was get the hell out of the water as soon as you could.
The second the water broke away, you dropped the mouthpiece JJ had provided and gasped for air. He coughed aggressively behind you, the two of you reaching out for each other in relief that you had made it back.
“Oh my god, shit. Are you okay?” His hands reached out for you in search of immediate injuries.
“Yeah, yeah,” You choked on water and ripped the mask from your head to see him clearly. “Who the hell was that? And where’s John B?”
There was so much fog you couldn’t see and your flashlights had been lost in the fight to escape so JJ yelled out for your brother until you caught sight of the boat. Pope quickly tossed the ladder over as John B reached out for you.
“Hey, hey, hand me your stuff. Where’s your BCD?” He asked as he grabbed your elbows and lifted you out of the water like it was the easiest thing ever.
You hit the floor of the boat relatively hard, still heaving for air in your lungs. “It’s gone.”
“What do you mean it’s gone?”
“I mean it’s gone!” It came out more aggressive than you meant for it to. “There’s a guy that tried to kill us!”
John B immediately tried to pull the remaining gear and wetsuit off you as Pope explained the boat that was up here, confirming your story. Your brother wrapped your shoulders in his lightweight shirt and ran to start the engine, pushing the boat back in the direction of home.
“You guys okay?” Pope asked as he watched JJ collapse down next to you. The only answer he received was a thumbs up from your boyfriend, the two of you still coming down from the adrenaline rush.
The drive back was a blur and thankfully, you were back on land with your friends before you had time to even process what had just happened.
“Someone tried to kill us,” You echoed again when John B repeated his question. You kept your head against the seat, trying to clear the fog from your brain that didn’t seem to go away as you took deep breaths. It had been a good 15 minutes back and you still couldn’t seem to shake it.
“What? Why? That doesn’t make sense. Why would someone try to kill you?”
“Obviously, they were going after the same thing we were, right?”
You groaned as they continued to talk. There was a searing pain making its way through your body and no matter how much you tried to focus on their words, you couldn’t. Sarah’s face was suddenly in front of you, her hands on your cheeks. You could see her mouth moving but couldn’t hear her voice.
John B was quickly next to you, his arms grabbing your waist alongside Sarah before you were being moved without another word. Blurry sights eventually told you that the group was in the Twinkie, and there was so, so much yelling, but you couldn’t catch it enough to ask what was going on.
“Ow, shit,” You groaned and curled into a ball against Kiara’s side, willing the pain to go away if you coiled small enough. Turning to her, you blinked a few times to steady your sight before speaking, “Hey, guess what?”
“Just hold on, we’re almost there,” She pleaded, eyes watching you with concern.
You shifted as much as you could, whimpering with the movement as you managed to get your hand in the swim shorts you’d been wearing to pull out the heavy-weight item in your palm.
“You found it?” Sarah’s voice sounded so loud in your head as she grabbed the balled towel from your grip. “Holy shit.”
“Why didn’t you tell us sooner?” John B asked as he looked over as best as he could while driving.
You coughed painfully and flipped him off, “Too busy dying, Booker.”
Cleo praised your efforts, calling you a rockstar and every other achievement in the book but you couldn’t hear over the noises that were setting in your skull. Every movement felt like an attack on your skin as your friends lifted you and JJ from the car into what you assumed was the hospital.
John B’s arm was tight around your waist as he and Cleo carried your weighted form. Your brother informed the hospital staff everything you couldn’t hear and the next thing you knew, you were surrounded by red lights and metal with JJ’s body next to you.
A pained whimper left your throat as you collapsed against the mattress that was beneath you, curling into your side again to try and disappear from it all. JJ’s own sounds of distress were hurtful to hear so you forced yourself to turn over to see him. Every muscle in your body felt like it was on fire, but you managed to grab his hand in yours, squeezing it tightly.
“I got you,” You whispered quietly as the room darkened and quieted. It took a few minutes but everything seemed to slow down. Your muscles were still tense and cramping, but you could hear and see better than 15 minutes ago, which was a plus.
JJ’s breathing evened out, and even though you were sure he was sleeping, you refused to take your hand out of his. You caught movement in your peripheral and shifted to see your brother standing in the doorway, watching you carefully.
A coil smile tugged your lips as you flipped him off with your free hand, which was easily returned by him. His mouth moved slow enough for you to read out “I love you, dumbass” before he disappeared from your vision and you fell into the best sleep of your life.
--
It was hard to tell how much time had passed that you lay there with JJ, the two of you breathing softly. You swore your heart was beating too loud that he could hear it, but you were just relieved to have your body back to yourself.
A nurse had come by not too long ago to explain the effects of the nitrogen in your blood and how the treatment process would go from there. You tried your best to listen, but your head was so heavy and exhausted that it was difficult.
“Babe.”
You hummed in response to JJ’s whisper, your eyes still closed as you rested against his chest. His heartbeat was steady in your ear, a reminder that the two of you were still here together and would be okay.
“You almost died.” You shifted slightly to look at him, twisting your leg between his to get impossibly closer, and pushed up on your hands to see him fully. His eyes were wet, and he looked so, so stressed. “I should’ve never let you go down there.”
A small smile graced your lips as you leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Then who would’ve saved your life?”
“Technically, I saved your life so-“
“Okay,” You laughed quietly and settled back against him, pressing another kiss to his jawline. “We both saved each other, yeah?”
His hands were warm as they curled around your bare shoulder to hold you, the two of you a mess of tangled limbs and love inside the small space you were given. “Would’ve never forgiven myself if you didn’t make it out of there.”
“I told you, where you go, I go,” You mumbled into his chest. “That includes tiny ass hyperbaric chambers, too.”
A small laugh left his lips before he kissed you, humming at the sensation it always gave him when you were soft like this. He loved nothing more than sharing moments so sweet and comforting with you. Like you were a calm in the storm that was always ready to strike.
“You know, we’re in here for twelve hours,” You hinted as you looked up into his gaze. “You got anything to do?”
He followed your insinuation and smiled like he had just won the lottery. “Oh, sweetheart. Have I told you I love you lately?”
Hours passed in heated kisses, soft touches, and shared giggles as you and JJ loved each other back to life. It was easy to tell when he wanted more, but you refused to share that part of him in a shitty hospital of all places, despite how much he pleaded with you.
Nurses spewed hospital talk left and right as you tried to enjoy your last few minutes of peace in JJ’s arms. Your time together was almost up, twelve hours turning into 30 minutes before you knew it and part of you was sad to leave it all. As much as you hated confined spaces and hospitals both, you loved having no distractions between you and JJ. It wasn’t often the two of you had the privacy to be vulnerable with each other, especially in a house with siblings and friends, so this was your slice of heaven for the time you had it.
“Hey,” JJ mumbled, pulling you out of your almost-nap. “Babe, wake up. Hey, look at me.”
You shifted lazily, not expecting to be woken up so suddenly but the panic in his voice snapped you out of it. “What? What’s wrong?”
He was frantic as he leaned above you. “There was a guy in the hall just now. I think it was the guy, the dude from the wreck. He-he had a wound right where I got him underwater with the spear gun-“
“Did he see you?” You attempted to get him to focus, to which he nodded. “Great, so he knows we’re here.”
“We gotta get out.”
You sighed and flopped back against the pillows, “Jayj, we have like 10 minutes. Just don’t make a scene and-“
“Ma’am! Miss!” His hand smacked against the window facing the hallway as he attempted to get someone’s attention.”
“JJ!” You grabbed his arm to stop the loud noise as he tried to tell the nurse who the man was and why you needed out. You managed to shove JJ away from the window that he was prepping to kick out. “Hey! Chill!”
The nurse seemed to notice the two of you were in distress and walked closer to hear better. “Just give me like 90 seconds and we’ll get you out, okay?”
“Hey!” He protested and stumbled back to look at you with a panic in his eyes.
You grabbed his face to focus his attention. “Babe, 90 seconds, okay. If we kick the window out, it’s gonna cause a scene and Shoupe will be on our ass, okay? 90 seconds.”
JJ groaned loudly and leaned against the metal wall behind him. The need to fight had him tense, every muscle in his body telling him to run and take you with him no matter what. You knew it had a lot to do with his dad. The first sign of danger made him anxious and jumpy and the quicker he could get everyone to safety, the better.
What didn’t help was him yelling the second the nurse let you both out, shouting about the man in the room next door who tried to kill the two of you.
“JJ!” You reached after him as he moved toward the hallway, barely giving you time to crawl out.
“I’m going to buy you some time, meet me outside!”
You didn’t have a second to argue as he started yelling at the nurses about being left in the chamber too long. Security moved in quickly after in an attempt to calm him down and you watched, horrified, as they started to take him outside.
“I’m gonna file a formal complaint!” He yelled, managing to make eye contact with you as he did. “Okay? File a formal complaint!”
You caught on to his emphasis and cursed under your breath. In his defense, he managed to make enough of a scene that a few patients spilled into the hallway, one male with a bandage on his arm included which gave you the answer you were looking for.
Moving as unsuspiciously as you could, you slid into the room across from the chamber you’d been in. The first thing you caught sight of was the amount of bloody bandages and you quickly turned away from them to focus on the area of the room that wasn’t contaminated.
“File, file, file,” Your voice was low as you searched for any sign of the paper but came up empty-handed. “Shit.”
Figuring the nurse’s station was the next best bet, you started your path there, trying to look like a visitor in a place you most certainly stood out from in your swim shorts, top, and John B’s floral shirt. Thankfully, JJ was still causing enough trouble that you were able to spot the wound picture from the pile of papers and snatch it from the desk, quickly tucking it into your chest and making your way to the exit.
“Guys!” You caught sight of Heyward’s truck, Cleo and Pope sitting inside expectantly for you and JJ, and started running in their direction.
“What’s the rush, girl? Where’s your man?” Cleo popped her head out the window to get a closer look at you.
You didn’t spare the time to answer and stepped on the back tire to push yourself into the bed of the truck. “JJ’s coming, just drive!”
Pope didn’t hesitate to put the car in gear and take off down the exit road from the hospital. Thankfully, JJ must’ve thought the same idea and was coming out the side entrance, down the hill. He spared no time and braced against the side of the truck to jump in before the vehicle even came to a stop.
“Are you okay?” Your question was left unanswered as he tumbled into the bed with no grace whatsoever. From first glance, he was unharmed, and you hoped that remained true.
“You guys know that guy that was down at the wreck and tried to kill us?” JJ rushed out as he spoke to Cleo and Pope through the open back window. “He was there!”
“At the hospital with you?” Pope questioned as he drove away from the building.
“Yes! He was getting stitched up where I got him in with the harpoon gun!”
You handed the file that you’d taken in for Cleo to read, wanting to spare yourself the images of his wound while knowing she had her head on straight unlike you from the adrenaline rush. She took it and scanned the information written.
“Cheese on bread. You two gonna get yourselves killed!”
--
navigation -- series masterlist
#outer banks x reader#outer banks#obx4#jj maybank x reader#jj maybank x you#jj maybank#jj maybank imagine#jj maybank x routledge!reader#routledge!reader#john b x sister!reader#jj maybank series#outer banks series
414 notes
·
View notes
Text
Coming Home: Leon Kennedy
☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆
CW: MDNI!! noncon, bootworship, implications of stalking, possible minor re4 spoilers?, mentions of blood, cum, afab anatomy, no use of protection, lmk if I forget anything else. You are responsible for your own media consumption
AN: Eeee my first time writing on here for a character that isn’t played by Hayden Christensen!! Not proofread! Likes, reblogs, and follows are always appreciated! Hope you enjoy! <3
☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆
☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆
The gravel crunches under Leon’s heavy boots as he makes his way up your driveway, mumbling under his breath. The last mission had too many close calls. Way too many. He couldn’t shake the feeling of almost dying multiple times.
That’s why he’s here, trudging up your front steps and digging his lock picking tool out of his pocket, still muttering to himself. Originally his plan was to keep an eye on you from a distance until he saw the most perfect opportunity to reveal himself. But again, being so close to death, having that parasite forced inside of him, his only thought was you. He knew what he had to do when he got home.
The lock clicks and he pushes the door open, stepping inside and breathing in the familiar scent. Your scent.
Usually Leon steps through your place slowly, admiring each little trinket you owned, every picture you had on the walls but this was not the case. He stomps through like he lives there, he knew the layout well. He welcomes himself to your fridge, taking a beer off the shelf and heading to your living room where he plops down on your recliner. Letting out a long sigh, he pops the tab, really he prefer bottled beer but beggars can’t be choosers. Maybe he could convince you to get his favorite next time.
You’re just getting home, exhausted from work and planning on taking a nice hot bath to help unwind. You slip your shoes off at the door before setting your bag and keys down on your counter. But then you hear it, the faint hum of voices from your tv. Surely you turned it off before you left this morning, right?
You make your way into your living room and come to abrupt halt seeing a man sitting in your recliner. Your heartbeat instantly picks up, hammering like a rabbit’s in your chest. “Uh..”
“It’s about time you’re home.” He huffs, polishing off the last bit of his beer.
“What are you doing in my house?”
Leon sighs, “God, I missed seeing your pretty face.” He responds completely ignoring the question, looking up at you again, the tv casting a glow on your face that made you seem even more ethereal to him.
That only serves to confuse you further. You didn’t know him. “Who are you??”
He just shakes his head, his eyes tracing over every inch of you once more. Oh how he’d missed you, and loved being able to see every inch of you up close in person. Not just from a distance or through a screen. “It doesn’t matter,” he stands up and your eyes follow him. He practically towers over you where you stand.
Your body starts to tremble slightly from his intimidating presence. “You need to leave.” You attempt to keep your voice from wavering with fear.
Leon tuts and shakes his head, “Now why would I do that, sweetheart? I just got here.” He reaches out and caresses your cheek gently with the backs of his fingers.
Immediately you bat his hand away which earns a growl of frustration from him. He pulls his hand back, clenching it into a fist, “That wasn’t very nice.” He mutters.
You scoff in disbelief, “I don’t care, you’re in my home. I’m calling the police.”
His eyes narrow as he watches you reach for your phone. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” He warns.
Ignoring his warning, you pull it out, shaky hands trying to pull up the emergency call button.
Easily he closes the small distance between you both and yanks the device from your hand, slipping it into his pocket. “Nope none of that. Can’t have the police ruining our fun before it starts.”
You swallow thickly past the lump forming in your throat as you stare at him. In a split decision, you take off towards the front door. Leon isn’t surprised, rather annoyed. He lets out a long sigh, “I can’t just get one moment of peace.” He grumbles before taking off after you.
His boots thunder against the floor behind you, quickly gaining on you. The door is locked and you know you wouldn’t be able to undo it in time before he caught you so you quickly turn to your kitchen. Maybe you could grab something to defend yourself with and buy some more time.
You scramble to pick up a knife out of the knife block on your kitchen island. Easily there’s about 5 feet between you now. Leon sees you with the knife held out to him from across the granite top and he chuckles.
“What? You think you’re gonna stick me with that?” He clicks his tongue, “You can do much better than that silly little thing.” To prove a point he reaches down to the knife holster on his leg and pulls out his hunting knife, flipping it into the air and catching it to prove a point. “Here. I’ll even give it to ya.” He mocks, sliding it across the countertop to you.
What was going on? Shakily you reach for it and hold it, the weight feeling foreign to you.
“There ya go. Much better, yeah?” He slowly starts to step around the counter. Each step he takes towards you, you take one back, making him circle you.
“Stay back.” You warn, the blade still pointed in his direction despite your shaky limbs.
He laughs again, “You know, you’re cute when you threaten me but I’m honestly growing tired of this rather quickly. I just got back from an exhausting mission, so why don’t you do me a favor and just cut the tough girl act, mkay? Put the knife down and just come here.”
“You’re insane!”
He tuts and shakes his head once again at you, giving you a mock pout, “Insulting me? That’s not very nice.” He then lunges towards you but you quickly (and stupidly) throw the knife at him instead of stabbing. It thankfully connects but just barely, nicking his cheek by his eye. “Ow, you little bitch.” He seethes, hand reaching up to dab at the blood already coming out.
You see your opening and go for it, taking off towards the door again in a full sprint. This only makes him more upset.
You reach the door and as your going for the lock he catches up to you, one hand gripping into your hair and shoving your head to hit against it, “I risked my life and this is the thanks I get??” Leon tightens the grip in your hair and throws you down onto the floor. “Ungrateful bitch.” He spits the words out, wiping at the blood on his cheek with the back of his hand. “Couldn’t just play nice, could you?”
Leon grabs you by the ankles and drags you across the floor back to your livingroom. You try to dig your nails into the ground, attempting to claw away. Anything. But it’s no use. He presses one of his boots against your back, keeping you pinned to the ground. He bends down close to your ear to whisper into it. “I’m feeling rather generous tonight so I’ll let you make it up to me and maybe, just maybe, I’ll go easy on ya.”
What did he mean?
He takes his foot off your back and brings it down right in front of your face, “Kiss it.” He instructs simply.
Your eyebrows pinch together, “Wha-“ you try to sit up but he quickly stops that, bringing his other foot to your back once again, pinning you down more firmly against the ground.
“Kiss. It. My shoe. Show me you’re sorry.”
When you don’t immediately jump to do so, he adds more pressure, forcing the air from your lungs. It was a silent threat. Hesitantly, you stretch your neck out to be able to reach the toe of his boot, pressing your lips hesitantly to it.
He tsks, “You can do better than that, sweetheart.”
Fearing retaliation, you try to add more enthusiasm as you press more kisses to the leather of his shoe.
“There we go. Not so hard, hm?” He praises, “Could use a little work but I’ll let it slide this time.”
The boot is pulled off your back and you swallow thickly, turning your head to look over your shoulder at his looming figure. Your whole body was shaking. Was that all he wanted?
Before you can say anything, he’s hoisting you up off the floor and placing you on your feet, “Up you go.”
“What..what are you gonna do to me?”
Your question is ignored as he nudges you down the hall towards your bedroom. Your footsteps are anything less than graceful, stumbling and bracing yourself against the wall for support as he keeps shoving you.
Leon lets out a breath through his nose, savoring how your scent was stronger in your room. And now he was finally in here with you. Not alone, sifting through your drawers which was something he’s done countless times before.
He turns to you. “Strip.” He orders.
Your eyes start to water and you make no attempt to listen to his instructions.
He wasn’t a patient man, especially now. “I said strip.” To punctuate the word, he rips your shirt easily, letting it slip off your body, earning a gasp as you flinch. “Do the rest yourself or I won’t be so nice.”
With a sniffle, you hesitate but then shakily reach behind yourself to unclasp your bra. You hear him suck in a sharp breath at the sight of your bare breasts finally in front of him for real.
“Atta girl. Keep going.” He feels the familiar strain in his pants.
His gaze doesn’t leave you as you reach for the button on your jeans, undoing the fastenings before you ease them down your legs.
“So beautiful.” He murmurs, his tone laced with adoration, his eyes taking everything in. The slope of your breasts, the curve of your hips, the meat of your thighs. He wanted to reach out and touch you, spend hours memorizing your body but he was selfish and needy. That would wait for the next time he decided to pay you a visit.
“On the bed.” He nudges your shoulder once again towards the mattress.
Your body trembles, unwilling, but you knew this was something you couldn’t get out of. You’d have to see this through.
