#I had fun with effects for this one 😅
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myntesuniverse · 4 months ago
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I have never wanted to be someone’s someone. 
 Until I met you.
@morningstarwrites’s “Of Saints and Sinners” has a strangle hold on me now 😅! This fan fiction convinced me to draw this beautiful scene, and I’m excited for what’s to come!
Ps: this is my first time drawing a kiss, and references can only do so much for me 😅.
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tired-old-men · 1 month ago
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Happy Halloween! It's soon gonna be a Halloween season, do you have a Halloween mood Iris? And how guardians celebrate Halloween?
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Iris: 
I LIVE for Halloween!! It’s my favorite holiday! There’s no other holiday you get to dress up and enjoy the dark and spooky while eating some sweets! I’m a little too old to go trick-or-treating, but that doesn’t stop me from dressing up and having some fun. Decorating and baking Halloween treats- oooh I get excited just thinking about it! đŸ€©-wags their tail excitedly- 
Speaking of Halloween I wonder what I should dress up as this year

Thunderhawk:
Halloween? Oh man, it’s been ages since we’ve celebrated that! Sometimes we would decorate and even dress up just to have some family fun together. Although admittedly, those times were more prominent when we had little ones running around. Seems as we get older we celebrate it less and less, besides watching the occasional scary movie together and share some sort of sweet. 
Although
 Iris’s excitement is quite inspiring, and I do love me a good little party, we might just have to do something to celebrate!
Iris:
Oh my gods YEEESS!!! đŸ€© -Bounces up and down in their excitement-
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celibibratty · 2 years ago
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#It looks so gooddd!!✹#I just decided to do that out nowhere😁💩i was just listening to the song then i was reminding some scenes of that malucia...#So i thought if i try to do an edit with this doll + this song just for fun to see how it would look?#I showed to marina super excited marina said i should post it cuz i deserved some kudos for that😂so i will post✹#Idk about twitter for me twitter works more for short vids#The bratty vibe💕funny that i find that malucia kinda annoying in the movie (shes too evil😅i think she deserved a redemption arcđŸ˜€)#But oof i can't resist the brat/bratty vibe look at that expressions#I had some troubles with it😂the first seconds is a different edit that i didn't get to edit everything (cuz i saved fast in fear...#Of losting this beggining part cuz it was so well done but i forgot that i didn't edited the rest💩)so i had to put this finish part...#(That it was already with the song😑💧) and do the rest all over again and it was kinda tricky to put the song transition in a way that...#Looked natural (the transition of the song with the vid is difficult to make cuz any little change as speed; transition effects...#Makes the video end faster and i wanted some specific scenes with some specific parts of the song#Ha-ha b4rbie + dark rock song funny mashup#The song is miss murder by AFI (very known rock song but i will put cuz i hate not knowing the songs name#forget it what i said this version is the normal ver it supposed to be the guitar hero one but its okay this version combined more#Do i put a b4rbie tag?😒fine i will put come on my edit deserve to be seen#my edit#barbie and the secret door#Barbie and the secret door malucia#One day i will put this on a pen drive#đŸŽ”Hey miss murder can iđŸŽ¶#I made this today#Fui tapiado#This my edit made me like this malucia😂#I love that the sound is very loud i like it loud#It makes me happy this video i can't believe i'm the one that did it
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queen-scribbles · 2 years ago
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So fighting Hundred-Face last night went well. :)))))
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kuromi-hoemie · 2 years ago
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i love elden ring lol, it's not a jumpscare game necessarily but things will just jump out of nowhere and beat the shit out of u
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guilty-pleasures21 · 14 days ago
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i have this fun take that jason works his crime lord stuff at warehouse with his goons however none other bats could go in (he forbids it) except the bat theme vigilante! reader. Sometimes the reader just go there, whether visit him to help her with her cases or annoy jason bc ofc she can, well she is his best friend slash badass girlfriend. However sometimes his goons just wondering what are their relationship without prying too much on their boss’ life. I would hope you like this request (if youre in the mood to write it) and I hope that makes sense tho because english is not my first language
The warehouse
Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry I took so long, babe! I was racking my brain every night trying to come up with a coherent storyline 😅! This is fun though! I like to imagine Reader just making Jason look silly, but he allows it because he’s head over heels for her!
Warnings: implicit descriptions of sex (male x female).
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     She burst through the roof and landed on the balcony overlooking the interior of the old abandoned factory. Well, ‘abandoned’ was more like it: the space was filled with busy men who had frozen in their tracks to stare up at her in horror. X placed her hands on her hips and fixed them all with her most threatening frown. “I demand to speak to your boss!”
     “Right here, princess,” the Red Hood sighed from behind her. X turned around and her face lit up immediately when she saw him, burly arms folded across his chest, his rugged features probably arranged into an exasperated look beneath his helmet. She took a step closer to him and her brows crashed together again as she placed her hands on his bulky shoulders. 
     “You know I don’t like it when you wear your helmet, Hood,” she whined, purposefully making her voice all high-pitched. “Why don’t you wear your mask?” 
     Jason let out another weary sigh and wrapped an arm around her to start guiding her in the direction of his office. 
     “Keep going, everyone,” he assured his henchmen, “I’ll handle this.” 
     His goons exchanged confused glances with one another, but quickly returned to their operations as their boss led the hero away. Jason locked the door behind him once they were safely inside his office, then he focused his full attention on X. “What are you doing here?” 
     She leaped onto his sofa and lay back, stretching herself out so her suit clung tightly to her every curve. Jason’s eyes followed the lines of her body, admiring her lush figure, and his hands began to ache with the need to run all over her soft skin. X grinned, completely aware of the effect she was having on the tough vigilante. 
     “I wanted to see your handsome face, Hood!” she replied, still using that ridiculously innocent tone on him. “But since you’re wearing your helmet 
” 
     She pursed her lips, as if disappointed by her fruitless journey, but then she propped herself up on her elbow and lowered her eyes to his torso instead. “I guess I’ll just have to admire your delicious body instead.” 
     Jason swallowed down the saliva that gathered in his mouth at the way she licked her lips while her eyes trailed over him. Thank God he was wearing his helmet or she’d be able to see the way the tips of his ears and the back of his neck reddened otherwise. He cleared his throat and glanced away from her, calming himself down before removing his helmet. He was still wearing his mask underneath, concealing his identity from anyone who didn’t already know him, but it was enough of a glimpse of his face to keep his girlfriend happy. X grinned and rolled over onto her stomach, letting her hair fall over her shoulder. Jason pulled his gaze away from her again and cleared his throat. “You could have just waited at home, sweetheart.” 
     X pushed herself to her feet and walked over to Jason. She slid onto his lap and her fingers immediately made their way into his hair. She pulled on the strands gently, tugging his head back and forcing his lips to align with hers. Her mouth watered in anticipation of feeling the rough ridges of his wide lips brushing across hers, but she forced herself to look away and get up again. She knew she wouldn’t be able to resist kissing him if she’d glanced up and seen the way his pupils dilated whenever he was looking at her mouth. And, shit, he was such a good kisser that she always found it impossible to drag herself away from him once they got caught up in a heated makeout session. X hopped up onto the edge of Jason’s desk and pulled a thumb drive out of one of her pockets. 
     He raised an eyebrow as she held the small drive out to him, her lips twisted into a begrudging smirk. “What’s this?” 
     X crossed one leg over the other as he plugged the drive into his computer, lightly trailing the tip of her boot along the inside of his muscled thigh. “How trusting, Red Hood. How do you know I didn’t just hand you a virus I could use to hack into your computer and get all your contacts?” 
     Jason’s gaze flickered up to her and his eyes were immediately pulled to her chest, her luscious curves on full display. He pushed aside the desire rapidly pooling in his core and fixed her with a knowing look. 
     “Did you want all my contacts?” He grabbed her ankle and held her leg in place so he could sneak his thumbs beneath her tights and begin rubbing small circles along her bare skin. “You know all you’d have to do is ask, princess.”
     She closed her eyes as the low murmur of his voice danced along her bones. He was always so smooth and so put together that she relished every chance she got to have the upper hand over him. X bit down on her lip as Jason kept his grip on her foot, using the pain to distract herself from his featherlight touches, but finally, she opened her eyes to sneak a peek at him. His tongue darted out from between his lips as his hungry gaze travelled over her body and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed down the saliva rapidly gathering in his mouth. He looked up at her and smirked when he caught her gaze trained intensely on him. X gulped at the smug look on his face and quickly pulled her foot away from him. 
     “I-I 
” Her voice came out breathy and she mentally reprimanded herself for letting him get the upper hand. “It’s for my new case: this is all the evidence that was collected from the crime scene. I wanted you to check if I’d missed something.”
     Jason spun around to his computer and opened up the drive to start clicking through the images. His eyes widened with horror when he realised who the victim probably was - and who the likely suspect was as well: Carmine Falcone. No way would he let his precious little girlfriend get mixed up with such a notorious villain. He closed the file and turned to X with a scowl. “Who gave you this case?” 
     Her lips parted, confused by her boyfriend’s sudden change in demeanour. “I 
 just got stuck with it because everyone else thought it was too boring.”
     “Well, they were wrong.” Jason removed the drive from his computer and tossed it into one of his desk drawers. “You’re not taking this case, princess.”
     X furrowed her brows, caught between bewilderment and amusement: Jason could be a little overprotective of her sometimes. Not that she didn’t love having someone who was so perfectly capable of taking care of her and making her feel safe! She just found that he could be a tad dramatic sometimes 
 “I have a name, you know, sweetheart.”
     Jason narrowed his eyes at her overly saccharine tone. He stood up and placed his hands on either side of her. “You’re not taking this case, Nightingale.”
     X took in the threatening frown on his face, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pushed her lips out in a pout. 
     “No fair!” she complained. “Why do you always get to have all the fun, Hood?” Suddenly, her expression morphed into a devious grin and she tickled the base of his skull with her fingernails. 
     “We could solve this case together?” she suggested. “The two of us working in perfect synchrony 
” She stretched up, bringing her lips to his ear so she murmur softly into it, her voice low and thick with lust. 
     “And no one would even know how good the big, bad Red Hood f*cks the city’s sweet little Nightingale to sleep in his bed every night,” she finished naughtily. 
     “F*ck.” Jason’s eyes rolled back in his head as all the blood rushed immediately to his core. Because who in their right mind would ever picture the rough and hardened vigilante running his hands and teeth and tongue all over the naked body of their sweet little superhero? Corrupting her in his bed every night while she mewled desperately for his c*ck? He dug his fingers into the table, restraining himself from touching her. He took a step back, forcing her hands to fall away from his shoulders, and the distance allowed him to finally regain control of his thoughts. “I’ll handle this case, princess. I’ll talk to Batman about it.”
     She swung her legs back and forth, trying to decide between telling him off for ordering her around and just letting him do her work for her. But she didn’t want him to take on extra work on her account, though she supposed it would be sufficient punishment for the demeaning way he was treating her right then. She folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes at him.
     “I’m not a child, Hood,” she told him, the anger taking over. “But if you want to treat me as such, then don’t complain about the consequences that come with it.”
     She stalked towards the door, making to leave, but Jason jumped out of his seat and quickly caught her wrist.
     “Nightingale,” he sighed,, finally realising how his authoritative tone might have come across. X stopped, but refused to turn around and face him. “I’m just 
 The people involved in this case are too dangerous, sweetheart.”
     He lifted his hand to wrap his arms around her and pull her close to him, but then he hesitated. What if she pushed him aside in disgust, unwilling to forgive his mistakes any longer? He tugged her wrist to test the waters and X collapsed back into his chest, relieving all the tension from his body. He squeezed her against him, holding her tightly against his chest, and pressed a kiss to the side of her head.
     “I can’t-” His voice cracked, but he recovered quickly. “I’m not going to let you get hurt, Nightingale.”
     X sighed at the earnestness in his voice and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Okay.”
     Jason patted her back gently and bent over to press another kiss to the top of her head 
 But then someone banged on the door.
     “Boss?!” one of his goons’ panicked voice came from the other side of the door. “Are you all right?! Has she got you?! Blink twice if the answer is ‘yes’!”
     “You idiot!” another man’s rough voice interrupted. “How are we gonna know if he’s blinking?!”
     “Oh yeah 
” the first man replied. “We’re coming in, boss!”
     “No! Don’t-” Jason leaped away from his girlfriend just as his goons came barreling into the room. They zoomed straight in between the two of them and crashed into the wall at the end before landing in a crumpled heap on the ground. 
     “Shit,” Jason muttered, racing over to check on his henchmen. X followed after him, rapidly assessing the two men’s injuries: thankfully, they’d seemed to have just bruised their arms after breaking the door down and running straight into the wall - no sign of any head injuries or concussions. She straightened with a relieved smile. 
     “They should be fine,” she assured Jason. She turned around and sauntered to the door, swaying her hips teasingly. Then she stopped in the doorway and twisted around to look back at him, stretching her body in such a way to accentuate her curves. “Oh and my offer still stands, Mr Big Bad Red Hood.”
     She enunciated the words carefully and Jason’s body heated up as her eyes roved all over him beneath her mask. She grinned at the sudden tightness in his posture and swivelled back around to resume her exit. “You know where to find me if you want to take me up on it. I’ll be waiting, sweetheart.”
     Her tone was teasing - challenging - and Jason gulped as she turned back to shoot him one last wicked grin. He watched quietly as she grappled out of his warehouse, disappearing into the night, and his mind started running wild with ideas on all the positions he could possibly find her in once he returned home.
     “Um, what's she talking about, boss?” one of his men asked him, his voice slightly shaky. Jason turned to find both his goons blushing at his girlfriend's lascivious tone - except that they didn't even know that she was his girlfriend. They were just wondering why the cute and pretty hero was using what was very clearly her bedroom voice on their large and threatening boss. Jason gulped as her earlier words echoed in his mind, but he forced down his desire and drew himself to his full height.
     “Nothing. She 
 was just warning me about a case involving Falcone,” Jason told them. “Keep an eye on your families, boys: he doesn't seem to be in a good mood. And if he ever threatens any one of you, you come straight to me, got it?”
     The men nodded vigorously, heeding their boss’s warning: the Red Hood never steered them wrong, so they'd follow his words to the letter. “Got it, boss.”
     “Good. Let the others know.” Jason headed towards the door, but paused in the doorway, hesitating. “And go home: it's getting late. I'm calling it a day.”
     Then he left without another word.
     Spoiler landed on the rooftop next to Nightingale.
     “Hey, your location was switched off. Where’d you go?” Her tone was unconcerned, as  if she already knew exactly where Nightingale had been whilst she’d gone dark over their comms, but she waited expectantly for her response anyway. 
     X raised her eyebrows at her friend and teammate: she wasn’t buying Stephanie’s innocent tone. “Hood’s warehouse.”
     She grappled through the air, leaping from one building to the next as they began their trek back to the batcave.
     “Well, where is it?” Stephanie asked once they’d stopped for a brief break. Nightingale shot her a wry smile. 
     “You know he doesn’t want you guys knowing where it is.” She took off again and Spoiler quickly caught up, keeping pace with her.
     “Why?” she asked, genuinely confused. “It’s not like we’re gonna 
 blow it up or something!”
     X laughed as they landed in front of one of the many secret entrances to the batcave. She paused to let the scanner sweep over her, then strolled between the doors when they slid open. 
     “It’s not that, it’s just 
” She turned around and walked backwards as she thought about it. “He just needs his space sometimes.” 
     She swivelled back around and continued walking over to the Batcomputer. “Plus, he can’t have you guys making him look soft in front of his henchmen.”
     “Who are we making look soft in front of their henchmen?” Nightwing asked, striding into the main hall from another passageway. He removed his Escrima Sticks from the back of his suit and placed them back in their holder.
     “Jason,” Stephanie replied, removing her mask and sinking into the empty seat beside Tim. 
     “Does anyone else think it’s weird that Jason has henchmen?” Tim asked, not turning away from the Batcomputer. Dick ignored Tim’s question, snorting in amusement at X’s suggestion. 
     “The only person capable of making Jason look soft 
” He paused dramatically and turned around to face her before continuing, “is you.”
     X pulled an empty chair up to Steph and hopped onto it. She spun around as she considered Dick’s statement, letting her mind wander to her sweet and caring boyfriend. He was soft though, always surprising her with cute little dates and crafting the most thoughtful handmade gifts for her. And he’d pick her up after work every day so they could have dinner together and make sure to see each other at least once a day. Her features shifted into a dreamy expression and Stephanie grinned before snapping her fingers in front of her face.
     “X? You still with us, babe?”
     Dick laughed from his own seat as he lifted his legs onto the console. 
     “Her mind’s probably still with her boyfriend in that secret warehouse of his,” he pointed out, folding his arms across his chest and huffing in irritation at the thought of Jason’s warehouse that he refused to let any of them see. Well, any of them except for his little girlfriend that he was so obviously head over heels for.
     X shook her head, forcing herself back to reality, and flashed her friends a sheepish smile. “Sorry 
”
     But none of them minded - not when she was so head over heels for their brother herself. X’s phone buzzed suddenly and she opened up the notification to find a text from Jason. Her eyes widened at whatever she saw on her phone and she shot out of her seat, this time with a guilty smile. “Uh, I’m gonna head home now. Night, guys! See you tomorrow!”
     She raced off without a word and the others exchanged knowing glances with one another. Dick dropped his hands and legs and rolled over to Stephanie. “Did you do it?” 
     Stephanie responded with a devious grin. 
     “Yup.” She turned to Tim and leaned over his shoulder. “Is it working?”
     Tim pulled up a map of Gotham with a single blinking light on it moving rapidly through the city, straight towards Jason’s apartment. “Yup.” 
     Jason sucked in a breath as the white-hot pleasure buzzed through his brain. “F*ck.”
     He closed his eyes as they rolled back in his head at the sound of his girlfriend’s adorable little mewls beneath him, then he slumped over and started trying to catch his breath. He chuckled softly at the sight of X doing the same, then he bit his lip as he ran his hand down her bare, sweat-slicked back. God, she was hot. He slid his hands along her sides, tracing the outlines of her curves, then he lay down on top of her, twisting his fingers between hers. He pressed a kiss to the base of her ear, then buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the sweet scent of her arousal. 
     “Mmm, shit,” he groaned, curling his fingers around hers. X shook her head as her mind went numb at the feeling of her large boyfriend’s warm body pressing against her. Then he began trailing his lips down the side of her neck and she hummed in contentment as his satisfied groans sank into her skin and danced along her bones. “I love you, Jay.”
     “I love you too, sweetheart.” Jason lifted himself off of X, giving her the space to twist around and snuggle up against his chest instead. He brushed her hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek softly as he admired her glowing features. Shit, she was pretty. “But you’ve gotta stop breaking into my warehouse, babygirl.”
     X furrowed her brows, her lips instinctively twisting into a pout - she always felt like a spoiled little princess whenever he took that soft tone with her.
     “Why?” she whined, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his. Jason lowered his lips to her neck and slid his hand down to her ass. He moaned softly as he curled his fingers around her, squeezing her soft flesh like she was a little pillow, then he sighed and lifted his gaze back to hers.
“‘Cause you’re making me look bad, princess. My boys are gonna think that I can just fall for any pretty girl that walks into my warehouse.”
     X narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. “And how many ‘pretty girls’ are walking into your warehouse, Jay?”
     Jason shot her an amused look: she could get a little 
 ‘protective’ over him sometimes, glaring down any girl who even looked at him for a second longer than she deemed appropriate. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him or anything, she just 
 liked staking her claim over him. His stomach buzzed with excitement at having someone who thought him amazing enough to mark their territory on. 
     “Just one.” He slung his leg over hers, pulling her closer against him. “And she can be so frustratingly distracting.” His gaze fell to her lips and he brought his mouth closer to hers.
     “Makes it difficult to get any work done,” he mumbled before sliding his hand up the back of her neck and pulling her mouth to his.
     X glided her hands all over his body as they kissed, admiring how deliciously gorgeous her boyfriend was. She wriggled against him as he teased her tongue with his, kissing and stroking her until she was breathless and dizzy with lust. Jason pulled back and laughed at the unfocused look on his girlfriend’s face. 
     “Come on,” he told her, carefully helping her get off the bed. “You've got work tomorrow. Let's get you ready for bed.”
     “Ah! I'm so excited!” Spoiler squealed over the comms unit. “How should we enter? Should we jump in through a window? Or fly through the roof? Oh! Maybe we should just knock on the door?! They'll never be expecting that!” 
