#I saw that picture of pedro pascal in the new season of the last of us and I am down bad

[infernal-house-demon]

Me seeing any man: 😐

Me seeing the same man with long hair: 🥵

[quotes121sworld]

Gladiator sequel starring May Calamawy, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi and others alongside Paul Mescal

The main actors for the highly anticipated sequel to Gladiator is taking shape following recent rounds of hiring by famed director Ridley Scott and his casting team.meeting reports that May Calamawy, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah and Matt Lucas are among the actors recently cast to star in the as yet untitled film, which stars Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix some 30 years after the original storyline should.Also, Fred Hechinger could be coming on board soon, as he and his team are currently in talks for the role of Emperor Geta after Barry Keoghan had to drop out of the race for the unspecified role due to scheduling conflicts.The new cast joins a cast that already included Irish actor Paul Mescal, 27, in the lead role of Lucius, son of Lucilla, who was played by Connie Nielsen in the original 2000 film.Like Jacobi, who is reprising his role as Gracchus, Nielson is believed to be one of the few veteran actors returning to the cast, alongside other previously announced actors such as Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn.Considered one of the best films of the 2000s, Gladiator was a smash hit with fans. On a budget of $103 million, it grossed more than $503 million at the worldwide box office.Most critics praised the production, particularly the acting of Crowe and Phoenix, which led to twelve Oscar nominations and eventually won five, including the coveted Best Picture Oscar and Best Actress Oscar for Crowe.In the wake of the success of Gladiator, Crowe saw his star rise to the top of almost everyone's A-list in Hollywood and beyond.Last year, news broke of a sequel starring Ridley Scott, which in turn caught the attention of male actors around the world who fit the profile.Scott is producing and directing from a script by David Scarpa, who is credited with writing The Last Castle (2001), The Day The Earth Stood Still (2008) and All The Money In The World (2017) is known for the upcoming historical drama Napoleon (2023) produced and directed by Scott, due for release in November. Calamawy wanted to do a thorough search for the most important main characters and finally landed her role after several auditions.She got her big break last year in Marvel Studios' Moon Knight series, starring alongside Oscar Isaac in the Disney+ series.The Bahraini native, 36, is also known for her ongoing role in the Hulu comedy-drama series Ramy, which also stars Ramy Youssef, Hiam Abbass, Amr Waked, Dave Merheje and Mohammed Amer.

BACK ON BOARD: Ridley Scott, 85, returns as producer and director of the as yet untitled Gladiator sequel; He is pictured on the set of the original 1999 film

Starring: The new cast joins a cast that already includes Irish actor Paul Mescal, 27, in the lead role of Lucius, son of Lucilla, who was played by Connie Nielsen in the original 2000 filmAs for the other hires, 51-year-old Raz is better known to his fans in his native Israel for his roles in the political thriller series Fauda (since 2015) and Hit & Run (2021).Jacobi, 84, is an English actor with a long and distinguished career in film, television and theater dating back to 1959. He has received numerous awards over the decades including a BAFTA, two Olivier Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Tony Award.Mensah, 63, is a Ghanaian-English actor with films such as Tears Of The Sun (2003), Hildago (2004), 300 (2006) and The Incredible Hulk (2008). And Lucas, 49, has achieved acting fame with his roles in the BBC sketch comedy series Little Britain (2003-2006) and Come Fly With Me (2010-2011) and the films Alice in Wonderland. (2010) and "Bridesmaids" (2010) fame as an actor. 2011).Best known for his breakthrough role in the first season of HBO's The White Lotus, 24-year-old Hechinger made his film debut in and starred in the coming-of-age dramedy Eighth Grade (2018). Drama “Human Capital” (2019) with.

Epic hit: In January, after Russell Crowe revealed he would not be appearing in the sequel, he revealed on a podcast that the storyline takes place some 30 years after the original film; Both Crowe and his co-star Joaquin Phoenix were praised for their performances in the hit 2000 film, which also included a Best Actor Oscar for CroweEarlier this year, Russell Crowe confirmed he wouldn't be appearing in the long-awaited Gladiator sequel, but offered a few plot pointers after chatting with Scott over dinner.Although he didn't reveal much, during an appearance on the series he revealed that the story revolves around Mescal's character, Lucius Fitzy and Wippa Podcast."If you remember, there was a little boy who wanted to defeat the gladiator, which leads to the 'My name is' speech," he said of the original film, adding, "So this little boy grew up, and that he is also now.' the Emperor.' He then summed things up by declaring: “So it's not a remake. And it's not a direct sequel. It's not like the day after, you know, 30 years later or something. And then the situation arises, you know? So far, there's no official word on when filming for the Gladiator sequel will begin. Read the full article

[shadow-assassin-blix]

It Belongs in a Museum

CHAPTER 5

A/N: So hints at some sexy times, but nothing descriptive. I may or may not have added another universe to this world. I have a few more parts left for this. The dress I was thinking of is the 12th one found here. 