His eyes are laser focused on you as you crawl onto the bed, letting out a hum of approval. “Hands and knees.”
Swallowing past the lump in your throat, you follow his orders, positioning yourself onto all fours in front of him. He lets out a breath seeing your body splayed out in front of him. Waiting, even if unwilling.
You bite down on your bottom lip when you hear the jangle of his belt., sucking in a sharp breath at the feel of his fingers trail down your spine, large hand resting on the small of your back.
“So beautiful and all for me.” His tone was almost reverent and it made you nauseas. “I’ll try to be gentle. No promises though.”
Leon spits into his hand before working it over his shaft, collecting some of the precum already beading at the tip and combining them together into a makeshift lube.
He steps up to where you’re presented before him, letting go of his cock to spread your cheeks apart. “Oh sweetheart.” He breathes out, taking in your pretty pussy.
The seconds feel like an eternity as you wait for him to do something, already anticipating what he was going to do. You try to keep your cries quiet so he doesn’t hear them.
Leon lines himself up, running his tip through your folds, bumping against your clit as he does causing you to shiver despite the disgust you feel. “Please don’t.” You whimper, one last feeble attempt to stop this before it goes any further.
“Shh.”
Slowly he eases his tip into your unwilling hole and he hisses out. God you were already so tight. You cry out as he forces more of himself inside. “It’s okay.” He tries to soothe you while he pushes more of your length into your gummy walls.
The resistance of your cunt only fueled his desires as he sinks the rest of his cock in until he’s fully sheathed. “Jesus Christ you’re squeezing me so tight.” He grunts, starting to rock his hips into you.
He wanted to be nicer but he couldn’t hold back. Not when he’s finally gotten you like this. Leon snaps his hips into you, pounding into your poor pussy.
Your cries are loud and almost make him feel like he should stop. He did feel guilty. At least partially. But you should understand, he was a man with needs and whether you were aware of it or not, you had become his home.
“Stop! Please stop! Just stop!” You wail.
Gritting his teeth, he reaches for your head, fingers gripping tightly into your hair and yanking your head back. “Stop fighting me,” He growls, “Just take it.”
He releases his grip from your hair in favor of shoving your face down into your comforter, muffling any sounds of discomfort or protest. Couldn’t he just get five minutes of peace?
His formidable cock continues to plunge deep into your pussy, finding spots that haven’t been reached before and making you feel so incredibly full.
“Can’t say you don’t like this,” He grunts, “Can feel how you’re gripping me.”
Leon feels the familiar build up growing stronger in his lower belly, the need to cum consuming him as he continues to rut into you.
Without warning he sinks himself fully into you, keeping you locked in place with a tight grip on your hips as he spurts his hot load deep in you. He whines pathetically, eyebrows scrunched together in pleasure.
The only good thing is that you assumed the worst was over. That is until he’s working his hips in and out again.
“Please no more.” You whine, trying to look back at him but again he shoves your face into the mattress.
He’d keep you here all night if it meant forgetting the horrors he’d been subjected to most recently, taking it out on your poor cunt.
“You’ll shut up and take what I give you.”
☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆…━━━━━·:*☆
Taglist!// @kllyslutz @diorvalentina @fresitaskywalker @moonlight-tyler @halfm00nchild @julxstrawberry @padme-urlove @hearts4sammonroe @naberriess @valyna27 @supersoldatbarnesstuff
Let me know if you want to be added or removed!
#tw!noncon#tw!stalking#tw!bootworship#rain works ˚₊‧꒰ა 🌧️ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚#leon kennedy#yandere leon kennedy#leon kennedy imagine#leon kennedy imagines#leon kennedy smut#re4 leon#re4 leon kennedy#leon kennedy x reader#leon kennedy x you#leon s kennedy imagines#leon s kennedy x reader#leon s. kennedy x reader#leon s kennedy#leon s kennedy smut#leon s. kennedy#leon s. kennedy smut
221 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hello!! I hope you're having a good day ^^ I came across your post about writing non-linearly on Notion and I'm excited to try it out because the advice resonated with me! Though, I'm really new to using the app and, if possible, need help with how to do this part: 'where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry.' ;v;
Hello! Thank you so much for messaging!!! Since that post about writing non-linearly (linked for context) blew up roughly ten thousand times as much as anything I've ever posted, I've been kind of meaning to make a followup post explaining more about how I use Notion for writing non-linearly, but, you know, ADHD, so I haven't done it yet. XD In the meantime, I'll post a couple screenshots of my current long fic with some explanations! I'd make this post shorter, but I'm unable to not be Chatty. XD (just ask my poor readers how long my author notes are...) (There is a phone app as well which syncs with the desktop/browser versions, but I work predominantly in the desktop app so that's what I'm gonna be showing)
(the table keeps going off the right side of the image but it's a bunch of unimportant stuff tbh) So this is more complicated than what you'll probably start with because I'm Normal and add a bunch of details that you might not need depending on what you're doing. For example, my fic switches POVs so I have a column for tracking that, and my fic follows a canon timeline so I have a column for dates so I can keep track of them, and I also made columns for things like if a scene had spoilers or certain content readers may want to avoid, which they can access in my spoiler and content guide for the fic. (As I said, I'm Normal.) I also do some complicated stuff using Status and estimated wordcount stuff to get an idea of how long I predict the content to be, but again, not necessary. Anyway, you don't need any of that. For the purposes of this explanation, we're just gonna look at the columns I have called Name, Order, and Status. (And one called Part, but we'll get into that later) Columns in Notion have different types, such as Text, Numbers, Select, Date, etc, so make sure to use the type that works best for the purpose of each column! For example, here I'm using Select for Character POVs, Number for Order and WC (wordcount), and Text for the In-Game Date. Okay let's get into it! Name is a column that comes in a Notion table by default, and you can't get rid of it (which drives me up the wall for some purposes but works totally fine for what we're doing here). As you can see on the scene I've labeled 'roll call', if you hover over a Name entry, a little button called 'Open' appears, which you click on to open the document that's inside the table. That's all default, you don't have to set anything up for it. Here's a screenshot of what it looks like when I click the one titled 'I will be anything for you' (I've scrolled down in the screenshot so you can see the text, but all the data fields also appear at the top of the page)
(This view is called 'side peek' meaning the document opens on one side and you can still see the table under it on the left, which is what mine defaults to. But you can set it to 'center peek' or 'full page' as well.) All my scenes have their own entry like this! Note that I've said scenes, not chapters. I decide the chapters later by combining the scenes in whatever combination feels right, which means I can often decide in advance where my chapter endings will be. This helps me consciously give most of my endings more impact than I was usually able to do when I tried to write linearly. So hopefully that gives you an idea of what I mean by writing inside the table and treating the table as a living outline. The 'Status' column is also pretty straightforward, and might require a little setup for whatever your needs are. This is another default column type Notion has which is similar to a Select but has a few more specialized features. This is how mine is set up:
(I don't actually use 'Done', idk why I left it there. Probably I should replace it with 'Posted' and use that instead of the checkmark on the far left? whatever, don't let anyone tell you I'm organized. XDD)
Pretty straightforward, it just lets me see easily what's complete and what still needs work. (You'll notice there's no status for editing, because like I mentioned in my other post, I don't ever sit down to consciously edit, I just let it happen as I reread) Obviously tailor this to your own needs! The Order column is sneakily important, because this is what makes it easy for me to keep the scenes organized. I set the Sort on the table to use the Order to keep the scene ordered chronologically. When I make the initial list of scenes I know the fic will have, I give all of them a whole number to put them in order of events. Then as I write and come up with new scene ideas, the new scenes get a number with a decimal point to put them in the spot they fit in the timeline. (you can't see it here, but some of them have a decimal three or four digits deep, lol). Technically you can drag them to the correct spot manually, but if you ever create another View in your table (you can see I have eight Views in this one, they're right under the title) it won't keep your sorting in the new View and you'll hate yourself when it jumbles all your scenes. XD (And if you get more comfortable with Notion, you probably will at some point desire to make more Views) The Part column isn't necessary, but I found that as the fic grew longer, I was naturally separating the scenes into different points along the timeline by changes in status quo, etc. (ex. "this is before they go overseas" "this is after they speak for the first time", stuff like that) in my mind. To make it easier to decide where to place new scenes in the timeline, I formalized this into Parts, which initially I named with short summaries of the current status quo, and later changed to actual titles because I decided it would be cool to actually use them in the fic itself. Since it's not in the screenshots above, here's what the dropdown for it looks like:
(I've blocked some of the titles out for spoiler reasons)
Basically I only mention the Parts thing because I found it was a useful organizational tool for me and I was naturally doing it in my head anyway. Anyway, I could keep talking about this for a really long time because I love Notion (don't get me started on how I use toggle blocks for hiding content I've edited out without deleting it) but that should be enough to get started and I should really, you know, not make this another insanely long post. XDD And if anybody is curious about how the final results look, the fic can be found here.
#notion#writing resources#writing advice#writing#writers block#writers on tumblr#writeblr#nonlinear#fanfic#fanfiction
387 notes
·
View notes
Note
girl please i am on my knees give us another rain x reader the fics are running drier than the sahara desert on this app
at ur service 🫡🫡 (also so sorry for the inactivity ik ive been taking forever to answer asks but i PROMISE im getting to them rn ily) SPOILERS BELOW !!
A LITTLE DEATH | RAIN CARRADINE X FEM! READER (alien romulus)
SYNOPSIS: separated from rain and facing certain death, how far is she willing to go to save you?
WARNINGS: (mentions of blood/death, swearing, kissing)
NOTE: this is gonna be a rain x fem! reader & will be slightly au with reader taking kay’s place during the scene where she’s being chased by the xeno, hope u enjoy <33
THE NEIGHBOR WAS KNOCKING, YEAH.
BUT NO ONE WOULD LET HIM IN…..
everything went sideways faster than you ever could’ve imagined. it was already off to a rough start when navarro had come rushing into the cockpit, frantically searching for her bag before you’d handed it to her.
never in your wildest dreams could you ever have imagined what you witnessed. the sound of a cracking ribcage and blood splatter all over the ships walls were the last thing you could remember.
you weren’t sure how long it had been when you woke the next time, head pressed against the grates on the bottom of the ships floor. smoke rose around you, the sound of the ships alarms blaring as you pushed yourself off the ground. you had to hold back your tears as you passed by navarro’s body, lifeless on the floor.
it was deathly silent, save the alarms, the sound of electricity crackling as you walked through the hull of the ship. you didn’t know where you were, the ship having crashed at any part of the station as far as you knew.
it was only a few steps before you saw what looked like some sort of snake skin on the floor, the sight sending a chill up your spine. you spotted something you couldn’t even begin to explain growing out of the wall, a step closer before you were pulled backwards.
your scream was silenced quickly as you whipped around, turning to face bjorn. you silently exhaled at the sight of him, glad to finally see someone you recognized. he shushed you, removing his hand from your mouth as he looked over at the wall.
he walked closer to it, lightening prod in his hand, the same one you’d seen him grab from the station earlier. you held your breath, your heart beating faster as you watched him turn up the current on the weapon.
it was over nearly as quickly as it started, the loud sound of electrical cracking and smoke as he attempted to kill the creature in front of you.
you could only stand still, frozen as the creature began to burn him, his hand pointing you towards the door. all you had left to do was run.
your hands shook as you made your way to the door, repeatedly pressing the unlock button and failing. your comms were somehow still functioning, static crackling in your ear as you turned it on in hopes of anyone hearing you.
I WANT YOU TO TOUCH ME THERE
MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I AM HUMAN…
rain had never felt like crushing suspense weighing on her chest before. she walked through the room, quiet as humanly possible, the clicking sounds of the same creatures that had attacked navarro all around her.
she could’ve sworn her heart nearly fell out of her chest at the sound of static over the comms. it was you. it had to be you, right?
it quickly caught the attention of tyler and andy, both turning around to see what was so urgent.
“please, please, somebody help me. there’s some fucking- i don’t know what to do, please.”
the voice was distorted, but she would recognize it anywhere. she could practically hear the tremors in your voice over the comms. she quickly put the headset on, speaking into the microphone.
“where are you, what’s going on?”
“oh, jesus christ. thank god, rain. i’m at some door, the ship crashed in this hangar and i can’t fucking get it open.”
“there should be a key somewhere, okay? just look for a key, there has to be one, that’s the only way to get it open.”
there was a moment of silence, rain attributed to your search of a way to open the door.
“i found it, i found it.”
she exhaled, hearing the sound of the door hissing open, before the static crack of the comms cut off your voice again.
she shot a look to tyler, the 3 of them picking up their pace as he tracked your heat signature. there was only a glass door separating you, the relief that washed over both your and rain’s faces evident.
“oh thank god. please, open this fucking door. there’s some kind of security clearance on it, and i can’t get it open.”
rain turned around, ushering andy toward the door as she walked closer toward the glass.
“we’re gonna get you out of there, okay? just trust me, you gotta trust me.”
rain spoke, head against the glass as you glanced over your shoulder. your heart thrummed against your chest as you watched andy stand still, both rain and tyler pleading with him to open the door.
“guys, please. please, what are you doing? come on, open the door. open the fucking door! please!”
you felt the blood drip from the wound on the side of your head, the sound of metal creaking altering you of a presence behind you. you watched as the color in rain’s face drained, andy’s face stoic.
“rain, please open the door, please. please, you have to help me, okay?”
“you’re gonna be fine baby, we’re gonna get the door open, okay? just keep your eyes on me, don’t look away.”
your chest rise and fell rapidly, the sounds behind you growing closer. you watched as rain’s fists gripped the collar of andy’s suit, pleading with him. his eyes looked between the two of you, your hands pressed against the glass.
andy walked closer to the door, looking at the keypad. you turned around, no sign of anyone in the room with you.
“andy, please, please. please, you have to let me in, please.”
rain looked up at him, her hand on his arm as he reached for the keypad.
“fuck, thank god.”
the door hissed and slid open as you squeezed your way through the crack as it did. you fell into rain’s arms, the sound of the door beginning to close once more as something smashed into the glass.
“i got you, i got you. you’re okay.”
rain spoke into your ear, hands smoothing over your back as the two of you fell to the floor. she pulled the two of you up, hands steadying on your shoulders. there was ringing in your ears, the sound of your heartbeat destroying her words as she spoke.
she grabbed your hand, leading you to the elevator. she silently thanked god that andy opened that door for you. she held onto you, hands gripping the material of your t shirt. she wouldn’t let you go again.
MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I AM HUMAN, AGAIN….
#rain carradine x reader#rain carradine x fem reader#rain carradine#marie raines carradine#alien romulus#alien#alien franchise#horror#cailee spaeny#wlw
351 notes
·
View notes
Text
How To Block Terrible Influence Tour Spoilers (Tumblr App)
Hello phriends and phamily!
Tit is starting in less than 24 hours!!!
I don't know if someone has already done this post, but I know there has been an influx of new phannies crossing over from different platforms as of late.
So I thought I would show you all how to block the #titspoilers tag from your dash. This tut is for the Tumblr App because that's just what I use, I would assume the website would be a similar process!
If you are someone that doesn't want the show to be spoiled before you see it for yourself, follow these steps!!
STEP 1
Let's start from the dashboard to make it easy.
Go ahead and press the profile button on the bottom right hand side of the screen, the one that looks like a little guys torso. This will take you to your blog!
STEP 2
Now you should be looking at your blog (hey look that's me!)
In the top right hand corner should be a little gear icon, these are your settings! Go for it!
STEP 3
Oooo my blogs backroom... you should have let me know you were coming... I would have cleaned up a bit.
Now go and hit the 'Account Settings' button which should be the first on the list!
STEP 4
You're doing great! We're almost there!!
Now you'll want to tap on the 'Content You See' option which will be below 'Mentions' and above 'Color Palette'. Sorry, I forgot an arrow on this one.
STEP 5
WE'RE HERE! As you can see, I already have the tags I want censored ready to go but here is how you can add your own.
Right up the top next to the 'Filtered Tags' heading is a '+New' button, tap that!
STEP 6
Now you can type out the tag you want to be hidden and click 'add'. Remember to type them out and add individually otherwise it won't work.
From what I can gather, the Tumblr Phandom is agreeing that all Tit Spoilers should be tagged #titspoilers. I've added some other variations to be extra safe but you do whatever works for you :).
And that should be it!! If you have any other questions, let me know. Otherwise I hope this has helped some people that may not have known or were too afraid to ask <3 Love y'all, let's all enjoy tit together!!
#dnp#phan#phandom#danisnotonfire#dan and phil#amazingphil#dan#dan howell#dan and phil games#phil#terribleinfluence#terrible influence#terrible influence tour#titour#dnptit#long post
172 notes
·
View notes
Text
Lesson Learnt Pt. 2 | John Price x Reader
Summary: After the initial incident that caused your meeting, Johnny sets you and Price up on a date at a little diner nearby.
Word Count: ~ 2.5k
Warnings: can’t say much w/o spoilers but random men, ghost being moody, Johnny being overly friendly, working in customer service…
A/N: idk what happened something possessed me when I made this, it was supposed to be fluff but then it exploded. hope you enjoy<3
Requests are open!
Previous | Masterlist
Weeks had passed after the initial incident, and your life had quickly changed.
You’d broken up with your toxic boyfriend, now wondering how you hadn’t seen it earlier, and why you hadn’t listened to all your friend's advice and thoughts on him. You’d moved out, blocked him on everything, and found a new apartment closer to your simple job as a barista. It was enough to keep the bills paid, for now. At least until you finally got out of college with your doctorate in nursing science.
Having been in college for nearly eight years now, and not living in the dorm (there were far too many incidents on campus for you to trust any sort of campus police, not to mention the generally shady system of coverups) made it a little bit harder.
Student loans were threatening to suffocate you, but for now, you would focus on one day to the next. All of this, the annoying days that drug on, or the hard times, would all be memories before you knew it, and it would be worth it. Or at least you hoped.
Today wasn’t one of those super slow-moving days where customers were ordering hyper-specific drinks or getting the suspiciously old lemon cakes, only to complain about how stale they were, as if you could do anything about it. No, today was relatively normal, customers minding their own business after ordering, coworkers having idle chatter.
“M’ taking my lunch break.”
You said to your close coworker, Laney. Her honey-brown eyes shifted over to you, and she nodded with a little smile.
“Don’t take too long, might miss some cute boys.”
She teased, knowing full well all of your opinions on relationships right now. You wanted to wait until you had a stable income and were out of school. She’d heard it only about a million times. You huffed a soft laugh, deft fingers untying the knot in your apron as you set it up on a hook, walking out to your car.
Lunch break was about 30 minutes, which was more than enough for you to drive to the nearest cheap restaurant and pick something up. Clicking your key button and heading towards where you heard the beep of your car, you opened the door, sliding into the worn leather. It wasn’t a new car, not by a long shot, but it was your old faithful, and it had served you well for nearly ten years in a row.
You started the car, muscle memory kicking in as you drove to that place right down the road from your work. It was past the chicken shop, a place you would refrain from visiting for a while after seeing some undercover cops staking out there one night.
You turned and pulled into the parking lot, glancing around before opening your door, only for the cold air to nip at your bare arms, when you decided to slip on the warm leathery jacket, with the fur on the inside. The one that the man, John, maybe, had given you. You’d lost the piece of paper with their numbers on it to the washing machine, but oh well. He didn’t look like the type to live around here, anyway, so it wasn’t like you were going to see him again.