     Nightingale had gone dark a while back, but the tracker Stephanie had snuck into her suit had continued blinking steadily on the map Tim had gotten Dick to watch closely after his patrol had started. The three of them raced towards the docks now, eager to catch a glimpse of Jason's super secret, probably super cool warehouse that he'd kept hidden from them for so long. Finally, they landed on the rooftop of what appeared to be an empty warehouse, taking a moment to catch their breaths.
     “There's a skylight,” Dick pointed out, gesturing to the removable glass panel that sat a few feet away from them. 
     “Busting through the roof it is.” Stephanie grinned and followed Dick over to the skylight. He pried it open easily and soon, the three of them were standing in the middle of a darkened building, all of them on guard for any wary guards. And then, “Eugh! Sick! It smells like dead fish!” 
     “I thought it smelled like three dead rats,” a low male voice chuckled from the edge of the room. Stephanie furrowed her brows at the response.
     “Uh, no, that's definitely fish.” Then she realised who had spoken. She, Tim and Dick whirled around in horror, following the sound of the voice, and their panic increased tenfold when they saw the Red Hood walking towards them, a knowing smirk on his face. 
     “Hood!” Stephanie began, stumbling over her words as she tried to come up with a response. “W-We 
 We were just 
”
     “We got a distress call!” Tim improvised quickly.
     “And we just wanted to make sure whoever it was was okay!” Dick finished, joining into the lie. The three of them nodded eagerly, suspiciously wide smiles stretched across each of their faces. Jason rolled his eyes.
     “Did you think I didn't vet anyone who comes into my warehouse?” he asked, arms folded across his chest. “Especially someone who is almost always in close contact with the biggest snakes this side of the world?”
     “In my defence,” Nightingale supplied, dropping down from the ceiling and landing behind them, “I thought they were my friends! But I guess you can only be betrayed by those you trust.”
     She gave an exaggerated sniff and moved to stand beside Jason, curling her arms around his bicep and leaning against him.
     “Technically, we weren't betraying you,” Tim argued, his tone matter-of-fact. “We were betraying the Red Hood. Although it's not like we have any alliances with him anyway.”
     “What? You need me to sign a contract or something?” Jason scoffed, rolling his eyes at the suggestion. 
     “I trust you, Hood,” Nightingale told him, fluttering her eyelashes up at him sweetly. “I know you'd never betray me.” 
     Her gaze turned dangerous then, her smile sharpening into one laced with threats as she waited for conformation that he'd never betray her. Jason grinned and lowered his head to hers.  
     “Of course, princess,” he murmured, his voice low enough so the others wouldn't hear him. X giggled softly and Jason’s smile widened. Then he straightened and rearranged his features into a threatening expression. “If any of you ever try to pull a stunt like this again, you'll be cleaning fish guts out of your suits for a month.” 
     Tim, Steph and Dick cringed at the very thought, the bile rising to their throat as they took in another whiff of the fishy air. 
     “Ugh! Fine! You win!” Tim surrendered on behalf of all of them. “We won’t try to find your stupid warehouse again.” 
     Jason smirked in victory and waited until the three of them had left the area. “I told you it’d take them less than ten minutes after you went dark to come after you.” 
     X slid her arms around his neck as Jason’s arms came around her waist. “Fine. You win. I won’t disturb you at your warehouse anymore. Well, for the next month, at least.” 
     Jason rolled his eyes, but continued to smile. “You know they’re still going to try again, right?” 
     X shrugged, unbothered. “Then I guess we’ll just have to get the fish ready.”
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hayleythesugarbowl · 2 months ago
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hey girlyyyyy could you maybe write for Tim Bradford from the rookie and like the reader is his rookie and while they’re on patrol they run into someone who knows the reader’s abusive ex bf and he makes threats against reader and after their shift reader is super scared so he escorts them home and stays with them idk just an idea 😅
Nightlight || Tim Bradford x reader
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â‹†Â ËšïœĄâ‹†à­šà­§ËšÂ masterlist ‱ john nolan fic Â â‹†ËšïœĄâ‹†à­šà­§â‹†
summary: when you encounter a man while on patrol who has a threatening message from your ex, your TO, Tim, offers to spend the night with you
word count: 10.4k
warnings: abusive past relationship, reader kind of has a panic attack, mild language, blood, guns, inaccurate police stuff
a/n: ahhh i had so much fun writing this, love!! i took your idea and also added some stuff so i hope you like what i did. i also apologize for the length, i kinda went wild. i imagine this to take place in s1. fem!reader. enjoy!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❊~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     “7-Adam-19, armed shoplifter, Radcliffe Complex, 718 Oscar Road. Respond.”
     The dispatcher’s voice filled the silence of the car.
     “7-Adam-19 responding.” Officer  Bradford set down the radio and replaced his hand on the steering wheel.
     “What’s the most important thing to remember when dealing with an armed shoplifter, Boot?” Tim asked you after a moment. 
     “Why did I think that when I was in short-sleeves I would get a break from your Tim Tests?” you muttered.  
     You’d been Bradford’s rookie for seven months now and some days he still treated you like it was your first day on the force. You appreciated him trying to teach you so thoroughly, but did he have to be so Tim all the time?
     “Is that your answer, Boot?” 
     “No, um, I guess it would be that he’s armed. But no, that’s too obvious for you. Ok, what about what they’re stealing? Their physical state? Keeping their hands in sight at all times?”
     Tim sighed, looking bored. “Wrong. It’s—”
     “Suspect on the move, heading east on Apple Boulevard,” came the dispatcher’s update, interrupting your TO’s answer.
     “Looks like we’re headed east,” Tim said, turning sharply in the direction you’d just come from. 
     “Saved by the suspect,” you joked. 
     “Don’t think this is over,” Tim narrowed his eyes at the road. “Lessons don’t stop for crime.”
     “Ok, batman.”
     Tim glared at you.
     “I mean, Sir.”
     After you’d first been assigned to Officer Bradford, you’d been told stories of his ruthless training style. Your first thought was that you needed to impress him from day one.
     Well, technically your first thought was damn, because you’d have to be insane not to notice how objectively attractive he was. But you’d quickly quelled that thought—crushing on your TO was not how you wanted to start your career as an officer. 
     So, impressing him was your second thought. And you had been more than a little terrified of not impressing him. 
     You would be lying if you said that wasn’t how things still were between you two, to a degree—you trying to prove yourself and him making it as difficult as possible. 
     But, at least after several months, you felt like your TO trusted you more. 
     “There!” You pointed to a man running down the street, duffel bag in hand.
     Tim hit the gas, surpassing the suspect, and skidding to a stop in front of him, effectively cutting him off. 
     You both hurried out of the car, weapons drawn on the man who was currently aiming his gun back and forth, between you and Bradford. 
     “Police! Drop your weapon!” Tim shouted at the man. 
     The man hesitated, seeming to be weighing his options—how easily he could take out two cops. 
     “Set the weapon down, nice and easy,” Tim ordered, his own gun still pointed at the suspect.”
     The man, seeming to sense the inevitability of his capture, sighed and set his gun on the ground. 
     “The answer was dialogue, by the way,” Tim addressed you, his eyes still on the suspect. “Dialogue is the most important  thing when dealing with an armed suspect.”
     “Good to know,” you acknowledged, before ordering the man in front of you. “Hands behind your head, interlace your fingers.”
     The man’s gaze shot to you as he obeyed your commands. 
     “Hey, lady cop, you look familiar,” the criminal squinted at you. 
     “You must have me mistaken for someone else,” you said. You’d never seen this man in your life. 
     “I swear—”
     “Hands on the car!” You ordered 
     The man reluctantly did what he was told, placing his palms on the side of the shop. 
      “Wait a minute,” the man sized you up before smirking slowly. “Your Paul Cranston’s girl, ain’t ya?”
     You felt your blood instantly run cold at the name. 
     “You must have me mistaken for someone else,” you said again, robotically, grabbing one of his arms. 
     “No, no I’d recognize that pretty face anywhere,” the criminal whispered. “He told me all about you. Hey, why don’t you let me go and I’ll give you a friendly tip?”
     You responded by twisting his arm behind his back even harder.
     He winced. “So you didn’t hear then? Paul’s out.”
     No. That couldn’t be true. Paul wasn’t supposed to be out for—
     “Boot, you going to cuff him or not?” Tim called impatiently.
     “Right.” You shook off the stupor and began handcuffing the suspect. Your mind was still on that name, however, and your reflexes were slowed.
     Which is how the suspect was able to rip his arm from your grip and shove you to the ground as he tried to make a break for it. 
     Tim tackled him almost immediately, wrestling him into the cuffs that were dangling on one of his wrists where you had started to restrain him, and pushing him towards the shop.
     “Wait, Paul’s got a message for you!” the man hurried out, looking only at you as Tim waked over and shoved him into the backseat. “He said you best watch yourself, because he has connections, and he still hasn’t gotten his revenge. He’s out—and he’s coming for you.”
     “That’s enough, get in the car.” Tim slammed the door shut, and the echo of it rang in your ears as the man’s words played over and over again.
     He’s out, and he’s coming for you. 
     “What the hell was that?” 
     You looked up to Bradford’s questioning—and furious—face. He offered you a hand and you took it, standing up to face him. 
     “Sorry, I—”
     “‘Sorry’ doesn’t stop criminals from escaping,” Tim shouted. “Get your head in the game. You do want to be a cop, don’t you, Boot?”
     “Yes, sir.”
     So much for Tim trusting you. You couldn’t believe you’d almost just let a suspect get away. That had never happened to you before. But, that name—
     Your TO shook his head, walking to the drivers side and opening the door. “You know, I should write you up for that.”
     You noticed his wording. “But you’re not going to?”
     He waited for you to get into the passenger seat before saying, 
     “I didn’t say that. First you’re going to tell me what just happened between you two.”
     You flinched. “It—nothing. It was nothing.”
     “Uh-huh. It didn’t sound like nothing. Who’s Paul Cranston?” 
     You swallowed hard. “He’s just someone I used to know.”
      A million images flashed through your head. Paul’s face looming over you. The flashing lights and sirens. Waking up in the hospital. 
     You shook yourself out of it. You didn’t want to talk about this now. You swore you’d never talk about it again. “Shouldn’t—shouldn’t we get back to the station. Don’t we have to book this guy?”
     Tim sighed, started the car, and re-entered traffic. You breathed a sigh of relief. 
     “Control, this is 7-Adam-19. I need an ID on a Paul Cranston,” Tim spoke into his radio. 
     And so much for not talking about this now.
     “Can you do that without suspicion of a crime?” You asked him.
     “You can when dispatch loves you.” He winked at you. 
     You rolled your eyes at him as the radio began speaking. 
     “Paul Cranston: caucasian male, date of birth 8/4/92, recently released on parole, history of theft and domestic violence.” 
     Tim turned his gaze to you. “How do you know this man, Boot?”
     “It’s—a long story,” you told him. 
     “Well then you better start talking if you want to finish before we reach the station,” Tim commanded, making a left turn.
     “Can’t you just let it go?” You asked him. “It’s really not that big of a deal.”
      He’s out, and he’s coming for you. 
     You couldn’t fight the shiver that racked your body. 
      Tim’s eyes flicked to you, before returning back to the road. Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes, shifting the car into park before turning to you. 
     “If this is another one of your ‘I’m dying, where are we’ tests—”
     “Boot, focus,” Tim barked. 
     “With all due respect, sir, I don’t think it’s really any of your concern if—”
     “Of course it’s my concern!” Tim shouted. His expression was so intense, you squirmed under his gaze and you felt your face heat. 
     He looked torn for a moment, before sighing and saying, “It’s my job as your TO to train you to the best of my abilities, and I can’t do that if you’re withholding information that may affect your performance as an officer.”
     “Fine,” you breathed. “It was a long time ago. I was 18, Paul and I met freshman year of college. We started dating and things were fine, good even, for a while.”
     “Until?” Tim prompted.
     “Until he got pissed one night because I caught him coming home really late with a ski mask and a bag full of stolen cash. Cliche, right?”
     You looked to Tim, but his expression was as stony as ever and you continued.
     “Apparently, he’d been stealing since high school and turns out he’d lied to me about working in retail and a whole bunch of other stuff. I threatened to call the police if he didn’t stop and—”
     You took a deep breath, steeling yourself.
You watched the houses and trees and cars pass by as you drove towards the station. 
     “—and he hit me. It didn't stop after that—once he knew he could get away with it. He said if I ever told anyone—about the robberies, the beatings—that he’d kill me. And I let him go on like that for months. I was so scared that if I called anyone, he’d make good on his promise.”
     Tim’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his fingers turning white, but he didn’t speak.
     “But then, one night, it got so bad that I thought he might actually kill me anyway. So I waited until he left the room for a minute and I called 911. He was arrested and—and that’s all I remember before I blacked out. I woke up in the hospital the next morning.”
     You kept your voice even, trying not to let the emotion show through your story. You were just recounting facts. This was almost 10 years ago, and you’d moved on with your life. 
     But reliving it all was hard, even after so much time had passed. 
     “It’s actually why I joined the academy,” you finished. “I wanted to save people, the way the officers that night did for me.”
     You were both silent for a moment. 
     A muscle in Tim’s jaw ticked. “Does the department know?”
     “Yeah,” you sighed. “It’s all part of my file.”
     “And the guy back there?” 
     You shrugged, glancing back at the suspect and lowering your voice. “He must be one of Paul’s partners or goons or—I don’t know. I guess he’s been in contact with him since he was released, if he knows what I look like.”
     The thought made your skin crawl. 
     “I don’t know what came over me,” you kept going. “It’s been years, I just—I didn’t expect to hear about him out of the blue from a criminal on the street, you know? But, I promise it won’t happen again.”
     Tim ignored that. “Do you think it was an empty threat?”
     “I don’t know,” you admitted. “But I sure as hell hope so.”
     Bradford was silent for a long moment, his expression tense.
     The radio crackled to life. “7-Adam-19, we have a 215 in progress near your area, 239 West Armston Street. Respond.” 
     “Negative,” Bradford answered the dispatch call. 
     You stared at him, shocked. “Why aren’t we taking that? We can drop this guy off afterwards.”
     “Yeah, I agree,” the suspect chimed in from the backseat. “I think you should take that first.”
      Tim payed him no attention. “They’ll have someone else over there in minutes. We have more important things to do.”
     “You’re not even going to ask me if I know what a 215 is?” You joked. Tim never passed up an opportunity to quiz you. 
     “What’s a 215, Boot?” 
     “Carjacking.”
     “Correct.” Tim nodded. “And we’re going to have a talk with Sergeant Grey.”
₊˚ ✧ â€żïž”â€żà­šà­§â€żïž”â€ż ✧ ₊˚
    “Paul Cranston, released on parole from a thirteen year sentence three days ago, currently believed to be residing in the Woodland Hills area.”
     You sat in the briefing room, surrounded by other officers, as Sergeant Grey read out your ex-boyfriend’s file. You stared into Paul’s face on the screen, his mugshot visible from all angles. 
     Bradford stood near the front of the room, leaning against the wall. 
      “The department is aware of Officer (Y/l/n)’s history with Mr. Cranston,” Grey continued. “And will take necessary action should the situation progress.”
      “So, what’s the course of action here?” Tim crossed his arms. 
     “I’m afraid, as of now, there isn’t one,” Grey said. “Since there is no direct proof against Paul Cranston, we’d essentially be taking the word of a petty thief and wasting resources on what most likely was a desperate attempt to escape arrest. The department doesn’t exactly consider it a threat.”
    “Doesn’t consider it a threat?” Tim’s voice was low and dangerous. “How about a charge for threatening an officer?”
    “But Paul didn’t threaten an officer,” you sighed, thinking. “The armed robbery suspect did.”
     “Exactly, Officer (Y/l/n),” Grey agreed. “Basically, our hands are tied.”
     “Then untie them,” Bradford snapped, beginning to pace. “There’s gotta be some technicality we can get him on. Violation of parole, conspiring with a felon, failure to—”
     “That’s enough, Officer Bradford,” The sergeant fixed your TO with a firm look. “I appreciate your concern for (Y/l/n)’s safety, but we’ve done all we can do. And, for now, that’s nothing.”
      Tim’s concern for your safety. That thought had been in the back of your mind since the ride to the station. You couldn’t figure out why Tim was so determined about this. You supposed you were his rookie and was his job to look out for you. It was just, up until now, he hadn’t exactly done anything to make you believe he’d care so much.
     “Failure to take action could be endangering one of our officers,” Tim said, his jaw clenched. “Who’s to say this guy won’t make good on his threat? At least increase security at (Y/l/n)’s residence.”
     “Tim, its fine,” you said, your voice firm. “Let it go.” 
     They were making a big enough deal about this already. It probably was just a case of a criminal trying anything to get free. You doubted Paul even cared about what happened to you anymore. He probably never wanted to see you again—and that was a good thing. 
     But, then, you couldn’t get those words out of your head.
     He’s out and he’s coming for you.
     Bradford turned to you, his chest rising and falling. He looked so
resolved. Like he did when chasing down a suspect or that time when you’d walked in on him in the training rooms.
     Images of Tim shirtless, the muscles in his back tight as he pushed himself harder filled your head and you quickly shook them away. Definitely not the time. 
   “We’ll send a surveillance team to Paul’s location in the morning,” Grey said, turning to address you. “But for now the best thing you can do is to go home, get some sleep, and not let this rattle you. Understood?”
     “Yes, Sergeant.”
     “Good. Because the last thing the L.A.P.D needs is a cop who lets their personal life get in the way of their ability to do their job in any way that’s less than exemplary. I trust that’s not the case?” 
     You glanced to Bradford, certain he was going to mention your mistake with the suspect earlier. 
     “No, Sir,” Tim said instead. “My rookies don’t do ‘less than exemplary’. Don’t worry about (Y/l/n)—she’s proved to me she has what it takes to be an officer.”
     “Glad to hear it. Shift over. Everybody else, back to work,” Sergeant Grey waved everyone away. 
     You walked towards the front of the room, hearing grumbled complaints about midnight shift from the unlucky officers who still had to do patrol as you did so. 
     You stopped in front of your TO. His eyes were on you, his brow drawn in something that looked like concern.
     “Thanks,” you said. You couldn’t believe he’d told Grey all that—it was the most complimentary thing he’d said about you in your whole time riding with him. 
     “I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true,” Tim stated, shrugging. “I expect you to live up to any praise I’ve given you.”
     “Yes, sir,” you nodded, almost smiling.
     “Besides, you’re being trained by me. You’d have to be royally screwed up not to become one of the best on the force.”
     “And he’s humble too,” you teased. “But I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
     “Whatever, Boot.” Tim smiled, shaking his head. 
     “Be nonchalant all you want,” you said, feeling brave. “I know you like me.”
     For a brief moment, Tim looked like you’d slapped him. But then, the flash of—whatever that was—was gone and his expression was replaced by one of cold indifference. 
     “In your TO not your friend, (Y/l/n),” he stated. “It’s not about liking you. It’s about training you.”
      You sighed inwardly. Just when you thought you were making ground with Tim, he treated you like you’d just met. “Of course, how could I forget.”
     Tim stayed silent. 
    “Well, I should head out,” you told him, “I’ve got a busy night ahead me. You know, trying not to get killed by my ex and all.”
     You’d meant it as a joke, to make light of the situation that left you feeling more uneasy than you’d care to admit. Tim, however, just shook his head and brushed past you, out of the briefing room. 
     You stood there for a moment, trying to work through what had just happened, before turning around and taking a step in the other direction. Only to find Officers Lopez and Bishop standing in front of you, staring between you and Tim’s retreating figure. 
     “So how’d you do it?” Bishop looked you up and down.
     “Do what?” You asked, confused. 
     “Get Tim wrapped around your finger,” Lopez answered for her, smirking. 
     You felt your eyes widen. “Tim’s not—” 
     “Please,” Lopez put her hands on her hips. “I’ve watched him train dozens of rookies and he’s never stood up for any of them like that. So naturally I figured you’re either blackmailing him or sleeping with him.”
     You blanched, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks as you let what Angela said sink in. You knew she was just teasing you, but the statement caught you off guard. You imagined you and Tim—together. It wasn’t necessarily an unpleasant thought. And then you realized what you were thinking and you chided yourself, hurriedly un-imagining it. 
     “No, that’s not—neither one of those things,” you answered quickly. “Trust me, Tim doesn’t give me any special treatment, if that’s what you’re implying. I actually can’t tell if he hates me half of the time.”
     “We’re not implying anything,” Bishop replied. “Only observing. And he doesn’t hate you.”
     “How can you possibly know that?” You were suddenly insecure. You still held on to a secret dread that you were going to wildly disappoint Tim—that you already had. Sure, there was all the stuff he had just said. But there was also months of him being hard on you and saying that you weren’t friends. 