Everything Tag: @mikeisthricedeceased 

Pedro Pascal tag: @m-123 @fioccodineveautunnale @artsymaddie @blo0dangel @mcrmarvelloki​

As the weeks passed on, they continued to grow closer together. Soon enough, their research was done, and it was time to move onto the next location: Venezuela.  Vixen had packed up her stuff and had her stuff in the Jeep, waiting with Veracruz as the others finished up. Professor Jones had already paid him for his work.

“So, what are you going to do next?” Vixen asked as she leaned against a tree.

“Have a couple jobs lined up. You have another 9 months before graduating, yeah?” He asked her, looking over at her.

She nodded, and asked teasingly, “Do you want me to send you an invitation?”

He scoffed, shaking his head, “No. Just wondering when I can come steal you away.”

She smiled softly at that, looking down at the ground.

He tilted her chin back up and said, “Come back to our bar once you’ve graduated. I’ll be there, waiting. Then I’ll whisk you away, my darling.”

“Are you actually going to be there? Cause if I make the trip all the way back here, just for you to have ghost me, I will find you and kill you,” She warned him, half joking, half serious.

He chuckled at that, “I would pay to see that my dear.”

He pressed a kiss to her lips in farewell, before rejoining his men and departing minutes later.

She joined her group as they finished loading up the jeep. The four of them spoke of their small discoveries and was excited for the next location.

The next 9 months went by in a blur and soon enough they were wrapping up their internships. At the end of the year, they were heading back to the university for graduation.

A good week after graduation, found Vixen back in Colombia, at the cheap bar where she first met Veracruz.

She looked around, not seeing him at first. She took a spot at the bar and ordered the same drink she did last time.

She quietly sipped at her drink, looking through the texts with Veracruz. Despite being separated, they texted and called each other often. Every now and again, they would send each other saucy pictures or find a quiet place to call one another and have salacious conversations.

She was smirking at some of their conversations, when she felt a hand resting on her back. She turned to yell at whoever but was pleasantly surprised when she saw a familiar face.

“Hello Comandante. What brings you to these parts?” She asked him teasingly.

“Hmm. Oh, you know simply meeting a beautiful woman. Wicked smart. Attracts trouble wherever she goes. Sound familiar?” He asked jokingly.

She smiled brightly at him, leaning up to kiss him. He kissed her back, cupping her face with one hand.

“Let’s go,” He whispered against her lips.

He took her hand, tossing some pesos down to pay for her drink, before leading her outside to his truck. The two of them got in, and he drove off, far away from the city. The road he turned down on eventually, was mostly dirt and one way.

The truck eventually pulled up to a large home, that was hidden behind trees and shrubs.

“This is your home?” She questioned him as he parked in front of it.

He simply shrugged, “One of them, yes.”

She stared at him suspiciously, looking between him and the house.

“How rich are you?” She asked him incredulous.  

“I’ll never tell, lovely. Now, shall we go inside, or do you want to spend our first night together in 9 months in my car?” He questioned his eyes roving over her form.

She hopped out of the truck, walking toward the front door. He joined her a moment later, unlocking the door, and welcoming her inside. She had sent her bags ahead to him, and she spotted them off to the side.

He led her upstairs, to his bedroom, that was colored in dark greys and blues. The two of them had long since abandoned their shoes, as she made her way to the bed. She plopped down on it, sitting with her hands folded in her lap and her ankles crossed.

He smirked as he gazed at her. He slowly stalked toward her, a predatory gaze in his eyes.

He stood before her and told her to strip. She stood back up, noting how there was maybe an inch of space between them.

She stripped slowly without breaking eye contact. Once she was naked, he nodded his head toward the bed, and she crawled backwards onto it.