Walking into the restaurant, you strode to the front, placing a quick little order and paying with your card, before choosing a small circular table in the corner to wait for your food. This place was usually quick. You idly scanned the guests. Two large men sitting together, chatting. An older woman and what was probably her husband seated with a younger man and woman. Maybe some sort of family double date? A nervous-looking teenager sitting alone, knee bouncing. An old, thin man seated at the far end, mumbling incoherently to himself.
Not unusual.
You pulled your phone out, idly scrolling through social media before your name was called, and you got up to go collect your food.
~
“You sure?”
“M’ tellin’ ya, it’s exactly what Gaz said she looked like.”
Simon glanced out at the girl his sergeant seemed so certain about. He wouldn’t lie, you did match the description pretty decently. Just as he opened his mouth to point anything out that fought against Johnny’s claim (just to spite him, obviously, not because he liked watching Soap get all frustrated and start rambling on for an hour on end), he noticed it.
“She’s wearin’ cap’s jacket.”
Johnny’s brows rose as he snuck another glance at you. You grabbed your tray of food, walking back to the small little corner where your bag was on the seat. You were wearing their captain’s jacket. The brown leather, the slight fuzz in the sides and insides, the buttoned pockets….he wasn’t sure how he hadn’t noticed it earlier.
“Hell’s bells, been wonderin’ where that thing went.”
Simon only gave a little grunt in reply, eyes narrowed on you before he glanced back at his food. He didn’t want to seem a creep. He already knew he was intimidating enough to the normal civilian, and one of his “I-want-to-eat-your-firstborn-child” glares (named by Johnny and Kyle) probably wasn’t helping.
“Sounds like Price’s found ‘imself a pretty birdie.”
Johnny lit up at those words, a devilish grin lighting his features, one that Simon usually only saw before he demolished buildings or people with explosives. He was already dreading it before it came out of his mouth.
“We shoul’ set ‘em up on a date.”
“No.”
“Don’ tell me it wouldn’ be a good idea. Might keep him from giving us so many sprints at training, yeah? Ya know he’s been overworkin’ us lately…”
The slight pause Simon took was all Soap needed to continue spewing his disarming, convincing words that usually always worked on his Lieutenant. His lips further curled into a grin as he went on.
“He’s been so tense lately, jus’ let us do this for ‘im, help him relax some…”
“Fine. Get on wit’ it.”
Simon finally relented, suddenly finding his food very interesting to look at as Johnny got up, striding over to you with a confidence one could only expect from the Scotsman.
He glanced up, trying to subtly watch as his sergeant approached you. You were on a call with someone, the phone held up to your ear by your shoulder while you ate your fries, the main entree of your order already gone. When Johnny walked up, you immediately sized him up.
Paranoid. Simon didn’t blame you, living on this end of town. The only reason he and the guys stayed here was for the cheap flats they could get when on leave for a few months. Price had a little house more up South, but never visited it much, letting it gather some dust.
You took the phone from your ear, muttering something to whoever was on the other end, and hanging up. You raised a brow at Johnny, who in turn gestured to your jacket and struck up a conversation. Johnny was trying to look unthreatening, he could tell. Sitting down so he wasn’t standing over you. A small, easygoing smile. Trying to make you laugh, and succeeding a bit.
Five minutes in, and you were seeming more comfortable with him. He wrote something down on a napkin from your table with a pen in his pocket, handing it to you, giving a teasing wink which you snorted at, and walking back over to his and Simon’s table with a huge smile.
“Wha’ did you just do?”
Simon asked, suspiciously eying Soap.
“I set our cap’ up with a date.”
He beamed, and Simon only sighed, knowing that Price wouldn’t take it too well to be sent on a date with a girl he’d only just met a few weeks ago. A girl that hadn’t texted him since. But maybe, just maybe, it would go decently.
~
That had been one of the strangest encounters in your life.
A Scottish man introduces himself as a friend of Price’s, saying something about working together at their jobs and telling you he recognized the jacket you were wearing. So much for not ever seeing John Price again, considering his friend had just set the two of you up, and given you the man’s number too. All the while the gruff-looking man had sat at Johnny’s table, watching the interaction.
It had made you more than a little nervous, but nothing had gone bad. The Scotsman had been friendly, and even funny, but not pushing too far.
And now you had a date on Friday night.
When you got back to work, off of lunch break, Laney helped you into your apron, tying the knot for you like she always did.
“You’re late, what took so long?”
She knew you weren’t usually ever late. Always on time, punctual, even. You managed your time properly.
“You wouldn’t believe it if I told you.”
She grinned at that, nudging you with an elbow as you started taking orders.
“C’mon, spill it.”
And you did.
You began with the incident a few weeks ago, which she’d mostly already heard about, then told her all about the Scotsman and his friend, and finally the date on Friday. Right when you were about to finish the story, you felt your phone buzz, and you took it out to check it despite usually keeping it on Do Not Disturb. A text from an unknown number, but you knew who it was.
“Sorry for my muppets bothering you, they don’t know how to keep their mouths shut.”
You snorted in undignified laughter, replying while an older customer complained, mumbling something about ‘this generation and their phones’.
“I’m assuming you’re talking about Johnny?”
“Yes, the one that barely talks in coherent English.”
“Aw, he was funny. I liked him.”
“Don’t go liking him too much. We apparently have a date on Friday.”
“I’ll see you there, then?”
“See you there.”
You finally silenced your phone, slipping it back into your pocket as you went back to work with a noticeable pep in your step and a warm, fuzzy smile you offered to customers.
Laney certainly noticed.
When your shift was over, ending quickly, she talked to you while walking out to the parking lot through the back exit.
“I can help you get ready for the date, if you want?”
She offered. You’d be stupid to deny, with the impeccable makeup and fashion sense that she had.
“Sure, I can swing by at 3. That’ll give you plenty of time.”
“You have any shifts the rest of the week?”
“Barely. Just little half-times I squeezed in between lecturers. Last year’s always the busiest.”
“See you Friday, then.”
You beamed at her, sliding into your car as she walked to your own.
“See you Friday.”
~
Some of the days passed in a blur, some dragged on slower than ever before.
Eventually, though, Friday rolled around, and you were sitting in your friend’s chair as she did your hair, your makeup light, but good. You were wearing a simple outfit, some clean jeans, and a cute brown sweater over your white shirt.
It was 4:30, and you had only thirty minutes to haul your ass out to the nice diner the both of you were meeting at for dinner.
“It’s fine, I need to go. Seriously.”
Laney gave you a look, but reluctantly started putting all her things away. You hugged her, mumbling thanks in her ear, before grabbing your purse that had all of your things in it and walking to the exit of her quaint home.
You drive to the diner, finding the parking lot to have the familiar old car you’d seen Price driving in the first place. You parked got out of the car, and walked into the diner, only for the server up front to inform you that you’d already been paid for, and she led you to a table where Price was seated.
He’d tried to dress nicely, you could tell. Beard combed and hair done, dressed in jeans and a comfortable-looking dress shirt. He gave you a small smile as you slid into the booth, and there was already a tray of crinkle-cut fries in the center.
“Hope you didn’ mind that I ordered, big fella like me needs a lotta food.”
He said with a chuckle, and you grinned.
“I don’t mind, trust me, my older brother devours food like no other.”
He smiled, a little bob of his head before his brow raised in mild curiosity.
“You got a brother?”
A nod.
“Yeah, name’s Gary. He’s quiet, but we love ‘im for it.”
“Me and the boys are just about brothers, wish they’d be quiet for once.”
You snorted at that, taking a sip of your water before the waitress came by and you ordered your meal. Price’s was the first to come out, he’d ordered a full English breakfast that the diner somehow served, despite it being around dinner time. Yours came out next, and you both idly chattered about your life, family, jobs (he was apparently military and off on leave right now, not that you minded), and whatnot.
When he was about more than halfway through his food, his phone began buzzing, and his face went serious as he held a small finger up to you with a slightly apologetic expression, taking the phone call.
He listened, and you simply continued eating your food, not minding. Everyone had to take important calls every now and then, sometimes it just wasn’t avoidable.
He gave a few gruff yes’ and no’s, before sighing as he replied for one last time into the phone.
“I’ll be right there.”
When he clicked off the call, shoving his phone into his pocket, he gave an apologetic look.
“It’s an emergency, can’t stay. ‘M sorry.”
You nodded in understanding.
“Is everything alright?”
You asked, and he nodded, face set in what looked like a grim determination. He called a waitress over, paying the bill before you both got up. He gave you a light pat on the shoulder as you both walked out, right before you went to your car.
“We could do this again, if you’d like. With no interruptions.”
“I’d like that.”
He breathed an audible sigh of relief at that.
“I’ll text you when I can.”
Before he began walking to his car, getting in. You walked to yours, opened up the driver’s side door, and slid in before you saw his jacket sitting on the passenger seat. Cursing to yourself, you grabbed it, having it in mind to go take it to him before he left.
Before you could move, though, a hand clasped over your mouth.
A cold prick of pain in the back of your neck. Liquid.
“Don’t scream.”
A voice warned as if you could make any noise at all with a hand over your mouth.
An overwhelming sense of heaviness overtook you, and your vision began swimming, before turning black as your eyes fluttered closed.
“What’re we getting ‘er for?”
“Bargaining chip.”
Tags:
@yearninglustfully
@ashy-kit
@theoslove
@mayoforthewin
#writers on tumblr#cod fanfic#cod mwii#john price x reader#captian price#captain john price#captain price#price x reader
158 notes
·
View notes
Text
Kinktober 2024: October 23rd
Day 23: Licking // Degradation // Breeding
Javi Gutierrez x F!Reader
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 1.1k
Warnings: Mentions of pregnancy, mention of toxic family, breeding, cum play, breast play, lingerie
|| Kinktober List || MasterList ||
Click Keep Reading only if you have read the Rating and Warnings and understand the warnings may not be complete to avoid listing spoilers. As AO3 says 'creator chooses not to use warnings'. You also agree that you're the right age to be consuming anything here.
“Jesus, sweetheart.” That smile, sweet and earnest, has an edge of sexy and dark as he stares at you. “I’m going to put a baby in you tonight.” He groans, taking in the sight of your lingerie wrapped body.
“That’s the idea.” You smirk at your husband of six months. Shifting to your knees and sliding a hand across your stomach where you hope to carry his baby soon. “I’m ovulating.”
Once the two of you had married, and Javi had really put in the work of therapy to work through the familial issues he had been saddled with, he had discovered how badly he wanted to be a father.
Of course, you want to give him babies, you want nothing more. Knowing that the sweet and wonderful man will make an ideal father. Eager to see him holding a sleeping baby to his chest. You want it now.
“You are?” He licks his lips, eyes following your hands and he is already reaching for the buttons on his shirt. Ready to strip down and start trying.
“First day.” You nod, keeping a very close eye on your cycle calendar. You had even set an alarm for it, wanting to get started as soon as possible.
“Fuck.” Javi hisses, making the word sound so dirty from his mouth as he reveals his smooth chest. “So you are really craving to be filled up, amor?” He coos, shrugging out of the shirt and throwing it on the floor to reach for his pants.
“I’m wearing crotchless panties.” You tease, spreading your legs so he can see that there is nothing between him and your pussy, his eyes rolling in pleasure and he makes another sexy sound of need.
“You are perfect,” He praises breathlessly, pushing down his pants as fast as he can. All that is left is those little Speedos that he wears. He had developed a habit of wearing swimming trunks under his pants instead of underwear since they wrangled his cock better than traditional underwear. You don’t mind, you find it sexy every time he strips off.
“You want to fill me up?” You have both delighted in the discovery of a whole new world of dirty talk. “Watch me drip your cum and then push it back inside me while we wait for your breeding of me to be successful?”
Javi visibly shudders from the word, his cock twitching beneath the Speedos. It’s hard to tell, but your eyes are fixed on the large - and growing - bulge that will soon impregnate you. Flicking back up to his face to see him proudly preen, his chest puffing up as if he has already done it. “Fuck yes.” He agrees, hooking his fingers into the tight waist band and peeling them down to let his cock spring free from its prison and bob heavily.
It’s your turn to curse, shifting onto your back and reaching up to cup your lace cover tits, you squeeze them. “Come fuck me full, Javi.” You beg. “I want to have you fill me up so much that I have to put on other panties to keep you from leaking out.”
“I should plug you up.” Javi grunts, making you whimper in delight at the idea. He can be marvelously dirty, feeling better about revealing that side to his sweet personality now that he knows that there is nothing that you will judge him for.
“Yesssssss.” Your eyes close as you pinch your nipples and roll them between your fingers until the ache makes you hisses. “Do it. I want to be pregnant so bad. Filled with your baby. Bred by you. Stomach round, tits sore.” You moan, opening your eyes and looking at him again. His hand is wrapped around his cock, squeezing the thick girth of the shaft as he watches you. “Don’t you want that?”
“Sore back, weird cravings.” He nods, shuffling towards the bed. “Moody, even.” That says a lot about his desire to be a father. How deep this breeding kink of his is now rooted. Javi doesn’t like anyone to be moody, especially towards him. “I want it all, baby. I want to see you swell up, get those little marks in your skin.” He smiles, squeezing himself again. “Tiger stripes?” He had heard the phrase that some women use to describe their stretch marks and instantly decided that it was the cutest thing in the world. “I’ll rub lotion into your skin for you, but I want to see them.”
Sweet and filthy. You love how invested he is in this. Making plans for how he will take care of you. “You have to breed me first.” Reminding him playfully while you spread your legs wider, tilting your hips up. “Get that wedge and you can just keep me like this as you fuck me full.”
That sex wedge is instantly pushed under your hips, keeping them tilted up. You know it’s an old wive’s tale, but it is something that both of you love. He kneels between your thighs, stroking your knee as he looks down at you.
“We should film it.” His eyes widen at the thought and he glances towards the dresser where your phone is, knowing that the cameras in the house are off in the bedroom you are in. You had insisted on it. Even if he no longer has a huge mansion where a security team is watching monitors in a room, you didn’t like the idea of the camera always being on while you are in here.
“Do it baby.” You moan, loving the idea of having proof of the time that you had conceived your first child.
“Yeah?” He bites his lip, looking a little unsure of it as he reaches for the device.
“We should have a video of the first time you bred me.” You agree, making him hiss and quickly rush through turning on the camera through the app. “Fuck.” He tosses the phone away and shuffles closer, moaning again when he finds you already slick and ready for him. “You have been wanting this, haven’t you?” He coos, sliding his cock through your folds and pressing against your entrance with the tip.
“Yes.” You admit that easily and shamelessly. “Breed me, Javi.” You beg. “Fill me up with your baby. I need to have you inside me, stuffing me full.”
He had become the luckiest man in the world when you came into his life. Indulging him, loving him, helping him through some of the worst realizations of his life. Now you were going to let him breed you. Javi can’t believe how lucky he is. It’s almost like it’s a movie.
#pedro pascal#kinktober#kinktober 2024#absurdthirst kinktober#javi gutierrez#javi gutierrez x reader#javi gutierrez x you#javi gutierrez x f!reader#javi gutierrez smut#javi gutierrez imagine#javi gutierrez fanfiction
107 notes
·
View notes
Text
Black Mercy
Pairing: Bruce Wayne x fem!JL!reader (Justice League Unlimited!Bruce)
Summary: When you and Bruce find Superman in the Fortress of Solitude, you encounter the Black Mercy. Bruce faces his heart's greatest desire, and you encourage him to find happiness.
Warnings: spoilers/rewrite for Justice League Unlimited 1x2 "For the Man Who Has Everything", fluff, canon-level violence and action
Word Count: 2.3k+ words
A/N: I'll say it again... this show is elite. I'll never shut up about the characterizations of Batman, Superman, and the Flash! But, also, his bat ears.
Picture from Pinterest
Masterlist | DC Masterlist | Request Info
“J’onn, when did Superman check in last?” you inquire.
J’onn clicks the trackpad before him. The Watchtower has the most advanced technology of any place you’ve ever seen, yet J’onn has to navigate to the most recent communication reports to learn when he last heard Clark’s voice.
“Several hours,” J’onn answers with a frown. “He traveled to his Fortress of Solitude to investigate a disturbance but hasn’t reported since he arrived.”
“I’ll try to contact him,” you tell J’onn.
Bruce thought of everything when he designed and funded the Watchtower, and you navigate to your favorite private area. You occasionally wonder if he created such spots for people like you, the unpowered or easily overwhelmed. The Watchtower is big enough that you could go an entire day without seeing another member of the League; now, you crave that privacy to check on your friend.
“Superman, come in,” you say into your small radio. “Hello? … Clark?”
The only response you get is a distant static. You bounce the radio between your hands and frown. Clark can handle himself, of course, but he’s also good about staying in touch. The hidden door beside you creaks open slowly before Bruce steps inside.
“I thought you may be here,” he murmurs. When he turns to face you, he asks, “What’s wrong?”
“Clark isn’t checking in. J’onn hasn’t heard from him in hours, and I can’t reach him on comms,” you answer.
“Where is he?”
“Fortress of Solitude.”
“Then let’s go.”
You smile and take Bruce’s hand as he helps you to stand. He leads you through the empty hallways of the Watchtower, and you hope that when you get to Superman's hideout, it's just radio interference and nothing more. He steps onto the launch bay and presses a button on his utility belt to open the canopy of the batplane.
“Can I fly?” you ask.
“No,” Bruce answers.
He flies in relative silence, and it isn’t until he steers the plane into the freezing water surrounding the Fortress of Solitude that you decide to speak.
“That was a nice turn,” you compliment. “You usually scare me when you fly.”
“Sorry,” Bruce replies shortly.
He levels the plane onto an ice bank and opens the canopy. When he sees a small box in your hand, he furrows his brows under the cowl. You lead the way through the icy cave and look around for any sign of Clark.
“Is that for his birthday?” Bruce asks.
“What’d you get him?” you reply.
“He’s not the easiest person in the world to buy presents for.” Bruce lifts an envelope from his belt as he speaks.
“Please tell me that’s not a gift card.”
“It’s not… It's cash.”
You nod, and follow Bruce up the stairs into the heart of Superman’s fortress.
“What do you get for the man who has everything?” Bruce adds before freezing.
You drop the gift box when you see Clark. Bruce’s arm stretches past you protectively as you look from a distance. Clark stands motionless with a large plant attached to his chest and wrapped around his shoulders and back.
“What is that?” you ask Bruce.
He walks down the steps to get a closer look, and you follow closely behind him.
“Looks like some kind of plant,” Bruce says. “Seems to be growing through his costume and into his body.”
You step to Bruce’s side and look at Clark’s chest. He’s breathing, barely, but that’s enough of a promise that he can be saved from whatever this is. Clearly, someone was in the fortress, and Clark probably interrupted them. You will know where to start if you learn what he was investigating.
“Look around,” Bruce requests. “I’ll see what I can find here.”
You leave his side as he shines a light in Clark’s eyes. Bruce is well-versed in Kryptonian anatomy, so you trust him to decide what’s best for Clark.
“Pupils aren’t responding in the slightest. He must be cut off from all sensation,” Bruce deduces.
“How do we save someone who doesn’t know we’re trying?” you inquire.
Bruce doesn’t answer you but murmurs, “Kent, where are you?”