     “Because I’ve seen him hate plenty of people,” Bishop spoke. “And he definitely didn’t look at them the way he looks at you.”
      The way Tim looked at you? You weren’t aware he looked at you in a way that was different from the way he looked at anyone else at the station.
     “What are you guys trying to say?” You asked them. 
     “I’m saying watch out,” Bishop raised an eyebrow. “Because Tim might like you more than he’s willing to let you—or himself—in on.”
     Could there be any truth to what the two officers were saying? Was it wrong for a small part of you to hope there was?
     “Um, ok,” you said, blinking. “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”
     “Don’t believe us if you want, it’s your call,” Bishop shrugged, backing up. “But I’m telling you, you mean something to Tim that the rest of us can only guess at.”
     And with that she walked out of the room.
    “Bishop can be intense,” Angela said when the woman was out of earshot. “She’s got that whole ‘anti-cops-dating’ thing going on—but I do think she’s right about this. Tim’s tough, and I’m sure he gives you hell—but it’s not because he doesn’t like you. I actually think it’s quite the opposite. ”
     Was there really something that everyone saw between you and Tim except for you? You still couldn’t even entertain the thought that Tim had feelings for you that were more than TO and rookie. 
     “Well you’ve certainly left me with a lot to think about,” you said finally.
     “Then I’ll let you start thinking—you’re welcome for the peace of mind.” 
     You wouldn’t have used the phrase peace of mind, yourself. Sure, it was nice to know that the officers who had known your TO for years were confident that he didn’t look down on you. But, this conversation also had left your head swimming with conflicting thoughts about Tim that you didn’t feel like dealing with right now.
     “And take care,” Lopez said knowingly. “We have your back if anything happens.”
      With that, your thoughts slammed back to the current situation.
    “Right, that. You—you think something’s going to happen?” You asked, trying to sound casual.
     “I think in this job we have to be prepared for the worst,” she corrected. “But I also think that bastard would have to be pretty stupid to mess with you.”
     She smiled at you and you smiled back. After watching her leave, you followed her path, heading towards the locker rooms.
     You thought about what she had said about you and Tim, about Paul.
     You hoped she was right—you just couldn’t say which you hoped she was more right about.
₊˚ ✧ â€żïž”â€żà­šà­§â€żïž”â€ż ✧ ₊˚
     Your thoughts bounced between your conversation with Talia and Angela and the message from your ex as you walked to your car minutes later. 
     When you woke up this morning, you thought the most stressful part of your day would’ve been a police chase or a shootout.  You never would’ve expected it to be my ex-boyfriend is out of jail and could be hunting me down and my training officer might have feelings for me.
     Funny how things could change so fast.
     Suddenly, you heard a bang. You spun around quickly, your heart in your throat. But it was only a car door being slammed shut from across the parking lot. 
     Get a grip, you told yourself. 
     You rounded the corner, running a hand through your hair.
     You stopped. Tim was leaning against the side of your car, arms crossed in front of his chest. He looked you up and down.
     “What are you doing?” You asked. 
     “Driving you home, Boot,” Tim said. “Get in the car.”
     “Tim, you don’t have to—”
     “That wasn’t a question, give me the keys.”
     There was no point in fighting him. Besides, there was a small part of you that didn’t really want to fight him. 
     You tossed him the keys to your car and got in the passenger seat with a sigh.  
     Tim started the engine. 
     “If this is about Paul, this really isn’t necessary,” you said after you’d been driving for several minutes and the silence became too much. “I can handle myself. I am an officer, in case you forgot.”
     “You’re a rookie,” Tim corrected, eyes never leaving the road. “And if the department won’t do anything, then I will.”
     “What—we’re not going to go looking for him, are we?” You asked.
     “Of course not,” Tim scoffed. “I’m not a vigilante, Boot. Where do you live?”
     “Take a left at the light,” you guided. 
     Neither of you talked for the remainder of the drive, save your occasional directions. When you pointed out your apartment building, Tim parked the car and handed you the keys. 
     “Thanks,” you mumbled to him as you got out of the car, grabbing your bag and heading towards the building.
     You heard a door shut behind you and turned to find your TO standing on the sidewalk, an eyebrow raised.
     “You didn’t think I was just going to let you spend the night alone with a target on your head, did you, Boot?” 
     “Tim—”
     “No more protests,” he said firmly. “As your TO, I—”
     “No, I was just going to say that if you were planning on staying here, why couldn’t I have just driven my own car?”
     “I don’t let my rookies drive,” Tim walked past you and to the front door. “Even off-duty.”
     You followed him quickly, getting out your key and letting you both in.
     When you reached your apartment you did a quick scan of the space—it wasn’t exactly like you’d been expecting company, much less your training officer. You cringed at the messiness.
      “How many entrances and exits are there?” Bradford asked. 
     “Um, just the front door. And there’s windows in the kitchen and the bedroom,” you said. 
     You skimmed past everything in the place, looking towards the window in your bedroom. Your eye caught on one of your bras hanging from your bedpost. You quickly ran over and shut the door, blushing and hoping Tim hadn’t noticed.
     “Please, Boot,” Tim made a face. “It’s nothing I haven’t already seen before.”
     “Ok no offense, but I usually don’t let guys see my bra the first time I bring them to my place,” you joked.
     “If that’s an offer, I’m going to have to politely decline.”
     “What—no,” you hurried out, worried your voice sounded wrong. “I just meant—”
    Tim interrupted. “I’m going to do a sweep of the place, make sure everything’s as it should be.”
     “Is that really needed?”
     “I’m not taking any chances.” He left the room and you sunk down onto the couch, letting your bag fall to the floor. 
     Your TO returned a few minutes later. “All clear.”
     “See, everything’s fine,” you said, speaking just as much to yourself as you were to Tim. 
     “Well,” Bradford started, amusement in his eyes. “I wouldn’t say everything is fine. Your storage closet’s a fire hazard.”
     Had Tim Bradford just made a joke?
     “I’ll be sure not to exit through the closet in the events of a fire,” you said sarcastically. “And if you keep insulting my living space, I’m going to be forced to kick you out.”
     “Bold for someone whose career I could end.”
     “You can’t end my career for that,” you shot back. Paused. “Can you?”
     Tim raised his eyebrows.
     “Only one way to find out,” you said enthusiastically, teasing him now. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Don’t let the closet trap you on the way out.
     “Nice try, Boot. But you’re still stuck with me for,” Tim checked his watch. “eight hours.”
     “Nine hours,” you corrected. You had to leave for work in nine hours.
     “You’re right, I should get us drinks,” Tim joked.
     You rolled you eyes and he shot you a look. “Help yourself to anything in the fridge.”
     Tim got up, disappearing into the kitchen.  
     “Is all you own ginger ale, Boot?” He called. 
     “There’s six year old tequila in the cupboard,” you suggested.
     “Ginger ale it is.”
      Tim joined you in the living room again, carrying two bottles. He handed one to you, sitting down on the opposite side of the couch. 
     You noted the careful distance he put between you. 
     “What’s this thing made of, Boot? Plywood?” Tim asked, inspecting the couch.
     You smothered a laugh.
     “Get comfortable. It’s where you’re sleeping,” you answered. 
     “Won’t be necessary. If you’re not awake you’re not aware.”
     “So, what, we’re taking shifts on guard like this is a stakeout?” You asked.
     “Don’t be ridiculous. I didn’t come here to sleep.”
     “Tim I can’t let you stay up all night while I’m unconscious.” you sighed.
     “You can if it’s an order. Besides, no offense, but rookies are historically less vigilant and have a slower response time
” 
     You tried not to take offense at that. “Right, Eagle Eye.”
     Tim glared at you. 
     “Angela told me.”
     “Of course she did. And at least I didn’t leave valuable evidence on the street to chase after a dog wearing a top hat.”
     “Sparky could’ve been involved in the crime,” you said, indignant. “And that was one time!”
     “One time too many,” Tim mumbled, lifting the bottle to his lips, his eyes sparkling. 
     “Ok, so when you were a rookie you were, what, perfect?” You shot back.
     “Damn straight.” Tim nodded. 
     “You made no mistakes, at all?” You prompted.
     “Well,” Tim took a sip of his drink. “There was one thing.”
     “Aside from the graffiti incident?”
     “That wasn’t a mistake because it wasn’t my fault. I was following direct orders and—you know what, never mind. If you don’t want to hear it—”
     “No, no, I do!” you scooted towards the edge of your seat in anticipation. “And none of that ‘I worked too hard and too efficiently’ crap.”
     “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he said sarcastically. “My first week on the job I was put on paperwork duty, which was—”
     “Boring and tedious? I can imagine,” you deadpanned, having been put in charge of paperwork by Tim many times.
     “I was going to say necessary and a valuable skill to have,” Bradford corrected. “But anyways, we had just got done booking a couple suspects and I was working on the reports. A triple homicide and a prostitution case. It was a long day and I was tired and I guess I got sloppy—”
     “You? Sloppy?” You interrupted.
     “Do you want me to tell you this story or not?”
     “Right, sorry. Continue.”
     Tim did. “I’d just finished tagging the evidence for both cases and when I was filling everything out I somehow got the numbers mixed up. Long story short, according to my report, the homicide gun ended up being linked to the prostitution case and the weapon allegedly used in the triple homicide was
a pair of pink, fluffy handcuffs.”
      You couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped you now.
     “Forensics caught it before it was sent to the judge, thank god,” Bradford sighed. “But the next day when I was getting ready for my shift, I was greeted by dozens of similar handcuffs in my locker—apparently Smitty has a guy.”
     “Tell me you kept them,” you begged, pulling your knees up to your chest.
     “Of course not!”
     Tim blinked.
     “Well, not all of them—Isabel made me take a pair home. I found out later that she was the one who orchestrated the whole prank. She used to do stuff like that all the time before she, uh,—”
     “Tim—”
     You’d heard about Bradford’s ex-wife. How she’d become an addict, gotten herself mixed up with bad people. You knew how much it had affected Tim, even if he hadn’t said so. 
     She was in rehab now, getting her life back together. You were glad she was finally getting the help she needed. Still, you knew how much she meant to Tim. How much it had hurt him to move on from her and let her start a new life without him. 
     “I’m fine.” Tim said firmly, clearing his throat. “It’s good to talk about her
before. She’s on the right path now.”
     You stared at the ground in front of you, picking at your fingernails. 
     “Are you still in love with her?” The question was out of your mouth before you could stop it. You didn’t know why you asked—didn’t know why you cared what the answer was. Ten minutes ago you wouldn’t have even dared to ask that question.  
     But he was being so uncharacteristically open and you seemed to be getting along well. You reluctantly brought your eyes up to Tim.
     His eyes had gone wide. He looked like he wanted to leave or yell at you or both, and you immediately regretted it.
     But then his eyes softened and he opened his mouth. “No. I’ll always care about her and she’ll always be someone that I did love. But relationships change—people change.”
     You nodded. “I get it—I mean, I’m kind of rusty on relationships—but I get it. I actually haven’t dated anyone since Paul. I guess it was just hard to trust someone after that. I kind of sabotaged any relationship that had any chance of starting.”
     It was the first time you’d admitted that to anyone. You wouldn’t have pegged Tim as being so easy to talk to. You had almost forgotten about the whole Paul situation before you’d just brought him up. You had been enjoying hanging out with Tim, no matter the circumstances. He was actually pleasant to be around when he wasn’t on the clock. 
     You imagined this happening more often—you and Tim, not just coworkers but friends. Maybe even more. Maybe this was one relationship you didn’t have to end before it started.
     You dared to let yourself think about it. You watched Tim process your words. Saw the emotion clearly written in his face as he looked at you intensely. 
     “Hey, thanks again for not letting me be alone tonight,” you told him, you’re voice soft. 
     “Don’t take it personally, Boot,” he said. “My house is being repainted and even your place beats breathing in paint fumes all night.”
     “I’m honored,” you laughed, rolling your eyes. “But you have to admit this has been fun—hanging out.”
     Your little impromptu sleepover. You smiled.
     Tim, however, looked like a switch had been flipped inside of him. You watched as he clenched his jaw, leaning almost imperceptibly away from you 
     “Listen, Boot—”
     He was cut off by the sound of breaking glass and a loud thumping sound. 
     You both shot up off the couch, abandoning your drinks. Tim’s hand went to his gun. You did the same. 
     Tim turned to you. “Stay here.”
     “Like hell,” you shot back, following him as he started to do a sweep of the main room.
     If that sound was someone—Paul—breaking in, you weren’t going to sit here and let Bradford fight your battles for you. 
     He signaled to let you know he was moving to the kitchen. You nodded, following. 
     “Clear,” he muttered, and moved on towards the bathroom. You were right behind him when you heard another noise, like the muffled sound of scraping of furniture, and you spun around.
     The bedroom. It was the only room in that direction that you hadn’t checked yet. 
     You glanced to Tim, but he hadn’t heard it. He was a few feet ahead of you, just now entering the bathroom. 
     You slowly stepped away from him and made your way across the apartment, down the hall and over to the closed bedroom door.
     Holding your weapon in one hand, you opened the door with the other. But, you barely had time to see what was on the other side before you were grabbed and a cloth was shoved into your mouth. 
     Your gun was ripped from your hand, and you were pushed hard onto the ground. Your wrist burned where you landed on shards of glass from the broken window
     Something smacked into the back of your head and you were dragged and thrown onto the bed on the corner. You heard the door shut. 
     Squinting up into the light, rubbing your throbbing head, your heart dropped as you saw who was in front of you. 
     “Did you miss me?” Paul sneered, spinning your gun in his hand. 
     You froze. Everything crashed into you at once. The events of the last time you saw your ex-boyfriend sped through your mind. Suddenly, you were scared and 18 again, at the mercy of this man. 
     “I guess you got my man’s message,” Paul continued. “Because you don’t exactly look shocked to see me. Scared, of course, but not shocked.”
     Coming back to yourself, you scrambled up onto your knees, ready to knock him out.
     Paul shook his head, laughing. “No, no. If you move even an inch I’ll shoot you right in the forehead.”
     You sat back down, your heart thumping in your chest as you scanned the room for a way out. Some way to get the upper hand on him. You had been trained for this.
     “Listen to me,” he continued, his hand coming to the gag in your mouth. You flinched away from him. “I know there’s someone in here with you. If you try to scream to alert them, I will also shoot you.  I’d like to play with you first before I put a bullet in your brain but, hey, I’m not picky. Is that clear?”
     You nodded, trying to measure how fast you could knock the weapon out of his hand before he could take a shot at you. Paul took the cloth out of you mouth.
     You gasped in air. “Backup’s going to be in here any second and then you’re going back to prison.”
     Tim would notice you were gone. He had to. 
     “Oh, I don’t think so,” Paul smiled. “I’ll be long gone and you’ll be long dead before that happens.”
     You glanced towards the door. What was taking him so long?
     Suddenly, Paul reached forwards and gripped your face in his hand. “Just as beautiful as I remember. It was such a shame things had to end with us as they did. How did that happen again? Oh, that’s right. You betrayed me.”
     “And that was the best decision I ever made,” you spat. 
     Paul backed up, shaking his head. “You’ve gotten feistier, baby. It’ll make this so much more fun for me.”
     He stepped back towards you, his face inches from yours, sneering. “This’ll be just like old times.”
     Bam! The door to your bedroom busted open. Bradford rushed in, taking in the situation. You breathed a sigh of relief.
     “Get down on the ground!” Tim growled.
     Paul froze for only a second, fear flashing across his face, but it was enough. You lunged, wrestling the gun out of his hands, your wrist protesting. 
     You trained it on him. Paul was surrounded.
     “You have five seconds to get on the ground before I shoot you,” Tim bit out, his expression murderous.
     “Come on, baby, you’re not going to let Officer Buzzkill treat me like that, are you?” Paul appealed to you. 
     You leveled your gaze on him, ignoring his words. “You heard him. Get on the ground.”
     Paul slowly knelt, never taking his eyes off of you. Tim charged him, pulling out handcuffs and locking them around his wrists. 
    You took a moment to be amused—of course Tim had off-duty cuffs. 
    “So this ends the way it starts, huh?” Paul shook his head. “You getting me locked up?”
     “Just like old times,” you echoed his earlier statement. You stayed stoic, putting your hands on your hips to hide the way they shook.
    Anger sparked in Paul’s eyes before he took on a smug expression. “You’re right. You’re the same girl you were when I met you. You haven’t changed a bit.”
     “Don’t listen to him, Boot,” Tim warned hauling the man up off the ground. 
     “You know I’m right,” Paul’s manic eyes bore into yours. He was enjoying every moment of this, laughter in his tone. It took all that was in you to keep your expression blank, unaffected. “You’ll always be that person I knew—the person who loved me. Because you did—love me. You could’ve walked away. But you didn’t. You just took it all like the victim you are. You pathetic bitch—”
      He was cut off abruptly as Tim slammed him face-first against the wall. Paul cried out.
     “That’s enough!” Tim shouted. “If you ever threaten—no, if you even look at (Y/l/n) again, I will hunt you down and personally remove every external limb from your body, do you understand me? (Y/n) is a million times the person you will ever be and you don’t get to make her feel small. If I didn’t think sitting in a cell for the rest of your life was a worse fate, I’d kill you right now—screw the department.”
     Your ears were ringing, your head dizzy as you tried to ground yourself. Your voice came out tiny. “Tim, stop.”
     Bradford turned to you, almost as if he had forgotten you were in the room. He was breathing hard, his fists clenched around the man in custody. 
     “And she’s not a victim,” Tim whispered, turning back to Paul, his voice right by his ear. “She’s a survivor.”
     With that, he shoved Paul back to the ground and moved over to you, his eyes roaming over your face. Your body. He took the gun out of your hands, setting it on the desk. Then, he gripped your injured wrist and you winced as he inspected it.
     “Probably hurts like hell, but you won’t need stitches. Any other injuries?”
     “Um, he hit me in the back of the head,” you felt your scalp, a lump already forming.
     Tim’s hands moved to your hair, his touch gentle, his breath on your cheek as he leaned to get a better look.
     Your own breath caught, your heart racing at the intimacy of your position. 
     “What’s the damage?” You almost whispered.
     Tim’s eyes met yours, the heat of his stare spreading through your body. “You’ll have a nasty bruise, but there’s no external bleeding.”
     Tim stepped back, and you found yourself wishing he hadn’t.
     “Are you—are you ok, Boot?” He asked carefully. 
     How did you even answer that question? You were still in shock, unable to process what had just happened. 
     “I will be,” you settled on, breathing in slowly. Exhaling.
      Tim looked like he wanted to say more but he clenched his jaw, glancing in the direction of Paul, who had been uncharacteristically silent. Maybe he had finally accepted his defeat. 
     “I’m going to call for back up, you go clean that up,” Tim gestured to the blood covering your wrist where you had landed in the broken glass. “You need help?”
     “No, I got it,” You nodded, walking towards the bathroom as you heard Tim make the call.
     “911, what’s your emergency?”
     “This is off-duty officer Tim Bradford, badge 34831. I need a unit to my location for a 126. Suspect in custody. Code 4.”
      Tim’s voice faded as you made your way down the hall, shutting the bathroom door after you to access the medicine cabinet behind it.
     You took out the necessary supplies and began cleaning the wound. You stopped in front of the sink, letting your burning eyes close for a moment, massaging your temples. 
     Now that you were alone, you let yourself collapse, bracing your hands against the counter 
     Images flooded your senses. 
     The gag. Paul hitting you from behind. You, young and frightened, huddled on the ground. That gleam in his eyes.
     Your eyes snapped open, your breath coming out fast.
     He’s in custody. You told yourself. He can’t hurt you anymore. 
     You looked at your reflection in the mirror staring wearily back at you, your hands still shaking as you brushed your hair back from your face. Was it hot in here or was it just you?
      Turning your attention back to your wrist, you took a deep breath and continued to dab at the wound.
      You reached for the bandages on the counter. A sheen of sweat broke out on your forehead as you wrapped your arm. 
      You pictured Paul’s grip on you. His words rang in your ears. 
     You’re the same girl you were when I met you. You haven’t changed a bit.
     The room tilted. You swayed on your feet so you sunk down to the ground, leaning your head against the cabinet, the cool wood pressing against your head. 
     You tried to slow your erratic breathing but you couldn’t. You couldn’t—
     The sound of footsteps and voices carried through the door. You were vaguely aware that it was probably the backup here to take Paul away.
     You closed your eyes, your throat tight, you pulse thundering in your ears.
     I’m ok, you tried to tell yourself. I’m ok. I’m ok.