He slowly removed his clothes, walking around the bed to the side. He sat down, his hands running up and down her chest.

She watched his arm move for a moment, before grabbing ahold of his hand, and pressing a kiss to the back of it as she brought it closer to her face. She brushed her cheek against his hand, enjoying the roughness against her skin.

He watched her, somewhat softly, before his hand moved past her face into her hair. As it buried itself into her hair, his hand firmly grasped a chunk and gave a short tug on it.

She gasped not necessarily out of pain but more out of surprise, and he took full advantage of that as his lips captured hers into deep kiss.

His lips were devouring her own as the kiss grew more intense. He broke away suddenly, attacking her neck with harsh bites that caused breathy moans.

His biting kisses worked further down to her chest, paying close attention to her breasts when he got there.

“I hope you had no plans for tomorrow, because you are not leaving this bed for quite some time,” He teased as he moved further down.

“Hm. Was planning to go get a new boyfriend but I guess you’ll do,” She threw back at him.

“Oh? Shall I remind you what a good boyfriend I can be?” He glared up at her playfully.

“I feel like you should, especially since you couldn’t be bothered to come to my graduation,” She said with only slight annoyance.

He rolled his eyes and simply returned his attention to the task at hand. He moved himself down to between her legs muttering vaguely in Spanish.

Before Vixen could call him out on his muttering, she gasped as she felt a finger tease her clit before it slipped inside her.

True to his word, he made sure she couldn’t leave the bed for hours at a time. When they finally emerged from his bedroom, it was around 1pm the next day.

It took a good hour for her legs to function properly, while he gave her a tour of his home.

“I have an event tomorrow night. Black tie affair. I want you to come with me,” Veracruz informed her.

“Oh? Like a date?” She further teased him.

One thing she learned early on with Veracruz, words like ‘boyfriend/girlfriend’ and ‘dating’ did not mean much to him. He saw it as simply ‘being with his woman.’

He rolled his eyes, pulling her into his arms.

“Yes. Like a date if you must label it. I just want to show off my beautiful and brilliant woman to my high society friends. Plus, if I have to endure one more party alone, I will murder them,” He said with a groan.

She giggled at that, “What am I supposed to wear? I don’t really own anything fancy.”

“Oh, but you do… if you look in our closet, I’m sure you’ll find something suitable,” He told her with a smirk.

They spent the rest of the day, simply enjoying one another’s presence and slept soundly that night.

When she woke up, Veracruz was already up. She tossed on a robe and wandered toward his office, figuring that’s where he would be. He was on the phone talking rapidly in Spanish. She admired him as he spoke.

He wasn’t dressed completely, simply wearing a pair of sweats. His hair wasn’t jelled yet, and she could see small curls forming as the humidity began to rise.

He noticed her standing there after a moment and raised an eyebrow.

She strolled forward, leaning over his desk to kiss his cheek. He smirked at her, shaking his head.

He hung up a minute later, and questioned, “May I ask why you were watching me?”

“Hm. Not watching. Admiring. Didn’t realize you have curls,” She stated as she looked at him.

“Heh. Yes, my mother was thrilled that I had curls. She took many photos of me,” He said twinging his nose in annoyance.

“Aww. I bet you were super cute. It’s almost unfair though. How handsome you are. I get the feeling I’m going to have scare off many a woman tonight,” Vixen said with a smile.

He shook his head and walked around his desk.

“Let’s go shower, and then have breakfast,” He proposed as he wrapped an arm around her.

They walked back upstairs to his room and showered together. They didn’t do anything to frisky other than a thorough make out session. When they had finished, and stepped out, Veracruz began his morning routine. She watched him for a moment before doing her own things such as brushing her teeth and fixing her hair.

The two of them threw on some light clothing and made their way downstairs to the kitchen. She watched him make French toast and eggs. He filled two cups with coffee, setting creamer and sugar down close to her.

She fixed her coffee how she wanted it and waited for him to finish up. He tossed some strawberries on top, dusting powdered sugar as well.

He placed a plate in front of her, with a fork and sat down across from her. The two of them dug into their meals.

She was pleasantly surprised by how amazing it tasted and complimented him, “This taste wonderful. Do you… do you cook often?”

“Yeah. My mother made sure I knew how. I was her only child, and she had declared that I would learn one way or another. Though, she still thinks I under season meals,” He commented with a roll of his eyes.