“So, it was a gift. Teleported here from some alien culture, some grateful world. Or someone wanting you to think they were grateful,” Bruce says to Clark.
“How remarkable,” someone calls. Bruce stands quickly and sees Mongul as he finishes, “You animals really are almost intelligent, aren’t you? That’s exactly what happened.”
Mongul steps out of the shadows, and Bruce sees you unconscious in his hand. His jaw clenches, but he remains calm and focused. He can’t save you or Clark if he loses a fight with Mongul.
“Mongul,” Bruce greets.
“You recognize me. I’m flattered. I suppose Superman told you all about our previous encounter.”
“You mean how he humiliated you?” Bruce taunts.
“A… jaundiced account. What inferior specimens he surrounds himself with.” Mongul raises you cruelly and says, “I took her down before she even knew I was there, and I’ll take this planet just as easily.”
You gesture with your hand to show Bruce you’re about to move and then swing your legs up. When they meet Mongul’s jaw, he tips back, and you fall to the cold floor.
“Maybe she knew more than you thought,” you say. “We inferior specimens call it ‘playing possum.’”
You prepare to fight Mongul despite the unfairness of the fight. Before you can punch or be punched, however, Bruce jumps between you and Mongul.
“No,” he demands.
“Clearly the males on this world are the smart one,” Mongul muses. “He wants to know about the plant. The Black Mercy is a telepathic species. It reads the heart’s desires and feeds the individual a totally convincing simulation of it.”
“So, he’s dreaming?” Bruce clarifies.
“Oh, far deeper than any dream. I wonder where he thinks he is… Sitting on a throne ruling the universe, all you human garbage fawning at his feet? More honest, don’t you think than this pretense of being a selfless hero?”
“Bruce, we can’t take him,” you whisper as Mongul looks at Clark. “What are we supposed to do?”
“We can’t take him,” Bruce agrees. “But we can take a plant.”
“Need a distraction?”
“Be careful.”
You run toward Mongul and force him backward, away from Clark. He knocks you to the floor with ease, but where you lack size and power, you have mobility and agility. You maneuver away from him and run through an opening in the wall. As you hoped, he follows you.
Meanwhile, Bruce attempts to cut through the plant but fails.
“He’ll kill her, Clark,” Bruce tells Clark. “And then he’ll kill us all. Shake it off. Come back to us… Please.”
Bruce told you to be careful, but you’re doing anything you can to keep Mongul away from him. You fire a Kryptonian weapon at him, but you and Bruce face similar luck as nothing works to help you. You’re trapped in a losing fight, and Bruce can’t get Clark back. You see another line of weapons and run into an adjoining room. Mongul follows you, and he’s loud enough that Bruce can locate you without seeing you.
“She’s in the hall of weapons. That will buy her time, but not enough.” He grips Clark’s shoulders and adds, “She’s fighting for her life, Clark. You’ve got to fight too, Clark.”
The weapon goes cold, and you drop it before you realize how close you are to Mongul. Mogul wraps a hand around your shoulders and squeezes your neck before pushing you onto the floor.
“First, I’ll kill you and the Bat and then I’ll take this planet,” he says.
“You won’t win,” you force out.
“Of course I will.”
Mongul lifts you from the ground before dropping you again, and you can only hope that Bruce is close to saving Clark. Once he’s back, you can be sure Mongul won’t win.
“Yes, that’s it,” Bruce says as he pulls the Black Mercy from Clark’s chest. “Fight it. Fight it.”
Bruce finally succeeds and removes the plant from Clark, but his victory is short-lived before it attaches to him instead.
“Batman!” you yell as Mongul throws you across the hall of weapons.
You struggle to push yourself to your feet, but a blue and red blur knocks Mongul off his feet before you can. While Clark pays Mongul back for everything he lost, you stumble through a hole in the wall to find Bruce. It’s unimaginable - to lose your heart’s desire, but when you see Bruce smiling with the Black Mercy on his chest, you find the strength to keep moving.
“Bruce,” you call, but it’s no more than a whimper.
You kneel before him and grip the sides of the plant. Pulling is pointless, but you need him back. Clark can undoubtedly handle Mongul alone, but Bruce needs your help now.
“Bruce, fight for me. Come back to me,” you plead.
“Bruce, I think it’s your turn.”
Bruce shakes his head and continues kissing you. The kids are making noise in the formal living room, but he ignores it. Not even the unmistakable sound of something breaking can draw Bruce away from you.
“Brucie,” you try again.
Talking against his lips doesn't work because his kisses are addictive. You finally raise your hands and push yourself away from Bruce. He smiles, and you know your happiness is evident on your face, too.
“Your kids are destroying the manor,” you remind him.
“We can fix it. And they’re our kids.”
“I’m happy,” you tell him.
“I am too.”
Bruce brushes your hair back and watches your smile fall.
“But it’s not real,” you whisper.
“It can be,” Bruce promises.
He leans toward you, and you kiss his forehead before answering, “Then wake up and make it real.”
Bruce wakes and is harshly reminded of where he is as he falls backward. The Black Mercy is wrapping around your outstretched arms, and you grunt with effort as you force it away from your chest. Clark is still fighting Mongul, and each reference to his heart’s desire revives his fight and energy.
“Bruce,” you call.
Bruce pushes your arms away from your face, and you roll toward a hole in the floor. Mongul is directly beneath you, and the Black Mercy falls away from you before landing on him. Clark sits back in relief as Mongul disappears into his heart’s desire.
“Are you okay?” Bruce asks.
You assure him that it's nothing more than bumps and bruises, and Bruce pulls a grappling hook from his belt. You wrap your arms around Bruce and cling to him as he lowers to Clark’s side.
“This was your birthday present,” you tell Clark as you pass him the battered box. “Probably broken now, but…”
“Don’t worry about it,” Clark says with a smile. He looks up at the Kryptonian statues above you and promises, “I won’t forget you.”
“I wonder what he’s seeing,” you say, pointing toward Mongul. “Something better than he deserves, I’m sure.”
“You’re the only one who didn’t get a glimpse at your heart’s desire,” Clark points out. “Maybe I should get you a gift on the way back.”
You smile and pat his shoulder. “I’m sorry for whatever it is you lost. But I’m glad you get to spend your birthday here.”
“I appreciate it. And who knows, maybe I’ll get my desire someday.”
“I hope so.”
“Happy birthday,” Bruce says as he passes the envelope to Clark.
“Thanks, Bruce,” Clark replies. “What do you say we got back to the Watchtower and let the Fortress rest for a while?”
You and Bruce agree, but Bruce waits beside you as Clark walks toward the hidden entrance. He’ll meet you back in space, but now you’re more interested in Bruce’s attention on you.
“I’m sorry,” you offer.
“I thought it would be about my parents. When Mongul explained it, I just assumed,” Bruce says.
“I think mine would have been a normal life. No need for superheroes or watchtowers… just domesticity and happiness with someone who I love and who loves me.”
“You were there,” Bruce says quickly.
“Oh,” you say, unsure of any other, more appropriate response. "Was it… you don’t have to tell me.”
“It felt so real, even though I knew it wasn’t. Is it wrong that I wanted it to be?”
“Of course not.”
“Clark can’t get what he wanted, not if he was back on Krypton, but I could get mine with a single question. What makes me more worthy; after everything I’ve done?”
“Bruce,” you say, drawing his attention when you lay a hand on his chest. “It’s not about that. If your desire is more achievable in this life, that has nothing to do with what you deserve. And you’re not a bad person, so stop punishing yourself.”
“You told me I could make it real,” he murmurs.
“Then ask the question. You can leave it here with that plant, or you can do something for you this one time.”
“We were in the manor,” Bruce begins. “And there were kids playing in the other room, and you looked so happy. I was happy again, and I haven’t been happy in that house since I was eight years old.”
“Things can change,” you whisper.
“Would you- could we try?” Bruce asks.
“The kids in the manor thing or the you and me thing?” you tease.
You lay your hands on Bruce’s shoulders and lean close to him. His hands hover above your waist before settling against the top of your hips.
“Both?” he suggests.
“Alfred will be so happy to have company again,” you say before closing the distance and kissing Bruce.
His dreams are coming true, and yours are too. The fight never ends, but part of you is glad that the Black Mercy attached to Bruce’s chest and the version of you in his heart convinced him to take the next step.
“Alright, let’s go, Brucie,” you say as you pull back. “Clark’s going to get suspicious.”
“Brucie?” Bruce repeats. “You’ve never called me that before.”
“New things, remember? Now, come on, we have a world to protect before you take me on a proper date.”
Bruce follows you as you walk back toward the batplane and shakes his head as he murmurs, “Does this not count?”
#hanna writes✯#bruce wayne x reader#bruce wayne x fem!reader#bruce wayne x you#bruce wayne x y/n#bruce wayne fic#bruce wayne imagine#bruce wayne#fem!reader#jlu
192 notes
·
View notes
Text
part of me, apart from me
rating: E (18+ only, MDNI)
word count: 14k....its a whole thing okay?
summary:
kindly requested from a lovely anon "You and Javi had one kid together when you were very young, maybe you broke up due to his work schedule. You reunite at their college graduation 👀"
javier & you had daughter right after he graduated college, you with a couple years left yourself. when she was 15, he got the call to head to colombia, deciding with you to pursue his career and leave the two of you in the safety of laredo. seven years later, your daughter is graduating from college and javier is back home for good after cali, forcing himself to face what he finds are his failures, and hold out hope that you still feel the same as he does.
warnings (SPOILERS): BIG self doubt, self deprecation, heavy guilt, separated relationship, co-parenting, javier being in unrequited love, chucho being a king and a great grandfather & father, strained familial relationships on mother's side, discussions of death/violence/drugs, smoking, alcohol use, mentions of food/eating, use of spanish, javi has total DAD moments, he is a DILF ofc, dirty talk, oral sex (f & m (briefly) receiving), unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancy, becomes established relationship, etc.
a/n: i don't think the anon who requested this realized what it would do to my brain, but i have created a whole universe for this fic. i am in love with their little family and they will live forever in my head and heart. a huge thank you to my bestie el @northernbluess for screaming about javi, this fic, giving me the title for this, and beta-reading this long ass fic for me. love you friend!!!! hope you all enjoy, and that you love them as much as i do!
The engine of Javier’s truck cuts as he turns the ignition, the loud rumble of its mechanics quieting to reveal the sounds of birds chirping. For Texas in May, it’s a pretty mild day, sunlight shining bright against the blue sky. There’s a handful of wispy clouds above him as he opens the door and steps down from the cab, shutting it with a metallic click. He rolls his shoulders and swings his arms to loosen up, the sweat at the nape of his neck is from his nerves more than the temperature.
It’s been two years since he has seen his daughter, Liliana, in person. He’d come back from Colombia after everything that went down with the Cali cartel and the government only a mere 48 hours ago. He’s exhausted, but he made the drive from Laredo to College Station to see his princesa, the light of his life for the last twenty-two years, graduate from college. Specifically, his alma mater, Texas A&M University.
He has been counting down the days until he was back for this occasion, after repeatedly reminding everyone in the embassy that he would be out of the country. It just so happens that he doesn’t need to return to Colombia as he had originally planned.
A deep inhale and slow exhale attempt to calm the jitters that are trembling his fingers.
Fuck, he really wants a cigarette.
But Lili would kill him if he showed up smelling like burnt tobacco when he had promised a week ago he was on the Nicorette thing.
Instead, he shakes his head to himself and hooks his sunglasses in the open chest of his light blue short-sleeve button-up. Out of habit, he reaches to his lower back to feel for his pistol, his touch brushing denim.
Another inhale, slow exhale.
He can do this.
It’s you and his daughter. Two people that he loves. Two people he’s been working for.
Maybe that’s why he’s so fucking nervous.
How can you welcome him back every time he makes a visit? How can his daughter be excited to talk to him every week from across the equator? He’s been gone for years. Most of her teenage life, and nearly all of her college career. He’s only been back once since she moved to university. Once.
What a fucking asshole.
Certainly not a good father.
His boots tick against the pavement of the front path up to the dingy, weather-worn two-story house. He remembers getting photographs of Liliana in front of this house a couple of years ago, sent from you and stuffed in an envelope along with photos retelling her entire summer. That one of her standing proudly in front of this house hung on his fridge until he packed it up two days ago.
Every day he looked at it, he wished nothing more than to have been like one of her friends’ dads that helped with moving in and fixing up the house, maybe slipping her a hundred dollar bill to spend on groceries or alcohol on his way out to the car after saying goodbye.
Instead, he was stuck in Colombia under the thumb of the U.S. government and sleazy CIA agents that were controlling him like a puppet.
He’s here now, though. And he’s trying so hard to get over the tightness in his chest, to clear the lump in his throat, and to dry his sweaty palms when he gets up the creaky wooden steps and up to the front door. His middle finger presses the doorbell aggressively, taking a step back and shaking out his shoulders again.
Gaze focused on his shoes, he looked up as he heard the door unlock. A wide, genuine grin breaks out on his face when he sees Liliana in the threshold, that same smile copied and pasted onto hers, even down to the dimple on his right cheek.
“Tata (Dad)! You’re here!” she exclaims, jumping out of the door and hooking her arms around his neck. He laughs as he catches her, one arm wrapping around her waist and his other hand reaching up to hold the back of her head. He pets her long, brunette hair, squeezing her in a tight hug against his chest.
“Oh, Lili Pad. Missed you so much, mija.” He kisses the side of her head before loosening his hold on her, taking in the sight of his daughter after seeing her only through photographs for years.
“Tata, I’m graduating college tomorrow. Not little Lili Pad anymore.”
Her eye roll gives Javier’s attitude a run for its money.
Damn, she really got a lot from his gene pool.
The same deep brown eyes with hints of amber, softened and round give away their every emotion. The same mouth that finds a perfect pout, combined with those eyes he was always pushed over when she was younger. Anything she wanted, he would give to her. Even now.
She has your nose, though. Your ears. Your feminine facial structure. Your charming, warm personality.
“You’re always gonna be Lili Pad, amorcita. Always gonna be my babygirl,” he presses another kiss to her temple, unraveling her from him, “But you have grown into such a beautiful woman, Lili. You remind me of your mamá when she was your age.”
“There’s that Peña charm.”
He looks over his daughter’s shoulder and sees you leaning against the banister, arms crossed over your chest with a smirk playing at your lips. His heart rate increases to double speed, his now dry hands clamming up again as he drinks you in from head to toe.
Years away and he is still so fucking in love with you.
Another reason to curse his time in Colombia.
It was a mutual decision, to split up before he left. There was no timeline for how long he would be gone or when he could come back that first time he went down there.
And there was no way in hell he was putting the two most important people in his life in the middle of what was basically a fucking warzone.
So, that was that. Co-parents, and close friends.
And an agonizing ache every time he saw you since he left.
He grins right back at you, Lili waving him inside after her. Crossing the entryway to you, he opens his arms with a quirk of his brows.
Your smirk reaches its full stretch, shifting into a gracious smile as you drop your arms and step into his, snaking your hands around to his back. He holds you tightly, a shorter embrace than the one with Liliana but long enough for your signature scent to pull him back to being a young, dumb college student who was madly in love. A chaste kiss is pressed to your cheek before he pulls away.
“I’m pretty sure she gets that from you, amor. I don’t recall a time when you weren’t able to get what you wanted — everyone you meet thinks you’re a delight.”
“See? More charm. Laying it on a little thick, Jav,” you tease, hitting your fist against his bicep gently.
He glances at your arm when you lower it back to your side, catching the glint of the bracelet with Liliana’s initials in gold charms that is always on your wrist. He gave it to you after she was born, once she was taken home from the hospital and the two of you were standing over her crib watching her sleep. Ever since then, he’s never seen you without it.
“Alright, alright. Enough of the weird, complimentary back-and-forth you guys do. Do you wanna see the place before I move out, viejo?” Lili cuts in and Javi’s eyes leave your wrist to look at her with a smile.
“Ay, no soy viejo, princesa (Ay, I am not old, princess). Now lead the way and no more making fun of me,” he nods for her to walk ahead of him, taking a few steps and glancing back at you, “You not coming on the tour, amor?”
You shake your head and give Liliana a look that says ‘Care to explain?’. Being on the receiving end of that look many times, he knows it a bit too well coming from you.
“Mom is being amazing and helpful and wonderful like Mom always is and is packing my closet for me.” Lili cringes as she admits it to her father, Javier shaking his head and letting out a long exhale.
“Liliana, you have known you’re moving for months and you’ve waited until the day before graduation to pack? Dios, somos demasiado parecidos (God, we are too much alike),” he nods for her to continue walking as you laugh behind him, the sound traveling as you walk upstairs and bringing a faint smile to his lips as he follows his daughter.
He hovers around Lili’s room as you pace from her closet to the cases laid out on the floor, organizing everything and folding as you walk back and forth. Your daughter is downstairs, tasked with packing up her items from the kitchen and the living room. Javi’s been given the whole tour, now dropped off to “catch up with Mom”, as Lili put it.
Across the surfaces and walls, he spies the little gifts he’s sent her over his years away: all of the birthday cards he’s hand-picked and written letters in stacked in a box on her desk, the mola depicting lilies framed and hanging on her wall, the brightly colored Wayuu mochila that he’d bought from one of the open air markets in Bogotá hanging off of the door knob to her closet.
There’s a sharp pain in his chest when he sees the small picture frames sitting on her nightstand. He sits on the edge of her bed and picks them up one by one to study them. The first is a photo of you and Lili, smiling from ear to ear. He recognizes the photo as one he took on his visit before last, the one he made before Lili went to college. The pair of you are standing in the middle of an overgrown field on the Peña ranch, sun setting in the background. Lili insisted on watching the sunset all together on Javi’s last night at home, and he snuck the camera out with the three of you.
He has a copy of the photo right next to his bed, too.
Setting the frame down delicately, he picks up the next one, this one of Lili and him alone. It’s from years ago, the wide smile on Lili’s face showing off her missing front tooth. Javi grins back at his little girl in the photo, his eyes combing over to the younger version of him, way back when he was a sheriff in Laredo. It must have been during the holidays — there’s a shiny plastic red gift bow on his chest and Lili is wearing a knit sweater with a snowman on it.
Where did all the time go?
The last photograph grows the lump in his throat and the ache in between his ribs. It’s a photo of the three of you, one from his most recent visit a couple of years ago. Dressed up for a Dean’s Award ceremony that Liliana was nominated for. She looks like the spitting image of you, and you are absolutely glowing with pride for her. You two are so beautiful. He looks exhausted, anxiety in his eyes that never seems to have left since his first year in the DEA. It was around the time when he thought he was going to be able to stay, to be around for Lili and for you. He told you what happened in Colombia that got him sent home; you understood, of course, you understood why he did it all. And he admitted it all with the faintest smile on his face, the thought of getting to settle was appealing more and more to him.
And then he got the call.
He battled with the decision.
He talked to you about it.
You said, “We’re always gonna be here, Jav. You need to go. What’s a few more years?”
Everything. A few more years was everything.
He missed so much.
“You okay, Jav?”
He looks up from the photo in his hands, eyes focusing back on the room instead of a million miles ahead. You are kneeling next to one of the suitcases, carefully placing some of your daughter’s clothes in neatly. Those eyes you’re giving him turn his brain to mush, all of the escalating thoughts dripping away.