     You were unaware how long you sat like this. You had no concept of time. Your thoughts were wild, images flashing in and out, unable to form conscious ideas. Every breath sending a sharp pain through your body. 
     “Boot?”
     The muffled voice was closer than the others had been. 
     “Boot?” The voice was louder now. You registered Tim at the door. He knocked once. Twice. 
     “Boot, I’m coming in,” he shouted, his voice laced with worry. The door was shoved open. 
     “Dammit,” he cursed, seeing your state. You felt him getting closer to you, but you didn’t look up as he knelt by you, his concerned expression taking in yours.
     “Hey, look at me,” Tim coaxed. “(Y/l/n), breathe.”
     He seemed miles and miles away. There was a pause.
     “Hey, Boot, I got another test for you,” he spoke quickly, gently placing a hand on your shoulder. “I want you to tell me the most annoying person we work with.”
     “What?” You rasped, barely hearing him. 
    “Bishop’s an easy target,” he said. “And Lopez is a slob, so you can’t go wrong there. West’s got the whole daddy issues thing. Don’t even get me started on Nolan—”
     You swallowed hard, your mouth feeling dry.
     “And then there’s me. I mean, I’m annoying right?”
     You breathed a shaky laugh, opening your eyes slowly. 
     Tim smiled. “Oh so you agree? It’s ok, Boot, you can say me. Go ahead, I can take it.”
     When you didn’t say anything, Tim kept talking. “Personally I’d go for Detective Coleman. The man makes double what I do and I’m convinced he doesn’t own a decent looking tie.”
     “L-like the—the green one from last week,” you managed, trying to slow your breathing.
     “Leprechauns would call it tacky,” Tim agreed. “Now, since we’ve discussed this from all angles I’m going to need you to choose wisely. Because this is going to go on your evaluation for today.”
     You gulped. “Are—are you going to get me fired if I say you?”
     Tim let out a quiet, relieved laugh. “I knew it. Guess who’s going back to long-sleeves on Monday?”
     “In this heat wave? You—you wouldn’t dare,” you joked, sniffing.
     “I don’t know, I am the most annoying person you work with—sounds like something I might do.”
     You laughed again, this time the sound coming out less strained. You focused on taking deep breaths, feeling your heart rate return to normal. 
     “There you go.” Tim stood up, offering his hand to you for the second time that day. You gripped his arm as he pulled you up onto shaky legs.
     “Thanks,” you mumbled, embarrassed to have had your TO see you like this now that your head was clearer. 
     “For what, doing my job?”
     You smiled weakly at him, running a hand along your forehead. “Sorry for um—”  
     “Having a normal reaction to a highly emotional situation? Don’t apologize for being human,” Tim said firmly, his forehead creased.
     “So, he’s gone?” You’re voice came out small.
     Tim’s expression softened. “He’s gone.”
     You nodded again, looking at the floor.  Tim sighed, reaching an arm out. “Come here.”
You took a step towards him and then you were in his arms, his embrace strengthening you as he rubbed your back. You stood there like that, not wanting this to end. Not wanting to put distance between you again. Finally, he pulled back and looked down at you, his gaze weighted, before taking a few steps towards the door. You looked over Tim’s shoulder.
     “Hey, (Y/n), look at me.” Tim said. You brought your gaze up to meet his. “He is never going to hurt you again, ok? I’ll make sure of that.”
      You let your eyes fall closed, feeling ashamed that you had been so affected. That Tim had to handle all of this for you. “I know. And I’ll understand if after
all this, you don’t see me fit to—to be a police officer anymore.”
     Tim’s eyes hardened, his voice hardening with them. “With all do respect, Boot, that’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said. I meant every word of what I said back there—you’re a survivor. All I saw tonight is that you are a brave and intelligent woman who just so happens to have a scumbag of an ex-boyfriend. Don’t let it define you because then he wins. You’re a great cop, (Y/l/n). It’s rookies like you who make the force as strong as it is.”
     You listened to Tim speak. He sounded so
passionate. Bishop’s words came back to you.
     Tim might like you more than he’s willing to let you—or himself—in on.
     You desperately wanted that to be true, now more than ever. He’d been so kind to you in this past hour—staying with you, rescuing you, reassuring you, bringing you back from whatever dark place you had just been in. 
     And then this. Talking about you like he
like he really cared about you. And maybe it was just because he felt like as your training officer he had to protect you. But in the moment, it felt like maybe it could be more than that. 
    “So what I’m hearing is, I’m getting a promotion?” You teased finally, brushing your hair back from your damp face, breaking the silence. 
     Bradford put up a hand. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, you still have a lot to learn from me.”
     You sighed. This was normal, this was comfortable. How you and Tim always acted with each other. You were both relieved and disappointed at the change back into familiar territory. 
     You ran a hand through your hair, stifling a yawn. Saying today had been a long day would’ve been the understatement of the century.
     “Now come on,” Tim flicked his head in the direction of the door. “It’s way past my bedtime.”
     “Let me guess, nine p.m. sharp every night?” You teased.
     “That’s not true.”
     You raised an eyebrow at him.
     “Nine-thirty,” he admitted. 
     You giggled, following Tim out of the bathroom and into the hallway which led to the living room.
     You glanced at your bedroom as you passed it, trying not to think about what had happened in there. It was over now, you told yourself. 
     “Since my room is kind of a crime scene, I guess we’re both crashing out here,” you sighed, gesturing to the couch. 
      Silence filled the room and you immediately realized your mistake, cheeks flaming. 
     “Or, right, I guess you can go now. Danger’s over.”
     “Are you kidding?” Tim said. “And get to bed even later? I’m not going anywhere.”
     You stepped into the living room. You were glad Tim was staying. You felt safer with him here, even though you knew it was irrational. 
     “I’ll get the blankets and stuff,” you said, turning back the way you’d came.
     “Let me go with you,” Tim offered.
     “I would but they’re in the closet and I don’t want it to trap you or something,” you said. 
     “You think I can’t take a closet full of your crap? Bring it on,” Tim challenged and you led him down the hall. 
     A few minutes later you returned to the living room, blankets and pillows in tow. Tim helped you pull out the couch bed—you were grateful you’d opted for this couch instead of a regular one—and you stood back, admiring your work. 
     “Take the couch,” you told him. “It was your bed originally.”
     “Not gonna happen.” Tim crossed his arms. “It’s your house. And you’re injured.”
     “I’m fine. And where are you going to sleep? The floor?” You asked him. 
     Tim scanned the room and then sat down on the chair across from the couch-turned-bed. 
     “Are you sure you’re ok on that?” You asked. It didn’t exactly look comfortable for spending hours on.
     “Trust me, Boot, you got the short end of the stick. Have fun sleeping on plywood.” 
      You smiled. “So, what, you’re just going to sit over there and watch me sleep?”
     “I can leave, if you’re—”
     “No,” you’re voice came out faster and more sharp than you’d intended. “I mean, you came all this way, I don’t want you to have to get an Uber home at this hour.”
     You climbed into bed, aware that you were still in your clothes, but not caring enough to change. 
     “We should get some sleep, it’s been a long night,” Tim sighed. He got up and turned the lights off, darkness filling the room. 
     “Damn, boot,” you heard Tim’s voice even though you couldn’t see him anymore. “It’s pitch black in here. You don’t sleep with a light or anything?”
     “Well I don’t usually sleep in my living room,” you pointed out. Then you stifled a laugh. “Wait a minute. Is Officer Tim Bradford afraid of the dark?”
     Tim scoffed. “I’m not afraid of the dark.”
     “Your secret’s safe with me,” you teased.
     “There is no secret,” Tim shot back.
     You winked. “Exactly.”
     “You’re impossible.”
     “Thank you.” You smiled.
     The room fell silent. You heard him sit back down. 
     You laid back, staring up at the ceiling. The seconds ticked by. 
    “Do you—do you think he really would’ve shot me?” You asked, finally.
     “I don’t know,” Tim admitted. “He clearly thought you guys had unfinished business. But guys like that get high on fear—on desperation. He couldn’t have that if you were dead. In his mind, he’d be losing his power over you.”
     He paused. 
     “Besides, I don’t think he would’ve gotten the chance,” Tim said. “He clearly underestimated the badass-ness of his opponent.”
     You snorted. “Did you just say ‘badass-ness’?”
     “It’s a word!” Tim defended. 
     You laughed, turning over on your side. 
     “But seriously, if you ever need anything, you can always talk to me,” Tim said, sounding earnest. “I mean it.”
     “I may just take you up on that,” you responded. “Do you tell that to all your rookies?”
     You could barely make out Tim’s frame in the dark. “No, not all of them.”
     “I’m going to take that as I’m special,” you said. 
     Your next words were out of your mouth before you could stop them.   
    “You know, Lopez and Bishop had this crazy idea that you had feelings for me,” you said, staring up at the ceiling. “But I told them it was just that—crazy.”
     Tim didn’t speak.
     “It is crazy right?” You asked. You had to know. He still was silent. “Right?”
     “Boot, look—” Bradford started. His voice came out rough, as if he hadn’t talked in days. Your heartbeat was a deafening roar in your ears. 
     “Tim?”
     You could hear more than see Tim’s movements. He stood, pacing the length of the room. Sat back down. Stood up again. Sat. 
     “Dammit, Boot, I can’t do this,” he finished. “I can’t do this right now, (Y/n).”
     Your pulse quickened. He hadn’t denied it. 
     You stood up. 
     And maybe it was having to deny your attraction to your TO for seven months. Maybe it was the adrenaline still coursing through your veins from the attack earlier. Maybe it was because the darkness felt safe and secret—made you feel like you could do anything. Maybe you were just too eager after his small encouragement—or, lack of discouragement.
     But, whatever the reason, you walked over to where Tim sat, kneeled down, looked into his confused, strained eyes, and kissed him. 
     Tim froze, his lips still against yours. And then, almost as if he was afraid you would vanish or startle, he placed his hand gingerly on your waist, and leaned into the kiss.
     And he was kissing you back. Tim Bradford was kissing you back. 
     His free hand went to your hair, deepening the kiss as he gripped you closer. He kissed you like he had been waiting a lifetime.
     It was desperate and raw and passionate—it was perfect.
     You broke apart, both gasping for breath.       
     “Listen, Boot,” Tim started. You watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “You’ve had a long and confusing day—”
     You interrupted him. “Yeah. Yeah, I have. But I’m not confused about this.”
     You brought your lips to his again. This time he didn’t hold back. He pulled you closer to him and you felt the warmth of him through his shirt. 
     When you came apart again, he was smiling. 
     “Well, I guess I can check thinking that you hate me off my daily checklist,” you whispered. 
     “I don’t hate you, Boot,” Tim said. “I actually hate how much I don’t hate you.”
     You studied the planes of his face, the light from the hallway illuminating his eyes. His lips. His jawline.
     “Boot—”
     “If you’re going to say that this is a bad idea, I don’t want to hear it. Not tonight,” you said. 
     “I thought that was obvious.” Tim stated matter-of-factly. “I was going to say actually I’d appreciate it if you did turn on a lamp or something, because—”
     You laughed, kissing him again. 
     “But seriously,” Tim continued. “You know we can’t do this.”
     “Why not?” You pouted. “If it’s what we both want.”
     “It’s not about what we want—we could be putting both of our careers in jeopardy.”
     You knew he was right. Of course he was right. 
     “But is it—what you want?” 
     “God yes,” Tim blurted, standing up, his voice strained. “It’s what I’ve wanted from the moment I started training you. Do you know how hard it’s been trying to put distance between us and deny every damn thing when all I wanted to do was—”
     He broke off, running a hand along his hair. 
     “Then do it.” Your heart pounded in your chest. “You’ll only be my TO for a few more months, we’ll just keep it a secret until then. No one has to know.”
     Tim looked at you. 
     “Ok you’re right, Bishop and Lopez will totally know something’s up,” you admitted.
     “I guess I’ll just have to transfer,” Tim joked.
     “What happened to ‘Tim Bradford finished what he starts’?” You asked.
     “Oh I intend to do just that,” Tim whispered. “Are we really thinking about doing this?”
     You thought about the consequences you could face—Tim could face—if it got out that you and your training officer were romantically involved. You knew it would be a huge risk—one that could get you cut from the program.
     You looked at Tim. He was watching you like he never wanted to let you go again. You thought about how long you’d wanted this, even if you didn’t fully know it until tonight.
     And the decision seemed clear.
     “Yeah,” you beamed. “Yeah I think we are.”
     He cupped your face in his hand, his fingers warm against the back of your neck. Your eyes closed against his touch. You felt comfort for the first time in hours.
     “You need rest,” Tim whispered and your eyes fluttered open. “As much as I’d love to do this all night.”
     You nodded, backing up towards your bed. Tim ran a hand through his hair again and then sat back down in the armchair.
    “What’re you doing?” You asked him.
    “Going to bed,” Tim answered, as if it was obvious. 
    “Get over here,” you gestured, rolling your eyes at him.
    “I was hoping you’d say that,” Tim smiled. 
     You climbed into bed beside him, pulling the covers over both of you.
     You lay your head on Bradfords chest. You could feel his heartbeat in your ear as you closed your eyes.     
    “You know, this will kind of be like doing undercover work—minus the threat of getting killed,” you said. 
     “I don’t know about that—I wouldn’t put anything past an angry Sergeant Grey.”
     “We’ll just have to be so in-character that we never find out,” you said. 
     “I’ll make sure to be extra tough on you next shift,” Tim agreed. 
     “And that’s different from any other day how?” You shot back, sitting up. 
     “Hey, training rookies is a sacred duty and I take that very seriously. If you think I’m going to throw your education out the window simply because—”
     You shut him up by pressing your lips to his. You echoed his earlier words. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
     Tim shook is head slightly, eyes roaming over your face. 
     “What?” You asked.
     “You’re so beautiful, (Y/n),” Tim breathed. “I’m so glad I can finally tell you that.”
     “Me too,” you said. “Even if it took
this for it to happen.”
     “Speaking of which, maybe I’ll take a sick day tomorrow,” Tim said. “Since there’s no way Grey—or myself—is letting you go to work. What’d you say?”
     You wanted to fight him, say you were fine and you could make it to your shift the next day. But the promise of taking a sick day with Tim was to tempting to pass up. 
     “I say I’m glad your house is being repainted,” you teased. “Because then you’ll have to stay with me.”
     Tim smiled knowingly. “My house isn’t being repainted, Boot. And I’m all yours.”
     You grinned, laying back down and resting your head back against Tim. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder.
     You felt safe, protected in his arms. 
     The rest would come. Dealing with what had happened tonight. Starting your secret relationship with Tim. Eventually facing everyone at work who had heard the news and would want to ask if you were ok. And you would be ok.
     But for now, this was enough. He was enough. 
     “Tim?” You whispered.
     “Hmm?”
     You struggled for words to fit the gravity of what you were feeling for him. “Thanks for
everything.”
     “What are TOs for,” Tim shrugged. 
     “Apparently keeping the night light business afloat.” You giggled at the look on Bradford’s face. 
     “Shut it, Boot.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~°~❊~°~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ˋ°‱*⁀➷ hope you enjoyed loves!! i’m so down bad for tim it’s not even funny đŸ˜”â€đŸ’«
781 notes · View notes
scarlethexelove · 11 months ago
Note
I saw that you are looking for requests & I had an idea after seeing a BTS photo of Kate Bishop/Hailee’s face all bruised/cut.
What if Kate comes back from a mission and reader sees her all bruised and wants to help, but Kate is frustrated and angry after the mission and fucks reader w/a strap until she feels better đŸ˜…đŸ„°
Let Me Use You
Tumblr media
Not my gif found from google
Pairing: Kate Bishop x Reader
Word Count: 2698
Warnings: Smut, Dom!Kate, Sub!Reader, Fingering (R receiving), Strap-on (R receiving), Squirting, Dacryphilia, Slight Bondage, Light Marking. I think that is it.
A/n: This one was fun I love Kate so much. Thanks for the request for her. Hope you enjoy.
NO ONE IS PERMITTED TO STEAL, COPY, OR REBLOG MY WORK AS THEIR OWN
You’re sitting on the couch in your living room. A movie playing on the Tv as you eat some popcorn. The night is quiet and your girlfriend should be on a mission. It worries you but you know she will come home safe to you. She has to come home safe, you think to yourself. You have been dating Kate for a year now. You met her when she saved you from being mugged. You were so thankful but couldn’t help but reflect on the beautiful girl that saved you that night. It brings a smile to your face. You never dreamed of dating an avenger. A regular girl who just so happens to have stolen the heart of an avenger. 
You're pulled from your thoughts when you hear a crash in your bedroom. You scramble putting your popcorn down on the coffee table quickly kicking the blankets off your lap and getting up. You grab the baseball bat that is sitting by the front door and make your way down the hall. You can hear some grunts as you get closer. With your heart beating out of your chest you grab the handle. You take a deep breath before twisting the knob and swinging the door open. Charging in with the bat held high ready to hit whoever is in your room. 
You scream closing your eyes and swinging the bat down. You feel the momentum of the bat before it stops. You slowly open your eyes to see piercing blue eyes staring back at you. Those blue eyes that you would know anywhere. “What the hell was that Y/n/n?” Kate questions you loudly. “I-I-I thought you were an intruder. You - you're supposed to be on a mission.” You stammer, setting the bat down. 
Kate sighs, her shoulders are tense and you can now see the scratches and bruises littering her face. You quickly move forward and reach for her face but she grabs your hands pulling them around her waist as she pulls you close crashing her lips into yours. You get lost in the kiss before remembering what was just happening so you pull back. Which elicits a growl from the back of your girlfriend's throat. She pulls you closer by your hips but you stand strong even if your knees feel weak. Your girlfriend's possessive behavior always having an effect on you. 
“Your hurt Katie please let me help.” You try to persuade the woman in front of you. “I’m fine princess. I was checked at the compound.” She tells you which makes you feel better. But that still leaves a question in your mind and like she knew the next words that were going to come out of your mouth she speaks again. “I lost my keys and my phone is dead so I climbed up the escape ladder.” You can’t help but chuckle at this. It has been the first time and it more than likely won’t be the last. 
You can still feel how tense she is while holding you. So you give her a gentle kiss before looking into her eyes. “What’s wrong baby?” You ask her, moving your hand and gently caressing her cheek.  “Let me use you” She growls before attacking your neck leaving reddish purple marks. You let out a groan and your legs almost give out, but Kate's hold on you keeps you in her arms. “K-katie?” You stutter out. She hums against your neck lifting you into her arms. You wrap your legs around her waist as she carries you towards the bed. You’ve seen her like this a few other times and know exactly what she wants so you let her do it. You can’t complain because you get so much pleasure out of it too. 
Kate tosses you on the bed before climbing on top of you. She continues to attack your neck and slowly move down. Once she reaches your shirt she gets a little frustrated with it being in the way so she leans up and rips your shirt down the middle. “Katie!” You yell at her. “I’ll buy you a new one.” She grumbles before leaning back down and leaving marks on your chest. She pulls your bra down letting your breast spill out. Taking your nipple into her mouth, scraping her teeth over the sensitive bud before sucking harshly. You moan out and your hand flies to her hair gripping harshly. Her hand moving to your other nipple tweaking it between her fingers making sure that it gets the same attention. Once she is satisfied she moves her mouth to your other hardened peak and does the same.
You grip her tightly and pull her closer. “Katie please.” Your whines fill the room as you start to buck your hips for some form of relief. You can feel her smile around your nipple before she pulls back and sits up looking down at you. She climbs off of you which causes you to whine and for her to chuckle. “Get undressed princess.” She tells you heading into the closet. You take no time and start to do what she says. “Leave your underwear on pretty girl.” She pokes her head out from around the corner of the closet, a dark look in her eyes. Once you are done you sit back down on the bed waiting for your girlfriend to come back out. 
After what feels like an eternity your wetness soaking your underwear in anticipation for what is to come Kate walks out. A large purple strap hanging from her hips makes you squirm. It must be new and it looks bigger than anything you have taken before. You let out a small whimper before trailing up to her eyes. You see some bruising on her side which concerns you. You get up and start making your way to her forgetting all about what was going on before. “Oh Katie.” You say holding her hips and taking a look at her side. 
Kate grabs your hands and places them together. She starts to tie your hands together with the rope that you had totally missed. “I told you I’m fine princess. I just need to use your pretty little body for some stress release. Can you let me do that sweet girl?” You nod when looking back up into her beautiful blown out blue eyes. “Good girl.” She praises you as she leads you back to the bed. 