Vixen chuckled at that, “Sounds like you and your mother are pretty close?”

“Hm. Not as close as we once were. Work has definitely been a large contributor to that,” He shrugged nonchalantly.

“I have 2 older siblings. My parents considered them to be the pride and joy of the family since one is a doctor and the other a lawyer. They see me as being an archaeologist as being a weaker degree. One that is not worthy of mention. So, I don’t spend much time with them” Vixen admitted as she stabbed at her eggs randomly.

“You get to make fantastic discoveries and uncover new societies and they are not proud of that?” He questioned in disbelief.

She shrugged halfheartedly not really knowing what to say. She finished up her breakfast in silence.

Veracruz stared at her for a moment before finishing as well.

She spent the next few hours exploring the closet and found a dress that she felt would drive Veracruz wild. She shaved and moisturized her skin and pulled her hair into an updo. She kept her makeup minimum, a pink gloss, and eyeliner to make her eyes standout.

When it got closer time to leave, she put on the dress and matching shoes. She stepped out when she heard Veracruz enter the room.

She stared at him in surprised as she took in the tuxedo he wore. He looked damn good.

Veracruz’s eyes drank in her form as smirk grew on his face.

“You look good enough to eat darling. Though… I feel like you are missing something,” Veracruz grinned as he presented a velvet box that he was holding behind his back.

He handed it to her, and she opened it to reveal a delicate necklace that had a square cut emerald. She smiled softly at it. She gently picked it up and he took it from her and helped her put it on. He kissed the back of her neck once it was secured.

She turned around, grabbing her clutch, and walking with him downstairs. He led her to a very nice sportscar, a Lamborghini as she soon discovered.

The drive was to rather large estate, that had valet and many other nice fancy cars pulling in. They gave the keys to the valet and strode inside, arms looped around one another.

The party was in full swing, and he was greeted several times when he first entered. There were several other high-ranking officers and political figures as she found out. She was introduced to several before eventually being left with several wives.

She made polite chatter with them, somewhat annoyed he abandoned her with women who were a little snobbish.

After an hour of plastering a fake smile on her face, she finally spotted Veracruz again and excused herself. She made her way over to him, her smile still on her face.

She lightly cleared her throat to interrupt the conversation he was having.

“Ahem. My apologies but someone owes me a dance,” She interrupted grasping his arm.

“Oh? Please, I wouldn’t want him to upset his lovely wife,” The man said excusing himself.

She tugged Veracruz to the dancefloor, taking position to slow dance. Her smile dropped quickly as she looked at him.

“You said you wanted me to distract people conversing with you. Not that you were going to abandon me with hoity toity women, who think that because they have money, they can treat people like they are less than,” She complained.

He cleared his throat to stop the laugh that tried to escape him.

“It’s not funny. I will strangle someone if you leave me with them again,” She warned him, unamused.

“I’m sorry. I had to schmooze with my bosses for a time. That is done, and now you can just stay by my side all evening,” He placated kissing her once.

“You owe me so much more than just that pathetic kiss,” She grumbled.

“Oh, my sweet. I will make it up to you this evening I promise,” He promised her, in a mocking tone.

She glared at him and rolled her eyes.

“There is actually someone I want you to meet, and they just walked in,” He informed her pulling her off the dance floor.

He led her over to a handsome, brown-haired gentleman that was in his 30s, with a woman who had curly dark hair and extremely beautiful.

“Hello, Rick, how are you doing this evening? And Evie, looking beautiful as ever,” Veracruz greeted them with a charming smile.

Evie smiled somewhat shyly at the compliment and Rick held his hand out to shake Veracruz’s.

“Doing great, how’s the freelance been going for you?” Rick asked with a smirk.

“Business is booming. This is my girlfriend,” He introduced her. “She goes by Vixen, however. She just graduated with her masters in archaeology.”

Evie gasped excitedly, “What was your area of focus for your final year?”

“Ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures. That’s actually how I met Veracruz, we wound up having to hire him and his team as protection from mercenaries,” Vixen explained, excitement growing within her as well.

“We are actually in a few weeks about to return Egypt, and have a few digs lined up. Would you like to join us? I could always use another set of eyes and hands when uncovering the past,” Evie offered, bouncing slightly.