“Yeah, yeah, all good. Reminiscing,” he nods to himself as he turns the photo for you to see before setting it back down, pulling a grin onto his face, “Do you remember when the three of us would all go out to dinner or meet up with my tíos and tías when Lili was a baby? And they would always ask us when we were getting married?”
A gentle laugh comes from you as you think back, knowing how many times you got asked the same question over and over again.
“Yes, I definitely remember that. I also remember you getting so annoyed one day that you just—”
“Lied and said that we got married at the courthouse?”
“Yes! I got such an onslaught of questions after you said that. That news, which wasn’t even news, spread like wildfire throughout your family.”
“Well, at least it got people off our backs, esposa,” he winks, grin lifting to one side to meld into a smirk.
You roll your eyes dramatically, the wide smile peeling your lips apart making Javi’s heart race faster.
“You want some help, amor? Feel like an imbécil not doing anything,” he slaps his hands on his knees as he stands from Lili’s bed, taking the handful of steps that separate you. One knee is bent to bring him down to the ground, huffing out a sigh as he gets fully onto his knees.
“Sure you’re gonna be able to get up from the floor, viejo?” You raise an eyebrow at him as you continue to put rolled clothes into the luggage. Javier rolls his eyes, shaking his head.
“I think I can handle getting up from the ground, bromista. Been jumping off of roofs and trekking through fucking jungles for seven years.” He doesn’t wait for your response, grabbing one of the unfolded shirts from next to you and attempting to fold it as neatly as you’ve done with the rest of them.
“Alright, alright. I believe you. How about I roll, you organize what I hand you into the suitcase? Sounds good?” You hold a hand out for the shirt in his hand, a small laugh as he resigns his attempt and passes the fabric over.
“Sí, jefa (Yes, boss),” a soft grin pulls one side of his mouth up, deepening the dimple on his right cheek. You look at him with your own tender smile when you hand him a rolled pair of jeans to put away, reaching your hand up to poke the little crevice in his cheek like you always do — like you always did.
The two of you work quietly for a few minutes, falling into a rhythm. Liliana makes noise from downstairs, cabinets open and closing, sounds of bubble wrap being ripped echoing throughout the house.
“How’re you doin’, Jav?”
The question strikes him, slumping his shoulders and training his gaze on the shirt in his hands as he rubs his index and thumb over the softened cotton.
It’s a simple enough question; he expected you to ask when you first saw him. In a greeting, he thought it would be easy to brush it off, tell you ‘Estoy bien’ or that he was happy to be home.
But right now, packing up his daughter’s clothes to move her out of college and back into your home — the day before his little girl’s graduation — it feels too difficult to lie.
Sitting alone here with you, the mother of his daughter, the beauty that gave him his greatest gift, the woman — the strong, commanding, warm, gentle woman that he is still so incredibly in love with — is drawing the truth out of him before he can fully catch up with what he’s admitting.
“Feeling like a real pendejo. I missed so much. Too much, amor. I’m sorry.”
“Jav. You are here now. You always show up when she needs her Tata. Even if it’s not physically, you show up for her every day. No more of that talk this weekend, do you hear me? You’re here. That’s it. Not missing anything.”
How do you always know what to say to him?
How did he ever walk away from you?
Javier nods his head, pressing his lips into a tight line as his fingers twitch for nicotine. He would kill for that slow drag of smoke filling his lungs, relaxing his racing mind and heart with a break that lasts as long as the burning paper and tobacco.
Instead, he stands on his knees, grabbing the plastic pack out of his pocket and popping out a chiclet of gum, tossing it into his mouth, and chewing furiously. The look on your face is observational, a twitch of your lips into the faintest grin calms him nearly as much as a cigarette would.
He sits back on his haunches, one of his hands reaching to touch you, faltering when your head turns down to fold the item of clothing in your hands.
“Te quiero, esposa,” his hand grazes his fingertips along the denim covering his thighs, twitching to move the hair curtaining your face, “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me, Jav,” your head shakes back and forth subtly, eyes lifting from your lap and softening as you smile at him, “Love you, too.”
“Jesús Cristo, Liliana, you have a lot of shit. I went to college with a suitcase and a duffle bag — and left four years later with just the duffle bag,” Javier shakes his head as he carries the last piece of luggage downstairs to the living room where the rest of her packed belongings are accumulating to pack up in your three cars the day after her graduation.
“God, Jav, you sound like my father. ‘I walked twelve miles to school with rocks in my backpack and in a foot of snow’,” you drop your voice to mock him, laughing with your daughter as she walks in from the kitchen and stands next to you, “Getting to be an old man, Peña.”
“Mamá is right, Tata. You’re the youngest dad out of all my friends and you sound the oldest right now,” Lili says through a wide smile, and you laugh with her now, sending Javier a brightly teasing grin.
He grumbles and rolls his eyes, waving a hand at both of you dismissively.
“Yeah, yeah. Enough from you two bromistas. Y’know, I didn’t miss you two ganging up on me — it was one thing through the phone, but in person is just too much.”
Your tongue clicks and you walk over to him, pinching his cheek as you pass by him, “Aw, Jav, it’s all love. You’re just easy to rile up, makes it fun.”
You wink at him with your back to Liliana, slipping out of the room to grab more of her boxes from the kitchen. At your touch and the minuscule flirtation, his heart rate thumps louder in his ears. His eyes follow you out of the room, snapping back when Liliana asks him a question. He shakes himself out of the trance, looking over to his daughter and stepping over to where she’s stood in front of an open box.
“Qué pasa, mija? (What’s up, my daughter?)” Javier reaches an arm up and wraps it around her shoulders, holding her against his side as he presses a kiss to her head. His eyes drop to what’s held in front of her, a chill running down his spine when he sees a photo of Escobar across the front page of the newspaper, the headline reading ‘ESCOBAR KILLED IN MEDELLÍN’.
“Do you want this copy, Tata? I kept two of them, but I think the other one is already packed away and I don’t know if I need both anymore really. Kept one to show my professors all about you,” Lili turns her head and looks up at him.
Javier shakes his head, a tight smile facing his daughter before he drops his arm from her shoulders.
“No, no thanks, mija. No need to keep the other one either. I wasn’t even there for that, amorcita. I think I was actually about to come over to Mamá’s house to see you when I got the call,” he tasks his antsy hands with sealing a cardboard box with packing tape, “May as well toss them out. Or send them to Mr. Murphy if you want them to be kept safe.”
“I don’t want to get rid of the other one. I want to keep it. Even if you weren’t there for it, you still did so much work to get to that point, Tata. I mean, you doing all of that in Colombia is what made me want to do criminal psychology,” she carefully slips the newspaper into one of the open boxes, closing it up and holding her hand out for the tape roll.
“Mi princesa, you—“
“I know, Tata. I promise I am not going to be running on rooftops or caught in the middle of shootouts with the DEA. No fighting cartels, viejo. I just want to work with profiling and behind-the-scenes stuff.” She takes the tape, closing up the box completely as Javier’s heart cinches in his chest.
He is so incredibly proud of his Lili Pad, but he can’t deny how angry he got when Liliana chose her major finally — of course, it had to be criminology. She explained she was drawn to it because of his work, but assured that she is not interested in doing the same thing he has done for years. Behind the scenes, possibly going into forensic psychology or helping to profile criminals. Office jobs, for the most part. But he couldn’t shake that anger inside for months; never been angry with his daughter, and he knew she was as headstrong as him and would achieve what she wanted. He was angry with himself, for even planting any sort of seed, even unknowingly, for Lili to get into this type of work. He knows that eventually her end of the promise might not be kept — he knows her, how easily excitable she can get with new opportunities. She’ll likely end up climbing ranks or even getting into some agency like the FBI or something.
The thought of her out there, in a tac vest or with a weapon, makes bile burn his esophagus.
“Alright, I think we’re done here for today. Better go check into the hotel and we can get ready quick, then we can swing by and pick you up for dinner, Lili.” Your voice pulls him out of his spiral, stare focusing back into the room and glancing over at you in the doorway from the kitchen.
“Sí, jefa. Sounds like a plan,” he pats the pockets of his jeans and feels for his truck keys, “You gonna be ready if we come in an hour, princesa?”
Lili rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest and popping her hip out, a stance all too familiar to Javier.
“Sí, Tata. Besides, I’m not the one you should be asking that to. Mom is always the one who takes longer to get ready.”
Javier laughs when you walk over to your daughter, pinching her side playfully. He shakes his head and gives Liliana a knowing look.
“Mija, I have known that fact about your mamá for longer than you’ve been alive. I’m guessing it will be an hour and a half until we’re back, but wanted to make sure you were actually ready. An hour to you women is at least an hour and fifteen to the rest of the world.”
Javier smiles with a loud laugh as both you and Lili approach him and swat his arms, pinching his sides without causing any pain whatsoever. There were protests on either side of him, his daughter and her mother annoyed with the judgments on their time management but all three of them knew he was right.
“Alright, alright, I apologize…” he surrenders from the assault with his hands up, taking deep breaths as he recovers from his laughter before continuing with a smirk, “But we all know I’m right!”
Javier makes a quick exit out of the room and through the front door before any other hits or pinches can be given to him, hearing the stifled laughter from you and Lili from inside the house.
“Yeah, you better run, Jav!” you call out as you gather your purse and fish out your car keys, saying a quick goodbye to Lili and following his path out of the house, “Now I’m gonna be ready in an hour just to prove you wrong.”
“That would only make me overjoyed. Maybe we could make our reservation in time then,” he waves goodbye to Liliana before turning to continue down the front path of her house, to his truck parked in front of your small SUV.
“You wanna follow me over there?” he asks as he unlocks the driver’s side door, watching you open yours and nod to him.
“Yeah, sounds good to me. Don’t be driving like a bat out of hell, though, Javier.”
“Hey, I can’t make any promises. Used to driving all around Colombian cities, it’s a lot different on those roads,” he jokes before making sure you get into your car, hopping into the truck, and listening to the engine turn over before he leads you both over to your accommodations for the rest of the weekend.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Peña. We would normally be absolutely willing to find a solution for you, but we’re fully booked for the graduation weekend. We only have one room for you.” The front desk receptionist looks terrified of Javier at this moment, his glare that he has perfected, normally reserved for serious criminals or dirty agents, is aimed directly at the young college student working here.
When the two of you were trying to check in, they had been informed that the reservation Javier had made for the two of you, two standard rooms, had been double booked, resulting in the parties involved only getting delegated one room each.
His jaw notched to the side, hands gripping the edge of the front counter with his arms wide and head dipping down in annoyance. He picks it up, addressing the hotel employee again.
“I made a reservation months ago. I called from fucking Colombia — I paid about forty dollars wasting twenty minutes on the phone with whoever was working that day just to get this booked—”
“Jav,” your hand finds his chest as his eyes find yours, the rapid heartbeat thumping in his chest definitely not slowing down at what was supposed to be your soothing touch, “It’s fine. We can survive with one room for two nights. It’s either taking this or sleeping on the floor at Lili’s.”
Holding your gaze, he can see the words unsaid in the look you’re giving him.
Shut up and take the room key.
And there’s no way he is continuing to argue with the kid in front of him as he squirms under your own stern stare. With a grumble, he straightens up, your hand leaving his chest and cool, conditioned air chilling the spot that was covered in your warmth. The rest of the check-in process is painless, with Javier paying for the stay and taking the room keys. He turns around to face you, handing you one of the access cards and nodding toward the elevators.
“Let me take that, amor.” He leans down and grabs both duffles from the floor, one his and one yours, following your lead over to the elevators. The two of you stand and wait for the doors to open, the familiar ding alerting them to which one will be taking them up to their floor. When the doors slide apart, a large group of people started to spill out into the lobby. You step back to avoid a collision with a man not watching where he is walking, and Javier’s hand immediately finds your lower back to steady you. It lingers as the rush of people clears out — he makes no move to take it away until he guides you into the small square space, dropping his touch to press the button for your floor.
Once the two of you make it into the room, he sets your bags down on the desk and dresser, walking over to the thermostat to turn it down for you without a second thought.
“You remember,” you observe with a grin, rifling through your bag to find your toiletries and a change of clothes for dinner.
“Course I do, always had to have the air blasting in our apartment or the house. You never could sleep without a massive blanket and your toes under my legs. Never did understand your need to be freezing, always,” he chuckles at the memories of every night with you, until the separation when he was assigned to Bogotá.
“I dunno why either, just was always the most comfortable. Felt cozier, plus it always gave an excuse to cuddle.” Your giggle sends a tingle from his ears down the back of his neck and across his shoulders, a shudder easily blamed on the intense fans of the air-con.
“Go ahead and take the first shower, esposa. I’ll wait so that you can have more time to get ready and all that,” Javier crosses the room, saddling up next to you to rummage through his own weekender bag. In his periphery, he can see you flash a smile as you gather your things in one arm, using the free hand to brush across his shoulder blades when you walk behind him.
“Very kind, Jav. I’ll be quick, I promise.”
You stand in the doorway of the bathroom and he picks his head up, turning it to look at you. Head to toe, he scans you quickly before settling on your face, shaking his head.
“Take your time, amor. We both know I can be ready in ten minutes if I need to be,” he sends you a wink and half a smirk appears when you laugh, shutting the door behind you.
He hears the water run, kicking off his boots and sitting at the edge of the bed with an extensive sigh. Rubbing his eyes of exhaustion, he’s still for a moment. Shoulders drop, limbs feeling heavy as the day catches up with him. Moving, packing, even fighting with himself has drained him over the course of the day.
He loved spending time with his Liliana again, seeing her eager to walk the stage tomorrow and collect her diploma. And being around you again, drudging up all of the feelings and desires and words that he has tamped down for the last seven years. But it all comes with reminders of how absent he was, thousands of miles away, how undeserving he is of being welcomed back into the arms of you two, how his daughter was so proud, idolized him so much that she chose to study a major that puts her in the same field of work. He deserves distance from her, a cold shoulder from you — aloofness of some sort for the choice he made.
At least that’s what he’s told himself over and over for nearly the last decade. No matter how much you or Lili continually proved those thoughts wrong, they always came back.
He glances at his watch before standing and moving toward the bag again, hearing the water shut off and moving to grab his toiletries. Taking out the leather Dopp kit jostles something else in the bag loose, flinging it out onto the floor. Bending down with a sigh to retrieve it, he’s faced with the metal badge emblazoned with the DEA seal and ‘USA’ carved into it. It must have been in the bag from his plane ride earlier this week, and it serves as a blatant reminder of what he needs to talk to you about on this trip. What he needs to tell Liliana, too.
The badge gets thrown back into the bag and he walks toward the open bathroom door, stopping short within the threshold. You’re standing at the counter, products splayed around you to do your makeup. Even after living with you for 15 years, he barely has a clue what any of it does besides lipstick and mascara. He’d spent many mornings and evenings listening to you explaining your routine, but never quite getting down all the product names. There’s a pang in his chest, felt deep in the bones of his rib cage; the sight gives him major deja vu, nostalgia wavering over him. Even his subconscious longs for a time when you were his.
A humorous smile reflects back at him with your eyes glued to his in the mirror. Your fingers tap a rogue-colored product across your cheeks, giving you a bit of a brighter, subtly flushed look.
“Sorry, Jav, promise I’ll be out of here in like five minutes. I am trying to be quick.”
“Cálmate, amor. No hay prisa.There’s no rush, really…” he clears his throat, setting his toiletry bag down on an open space at the counter. He leans one hip against it, body facing you and studying the motions of painting your face while his mind works up the courage to bring up the pressing conversation.
“I, um, I actually have to tell you something.” His eyes cast down to the side, the grout of the tiles suddenly interested him.
“What is, Jav? You can tell me anything, you know that.” The compact in your hand is forgotten, clicked closed, and set down next to you as you mirror his stance. One hip against the counter, facing him.
“I know. I know. There’s just—It’s kind of a big thing and I wanted to tell you as soon as it all happened but I didn’t know how things would exactly shake out…”
“Javier. Take a breath,” you instruct him, hand against his chest with purposeful pressure, taking a deep inhale along with him and letting it out slowly. You don’t remove your hand, and he’s grateful for the gesture.
“I retired from the DEA two days ago. The morning before I left to come home. So, uh, I’m back at the ranch with Pop and I’ll be here now.” A mess of emotion comes out of his voice — fear, anxiety, relief, disappointment. Painfully, he drags his eyes up to your face, seeing your eyes wide with surprise and your brows relaxing from shooting up at the news. It’s an unreadable, unfamiliar expression; he watches as it all morphs behind your eyes before sympathy washes over every feature of yours, tender tone speaking up in the tiny bathroom.
“What happened?”
Everything was spilling out after that — information that was surely spreading across the US over the last 48 hours, not that he paid any attention to the news right now. Ambassador Crosby told him that he had won, that the Cali Godfathers would be locked up, at least for the foreseeable future. How dirty he felt when Crosby said the words, “You played the system like a goddamn fiddle…” The ledger proving the Colombian president’s campaign donations from the Cali cartel in exchange for immunity, the knowledge that the US government allowed all of it to occur, how he had spoken about it all to the reporter from El Tiempo.
“Javier, Jav, oh—I’m so proud of you.” The air is knocked him his lungs when the sound of those words reaches his ears, the next second being wrapped up in your tight embrace. It takes a moment to register your hug before he relaxes his weight against you, tension melting as you speak to him right next to his ear, “You told the truth. You helped every single Colombian citizen know what their government was doing to them. Just, holy shit, Javi. That’s fucking badass. I’m so, so proud of you, honey.”
Kindness, understanding, and comfort ooze around him and break down the stoicism that he’s been masked with for the last two days, tears welling in his eyes and spilling a few over that he quickly wipes away.
How can you always seem to find endless compassion for him? He’s just told you he quit his job with no real backup plan and all you said was how proud of him you are.
You’re a really good friend.
A great friend, actually.
Fuck, he is so in love with you still it hurts.
“Thank you…I don’t deserve your pride though, I did so many bad things,” his voice is hoarse on the last word, tightening his arms around you to quell his emotion.
“None of that, Jav. You uncovered a whole fucking…political scandal. Told people what their governments were doing. That’s honest; it’s ethical and respectable. You did the right thing, Jav.”
The last few words grow the lump in his throat, a slow nod against the side of your head. His lips brush your ear, confiding as if it is something he hasn’t said many times before, “Te quiero, amor.”
The smile is evident in your voice despite the fact that the hug keeps your face from his sight, and the saccharine sweetness of your voice sends his heart racing again, “Love you too, honey.”
At dinner, once there’d been a few drinks and some food served, Javier told Liliana the news he broke to you in your hotel bathroom. Albeit, it was an abridged version, details of his mistakes and pains of guilt left out for his precious daughter’s sake. She was eager to get out into the world and make a difference, and he had all the faith that she could, unlike him. He didn’t want his story to taint her view of what she was going to be able to achieve with her sheer determination.
He had that at one point. Probably lost it sometime in the last few years, slowly and then all at once when those tapes were found.
Liliana was understanding of her father resigning, chalking it up to his years down there catching up with him and teasing him for being an old man now. He took it gracefully, laughing along with the two of you and riffing on his own, with self-effacing jokes. As the conversation wrapped up, questions from Lili were answered by him — he was home, for good, living with Chucho and helping run the ranch. He would absolutely be around to help her get ready for her first day at work and help her move into her new apartment in San Antonio. And yes, he would be delighted to come over for dinner once or twice a week to spend some time with her, and you. Liliana had formulated the idea herself, earning a nod of approval from you and a warm invitation seconded.