“Lay down.” Kate tells you. You scramble the best you can onto the bed with your hands tied. She gets on after you and settles between your legs. She takes your tied hands and moves them above your head before tying them to the headboard. You wiggle a bit and whine. You knew it was happening but you didn’t want it to. You want to be able to touch your girlfriend. She just gives you a sickly sweet smile and kisses your head before settling back. 
Kate licks her lips as she looks down at how you have soaked through your underwear. “As much as I want to taste you baby girl, that will just have to wait. I want to see your pussy stretched out around my cock.” You look down at her as she jerks her faux cock. “Too big.” You whimper, which makes her grin wider. “Don’t worry your pretty little head princess. I’ll make it fit.” She presses a finger to your clit through your underwear, which causes you to squirm and moan. Your hands balled into fist as you pull on the restraints trying to reach for her. But she doesn’t pay you any mind with that. She pushes your panties to the side and uses two fingers to tease your entrance. 
You buck your hips hoping that with Kate's frustrations she won’t tease you tonight. She loves to tease you for hours before finally fucking you. And lucky for you tonight she takes mercy on you. She shoves two fingers into you and quickly starts working them in and out. She doesn’t give you much time to adjust but you're already so wet for her that you don’t really need it. “F-fuck Katie.” You moan out. 
Your hips bucking into Kate’s hand as she pounders her fingers into your pussy. She curls them expertly as she draws them out. Her skilled fingers are already bringing you close to the edge. Her thumb moving and pressing down on your bundle of nerves. Your whimpers and moans echoing off the walls. “Always such pretty noises.” Kate purs. She adds a third finger stretching you deliciously. Her fingers picking up even more speed that you didn’t know was possible. Your hips bucking wildly as your walls clench tightly around her fingers drawing them in more. The knot in your stomach is close to snapping. “You want to cum pretty girl? Cum on my fingers show me how good I make you feel.” You push your head back into the pillows as a loud moan is ripped from the back of your throat. Your legs tremble and you try to close them as your orgasm takes over you. Kate pushes them open as your cum coats her fingers. 
She keeps working you through your orgasm. She starts scissoring her fingers a bit inside you as she pulls out. Stretching you out so that you are prepared to take her strap. Your whimpers are heard as she knows you're a bit sensitive now but she just wants to make sure. Once she deems you ready for her cock she pulls them out and pops her fingers into her mouth. She moans at your taste as she sucks them dry. Your chest is heaving as you watch the woman you love. “Fuck tastes so delicious. Not as good as right from the source but I’ll have to come back to that later when you're all messy and I need to clean you up.” She smiles and you shudder at her words. 
Kate leans down and kisses you making you taste yourself on her lips. You moan into her mouth from your taste and when you feel her faux cock nudging against your clit. She pulls back and looks into your eyes. Her pupils are dark and blown with desire. She gives you another quick peck before sitting back on her knees. She pushes your underwear out of the way with her cock as she brings it to your entrance. She slowly pushes the head of her cock in. You can tell she wants to go faster, to ruin you right away but she doesn’t want to hurt you. 
You flex your hands before balling them into fist as the head makes its way into velvety walls. Already feeling fuller than you ever have before. Kate pushes her hips forward as you take more. The stretch is deliciously painful as she sinks her cock all the way in, down to the base. You whine at the stretch and how full it makes you feel. “I know princess. I know it’s a lot but it will feel so good soon I promise.” Kate coos as she wipes the tears rolling down the side of your face. You hadn’t even realized that you were crying. You hate to admit how good the pain felt. 
After a moment you start to grind your hips into Kate. You wrap your legs around her signaling to her that she is ok to move. She waist no time in pulling back till only the tip is in before snapping her hips forward. She has been fighting to not to just ruin you. She loves to see you cry as she fucks you hard and rough. How your body reacts under her touch. You were made for her to use and to fuck for her own please. 
Kate pounds into you mercilessly as she sees your tears rolling down the side of your face, your eyes closed as you’re lost in the pleasure. . Your mouth hangs open as your moans fill the room. Kate moves her hand down between your bodies and you feel a small vibration come to life. You snap your eyes open and look at your girlfriend. She moans as she snaps her hips. She has a vibrator in the base to help with her pleasure, which gives you a bit more. She turns it up causing both of you to moan at the same time. 
You throw your head back as you buck your hips and pull her closer by your legs. Kate loves when you're so eager to please her. She works the cock in and out of your soaked cunt. The squelching sounds of your pussy filling the room along with your combined moans and some of Kate’s grunts. You pull on your restraints in dire need to touch her to pull her even closer. She notices and gives in. Working to untie you as she never falters in her quick deep thrust. Once she is able to release your hands, they immediately move to her back and you dig your nails in. This causes Kate to moan at the pleasurable sting. She loves it when you mark up her back. 
You drag your nails down her back as you pull her closer trying to help her thrust. Your walls clench around her cock as she pushes into you. If she meets any resistance you can’t tell. “Fuck! You're so pretty when you cry and let me use you like this.” Kate leans down and kisses you. Rutting her strap into you as she does so. She pulls away from your heated kiss and places her head on yours. Watching your face as she continues to fuck you. “Mmm s-so good Katie.” You whimper and moan the knot growing tighter in your lower stomach again. 
Kate's thrust starts to get sloppier as she gets closer to impending release. Your nails dig in more to her back, her thrust causing scratches to appear up and down her back. You tear stained cheeks sending her into more of a frenzy. Wanting both of your releases. 
With Kate’s sloppy thrust and your walls clenching hard around your cock it isn’t long before both of your orgasms are daring to crash over the both of you. “Cum with me princess.” Kate mutters before kissing you hard. Her body goes ridge above you. You moan into her mouth as your mutual orgasms wash over the both of you. You cum coating her cock, squirting out onto her abdomen and soaking the sheets below you. Kate moans and looks down watching your juices flow out of you. She ruts her cock into you as she helps you both ride out your highs. 
Once she stops leaving her cock buried deep inside of your soaked cunt and she shuts off the vibe. She rolls you both on your sides as you cuddle in close to her. “I-I’m sorry.” You stutter out. Upset with the mess you just made. “Don’t be princess that was super fucking hot.” She caresses your cheek and smiles gently at you. You nuzzle into her hand. Both enjoying the soft moment. 
“Feel better baby?” You ask Kate as your breathing gets back to normal and your legs aren’t trembling as much. “Much. Thank you baby for letting me use you.” She kisses you softly. You can’t help but chuckle. “How can I say no when the orgasms are mind blowingly good when you're like that.” This causes you both to break out in a fit of giggles. Once those giggles die down again you both lay there in utter bliss. Kate shifts unexpectedly causing you to moan as the cock still buried deep inside of you moves. 
You watch as Kate’s gaze darkens again. The sound of your moan revitalizing her need for you and to destroy you. She starts to gently thrust again and you know now that you're in for a very long night. “I love you princess.” Kate mutters her head presses back against yours as she thrust. “I love you too.” You reply. Ready for the long night ahead.
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lemotmo · 1 month ago
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I was hoping someone would ask her this. I know that makes me terrible 😅
Q. I don't know that you can look at it as the show or Tim not bothering to use him. It might actually be they're just being selective about when and how they use him. That might be a good thing.
A. Okay, I understand that at this point you all don't really have a lot of cards left to play so I get the need to make 'they're being strategic with how they use him' sound remotely plausible. It's not. That is not at all what they're doing. Mentioning his name costs them nothing. A line here or there to establish his presence, especially with Buck, costs them nothing. It's the easiest way to work a non main into the narrative. The problem with giving Buck and Eddie love interests separate from one another was always going to be figuring out how to work that person into the narrative consistently enough to compete with the BuckandEddie thing. On paper Tommy is the easiest love interest, by far, to work into the narrative. It's not hard at all to find places you could realistically slot him into. Look at how much they have inserted Brad into Bobby's narrative. And he doesn't fit in nearly as neatly as Tommy does. But the show has done it, and they've done it believably. He doesn't feel shoehorned into his scenes. They make sense. The show is more than capable of using Tommy effectively. If that's what they wanted to do. They're not using him because they don't need him. Tommy was never the point. Him being male was the point.
It was always going to be difficult to bring in someone and get the audience to a place where they would want Buck or Eddie to have the moments or conversations, that they would normally have with one another, with their love interest instead of each other. It was going to take effort. You don't need a ton of scenes but you need meaningful scenes. Scenes that show a genuine connection. And the show has made a point of not giving them any kind of emotionally connecting scenes. Oliver has even basically confirmed that in all of his interviews. Their relationship is not deep. They're avoiding that connection, or most likely Buck, is avoiding that connection. The reason why Buck is avoiding those conversations is the point of his story, and what we've yet to learn. Tommy is the amalgamation of every relationship Buck has had throughout the series. He is all of his love interests rolled into one. The age difference and teacher role of Abby, the fun doesn't want anything too deep and messy of Ali, the we're completely different and incompatible but attracted to one another and Buck wants to make it work of Taylor, and finally to the relationship in name only of Natalia. Tommy is all of those things. The only difference is he's male. His maleness was and is the only important thing about him in terms of Buck's storyline. He is the last piece before Buck figures himself out. There isn't a nicer way to say that. His only important trait is being male. He's a walking, talking plot device.
They're not being subtle about where this Eddie storyline is going. They're not. It's not hard to follow the yellow brick road here. Last night was the official start of his coming out arc. You can pretend you didn't see it. You can pretend the subtext and undertones of his entire plot last night wasn't what it clearly was, but it won't change the reality of what we all can see coming. My ask box indicates most of you can see what is happening here. Some of you can keep denying, that's your fandom right, but it won't change the storyline. If Tommy was ever going to be a genuine factor they would have leaned into him more, especially where Buck is concerned. They didn't do that. They leaned even more into Buddie. They have added an unnecessary Buddie moment into each episode so far. And that dates back to the start of last season. To make any other love interest remotely viable they needed to adjust the way they write Buddie and instead they doubled down on them. Buck's entire plot last night was how differently he reacted to and dealt with finding himself in the very same position Tommy was in back in season 2. They spent the entire episode highlighting how differently they handled the same situation. That's the point. And it wasn't a point in their relationships favor. They are massively different people. I have said all along that I don't think they're going to turn Tommy into the bad guy on his way out the door, and the way they handled Gerard last night, gross, further proves that belief. They're just incompatible. Something Buck probably already knows but is avoiding dealing with at the moment. Allowing Buck the agency to make the breakup about what is right for him, and only him, is the correct way to go. Giving him the ability to identify, recognize and finally walk away from the pattern is the growth he's earned. And having it happen an episode before or even during Eddie's big moment is deliberate. This is only going to go one way. Pretending you don't see the train coming isn't going to make it stop.
Thank you so much Nonny! As always, much appreciated.
And thank you Ali for saying the things we have all been repeating into infinity, but summarizing it so neatly and making it easy to understand for everyone who desperately needs to hear it.
I'm just leaving this here without adding anything. I feel all that needed to be said has been said and to be completely honest? I'm tired of talking about the guy. đŸ€·â€â™€ïž
IMPORTANT! Please don't repost this ask and/or a link that leads straight to my Tumblr account on Twitter or any other social media. Thank you!
Heads up! For anyone who is giving me the shifty eyes for reposting Ali's updates instead of reblogging. Read this.
Remember, no hate in comments, reblogs or inboxes. Let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.
If you are interested in more of Ali’s posts, you can find all of her posts so far under the tag: anonymous blog I love.
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jikooklove9795 · 20 days ago
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Was going through ur last post it was amazing. I am curious though! What was *that* moment of realization to u?
To be honest I am in this jikook shit for years now and feel very refreshed and happy when I see more and more people share and celebrate their relationship
Lots of love❀❀
Hi Sweetheart! Thanks so much for your kind words.
The first ever video I watched of BTS was their Dynamite MV. In 2020. I loved it! Everything. The beats, the choreography, their outfits, their voices, their sync. Everything! I started watching everything related to Dynamite. And that's how I stumbled upon the behinds of their MV. I loved how loud and fun the members were. How enthusiastic they seemed about their job.
By this time I was able to tell which members were which. It took me almost a week 😅 It was my first time watching anything Korean. So, I kept getting confused about who was who. However, Namjoon was easy to spot. Maybe it was his blue hair at that time. But by the end of a week I could comfortably identify all of them and got their names correct too.
While I was watching a behinds video of Dynamite I chanced upon this video here. And what struck me was the way Jungkook kept staring at Jimin. He was so into the staring that I doubt he heard anything what was being said until Taehyung had to tap him to get his attention. Not only that but I also noticed that Jimin felt Jungkook's stares on him and was trying not to look at him directly but still looked like he enjoyed the attention.
I got intrigued by what I saw and tried to dig into it to see if it was just a one time thing or if there was more to it. I watched a few Jikook videos on YT. And sure there seemed to be something but I realized all the members are touchy feely and super close with each other. But still the way Jungkook kept looking at Jimin in the above video was something else. It cannot be explained away with normal skin ship, affection or friendship. So, I decided to watch original content instead of compilation videos cause then I can get the proper context.
I saw all the big, loud Jikook moments: RB, GCFT, GCFS, MMA 2018. But what made me realize that Jikook are different, that they're a couple was when I started watching og content in chronological order. Starting from the pre debut days. I could see their story slowly unfolding.
Them being best friends and being fond of each other. Jungkook going up to seek Jimin's advice regarding him wanting to pursue a career in dance. We need to remember that Jimin was the last member to get in the team and Jikook knew each other for just 6 months at this time. But Jungkook still felt comfortable going upto Jimin for that talk and nobody else.
Both of them having a soft spot for each other. Jimin being loud and open about his fondness for Jungkook. But for me the more telling was Jungkook's behavior. Jungkook's constant teasing of Jimin (this is something I have seen a lot of teens do when they have a crush, want to get the other's attention but still not ready to admit that there is a romantic interest). Seeking him out, wanting to be next to him, wanting his affection and attention. All of it.
I could see the realization of feelings, the acting on it. By this time in almost every video, let it be backstage or even award shows Jikook were glued at the hip. They were constantly together all the time by their voluntary choice. Jungkook started openly enjoying Jimin's affection, he became more daring and outgoing in seeking out Jimin. He started enjoying his effect on Jimin. And was always coming up with ways to get more of that reaction out of Jimin.
There were grand gestures, most of it from Jungkook. Sometimes it's impulsive but most of the times its because he wants to show Jimin openly how much he's in love and cares for Jimin. He wanted everyone including us, fans to know that he sees and treats Jimin differently.
There's the living together theories (if I'm being honest its not a theory to me cause there's so much evidence pointing to it). Since we are talking about living together how can we not talk about sharing rooms in hotels. They're the only ones doing it. None of the other members are sharing rooms unless its decided by games that they have to share. The others are more than happy to have their own space.
By 2020 they gave an established, secure in their relationship vibes.
So, yeah for me it was all the og content when watched in that order which cemented my belief that they're a couple. A long term one at that. Who cherish what they found unexpectedly when they came to Seoul for their careers.
Once again thank you so much for sending this in 😊
Lots of love to you too ❀
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matthewswifeyx · 1 month ago
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One month <3
Requested?- yess! Here <3
Warnings?- Fluff
A/N: Guys this is my first try writing in third person, please tell me if its trash or not! 😅
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Y/N and Matt had finally welcomed their beautiful baby boy Conner into the world. He was home safe, sound and settled. Both of the new parents were enjoying their title. They felt extremely comfortable referring to each other as 'mommy' and 'daddy' when speaking with Conner and talking about themselves. The first month went by so quickly, Y/N and Matt had enjoyed every second of quality time they could have with their new addition. It did take them a while to get used to this new lifestyle.
"Matt you put the diaper on backwards!" Y/N chuckled.
"Hey, can you blame me? There are no instructions." Matt laughed with Y/N.
They had worked together and promised each other to talk things out if they are struggling. Y/N recently had been feeling the effects of postpartum depression, but her husband wasn't afraid to be at her side and support her in anyway shape or form.
"I don't why I am feeling so down, I am so happy that we finally can have a family but I just feel a little lost."
"Y/N it is completely okay to be feeling this way at this point in time, we can go to the doctor and get the support you need. We will get through this together. I promise." Matt kissed her lovingly to show that he does care. Y/N knew that he did.
A newborn in the house did result in sleepless nights, but Y/N and Matt did know what they signed up for.
The baby monitor released the sounds of crying from baby Conner in his nursery. It broke both of their hearts that he was in distress.
"I got it Matt don't worry."
Y/N hopped out of bed and went straight to the crying Conner to try and get him back to sleep. She picked him up from his crib and she tried breastfeeding, Y/N has always had trouble feeding Conner. Little did she know that Matt was watching and listening to the events over the baby monitor, he felt so upset for Y/N. He knew that she was devastated when she found that she would have troubles feeding her son.
"Why am I labelled a natural mom when I can't even feed my baby naturally." That comment replayed in Matt's mind. He didn't want Y/N to feel this way again, so he got out of bed and joined his wife in the nursery.
"You doing okay baby?"
"No i'm not. My body won't let me breastfeed." Tears start to sting the corners of Y/N's eyes.
"Baby, you're just tired. I got this one, i'm just going to get a pre made formula from the fridge, okay? Go back to bed and get some rest alright?"
"Okay." She murmurs.
"I love you Y/N." Matt says. Y/N doesn't say anything and walks out of the nursery back to the bedroom. Matt bounced Conner slightly up and down in his arms in a way to quieten him. Matt went over to the rocking chair and tried to see if skin to skin would make Conner fall back to sleep. Matt was already shirtless. Matt took Conner out of his onesie carefully and placed him on his chest.
"It's okay buddy, daddy's here." Matt hushed. He continued to craddle Conner on his chest for a few more minutes and after that Conner had fallen back into a peaceful sleep.
Conner was mostly a happy baby, so when he did cry during the day it didn't affect Y/N and Matt as much. Matt was such a good dad, he knew that the baby couldn't really respond at the moment. But he was being silly and fun with the baby. Matt would never put the baby in harms way. But he would scare Y/N a few times by throwing Conner up in the air slightly and catching him safely.
"God Matt! Don't do that, you scared me!" Y/N immediately took Conner from Matt's arms and held him close to her chest.
"Y/N, honey, I would never do anything to hurt Conner. It's just a bit of fun." Coincidentally Conner babbles quietly in a cute agreement. Both Matt and Y/N laughed at this interaction.
Every since Conner was born, Matt would be looking online for toys and games that they could play with together. Y/N knew that Conner was going to be Matt's best friend. Matt would order the biggest and coolest toys all over the internet. One day Matt would pick up an interactive dinosaur and the next day he would order a jellycat the same size and Y/N. Matt really cared for his child to feel safe and happy even if Conner couldn't appreciate it right now, but being a new father gave Matt a job to make sure both of those bullet points are ticked off the list straight away. Matt would start decorating the play room as soon as he had any free time, Matt had bought a comfortable small couch to put on the corner. he had bought a camouflage backdrop to put behind the sofa, he decided to theme the play room as a jungle. So Matt had bought loads of animal plushies and a teepee tent to put in the corner. Matt had purchased about a dozen of childrens books to read. Matt had also set up some fairy lights in the ceiling to really set the mood.
Y/N couldn't have been more proud and appreciative of Matt, he wanted his son to have the best childhood a father could offer.
Y/N and Matt really tried hard to make sure everything was prepared for Conner when he was able to play and walk and talk. They couldn't have been any better and supportive with one another.
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Hey guys! I hope you really enjoyed this fanfic! if you have any suggestions/requests please do not hesitate to send something for me to see and i will try and get back to you asap! <3
Banner credits to @bernardsbendystraws <3
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stormblessed95 · 3 months ago
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Watching Are You Sure?! EP 5
A reminder of how I do these reaction posts as I watch things. I just write my reactions and thoughts down literally they happen. Think more of a bullet point format. I'll include links when I can to videos, thanks to the people who twt who upload clips. And at the end, I'll do a better wrap up of all my opinions. I hope everyone enjoyed the show so far!!
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Chef JK! Salt bae JK! Absolutely smitten and endeared Jimin!
Jimin absolutely indulging and encouraging JKs cooking enjoyment by asking him questions about his process was so cute. Tae giving such earnest compliments
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The way Jikook chugged their Soju lmao damn guys
Jimin making ssam to feed the staff and JK saying no perilla leaves was Hysterical only because of the whole perilla leaf history he has đŸ˜‚đŸ€Ł
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JK popping open the Soju in increasingly silly ways while Jimin watched absolutely endeared and smitten once again. Until Tae accused him of teaching JK that and he had to defend himself lol
Jimin calling JK very handsome đŸ„°
Only 2 months until their service đŸ„ș
Them talking about how they don't think they will fight at all when enlisted together..only help each other. And JK saying he hopes they even sleep right next to each other. No one can say they both didn't desperately want to do this together!