“I would love to join you! I wanted to do my internship in Egypt to be honest, but the professor filled those spots within 5 minutes of opening it. I was a minute too late,” She admitted biting her lip.

“We will send Felix all the info you’ll need, and will see you in a couple of weeks,” Rick interjected knowing that they were both 2 seconds away from going on long tangents about ancient history.

Rick didn’t want to interrupt but he could see the President of Colombia waving them over and looking somewhat impatient. He could see in Vixen’s eyes, a similar look he often found in Evie’s eyes, the pure joy in finding a kindred spirit. The two of them would have plenty of time to talk all they want during their adventure. For now, they had business attend to in securing funds for a dig here in Colombia in 6 months’ time.

Vixen was saddened to see them walk away, and even Evie looked disappointed for a moment.

“They have to talk to the President and he’s a stickler about “appointments.” Otherwise, I am sure we would’ve lost the two of you in your conversation over ancient worlds,” Veracruz explained quietly.

“That’s okay. We will talk lots in a few weeks. Wait…” Some thing registered in her mind. “Is your name… Felix?”

His face went blank, as he closed his eyes, sighing softly.

“It is!” She gasped triumphantly.

“Yes. Damn it Rick. Forgot he was one of the few who knew,” He acknowledged.

“I like it. I’m guessing you’d prefer if I still called you Veracruz though?” She guessed, biting her lip as she took in his expression.

“Yes. I would,” He stated simply.

She nodded, somewhat disappointed.

They spent another hour at the party, before finally heading to his home. She wasn’t very talkative during that last hour and he noticed.

When they arrived at his place, she simply walked upstairs to the bedroom, not really saying anything. She tossed off her shoes, and washed off her makeup, before gently removing the necklace and placing it on the vanity.

Veracruz walked in, bowtie undone, shirt unbuttoned. He quietly undressed, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

She slipped off the dress, revealing the very simple lace bra and underwear she had on underneath.

He sucked in a breath, taking in her curves.

“If I had known you were wearing that, I would’ve taken you home sooner,” He flirted lightly.

She smiled softly at that, taking off the bra, and slipping on a silk nightgown. She slid under the covers and curled up on the bed.

Veracruz finished undressing and stepped into the bathroom to spend some time rinsing out the gel in his hair before going to bed. The process took about 15 minutes to do, and he simply ran a towel over his hair to dry it.

When he stepped back out, she was still awake but only barely. Veracruz, in just a pair of boxers, got in bed, and pulled her in close to him. She curled herself around him, tangling her limbs with his.

He sighed after a moment, “You can call me Felix, in private. In public, I would prefer you used Veracruz.”

He knew she was upset by his earlier reaction; he wasn’t trying to be short with her. He just wasn’t prepared for that piece of information to be revealed.

“If it bothers you, why offer that? You clearly weren’t happy for me to learn that… though we’ve been together for almost a year now, find it odd that I am only just now learning your first name,” She muttered somewhat angrily.

“It bothers me because I wanted to be the one to tell you. Was actually planning on telling you this weekend, when I take you around the city. Was going to make it very romantic and everything,” He said with an exaggerated pout.

She rolled her eyes at that, and while the thought sounded nice, she was well in-tuned to when Veracruz was lying. His tone often took a slight mocking cheerfulness when he lied but she didn’t want to start an argument. She simply nodded her head and said nothing in response.

Veracruz tilted her head up so their eyes met. He could clearly see in her eyes that she didn’t believe him.

“Huh. It appears you are one of the few people who see through my lies. May I amend my previous statement?” He asked her, waiting for her nod. “I had planned to tell you. I just didn’t know how or when.”

That had sounded more truthful but even still, she wasn’t sure if she was going to use his first name often, if at all.

She simply pressed a kiss to his lips in response, appreciating the more truthful answer. She yawned, relaxing in his arms, slowly drifting off to sleep.

Veracruz looked down at her sleeping form and wondered, ‘How is it possible for this woman to read me like an open book?’

There were very few people who could see through his bullshit, his mother and Rick just to name the top two. He was somewhat amazed that she could pick up on it, when most women he dated before never did. He knew was thing was certain: she was going to keep him on his toes.

[fahhhhq]

Similar but Worlds Apart

Fandom: Narcos + Statesman: Golden Circle

Pairing: Reader x Javier Peña (for now)

Warning: Umm cussing? Is that a thing? Don’t we all say ‘fuck’ by now? Aren’t we all adults here? No? Well I don’t know what you’re doing reading fanfics about Pedro Pascal’s sexy ass if you’re not allowed to curse.