After he accepted, Liliana changed the subject to rant about whoever the university had chosen for the commencement speech and how random of a choice it was. He listened intently, always hanging on every word from his Lili Pad, but he couldn’t help but be distracted by your hand coming to the place on his thigh closest to his knee, resting there for a moment before giving him a supportive squeeze. Nothing was spoken about the gesture, no looks were exchanged when your hand stayed there until the food came.
Sitting in the booth, observing and listening to his girls bounce back and forth in conversation, he finds the first moment of resounding comfort that he’s felt in seven years.
The last conversation he had with Spencer just days ago after the recent trial in D.C. rings in his mind, the two men standing at the displayed photos of Special Agents from the DEA.
He had asked Javier, “What else is a guy like you gonna do?”
At the time, Javier wasn’t too sure.
But now, with two of his favorite smiles beaming, one identical to his own, and the chorus of laughter that soundtracks his life, and his heart racing, the heart that bleeds for his family sitting here with him, he knows what he’s gonna do.
Be a father.
Be a partner.
Be a friend, a son, a lover, a teacher, a student, a listener, a provider, a protector.
Be everything he hasn’t been for nearly a decade.
He is going to be there for you two. No matter what.
The two of you are back in the hotel room, Liliana dropped off safely at her home and promptly reminded of the schedule for tomorrow. Javier threw her a, “Don’t be too hungover,” that you rolled your eyes at, the faintest of smiles on your face, knowing exactly how Javier was at his own graduation. You, unknowingly pregnant with Lili at the time, were feeling sick and extremely nervous to be seeing his parents the next day, so there was no drinking for you that night. The next morning you were rubbing his back as he threw up before dragging him into the shower and then dressing him like a doll.
He remembers the only thing he was thinking that morning was how much he loved you, how much he was going to miss you after moving home to Laredo to become a sheriff while you were finishing school the next year.
Life seemed so simple back then; only had to worry about visiting his girlfriend at the weekends, showing up for work on time, and taking care of his parents.
A few weeks later, you told him you were pregnant.
God, how fast was time moving? He feels like that was merely last year.
“Bathroom’s all yours, Jav.”
He looks up from his duffel to see you walking out in your pajamas, a smirk crossing his face at the faded Texas A&M shirt he recognized from his own closet from years before. With a nod to you, he unbuttons his shirt halfway before talking to you over his shoulder.
“I can take the floor, amor. You take the bed.”
A loud laugh from behind turns him around, and you look at him like he’s got about four heads.
“Javier Luis, you’re not going to be able to get up in the morning if you sleep on the floor, viejo. If it’s weird for you to sleep in the bed with me, I’ll be the one to take the floor.”
“No, you’re not. And it’s not weird for me, I just didn’t know if you would be comfortable with it.”
“Don’t know if you forgot, but we have slept in the same bed together before, Jav. It’s kind of how we have a daughter, you dork,” you snort and climb onto the plush mattress, slipping under the duvet and leaning up against the pillows.
“Hey, I was trying to be a gentleman, no need for the name-calling.”
“You are always a gentleman, hon, no need to try. Plus I have to call you names, who else will keep you humble?”
“Our daughter. That’s who. I think she’s worse than you with the jokes,” he laughs.
Your smile widens, laughing along with him and shrugging, “I wonder where she gets that from.”
A wink is sent his way, stirring his stomach before he clears his throat and nods to the bathroom, “Gonna get ready for bed, you all done in there?”
“Yeah, yeah. Go for it,” you wave toward the bathroom, grabbing your book from the nightstand.
Javier makes quick work of brushing his teeth and the rest of his night routine, avoiding his tired reflection before shutting the lights out and going back into the bedroom. Book still in your hand, he stands in his jeans again, rubbing the back of his neck. Without looking up you pat the spot next to you.
“I know you sleep in your boxers, just get in the damn bed.”
Ever since you became a mom, your power of reading his mind has gotten way too good.
Well, maybe it isn’t perfect cause if you could read his mind, you probably wouldn’t have suggested sharing a bed again with the amount of time he spends thinking about you.
“Sometimes it makes me mad how often you know what I’m going to say,” he grumbles and shucks off his jeans leaving them at the side of the bed and climbing under the covers. He stays comfortably at the side of the bed, sighing deeply as he closes his eyes.
“Comes with experience.”
“Why can’t I do it for you then?” He opens his eyes and turns onto his side to look at you, “I’ve known you just as long as you’ve known me.”
The book in your hands is closed, and laid in your lap, looking down at Javier and shrugging, “You have your own way of it. I might know what you’re going to say, but you always anticipate everyone’s needs and you’re always one step ahead of me. I mean, you always see like four steps ahead. You saved Lili many broken bones at the playground growing up and you always used to be able to cheer me up and fix whatever was making me sad or angry before I really even knew what it was myself.”
A grin slowly pulls the corners of your lips apart, one of your hands reaching over to tap the top of his head.
“Well, I quickly learned the signs of your hangriness. That was most often the reason you were upset,” he chuckles, one side of his mouth ticking up as he relaxes further into the bed.
Comfortable silence falls over the two of you as you read your book for a few more minutes, Javier lying next to you and trying, half-assed, to fall asleep. He really was just sneaking glances at you every time he adjusted positions, admiring the concentrated look on your face, engrossed in the story.
At one point, the book was shut for the night and set on the nightstand, the lamp clicked off and you relaxed back into bed. You turned on your side to face him, voice whisper quiet, “You asleep, Jav?”
He hums lowly, vibrations absorbed by the mattress before his eyes peel open and adjust to the darkness.
“Not yet. Qué pasa, amor?”
“Did you quit smoking?”
“Uh, I guess so, yeah. Why are you asking that now?”
“Just curious. I didn’t see you dip outside to smoke at all today and you got a non-smoking room, too. Very un-Javier.”
“Oh, is that all I am to you, esposa? A smoker?” He has a lilt of teasing in his voice, raising his eyebrows as you laugh faintly.
“Shut up, I didn’t say that.” There’s a gentle shove to his shoulder before your hands are back by you, tucked under your chin as you curl up again.
“I was going to congratulate you on quitting, but now I’m not sure if I want to, meanie.”
“You’re the one randomly questioning me about my habits! Meanie.”
“I am not a meanie, I had no bad intentions!”
“Sure, and what would you have said if I told you I didn’t quit?”
Javier gives you a satisfied smirk when you’re silent, shaking his head to himself.
“Knew it,” he rolls onto his back, hand resting on his stomach and turning his head to the side, “I quit ‘cause Lili called me before I came home and asked me to. She’s asked for a while, but I kept putting it off with the stress of work and everything. Thought now’s the time after I resigned.”
In the darkness, he suddenly feels your hand on his bicep closest to you, rubbing up and down slowly.
“You’re a good dad, Jav. The best. Glad you’re the one I got to have a kid with.”
If he says anything now, it will come out incoherent from the lump sitting in his throat. Instead, he hums in response, nothing else spoken until you’ve fallen asleep.
“I’m glad it was me, too.”
It is hot as fuck.
He’s trying so hard not to sweat his ass off while in the cattle of people funneling into the arena at this moment, attempting to keep his light beige button-up dry. He was going to wear his normal uniform of jeans and a short-sleeved shirt when he heard the weather report on the TV this morning, but your face when you saw him pull out navy slacks and his long-sleeved shirt that he packed, was too excitable and adorable to not wear anything else — “We’ll be matching! Our pictures will be so cute with Lili in her white dress.” Standing in your floral, mid-length navy dress, who was he to deny you those coordinated photos?
Things had been much more…familiar since last night and this morning. It was the back and forth that was effortless, the fall into a perfectly choreographed routine — him anticipating your moves and you knowing what he was thinking before he could even ask a question. The close quarters of the shared room suddenly felt much too large to Javier; he was desperate for too small of space so he could stay close to you, but with 15 years of experience living together, and even longer dating, you moved too in sync with each other to collide.
He was close to you this morning, though, waking up at the sound of the alarm clock next to his side of the bed; his arm moved to shut it off, coasting along your hip and thigh before reaching behind him to stop the noise. A grumble from you pulled him back, positioning himself again on his side and adjusting the arm that ended up underneath your head, his chest enveloping your back when his other arm slung around your waist. If he closed his eyes, he could swear it was any other morning from before Colombia, stretching all the way back to his bed in his shitty college apartment that you tolerated spending nights in.
There isn’t a thing in this world he wouldn’t give to be able to have this wake up every day from now on.
He knows he needs to talk to you, to tell you all that he is feeling, but he can’t bring himself to do it now. Not before his daughter’s college graduation when the two of you are getting along like old friends. The peace shouldn’t be disrupted by you potentially rejecting him.
Which has brought him standing behind you in the crowd of parents and families, a hand on your lower back to keep a tab on you as everyone filters in through the doors. He keeps his eyes scanning out of habit, searching for a danger that surely isn’t there, while you chat away with Chucho walking directly next to you.
His attention is elsewhere, anxiety creeping into his bones at the masses gathering here, impossible to keep tabs on everyone. The three most important people to him are in this building, and he has no means to protect them if something happened—
No. Enough. This isn’t Colombia. There are no sicarios here.
It’s supposed to be an enjoyable day.
The thoughts circle in his mind as a mantra while the three of you find seats, Javier tailing with you in the middle of him and his father. You sit at the end of one row, holding the same order when you finally take your seats.
Smoothing your skirt, Javier watches as you turn to Chucho, giving him an update about something that was recently repaired in the house.
“Wait, you had to get a new water heater? Why didn’t you tell me you needed one?” he interjects with an edge, brow furrowing as he grills you.
“Jav, it was fine, Pops helped me call around for quotes and we found a good deal. It was solved in like two days. It didn’t seem like it was something I needed to make a long-distance phone call for,” you sigh defeatedly, leaning back and looking down at your nails, fidgeting with your fingers at his harshness.
Javier rolls his eyes, grumbling under his breath, “I should have known. Could’ve helped with it…Eres tan terca. Nunca pides ayuda, incluso si la necesitas. Terca. (You are so stubborn. You never ask for help, even if you need it. Stubborn.)”
Chucho stretches an arm behind your back, hitting his shoulders to sit up and addressing him with a stern tone.
“Mijo, no te pongas tan quisquilloso. Ella no quería preocuparte todo el camino allí abajo. Disculpas. (Son, don't be so oversensitive. She didn't want to worry you all the way down there. Apologize.)”
His jaw ticks to the side, sitting up straight, and shaking his head. With a sigh, he turns to you, leaning closer to speak without his father overhearing.
“I’m sorry, amor. I didn’t mean to be rude; I get frustrated not being around to help you with stuff like that. Shouldn’t have taken it out on you like that. ‘M glad Pop was there to help if I couldn’t.”
Your hand rests on his thigh, patting lovingly as you respond at the same level as him, “Next time, I’ll call you first, Jav. And then you can be the one to call Chucho for actual help.”
A smirk grows at your jest, and he falls back into his seat with a scoff.
“God, you are ruthless. Always with the jokes, esposa. Don’t know if I should be sticking around if it’ll be like this,” he chuckles, stretching an arm behind you and resting it on the back of your chair.
“Yeah, yeah. We both know you’re gonna be around a lot more now.” His head snaps to the side to see you looking ahead with the faintest of smiles, biting back a much wider one as you lean back into his arm.
After a processional to Pomp and Circumstance, all three of you waving madly to Liliana when she spotted you in the crowd, the ceremony proceeds with little fanfare. Speeches are made, congratulations extended to all of the students from various faculty members and the special guest speaker. When it finally came time for conferring of degrees, Javier awaits the long line of A though O names. The three of you stand, watching the handful of students ahead of Lili cross the stage.
The dean of her college stands at the microphone, saying with a rehearsed smile, “Liliana Raquel Peña, Summa Cum Laude.”
At the announcement of her name and honors, the three of you erupt in cheers for the young woman crossing the stage. Javier whistles with his fingers, holding out the sound as long as he can before clapping his hands together wildly. Once Lili is descending the stairs and back to her seat, you all wave to her again as she beams up at you and shows off her diploma folder.
The moment he’s seated again, he turns his head to the side, seeing your faint tears streaking your face. On instinct, he reaches for your hand before he can second guess it and laces your fingers together with a gentle squeeze. A pitiful laugh slips out from you when you look back at him, a blubbering smile parting your lips.
Javier leans closer to you, centimeters from your ear to confide, “I think you did an amazing job raising our girl, amor. Thank you.”
In the back room of a local restaurant, the Peña extended family mills about, filling the room with sound from the music over the speakers and everyone chatting and catching up with each other — especially congratulating the guest of honor.
Aunts and uncles and cousins that were available have all flocked together to celebrate Liliana, and despite the overwhelming urge to Irish exit this party because of the constant comments and questions about Colombia, Javier is staying until you’re ready to leave. Which undoubtedly will be until the end of your reservation.
He sits at one of the tables pushed to the side of the room, sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms and crossing his limbs over his chest as he reclines in the wooden chair. Buttons of his shirt have been undone post-photos with the grad, the air conditioning cooling his sun-baked skin. His fingers can still feel the phantom of your linen dress, his hand affixed to your lower back in all of the photos taken.
Easily, with a quick scan of the room, he finds you talking to his mamá’s sister, Tia Rose. You’re smiling brightly, the crinkles at your eyes showing off your joy as his aunt surely is congratulating you or complimenting you on how you raised your daughter.
He really meant what he said at the ceremony. There is no way he could have done what you managed if you were the one to have left for work. You were a fucking hero to him, not himself. He’s been hearing it over and over every time he returns home — “You’re a hero, Javier.”
It’s complete bullshit.
His results were rigged, the system played him as much as he supposedly played it.
When he thinks about being a hero, he doesn’t think about anything close to what he’s done. He thinks about sacrifice, compassion, strength — you have it all. You’ve saved him from himself time and time again, and you’ve done it all while being a working mom and dealing with your partner, your co-parent, being thousands of miles away for years.
“Ay, mijo, estás tu cabeza en las nubes otra vez? (Son, is your head in the clouds again?)” Javier looks up to his right at the sound of his father’s voice, standing to offer him help into the chair next to him but waved off with a grumble from Chucho.
“Is it that easy to tell, Pop?” he asks, a half-hearted smile on his face as he retakes his seat.
“Eh, to me, yes. Probably to your girls, too, but I think anyone else would think you’re doing your sulky, pendejo act.”
“Pendejo act? Don’t think it’s an act at this point, Pop. Been feeling like one more and more.”
“Sí, y por qué es eso? (Yeah, and why is that?)”
“Estoy ausente (I’m absent.)”
“Dios, Javier…” his father sighs and shakes his head, turning his head to look at his son, “You are not absent. Quit telling yourself that, or you really are going to be. You’re home now, so be home.”
“It is a blessing to have Liliana at home for this summer, spend as much time as you can with her…And you know how I feel about mi nuera (my daughter-in-law).”
Javier sighs, leaning forward to rest his forearms on his knees and find you in the crowd again. As if you can sense his eyes on you, you turn toward him and give him a tender smile that quells his near constant nervous energy.
God, it’s unfair how beautiful you are.
And how kind, and forgiving, too.
This conversation is making him want a cigarette. Really bad.
Instead, he pulls the plastic packet out of his pocket, popping out another chiclet of gum and tossing it in his mouth.
He prepares for a lecture from his father; Chucho seems to know a lot more about you these days than Javier. Every week since he left for Colombia, you’ve gone over to Chucho’s house for dinner at least once. With Liliana away at school, you still went. It filled Javier’s heart with a syrupy, oozing warmth whenever he thought about the relationship you have with his father. How you 're always going to be family, a daughter to him, after your parents cut you off those twenty-something years ago.
“She’s still coming over every week, y’know. Didn’t seem to be doing too great until about two weeks ago. Came over after she received a phone call. Was all excited and basically bouncing off the walls. I asked her why, and she said she got some exciting news. You know what it was?”
“Qué?”
“You coming home. I think you called to confirm your flights with her, and she was just so excited, mijo. Cooked your favorite for dinner that night—“
“Pollo asado?”
“Sí, con mole.”
“Mierda, estoy celoso. (Shit, I’m jealous.)”
Chucho laughs from his belly, shaking a bit in the seat as he reaches up and adjusts his cowboy hat.
“It was delicious, as always,” Javier hums in acknowledgement before his father continues, “But I’m not telling you all of that just to tell you what I had for dinner. I’m telling you cause I need you to get your head out of your ass and talk to her. Anyone with eyes can see how in love with her you still are. I wanted you to know that there’s something there for her, too. Hazla mi nuera de verdad. (Make her my daughter-in-law for real.)”
“I’ll talk to her, Pop. Don’t need a wingman, so please don’t say anything to her. Please.”
Chucho stands and shrugs, nonchalantly closing with, “If you don’t do it soon, I’m taking matters into my own hands and telling her myself how lovesick you are. I will not make any promise I cannot keep, so you better keep that one if you don’t want me involved, mijo.”
Javier stays put as his father filters into the party-goers, shaking his head as he smiles to himself.
Maybe he does still have a chance.
The end of the night was fairly uneventful, everyone saying their goodbyes and final congratulations to Liliana. You insisted on helping to set the room up as you had all found it, correcting the tables and chairs back to their usual positions. When you were about to start taking dishes back to the kitchen, Lili rolled her eyes and walked out to the front of the restaurant while Javi grabbed you by your hips from behind and physically directed you out of the room.
“Jav, I feel bad, we made a mess! Let me help!”
“Esposa, you are wonderful and so sweet, I’m sure they appreciate your help. But this is a restaurant, cariño, and you don’t get paid to work here so I don’t think they’re gonna want to be liable for you,” he slides his hands up and down a few inches of your sides, dragging the fabric of your dress up and letting it fall back when he takes his hands off of your sides, placing one on your back.
Javier helps you into the cab of his truck, you taking the middle of the bench and Lili following into the passenger side to be able to get out easier. He drives over to Lili’s house, dropping her off with both of you giving massive hugs and final congrats for the day.
It was a quiet car ride to the hotel, but you ended up back in the middle seat closest to Javier, leaning your head on his shoulder.
Walking into the building, he bit the inside of his cheek as he brushed your hand with his, no recoil from his touch giving him the confidence to take your hand completely in his. Fingers intertwined as you both got in the elevator, tender, unspoken words in your eyes.
Now, Javier sits at the edge of the bed, a short plastic cup in his hand filled with half a mini bottle of champagne. There’s a matching cup in your hand, standing in front of him as he looks up at you with worshiping eyes.
“Cheers, Jav. Good on us for getting our kid through college,” you say with a smile, the sound of plastic crinkling in your hands following your little toast. Each of you takes a sip of the drink, Javier leaning around you to set his down on the desk. His hands move to hover at your waist, your permission granted with a small step to stand between his opened legs.
Javier’s calloused palms catch on your dress again, inching the fabric up as his tongue pokes out to wet his lips. He looks up at you while you return the stare down at him, your free hand finding the curls at the nape of his neck.
“Thank you, amor. For taking on so much more responsibility and shouldering the weight of raising Lili Pad in her teens, and getting her into a great school, and supporting her throughout these last four years when I couldn’t—
“Jav, it was both of us.”