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Jimin never letting JK elbowing him in his sleep go!
Jimin so demurely petting and loving on the cat while JK runs, jumps, playing and acts crazy while loving on the puppy is so them and so funny 😂
Vminkook car karaoke 😍😍😍
Jimin sneaking out of the pool to go spray JK who was still inside on his phone lol
Vmin teaming up on JK as soon as he gets in. Lol pretty sure Jimin probably pinches his butt behind that wall 😂 and his nipples at one point too lol
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Taking turns sleeping on the bottom of the pool 😂
Poor Jimin got water up his nose lmao!
JK pulling Jimin to the top of the pool by his hair was a CHOICE lol he pulled it knowledgeably at least đŸ˜…đŸ˜­đŸ˜‚đŸ€Ł I know too much about them at this point. Honestly
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Too many fun under water games đŸ˜‚đŸ„°đŸ’œ
JK playing a prank on Jimin and locking him out of the house lmao and him signing that he is annoying and to open at him đŸ˜‚đŸ€Ł
JK saying he is cold and Jimin starting to open his arms like he is going to hug him 💜
Not them having a towel fight đŸ˜‚đŸ€ŁđŸ€Ł
Tae fully just claimed Jimin's bed and made Jikook choose the other two. Lmfao and the way they fought over who had to take the lower bed, but in a "no no, I'll do it's way 😍
Jimin waking up and first thing going to snuggle JK đŸ˜­đŸ„°đŸ˜­đŸ„°
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And then we cut and somehow Jimin lost his shirt and is waking JK up very obnoxiously lmao
Tae leaving early in the morning to go golfing with the Wooga squad! Look at him splitting his time so effectively and probably taking a break from the jikookery lol
JK photosynthesizing đŸ€ŁđŸ€ŁđŸ€ŁđŸ€Ł
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Jimin taking forever to get ready and JK trying to hustle him along was peak domestic behavior lmfao
Jimin wearing the perfume because JK said he likes it đŸ„° cuteeee
Tae getting dropped off for their next meal all together and the Vmin hug 💜
Jikook telling Tae they were up till 4am and Jimin fell asleep phone scrolling?! Lol what were y'all doing all night?? You need more sleep! I say, typing this at midnight my time lol
I need my babies to stop counting calories 😭
Tae ruffling JKs hair and him trying on Tae's glasses is soooo cute! Jimin trying them on too! They all look so good in everything.
Not them arguing over if it's ham or pink sausage. Lmfao JK getting so upset about it that he asked the waitress and his "hah" back at Jimin over it! Lmfao Jimin being like whooo hey. It's just food. And their "apologies" to each other. Lol! They are so extra over everything lol How come Tae started this argument and it ended up mostly between Jikook đŸ€ŁđŸ€ŁđŸ€ŁđŸ€Ł
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Jimin basically telling JK he is happy if JK is happy đŸ„° he loves him ❀
"JK drinking soda means round 3 has just begun" lol Jimin showing off his JK knowledge 😂
Tae spent most of this episode when not actively playing with Jikook on his phone. Part of me wishes we got to see more of him with his other friends too, but I'm glad he made time to hang out with Jikook before they all enlisted too đŸ„°
Tae baby was so sleepy! He slept through the whole car ride basically and then came back to nap fully too. Jimin woke him up so softly đŸ„°
JK at a restaurant in NY while doing Golden promo alone with staff and immediately thinking about how he wants to make it for Jimin because "Jimin would love it" is so freaking cute and precious and sweet
JK didn't just cook stew for Jimin or Vmin, but for the entire staff. And I love him so much for that. The sweetest human he is
Jimin napping while JK cooks too đŸ„°
Jimin somehow lost his shirt at some point while everyone was coming to get food. Lol who knows why, maybe it's just titties out as appreciation for the cook? 😂😂
Both Jikook expressing that they loved having V there and that he helped make it so fun and that a maknae line trip made them feel really young again. And you could tell too. They were so silly! I love these 3 so much!!
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Wrap up Thoughts:
So Jikook knew by the end of September that they would enlist together. And the palpable relief they both clearly felt over that was so so clear. This 100% made the experience way more tolerable for them. I'm so glad that they have each other. The difference in the way they talk about military service, especially JK, in the US and in Jeju is striking. In the US, JK started playfully smacking Jimin when he would bring it up, it caused him tension and anxiety and he clearly didn't want to talk about it, especially on camera. While here in Jeju, they know they will be together and they are relaxed, making jokes, expressing their happiness about getting to go together. Expressing their surety about how nice and helpful it will be to have the other there and their faith and trust in each other. How they want to wake up to each other. It's beautiful
I don't like calling any of the members 3rd wheels unless it's stupidly obvious it's a joke, but this episode Tae was third wheeling a bit at times. Jikook seem to have a tendency to hyper focus on each other at times during conversation. When they were all playing and being silly, I never once got 3rd wheel vibes. Only during times of heavy conversation while they were eating. Tae also kept pulling out his phone. He was clearly in touch with amother group of friends during that time as well who were also in Jeju, and him trying to split so much of his attention also probably fed a bit of those third wheel vibes a bit too. I'm so glad he was there with them though. Jikook also were as well. They all had such a good time together and seeing them and sharing in the love they all share is so healing for me personally. I hope Tae had the best time on Jeju with them and his Wooga Squad too! 💜💜💜
And that's all I've really got for this episode. It was a lot of mostly just sleeping and eating and playing this episode! Lol I can't wait to see what Sapporo brings!
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traceyc-uk · 4 months ago
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Hiii tracey!! You know I absolutely adore your arts!! Seeing your comics made me wanna try drawing one too, but the idea scares me. I feel like i have to know how to do compositions, backgrounds, effects, choose the right panels etc etc (tho ofc i really just have to try it). Do you have any tips or resources on how to make it less intimidating 👉👈
What?! no way because I can have a rant about how much I love yours! You better keep an eye on your ask box because I’ve got questions for you too missy, ok deal? DEAL đŸ€
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I find backgrounds and panel layouts tough too and effects takes me longest but there’s no right or wrong way to approach it and all I can suggest is go easy on yourself and just go for it! Honestly there’re some pages in my past comics that are painful to see because I’ve forced panels around to fit in exposition or set up for something later but who’ll know apart from myself
Your figure drawing is so gorgeous too! So good at illustrating movement! just being able to tell a story through body language I like to do too and just doing that is a great way to start. Forget about backgrounds and everything else if it’s putting too much pressure and go at your own pace. Like Calvin and Hobbs if you’ve ever read any of that?
I don’t often draw backgrounds either, I’m not sure how much detail you want to go but my last comic I drew an establishing environment to set the scene and that’s it
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One saving grace in making HL comics is it’s already set in a well established world and most would instantly recognise places if given the right prompts (four long tables = great hall) I play on PS5 and I’ve got so many screenshots of place references 😅
Some panels are literal trace overs of screenshots and I do anything and everything to make life easier (the Beast class bullies had the most backgrounds as it jumped around scenes so much) i find filtered images too jarring against my drawing too
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My comfort approach is rule of thirds for composition and is I think a great way to start establishing frames and once you get more comfortable you can start playing around with it
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Effects I’ve copied from comics I liked as I had no idea where to start too, I have no consistency either it changes because I’ve forgotten what I did before 😅
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Panel layout I’m still finding my way too, I often don’t plan linearly, I’ll have keyframe panels (in green) and is finding the rhythm getting point A to B is loose and fun to navigate. and there’s so much of my earlier comics I’d like to change with what I learned now but I digress
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This is just my approach and I’m definitely no expert but am happy to help anyway I can. I’m always copying or taking reference from films and comics I like too, taking elements that I like so much about it and let it influence and inform my own style.
If anything I’m nervous for the next one I’m working on now, emotional angst is definitely out of my comfort zone 😭 and I’m no writer like you are
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yagirlwrites · 4 months ago
Text
(Not) My Baby (5)
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Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Reader
Synopsis: Y/N is having girls night with her roomates when an odd call comes in. Rafe and Y/N meet up to discuss the wedding plans. Drama ensues.
A/N: Hiii! It's been a while, I know! Yet again, I apologize for the long wait. Hopefully this longer chapter makes up a little for how late it is 😅 I hope you all enjoy it! This one is funny and silly, with lots of girly dynamics, but also Rafe and the drama that always comes when they're together đŸ€­ There might be some sexual tension in this one but our girl loves to stay delulu đŸ€·đŸ»â€â™€ïž
Series Masterlist
My work is my own; it's not to be copied, transferred or translated. Reblogs, comments & feedback are always welcome and appreciated❀
Happy reading! đŸ„°
(Not) My Baby (Part 5)
She was putting the finishing touches on dinner when her phone buzzed on the counter with an incoming message. The salmon and veggies were still sizzling in the pan, the aroma of a freshly cooked meal making her insides flutter with both hunger and gratitude.
After the past several days, she was glad to finally be back to normal. At least, as normal as it gets under these strange circumstances she found herself in; because of a selfish, conniving, bit- No! No thinking about him tonight. Tonight is for the girlies.
Y/N, Stella and Lena all found themselves having a family dinner after quite a while. Deciding to put each other first and spend a peaceful evening together - complete with a cheesy horror movie and delicious food. Tonight was going to be fun and she wasn't going to let thoughts of him ruin that for even a moment.
A moan could be heard from the direction of the couch where Stella was impatiently waiting for food to be ready. She had been going on about how 'hangry' she had been all day and how much she missed Y/N's cooking. Even though Stella was a decent cook, and Lena could technically fry an egg, it was a known fact in their household that Y/N made "food for the soul". That's exactly what all three of them needed, all of them buzzing with excitement. Even Lena had turned her phone on silent and vowed not to text Kelce the whole evening, wanting to focus on her best friends she felt she had been neglecting.
"Hurry up, please!" Stella's whining made Lena roll her eyes and smack her shoulder causing the girl to pout in mock hurt. "I am an injured woman!"
Y/N laughed as she walked into the living room holding onto the food tray, thinking about how much she missed when all three of them were together like this.
"You'll live." Lena replied without missing a beat, plopping herself down on the chair next to the couch, while the chef presented them with their dinner. Stella's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and even Lena couldn't stop a smile from breaking through.
"Oh this smells so fucking good, Peach! Come to mama!" She practically jumped to fill up her plate, completely ignoring the other two who smirked at each other, knowing how she gets when she's hungry.
Lena had chosen a movie for them to watch while they eat and decompress. It was some old horror with bad practical effects, demons and gore - perfect for the occasion. They spent the first 20 minutes of the film just enjoying their food in peace while trying to catch up to the plot. Even though the movie was silly it was still spooky and they loved that. Once the food was finished, Stella cleared their plates and brought back ice cream for them to share. The movie was getting real weird and scary when buzzing broke through the intense atmosphere they were in. Stella gasped, dramatically; Lena spared a glance in the direction of the glowing phone and shot Y/N a glare for the interruption. She realized someone was calling her.
"Who the fuck calls?" She mumbled, begrudgingly getting up from her comfy position on the couch to grab the phone and end the annoying buzzing. There are only three people who ever called her, albeit rarely, and two of them were in the room with her. The third one being her mother and she never called this late.
Looking at the screen, her eyes widened and a panicked "what the fuck" left her mouth. The girls both looked her way in confusion, seeing her staring at her phone.
"What?" Stella whispered, as if talking any louder would disturb the fictional characters on the screen.
"Guys..." Y/N slowly turned her phone to face the girls and they both gasped in unison.
"What the fuck?!" Lena jumped from her chair and took her phone from her hands as if it were a trick of the eye and the words on the screen would change once in her posession. But the caller ID hadn't changed...it still clearly said "Devil's Spawn".
The movie forgotten, the silence was now filled with only the incessant buzzing. Whoever it was was not letting the call drop.
"Answer it." Lena spoke causing Stella to jump from the couch.
"Are you insane! No, do not answer that! That is horror movie 101 right there!"
"This isn't a horror movie, this is real life , Stel." Lena responded, exasperatedly. Y/N gulped, Lena's words ringing true.
"...Hello?" Her voice still nearly trembled with trepidation, but she managed to keep it steady. If this was some psycho demon she was not showing any weakness.
"Finally!" A breath of relief left her, and she closed her eyes trying to calm her racing heart.
"Why the fuck are you calling me?" Her voice now taking on a note of clear annoyance, hinting to the girls who might be on the other end of the line.
"Well, hello to you too, Y/N/N." She could just feel Rafe's eyes rolling through the phone. She was not amused.
"Why are you calling, boomer?" He scoffed out a laugh at that one.
"Well if you answered your texts I wouldn't have to call like some boomer, would I?" She rolled her eyes this time, looking down at her phone to see she had several unread text notifications.
"What's so urgent it couldn't wait until morning, then?" She wanted this conversation to be over and for him to stop constantly ruining her fun.
"I need your measurements." "What?" She was dumbfounded at his random request.
"For the dress? My stepmom's been on my ass about getting her your measurements for weeks so if you could-"
"Oh, you mean while I have been blissfully unaware of your schemes? Good times." She sighed wistfully and he had to take a deep breath to calm down.
"Yes. Could you just send me your measurements so I can give them to her, please?" He sounded mildly desparate and quite irritated and she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy that.
"Hmmm... fine. But only so I can end this conversation sooner." He sighed on the other line.
"Great, whatever." She scoffed at his attitude.
"You're such a brat." She couldn't see it but his eyebrows rose at her remark, a disbelieving smile on his face.
"A brat? That's a new one." She rolled her eyes once again at his attempt to keep the conversation going after she made it clear she wanted it to end.
"Yep, that's you. Bye, now! Don't call me again." She hung up the phone before he had the chance to respond and she smiled in satisfaction at her small victory. Lena and Stella were both staring at her, the former unimpressed and the latter barely holding in a laugh.
"What?" Y/N shrugged in confusion.
"Devil's Spawn?" Lena posed the question and Stella finally burst into laughter.
"Okay, yeah. So I might have saved his number under that name... And then forgot I did it." Y/N gave them both a sheepish smile, hoping they let it go and that they could forget the past 5 minutes ever happened.
"And in my defence, you were also freaked out for a minute!" Lena scoffed, faux offended, while Stella nodded somberly.
"It was the movie. It made us paranoid." Stella whispered again and the other two girls agreed.
"Sooo... Keep watching?" "Fuck yes!" "Lets do it." The trio agreed and made themselves comfortable in their assigned seats again, resuming the film. Y/N couldn't help but check her phone to see the texts he had sent her before that awkward phonecall.
Devil's Spawn: hey sry 2 bother u at girls night but could u send me ur measurements?
Devil's Spawn: my stepmom needs them
Devil's Spawn: for ur dress n stuff
Devil's Spawn: btw she made reservations at the Modiste 4 Tuesday so u can try some stuff out
Devil's Spawn: pls lmk the measurements asap
She read through his texts with a raised brow. How did he know they were having girls night? Kelce must have told him, she guessed. The Modiste? What was this, Bridgerton? A scoff escaped her, met by shushing from Stella by her side. Her friends were once again deeply engulfed in the film playing on their TV screen. Y/N, however, was distracted.
She couldn't stop thinking over everything that had happened recently. Thinking about Rafe, or the 'Devil's Spawn' as she had aptly named him. She had forgotten all about the little nickname she dubbed him with in her phone, right until she picked up and heard his voice. Then it came back to her - the group chat Lena had created to keep them all in the loop over a trip they had planned, her tipsy and giggling to herself while she saved his contact at how funny and clever she was. Truth is she never expected to use it, she just wanted to spite him, even if it was petty and just for her own amusement. But that was so long ago now, and the little rebellion completely escaped her memory. Which is why she had given into the horror induced paranoia tonight. It was funny though, even funnier since it was all three of them who fell for the spooky caller. She looked over at her friends, smiling. She had missed this so much. She finally let herself sink back into the couch and tried watching the rest of the movie but she soon dozed off from exhaustion.
The next day she woke up groggy and confused. She realized she was still on the couch, but this time alone and covered by a blanket. The girls took care to make her comfy before going to their respective beds. She took a deep breath, looking at the time on her phone seeing it was just past 7, wondering if she should just move to her bedroom and go back to sleep when a text came through.
Devil's Spawn: can u send me those measurements??
She rolled her eyes at his insistence and lack of patience. It's not like she had the numbers lying around. She needed to measure herself first. That would prove a challenge since she didn't have a tape measure. She pondered on whether Stella might have one when Lena made her way into the living area.
"Oh, you're up?" Lena had been an early bird for as long as she knew her. Stella was the opposite, she could sleep forever. Y/N was somewhere in between, not quite a morning person like Lena, but definitely not comfortable staying in bed until the afternoon.
"Yeah. Morning." Y/N rubbed her tired eyes giving her friend a sleepy smile.
"Good morning." Lena smirked and went to the kitchen to start on her coffee.
"Hey, do you have a tape measure?" She asked in hopes she wouldn't have to wake up Stella and risk losing a limb.
"A tape measure? Why?" Lena's confusion echoed from the kitchen area and Y/N slowly got on unsteady feet to patter closer to her.
"Just need to take my measurements." She sighed, smelling the coffee Lena was brewing.
"Why?" Lena repeated the question and she knew she wouldn't let it go, she was stubborn like that.
"Rafe needs them." Lena gave her a knowing look. Knowing of what she was unsure. He was such a pain in her ass.
"Why does Rafe need your measurements?" Lena posed the question as she pulled out two mugs and started filling them with the precious liquid.
"I don't know. Something about his stepmom and the wedding. Do you have one or not?" Y/N grabbed the oat milk from the fridge and handed it to Lena who thanked her with a smile.
"Not." Lena poured herself a bit of milk and Y/N a generous amount. The girl was looking at her friend with a deadpan expression after her answer.
"Stel does, though." Y/N groaned, realizing she'd have to sneak into her best friend's room because of Rafe. Ruining her day before it even started, the prick.
"Do you know where she keeps it?" She asked hopeful, praying it might be a quick in and out mission and the risk of waking the lion would be low.
"Hmm. No, sorry. Maybe her desk drawers? That's where she usually keeps her craft supplies." Lena shrugged and took a long sip of her coffee, closing her eyes in pleasure at the strong aroma waking up her tastebuds.
Y/N let out a breath and braced herself for the mission ahead. It would be fine. Stella was probaby knocked out cold. She'd just do a quick check and if she can't find it in the drawer she'd text Rafe to leave her the hell alone until Stella woke up. She crept into Stella's room, her sock clad feet making as little noise as possible as she inched towards the desk. She was almost there when Stella stirred and she froze in place, bracing for an attack. But it never came and Stella kept snoring. She sighed out in relief and went searching through the desk with minimal noise. She managed to find it, in the last drawer of course.
She retraced the footsteps back out of the room and felt impressed when she made it to the living room without waking her friend. Maybe she could be a spy or a cat burglar cause that was seriously cool. Lena was looking at her with a blank expression as she crept back to the kitchen. She swore she had the two most dramatic women for roomates. Stella took the cake of course, but Y/N definitely acted up sometimes and gave Stella a run for her money. It was hard being the reasonable one in the household.
"I got it." Y/N whispered, showing off the prize.
"Good job, bub." Lena said, semi sarcastically, but Y/N just grinned proudly.
"Can you help me?" Lena rolled her eyes but got up to help her friend. They had to look up instructions on how to take measurements correctly and wrote them down in Y/N's notes app. It took longer than they thought it would. Once they finally finished, she sent them to Rafe with what she deemed an appropriate warning.
Baby: here are your damn measurements
Baby: I expect you to be a lot less pushy from now on
Baby: I'm doing you a favor, don't forget that
Lena had packed up her stuff and left the apartment not long after and Rafe responded in suit.
Devil's Spawn: why thank you your holiness I wouldn't dream of being pushy with thee again
She scoffed at his idiotic response just as the next text came in.
Devil's Spawn: u want me to buy u a purse for ur troubles madam?
Baby: that's sexist
Devil's Spawn: so that's a no on the birkin?
She rolled her eyes and decided to ignore him and his sarcastic little messages. She could feel how tired she still was and since it was a day free from classes she figured going back to bed might be her best option. She poured her coffee into a bottle and put it in the fridge for later and then made herself comfy in her own bed. After a night on the couch her back was screaming in protest. She had to remember not to fall asleep in the living room again because her back hurt for days every time it happened. She was just about to fall into a slumber when her phone buzzed on the night stand. She almost groaned but checked it anyway.
Devil's Spawn: can we meet 2day?
She hated the way he texted. Was it so damn hard to just spell out an entire word? She was about to ignore him but the phone buzzed again.