Words: 2.6k (is that a lot? I hope not)

INITIAL SUMMARY: Your heart aches for someone who no one has seen for weeks, but when you get new intel about their whereabouts, you’re on your way to Colombia to follow up, but you’re stunned by what you find.

You got called into your boss’s office and your stomach sank. He hadn’t given you anything to go by and you were going crazy. There was finally news. You entered his massive office, instantly smelling the musky smell of the wood of his furniture.

“We got new intel, a location,” Champ said looking at you with a hint of worry in his eyes.

You felt your stomach drop. “Where?”

“Colombia…” He sat back and stared at you intensely.

“Fuck... What the fuck would he be doing in Colombia?” You said grabbing the folder from Champ’s desk that had the intel he was talking about.

You read it over, sitting down when you saw a picture of him. There was a knot in your throat.

You missed him like crazy.

“Your flight leaves in three hours. Go get your things ready, a car will pick you up. Also, I want you to let me know immediately if you find or see anything, ok?” you shook your head and he shooed you out of his office.

You turned to leave but stopped mid-way. “Thank you for letting me go, Champ.” You said turning to him, feeling hot tears blur your eyes.

“I know what this means to you, Y/n. I know you’ll bring him home”

You smiled through the knot that not only was in your throat but in your stomach, “You can count on me.”

------------

The whole flight to Colombia you were a nervous wreck, your leg bouncing up and down until the muscles in your calf burned. This wasn’t just any “mission,” this was your life. He was your life. And there was no way you were going to let him down.

           “A donde?” The taxi driver asked you where you wanted to go when you settled in the backseat. You gave him a paper with the address you were to stay at. You relaxed, watching the Colombian people flourish around laughing and dancing. It was carnaval season, so the streets were filled with tourists and locals in colorful clothes and music. But you couldn’t smile or be happy for them, you were cheerless. You just wanted to find him and go back home.

You arrived at your temporary apartment building and handed the taxi driver a generous tip, “Muchas gracias.” He helped you with your luggage and then he was on his way. You were grateful that you were fluent in Spanish because this is where it was going to come in handy.

It was already past midnight when you entered your new apartment. Exhaustion creeped up, but you didn't care. You arranged all the intel you had on your kitchen table, you were going to find him, even if it was the last thing you did.

After a long night of studying the city that you were in, and where he was spotted, you finally caught up on some much-needed sleep. You dreamt with him, hugging him, kissing him, inhaling his intoxicating scent. But immediately felt sad when you woke and realized that it wasn’t real. You got up, showered and went out to buy some groceries, and to know the town you were going to spend the next few days or weeks in.

After a day of scouting out the places where he was seen, you were exhausted, not physically, but mentally. You walked to a little family restaurant that was near your building, one you had passed by earlier that day. You walked into the little shack and smiled at the lady that was working as a waitress and hostess.

“Hola, nomas tu?” She asked if it was going to be just me, but in a tone that you could only describe as motherly. A tone you hadn’t heard since you were but a child.

“Si, nomas yo,” you smiled at her telling her that it was indeed just going to be you tonight and she walked you to a little homey booth in the back of the restaurant. She handed you the menu and you happily took it. Your stomach was growling at you angrily because with everything going on, you had forgotten to nourish your body and now it was lashing out. The restaurant smelled wonderful and it only made you salivate even more.

“Tomate tu tiempo, ahora vengo,” the lady said to take your time and left you so you could look over the menu. You looked over the menu once, twice, already getting frustrated that you couldn’t figure out what to eat. But your stomach felt weird, like butterflies were having a damn party in there. You knew it wasn’t just your hunger, it was something else.

You looked up from the menu, feeling like someone was watching you, but no one was. I mean, you were a damn Statesman agent, you would have caught a whiff of something if something was off, but it wasn’t. It was just you, you guessed.

But then you turned to the front of the diner and lost your breath and your stomach dropped. It was him, you had found him without actually looking for him. You were stumped. You couldn’t move. His beautiful, big brown eyes bore into you. Making you slightly moan. His jaw was perfectly square, his lips slightly pouty like you loved, the moustache that you loved perfectly fitting his beautiful face.