“No, please let me give you the credit you deserve, esposa. You did it all without ever being angry with me, and you always supported me, too. And every time I’ve come back for a visit, you make it seem like I never left with how welcome you make me feel.”
“You’re always a part of our family, Jav. Always.”
He nods, feeling his chest tighten at your words, gripping you tighter as if you’re going to slip away, as if he’ll wake up and this whole trip will have been a dream, as if he will be stuck in Colombia, or forced to go back to the DEA and work in Mexico.
“Thank you, really, thank you for always making me feel a part of it all from so far away. All the photos, all the letters, the birthday cards, and care packages…You are a great mother, and an even better woman. So much better as a person than I ever could be, and I am so lucky that you chose me to have a kid with. Lili is incredible because she’s part of you. Thank you, amor, you have given me a life I don’t think I deserve.”
His head drops, tugging you closer to rest his forehead against your stomach. Silence blankets the room, your fingers running through his hair soothingly. After a moment, you take his chin between your index and thumb, turning his head up to look at you again.
Javier wants so badly to be able to read your mind right in that second, the look in your eyes puzzling him. As he opens his mouth to say something, anything, to fill the air, you’re folding forward and catching his lips in a kiss. It’s light, too faint for his needs, and you’re pulling away much too quickly. His spine elongates, chasing your mouth before you can get too far and locking you in a breathless exchange.
His hands paw at your sides, a desperate attempt being made to pull you as close as possible while also running his hands along your curves. In the surprise of it all, getting lost in his lips, you drop the cup in your hand. Champagne splashes onto your feet, ignored as Javier lifts your mid-length dress to your hips, climbing back on the bed and pulling you over him without breaking your kiss.
Your knees cage his thighs in, settling on his lap as he slots his lips around your bottom one, tracing along it with his tongue. Parting with a gasp, your mouth opens to let him in, melding your tongues together. A whimper escapes from you when he tugs you further onto his lap, feeling his bulge in his slacks press against your core.
Javier pulls away from your lips, dragging his nose along your cheek and leaving a trail of wet, open mouth kisses along your jaw. At the spot on your neck close to your ear, he sucks a mark, smirking against your skin when your back arches and squeezes your chest against his.
“Fuck, Jav…” you sigh, fingers tangling into his hair.
He hums against your skin, pulling away and kissing under your chin.
“You’re so beautiful, amor. I missed you so fucking much. Thought about you all the time.”
“Yeah? What did you think about?” Your voice is shaky when Javi drops his hands to your hips, starting to drag them back and forth against his cock straining against his zipper.
“Mm, thought about how good you smell all the time, how sweet you taste…how much I miss having you in my bed every night. Being able to have you when I need you,” a groan slips from his mouth at your moan, moving your hips faster the more he talks, “I thought about how fucking stupid I was to leave someone like you behind. Mi vida, la luz de mi vida (My life, the light of my life)…felt like I left half of my soul when I went away.”
From above, you lean down to catch him in a passionate kiss, breathy exhales and muffled moans exchanged while your fingers work as the buttons on his shirt. Javier leans forward, shrugging off the materials before his arms are around you again, snaking around your back to grip your ass.
“Jav, I missed you so much. Never felt the same, there was always something missing…I always needed you. I always need you.”
“Mi amor, lo siento (My love, I’m sorry). I’m here now. Never leaving again.” His hands roam to your sides, finding the zipper of your dress on his left and pulling it down. He bunches the skirt of it in his hands and slowly takes it off over your head; he’s faced with you sitting in his lap, no bra and only panties on.
As if magnetic, his hands fly right back to your sides, skimming up until his thumbs lay under your breasts, fingers splayed along your rib cage.
“You’re so beautiful, mi amor, so fucking beautiful. Can I make you feel good, baby?”
“Please, Jav, need you so bad.”
“Oh, baby, mi esposa, I’ve got you. Get on your back, cariño.”
Javier watches as you move off of him and fall back onto the bed, the plush duvet sinking underneath you and pillowing out at your sides.
An angel in the clouds.
No more time is wasted as he tugs you to the edge of the bed, kneeling on the floor and booting your legs over his shoulder to open you up.
“Wait, Jav, here.” You twist to the side and stretch to reach for one of the pillows, giving it to him with a thoughtful smile.
“For your knees, viejo. Not a twenty year old athlete anymore, hon.”
Javier rolls his eyes and moves to kneel on the pillow, already feeling better in his joints from the cushion. He wraps his arms around your thighs and nips close to your panties, rolling out a groan.
“Sometimes, I hate when you’re right.”
“That’s ‘cause you always have to be right, Peña. It’s always been th—“ you trail off into a moan when his fingers prod through your wetness, one hand hooking your underwear to the side.
“I don’t always have to be right, esposa. You know you’re the boss out of the two of us,” he winks before he tugs your panties off of your legs, settling back between your legs.
You nod, sitting up and leaning your weight on one arm to look down at him.
“Mhm, glad y’know your place still, Jav,” you tease as your other hand pushes his hair away from his forehead, a smirk mirrored onto his face, “Make me come, mi esposo.”
You can see his eyes darken, breaths shallowing. Feather light kisses scatter across your inner thighs until he reaches your core, pursing his lips and blowing cool air against your wetness.
“Fuck, cariño, guess you did really miss me. So fucking wet. All for me?”
“Javi,” you whine, scooting your hips closer to him, “Please, need you.”
“I know, baby, I know. I can see how much you need me.” He licks one long stripe from your tightest hole to your clit, groaning at the taste of you. “You want me to play with your sweet pussy, mi amor? Make you feel so good?”
“Please, please, Jav.”
He soothes you with circles on your lower stomach, nodding as he lays his head on your thigh, “Don’t worry, baby, I’ve got you.”
Before you can beg out a response, his lips are attached to your clit, sucking hard before laying his tongue flat against it, moving slow circles around.
His muscle memory guides him to fall into the pattern that he memorized to get you off with his mouth and fingers, pushing one of his thick fingers inside of your cunt knuckle deep and stroking against that same spot he knows drives you wild.
Your back arches off the bed, pressing your clit into his tongue harder. He slurps up your wetness, sighing at your familiar taste that he missed so much. Another finger is added, the rhythm of their thrusts building up faster and faster. Right at the edge, your fingers tangled in his hair tugging hard, he switches positions, tongue plunging inside of you and fingers rubbing quick circles into your clit. Before you can even register, you're coming around his mouth, flooding his tongue and his lips.
“Javi, oh my god, fuck me…”
He leads you through the orgasm, pulling away with a boyish smirk.
“That’s kind of the plan, hermosa. Gonna fuck you.”
You roll your eyes, beckoning him to stand up. Sitting up fully, you strip him of his slacks and boxers, briefly taking him in your mouth before he’s pulling you off of him and pushing you further up the bed. Climbing over you, a heady kiss is shared as he settles between your legs. In the moment, you easily get him onto his back, moving to straddle him as he looks up at you breathless. Large hands hold tightly to your thighs, jaw dropping as you grab his hard cock and easily slip him inside of you, sinking down until he’s full hilt.
“Fucking Christ, amor. Take my cock so well, show me what you can do.”
Your hips find a slow, aching rhythm that makes you both breathless. As you continue to grind yourself around him, you lean forward and press yourself against his torso, skin sticking to skin.
“Jav—Javier, you are such a good man. I never doubted how much you loved me. How much you do love me,” you breathe out, hips faltering for a moment before you recover.
“You were always there for us, and I’m so proud of you for going after what you wanted. Making the world a better place…” you move your hips slowly as you ride him, leaning down to press your foreheads together, stuttering but managing to get the words out for him, “You are a great man and an even better father. I couldn’t have chosen a better partner. I love you.”
Javier whimpers and stutters out a moan when you move your hips faster, your hand on his chin keeping his forehead against you. He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment before opening them, facing you and him whispering back, “Te amo, te amo, te amo. I love you so much, mi esposa. Mi amor. Te amo siempre.”
The sound that leaves you at that moment, hearing his proclamations of love, flips a switch inside of him. The primal need to make you his again, completely. His arm around your hips grips you tighter, feet planted on the mattress behind you. He uses the leverage to meet your rhythm with his own thrusts, sweet sounds slipping from your lips egging him on.
Your nails dig into his shoulders and he looks up at you in awe as you arch your back, head falling to the side as your face scrunches up in pleasure.
“Oh, fuck yes, yeah. Right there, ohmygod, papí…”
“Fuck, that’s right, baby,” he says in a drawn out exhale, hammering his hips up into you, “Say it again, mi amor. Say it again.”
“Papí—Feels so good, papí.”
“Yeah? Haven’t heard that one in a while, baby. Love it coming from you, say it again. Please, baby. Por favor.”
“Papí, papí, papí…Harder, please, want it harder.”
“Anything for you, mi amor. I’ll give you anything you want. Fuck this pussy however you want it, whenever you want me.”
One of your hands drops from his shoulder to the mattress, bracing yourself from his unrelenting pace. You’re a whining mess, opening your eyes and looking down at him under you, sweaty and glistening with his wild hair and mustache shiny from your come. Javier rumbles a loud moan of your name, on the verge of a growl when he feels you clench around his cock.
“Come for me, mi esposa. Let me feel you…” he pulls you flush against him as he fucks up into you, lips brushing your ear as he whispers, “Te amo, mi esposa, te amo. I love you. Love you so much.”
“Pa—Papí, fuck! Oh my god, Javi!” Your head rolls back as you come around him, bounces faltering as you slip against his chest like jelly.
“Fuck, baby, gonna fill you up. You want me inside you all night, mi amor? Want me to make you full of me again?” His lips brush against your ear, whimper and nod in response.
“Yes, yes please, papí. Want you inside.”
“Fuck yes, mi amor. One more time for me, say it one more time.”
“Come inside me…please come for me, papí.”
A moan stutters in his throat as he buries himself fully in you, twitching with each rope he spends. Grip tightening around you, he stays inside of you as he kisses you deeply, pulling away to brush your hair away from your face.
“You have no idea how long I have been wanting to do that again, mi esposa. Te amo, hermosa. I love you.”
“I love you too, Jav. Missed you,” your head lays on his chest, sigh warming his sweaty skin, “Will you be around when we’re home or—“
“Mi amor, you’re gonna have a hard time keeping me away from you and Lili now. I wanna spend every moment I can with you both. My girls.”
It’s a Sunday evening at the Peña ranch, a few weeks after Lili’s graduation. You and her have come over to Chucho’s house for dinner, Javier already there from working the day with his father. He’s mostly over at yours in the evenings, coming over to spend time with Lili, and you, staying for dinner, having movie nights, grilling out. He’s been basking in the slow life, the life of a father that he’s been so desperately craving. It’s been an itch like he has for a cigarette, finally taking an inhale and his nerves melting away as he adjusted to a balance with you two.
Tonight, however, Chucho insisted that you and he keep your weekly get-togethers, despite Javi being home for good now, and the four of you have had dinner around the cozy dining table off of the kitchen. Javier is gathering the dinner plates, Liliana standing to help him clean up.
“Anyone want any dessert? What d’ya have here, Pop?” he looks between his father and you, awaiting an answer.
Before Chucho can say anything, you sit up with a quiet gasp, “Oh, do you have any mangoes, Chuch? I really would love some mango with Tajín. Or some strawberries with honey. Or both.”
You grin up at Javier and he laughs, nodding his head.
“I’ll see what I can do, amor.”
“Y’know, mija, my Lucia always had mangoes around the house when she was pregnant with Javi. She would slice them up and put so much Chamoy and Tajín, you could barely see that it was a mango underneath it all.”
“That honestly sounds perfect right now, I bet Lucia made some kickass mangonadas, too,” you laugh softly, looking up behind you as Javi squeezes your shoulder lovingly.
“Oh, she definitely did. Whole family begged her to make them every time we all got together,” Chucho belly laughs fondly at the memories, nodding to himself, “We thought for the longest time that we were going to have a girl. All Lucia craved were sweets or fruits, and there’s some old wives tale, una fábula, that if your cravings are sweet, it is a girl, and if they’re savory, it’s a boy.”
“Huh, how funny. Guess thinking back, I did crave a lot of chocolate ice cream with Lili.”
“Oh god, I remember being kicked in the middle of the night and having to go to the town over cause they had a 24-hour gas station just to get you some Ben & Jerry’s,” Javier laughs, kissing the top of your head as you shrug.
“And now look, you’ve got the sweetest daughter to ever exist. All thanks to me,” you grin, sending Javi a wink as he finishes gathering the dishes from the table.
He sees his father smiling to himself as Chucho leans back in his chair, Javier retreating to the kitchen to find something for dessert for you while Lili washes up and the two of you at the table strike up some conversation.
Later that week, you gave Javi a call and asked him to come over after he was done on the ranch. He agreed immediately, of course, and couldn’t fight the buzzing excitement he felt to see you again. It took him back to those days before Lili, before the two of you were ever really anything, you calling and asking him over to your dorm room or your apartment. He felt like a giddy teenager again.
He showered quickly and changed before heading over to yours, parking in the driveway of your small three bed house he had bought for you all. At the door, he knocked before using his key to get inside, calling out to you.
“Amor? Lili Pad? Anybody home?”
The pad of footsteps on the tile floors catch his attention, a smile stretching across his face as you come around the corner into the entryway. He kicks off his boots before meeting you in the middle, arms wrapping around you and holding you tightly to his chest. He sighs an exhale, relaxing around your warmth.
“Long day, Jav?”
“You have no idea, mi amor. Had to chase a fucking bull that got loose in the pastures when we were trying to corral all of ‘em. My ass is hurting from having to ride the horse so much.”
You laugh into his chest, pressing a kiss to his shirt before leaning back to look at his face, “Oh your poor butt. You wanna sit on the couch then?”
He hums in confirmation, kissing the top of your head before you lead him into the living room and let him flop down on the sofa.
“Where’s Lili Pad?”
“Oh, um, she’s out with friends tonight. Thought it could be just us…” You join him, sitting with a couple of feet between you two. He can see how tense you are, sitting up straight, fiddling with your fingers, placing a pillow in your lap. Extending an arm out, he holds his hand palm up for you to take.
“I’m more than okay with just us, cariño. What’s going on with you? You seem anxious. Everything at work okay? Everything okay with Lili?” He rubs his thumb across your knuckles after you take his hand, brows knitting with concern.
“Yeah, yeah. Everything is great with Lili. And work is, well, work. No complaints…” your eyes stay trained on your hands together, swallowing before you speak up again, “I actually think it would be easier to show you.”
He feels even more concerned and confused as you stand up, disappearing out of the room for a moment before coming back with a hand behind your back. You don’t sit again, opting to stand in front of him; you bring your hand forward, passing the object to him.
It takes him a minute to register what it is, the last time he saw one this up close being about twenty something years ago.
A pregnancy test.
A positive pregnancy test.
Positive.
“Think we could do as good a second time around?”
You’re pregnant.
He’s going to be a dad again?
He’s going to be a dad again, with you?
He’s going to be a dad again. He gets to have another child with you.
His heart is beating out of his chest, mouth dropped open with no words coming out.
A shake of his head knocks him out of the shock, setting the test to the side and looking up at you with welling eyes.
“I get to be a papá again? With you, mi amor?”
A beaming smile widens on your face, your hands finding the sides of his head as you nod down at him.
“Yeah, honey, you’re going to be a dad, again. Lili’s gonna have a little brother or sister. Much, much younger,” you say with a chuckle.
Javier laughs a little breathless, eyes flickering between your face and your stomach that is eye level with him.
“Oh my god, oh my god, mi amor—Te amo, te amo siempre,” His hand finds her tummy, roaming around in circles, attempting to feel the familiar bump or any side of his baby growing inside there. Soft kisses litter your torso as he pulls you closer, resting his forehead against your ribs.
“I love you too, Jav,” you push back his hair and he stares up at you in wonder, pulling you gently to sit in his lap, “Do you…I mean, I want you to come home. Maybe we can actually get married this time. Have the family life with Lili and the little baby. I know we used to just joke about our fake city hall marriage, but I’ve always wanted that with you, Jav.”
A soft, tender kiss is shared, the two of you holding onto each other. One of Javier’s hands rests on your stomach, his heart already completely overflowing with love for the person growing inside of you. It’s quiet for a moment, both of you sitting with each other in silence. With another kiss, Javi hugs you, your head resting on his shoulder as he whispers in your ear.
“Graciás, mi amor. Thank you — for never giving up on our family. On me. Thank you for giving me everything I could have ever dreamed of. I can’t wait to have another baby with you, they’re gonna be as perfect as you, and Lili. My girls. Te amo, mi esposa, te amo siempre.”
javi's photo board in colombia <3
tagging mutuals that might be interested??
@northernbluess @swiftispunk @johnwatsn @cannolighost @joelsversion @cupofjoel @darkroastjoel @atinylittlepain @beskarandblasters @wannab-urs @jksprincess10 @bearsbeetsbeskar @smokeinherperfume @thetriumphantpanda @atticrissfinch @perotovar @mrsquill @javiscigarette @yazsos @deathwife @pr0ximamidnight @undrthelights @lunapascal @ladamedusoif @haylzcyon
#javier#writing#javier peña x f!reader#javier peña x female reader#javier peña x reader#javier peña x you#javier peña fic#javier peña fanfiction#javier peña fanfic#javier peña smut#javier peña fluff#narcos fic#narcos fanfiction#javier pena x reader#javier pena x you#javier pena x female reader#javier pena x f!reader#javier pena smut#javier pena fanfiction#javier pena fic
717 notes
·
View notes
Text
What Do We Call This? - 06
prev || mini masterlist || next
Pairing: Trafalgar Law x fem!reader
Summary: On a quest to find what you've been looking for, you acquire the help of the Straw Hat pirates, who've agreed to let you temporarily join them. There are however many challenges that come along with your temporary recruitment - an alliance with a certain Trafalgar Law being one of them.
Word Count: 1.4K
Warnings: fluff, angst, kinda slow burn, swearing, the occasional OP spoiler (this chapter contains spoilers for the Zou arc)
A/N: Protective Law reporting for duty. I didn't want to delve too much into the Zou arc so this is just Law being protective at various points in the arc. Also, can I just say, Zou Law is my favourite Law cause gawd dammit he looked so hot in that black button down shirt, you know the one....anyway, I hope you like it!
—☆✿☆—
Despite initially finding your newly acquired bounty amusing, it had made Law hyper-aware of your every move. While bounties would usually imply that you were more than capable of holding your ground in battle, to Law it signified a potential recklessness - a reason for you to test the limits of your powers to a dangerous extent, which only meant you could cause more harm to yourself than you had in the past. And whether it was the sudden soft spot he harboured for you or the fact that you had mentioned Corazon twice, indicating your familiarity - that intrigued him, Law felt protective.
This protective instinct first manifested when you were approaching Zou, or rather it was the first time Law had come to realise this need to protect you. He had watched as you emerged from one of the cabins and sat alone on the deck, a frown etched on your face. Prior to the incident at Dressrosa, he would have disregarded your demeanour, but now felt that his dynamic with you had shifted, and it was only right to show concern.
"Everything okay?" he inquired as he took the seat beside you, and the faint smile that you gave him, told him all that he needed to know.