Devil's Spawn: we need 2 go over some stuff 4 wedding
She groaned into her pillow after reading that. Couldn't she go one day without dealing with his bullshit? One day without thinking about the damn wedding she is forced to attend with him? At least she had the car, she reminded herself and smiled. She hadn't had much of a chance to drive it yet, so why not take advantage of it?
Baby: fine. 6pm at Rooftop
The Rooftop Bar was a gorgeous place right outside of town at one of the hotels overlooking the ocean. It was a 30 minute drive so she could enjoy the ride and the beautiful view. That was at least one good thing to come out of this whole mess.
Devil's Spawn: ok see u
With one final eye roll she finally laid her head on her soft pillow and traveled all the way to dreamland. Unfortunately so did her thoughts of a certain irksome boy and his blue-green eyes.
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After waking back up around 11, she went on with her day somewhat normally. However, the cloud of her approaching meet up with Rafe kept gnawing at her mind, never letting her fully relax. She debated cancelling at least 20 times, but she didn't. She knew it was time to accept her fate and make peace with the predicament she was in. She reminded herself she'll be getting something out of the deal too. That and the car. She smiled at the thought of the Mustang parked in front of their building.
It was only a few days ago that Rafe reluctantly handed her the keys to his most prized posession. He was sulking the entire time, a pout on his face she would have made fun of if she hadn't been so damn excited nothing could rain on her parade. And frankly, taking something from him that he loved would probably humble him a little and he desparately needed some humbling.
She had been eyeing the Mustang for years. She didn't know a lot about cars but she always liked the classics, fawning over them if she saw one on the road. She didn't care for the men driving them, obviously. She just found older cars to have more character, as most new cars all looked exactly the same to her - she couldn't even tell you what make any uber she'd ever taken was. But the old cars were different, pretty, special. She had always wanted to drive one but never had the opportunity. Suffice to say she had been jealous of Rafe having such a gorgeous car, believing a dickhead like him did not deserve it. And as soon as she had the idea to barter for it, she was ecstatic.
When she slid into the sleek leather seat, turned the key and heard the engine roar, she was in heaven. Rafe's misery at the arrangement was quite enjoyable too, given that he put her in such an impossibly awkward position in the first place. She felt it was only fair he suffer as well. So she didn't feel guilty driving away from him, in his old Mustang, while he looked after her with anger and sadness as she left him in the dust.
She hadn't told her friends what she was going to do, what she would ask of him in the end. They were mad at her for keeping them in suspense and she knew they'd lose their minds once she drove home in Rafe's baby.
She had barely stopped the car in front of their building when she impatiently dialed Stella's phone. Once the girl answered, Y/N only relayed a quick, criptic message of her "coming downstairs, now" and hung up. Stella had been confused but made her way out of the building all the same. As soon as she saw her in the black Mustang, Stella's jaw dropped and Y/N couldn't hide her smirk.
"No. Fucking. Way." Y/N just laughed at her friend's shocked expression.
"You took his car!? Oh my God, you're an evil genious! Remind me never to piss you off." Stella joked as she ran to hug her, both of them beaming in excitement.
"How did you convince him to give you his car? That's like his baby!" Stella shook with nerves and excitement.
"Like you guys said, he couldn't say no." Y/N shrugged, seemingly chill. However, she also couldn't quite believe she managed to get him to give her his fucking car. He really was desparate for this deal to work, otherwise he would have told her to go fuck herself and never spoke to her again. What a mess. But hey, it was a mess he got them into himself and she wasn't going to pass up a good opportunity by feeling guilty about it. He was a dick and he deserved a nice portion of humble pie.
It wasn't until later that night, while Stella and Y/N were in the apartment doing their respective work, that Lena burst through the door looking dishevelled, like she ran all the way to the third floor. The two girls were completely bewildered at their friend until she spoke.
"Where's Rafe?" Lena was looking around the apartment expecting the boy to pop up from behind a counter or something.
"I don't know? What-" Y/N started, but was interrupted.
"Why is his car in the parking lot?" Once Lena posed the question the two girls gave each other a knowing, mischievous look. Lena looked at them confused.
"About that..." Y/N started the story. Suffice to say Lena had been thoroughly shocked and amused by the ordeal.
"I can't believe you took his car. You are devious. He loves that thing more than himself." Lena chuckled and Y/N rolled her eyes.
"Well, that just isn't true or he wouldn't have agreed." She smirked and the girls nodded in agreement. Lena praised her for her nerve and Y/N thanked Lena for giving her the push to go after what she wanted.
That was two days ago and aside from classes she hadn't had a chance to drive her new car which was tragic considering how excited she was to have it. But tonight that changes. She'll finally have an oportunity to get in her new Mustang and cruise. She was buzzing with butterflies at the prospect. She had picked the location of their meeting specifically so she could enjoy the drive there and back. Also she really loved the place, rarely getting a chance to visit it. It had a gorgeous view, loads of fresh air and affordable drinks. What was not to like?
She decided to put some effort into how she looked tonight, wanting to enjoy herself to the fullest, ignoring the fact that the person she'd be meeting would probably piss her off at some point. She chose to focus on the fun parts of the evening. She picked out a cute outfit, leather jacket in tow, put on a red lip and looked herself over in approval. This is exactly the aesthetic she wanted, the kind befitting a girl driving a car like that. She grinned in excitement and got ready to leave.
She had told the girls she'd be meeting Rafe tonight and she was glad they weren't home to see how much effort she put into her appearace. She knew they'd assume it was for him when it wasn't. Not even a little bit. She was dressing for herself. And while that usually meant comfort to the max, she really wanted to look good tonight.
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The drive was peaceful, filled with her favourite playlist and the roar of the Mustang she was falling in love with. The sea air was refreshing, helping her calm herself down. No matter how much she was enjoying her ride, the fact was it would end with meeting him. She tried so hard to keep herself cool and carefree but when it came to him it was an impossible feat. He always managed to get under her skin, no matter how much she claimed she didn't care. This whole situation was so messed up and she hated him for putting her in it. It was so absurd she couldn't believe she agreed to it. Even with the stunning automobile she was currently driving.
She forced herself to put it out of her mind for the rest of the trip; so she could enjoy the wind in her hair, fresh air in her lungs and Chappell Roan on the stereo.
Once she stopped the car she noticed he was already there, she could see his bike in the parking lot. A very nice bike, she had to admit. But of course it was, his family was loaded, he only had the best of the best. He had tried making her feel bad about taking his mode of transportation, knowing full well he had his bike to fall back on. She scoffed at the memory. What a bitch.
She had hoped she'd get there first and perhaps have a drink in peace before having to deal with him but alas the universe was not on her side tonight. Well, it seemed like it hasn't been on her side for a while.
Putting aside her anxiety, she held her head up high when she entered the hotel, beelining for the elevator that led to The Rooftop Bar where Rafe was waiting for her. He was early, she realized. It wasn't even 6 o'clock when she parked the car and he was there already. He wasn't usually late, as far as she remembers from their hang outs, but she doesn't think she'd seen him be early either.
Once she stepped out into the fresh evening air she felt herself relax slightly. The twinkling lights spread around the open-air bar were beautiful and the view of the coast breathtaking. She loved the smell of the sea, it always brought her peace. She supposed that's part of the reason why she chose this place, to help her out while she dealt with the one person who always managed to get under her skin.
Her eyes moved across the rooftop until they met his blue ones. He was sat at one of the tables closest to the edge, one with a great view. His eyes had been on her since she stepped foot out of the elevator, having been anxiously waiting for about 20 minutes. He wasn't sure why he came so early but for some reason he just didn't want to be late and risk angering her.
He had the chance to take her in before she noticed him. And boy was she a sight to behold. She looked good, too good. With a dress that hugged her curves just right and a black leather jacket making her look sexy and cool.
She always looked good when they were out together with their friends but for some reason he thought she looked extra nice tonight. Perhaps she was trying to mess with his head. Or maybe she wasn't thinking of him at all when she got dressed. Which was a thought that kind of stung given how much effort he put into his own outfit. He changed at least four times, feeling shockingly nervous to see her. He spent the whole day anxiously awaiting 6pm. He wasn't sure why he was feeling so amped up, maybe because they were meeting up alone, in a really nice and maybe even romantic place. Maybe because it was finally setting in that this whole thing was really happening and that less than two weeks from now they'd be playing a couple in front of his entire family. He chose to chalk his nerves up to the latter, not wanting to dwell on anything else.
It would have been comical, how fast her body language changed once she saw him, if it didn't cause a sharp pain in his chest. A moment ago she had seemed relaxed and maybe joyful but the moment their eyes met she stiffened up, as if she had to be on guard around him. It sucked, thought he knew she had every right to be upset with him, he did put them both in an awkward predicament. It still kind of stung that she felt so unwelcoming toward him. He chose not to dwell on that either and gave her a nod in greeting.
She mentally prepped herself on the walk over to their table, trying to remind herself that she is a grown woman and this man couldn't unhinge her unless she let him. And she wouldn't let him.
"Hey." He stood suddenly and rushed to pull her chair out, the action taking her by surprise.
"Hey. Thanks." She gave him a small awkward smile and he nodded, sitting back into his own chair across from her and waving over a waiter.
She took him in while he was distracted. He looked good and she hated it. With a button up and a leather biker jacket draped over it, he looked efortlessly cool. She was worried for a minute she might be slightly overdressed and he'd be in his usual t-shirt and backwards cap combo but he seemed to have cleaned up too. She supposed it was this place. It had a fancy vibe that made people want to dress just a little nicer for it. That was it, no other reason.
The waiter came and took their order, she realized he had not ordered a drink yet so he must have gotten here only minutes before her. He ordered a craft beer the waiter recomended and she asked for a fruity cocktail. One drink wouldn't hurt, it would help with her nerves. One drink only though, so she could safely drive back home.
"Thanks for meeting me today." He gave her a sweet smile and she responded with a mere nod, not willing to risk speaking when she felt so confused about how nice he was being. It was uncharted territory and she didn't trust it. She had to keep herself on guard.
"I love this place." He looked around with a small genuine smile, and she could tell he was being sincere. "It's a shame we don't come here more often."
"It is, yeah." She gave a tentative smile as she agreed with him. Another extremely unusual occourence - the two of them agreeing on somehing. The silence started dragging on so she decided to stop it before it spread any longer and it became awkward.
"So, what is it you wanted to discuss?" Her voice took him by surprise, breaking him out of a haze he found himself in for a moment.
"Oh, um. Just, stuff for the wedding. We should be prepared, you know." He looked sheepish and her suspicion was rising.
"Sure. So go ahead." She gave him a pointed look.
"Hm?" He looked out of it and her brow furrowed.
"Tell me more about this wedding. Your family. You know, prepare?" She was looking at him oddly, slightly concerned with how airheaded he seemd to be acting.
"Oh, of course yeah." He nodded and readied himself to spill the beans.
"Right. So we should probably start with my family." He looked uncomfortable saying it but she agreed. It did seem like the most important part. Getting them to believe they were a couple.
"Yeah, so theres my dad, my stepmom - her name is Rose, by the way - and my two little sisters." As he recounted his family dynamic and threw in tidbits of information she should probably be aware of, she found herself in awe for a moment. She had known he had sisters but she did not expect the love he exhibited while talking about them.
He mentioned how his relationship with Sarah had been rocky when they were younger but they found a way to communicate in the past year and how relieved he was that they were finally talking again. That he missed her. There was an embarrased but endearing blush on his cheeks at the revelation that made her smile. Once he noticed it, he smiled too. It was an oddly comfortable moment between the pair.
He spoke of his younger sister Wheezie with unbridled adoration, retelling a few childhood stories that made them both laugh. It was weirdly nice, sitting there together like that. Neither of them really expected it to feel that way. Almost, natural. Like they were just two regular people, sitting in a bar and chatting about their lives over drinks.
Soon enough the mood shifted as the story got to his father - Ward Cameron. She found herself bearing resentment towards the man and she'd barely even met him. He was always pompous at any event he'd come to at their college but she wasn't too bothered by him. She knew how to work people like that, figure out what they're like, tell them what they want to hear and she'd be golden. But the cloud over Rafe's head as he spoke about his dad made her heart clench with empathy for the boy. She couldn't imagine having such a terrible relationship with your father that you'd look so miserable at the mere mention of him. It tugged at her heart.
He explained how Ward very much cared for appearances, which she knew already. He mentioned that he always saw Rafe as a disappointment and he really didn't want to be one anymore. She kind of felt bad for him even though in his desparation to impress his dad he put her in this shitty position. The ice around her heart was slowly melting. She still hated the entire ordeal, obviously, but she kind of understood why this was important to Rafe.
She still didn't like that he was using her as a pawn in his game of "win dad's approval" and she wouldn't pretend otherwise no matter how much of a sob story he sold her, though. She knew he was laying it on thicker than necessary to try and gain her sympathy. And while it kind of worked, the method didn't go unnoticed and she resented his manipulation tactics.
He described his stepmother as a vain woman, just as obsessed with image as his father, which made sense. She wasn't sure if his negative image of her was warranted or not, given that she'd never met the woman. She decided to keep his warnings in mind but leave an open mind for Rose. As far his sisters went she already knew she'd like them. She just felt bad that she'd be lying to them. That part sucked.
He mentioned some of the influential people who would be attending this wedding, and she was kind of surprised with just how many people relevant to her future career would be there in one place. And she'd get the chance to network. This really was a good opportunity for her, he wasn't lying when he said that. She was impressed.
She knew he was smart, but it took her by surprise just how much he knew about who she'd be interested in meeting and even giving her some pointers on how to impress a few of them he knew more closely. Rich people really do all stick together. She almost scoffed but refrained as he was doing her a solid giving her these bits of information that could definitely help her when she approached her targets.
When he had finally reached the conclusion in his debrief, the waiter returned to take their empty glasses and ask if they'd like to order more. As much as she enjoyed the sweet cocktail she remembered the promise she made herself and ordered a coke. Rafe ordered the same and gave her a cute smile.
It was odd, how natural it felt opening up to her. Even for a bit. He didn't quite understand how this woman managed to make him feel both exposed and understood at the same time. Like she could see right through him but she simply listened and empathized. It was fucking with his head.
He had spared her most of the details about his father which he deemed not necessary for her to know. It was all about preparing her for the wedding, that's all. He was amused at the way her eyes sparkled when they talked about her part of the deal, all the people on the guest list she would no doubt be able to wow. She seemed kind of excited and it made him feel glad. So far she had only expressed anger and disapproval over their arrangement. But there was a great opportunity for her in it too, which she had been ignoring for the most part. He knew she would manage to charm any one of those guests she wanted to. She was like that, incredibly charismatic and charming. He simply wasn't on the list of people she wished to charm. And he was fine with that, it didn't matter that there was a short burst of pain inside his ribs at the reminder that the only reason she was sitting with him right now was the deal they made.
"So what's with this "Modiste"?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm at the use of the word.
"Yeah. Sorry about that. Rose likes to keep things looking perfect. She wants us to match so we need to try some things out." He rolled his eyes at what he deemed his stepmother's dramatics. "The clothes need to be tailored, not a single crease in sight."
For Y/N, it was beginning to sink in just how different their worlds were. The mere clothes they wore were so startlingly different in price, she shuddered to think what this entire wedding would look like. She did not belong in the world of oppulence. She was a small town girl, on a scholarship, trying to make a difference in this world. But the world was quite literally tailored to the upper classes, and her dislike of them had to take a back seat if she wanted to fulfil her dreams. Change starts from within, small steps and all that. She had to remind herself to breathe as her thoughts nearly spun out of control.
Rafe noticed her expression change and frowned.
"Everything okay?" She startled at his voice breaking her out of her daze.
"Oh, yeah. Yeah all good." She gave him an unconvincing smile and he had to hold back from calling bullshit. He didn't want to piss her off, things were finally going somewhat okay between them and he wanted it to continue on like that.
"Okay so we just gotta pick out a few outfits on Tuesday and that's what we'll be wearing. Rose will take care of everything else, like always." He attempted a joke in order to relieve the tension that was radiating off of her.
"Right. Makes sense." She nodded trying to focus on the topic at hand. "Wait a few outfits?" She questioned, confused.
"Oh, yeah. Well one for the first day, the rehersal dinner-" she interrupted him before he got to finish his thought.
"Hold on, hold on, hold on." He looked bemusedly at her.
"What?" Her brows furrowed in confusion at his words.
"What do you mean the first day?" He was looking at her like she had grown a second head.
"Well, the rehearsal dinner, as I was saying. Then the wedding on Saturday-" he didn't get to finish again.
"I'm sorry, I'm gonna stop you right there." He was barely holding in his annoyance at her rude interruptions.
"You're saying this is a two day deal?" She was looking like she was about to pass out and alarm bells finally started ringing in his head.
"It's actually three days." His voice was careful, trying not to upset her further because she seemed like she was on the verge of a panic attack.
"Three days?!" Her voice was louder than she expected, and she got a few dirty looks from the table next to them.
"I told you this?" It came out as a weak attempt to placate her.
"No. You did not." She was glaring at him, and if looks could kill he would be a full 6 feet under this hotel.
"I swear, I thought I told you!" His desparation could be felt through every syllable.
"Rafe I swear to God-"
"I'm sorry! I really thought I did..." he looked petrified. Like the very thin line they had been toeing was about to break and he wasn't sure he could ever fix it if it did.
She got up from the table and walked away without a second glace. It happened so fast, one second she was there, steam practically coming out of her ears, then he blinked and he was faced with her back leaving the bar. He jumped into action, throwing some cash on the table to cover the bill and ran after her.
She had already gotten onto the elevator by the time he reached it and she purposefully closed the doors on him... Fuck. He realised his only option was to run down the stairs as fast as he could in hopes he reaches her before she takes off.
By the time he runs out of the staircase the elevator is empty and he curses his luck. He rushes out, panting, panicking, ready to see his car gone but it isn't. The car is still parked in front of the hotel but she's nowhere in sight. His relief turns to confusion, turns to concern until he notices something moving across the road and sees her standing at the railing overlooking the ocean. He hurries to join her. Her eyes are closed and she's breathing in a deliberate manner.
"Y/N/N-"
"Don't." She interrupts him again, this time he lets the silence roll. They stand there for what feels like eons but in reality was no more than 2 minutes. She opens her eyes and stares at the sea bellow them, the waves crashing into the cliffside. Her breathing evens out and she exhales a deep breath.
She had to get away from him, she needed a minute to breathe, calm herself down. She was reaching an anxiety attack up there and she needed out.
He stood a few feet away, mimicking her posture, waiting for her to speak or move or do something. He was so scared he screwed the whole thing up by not telling her. He really did think he had. But to be frank, he mostly blocked out those extremely embarrassing moments when he revealed to her the truth of his transgression and begged her to help him. So how was he to know if he actually did or didn't mention it? By her reaction though, it was clear this was the first time she was hearing about it. He wanted to slap himself.
"I'm sorry." His voice was quiet, small, defeated almost.
She finally looked at him then and realized he wasn't lying about believing he had told her about the wedding being a three day affair.
She wanted to cuss him out, slap him, tell him to take his car keys back and to leave her the fuck alone for the rest of time. But the way he was looking at her, so broken, so desparate, sad. Like she was holding his entire world in the palm of his hands and if she dropped it he wouldn't survive it. And she cursed herself for being empathetic because he really kept pulling the rug from under her again and again. Just when she thought she was finally in control, understood what she was dealing with, he reveals something else that tilts her world off its axis.
She sighed again and looked out at the setting sun. He kept his eyes on her. He was sure she would have cussed him out by now or maybe pushed him over the railing by how angrily she had looked at him back at the table. But she hadn't. Hadn't left either. She was still there. Maybe there was still hope.
"I swear, I thought I told you." He repeated himself pathetically, not knowing what else to do. She looked at him, the intensity in her eyes knocking his breath out of him. He was at her mercy yet again.
"I know." He looked dazed at her words. Hopeful for her next.
"You hate me now?" His voice was barely a whisper at that point. Why does he always fuck everything up?
"I don't know." Ouch. He was kind of hoping for a no. By the dejected look on his face she realized her words were a mistake. And untrue.
"No. I still don't hate you." She spoke looking back at the horizon. His head swiveled back to stare at her gauging if she was being truthful or playing with him. He was greatful it was the latter.
"Are you gonna back out?" The silence and the suspence were bad for his health, he felt faint. She let out a loud breath, seemingly fighting with herself.
"No." His eyes snapped up to hers incredibly quickly. But before he could say anything she continued.
"But you need to be honest with me. No more surprises, okay? I can't deal with any more of this shit." He was nodding along with her words enthusiastically, trying to hold in a smile that was desparate to come out. She wasn't abandoning him. She was still with him.