But it wasn’t him. This was a different man. A man that looked like him.

He looked away from you and talked to the lady that had attended you. She smiled and told him to seat himself, like if he was a regular. He walked to the booth in front of you and sat facing you. But not looking at you. You couldn’t look away. What was happening?

You took a deep breath and closed your eyes. Maybe you were imagining things.

Nope. No, you weren't.

You opened your eyes and he was now staring at you with a small smile. But you looked at the menu instantly. You felt your cheeks turn red, so you lifted the menu to cover your face. Who does that? You felt awkward, shy, nervous. You just wanted to eat and get the hell out of there, but you only felt angrier cause you still didn't know what to eat.

“Get the sancocho or the arepas. They’re the best in town here.” You heard a low, rough voice coming from the other side of your menu.

Please don’t be talking to me. Please don’t be talking to me!

You lowered your menu from your view and only uncovered your eyes. He had taken off his jacket. He wore a short sleeve sky-blue shirt with a few buttons open that not only accentuated his strong neck, but his olive skin. He looked damn hot.

“Yeah, I’m talking to you,” he said smiling, looking at his own menu and then at you.

“Uhh,” that’s the only thing that came out of your mouth.

“Que va a ser?” The lady said asked out of the blue, making you jump a little. You just hoped he hadn’t seen that.

You looked at her and then spoke, “Me da el sancocho y una coca?” You ordered what the guy suggested. What the hell right, it’s not like you were just starving and were onlu hoping that the food was as good as he said or you were going to kill a bitch.

She smiled and nodded taking your menu. She walked to the guy’s table and asked him what he too wanted, he said, “Lo mismo pero con una Modelo.” He ordered what he recommended to you, but with the exception of a beer. Now you were wondering if you should have ordered one instead of a coke, because your nerves weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Now that the lady had taken your menu there was nothing helping you block your view. Damn it.

“You're new here,” he said taking you out of your trance.

You swallowed past the lump in your throat, “Umm, yeah. Here on business.”

“Oh,” he said, bobbing his head up and down. Gosh, he was delicious. But what were you thinking, you had someone. But was it bad if he looked like your someone?

“And you?” You asked.

He smiled, “I work here.”

You looked around and waved your hand, “Here? Doesn’t seem like your style.”

He grinned and showcased his straight teeth, “No, not here here. At the embassy.” You remembered seeing the embassy when you went on a trip around town. It wasn’t far from your house, maybe half a mile away.

“Oh, ok, that’s a better fit,” you smiled.

“Is this your first time in Colombia?” He said not taking his eyes off of you while he drank his Modelo.

“Yeah,” You nodded then looked over to the lady that was about to bring you your dinner, your mouth watering. The lady placed the bowl of sancocho in front of you and you almost drooled. It smelled amazing. She then went to the guy’s table and placed his bowl in front of him.

You could feel his smoldering gaze eyeing you as you took a bite of your food. And in order to not look at him, you just closed your eyes and enjoyed the flavors of chicken and spices bursting in your mouth. You must admit, you did groan a little. And you weren't even ashamed of it.

“Its good, huh?” He said. You opened your eyes and he was smiling. So, you smiled, too.

You nodded, “I’m part Mexican, so sancocho is not really part of our culture.”

“I feel you; I wouldn’t trade my tacos and burritos for anything,” he concurred. “But this sancocho is something else.”

“We have that in common,” you said as you ate another spoonful of the succulent sancocho. “And yes, yes, it is.”

Both of you ate in comfortable silence. Each one of you glancing at each other when you came up from eating. It looked like he wanted to keep talking to you but hesitated because of how much you were enjoying your meal.

When you finished, you pushed the plate forward and leaned back. He had already finished minutes ago and was just sitting there, throwing glances at you while he drank another beer. The lady approached you and left your check on the table. You automatically grabbed money and gave it to her. You stood to leave and turned to the guy.

“Uh, thanks for the advice. I guess I’ll see you around because I’ll be coming here again,” you smiled and started to leave but before you even take a step forward, he spoke.

“You're welcome,” he said then downed his beer and stood, leaving a small wad of dollar pesos on the table. “You know it’s not safe to be walking around at this time of the night alone, right? Especially someone like you,” he motioned to your face and body.

You raised a brow, “Someone like me? What, it looks like I can’t defend myself?”