"Who were you healing?" His eyes searched you for any fresh wounds, though you had done well to conceal your bruises with a long sleeved top and a pair of loose cargo pants, not to mention the bandages that you were already covered with.
"Some of Bartolomeo's crew had a few minor injuries, nothing to worry about," you reassured him with another smile, touched by his concern.
"Don't overwork yourself," he advised as he made himself comfortable beside you. If you attempted to heal anyone again, at least this time he could intervene.
The next time Law felt his protective instincts surge was when it came to climbing to the top of the elephant on whose back rested the island Zou, where his crew had been waiting for him. The pink dragon that Kanjuro had conjured up made Law feel uneasy. Regardless of the fact that he found your gushing over the dragon endearing, he couldn't imagine a single scenario in which a terribly drawn dragon would reach all of you to the top. However, there weren't any other options, and Luffy's excitement, plus your words of encouragement to the little dragon had everyone piling on top of him, with Law quick to take the place behind you.
The climb was going smoothly until Law noticed your body sway as if on the verge of unconsciousness. His arm instinctively encircled your waist, providing support as you fell against him. "What's wrong?" The tension in his voice was clear, and as he watched you struggle to stay awake he grabbed at your wrist to check your pulse.
"Using her powers on Bartolomeo's crew members must be making her drowsy. She should be awake by the time we reach the summit," Robin answered on your behalf, and Law couldn't help but click his tongue in frustration as you slumped further into his embrace, his hold on you tightening. He couldn't blame anyone for not knowing the repercussions of your powers, but the frustration grew within him towards everyone who had made you use those damn powers.
As Robin had said, you awoke just as the summit came into view. Law felt a sense of relief wash over him as you stirred in his arms, and with a gentle squeeze to your side grabbed your attention.
On feeling Law's presence behind you, you sat up straight and mumbled an apology as you fumbled to break away from his grasp, but he wouldn't let go, instead leaning closer to you, "I told you not to overexert yourself," he chided, and you rolled your eyes in response, missing his irate tone.
"This was before, and it really was nothing. I'm all good now." Despite your assurance, Law remained unconvinced. Once again silently vowing to protect you from any harm, especially in your endeavours to heal others.
_______________________________________________
Law remained glued to your side as you ventured further into Zou and took to examining what remained of the Minks' residence. Earlier, he had let his guard down and you were nearly electrocuted by a Minks; luckily Zoro had stepped in before she could get a hold of you. Now he watched over you carefully, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings for any potential dangers.
"This looks like it was used to inflict torture." Law eyed you with concern when the words you spoke were accompanied with a tremor as you took in the remnants of the wooden cross that had been stuck to the ground, worry settling in the pit of your stomach. From a little further ahead Usopp yelled something about a huge drop of water, and from where you were crouched on the ground inspecting the wreckage you strained your neck to see what had cast a huge shadow onto the ground.
"We need to get to higher ground!" You heard Robin instruct through the sudden chaos. Before you could even comprehend what you were looking at, Law's hand closed around your arm, a tinge of annoyance in the sigh he let out as he transported everyone to the top of a building that hadn't been destroyed in the earlier conflict.
As you caught your breath, your heart racing from the sudden teleportation, you looked around, taking in the view from the elevated point. The destruction that spread out before you was a clear sign of the chaos that had engulfed the country, and once again a feeling of dread settled over you. You tried to peak your head over the edge of the building, curiosity getting the best of you as you attempted to catch a glimpse of the water from above flood the city. But Law's grip on your arm remained firm, holding you back from leaning any further. Fate seemed determined to test his resolve to protect you.
"Stay back, we don't know when these buildings could collapse," his voice was authoritative yet imbued with concern as he pulled you away from the edge, and you couldn't help but throw him a glare. At first his concern for your well-being had been endearing, but now it almost felt suffocating; his overprotectiveness acting as a sign that he didn't think you could handle yourself.
"I can take care of myself, you know," you muttered under your breath.
"I'd rather not take any chances," he didn't miss the irritation in your tone, countering it with his own stern response. Before you could retort, Usopp's voice cut through the almost rising tension, alerting all of you that he had spotted Luffy.
_______________________________________________
Even when Law had to momentarily separate from the group to reunite with his crew, he was reluctant to leave your side. He would claim that he would go look for them, but then wouldn't move an inch, instead his eyes fixating on you in a silent plea for you to say that you would join him. Though that was far from what you wanted. You were looking forward to reuniting with the other Straw Hats for a short banquet, and if anything craved to get away from Law's protectiveness.
Just when he had had enough of the indirect approach, and was on the verge of suggesting that you come along with him, you spoke up, seizing the opportunity to get away, "Law your crew's probably waiting for you, we'll catch up with you later." You locked arms with Nami and Robin and pulled them away before he could even get a word in.
Law, ever perceptive, knew you were trying to keep your distance, and it was starting to bug him how good you were at it. Upon returning with his crew, his interactions with you were short-lived; you would either swiftly engage in conversation with someone else, or make a quick exit the second he took his eyes off you. Your avoidance made it clear to Law that you would be more inclined to go with Luffy to Whole Cake Island, whether it was to retrieve Sanji, or evade him. Nevertheless, Law remained determined to keep you by his side. As discussions about the division of the group for the missions to Whole Cake Island and Wano arose, he was quick to suggest that you accompany him.
"Why?" you asked, your curiosity sparked by his unwavering insistence, and for a fleeting second you thought you saw a flicker of hesitation before he composed himself, "I need your assistance." His cryptic response didn't give you the explanation you were looking for, it was however, compelling, and you found yourself willingly agreeing to accompany him nonetheless.
_______________________________________________
A/N: Wanted to include the whole ninja scene but thought I would only ruin it XD. Next chapter is the one that I wrote well in advance (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ we've made it this far y'all ᕙ(͡°‿ ͡°)ᕗ.
taglist: @trafalgardaria @deathsmajestysworld
#law x reader#trafalgar law x reader#law fanfic#one piece x reader#law x you#trafalgar law fanfiction#trafalgar law x y/n
97 notes
·
View notes
Note
Hii kris can you give us a teeny tine spoiler for More thank you know finale 🤣? I just really can't wait for you to post the final chapter 😭😭
a TEENY TINY ONE?? i'm not sure i can 🤣🤣🤣🤣 but here's what i CAN say:
calli had the original vision for all of mtyk from the very beginning of everything (premise, ending, final scene), which was inspired from a single "what if...?" scenario from our list on our brainstorming google doc from like summer 2023; calli had always had One Very Specific Moment mind for the ending-ending of the whole mtyk series... however, in the end, we didn't actually end up using That Specific Moment in the story (kris ended up changing it to SLIGHTLY MORE ANGST because we both like to suffer)
on that note, kris ended up adding like 15k words after That (Revised) Specific Moment oops sorry not sorry
pretty sure we've mentioned this before, but before any of the Heroes' Journey arc was imagined for the project (i.e., the bulk of act iii), calli had literally just written in the google doc: 'kris add jelsa adventure stuff here!' under "act III" header, and then a series of our whatsapp audio messages and brainstorming chats spawned all of parts i-vii oops 😂
kris LITERALLY wrote most of the entire mtyk story (parts i-vi) in the span of literally like two and a half weeks near the end of summer, and then together we relentlessly fine-tuned/proofread/edited/beta'd each part, week by week as we posted each to ao3; the whole time, we left the final part (part vii) unwritten until part vi was being written, to make sure we had the full scope of jack and elsa's journeys before writing any of the final scenes
once part vi was posted on ao3, kris started writing and fine-tuning vii in earnest; calli literally beta'd the whole "finished" final chapter and then kris had a stroke of inspiration like two or three weeks later and wrote 12-15k more words and calli had to beta the whole thing all over again 🤣
part vii is WRITTEN, and is BETA'd, and is FINISHED, and exists on ao3 as a DRAFT, complete with full author notes and end notes! as soon as the final part of the youtube series is finished, the final chapter shall be posted simultaneously and we shall click that little "Post" button 💕 all that's left is the youtube video! but kris and calli are in final year of PhD program/the first year of med school, respectively, and we are LOCKED INto career responsibilities this month, so we are hopeful for an ✨(early??? mid????) December final-chapter release✨
GO SHARE SOME LOVE WITH CALLI, who is literally, i repeat, TRAINING TO BECOME A DOCTOR AND IS VERY BUSY AND AMAZING 🤣
(A CHRISTMAS TREAT PERCHANCE???)
the final chapter is 19,111 words 👀
LOVE YOUUUU THANK YOU NONNY 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕
#therentyoupay ask#therentyoupay anon#therentyoupay callimara more than you know#therentyoupay more than you know#callimara#calli calli
42 notes
·
View notes
Text
After Hours
Leon Kennedy x Reader
Re2 Leon, this story takes place after the events of Raccoon City, but don’t worry there are no spoilers. This story is also inspired by the song After Hours by The Weekend, so I highly suggest you listen while you read.
Angst to fluff, mentions of death
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
“Y/N! Y/N WHERE ARE YOU?!?” Time and time again Leon would have the same occurring nightmare.
“NO NO NO, NOT AGAIN,” He ran up to your limp body praying to whatever god would listen that the outcome would be different. You and him aren’t going to die.
“Come on, come on stay with me sweet girl,” He ripped part of his shirt off with his teeth, he wrapped it around your gushing torso. Blood slowly seeped through as he whispered pleas in your hair. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks with each kiss he placed on the crown of your head. In his head he knew, it wasn’t going to change, he would stay here while you bleed out and soon die. He would die right next to you by his own hands. There was no way he was going to let you leave this cruel cruel world without him.
Shooting out of bed his breath is erratic as he palms the empty bed next to him. You’re gone.
“No Leon! I can’t help you if you just push me away. Time and Time again it’s the same shit. I want to be here for you, help you get through this but you are making is extremally difficult. I love you, but I cannot love you from afar like you want me to,” Watching you wipe your tears while packing your stuff makes his heart break. Leon swears he could hear the faint crack in his ringing ears. This can’t be happening, you can’t be leaving. All of his fears have come true.
“I just hope you know, when you are ready to love and be loved, I will still be here.” You walked up to him and gave him a longing kiss full of the love. Not like the kisses you shared late at night, or early morning kisses that were lazy and sloppy, no. This kiss was like it would be the last. You wiped one sliding tear off of his cheek before you walked away.
That happened two weeks ago, and ever since Leon hasn’t been able to sleep, and the same nightmare would play over and over when he was able to drift out of reality. Rolling over to check his clock the bright red number formed a 2:30. He couldn’t take it anymore, he was going call you, despite the late hour. He was going to call and get his high school sweetheart back, no matter the cost. You and Leon have been friends his since your freshmen year of high school.
He has never seen anyone as beautiful as you when you walked in the room. He could see the clear dread across you face of having to take history of rock and roll. For Leon though, it was his lucky day the only open seat was next to him.
Upon sitting down he could feel his ears turn red and his body turn giddy. He was quick to stick his hand out and introduce himself. “Hi, I’m Leon,” The look you gave him made his regret his choice. “...Y/N, nice to met you,” Caution laced throughout your voice as your soft small hands gripped his. He sat there shaking your hand for one too many heartbeats admiring your hand in his. This one interaction started his size kink. He knew he had to make you his, so all throughout the semester he would save you a seat, bring some snacks, and help you with your homework. By the time homecoming rolled around you guys were close enough to go as dates, and by the end of the year you guys were dating.
Leon picked up his phone and turned it on, only to be blinded by the bright light, he did not let that slow him down as he raced to open his contacts to find your name. My Love 💖. He took a few deep breaths steadying his beating heart, and calming his racing mind. He clicked on the call button and listened to the ringing that filled the dead of the night.
One ring
Two rings
Three ri-
“Leon?” your tired voiced floated to his ears and his heart jumped out of his chest.
“Y/N?”
“Are you okay? Why are you calling so late,” He can hear you shuffle around in your bed as you sit up and turn on your lamp. Leave it to you to worry about why he’s calling late at night.
“I need you Y/N. Where are you now that I need you the most,” He couldn’t believe the words coming out his mouth.
“Leo-” He cut you off before you could finish uttering his name.
“I'd give it all just to hold you close. I was runnin' away from facin' reality, I’m sorry for breaking you heart. Y/N this house is not a home without you. I’ll treat you better this time, I swear it, I won’t break your heart,”
Leon was rambling, he always rambles when he’s nervous or passionate about something. You have seen it first hand time and time again.
“Y/N You look great today! Is that a new dress? It suits you very well, did you know you’re super beautiful,” He was smitten currently rambling to you during your normal shared lunch of sitting in his car.
“Leon, you’re rambling what did you want to talk about,”
“Oh w-well, you need to know that over this school year I have grown to care for you deeply, and when you walked through the doors to our 4th hour I could only think ‘wow, she’s super pretty. And now, when I see you all I can think is “wow, I love her so much’. “ The ‘L’ word caught you off guard, normally men who Love bomb you scare you and make you back away quickly, but Leon? Something about hearing the words ‘I love you’ come from him makes your stomach twist in the right way, your ears turn red, and the butterflies calm throughout your stomach.
“I-”
“It’s okay if you don’t love me back, it’s only fair for you to know how I feel, although I can imagine how akwa-” Leon was quick to be cut off by a pair of soft lips colliding with his. This was definitely his first kiss if he didn’t count the one from second grade. For you? This was also your first kiss. This kiss was not great, meh at best. Teeth clashed and noises bumped, but for you two it was like you were on cloud nine. After a few seconds you pulled back and leaned your forehead on his. “I love you too.”
“Leon.” your stern voice cut him off from his ramblings.
“I’m sorry Y/N, it’s just I can’t stand being apart anymore. I have these awful dreams, and I can’t sleep without you beside me. I want to love and be loved. I want to take this one step at a time with you guiding me.... I think- I think I’m ready to be loved again,” All he could was the ringing in his ears and the silence on your end. He was about to call out to you before he heard a small sigh.
“I think, I think I’m ready to love you again.” A smile creeped up on his face upon hearing those words.
“Gods I love you so much,”
“I love you too Leon, now try to go to bed I’m tired. We can meet for breakfast tomorrow,” He could hear the shuffle of you laying back down and turning the lamp off.
“Of course, I’ll try. I’ll pick you up at 8.” Before you could protest against the early time he hung up.
Rolling on his back all Leon could do his smile at his ceiling and fantasize about the new beginnings of your shared lives together.
#leon kennedy imagine#leon kennedy x reader#leon kennedy x y/n#leon kennedy x you#leon x you#leon x y/n#re2 leon#leon kennedy#leon x reader#resident evil#resident evil x you#resident evil x reader#resident evil 2
572 notes
·
View notes
Text
Luka analysis/ramble below
Contains Round 7/Final spoilers
Ya know, Luka must be such an incredibly hollowed out man with enough trauma to incapacitate a different human. Like seriously, he's the perfect representation for anyone stuck under the obsessive spiral of perfectionism and repression.
He's in his early thirties, and his only attainable achievements are being covetable human flesh and doing so well at music that any potential friends or colleagues he could have will die in front of him if he takes the time to do the only thing he's allowed to focus on—sing. The girl he loves and could never talk with like a "normal kid" (but it didn't matter then because she accepted him as he was) has traumatic flashbacks just seeing him. The knowledge that her existence is so highly illegal that any achievements he has made will mean nothing if he is seen loving her... That's heavy. And that's partially on the assumption he's seen the news as it's hard to miss. (It's hard to tell with his expressions.) The moment he sees Hyuna in Round 7, the facade and mimicry is gone. All that's left is the hollow and lonely man.
How many times has he seen people he may have liked, disliked, been curious about, hated, shared memories with- how many have died or been beaten before his eyes? How many times has he supressed the screams inside of him because he's not allowed to. He's a puppet off of the stage, strictly controlled and having his fate already decided for him as long as he can probably remember.
"His eyes are lifeless." "He's so cruel." "He's just manipulative." Tell me you can't get a clue without telling me you can't get a clue. There are so many things wrong with this man, and you're going to obsess over the fact that a victim still stuck in abuse has done "inhumane" things on a planet and in a universe surrounded by creatures that teach that inhumanity is the most normal response to have to human emotions. Do you even know how the brain works when stuck in a situation where you're constantly just surviving? I'll tell you because I have firsthand knowledge. You do anything to stay alive. Anything. If brainwashed, you will hurt people you love if you think it will save them/keep them safe. And when it's all said and done, you then further crawl into the shell of yourself with hope that the emotional/mental bombs don't put enough shrapnel into your fragile, hiding self to ensure you really don't wake up this time. Because then hurting the other person would have been for nothing. Because then you'll have failed the one goal you have—survival. Trauma changes how a human brain is shaped and formed. (It's a scientific fact; go look it up if you think I'm pulling your leg.) I wonder if that, on top of the insinuated neurodivergence, is enough to make the already born outcast and alien-proclaimed prince (meaning: he's above the other humans AND nobody can touch him on his throne that only get higher each new death near him) be considered "surviving" instead of the "thriving" people seem to think of him as doing. I wonder how much he'll have to go through before he's "traumatized enough" or "injured enough" for the fandom to have a crumb of empathy (or even sympathy) for him.
Even if you have dulled feelings or no specific attachments to others—being the indirect cause of so many deaths, watching blood splatter the stage in a competition so fierce that the surviving participant(s?) develop medical problems overtime, knowing this is your very bread and water and shelter but the ones watching and clicking buttons to ensure your survival see this as an event for pure entertainment and no true depth, having to live with no attachments because either you'll never see the person again or you'll never see the person again—this fucks up a person. Isolation is the reason people take the fast way out of this world. Isolation is the reason why people go mad. Isolation makes you beg the very air surrounding your existence to end you. Yet simultaneously, you want to live so bad, and you just can't understand why humans are like this because all of you should want to be dead by now, even if the voices around you speak of how you're the greatest and most privileged.
The first time around must have been terrifying. How did Luka feel winning something like that, achieving all the praise and great treatment as his body and mouth metaphorically dripped with still-warm blood? Did he feel like he fought and died a million times over? Was he cursing or tiredly resigned because winning means he has to do it all over again if your master wishes and his master is greedy? Was he thinking of Hyuna-A? Was the win so hollow and full of traumatic moments that he tucked it down once more because even for someone detached and bullied by his peers the entire ordeal had been too much? Was he rationalizing it? Did he feel like a sick bastard for his hunger for control on stage? I wonder how much he disassociates off-screen. I wonder if he ever stopped his habit of putting his mouth on things for sensory stimulation or if he just hides it behind closed doors to be publically presentable. I wonder if he's ever acted out, gotten punished severely, and never acted out again. When did Hyun-A escape? How much did he know about it? The only love he's been taught is the faux love between owner and owned. He's obsessed with control because he has no control over his life and the stage is the only place he gets it. Is it really so shocking that he declared Hyun-A as "his" in the past and wishes she'd let herself be owned by him? This entire thing is so fucked up, and I still don't know enough about this man to be satisfied.
Luka has been stuck in this loop of being a product that exists for public consumption for at least ten years, so please excuse him if he's tired and working on instincts to live and desire for control turned to lifeless (yet pretending to be full of it) and brokenly presenting art of which he knows/thinks the muse of will never see.
#alien stage#luka alien stage#alien stage luka#luka alnst#alnst luka#character analysis#character ramble#alien stage round 7#alien stage final round#alien stage spoilers#mirr's rambles#alien stage analysis#alnst analysis
50 notes
·
View notes