"I swear!" His hands were in the air in an apologetic manner.
"So is that it? Or is there anything else I should know that you forgot to mention?"
"No, that's all, I promise." He was nodding again, trying to convince her he was serious.
"Rafe, I swear to God if anything else pops up-"
"It won't!" He came closer to her, staring in her eyes, begging her to believe him. His move startled her but she didn't move, couldn't. It was as if his eyes were keeping her in a trance. She could see no sign of deception in them, so she nodded.
He finally let the smile out, the relief and gratitude overwhelming him. She hated that the sight of him made her want to smile too. She kept hold of herself though. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"So, three days?" He realized she was asking for an explanation.
"Right. So the plan is we get there on Friday in time for the rehearsal dinner. Then Saturday is the wedding and reception. That's where you get to make your move." He gave her a cheeky wink and she rolled her eyes.
"And then Sunday is recovery from the wedding and a continuation of the celebration for the bride and groom's closest family and friends. A way to spend some time together before they go off on their honeymoon."
"So three whole days of playing the part." She was deep in thought. Partly doubting her ability to pull it all off for so long, partly hyping herself up at the prospect of those connections that were so close to her reach.
"Look, I know it's more than you exepected but it's not a big deal." The look she gave him showed him her thoughts. Bullshit. He cracked a smile. She wanted to slap it off him. He was too damn cocky for either of their goods.
"You do realize we have to convice your family, friends and everyone else there that we're a couple, right?" He nodded, as if it was obvious.
"And we have never been able to not piss each other off for more than an hour." She waved back toward the hotel, reminding him of their most recent disasterous interaction. He sighed, putting his head in his hands, exasperated.
"So what then? I don't know what you want me to do. You're the one who ran away from me." He looked at her and noticed her glare was back. And they had just fixed things. This was exhausting.
"I needed a moment to breathe and think after getting yet another major reveal from you." She was right.
"I know. I'm sorry." He approached her again.
Why did he keep getting into her personal space, looking at her like that? Why did it keep affecting her the way it was? Why did she keep letting him? He was a breath away, it seemed. And those eyes looked anything but sorry then. They looked wild. As if their proximity was ruining both of their resolves. She had to put an end to this tomfoolery. So she stepped away, crossing the street back to the parking lot, leaving him dazed and confused.
After a moment he followed, hands in his pockets portraying a picture of nochalance which was nothing more than a facade. She saw through it but she didn't want to know whatever it was that was going through his head now. She needed this interaction done with, once again feeling drained of all energy. It was like he had this annoying ability to rattle all her senses just by being near her. She hated that. She opened the car door, his car door, feeling his stare boring into her.
"I'll see you at the Modiste." She offered a neutral, but somewhat friendly goodbye. He nodded, looking at her with an intensity she didn't know what to do with.
He hated seeing her like this. So calm and collected when he was anything but. Hated how easy it was for her to walk away from him, time and time again. How pathetic he felt wishing she wouldn't, again and again.
She looked infuriatingly good, standing by his car, like she owned it. Like she had the right to drive it. It pissed him off that it suited her, looked like it was made for her when it was his most prized posession, which she stole from him. He hated how much he liked seeing her getting into the drivers seat, how he got a great view of her ass as she did. Hated how much every little thing about her seemed to affect him in the worst ways. Mostly he hated that he didn't hate any of it, how much it stirred inside of him, stuff he wanted to pretend did not exist. And he resented her for not feeling the same unhinged way he always seemed to when they're together. He hadn't moved from his position by the car, not even an inch. Just staring at her while she turned the ignition on and the familiar sound of the old muscle car roaring to life shot a pang through his heart.
He resented how good she looked driving his car. It was so fucking unfair.
She looked back at him, confused as to his state of mind, from the intensity on his face and the way his eyes just wouldn't leave her. She felt an overwhelming urge to break the tension somehow. Just driving away while he stared at her seemed too unnerving of a prospect.
"You promise no more surprises?" She managed to break him out of his reverie then. He clearly did not expect her to speak again. He processed her words and smirked.
"What would life be like if there were no surprises, Y/N/N?" The look she gave him made him laugh and reassure her.
"No. No more surprises. Scout's honor." Dramatically, he puts a hand over his heart.
"Good. Because if I show up there and find out that it's actually our wedding or something, I'm going to murder you."
Those were the last words he heard before she took off in his beloved Mustang. Once again leaving him in the dust, this time a live wire from their encounter. He was left with the unfortunate image she had now put in his head. Why would she say that?
Why would she say that? What was she thinking? At least she managed to take him by surprise and break whatever daydream he was in. But why did she say that? Now she was thinking of how awkward it was. She wanted to leave on a funny and unaffected note but now she was left embarrased.
She took a breath and made a conscious decision not to dwell on that cringe mistake and leave it in the rearview along with him. And as she drove further away from the hotel and the man in front of it she managed to convince herself the worst was behind her and whatever came from now on would be easier.
Just as she was starting to believe it, she heard the roar of a motorcycle and she knew it was him. She expected him to zoom past her but he slowed down to match her pace. She looked over at him confused, but couldn't see his face. So she did the only thing she could think of in that moment and waved at him. That seemed to do the trick as he waved back and finally took off in front of her, leaving her to wonder what the hell just happened.
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When she finally got into bed that night, freshly showered and tummy full, she noticed a text notification on her phone.
Devil's Spawn: it looks good on u
It took her a moment to realize what he was talking about. And then it dawned on her. The weird moment on the road. He was checking her out while she was driving his car. Her cheeks turned a furious shade of red as it sank in. And he had the audacity to send that text. Not only was he checking her out but he wanted her to know it too. What a pompous douchebag.
She decided that the fluttery feeling in her stomach was caused by the anger at being so blatantly objectified, not because he was flirting with her. His message went unanswered as she forced herself to calm down and get some sleep. This would prove a futile attempt, him once again making her too riled up and forcing her into yet another long and restless night.
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jojo-schmo · 3 months ago
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hi jojo! im just wondering but ive been wanting to make a comic for a little while but im not too sure where to start 😅. i really love your style of art and your forgotten land roleswap, and i was wondering if you had any tips for beginners?
Hello, hello! Thank you for enjoying my Forgotten Land Roleswap comic, it means a lot! <3
I'm very honored that people have been asking me for tips and advice. All of this is coming from a hobbyist who draws these comics purely for fun outside of my regular day job. Some of my methods would probably deal psychic damage to a professional, LOL. But I'm more than happy to share some things I've personally learned! :)
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First of all, the book, "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud ROCKS. It literally gave me a new dimension to understand the medium of comics and how it presents ideas and emotions to readers! And I haven't even had the chance to finish it all the way! I'm very happy I own a copy and I recommend having one of your own if you can, but it's archived here if you want to read it :D
I also like analyzing other comics and thinking about how they get information across to me as a reader. It's helped me learn more effective ways to visually tell a story, like what to include in a frame, how zooming in or out affects the feeling from the panel, maybe building a scene by focusing on other stuff if someone is talking a lot... etc.
ANYWAYS-! Some other tips I've learned through my personal experience-
I had to overcome a lot of negative self-talk in order to tackle a huge comic project like this and stay committed. I was a pretty severe self-deprecator for most of my life so far, and getting help has allowed me to catch myself when I'm slipping back into those habits, look in the mirror, and go, "NO, JOJO! You pour your heart into what you make and that is a wonderful thing! You are appreciated and loved and you deserve to have fun making something you are passionate about!!" Some examples of the negative self-talk I catch myself in....
"I'm a noob at writing and making a story interesting... What's the point of even trying?"
When it comes to starting a project, whether it's 2 pages or 2000 pages, is to just jump in and start! It's okay to be a little insecure or nervous about your technical art skills, writing skills, etc... But writing a "bad" scene is better than no scene- because you can always edit a "bad" scene down the line, but what can you do with nothing? Nothing!! I also put "bad" in quotation marks because I am trying to use that term less, and instead call them "early drafts." or "works in progress."
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The first Roleswap scene I fleshed-out was the first Bandee boss fight, in May 2022. I made this drawing on an impulse, getting my ideas down on the page without thinking about the technical stuff like comic panel borders. I consider it like a "pilot episode" almost, haha. The final project is going to be very different from how things play out here. But it got me interested in the concept and excited to see where I could take it, and I made the decision to commit to an entire game plot's worth of AU comics!!
Also, what's the point in trying you ask? The point is to have fun! Making a fan comic in my free time means I don't have restrictions like deadlines, nobody's telling me what I can and can't write, and I can make the story as long or as short as I want! I have full control, which means the world I'm writing is all mine to create! Yes, with a fan comic there is a pre-established world with existing characters. But a universe like Kirby has enough open-ended concepts for people to take basic concepts in the world and take them to whole new levels! I think that's why there are so many amazing fan interpretations of Kirby characters and OCs. The rules are so vague, you can just make up your own a lot of the time!! And it's a wonderful exercise to learn skills for someday building an original world with all original characters from scratch! Magical!!!
"I'm not good enough to make a comic. I don't understand perspective or color and other stuff. Anything I make will look bad.
I once read a two panel comic on here. I can't find it anymore but I remember most of it. First panel showed the artist looking at what they're drawing on their tablet, looking defeated and sad. "Man, I don't even know how to draw this....."The next panel was like them smiling and shrugging, I think rainbows and sparkles were coming out of their tablet, ".....I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO DRAW IT SHITTY!! :D "
IF ANYONE KNOWS THIS COMIC I'M REFERENCING, PLEASE TELL ME AND I'LL LINK IT!!! Because it permanently and positively changed my brain chemistry.
No kidding, making the decision to just do my best even if it's not perfect, helped me a LOT. I was always waiting to "reach a certain level" to tackle a huge project because I felt like I'd never do it justice at my current state. Except I had been telling myself that kind of stuff for years and I still didn't start any projects!!
So the day I said, "Oh well! If I draw backgrounds shitty, then it is what it is! I'll learn from it and draw the next background a little better," Was the day I could commit fully to the project. I'll keep studying how to draw them better for my own benefit, but I won't let my skill issues stop me from even trying!
And for my limited confidence in full-color art, I solved that by making the comic in black and white with no-to-minimal shading lolol. Because I can only address one skill issue at a time before it takes me 25 years to finish this HAHAHA.
It saves a BUNCH of time to work with skill issues rather than against them! Because at least experience is gained in other ways, and who knows, maybe that new knowledge will help address the skill issues someday! So identifying your personal skill issues and deciding which one to try to grow stronger, and which one to work around, could help with big projects!
"Nobody will read this. I'm going to put months or years of my life into a dumb little thing nobody will even care about."
Learning how to draw for my own enjoyment instead of somebody else's was one of the biggest breakthroughs I ever made. Enjoying the feeling of being challenged artistically and just doing my best, even if it's not technically perfect, is the reason why I was even able to start this!
And just because someone doesn't directly like, comment or whatever on a post doesn't mean nobody saw it! I used to get really down on myself for the lack of engagement on my art on other websites.
I was a lurker for pretty much my entire teenage years and never posted my own stuff or commented much. But that didn't take away the fact that I really enjoyed the things I saw online. Those positive feelings were real to me, even when I didn't know how to articulate it in words. Granted, I grew up into a Words of Affirmation main, and I use words to tell people the positive things I think about them as much as I can! But I know not everyone prefers words to express themselves. So I think about the people that I don't know enjoy my work- that just because I don't see it doesn't mean I didn't make a positive impact on someone by sharing my stories.
THIS IS GETTING LONG-- UHHH, STORY TIPS!!
If you work best on technology, start building the story in a Notes app, or a Google Doc! If you work best with pen and paper, start a notebook and rearrange stuff as you need to!
Or if you're chaotic like me, a mix of tech and paper!! I bought a notebook with ring binding so I can remove and rearrange pages of drafts as much as I wanted to! Like here's two very rough concept pages of one Chapter 1 scene made months apart.
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I'd say planning out the biggest basic plot points and then filling in between as I went was most helpful! I also have separate notes for character motivations, important story-changing events, etc... So I can have my own reference when I'm writing new scenes!
Okay this was a lot, sorry about the yapping! Hopefully it helps even a tiny bit. If you have any specific questions I'm happy to talk about my experience in the creation process! Or elaborate on anything I said above.
And finally, because I'm not a professional there are probably plenty of other tactics that could work better for some people. My ADHD probably doesn't help with the chaos of my process either, HAHA. But thank you for reading this far and enjoying the peek into the rainbow glitter and soap bubbles that inhabit the right side of my brain, heehee.
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americas-ass-writing · 7 months ago
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Drunken Nights
Steve Rogers
Words: 1.6k
Summary: A bet has unforeseen consequences that drive Bucky Barnes insane.
Warnings: drinking, violence, swearing, mention of abortion rights, this is such a crack fic I'm sorry, reader insert mention at the end
Author's Note: This is my second entry for @stargazingfangirl18 and @labella420 Cum Together: A Community Revival Extravaganza I used the prompt: "You are such a fucking menace.” and kinda sneaked it in because I've been sitting on this fic for at least a year 😅 The idea sparked because @rogerswifesblog and me had a conversation about this đŸ€­
Divider by @saradika-graphics
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It started out as a joke. It started with the Avengers discussing what kind of drunk Steve would be. Tony firmly believed he would be embarrassing, he would spill all the secrets he kept. Natasha thought he would pass out after two drinks. Clint was adamant that Steve would be a very touchy drunk. Thor believed that his friend would be as normal as ever. And Bruce honestly didn't have an opinion but after some pressing said Steve would be a dance machine when drunk. After a while Sam and Bucky were pulled into the discussion. As his best friends they had to know but they didn't. Bucky saw him drunk once, in the 40s, before the serum. And Steve honestly was just paranoid his mom would find out they drank a whole bottle of gin.
Steve was so annoyed with the topic and bets about his drunken state that he didn't say anything for the entire two hours this was passionately discussed. But he did agree on testing the theory. He hasn't been drunk since that one time Bucky mentioned and he was honestly intrigued. He had so many things he wanted to forget, even if it was for just a few hours. An empty brain for once, wouldn't that be nice?
Which is what brought him here. An Avengers party organised by Tony with a shit ton of guests. Three bottles of Asgardian liquor in front of him and his friends staring. The first bottle left a slight buzz. Steve could feel the effects of the alcohol but his brain was still functioning normal. The second bottle made him forget his worries. He had an easy smile on his face as his friends all surrounded him. The third bottle? He took along after his friends got distracted. They left him alone for a few moments too long. The senator he was verbally fighting before stood at the bar alone and Bucky's brain brought back an alarming feeling he hadn't had for a long time. "Fuck... We gotta find Steve!" He said, his voice panicked as he looked at the group of Avengers.
It was a quick search but they were fairly sure Steve wasn't here anymore. "Friday?" Tony's voice quibbed, all of the others’ eyes were on the brown haired man. "Captain Rogers has left the building with a tall male, identified as Jason Smith, bodyguard of senator Ernst, about five minutes ago." The AIs voice gave back, without even being asked the question.
"Told you he'd be very touchy." Clint says with a shrug and a grin. Natasha rolled her eyes at that but didn't seem that bothered. "No... No no no." Bucky rubbed a hand over his face. "fucking hell. He's gonna start a fight. He probably went outside with the bodyguard to start a fight in an alleyway." He grumbles. This couldn't be happening to him. Weren't all those years he had to pull Steve's asthmatic ass out of fights enough?
"Are we talking about the same Steve Rogers? He has a stick so far up his ass he even shook Rosses hand with a smile on his face." Tony quibbed. "He's just reverting to the idiot that couldn't stand back from a fight. I'm telling you." Bucky gave back, throwing his hands up in the air. "No way. Capsicle wouldn't. Even when shit faced drunk he's too righteous." Tony crossed his arms.
"Boys... I really hate to interrupt your little banter here but Smith is back... And... He doesn't look like he had a fun time with Steve." Natasha quirked an eyebrow as she took in the senators bodyguard. Bloody nose, already forming bruise under his eye and a limp in his step that hasn't been there before. "Fuck" both brunettes let out at the same time.
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"Hey Captain. Maybe you wanna lay off the liquor?" the tall man's voice interrupted Steve's rant about abortion rights. "Leave this discussion with senator Ernst for another time huh? We don't wanna run into any problems do we?" Steve's eyes took in the man in front of him. He's a professional sure but Steve had fought fucking aliens before. "Wanna take this outside?" It slipped out before he could even think about it. The bodyguard laughed, one hand landing on Steve's shoulder as if it was a joke. Funny banter. But Steve was serious. He was in the middle of telling senator asshat why abortion rights are important. Why women deserve the option to be safe and protected and to choose for their own bodies. Why his fucking religion has nothing to do with an uterus. And this guy has the nerve to think Steve's invitation for a fight is a joke? "I'm serious. Let's take this outside. If I win, senator a... Ernst changes his vote." Steve's voice was dangerous. If Smith hadn't seen him down two and a half bottles of liquor he'd believe he was sober. "Captain... By all means I'm working. I can't just go outside and start a fight over silly little matters." That got Steve's blood boiling. Of course that guy was also stupid. "Ah yes of course..." Steve gave back dryly. His hand moves to shove the senator next to them just a nodge. "And now? Now you gotta do your job and protect senator asshat. I can do so much worse than that." His blue eyes flickered, a smirk on his lips. Just a few minutes later Steve had handed Smiths ass to himself in an alleyway close by.
While Smith stomped off, fuming, Steve downed the rest of the bottle and threw it into a bin. He's drunk, he starts fights but he'll still recycle. Taking a deep breath he looks back to the tower. He couldn't be bothered to go back there. Maybe he could go for a walk? Maybe he could let out all this pent up anger and frustration and do something good with it. This is New York. There were enough criminals for him to use as punching bags right?
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"Captain Rogers. Can you please give us a statement as to how you took down this robbery all by yourself?" The blonde in front of him asked, holding the mic a bit too close to his face. He still pleasantly smiled. "Oh uh... I was just in the area and saw it happen... So I swooped in?" He explains, that stupid smile still on his face. As the women asks the next question he just starts to giggle. He runs a hand through his hair. "Sorry... Sorry... It's a serious topic but man Bucky is gonna be so mad at me" he giggles again.
"Damn right I will." Bucky mutters at his phone. There had been several reports of Captain America stopping crime in the last hour and every time one of the team got just a little closer to Steve's apparent location he somehow ended up in a different part of Manhattan. Bucky doesn't even want to know how many fights Steve had started tonight. Never again, he swears. Never again he'll let him get drunk.
After another hour Bucky finally had the blonde in front of him. He was yet again sucked into an interview and passionately ranted about how racism and Nazis suck when Bucky managed to approach. His arms were crossed, his face was stern.
"I think it's important that we show racists... Oh my gosh Bucky is gonna be so mad at me... Uh that we show racists that they're not welcome." Steve says before his eyes find his friend. "Shit." He curses, eyes wide before he runs off. Bucky lets out a sigh and follows him.
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To everyone's surprise Natasha managed to lure Steve back to the tower just two hours after Bucky had initially found him. She sets him up with the hangover necessities and leaves him to sleep the alcohol off. Tomorrow would be a big day of fixing whatever mess Steve got into. But that never came. Surprising to everyone Steve did a damn good job and the only 'scandal' that came off this was him saying shit on national TV. Which quickly became a meme.
"I don't regret it. And to be fair this is all of your fault. You wanted to see me drunk and then you invited senator Ernst? You know I hate that guy." Steve said, his arms crossed, his face pouty like a toddler. "Steve you can't just... You ran off and fought people on the street!" Bucky threw his hands in the air. "You shoved the senator so his bodyguard would fight you!" He adds, hoping his friend would see how crazy this was. "I'd do it again." Steve mumbles and looks away from his friends. Bucky lets out an exasperated sigh. "You are such a fucking menace.” He mutters to his best friend who proudly smiles, before addressing the group. “We can never let him get drunk again."
"I don't know, jelly shot Cap seems to be very effective. Maybe we should get him drunk before the next hydra base raid." Tony shrugs, clearly amused by the situation. "No!" Bucky groans. "No. No. No." His frustration is filling the room.
"We can be lucky that this is all he got into. Now let's stop whatever this is and get brunch." Clint suggests, sunglasses on his face, clearly hungover. Steve is very thankful for that. 'Yes Clint. Let's stop this, get brunch and I'll buy you 5 packs of premium coffee beans.' he thinks to himself. Just a few minutes longer and he'd spill what else he got into last night. And he doesn't need the jokes. He doesn't need the judgement. And he certainly doesn't want to share the cute tattoo artist with them -just yet.
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