He chuckled, “By appearances, not so much. But I can be wrong. I’ve been wrong a lot of times in my life.”

“And this is one of those times,” you smiled and then turned, lifting the back of your shirt and revealing to him the gun you had hiding behind your jeans. “Never underestimate a girl with pretty makeup.”

He laughed and lifted his hands in a protective matter, “Woah, ok, point taken. Still, I’d feel better if I walked you back to your place. I promise I’m not a stalker, I just know what goes around out there at night, and it’s not good.”

You pondered his request. You didn't feel anything uneasy about him. There was something about his eyes that made you feel safe. Like his eyes did so many other times. You even felt a connection that you couldn’t shake off. Maybe it was because he looked so much like your guy that you wanted to trust him. And for a weird fucking reason, you did.

You took a deep breath, knowing that he was right. You didn't know the city yet and even if you could take a guy down with one hand tied behind your back, you didn't want to chance it, so you turned to him and nodded, “Fine, but if you try something, I won’t hesitate on shooting your kneecaps. Comprende, amigo?”

He grinned and nodded, leading you out into the warm balmy night. The streets were still scattered with people even if it was close to midnight.

“My name is Javier, Javier Peña,” he extended his hand.

You shake it, “Nice to meet you, Javier. I’m Y/FL/n.” You feel a surge of energy travel your body as you feel the warmth of his hand. Making you feel perplexed by the reaction your body was taking. A feeling only one other man has ever made you experience. And you could see that he had a similar reaction, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, hard.

He cleared his throat, “Do you live far from here?”

You shook your head, “No, like two blocks down south. And you?”

“Same.”

“So, what do you do at the embassy?” You ask, making small talk so the walk home isn't so awkward.

“Oh, you know…” he says casually.

You shake your head looking at him, “No, I don’t know.”

“I work for the DEA. So, if you're a drug dealer, let me know so I can take you in right now,” he smiles looking at you quizzingly.  

You laugh and roll your eyes, “Like I’d tell you now.”

He laughes, “You don’t seem like the type either way, even if you're carrying an Eagle pistol…” Javier gives you a questioningly look.

You just laugh, enjoying the witty banter being thrown between each other. It was easy.

You roll your eyes and give a small chuckle, “Ok, fine, I’ll tell you the truth, I work for a really, really secret spy organization.” You say kidding but not kidding.

He raises an eyebrow, smirking, “Oh, yeah?”

You nod, “Mhm, and our code names are based off alcoholic beverages.”

“And what’s your super-secret spy name?” Javier asks still smirking.

You shrug, “I’m obviously Agent Vino.”

He grins, “Obviously?”

“Well I can sometimes be sweet like a nice refreshing Moscato, or sometimes I can be sensual like a good pinot noir, or I can be like Chardonnay and be intense and strong,” you say confidently.

He seems surprised, “I like that. I don’t know you, but by first impressions that name fits you well. Now, what other agents are there?”

“Let me see…” You pretend to think about it, “Well there’s Agent Champagne, Agent Whiskey, Agent Tequila, Agent Ginger Ale, among others, obviously.”

He raises an eyebrow, “That’s quite the list. What do you think my name would be?”

You look at him, thinking it through, and only one name is coming to mind, but that one is already taken, which the only other option you can think of is the matching alternative, but not the same. “You’d be Agent Scotch.”

He stops a bit, looks at you with an amused look and then continues to walk beside you, “That’s one of my favorite drinks, apart from whiskey.”

You die internally, of course it is. “Im a good judge of character, what can I say?” you shrug.

“Now why would I be Agent Scotch?” He seems entertained.

Because you’re exactly like my Agent Whiskey…

You know sadness and worry is written all over your face, so you quickly discard those thoughts. “You’re very smooth, that’s for sure, but like scotch you’re also mature, and you only get better with age. And you have a bite to you that stays with a person even way after they’ve experienced you...”

He stops and looks at you with something like admiration and wonder, “You really are something.”

You stop and turn to Javier, seeing so much of your Whiskey, but seeing someone so different. Someone unique. “Yeah?”

Javier beamed, staring at you, and he wasn’t only making eye contact with you, but it was something else. Like he was penetrating you, baring you, figuring you out. Scaring you but enticing you, nonetheless. Almost making you forget why you were really in Colombia in the first place.

You were in BIG trouble…

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